Dynamic Architecture: Rethinking Modularity | Spring 2022
Columbia GSAPP
In collaboration with Abriannah Aiken, Anoushae Airabie, Bisheng Hong, Hyosil Yang, Kurt Cheang, Leo Lai, Omar Badriek, Rourke Brakeville, Yuhong Li
Spectra
A graduation pavilion in nature, the project stems from ideas of the dichotomies of control and the urge to breakaway, the design embraced these dualities and aimed at creating something symbiotic out of an idea that is otherwise so violent and conflicting in order to create a spontaneous order - a structured chaos.
Through material, light and spatial studies, the design aims at bringing in this experience of freedom, celebration and togetherness, while also acknowledging the individuality of each person graduating, within the sea of togetherness.
Tools: Rhino 3D, Grasshopper, Adobe Creative Suite, Blender, TwinMotion, Procreate, AutoCAD
Behind the scenes: Form
The pavilion consists of smaller 4ft ‘teeth’ which are static in themselves, but come together to form a dynamic mattress draping the plaza. Held up by cables anchored to either sides of the plaza, the pavilion lightly sits, with gentle slopes accomodating rainwater pathways and drip moulds.
Dynamic Spaces and Experiences through Lighting and Materiality
The pavilion is an inflatable system made from a translucent nylon fabric for the mat and a more reflective material for the teeth, which makes it come to life when interacted with lighting systems. The teeth are designed to take the dynamic form as the grid sags due to gravity, giving it an everchanging form as per the force of wind, water and other forces.
With solar panels accomodating the lighting needs, the materiality, its opacity and reflectivity are thought of such that the same pavilion can turn into a completely different experience as the day advances solely by the change in its surroundings, providing for a plethora of experiences.
