CULTURAL PATHWAYS - PORTOLIO

LOCATION

NAAR, NEPAL

IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NEPAL, SNOW COVERED PEAKS RISE AND FALL BELOW BLUE SKIES, STRETCHING ALL AROUND LIKE A PANORAMA. RED, GREEN, AND BLUE PRAYER FLAGS, ALL STRUNG OUT IN A LINE ALONGSIDE A DIRT PATHWAY, FLUTTER IN THE WIND AS HIKERS AMBLE FORWARD TOWARDS THE AWE-STRIKING HIMALAYAS, WHICH ONLY SEEM TO STAY THE SAME SIZE FOR THE HIKERS, NO MATTER HOW FAR THEY TRUDGE FORWARD. PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO HIKE THIS AREA, AND MANY OF THEM WILL FOLLOW A ROUTE KNOWN AS THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT WHICH CONNECTS TO A PLETHORA OF OTHER ROUTES AND DESTINATIONS. ONE SUCH DESTINATION IS THE VILLAGE OF NAAR, A REMOTE VILLAGE THAT CAN BE HIKED TO FROM THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT IN LESS THAN A DAY. ALONG THE WAY TO NAAR, HIKERS WILL EXPERIENCE HAND MADE SHRINES, PRAYER FLAGS, AND INCREDIBLE VISTAS THAT CAN HARDLY BE DESCRIBED IN WORDS.

TIBET

INDIA

NEPAL

ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT

NAAR VILLAGE

NAAR VILLAGE IS THOUGHT TO BE FROM THE 18TH CENTURY AND HAS A TRADITIONAL BUT UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL LANGUAGE. TO NOT DISTURB THIS UNIQUE LANGUAGE, OUR SITE IS 1 MILE FROM THE VILLAGE.

SITE ROUTES

PANORAMIC VIEWS

THE INTERIOR SHOULD BE CONNECTED TO NATURE AT EVERY MOMENT, GIVEN THE INCREDIBLE SETTING OF THE HIMALAYAS AND ITS MEDITATIVE PROPERTIES.

LOOP DESIGN SET INTO THE EARTH

THE LOOP DESIGN WOULD ALLOW THE PROCESSION TO BE A JOURNEY BY ITSELF. IT CAN ALSO BE A PART OF A GENTLE GESTURE THAT SCARS THE LANDSCAPE.

SETTING THE PROJECT INTO THE EARTH WOULD REFLECT THE LOCAL CUT AND FILL DESIGN, AND HELP WITH THERMAL PROPERTIES.

THE SITE ON A HILL

WHILE PLAYING WITH MULTIPLE FORMS, COULDN’T TAKE MY ATTENTION FROM A LINEAR LOOP. UNLIKE A CIRCLE THIS LOOP HAD OPEN ENDS, MARKING A CLEAR START AND END. THIS SIMPLE LOOP SUDDENLY FELT INTEGRATED DIRECTLY INTO THE PATH OR JOURNEY FROM THE VILLAGE, WHERE ONE COULD ENTER FROM THE TRAIL, WALK THE MUSEUM, AND RE MERGE BACK ONTO THE PATH. I HAD THE INSTINCT TO SITUATE THIS LOOP AROUND A SMALL HILL, GIVING SIGNIFICANCE TO THE TOPOGRAPHY AT THE CENTER OF THE LOOP. WHILE I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT, I KNEW THIS CENTER AREA COULD HAVE A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE ATTACHED TO IT, AND IT WOULD ALSO BE SOMETHING THE USER COULD LOOK AT AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE MUSEUM. TO MAINTAIN THE CONTINUITY OF THIS RIBBON LOOP, I DECIDED TO HAVE THE PATH CUT DOWN INTO THE EARTH, GO UNDERNEATH ITSELF, AND EMERGE FROM THE GROUND AT THE END. BY BECOMING PART OF THE PATH FROM ONE VILLAGE TO ANOTHER, THE PROJECT BECOMES PART OF THE HIKER’S JOURNEY, AS WELL AS A GENTLE GESTURE.

THE PROJECT IS ORGANIZED IN SECTION THAT LEAD ONE INTO THE OTHER. THE ORGANIZATION ALLOWS FOR GENTLE TRANSITION BETWEEN SPACES.

