Free Thought

Feedback loop: critical discourses

2012-02-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

I was assigned my fellow classmate, Brian Peck, to review his work thus far on the library project. Brian is in the Jackson Library group, and started out in the early stages of the project researching the furnishings within that space. He took photographs of each piece and articulated them and their purpose, or lack there of (which occurred more often than not). From his delineation, he then stripped the space and studied its structural components. Once he was familiar, he then added to the space what he though was necessary and affected it in a positive way. Now that I have provided the basic background information, I am to critique his design and technique and make suggestions as to his next steps for the Jackson space. I am glad I was assigned Brian's project to critique, due to the fact that I liked it so much. His process was the best part of the entire project as far as I am concerned. Taking the before, during and after pictures not only helped the designers in the room better understand the space, but also showed the librarians how much potential the space they occupy daily has. The only downside I found to this technique was that I felt as if so much time was spent on that portion, the design was put on the back burner. Brian's proposal was far from ordinary, I am just hoping that in the next stages of the project, it has more emphasis on what items and objects occupy the space, and help attract more people to the Jackson Library.

90 sec. Elevator Speech

2012-02-08T15:35:00.000-08:00

http://amirazara.wordpress.com/

From working with Phillip today, and further studying the essay, Library as place, I learned many things...

Reflects emphasis and trends in libraries, especially the transformative social and technological changes that have demanded increasingly innovative thinking about what a library and a librarian should be.

We must think broadly and creatively about our options.

The librarians are now challenged to think about customer service.

The images people have in their minds about space can have much or little to do with reality, for they are partial and may be either exaggerated or understood.

By finding ways to shrink space and speed up commerce, we have arrived at a point where space and time are transformed. Modern communication technologies allow us to now do anything instantly from anywhere.

We have barely begun to develop sophisticated framework for the future of the library as a physical space.

The digital world is replacing libraries, as they must now work to remain relevant and find reason for their now overall existence.

Representation of space is conceived spaces and involves complex symbolism.

We live in an age of human migration. Adaptive and flexible identity to negotiate the complexity of modern spaces has thus given rise to many important themes in theories of space.

The librarian becomes a cultural worker, aware of cultural and personal borders, aware of the nature of people as constantly between stages of development and struggling to- ward fulfillment.

Space can encourage reciprocity, break-up the ossification of culture, and encourage exchange and creative instability.

However, it is crucial that in our competition with commercial entities we keep our focus on being libraries and librarians, and it is especially crucial that we not give up on the search for understanding what those concepts mean. A library is a fundamentally different place than a bookstore or the cloud, and one profound difference is the presence of librarians. If we allow our space to become abstract, then we will lose that difference.

...I know that these ideas can all be applied to my project with Jackson, as well as Phillips project with the Music Library.

...I also learned that

seconds is

NOT

a long time.

SYSTEMS

2012-01-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

SKIN

2012-01-23T21:29:00.000-08:00

SOMETHING OLD

Wood

Ability Wood, Inc.
Poplar 25DCIG
Dust-free sanding
Stains available
Family owned business since 1950.

SOMETHING NEW.

Stone

Cangelosi
Roman Travertine
Unfilled, leaving pores and holes
Natural Stone Tile
Type of Limestone

SOMETHING BORROWED,

Brick

Calstar Products
Natural
1 hour fire rating
Not combustible
Avoids raw material mining, reduces co2 emissions,
And avoids land filling

SOMETHING BLUE!

Tile

Daltile
Rio CL73 Mosaic Tile
Breaking strength >250lbs.
Chemical Resistant
Suitable in Freezing and nonFreezing climates
Suitable for commerical exterior walls

SITE

2012-01-19T11:31:00.000-08:00

Site

2012-01-12T19:30:00.001-08:00

NCEC

2011-10-12T13:32:00.001-07:00

Studio Project

2011-09-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Furniture Installation

First Year Critiques

2011-04-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

From what I know about the project, the studio class did a renovation of St. Mary's house, in which they were to transform into a space to be used as a retreat for writers. This renovation was to provide a communal public space and private spaces for the writers themselves. Much like the artists space my studio class designed last year, much study went into the tasks and needs of the client so that these working conditions may be provided to them to create an environment which allowed for only the best work to be created.
After my experiences last year as a freshman in the program, I can definitely look back and see things I did, that I would change now, and wish I had someone there to point out to me. I find that in the first year of the program, you enter trapped in this box of what you think “design” might be. This box is comprised of what the media tells us design is. The goal of first year is to bring you out of this terrible box, and force you to think differently and abstractly about design and what it is to you. Design is not simply paint colors and pushing a bed into the corner of a room, but it is thinking outside of this box to find creative ways to supply ordain needs in an aesthetic way.
After attending the review, I very quickly found myself drawn towards the proposal of Shirley Bircher for this writers space. With the idea of “water” in mind, I quickly found that she was successful in breaking out of her box, as she fully explored this idea beyond colors, bringing it to not only interior structures, but concept. By pushing the boundaries of the project, I believe much success was found in her hard efforts. Right down to the use of shadow, line weights, and scale figures, she provided us with beautiful and very expressive renderings, detailed and correct technical drawings. She also did a great job with her presentation was she was sure to talk directly to her audience and not her board, and her clothing choice which was mute and natural and ran streamline with her palette.
These are just a few things I saw in her project that she could reconsider in the future:

-Be careful with the way you portray curtains. Just as with any window treatment, it can be hard to read, and really take away from what matters most in the space.
-Look further into the “wave” art piece which occupies one of your interior spaces. Could it have been made habitable by an individual?
-Be confident in what you have created! Although it is hard to stand in front of an audience, and know that what you do is solely based off of others opinions, you have worked hard and created something you should be proud of.

The goal is to break away from this traditional idea of design and create something new and different. If we all stuck to the common and usual stuff, there would be no reason for us to be in this field, for we would all be coming out with slight differences in essentially the same things. I commend Shirley for her efforts in this project, and I personally believe she has found her voice as a designer.

Lets get started...but beware because there is a

2011-04-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

So here we are once again, except this time, it's the beginning of the end. Friday we received news from our professors of project Jenga 7.0, and once again we MERGE. The four teams of six are now two teams of twelve, and [E]merge is teaming up with Trepide. Today we met for almost two hours and discussed the similarities and differences in our two structures and contemplated the possibilities including the pros and cons of bringing them together. Needless to say, this ended up taking a lot longer than we thought it would, and we found that this wasn't something we could just throw together. Tomorrow we have a 3-hour design charette broken into three parts, which we now understand is going to be a crucial part of our design process as a newly 12-person team. We then picked two people who would co-lead our team of twelve, one person from each team of six. Austin and Dajana got assigned this task due to their great leadership skills, encouragement, drive, and excitement they bring to the team. Lastly,and most importantly, we decided on a team name...

PORTMANTEAU!

Although we haven't decided on what exactly we have in common, except for the use of materials, here are the overall concepts for each team...
[E]merge: the use of horizontals and verticals and how they join. Emphasis on harmony and rhythm.
Trepide: Dematerialization. Architecture of an illusion. Light used to create loss of structure through transparent materials.

...after the charette tomorrow, there will be more to come!

JENGA 6.0

2011-04-02T13:07:00.001-07:00

...So here we are at Jenga 6.0 already! I can't believe that we are only one away from the final project of the semester. For this project we continued working in our teams of six from Jenga 5.0. Our team, [E]merge, being comprised of Austin Loman, Kathryn Frye, Abigail Buchanan, Corry Mears, Kacie Leisure, and myself, truly came together on this project and realized what it was that our concept was all about. We found reason in joinery as community and the idea of togetherness became a major part of our strategy this round.

