Sentience and Site

Abstract

A contemporary understanding of site is integral towards the proper implementation of an architectural intervention which reconciles itself amongst the landscape. This thesis is situated at the convergence of technology and nature, investigating a constructive engagement of site in order to inform an architecture embedded into rural Appalachia. An integration of drone avionics, advanced imaging and sensing technologies, and traditional means of site-observation fosters the opportunity for a more holistic understanding of place. The corresponding architectural intervention thus manifests itself as a contemporary rendition of the fire tower, a US Forest Service outpost monitoring changing wildlife populations and behaviors within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Dubbed The Aviary, the construct functions as a wilderness drone-port, supporting a large, integrated network of conservation-drone activity over the vast surrounding mountain-scape.