HOUSE OF PEACE
Þingvellir, Iceland
Spring 2018
 Site Plan 1 |  Site Plan 2 |  Site Plan 3 |
|---|---|---|
 Conceptual Diagram |  Axonometric Diagram |  Axonometric Elevation |
 Axonometric Elevation |  Site Section |
This project was an entry for the John Stewardson Memorial Competition in Architecture, a two week charrette to design a Friðarhús (House of Peace), a non-denominational sanctuary for one of George Nakashima's Altar for Peace. The inspiration for the design was inspired by George Nakashima’s work, blending together craft, material, and philosophy. His expertise in Japanese carpentry particularly intrigued me, as he truly understood the quality and depth wood can have, even at the smallest scale. He listened to nature and understood its properties and characteristics in order to produce something incredible. The location of the Friðarhús sits at the far end of Þingvellir National Park in Iceland.
 First Floor Plan |  Second Floor Plan |  Third Floor Plan |
|---|---|---|
 Section 1 |  Section 2 |  Section 3 |
 Section 4 |  Exterior View |  Sanctuary View |
 Lobby View |  Interior View |  Joint Section Detail |
The design for the House of Peace resulted in an investigation of Japanese jointery. Joints that are crafted with extreme precision and strength raised the question of what it would be like to physically be inside of the joint and to see and understand how it perfectly comes together. The joint this project used is the Kawai Tsugite, or the three-way joint. The geometry of this jointcomes from the rotational symmetry of a cube when rotated 120 degrees. Spatial conditions were created by rotating wood pieces in different configurations, and the sanctuary space stretches out from the tallest point of the builidng, giving a spiritual atmosphere to the space. Unique, intimate moments are created within the joints throughout the building.