E X P L O R I N G T H E M I N G A S AM A T E R I A L I N A R C H I T E C T U R E

B . S . A R C H I T E C T U R E

U N D E R G R A D U A T E H O N O R S T H E S I S

U N I V E R S I T Y O F M I N N E S O T A

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B R O O K E H E L G E R S O N

In The Theming of America, Mark Gottdiener postulates that there are more themed environments in our world than ever before. This makes sense in a

society that is experiencing an exponential growth in large commercial corporations, digital advertising, and branded retail stores. These things and places

pervade our everyday lives, and the theme—the objective image of each entity behind the brand—is structuring many of our experiences. However, little

research has been done on the strategies themed spaces use to create atmospheres, direct circulation or behavior, and communicate experiences. Initial

analysis of and experimentation with these elements of theming suggest that themes are actually closely related to concepts, and that each can be consid-

ered an end of an ambiguity spectrum. This project worked through themes and concepts and their different manifestations by exploring the architectural

potential of the ‘arctic’ theme in a vacant building near downtown Minneapolis. The idea of how theming can operate was investigated through literary

study, and image collection and generation, and modeling. By focusing on the realization of arctic properties at several key points in the building, the idea

of arctic became essential not only to the experience of the space but also its performance and structure. The results of this design suggest that theming

can reach beyond its usual commercial role to become a strong, generative material to work with in architectural design.

A B S T R A C T

Background INTERROGATING AN ASSUMPTION

THEMING IN THE WORLD

(RE)DEFINITION

Methodology CONSTRUCTING A PROCESS

GETTING MESSY

Integration INFILTRATION OF CONCEPT

THEMING THE DETAILS

INTEGRATION WITH PERFORMANCE

ConclusionsMOVING FORWARD

AttachmentsMODEL PHOTOS

DESIGN PROJECT BOARDS

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T SBackground

INTERROGATING AN ASSUMPTION

THEMING IN THE WORLD

(RE)DEFINITION

Methodology CONSTRUCTING A PROCESS

GETTING MESSY

Integration INFILTRATION OF CONCEPT

THEMING THE DETAILS

INTEGRATION WITH PERFORMANCE

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ConclusionsMOVING FORWARD

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AttachmentsMODEL PHOTOS

DESIGN PROJECT BOARDS

B A C K G R O U N DI N T E R R O G A T I N G A N A S S U M P T I O N When people think of theming today, what probably comes to mind are images of Disneyworld or any one of the casinos in Las Vegas. Theming

in these places is recognized for the purpose it is serving: to create a fantasy environment that encourages visitors to part with their money in exchange

for an exotic experience. Because of this relationship with commercialism and profits, theming is the subject of critique in much literature written about it

today. These writings focus in detail on the implications of the artificiality that themed environments encourage, but often gloss over discussions of their

most powerful ability: to communicate and carry out an experience for a diverse population of visitors. After all, the success of theming in resorts and

shopping malls indicates that it is actually an extremely useful technique for structuring experience, despite the points raised by critics. The reasons for

this success and what themes can make possible in new situations are the subjects explored here. Instead of resting with the general assumption that

theming is culturally detrimental, this project questions the specific strategies and techniques deployed in themed spaces in order to explore their potential

for design and architecture. The process and issues it raised suggest that the deliberate use of a theme in a design can redefine the theme’s conventional

relationships with surface, space, and building performance while enhancing its ability to produce a unique experience for users.

Themes and themed spaces are often deemed ‘superficial’—here being a negative term, with a more specific dictionary definition of “concerned

only with what is on the surface, and is therefore apparent or obvious; not deep, profound, or thorough…”1 Themed environments have garnered this

label because of the artificiality that is inherent within them. In Disneyworld’s Main Street, the building facades and even the workers appear exactly as if

they have stepped out of a colorful, idealized Victorian community; however, visitors know that Disneyworld was built in 1970s, well after the end of the

Victorian era. What’s more, nothing about the activities on Main Street is historic: it is a conglomeration of shops and eateries, just like in several other

commercial centers across the country. When we realize this, we are exposed to the simplicity and the profit motives of the experience we are enjoying,

and we deem the theme to be superficial. In this respect, the term and its negative connotations may be accurate. However, if we look not at its content

but at the operations of a theme, a different definition of superficial emerges: “of or pertaining to the surface.”2 This definition is fitting because the parts

that make up a themed environment often occur literally at the surface, on the walls, floors, and ceilings of a space. This way of thinking about theming is

less condemnatory and thus allows us to look at theming in a new way that focuses on its technical qualities. 1 “Superficial,” Oxford English Dictionary online, University of Minnesota access.2 ibid.

