sleight of home

7/28/2019 Sleight of Home

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by

Emily Marina Morillo

Sleightof

Home


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Sleight ofHome


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byEmily Marina Morillo

California Polytechnic State University | San Luis ObispoCollege of Architecture and Environmental Design

Bachelors of ArchitectureFall 2012 through Spring 2013

Studio 400 | Karen Lange

Sleight ofHome


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1. PrologueAbstract

The Man(ifesto) Wearing Rose Colored Glasses

Issue: Conjuring Reality

2. ThegosPelof sToryTellingMake-Believe

Vellum: The Magic CarpetCase Studies

Teatro Olimpico

The Shoppes at the Palazzo

3. Thegood old days UndertheInuence:ScotchandNostalgia

Case Studies

Forestiere Underground GardensWinchester Mystery House

4. siTe: Theold ChimneyMaps

Perceptions

Rose v Jade

24 Hour: Mirages

5. TriCkorTruTh

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TABLEof contents


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6. TellingThehisToryof dirTLearning On the Go

The Symbol of Home

7. aCTualizaTionSketchbook

Drafting Table

Self-Sufciency

8. ziP

Collaboration Under Pressure

9. BuilTSliding Plan Photos

Last Thoughts

Historical Shadow

Iconography

Archaeological Excavations

Of the EarthIsolation

Production Value

10. modelCiTizensTreasure Box

Detail Show

Wheel Barrow

11. aPPendix Notes

Image Credits

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SPOILER ALERT![Skip the next 2 pages if you really love surprises.]


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dunnigans gaP exPloraToriumReedley, CA, USA


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Disclaimer:

What you are about to read is a series of attempts to understandnostalgia and my childhood in the San Joaquin Valely. It took a

tonofdiggingtondthearchitecture.

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SPOILER COMPLETE.


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PROLOGUE


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Like sleight of hand, Sleight of Home is deceptive in

nature. Drawn from nostalgia and memory, it lives in limbo

between reality and fantasy. By realizing the power of nostalgia,

history becomes ethereal. Truths are distorted and forgotten

by the mind. As a result, the home is one of facades frommemory. The interior and exterior are in disagreement in the

way that memory and truth are.

aBsTraCT

Sleight of Home

SLEIGHT OF HAND | slt v hand [noun]1

1. manual dexterity, typically in performing tricks:dexterity, adroitness, deftness, skill.

2. skillful deception: deception, deceit, dissimulation,chicanery, trickery

HOME | hm [noun]2

1. the place where one lives permanently, esp. as a memberof a family or household

2. a place where something ourishes, is most typicallyfound, or from which it originates


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Theman[ifesTo]

Wearing Rose Colored Glasses

The well-kept sidewalk gives way to a wooden bridge;

frondsfromaourishingbananainvadecrepemyrtles.Four-

part harmonies of The Mellomen yield to exotic birds and tribal

drumming.Yourgazellswithanoldhutandaworkingbazaar.

Andjustlikethat,everyonemustplayapart.Forcedontoa

new stage, who will you be? The explorer, lost upstream deep in

the Congo or the indigenous royalty, ruler of the jungle. Dont

panic. There is no wrong answer here. Just let your new reality

seep into your bones as you play. In Disneyland, time moves

forwards, backwards and sideways in the matter of a few steps.

It proves to be an experiment of theme through every sense.

There is a natural curiosity that compels us to entertain

and delight. We have spent millennia writing fables and myths

that have given us wings, gills, and x-ray vision. Only recently,

with the advent of the amusement park has this fantastic realmbeen introduced to reality. We are willing to suspend disbelief

as we walk onto a stage.


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This sense of play is a quality not many places have,

andrightlyso.Adreamersparalysisisnotidealinofces,in

grocery stores, in apartment buildings. These need to function

in a variety of ways and provide a number of services. But

when we wish to dream, we go to the stage. Amusement parks

are a low in culture, yet they captivate people the world over.

Theyevokeaworldloosingitstime.Nostalgiahasawayof

fending off that ticking clock, and offering up a landscape where

reality is just rosy enough to accept.


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THE HOUSE ON MAPLE STREET

It was a perfect lift-off.3


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issue

Conjuring Reality

Picture books are marvelous. Many succinctly capturedeep human emotion and imagination. The Mysteries of Harris

Burdickdoes just that through a series of illustrations. As the

story goes, they were given to a publisher as a sample of Harris

Burdicks work. He would return soon with the manuscripts

if the publisher were to buy any. Yet, Burdick never returned,

has never told those stories, and thus, the fragments remain.

