STUDIO FINAL:concept summary

Sitting on a bench under a tree on a warm August morning, I looked up into the canopy above me and noticed the light filtering through the branches and leaves. The unique pattern on the sidewalk was full of shapes that seemed to highlight various cracks and features. Looking back up into the canopy, there were highlights of the surrounding features. I say features and not buildings since the canopy filtered out most of the buildings and left just a steeple or window visible. The tree lined streets created a screen that filtered out the expanse of city and left it all in small manageable proportions just right for a pedestrian passing through. The natural act of filtration did many things on its own and inspired me to look at how artificial filtration could relate the building to site and be meaningful to the program.

Technology very much relies on filtration. Without sites like Google would we ever be able to filter all of the information on the web to find just what we are looking for? Walking into a store selling a multitude of electronics is usually overwhelming. By breaking the store into smaller, more individualized pieces, the spaces filter you from the public to the more individual spaces where you can find the product to meet your needs. The entire building plays with the notion of filtering you back and forth from public to individual spaces, always arriving back at the central core. The façade is able to act as the canopy in Copley Square. It shields us from the large expanse of the city until we are ready to take it in. Abstracted shapes from a tree canopy are cut into large stainless steel panels. The way these pieces are layered and spread apart across the façade filters the views experienced by those inside. Cut-outs in the central core allow users to look down on the more public spaces they have already passed through. It also brings additional light and shadows into the spaces. Finally, as you reach the top, the release. The façade opens up to views of the city. Small dining spaces remain intimate while the user is able to look upon an incredible public space. The city, the technology and the art have all been filtered by the building to provide each occupant a different experience than another. A tree never provides the same shade twice. Although the experience will always be similar, it will be unique by which path you choice and what you are looking for today.