arch studio.2019
Core I : Studio Project
Core I : Studio Project
Fall 2019
Harvard Graduate School of Design
Instructor: Jenny French
🔦😵💫 Hidden Room
Two different settings hold these conflicting testimonies. The building, lies on the same spot it has always laid on. The visitor, slightly uncomfortable, narrates from his living room what he experienced.
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Building: I’ve heard that people are discussing how disturbed they feel after their interactions with me. Please, do not listen to them. I am tired of the insensitivity and unappreciative attitudes. How is it that I devote my entire existence into creating a unique experience for my guests and now I realize that my intentions have been completely misunderstood.
Visitor: What a horrible experience! The whole structure is resting on a cliff wall, which feels very intimidating as you look up and see the top of the cliff. That, and its hostile concrete appearance should have given me a hint of what I was getting myself into, but as I approached it, I saw how open and simple the first-floor interior felt so I went right in. I mean, it’s just four cubes. It seemed pretty straightforward from the outside.
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Building: Let’s start with the simplicity of my appearance. How can you feel intimidated by one of the simplest geometric shapes? I know my skin can be harsh to the touch and the cliff I am resting on may seem intimidating, but four simple cubes should alleviate all intimidation the cliff and my skin could have produced. At the entrance I try my hardest for people to feel welcomed. I greet them to a spacious and roofless 20 x 20 feet cube where air and natural light flow freely.
Visitor: The first room is open and spacious. There is no roof, so the only thing that was separating me from the exterior were the walls. In a corner, taking up a quarter of the roof space, I saw an overhanging volume. It was a residue of the next room. I could clearly see its exterior as I looked up from where I was standing. There were stairs at my right, so I took them to continue my voyage into that next room. Ascending on the stairs, I still had a clear view of the room I was abandoning, since they are completely open and integrated into the room. I could also even catch a glimpse of the exterior as I kept moving upward and could see over the first room’s walls.
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Building: I always leave my most exciting characteristic for last, but I want to make sure that I build up to it. I make sure my guests are hinted and aware of where to go next so that they don’t get lost as I engage in preparing them for the final surprise. In all of my rooms I expose a hint of the subsequent space so they know there is more ahead. Also, the stairs are always on the right. I repeat this so that they get familiarized, I want them to feel comfortable moving about inside me.
Visitor: This is when things start getting weird. Upon entering the second room, things seem slightly different. There was a door on my right and the room seemed a bit smaller than the one I just got out of, but I could still see rest of the structure because there was no roof. I saw another overhanging volume in this room’s ceiling, just like the one I had seen on the first room that led me to this one. I looked to my right to find the stairs but I see a door, so I opened it and realized that the door led to the stairs. I walked through short hallway, and started to go up the stairs. I could see the rest of the structure looking up, but I could not see the room I was getting out of because I was surrounded by walls. It was weird because I realized that this second room has the same layout as the first room, but the stairs had been divided by a wall. It was a simple alteration, but I felt slightly disoriented when I got in. I continued to go up the narrow stairway so that I could access the third room I saw from below.
![]()
Building: As we move to the second room, I begin preparing them for the final part. I want to shelter my guests completely before releasing them into a new way of seeing, but I don’t want to seem pushy. So, I start by slowly wrapping a wall around them, distracting them a little with my interior without completely disorienting them.
Visitor: I got to the third room, and it was just the same as the second one. I saw the overhanging volume again and realized that the next room I could see from where I was standing would be the fourth and last one. I saw the door at my right once again, so I opened it in order to access the stairs. I was expecting the same roofless hallway that led me to the stairs, but I opened and saw complete darkness. I didn’t know what to do. I considered going back and forgetting about going into the final room, but I was almost there. I couldn’t help my curiosity. With chills down my spine and touching the cold and porous concrete walls with both hands so I wouldn’t trip, I kept going up the stairs.
![]()
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Building: I continue to shelter them from the exterior with a roof while we move into the fourth room. At this point I can’t help to get excited, because they are getting closer to the final surprise.
Visitor: The 90 degree turns on the stairway walls let me know I had reached the final room. It was also completely dark. Without removing my hands from the walls, I slid my left hand from the stair wall onto the left wall and shifted my body so that my back would lay against it. I stood there facing the empty room, reclined at the concrete wall, disoriented by the darkness. The room is completely sealed! I was standing there, thinking about how I would manage to walk back down the dark stairs, creeped out by the echo the empty dark space produced. Then, as my vision got used to the darkness, I realized that there was another overhanging volume in the roof. Which was completely surprising. I thought this was the last room.