The drawings are captivating. They form an odd collection of

moments, each one asking to belong to a story.

The imagination of any reader runs wild as glimpses of

lms,novels,andfablesracetollinthegaps.Thesensesare

stripped, and the audience speculates in the interim. Skeptics

protest while believers swoon in the face of grand illusion. The

issue at hand is developing a setting familiar enough to coax

the visitor along while undercutting comfort with oddity. The

surreal must mesh seamlessly with the real. Senses must be

hindered just as they are when experiencing one of Burdicks

illustrations.


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Afterall, when the lights go out, even your own house

hasalifeofitsown.Faintsoundsemerge,subtleshadowsarecast, and the environment takes on a new dimension. One

that we dont operate in, and usually experience only from the

refuge of our beds. What happens when we must venture out?

We struggle to believe that the fear is only in our minds. The

synapses sort though illusions and tricks theyve fallen for over

the years. But when the inexplicable materializes, the heart

conjures its own reality.


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the GOSPELof STORYTELLING


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make-Believe

the Truth of Fairy Tales

The beauty of the make-believe realm lies in its

uncanny ability to inspire reality. Through allegory, myths, fairy

tales, and fables, the fallibility central to life is explicit. They can

easily be shunned when looking through the lens to fanciful

worldsandhyperbolicgures.However,onceassimilatedinto

themind, they contendwith reality. Silly little stories reect

true consequence. Everymans truth is formulated from his

ownpsyche,neverabsoluteandintrinsicallybiased.Fromthe

inception of a thought, all facets created exist without question.

Only by jury can something be disproved. There is no absolute.

It is this undeniable power that allows us to let the pastand the imaginary pulse through out veins. Ergo, the volatile

concoction of fantasy and reality is the lifeblood of humanity.

Fairy Tales are more than true;

not because they tell us that dragons exist,

but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.

- G. K. Chesterton


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VELLUM


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MAGIC CARPET | majik krpit [noun]

1. A heavy fabric oor covering which serves as a form oftransportation

rst recorded in One Thousand and One Nights1

2. More recently, a carpet possessing personality andloyalty to its owner

(seeAladdin. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution,

1992.)

ThemagiCCarPeT

Vellum Furniture Exhibition


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Fly your very ownMAGIC CARPET!

Rug of your choice

FiberglassResin

Liquid HardenerFiberglassMat

BodyFiller

Power Sander

Sanding Block

Palette Knife

Spray AdhesivePlastic Cup

Burlap

FurnitureFeet

FeltPads

Drill

GlovesGoggles

Respirator

Clamps

Experiment with different rugs to shape the desiredpiece of furniture. I chose to make a bed side table out of a

runner, 2x7. With the overall shape in mind, I found the rugwas able to ripple and roll much better than early models.So, let the form ow as your shaping it up.

suPPlylisT

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insTruCTions

1. Check all labels, read and test berglass. Always wear

gloves and respirator when working. Pull mat apart in 2-6

inch sections and saturate all threads. The resin will coat

the back of the rug, but not seep through to the pile.

2. Layout and shape one section of the rug with the wrong

side up. Mix resin and hardener. Apply thin layer to onearea of the rug with palette knife. Build up by layering mat

and resin. Let it set and repeat on next section until wrong

sideisfullycoatedinberglass.

3. Usebodyllertodoaroughllofanyunevenareas.Always

overll,anyextrawillberemoved.Allowtoharden.

4. Usepowersandertosmoothoutresinandller.Sandingblock can be used on any area inaccessible to the sander.

Weargoggles,gloves,respiratorandlongsleeves.Fiberglass

particles are irritating to the skin.

5. Pre-drill holes in resin form, countersink screws, and attach

furniture feet.

6. Sprayberglasssurfacewithadhesiveonesectionatatimeandapplyburlap.Finishbyfoldingtheburlapedgeunder

itself, spray adhesive, and clamp.

7. Remove clamps, check all edges. Enjoy.


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the magic carpet built rome this morning.

the magic carpet publicly endorsed the cock and the bull,

though not at the same time.

the magic carpet doubts anyone named Thomas.

the magic carpet peeled the silver lining off.

the magic carpet has no brass tacks.

the magic carpet.


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The magic carpet embodies the etherial quality of

animation. Though it is a static object, the form appears to

utterandowasifalive.Sculpturally,itprovokesthemind.

