Energy and Matter: The design of a nature centre, tunnel and neutrino observatory
Abstract by William Elsworthy
Neutrino physics proposes radical new conceptions of matter. Contemplating the extraordinary and mysterious nature of neutrinos in architectural terms, Energy and Matter considers the ideas and implications of this exciting field in three inter-linked design proposals—a nature centre, access tunnel, and neutrino observatory—that connect multiple disciplines in the natural sciences, engineering, and architectural theory. Working from a position that acknowledges the significance of technical concerns, this thesis proposes an architecture that readily engages with technology, construction, and building systems, as well as the specialized instruments used to detect neutrinos, while exploring the equivalence and fluidity of energy and matter, form and forces. This hybrid approach reasserts architecture’s role in the design of buildings for science, allowing these enormous collective projects to communicate their cultural significance as manifestations of our current understanding of the universe.
Supervisor: Philip Beesley, University of Waterloo
Committee Members: Dereck Revington, University of Waterloo
Ryszard Sliwka, University of Waterloo
External Reader: Dr. Neil Turok, Perimeter Institute
The Defence Examination will take place on Wednesday January 7, 2015 2:00 PM in the Architecture Loft.
A copy of the thesis is available for perusal in ARC 2106A.
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