Archery

Having finished the main bit of thesis, things are winding down to a bit of a holiday period. That means more blog posts right? Not exactly. The backlash of being so focused on one endeavour for so long leaves a sense of floating in its absence – a tensely strung bow after the arrow is released. So here is a baby post to get me started again.

Recently I came across two architectural projects that had to do with archery. I've always love archery, and someday I'll get down to it and give it ago. But look how it inspired these two projects – one referencing the precision of string, air and direction, the other, a truss embodying the inherent tension of a bow. Both are inspired by archery and nothing to do with the popular culture hype that is going around at the moment (think Hunger Games and the Avengers).

Archery Hall and Boxing Club by FT Architects

The archery hall uses the multiplicity of finely detailed timber members, a motif of fingers grasping the bowstring, ready to release. In its serenity, there is an aggressive gesture as every step falls beneath the vector of a potential arrow. 

In the boxing space, the oriental layered timber language takes a heavier form. As opposed to the expansiveness of the archery hall, the boxing hall is cave-like and oppressive, like a boxer cornering his foe.

Bowstring Truss House by Works Partnership Architecture

Although this building is named after the formalism of the truss, the design captures the airiness of the activity. Expansive light and directionality can be felt in this space as the rafters roughly focus to the inhabited space.

The depth of the roof members help to baffle the light down into the space. Penetrations draw light in, even taking a moment of a glazed box, like a shaft of light.

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