Rossitza Kotelova

Projects | Harvard GSD, M.Arch I

Rossitza Kotelova

Along with an increase in demand for customization, the ceramic industry is turning to innovative fabrica-tion strategies in order to produce highly customizable products. Methods such as linear extrusion, dry press, and wet press are currently used to achieve some degree of customization, however, these methods have limitations when applied to high-volume produc-tion processes. By combining traditional clay rolling techniques and industrial scale robotic fabrication, we can achieve highly customizable ceramic surfaces that are easily mass produced without the use of molds or dies. In order to explore what opportunities the com-bination of these two very different methods allows,

Robotic Surface Manipulation

Year2013

Project TypeCeramic TileRobotic Fabrication

ProfessorNathan KingRachel Vroman

SchoolHarvard University GSD

TeamRossitza KotelovaPeter SprowlsSekou Cooke Bongjai Shin

Reshape Digital CraftCompetition EntryThird Place Winner

a custom roller tool attachment for an ABB IRB 4400 robotic arm was designed and fabricated. For proof of concept, a 6-foot by 6-foot full-scale prototype of a ceramic faade system is produced.This Robotic Roller method is directly applicable to the current tile production industry. As a process, the variable roller can be incorporated into existing tile production lines to develop infinitely customizable tile surfaces without the need to produce molds or other support materials that become waste. The Robotic Roller tool creates an entirely new set of possibili-ties for an existing production process that is fairly standardized.

Robotic Roller

The Robotic Roller tool resulted from combining a conventional ceramic roller with an industrial ABB ro-bot. The tool is custom made by attaching the axle of a typical low friction large diameter conveyor roller to a frame made of steel angles and extruded aluminum. The tool has sliding arms that lock in position allowing the length and diameter of the roller to change for different designs. This adjustable feature of the roller attachment allows for an increase in surface design variation as the size, shape and pattern of the roller may be easily changed. The tool can tilt longitudinally to a maximum angle of 45 in either direction before causing a collision between the roller axle and the clay.

robotic roller tool

connection to robot

lock mechanism

steel flange extension

aluminum rollersteel/roller axle joint

aluminum slider components

Material systeMs Nathan King | Rachel Vroman

claMbakePeter Sprowls, Rosie Kotelova, Sekou Cooke, Bongjai Shin

Surface designManipulation Parameters

Roller size defines surface manipulation variables

roller length

roller diameter

Typical Mold Method

Proposed Roller Method

Roller Method Mass Customization

Typical Mold Method

Proposed Roller Method

Roller Method Mass Customization

Design Parameters

Method

length and diameter define surface pattern

robotic roller maximum tilt angle range

connection to robot

lock mechanism

steel flange extension

aluminum rollersteel/roller axle joint

aluminum slider components

Aluminumslider components

Lock mechanism

Connection to Robot

Aluminum roller

Steel/Roller Axle Joint

Steel ange extension

typical mold method

proposed roller method

variable ceramic tile facade

interior ceramic tile walls

Spatial Aggregations 6

Year2013

Project TypeRobotic Fabrication

ProfessorsMatthias Kohler Michael Knauss Luka Piskorec

SchoolETH ZurichGramazio & Kohler Chair Architecture and Digital Fabrication

TeamRossitza Kotelova Marisa Brunner Christian Grewe RellmannEnrique Ruiz Durazo

The project began with an analysis of contemporary and traditional timber systems and defined node typologies suitable for the digital fabrication process. The process involved designing, programming and building a funnel-shaped wooden structure with a span of 4.5m consisting out of 93 individually cut wooden beams. The cutting of the beams, drilling the holes for the screws and the precise placement of the components within the structure was carried out in a continuous robot-based process using an ABB robot.

automated robotic fabrication setup

cut

The constraints given by the robot-fabrication process such as length, angle constraints of the components and the assembly sequence of the structure were already incorporated in the planning phase of the design process and have been an integral part of the architectural design.

cut drill place screw

design constraint 1: connection logic

design constraint 2: minimum length for different angles

design constraint 4: building area

design constraint 3:robot reach

design components: form, pattern, knot

desing process:pattern to form generation

knot configurations

relaxation process knot generation process member generation process

fabrication setup

Harmonious Inferno

Year2013

Project TypeAC-CA Prison CompetitionPresent justice system critique

LocationChinese Pacific Ocean

TeamRossitza KotelovaDanny DuongEivind Bjorndalen

dock perspective exterior perspective

Todays prison is part of a dysfunctional system of so-cial engineering though isolation. While the concern for morality has emerged on the forefront of prisoner treatment, the fact that the fundamental ideologies of the prison system have not evolved since the 1800s still remains.