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These qualities are exemplified in the Venetian Casino’s “Grand Canal” shops in Las Vegas.

[Figure 1] Even though the historic elements represented within the casino grounds have a high degree

of accuracy,3 they are still superficial—surface—applications that serve many purposes beyond simply

creating a Venetian experience. The buildings along the constructed canal may appear at first to be

just the same as those in the real city: they hug the canal, are densely situated, multicolored, of a

similar scale, and sport the varying forms and several arched window details found in many Venetian

buildings. However, beyond these surfaces, they operate in an entirely different way. The facades

are not actually the result of hundreds of years of aggregation, but are tools that reference this look

to frame shops and restaurants and lead customers through the “Grand Canal”. The lighting works

similarly; instead of being part of each shop’s individual character, it is ubiquitous throughout the

canal, serving to give visitors a cohesive ‘Venetian’ experience. The spatial organization of Venetian

landmarks is another technical strategy used by the theme to control circulation through the shops.

Though the Campanile, Doge’s Palace, and Rialto Bridge do not occur next to each other in Venice,

their combination at the Venetian creates a strong destination point within the canal. [Figure 2] Most

visitors will likely want to experience each (especially since the Campanile is visible in most of the

casino’s promotional material). In doing to, they are inevitably placed at the locus of most of the

casino’s shops and several restaurants. Because of the way the canal is structured, in order to proceed

they will also pass by many storefronts, increasing the potential that they may stop in one and buy

something.

The in-depth exploration of the canal shops demonstrates that each time a piece of Venice is 3 Albert Ferre, et. al., ed. Verb Conditioning: The Design of New Atmospheres, Effects, and Experiences, (Barcelona: Actar Publish-ing, 2005), 7. 12

Figure 1: Grand Canal Shops at the Venetian, in Verb: Conditioning, 20.

Figure 2: The Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, and Campanile at the Venetian in Verb: Conditioning, 26.

replicated at the Venetian, it is serving a dual purpose: that of providing a reference and giving credibility to the theme, but also that of influencing the

guest’s experience, future activity, and money spending. This is the same with any themed environment, though to varying degrees. Even though visitors

may not come in direct contact with the theme, it has the ability to create atmospheres, direct circulation, absorb or reflect light, transmit sound, evoke ex-

periences, and communicate a range of ideas about what a place is supposed to be. This makes the theme more important than just the specific imagery

it may contain. It is also notable that theming elements can have such a significant effect on how a space is used, even when they are limited to surfaces

of the wall, floor, and ceiling. What, then, might a theme spark if it moves beyond a superficial level? This is an important question that has been used to

drive design decisions throughout this project.

4 Farshid Moussavi and Michael Kubo, ed. The Function of Ornament, (Barcelona: Actar Publishing, 2006).5 Mike Ashby and Kara Johnson, Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design, (Oxford, UK: Elsevier, 2010), 206-249.

T H E M I N G I N T H E W O R L D These tangible strategies of theming are ripe for exploration and reconsideration. With an

initial understanding of what they can include, it is possible to move into how they can be manipulated.

A precedent for this way of working with theming has come from the book The Function of Ornament

by Farshid Moussavi and Michael Kubo. In this work of case study analyses, the authors explore the

composition and affect of various architectural materials used in building facades.4 [Figure 3] This

material list does not consist of the typical wood/concrete/stone/steel, however; instead, the definition

of material is expanded to include program, lighting, construction, form, pattern, and branding.

Theming can also be considered a material in this way. And just as with any material, we can study its

properties, structure, and potential uses.5 This framework situates my way of working with theming in a

more technical setting. This stance allowed a high degree of integration between research and design,

and represents a break in the way theming is usually written and thought about.

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Figure 3: Page from Function of Ornament illustrating the format of their case studies and materials, The Function of Ornament, 120.