THE ROOF IS AN EXTRUDED BUTTERFLY PROFILE THAT FOLLOWS THE PATH OF THE BUILDING AROUND, AND ENDS AS THE SPACE GOES BELOW GROUND LEVEL.

BUILDING ENTRY

ARTIFACTS AND PANORAMA

BELOW GROUND MEDITATION

HIKING PATHWAY TO CENTER

FROM CENTER TO NAAR OR NEXT VILLAGE

THE CIRCULAR FORM IN NEPAL CULTURE HAS MEDITATIVE SIGNIFICANCE, AND IS OFTEN USED IN METAPHORS FOR LIFE.

CIRCULATION DIAGRAM

FROM NAAR VILLAGE

TO NEXT VILLAGE

BY BECOMING PART OF THE PATH FROM ONE VILLAGE TO THE NEXT, THE PROJECT BECOMES PART OF THE HIKERS JOURNEY, AS WELL AS A GENTLE GESTURE.

1. LOBBY

2. SERVICE

3. PRAYER WHEEL WALKWAY

4. BATHROOMS

5. SEATING AREA AND VIEW TO LOWER LEVEL

6. PAINTINGS AND WALL BASED ART

7. SHRINE AND MEDITATION SPACE

8. STORAGE

9. WALKWAY

10. OPEN DISPLAY

11. LOCAL ART

12. POTTERY AND COPER STATUES

13. REFLECTION POOL

14. MEDITATION SEATING

15. EXIT

16. PATH TO MUSEUM LOBBY

17. SOLAR STORAGE

18. WATER STORAGE

14 SPACES IN A LINE

A WALL BASED ART

B SHRINE ROOM

C PANORAMIC WALKWAY

A B

THE PROJECT SPACES COULD THEN BE ORGANIZED IN A LINEAR FASHION, ALLOWING FOR SEAMLESS TRANSITION BETWEEN SPACES. THESE SPACES WOULD BE BASED ON THE VARIOUS TYPES OF ART IN NEPAL. UPON DOING RESEARCH, I WANTED A SECTION FOR WALL-BASED ART, SHRINES, LOCAL ART, POTTERY, AND SMALL COPPER STATUES. THE WALL-BASED ART WOULD BE FOR NEPAL’S TAPESTRIES AND FRESCOES, AND THE SHRINE ROOM WOULD BE A LARGE MEDITATIVE SPACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD MOVE AROUND THE LARGE SHRINES. I ALSO INCLUDED SPACE FOR THE LOCAL VILLAGE TO CONTRIBUTE TO, AND AN OPEN DISPLAY FOR ANY TEMPORARY EXHIBITS.

VIEW ON APPROACH FROM VILLAGE

THE START 17

A GENTLE CURVE

THE ENTRY SEQUENCE STARTS AS YOU APPROACH THE BUILDING FROM AFAR, AND SE THE GENTLE FORM WHICH STANDS OUT AS AN OASIS AND MOMENT OF REST IN THE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE. AS YOU GET CLOSER, YOU SEE THE CURVE OF THE BUILDING DRAWING YOU IN, AND THE WARM MOOD INTERIOR OFFERING COMFORT FROM THE COLD.

THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESSION IS A MOMENT OF WARMTH AND WELCOME, WITH A FRONT DESK WHERE PEOPLE CAN GIVE UP THEIR PACKS AND HIKING GEAR.

THE FIRST WALKWAY IS NARROW AND MOSTLY CLOSED OFF WITH HINTS OF LIGHT COMING THROUGH ELEVATED WINDOWS. MUCH LIKE AT THE BEGINNING OF ANY JOURNEY, EVERYTHING IS UNKNOWN, AND WHERE WE ARE GOING IS OFTEN A MYSTERY.

PEELED STRUCTURE MODEL

MIDDLE 21

THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE PROJECT IS MOSTLY ITS MUSEUM SPACES. THE STRUCTURE IS MADE OF TWO GLULAM PIECES, WHICH ARE BOLTED TO CONCRETE RETAINING WALLS. JOISTS RUN INBETWEEN THESE MEMBERS SUPPORTING A SOFIT SYSTEM, THICK INSULATION, AND A WATER COLLECTION SYSTEM WHICH RUNS IN THE SPINE. THE FLOOR HAS UNDERPANEL WATER HEATING.

