The studio proposes an exploration of the notion of “silenceâ€, its tectonic expression and translation into architectural space through a new Center for Meditation, Retreat and Contemplative Arts in Columbus, Ohio. The first part of the studio will be dedicated to understanding the nature of “silence†by identifying various “situations†through research in form, light and materiality. The second part will unfold with the challenge of designing the new Center for Meditation, Retreat and Contemplative Arts, an agency for social well-being and cultural interaction seeking a quiet refuge in the hectic urban fabric of the city. The ultimate intent is to open a dialogue between architecture and the city, in an attempt to join the practical with the poetic through the development of architectural research and inquiry. A reiterative process of experimentation through drawing and three-dimensional modeling will be used to articulate the translation of conceptual ideas into built form.
