EXTERIOR OF ORDINARY
A RESORT OF EXCEPTION
Architecture Design | Graduate Design | Spring 2021
In today’s world, societal structures have conditioned us to embody roles centered around production, discipline, and consumption, leading to a collective numbness within these restrictive frameworks. I argue that architecture should transcend its role as a mere facilitator of these constraints. Instead, it must serve as a vessel for perception and consciousness, challenging the status quo and redefining our engagement with the spaces we inhabit.
Nestled between the dense urban fabric, there exists a liminal zone – neither fully aquatic nor terrestrial – a sandbar that lies both within and beyond the city’s grasp. This space breaches the orderly enclosures, serving as a sanctuary where nature’s magnificence liberates both mind and body, offering a pause from the urban continuum.
Getting inspiration from Agamben’s concept of the ‘state of exception,’ I propose a fourth mode of existence. This state exists outside the prevailing systems of power, production, and order. It is within this paradoxical enclosure that all forms of constraint are simultaneously acknowledged and erased, presenting a blank canvas amidst the cityscape.
A Resort for Escape, and More
This project envisions a resort that not only provides an escape but also fosters a space for deep reflection and unbridled creativity. It is here that individuals can contemplate their existence, acquire knowledge and experience, and engage in autonomous learning and creative freedom.
The interplay between night and day, alongside the dynamic patterns of sunlight, plays a pivotal role in the life of this natural retreat. I meticulously organize the guests’ routines around these temporal shifts to enhance their experience. Furthermore, recognizing that individuals exist in dual states—both as solitary beings and as members of a collective—the relationships between self and others, and the various states of being, significantly influence my design approach. I propose two distinct islands: one bathed in the light of day, and the other enshrouded in the mysteries of night, connected by a rotating elongated swimming pool that serves as a physical and metaphorical link between these contrasting states.
This augmented description delves deeper into the philosophical and experiential layers of the project. It emphasizes the importance of temporal and spatial elements in designing experiences that encourage reflection and creativity. By creating spaces that allow for the exploration of individual and collective identities within the natural ebb and flow of time, this project challenges conventional architectural paradigms and fosters a deeper connection with the essence of human existence.
Arrival Hall
Social House
At dusk, arriving from the southeast dock, one enters a long, arrow corridor leading to the resort. The setting sun illuminates the high western windows, signifying entry into a secluded time. The corridor ends at a large space, with a view through an opening to a stark white wall outside. Walking down a gentle slope behind this wall leads to the arrival hall. A short wait in the corridor precedes entering a eticulously arranged natural setting, culminating at the reception. The design uses thick walls and columns to blend the internal and external nature, easing visitors into relaxation through a series of spatial transitions.
Upon relaxing, visitors enter the communication center, where new and returning guests meet. It’s the resort’s central spot for interaction, acting as both a restaurant and a lounge. The space is divided by a central aisle and adaptable partitions, creating private areas or a large open space. A transitional area links the conference room to a back area that leads to an inner harbor, set apart from the dining area by earthen mounds and woods.
Swimming Pool
Book Maze
Connecting the two islands is a rotating long pool, approximately 160 meters in length, that only links the islands during the transition between night and day. At other times, moving between the islands requires taking a boat. The pool consists of two water channels and a side corridor, with the water level reaching just the waist of someone walking alongside it. On one side, you can see swimmers; on the other, a wide river view. The corridor is slightly wider than one person, making it a tight fit for two, a design choice that keenly heightens one’s awareness of their relationship with others.
The resort’s spiritual center is a library designed around the relationship between book storage and readers. It consists of dimly lit corridors lined with bookshelves and bright internal rooms, with solid walls isolating it from the outside except for narrow windows allowing minimal light. The corridors are narrow, permitting only single-file book browsing, and encounters with others necessitate using alternative corridors, entering reading rooms, or taking a spiral staircase to another level. Each room offers a personal reading space, some with skylights, others overlooking internal greenery, creating a library focused on individual choice and solitude.
