Exploratorium for Withdrawn Nomadism

Form Defined by Framed Views and Structural Anamorphosis

ARCH 172 // MICAH RUTENBERG

Diagramming Genre

Mysteries by Edgar Allan Poe are used to create themes through diagram.  Poe's works 'The Man in the Crowd' and 'The Purloined Letter' were used to pry into the mystery genre and discover the underlying ideas such as the generalized program, publicated sightlines, and sought after roaming.

A Climb to the Summit

A rock was used to create contours that later became the topography of an island used as a retreat for a mystery writer. This island was to include a specialized path for the writer to use to arrive by boat and continue by exploring the island and eventually reach the personalized writing space.  This 'Exploratorium' started with underground caves and tunnels leading to a path that travels up the cliffs of the island.  Included in this was a balcony finished with 6 ft high walls blocking the view straight over forcing the writer to look up creating a sense of disorientation.  This continued to a series of paths and stairs slowly climbing the sides until the writer reaches a boldering patch creating a final struggle to reach the retreat.

Forced Perspective through Sight Lines

A series of buildings were created each with different intentions to push the writer's mind towards a mystery.  Sight Lines cut through acting as windows and doors and portals.  A campus created for exploration of acute corners, semi-permeable barriers and framed views.  A writing space was created between two screens allowing the writer to be camouflaged to the outside eye all the while secretly spying on the surrounding islands.  The final conclusion to the space results in a gate pulling the writer back down a cliffside of the island all the while framing the view of the other structures when the writer looks back.