Gathering House | Vera Alekseyeva
My first step in designing the façade of my row house – the Gathering House – was to look inwardly at what it was that mattered most to me about building design. As I was brainstorming, I was coming up with abstract concepts as opposed to aesthetic descriptions—connection, variety, imagination, inclusion, play. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the people occupying the building are what brings a space to life. Their unique uses of spaces give places character deeper than any structure or finish. Moreover, without people, a building is just a shell—it cannot give anything without someone to receive those benefits, and without regular use, can fall into disrepair altogether.
I wanted to celebrate the beauty of the symbiosis between humans and buildings and dedicated my façade to telling stories and showcasing relationships, imagining a house where family and friends would gather to enjoy each other’s company and make fond, lasting memories.
