Upcycling Aesthetic

2 months ago

2023, Post 2: What is your Upcycling project aesthetic and why? 2023, Student Work

I have chosen to focus on brutalist aesthetic for my project. Through my years here at CU I have always wondered why the engineering center was built the way it is. The rest of campus uses vibrant red bricks and ceilings while the engineering center looks like an old, concrete, decaying building. Recently I have learned a little more about CUs architecture and the decisions made when designing the building. Through doing my own research I found out about brutalist architecture. I found a large history behind the aesthetic that starts in the early 1950s. I started to gain a liking for the aesthetic and learned that many other campuses incorporate a brutalist styled building or two into their own universities. Below is my personal favorite piece of brutalist architecture, the Geisel Library in the University of California, San Diego.

Jose Salgado

4 Comments. Leave new

Alex Jakubek
February 12, 2023 9:08 pm

Hi Jose,
Having your inspiration to find the brutalist aesthetic be the engineering center is very funny! What materials are you planning on using to mimic the aesthetic while keeping the project about upcycling, since concrete and bricks are hard to find for free? I am interested to see where you take this idea.

Reply
- Jose Salgado
  February 13, 2023 12:57 pm
  
  Mimicking the aesthetic will be kind of hard with upcycled material. So far I have collected tons of cardboard from the recycling bins in the engineering center. I plan on using acrylic paints to cover up the cardboard and paint on the concrete and brick structure.
  
  Reply
Alexandr Vassilyev
February 12, 2023 10:56 am

Hi Jose,
I really enjoyed reading your post. I think that using upcycled cardboard to make a model of the engineering center is a great concept. There is a lot of opportunity to mimic brutalist architecture depending on what style of cardboard you use. It would be interesting if you purposely use weathered cardboard to replicate the weathered facade of the engineering center, do you have any ideas yet about what type of cardboard you will use?

Reply
- Jose Salgado
  February 13, 2023 1:03 pm
  
  Since I am strictly using recycled cardboard it is kind of hard to focus on using a specific kind. Right now I am just gathering materials and plan on painting over it with acrylic paints. Ill keep your recommendation in mind though, that could definitely take my model to the next level.
  
  Reply