tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6531343.post4500151987007995092..comments2024-03-27T06:24:30.922-04:00Comments on A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books: CaveDiggerJohn Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14842328320680692310noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6531343.post-30326520220858688352014-05-10T21:51:54.071-04:002014-05-10T21:51:54.071-04:00Throughout my research on grottoes within contempo...Throughout my research on grottoes within contemporary design I have struggled to find anything that manages to grasp the truly whimsical and magical elements of the grotto. I wondered why contemporary designers steered clear from the allegory and symbolism of the Nymph, or other classical elements. Ra Paulette seems to be creating spaces that, to me, appear to pay homage to the grotto’s heritage in Renaissance architecture and beyond, whether intentional or otherwise. <br /><br />The juxtaposition of the smooth and the rough, the way the spaces allow for pools of water, and the creation of an ‘otherworldly’ environment are all things intrinsically linked to the traditional grotto. Lighting is carefully designed within the caves, creating a transient space similar to that of Rael San Fratello Architect’s ‘Sol Grotto’. The desire to foster ‘spiritual renewal,’ is another common theme within traditional grotto designs, perhaps more so in Shinto and Buddhist culture, something that Helen Hardacre looks at in her article ‘The Cave and the Womb World.’<br /><br />The craftsmanship that goes into every sculptural detail is evident, and it is this craftsmanship that often gets lost in a society that has become numb to mass production. It is this craftsmanship that reminds me of the validity of Ruskin’s desire to return to artisan design during the 1800’s. Although there is a certain validity in utilising complex mathematical and computational methods to generate grotto-like environments, Ra Paulette’s caves put forward a good argument why this need not always be the case in contemporary design.<br /><br />If you are interested in following my research on the grotto within contemporary design, please do not hesitate to follow the link below, and provide feedback, suggest other case examples, articles etc that might help me shape my future research.<br /><br />http://reinterpreting-the-grotto.blogspot.com.au/<br /><br />Further reading: <br />Hardacre, Helen. “The Cave and the Womb World.” Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 10, no. 2 (1983):149-176.<br />Jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11129670648498712899noreply@blogger.com