The political prisoner is center stage in the moral debate of the selfproclaimed right of one human be-ing to take away the freedom of another. Throughout Chinese history, however, political detentions have been socially ac-cepted as a necessary aspect of government policies in order to sustain stability and Harmony within the Chinese population. For these reasons, we chose to investigate a political prison for China.

Since the 2011 revolts that ricocheted from the Middle East to Northern Africa, homegrown ef-forts to organize protests have sprouted across the Internet and threaten to destabilize the Harmony. As their popularity grows, the need for a facility to restrengthen citizens belief in Harmony and peace becomes greater. Inspired by Dantes journey through Inferno, each of the facilities is divided into several smaller rings; each specifically designed to embody the 9 tenets of Harmony.

site plan

exterior perspective

12

3

45678

9

diagram

LIMBO LUST GLUTTONYGREEDANGER HERESY

VIOLENCEFRAUD TREACHERY

treason mediation cell

RING PROGRAMMATIC ORGANIZATION

1. INDOCTRINATIONWelcomes new members to the facility.

2. CROWD LICENTIOUSNESSIssues of unruly lewd conduct are addressed. Residents experience cold showers and cleansing exercises as a part of the program.

3. EPICUREAN STRATEGIESMembers of this program focus on culinary enthusi-asm and strategies of management. Exercises exam-ine topics ranging from consumption observation to selective nutritional limitation strategies.

4. SELFCENTRIC FULFILLMENTParticipants engage in exercises that examine and critique selfcentrism. Explorations in alternative modes of thinking (such as populistcentrism) is a central focus.

5. ANGER MANAGEMENTMisconduct from nonviolent demonstrators is ad-dressed in this program. Members are provided with ample space and physical activities to rejuvenate their mind and body.

6. MAOIST REINVIGORATIONMembers who have allowed halftruths to affect their sensibility take part in this program. Treatment is implemented through faith, health and education seminars.

7. PROTEST MANAGEMENTThe management of violent protests organized by extreme activists is achieved through member isola-tion in this program. Safe spaces are monitored continuously to ensure a proper treatment for those endangering themselves and others.

8. LIBEL STUDIESMembers examine topics ranging from defamation of others to the repercussions of halftruths. Understanding ones role in society is a key issue in this program, and members are highly involved in studies of hierarchy.

9. TREASON MEDIATIONMembers are housed in rooms with traditional gable roofs and views oriented towards the mainland to remind them of home and the Harmony required to sustain its future.

section

Elevator

9

15

9

9

9

10

12

11

13

14

Elevator

16

Elevator

1

2

3

6

7

7

58

4

ring 2 plan

ring 9 plan ring 3 plan

Elevator

9

15

9

9

9

10

12

11

13

14

RING 2

1. Exercise Yard2. Running track3. Badmington4. Common room5. Cleaning utilities6. Guard Booth7. Showers8. Laundry

RING 3

9. Services10. Guard Booth11. Dining Hall12. Food serving13. Kitchen14. Staff dining15. Cleaning utilities

RING 9

16. Guard Booth

PLAN LEGEND

Dry River CanalGrowing Bridges

Year2013

Project TypeUrban Design Urban Agriculture

LocationDry River Canal | Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago

ProfessorsHubert KlumpnerAlfredo Brillumberg

SchoolETH ZurichUrban-Think Tank ChairArchitecture and Urban Design

Given the island condition of Trinidad and Tobago, Port of Spain is highly dependent on imported food for consumption. The project aims to introduce a network of urban agricultural education which would enable the citizens of Port of Spain to grow their own food. Thus transforming the current import consumer culture into a production conscious culture.

The Dry River creates a major divide between East Port of Spain and Port of Spain creating a visible dif-ferentiation in the urban development of the two dis-tricts. In addition, connections are lacking in the north - south direction of the Dry River due to insuficient allocation of pedestrian paths. The Growing Bridges create connections between East Port of Spain and Port of Spain and increase pedestrian accessibility over and along the Dry River.

roof plan

floor plan

Year2011

Project TypeConceptual Urban Design

ProfessorIngeborg Rocker


Reciprocity

urban scheme

control houses shearing effect

anomalous houses

LOCAL AXON

URBAN AXON

urban axon

The project seeks to investigate the effect of shifting two houses controlled by a Grasshopper script on an urban fabric. The shearing of one of the houses away from the other produces a domino effect on the immediate adjacent buildings. If the shearing hap-pens in multiple directions, the undulating urban blocks produce pockets of space which then become public parks that release the density of the urban fab-ric. An anomaly is introduced diagonally between two shifted houses. The anomalous houses shift in the vertical direction in addition to the horizontal to pro-duce an elevation change. The design of the facades of the anomalous houses is intended to register the displacement of the houses. Windows, gabled roofs, chimneys and stairs are kept stationary as the rest of the house shifts producing an extrusion effect on these particular elements.

