Healing By Design - Concept

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 Facade. During Guatemala's modernist period, Art and Architecture combined showcasing the new image of the city.

Within our site is the National Library. Efrain Recinos' Art and Architecture is most prominent within this structure, acting as a historical anchor to the proposed Art Colony.

Located in the National Library, we find woven pieces of Chess tying in the historical significance of weaving in Guatemala and the checkerboard floor. Chess Pieces are significant of movement. Throughout Chess we see the development of the game occurring based on the movement of the pieces. Each piece having its own significance and role.

In the development of a textile, we see a similar movement as thread weaves through the canvas introducing a new system. The weaving results in the development of patterns and symbols. These two ideals we will explore as part of our concept.

Project Concept - New Urban Fabric

Within the project will exist seven cultural anchors:

Four existing (National Library, Military Pension Institute, Sixth Avenue Portal, Acoustical Shell) 

Three proposed (Sculpture and Painting Studio, Artist Residency, Texting and Print Studio). 

These lay our base for the new urban fabric.

From here we begin to explore the potential movement around the site using textile patterning as a base for the new circulation. These paths are each different in appearance signifying their own identity.

By layering this textile onto the site, we see the way in which new zones are developed, giving each space its own potential program.

Within these zones we bring in the movement across spaces and through buildings. The chess pieces serve as a reference, utilizing their in game movement as a parti for circulation across the site. The chess pieces instill the dynamic of individuality, tied to the new and existing buildings across the art colony. They are all different but they all play a role into the site's success. The movement within the site will be explored as potential recreational spaces, markets, or art installations

Each building utilized on the site will be given its own role as a chess piece showcasing its place in the new urban fabric

King - National Library

Queen - Sculpture and Painting Studio

Bishop - Artist Residences

Knight - Military Pension Institute

Rook - Textile and Print Studio

Pawn - Sixth Avenue Portal