Unconsciously, a sense of movement is attached, and instantly,theobjecthasanotherlife. Itlives,yingthroughtherecesses

of the viewers mind.


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Case sTudy | 1

TeaTro olimPiCo

Vicenza, Province of Vicenza, Italy

built 1580-1585

Teatro Olimpico was proposed by Andrea Palladio in

1579. The small theatre would serve the Vicenza Accademia

Olimpica.Fromtheexterior, itisamodestbrickbuilding,yet

once inside, a theatre springs up out of wood and plaster.

Palladio drew upon ancient Roman examples to create theamphitheater and elaborate frons scaenae, or stage backdrop.2

The seating, semi-elliptical benches, butt up to the stage,

whichisagranddisplayoftheorders.Originallyunnished,

the ceiling is now painted blue3 harking back to great outdoor

amphitheaters of ancient Rome and Greece.

The elaborate doorways would be completed after

Palladios death by Vicenzo Scamozzi with foreshortened

streetscapes modelled after Thebes.4 The seven streets were

placed so that every audience member could see at least one

of them during the performance. The main street positioned

behind the main archway is 12m long, yet it appears diminish

somewhere on a distant horizon. It was ultimately said to be

an ideal city, in wood and stucco, which would fall and destroy

itself at the mistaken entrance of an actor.5

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The harmony expressed through proportions of space

and facade were heavily studied by Palladio. The sophistication of

ancientRomehadnallybeenrecapturedbytheRenaissance.6

Founded by the ancients, yet realized by the humanists, this

theatre remains as a cultural landmark.


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Case sTudy | 2

TheshoPPesaTThePalazzo

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

opened 1999, expanded 2007

Las Vegas is a sea of facades. Each casino and hotel

creates its own escape experience by controlling the sights

and sounds of entertainment. One prime example are the

Shoppes at The Palazzo, formerly the Grand Canal Shoppes of

The Venetian. This interior stage is modeled after Venice, Italy.

Small streets lined with boutiques offer up a unique shopping

experience. The core of the Shoppes lies at St. Marks Square

under a high ceiling imitating a sky. Adjacent to the square are

the gondolas waiting to whisk you down the canal and under

foot bridges in this Venetian fantasy.

This stage of sorts moves the visitors out of the desert

and places them into a Venice that never has and never will

exist. It is cleaner, it isnt sinking, and it is across the street from

a jungle known as The Mirage. These Las Vegas facades createidentity, escape, and entertainment at every turn through

scenograpy.


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the GOODOLD DAYS


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underTheinfluenCe

Scotch and Nostalgia

How is Scotch made?

It starts with three simple ingredients: barley, yeast and

water. They are malted, mashed and fermented according to

time-honored methods. Then, the real transformation begins.

The distillation takes place which increases the alcohol level

from 6-8% before aging it in casks. Many Scotch whiskeys are

matured upwards of 10 or 20 years as they take on character,avorandcolor1 from the cask. Typically, whiskeys are diluted

to 40% alcohol in order to market, yet cask strength, for the

connoisseur, is about 60%. The crude alcohol found just after

distillation is a world apart from the elixir poured 25 years later.

Themaking of a ne Scotch is not unlike that of a

memoryand,subsequently,nostalgia.Eventsareledinreal-

timebythebrain.Theyoungmemoryisfreshandlteredonly

by your senses. Yet, over time, the skull has a tendency to act

asacask.Itbringsoutspecicnotesineachmemoryresulting

in nostalgia. This convoluted recollection, whether it be good

or bad, tends to hold more weight heavily than long forgotten

facts. Our psyche is at the mercy of nostalgia.

Svetlana Boym wrote about the duality of nostalgiain her bookThe Future of Nostalgia. On one hand, there is

a reective nostalgiawhichcan bea tool for understanding,


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forgiveness and comfort in times of loneliness. It is protective

in nature remind us of loved ones and happier times. On

the other hand, restorative nostalgia stems from an invented

tradition.2 It builds upon a collective myth out of respect for an

era lost to the passage of time. This counteractive version of

nostalgia can appeal to mirages of a nation recalling far outside

any one persons memories.

