Carapace is an alien entity unknown of its origin and time that landed on the lush green land­scape of ArtOMI Center in New York. Shaped and formed like an organ, it reveals its unusualness in its form and experience. What appears volumetric and spacious from the outside might feel constrained and cramped from the inside, creating an unfamiliar experience questioning the usability of it. The functionality of the structure turns out to be varying with its relation to the occupant.

With the growing landscape, so does the organ. Evolving and adapting to the environment surrounding, it allows the growth of nature within and over it. The wines and vegetation enveloping the object from the ground, and the tree growing from within create a tension and war between the two. This brings new characteristics to the design. The pavilion now starts to change its form to cage and house the natural being. From an abstract perspective, it transforms itself Into a new species. This generates a new context and suggests the change of user from humans to nature and to other creatures.
How do we see such a strange species of architecture shifting its function and user to serve a much broader concept and not focusing on human settlement

Vruti Desai is an Architect and designer based in Mumbai.
With over 6 years of experience in Architecture comprising interdisciplinary design education and professional practice, she has always been inspired by nature and attempts to reflect it in her practice directly or indirectly.
She is a Masters graduate Pratt Institute in New York, USA focusing on theories in Architecture and new mediums and materiality.