Thesis Defence: Joel Di Giacomo

Friday, May 15, 2015 1:30 pm - 1:30 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)
Of the thesis entitled: Being: At The Threshold     

Abstract:

What does it mean to have a transcendent experience, and what does architecture have to do with it? What is ineffable space?

Philosphers such as Martin Heidegger and Gaston Bachelard would argue that a true, meaningful human existence can only be found at the threshold between the known, ordered, limited world, and the unknown, chaotic, unlimited world, where the two worlds are one, connected and indistinguishable.

The question this thesis poses is what role architecture might play in activating this threshold, in engaging the unknown, in experiencing the sublime.

It will investigate this by examining a series of sublime encounters and attempting to express them in architectural form.
 
The examining committee is as follows:
 

Supervisor:

Committee Members:

Rick Haldenby, University of Waterloo

Ryszard Sliwka,University of Waterloo
Dereck Revington, University of Waterloo 

External Reader:

Bojana Videkanic, University of Waterloo



The committee has been approved as authorized by the Graduate Studies Committee.


The Defence Examination will take place:  

Friday May 15, 2015
1:30PM

Architecture Room 2003 (Photo Studio) 

A copy of the thesis is available for perusal in ARC 2106A.