It is here, in restorative nostalgia, that a creeping

malaise can overwhelm the present. In America, people cursethe politics of today dreaming back to Reagan or JFK. The

lightning fast web supposedly corrodes human interaction. Any

number of modern depravities can be cited for disturbing the

integrity of traditional America. But, the undying worship of a

distor tedvisionismoredetrimentalthananyofthesesupercial

arguments. It can be likened to neurosis; enabling the mind to

function in dissonance. Emotions driving restorative nostalgiacan overrun history and retrospection creating a longing for a

place and a time that never existed. The feelings of loss and

alienation often halt people. Small frustrations roll into large

resentments against what is perceived as a heartless, changing

world.

Yet, reectivenostalgia cangivevalue to thepresent

and help inform the future. It can guide us into a world thatmay not have existed in the past, but may exist in the future.

This breed of nostalgia turns the pessimist into an optimist. In

this way, nostalgia emerges as a fundamental human strength.3

We must not forget that, ultimately, nostalgia is a drug.

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Case sTudy | 3

foresTiereunderground gardens

Fresno, CA, USA

built 1906-1946

In 1906 Baldasare Forestiere, a young Sicilian, broke

ground in Fresno, CA. Originally immigrating to NewYork

in1901,Forestierewashireddiggingtunnelsforthesubwaysystem.4 After some time though, he wished to own land

andbecomeafarmer. So,heboughtacreageinFresnoonly

to nd itwashardpan.5Thesoilswerenotonlydifcultto

cultivate, but would shed water before absorbing it. His land

was agriculturally worthless. Consequently, he decided to dig.

Overthelast40yearsofhislife,Forestierecarved10

acres of his land into a winding complex of rooms, halls, and

grottoes ranging in depths of 10 to 35 feet.6 Neverhaving

drawn plans of the spaces, his imagination took full reign in

excavating each space. The vaults and arches he constructed

stemmed from his memories of Ancient Roman ruins in Italy,7not

tomentionhisdiggingdays inNewYork. Theworkwasno

doubt strenuous. He used picks, shovels, a wheelbarrow, and a

Fresnoscraperpulledbyacouplemules.8

By the end, he worked solely on his architectural vision,

having left conventional farming behind. Instead he planted

subterranean gardens; a number of trees were planted and

graphed in the grottoes. By shooting the trunks up through

the skylights, dappled sunlight now illuminates the caves. Some

of the skylights were even formed to funnel water into theplanters, and because the foliage forms so high on the tree, the

fruit is actually harvested at ground level.9


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Fresnos climate often ranges from summer highs

around110Fallthewaydownto28Fonwintermornings.

In Forestieres underground gardens, the soils regulate the

temperature keeping both the plants and the people protected.

The rooms and cellars can be 10 to 20 degrees more

temperate than the surface.10Forestierealsoworkedthrough

the technical functionsof the space. Specicopeningswere

placed in order to create drafts and ventilation throughout the

complex.11Nottomention,havingcreatedthreelevelshelped

him control rain water and drainage. This way, his living spaces

wereneverooded.

Allinall,Forestieresinnateunderstandingoftheland,

agriculture and engineering make his underground home a

fascinatingexpressionofart.Heidentiedthetruechallenge

himself, To make it crooked and make it look nice - thats the

real work.12

Withtheoperationsofthecomplexsatised,thetruest obstacle is that of spirit. He would hand shape every last

clodofdirt.Someofhisnesttreesweregraftedtosustain

various citrus on one trunk.13 The attention to detail is both

inspiring and captivating. His other worldly oasis is no longer

inhabited, but a museum of his life and technique.

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The Winchester Mystery House was commissioned

by Sarah Winchester who allegedly believed that if building on

the house ceased, so would she. As a result, the house was

under continuous construction for 38 years. Mrs. Winchester

never had a master plan, but did sketch out individual rooms onpaper and tablecloths. According to legend, Mrs. Winchester

enacted a nightly seance to help with her building plans.14 She

had a number of dead ends and oddities built. One of which

beingaclosetwithnooor;agapingholeopenstothekitchen

below.Itwasherimpressionthatthesetrapswouldbafeany

malicious spirits that were after her.15 Imprisoned by her own

mind, Ms. Winchester would die in the house. The constructionstopped immediately.

ByThenumBers:16, 17

160 rooms

2 ballrooms

2 basements

6 kitchens

2 000 doors13 bathrooms

40 staircases

10 000 window panes

47replaces

17 chimneys

3 elevators

20 000 gal. of paint4.5 acres, today

161 acres, originally

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The poet is in command of his fantasy,while it is exactly the mark of the neurotic

that he is possessed by his fantasy.