When theming is studied, it is usually the subject of discourse, with source-supported arguments presented in a written format. This type of

discussion is incredibly valuable to understanding what theming is in its larger social context. Critiques of theming are especially useful tools with which

to identify the negative views of theming this project seeks to reconsider. In The Unreal America, architectural critic Ada Louise Huxtable takes the stance

that theming is driving our culture to be materialistic, fake, and shallow.6 She argues that in a world of Disneyworld and marketed entertainment-vacations,

theming has absorbed real history and place by copying it and allowing people to experience it in a cheaper, quicker way. This attitude toward theming

is continued in George Ritzer’s discussion of Thorstein Veblen’s theory of conspicuous consumption and Baudrillard’s ideas of scene and obscene

in Explorations in the Sociology of Consumption.7 Ritzer blends these ideas and shows how, because of changes in consumption practices, theming

has become more visible, or ‘obscene’. With this visibility, Ritzer argues, comes a loss of nuance and richness, and an increase in simple and less

intellectually rewarding experiences. Both authors see the proliferation of theming and its obvious environments as a threat to the standards of our built

world. To them, simplicity and shallowness of content in themed spaces have primarily negative implications, because they enable us to gloss over our

experiences. Their concern about the amount of theming present today does seem plausible if we look at our cities: every storefront, billboard, television

screen, most restaurants, shops, commercial spaces, museums and even websites exhibit theming to some degree. We encounter it every single day,

whether in the branded experience of national franchise coffeeshops, or online from the digital stream of websites competing for our attention. However,

the position that themes are always simple and shallow can be challenged.

One argument that heads in this direction is the discussion of the economic aspects of theming presented in Mark Gottdiener’s The Theming

of America. In the book he postulates that theming and our consumer culture have influenced each other with increased urgency in the last century, as

marketing, branding, and availability of goods greatly increased.8 With the creation of national brand identities, mass advertising, and choreographed

environments, the theme takes on a new role beyond just decorating spaces and ads to make them look a certain way. It also acts to suggest to customers

a new ‘consumer self’: the self they could become through visiting the place or purchasing the good being advertised. A theme’s ability to express a

complex agenda in an understandable way is part of why it has been so economically successful. This success makes it anything but simple. With this6 Ada Louise Huxtable, The Unreal America: Architecture and Illusion, (New York: The New Press, 1997).7 George Ritzer, Explorations in the Sociology of Consumption: Fast Food, Credit Cards, and Casinos, (London: Sage Publications, 2001), 203-235. 8 Mark Gottdiener, The Theming of America: American Dreams, Media Fantasies, and Themed Environments, 2nd ed. (Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 2001) 169-189.

interpretation, the qualities deemed by the critics to be shallow can be reevaluated as familiarizing, navigable, and rewarding. These latter ideas have

strong applications to all design, not just in commercial contexts. Yet, in most sources, the discussion of theming usually ends at economic feasibility. The

technical strategies examined above are alluded to in terms of their success, but with the claim that this success is nothing but a detriment to society. This

stance taken in many sources ignores the potential of theming to be part of and benefit design considerations.

One of the first writings by contemporary architects that looked beyond the cultural trappings of a place or idea and into its operations is Learning

From Las Vegas (LFLV) by Venturi, Scott Brown, and Izenour. This book provided many inspirations for the methodology of working with theming. LFLV

began as a design research studio led by the authors at Yale in 1968, and required a rigorous process of defining its premise. It also tackled some of the

negative cultural views of Las Vegas held in the 1960s. The project analyzed the methods at work in buildings in Las Vegas over their content, allowing all

of them be considered in a scholarly way and questioned for how they were working.9 My project takes the same stance with theming by focusing on its

methods instead of the subject matter it represents.

The way of thinking displayed in LFLV is complemented by the other sources discussed above. Because these works represent many different

viewpoints, they combine to situate theming within its current understanding and also set up a new way of working with it. They have served as an impor-

tant sounding board throughout the project, but could not have been explored fully without being tested by the subsequent design experiments.

( R E ) D E F I N I T I O N

9 Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour, Learning From Las Vegas, Revised Edition, (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1977), 3-6.10 “Theme,” Oxford English Dictionary online, University of Minnesota access.

