Reverberation of land

architecture design towards tectonic plasticity

Statement

Reverberation of Land is about exploring the effects of reflection and its distorted rippling effects on topography and artificial landscape. The project is a spatial experimentation through the agency of digital media and physical model making.
This project was inspired by stoneware "No Sound C" by Japanese artist Hayashi Yasuo. The reflection of its geometric surfaces, its natural rusted material texture, and its distorted form are the basic animators for my work.

Project Involvement

This part of the portfolio documents my process of generating a project through experimentation and reinterpretation of tectonic plasticity during my study at the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture in Cooper Union. The project began with an examination and retransformation of a found ‘vessel’ from Metropolitan Museum of Art through a sequence of drawing and image experiments.

Credit

Created by Damon Chen
Instructed by Cooper faculty including Mersiha Veledar, James Lowder, Dean Nader Tehrani, Elizabeth O'Donnell and Lauren Kogod

Concept

Abstract Digital Images of Reflection >

There are many kinds of reflection. Initially, I’m drawn to the reflection projected on water and the gorgeous rippling effect it creates. I was inspired by the reflections in the street side pounds of NYC that I walk by seeing every day.

spacial Abstraction drawings >

Abstraction >

I create drawings and images that conceptually transform the material and geometric silhouette of the vessel through a spatial amplification.

Field Condition Drawings >

In addition, I graph these field condition drawings to reflect the water’s dynamism and sense of flow in a spatial matrix. These field configurations map out the rippling effects and reflections with points and lines.

Prototype

Plaster Figures on the scope of Tectonica >

The next step is my observations on blurring repetitions and cuts through space which left me these stunning malleable plaster figures. This is an essential step to transform 2D illustrations into 3D models, formulating physical texture for ripples on land.

Reverberation >

An idea struck me when I saw the name of the vessel, ‘No sound C’. I realized that the idea of reflections can also be represented through echoes of sound. This is the turning point of this project. These sets of drawings are inspired by Fetal Ultrasound used during pregnancy, combing with the rippling effects of liquid.

Physical Construction

Plaster Model of the landscape>

I then go back and forth from digital experiments to physical experiments. With a week of casting, molding, and polishing, I construct an physical model of this reverberated landscape. I discover that the oscillation and fluctuation of these lines and cuts actually begin to create voids and spaces. It also reframe my concept by introducing gravity, material, light and atmosphere into consideration. This gigantic model intuitively convey the relationship between space and human behavior, which helps me generate drawings of plans, sections and numerous iterations in space and form.

Spacial Reinterpretation

Iterations of Reverberation and Ripples on Land >

From there, I began to look at the ideal proportions of the models and how they begin to cut through spaces. I decide to translate that into figures in these sets of drawings. I build three different cases, playing with scale, time, and patterns

Case 1>

Landscape >

Drawing that further liquify and Intensify the idea of reflection from previous work.

Plan View>

Elevated plan view of this ideal landscape. The lines here represent sediments, layering, and space throughout time.

Section Deawing >

Reinterpretation of my project in terms of scale. An insight of practical usage of this landscape architecture.