Material Distinctions

The object of this thesis is a modestly scaled house at Smith Mountain Lake. The objective of this thesis is to please the senses through material composition. We gain knowledge and sensible understanding of our world through physical interaction and direct sensory experience. Through touching, smelling, listening, and observing we form and guide our choices. These experiences enrich the designer's knowledge of material properties and thus the proper use of materials.

The primary focus of this study seeks to understand the physical properties of materials in relation to a site and to each other. Following, it attempts to transform these materials into elements of architecture, as the functional components of a building. Forms derive their unique qualities from these materials; qualities that enrich our consciousness, evoke sensible memories, and fulfill expectations. Chosen for their qualities as well as their perceptions, brick and wood, present a dynamic dialogue about mass in volume.The story of this house is told in relation to how the brick responds to the primary structure and how it orchestrates architectural elements within the whole.

The dichotomy between these two materials lends this study to a larger exploration of joinery. The internal joining of wood to wood, or tectonic joining, produces a different expression than the joining of different materials. Wood to brick, for instance produces the legible differentiation of the architectural elements within the house. The arrangement of these materials articulates structure as well as spatial distinctions within the whole. Where volumes detach, glass bridges these materials as its attributes blend the differentiation between an interior and exterior condition. Articulating how these materials meet addresses essential architectural questions of knowledge, thought, and order as well as ephemeral pleasures.

To enjoy the physical experience, as it is embraced by all of the senses, is the final goal and desire of this thesis.