From the above analysis, it is apparent that theming is understood in many ways. Often this is as the Oxford English Dictionary describes, “…a

subject of discourse, discussion, conversation, or composition.”10 These discourses examine theming’s superficiality, its implications for our culture, and

its positioning within commercial and economic sectors. But through my design explorations, I have also examined how the elements of theming work and

how they can influence our physical experiences. Results from this portion of the process suggest that the theme can reach deeper into a design than any

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definition of superficial implies. It can start to be blended with necessary architectural requirements such as the wall or mechanical systems. It can be dy-

namic, iterative, physical, and, can take on a later definition from Oxford, “…a subject treated by action (instead of by discourse, etc.); hence, that which is

the cause of or for specified action, circumstance, or feeling.”11 This definition brings theming closer to the way I have been thinking about it in this project.

Theming to me is a material in design; though its use has an effect on our culture in a large sense, it is more significant for its unique properties (of replica-

tion and specificity, for example) that allow it to communicate successfully in the built environment. Its components and strategies create a way of working

that can be expanded from their usual use only at the surface of environments to one in which each element is worked into the essential operations of the

building. In doing so, theming can open up a whole new potential for designing space.

11 ibid.

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M E T H O D O L O G YC O N S T R U C T I N G A P R O C E S S

In order to really understand some of the ideas and questions generated in the above research process, this project evolved a significant design

component. The objective was to create conditions for testing out relationships between theming and architectural elements. Though the process was

not linear, it can be explained initially as a methodology that progressed from literary research to design (image collecting, modeling, and representing

the work). The need for this trajectory can be explained by working backwards from the end: Before it was possible for me to move into design, it was

necessary to first think about and understand some of the specifics of theming. For this to happen, I had to know what ‘theming’ means to others and

myself; this was done through a traditional research and questioning process.

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The first steps of the design process were to visually explore the potential of the chosen

theme, ‘arctic.’ This was done initially without a site or program so that realizations about theme

components discovered initially could be tested out. Questions at this stage focused on exploring and

defining for myself what arctic could be. Because I wanted to challenge how theming can work, the

objective of the project was not to recreate the arctic in a local building. Instead, I needed to identify

what qualities makes a place arctic in order to test out how their relationships work, and to think

about how each could be manifested in a design. I considered several of its aspects, including light

transmittance, snow, atomic structure, aggregation, scale, translucency, animal behavior, pop culture

representations, and sound. [Figure 4]

In order to enable the specificity of a successful design project, several other parameters

besides those within ‘arctic’ had to be devised. It was important to have constraints to work with in

order to make any decisions at all. I brought in four elements, as follows:

1. A site: Bullwinkle’s Saloon at 1429 Washington Ave. S. [Figure 5]

2. An architectural element to begin my explorations with: the wall.

3. A program: rentable office/meeting space.

4. A specific aspect of the theme: the polar bear.

Each of these four elements offered a set of realistic requirements that the theme experiments had to

respond to. Because I wanted to experiment with how theming can take a role that is not just superficial

to a space, these requirements were absolutely crucial to setting up an environment in which the

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Figure 4: Poster collage of arctic ideas, created by author

Figure 5: Bullwinkle’s Saloon at Seven Corners,photo by author

realities of theming could be tested. The site was a vacant bar in a location I could get to easily and often, so I could get accurate measurements in which

to fit the theme and program. Its location on a corner but within an old building block offered a unique duality between the exterior and interior party walls.

The element of the wall forced me to consider how the building would relate to it surroundings, both inside and out, and how the theme could potentially

attract people to the space. Additionally, choices for the wall systems would need to relate to the program of providing a flexible and open collaborative

office space for freelancers and small businesses (or other users, such as community groups for performances). I chose the theme focus of polar bears

because they are already themed so often in advertisements, movies, cartoons, and holiday cards. These previous uses acted as a strong reference point

for observing how an idea is themed currently. They provided a baseline to work off of and improve on as I proceeded in my design.

