It is surely a different feeling going from non-stop, full day working on the pavilion, screeding concrete or bending rebar to quietly sitting at my desk in studio compiling all of the recently uploaded construction images. While we still have some buttoning up to do on the western trellis side early this coming week, it is certainly rewarding scrolling through our images, admiring our work and also feeling pretty satisfied 95% of it was completed successfully.
I always find the end of the semester documentation period as a time of reflection on both its successful and not successful aspects. Some of my favorite elements of the pavilion is the combination of sandwiched beams, girders and columns and how they relate to each other to create quite an elegant roof. I’m especially pleased with our color and material selections, as the roof seems to float over elegant black storage units. Also, I love that we chose to incorporate sliding doors into the pavilion, as it adds another layer of sophistication and functionality to the structure. On the other hand, the concrete plantar for the trellis seemed to be a failure at first. We lost a few solid working days struggling with this aspect of the project and we even contemplated moving to wood instead. However, after reinforcing the formwork with treated lumber, the next pour went much better, and the last pour we did a few days ago was the quickest, most successful one. Now, the trellis is the showcase element of the pavilion and I’m so glad that we were able to learn from our mistakes and create a truly spectacular piece of art.
With out a doubt, I am repeatedly reminded by how simple determination and hard work really does pay off; while many of our friends back in Clemson went on weekend trips, partied and watched regular TV, we were putting our best efforts into the advancement of our project, and not to mention balancing all of our other coursework and graduate school applications for some of us. Yet what we did was impactful, going well beyond our time in Charleston. While voicing our thoughts on the pavilion at our final review the other day to so many people from the community, CAC.C and beyond, I was filled with an immense sense of pride and I know I am speaking for every other member of our group. Realizing the knowledge and experience I have gained this semester has made every hour spent worth it.