Contemplative Spaces: Sculptural architecture in an (un)natural landscape

This thesis projects explores the creation of contemplative spaces that integrate architecture, sculpture, art and nature. The aim is to design sculptural spaces that invite stillness and evoke emotions through the use of light, materiality, form and spatial transitions. This will result in a series of four pavilions engaging with the landscape of the former limestone quarry on Bungenäs, Gotland. The limestone quarry is an ideal context for this exploration. It has a strong sense of place with an intensity of emotions within the landscape itself. The contrast between nature and industrial remnants highlights the duality of the artificial and natural, as well as themes of permanence and ephemerality. Its bright limestone ground, raw jagged stone formations, water-filled pit, proximity to the sea, pine trees, and the wind make it a tranquil and otherworldly place. Inspiration is drawn from places such as Kivik Art Center, Wanås Konst, Ekebergsparken and the Hombroich Museum Insel which combine art, nature, and architecture. These projects show how sculptural structures can engage with a landscape to enhance its sensory and emotional presence. Similarly, this project aims to create pavilions that interact with the characteristics of the quarry at Bungenäs.