Architecture
Most architectural work is about curating a narrative.
Throughout my first-year Penn State experience, I have learned the importance of ideation before jumping into designing. Each of my four architecture studio projects started with narrowing down the key idea I wanted to convey, whether that was through studying precedents or researching the historical context behind certain buildings. Stories are the backbone of any architecture project, guiding the direction of design decisions to make sure buildings go beyond their purely functional uses and reach into something deeper.
For my second rotation project, I had to reimagine one of architect John Hejduk’s Victims within the context of a Penn State building (I chose Westgate Building). It was challenging as it was my first attempt at serious model making.
For the first project of the year, I analyzed Schwab Auditorium through the lens of performance. This was my first experience trying to weave a theme into a building analysis, reminding me of the structure of essays in search of a bigger picture.
My third project encouraged me to focus on individual shapes and how they can fasten together to create a larger narrative. In my case, I designed individual “units” that created a star shape when pinned together, hence its name “Luma.”