STORYTELLING AS MEDIATION

In this studio, my partner, Anastasia Fedotova, and I were tasked with creating a space with our non-human ally (Breaking). Our site for this project was our own architecture building, the Bayard Ewing Building. With the massive amount of scraps that go to waste from students’ model making, we devised a system that ‘breaks’ down the scraps and restores them for reuse. This plan has two parts: a present-day plan and a ten year plan. The ten year plan proposes that only paper is used for models and all toxic materials such as foam and acrylic will be banned within that time frame. Architecturally, we used our non-human ally, breaking, to expose the shoots and paper recycling system by replacing part of the brick facade with glass.

For this studio, my group members (Andrew Larsen, Adnan Agha, and Rui Mao) and I researched and utilized information regarding zoning, occupancy, and building code requirements, and in depth material exploration to develop a building design and envelope that addresses the fundamental control layers, along with understanding the ecological and economic impact. The building program houses community-based activities for the What Cheer Flower Farm located in Olneyville, Providence.