Tectonic Convergent
Free Flowing Systems
Manitoga / Russel Wright Design Center, Garrison, New York, USA
Tectonic Convergent serves as a gallery extension to Russell Wright's Design Center, showcasing his American Modern dinnerware collection. The Design Center, conceived by Russell Wright and his wife Mary Wright, embodies the philosophy of blending modernism with nature. The gallery extension aims to revitalize the Wrights' philosophy by reestablishing the relationship between architecture and the natural environment. By exploring how flowing systems can coalesce to create complex forms, a new architecture emerges, inspired by the site's natural steep topography.
Unlike immediate landscape interpretations such as trees or plants, the project delves into the layers beneath the earth's surface. I pose the question: "Can landscape and architecture meld together through the natural processes of molten shifts—divergent, convergent, and transformative?" The earth's surface is seamlessly shaped and reshaped by moving tectonic plates over time, so why can't similar processes produce and inspire the architecture we inhabit? By employing these molten shifting tactics, the gallery aims to reinvent architecture by:
Tectonically emerging through the site.
Containing free flowing systems able to create complex forms and programs.
Fluctuate between architecture and landscape elements during convergent shifts.
Creating apertures for entrances, windows, and skylights through divergent shifts.
Consisting of programs, courtyard, and circulation through transformative shits.
Free Flowing Systems
Gallery Massing Studies Using Tectonic Movements
Fenestration Applications
Aperture and Material Studies Using Tectonic Movements
Nature’s Exhibition
Free Flowing Galleries
Tectonic Convergent, a gallery extension for Russel Wright's American Modern dinnerware collection, features a series of galleries that flow sinuously with the dynamic landscape of the site's clifftop. Tectonic movements—including divergent, convergent, and transformative shifts—inform and create diverse relationships between the ground, nature, and art. As visitors walk through Tectonic Convergent, they are immersed in galleries showcasing Wright's objects and nature, framed by topographical movements both inside and outside. Transformative shifts guide guests through these rooms while capturing nature through apertures created by divergent shifts. Convergent shifts unite the gallery types, blending areas of contemplation with site circulation.
The architectural approach not only showcases Wright's iconic designs but also integrates them seamlessly with the natural environment. The interplay between built form and landscape creates a dynamic visitor experience, blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces. Careful orchestration of light, shadow, and views enhances the presentation of the dinnerware collection, allowing visitors to appreciate the pieces in a context reflecting Wright's philosophy of harmonizing design with nature. Ultimately, Tectonic Convergent serves as both a tribute to Wright's enduring legacy and a bold statement in contemporary architectural design.
Part to Whole
CNC Machining and 3D Printing Final Model
Tectonic Convergent is sculpted from distinct parts, each functioning as a singular gallery type, seamlessly integrated through transformative shifts. These components forge a dynamic ground-to-building relationship via convergent shifts, melding separate areas into a cohesive, fluid structure.
The organic building forms are initially conceptualized and developed in Maya, then refined and detailed in Rhino 3D. The final structure is brought to life through 3D printing, with careful attention to the connections and seams uniting the various elements.
To harmoniously integrate these architectural components into Manitoga's dynamic landscape, the site is meticulously crafted using CNC machining. The advanced technique allows for a high level of detail for the terrain, ensuring a seamless blend between the gallery building and the site's natural surroundings, creating a truly immersive and innovative gallery experience.
University of Pennsylvania
Studio: ARCH 501
Professor: Danielle Willems
Individual Project: Christian Cueva
Fall 2016