Although not directly connected, the tectonic and stereotomic wall systems of the Foundation Hall meet at the two entries to the building. As you transition from the outside to the inside of the building (and vice versa), you slip between these overlapping layers. This moment is a significant threshold for the project and serves as what Frascari would call a “formal joint” or spatial intersection. From the outside, you walk along the wood deck next to the smooth polycarbonate wall. The first transition is in the flooring, which shifts from wood to a finished concrete slab. You then slip between the polycarbonate and rammed earth walls, eventually stepping through the door. Once inside, your feet are again on wood, but your body is still positioned between the two walls. A bench emerges, attached to the rammed earth wall, which allows you to sit and remove and store your footwear. Finally, prior to entering the main hall, the polycarbonate wall stops and the space opens opposite the rammed earth enclosure into the Hall. This journey is brief, but meaningful both spiritually and experientially and is driven by the material makeup of the space.
Image | © Chad Schwartz
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