Naomi Darling Architecture

Pathway - Freelab 2008

Halifax, Nova Scotia

2008

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Project Team:

Naomi Darling - Instructor

Besheed Darvish - Student

Paul Flude - Student

Anthony Godina - Student

Monica Leung - Student

Katie Macleod - Student

Deborah Montgomery - Student 

Amber Pesklevis - Student

Christopher Wong - Student

 

Freelab is an intensive two week design-build summer session at the Dalhousie University Faculty of Architecture and Planning.   Each Freelab is composed of up to 10 students working together with an instructor to design and realize a project. 

 

The “Pathway” Freelab was designed with movement as the primary instigator to create an installation at a main passageway / pathway and alter the experience of the pathway. Movement, and the changing perception of a place as one moves, is critical to an experience of space.  Strands of the peripatetic experience weave through the entire process and students were asked to choreograph the flow of movement through the visitor’s curiosity, changes in light and shadow, framing of views, and topographical awareness. How does the scale of the installation relate to the human body? Where is the pathway in relation to the heavens? To Halifax?  Is there a rhythm to the pathway?

 

Working with these prompts, the project team determined that the desire pathways on the front lawn of the Architecture and Planning building, which occupies an important site on Spring Garden Rd across from the public library, was the optimal site.  Using undressed wood, reclaimed conduit, nylon rope and steel angle, the Pathway team designed and built two undulating, billowing screens.  The installation frames views to the architecture school and bus stop corner and provides changing glimpses of the activity on Spring Garden Rd.