LSU ARCHITECTURE STUDIO PROJECT
MARFA, TX
 

The Chinati Foundation was founded by Donald Judd with the specific intention of preserving and presenting to the public work by a limited number of artists. The project calls for the creation of a welcome center towards that entrance of the property where visitors can be introduced to ideas of Judd. The Design must have an emphasis on the work and its surrounding landscape and how they are linked together as well as include the programmatic elements of business offices, a cafe, and a reception area.

Not only will Judd’s work be on display in and out of the welcome center, but the building itself portrays his ideas of geometrical shapes, lines of symmetry, and object placement to manipulate the site as well as the people in it. Modeled with influence of the concrete boxes on site, the design of the welcome center creates a linear connection to the outdoor boxes. From the entrance, the visitor travels down along with the natural slope of the landscape toward the concrete boxes. They become the focus point throughout the building.