“By Thick and Skinny” – these challenge by Maneh Tahmasian (Woodbury M.Arch ’21). Advisted by Ryan Tyler Martinez. Picture courtesy of Maneh Tahmasian
Persevering with with Archinect’s ongoing Thesis Review series, connecting with latest graduates permits us to amplify scholar voices as they share their experiences and ultimate thesis initiatives. For this iteration of Archinect’s 2021 Thesis Review, we linked with M.Arch scholar Maneh Tahmasian. A latest graduate of Woodbury School of Architecture, Tahmasian’s thesis challenge “By Thick and Skinny” propels structure’s cultural and historic implications by highlighting the significance of recognizing “the outdated” to tell “the brand new” in Armenia.
She explains, “‘By thick and skinny’ is wanting on the spatial side of the dome as a historic and cultural aspect of Armenian structure. It doesn’t describe the dome as it’s, or have been understood, however because it might be reconstituting the matter into one thing: extra highly effective.” Collectively we focus on the architectural and cultural themes present in her thesis. She unpacks the significance of heritage and the way it may be used to problem structure. We additionally dive into her ideas on the trade post-graduation and her ideas on office preparedness.
Archinect’s Highlight on 2021 Thesis Tasks: Archinect’s dedication to highlighting scholar work does not cease at merely sharing scholar work. Our editorial crew focuses on connecting with college students and asking inquiries to be taught their course of, architectural views, and their tackle the trade as younger designers. 2020 has been a difficult yr for all structure graduates; to help the category of 2021, we have launched our summer season sequence iteration of Archinect’s Thesis Overview to spotlight the work of thesis college students throughout this distinctive time of distant studying amid the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll want to observe our 2021 thesis tag to remain updated as we launch new challenge highlights.
The objective of this thesis is to create a singular and impactful expertise of discovering the outdated from the brand new for everybody who visits the location. It’s a new structure used as a instrument to reconstitute, shield and expose the historical past inside the metropolis.
Please present a quick abstract of your thesis/ultimate challenge.
On September 27, 2020, in the course of a pandemic, Azerbaijan’s navy launched an unprovoked assault on Artsakh and Armenia. Armenia, a nation of barely 3 million, was combating a conflict to guard their ancestral land of Artsakh in opposition to Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Syrian and Pakistani mercenaries. With the notion of destroying and rebuilding, “By thick and skinny” is wanting on the spatial side of the dome as a historic and cultural aspect of Armenian structure. It doesn’t describe the dome as it’s, or have been understood, however because it might be reconstituting the matter into one thing: extra; highly effective.
This challenge focuses explicitly on dimensions like a hybrid, compromising, distorted, expressive, emotional, advanced, and political. The positioning for this thesis is within the city of Shushi, the Republic of Artsakh, now underneath the management of Azerbaijan. The cathedral was bombed in the course of the Nagorno-Karabakh Battle and has develop into a spot of battle and destruction. The objective of this thesis is to create a singular and impactful expertise of discovering the outdated from the brand new for everybody who visits the location. It’s a new structure used as a instrument to reconstitute, shield and expose the historical past inside the metropolis.
How does your thesis match inside OR problem the self-discipline of structure?
Many imagine that structure is the place partitions, home windows and doorways come from, however structure is like all artwork. Whether or not it is portray or a chunk of music or a movie ought to be capable to let you know a narrative. “By thick and skinny” wasn’t about constructing and abstracting a set of partitions, however I wished to inform a fancy narrative about an expertise. We use the paradox of the dome, a historic and cultural aspect of Armenian structure, as a instrument to miss-read or translate one thing all of us acknowledge and know, similar to domes and sections, into facade particulars and facade components. Then again, the boulders and pathways are designed to encourage emotional, advanced, political, and distorted ideas. The primary objective is to create a construction that tells a narrative to the present and future generations, getting into the design and desirous about what the historical past of this civilization has seemed like by means of many years and centuries.
