SARAH NAJM: May 2008

A city enclosure for a reclusive man with an obsession for stacking books

Model

Poche

Concepts Behind Design:

Narrative line:
- Painting is called “women reading a letter” however no body is actually reading, so my character stacks books but never reads them.
- “Recluse” – lonesome at sea; all figures in the painting seem unaware of each other’s existence
- “City enclosure” – in the city you can be surrounded by people but still be lonely; so close yet so far

Hence it is all about the exhaustive nature of stacking books and the length the man will go to continuously stack his books.

Overwiew of how the spaces function:
- The openings on the side are where the books are dropped off, they are big enough for books yet too small for humans
- The large room is were the man keeps most of his books. It has verticle shevling as a guide to where the books can be stacked, not limiting size or height, so he can create his own city of books witin such a large space. The opening in the roof implies the stacking is infinite. It is also where the man can dispose of unwanted books, contributing to the life of the city. He is suddenly exposed to the city yet still distant from it.
- The underground shafts are where his most prized and secret stash are kept. The haphazard nature of the steps are irregular and are run-down from overuse
- The metal tunnels are the transitional spaces that are angled to such a degree that the man is forced to bend over when he passes through them, limiting the amount of books he can carry at any one time. The metal also creates a contrast to the dark concrete spaces. The brightness of the light reflected can be seen as a form of enlightment.