This project drew inspiration from the brickwork of MIT's cylindrical Chapel building. The hand-selected bricks of varying shapes and sizes, with some protruding more than others, create an intriguing interplay of light and shadow. We were interested in exploring how much of the Chapel could be conveyed through minimal information. Our approach manipulated the number of bricks, shadows, and brick patterns shown in 2D and 3D miniatures. This directed our investigation into distilling the essence of the Chapel through abstraction.

We focused on replicating the "special bricks" - the varied protruding bricks of different sizes and shapes. After analyzing the chapel bricks, we created a set of distinct bricks for our studies. Experimenting with spraypaint and laser cutting let us explore legibility limits with new materials. This examination of materials and abstraction of salient bricks directed our investigation into conveying the chapel through minimal, yet expressive, details.

The final MIT Chapel model posed material challenges, especially experimenting with Rockite for the first time. Considering the cartoonish nature of previous renditions, we designed a toy with removable, swappable bricks in the Chapel's form. We 3D printed colorful bricks in varied dramatic shapes, from basic to protruding "special bricks." These final four souvenirs combine previous ideas — low resolution, special bricks, overall form — with the Chapel's sentiment. Fabricating them required exploring diverse materials and processes, synthesizing concepts that evolved across mediums.