Mohamad AlSharif
Anti-Climactic Conditions
The Thesis, Anti-Climactic Conditions revolves around correlating a visual cultural media, in this specific case tv shows to the architectural design process. It does so by conceptually using the narrative structure employed by the visual medium and applying it to the architecture to rigorously drive the programmatic organization/relationships, morphology, spatial sensibilities, and Aesthetic qualities. The thesis focuses on episodic storytelling, where a non-continuous storyline is sought after, there by overarching storylines are overshadowed by the multitude of character developments. The thesis is a different take on the generally accepted form of serial narrative based design. Where one narrative is explored, and speculated upon, there by drafting a building that responds and creates a dialogue revolving around that constructed narrative. My thesis pivots from the idea of drafting one narrative. But rather it focuses on cultivating multiple narratives, that intertwine, interlock, as well as nestle into one another.
The conceptual idea of the multitude of narratives forms the basis of the building’s morphology. The multitude of narratives are likened to programs. Resulting in a large infrastructural scale building with fragmented puzzle-like qualities that are Imbued with obscured, and often times sporadic forms of circulation, operating in the background, that are housed in an overall consolidated massing.
Therefore, the buildings programs take advantage of the conceptual logic of episodic programming. Located in downtown Detroit the building consolidates ford’s 7 manufacturing plants, 2 museums, and headquarters into one building. The conceptual episodic approach allows for hyper efficiency in all aspects of the building by creating programmatic relationships that are in close proximity to one another, as well as boost manufacturing effectiveness by allowing the assembly line to break away from it’s serial nature, to keep up with the growing demands of the contemporary capitalist forms of production.
Central to my thesis is an episodic representational drawing that serves as both a narrative device and a generative tool for architecture. This drawing encapsulates key moments in Ford's motor company timeline, weaving together various elements of the company's history, technological innovations, and cultural impact on pop culture as well as the industrial production complex.
Render - Context
Second Look Drawing
Site Plan
Worms Eye
Perspective Render 1
Perspective Render 2