Student Projects at Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston MA

Final Design Thesis Project: John Hejduk’s “Thirteen Towers of Cannaregio” Venice ARCH 168-01: Directed Studies 2-4-4 2001 Summer

Design II: Civic Symbolism: Boston City Hall Roof top Addition Design Boston MAARCH 211- 01: Design II: Basic Architectural Design 1-6-4 1999 Spring

Design Competition:Charles town heritage center design, Arranged by CSI (Consruction Specification institute) MA Chapter.

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Thirteen Towers of Cannaregio Venice

John Hejduk, in his long Journey to the East, captured the mystic essence of time

and life through his architectural trilogies. From this trilogy, one of the most

symbolic as well as mysterious work, that traces back in hejduk's sketch book, is

The Thirteen Towers Of Cannaregio, in Venice, regarded as the most enigmatic of

all. In the Adriatic Venice, where the cluster of buildings ceases and the noise of the

city dies away, before the mountain and the waterway, there is a world created by

John Hejduk. In Mircea Eliade's words,

“what is to become “ our world,”

must be “ created,”

and every creation has a paradigmatic model---

the creation of the universe by the Gods.”

Context: In Cannaregio, Venice John Hejduk creates a sacred world, where the first line of

demarcation is the city itself with its layered urban context. These thirteen towers

are surrounded by man made forest, waterway and vast vacant space, creating a

barrier between what is to be seen and what is to be experiencedThe Towers are the

museum of a silent apprehension and a testimony of time, only to be experienced

by the person who lives within it's walls.

Axis Mundi: The towers act as an axis Mundi, creating a vertical connection between the

mundane and the holy, the defined and the boundless, between man and his

creator.

Light: Each tower is a shaft of light itself, while the elevator traveling vertically through each

floor, is as if, connecting the transcendental layers of the human spirit.

Time: Each tower experiences two kinds of time: Profane, that is evanescent and irreversible

time, leading irremediably to death; and Holy, that is, reversible and cyclic time,

allowing a periodic return to the Cosmogenic origin, in the ritual of life. Each watch-

man is selected by the people of Venice, for a life long residency in the towers. As

they watch over the city, they are performing a sacred act, of protection towards the

city. The closed world of alienation, within the tower walls is a time of reflection of

their life and their deeds

The 13 towers

Forest

Water

Campo

Sacred Bridge

Houses of the People

Water

Water

Site Plan, water color, pastel, pen and pencil on paper, size 24”x 36”Scale: 1/8”=1’-0”

“what is to become “ our world,”

must be “ created,”

and every creation has a paradigmatic model---

the creation of the universe by the Gods.” Mircea Eliade

The Sacred and The Profane: The Nature of Religion

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1. Mircea Eliade The sacred and The Profane: Nature of Religion, Pg 31.

1

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Aerial Perspective of the surrounding context, with the Thirteen Towers of Cannaregio in the center, standing as the Image less Images of the Sphinx

Hand draw with pencil and ink on watercolor paper, size 8”x 12”

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.

CONTROL PANELCONTROL PANEL AND AND SWITCHBOARDSWITCHBOARD

First Floor -Proposed Entry with Glass elevator

Proposed Ground Floor - Heater Room Second Floor -Ablution Area Third Floor - Cooking Area Fourth Floor - Sleeping Area Fifth Floor - Living Area Sixth Floor - Hypaethral-roof garden

Symbolism of the Spaces: These Towers are the metaphor for the setting of life. Life is

celebrated as a ritual in these spaces. The spaces with in, are defined by the

parameters corresponding to the five elements of life: Water, Fire, Earth, Air and

the fifth in Hejduk's case, Life itself. In each level of the tower, the color defines the

activity of that particular space: for example upon entry to the tower, the second

level is painted in a muted blue referring to the sacred ritual of ablution with water.

The next level symbolizes fire, with its muted orange coloration, celebrating the

activity of cooking. The living area is painted brown as the color of the earth, and the

sleeping area is painted a muted mauve color reflecting the inner reflection of man.

In many archaic cultures the possibility of transcendence, were expressed by

various images of opening. The opening of the towers refers to the distant view,

either of the mountain or of the city.

The sixth level is hypaethral (without roof) like the ancient sanctuaries. This is a

contemplative space with roof gardens creating a connection with the sky, opening

the doors of the heavens. The idea of accessing this sacred space thru a ladder,

and the smoke hole (chimney), acting as a hearth; connecting all these levels

together, to present man in front of the divine, has many references to the symbolic

world of the Sacred.

Also part of this project is The house of the Inhabitant Who Refused to Participate

located on the other side of the city. This particular house is like Sigmund Freud's

subject who doubts, than the rational humanist subject, who finds order in the

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Typical floor plan of one tower

Right:Axonometric View of a Typical TowerHand draw with water color, pencil, and pen,size 24” x 36”

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Water Color Perspective of the Thirteen Towers of Cannaregio, Venice, size 18”x 24”

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West Elevation South Elevation East Elevation North Elevation East West Section North South Section

Water Color, pen and pencil on paper, size 36”x 72”

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Study Model studying the relationship, form, context and passages of convergence.

world .As Frued located the proper place of the subject within the dream, Hejduk

defines the citizen or this subject as a nomadic character without a name or a

place. He lives in this house as a mark of his protest against the society.

