Je Si (Be Still) Outdoor Biomimetic Retreat

Je si means “be still” in Yoruba, the language most spoken Nigeria, my place of ancestry. “Be still” is a source of comfort in the midst of uncomfortable moments. It grounds my thoughts and calms my worries. When conceptualizing my idea of an architectural retreat, I began by thinking about things that bring me peace. My solitude, my culture, and my connection to the naturally-built kept reemerging as major themes. My solution was to combine all three themes into one solitude sanctuary. 

 

The outdoor relaxation cove design allows for the moments of stillness I wanted in my place of retreat. It serves as a place of serenity and quiet, the glass leaf overhang allowing for peaks of the open sky above and views of the surrounding environment from all side. I wanted the cove design to integrate and melt into the ecosystem to evoke the feeling of full immersion in the environment. The leaf design is a nod to the open, natural biome surrounding the cove. The final relaxation cove is my dream place to read, meditate, and look up at the stars as my surroundings darken. 

Both the structure and the water collection system are biomimetic features of the site to further reinforce the coves integration with nature. The copper and steel reinforcement that surround and weave through the glass leaf structure mimic the veination structure on a palm leaf. The veining structure contains a hydrophobic coating, the glass layered with a hydrophilic coating, allowing for water collected from the surrounding to be transported down the leaf structure and into the water well underground, similar to dew traveling down a leaf. The collected water is used to water the plants along the edges of the site. (Competition Design)   

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