A "Room" with a View
Self Reflection
20.32cmx 81.28cm
March 2017
This piece was inspired by Soler and Garcia’s “Your Reflection”. These artists believe in creating works which are sustainable and show appreciation for the environment. I used aluminum to show how the lake makes a person reflection on life.
20.32cmx 81.28cm
March 2017
This piece was inspired by Soler and Garcia’s “Your Reflection”. These artists believe in creating works which are sustainable and show appreciation for the environment. I used aluminum to show how the lake makes a person reflection on life.
Historical Inspiration
Grozdanic, Lidija. "Award-winning reflective pavilion in Chile mirrors everything around it." Inhabitat . Inhabitat, 09 May 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017. <http://inhabitat.com/award-winning-reflective-pavilion-in-chile-mirrors-everything-around-it/>.
Guillermo Hevia García and Nicolás Urzúa Soler created an illusive structure in Parque Araucano, in Santiago. Guillermo Hevia García is an architect devoted to creating buildings and structures which are sustainable. He understands that this world is in trouble due to the use of fossil fuels and other limited resources. He demonstrates his understanding and passion for the worldwide problem by creating buildings which present art with the use of sustainable materials, and nature. The significance of sustainability is incorporated into Your Reflection through the open structure outside. The team of García and Soler also added a variety of wild flowers, as well as a creek, and other greenery inside of the piece. These add to the importance of nature to the creators, and bring it to the attention of those who enter or pass by it. People who enter are forced to see the beauty of the flowers and simplicity of mother nature. The appreciation for the simplistic beauty of the world around them, as well as the sculpture adds another depth of meaning.
These architects wanted to create a piece which was interactive, using a mixture of reflective convex and concave curves. The goal was to create a piece that would sustain and convey a message, they used 3 mirrored aluminum bi-dimensional planes. Open to the public for free, people are encouraged to walk through this piece. One of the strange aspects of this piece is the way it was isolated from the rest of the green surrounding it. A part of surrounding area (external to the piece) is empty, while beyond this is the rest park, as green as it is inside of the piece. Once you enter the piece, you are surrounded by green and little hills once again. This piece was made open to show how people interact with the things inside. Everything that is shown inside of the piece is simply a reflection. A person is forced to see their reflection, along with everything inside of the piece.
This helps convey how being at the lake feels to me. The possibilities of things that can happen simply at the lake, or while in it seems endless. People are forced to look at something bigger than just themselves. For a lot of people Lake Michigan or any body of water can make people truly reflect on their lives. Using García and Solers ¨Your Reflection¨ as inspiration, will be an accurate representation of the lake and its effects on people. The theme of self-reflection can be seen in the inspiration, and carried throughout my own piece.
These architects wanted to create a piece which was interactive, using a mixture of reflective convex and concave curves. The goal was to create a piece that would sustain and convey a message, they used 3 mirrored aluminum bi-dimensional planes. Open to the public for free, people are encouraged to walk through this piece. One of the strange aspects of this piece is the way it was isolated from the rest of the green surrounding it. A part of surrounding area (external to the piece) is empty, while beyond this is the rest park, as green as it is inside of the piece. Once you enter the piece, you are surrounded by green and little hills once again. This piece was made open to show how people interact with the things inside. Everything that is shown inside of the piece is simply a reflection. A person is forced to see their reflection, along with everything inside of the piece.
This helps convey how being at the lake feels to me. The possibilities of things that can happen simply at the lake, or while in it seems endless. People are forced to look at something bigger than just themselves. For a lot of people Lake Michigan or any body of water can make people truly reflect on their lives. Using García and Solers ¨Your Reflection¨ as inspiration, will be an accurate representation of the lake and its effects on people. The theme of self-reflection can be seen in the inspiration, and carried throughout my own piece.
Gathering Tools and Images
Tools Used:
1.) Chipboard
2.)Card board
3.) Black Cardstock
4.) Scissors
5.) Hot glue
6.) X-ACTO Knife and Mat
7.) Reflective spray paint
8.) Aluminum
1.) Chipboard
2.)Card board
3.) Black Cardstock
4.) Scissors
5.) Hot glue
6.) X-ACTO Knife and Mat
7.) Reflective spray paint
8.) Aluminum
Planning/Reflection
1.)How does your work create relationship between land and water?
Reflections and how they impact us.
2.) What feelings will people have upon seeing, entering. walking through your structure?
Confusion and need to question it.
3.) How does your structure relate to our world physically as well as with our mind?
It challenges the viewer to establish a connection with the shape and reflective surface of the structure with their own life.
4.) How does your structure embrace the lake?
It opens it up to flow through it.
5.) How does your structure use the fundamental architectural components of path, portal, and place?
There's a path that runs through, a portal to a new and isolate area, and a place like no other.
6.) How does your structure embody meaning?
