One can take a prosthetic device, understand the uses of the device and how it modifies/ increases the ability of the human body and use that information to begin to understand a site. This project is based on the prosthetic tool of an ice axe. An ice axe is used for skiing and hiking. Predominantly this device is used as a safety device to slow the fall of a skier/ climber. While researching this device, the concept of displacement became apparent. This concept is found when studying the instant the head of the ice axe hits the surface of ice causing a displacement of the ice. This concept of displacement became a physical, spatial relationship when the first models where created. These models where of melted wax, inside a container, placed on a canvas. The final action that created a ‘displacement map’ on the canvas was having ink poured on the melted wax. As the ink entered the container, the wax was displaced by the ink, resulting in a complex, tactile surface of wax and ink on the canvas. From this study, the word levity became part of this project. Levity is the reaction or abstinence of gravity. When the wax was displaced from its original location the concept of gravity was abstinent between the wax landing at its final location. The time between the impact of the wax and the ink to the impact upon the canvas, the absence of gravity became the levity of the materials.

This study was then intergraded with the site of Prisor Hill. Prisor Hill is located in Upham, New Mexico, and will be the future location of Virgin Galactic’s Spaceport. From one of the horizontal launching runways, Prisor Hill is located roughly four miles away. Another wax study was taken into account of these locations. A clay model resembling the site was created. To denote the location of the launching site a container of melt wax was placed. The same actions were taken as the previous study mentions. What was found in this study was the displaced of materials on the clay site model and what was left inside the container. These findings were over lapped to create the parti diagram of the imposed structure. The program for this structure was to incorporate the untouched site and the new market that the Spaceport would attract. This program includes areas for space travelers and visitors to stay over night, a training facility for the space travelers, and a museum that explores the history of space traveling. Each of these components of the program became their own structure: a displacement of the program. These structures became tessellated to create a structure that can compose of glass and metal panels set in the metal structure. The living area wraps over the other two structures to show levity as part of the program. This structure shows the displacement of the new Spaceport upon Prisor hill, creating this program.

displacement by gravity

scott k. patterson

skp@unm.edu/ skp@fbtarch.com