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR VIDEO

IMAGE MONTAGE

SITE PLAN

SITE PERSPECTIVE

OUTDOOR COMMUNAL AREA

BALCONY PERSPECTIVES

MEETING ROOM PERSPECTIVES

INDIVIDUAL UNIT DOORS

Kathryn

Kacie

Corry

Austin

Abigail

Through collaboration as a group, we have found that group work is a positive thing, and that we shouldn't run from it. When working in a team great things can be produced as each individuals bring their talents to the table.

Making World Connections [iar 432]

2011-03-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Architecture with design language derived from some of history's most popular pieces of the built environment, can be found all over the world...even in our nation's capital. Over Spring Break I took a visit to Washington, D.C., where I experienced first hand, how history influences modern architecture, and how it is applied to places of importance to imply power, strength, and solidity. These buildings house some of the most important meetings, documents, pieces of art, and even memories which make America what it is today. My photographs (above) are paired with some of the places we have discussed in class...

-Washington Monument | Washington, D.C.

-Trajans Column | Rome, Italy

-National Gallery of Art | Washington, D.C.

-Crystal Palace | Hyde Park, London, England

-United States Botanic Garden | Washington, D.C.

-Hall of Mirrors | Versailles, France

-United States Capitol Building | Washington, D.C.

-St. Nicholas' Church | Helsinki, Finland

-National Gallery of Art | Washington, D.C.

-Parthenon | Athens, Greece

-Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool | Washington, D.C.

-Gardens of Versailles | Versailles, France

-National Gallery of Art | Washington, D.C.

-Pantheon | Rome, Italy

As we can see... Architecture has been borrowed from all over the world.

Jenga 5.0 Design Charrette

2011-03-15T11:43:00.001-07:00

Jenga 5.0 was started off differently from the previous projects with a 2-hour design charrette, in which we paired our group of three with two other groups of three and experimented with the combination of our buildings. For each hour we were assigned with a different team.

ALLURE | JIVE
My team, Allure, was first paired with team Jive. I was personally assigned, along with Austin, to work on the three stages of diagrams- design language, circulation, and systems. For the design language portion, we further studied the exteriors of the buildings, focusing on the façade, and breaking them down into geometric patterns where we would find similar shapes. For the circulation portion, we put our focus towards the layout of the individual complexes and studied how the public met the private spaces. Lastly, for the systems portion, we took a different approach, finding ourselves looking back towards the Italian Renaissance and their idea of public spaces being closer to the ground and outsides of the building, and the private spaces being higher up and closer to the inner core of the building.

After our charrette was over, we found ourselves very successful in the marriage of our two buildings, and excited to move forward in Jenga 5.0.

ALLURE | CARRAVAGGIO
Secondly, my team was paired with team Carravaggio. I again was placed on the diagramming team along with Dajana. We found that our concepts were similar, but the way our individual teams went about it was completely contradictory to one another. The buildings were very different and we found diagramming to be a challenge after trying to further grasp one anothers concepts. For the system portion of diagramming, we focused on the buildings exteriors, grouping floors one and two, and three and four. We then alternated floors creating a staggered façade. For the circulation portion, we focused on the egress and progression of an individual through both buildings. The exiting and entering of the elevators, we found important and slightly similar to one another, so in turn we placed a diagram for each building on top of one another. Finally, for the design language portion, we focused on materiality and its importance to each of our buildings. We found glass to be a major material in both and created a diagram focused on the vertical and horizontal elements of each.

At the end of the charrette, we found it extremely difficult to bring these two buildings together. We all put our best foot forward at it, and did as much as we could, but even then found that it would be a challenge to be married into one group of six.

Iar 212 | Precedent Analysis 1.0

2011-02-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

What started out as a wire frame...

turned into this.

Using only photoshop, we were to fully render the first image. After watching hours of tutorials, and never using Photoshop before, I have to say I'm proud of my first rendering.

Music and Architecture

2011-02-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

Today, the students were to fashion a blog post combining an image we selected in class with a poem. After reviewing all of the posts, I chose to put the spotlight on Cory Odell this week from our group, the Lynx. He successfully pairs the image with beautiful words about how Music and Architecture intertwine in his mind, making it obvious that he grasps the relation between the two.

a rhythmic scale flowing up and down like the sun's rise and fall
waves cannot challenge a tempo of these sorts, for waves fall and break
sails try to mimic, but the style isn't quite their speed

up and down my eyes follow the ridges, a man-made mountain raising up into gods sky, but his hand didn't do so much for this creation

his order has been thrown. no longer is his unity in effect.

this is nothing short of visual opera, with highs and lows
with tones that give the skin chills

no beat or lyrics can be heard
but emotion pours out into my soul
and the very echos of the stone call to me to say
music is my legacy, and my existance is part of the worlds harmony.

and just like a clap of thunder, silence falls back into place
and i am left appulading all alone
within my head, and within my heart.

photo of a building in Kansas City, MO
photo credited to Scott Beck

IAR 202: Reflection

2011-02-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

My Circle Will Never Be Complete.

I believe education is a lifelong journey which I will always be on. As long as I have the ability to learn, I will do so, as I have learned that what I know is the only thing someone can never take from me. With every new assignment, comes a new design, a new set of ideas, a new concept, a new strategy of how to do things, new failures, new successes, and most importantly, new lessons learned in the end. The mistakes I make are not regretted, but appreciated, as they are vital to my growth as a designer. I have learned to embrace my flaws, and use them to my advantage in knowing that I can always do better than what has previously been done. Although nerves are always present on critique day, I am more than anything anxious to learn what I can do to make my work better. your work becomes personal to you, and having it torn down to pieces is quite hard, but very helpful. I see it as encouragment to do my best, as I continue to learn new things about design. I have also learned to embrace my talents and use them to the best of my ability, which is why I am most excited about the upcoming Jenga 3.0. With two other team members, I feel this could be one of my best projects as we combine our individual strongest areas in the design realm to create something beautiful.

Jenga 2.0 - IAR202

2011-02-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

Diagramming

IAR 432

2011-02-10T12:06:00.001-08:00

This semester I am a teachers assistant for History and Theory of Design 1. My group is named after the star constellation Lynx, and I had to create a photo collage of all the students in my group, plus me to post to the Design Cosmology blog. I ADORE this class and all of the students who are in my group, so I thought I would also share this with everyone on my personal blog!

IAR 202: wi 3

2011-02-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

Linking Writing + Reviewing

During presentation times I was assigned to review two of my peers individually, Corry Mears and NicoleWare. Nikki designed her three spaces around the concept word “leap,” whereas Corry designed his three spaces around the concept word “glide.” Although these two words are an action characterized by movement, one fights gravity while the other clings to it.

Nicole Ware

LEAP
Frog Leaps. Water Ripples. Comes Back Together.
Nikki chose to use her narrative as her guide not only throughout her presentation to relay it cohesively, but also chose to leave her design process up to it, as she created a beautiful story through her project using the leap of a frog to do so. The first space she designed was about the action of leap, where things in her space seemed to “take off.” The second space she designed was about what was going on around the action: how the water looks and reacts to the leap itself. Finally, the third space she designed was about the disturbance of the water as the leap came to its end, and the frog met it once again. Her color choices were blues and greens, using plastic materials to accentuate her idea. Not only were Nikki's ideas cohesive, she also offered graphically readable sections and truly incorporated each kit of parts into her designs.

Corry Mears

GLIDE
Sleek And Smooth. Floatation. Aviation.
Corry offered us one of the most cohesive and visibly attractive presentations out of the entire class. His deliverable were not only graphically interesting, but when paired with his words, he truly showed us how the worlds can collide to create something great. The first space he designed, focused on the idea of the definition of glide which is sleek and smooth. This space took on a very modernistic approach to architecture using cool, harsh colors to convey its purpose. The second space was designed around the word floatation using many elevation changes and the idea of “hover.” The last space was designed using the idea of aviation, or the process of taking flight. Not only does he present to us his best work on every occasion, Corry's presentations are always something to look forward to, while he always offers a laugh or two in even the most formal presentations. His confidence in his work is aspiring, and truly sells whatever he is proposing.

