Assembly
Discipline
Architecture
Focus
Civic Structure
Classification
Education
Date
Summer 2024
This civic structure bridges the gaps between exploratory form-making, purpose-driven programming, and interpreting the abstract in order to create a space for poetic expression and communal connection.
Context
ENVD 1020 is an introductory architecture studio focused on teaching fundamental design principles, spatial thinking, and fabrication techniques. During the Summer 2024 transfer studio, students were tasked with designing a poetry workshop located on top of the Dalton Trumbo Fountain in the heart of the CU Boulder campus. The project required the final model to clearly express a fabrication method; I chose casting as my primary method of making.
Context
ENVD 1020 is an introductory architecture studio focused on teaching fundamental design principles, spatial thinking, and fabrication techniques. During the Summer 2024 transfer studio, students were tasked with designing a poetry workshop located on top of the Dalton Trumbo Fountain in the heart of the CU Boulder campus. The project required the final model to clearly express a fabrication method; I chose casting as my primary method of making.
Ideation
The project began with site analysis of the plaza which consisted of examining circulation patterns, acoustics, and sun mapping to understand how the space is used throughout the day. Research revealed that pedestrians tended to avoid the center of the site and that most of the sound in the space originated from the southern side of the site. These discoveries informed spatial decisions such as the orientation of the workshop, and where entry and egress spots were located in the structure.
Ideation
The project began with site analysis of the plaza which consisted of examining circulation patterns, acoustics, and sun mapping to understand how the space is used throughout the day. Research revealed that pedestrians tended to avoid the center of the site and that most of the sound in the space originated from the southern side of the site. These discoveries informed spatial decisions such as the orientation of the workshop, and where entry and egress spots were located in the structure.
Ideation
Product
The project began with site analysis of the plaza which consisted of examining circulation patterns, acoustics, and sun mapping to understand how the space is used throughout the day. Research revealed that pedestrians tended to avoid the center of the site and that most of the sound in the space originated from the southern side of the site. These discoveries informed spatial decisions such as the orientation of the workshop, and where entry and egress spots were located in the structure.
The final model, Assembly, is a poetry workshop centered on the act of coming together. The name references the assembly of people within the space, the programming the space supports, and the casting process used to create it. The design features an enclosed interior area for poetry readings and is paired with an exterior area for writing and reflection, culminating in a structure that supports shared and individual experiences.
The layout for the space was inspired from an unlikely source; the way I have shelves arranged in my home. I translated the massing of the shelves into a plan that balances enclosure and exposure. The design showcases two key areas; a more contained performance space and an outdoor zone for quiet use. Fabrication tests in concrete and plaster were conducted in order to refine proportions of the space and evaluate the feasibility of casting as a primary model-making technique.
The layout for the space was inspired from an unlikely source; the way I have shelves arranged in my home. I translated the massing of the shelves into a plan that balances enclosure and exposure. The design showcases two key areas; a more contained performance space and an outdoor zone for quiet use. Fabrication tests in concrete and plaster were conducted in order to refine proportions of the space and evaluate the feasibility of casting as a primary model-making technique.
Fabrication
Fabrication centered on casting as both a structural and acoustic element. Mold basins for the pieces of the model were constructed from Plasticor board. The ribbed texture of the material translated into a surface intended to diffuse sound. The cast elements are all made of Quickrete that contains chicken wire, which is embedded as a reinforcement to achieve thin wall thicknesses. Secondary elements were made out of laser-cut MDF that feature a decorative kerf pattern, resembling trellis structures.
Fabrication
Fabrication centered on casting as both a structural and acoustic element. Mold basins for the pieces of the model were constructed from Plasticor board. The ribbed texture of the material translated into a surface intended to diffuse sound. The cast elements are all made of Quickrete that contains chicken wire, which is embedded as a reinforcement to achieve thin wall thicknesses. Secondary elements were made out of laser-cut MDF that feature a decorative kerf pattern, resembling trellis structures.
Product
The final model, Assembly, is a poetry workshop centered on the act of coming together. The name references the assembly of people within the space, the programming the space supports, and the casting process used to create it. The design features an enclosed interior area for poetry readings and is paired with an exterior area for writing and reflection, culminating in a structure that supports shared and individual experiences.
Product
The final model, Assembly, is a poetry workshop centered on the act of coming together. The name references the assembly of people within the space, the programming the space supports, and the casting process used to create it. The design features an enclosed interior area for poetry readings and is paired with an exterior area for writing and reflection, culminating in a structure that supports shared and individual experiences.
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