The Stanford Tessellation

To root the form in Stanford’s identity, I traced the university’s architecture to its direct inspiration: Moorish design, which evolved from earlier Levantine architecture.

The tessellation merges three visual elements from this lineage (pictured left to right):

1. The 9-fold Stanford Rosette.
2. The 6-9 fold geometric patterns of the Alhambra (Moorish).
3. The 6-fold Hesham Palace Rosette from Jericho (Levantine).

Forming the tessellation:

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I selected each material to physically embed Stanford's history into the design:

• Reclaimed Roof Tiles: Original red clay reclaimed from prior campus construction jobs to give recipients a tangible piece of the university's iconic rooftops.
• White Oak wooden base: Chosen to honor the native oaks protected during campus construction, which inspired the names of early student dorms "Roble" and "Encina". Its light tone mirrors the university sandstone, contrasting with the red clay.
• Brass plaque: To emulate the historic class markers lining the Main Quad.

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Achieving this simplicity in the final geometry demands profound care during manufacturing. The process utilizes precision waterjet cutting to profile the fragile clay roof tiles, CNC machining for the brass plaques, and fine woodworking for the oak bases.

(See the video below for the complete fabrication process).

I hope recipients see this award as a reminder of the legacy they contributed to, the people they interlocked with, and the enduring feel of the campus.