Metadata
Title
Out of Touch: An Archive for the Human Hand
Creator
Loquidis, Lulu
Martinez, Daniel
Location
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Date Created
2014
Call Number
005-LF-P002
Firm
Fox In the Snow Studio
Category
Professional
Prize
2nd Place, Professional Category
Project Assumption
Architecture's growing dependence on digital technology during the creative process reminds us of some stark realities for the future of the Athenaeum. If by 2050 drawings have been reduced to bits of information at the scale of the pixel, then the most common measure of the archive would be the megabyte. The virtual space of the hard drive would replace our experience of the library. This is symptomatic of the digital era, where the real thing is often substituted by its duplicate. We believe that the digitally immersed future will require a sanctuary for human intuition rooted in tactile processes.
Project Statement
Our proposal for a new Athenaeum is dedicated to the exploration of design practices guided by the human hand. It is organized around the idea that we can gain access to the past through what we make in the present, while what is made today can be archived for future generations to access. This cyclical process resonates with the structure of memory and forms the foundation of our programmatic strategy. We have strived to create a building out of touch: highly textured, rooted in craft and contoured to evoke abstractions of the human body.
Registration Number
46168763