The assignment for this school project was to design a pavilion for the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard, WA.
I wanted to create a pavilion that would give visitors the experience of being in the locks. After considering various ways to mimic the rising and falling of the water in the locks, I decided the simplest solution would be to allow the already existing hillside to provide the difference in elevation.
My design uses dichroic glass, canvas sails, riveted metal, and concrete.
The red and white panels employ a parallax effect. When viewed from the correct angle the shapes on these structures come together to form “100”, representing the 100 years the locks have been in operation. The “100” can be seen by pedestrians if they stand by the lamppost and by boaters in the water as they pass by.
Prototype of my parallax panels