Selected Work (2 of 4)

Brian Slusher Selected Work (2 of 4)

LA Public Theatre T h i s stu d i o ex p l o re d th e t y p o l o g y of th e atre s i n c l u d i n g a s p e c ts of d e e p i nte r i o r i t y m o n u m e nta l i t y sy m b i o s i s of p ro g ra m a n d fo r m p o l i ti c s of p u b l i c s p a c e f uz z y fe n c e s th i c ke n e d s u r fa c e s fo r m a l i t y a n d i nfo r m a l i t y i n s p a c e S tu d i o 2 G A : R u s s e l l T h o m s e n , M a c ke n zi e C h a m p l i n

C o m m u n i t y M e d i a a n d P r i n t C e n te r

Programmatic blocks stack in a bar to conceal the theatre

Subtraction and disbursement of massing to make a rooftop terrace

48

49 Simplification of massing and re-alignment along 12th Street

Framing outdoor space for public use and entry circulation

“The city government’s s e c u r i t i s at i o n , p o l i c i n g , a n d surveillance of public space e f fe c t i v e l y c r e ate s t w o w o r l d s .

On one side of the wall are the p r i v ate e n c l av e s w i t h i n w h i c h the dreams of the rich are met; a n d o n t h e o t h e r, i s w h at N a n c y Fr a s e r h a s c a l l e d t h e c o u n te rp u b l i c : t h o s e w h o a r e d e l i b e r ate l y e xc l u d e d f r o m a n d e x p l o i te d by t h e d o m i n a n t s o c i a l c l a s s .“ T h i s s t u d i o ex p l o re d t h e t y p o l o g y

o f t h e a t re s , p a r t i c u l a r l y h o w t h e i r d e e p i n te r i o r i t y i s d i s t i n c t f ro m t h e i r m o n u m e n t a l p re s e n c e f ro m t h e s t re e t . I n h e re n t i n t h e s t u d i o b r i e f a re t h e p o l i t i c s a ro u n d t h e a t re s . Fo r ex a m p l e , t h e P a l a i s G a r n i e r i s a s y m b o l to t a l opulence and elitism.

I n re s p o n s e , h o s p i t a b l e p u b l i c space became an important part o f t h e p ro j e c t . T h e t h e a t re l o b b y ex te n d s i n to a n o u td o o r c o v e re d space, blurring the boundary

b e t w e e n t h e fo r m a l i t y o f t h e i n te r i o r w i t h t h e i n fo r m a l i t y o f a public space.

L A’s a p p ro a c h to d e a l i n g w i t h p u b l i c s p a c e i s t h ro u g h securitization , policing and invisibilization of homelessness a n d p o v e r t y to s e r v e a n e v e r shrinking dominant social class.

T h e s te w a rd s h i p fo r t h i s p ro j e c t ’s p u b l i c s p a c e b e l o n g s to t h e c o m m u n i t y i n w h i c h t h e p ro j e c t i s s i t u a te d .

PROCESS DIAGRAM

50

51

T h e m a s s i n g s t r a te g y c o n s i s te d o f b o t h p ro g r a m m a t i c a n d conceptual considerations .

B e g i n n i n g w i t h t h e p ro g r a m a r r a n g e d i n a b a r (s e e p re v i o u s p a g e) a l l o w s t h e p ro g r a m m a s s e s to s i t u n c o m fo r t a b l y c l o s e to o n e a n o t h e r. T h e t h e a t re m a s s i n g b l o c k i s e n t re n c h e d p a r t i a l l y i n t h e g ro u n d a n d s u r ro u n d e d b y o t h e r p ro g r a m b l o c k s . T h i s a l l o w s t h e a d e e p i n te r i o r i t y to b e established.

In contrast, the administrative p ro g r a m b l o c k s w e re m o v e d aw ay f ro m t h e t h e a t re m a s s , c re a t i n g a t w i n o f t h e t h e a t re i n the void between them . The lobby o f t h e b u i l d i n g ex te n d s a c ro s s t h e o p e n l o t to c re a te a f u z z y b o u n d a r y b e t w e e n t h e i n fo r m a l i t y o f p u b l i c s p a c e a n d t h e fo r m a l i t y re q u i re d fo r t h e a t re p e r fo r m a n c e .

