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Studies

A Room for Storytelling

The Piano Lesson by August Wilson



This studio project was a practice in translating a short story into physical space. This exercise was not meant to recreate specific environments within the stories selected, but to design space that would enhance the telling of the story itself. My chosen short story was The Piano Lesson by American playwright August Wilson.

This design aimed to reflect the key themes of August Wilson’s play: confronting the past, generational legacy, and the struggle for self-determination in the face of racism and the lingering effects of slavery.

Type    
Concept Sketches

Date    
2025

School    
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Instructor
Betsy West



Fado Lamp

… an Object of Topophila


“Topophilia is a term that describes a strong emotional connection or love that people develop for a particular place or environment. It can also refer to a person’s mental, emotional, and cognitive ties to a place. The term is derived from the Greek words topos (place) and philia (love or affection). Topophilia can encompass a range of emotions, such as: Satisfaction, Attachment, Fascination, and Nostalgia.” — via Google’s AI Overview

The following sculpture was the result of a semester-long search to answer the self-imposed question, “Can an identity be summarized into a single object?” This “stage for light” attempts to objectify phenomenological aspects of the Portuguese tradition, specifically studying images of its coast and the tradition of fado music.

Type    
Scuplture

Date    
2024

School    
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Instructor
Rick Luu


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