01. FLAMINGO STARSHIP

In collaboration with: Shannon Sin, Annette Salinas

Prof. Peter Sprowls Design 2 | Summer 2022

Skills Used:

Hand Modeling, Photoshop, Illustrator, Rhino3D

“Flamingo” refers to the spatial characteristics of a flamingo. A flamingo stands on one extremely long leg, however, it’s weight is supported despite its branching mass. “Starships,” represent a unique marriage of function and efficiency to curiosity and the unpredictable. This project is an informed endeavor exploring structure, buoyancy, construction, and assembly.

Flamingo Starship sought to explore architecture explicitly as a practice. To understand the relationship between a structural unit, and the space it creates within itself, as well as the space when deployed in composition. To link quality and condition of space/ structure to forces of climate. To understand and construct space around lifestyle (use) and structure (function), rather than aesthetics and preconceptions.

The structural elements for Paul Rudolph’s Walker Guest House were carefully considered and used as precedent for the process work of Flamingo Starship.

Rudolph’s early Florida work is like a flamingo, consisting of many parts known and familiar when examined in isolation, but when conceived presents itself as uncanny and elegant. Stretched, elongated, abbreviated, not quite right and just quite right. All of it purpose built, however.