Grad Show 23

Chuchu Chen

A series of retreats that can host events.

Nature as Material, Time as Tool

No building stands forever. Over time, the natural environment acts upon the outer surface of the building, leading to the failure of materials and the final dissolution of the structure itself, leading to ruin. In order to prevent this or retard its occurrence, we constantly maintain and renew the things we build. Nature seems to stand in opposition to architecture. The passage of time is constantly subtracting from the building.

However, what differentiates nature from architecture? My design questions whether these two are not opposed, but on a continuous spectrum. Using Pollepel Island as a test site, proposing various responses by designing multiple back-to-nature retreats. These retreats are partly man-made and partly rely on nature to become complete over time. They exist between architecture and nature, showcasing the merging of natural and built spaces and creating a symbiotic relationship between the two, ultimately revealing our connection with the natural world.

Nature Defined

The ancient Roman philosopher Cicero described the natural environment as "first nature" and the world crafted by human "discovered by the intelligence and observed by the senses" from a first nature as "second nature", in order to reorient perceptions of human beings existing within nature. Second nature is like a circle within a larger circle of the first nature. We need to raise awareness of the fact that nature as a whole should not be confined to mere wilderness, distinct from human intervention. Humans are the first species to consciously change our environments, to some extent guiding and altering the flow of nature itself. What we usually describe as "natural" is as much a result of human design, such as New York's Central Park.

Conceptual models illustrate the transition between nature and architecture.

Symbiosis

What differentiates nature from architecture? My design uses Pollepel Island as a test site, proposing various responses by designing multiple back-to-nature retreats, and questions whether these two are not opposed, but on a continuous spectrum. Approaching the building as part of the overall environment that "grew from” the site, rather than as an object that is placed alone on the site. It is time to accept that the power of nature and time give buildings a new skin, in the form of patina. This transformation can be treated as positive. We can accept architecture as ever-changing, as an expression of the passage of time.

The Pollepel Island after the design

Back-to-Nature Retreats

Nature once served as the paradigm for our creation. Our Neolithic ancestors relied on natural materials such as wood, stone, and earth to control the environment around us. But with the advancement of technology, artificial materials such as reinforced concrete and glass curtain walls have become the label of the new era of architecture, constantly pursuing timeless architecture. However, what does 'timeless architecture' mean? And where is nature now?