LOCAL AXON

URBAN AXON

LOCAL AXON

URBAN AXON

local axon

LOCAL AXON

URBAN AXON

displacement diagram

In order to integrate the commercially programmed function of the boutique hotel in a predominantly residential neighborhood, the project seeks to provide amenities that allow for opportuni-ties of interaction between the permanent residents and transient guests. Guided by Denis Cromptons principle, provided the infrastructure and ameni-ties, activities naturally follow, one can infer that an intervention which facilitates interaction would lead to successful integration.

Threshold

Year2009

Project TypeBoutique Hotel

LocationChicago, IL

ProfessorJames Warfield

SchoolUniversity of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Interaction between the residents and guests allows for an interesting threshold for exchange of informa-tion, which is part of the originally intended function of a hotel. The amenities provided in a hotel such as lounge, restaurant, pool, gym, and game room are normally exclusive to hotel guests. These exclusive amenities are imposed as public spaces that wrap up within the building. As a result, the project challenges the way locals engage with the experience of a hotel which is typically intended for guests.

site lake view projection

lake michigan

pool to lake view

pool

showers

restaurant

gym

game room

winter garden

publicexclusiveinterlocking diagram

public spaces diagram

floor plan

longitudinal section

cross section

Le Flanuer

Year2009

Project TypeHostel

LocationChicago, IL

ProfessorRoger Hubeli


TeamRossitza KotelovaAnita Lu

site model

The project seeks to expose under-emphasized phenomena of Chicago by utilizing the design of the building to frame views of the city. Located on the River Bank Walk between Wacker Drive and the Chicago river, the project takes advantage of the three levels of Wacker Drive: Upper, Lower, and Service. The project began with an initial city park concept which consisted of pavilions whose spacial juxtaposi-tions relate to either the Chicago River or Wacker Drive depending on the sound quality of the different

levels and along the River Bank Walk. The juxtaposi-tions of the park pavilions derived the initial form and placement of the Hostel. We divided the three main programs of the Hostel into three structures: guest rooms, reception and entertainment. The three struc-tures are connected by a circulation plinth which also functions as an added ground level. The phenomenal experience of the city was controlled by the juxtaposi-tion of the structure to either the river or the street.

guest roomscirculataion

site drawing

city park pavilion juxtaposition to river or drive

chicago river

wacker drive

service level wacker drive

lower levelwacker drive

upper level wacker driveentertainmentriverreception

chicago river

wacker drive

guest rooms section

reception section

entertainment sectionmodel

guest rooms section

reception section

entertainment section

vertical/horizontal light tunnels

glazing ratio

wacker drive

chicago river

water collection

chicago river

Year2008

Project TypeUrban Planning

LocationChampaign, IL

ProfessorJulie Larsen


Ec[centric]

site model

exploded axon

The urban planning proposal is a 50-year plan to densify the under-utilized space in the area of Cham-paign while creating more agriculture space. Due to increasing sprawl, farmland in the Champaign-Urbana area has decreased drastically. Preservation of land suitable for agriculture becomes crucial with the growing demand for corn (the main crop of Central Il-linois). To achieve this, we propose densifying the area within the boundaries of the city rather than expand-ing out. Residual spaces such as setbacks, parking lots and back yards become the areas of concentration for new infrastructure. We regulate how dense the

site model

new infrastructure will be by separating the site into seven zones. The commercial area becomes of higher concentration with less green space. The residential area allows for fewer infrastructures while convert-ing back yards into one public park. The cantilever becomes the prototype for new infrastructure due to its small footprint. A market is introduced under the underutilized rail line which spans our entire site and has 30 ft. setbacks on either side. By activating the rail line along with the market, they become means of attracting businesses and new residents into the surrounding area.