Building: I cover them completely, submerging them into my dark interior. In no way I intend to make my guests feel trapped or enclosed, I want to build up the experience for when I show them my last surprise. That’s why I quickly show them that there is more. It’s not like I want them to be kept in the darkness forever.
![]()
Visitor: I could not believe it. I didn’t know if to feel deceived, surprised, or scared of what that volume might contain. I thought I had only seen four from the outside. Did I miscount them? Am I in the third? Is there another volume I missed because the angle from which I was approaching the structure? I was so confused. I looked to my right to see if there was a door that would have the stairs to access it. Just like the others, the door was. I quickly opened the door. The stairway was enclosed, but you could see a ray of light coming from the top, so I ran upstairs following the light. I was expecting to end up in another regular sized volume, like all the others, but I ended up in a space so small that I almost hit the wall as I ran into it coming from the stairs. It felt claustrophobic. The space was tight and small with no roof, you could only look up in order to alleviate the claustrophobic feeling.
Building: Finally, I surprise them with my last room. A space where you are released from the dark. Going through my darkest interior creates a contrast between that darkness and the bright exterior. I want my guests to be mesmerized by this final space they are released into, which holds a framed view of the sky. We see the sky every day, but it is not often that we take time to gaze at it. Once your attention is caught by the sky, you can count the clouds, imagine shapes out of them, enjoy its colors, and at night it’s even more beautiful because you can see the stars. This is my final surprise. It’s what I am eager to show all my visitors, and I guess it’s the most misunderstood part of myself.
Visitor: I see there is a wall ladder, so I start climbing it, eager to get out of that room. As I was reaching the top to get off the ladder, I looked to my right and realized I was released right by the edge of the roof. The roof had no railings. I got out and looked down and saw I was about 50 feet elevated and realized I was at the top of the cliff. Chills went up and down my body. I walked as far away from the edge as possible, I stepped out of the roof and walked onto the top of the cliff. I stood there thinking how I was going to get back down. I hope I never have to enter that building again.
Building: I finally release them to the top of the cliff so that they can enjoy the fresh air and a marvelous view of their surroundings. After enjoying the framing of the sky in the last volume, I figured that being slowly released into this great view would be a memorable end to the visit. I can’t believe these last two instances are the ones people find more disturbing. This whole situation has me thinking about intentions and how they are received. My first instinct was to get angry at the visitors for misinterpreting my intentions, but now I don’t know if I am the one who is not fully understanding the complexities of those who are going to wonder about inside me.
![]()
Building: I’ve heard that people are discussing how disturbed they feel after their interactions with me. Please, do not listen to them. I am tired of the insensitivity and unappreciative attitudes. How is it that I devote my entire existence into creating a unique experience for my guests and now I realize that my intentions have been completely misunderstood.
Visitor: What a horrible experience! The whole structure is resting on a cliff wall, which feels very intimidating as you look up and see the top of the cliff. That, and its hostile concrete appearance should have given me a hint of what I was getting myself into, but as I approached it, I saw how open and simple the first-floor interior felt so I went right in. I mean, it’s just four cubes. It seemed pretty straightforward from the outside.
Building: Let’s start with the simplicity of my appearance. How can you feel intimidated by one of the simplest geometric shapes? I know my skin can be harsh to the touch and the cliff I am resting on may seem intimidating, but four simple cubes should alleviate all intimidation the cliff and my skin could have produced. At the entrance I try my hardest for people to feel welcomed. I greet them to a spacious and roofless 20 x 20 feet cube where air and natural light flow freely.
Visitor: The first room is open and spacious. There is no roof, so the only thing that was separating me from the exterior were the walls. In a corner, taking up a quarter of the roof space, I saw an overhanging volume. It was a residue of the next room. I could clearly see its exterior as I looked up from where I was standing. There were stairs at my right, so I took them to continue my voyage into that next room. Ascending on the stairs, I still had a clear view of the room I was abandoning, since they are completely open and integrated into the room. I could also even catch a glimpse of the exterior as I kept moving upward and could see over the first room’s walls.
Building: I always leave my most exciting characteristic for last, but I want to make sure that I build up to it. I make sure my guests are hinted and aware of where to go next so that they don’t get lost as I engage in preparing them for the final surprise. In all of my rooms I expose a hint of the subsequent space so they know there is more ahead. Also, the stairs are always on the right. I repeat this so that they get familiarized, I want them to feel comfortable moving about inside me.
