Archiol's 2021 Render Challenge 3
Honorable mention
Deep within the forest, dim beacons of light call for the attention of the most curious individuals; and venturing to this unknown source of energy, its origin is revealed. A monument without a name. An artifact without a purpose. A structure without a current function. The object is composed of recursive rectangles of stone, possibly shaped from an already existing geographical feature of the site, creating an arch and surrounding pillars that emanate light which continuously leaks from their shafts and is projected from the top to the sky. The scale of the building its difficult to comprehend at first glance, but getting closer to it unveils an immense monument, hollowed and carved to create reliefs in its surface. It appears to be composed of an infinite number of stone elements and displays a mastery of this unknown technique, resulting in such a sophisticated artifact. The columns, elevating from the terrain are taller than the arch and mark a limit between the surroundings. At the top, the blueish beacons create a strong light that paint the place and creates a strong mystical atmosphere in the nearby structure.
From Boullée to Gehry, the idea of monumentality in architecture has been a recurrent topic and a design factor. The sight of this building, long forgotten, without someone to attribute its authorship, and no understanding of its use and architectural function, abandoned for nature to retake it, calls for a reflection whether the idea of monumentality in architecture overlooks the power of nature and time, since everything is sure to be consumed for it despite efforts to prevent it and the names of once skilled architects and constructors of a strong civilization erased.
https://www.artuminate.com/competition-winners/render_challenge_3_2021
