Centrum Pro Bulla Spacium Et Intervallum: the center for distance studies

 

                The Center for Distance Studies seeks to explore conditions of diaspora and displacement through materials that highlight relationships of distance. Because diaspora always involves some form of displacement, it is inherently intertwined with a condition of distance. In many cases, the materials explored at the center are cartographic- both contemporary and historical- but the center also highlights works that do not take the form of traditional maps. Many of the galleries occur along ramps throughout the building and double as routes of circulation. As one moves through these gallery spaces, one also becomes aware of proceeding along a path and traversing through space. There are also more traditional gallery spaces located off of the main circulation/gallery route. Additionally, the center includes a library for the archiving of cartographic material, an artists’ space, where artists exploring themes relating to distance would be invited for residencies and a workshop area, where the public is able to come to learn new mapmaking techniques, including GIS. The building takes the form of a torque, opening up new paths through the block from the Bowery to Chrystie Street where the building pulls away from the neighboring parti-walls. Structurally, the building is braced by a series of steel ribs that move through the torque, gradually rotating to reveal its form. Through its gallery spaces, research initiatives and educational programming, the Center for Distance Studies seeks to engage local residents, visitors to New York and specialists with its diverse and unique programming.
-Jocelyn

Centrum Pro Bulla Spacium Et Intervallum: abstract models

These are some abstract models from early on in the semester. The first provided a way to explore how multiple long paths could pass by and intersect each other within a confined space. While the long path working its way through a building remained within my project, this model did not directly translate into anything further. The second abstract model was meant to be an investigation of the torqued form within the scaled site dimensions. The wooden frame was intended only to be an armature for the paper and string torque, but instead, when I tried to tighten up the strings, I ended up twisting the entire model, which was an unexpected result.

Centrum Pro Bulla Spacium Et Intervallum: early studies

Here are some images of distance and mapping studies I did early in the semester. The first (jocelius rectus loginquitas) is a new taxonomy of distance that I created for the Museum of Natural History. Instead of organizing museum exhibitions by theme and/or geography, what if the whole museum was organized according to how far objects’ origins were from the museum’s location (ie New York City)? While this proposal is, of course, illogical and facitious in many ways, I think it also highlights our reliance on standard modes of geographic organization (country, region, continent etc) and how rarely we stray from these typical methods of mapping.
The second image (jocelius azimuthal exertus) explores the azimuthal projection; a projection that preserves all true distances in relation to one center point. In this case, the center point is New York City, so all world points are shown (to scale) at their true distances in relation to New York. Using a combination of GIS and google earth, I was able to locate and map particular global points and draw new relationships according to their distance from New York City.
-Jocelyn

Internets Celebrities- research methods

www.internetscelebrities.com

American Museum of Natural History, New York