The 'Monumentality' described by Louis Kahn is the subject that intrigued me which led the exploration in the following works. I feel that so-called modern design seems to be losing a certain civilized, spiritual strength and intensity, the most egregious example of which being one of the acclaimed 'cradles of civilization', China, the monumentality of its traditional aesthetic has long since been submerged and obliterated.
“ Monumentality ... may be defined as a spiritual quality inherent in a structure which conveys the feeling of its eternity, that it cannot be added to or changed. We feel that quality in the Parthenon, the recognized architectural symbol of Greek civilization.” - Louis Kahn
Baby’s keepsake
The box has always been a mysterious and intriguing presence in the mythology of the ancients, who attributed to them many fascinating enigmatic characteristics and stories, which in my mind were a form of 'conceptual design.' A newborn baby, in my mind, embodies the closest expression of divinity that can be found. There is an old Chinese saying which goes "For its greatness, nothing lies beyond it, but for its smallness, nothing may lay within it. [1] " according to this precept, it was my intention to construct a box with neither an inside, nor an outside.
Sachet Remake
This remake of my original sachet using metal and liuli [1], materials more conducive to cost efficient mass production. I saw opportunity in the new materials to facilitate the creation of a less angular, curved form than was present in the original, taking full advantage of the structure and aesthetic qualities of the materials themselves.
