Fareeza Rashid: Architectural Design 1
Project 01: Fibonacci Pavilion
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As all projects, this too began with an idea; the one and only prompt: the Winter Olympics, and I chose my sport to be figure skating. In trying to capture the elegant movements of a figure skater, their body language and the essence of their art, and create a tangible model, we went through many steps to compile and perfect our own unique ideas all the while honing and adding to our architectural skill set. Through this project we explored abstract representation of motion and depth on a still medium.
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couples figure skating by PxHere
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Research
Project Olympic Sport: Figure Skating
Word Drawing
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SPIRALWinding in a continuous and gradually widening (or tightening) curve, either around a central point on a flat plane or about an axis
SYNONYMS:
COILED CURLING WINDING TWIRL SWIRL |
I associated figure skating with patterns and dances and a lot of circular motion as figure skating is very smooth and doesn't have many sharp stops or course changes. In my research I noticed various patterns and actions in my chosen sport which I wished to incorporate into my word drawing: because figure skaters usually skate alone or in pairs on a large skating rink they must enlarge themselves using body language and skate on much if not all of the provided area; to convey this I decided to draw on majority of my provided space in various patterns representing the skaters path and their jumps. Beginning at the center, the lines can be seen to encircle the entire space within the boundaries; connections between bold curve lines (gliding), several sized circles (different jumps), and angled arrow shapes (figure skater blades) guides the eye through the intended path.
In the course of my research, I have discovered how much actually goes into the sport and how its many aspects combine to express an overall representation of art. Figure skating is not just the sport itself but also the music, the sequence, the choreography, and of course the stunts; it continues to push mans physical limits in ways unlike that in any other sport and due to its many aspects it has further and endless more possibilities of improvement, change and progress.
In the course of my research, I have discovered how much actually goes into the sport and how its many aspects combine to express an overall representation of art. Figure skating is not just the sport itself but also the music, the sequence, the choreography, and of course the stunts; it continues to push mans physical limits in ways unlike that in any other sport and due to its many aspects it has further and endless more possibilities of improvement, change and progress.
Olympic Pictogram Studies
Taking inspiration from the official 2022 winter Olympic figure skating pictogram (top left corner) I ventured out to make some of my own. The name of the sport itself breaks down the two most integral parts of the sport: figures and skates, so from there I researched the many poses figure skaters make and take throughout their routines and simplified them into abstract lines and shapes while still keeping the figure and skate part highly prominent. I used different mediums to attain a variety of textural effects; the sharpie marker allowed precise bold strokes whereas the charcoal blocks left dusty imperfect residue; similarly the India ink allowed for fluid texture and the elegance of calligraphy like brush strokes.
Drawings and Model
We then made three models with three rectangular cardboard planes each that would represent our chosen pictograms and our sport. Now having to portray my previously 2 dimensional work in 3 dimensional light, I chose the dynamic spinning pose (to connect to my original spiral) that balanced on one leg perpendicular to the body: I balanced the largest piece (body) perpendicular to the second tallest (leg) and stabilized with the smallest (skate) as to show a floating plane. I pushed the limits of the model and gambled on the balance of the structure which gave me a similar feel to the risks and dynamics of figure skating.
Plan Oblique Drawing
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Interior Perspective
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From my 3 plane model I decided to continue with the theme of balance and external expression to show the various other aspects that aids the figure in figure skating. the plan oblique drawing shows the use of height variation to portray a downward spiral along with thin basswood strips that represent the figure skater extending and enlarging themselves through body language. Having no other external support, it was a challenge and a feat to make the model stable due to its many floating pieces. the interior perspective serves as an eye level view to what would be the skeleton of my pavilion.
Final Sketchup Model
Project 2: House For an Olympian
In the second part of our project we were to design a home that would allow an Olympian to live and train in an environment
inspired by their sport. As our Fibonacci pavilions were already representations of our chosen sport, the home was to somehow incorporate the pavilion in its design. Our goal was to design a livable space for our Olympian by not only taking into consideration the design of the building, but also the location, the weather, the materials used, how the static qualities of architecture represent the dynamic forms and movement of an Olympic athlete, and how the characteristics of the home reflect its inhabitants.
inspired by their sport. As our Fibonacci pavilions were already representations of our chosen sport, the home was to somehow incorporate the pavilion in its design. Our goal was to design a livable space for our Olympian by not only taking into consideration the design of the building, but also the location, the weather, the materials used, how the static qualities of architecture represent the dynamic forms and movement of an Olympic athlete, and how the characteristics of the home reflect its inhabitants.
Research
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Location Study
As we had already researched the sport and the athlete in the previous part of this project, this time we had to research the location. Some key points to keep in mind were:
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Site Plan
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A site is an area of land showing the landscape, where a building is built. My randomly generated site had a gradually decreasing slope leading to the edge of a river and coniferous trees mostly around the river bank. As shown in the picture, each topographic line represents a drop of one foot going from left (highest) to right (lowest, river).
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Concept Designs
Though my original pavilion itself took up a lot of the site, it had defined and accessible spaces, so I decided to use my pavilion as a skeleton for my building and use its predetermined levels as separate floors which helped narrow down some choices for my designs. After making floor plans and elevations of my pavilion, I started thinking of designs that would act as a shell for it.
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Then, instead of designing outward (shell) in (pavilion), I began exploring building around and from my pavilion: adding to it, multiplying it, changing its orientation, and more. I played around with dynamic shapes and geometries to see what would most effectively represent figure skating.
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Final Design: unification of ice, skate, and skater
I focused greatly on the exterior to show a very visual representation of how I perceive figure skating. The building itself responds and is in conversation with the topography and is therefore raised showing a lift (common move in pair skating). There are curved features in both the elevations and floor plans, and the intertwining of wood, glass and stone slab which connects back to the spiral concept and recaptures figure skating as the harmony of its many aspects.
Elevations and Floorplans
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Features of design: dock connecting landscapes (connection to ice); bridge connecting buildings representing balance; dynamic roof showing fluid motion and intertwining concept; curved, gradually falling and open great room representing fluidity, perspective, and view of the inside; curvilinear building shape representing the figure skaters path and jumps
Site Plan
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