Break them like an Artist

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” - Pablo Picasso

I was reminded of this quote during our lectures on critical regionalism. The rules in the particular case of critical regionalism is understanding the precedented history, materiality, building methods, and vernacular of the place we are designing in. Breaking them like an artist involves taking this knowledge and implementing them in an innovative way.

An example of this that comes to mind is the St. Helena Branch Library at Penn Center by the Chalresotn firm, liollio. Modern, yet warm, the architecture reflects the unique attributes of Gullah-Geechee Sea Island culture & the vibrancy of the library as a 21st Century gathering place. 

The Gullah Geechee context is revealed in several aspects of the architecture, including the woven nautilus of the special collections area located at the heart of the library, suggesting the forms of marine life & traditional net making; raised wood “stomping” floor in the community meeting room that provides the percussion for sea island spirituals & the “tree” columns reflective of historic images of learning at Penn Center under the massive live oak trees. While the building reflects the culture and nature of the area, it still provides a new and modern style.