Year2012

Project TypeComputational Design Study3D Print Fabrication

ProfessorAndrew Witt


TeamRossitza KotelovaChristopher Esper

Minimal Surface

frame growth [phase II]frame growth [phase I]frameknot minimal surface base mesh

01 02 03 04

knot minimal surface base mesh frame

frame growth [phase II]frame growth [phase I]frameknot minimal surface base mesh

01 02 03 04

frame frame growth [phase I] frame growth [phase II]

3D print models

The project study uses a bat wing minimal surface module that is rotated, reflected and repeated. Using these simple operations we were able to achieve a minimal surface knot that is continuous throughout the entirety of the given shape. The minimal surface knot creates a series of complex layers of enclosures and openings, producing an incredibly beautiful aesthetic form.

knot minimal surface families Surface Knot Construction

Cubical ConstructFundamental Region Knot Module

Surface construct transformation

surface knot construction surface construct transformation

Foam Decay

Year2013

Project TypeExpanded Mechanisms / Empirial Materialism

ProfessorAndrew Witt


TeamRossitza KotelovaKevin MurrayCharavee Bunyasiri

The project experiments with the confluence of blue foam as a building material and a potentialmedium for design exploration. Using acetone, we carve the volume of the foam through materialdecay. The chemical process substitutes the typical physical manipulation of blue foam with an addedbenefit, the foam and acetone fuse to form a material boundary that is both water tight and capable ofmaterial finishes like paint or varnish.In order to achieve repeatability of our experiment, we designed and fabricated a computer controlled dispenser which integrates into an existing laser-cutter bed frame. Using a precisely calibrated acetone drop amount, we were able to achieve a highly controlled decay form.

// printhead anatomy // electrical circuit

// grasshopper script

solenoid valvearduino pin 12

resistor

resistor

ground

power supply

transistor

transistor pump diode

diodesolenoid

arduino pin 13

steel rod

spring

printhead stopper

pin

printhead casing

perameters print size image assesment

period setting drop distribution print path

print path

coverage conrmation

acetone chamber

// printhead anatomy // electrical circuit

// grasshopper script

solenoid valvearduino pin 12

resistor

resistor

ground

power supply

transistor

transistor pump diode

diodesolenoid

arduino pin 13

steel rod

spring

printhead stopper

pin

printhead casing

perameters print size image assesment

period setting drop distribution print path

print path

coverage conrmation

acetone chamber

Year2011

Project TypeUrban Design Competition2nd Place Prize Winner

LocationChicago, IL

OfficeAptum Architecture in collaborations with Gale Fulton

TeamRossitza KotelovaBrian VeselyAlvaro SizaWallo VillacortaDanny Duong

Network Reset

canopy perspective

emerald necklace plan

canopy perspective

canopy anatomy

emerald necklace axon

section detail

site investigation

[In]voluntary prisoners of climate change How voluntary or involuntary this choice has been, there is a decreasing margin of doubt that we are susceptible to global climate destabilization. The URBAN CANOPY proposes the re-FIGURATION of Chicagos boulevard system to increase the citys resilience to climate change while restoring the formal legibility of this infrastructural system.

Year2009

Project TypeExhibition

LocationChicago, IL

OfficeAptum Architecture

TeamDanny Duong John Fricano Brent KalmanKristine KasuboskeRossitza KotelovaAnita LuPhillip MeyerDiego Morell-PereaBrian VeselyWallo Villacorta

Architecture of Crisis

Many thanks to:

University of Illinois Research BoardUIUC School of Architecture

Student Collaborators:Diego Morell-Perea Research AssistantDanny DuongJohn FricanoClint GriestBrent KalmanKristine KasuboskeRossitza KotelovaAnita LuPhillip MeyerWallo VillacortaBrian Vesely

ISpace Gallery

Chicago Gallery of the College of Fine and Applied ArtsUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

www.ispace.illinois.eduPh 312.587.9976

On Display Nov 20 - Dec 19 Tue - Sat 11 - 5pmOpening Friday Nov 20 5 - 7pm

ARCHITECTURE OF CRISIS

Guide by Cellaudio tours provided by:

Architecture of Crisis exhibition is a commentary on the recent crisis in suburban housing production in the US. According to Websters dictionary, crisis can be defined as a decisive moment; a situation that has reached a critical phase. Therefore, the exhibition defines crisis as a process of transformation or a need for change within our built environment.

Today, we are combating the economic as well as the social and environmental crisis that resulted from the housing bubble. Late capitalism has failed. With the potential surplus of 22 million vacant homes across the US, we are left with an abundance of material rendered unusable. The exhibition questions the maximization of developer driven capitalism and its manifestation in the imagery of the oversized suburban house at the expense of material and construction quality.

