RYU HIRAHATA

516.850.6769

ryu.hirahata@gmail.com

Monolith explores the duality of transpar-

ency and massiveness, singularity and

plurality. Thin strands of semitransparent

screen are arrayed to form segments,

which are further amassed to create a

structure that is both a collection of

individual components and a single mas-

sive object. The semitransparent qualities

of the material allow the pieces to

blend and merge with one another as

the viewer looks through varying

densities of screen, creating moments of

both high opacity and transparency that

disguise the depth and volume of the

structure. The fiberglass screens are held

straight, allowing them to maintain their

lightness while creating a visual field

that projects weight and mass.

SENIOR ART THESIS

MONOLITH

ARCHITECTURE I FINAL PROJECT

The objective of this final project was to design an art museum on the campus grounds of Wesleyan University. Located next to a busy main street and the Center for the Arts building complex, the site has a linear, directed circula-tion. This design uses this specific circulation as a starting point to organize components of the building—lobby, classrooms, offices, gallery space, open courtyard, and café—into public and private areas. Public spaces run with the circulation, allowing visitors to make a seamless transition from outside to inside, while private spaces run against it, forcing a more deliberate interac-tion with the intimate spaces of the museum.

WESLEYAN

ART MUSEUM

BLUE BLAZE

COURTYARD

CONNECTICUT FOREST & PARK

ASSOCIATION

The Blue Blaze Courtyard was a year-long research, design, and build project completed by the Architecture II Spring 2012 studio class at Wesleyan Univer-sity. Located in Rockfall, Connecticut, the project sought to activate the paved courtyard adjacent to the Connecticut Forest and Park Association building as a space for congregation and rest, as well as a departure and desti-nation point for hiking trips into the surrounding forests. The white pine benches are aligned to create an intimate seating area in the back of the courtyard, forming a stronger spatial connection between the meeting room next to it in the interior of the building. The pergola above provides a struc-ture for vines to grow, casting gentle shadows while keeping the space open to breezes and sunshine.

AUTOCAD

Thousand Pillars Temple Plan 136 High St, 2nd Floor Plan 136 High St, 1st Floor Plan

These drawings are two of many drawings drafted while working with Wes-leyan University’s Physical Plant. Student housing buildings were meas-ured and drafted to create a database of floor plans.

This drawing is one of a series of Indian temple plans done in conjunction with Professor Philip Wagoner at Wesleyan Univer-sity. These plans were drawn to supplement Professor Wagon-er’s research on ancient Indian temple architecture, history, and restoration projects.

DRAWING SAMPLES