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Artificial Nature of the Mundane
Year: 2023
Category: Industrial & Infrastructure
The Mundane registers qualities that often go unnoticed or are deliberately hidden because they are deemed unfamiliar and thus undesirable. But it is precisely in these qualities where we are attempting to locate a new departure point for design which can tolerate the “strange”, and incorporate it as an active and relevant participant in the design process. By the means of hybridizing nature with existing mundane urban elements, parts that are usually unseen to people are now exposed, and become the new norm of design. New York City is densely developed and highly artificial - The city's urban landscape is largely man-made, with towering skyscrapers, bridges, highways, and other structures dominating the skyline and tunnels, subways spreading out underground. Even Central Park is no natural landscape. Hence, New York City is chosen as the testing ground for the project. A number of “strange” categorical blends are examined together with artificial nature and then used to formulate the new norm. Artificial nature By hybridizing specific natural elements - metal, rock, flower, moss and tree together into one single form of object contributes to the artificial qualities. Traces of these natural elements will still be seen but they are not in their most natural form. Also, to further exaggerate the idea, Artist Takashi Murakami’s super flattened flowers with smiley faces are extracted by AI to contribute to the artificial quality of flowers.
Tunnel Ventilation Tower I, New York City
Tunnel ventilation towers are one of the strangest structures in the city. It has the plain and monolithic architectural façade to camouflage itself into the neighborhood. Hybridized rock, metal, green and flower with smiley face flowers, keeping the monolithic appearance of the architecture. Made with Midjourney
Tunnel Ventilation Tower II, New York City
Tunnel ventilation towers are one of the strangest structures in the city. It has the plain and monolithic architectural façade to camouflage itself into the neighborhood. Hybridized rock and gold metal, keeping the monolithic appearance of the architecture. Made with Midjourney
Water Tower, New York City
Modern day rooftop water towers made by hybridized rock, metal, green and flowers. Made with Midjourney
New York City Water Towers, 1978 - 2023
A catalog of New York City water tower types, shapes and forms, materials throughout history. Made with Midjourney
Manhattan skyscraper I, 2046
The skyscraper was a new addition to the Manhattan skyline with the wild idea of introducing a vertical central park to New York City. Made with Midjourney
Manhattan skyscraper II, 2048
The architecture industry, city officials and politicians restlessly explored and realized their artificial nature enthusiasm to Manhattan super skyscrapers. the architecture is meant to be split into private commercial use on half and public landscape park on the other. Made with Midjourney
Top of The Rock
The new Rock gives a new dimension to Central Park. The elevated park is a new landscape trend that responds to New York City, where everything is elevated. Made with Midjourney
The Rock, Central Park
The new Rock gives a new dimension to Central Park. The elevated park is a new landscape trend that responds to New York City, where everything is elevated. Inside the artificial rock park is the home for mechanical equipment, park infrastructure and water facilities for Central Park. Made with Midjourney
Phoebe Leung
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