- Lionel Trilling

Case sTudy | 4

WinChesTermysTeryhouse

San Jose, CA, USA

built 1884-Sept. 5, 1922


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SITE the old chimney


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los angeles

san franCisCo

yosemiTe

TheChimney fresno

san luis oBisPo

kings Canyon


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fresno

PoP. 501,362

reedley

PoP. 24,520

sanger

PoP. 24,599

kings river

hWy180

Clovis

PoP. 96,929

2mi5km


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JessemorroWmounTain

elev. 2083

CamPBellmounTain

elev. 1752

hWy180

1mi

1km


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PerCePTions

The Site at Every Speed

flyover

It stands alone.

Between towns, between hills, between time.

Fromabove, the site looksof an archaeological ruin.The plan of an extinct home is quite apparent; the roof and

walls have been removed leaving the front steps, perimeter

rock foundation, chimney, root cellar, and cistern.


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driveBy

The ruins serve as a roadside marker to drivers. Route

180, the Sierra Gateway Scenic Highway, dissects the San

JoaquinValleyrunningfromMendotatoKingsCanyonNational

ParkbywayofFresno.Fromeitherdirection,thechimneyisessentially all that drivers can see. It leans, drifting in the air. A

true ar tifact from another era.

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WalkThrough

Finally,theminutiaisdiscoveredastheforensicsbegin.

Walking along a lightly treaded trail, the stairs emerge. Upon

closer inspection, a deep crack splits them. The jagged black cut

pointstothedecapitatedreplace.Rocksofthechimneyare

strewn out before it like a hundred headstones. Even the walls

of the root cellar have succumb to the soils. They have been no

matchforthelandasittriestorellitsrightfultrench.Alowrock foundation rises out of the earth giving form to this some

time home.

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unseen findings

The soils areof the San JoaquinValleyprolewhich

are characteristically fertile and good for agriculture. However,

because of the terrain, the land is not ideal for cultivation. The

site is situated close to the road and at the bottom of Jesse

Morrow Mountain.

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors declines

a request from Cemex to mine Jesse Morrow Mountain in

August of 2012.5 The proposal for an expansive mine was

rstscaledbackandthenhaltedaltogetherastheboardwas

dissatisedwiththeenvironmentalimpactreportprovidedbyCemex. However, it is expected that the proposal is not lost,

this has been a decade long conversation.

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Grasses, thistles, andwildowers

envelope the hillside as the

Kings River brims. Between themelting snow pack and the rains,

everything sprouts up fertile.

Choleric storms break leaving

crystal views of the Sierras still

capped with snow. Although in

the valley, even the most turbulent

of days are often temperateforging benign blizzards out of

blossoms near the orchards.

And nally, the sleep. Freezing

nights hum with fans above the

orange crops as dense tule fog

cloaks the naked countryside.Quarantined in the grey, the earth

dozes off in the dark days of the

year.

Water supplies are often

stressed by drought.

The ice pack in the Sierra

Nevada Range is critical

for valley agriculture.

Low overnight temperatures

threaten citrus crops

every year.

In 2007, more than 100 carsand 18 big rigs were

involved in the collision

on HWY 99 as patches

of dense fog obscured

visibility.6

rosev. Jade

alTered PerCePTionsThroughTheseasons

Spring

Winter

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High suns and golden hills blast

the senses with heat. High

temperaturesaverageat95F,butregularlyriseabove100Fmaking

shade a valuable commodity.

Green pastures and crops quilt

the valley oor lapping up the

waterthatowshighinthecanals.

Before the oven is turned off, the

best stone fruits will be harvestedand the grapes will be laid out to

dry.

Nowallturnsaxen.Cornstalks

are slain, hay bales pepper once

full elds. As the sunbegins to

fall, those temperate afternoonsreturn. Dust kicked up by the

nalharvesthazesthesuncasting

particularly golden sunsets on

tired land.

InAugust2012,Fresnohada

record breaking monthly

average:102.2F.7

On September 14, 2012

a heat wave brought

temperaturesto106F.8

Dry hills give Smoky Bear

job security.

Excessive paritculates and

smog in the air enhancesunsets.

