Suspension of Disbelief



Columbia GSAPP Core 2 Design Studio

Year: 2021 Spring
Location: PS64 New York, NY
Instructor: Erica Goetz
Type: Public School Adaptive Reuse

Individual Work

Suspension of disbelief is the intentional avoidance of critical thinking in examining something surreal, such as a work of speculative fiction, in order to believe it for the sake of enjoyment. When it comes to the children, they can easily fall into their own story by making themselves a protagonist in their imagination. Borrowing strategies of “suspension of disbelief” from literature, this project blurs dichotomies (imaginary/real, outer/inner space, study/play) and eases users into the story of character with a fluid organization of space and program. Different program areas spread throughout the raised interior level and different shapes of arches encourage mixing between programs and openness. Merging these modules into each other and into the site creates a seamless transition between zones and between the building and the site. Through this process, the school can be a place where children’s imagination becomes unlimited.





































Section Perspective