Matthew Giardina: Monument to Architectural Space Over Time

Fourth Year One Week Sketch Problem

Professor_Kevin Story

Description_Design a monument to architectural space over time.

Solution_Architecture is constantly changing and evolving. Nothing that is built will last forever, but we gain knowledge and experience with every new design. My monument will attempt to illustrate this constant cycle by using sandstone monoliths to represent the physical products of architecture and young Redbud trees to represent our knowledge in the field. A wall of glass will run through the center of the site, representing the separation between the past, present, and future. On one side of the glass there will be monoliths that have already begun to erode, while the other side will have freshly cut stones. The sandstones will slowly erode away and the trees will gradually grow up and take their places. A small light is stationed on the ground and shines up on each monolith, but as the stones erode the light will fall less on the stones and more on the trees behind them. As this change takes place the nature of the space will change from a uniform and sterile environment to a space full of character and life. This transformation will cause the space to stimulate a different emotion or experience each time a person visits it.