Paper Tro(u)pe

Interested in the layering process inherently produced by a particular method of making, this new space, Paper Tro(u)pe, started with an investigation of recycling paper products to create a new type of paper mache. After various material studies, a thin, rough, and smooth-sided, porous paper veneer was discovered. The material qualities produced an effect much like that of the church’s stained glass. Utilizing the alluring nature of the material, the building’s distinct form could then be manipulated to guide people into its main space, like the air of a musical instrument. Once inside, the guests are blanketed in the hue of the red interior and refracted gold light emanating from the roof structure. The roof, hovering over the space, drapes the footprint of the building with a translucent fabric. This fabric aids in not only deflecting the wind but also blurs the definitions of inside v.s outside of the theatre space. This blurred space connects the building to the site and effectively the church by always being open.