TUCSON [RE]CONNECTION CENTER

APACHE-INSPIRED DESIGN

over the last two years i was given the opportunity to volunteer with a western apache people's farm in whiteriver, arizona. during this time i learned from locals that the apache people build their structures without sharp edges in order to make them more comforting and harmonious with nature.

the concept for this project revolves around the idea of using curvature in this fashion. a bathhouse should be a place of relaxation, comfort, and reflection, and these feelings are fostered through the curvature of the bathhouse architecture.

upper floor plan

1' = 1/8"

ground floor plan

1' = 1/8"

BOW-WOW INSPIRATIONS

apache design was not my only inspiration for this project. i was influenced by the work of atelier bow-wow in determining how to communicate my ideas into effective drawings. bow-wow's work is well-known for its intricate perspective drawings that simultaneously describe intricate details of construction and materiality while also telling a narrative on how space is meant to be used.

left: an excerpt from bow-wow's "graphic anatomy" series

right: a section perspective cut through the bathhouse

north-facing section towards santa catalina mtns. 1' = 1/8"

AN EXPERIENTIAL JOURNEY

the entire second floor is dedicated to the bathhouse part of the program. this second floor is designed to act as an experiential journey that progressively opens up as a visitor moves through the space, with the rooms and windows becoming gradually larger, progressively revealing more of the outdoor view. the gradual increase in brightness in these rooms allows the spaces to progressively feel more open, culminating at the very end with a large open-air space offering vast views of the santa catalina mountains.