The site was Tilhinghast Farm in Barrington, Rhode Island, gifted to RISD after the second world war. The program was to design a 750 sq feet Botanical Illustration Studio as well as three study areas and a path leading to the studio from parking and guest house to these study areas and studio.
We began the studio with studies in understanding path by mapping out a walk we regularly take around town. Two subsequent site visits, and, of course, design iterations, explored this concept as well. Site analysis was done in groups, with each group focusing on site aspect; in my case it was geology.
The drawing above has some path ideas from the second site visit. Below is a site analysis diagram of the geologic change of the coastline over the years.
Looking back at my process, I approached the program through the use of a few bold interventions. I chose direct paths of trajectory that subtlety changed at specific view shed lookouts. I used a repetitive material palette consisting of both porous (the 98 cherry trees arranged in a grid surrounding a building and parking lot) and non-porous materials (the stone and zinc in the communal areas in center and retaining wall right bottom). However, I also used these materials for their spatial porosity. Though a cherry tree may hinder sight beyond only slightly, if that tree were multiplied, then certain viewsheds would only be visible at certain points. From one point, a visitor’s viewing angle may be such that they see a dense thicket of cherry trees. And yet, a small distance further down may suddenly reveal a sweeping vista.
The blue dotted line signifies vehicular approach while yellow is pedestrian. Red is viewsheds
I had several critical concerns when I sought my design solution for these botanical illustration study areas and drawing studio. The first was to slowly build expectation of the visitor to the site through an awareness of the ridge. The second was the experience of discovery — not immediately revealing the visual experience of the site. The final concern was for the illustrators in the study areas have an intimate experience with their subject matter. I attempted to apply three concepts to this final concern: linkage to memory, awareness of presence, and linkage to present.
Through the use of sketching drawings on bristol paper I developed some of these solutions to these concerns. Working exclusively in plan, however, was limiting to understand spatial concerns. I began to see the benefit of models in this studio, though it was not until the later that year that I would fully embrace them. Instead, I relied heavily on my imagination to envision these spaces. While it could be argued that I lost perspective doing this, this ‘internal conversation’ that I was having with myself allowed me to be self-critical. I could quickly envision solutions (mostly details — larger elements took more thinking) and imagine myself and others in those spaces. It was significantly faster (if not as efficient) than drawing or building models for undeveloped ideas. It was only after testing this against myself would I permit putting the ideas on paper and further developing them.
The lean back fabric study area between two trees
It was then that I decided to focus each study area on a specific illustration task. The first study area was redesigned for an intimate experience with the foliage of Pinus rigida.
I think there some elements of the design that were successful, but, overall, it was a failure in meeting my design goals. A constant worry was over-exposure from wind on the site. I attempted to compensate for this while attempting to fulfill the “awareness of the ridge” concern by slicing beneath grade for a significant length of the pedestrian path. Yet, while I attempted to fulfill the “experience of discovery” I wondered if I had done enough by carving away these slots perpendicular to the grade to catch glimpses of view and light for the visitor.
Here is the 20 scale final model with path from parking, 600sq ft terrace and 750sq ft studio:
Site, Ecology and Design, Spring 2008
The blue dotted line signifies vehicular approach while yellow is pedestrian. Red is viewsheds
I had several critical concerns when I sought my design solution for these botanical illustration study areas and drawing studio. The first was to slowly build expectation of the visitor to the site through an awareness of the ridge. The second was the experience of discovery — not immediately revealing the visual experience of the site. The final concern was for the illustrators in the study areas have an intimate experience with their subject matter. I attempted to apply three concepts to this final concern: linkage to memory, awareness of presence, and linkage to present.
Through the use of sketching drawings on bristol paper I developed some of these solutions to these concerns. Working exclusively in plan, however, was limiting to understand spatial concerns. I began to see the benefit of models in this studio, though it was not until the later that year that I would fully embrace them. Instead, I relied heavily on my imagination to envision these spaces. While it could be argued that I lost perspective doing this, this ‘internal conversation’ that I was having with myself allowed me to be self-critical. I could quickly envision solutions (mostly details — larger elements took more thinking) and imagine myself and others in those spaces. It was significantly faster (if not as efficient) than drawing or building models for undeveloped ideas. It was only after testing this against myself would I permit putting the ideas on paper and further developing them.
The lean back fabric study area between two trees
It was then that I decided to focus each study area on a specific illustration task. The first study area was redesigned for an intimate experience with the foliage of Pinus rigida.
I think there some elements of the design that were successful, but, overall, it was a failure in meeting my design goals. A constant worry was over-exposure from wind on the site. I attempted to compensate for this while attempting to fulfill the “awareness of the ridge” concern by slicing beneath grade for a significant length of the pedestrian path. Yet, while I attempted to fulfill the “experience of discovery” I wondered if I had done enough by carving away these slots perpendicular to the grade to catch glimpses of view and light for the visitor.
Here is the 20 scale final model with path from parking, 600sq ft terrace and 750sq ft studio:
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