“By thick and skinny” wasn’t about constructing and abstracting a set of partitions, however I wished to inform a fancy narrative about an expertise. We use the paradox of the dome, a historic and cultural aspect of Armenian structure, as a instrument to miss-read or translate one thing all of us acknowledge and know, similar to domes and sections, into facade particulars and facade components.
Did your thesis change in the course of the pandemic? What difficulties did you face? How did your thesis advisors show you how to throughout this time?
I got here up with the “by means of thick and skinny” design with the drive to guard and save.
I began my thesis by exploring Armenian structure. I could not get away from who I’m, the place I grew up and what occurred to my ancestors in the course of the Armenian Genocide 106 years in the past. As I used to be house and had sufficient time to learn and be taught extra about my ancestral historical past, the tradition of heritage, and the significance of its preservation, a conflict broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia/Artsakh. I used to be puzzled about how that is taking place within the twenty first century, particularly throughout a worldwide pandemic. All of the borders have been closed and there have been no methods to help and shield Armenia. The conflict was not solely threatening to the folks but in addition the monumental historic structure.
At the moment, I got here up with the “by means of thick and skinny” design with the drive to guard and save. Armenians have skilled collective loss inside each technology for over a century. Starting with horror tales inherited by genocide survivors of 1915, to reminiscences of the fallen brothers and sisters from the Artsakh conflict in 1994, and now, the fact of the displaced and martyred of the present Artsakh conflict. All through this emotional rollercoaster, I used to be very lucky and honored to work with a really understanding and gifted adviser, Ryan Tyler Martinez, who not solely enthusiastically supported my ardour for Armenian historical past and structure and inspired me to develop and enhance my concepts but in addition helped me increase consciousness.
What do you assume the present state of “Thesis” is inside structure and the way can it’s improved?
I really imagine that structure is outlined in another way inside the architectural neighborhood. After years of studying the basics of structure, the ultimate Thesis is the chance to showcase private beliefs and views and the way they are often applied in an architectural design. It’s the most important alternative to outline a person place concerning the self-discipline of structure as new graduates getting into the skilled world. An enchancment for me could be the potential of seeing one of the best thesis concepts come to life.
I began my thesis by exploring Armenian structure. I could not get away from who I’m, the place I grew up and what occurred to my ancestors in the course of the Armenian Genocide 106 years in the past.
What are your subsequent steps academically? Professionally?
Working and studying from professionals throughout my schooling at Woodbury College put me able to deal with new challenges. I’ve given some thought to pursuing a Ph.D. diploma. For the reason that grasp’s program has triggered a extra intense curiosity in me, I imagine a Ph.D. will improve my analysis expertise and deepen my data of architectural historical past and methodologies. In addition to persevering with my schooling, Professionally, my subsequent step is licensure. I’m at the moment engaged on a few architectural competitions and in search of a agency that can match my persona finest. I’m keen and able to be taught and broaden my data, showcasing my strengths and being part of a fantastic crew and neighborhood.
As a latest graduate experiencing the direct results of the pandemic, how do you’re feeling concerning the structure trade proper now?
Identical to some other trade, structure was affected by the pandemic. We see an enormous shift in lots of the hands-on and bodily work that’s now accomplished on-line or digitally. I feel that this has each a optimistic and adverse impact. Because of the limitations the pandemic set for us, we have been compelled to lastly uncover and use many technological instruments that broaden the probabilities of time saving or working remotely in bigger teams. Then again, we observed a drop in development, funding, and usually the bodily side of the architectural chain. I imagine that that is solely a short lived decelerate within the trade and as soon as we’re again up and operating, as common, we’ll nonetheless be utilizing lots of these instruments as their outcomes are very environment friendly and productive.
What has helped put together you for the workforce?
I used to be very lucky to finish my M.Arch program at Woodbury College. I’ve made nice connections with such unimaginable {and professional} folks and had an opportunity to be part of the educating and researching committee throughout my schooling. Moreover, the in depth use of the totally different 3D modeling software program, because of the lockdowns, has ready and supplied me with a robust spine that will likely be essential in my profession.
