ARCH 301 - LANDSCAPExARCHITECTURE Iowa State University
Mia Tiric - "Immersion" at WAS
Seeing the World Whole - Brian McKay Lyons on his project Ghost
Brian McKay Lyons created the project Ghost on his remote property in Nova Scotia. He stated it really was about his attempt to see the world whole. We have drawn on McKay Lyons as the Westbrook Artists’ Site mirrors some of the same character, history and goals of the Ghost project. Our studio goal for LandscapeXArchitecture is to see the environment within which we design in more depth. We too strive to design in a way that allows us to see the world whole.
The reading “Its All One Thing” by Michael Rotundi has been used to establish the core studio thesis, how can we design with a holistic perspective of the land and human habitation. We seek a land ethic in which architecture does not exploit the ecology of the land but promotes diversity and renewal of degraded conditions. The land is shaped by what seems to be absent or invisible to us. The studio was tasked to reveal underlying and hidden aspects of the land through their investigations and eventual architectural proposals. The entire 3rd year studio stayed overnight at the Westbrook Artists’ Site (WAS) and our studio made a return visit to experience the land in a way consistent with our studio thesis. Students are to consider the entire 550 acres of WAS (westbrookartistssite.com) as their site.
Mia Tiric - "Immersion" at WAS
NEWGEN FORESTRY – Project overview
The architectural program consists of three elements. A mill and wood, a native plant nursery and an element of direct engagement to express the concept of the landscape at WAS. The program of the mill includes a sawmill (the actual equipment) storage pre-milling, air-drying, solar kiln, storage post-milling, display, education, retail, and support elements based on Timber Green Forestry. The nursery may include a greenhouse, retail, education, and grounds for maturing of trees and shrubs (based on Iowa Native Trees and Shrubs). A residential component was initially part of the mill, but it has also been incorporated into the site and existing WAS mission. Students were given a general spatial guide for the program but it has been up to them to determine the specific spatial allotments from site visits to Bear Creek Hardwoods and other research opportunities.
“The call for an ecological ethics, lifestyle, and mindset of sustainability is surely the most important force of change in the field of architecture since the breakthrough of modernity a century ago” - J. Pallasmaa
Students will show process work from the entire semester as it relates to the complete NewGenForestry proposal. We have emphasized the process of inquiry, risk-taking and improving work habits in a design studio. Malcolm Wells, Kenga Kuma, Sigurd Lewerentz, Erik Asplund, Carlos Scrapa, Mies Van der Rohe, and Brian McKay Lyons were some of the architectural references for the LandscapeXArchitecture.
The architectural program consists of three elements. A mill and wood, a native plant nursery and an element of direct engagement to express the concept of the landscape at WAS. The program of the mill includes a sawmill (the actual equipment) storage pre-milling, air-drying, solar kiln, storage post-milling, display, education, retail, and support elements based on Timber Green Forestry. The nursery may include a greenhouse, retail, education, and grounds for maturing of trees and shrubs (based on Iowa Native Trees and Shrubs). A residential component was initially part of the mill, but it has also been incorporated into the site and existing WAS mission. Students were given a general spatial guide for the program but it has been up to them to determine the specific spatial allotments from site visits to Bear Creek Hardwoods and other research opportunities.
“The call for an ecological ethics, lifestyle, and mindset of sustainability is surely the most important force of change in the field of architecture since the breakthrough of modernity a century ago” - J. Pallasmaa
Students will show process work from the entire semester as it relates to the complete NewGenForestry proposal. We have emphasized the process of inquiry, risk-taking and improving work habits in a design studio. Malcolm Wells, Kenga Kuma, Sigurd Lewerentz, Erik Asplund, Carlos Scrapa, Mies Van der Rohe, and Brian McKay Lyons were some of the architectural references for the LandscapeXArchitecture.