VESSELS
A Visual Manifesto Reimagining Public Transportation Environments of the Future
In the heart of Transylvania, Cluj is a city full of clashing cultures. Capitalistic influences from the West have overwhelmed the city in the past 50 years, where eastern soviet culture has been widespread. Tech stores are punched into the monumental housing blocks. Through all of this expansion, a new metro system has been proposed. This project acts as a manifesto, illustrating what a metro station could become in the future. A refuge from the busy ground plane, VESSELS creates expansive space for various members of the community to enjoy. Elders are welcome to relax in sun-filled garden spaces while children are invited to a soccer pitch and teen social spaces. VESSELS becomes a space where these cultures connect, without the noise of capitalism or communism interfering.
I was inspired by the stacking of people above and below ground. In the expansive graveyards of Cluj, families are stacked as bodies are never cremated. The monumental Soviet-era housing blocks tower over sidewalks, housing thousands. Further inspiration was taken from ant colonies and their organization of space underground.
Plaster models explored volumetric ideas, both structurally and aesthetically. These models were paired with experiential drawings and sketches which drove the project.
The connection from sidewalk to sidewalk was explored, playing with the quality of light and multi-story spaces all leading down to a metro line.
Taking the idea of buried vessels to an extreme, the project’s identity was found. Intersecting vessels create spaces for the community to enjoy, funneling light underground, and creating ethereal environments full of color and warmth.
At the ground plane, vessels emerge from the sidewalk, creating a dynamic plaza hugged by the massive concrete structures surrounding it. These volumes invite passersby down into the subterranean wonderland.
The intersections of every vessel create moments where varying spaces meet. Elders can watch kids play, teens can observe commuters on their way to work. Children can watch teens skateboard.
Sectional Charcoal Study - 3.5ft x 7'ft