Fall

Summer

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24 hour

Mirages

iniTialundersTandings

Reality

This site is abandoned. No overwhelming use, no

human inhabitants, and only a few non-human. Finding out

about the ruins has been like pulling teeth. It appears as thoughthe landwasrst boughtbyDunnegan in1889, and is now

referred to as Dunnegans Gap. The house is speculated to

have been built not long after, but has since moved to and

remodeled in the nearby town of Sanger.9 When it was moved

is also unclear, perhaps 50 years ago; there are only a couple

archived articles that mention the house. It was described it as

a country house surrounded by olive orchards, which are now

completely erased. Today, the memory of a rural life wafts from

the abandoned chimney, not mobile enough to have made the

move.

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exPerienCe

Creating a Narrative

With all of these mirages adrift, I was compelled to

study what was left and reconstruct a memoir. After trekkingaround forabit, I satand let thehouselter in andoutof

memory. I began to draw.

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neWundersTandings

Surreality

The site is vivid enough to tell a tale without a concrete

story pinned to it. The thing about history is that there is no

absolute truth. The most fascinating parts of our existence

are emotion and intellect, not the list of dates on the timeline.

Historyisacerebralsmoothielledwithrelativetruths;itshiftsfromfacttoctionastimepassesjustasthesewaveringmirages

of a house do.


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TriCkorTruTh

Stages and Museums

Stages inherently provide a greater perspective of life

than museums do. Museums tell stories and teach information.

In contrast, stages invite stories to be lived and relearned.

Once true houses like the Winchester Mystery House

andtheForestiereUndergroundGardenshavenowbecome

trick. This conversion came when they ceased to house action.Today, both of these resemble dioramas of life rather than

lifeitself.Toursofpeopleleinandoutwhilethemuseums

continue to loose their homely qualities. The narrative from

the docent overpowers the space with aged tales of a bygone

era. And while architecturally rich, both of these spaces lack

emotional resonance. They are relics of another life, not our

own.Disneyland, Teatro Olimpico, and The Venetian are

architectural stages. The average user has a healthy disbelief

ofthesituationandyettheysuspendit.Forthetimebeing,

the community of users commit to experiencing this alternate

reality. Technically speaking, these stages are all trick. The new

fauxenvironmentiswell-delineated.Forexample,Disneyland

clearlydenes this boundary by referring toon stage andbackstage. The facade is maintained, but never denied.

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...the purpose of playing, whose end,

both at the rst and now, was and is,

to hold, as twere, the mirror up to nature.

-Hamlet1 by William Shakespeare

Yet, in the aforementioned community, a sense of shared

experience becomes the truth. Even in this escape from the outside

world, real life drama plays out before us. We cannot escape

humanity and emotion as we can any particular environment.


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telling the historyof DIRT


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TITLE


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The lonesome sites assets lie in its richness in land

and adjacency to the highway. Notonly is this setof ruins

able to tell a story, but it is on a well traveled route to the

KingsCanyonandSequoiaNationalParks.Asaresultofthese

factors, a museum program is well suited to the site.

Inital excercises expressed the movement of the

landscapeasittransitionsfromvalleyoortofoothills.Some

also interacted heavily with the road. The idea of the road side

attractiondenedtheexpressiveforms.Theywereultimately

removed considering their intrusive nature. It took away from

the landscape and moved the focus of the experience fromthechimneytotheairofthearchitecture.Theframeforthe

history became grandiose.

learningonThego

Museum & Pit Stop

Nostalgiaembellishesthehomeofyesteryear.

SixWords[No.1]


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The home that any given kindergartener scibbles down

in crayon is a powerful symbol in American culture. While it often

failstoresembleaspecichouse,ittakesonanetherealquality

lying somewhere between the myth of the American dreamand the reality of modern day suburban and rural architecture,

the single most recognizable gesture of which is the gable.

ThesymBolof home

American Iconography

Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one;

stronger than magician ever spoke,

or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.

- Charles Dickens

Formembellishesthehomeofyesteryear.

SixWords[No.2]

57


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ACTUALIZATION


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skeTChBookEarly Developments


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60


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drafTing TaBleLate Developments


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siTePlan

DecomposedGranitePathswithSolarCellParkingatFence

N 1/64=1


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3rd floorPlan

Circulation at Grade including Grass View

N [1/16=1]


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2nd floorPlan

Main Entrance, Restrooms and Protected Courtyard

N [1/16=1]


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1sT floorPlan

Museum, Composting Access with Service Elevator

N [1/16=1]


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longiTudinalseCTion

FabricShadesoverCourtyardandPathonGreenRoof

[1/16=1]


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laTiTudinalseCTion

Vertical Circulation including Main Elevator and Stairwells

[1/16=1]


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We will now take a briefINTERMISSION.


