Protect Winterfell

Reconstruction of the castle defense system

How should we protect Winterfell without Arya Stark?

Winter is coming.

When we have Arya Stark, the best assassin on the Westero continent, there is no doubt that she can sneak around and kill the Night King, but what if we don't have her? Do we have to wait for dead? Is there any solution to protect ourselves?

The purpose of this project is to explore how the movement characteristics of different groups of people can impact the castle, and how the gate defense system can adapt to different defense requirements.

North and South Gate

Winterfell, the Stark's castle in the novel A Song of Ice and Fire, is located in the northern part of the continent and has a cold climate. At the north and south ends of the castle, there were two gates, and they faced different threats. The northern end is threatened by White walkers, while the human army threatens the southern end.

Buffer and Deceive

According to the research, I came up with two concepts, respectively correspond to the north and south gate of the Winterfell.

For White Walkers: Buffer

The height difference and obstacles is used to create a buffer zone.

For Human: Deceive

The maze space is used to trick them and confuse their route and movement.

Form Generation

For White Walkers: Buffer Zone

The impact of the crowd is more like a kind of particle instead of force. In terms of force, we can channel it, but for the particles, it's more appropriate to have an obstruction. I used sand to simulate the white walkers' tide and used gravity to explore the potential of form, thickness, and angles in blocking particles.

Grid Buffer System

A grid system was adopted to create a "human" order. Horizontal separation protrudes, as the main methods to block the white walkers; vertical separation sunken, to provide more obstacles on the road. Horizontal divisions also define the overall up-and-down trend, spreading like wings, making the siege of the white walkers more difficult.

For Human: Maze

Through the limitation of walls, the labyrinth space was shaped. Through, block, turn, branch road, from wide to narrow......In the maze, the possibility of the streamline is fully explored, providing a perfect space for deception.

Rings Maze System

The circular labyrinth is placed in a square enclosure, and when humans enter the enclosure, they will find that space is different from the outside. The outside axis is not consistent with the inside: the outside is symmetric, but the inside axis has a slight rotation. The plane and section each have three levels, together creating a three-dimensional labyrinth.

Using one approach to solve multiple problems

The essence lies in the complexity and contradictory of architecture.

A system, not merely a "landscape"

In addition to the obstacles on the ground, there is room for battle in the air as well as underground. The three barriers, seemingly separated by each other, are connected underground, and together with the extended archery building, form a complete and all-round encirclement system.

Figure and Ground | Figure as Ground

When the plan rises from the basement to the ground, the lower property of the obstacle on the plan enables us to completely ignore its height and turn it into a pure pattern.

Continous Defense

Humans can easily and safely approach the defense barriers for maintenance. The grooves in the barriers partially penetrate the basement, along which they can extend torches, sharp weapons, hence add mobility to the defense system.

Nowhere exit, everywhere enemies

When enemy troops enter the enclosure, they are exposed to fire from all sides and cannot find their way in the right direction. Layers of walls create different levels of lighting conditions and different levels of privacy. The layering effect also helps to establish a visual connection without connecting each space.

Adaptive Plan

Ground floor plans can be reshaped before enemies come, and therefore even the human enemies got the map before, it is useless. Deception always exists.

Welcome Center

When there are no enemies (most of the time), the inner courtyard of the maze serves as space for royalty to greet foreign guests. The circular plan can highlight the solemn and grand space, providing a welcome gesture.

Reflection: architecture is the best way to protect ourselves

The architecture was designed to protect humans as its original purpose. For thousands of years, it was architecture that sheltered us and set us apart from other animals. This project does not intend to raise war, but to inform us, when there is danger, architecture is the best way to protect ourselves.

Winter has come, can spring be far behind?