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In Search of the Ideal[Natatorium in Orlando, FL]

The artist Gerhard Richter is known for his series, Overpainted Photographs, in which images become disrupted by smudges of paint that disrupt and confuse the original meaning of the photograph. The subject becomes nullified and the viewer is forced to face an entirely new product. The imagery, meanings and landscapes of the original photograph only become fleeting memories of what once was.



The history and perception of Florida shares a similiarity with Richter’s work in that it has constantly been worked over and reshaped by others’ desires. From its original legendary 1513 discovery by Ponce de Leon, it was told be home to the magical Fountain of Youth, to Flagler’s franchisement of it as the "New American Riviera." In modern times, it became home to Disney World. It seems as though there has constantly been a mission to overlay the ideal upon Florida- so much so that the original Florida (whatever that may have been) has been lost in the process. This project is an illustration oh how the attempt to capture the Floridian Ideal into a site can only ever be just that- an attempt.



The project is set in downtown Orlando, FL, between I-75 and the Parramore neighborhood. As an example of what the idealized concept of Florida may entail, the natural springs were  looked at- mainly for their karst topographies, or landscapes of eroded and soluable limestone rocks. The challenge was to design a large public plaza to be used for the natatorium and also for other public events throughout the year. Being situated between a private residential neighborhood and a noisy highway informed the character of the site. The site works off of a sectional quality of the springs’ karst landscapes- some parts become sunken out of a raised site. The raised site becomes programmed for recreational sports such as basketball, tennis, running, etc. that revolve around the lower public plaza where the Natatorium is situated.


 

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