PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Zephyr is conceived as a confluence of volumetric lines and elongated profiles distributed along two overlapping and parallel vectors bisecting the east and west entrances of the Gather Greene pavilion. Inspired by vessel architecture and aerospace objects, Zephyr involves a dynamic interplay of streamlined geometries and structural precision embodying qualities of ephemerality, motion, and flow in a suspended, three-dimensional configuration. This proposal pays homage to RPI’s distinguished legacy as the oldest polytechnic institution in the United States and its longstanding dedication to innovation, engineering, and design by referencing various cross-sectional profiles of engineered objects. This duality of inspiration, both technological and mythological, manifests itself as a formal-spatial composition combining aerodynamic qualities with sculptural expression. The installation will be constructed using 318 linear feet of ½” steel conduit sections, customized 3D-printed connections and fittings, 30 linear feet of ¼” steel cable, mesh fabric, and ultra-thin CoB (chip-on-board) LED strip lighting. These elements work to articulate a dynamic and expressive structural framework. The white mesh fabric, stretched and wrapped between these elements, produces a semi-transparent surface accentuating the interactions between light and shadow, reinforcing the perception of weightlessness and velocity. LEDs are embedded along the main profiles, illuminating the more expressive curvilinear elements, and enhancing their aerodynamic qualities while casting ephemeral gradients of light that shift with the viewer’s movement. The result is a luminous, immersive form that transforms the pavilion into an experiential threshold. Ultimately, Zephyr is a symbolic and formal-spatial expression of technological elegance and serves as a fitting tribute to RPI’s ethos, bridging the past, present, and future through a synthesis of streamlined geometries and structural precision, marking the graduates’ transition from students at RPI to the future leaders in spheres of architecture and design.