Jenga 1.0

2011-02-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

DEVIATE

Seduction

Glow

Chance

IAR 202: wi 2

2011-01-19T14:54:00.000-08:00

DEVIATE

(v): to turn aside; swerve; remove from a way, course, route; digress from a line of thought or reasoning.

Glow

: a deviation of the light

The reflection of light off of two mirrored surfaces causes a redirection, or deviation, of the light. This then causes a glow upon the room. The room has a a tube, or a solid, of sorts placed in it, and fitted so that the tube is the space which one may occupy. The linearity of the room, shows the occupant their line of progression, with a destination point of another solid, which defines the private quarters. Our boundary is considered those areas of the space outside of the inserted solid. The spaces which one cannot occupy. Circulation is a straight line through the rectangular space, progressing from one point to the next with no stops off course. Objects are placed along the walls of the space to encourage the idea of progression. The use of color is restricted to blacks and whites, as light and the absence of it, or shadow, become the most important aspect of the room.

Chance

: a deviation of the path

The idea of chance is implied as you enter this large space in which its most outer dimensions are based off the rules of the golden section. Two columns are to the left and straight ahead lies a wall which is off axis as one individual enters the door. The wall separates what one sees and what one cannot, making behind the wall a perfect place of privacy. This creates the ultimate boundary between what is in ones line of sight, and what is not. This quickly becomes the individuals primary destination as curiosity settles within. Circulation becomes sporadic as exploration is implied and encouraged within this space. Objects are placed in all parts of the room so that ones path is off kilter. This space longs for the individual to seek journey and adventure, as that is what it is trying to achieve. Color is of light earthy tones to enhance nature and its unpredictability.

Glow

: a deviation of the norm

This large, purely square space is misleading from the exterior as to what one may expect in the inside, as curves are found quite frequently. The space owns two walls which are separated by a small space that shows a peek of what is the extravagance of the room. The “peek” of this moment creates anxious excitement as one must keep making their way through the maze to find this landmark, which can be characterized as our destination. The walls separating the individual from this moment is what we will state as our boundaries. They are an obstacle of sorts, but are also the connector to the place of destination, as the curved walls lead one to the spot. Circulation is twisted throughout the space and allow an individual to go one of two ways after entering through the door. My goal is to confuse the person with excitement as to which path they should explore first. Objects within the space will be unseen until a path is chosen. Color is very important, as this seductive space is characterized by shades of reds and purples, with accents of silver. The goal is for an individual to achieve a feeling of want.

Diagramming and Narratives

IAR 202- wi1

2011-01-11T18:18:00.000-08:00

WHOLE > the sum of its parts
designer bio + goals

Being only four years old, I felt miniscule and not of worth to sit beside this strong, beautiful, and extremely gifted woman. The knowledge she possessed blew my mind beyond all measures as she enthusiastically shared with me the intricate detail of the home which would one day show itself beyond the thought captured within papers. With the floor plans in front of me, I was in awe, and fantasized to be just like her one day. My grandmother not only claimed the spot of my forever role-model, but as the person in life who I loved the most. Completing her education at the Woman's College at the University of North Carolina with a degree in design, it then became my dream to study at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and pursue a degree in Interior Architecture. Upon entering the second semester of my sophomore year, I have collaborated a list of personal strengths and goals through peer insight and self examination in which I hope to enhance upon and gain over the next four months. Some strengths I have developed are, clearly being able to convey ideas and thoughts through my writing to those savvy in the design world, good craft through hand produced work, and the ability to work in teams. Many goals make up the second list, as I found it easier to find areas in my life which could use improvement. These are gaining a broader understanding of design, learning how to design for others and not only for myself, developing more advanced writing skills while learning how to write in a way which is comprehensive to designers and non-designers, and applying myself more in all elements of the classroom. After being named an originator in design, through a test called the Change Style Indicator, it became apparent to me that I am a risk taker who has learned to deal with uncertainty and is open to new ideas. I not only like to change rules, but advocate change in all respects, and am unpractical as I can almost always see the big picture. This quiz, being extremely accurate, brought to my attention that there is another goal in which I need to add to my list: the ability to understand and appreciate conservation. This makes the title, whole > sum of its parts, appropriate as I begin to more deeply discover who I am. It's a task of sorts, but one journey in which I find myself eager to embark on.

"Don't go through life...grow through life."
-Butterworth

IAR 222: POINT ESSAY EXPLORATIONS

2010-12-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

"We do not reject the machine. We welcome it, but we desire to see it mastered."
-Ashbee, 1888

The first section of the unit of explorations is the notion of explorations itself, and by entering the explorations unit, we find ourselves at the medieval revival. This was the spinoff of the arts and crafts movement, also known as the aesthetic movement. The Paris Opera House in Garnier, built in 1875, is a prime example of this due to its grand level of opulence, navigation, and emotion. It was designed around the idea of vision by an individual and other people. The idea was to watch a show while being recognized by others in a sociable manner. The next section of the unit we come to is the inspirations from art, which puts fowarth the effort of good design for all.

IAR 222: READING COMPREHENSION 7

2010-11-28T22:41:00.000-08:00

Weatherspoon Art Museum
Greensboro Collects Exhibit

Landscape: Real, Surreal, and Constructed

The piece I chose...

by Ansel Adams

DIAGRAM

IMAGE SOURCE

IAR 222: Point Essay Response

2010-11-17T10:57:00.000-08:00

ALTERNATIVES/REFLECTIONS UNITS

ALTERNATIVES.
"Nothing is ever impossible and there are no such things as rules."

For the Alternatives unit I reviewed three of my classmates, Michelle Baulieu, Austin Loman, and Caitlyn Lyle, on their own idea of what the section meant to them. To start off, I read Michelle's essay. I believe she did a great job in conveying her point as to the different meanings of the "church" and how it was changed and enhanced over time as we progressed throughout the Alternatives unit. After a brief explanation of the Gothic period, she goes in depth into the Renaissance, and explains what it primarily means to her as a designer. She goes on to explain how she believes we are still in the Renaissance today as designers are still experimenting with boundaries and rules. Next I as I reviewed Austin's essay I discovered a very well-written and in-depth essay, flowing nicely from one period to the next as we made our way through the Alternatives unit. He makes nice transitions in his writing as he breaks down the unit into three important periods: the spirit of the Renaissance, the ecstasy of the Gothic, and the beauty of the Early Baroque. On thing he refers to in his essay is, "In the baroque style unity is achieved through subordination of individual elements in order to invigorate the whole." I believe this is a great way of characterizing the Baroque period. The last persons blog I reviewed for the Alternatives unit was Caitlyn's. Reading her essay was very easy, and she made the learning experience enjoyable through her bullet points and images. By breaking down the Renaissance period into ten parts, Caitlyn summed up the “ultimate prescription for most spaces and places of the Renaissance.” On into Baroque, she describes how from moving into this period things start to come to life as objects are given the ability to “move” in the way they are portrayed in the art and design world.

The picture displayed below was found on both Michelle and Caitlyn's blogs.

REFLECTIONS.

For the Relfections unit, I observed these three classmates blogs: Anna Behrendt, Jenni Hamm, and Kacie Leisure. First I reviewed Anna's essay. While reading it I appreciated that it was written on a lighter note, and made a reference to the Lion King. This not only helped put things into a design perspective for me, but truly explained well the point she was trying to convey of “The circle of life.” As she named off the individual buildings of the era which she believed had the most impact on them, she also made a direct tie within them through the materials which were used for each. Next, I took a look at Jenni's essay. Alike to Anna, Jenni also put much emphasis on the materials of the time period in her essay, which I found very appropriate. She talks alot about the exports from and between countries, and how they were used in different ways for different reasons, types of people, and spaces. Jenni also goes into the other styles of the time, as she talks about the industrial revolutions, and coming to a point of, "Architecture seemed to free itself temporarily from the constraints of the classical world and branch out to revive other styles such as the Gothic." Overall she did a great job of conveying her ideas clearly. The last persons blog I reviewed was Kacie's. As we talked about the idea of design revolution in class, Kacie applied this to her own concept as she explained how in it's own way, being an Interior Architecture student has its own revolution. She talks about how it changes us, as we essentially change ourselves in the way we design, and progress in the world of design. How we are constantly looking for that deeper meaning in the things that we do. I think she did a great job of this, making it easy for all of those who read this, to relate to.

