Project 2B: Model/Scale
My model is based on Junya Ishigami’s ideas of invisible architecture and building to the landscape. For Ishigami, architecture transcends the typical notion of a place of shelter into that of a ‘transparent filter’ (Marucci 2016). He views this transparency as a fusion of interior and exterior space whereby there often appears to be no border (Marucci 2016). This theme derives from his understandings of and exploration into the complexities of the world:
‘Human life itself as a whole seems to embody a… sense of complexity and uncertainty to the natural environment or climatic phenomena’ (El Croquis 2015, p. 155).
Essentially, Ishigami endeavours to ‘free’ architecture from conventional notions of function, format, scale, environment and design (El Croquis 2015, pp. 155–167).
Due to the expanse and intricacy of his conceptual ideas I chose to focus on the Kanagawa Institute of Technology Workshop (KAIT) to build my model.

KAIT measures 45m x 45m and contains 305 columns, each carefully considered whereby almost all the columnns are different in proportion and orientation (Strelka Institute 2011). The columns are placed at angles that give impressions of open or closed spaces depending on where you are positioned within the structure:
‘When one strolls around the building, the entire room seems to be transforming in a continuous flux, like a kaleidoscope’ (El Croquis 2015, p. 188).

The KAIT workshop is designed to represent the landscape of a forest. The columns are like trees, although carefully calculated and placed, they look to be scattered arbitrarily much like you would encounter them in the natural world (El Croquis 2015, p. 196). Ishigami describes this arrangement as the ‘assembly line’ which ‘embodie(s) the shifts in movement between consiousness and unconsciousness’ (El Croquis 2015, p. 188). The skylight, too, is much like openings in the trees whereby the sun falls through (Strelka Institute 2011). A security tape showing the interior of KAIT records how users move and interact with the space; the user, much less the architecture, dictates how each space is used (Strelka Institute 2011).
Whilst I focused primarily on the KAIT, I also incorporated the configuration from Ishigami’s Yohji Yamamoto flagship store whereby he slices an existing structure like one would slice a cake (El Croquis 2015, p. 207). Whilst I did not transform an existing building for my design I wanted to incorporate his idea of creating different volumes, thus, altering the conditions surrounding the space (El Croquis 2015, p. 207).
Iterations
For materials I chose to work with card as it can be cut quite accurately and, whilst delicate, remains reasonably rigid. I began by cutting out 100mm x 100mm squares as the base and planned the placement of each of the columns by placing dots on the squares. I drew the dots to experiment with creating spatial qualities beginning with open or bound spaces and extending to areas of movement. I then ruled different proportions for the columns all measuring 100mm in height.
I placed the cut outs on the cards where I drew the dots considering the proportions and angles of each individual column. Depending on the angle from which you perceive the square and the space in between, the columns would appear thinner and more open or thicker and more bound.
I then sprinkled greenery along the vertical and horizontal systems of the structure to exaggerate the relationship to a forest. For the skylight I cut out a square positioned in a space with no columns, considering how light falls through the openings in a canopy. I used acetate for the window and the glass surrounding the structure.





Final model
For my final design I decided I did not want to include the glass for the border as I wished to represent and amplify the relationship between interior and exterior space. I also scaled down my columns to 65mm in height as I measured a more realistic floor to ceiling ratio. The process for the final model was similar to the iterations whereby I designed the movement and distribution of the space before I placed the columns. The skylights are positioned at the open spaces and the square, as aforementioned, is sliced like the Yohji Yamamoto flagship store. To complete the project I placed human figures in the model to give a sense of scale.
The final model is 300mm x300mm measuring 1:100.


Reference List
Daniele Marucci 2016, Junya Ishigami speaks about his work, video recording, Vimeo, viewed 21 August 2017, <https://vimeo.com/185729196>.
El Croquis 2015, Christian Kerez 2010–2015, Junya Ishigami 2005–2015, El Croquis, Madrid.
Strelka Institute 2011, Lecture Junya Ishigami: on his works and new architecture, video recording, Vimeo, viewed 21 August 2017, <https://vimeo.com/29136821>.