Visitor: This is when things start getting weird. Upon entering the second room, things seem slightly different. There was a door on my right and the room seemed a bit smaller than the one I just got out of, but I could still see rest of the structure because there was no roof. I saw another overhanging volume in this room’s ceiling, just like the one I had seen on the first room that led me to this one. I looked to my right to find the stairs but I see a door, so I opened it and realized that the door led to the stairs. I walked through short hallway, and started to go up the stairs. I could see the rest of the structure looking up, but I could not see the room I was getting out of because I was surrounded by walls. It was weird because I realized that this second room has the same layout as the first room, but the stairs had been divided by a wall. It was a simple alteration, but I felt slightly disoriented when I got in. I continued to go up the narrow stairway so that I could access the third room I saw from below.
Building: As we move to the second room, I begin preparing them for the final part. I want to shelter my guests completely before releasing them into a new way of seeing, but I don’t want to seem pushy. So, I start by slowly wrapping a wall around them, distracting them a little with my interior without completely disorienting them.
Visitor: I got to the third room, and it was just the same as the second one. I saw the overhanging volume again and realized that the next room I could see from where I was standing would be the fourth and last one. I saw the door at my right once again, so I opened it in order to access the stairs. I was expecting the same roofless hallway that led me to the stairs, but I opened and saw complete darkness. I didn’t know what to do. I considered going back and forgetting about going into the final room, but I was almost there. I couldn’t help my curiosity. With chills down my spine and touching the cold and porous concrete walls with both hands so I wouldn’t trip, I kept going up the stairs.
Building: I continue to shelter them from the exterior with a roof while we move into the fourth room. At this point I can’t help to get excited, because they are getting closer to the final surprise.
Visitor: The 90 degree turns on the stairway walls let me know I had reached the final room. It was also completely dark. Without removing my hands from the walls, I slid my left hand from the stair wall onto the left wall and shifted my body so that my back would lay against it. I stood there facing the empty room, reclined at the concrete wall, disoriented by the darkness. The room is completely sealed! I was standing there, thinking about how I would manage to walk back down the dark stairs, creeped out by the echo the empty dark space produced. Then, as my vision got used to the darkness, I realized that there was another overhanging volume in the roof. Which was completely surprising. I thought this was the last room.
Building: I cover them completely, submerging them into my dark interior. In no way I intend to make my guests feel trapped or enclosed, I want to build up the experience for when I show them my last surprise. That’s why I quickly show them that there is more. It’s not like I want them to be kept in the darkness forever.
Visitor: I could not believe it. I didn’t know if to feel deceived, surprised, or scared of what that volume might contain. I thought I had only seen four from the outside. Did I miscount them? Am I in the third? Is there another volume I missed because the angle from which I was approaching the structure? I was so confused. I looked to my right to see if there was a door that would have the stairs to access it. Just like the others, the door was. I quickly opened the door. The stairway was enclosed, but you could see a ray of light coming from the top, so I ran upstairs following the light. I was expecting to end up in another regular sized volume, like all the others, but I ended up in a space so small that I almost hit the wall as I ran into it coming from the stairs. It felt claustrophobic. The space was tight and small with no roof, you could only look up in order to alleviate the claustrophobic feeling.
Building: Finally, I surprise them with my last room. A space where you are released from the dark. Going through my darkest interior creates a contrast between that darkness and the bright exterior. I want my guests to be mesmerized by this final space they are released into, which holds a framed view of the sky. We see the sky every day, but it is not often that we take time to gaze at it. Once your attention is caught by the sky, you can count the clouds, imagine shapes out of them, enjoy its colors, and at night it’s even more beautiful because you can see the stars. This is my final surprise. It’s what I am eager to show all my visitors, and I guess it’s the most misunderstood part of myself.
Visitor: I see there is a wall ladder, so I start climbing it, eager to get out of that room. As I was reaching the top to get off the ladder, I looked to my right and realized I was released right by the edge of the roof. The roof had no railings. I got out and looked down and saw I was about 50 feet elevated and realized I was at the top of the cliff. Chills went up and down my body. I walked as far away from the edge as possible, I stepped out of the roof and walked onto the top of the cliff. I stood there thinking how I was going to get back down. I hope I never have to enter that building again.
Building: I finally release them to the top of the cliff so that they can enjoy the fresh air and a marvelous view of their surroundings. After enjoying the framing of the sky in the last volume, I figured that being slowly released into this great view would be a memorable end to the visit. I can’t believe these last two instances are the ones people find more disturbing. This whole situation has me thinking about intentions and how they are received. My first instinct was to get angry at the visitors for misinterpreting my intentions, but now I don’t know if I am the one who is not fully understanding the complexities of those who are going to wonder about inside me.