AFTER SEEING THE WALL-BASED ART, YOU MOVE INTO THE SHRINE ROOM ON THE SOUTHSIDE OF THE BUILDING. THIS AREA IS LARGE AND GETS THE MOST DIRECT SUNLIGHT. HERE, THERE IS SEATING AND PLENTY OF SPACE TO MOVE AROUND, OBSERVE, AND MEDITATE ON THE LARGE SHRINES. ALL AWHILE, THE CASCADING MOUNTAINS TOWER OUTSIDE. THIS MOMENT IS THE CLIMAX OF THE PROJECT. IN TERMS OF ELEVATION, IT IS THE HIGHEST MOMENT OF THE PROJECT, BUT IT IS ALSO THE WIDEST MOMENT IN THE RIBBON. AFTER THIS MOMENT OF PAUSE, YOU MOVE INTO A SECTION FOR LOCAL ART, WHERE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THE ART OF NAAR. NEXT, IS A LONG STRETCHING TABLE FULL OF NEPAL’S POTTERY HERITAGE. IT’S IN THIS SPACE THAT THE SLOPING FLOOR HAS BEGUN TAKING YOU BELOW GROUND.

WOOD JOIST SYSTEM

WOOD SOFFIT SYSTEM

BEAM AND COLUMN SYSTEM

WOOD PLANK FLOORING

WOOD FLOOR STRUCTURE

THE LARGE WINDOWS RUNNING ON THE BUILDINGS FACADES ALLOW FOR USERS TO SEE THE ENTIRE HEIGHT OF THE MOUNTAINS AROUND THEM. EVERY SO OFTEN SEATING IS INTROUDUCED TO ALLOW THE USER TO TAKE IN THE MOUNTAINS, SUN, AND VALLEYS BELOW.

CONCRETE FOOTINGS

RETAINING WALL

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC

THE LARGEST SPACE IN THE MUSEUM HAPPENS ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WHERE THE USER CAN WALK THROUGH SHRINES, TAKE IN THEIR HISTORICAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFIGANCE, AND MEDITATE ON NEPALS CULTURALY RICH PAST. THE LARGE AMOUNT OF SPACE ALLOWS PEOPLE TO WALK AROUND THESE SHRINES, WHICH IS HOW THEY ARE MEANT TO BE EXPERIENCED.

1. WELDED KNIFE PLATE

2. RIGID INSULATION

3. TRIPLE PANE

4. CONCRETE EMBEDDED BOLT

5. 2.5FT THICK RETAINING WALL

1. KNIFE PLATE

2. 10” X 6” HSS

3. 6 INCH WIDE GLULAM MEMBER

4. CUSTOM HSS SPINE, SLIP ON DESIGN.

1. HEAVY INSULATION

2. 2.5 INCH RIGID INSULATION

3. ALUMINUM METAL ROOFING

4. NOMINAL CUT LUMBER (VARYING SIZES)

5. ALUMINUM METAL FLASHING

6. 2” X 2” WOOD STICK SOFIT

7. 8” X 10” METAL GUTTER SYSTEM

8. .5” THICK WOOD BOARD

THE END

PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON HEAVINESS THAT COMPANIES THINGS COMING PROCESSION THEY ENCOUNTER A LONG REFLECTION

WHICH POURS IN FROM A SKY LIGHT ABOVE. THE POOL TO A SEATING AREA IN FRONT OF

ON THE SPIRITUAL AND MEDITATIVE SENSE OF TO AN END. AS THE USER ENDS THE MUSEUM REFLECTION POOL WHICH REFLECTS THE LIGHT

THE USER MOVES ALONGSIDE THE REFLECTION OF AN INTENTIONALLY FRAMED VIEW.

MEDITATION REFLECTION POOL

WHEN FIRST REACHING THE REFLECTION POOL, THE USER CAN SLOWLY SEE THE MOUNTAINS BEING REFLECTED FROM THE FRAMED VIEW, AND THE SKYLIGHT CAUSES THE WATER TO REFLECT AND SCATTER ON THE CEILING.

