Bringing Color to the Lifeless

Maurice Nio is an architect that strives to connect the site to the people, the function to the space, and the architecture to the culture. His unusual but captivating work introduces quality to an unremarkable site, truly characterizing a city.  Nio has the exceptional ability of truly transforming spaces from insignificant to noteworthy.

            Touch of Evil is a recent project of 2004 by Nio Architects that brings vibrancy to an otherwise lifeless setting. The architect accomplished this by introducing bold color to an obtrusive railway, illuminating the area with color and energy. His goal was to redefine a simple area of transit by converting a “technical space” into a landmark for the city. He wants to attract attention and inspire imagination in the people passing through.

            To represent the intention and emotions behind this project, I have constructed a model that illustrates the effect one piece of architecture can have in a dismal space. Touch of Evil is designed with the intent to shock the public. The boldness of the piece is clearly out of place in this setting, achieving exactly the effect Nio aimed for. Likewise, I have attempted to capture this same effect by contrasting colors, scale, and structure. Nio’s designs are honest in their purpose and function, making his architecture effective in transforming cities visually, as well as emotionally.