In the Thirteen towers of Cannaregio, John Hejduk creates a memory and touches

the deepest darkest corners of human soul and then moves on to his next journey.

The philosophy of this project lies within Eliade's words,

“Life cannot be repaired, it can only be recreated through symbolic repetition of

the cosmogony, for the cosmogony is the paradigmatic model, for all creation.”3

These towers are not just an object to live in, but a world, where a life begins and

ends, repeating the cycle of life.”

Bibliography:

1. Eliade, Mircea. The Sacred and The Profane: The Nature of Religion. Harcourt Inc.1959.

2. Hejduk, John . Vladivostok .New York Press. 1980

3. Hays Michael K. Hejduk's Chronotope. Princeton Architectural Press.1996

4. Hejduk, John. Mask of Madusa.New York Press.

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Wooden Study Model of the Thirteen Towers, studying the relationship with the context, the landscape, bridge and the campo.

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Bridge leading to the Thirteen Towers of Cannaregio and the Campo

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Class- ARCH 211-01- Design II - Basic Architectural Design 1-6-4

Goal: The purpose of this project was to create a public amenity on the roof

of the exiting Boston City Hall, Boston Massachusetts. A public

space that will add to the presence of the city and will complement

its Corbusian aesthethics.

Program: The new addition would stand on the roof top of the existing city hall.

It will include a restaurant with outdoor summer patio, an

observation deck, planting, outdoor amenities, storage, restrooms,

private room for the mayor and another companion with the view of

Boston. It should also include fire stairs and solar protection without

interfering with the exiting sky-lights.

Design Team: Farah Naz

Concept: The concept of the design was “Promenade or Journey through time

and Space.” The city hall is considered the most civic building in

United States. Respecting the existing structure, form and

material was the key element of this new addition.

The new addition reflects on these issues by creating a journey from

past to the present. This journey starts from the first floor foyer

through the staircase and elevator brining them closer to the sky, at

the top floor. It’s a free plan with Corbusian pilotes and roof garden,

bringing the nature in the concrete building.

The use of modular plays a vital role in proportioning the new

addition, as well as the floor plan. The visible application of the

blue series of Corbusian modular is clearly reflected in the new

addition making it a part of the whole.

Boston City Hall Addition Design Boston MA

Study Sketches, Pencil on paper

Boston City Hall, Picture courtesy of Boston City Halls official website.

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Site PlanBottom: Perspective, Hand drawn with pencil and pen on paper, size 4”x 8”

From Left to Right: New Roof Top Addition - 9th Level and 10th Level Floor PlanHand drawn, pencil and pen on paper

Scale: 1:100

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West ElevationScale: 1:100

East ElevationScale: 1:100

North South Cross SectionScale: 1:100

Interior View of the Restaurant, Hand drawn pencil and pen on paper,size 9” x 10”

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Study model of The Boston City Hall showing the New Roof Top Addition.

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Front Facade with the surrounding contextWater Color and Ink on paper, size 24”x 36”

Charlestown Heritage Center Charlestown MA

Program:The competition project was to design a gateway and heritage

center for the city of Charlestown, Massachusetts.

Design Team: Farah Naz, hasna Salam

Date:

Concept:Time changed, but mankind has not. The fundamental human

traces remained constant from period to period. It is the timeless

quality of monuments that provide a thread of continuity and

familiarity amongst generations and cultures. It is our endeavor

to maintain the rich cultural heritage of Charlestown, through an

amalgamation of the city's iconographic monuments. This new

fform is an extraction of the essence of what Charlestown has to

offer to the city and the world as a symbol of pride.

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From left to right: East Elevation, North Elevation.

Site PlanWater Color, pen and ink, size 11” x17”

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South-East Exterior View

Interior View

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Interior Perspective of the Promenade and Reception Area

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Other Design Explorations Dhaka, Bangladesh

Work Shop: “A Good House in a Good City,” Dhaka, Bangladesh - winter 2004.

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“A Good House in a Good City” Dhaka Bangladesh

Program: A workshop for the schools children to make the kids and

their parents about the impart of a good living environment,

through an interactive architectural drawing workshop.

Participants: Architect Ms. Farah Naz, Rafiq Azam, Rashidul Hassan,

Mushtaq Hossain Kadri. Artist: Syed Hassan Mahmud and

social psychologist Ms.Afroza Akhter.

Date: December 2004

Venure: Novera Auditorum of the National Museum of Bangladesh

My Scope of work: I Worked as a Creative Director in conceptualizing,

organizing and conducting this workshop, for the school

children aged 8 yrs to 14 yrs. Collaborating local architects,

artistes and educators, the purpose of the workshop was to

make children aware about the importance of a healthy living

environment in Dhaka city.

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THE END

THANK YOU FOR VIEWING

REGARDS

FARAH NAZ