Sarah's blog: A Habitable Wall: A Retreat for Frida Kahlo

Introduction
Well, we've finished our last project for IARC 102, and Delilah and I are pooped! So here's the wrap-up on a big and very interesting exercise.

Our final studio project of the year was to design and construct a scale model of a "habitable wall" for a client. My client was Frida Kahlo.

Kahlo (1907-1954) was born in Mexico to a German father and a Mexican mother. Her life was defined by: physical pain from polio and a gruesome accident, her tumultuous marriage to Diego Rivera, her politics (she was a communist and a friend of Leon Trotsky), her deep connection to her Mexican heritage, and her many friendships and affairs with both men and women. For more information about Kahlo, see this site.

My Design
I created a retreat that provided areas for entertaining inside and out, and a private space for rest and work.
My concept was the kiva. This round, often sacred structure, is characterized by its round shape and central firepit constructed from adobe and rock.

Features:
Form: The two semi-circular structures refer to the kiva. I used the rounded shapes punctuated by rectilinear shapes in the windows, seating, bed, and cabinetry. This was partly for practical reasons, but it also reflects the dichotomies in Kahlo's life: feminity and masculinity, European and Aztec roots, independent and deeply dependent on Diego Rivera, spirited and frail.

Materials: The exterior and interior walls are formed from adobe. The firepits are constructed from a combination of adobe and masonry. The masonry is also used in the showcase area that holds ex votos and objects special to Kahlo.

Colors: I used light brown, a deep reddish brown, and blue to evoke memories of Casa Azul, Kahlo's main residence throughout her life. I also included a canopied bed similar to her bed at Casa Azul.
Other: The work table in Kahlo's private area slides over to her bed. She was often bed ridden for months at a time. She continued to work during these times by painting in bed. The fire pits are designed to take the chill off and to create areas for socializing and reflection. The large clerestory windows let in plenty of light, necessary for painting and another feature borrowed from Casa Azul.

Finally, the entire structure is surrounded by gardens. Casa Azul had a large patio and garden area. Kahlo loved the plants of her native Mexico and she made pets of wild birds, deer, and monkeys who wandered freely in her garden and even inside.

The space between the two structures acts as a pass through and a garden space.

Develpment of the Design

Below are the early iterations of my ideas.

In this iteration, and the two below, I am working with the idea of a "wall".

Here are the Merriam Webster definitions of a wall. I've italicized parts of the definition that were especially helpful in my design.

1 a: a high thick masonry structure forming a long rampart or an enclosure chiefly for defense —often used in plural b: a masonry fence around a garden, park, or estate c: a structure that serves to hold back pressure (as of water or sliding earth) 2: one of the sides of a room or building connecting floor and ceiling or foundation and roof 3: the side of a footpath next to buildings... 5: a material layer enclosing space wall of a container> walls 6: something resembling a wall (as in appearance, function, or effect); especially : something that acts as a barrier or defense wall of reserve> wall>

Ah hah! The round shape emerges.

And gets refined.

Creating and maintaining the curve of the model was a challenge. I rigged this foamcore and pushpin system to hold the shape. The initial curve was make by wrapping bristol paper around a wine bottle. Later I formed the curve by sinking the bottom tips of the balsa "studs"
into a foamcore base. This method worked really well to give a nice smooth surface.

The Site
The structure was designed for the Southeast corner of the 3rd floor studio space. The private area would face the window for morning light and good light for painting.