Bringing Together Earth and Sky: Project Vehicle - Gymnasium

Abstract

Eero Saarinen often described architecture as placing something between earth and sky. This thesis seeks to define, distinguish, and bring together architectural entities representative of these two core elements â earth and sky. Throughout this investigation I have come to define these elements as follows. The earth is hard, heavy, robust, solid, and stout. Its strength is massive, overpowering, and heroic. The sky is light, delicate, soft, gentle, dynamic, and fluid. Its strength is conveyed through its elegance and grace. The project vehicle for this architectural investigation and application is a gymnasium. The gymnasiumâ s roof and its supporting columns are â of the sky,â and the inner core of the building beneath the roof is â of the earth.â The defining characteristics as well as the relationships between earth and sky are expressed and experienced through the architecture of the gymnasium.