After a long break from art, I decided to try my hand again and rekindle my lost skill. Shortly before this time, I had begun to study philosophy (Stoicism, Cynicism, Existentialism, etc.). As a result, I put both tranquility and relaxation onto a high pedestal. Often, infrastructure that seems to pull you deeper induces comfort. This sort of building emotion is a fascination of mine, and I aimed to connect these two interests in this project.

To combine the theme of tranquility and the feeling of being reeled in I chose a library for my reference drawing. This project became an escape for me where I could sketch a section unconsciously when I needed a break. Cross Hatching was a new method that I tried to use.

Certain parts of the drawing were done lazily (in proportion and perspective) and I learned from these to put forth more effort in my future drawings. This project sparked my interest in still-lifes and became my restarting point.

Researching home styles in my free time I was particularly inspired by stilt houses meant to remain above water. I decided to create my own that doubled as a tiny home which at the time (2020) was a rising design.

I always first imagine the elevation of the facade is what shapes the house – the inside is built upon the shell. After designing what seemed to be the definition of a happy home, I filled the interior with only the essentials to fully embrace the tiny house style.

One can imagine the stilts of the house overtaken by water and the submerged stairs slowly staining and rotting beneath, creating a scene for the home giving it life. The drawing remained as simple as it was intended and appeared very cohesive to me.

I constantly look towards the future in an effort to envision the best outcome, and also out of curiosity. As a result, I had the idea to create what was the first iteration of my dream home. The intent of this design was to make it feel like a place where one could relax and be comfortable – architecture that is inviting.

Beginning with the outside of the house, I created something that felt robust and safe; hence the rock walls. The interior was a much harder endeavor for me, but the aim was to create an obvious path through each room by opening each small space to one much larger. Also included is a secret staircase (seen on the sticky note).

The house at the time was exactly what I wanted to live in myself. I valued the feeling of comfort in a home where not even ideas can penetrate the walls. The home is only for the individual and harbors its own world inside.

As I grew, so did my preferences in a dwelling. My need for community and interaction became apparent and I decided to redesign my old dream home and create one that encouraged not only the individual to attend but those neighboring.

I followed a similar process to my old dream house with each room opening abruptly to encourage progression, but with areas not fully enclosed to create a sense of connection to the outside world. I based much of the technical aspects on floor plans that I saw through research.

The home is something that I would still live in today if possible. It is a gorgeous property that has a sense of connection to the outside world while still containing inside exclusivity. This second iteration, however, lacks an art feeling to it that I prefer today and soon I will be creating a 3rd version.