I found this image appropriate to the idea of a Revolution, whether it be a single one, or many.

IAR 222: READING COMPREHENSION 6

2010-11-16T16:20:00.001-08:00

QUESTION ONE

“Art Nouveau succeeds as a creative and imaginative style that creates total works of art.”
(Harwood, 484)

Postal Savings Bank
Otto Wagner
Vienna, Austria

Many times have we seen glass ceilings when dealing with the industrial revolutions from all over the world, but this is the first time we see the ceiling along with its opposing plane, the floor, being made of glass. This allows not only for one floor of the building to be illuminated by the natural light, but also the one underneath it, as the glass allows for the light to bleed through to a second space of the building. This concept is very conventional and well designed. We also find that the heating ventilation system is not hidden, but yet celebrated in this building.

Helsinki Central Railway Station
Carl Edelfelt
Helsinki, Finland

With over 200,000 passengers occupying the train station each day, the Helsinki Central Railway Station is not only designed efficiently to meet the needs of those who use it most, but is designed stylistically in how it ultimately meets the standards of a beautiful Art Nouveau masterpiece. The Glass ceiling allows light to flood the loading space, as curvilinear forms give character to the building which allows us to see its Ats Nouveau personality.

QUESTION TWO

zeroHouse
Scott Specht

Although it is only a proposed idea in 3-D model form, it is a very intent approach to the idea of “machines for living.” With it's interchangeable parts, and modernistic approach to architecture, the building truly embodies Le Corbusier's idea of a machine. Although the word “modern” has a different meaning for the 1920's as it does for now, the fact that this building truly embodies the highest technologies for today's time period, we are allowed to use this word when describing it. In terms today, modern has meanings such as sustainability, green-efficient, holistic, and safe, and when studying this building deeper, we see that the zeroHouse embodies all of these things.

QUESTION THREE

IMAGE SOURCES
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Post_Office_Savings_Bank.html
http://www.nomadicpinoy.com/2010/07/walk-around-central-helsinki.html
http://www.dwell.com/articles/sweet-nothing.html

IAR 222- Point Essay

2010-11-07T20:27:00.000-08:00

"The right question to ask respecting all ornament
simply this: Was it done with enjoyment?"
Ruskin, 1851

REFLECTIONS UNIT

As we make our way into the Reflections unit, we start off in the Baroque period, and is exactly where we ask ourselves the question, “what does it mean to be a holistic environment?” A holistic environment is one in which all parts come together as a whole. There is no separation found within the design language of each room which in turn truly creates an atmosphere for the individuals who come within the space, not only by their physical placement but by also tweaking their emotions. Holism best described is a complete system of work, such as a circle, ever evolving and complimenting all parts of the whole. Summing up the Baroque period we find a strong continuity in overindulgence across all sorts of design frames in the Baroque Period. A prime example of this would be the Hall of Mirrors within Versailles.

Moving on into the section on Revolution we find that rules are no longer holding their value as they are being bent and exceptions are being found. Moving beyond the rules of the Renaissance, strong geometry occurs, and the Baroque period turns these rules fluid. Glass and Iron are introduced as main materials in the structures being built. The enterprise of design becomes complicated as many voices are now heard, and many styles are introduced. Studying into the structures built during this time period we see that there is no dominant style. The Greenwich Observatory, which is a prominent building of this era, became the prototype for the measurement of time.

As we start to find our way into the American Revolution section we direct our focus toward the “real deal and the ideal.” First, we diagram what Revolution actually means...

During the American Revolution the trace of major trade patterns between England and the American colonies becomes evident. We find the world starting to share not only their products, but also their ideas. Periods of static activity and periods of great change appear to us. Many characteristics are found which include reflection, theatricality, and lighting, but we also see distinct differences between pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary products. Buildings start to be designed around an idea, for example, a library would be designed around the way we learn with hierarchical patterns to portray this picture. Within hierarchy, we adapt new languages not only from Rome, but also from Greece. The image shown below is the Schuykill Water Works in Philadelphia, PA.

We conclude with our final section of notes on a widening debate: hand-craft or machine? During the late 1800's we find many Eastern influences on the Western world, as many characteristics are carried over and applied in various ways. We see this happen through color, texture, art, decoration, and ornamentation. The influences are brought upon and allow us to see what “true interior architecture” looks and feels like. It allows our minds to grasp what becomes important to the spaces and the people occupying them, and allows for a more realistic approach to design.

SOURCES
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hall_of_Mirrors.JPG
http://www.great-britain.co.uk/world-heritage/greenwich.htm
http://reference.findtarget.com/search/Schuylkill%20River/
http://www.languagesplus.co.uk/about_brighton.htm

IAR 222: READING COMPREHENSION 5

2010-11-03T13:24:00.003-07:00

QUESTION ONE

“The more, the merrier.”

PAGE 117

From the mid- 1800's up to the start of the new century, we find a new stylistic period which we called the Victorian Era. During this time, we find that the interiors which people occupied, were very dark and enclosed as they were trying to “protect” themselves from the outside world. The only word that can do these interiors justice is clutter, and we see that every inch of these interiors has a sort of decoration and ornamentation. The occupants essentially filled their environments with material things which described their personalities and on an even deeper note, their values and morals.

QUESTION TWO

ARTIFACT-

EAST

WEST

One of the biggest influences to the Western world from the East would be pattern. The Eastern world embraced pattern as it was an important factor of their lives. The time put into creating these pieces of art produced beautiful and intricately designed fabrics used for clothing, decoration, and ornamentation. We can see similarities between the floral pattern in the cloth and the floral art on the vase. The vase is from the Victorian period, and carries many of the same qualities as the pattern as the flowers bring life to the things in which they inhabit, saying in a broader sense something about the owners of these things. It creates movement, which later becomes important to the Western world.

SPACE-

EAST

WEST

The art of the Eastern world will always stand out as it's style is easily recognizable. Its intricate, yet simple detail makes it an innovative approach when mixed in with the design world. Many designers are easily found who appreciate and readily become inspired by this art to create and design spaces which exemplify the Eastern world. The Peacock Room, designed by Thomas Jeckyll, is a prime example to us of what “Interior Architecture” really is. As we discover that there is not one tangible item within the room that has not been thought about and integrated into the design, the dining room which lies in the Western world, embodies many styles of the East. The built-in shelving, wall filigree and art, vases, and even the molding and ceiling ornamentation show characteristics of the Eastern world.

BUILDING-

EAST

WEST

So close and relative in design language are the Taj Mahal and the Royal Pavilion, but so far away are their geographic locations, as the first lies in India, and the second lies in Great Britain. We find it popular in the East that the exteriors hint upon their interiors, giving onlookers a more curious approach as to whatever may lie within the inside. The domes which are seen in both buildings add interest and give them their personality, as do the architectural points which stand tall. Both buildings are close in context with water which enhances their themes, interior and exterior, of the “exotic.”

