ARCH5112 Fall 2024 / Spring 2025 Thesis - Chris Mancia

ARCH IX: Thesis Professor Lia Dikigoropoulou - Christopher Mancia - Healing By Design - Project Concept Historical Context Weaving has been a foundation for many communities around Guatemala. Historically, textiles were created for many household items such as tablecloths, bedding, furniture. The colors utilized within the textiles were symbols for the communities that made them. Each color palette being tied to the region and its agriculture. From beginning to end, the process of creating a textile is sustainable, both ecologically and culturally. This thesis concept looks to analyze how weaving can create a new urban fabric. Looking into the Art and Architecture of Guatemala City, we encounter Efrain Recinos' Art. Similar to the textiles of Guatemala, it utilizes a variety of colors and shapes to express figure and depth. Within his Architecture, Efrain Recinos also plays with depth. The National Bank stands as one of the first governmental buildings that introduces Art into its ...

ARCH IX: Thesis Professor Lia Dikigoropoulou - Christopher Mancia - Healing By Design - Program The Art Colony will serve as an important part of the New City Center. Recognizing it's importance to the School of Art, we have separated the full program into three individual buildings, each with their own identity but expressing communal values seen in local landmarks such as the Central Market. Program Precedent - Powerhouse Arts - Herzog and de Meuron As part of the program investigation, we have referred to the Powerhouse Arts building located in Gowanus, Brooklyn by Herzog and de Meuron. This building encompasses a ceramics studio, wood and metal shops, print studio, classrooms and performance spaces. Program Organization  As we would look to introduce collaboration between the park and the proposed buildings, we look to create building identity by the art produced.  The first building is dedicated to the Sculpture and Painting Studios, bringing in Galleries and Classrooms a...

ARCH IX: Thesis Professor Lia Dikigoropoulou - Christopher Mancia - Healing By Design - Project Precedents In order to solve the School of Art's need for a home, we look at a variety of existing projects understanding potential program, biophilic capabilities, and aesthetics. These precedents express potential development within the existing site and propose new ways to think about its circulation and dynamism. The first set of precedents understand the potentials for an art colony, how they have been set up historically, their programs, the senses they expand upon, and issues they have encountered. The second set of precedents understand how biophilia can be expressed within an urban context, how we can expand upon Guatemala City's climate within the project. The third set of precedents introduces local materiality, connecting local context into public program and establishing place through form. These precedents introduce individual concepts to be brought into the design phas...