Architecture
Canvas Space (2010)
Studio Soleil (2010)
DAFA System (2009)
LESS House (2009)
Resonate (2008)
Lifespan (2008)
The Image, Detroit, 2058 (2008)
Billboard Study (2008)
Mandolin Holder (2008)
Representing Space (2008)
SSM Gardens (2007)
The American Lawn (2007)
A2 Glass Facility (2006)
Studio Soleil
Cite Soleil, Haiti / 2010
The Studio Soleil project is a proposed recording studio for the Yele Haiti organization in Cite Soleil, Haiti. Located just minutes from one of the poorest districts in Central America, this project attempts to provide a haven for youths in the area and to create an environment where "music is not just notes... it's a way of survival" (Wyclef Jean, Yele Haiti organization).
Studio Soleil attempts to take the plight of Cite Soleil and turn it into a form of inspiration for young musicians. As a result, the building is organized around four primary aspects of music: 1) The Inspiration, 2) The Recording, 3) The Performance, and 4) The Distribution. These four components are then connected spatially and symbolically via two axis that unite the public realm with the recording studio and the existing Radio Boukmann compound with a public park and performance space.
Simple spatial thresholds are created at the start of each axis to visually and experientially separate the building from its surrounding context. Entering from the street, visitors must first walk through a 24-foot high light well that creates a literal buffer zone between the world of Cite Soleil and the world of Studio Soleil. Visitors are given a chance to pause and reflect on the change in atmosphere before entering the building itself.
Once inside, smaller thresholds are set up on the interior of the building to create separation between the more static recording spaces and the more dynamic reception and lounge spaces. Sliding doors and retractable walls are utilized at specific moments to allow for the building itself to open and close depending on the time of day or the needs of the occupants. For example, during a performance, a large garage-style door opens up to provide shade for the performers on stage. During warmer months, this stage door and a retractable wall along the courtyard open up to allow for natural ventilation and passive cooling in the building.
Studio Soleil can open up and connect with its surrounding context or close down to create a world distinct from the trials and tribulations present in the everyday life of Cite Soleil. This duality allows its occupants to not only draw inspiration from their everyday life, but to also escape that life for one where music and creativity are pushed to the forefront.
A collaboration with Luis Felipe Paris and Maynard León for the Yele Haiti Music Studio Competition.