Just A Little

Academic | MIT, instructor William O’Brien Jr. 2022


This project reimagines an everyday object, “level”, and provides an alternative for architecture storytelling. Imagine space-making through the art of subtraction - removing, carving, excavating, and sculpting - instead of a process of addition, this project explores a noncanonical relationship between architecture and the earth, and provokes a form of cohabitation. It is composed of two stories - one for a “level” and the other one for a “slit”. 

Story I.  « Level »


I WAS BORN
A THOUSAND YEARS AGO
I LIVED
AFTER THE DEATH OF A PLUM
GIVE ME TWO ARMS
AND A LITTLE FOOT
WATER, ALCHOLOLL, SPIRIT
BUBBLE BECOMES ME NOW


SO, NICE TO MEET YOU





STANDING ON MY FEET
I WANT TO GET CLOSER
FEEL
MEASURE THE CURVES YOU HAVE








GRAVITY
I USED TO CHASE YOU 
WHENEVER, WHEREVER, HOWEVER 
BUT IT’S TIME FOR ME TO FLY  
AWAY FROM YOUR TIES






FLOATING 
ROTATING 
BALANCING 



 
TRAVELLING
NOT KNOWING WHAT IS IN FRONT OF ME
YET ALWAYS REMEMBER WHERE I HAVE BEEN 






Story II.  « Just A Little »



WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE GROUND SLITS
 A LITTLE RUPTURE
CHASM OF THE LAND





SLOWLY DESCENDING
INTO THE UNKNOWN
THE GEOLOGICAL MEMORY OF THE LAND



SEEDS FALL AND GROW
CONCRETE STAINS
ANIMALS VISIT AND LEAVE
SEASONS ALTER



TOUCH TIME
AGE
WRINKLES OF NATURE 



THE SILHOUETTE OF SKY
WILL GUIDE YOUR WAY
WE COULD ONLY KNOW WHAT’S HIDDEN
ONCE WE BOW DOWN AND TAKE A STEP





© 2022 Daisy Ziyan Zhang