Academic Retreat for Artists by Ruiqi Huang

For this academic retreat I designed for artists and researchers of fine arts, I drew inspiration from Niki de Saint Phalle’s artistic legacy of advancing female empowerment. Niki’s active involvement in communities of artists of diverse backgrounds throughout her career led me to rethink the kind of environment that would best encourage creativity.

As a response, I create open, interconnected spaces with the intention of emphasizing the value of community interactions and the exchange of ideas in the creative process of individuals. The varying fenestrations on each floor allow for flexible uses and divisions within a continuous space that reads dynamically in relation to adjacent indoor and outdoor spaces and ambiguously in terms of whether one is engaging in community or solitude.

Furthermore, I wanted to convey the message of empowerment through shared experiences using east-west fenestrations that run through the center of the building. Preceding upwards, spaces are progressively less transparent and more intimate, and community interaction becomes more of an active choice made by the inhabitants.