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ziPExecuted by Studio Outbreak


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82

This amorphous form grew out of a simple, yet tedious

textile of zip ties. With over 200,000 ties and only 5 days, loose

conceptualsketcheswereeshedoutintoafulledgedbookshow. The resourcefulness and creativity in our last waking

hours made the exhibit space come together.

CollaBoraTion

Under Pressure


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BUILTPresentation Method


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Historical Shadow

In the late 19th cenutry, many agricultureal settlements

were founded in the San Joaquin Valley. Livestock, raisins, cotton,

citrus; many crops took to the climate well, thus starting whatwould become a vital part of the economy. In 2011, valley crops

accounted for over 60% of agricultural earnings in California.

lasT ThoughTs

Complete Concets and Final Staging


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Iconography of the American Home

The phrase sleight of home describes the

transformation these ruins undergo in the scope of this project.

This site of a remnants look only to have been framed from thesouth. A gable and tower now complete the composition of

this lone chimney.


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Archaeological Excavations

Upon approaching the museum, the northern facadereveals that the land has been greatly manipulated. The exca-

vation reveals two things. One being the clear house reference

and the other being that the ruins are now hovering above

visitors, having been separated from the land.

Of the Earth

Functionally, thismuseum is on awell travelled road

leadingtovacationdestinationsintheSierraNevadaMountains.

Travelers need spaces to be comfortable year-round in this

roadside stop. Without the use of conventional HVAC, this

museum offers gathering spaces both indoors and out with sunorshade.Thisdiversitymakesupfortheinexible,monumental

concrete form.


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Isolation

As fertile as the valley may be, it is still a severe landscape.

Long streches of highway connect distant, poverty-stricken

towns. To live here requires a certain amount of stubbornness

and resourcefullness. The museum lives closer to the elements

using a wind pump, solar cells, thermal gain, composting toilets

and manual labor, in the form of a hand crank elevator. Theinsular mentaility is built into the design as much as it has been

built into the culture.


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Production Value

In telling the story of the Central Valley, I was committedto presenting in a notably different aesthetic. It had to set itself

apart from the sleek glamor shots of bustling city centers. Raw

materials and mechanical connections reinforce the design and

expressthenatureofthevalleyslanduse.Notonlyareviewers

asked to get closer and look deeper, but they are required to

do so in an effort to get the most out of the work. The set

ofslidingoorplans[shownleft]showmoredepthandhelpothers discaover relations in the geometry. This exhibit is a

template of what I imagine the exploratorium would embrace.


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MODEL CITIZENS


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TreasureBoxSite Model at 50 feet to 1 inch


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100


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101

While the chimney is a the thread of history ducking in

and out of view, the visual constant of the building is the tower.

He is understood at every elevation and from every side.

Specicallyonthemainoor,heistheforemostarchitectural

element. Structurally, he supports much of the staircase and

houses the hand-operated elevator. He stands tall enough to

rip the wind right out of the sky. Without the wind, we wouldnthave a lick of water. Even though the chimney gets a great deal

of the attention, the tower is the one doing most of the work.

deTailshoW

Hand-Crank Elevator and Water PumpDetail Model at 1 foot to 1/2 inch


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103

I didnt believe it could be done. It was just as he

had told me. I planted my abstract in the ground, watered

it, weeded it. Before I knew, Id propogated myself a genuine

morsel of architecture. Now, it would have been better at

full scale, but given the climate in Los Osos, the growth was

a bit stunted. As I write this, its been out of the ground a

coupleweeks.Thegrassesarelookingabitcrisp.Nevertheless,I expect it to come right back. Ill plant it back home. Id bet in

a few harvests itll be full size and ready for a grand opening.

WheelBarroW

Exploratorium Model at 1 foot to 3/8 inch


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104


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APPENDIX


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noTes

by Section

1. Prologue

1. sleightofhand.OxfordAmericanDictionaries, 2012. 15Nov

2012.

2. home.OxfordAmericanDictionaries,2012.15Nov2012.

3. VanAllsburg, Chris. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Boston:

HoughtonMifin,1984.Print.

2. ThegosPelof sToryTelling

1. MagicCarpet.Wikipedia.Wikimedia Foundation, 22Nov.2012.

Web.30Nov.2012..

2. Vincenzo Scamozzi (Italian Architect). Encyclopedia Britannica

Online.EncyclopediaBritannica.Web.15Nov.2012..

