Carving New Spaces for Humans Inside of Solid Structures

by Serap Doglarlioglu

Heatherwick Studio designed the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town, South Africa by carving an existing crop silo and repurposing it. The town of Cappadocia was also created using carving techniques on natural stone formations created by a volcano and shaped by the forces of nature.

Carving is not only used on natural formations like in Fairy Chimneys. MOCAA building demonstrates that carving can be used on abandoned, existing solid structures to change its function and turn it an architectural space. Fairy chimneys are natural rock formations altered by the forces of nature, but the abandoned grain silo also changed over the time and was built imperfectly like natural stones:

“[…] [T]he bins themselves were imperfect, varying in thickness and verticality, so it was near impossible to take a very precise digital form and put our ideas into an imprecise existing structure.” ¹

These two projects were created by carving into the existing structure. Both materials are solid enough to use this method even though they are not based on the same materials.

The sensation of a carved structure is intense as it is based on dwelling into an existing structure and repurposing this structure:

“The second challenge was more about how do you create a space for people. The majority of the building was a storage bin for grain—it wasn’t supposed to have people inside it. So how do you create the spaces people need […]?” ² http://www.archdaily.com/896395/why-heatherwick-studios- http://www.archdaily.com/800510/cappadocias-fairy-chimneys-a-

It seems impossible to nestle into a strong and solid structure such as rock and concrete. Their thickness makes them impenetrable for sunlight, therefore carving the openings to the exterior are essential to let natural light in. On the other hand, the darkness creates a feeling of calmness to both buildings. Artificial lighting creates a theatrical atmosphere inside due to the natural appearance of the both buildings.

The composition of the both buildings is achieved by carving and shaping the solid existing structure and creates a powerful ambiance that shows the dominance of humans over these strong and giant structures. On the other hand, the organic curves of the cut areas of the structures show that this dominance over nature is again based on nature itself.