Program Distribution Admin Back of house / Storage Cafe Education Production Public Reception Core

11

12

10

16

10

13

53

3

2

1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Plan

Reception Cafe Theatre Rehearsal Editing Suite Treatment room Artists Lounge Photo Booth Gym / Pilates Room Custom Atelier Loading Bay Service Entry Storage Staff Room Office Fabrication Shop Stretching Area Open Office

1/16”=1’0”

0

48

72

4

5

18

9

7

6

10

8 18

18 1

3 14

16

12

15

11

17

55

1

2

Sections 1 2 3 4 5 6

1/16”=1’0” Reception Cafe Theatre Rehearsal Editing Suite Treatment room

48

0

7 8 9 10 11 12

72

Artists Lounge Photo Booth Gym / Pilates Room Custom Atelier Loading Bay Service Entry

13 14 15 16 17 18

Storage Staff Room Office Fabrication Shop Stretching Area Open Office

Daylighting through Skylights

Rehearsal Passive Return

Office Passive Return 57

Rehearsal Passive Intake

Theatre Active Return Office Passive Intake

Lobby Passive Return

Shading

Lobby Passive Intake

Raised Floor Cooling

59

F i n a l m o d e l o f C o m m u n i t y M e d i a a n d P r i n t C e n te r

61

F i n a l m o d e l o f C o m m u n i t y M e d i a a n d P r i n t C e n te r

Community Media Center T h e te c to n i c s of p a p e r a s a p r i m a r y c o n s i d e rati o n fo r fo r m -f i n d i n g i nvo ke d a n u n c o nve nti o n a l p a l ate : c raf t p a p e r paper carrying ink slumping models crumpled paper s - c rate str u c tu re s th i c ke n e d s u r fa c e s chunk models S tu d i o 1G A : D av i d Es ke n a zi , M at th ew Au , K r i st y B a l l i et

C o m m u n i t y M e d i a a n d P r i n t C e n te r

64

65

I t i s l i ke l y t h e o n l y a c t o f c o n s t r u c t i o n fo r a d e s i g n e r i s i n the process of building a model.

- D av i d E s ke n a z i The idiosyncratic study of details in physical models can b e c a p t u re d a s a b s t r a c t i o n s i n a digital model and subsequently a p p e a r a s a re p re s e n t a t i o n o f t h e i n t h e n ex t p h y s i c a l m o d e l . T h i s a rc h i te c t u r a l t ro p e i s u b i q u i to u s i n t h e h i s to r y o f b u i l d i n g ornamentation , but not so in the

c o n tex t o f i te r a t i v e m o d e l m a k i n g . T h e f i r s t ex a m p l e s h o w n i n a m o d e l e d t a p e i n t h e e g g c r a te model. The second is a digital s ke tc h o f t h e s i l h o u e t te o f t h e s l u m p m o d e l , w h e re t h e i n te n t i o n w a s to g e t v e r y s u b t l e tex t u re s o f t h e s l u m p m o d e l (s h o w n a b o v e). T h e s u b t l e tex t u re s o f t h e c r u m p l e d p a p e r w a s c a p t u re d i n ‘ d i g i t a l s ke tc h e s ’ a n d w e re l a te r a b s t r a c te d a s c o l o re d l i n e s p r i n te d o n c r a f t p a p e r. C r a f t p a p e r s e re n d i p i to u s l y b e c a m e

a p r i m a r y ‘ b u i l d i n g m a te r i a l ’ fo r t h e m o d e l s , s i n c e i t h a d g re a te r fo rg i v e n e s s i n d o u b l y c u r v e d s u r f a c e s c o m p a re d to b r i s to l , a “ s t a n d a rd i s s u e ” m o d e l c o n s t r u c t i o n m a te r i a l . C r a f t p a p e r ’s p u l p a l s o c a m e i n to d i a l o g u e w i t h t h e a b s t r a c te d ‘ c r u m p l e tex t u re ’ p r i n te d o n t h e s u r f a c e . T h e c a re f u l s t u d y o f te c to n i c s , tex t u re a n d p o s t u re of the paper models became a n i m p e t u s fo r t h e s u b s e q u e n t models.

