A good design manifests itself at all different scales, from the urban or landscape scale to the smallest details. So when I jumped from designing on my 1″=100′ base map to working with a particular material to be used in the final design, I felt it was important to bring with me the same considerations and values that guide my work overall: connecting people to the landscape; creating low-impact, high function spaces; and designing an engaging learning environment.
A building is often designed as a static object, unchanging throughout the seasons and the years. This is somewhat of an anomaly in a landscape: plants change with the seasons, animals migrate, humans grow up. Why couldn’t a building do the same, even in a small way? And could it be done in a way that directly engages people with their surroundings?
Inspired by this project, I played with the idea of using starched fabric on windows as a method of glare and daylight control. Not only can it easily be changed to reflect building occupancy, seasonal sun angles, and, if desired, seasonal colors and iconography, but it can easily be done by the very students who will use the space. I can imagine it as an opportunity for a “teachable moment” about seasons, solar geometry, or even plant biology.
[click to enlarge]
As an artifact expressing this material, I reused a canning jar and applied the starched fabric to it. To continue the DIY spirit, I wrote up a recipe for you to replicate this project in your own home.
Click HERE to download the recipe card, or stop by my studio desk to pick one up!
Leave a Reply