March 30, 2012

Working with the three words I posted about before I have chosen to not break up the simple form of the cast but rather invert portions and pushing some of the moves that are already present to the next level and continue their language.

The cross shape that is present as an indentation on the cast is going to be transformed into an underground circulation path. I'm only going to choose one path and have it extend past the tomb structures and to the end of the site. At the end, the tunnel will open up and reveal a large panoramic view of the back drop off of the site.

The three repeated forms will be used completely as is. The larger portion of the form will be elevated above the ground as it is in the cast. The ramp will ramp up from ground level to the elevated meditation space and ramp down to the underground viewing area, museum space, and more mediation spaces.

The conical skylight that marks the entrance to the underground spaces between the chapel and the existing wall will also be used again at the culmination of the circulation path. This cone will be in the ground instead of protruding outward as it does in the entrance. This culminating cone is the largest and more formal meditation space. It will connect to the underground viewing space and circulation and contain a second ring wall around the meditation space that holds a set of stairs to exit.

The only portion of the project I have not been able to resolve is the underground space. I don't know if I want to break it up with a series of partition walls or actually create rooms, or even divide it by the circulation path with memorial walls on either side of the path like this . . . 

While this is a very rough sketch to show what I mean with two memorial walls lining the circulation space. I also want to start looking at the threshold of each change and where circulation stops and space starts. I want to try and use different materials to create thresholds similar to the way that Carlo Scarpa did in his Brion-Vega Cemetery.