66

67

T h e d ay g l o c o l o r s h o l d h i s to r i c p re c e d e n c e i n L A , b o t h a s s i g n a l fo r a t te n t i o n o n ro a d s i d e s i g n s a n d fo r t h e s p i r i t o f e n t re p re n e u r s h i p i n c re a t i v e p u r s u i t s a n d a l l p ro fe s s i o n s a n d t r a d e s . H e re i n s t u d i o m o d e l s , d ay g l o re fe re n c e s t h i s h i s to r y and as anesthetization , asks fo r t h e m o d e l to b e s e e n , to b e re c o g n i ze d b y i t s v i e w e r s .

A c l a s s i c a rc h i te c t u r a l t ro p e o f t r a n s - m a te r i a l i z a t i o n m a n i fe s t s i n

t h e e g g c r a te m o d e l : t a p e ex i s t s a s f u n c t i o n a l s t r u c t u r a l m a te r i a l , i t a l s o c l a i m s to b e (t h ro u g h i t s l o u d c o l o r) p u re l y o r n a m e n t a l without any structural function, a n d a b s t r a c te d a s d ay g l o p a p e r w h i c h re p re s e n t s t a p e .

T h e d ay g l o e g g c r a te p e r fo r m s a similar dance: it primarily acts as structural support, suspending a p re v i o u s m o d e l i n a c a l c i f i e d o p e n p o s t u re , w h i c h c a n a l l o w s the model the “tumble” and yet

re m a i n i n t h e s a m e s p a t i a l s t a te .

I n a d d i t i o n t h e re a re m o m e n t s i n t h e m o d e l w h e re t h e e g g c r a te s i m p l y p e r fo r m s a d e c o r a t i v e ro l e , w i t h o u t a n y f u n c t i o n a l .

T h e t u m b l i n g o f t h e e g g c r a te m o d e l d e m o n s t r a te s t h e s t r u c t u re t h e e g g c r a te p ro v i d e s to ‘ c a l c i f y ’ t h e g e o m e t r y o f a n u n t a p e d m o d e l o f s t a c ke d b oxe s .

69

A b o v e A d j a c e n t p l a n e s a re i m p o s e d o n t h e i n te r i o r s p a c e s o f t h e e g g c r a te m o d e l R i g h t C o l o re d o b l i q u e re n d e r o f e g g c r a te m o d e l .

70

71

T h e i n te r i o r p l a n e s o f t h e e g g c r a te m o d e l w e re u s e d to c re a te t h e s l u m p m o d e l ( p a g e 7 ). I n t u r n , t h e a b o v e m o d e l i s a n a b s t r a c te d , t h i c ke n e d v e r s i o n o f t h e s l u m p m o d e l ( p a r t i a l g e o m e t r y).

72

73

T h e t h i c ke n e d s l u m p m o d e l p re s e n t s a n e w s i l h o u e t te w i t h ro t a t i o n s i n e a c h p l a n e .

The chunk model is another i te r a t i o n o f s t u d y o f t h e s l u m p model. In this model, the tape as o r n a m e n t re a p p e a r s , t h e l ay e r s o f p a p e r w h i c h a c t a s s t r u c t u re a n d c o u n te r s t r u c t u re a g a i n s t g r av i t y a n d t h e tex t u re o f t h e c r u m p l e d p a p e r. G r a p h i c p r i n te d o n t h e p a re i n t ro d u c e d i f fe re n t te c to n i c p ro p e r t i e s to t h e l o o s e a n d f re e c r a f t p a p e r, a s w e l l a s i n i t i a te d i f fe re n t g e o m e t r i c a l emphases. The chunk model, w h i c h i s a s i n g l e m u l t i l ay e r f a c e

of the slump model, acts as a p ro v o c a t i o n o f, “ a t w h a t p o i n t does paper become a model?”

I t s t h i c ke n i n g g i v e s i t b o d y, y e t i s u n z i p p e d t a b s e m p h a s i ze s t h e s i n g u l a r s h e e t s o f t h e t h i c ke n e d envelope, as do its other s i n g l e s h e e t l ay e r s . I t h a s b o t h s t r u c t u re a n d l o o s e n e s s ; b o t h t h re e d i m e n s i o n a l i t y a n d t w o d i m e n s i o n a l i t y.

