Historical context

Historical Context of the Site

The science lab in which Jake and I's duet will take place is part of The East Wing. The room is a space which used to be an old Girl's school. The architecture of the room itself embodies the old building - with tall ceilings and long French windows, and blue wooden doors. The modern additions to the room, however, are a contrast to the structure of the space. Historically, I am not sure of when this room was transformed into a science lab but the equipment feels fairly new, giving the space a clinical and orderly feel.

Why I was attracted to this site

Our piece is about growth and the development of a person from birth to death; the journey of how they adapt to what is around them and deal with the darker areas of life. The piece should feel very raw, organic and physical as we travel around the space. This should juxtapose the medical, cool and lifeless feel of a science lab, a contrast interesting to work with. Furthermore, a science laboratory is the place where research and experimentation is done to try and discover more about the incredible and perplexing brain itself, so to use a lab as our site is fitting and a nice visual image,

Properties, Qualities and Meanings

Properties:
-2 rows of tables with taps, sinks, chairs and plugs
-aisles between the tables
-high ceilings
-science equipment
-white boards
-French windows with black blinds
-a large space

Qualities:
-has a clinical feel
-feels busy yet ordered
-smells of chemicals

Meanings
-the space has associations to scientific research spaces, to hospitals, to impersonal and functional spaces
-as actors, we are like test subjects under surveillance, lab rats