INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION
[with Scott Aspenson and Hans Schmidt]
As part of a week-long charette, this theater was devised under the supervision of Cameron Sinclaire of Architecture for Humanity to provide a means of disseminating international news, events, and politics on a local scale across a number of developing regions around the world. This particular one was for a village in Vietnam.
The primary design driver of the theater is the notion of finding new and interesting ways to use everyday vernacular elements of Vietnamese architecture. We first took the profile of a colloquial Vietnamese hip roof and inverted it, creating a butterfly roof which channels rain through a central scupper towards the rear cistern for reuse. Next came the use of bamboo slatting as a primary elevation identity. Using a gradient of density from 100% opaque near the projection wall to progressively thinner spacing as the slats reach the rear, the elevation becomes a revealing and iconic face. Group meetings at day are slightly revealed to the public, depending upon perspective, while night time activities and lighting turn the room into a glowing town lantern, drawing the eye to the source. On the converse side of the complex sits an outdoor amphitheater. Using the same projection wall as the interior, the theater can also act as an identifier as colorful textiles are stretched over the seating area - announcing a special event, or just protecting spectators from the elements during a screening.
