This semester in studio was the biggest roller coaster. The project was entirely based on a pedagogy that I had been developing since last semester’s seminar. Short exercises propelled and stretched these ideas; they weaved in and out of the project. The end result was architectural substance that was rooted in personal beliefs and tied in ideas that have been shifting with formative experiences this semester, as I design for the short exercises, listen at lectures, discuss these topics with with my professor, and travel to Spanish cities. The final project is predicated on the ideas of disappearance and public participation.
This project takes advantage of the short remaining lifespan of the Marina bases. Most will disappear over the next few years. The dismantlement process is slowed down over the course of four years. The timeline below is a projected scenario for how the building may be used over the remaining ten year span. The architecture becomes an event -- tied to a time. It can be a flea market one day and a live performance the next.
The architect assumes the role of a facilitator and mediator in the translation of public and private interests into the urban environment and architecture. The architect helps bring a voice to the people. In Spain, the architect is a political figure. Spanish firms like the coop Lacol Architects or Recetas Urbanas led by Santiago Cirugeda are actively changing the role of the architect to the mediator between people.
The project was the runner up in the William Ward Watkin award for our class, and I’m grateful to have been prized with a travel fellowship for the next year. You can check out more images of the project “Phased Deconstruction” under the tab Archi Archive. For more on my studio, check out this collective blog! https://marketflee.wordpress.com/
This was one of the most rewarding studios because I was able to directly translate ideas and values that have been brewing inside my head since last semester into a design. My studio had a wonderful time staying up late the night before a deadline, traveling to Valencia, and completing our last charrette all together. We also had a very hardworking professor who I can’t thank enough for the thoughtful set-up, the long discussions about theory and design, and the trip. This studio was an unforgettable experience.
First assignment, where this creation center becomes a clay mass that people can manipulate
Deconstruction event
Concept model of base that is adapted to become a precarious, shifting structure