[ Weaving the Edge ]
MArch I
A cruise hub for San Juan serves to unite the conflicting perceptions of the impact that the cruise ship industry can have on the local people. We draw upon the island’s history of defence, while striking a balance with the embrace of welcome visitors. By breaking apart the impenetrable mass of the ship, with its own barriers of defence, we bring tourists from the scale of the ship gradually down to the scale of the city. It is no longer person against hull, but rather person-to-person interaction in a hospitable environment for authentic cultural exchange.
As the terminal breaks down and dissipates through the city, the inversion creates the hub as a place of unity, collecting pieces of San Juan and gathering them together in the spirit of festival and celebration that is ingrained in its local heritage.
Cruise ships have come to form an extension of San Juan’s urban landscape. We create opportunities for interaction between local people and the strangers who infiltrate their city each time another ship enters port. As reciprocal influences grow and develop, familiarity follows and the cruise ship becomes truly connected with the city walls, integrating with San Juan’s wider social and cultural identity.
Weaving the Edge was a collaborative competition submission for Arch Medium. All work was completed with Priscilla Joseph, Olivia Laughlin & Fiona Estwick.