Black Box > Black Box
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011031810_sheet 5 entrance + facade.jpg
ENTRANCE SPACE + FAÇADE
Our design proposal is an elevated and heavily decorated object, which consciously tries to stand out from whatever context it is placed into. The construction gains these qualities from stillness as a memorial ought to do. Its thingness derives from the sensual qualities the exterior holds.
The dark black ebony wood cladding with its additional coating becomes a visually intriguing phenomenon as it changes its appearance during the times of day. Perceived in daytime the skin reflects light and stands out in brittle glare as the imprinted texts maintain a matte surface. In nocturnal ambient light this object becomes graceful with a soft brilliance and the brass doorways become accented as they pick up scarce light.
Cantilevering entrances placed on ends of opposite sides demand space around the design. To access the inside one has to enter a narrow and tall entranceway which is a completely enclosed ramp. This gesture makes every step a conscious one as the ramp engulfs the visitor.
As years pass the ageing ebony will make the text more visible, the brass entranceway will tarnish in harmony with the façade. The message of the memorial will become stronger and clearer. -
011031810_sheet 6 room of remembrance.jpg
ROOM OF REMEMBRANCE
The Room of Remembrance is one of the brightest spaces to be encountered on the journey where walls are painted white and light comes from the milk glass ceiling. The homogeneity of the space is only disrupted by the insertion of a space structure overhead.
The installation consists of an elaborate layer of vertical supports. The way diffuse light penetrates the dense system of beams casts gentle shadows that resemble being under a tree without it is foliage. Built from timber the composition distinctively stands out from the purity of the white room with its materiality. All the elements are covered in hard, thick soot showing in shiny crackles.
The volume provides a stimulating olfactory experience where the scent of soot blends with the image of well-preserved timber beams. This complex sensual experience concentrates on the conflicting nature of the employed material in different states and how these parts make up a new and coherent system. Ultimately the room commemorates those who fell and gives recognition to those who emerged on the way to freedom.
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011031810_sheet 7 room of the suffering.jpg
ROOM OF THE SUFFERING
This room is dedicated to the suffering under the institution of slavery. Memories of pain, scars and oppression are compressed and articulated in a single element, expressed purely by the nature of the material placed in the context of commemoration.
The room is lit with strong directional light from the ceiling. Lighting washes the wall to accentuate the qualities and texture of the interior. The image the spectator faces is reminiscent of passing. The iron clad surfaces are scarred by scratches, slight bends and little kinks, marked by leaks and early signs of disintegration.
Whether touching the surfaces or being present in the iron clad volume one will feel cold regardless of any external circumstance since metals are good conductors and disperse heat quickly. Another characteristic of the matter is being a good reflector of sound. Because of this every step taken or word said inside this room will seem amplified beyond the appropriate. -
011031810_sheet 8 room of stories.jpg
ROOM OF STORIES
This room communicates on a different yet equally important level with the visitor. This space holds the key to decode and absorb the concrete information on historic events.
The volume is covered in dark where presence of materials is reduced to a minimum. Walls are inhabited with tightly fitted glass screens. Light comes from the glass panels only, there are no additional sources of illumination. These glass panels are interactive touchscreens displaying the downscaled text of the exterior. The cloud of names, dates, ideas function as links to access further information. Touching one tag loads all relevant information onto the display.
The breakdown of events into smaller pieces certainly helps to understand the complex history of slavery. Information presented in this manner builds up on the ancient tradition of storytelling, encouraging the visitor to take at least one story home. This gives further substance to the understanding of slavery and helps to ensure that the legacy will live on for generations.
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011031810_sheet 9 room of segregation.jpg
ROOM OF SEGREGATION
The Room of Segregation is giving a spatial definition on the theme by expressing different bordering conditions.
Two thin lines cut through the space along the floors and ceilings midline. At the center of the volume a series of double layered laminated safety glasses are fitted into the gaps.
Light enters the volume from rectangular sources incorporated in the wall. Some of the rays are blocked and some are allowed to pass through the highly reflective surface of the laminated glass. Visitors experience this special characteristic of the material by how it is painted with the illumination and in the reflections of ones body.
The purpose of the space is to create recognition of the phenomena of borders which can become either exclusive or inclusive. The cut and the laminated glass wall both act as physical and visual barriers allowing for a multi-sensory experience. -
011031810_sheet 10 room of equality.jpg
ROOM OF EQUALITY
The Room of Equality is a volume where the under-defined nature of space holds the possibility for events to unfold in recognition to the theme.
The room is almost empty, there is only one object: a long piece of seating that is positioned at the center of the room. The whole composition is consciously staged. Revealing light comes from the lightwell which extrudes from the ceiling. Corners of the room are hidden in deeper and lighter shadows while the furniture and the sharply lit flooring are in focus.
In this atmosphere the action of having a seat becomes an event. Taking a seat on one long piece inevitably ends as negotiation of private spaces. Sharing in a space like this is a democratic process and eventually a communal act that leads to conversations.
The thick padding is covered in black velvet, the kind which has an inviting, distinctive touch. The supporting stainless steel frame elevates the seats just a few inches above and spans several feet as one piece before touching the concrete floor again at the other end of the furniture. The Glasgow School of Art is a charity registered in Scotland, charity number SC012490.