Within each of these four elements, there are countless specific ideas I could have chosen to work with. However, as evidenced by the structure of

research in Learning From Las Vegas, it is not the content of each that matters most to this project, but the methods they offer. Like Venturi, Scott Brown,

and Izenour, I wanted explore my ideas within real conditions, not with abstract arguments. In order to be able to respond to the abstract ideas of my

literary research, I used the combination of site, program, and theme element to set up practical conditions for a new way of working with theming. While

different specific elements would have changed the actual design outcome, they would not have really affected the process that created it: that of testing

out an idea in 3D form and written arguments in order to explore it both conceptually and physically. The result of this process has been a more complete

understanding of the idea of theming, and how it works in its physical context.

G E T T I N G M E S S Y In retrospect, it is easy to represent the above process in an idealized way. In reality, it was not so straightforward. Research was not over when

design began, nor was design absent in the research portion. Significant realizations were not always timely and did not necessarily occur chronologically.

What did happen was that the design and research components challenged each other and demanded answers to the inconsistencies in my flow of ideas.

The result is more something like the diagram on the next page:

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This messy process was one of the most important parts of the project because it forced me to clarify my position about theming several times.

The translation of a written subject into a 3D model or collection of visuals brings about new relationships between elements that cannot be anticipated

from either way of working alone. The use of parameters in the design allowed me to pinpoint and interrogate several specific ideas. The relationship

between them is not quite so simple as four equal parts, however. Throughout the process, hierarchies shifted as some relationships became more useful

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for exploring an idea than others. They all also served to spark more philosophical questions about what my position with theming was. What elements

does a space need to contain in order to be ‘themed’? Does this have to be legible to users? To begin to answer these questions, I worked constantly

between writing, reading, and design. The conversations I developed from this process are discussed in the next section.

THEME CONCEPT

INCREASING AMBIGUITY

?

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I N T E G R A T I O NI N F I L T R A T I O N O F C O N C E P T My initial arctic elements—light transmittance, snow structure and scale, and muffled sound—evolved quite a bit as the designs for the site

progressed. I found from my first trial that it is actually quite difficult to communicate a specific theme working with such broad ideas. When looking at it

from an outsider’s perspective, the use of a theme over a more architecturally accepted concept did not seem clear. This suggested a very interesting

relationship between theme and concept that would continue to influence my later work: that theme and concept are actually closely related. I view them

as two ends of a spectrum that blends obviousness (theme) to ambiguity (concept). [Figure 6] This was a useful diagram for me, as I could locate each of

my iterations along it. The ultimate goal that I wanted to explore, of course, is how to get the design as close as possible to obviousness/theming without

resorting to semiotic associations (such as relying on Coca-Cola logos to make the polar bear association instead of the polar bear systems themselves). I

think though that my usual design process of working with concepts and abstracted ideas to structure my work kept creeping in.

Figure 6: Theme-Concept spectrum, diagram created by author

INCREASING AMBIGUITY

The constant teetering of my designs between concept and theme became a large part of my process, both in how I was thinking, writing, and

ultimately making design decisions. It forced me to define more clearly what separates a theme from concept, and to imagine how to draw out desired

qualities from each in design. I came to some important realizations with this as I approached the ‘final design’ phase:

- Themes are set apart because:

- they are explicit in how they want you to think or experience a space

- they reference or copy an idea or place that is specific, concrete, and external to their location

- they need to contain a subject matter that is easily recognizable to most users.

-Concepts work a bit differently:

- they use abstract references to a general idea, which is not necessary for users to understand in order for the space to be successful

In fact, I identified several aspects of theming that are quite different from our ideas of what a design concept is:

Imagined Exotic/ Foreign to their locale Migratory

Incongruent Immersive Artificial

Explicit Categorical Pervasive

Cliché, trite All-encompassing Illusory

Fantastical Iconic Displaced

Borrowed Tyrannical Regulated

Coercive Innovative Experiential

Temporal Coordinated Specific

Obvious Redundant Accessible

Exclusive Overarching Competitive 24

A theme will usually have a few of these qualities, often relying on immersion, artifice, and displacement. On the other hand, concepts usually

eschew such obvious relationships for ones that are responsive to particular sites, programs, surroundings, or indirect influences. An example that reflects

these different techniques is the theme of airplane and the concept of ‘lifting’. The theme would tend towards replicating the form or structure of the plane

itself, and could play off of the specific interactions and behaviors that an airplane fosters, or even the process of going to the airport (both what that

means now and how it differed in the early days of plane travel). The concept may deal more with the concept of lightness, or perhaps the air motion

