Project 2

Model

My conceptual model is based on a variety of ideas inspired by Edward Hopper's painting 'Rooms by the Sea' and Robert Venturi's 'Mother's House'.

As in Mother's House, my design has a central core which is the entering point of the building. You enter through this cube shaped room up a staircase and reach a wall. You are confused with whether this is the front facade or not as you seem inside yet you havnt gone past a front facade yet so you are still outside. Venturis interior/exterior front facade is played with.

I also designed the building symetrically to play with the idea of the interior/exterior wall in Venturi's Mother's House. With this wall and the central core it seems as though the house could be flipped to be twice the size- making this front facade an actual interior wall as it appears. This other half of the building is only hypothetical however is illustrated in the diagram below.

In my building i decided to duplicate one side of the building making it symmetrical. This second half however is only hypothetical so there is a frosted glass wall that splits the building in half and only allows you access through the right side of the building.

The whole building directs you in a certain path just like Edward Hopper's painting. When you get to the top of the staircase you are ushered around the curved room to a narrow passage which leads to an open ramp. You feel lost and disorientated as you are confused with whether you are inside or outside with the windows which look out to glass walls (are you inside or out).

You then walk along a glass floor and then are taken up this extremely steep ramp) which mimics the shape of the shadow that the light creates on the wall of Edward Hopper's painting. This space with the ramp has a glass roof and some glass walls which look to the central core galss walls. You are further confused with where you are by the mirrors on the walls.

When you reach the top of this ramp you come to a halt. The building ends and there is only a sheer drop down into the water. You are now unsure whether you want to go out or not- after being ushered all the way up. You can't go back as the ramp is too steep. And so you are brought to the feeling that is evoked in the painting. Unsure of whether to venture out into this enticing yet dangerous sea.

Plan of three levels pulled apart

Elevations showing light throughout building

Plan showing light throughout building

Inspiration & Narrative