Through speculative narratives, the exhibition challenges the sustainable quality of three typical materials used in suburban construction - vinyl siding, pre-engineered wood trusses, and asphalt roof shingles. Productive manipulations of these materials are revealed in three suspended boxes that are deployed as apertures to view narratives. Strategically placed binoculars allow visitors to participate in the exhibit and immerse themselves in the scenes.

A suburban alteration can no longer be a question of style or individual expression. Our current state of affairs offers an opportunity to revisit the meaning and value of architecture from the detail of construction to the scale of the urban fabric. The focus of architecture needs to shift from the production of an image to its power as a material practice. If we do not act, the event of crisis could also be described as failure.

The economic crisis has become a material crisis.

APTUM was founded in 2002 by Roger Hubeli and Julie Larsen recently collaborating with Beat Steuri and are currently pursuing work in Switzerland and the US. The firm is centered on the belief that an architecture practice must obtain the qualities most aptly described with the Latin term APTUM which is a way of achieving relevant solutions through the merging of practice and theory.

Aptum utilizes its diverse background to engage in a critical discourse that hinges on the friction between pedagogy and practice. Julie Larsen, Roger Hubeli and Beat Steuri hold Masters Degrees in Architecture from Columbia and the ETH respectively. Roger and Julie each have pursued a career bridging professional work with academics at Michigan, the ETH and currently as Assistant Professors at the University of Illinois at U-C.

The firms design approach is in search of inventive solutions that turn constraints into design trajectories. While continuing to be immersed in contemporary discourse, Aptum calls upon a network of collaborators to assist in shaping each project.

5X 7X 8X 10X 12X15X

#66 Chicago Bus | Chicago / Franklin stop

Brown Line Train | Chicago stop

ISpace Gallery 230 W Superior St Chicago, IL 60654

ARCHITECTURE OF

CRISIS

viewing diagram

tagged binoculars

Architecture of Crisis exhibition is a commentary on the recent crisis in suburban housing production in the US. Today, we are combating the economic as well as the social and environmental crisis that resulted from the housing bubble. With the potential surplus of 22 million vacant homes across the US, we are left with an abundance of material rendered unusable. The exhibition questions the maximization of developer driven capitalism and its manifestation in the imagery of the oversized suburban house at the

expense of material and construction quality. Through speculative narratives, the exhibition challenges the sustainable quality of three typical materials used in suburban construction asphalt roof shingles, vinyl siding, and pre-engineered wood trusses. Productive manipulations of these materials are revealed in three suspended boxes that are deployed as apertures to view narratives. Strategically placed binoculars allow visitors to participate in the exhibit and immerse themselves in the scenes.

$SHINGLES

TRUSSES

VINYL SIDING

ECONOMIC SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTAL LIGHT FILTRATION

HEAT COLLECTION

WATERCOLLECTION

WATER RETENTION

WATER PROOF

WATERFILTRATION

SMARTGRID

EMISSIONVEGETATION

PUBLICEASEMENTS

floating shingles box

heat islands drawing

Heat Islands According to the EPA (the United States Envi-ronmental Protection Agency), the annual mean air temperature of a city with 1 million people or more can be up to 1.85.4F warmer than its surroundings. In the evening, the difference can be as high as 22F (12C). Heat islands can affect communities by in-creasing summertime peak energy demand, air condi-tioning costs, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions,

heat-related illness and mortality, and water quality. The heat collector installed on top of Wal-Mart Super-store turns the problem of heat islands produced by black shingle roofing into an environmental solution to heat hot water that in turn is used to heat the building. The solar heat is thereby absorbed by water running through tubes that are engulfed by the black shingles reducing the heat reflection of the roof.

$SHINGLES

TRUSSES

VINYL SIDING


HEAT COLLECTION

WATERCOLLECTION

WATER RETENTION

WATER PROOF

WATERFILTRATION

SMARTGRID

EMISSIONVEGETATION

PUBLICEASEMENTS

floating siding box

hanging fields drawing

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Field

Scientific evidence shows that trees and plants are growing bigger and faster in response to the billions of tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by humans. According to the NYTimes, the increased growth has been discovered in a variety of flora, ranging from tropical rainforests to British sugar beet crops. It means they are soaking up at least some of the CO2 that would otherwise be accelerat-

ing the rate of climate change. The hanging fields are suspended from large light poles between highways. Large cranes lift accordion like structures in place that unravel through gravity. The pre-seeded rapeseed flowers that grow on these structures help to absorb the co2 emission of the cars and can be harvested for bio-fuel.