that occurs around a wing, and could play off of the textures and forms of wings found in nature. It is important to note with this that though the theme’s

success lies in its ability to replicate or reimagine the specific setting its initial inspiration, a concept would never adopt such pretense. Instead, it would

take cues—but not direct form—from the nuanced relationships between components of the inspiration environment. The replication that is essential to

communicating the theme is actually something that designers, who usually work with concepts, look down on. The reasons for this are a whole topic

in themselves, but the opposition between themes and concepts on this point is worth mentioning here. Throughout this project, the usually negative

connotations of artifice in theming were looked at as a potential positive. Replication was considered instead of disregarded, and led to new considerations

about the scale and level of detail at which a theme can operate.

As my process evolved, the theme focus evolved from arctic to the polar bear. There is plenty of material here for both theme and concept.

Diverse topics such as global warming, icebergs, predatory behavior, animal track patterning could have been mined for their use as a concept. I decided

to instead focus on the theme of polar bear fur, and how this is actually layered and textured. This was not always easy. Some early ideas were to cover

the wall in some sort of hairy material. However, even though this would have been interesting, legibility would have still been an issue (not to mention

the maintenance, sanitation, and feasibility of such a proposal). In order for the theme to be legible, I discovered, there had to be a bit more than a simple

replication of texture. That is what led to my inquiry into connotation, denotation, and level of detail of a theme.

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T H E M I N G T H E D E T A I L S In thinking about themes and concepts, I realized a further distinction between how theming

usually works, and how I am proposing it could be considered. Theming conventionally seems to work

in a way where the theme obviously references a whole, an idea of an entire environment. The theme

exists to provide coherence to a space so that viewers may easily understand something fantastical

and foreign, such as a re-creation of the Grand Canal in the middle of the desert. While this is quite

powerful (and time-tested—picture palaces of the 1920s worked in much the same way), I think

themes can do a bit more. Instead of denoting a specific relationship by replicating the whole original

and creating a limited range of experiences, themes can expand on their other characteristics such as

innovation, displacement, and repetition to allow for more diverse interpretations. I propose that the

theme can act in this more connotative way, where it is suggestive instead of prescriptive. The key to

doing this while maintaining the high level of adherence to the theme inspiration is to reproduce its

details rather than the whole context.

My idea with this is that ‘new’ theming techniques could obviously reference or copy an idea at

a scale that it is not usually highlighted. The scale and detail can then be manipulated and expanded

on to provide a new interaction between the theme and building users. This is the direction I went with

my later iterations of models. With them I used the detail of polar bear fur, and how it is situated within

the polar bear’s external skin system, to create a façade system for the building that lets in light, keeps

the space conditioned, and protects it from rain and wind. [Figure 7] The combination of these practical

requirements with the details of polar bear fur created a somewhat strange interior environment.

[Figure 8] However, this is not a bad thing. It is an initial result of working with theming critically, and it

shows that theming can create new experiences for users. This was a hypothesis developed from my

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Figure 7: Diagram of polar bear skin system and translation into building, created by author

Figure 8: Rendering of the interior ambient conditions, photo and model by author

initial research; seeing the possibility fleshed out in an entirely different part of the project is rewarding, and indicative of the importance of research and

design working together.

I N T E G R A T I O N W I T H P E R F O R M A N C E Another piece of the design that has been working in tandem with all of the above ideas is

that, when used deliberately, the theme can become integral to the structure of a building. Usually the

theme is like a wallpaper, or external layer on some architectural surface. There is huge potential for

it to expand its scope to address aspects of thermal conditioning, protection from weather, program,

structure, and views and lighting. If the theme can tackle these architectural requirements, then it can

start becoming essential to building performance. This can include protecting the interior from varying

weather conditions, structuring space, and conditioning the physical atmosphere with heating and

cooling. These are not something a theme usually does, but if achieved it would add greatly to the

already powerful aspects of communication in theming.

Making the theme integral has been a goal of my design explorations ever since my first model

located the themed element, a polar bear fur insulation, directly onto external studs that rotated to

allow users to enter. [Figure 9] My later designs looked specifically to the construction of polar bear

fur and skin in order to devise a system that would allow for structure, thermal protection, and lighting

of the space simultaneously. These systems were devised in tandem with an exploration of what

building materials could be combined to create the material reality of the theme. In the last iteration, a

fiber optic panel system made up the front public wall, allowing for a high level of light transmittance.

