Peipei Wu
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo
Class: Arch 252
Term: Winter Quarter, 2020
Instructor: Clair Olsen
Project: Enclosure
Practice Project: Observatory Tower:
On the left, a found wood chunk was transformed into the core of the tower. It suggests verticality as the spiral stair brings visitors from bottom to the sky. The right one is built on top of a sand-casting plaster base with a relatively complex circulation that requires a stroll. In comparison, it provides a more horizontal and experiential space.
Site Visit:
The project is located in the Carrizo Plain Monument in California. The plain is home to diverse wildlife communities and plant species, and is a culturally important area to Native American.
Project Concept:
Derived from the image of the Painted Rock, the sacred spot in the site, Enclosure is created to be a cultural symbol that serves as both a public education space and a private research center in the Carrizo Plain Monument. The building consists of social space, exhibition space, offices, laboratories, and a seed bank. Aside from connecting itself with local culture, Enclosure preserves the landscape as well with little ground materials removed.
The three building volumes are not only designed to define publicity and privacy separately, but also work with vertical elements, horizontal circulations and open areas to engage each other and to provide an experiential space in a dynamic way.
