“Granite, Brick, Concrete" takes a hands-on approach in creating a museum and cultural center for the Ramapough Tribe of the Lenape Nation. The goal of the project was to ensure that all the manufacturing methods were realistic, all the materials were found on site, and that the local tribe could participate in the building process. The design research began with making arrowheads using different manufacturing techniques. Through this research, we decided to use three materials: granite, brick, and concrete. The construction process would begin with the excavation of the mountain side, exposing the mountain’s granite that would act as the exhibition space floor. The columns and ceiling would be a cast concrete structure created from the negative of clay formwork, which would be sourced near the Ramapough River. The façade is created using an L shaped brick that would be cast and fired on site. The original L shape brick design allows the façade to curve along the museum with periodic gaps to let in light and air.