PLACE-

EAST

WEST

Last, but not least we come to the fourth and final form of place. This form I feel closely relates to the previous, as the exotic theme is still carried through the interiors I have chosen. The top image being an interior in India, and the lower image being an interior in England, both of these capture an individual through color. The colors from this part of the Eastern world are bright and vibrant, and enhance excitement within a person. This seems a very appropriate aspect to carry through to market buildings in the Western world, such as the Great Exhibition as buyers and sellers from all over the world would gather here to exchange commerce. Joseph Paxton, the designer of this building not only created a beautiful place, but also mood to enhance the profit margins of the merchants and the contentment of the purchasers.

IMAGE SOURCES:
(in order of appearance)

http://www.fashion-era.com/Fashion_Fabrics/fabrics_jacquard_brocade_damask.htm
http://anenchantedcottage.com/category_12/Home-Accessories.htm
http://www.shockhound.com/users/theserh
http://blogs.princeton.edu/wri152-3/rpower/archives/001530.html
http://www.touristspots.org/tag/tourist-spots/page/2/
http://www.indiabuzzing.com/2007/10/16/taj-mahal
http://www.crystalpalace51.org/
http://www.images-photography-pictures.net/BodhGaya_India.htm

IAR 222: POINT ESSAY ALTERNATIVES

2010-10-25T14:30:00.001-07:00

This portion of our History and Theory of Design class finished up the Gothic period of architecture and design and throws us into the Renaissance period strongly as we analyze the specifics of it, then on to introduce the Baroque period.

While in Rome, we study the Gothic ideas and revelations which lie within it. As we discover catacombs as the place to practice safe worship, we also find similarities between them and the church with invitational purposes and their greater meanings, looking into depth at the altar. The idea of procession is found, whether it is concentrated on the beginning of life to death, or another analogy. An important strategy of the Gothic movement is that within a single building the entire universe must be expressed. These strategies become an important factor to consider while we see that the Gothic world puts much concentration on verticality, de-materialization, and the story telling potential through glass, and from this we find prototypes all around the world as the cultural and social world unite. Religious aspects are emphasized upon as not only these massive cathedrals fly up everywhere we look, but the rise of the monetary, the convent, and pilgrimage church is very strong. To conclude the Gothic portion of this unit we find strong notions and concepts.
- The main concept is “Ecstasy and Exultation,” which essentially relates to the shaping of space around the light, colors, and amplifiers themselves.
- “Shaping illumination to resemble the divine.”
- All oriented around the same religion, the Gothic cathedrals are primarily in a network, and through adaptations to local positions, we find differences, which essentially push us towards the Renaissance.

Moving onward into the renaissance period we see that the notion of protection is no longer as important, and as it falls away, comfort arises. The Renaissance inhabits no one style, but many, as we discover that there are no rules, boundaries, limits, or laws as to what is acceptable and what is not. It is a revival of the trial and error idea as people find their own identities, and finally start to do things the way they personally like as they break the architectural rules. There is an intent to create new tradition for all as we move into an era where man is the measure of all things. This is when our principles of design, still used today, are not just created for the most part, but installed into our world. Ideas of rhythm, repetition of elements, contrast between two things, and emphasis on borders are applied to building design, and compose some of our other elements such as harmony, unity, balance, and proportion. A name is made for not only each community, but individual, as drastic propositions are taken and create much drama and theatricality. As this theatricality is grasped and enhanced, the Baroque period is born. Life within this period is lived out in theater as is becomes the human environment and is applied to all aspects of design and architectural influence.

Credits:
http://www.gargoylegothica.com/
http://www.bloggersbase.com/travel/roam-in-ancient-vibrant-city-rome/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hall_of_Mirrors.JPG

Villa Savoye

2010-10-25T12:37:00.001-07:00

READING COMPREHENSION IV- IAR 222

2010-10-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

QUESTION ONE

“Architecture has become but one constituent part in what was “a total work of art.”
(Roth, 404)

ARTIFACT
Emphasis. Emphasis is the word I have chosen for the following artifacts. This comes from the idea of parts. Whether it is the object as a whole of parts which has the emphasis placed upon it's individuals, or the single parts of a whole creating the complete in which the emphasis is placed upon. Emphasis defined in it's simplest terms is the importance placed on a certain subject. Broken down it can single out many attributes, among the piece observed. Each piece of furniture, although used very differently, have similar characteristics. Some of these could be a quality such as the extravagant ornamentation, or the thin and fragile quality, but what I believe as the definite of them all is the notion of flexible movement contained within a sturdy object. Design is easily linked to science as we confer the analogy; electron movements: inanimate objects as to chaotic filigree: stationary artifact.

SPACE
Line. Line is the word I have chosen for the following spaces. The common definition of line is a single mark of progression. When a line is drawn, some would see only the mark it creates, but some would focus on the two parts, or absence thereof, it leaves us with. In each space, although from divergent time spans, we discover very elaborate thought in detail and intricacy within three parts of each space. After analyzing the spaces given, considering the idea of separation would be optimal. Excluding the artifacts in between, these three parts are the flooring, the walls, and the ceilings. Each part speaks its identity to us in different ways. These ways could be through pattern, order, style, etc. The overall strategic effort is to focus on what separates the parts. The crown molding often becomes lost within a space, due to its efforts to imply focus on the in between. If thought of this way it closely relates to a line, which has the ability to not only create one, but essentially two or more spaces.

BUILDING
Repetition. Repetition is the word I have chosen for the following buildings. Similar to the first two responses, this last one also inhabits the focus of parts. Repetition defined is the repeat of two or more parts. Although these buildings obtain the utmost forms of symmetry, order, and balance, the main focus is directed toward another principle. In each building, despite the vast distances between, we discover the importance of repetition to the design as a prominent principle. Each building takes one unit of the whole, copying it many times, while using either similar or identical measurements between each individual unit, and essentially causing repetition. When observing the facades, whether accepting a column or window as the unit, we find this principle of repetition in each building.

QUESTION THREE

My Floor plan is a spin off from the idea behind the Villa Rotunda, which is essentially one of the greatest works of Palladio. "Center" becomes the focus of the plan as is is halved and shapes are added to exemplify repetition, balance, and symmetry. It focuses on the square, or in this case diamond, and the triangles the shape can create within it.

QUESTION FOUR

The idea of theatrical performance is one which closely relates to the Baroque style period. Theater is putting on a show for an audience through elaboration, over exaggeration, and role-playing. Each of these important factors described are all characteristics of the Baroque period. The style period was all about extravagance and over indulgence to place ideas in the minds of society.

LA COUPE (the cut) : IAR 201

2010-10-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

Section Elevation

...initial idea for Urban Studio cancer wellness center.

POINT ESSAY. foundations unit. IAR 222

2010-10-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

As we travel through Mesopotamia, America, China, and Egypt we find the first signs of architecture the world has to offer us. Humanities first efforts tend to be much the same, no matter where we look upon earths surface. We find that circles, lines, and stacks are all introduced in different forms and ways. All civilizations are putting forth an effort to convey their story, not only within their culture but to all present and future cultures of the world. We find a notion of longevity and stories within the society over many generations. In order to tell these stories visually, mass efforts were put forth through architecture by means of scale. Massive installments were made upon earths surface, with an established vertical axis which was inscribed between humanity and the heavens.
Making our way to Greece, we are able to add an element to our list. Not only do we find balance, although asymmetrical upon the acropolis, we now compile circles, lines, stacks, and form. In Greece, everything seems to lead to, or be a sign to something else. No lines are parallel to one another, and we discover that artfully crafting a building is much more complicated than it may seem. We also find that the center is very important. It is real and ideal. Egypt becomes the prototype for Greece's architecture, as we discover the scheme of porch, court, and hearth. Lines of symmetry are formed through buildings designed for places of worship. The temple form is suggested after a system of trial and error. The Agora is the place of gathering for conversation and gossip, as it is an everyday alternative to the acropolis. The “tympanum” is introduced on the pediment and is usually decorated with some sort of hand crafted sculpture, and so is the idea of patterned mosaics and tile work. All of these things relay to us a story of some sort, whether we interpret it correctly or incorrectly.
Lastly we travel to the Roman Empire which was known as the Melting pot for revival. Rome is beautiful and refreshing to us as we find extravagant pleasure of a modern city, a looking forward civilization, horizontal expression over vertical, assimilation and adaption of the locality, and a powerful empire. The interiors are filled with a wide spread use of columns and vaulting as we discover a technological breakthrough with masonry. There are surfaces, not systems, paired with decorative, ostentatious furnishings. As we weave through diverse building types, our world becomes enlightened with architecture and designs order of space.

