Category: ARCH 793b: Plate Tectonics

A lot of really opulent architecture that is championed is nothing more than sweets for the culture. It has no substance, and it doesn’t really serve any purpose. Yet still, it’s the opportunity for architects to make their own legacy, landmark, and language; the opportunity to become their own Cesar, Cobb, or Waldorf. For today’s daily Plated Tectonics special, we have eight delicious illustrations that visualizes (and stimulates dialog on) the capabilities and contradictions of plate tectonics by reimagining architecture as familiar foods. Despite ongoing questions on the definition, uses, and limitations of plate tectonics, no definite answer has been reached, but what better way to discuss this unconventional geometry than over a meal, the universal facilitator of conversation?

In this rapidly changing world, there is an increasing sense of uncertainty about the future. To combat this, this thesis is proposed to use the cutting-edge Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) material in the form of sliding plate to eliminate or replace any unnecessary building components, and to pay the only attention to exploring the maximum spatial possibility and limitation, creating a series of dynamic, interchangeable but pure spatial combinations as a response to the unpredictable future and evolving needs of human beings.

The beginnings of architecture and human history date back to approximately 12,000 years ago, when humans left their caves and established their initial shelters. As technology continues to advance into an era that offers aid in creation and decision-making, our view on architecture is once again tied to the continuation of human civilization. By exploring the use of the flexible and futuristic material, Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP), in a more regulated and replicable manner, the traditional plate geometry is given a new tectonic perspective that offers a rational outlook into the future, while maintaining architecture as artificial entities that showcase the substance of both itself and humanity, rather than being shaped by unlimited forms from nature or by artificial intelligence.