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Figure 9: Movable wall studs of initial model exploration, photo and model by author

The continuation of each fiber optic cable ‘hair’ out into the exterior also created a unique experiential

condition, where the façade would look and act like a skin with fur. [Figure 10] This panel system was

protected from the elements by a proposed layer of elastomeric weatherproofing on the outside, and a

glass wall on the inside (allowing it to act as a rainscreen). [Figure 11] In order to create a related wall

system, but one at less cost, the side wall was made of glass rods cast into an insulated concrete wall.

The rods continued the cables’ method of bringing light into the space, but changed their scale slightly.

[Figure 12] By creating this second, less expensive, wall system, the theme of polar bear fur became

even more responsive to the practical requirements surrounding it. When it is considerate of cost, a

theme can also be worked into the overall feasibility of the project, ensuring it is not something that is

value-engineered out.

The wall systems were created not only out of performative requirements, but also were also

strongly influenced by the experience of polar bear that the design was trying to evoke. The perforation

of the wall and the way light was let in to the space creates the strange experience discussed above.

The interior party wall would also contribute to this unique experience. Instead of admitting light, the

main requirement of this wall was to protect the space from sound infiltration. A curtain was proposed

to cover the wall; this would not only insulate noise and act as a filter for the conditioned air circulating

into the space; it also is a realization of the layer of fat that is part of a polar bear’s skin. With these

systems, building users would be surrounded by a diversity of conditions that could create many

different experiences. Yet, their relation to the theme of the polar bear would still anchor that idea to the

space. In this way, the ideas of connotation and theme detailing are integrated with the idea of building

performance. By intertwining how the theme addresses all of these relationships, the theme becomes

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Figure 10: Lighting qualities created by fiber-optic wall, rendering and model by author

Figure 11: Sketch of fiber optic cables, elastomeric layer, and steel panel, created by author

Figure 12: Drawing of concrete-glass rod wall system

stronger. When it is used in this way, it is no longer just a surface application. Theming can grow from being able to communicate replicated ideas to being

able to influence every part of the building’s appearance and performance.

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C O N C L U S I O N SM O V I N G F O R W A R D The final design for the saloon is both the result of and inspiration for the above questions and ideas. It is the evolution of a line of several

modeling explorations, each one developing the relationships between above ideas discussed above. The first depended heavily on the concept of the

wall, and how that could be opened up. In order to actually be able to condition the space, however, this organization had to change. Then, when the

wall had more practical requirements to meet, the question focused on whether the theme was being constructed in a legible way. The ideas of theme

and concept, theme detailing, and integration with performance were all discoveries made throughout the process that had a powerful influence on

the outcome of the final design, but the building has still not reached the level of legibility that I think it could. An issue for future consideration is that of

program. The requirements of the rentable office program did influence the location and organization of space in the final model. All of the elements on

the interior were kept open to facilitate collaboration, and were kept away from the walls so that they could be experienced. However, the integration

of program with the other thematic decisions, such as the wall systems themselves, could have been stronger. Because themes direct experiences so

strongly, it will be important in the next iterations to develop a stronger program that the theme can work within and against. This requires some research

into program itself, so that, like theming, its operations within design can be reconsidered. This further iteration may also resolve some of the other issues

that are currently underdeveloped in the design, such as the ability to have actual views to the exterior (not just diffusions of light to the interior).

The potentials of this project moving forward illustrate an interesting aspect of this project: that it is never quite over. The ideas of theming and

architecture discussed throughout these pages represent not just a topic of scholarly conversation. They also speak to a process and way of working with

writing, reflection, and design equally. Methods like this can be used, refined, polished, and challenged and changed over an entire lifetime. Delving into

process specifically has been a great learning tool for me, not only in developing these ideas but also in preparing myself for continuing to work with and

question architecture in the future.

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Special Thanks To:

Nat Madson

Kate Solomonson

Gregory Donofrio

Marc Swackhamer

Leon Satkowski

Fellow Colleagues in the 4194H CDes Thesis Seminar

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