3. Young, Jenny. Teatro Olimpico - Andrea Palladio. Teatro Olimpico.

Great Buildings.Web. 15Nov. 2012. .

4. The Teatro Olimpico. The Teatro Olimpico. Consorzio Vicenza.

Web. 15 Nov. 2012. .

5. Ibid.


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110

6. PALLADIOEILVENETO.Palladio.Web.15Nov.2012..

3. Thegood old days

1. HowScotchWhiskyIsMade.HowScotchWhiskyIsMade.N.p.,

n.d.Web.20Nov.2012..

2. Boym,Svetlana.RestorativeNostalgia&ReectiveNostalgia.The

FutureofNostalgia.NewYork:Basic,2001.41-52.Print.

3. Barbara Isanski. The Psychology Of Nostalgia. Medical News

Today.MediLexicon,Intl.,15Dec.2008.Web.17Nov.2012.

4. ForestiereUndergroundGardens:Facts,http://undergroundgardens.

com/amazingfacts.html

5. J.Torchia,TheUndergroundWorldofBaldasareForestiere.The

CoEvolution Quarterly Spring (1977), p. 94

6. Ibid., pg. 95

7. Ibid. 1

8. Ibid. 1

9. HGTV, Underground Garden-HGTV, http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=MFqhpgyvxXw(03May2010)

10. Mediterranean Gardens. Forestiere Historical Center Presents

ForestiereUndergroundGardens,http://forestiere-historicalcenter.

com/Undergroundwonders.html, (2006)

11. Ibid. 1

12. Ibid. 2, pg. 97

13. HistoricalDescription.ForestiereUndergroundGardens.,http://

undergroundgardens.com/summary.html

14. Sarah Winchester. Learn Winchester. Winchester Mystery

House.Web.18Nov.2012..

15. The House. Learn: The House. Winchester Mystery House. Web.

18 Nov. 2012. .


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Scene 2, Lines 20-22. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.

NewYork:Simon&SchusterPaperbacks,2012.Print.

112


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xxii.

6.

16.

18. a.

b.

22.

27. a.

b.

28.

30.

32. a.

imageCrediTs

by page

Van Allsburg, Chris. The House on Maple Street. 1984. Illustration

from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.

SIL483_PERSIAN_GONBAD_TABRIZ_RUG_2.4X3.3 CC Image

bywww.urbanrugs.comonFlickr

drama|realityCCImagebyMarcoBelluccionFlickr

TheVenetian,LasVegasCCImagebyMarit&ToomasHinnosaar

onFlickr

VenetianHotelLasVegasCCImagebySergeMelkionFlickr

07-mar-08CCImagebysashafatcatonFlickr

2007082627.jpgCCImagebymrphancyonFlickr

2007082623.jpgCCImagebymrphancyonFlickr

Winchester House CC Image by TilTul on Wikipedia Commons

PacicOceanMap.GoogleMaps.Google,28Nov2012.Web.

McKay, Scott. Ofcial map of the county of Fresno, California.

1:278,000. 1914. David Rumsey Map Collection. 23 Oct 2012. Web.http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/s/3944gz.


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CentralCaliforniaMap.GoogleMaps.Google,28Nov2012.Web.

CentralCaliforniaMap.GoogleMaps.Google,28Nov2012.Web.Thompson, Thos. H. Township 14 South, Range 23 East. 1:31,680.

1891. David Rumsey Map Collection. 23 Oct 2012. Web. http://www.

davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/s/i2u388.

Thompson, Thos. H. Range 24 East, Range 25 East, Township 14 South,

Township 13 South. 1:63,360. 1891. David Rumsey Map Collection.

23Oct2012.Web.http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/s/8tq6.

CentralCaliforniaMap.GoogleMaps.Google,28Nov2012.Web.

almondblossomsCCImagebydwolfgraonFlickr

PlumsintheFogCCImagebypuliarfonFlickr

Cornasfarastheeyecansee...CCImagebybenketaroonFlickr

AutumnGlowCCImagebykelsey_lovefusionphotoonFlickr

Chalkdrawing001CCImagebyKonradFrstneronFlickr

Collage by E. Morillo including CA-180 W/E Kings Canyon Rd Map.

Google Maps. Google, 18 Mar 2013. Web.

All other images attributed to E. Morillo

b.

33. a.b.

c.

34.

42. a.

b.

43. a.

b.

56.

68.

**


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