This shadow box was created to showcase elements of the Delta shelter designed by Olson Kundig. It uses plexiglass and steel bars to show the movement between open and closed shutters, surrounded by a white frame representing the shelter's isolation. The goal was to create a strong central image surrounded by empty space.

1. Alex
Karshis

2. Front face of the Shadow Box, showing
the architecture elements from the Delta
shelter designed by Olson Kundig
Middle of the Shadow Box, showing the
movement from light to dark, from the
glass windows to the steel covers
Top right corner, showing the
connection of the outside contrasting
with the white background
This shadow box was created with the
architecture elements of Olson Kundig,
Delta shelter. The mixture between the
plexiglass and steel linear bars are to
show the movement between the open
and close shutters of the Delta shelter.
The surrounding frame is to show the
outline of the house and the white
background is to show how ‘in the middle
of nowhere’ the Delta shelter really is. The
overall concept of the design was to show
a strong center piece surrounded by a
white background, showing isolation.

4. Top view, showing the ‘X’ interaction with
the connecting raffia proved to be the
strongest figure when coming to the weight
test
Front view, showing the curve of the ‘X’,
and the tension that is created by tying the
‘X’’s corners together
Zoomed in of the connection, showing
how the raffia and skewers connected with
each other, and how the weight would be
distributed
This project was made to hold a
four pound brick with just raffia and
skewers, no glue. The bridge was
also made to be the lightest so the
person with the lightest and strongest
bridge would accomplish the goal
of the project. I was able to build the
lightest and strongest bridge with the
arch design. With the tension created
from the corners of the ‘X’ shape being
tied together along with the edge table
supports, this bridge was able to hold a
brick while still being the lightest.

6. Top view, showing the ‘L’ shape layout,
including the sleeping quarters, the
meditation space, and the machine
Front View, showing the different level
of spaces, first the the machine then
the sleeping quarter, and lastly the
meditation space
Zoomed in on the machine, this is
showing the still machine, how you
have to jump from different levels to get
to the sleeping quarters
The goal of this project was to create
a space for a Ninja to train, sleep,
and meditate. The ‘L’ shape stood as
the main design element, drawing the
viewers eyes around the perimeter
of the complex. You have to walk
through the machine to then walk
under the sleeping quarters to get to
the meditation area. You then have to
go down a hole from the mediation area
into the sleeping quarters. This is to
provide the Ninja with the same pattern
as he enters and exits the complex.

8. Front side view, this is to show the
separation between design and structure,
when you walk on the bridge you will only
see the wires holding you up
Front view, this is showing the under
bridge connections, on how the bridge
is supported, in the background you can
see the structure supporting the bridge
Top View, showing the separation of
design and structure, how the back
structure is holding up the bridge
The magic bridge is a structure
built over a Californian arroyo, for a
Magician to watch the coastal sunset
on. The project concept was to split
the structure and design, to make
it look like you are ‘levitating’ on
the bridge. This was accomplished
by the structure under the bridge
that supported the wood and the
viewer on the bridge. Then, the
wires and structure behind the
bridge made the viewer feel like
they where levitating on the bridge.

10. Front View, showing the living space
surrounded by glass, with the
connecting wires to the back structure
Interior Space, showing how the
furniture is positioned within the magic
place, and how the floor connects with
the sloped ceiling
Side view, showing how the magic
place is held up by the exterior
structure and the reaching cables,
connecting to the magic place
The second part of the Magic Bridge
project consisted of converting the
bridge into a dwelling. We used the
bridge proposal as a departure point.
The goal of this project was also
to split the structure and design to
make it look like you are ‘levitating’
inside the living space. This was also
accomplished by the bridge taking the
main load of the weight and the wires
and structure behind the living space.
To build this bridge, we used the parts
and material from the existing bridge.

12. Front View, showing the abstract
object with the pointed edges and
sharp corners
Zoomed in, highlighting how the raffia
and skewers connected with each other
Side View, showing off how the pointed
objects represent my personality and
how the connections add protection to
the object
This project was designed to make a
figure that represented a personality or
trait of the creator. Being someone that is
outgoing and spontaneous, I created an
object that pointed out and has no overall
sense of direction. Sticks protrude from
the main form in a disordered fashion
to illustrate spontaneity. The knots that
held it together were a big part of the
sculpture because they showed that
each connection was intersected and
played a large role in the overall support
of the structure.

14. Existing Site Plan

15. Proposed Site Plan

16. Existing Site Section

17. Proposed Site Section

18. Top view of bridge
Two-point perspective of bridge
Front View of bridge

20. Alex Karshis
Undergraduate Architecture Program
Environmental Design Major
Texas A&M University
alexkarshis@gmail.com
Alex
Karshis