Building as Bridge: Re-imagining Sustainable Living Through Symphonic Design

Author

• Emma DeMartelaere

Files

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/25621

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Rights

NDSU Policy 190.6.2

URI

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Abstract

For German Philosopher, Martin Heidegger, a bridge is a manifestation of the fourfold—Earth, Sky, Divinities, and Mortals—which is at the root of all dwelling. He believed that preserving this fourfold is how we dwell in a holistic way on earth. This understanding of sustainable living requires human participation. Today, sustainable design has disregarded human participation with its specialized application, limiting our understanding of its relationship to the larger world. However, the task of architecture is not to reduce our understanding with the world, but rather to, like music, invite us into a space for interpretation; calling us to participate in its experience. My project re-interprets sustainable living based on Heidegger’s sense of dwelling, by creating an atmosphere that establishes a harmonious relationship between all things—Earth, Sky, Divinities, and Mortals. Located in the artistically dense community of downtown east Minneapolis, MN, I propose a mixed-use residence for artists participating in local residency programs. It includes retail, apartments, artist studios, exhibition space, a research library, and informal performance space. The design provides an opportunity for the city to engage in meaningful and multi-layered cultural exchange between communities through the works of visiting artists. Inspired by the way one participates in music and framed in the structure of a symphony, architecture brings all things together—bridging city to city, individual to community, nature to technology—into one harmonious composition.

Recommended Citation

DeMartelaere, Emma, "Building as Bridge: Re-imagining Sustainable Living Through Symphonic Design" (2016). Architecture Theses. 784.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/architecture-theses/784