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The Project
Early Semester
How would you define a wall? As an intro into the semester, we created a list of words and pictures answering this question. Our list varied from the apparent purpose of dividing to a more abstract view: transparency, strength, fear, living, alienation. To think beyond these preconceived ideas, words from our list were chosen and given antonyms; next, we were tasked into designing walls which portrayed them. Unification, obscurity, weakness, comfort, and dead were the antonyms we boggled over creating a design but eventually accomplished. Ultimately, this assignment gave us a new perspective, going into the project brief, of what a wall can represent, appear as, or exist for.
Project Brief
After the first exercise, we were finally assigned the project. The task was to design and build a full-size functional wall that spoke in multiple ways to the issues seen at the border between the United States and Mexico. We were given a $500 budget to purchase the necessary materials and construct the wall we designed.
Project Research
Our research can be found under the Project research tab on this site.
Preliminary Phase
We produced a large quantity of concepts and models in this phase, allowing us to begin producing a completed design for our wall. Those featured below were ideas that had an influence in the final design.
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Design Phase
This phase consisted of selecting a final design, determining precise dimensions, and budgeting materials. Below are our study models from this phase.
There are three major parts to the wall: a tree-shaped table, diagonal shutters, and people shaped silhouettes on angled brackets. The table is there to encourage interaction with the wall and it is tree shaped to symbolize the paths an immigrant who crosses the border can take. The shutters are painted from darkest to lightest, then back to darkest to symbolize rays of hope and are at an angle to impede people's view from certain points and encourage from others. The people silhouettes are depicted pushing against the wall on both sides to symbolize those trying to push though and others pushing them back out, which makes the wall stronger. One side of the wall is covered in graffiti to show a difference in each side.
There are three major parts to the wall: a tree-shaped table, diagonal shutters, and people shaped silhouettes on angled brackets. The table is there to encourage interaction with the wall and it is tree shaped to symbolize the paths an immigrant who crosses the border can take. The shutters are painted from darkest to lightest, then back to darkest to symbolize rays of hope and are at an angle to impede people's view from certain points and encourage from others. The people silhouettes are depicted pushing against the wall on both sides to symbolize those trying to push though and others pushing them back out, which makes the wall stronger. One side of the wall is covered in graffiti to show a difference in each side.
Design Review/Critique
The design process essentially concluded with the design review. We presented all of the work from the semester, and our construction plan drawings for the wall before a jury of architects. Below is are the construction drawings which we will use to build this wall over the course of the next nine weeks.
Final Build Phase
After the design process, we drew up some construction drawings and began the building process. After nine more weeks, the construction was finished in time to present at an exhibition.
In our final design of the project, each different part has its own meaning. To start off we have two main sides, The implied US side which has the more blank angled walls, and the implied Mexico side, with its graffiti side walls. The main centerpiece, the wood tree, represents the branching opportunity many immigrants gain by crossing the border. The graffiti and out main material choice, OSB , are used to represent how the wall in its current state is not made out of the best materials but instead made out of scrap material, which many of its comes from old Vietnam US Air bases. The shutters in the center block the view to the other side of the project when standing strait in-front of it, but when you move to the side you can see through; This represents how many people don't have a full understanding of the crisis of the wall, and how some are blinded by the opinions of others. The Red people located on each side wall help the project from falling over, and in doing so represent how the only reason we have a wall is that we cant resolve our conflicts and instead push against each other, creating a divide.