Loretta So-Johnson - The Culture of Paper

Asian paper making creative retreat in Veluwe T h e C u l t u r e o f p a p e r

Fascination

Cultural exchange through process of my own paper making

step 1 steaming step 2 pounding step 3 drying the pulp step 4 mixing step 5 dredging step 6 squeezing step 7 drying step 8 cutting

Cultural exchange through process of paper making

1. Time is takes between each step, minimum and variable.

2. Relation to the intensity of water gives different results

3. The steps are the same but it can yield very different styles of paper.

4. The proceses are simple and rhythmic

Lessons learnt from paper making

Why paper?

• Intergenerational and community based

• Buildings spread out and activities in various rooms

• Tang Dynasty invented (618–690) in Jing County, in Xuan Prefecture (Xuanzhou)

• Used the bark of Pteroceltis tatarinowii, a common species of elm in the area

• UNESCO intangible heritage paper making process

Characteristics of paper making in a Xuan village

step 1 steaming step 2 pounding step 3 drying the pulp step 4 mixing

step 5 dredging step 6 squeezing step 7 drying step 8 cutting Xuan paper making in a Xuan village

Xuan paper making in 1:50 descriptive spatial models step 1 steaming step 2 pounding step 3 drying the pulp 1:1000 step 4 mixing step 5 dredging step 6 squeezing step 7 drying step 8 cutting

A ridge formed at the end of the Ice Age where the glacier stopped. This stretches from Zwolle to Arnhem that created a height difference that helped the beeks form

171

paper mills from Zwolle to Arnhem

Mass concentration of paper mills around Apeldoorn

Most paper mills have been removed but I sought to find a physical remain of the paper mills route

First impression and issues

• All processes in 1 building

• C16-17th

• Gelderland

• Used landscape to power paper mills

• Hollander was inventer to pulp paper finer and more uniform

Stone grey plint

Brick detailing

Brown brick paths

Red/orange square tile juxtaposes light great herringbone cobbles

Brick floor inside

New wooden shelving untis and storage added Ruitermolen

1. Ruitermolen

2. Materials

3. Landscape

BLACK ASH

MOUNTAIN ASH BLACK ALDER

WEEPING WILLOW

WEEPING WILLOW

PINE CEDAR BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

PINE BLACK ASH OAK

BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

MOUNTAIN ASH

WEEPING WILLOW

WEEPING WILLOW

MOUNTAIN ASH

BLACK ALDER

WEEPING WILLOW CEDAR BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS WEEPING WILLOW

PINE BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

PINE CEDAR BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

MOUNTAIN ASH

MOUNTAIN ASH

BLACK ALDER

Tree inventory and guide

MOUNTAIN ASH

PINE CEDAR

PINE CEDAR

BLACK ALDER CEDAR

BLACK ALDER

BLACK ALDER

Black Ash Cedar Pine Oak Black Alder Mountain Ash Cypress Weeping Willow

Layers of working and landscape intertwine

BLACK ALDER PINE BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

Site plan - 1:500

BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

MOUNTAIN ASH

MOUNTAIN ASH BLACK ALDER PINE CEDAR

WEEPING WILLOW

Preserve the paper history and the natural spread of trees and beek

PINE

Site plan - 1:500

BLACK ASH

PINE BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

BLACK ALDER

MOUNTAIN ASH

BLACK ALDER

MOUNTAIN ASH

OAK CYPRESS

WEEPING WILLOW

CEDAR

Preserve the paper history and the natural spread of trees and beek

Site plan - 1:500

BLACK ASH

PINE BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

BLACK ALDER

MOUNTAIN ASH

BLACK ALDER

MOUNTAIN ASH

OAK CYPRESS

WEEPING WILLOW

PINE CEDAR

Preserve the paper history and the natural spread of trees and beek

PINE

Site plan - 1:500

BLACK ASH

PINE BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

BLACK ALDER

MOUNTAIN ASH

BLACK ALDER

MOUNTAIN ASH

OAK CYPRESS

WEEPING WILLOW

CEDAR

Preserve the paper history and the natural spread of trees and beek

Site plan - 1:500 BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS

MOUNTAIN ASH BLACK ALDER PINE CEDAR

MOUNTAIN ASH BLACK ALDER PINE BLACK ASH OAK CYPRESS WEEPING WILLOW

Preserve the paper history and the natural spread of trees and beek

Lingering garden, Jinchang Dist, Suzhou, China

Lingering garden, Jinchang Dist, Suzhou, China

Waiting and working path

30 mins walk/wait

40 mins walk/wait

20 mins walk/wait

Paths denote time and purpose

Buildings as an ensemble

Construction principles- walking direction and landscape

Retreat as an ensemble

A. Hierachy

B. Collectivity

C. Construction principles

D. Materiality

1. HOME

2. EARTH

3. WATER

4. AIR

Collective paper making

Individual ateliers

Collective paper making

Individual ateliers sitting next to nature

Buildings as an ensemble

Construction principles- thick vs thin

500mm

500mm

500mm

Buildings as an ensemble Construction principles- wooden frame concealed below and is revealed above

Buildings as an ensemble

Layering the spaces and facades

Buildings as an ensemble Construction principles- rhythm of paper making in a strict regular beam structure

Buildings as an ensemble

Construction principles- use of slanted roof to highlight nature moments

Buildings as an ensemble

Construction principles- tranisiton spaces

Alder wood

Concrete Alder as divider Dark oak for working path Large cedar shingles

Dark oak for working path

Alder beams Waterproof plaster mimicking paper when wet Ash door

Variations of each building

A. Home

B. Earth

C. Water

D. Air

As you leave HOME in the morning

Preparing the earthly materials that come from the ground into pulp

EARTH

Step 1 - Steaming

Step 2 and 3 - Pounding and Drying Steaming

Enter close to the water and prepare to be inspired by water on every side

WATER

Step 4 - Mixing

Step 5 - Dredging

Step 6 - Squeezing

Atelier sits close to the water, almost touching, allowing you to feel part of paper history as you create

WATER

Dip your feet in if you feel you need some inspiration

WATER

Fragment model - 1:20

Using heat, paper goes from heavy and wet to paper thin and light as a feather

Step 7 - Sunning

Step 8 - Cutting

Working in this airy building is like sitting in the trees giving overview to your process

A day in the journey of the paper maker

8am

Morning with fellow artists retreat

10am Step 2 and 3: Pounding and drying

Atelier time - creation and continue own projects