Although it is not a defined subject that we cover in class, we do use the ideas daily in conversations and otherwise, so I have decided to incorporate it in my essay. During the course of the semester we took a mini pop quiz which required us to write down all of the principles and elements of design that we possibly could. It was quite embarrassing to find out that I could only identify one or two of them, out of the overall ten. Since the quiz I have been working on my memorization of them and trying to relate them to everyday life, and figure out what exactly they mean. I realize that my entire life, I will be working towards figuring these things out, by adding and taking away from this list, but so far, from our compiled list, this is what I have come up with...

ELEMENTS:
Line: a single mark of progression.
Space: the parts between two or more planes.
Form: the shape or flow of a plane.

PRINCIPLES:
Repetition: the repeat of two or more parts.
Contrast: two or more opposing factors.
Emphasis: the importance placed on a certain subject.
Harmony: the perfect balance of a collection.
Balance: equality in weight between parts.
Proportion: relationship of the parts.
Unity: prominent factor; idea of a whole.

image:
http://www.webdesign.org/photoshop/special-effects/design-with-swirls-and-flourishes.15785.html
http://www.vasescandleholdersinfo.com/decorative/5-arranging-flowers-in-a-vase/

MAP COUNTERPOINT- IAR 222

2010-09-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

READING COMPREHENSION 3- IAR 222

2010-09-30T16:59:00.001-07:00

QUESTION ONE

SALISBURY CATHEDRAL
compared to inside/outside of Cologne
compared to time of Amiens
compared to patron of Florence

TIME

SALISBURY v. AMIENS

The Amiens and the Salisbury Cathedrals are both very prominent and vital pieces of architecture to the Gothic style period. Although they look similar, and essentially give the same vibes as one another, they were each built in very different ways. The Salisbury Cathedral was one project which was completed in a time span of 38 years, whereas the Amiens Cathedral was a project taken on and left by many different builders and designers, taking over 200 years to complete. By looking at the floor plans, it would seem as if the Salisbury Cathedral was the one constructed by many different people over a course of 200 years, due to the fact that there are breaks in the progression. Over time we find constant change due to new trends and styles being longed for by the design world. To achieve a building design of earlier times, and architect must truly study and be able to relate to the styles that were wanted. I believe it would be harder to achieve a cohesive style over the course of 200 years, whereas it may not be as hard if built for 100, then picked back up on construction 100 years later. The style would be more easily recognizable than constantly trying to build. Personally, both buildings do an amazing job of conveying the medieval period of architecture, but the fact that the Amiens was built over 2 centuries of our history, I believe offers a much richer story than the Salisbury.

INSIDE/OUTSIDE

SALISBURY v. COLOGNE

Interiors are very similar with the high, ribbed Gothic arches, and narrow sanctuaries with central aisles proceeding to the altar. Exteriors are not as similar due to the fact that the Cologne Cathedral seems much more detailed in decorative aspects as compared to the more simple Salisbury.
Personally, I feel as if the Cologne Cathedral has a more prominent exterior stance when compared to the Salisbury Cathedral. The aging of its material has been eroded to nearly a black color making it stand out more, and although its invitation qualities may have decreased in this process, it definitely has created a more mysterious, intriguing piece of architecture. Due to the fact that both of these were built as places to worship, the interiors surpass the exteriors on importance. The reason I believe that the two interiors are so similar, despite geographic location and time periods is the importance of verticality. The higher things were built, the more power that was implied, and essentially the closer to God the individuals become. We find this aspect through many churches, temples, and cathedral.

-------------------------------------------------

PATRON

SALISBURY v. FLORENCE

In everyday terms we say that every building has it's story, but hardly look into what the chapters of it consist of. For the first time, I have come to understand how it is possible for a building to have a story, and what it means to be consisting of different parts. How these in particular parts come together is how this story is compiled. In these two cathedrals we see that different pieces of the churches were donated and funded by many different groups of the society, making it a true gathering place for all. These individual moments of the building is what makes it up as a whole, furthermore creating harmony, unity, and balance within these beautiful places. I find it an amazing thing how many people it actually takes to make and idea become reality, therefore I do believe that the work put into these works came from people coming together as a whole.

QUESTION TWO

The medieval time period was a very depressing time for the people who lived during it. This time was very feudal, consisting of many invasions, wars and battles for the empires who were in rule. From the history of this time, is where we derive the characteristics of the style period. Within Medieval homes we see very dark colors, with little lighting for the spaces, and many very heavy, bulky materials. There were many fireplaces which provided the warmth and comfort within their homes. Their lives were not pleasant due to the time in which they lived, so things such as these were vital to their well-being. After examining the picture given, I would assume that the maid is preparing some sort of food in the kitchen, so I would see the ceiling being lined in bulky wood, and the walls in stacked stone. The windows seem appropriate as they are small and narrow and offer minimal lighting to the space. I believe their homes offered a shield to the inhabitants from the outside world.

Image citations
http://www.dreamstime.com/old-clock-s-parts-v-image535737
http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=194888
http://globalhealtheducation.org/committees/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.hayburnwykeguesthouse.co.uk/salisbury_cathedral.htm
http://nootnatdit.net/blog/2008/09
http://pictures.wcunningham.com/Germany_2004.html
http://chicagomontreal.wordpress.com/2007/07/11/amiens-cathedral/

COMPASS- IAR 222

2010-09-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

CHAIR CARDS- IAR 222

2010-09-24T07:43:00.001-07:00

SIDE CHAIR-REIMERSCHMID

SOLUS CHAIR- AULENTI

STEAMER COLLECTION- LAMB

TULIP PEDESTAL GROUP- SAARINEN

WASSILY CHAIR- BREUER

RED BLUE CHAIR- REITVELD

PEACOCK CHAIR- WEGNER

PAIMIO CHAIR- ALTO

NOTHING CONTINUES TO HAPPEN- MEISTER

NELSON COCONUT CHAIR- NELSON

MEIER FURNITURE GROUP- MEIER

KLISMOS CHAIR- HAROLD

EGG CHAIR- JACOBSEN

EAMES DKR SHELL CHAIR- EAMES

HILLHOUSE CHAIR- MACKINTOSH

EAMES DCW MOLDED PLYWOOD CHAIR- EAMES

CESCA CHAIR- BREUER

BRNO CHAIR- VAN HER ROHE

ARM CHAIR- VAN DE VELDE

ANT (SERIES 7)- JACOBSEN

PEACOCK CHAIR

2010-09-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

...I think I just fell in love.

