Date of Award

Spring 6-1-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)

Department

Landscape Architecture

First Advisor

Tiago Torres-Campos

Second Advisor

Shona Kitchen

Abstract

I believe that in order to build on the land, I must establish a profound relationship with it. As an outsider to New England territories, I actively seek this connection through immersive activities such as swimming, surfing, climbing, and extensive walks, immersing myself in the land to better understand it and synchronize with its rhythms. In my artistic and architectural practice, I explore dissolving traditional boundaries, emphasizing the vital return to the land to create a more responsive and embodied architecture that symbiotically engages with the landscape

Within this ongoing project, “Landing: Body, Site, Material,” I conceptualize my body not merely as an instrument but also as site and material that resonates and vibrates with the forces and processes of the landscape. My approach to achieving this dissolution involves translating and transforming insights gained at various stages of the project. Starting with immersing my body in the landscape, I seek to synchronize my rhythms with those of the land before translating these experiences into material explorations involving clay, glass, textiles, plaster, and experiential drawings that abstract certain encounters.

My body of work aspires to align with architectural practices that acknowledge the inherent interconnectedness between humans, non-human entities, materials, and the land. I aim to challenge prevalent design approaches that view sustainability as the exclusion of human presence from landscapes. I argue that such perspectives undermine the crucial dialogue between humans and nature necessary to achieve true sustainability.

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