Cocoon
Set high up in the hill, a woven bamboo chrysalis holds a platform at the level of treetops. The earth grounds this space as it is dug into the steep hillside and as the rainwater spirals around the wall. It is a held space full of rich sounds and gentle light, especially as its east-facing opening receives the warmth of the rising sun.
The gestural form of a held space with the potential of emergence, as in a cocoon, became a dynamic dome that hovers just above an excavation in the ground. Five primary curved beams set out this shape while a weave of bamboo splits brings a gentle tactile quality and a structural firmness. The ceiling meets the hillside at the back with a small gap, allowing diffuse light to enter the space from above.
A cluster of columns emanate from rocks in the ground, splaying open as they rise to support the ceiling beams. An egg shaped platform is supported lightly above, hovering in the middle of the cocoon. The sense of something special, delicate, emerging, can be felt from within a light veil that hangs above the platform.
CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
Main construction: January to March 2020
Designed by Elle and Sergio.
Constructed between: local craftspeople Joaquin, Medardo, Dorance, Fredy; and co-founders Sergio and Elle.
