Concepts thru Collage | "Program"

In this exercise, we were tasked with creating three collages about our future building. Each of these collages would have a specific theme assigned to it. Images selected "should inspire, show different outlines, scales, details and materials". The three themes selected were:

"Impression" - Our general feel and impression with the site
"Edge" - Our personal image of the word "edge"
"Program" - Our eventual chosen program for the project

"Program"

~ For this semester, I have decided upon designing a museum / exhibition space. I decided on a museum because, given the recent tragedy that has struck Red Hook, I feel as though a museum dedicated to the stories of the people in Red Hook and their rebuilding effort would be a proper addition to that neighborhood. The museum would also include exhibits about climate change, in addition to hosting interactive art.

The idea for an exhibition space came about as a result of a number of things. Foremost, I felt like if a building was merely a museum, even if it was an interesting one, given the unconventional location choice, wouldn't attract as much traffic as I wanted it to. The exhibition space could, potentially, put Red Hook, on the bigger map, as it would attract a lot more people by hosting exhibits. It would also provide a much needed rejuvenation and a lot of economic activity for the neighborhood.

I want my museum to be interesting and modern. I want to put art that people will remember. I can achieve this with interactive art; artworks that museumgoers can actually participate in. The unconventional way my collage was born was thru this interesting philosophy in mind.

The three cats are not normal cats. The cats in this case, symbolize my future museumgoers. I want my visitors to go "hmmm" just like the cat on the lower right side. I want them to feel at ease at my museum and for it to be a place where they can relax in.

The waves symbolize a couple of things.  Chiefly, it reminds us of the whole ethos of the museum, the tragedy and recovery of Red Hook and climate change. It also hints  that the final museum I build will have a calming, wavy space.

The words represent the recovery efforts, and are dedicated to the people of Red Hook. This is a museum designed for Red Hook; and for Red Hook to welcome the world to. The tree symbolizes hope and new growth, while the sun symbolizes strength.

Lastly, the lines in the upper left corner contrasts vastly with the wavy lines bordering it. This is intentionally done as an homage to the site itself, which I found to be a site of contrasts. Everything in this project thus far has been about contrasts and balance, and my three collages all reflect this.

The straight lines are meant to represent the exhibition center, contrasting with the more rounded profile of the museum. Exhibition spaces, in my opinion, should be big unobstructed spaces that exude stability. The most sought after exhibition spaces are designs that are able to achieve large spaces without columns obstructing the space. I hope to design my eventual building with this in mind.

"Program"

To see the "Impression" Collage, click here
To see the "Edge" Collage, click here

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