REVIVE PAGE 10 STUDIO SUN PAGE 16 EPOCHS OF MATERIAL
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ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION VISITING SCHOOL | PROFESSOR MARIE MONSEIGNAT | YEAR 2023 | LONDON, UK
This project explores the historical and ongoing impact of urbanization on natural ecosystems, highlighting the disconnect between human development and nature. It focuses on Malaga’s Guadalmedina River, once a vital natural feature now constrained by concrete walls, as a symbol of this separation. This proposal aims to restore water and nature, bringing indigenous farming techniques to the cityscape. By addressing Malaga’s current drought conditions, this design promotes the coexistence of natural systems and urban development through a three part proposal.
Inspired by indigenous agricultural practices, this natural system acts as an aquifier, bringing farming to the city through living terraces. Where mountain runoff is purified through the process of aeration and sedimentation. Acting as an extension of the stadium,
inviting
human
nature
interact with
space. Inspired by the natural filtration of sea water through oysters, concrete beds form recreational pools while inviting seawater species to thrive.
High Tide | Zone 03
Human evolution is inextricably linked to our materials and tools, with each stage of progress marked by the materials we’ve used
The Stone Age piece symbolizes the beginning of human civilization , marking the discovery of fire through wood, where wooden desire to innovate, explore, and push human limits. The Industrial Age piece signifies the revolution of extraction, where concrete, while imposing on our bodies and minds.
INDUSTRIAL AGE
used throughout history.
wooden wings represent our innate concrete, metal, and plastics dominate the land
Vessels
| Heart & Lungs of Mother Earth
BIOLOGICAL AGE
A symbol of armor
This future piece advocates for the protection of Earth and empowers nature to thrive alongside us. Imagining a world where our textiles and buildings live and breathe ,
MATERIAL STUDY
Before creating my pieces, I experimented with dozens of materials, from organic to heavy metals with the goal of allowing the materials to dictate form .
Through growing, weaving, printing, welding, pouring, and nailing, the pieces came together. With each epoch, we have distanced ourselves further from the natural, organic rhythms in relation to the earth. This collection brings to light the incessant boundary humans have created between the built and the grown.
Wheatgrass textiles with beeswax template Wool as textile and substrate structure for seed growth
Microseed planting Hemp skirt
Blue oyster mushroom & myceliumm composite growing
Mycelium Blocking
3D Printing Clay Concrete + Welding
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | PROFESSOR SHAWN PROTZ | PARTNER RYAN PHAN | YEAR 2023-PRESENT | SEAGROVE, NORTH CAROLINA
Sun as the Conductor of Space
Courtyard + Showcase
Studio Sun’s design is rooted in the natural cycles and elements of Seagrove, North Carolina, a place known for its clay-rich landscapes and pottery tradition. Created for renowned potters Hitomi and Takuro Shibata, the studio engages directly with the land and climate through a carefully orchestrated open-air structure. With no walls, the 24 x 48’ studio relies on the roof as the primary element to define and shape the space.
Interior
Drawing inspiration from Japanese architect Hiroshi Sambuichi, the roof integrates “moving materials” like sun, wind, and water, responding to seasonal changes in ways that enhance comfort and support the Shibatas’ creative work. The roof is thoughtfully designed with louvers that filter sunlight based on the solstice paths, blocking intense summer sun while welcoming the lower winter light.
Roof as the Composer of Function
The studio is divided into three distinct zones—work, exhibition, and a courtyard—not through partitions but through the quality of light they receive, with each area tuned to the particular needs of pottery-making, displaying, and communal interaction. The southwest orientation allows natural cross-ventilation, ensuring comfort in hot weather, while the roof slope channels rainwater into a collection system that nurtures a nearby garden. By embedding these nature-driven solutions, Studio Taiyo embodies a dynamic relationship with the environment, enhancing the artistry and experience of clay-making.
04 . CANOP Y CONSERVATORY | PLANT RESEARCH CENTER
The Canopy Conservatory is a living, breathing Plant Research Center that connects people with nature through a design inspired by the life cycle of an oak tree. From its rooted entrance to its elevated termini, the building embodies growth, offering spaces for recreation, education, and functional engagement with native plant life. By harnessing the power of plants, such as algae biofuels, to generate energy, the conservatory demonstrates the potential of symbiosis between architecture and the environment.
NORTH CAROLINA STAT E UNIVERSITY | PROFESSOR DOUG PIERSON | PARTNER KINSLEY STEVENS | YEAR 2024 | AIA SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
Beginning with research into renewable energy systems, we discovered the potential of algae biofuels, an insight that became the foundation of the project. Situated near a stream with frequent algae production and a site prone to high runoff, we leveraged these conditions to implement algae harvesting and water retention systems. The design also incorporated stakeholder feedback, prioritizing the preservation of existing oak trees by adhering to critical root zone (CRZ) guidelines, shifting the building’s footprint away from the park and closer to Lake Wheeler Road. With each level of the building integrating green roofs and outdoor spaces, the project facilitates various interactions with nature while ensuring the building’s narrative remains tied to its plant-powered energy systems.
Use of exisiting topography for water retention and biofuel production.
Implementation of Critical Root Zone (CRZ). Ensuring protection of
North and South facing facades with horizontal louvers and south facing green roofs.
Accessible connection to Lake Wheeler multi-use path to encourage pedestrian use.
The Launch is designed to celebrate the sport of rowing. This delicate, yet provocative structure, frames views towards both sides of Jordan lake. This boathouse acts as a threshold and meeting point for both private rowers and public interest. Light materials were chosen to combat the constraints of budget and lessen the environmental footprint, while also taking into account assembly and potential disassembly.
Inspired by rowing’s precision, our design mirrors a telescope, with scaffolding forming two tapering arms on each side of the lake. As one moves deeper into the lake, the frames expand, turning a private shelter into a bustling Instead of a traditional lighthouse lamp, we utilized vibrant fabric as our striking visual marker. While this structure is meant to address boat storage, our design proposes a space where rowers can feel a sense of pride.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | YEAR 2024- ONGOING
Geogenic Wall | A structure made from geological processes akin to the formation of Earth’s layers.
In nature, trees and fungi form symbiotic relationships, each needing one another to survive.
What if our buildings could do the same— connecting with one another and the natural world around them, creating a network of life?
Building with earth began 5,400 years ago, it is evident that soil teems with life and although archeologists overlook the microbial lives that were present in these walls, the livelihoods of humans, plants, animals, and microbes were defined by mutualism. By using earthen construction methods as a medium for growth, I explore how this material could harness moisture to support life and utilize root networks to engineer structure.
