THE MOVEMENT OF THE TIDES, SHAPE OF THE LAND SURFACE, THE ROCK FROM THE QUARRIES AND THE INDIGENOUS VEGETATION PROVIDED THE CLUES FOR THE DESIGN.
THE ROOF OF THE STRUCTURE IS PLANTED WITH INDIGENOUS GRASSES GENTLY SHAPED TO FEEL LIKE PIECES OF THE LANDSCAPE REACHING OUT TOWARDS THE VIEW. THE VESSEL FORMED CONTAINS THE HISTORY OF ROBBEN ISLAND AND IS INTEGRATED WITH THE COMMUNICATION PLATFORM.
A COMBINED CONFERENCE FACILITY AND INTERPRETIVE CENTRE CUT INTO THE EARTH THAT ACCEPTS YOU AT THE BASE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE AND BRINGS YOU ALONG A NARRATIVE TIMELINE OR JOURNEY, THAT LEADS THROUGH SPACE AND TIME TO A CATHARTIC MOMENT WHERE THE VIEW IS REVEALED; AND FINALLY DECANTS YOU DOWN TO THE SHORE.
THE RAMPED NARRATIVE EXPERIENCE IS DESIGNED ADJACENT TO THE AUDITORIUM OR SPACE OF CELEBRATION. THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN CELEBRATION AND EXHIBITION EXPERIENCE ARE MITIGATED BY WALLS, WHICH HAVE BEEN DELIBERATELY CUT TO REVEAL ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, OR HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY DISSOLVED USING ‘SOFT’ SHAPES AND TRANSLUCENT WALLS (AS IN THE SEMINAR ROOMS BELOW THE AUDITORIUM).
THE ICONIC AND RESONANT FORM OF THE LIGHTHOUSE IS ULTIMATELY RE-IMAGINED INTO A SYMBOL OF ENLIGHTENMENT AND HOPE. THEREFORE, THE LIGHTHOUSE REPRESENTS THE SYMBOL AND THE STRUCTURE HOUSES THE CONTENT.
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