Donovan Wessel
2nd Year
During my second year at Iowa State, the primary focus was on architectural details. This year emphasized understanding the significance of details and how the little things can profoundly impact design. This exploration not only enriched my design perspective but also laid a strong foundation for my future architecture projects.
SCREEN
Location
Iowa State University
Date
Spring 2022
The Screen project involved a deep investigation and exploration into a chosen architectural detail. Throughout the project, I was encouraged to test, experiment, discover, and iterate to create a screen system. This screen system focused not only on individual connections within the system but also on the relationship of a part to the whole.
My chosen precedent to examine was the Student Innovation Center located on Iowa State University's campus. Due to its International Style influence, mechanical systems are openly shown stretching across the ceiling and walls of the building. Taking notice of this, I looked further into the specific details of the piping, attempting to understand connections, joints, and fastening methods used for the piping. My investigation into these piping details heavily influenced my final screen design.
RITUAL SPACE
Location
Ames, IA
Date
Spring 2022
The task for this project was to create a place to accommodate a ritual. As I learned throughout this project, a ritual is a regimented and strict experience, an act of doing that involves all senses. I was tasked with choosing a ritual, defining a program, and designing a space to accommodate those actions.
I decided on creating a space for a ritual centered around mindfulness and anxiety-reducing techniques. After researching and experimenting with a series of varying meditation and stretching techniques, I developed my final program for the ritual. My design for this space revolved around the conceptual ideas developed throughout my exploration and iteration process. Controlling one’s breath is one of the most essential aspects of calming anxiety; I deemed it necessary to include it in the final design. This led me to explore options of how the conceptual idea of breathing could be integrated into a physical space.
