Charvi Parakh
The Primitive Project
What constitutes the essence of space? It all begins with a dot, the simplest form of expression. A collection of dots creates a line, and multiple lines form a plane. As we progress, a series of planes come together to define a space. The transition from one geometric primitive to another has always intrigued me, particularly in how it influences the perception and narrative of movement within a space. Each shift—from a line to a plane, from a square to a box—alters the way we experience and interact with our environment. This change, driven by the addition of a new dimension, transforms our understanding of space in architecture.
My thesis explores the impact of representing one dimension with another and how this translation alters the spaces we create, resulting in different movement patterns and ultimately forming unique narratives. Inspired by the unconventional spatial representations found in Indian Mughal miniature paintings, where objects break traditional rules of perspective, and by the modular system in Charles and Ray Eames’ “House of Cards,” I developed a study system to explore these phenomena. The cards, which are very two-dimensional in nature, form a modular system that enables endless three-dimensional space permutations and combinations. When combined with graphics inspired by miniature paintings—where three-dimensional spaces are depicted in two dimensions—they reveal the complex relationship between two-dimensional and three-dimensional spaces.
This study goes beyond mere graphics; it delves into the interplay of scale, color, texture, and materiality, and the relationship of each element with the others across different dimensions. By examining how spaces are transformed across dimensions, my research seeks to uncover new insights into the fundamental processes of space-making in architecture. This exploration is not just about superimposing a three-dimensional space onto a two-dimensional plane but also about superimposing a two-dimensional plane onto a three-dimensional space.
Rendering