Final thoughts

Explanation of my addition:

Numerous spaces are scattered throughout the site on a grid that are based off of of elements of the existing columbarium. These spaces are slightly set into the ground and are defined by walls that hold the 18,000 boxes. The walls are 7 and 8 feet high, allowing nearly every box to be accessible by their loved ones. These spaces are visually connected to one another by an overhead steel structure. The structure embraces the different spaces as well as the people traveling around the site. They guide you around the site and into the existing building.

Thoughts about death:

Dealing with the death of a loved one is a very difficult experience. It can be confusing and extremely hard to deal with at first, clouding your thoughts and not allowing them to see things clearly. As time passes, you begin to understand and accept what has happened, as well as appreciate your own life. 

Over this last week of production, I was unfortunately faced with the realities of death and really experienced the emotional aspect that I was looking to reveal in my presentation. On Sunday, I was barely able to accomplish anything because my thoughts were so scrambled and I just didn't understand. I used this day to contemplate on exactly what was going on and that was able to help me push through the rest of the week. Completing this project was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. Sorry Luis, I know this is not your fault and you couldn't have anticipated this situation. However, I somehow mustered up enough strength to finish this project and be able to say my last goodbyes to a good friend at home. I plan to return back for the presentation with a stronger feeling of death and understanding for the people who would hypothetically use my building. 

I hoped that through my drawings, I was able to express the emotional feelings associated with death. And I hoped that through my addition, I was able to create a place that people can feel embraced and comfortable when spending precious moments with their loved ones.

Ready for Friday...

One of my best childhood friends passed away in a car accident early this morning. I've had a really hard time being productive today. It's difficult working on a project that has to do with death when something like this happens.

Now I'm going to try to finish this project for her and not let my emotions stop me from working any longer. Rest easy, Jen. This is for you.

final production: the beginning

Layout for final presentation:

I will explain my project with a narrative about death and how people deal with it. Beginning with complete confusion and denial, to contemplation and finally to acceptance and understanding. My drawings will integrate the weaving/sliding elements that were in my extraordinary drawing; the layout of all the drawings will do this as well.

Some ideas on how to approach the different drawings...

Basic plan drawing, almost completed. I am thinking about adding color to identify how spaces are used. Next step is weaving in one of Joaquín Torres García's artworks. I am hoping that once they are weaved together, there will be a clear connection between my composition and his. The image I will most likely use is pictured below my drawing.

This is my atmospheric drawing of a contemplative space, not quite finished. I will likely collage water in and hope to draw a tree that doesn't look terrible. Out of my four perspectives that will be approached in this style, I will collage in pages from my book as the sky, to represent thoughts/contemplation.

Extraordinary Drawing

Originally I was inspired by some abstract/sketchy drawings for my extraordinary drawing. But when looking through the books Luis reserved for us to scan the ones I was inspired by, I came across this collage and decided I would change my drawing type to a collage.

I searched for more collage photography online and came across David Hockney. His photography focused more on distortion of the images than the above image that I originally found...a quality that I was really drawn to.

I drew a couple of quick perspectives of my addition with the original columbarium in the background, and this is the one that I chose to go with...

I then copied and cut up this image in many different ways to see what worked the best for what I wanted to portray in my drawing. I decided that long vertical strips worked best and help emphasize the weaving of my overhead structure. I then organized the strips and transferred them onto one sheet of paper and cut out the sky and where the existing columbarium is. I attached images of the existing building to each "strip" and then attached different images of the sky to emphasize the different strips.

Mid-review 1

The Beginning of the End

I have created three final schemes; one of which will become my final solution to the problem.

SCHEME ONE: Combination of previous two presentations

NEW DEVELOPMENTS:
-exploration of the "voids" existing above and below ground; what is the ideal place for the spaces to touch the ground?
-the addition now is a parasite to a corner of the existing building. The blocky forms appear as a pile in which the existing building is a part of.
-elimination of the superstructure...i feel that the "pile" of spaces can serve on their own and behave as a clear addition without the need of a superstructure.
-punches in ceilings of spaces, allowing for light to filter through all of the spaces in unique ways. each space visually connects to at least one other and these openings add to that idea

CHANGES TO COME: possible removal of walls/figuring out how to make it feel even lighter

SCHEME 2: Combination of previous two presentations with emphasis on one

NEW DEVELOPMENTS
-exploration of how the spaces sit on the site in plan and section

CHANGES TO COME: how the path connects to the four different spaces; what they look like in perspective

SCHEME 3: ENTIRELY NEW IDEA

CHANGES TO COME: i have not yet started to develop this idea more. i plan to explore what the spaces created by the "ribbon" look like. i will explore thickness of the form, how it is covered, how it determines spaces and how it connects to the ground.