The Lantern Project – Gainesville, FL
Project Summary
Completed over a 3–4 week design studio project, the Lantern reimagines a civic gathering space in Gainesville as both a beacon and a destination. Designed as a cultural landmark, it symbolizes guidance, safety, and connection within the city. Drawing from the lighthouse metaphor—not to rescue, but to guide—the project emphasizes light, transparency, and circulation as architectural expressions of community.
Completed over a 3–4 week design studio project, the Lantern reimagines a civic gathering space in Gainesville as both a beacon and a destination. Designed as a cultural landmark, it symbolizes guidance, safety, and connection within the city. Drawing from the lighthouse metaphor—not to rescue, but to guide—the project emphasizes light, transparency, and circulation as architectural expressions of community.
Tasks & Responsibilities
Developed concept of the lantern as a civic beacon representing safety and gathering.
Produced schematic drawings, renderings, and diagrams to communicate design intent.
Designed interior programming with a restaurant/bar, stage, and mural backdrop.
Integrated circulation and vertical elements to reinforce guidance and openness.
Explored structural, lighting, and material strategies to highlight the lantern’s identity.
Crafted narrative framing architecture as both symbolic and experiential.
Narrative
The Lantern is more than a building—it is a guiding presence in Gainesville’s urban fabric. Its illuminated form and open stairways invite the community to gather and connect, while its interior blends hospitality with cultural programming. A restaurant/bar activates the space daily, while a stage fosters performance and artistic exchange. The uncovered lantern core becomes both literal light and symbolic guidance, transforming the project into a civic landmark.
The Lantern is more than a building—it is a guiding presence in Gainesville’s urban fabric. Its illuminated form and open stairways invite the community to gather and connect, while its interior blends hospitality with cultural programming. A restaurant/bar activates the space daily, while a stage fosters performance and artistic exchange. The uncovered lantern core becomes both literal light and symbolic guidance, transforming the project into a civic landmark.
PROCESS WORK
FINAL WORKS
