Evoking Oddity
Evoking Oddity, Ideal Column Competition
Stuart Weitzman School of Design
Professor: Richard Farley
Team: Ryan Lane + Jonathan Bonezzi + Geoffrey Ford + Lena Guo
// In reinvestigating gothic relics, ideals of proportion, loftiness, and aggregation can be reintroduced in parallel to contemporary methods of image compression, structural analysis and artificial data production. Here, an AI-synthesized column stands, blending John Ruskin's analysis of the gothic typologies of Venice with modern Articial Intelligence technology. Found in it’s reinterpretation of gothic piers the greek concept of entasis is present in its massing, not through simple curvature but as an aggregation of calculated parts, each segment a testament to digital precision. The column's surface shows a nuanced swell, mimicking natural imperfections and challenging stonework's rigidity. Digitally rendered textures create a play of light and shadow, suggesting age and wear in an untouched, timeless object. This column embodies a dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and algorithmic artistry, echoing Gothic principles in a contemporary, estranged form.
“Now as I gave the reader the ground, and the stones, that he might for himself find out how to build his wall, I shall give him the block of marble, and the chisel, that he may himself find out how to shape his column.”
- John Ruskin
“The Stones of Venice”
