1. Bridging the Gap
Basswood, Foam board, Illustration board, Cellophane, Chrome adhesive, Superglue 18"x12"x9", (2023)
I intended to represent a large-scale installation of a canopy with hanging semi-transparent sheets which was inspired by my junior year of high school. This structure serves as an architectural timeline of disruption against the calm as I leave my childhood behind.
2. Dream Haven
Tissue Paper, Translucent Plastic Sheets, PVA Glue, 19”x18”x8” (2022)
As a child, I always felt the overwhelming expectation to have a grounded and realistic thought process, always defined by the phrase “young adult”. For this piece, I wanted to create a sheltered environment for my childlike musings, dreams, and aspirations, free from the pressures around me. I experimented with light diffusion through each mound and reflection into the plastic structures to create the impression of clouds in a transcendent airy atmosphere.
I see architecture as serving a protective purpose. As a potential architect, I find my own mind looking for safe spaces. Whether mentally, intellectually, or physically, these safe spaces allow their inhabitants to exist in their most optimal state.
3. Transposition Study
Spaghetti, Superglue, 3”x3”x3”, (2022)
In an attempt to understand the multifaceted planes of a cube, I utilized pasta as a vehicle to express the different possibilities of shadows and linear shapes. I created four 3” cubes, each with different linear cuts and sections. As a result, between each angle, cube, and side, there is a new shifted perspective and shadow. With 6 sides on each cube, there is an infinite amount of light angles and perspectives.
Therefore, there are unlimited ways to view each of these 4 cubes. I could only select a few of these permutations to present, but I wanted to emphasize how the shifting cast shadows juxtapose the fixed nature of cubic shapes. The forms extended beyond the number of possibilities in presentation and the physical constraints of cubic forms as the shadows cast triangular and quadrilateral outlines.
4. Junco Sanctuary
Laser Cutter, Basswood, Illustration Board, Yellow Cellophane, Tracing Paper, Mirror 7”x7”x12” (2023)
As I continue to explore a sense of protection and my personal investigation in lights and shadows, I decided to create a structure not for a human client, but instead for the dark-eyed junco. Since the junco is a ground-nesting bird, the design was adjusted to be situated on the forest floor and useda mirror on the top as a way to dissuade the bird’s natural predators. I explored the concept of protective yet welcoming facades that allow light and air to circulate throughout the structure. Airy protection from the curvilinear strips casts shade for my avian inhabitants mimicking the layered, shrubbery shadows that would typically be found around the junco’s natural habitats.
5. Metamorphic Fortress
Cardboard, Pumice, Acrylic paint, Premiere Pro, Projector, 2022
My philosophy about architecture being in a protective state also has its limitations. There are instances where overprotection and sheltering can cause more harm than good. In this piece, I created the basic structures out of cardboard and styrofoam and I created a well-protected fortress of sorts.
I filmed and edited a video of various, abstract paper studies, scenes, and structures to represent the ever-changing environment. I then projected the video onto the fortress structure to contrast the stagnant, conservative mind with the world in flux.
6. Nexus
Dry Floral Foam, Acrylic Paint, Sculpting/Carving Tools, 5.5”x5.5”x3.5” (2022)
For this piece, I also explored the concept of family and connections. The physical connections involved come from the interior crevices and carvings. With the floral foam, I created a puzzle of sorts. Each piece fits together to express positive and negative cavities that are meant to be fitted.
I correlate my familial ties to this piece as I view each of the 4 members of my family to be vastly different. When seeing this sculpture on its exterior, it does not seem like they are meant to fit together, but in the end, our intrinsic interior bonds are what hold us together. I created these relief carvings to experiment with geometric exteriors and organic interiors as these pieces all match together.
7. Modular Home
AutoCAD, Illustration board, Glue, Moss, Flowers, 24”x20”x4.5” (2023)
As I continue down my path to find protective spaces, I created a “Modular Home” to explore a sense of versatility in the layout of additional rooms. The idea of growth and expansion is exemplified as one can use the design of retractable hallways to choose the footprint of their home.
I find that the homes and spaces of my childhood were physically stagnant, yet they were so emotionally dynamic. I think of my constantly changing state of mind and body, yet my room and the rectangular limitations of my home stay standing. I also implemented angular slits in the walls and ceilings of my structure to allow for changing angles of sunlight that shine through the day. I utilized AutoCAD Fusion 360 to model my structures before creating the final adjustable model. Through this, I not only experimented with the effects and the responses to the piece but also the math and engineering involved in the creation process.