http://www.fadeddesign.com/2009/07/an-elaborate-display/

IAR 211- DIAGRAMMING VILLA SAVOYE

2010-09-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

SKETCHBOOK WORK

INDIVIDUAL DIAGRAM PROGRESSION

UNIT TO WHOLE

first

second

third

CIRCULATION TO USE

first

second

third

MATERIAL TO FORM

first

second

third

STRUCTURE TO ENCLOSURE

first

second

third

NATURAL LIGHT TO SPACE/FORM

first

second

third

BUILDING TO SITE

first

second

third

IAR-201 THE WALL

2010-09-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

First Rendition

Second Rendition

Final Model

IAR 222: READING COMPREHENSION 2

2010-09-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

QUESTION 4

Although in many different ways, the Eastern portion kicked off architecture and design for the rest of world. Yes, this section does include many countries and civilizations which at times seem completely different from one another, their individual styles and reasons behind which, are very similar. Below is a picture of the Parthenon from Athens, and the Pyramids at Giza, both of which looking completely different in terms of scale, proportion, and form. The Pyramids are stark, obvious geometrical temple in means of form to celebrate those whom once lived and played major roles in society. The Parthenon, however, is made up of many minute geometrical forms which come together as a temple to worship a Goddess, Athena, which lives within their souls and also plays a major role in their day-to-day lives. There are many more differences I could recollect on, but there are also many similarities to be mentioned. The Grecian people believed in the concept of the center. The center was an ideal place for any given object as it encompasses the idea of all attention being paid to it, which furthermore brings us to the idea that it is the most important place within all things. Although the Egyptians never bluntly gave us this idea, we find today in many aspects of the works they left behind for us. The pyramids all come together to a point at the top of the form, where we also find the most important objects possessed by the worthy ones hidden. The point is closest to the sky, and is the attention-grabber we appreciate. The Parthenon, in a different way, also portrays this idea of the center. Athena stands in the center of the structure width-wise and is definitely seen as the centerpiece of the building. Greece and Egypt are two very dissimilar places, but within, when searched hard enough, we find likeness.

QUESTION 5

The Egyptian culture puts much emphasis on possessive items and materiality. What they own not only shows their stance within the society, but is a symbol of their wealth. We find this in many readings as we research back into history, and find the structures and valuables they have left behind. Decorated furnishings most often told stories with symbolic pictures which projected a theory towards ones previous life, and we most often find this sort of furnishing in the burial sites of royalty. They were not only found in tombs of the deceased, as it was common for an individual of royal power to have this sort of piece in their home. Their entire lives were spent collecting material things in which they would take on with them to afterlife. Although some of their furnishings were extravagant, they also owned other plain ones, which I hypothesize were simple so that they would show off the objects which are sat upon them, ultimately being used as a showcasing agent. We relate extravagance with the Egyptian culture as we see that all components of their lives are materialistic.

PHOTOGRAPH SOURCES (in order of appearance)
http://www.planetware.com/picture/pyramids-of-giza-egy-gzgrtpy.htm
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-historical-travel-destinations.php

IAR 211: Portfolio 1

2010-09-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

IAR 222- Point ONE

2010-09-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

Each day, whether it is obvious to us or not, we encounter design, in different forms, shapes, and ways, and as designers, we discover new ways to do and look at things. Building design, or architecture, is one of the most prominent and useful forms of art as it is inhabitable to us, and as humans, becomes unavoidable. Our entire lives revolve around buildings, making it crucial to our health and a component to the means of our survival. In our history class, I have learned many things thus far as to how architecture is viewed through the worlds eyes, which includes those learned in the field, and those who simply see it as “just” another set of buildings. Vitruvius believes that designers must have an equal balance between theory and practice. Theory is the coherent collection of hypotheses which are proposed as a reason for things occurrences, while practice is merely the act of carrying out these ideas. Daily, we learn how to succeed as we learn how to fail. Without these failures, we could not possibly gain knowledge, just as if we never made mistakes, we would never learn from our lessons. We learn how architecture is a gateway and a form of dialogue between things which have already been done, and things which are only yet to come, commonly known as the past and the future. History provides precedents to us which we often look at to base modern designs upon. In order to have full control of the potential of the future, we must have a firm knowledge and embrace on the successful things which have once already been done. History was once said to be the interaction between humanity and nature. Harmonious design is one of the greatest achievements known to man. It explicitly lives out its purpose, all while being aesthetically pleasing and sustainable. This is also known as the idea of commodity, firmness, and delight. A near to perfect building would inhabit and embrace all three of these things to the highest power. Although, it is hard to achieve, it is not impossible, as we have learned from looking at other precedents throughout our history. When building, we learn that size does matter and that context can make or break the overall design of a building. I can say that so far this semester I have learned new ways to look at design, in the wider spectrum, and am excited about what is to come.

"What nature can't make." -Louis Kahn

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://photos.igougo.com/images/p135107-Chicago-the_Bean.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.igougo.com/journal-j39853-Chicago-Chicagos_Millenium_Park-Bean_there_done_that.html&usg=__Predbmmsbrc7aTGLYhc6ZIo3EW0=&h=315&w=474&sz=22&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=gEo_atnYDslpMM:&tbnh=132&tbnw=173&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bbean%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D690%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=205&ei=opyHTPLEGp3k9ATAnIDfDg&oei=opyHTPLEGp3k9ATAnIDfDg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=86&ty=47

IAR 122: READING COMPREHENSION 1

2010-08-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

QUESTION 1

Sir Henry Wotten once stated, “In architecture as in all other operative arts, the end must direct the operation. The end is to build well. Well-building hath three conditions: Commoditie, Firmness, and Delight.” (Roth, 11) This was proposed as the refinement of Vitruvius' idea of strength, utility, and grace, and is modernly the measure of Design.

The Chrysler Building constructed in 1930 by the renowned Architect, William Van Allen, was an Art Deco success, and stands tall in New York City, New York as a monument to the machine age. Commodity, or function, is the primary reason behind the construction of this building. During this period of time the newest and best was the driving ambition behind all companies, corporations, and commercial businesses. The world no longer settled for, “The small things in life, bring the most happiness.” The goal was the biggest, the fastest, and the flashiest. It was the tallest building in NYC for 11 months, until surpassed by the Empire State building. Finance takes use of over one half of the building, as other businessmen and women work throughout the remaining half. Function is the key concept, out of the three, when we inquire the Chrysler Building. Still standing, and being used today, the architects explicitly proposed the idea of firmness, with foundation and solidity in mind, as clearly this building was not formulated for short-term time span. The delight of this edifice is what gives the Art Deco era it's identity and personality. With the idea of Hollywood glitz and glamor in mind, the profound individuals of the society were very ostentatious, meaning anything with their name on it, must denote and represent near perfection. From the gleaming gargoyles, and the veneered inlayed wood, to the Moroccan red and yellow marble walls, and the gold silk curtains, this creation, for its particular time period, offers generous amounts of satisfying delight.

QUESTION 2

Pattern of textiles are usually seen as merely another print by many people, while what is often overlooked is the reasoning behind the intricate shapes and forms. Harwood states that “...decorative arts, can embody the values and/or beliefs of a society. In this sense, objects become historical documents or visual records.” (Harwood, xii) This displays to us that every single thing we come into contact with on a daily basis, has a history and reason behind it, we just often times fail to seek it out. From this is where we coin the term design. “Harmony, unity, and careful proportional relationships articulate overall design concepts.” (Harwood, 15) Now that we have come to terms with the fact that everything has been designed, by something or someone, we also must understand that all things are derived from something else, whether it be in a big and apparent way, or a small and concealed way.
The Eastern world's decorative arts embody repetitious patterns, balanced concepts, and unified forms.“The repetition of symbols serves as a comfort...and as a reminder to the gods of their need for protection.” (Harwood, 3) Many symbols are used within their culture to represent ones emotions toward their religious and spiritual idiosyncrasies. Although two different sides of the world may be very altered, one can influence the other by a language as universal as design. Harwood says, “The art, architecture, and design of China and Japan have long influenced the West beginning as far back as classical Rome...” (Harwood, 15) Despite the fact the patterns below are from two different sides of the world, they show very extensive similarities. He also says that, “Although beauty may be thought of differently than in the West, it does exist as a concept, with words of expression, and it is often associated with moral concepts such as goodness.” (Harwood, 3) Repetition along with harmonious features are found throughout these examples, as these forms illustrate to us applied precedents from the East to the West, and reversed.

