3rd Place_ Urban Folly International Design Competition, Gwangju Biennale, Korea 2011
Description
The proposal Folly aims to create and design a connecting tissue for citizens and the environment, named “Urban Remedy”, integrating the use of urban space with memorable experiences for everyday life. The Folly will be formed with reusable local materials like bamboo, vines, and recycled glass and steels. The Folly will be crafted from reusable local materials such as bamboo, vines, recycled glass, and steel, serving as an essential resource for the health and well-being of the environment and the community in the city of Gwangju.
The design emphasizes both the symbolic importance of an Urban Folly as a civic icon within the city and fulfilling humanistic needs for citizens to have their own urban experiences, while also taking on the roles of existing public programs like taxi stop shelters, phone booths, and streetlights. It boasts a grand presence yet provides an intimate experience, working in harmony. The positioning and height of the Folly are determined by the form and size of the site and the footprint of the historic castle. Using a 1.5-meter by 1.5-meter square shape as a basic form, perforated and punched openings on the glass box are strategically placed to optimize orientation and enable views, lights, scents, touches, and a totality of physical sensations in different directions.
Upon entering the Folly, pockets of biotopes slow people down from the hectic pace of urban life. The presence of nature within allows people to reach a state of repose, adjusting their eyes and consciousness to the state of history to remember and the future to imagine. Layers of screening, including bamboo screens, vines, and a glass box, soften the light and calm the mind. The glass box is lit with lantern skylights, serving as light sources for resting individuals and illuminating the urban night sky.
