Project 01 - Folly - Space into Form

This project begins our exploration of space and tectonics as critical characteristics in architectural design.
  • Space is defined as “the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move”.
  • Tectonics in architecture is defined as "the science or art of construction, both in relation to use and artistic design." It refers not just to the "activity of making the materially requisite construction that answers certain needs, but rather to the activity that raises this construction to an art form."
Students will create a series of finished products to demonstrate the skills and thinking that they have achieved as it relates to these two architectural qualities.  This project will facilitate an exploration of architectural space to generate a form then investigate tectonics to detail and construct space within the constraints of the real world.  Students will learn how space creates and controls architectural form, and how space is enhanced through the process of detailing and construction.

To investigate these topics, students will design a small architectural folly in a landscape of their choosing.  To define the site for each folly, students will select a generic landscape/ecosystem which their structure inhabits (forest, desert, prairie, canyon, etc.). Unlike the traditional folly, these structures will serve a function based on the surrounding landscape and the basic need for shelter and refuge in a natural landscape. The specific functions will result from how students define space within the folly and the activities that particular space encourages.  To study the tectonic aspects of their designs, students will be required to use wood framing as the primary structural system for their work.

Project 02 - Fort Worth Cultural District Hotel - UrbanSpace

A current debate making its way through Fort Worth City Hall is focused on a proposed Cultural District hotel.  While providing an economic boost and community/tourism growth for the Cultural District, the current proposed design of the hotel is seen as detrimental to the space and experience of the area.  Supporters of the Kimbell Art Museum in particular are concerned about the encroachment of the new building onto the District’s most prized architectural masterpiece.

How can the design of a new building enhance the experience of an urban district while adapting to and respecting the integrity of its architectural neighbors?  How can we create dynamic, useful, and carefully considered urban space?

Students will be required to locate a mixed-use hotel building within this high-profile urban environment.  In order to accomplish this, students must first ask the question "what is a hotel", then ask "what is the most appropriate response for a hotel on this site".  One point of contention with the proposed project is an overall building height that affects the experience of visitors at the Kimbell museum.  Students are charged with designing a building that creatively maximizes the use of the site while still responding to context, particularly the architectural legacy of the Cultural District.