Room & Narrative: Final Model
Curved forms were used to accentuate and symbolise nature rising up to embrace and envelope the occupant of the retreat. The stark whiteness of the surface serves as a counterbalance to that envelopement, and represents the blank mind yet to be inspired.
The white exterior surfaces are highly polished in materiality, reflecting sunlight onto the surrounding woods, highlighting and glorifying the natural environment as a source of inspiration for the writer.
The first space, a lounge/entry area, gradually slopes downwards creating a subtle sense of enclosure, entrapment and claustrophia. This does not encourage the writer to linger while searching for inpiration, and the linearity of the light source against the walls directs the writer to proceed through the next exit.
Dappled light flitering in through the doorway triggers the initial sense of transition into a second space, and offers a tease of something beyond and possibly outside. The polished, yet stark white surfaces encourages the writer to seek out inspiration beyond his confines using predominantly visual senses.
Again, the curvature of the spaces and walls suggest an embracing of the enlightenment processby the writer, as well as the building being an extension of the environment beyond embracing and enveloping the writer.
The polished surfaces along this transition area also contribute to the sense of movement created by the dappled lighting effect by making the outline of light spots slightly more indistinct, wobbly and unclear. The passageway encourages steady movement and progress towards the source of inspiration through dynamic lighting and teasing the writer along with glimpses of nature.
Glazed and opaque window openings facing the semi enclosed grove of trees offers glimpses of the nature beyond the walls, as the writer moves through the passageway.
As the writer gradually, and hopefully, steadily moves towards being inspired, the spaces become more and more embedded into the hillside, as if cusped by the hand of nature.
The passageway culminates in a slightly raised thinking/work space which is bathed in light, as if reaching enlightenment. The large, shallow-curved wall/roof directs light down its surface into the space. Unlike the other spaces, the wall surfaces are matte and absorbs light more than reflects, making this space feel more at rest and placid; waiting for inspiration. The large paned windows face directly onto the semi enclosed grove, with nature and trees glorified before the writer as if the pinnacle source for his inspiration.
Room & Narrative: Concept Development & Progress
Some initial concept & design sketches:
Some model progress images:
After the initial concept stage, the design had solidified into something more concrete and definitive. The spaces firstly will be sited slightly embedded into a heavily wooded hill. The 3 spaces collectively would be predominantly bare, pristine, perhaps even severe with an emphasis on exterior sources of stimulation. This heightens the importance of windows as viewing frames for the natural surroundings outside and particularly the characteristics and play of light upon interior surfaces.
The spaces will aim to encourage a process whereby the occupant progressively seeks more sources of inspiration for his writings. Windows and light will become triggers for starting that progress, offering glimpses of a source of inspiration. The rooms progress gradually from dim and slightly claustrophobic, with only light as stimulus, to a transition zone which facilitates movement through a combined use of lighting effects and visual cues through windows. As the occupant progresses, the curving forms of the building and its embedding into the hillside will suggest a gradual embracing of inspiration, before terminating in a light bathed space overlooking a semi enclosed grove of trees.
Room & Narrative: Edward Hopper's "Evening Wind" (1921)
Evening Wind (1921) by Edward Hopper
It is a startling scene, as the naked woman looks quickly away from the viewer, turning to peer out the open window where a stiff breeze has pushed the billowing curtain aside. Hopper wants us to believe that he has caught the woman in Evening Wind in the nude — as she climbs into an unmade bed, she is surprised, and suddenlt modest as the wind pushes aside the curtain to reveal her bared skin. However, this woman is entirely unclothed before a large window; and in reality she must surely recognize the possibility of her exposure. Furthermore, to compose this image, our artist must be in the room with his subject. Therefore this is a scene, staged to look genuine.
Even with this seemingly staged scene, the etching is nevertheless compelling; a mysterious lady bare before a window, the artist and viewer gazing upon them from inside the same room. The woman keeping her eyes averted towards the outside, avoids our direct gaze, but this does not mean that she is unaware of being watched. However, when we strip away issues of nakedness, voyeurism, lurid sexuality and even the hypothetical context of the etching, the raw emotions of
longing and
playful tease are still conveyed to the observer.
These two concepts; that of
a longing and the
enjoyment of a tease, form the basis of the simple narrative:
"A pristine retreat for a reclusive writer who longs to be inspired by nature but is offered only teasing glimpses of its embrace."
Curved forms were used to accentuate and symbolise nature rising up to embrace and envelope the occupant of the retreat. The stark whiteness of the surface serves as a counterbalance to that envelopement, and represents the blank mind yet to be inspired.
The white exterior surfaces are highly polished in materiality, reflecting sunlight onto the surrounding woods, highlighting and glorifying the natural environment as a source of inspiration for the writer. 
The first space, a lounge/entry area, gradually slopes downwards creating a subtle sense of enclosure, entrapment and claustrophia. This does not encourage the writer to linger while searching for inpiration, and the linearity of the light source against the walls directs the writer to proceed through the next exit.
Dappled light flitering in through the doorway triggers the initial sense of transition into a second space, and offers a tease of something beyond and possibly outside. The polished, yet stark white surfaces encourages the writer to seek out inspiration beyond his confines using predominantly visual senses.
Again, the curvature of the spaces and walls suggest an embracing of the enlightenment processby the writer, as well as the building being an extension of the environment beyond embracing and enveloping the writer.
As the writer gradually, and hopefully, steadily moves towards being inspired, the spaces become more and more embedded into the hillside, as if cusped by the hand of nature.
The passageway culminates in a slightly raised thinking/work space which is bathed in light, as if reaching enlightenment. The large, shallow-curved wall/roof directs light down its surface into the space. Unlike the other spaces, the wall surfaces are matte and absorbs light more than reflects, making this space feel more at rest and placid; waiting for inspiration. The large paned windows face directly onto the semi enclosed grove, with nature and trees glorified before the writer as if the pinnacle source for his inspiration.