The admirer has to isolate themselves with the lake, and images of them self in the world.
7.) Describe at least 3 meaningful decisions.
-Reflective surface to see yourself.
-Open area with lake running through, one with the lake.
-Concave shapes to feel it surrounding you.
Reflections and how they impact us.
2.) What feelings will people have upon seeing, entering. walking through your structure?
Confusion and need to question it.
3.) How does your structure relate to our world physically as well as with our mind?
It challenges the viewer to establish a connection with the shape and reflective surface of the structure with their own life.
4.) How does your structure embrace the lake?
It opens it up to flow through it.
5.) How does your structure use the fundamental architectural components of path, portal, and place?
There's a path that runs through, a portal to a new and isolate area, and a place like no other.
6.) How does your structure embody meaning?
The admirer has to isolate themselves with the lake, and images of them self in the world.
7.) Describe at least 3 meaningful decisions.
-Reflective surface to see yourself.
-Open area with lake running through, one with the lake.
-Concave shapes to feel it surrounding you.
Experimentation
For my experimentation I continually kept trying to find a way to make a way for more air to flow through the space. The more openings, the more choices to walk through the path. It was very closely modeled after my inspiration pieces. When forming the actual piece, I used a flexible and reflective surface.
Process
To create the final piece I extended the beach area after I got moss, plastic flowers and sand. I knew that if I wanted to create this piece how I truly intended, there would need to be more beach space. I spread glue all over the cardboard and then poured sand over the wet glue. I repeated this process several times until I was satisfied with the coverage of the cardboard. Next I glued the moss patch in the center of the sand. I did this mostly to cover the gap and line where the two pieces had been divided, creating a smooth transition. Next I chose the flowers which I would use. I looked for the smaller sections of the stem and flowers, to more properly fit the model size. I then cut into the moss and and cardboard and applied a small amount of glue on it. Lastly I cut up aluminum sheet and bent it to fit as needed. It was too hard to bend a large piece so I decided to settle for three pieces in an open space.
Reflection & Analysis
My piece has a definite obscurity in comparison to other models. In relationship to my inspiration from Guillermo Hevia García and Nicolás Urzúa Soler, there's a strong connection. I strongly debated whether or not I should add the moss and flowers to the piece. The goal was to keep the piece simple but close to my inspiration and keeping it meaningful. Taking the idea of reflective walls was the main purpose of using the inspiration which I did. Before adding the walls to the piece I decided it would be best to add other details to further relate it to my inspiration. García and Soler used many other aspects of living organisms in their work, so I decided it would be best to do the same. Adding the moss and flowers created another level of realistic but it maintained sophistication. I was worried that when adding these elements I would lose the sophistication and make it more childlike, but I don't think that this happened. There's still a level of simplicity and elegance found in the work. It makes viewers want to put themselves into this model. Contrasting the idea of a dry and open beach which a lively enclosure makes the piece intriguing. Although I don't enjoy such opposite ideas in the piece, I think it works and maintains the original purpose and meaning.
ACT Connection
1.) The relationship between my inspiration (García and Soler) is prominent. Through the use of reflective walls, and flora in the works, both are similar in appearance.
2.)García and Soler fully believe in creating pieces which are sustainable and incorporate the importance of life. Their works present the idea of creating a sustainable world through many interactive artworks.
3.) While researching my inspiration I concluded that it's very hard to represent emotions and ideas through architecture. The amount of time and effort invested into creating these pieces is underappreciated.
4.) While researching my piece I knew that I wanted something that would show how the lake makes me feel, which is reflected and surrounded by the earth. This lead to the discovery of mirrored walls and organic earth contrasting organic versus industrial.
5.) While reading the research I discovered how dedicated architects were to their works and beliefs. An artist who has found something they are truly passionate about, will continue to work with these ideas.
2.)García and Soler fully believe in creating pieces which are sustainable and incorporate the importance of life. Their works present the idea of creating a sustainable world through many interactive artworks.
3.) While researching my inspiration I concluded that it's very hard to represent emotions and ideas through architecture. The amount of time and effort invested into creating these pieces is underappreciated.
4.) While researching my piece I knew that I wanted something that would show how the lake makes me feel, which is reflected and surrounded by the earth. This lead to the discovery of mirrored walls and organic earth contrasting organic versus industrial.
5.) While reading the research I discovered how dedicated architects were to their works and beliefs. An artist who has found something they are truly passionate about, will continue to work with these ideas.
Works Cited
"YAP_Constructo 6 “Your Reflection” / Guillermo Hevia García + Nicolás Urzúa Soler" 27 Apr 2016. ArchDaily. Accessed 28 Mar 2017. <http://www.archdaily.com/786278/yap-constructo-6-your-reflection-guillermo-hevia-garcia-plus-nicolas-urzua-soler/>