Description:

Sean Godsell states that architects become a “mere selector of colours and shapes” and essentially compiling different standard systems by looking at standard catalogues. There is a lack of exploration and solutions for different situations – especially spatial compositions.

'The City of Compositional Artefacts and Fragments' is a project that explores spatial and compositional opportunities in model making. There is no site, as this project focuses purely on the importance of compositional exploration and how model making can be used differently in practice. The topic of composition in our profession is vital and informs our process and decision makings. We cannot escape from this aesthetic imperative and result in default propositions like the box composition. It has created a condition – like Godsell argues that sets a way of creating architecture in the same tectonic and compositional principles. The box composition has merits, but it limits spatial and compositional opportunities, resulting in similar compartmentalised spaces. Dissolving box composition down into a series of planes allows the focus to be made on the design and layout of these planes to create new spatial compositions.

There are 40 different planar models called 'Artefacts' that were created from an iterative process. They form ambiguous models that can be viewed in many different scales and manners. The Artefacts are then curated together by arranging their placement in relation to each other or combined to help create new spatial and compositional experiences. It forces the viewer to see the spatial opportunity within the in-between space and its spatial qualities formed by the placement of 'Artefacts'. As more Artefacts are created together, it will develop a 'Fragment', a model encompassing a spatially rich experience and compositions. This model can eventually grow and respond as time goes on, with more elements being added to it, ultimately creating a city with multiple scales of spatial and experiences. The discoveries made from the model could then be applied across different projects and their contextual situation.

The walls and floor elements sharing the same plaster materiality shift the viewer into a contemplative thought. The models create sensory deprivation and become a more tactile and immersive experience that focuses on spatial quality. It generates ideas of how space could be expanded and developed into something compositionally unique with no boundaries.

A brass gyrosphere acts as a device for the City Fragment and others to switch its axis, uncovering further potentials of spatial and compositional opportunities. The golden light that reflects off the brass rings helps enhance the model’s spatial qualities with its lights and shadow.

By curating all the models into a 'Catalogue', it establishes the common relationship and compositional qualities. This can enable the design process to consider elements that can impact spatial compositions and experiences - like furniture and lighting. We should be cohesively exploring these aspects and not leaving these parts to default or found from a standardised catalogue. Considering the lighting design in the space allows architects to create success without reproducing the same outcome.