DIFFUSE
Design Studio III - Spring 2022 | Design a “documentary arts” building for a specified site in Pueblo, Colorado.
The original building I designed for this project had a very unique form compared to others I had yet designed throughout my architectural studies. I decided to base my building around the site’s historical context and significance by making it a community/cultural center for not only the city’s residents, but also the tourists and even those just passing through. Pueblo, Colorado has very rich history as such a diverse place to live so the goal of this building was to preserve and honor Pueblo’s roots through teaching, sharing, and the formation of a long-lasting community.
As the semester progressed, we had to focus in on a smaller segment/aspect of our design. I decided to further explore a more conceptual quality of my initial design, which was this idea of a larger mass being supported by a bunch of smaller masses. I ended up with a design that evenly meshed a more industrial look (to represent the smoke towers of Pueblo) with a unique, playful look (to foster an environment that drives an urge for socializing/deep discussions). The building also offers spaces of different sizes to encourage different levels of interaction between visitors.
Overall, this project got me thinking a lot about the importance of preservation in architecture. Whether it’s a physical structure being restored or some part of the site’s history/culture, not erasing the people and things that paved the way for us makes the way we experience our built environment more impactful. If this space can manage to bring people together, we will be able to maintain Pueblo’s reputation of being a “melting pot.”