74

75

A c h u n k m o d e l o f a s i n g l e s u r f a c e f ro m t h e s l u m p m o d e l . I t s v o l u m e a n d l a c k o f v o l u m e p re s e n t a n ox y m o ro n o f m o d e l a n d p a p e r a s a s i n g u l a r m a te r i a l o b j e c t .

G r a p h i c a l p r i n t s o f a g r i d o n t h e p a p e r e m p h a s i ze t h e f l o w o f g e o m e t r y o f t h e re c t a n g u l a r s u r f a c e i n 3 D s p a c e .

76

77

A b o v e C o l l a g e o b l i q u e o f C o m m u n i t y M e d i a C e n te r.

Left Detail of chunk model.

T h e c h u n k m o d e l w a s t a ke n a s a p r i m a r y d e s i g n m o d e l fo r a Community Media and Print C e n te r, s i t u a te d i n d o w n to w n Lo s A n g e l e s , n e a r t h e A r t s District. Craft paper and the p ro c e s s o f p ro d u c i n g a c o l l a g e o b l i q u e i n fo r m e d t h e d e s i g n decisions . The idiosyncratic d i g i t a l s ke tc h i n g c o n t i n u e d a s a te c h n i q u e to p ro d u c e tex t u re o f a b s t r a c te d c r u m p l e d p a p e r.

A b o v e O b l i q u e c o l o re d re n d e r o f t h e c h u n k m o d e l .

R i g h t O b l i q u e o f t h e m e d i a c e n te r fo r t h e A r t s D i s t r i c t neighborhoods.

D i g i t a l re n d e r o f m e d i a c e n te r

78

79

Plans and sections of the Community Media and Print C e n te r re v e a l t h e p ro g r a m m a t i c o rg a n i z a t i o n o f t h e b u i l d i n g .

T h e f i r s t f l o o r ( l e f t , b o t to m) shows open studio and public p ro g r a m m i n g a t t h e l e f t a n d r i g h t c av i t i e s o f t h e p l a n . T h e c e n te r o f b u i l d i n g i s c o m p r i s e d o f p r i v a te o f f i c e s a n d o t h e r n o n public spaces. The second floor ( l e f t , to p) s h o w s a t h e a t re s t y l e arrangement of studio spaces t h a t e m p h a s i ze a h i e r a rc h y i n

e l e v a t i o n , a n a t u r a l p a r a l l e l to t h e s t u d e n t- te a c h e r h i e r a rc h y i n te a c h i n g e n v i ro n m e n t s - a l l c o n n e c te d b y a s e r i e s o f r a m p s .

The section above shows two o p e n c av i t i e s to t h e l e f t a n d r i g h t a n d a m o re m o d e s t l y s h a p e d i n te r i o r to h o u s e o f f i c e s . T h e upper floor includes a double c a n o p y ro o f, s u s p e n d e d a b o v e w i t h t h e e g g c r a te s t r u c t u re .

80

81

T h e t h e a t re - s t y l e s e r i e s o f o p e n s t u d i o s , l o c a te d o n t h e s e c o n d f l o o r, a re c o n n e c te d b y a s e r i e s o f r a m p s .

T h e t w o l ay e r ro o f s a re suspended about the open s t u d i o s w i t h l ay e r s o f d ay g l o e g g c r a te s , w h i c h u n d u l a te a n d re s e m b l e t h e a i r i n e s s o f t h e c h u n k m o d e l . T h re e v a r i e t i e s o f tex t u re s a re i m p l e m e n te d o n t h e m o d e l to re p re s e n t c r u m p l e d p a p e r tex t u re . T h e f i r s t l ay e r ( l e f t ) s h o w s t h e p re v i o u s l y u s e d l i n e b a s e d d i g i t a l s ke tc h ; t h e m i d d l e l ay e r u s e s a d i g i t a l l y p ro c e s s e d scan of a the original crumpled paper of the slump model. The

to p l ay e r i s a b i t m a p o f t h e m i d d l e l ay e r s c a n , p r i n te d o n p e r fo r a te d p a p e r.

83

F i n a l m o d e l o f C o m m u n i t y M e d i a a n d P r i n t C e n te r