XIAOWEI FU: 2010

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Project 2

Edward Hopper's Morning Sun : A lonely middle-aged woman sitting on a bed in a curiously barren room and staring at nothing in particular.

My Narrative:

"The woman relies on the only clue which she believes will bring her out of difficulties. "

This woman is trapped in this apartment, and she is looking for her way to get out. But the surrounding is too dark to see a way so she follows the sunlight which she believes will bring her out. After several tries, she reaches the room on the top level of the building with abundance sunlight. However she gets disappointed as the sun gradually disappears. So she continues to find another spot.

So the only activity for her everday is to chase the sunlight. The sunlight can not only fascinates her but also leads her, gives her help.

So I designed an enclosed space with several rooms providing different conditions of the sunlight. She is traveling inside the dark building with the sun rising and setting everyday.

I also created many barriers within each room.

For example, I used different materials to bring different qualities of the sunlight and the results directly affect her mood. As shown in the model, the white cardboard represents concrete, the transparrent paper represents glass and the semi-transparrent paper links to LiTraCon translucent concrete.

Another barrier for her is the structure of the house she is traveling. Basically my building is constructed by combing seven individual rooms together with ladders, staircases and ramps to connect different spaces and this would also affect the woman's mood. Its quite painful for her to climb the ladder because it goes through three levels and thus will make her exhausted. However the ramp are much easier for her and she can travel quickly to get to her favorite spot.

Finally due to the sunlight changes with time, the lighting condition is not stable in each rooms and this woman has to move pass several rooms to find her favorite spot to enjoy the sunlight.

In order to provide better illumination, I created a great amount of windows in different directions so she can catch the sunlight.

Project 2- Final model

The sunlight travels through the openings, and the woman can feel about it while she is climbing the ladder. The sunlight gives her hope all the time.

Top right corner room:

Two intermediate levels connected by two sets of staircases,

She will reach this room when the sun goes at the back of the building and then the sunlight is coming through the gaps between the concrete walls and the floor.

The sunlight and the shadow it casts will form an upward trend which motivates this woman to go up.