Graduate Thesis Exhibition "Stone Portraits" | 2023
Supervisor: John Shnier
The Stone Portraits exhibition unfolded in the subterranean space of the Zeidler Library at the University of Toronto. Situated amidst book stacks, deliberately chosen for its reminiscent of quarry spaces—a nod to the project's core ideas.
The setting mirrored the speculative building typology explored in the work, envisioning a a material laboratory—a workshop that organically constructs itself through material prototypes. The year-long project is a call for a profound understanding and engagement with materiality, specifically focusing on stone—an ancient and robust material that is experiencing a resurgence in contemporary architecture due to its sustainable potential.
The research methodology employed the potency of fragments to construct a comprehensive whole. Stone Portraits included drawings, artifacts, and physical models as tools to explore and iterate architectural concepts.
The exhibition comprised of 18 imaginative drawings, documentation of field research, 24 physical models, a large drawing measuring 2.5m x 4.5m, and a 1:1 prototype covering an existing column. The project extended its exploration to experimentation with representation methods, employing a mix of hand-based techniques, traditional machinery, and new technologies such as 3D scanning and CNC milling.