LIGHT WELL

AFTER NOTICING THE CASCADING LIGHT ILLUMINATING THE ONCE DARK AREA. THE USER WILL LOOK BACK AND SEE A GLIMPSE OF WHERE THE JOURNEY FIRST STARTED. THE ANGLE WOULD ALLOW THE USER TO SEE JUST THE SKY COMING FROM THE WINOW. AT THE BEGINNING, THERE IS ALSO A WALKWAY WHERE ALL YOU CAN SEE IS SKY, AND IN THIS FINAL MOMENT, ONCE AGAIN, THERE IS A VIEW OF THE SKY WITHOUT ANY MOUNTAINS OR LANDSCAPES.

SEATING SPACE

THE FINAL SEATING AREA ALLOWS FOR BOTH LITERAL AND METAPHORICAL REFLECTION, AS THE PATH STRETCHES OUT BEYOND THE BUILDING. THE BUILDING ENDS HERE, BUT JUST AS NOTHING REALLY ENDS, THE USER CAN CONTINUE BACK INTO THE NATURE WHERE THEY HAD COME FROM.

EXTRA UNDERGRADUATE PROJECT 21

CANVAS OF NATURE

THE CANVAS OF NATURE PROJECT HAD THE TASK OF CREATING A STRUCTURE FOR ARTS ON A NATURE PRESERVE ON THE ST. JOHN’S RIVER. THE INITIAL CONCEPT WAS TO USE THE NATURE OF THE SITE AS A BACKDROP FOR THE ART THAT WOULD BE CREATED AND PRESENTED HERE. NATURE IS ART, SO THE BUILDING NEEDED TO BE INFUSED WITH IT. THE ENDING STRUCTURE HAS A PERFORMING ARTS STAGE, OUTDOOR PAVILLION, SENSORY BRIDGE, MUSIC SPACE, AND ART GALLERY. EACH SPACE USES NATURAL LIGHT, THE SARROUNDING VIEWS, AND NATURAL PLANTS TO CREATE A PROCESSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF ART AND NATURE. ALSO, ONSITE, RESTS A STRUCTURE DEDICATED TO THE PRACTICE AND APPRECIATION OF GLASS BLOWING.

PERFORMING ARTS SPACE

THE PERFORMING ARTS SPACE SHOWS UPON UPON ENTRY TO THE BUILDING FROM THE OUTDOOR PAVILLION. THE RENDER SHOWS HOW THE SPACE FRAMES A VIEW OF THE RIVER AS THE BACK DROP FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS. PEOPLE CAN SIT AND WATCH AS DANCER’S SILLHOUETTES FLOAT ACROSS THE GLASSY WATER BEHIND THEM. THE OUTDOOR PAVILLION ALSO CASTS A BEAUTIFUL LIGHT CONDITION INTO THE SPACE.

SENSORY BRIDGE

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO BRING NATURE AS CLOSE TO THE VIEWER AS POSSIBLE. THE CONNECTING BRIDGE OF THIS PROJECT BRINGS VIEWERS ON A WALK THROUGH THE TREES, CLOSING OFF THEIR VIEW FROM THE REST OF THE SITE WHILE LEAVING THE SKY LIGHT ABOVE OPEN. THIS CREATES A MEDITATIVE WALK WITH CLOSE VIEW OF THE TREES.

PERFORMING ARTS SPACE

THE SITES GLASS BLOWING STUDIO IS SET BELOW GROUND. IN ORDER TO GIVE THE SPACE NECESSARY VENTILATION AND AN APPRECIATION FOR THE GLASS STRUCTURES BEING CREATED, SEVERAL GLASS VOIDS CUT THROUGH THE GROUND LEVEL PROGRAM AND INTO THE STUDIO. THE GROUND LEVEL SPACE WHICH THESE VOIDS CUT THROUGH IS A GALLERY SPACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE THE PRODUCTS OF GLASS BLOWING AND CATCH VIEWS DOWN INTO THE PROCESS OF GLASS BLOWING.