Energy Arch
Outdoor Hands-on Museum at RIT
Metaproject 14
Commissioned by RIT President David Munson, Metaproject 14 was tasked to design 14 outdoor hands-on installations to be permanently installed on the Rochester Institute of Technology campus. Each installation is designed around a theme.
Architecture | Outdoor Installation
Project Type: Individual
Duration - 14 Weeks
Special Thanks : Josh Owens, Reza Aliabadi, Paige Smith
Project Brief
The Buildsite
Location and Site Analysis
Sketching and Ideation
Pivoting, Reprioritizing, Defining
Presenting the concept
While I enjoyed the complex, more visually interesting forms from my exploration through sketching and scale models, I decided to ultimately pivot away from those forms and settled for a simple arch, as I felt the complex forms took away from the interactive element, which was the priority, and what inspired President Munson to kickstart this project.
On the edges of the arch, high-energy visitors can spend that energy, stomping around to see their energy transferred directly into the flying balls, to create a visual spectacle. Yet without physical divisions, in the middle, surrounded by all the chaos, the high roof encourages visitors to look up. Visitors can sit, center themselves, and recoup energy as they see colorful red balls fly above their heads, engulfed in the soft light that filters through the translucent walls. The energy spent by energized visitors is gained by the resting visitors, and the cycle continues.
Feedback
The judges loved the concept, calling it a “fun and interactive idea, [and a] unifying force for community”
However, concerns were shared regarding the mechanism to shoot the balls across as well as weatherproofing the ground mechanism, for the snowy Rochester winters. Reviewers also suggested considerations for an auditory element to further create an inviting environment.
Concept Refined
Consulting Experts
Moodboard
Taking into account the feedback from the reviewers, I refined the mechanism while maintaining the interaction. To convert the mechanism to something handheld, I took inspiration from a popular carnival game, the high striker, and launchers in pinball machines. As visitors pull down the handle, a spring is loaded, shooting the ball across the arch as it is released.
With a concept finalized, I looked for experts across many fields to help bring my concept to life. With the help of these experts, I was able to propose a viable build plan, delivering a concise booklet detailing the dimensions and specs for the many elements and parts of the build
Project Narrative
My site is situated in a busy transitional area, with various passersby whether that be tired or anxious students, excited sports fans, and energized gym-goers. My goal is to serve both low-energy and high-energy visitors, creating a space that allows them to take a moment in their day to recenter and recollect before they face whats next.
This leads me to explore dividing my space into two areas, a more contemplative and slow-paced area for the anxious or tired students to rest and recharge to gain the energy to conquer their next obstacles, and a lively and fun area for energetic passersby to unwind through an interactive activity.
These areas will be designed to influence each other, reflecting the fluid nature of energy as it is ever-changing from one form to another. I hope this connection will foster a welcoming environment for all who passes by.
Final Review
After months of hard work and countless hours of research and refinements, I presented my final design to a panel of reviewers and the RIT Board of Trustees. They enjoyed the concept and had fun playing with my scale and interactive models. While there were concerns shared with the maintenance and the number of parts in my proposal, the next steps will involve engineers who will help bring the project to life and help alleviate these concerns. The project is ongoing and has plans to be installed permanently on the RIT campus!
