Il Pianeta - Spring Studio 2021
A writer's retreat in Genoa, Italy, based on three creative exercises: an analysis of a Plaza in Genoa; a study of Italio Calvino's Mr. Palomar; and a literary ideogram in the style of Douglas Darden
Calvino's Mr. Palomar is a collection of short stories investigating the inner thoughts of the isolated yet observant title character, who is named after a telescope in California. This book sets the basis for inspiration in this project, as it is located on the site of an Italian observatory and planetarium. Il Pianeta (the Planet) embodies Mr. Palomar's observation of human nature and its relativity to the cosmos by preserving the existing observatory and providing a place for writers to observe, be observed, and contemplate their place in the vastness of the galaxy.
Creating a Literary Ideogram - Interpretive Precedents: Palomar + Darden
1. Draw excerpts from literature that embody a fundamental concept to the building design and experience.
2. Select existing images which represent those concepts and embody the selected excerpts.
3. Create a composite image which incorporates those images and concepts, creating an image that represents more than the sum of its parts. This ideogram acts as a basis for the building design.
Plaza Analysis
Drawings
Door Operation Detail
Planetarium Detail
Axonometric Components
