As we continue to work in our small group phase of the Conservancy of the Sea Islands project, things are starting to feel more focused and intentional. My group of three has been refining a few concepts, pushing it beyond just a pass-through structure with expandable/modular stalls to something more meaningful and tailored to the site and its needs.
Over the past week, we’ve shifted from broad ideas to more specific design decisions. We’re thinking more carefully about scale, form, function, thresholds, and experience. We want to design something that can act as a welcome to the conservancy, a trailhead, and a communal space for sweetgrass artisans and visitors.
Conversations about materiality have also started. My group is considering how wood, particularly in reference to traditional sweetgrass stands, can shape the identity of the structure. There’s a balance we’re trying to strike between contemporary expression and local culture. This past Wednesday, we invited the historic preservation students to share their perspectives and help us think more critically about longevity, material, context, and ways architecture can honor the sweetgrass culture and respond thoughtfully to nature.
At this point, the project feels less like a diagram and more like a real thing. We’re beginning to make digital models of our concept, which we hope to finalize by the beginning of next week. After that, the physical model building begins!