$SHINGLES

TRUSSES

VINYL SIDING


HEAT COLLECTION

WATERCOLLECTION

WATER RETENTION

WATER PROOF

WATERFILTRATION

SMARTGRID

EMISSIONVEGETATION

PUBLICEASEMENTS

floating truss box

water filtration drawing

[R]eeding out

Untreated storm water run-off commonly cul-minates in retention ponds and brings with it debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants into the storm sewer system and eventually lakes, rivers, wetbeds, and coastal waters. According to the EPA (the United States Environmental Protection Agency), anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing and even drinking water. Small islands made out of reused trusses form the base structure for

seaweed (or reed) to grow. These reed islands work as micro sewage-treatment plants controlling the amount of nutrients in the water as well as binding pollutants, a process called bioretention. The seasonal trimming of reed allows the nutrients and pollutants to be removed from the ecosystem of the pond, thus cleaning the water bodies before the water flows further. Water is restored to the capacity of becoming a healthy environment for recreation such as swim-ming, fishing, etc.

Year2010

Project TypeDance Studio

LocationChampaign, IL

OfficeAptum Architecture

TeamAude BattestiDanny Duong Chao-wei Chang Brent KalmanRossitza Kotelova Diego Morell-PereaCaroline Rubin Brian VeselyWallo Villacorta

Transparency

A renovation of the former Art and Design stu-dio at the University of Illinois into a graduate studio for the Dance Department. Based upon Colin Rowe and Robert Slutzkys ideas on phenomenal transpar-ency, the project seeks to manipulate the dancers and observers perspective of the space depending on their position within the space. To construct the walls we use salvaged barn wood from two barns in Iowa. The idea was to utilize the inherent property of the wood to construct the walls by stacking the salvaged dimensional lumber on top of one another. We introduce varying degrees of transparency within the panels by increasing the spacing between pieces of

open dance space

wood. The difference in spacing is achieved through stacking of smaller blocks of wood. In order to reduce waist, the original dimensional lumber is cut into two depth sizes: 2 inches and 6 inches. The 6 in. pieces of lumber are used for the main construction and the 2 in. blocks are used as the spacers. The panel walls are retained close to the existing walls to allow for maximum studio space for the dancers. In addition, frame boxes are introduced in strategic places to successfully integrate the existing structure with the intervention panel walls. Part of the salvaged dimen-sional lumber is also milled to construct a smooth dance floor for the studio.

recycled barn-wood construction

detail diagrams

project details

UBS Office Building

Year2010

Project TypeOffice Renovation

LocationZurich, Switzerland

Officee2a

TeamMarcin Ganczarski | ArchitectRossitza Kotelova

lobby materials diagram

lobby materials diagram

facade sections

A renovation project for a UBS Office Building in Zurich. The majority of the interior of the building as well as the entire facade are renovated. The concept behind the project is to create a sense of orientation in and around the building through branding and clear organization of circulation. An additional level is also added to complete the symmetry of the building.

facade sections

Thawed

Year2010

Project TypeMiddles Catalog

PublicationThawedUniversity of Illinois Annual Journal

ProfessorsStewart HicksJimmy LuuCollaboration between Architecture & Graphic Design

TeamRossitza KotelovaWallo VillacortaDanny DuongXi-Min Chen

chicago ohare

paper fold

In the middle of the Midwest, we searched and photographed a series of seemingly banal spaces lurking between walls, towers, and foliage. Based on the flatness of the photograph, we then extracted the perceived 3-dimensional volume. The distorted volumes isolate the middle ground spaces that we normally encounter and overlook. Through the translation from 3d to 2d, and back to 3d, we lose information from the physical spaces themselves. The final translation creates an additional representation that resurfaces this lost information--a translation that is divorced from the middle, yet remain an artifact. They translate and create a new kind of representa-tion--one that connects the middle of reality, and the re-presented middle of the photograph.

chicago ohare

paper [un]fold

by danny duong

urbana, il

chicago, il

chicago, il

urbana, il

urbana, il

by wallo villacorta

champaign, il

by xi-min chen

cary, il

by wallo villacorta

champaign, il

by xi-min chen urbana, il

by xi-min chen

cary, il

Documents

Rossitza Kotelova