2000-2005 | OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Columbus, Ohio

A corner of a building on campus changes daily: it appears that the wall can be penetrated although there is not really a doorway. The openings are sometimes larger, sometimes smaller. Mirrored surfaces reflect the surroundings or at other times disappear as a bright red interior is revealed.

Evans Laboratory, housing the chemistry and astronomy departments, is located on one of the main campus roads and is a busy crossing point for pedestrians. The new structure, which abuts an existing blank façade, provides a small gathering place for students.

Inside the shallow structure made of butting aluminum channels there are three walls of sliding panels. The first layer allows the whole structure to be nearly closed, providing only a glimpse of the interior. These panels have a mirrored surface on their reverse side. The next walls are blackboards with two movable ladders in front to make it possible to use the surfaces; the back side of these panels is red. The last set of movable panels is mirrored and the back wall is also made up of red enameled panels. Looking into this structure it is not clear where the boundaries are as reflected colors and patterns bounce back and forth.

This corner stopping place becomes notable for its constant change. It is a place which can be interacted with, used as a backdrop or observed from a distance.