Architecture: An Instrument of Time
| dc.contributor.author | Medina, Gabriela Elise | en |
| dc.contributor.committeechair | Schnoedt, Heinrich | en |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Jones, James R. | en |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Washco, Kristin Nicole | en |
| dc.contributor.department | Architecture | en |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-06-07T08:01:16Z | en |
| dc.date.available | 2025-06-07T08:01:16Z | en |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-06-06 | en |
| dc.description.abstract | Architecture can become a catalyst for comprehending the phenomenon of time. Although many dimensions of time exist, the focus here is on the understanding of time related to a person in a space, an amplification of time related to the universe such as sun and moon cycles, and a recognition of time as it manifests itself in an aging process. The instrument for comprehending these three dimensions of time is an observation tower in the Virginia mountains. In The Eyes of the Skin, Juhani Pallasmaa argues that this awareness is an important part of an "art of reconciliation between ourselves and the world." When the awareness arises that time infinite, but life is finite, each passing moment becomes more important. With respect to time and architecture, Paul Ricouer suggest in his book Time and Narrative that architecture acts as a "bridge, a metaphysical link allowing us a way to comprehend time." Hence, architecture is an instrument of time. | en |
| dc.description.abstractgeneral | Architecture can do more than provide shelter or aesthetics—it can help us understand time itself. This project explores how a simple structure, an observation tower in the Virginia mountains, can reveal three powerful experiences of time: personal time (how we feel time in our own lives and bodies), cosmic time (such as the movement of the sun and moon), and the passage of time through aging. Inspired by thinkers like Juhani Pallasmaa and Paul Ricouer, the project suggests that architecture can act like a bridge between us and the deeper rhythms of the world. By engaging our senses and drawing our attention to the passing moments, architecture can help us reflect on the fleeting nature of life and connect more meaningfully with the world around us. | en |
| dc.description.degree | Master of Architecture | en |
| dc.format.medium | ETD | en |
| dc.identifier.other | vt_gsexam:43952 | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10919/135395 | en |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.publisher | Virginia Tech | en |
| dc.rights | In Copyright | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | en |
| dc.subject | Time | en |
| dc.subject | Architecture and Time | en |
| dc.subject | An Instrument of Time | en |
| dc.title | Architecture: An Instrument of Time | en |
| dc.type | Thesis | en |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Architecture | en |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | en |
| thesis.degree.level | masters | en |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Architecture | en |