Space and Materiality: Safe Space, Sacred Space

Making an architecture model was an incredibly daunting task. Even more daunting was the idea of having total freedom to do whatever we wanted to do. However, I have always had an interest in architecture, especially the controversial movement, Brutalism, which was short lived and widely hated but prominent. Brutalism was more than a style. It was a way of thinking. totally devoted to the public, minimal decoration, severe and efficient. I, however, have always found incredibly romantic. I wanted to take the essence of the movement with its sharp features and impressive size and modernize it for a Rick Owens retail space. Rick Owens is one of the worlds most renowned fashion designers, also known for his strange, brutalist clothing. His affinity for the color grey and concrete have been an obvious attraction for me as well. His stores are somewhat brutalist, as are most of his runways, which he stages either on scaffolding or in abandoned, underground, empty concrete spaces.

I started out by making basic sketches, referencing Le Corbusier and his cousin, Pierre Jarenet. After the basic sketches, I did a few prototype models on Google SketchUp, a basic architecture program. However, due to the ease of modification on the application, when it came time to make the prototype, the building would not hold itself up. hence the design had to be simplified.

The inside of the space has a floor with French baroque patterns cut out of the floor. The staircase was a brutalist take on Roman columns and spiral staircases. the shelves and furniture in the store are all comprised of irregularly cut triangles. Stacked up against one another yet out of the sunlight that the glass on the roof provides, this would be for the accessories and shoes with the ready-to-wear being on the second floor.

The drainage system for any rainwater was inspired by the system Le Corbusier used for the Chandigarh High Court. The two sides of the roof are slightly higher than the middle, leading to the two halves of the roof meet at a slight depressive incline. Hence, any rainwater that would fall on the building would collect and drain off on the side with the pipe. also in the style of a Brutalist Roman Column. The windows of the shop are inspired by the MET Bruer in New York City. While adding to the design, they also shield the window from direct sunlight, yet still allowing the space to be sufficiently lit.The angular front of the building will have its sides gilded in gold leaf to add to the impressiveness of the structure, setting it apart from any surrounding architecture.

As happy as I am with the overall design, I was not able to finesse the final model as I would have wanted. The solar panels on the top did not come out as I had wanted them to. The gilding on the sides was a little too thick and I was not able to add as much furniture as I would have wanted to. I could have worked harder and achieved a more polished result.

About me: coming from a country where the arts, queer culture and anything subversive or controversial was never given importance or were frowned upon, I am deeply interested in all of those things. Artists and designers like Le Corbusier, Rouchamburg, Margiela and more inspire me and my love for archiving, deconstruction, Dadaism and the grotesque. I am also incredibly passionate about fashion, cinematography and the Marquis de Sade. What I want to bring through in my work is a study of some of my obsessions, both thematically and in execution, some of which are controversial in their content but that's why I chose a school like this where a voice is recognized

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