QUESTION 3

The Classroom in which we gather for IAR 122 does not allow much space between occupants, as it tries to utilize the room given in the most economical way possible. This seating arrangement allows the lecture hall to capacitate more people, but not at all in a way which is comfortable to them. Hall has acquired this idea of “proxemics,” derived from the word, “proximity,” which ultimately relates to how given area is used by people, and what this shows us about an individual and their culture (Hall, 4). Harwood tells us that “proxemics” is merely a concept which is “the physical distance between people in space” on a social and personal level (Harwood, xiv). He considers that “man and his environment mold one another,” meaning that one being will essentially design the place he will live, due to his either optimistic or pessimistic outlook on life (Hall, 4). Ethologist, Konrad Lorenz, suggests that an increase in population, causing crowding, motivates aggression to build and stress levels to climb until basic communication becomes tense, ultimately allowing a shift in mood (Hall, 5). These examples can be closely related to the classroom setting in which we inhabit as students and teachers on an everyday basis. Being placed in situations which exceed the lines of our comfort levels, whether they be large changes or small, our bodies undergo certain amounts of stress, causing us to lose focus and attention span.

QUESTION 4

If any architect were to declare it impossible to find even a bit of happiness in architecture, they would be lying to themselves and it would be made unruly to carry on with their career. De Button makes very valid and agreeable points in his work, “The Architecture of Happiness,” about how architecture can make one feel self-conscious, belittled, and unable, but he fails to reflect on how architecture can make one feel accomplished, successful, and fulfilled. He states that, “Architecture is perplexing, too, in how inconsistent is its capacity to generate the happiness on which its claim to our attention is founded.” (De Button, 17) This point is arguable, considering that Architecture is merely a component of identity. Designers and Architects often become attached to their work and obsessive over the way that one would interpret their creations. Once handed over to the client, this creation becomes no longer the creators, but the person or persons who inhabit the space. It is now left up to them to delineate their feelings, outward and inward, the space imprints on them. Ultimately we forge three parties: the Architect or Designer, the client, and the passer-by's, all either pleased or disappointed. De Button makes clear throughout this excerpt, his conviction on the occurrence of false happiness toward an object, or, in this case building, which does not belong to us. This idea seems counteractive as most things enjoyed by individuals, are things which we do not physically posses. He also opposes this idea by stating, “Reverence for beautiful buildings does not seem a high ambition on which to pin our hopes for happiness, at least when compared with the results we might associate with untying a scientific knot or falling in love, amassing a fortune or initiating revolution.” (De Button, 20) All components proposed at the end of this statement are all things in which people can discover within the art of Architecture.

The “Church of Light” designed by Japanese Architect, Tadao Ando, is a prime representation of how architecture can bring one being happiness. Ando not only successfully created a sacred place for people to come and worship, but allows them to walk away with an experience. The congregation of this church does not come to this place regularly to learn a new thing each time about the masterpiece Ando has created, but instead come here to show gratitude toward a higher power. De Button contemplates, “If you really understand what governs the universe, how can you yearn for bits of stone and pretty rock.” (De Button, 11) This brings us the debate of where the happiness is found: he altercates the architecture, where as I would propose the experience the architecture bestows.

PHOTO CREDITS:(in order of appearance)
http://www.GreatBuildings.com/cgi- bin/gbi.cgi/Chrysler_Building.html/cid_1133816832_cb8.html
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/021a-Chrysler.jpg
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID021.htm
http://www.bizbash.com/content/editorial/StoryPhoto/big/e8748image1.jpg
http://www.karate1.com/chinag/pat.htm
http://www.textiledesigning.org/textile 20design 2000079.jpg
http://pixel-samurai.blo

Presentation Reflection

2010-05-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

Presentations have not always come so easy for me. I can honestly say that it is not my favorite thing to get up in front of a large group of people and show my work. I have learned that high school presentations, are much different than college presentations, and I am sure that college presentations will be much different than presentations that I will make in the career world. Although I have done presentations in the past, I feel as if Friday was my first, “real,” presentation. I was scared. Writing papers have always come fairly easy for me. There is not a very large possibility that you could miss something, as it is all written down before you. On the other hand, with an oral presentation, I feel that there is always that possibility of missing something important, or not saying something that needed to be said to really get the idea of your project across. As I stood at the front of the room with my note cards, everyone in the room judging my work, I felt there was no need for me to be nervous. I knew that I had done my best. The hours I had spent preparing and fixing, all amounted up to a five minutes that overall I found myself proud of. There were pro's and con's of going nearly last. I was able to get a good feel of what I should talk about, and what should be said, but also I felt as the critiques of my classmates went on, the questions got narrower and more difficult. Listening and watching my other classmates was very helpful. Not only does it give me the opportunity to appreciate others work, but it also gives me the opportunity to appreciate my own. Along with a class of forty, comes many different styles and tactics. Each individual has explored these different styles and found one of their own which best suit their creative style and essentially gives them their individualism. Although, many times throughout the critique, I would see others work and wish I could do something like they did, I still remember there are plenty of things I have of my own, which make up my style that others don't have. If we all designed the same, then there would be no such thing at creativity. There would never be anything new or different. At the beginning of the year I was timid. I was scared that my work wouldn't be good enough, or and everyone elses would just be better. As the year has progressed and come to an end, I feel as if my mindset has completely changed. This year has shown me so much, from what I am capable of, to who the designer is inside of me. I now have a new respect and appreciation for myself that I didn't have before. Not only do I have this appreciation for myself, but I also have it for others. I think that when you are forced to put in all of this hard work, something much greater comes out of it than just a finished product. We discover a style in a broader sense.

...random

2010-04-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Scavenger Hunt IAR 112

2010-04-24T07:03:00.001-07:00

Clue #1

I saw this bird on top of these lights, and I couldn't help but to think how scared I would be to sit on a ledge 50 ft from the ground...

...We don't always get what we want in life...but maybe it's what we need. Here's to a fresh new start, and always finding something beautiful among an overlooked place.

Clue #2

Clue #3

Clue #4

Monticello/ Falling Water

2010-04-15T16:48:00.001-07:00

Administrative Office Process IAR 102

2010-04-15T15:33:00.001-07:00

Extra Credit!

2010-04-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite pieces of art on campus. It is located in front of the Elliot University Center. It is such a strong, mechanical sculpture that looks like it crawled right out of Transformers. It was a challenge drawing this piece and trying to capture the light and shadows correctly to show it is a 3-dimensional figure. the second drawing is in pencil that I drew on site, THe first drawing is in pen that I drew in the studio from a photograph, and the second drawing is in pencil that I drew on site, Overall it was a fun and relaxing sketch!

Archway Project 102

2010-03-28T19:34:00.001-07:00

The Curry Building Board

2010-03-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Blanding Dream Lake House

2010-03-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Serial Envisioning

2010-03-22T09:27:00.000-07:00

Layout

2010-03-17T09:07:00.001-07:00

2010-03-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

Fresh New INTERIOR Start

2010-03-02T20:39:00.001-08:00

Curry Thumbnails

2010-02-24T20:32:00.001-08:00

Clerestory Board

2010-02-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

Vertical Moments of Light

2010-02-18T14:43:00.001-08:00

It was a long and strenuous process which included diving into many smelly dumpsters, attempting to clean moldy bottles, fights and makeups, a few deep cuts, and even a hospital visit. We worked hard as a group and put in our very best effort, sticking with one another until the very end. We were happy with the final result. Each window had our personal touch and embraced our personalities.

Ritual "throw-up" page

2010-02-09T07:38:00.001-08:00

Blakeni's hand

2010-02-09T07:36:00.001-08:00

Watercolor Vignettes

2010-02-09T07:31:00.001-08:00

Scale Figures

2010-02-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

Blind contour and contour drawings

2010-02-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Storytelling

2010-01-27T09:15:00.000-08:00

For this assignment, we were to create another two-page spread in our sketchbooks illustrating "our first week back." The layout had to be based off a page in a magazine in which we believed to have good composition. I chose an ad from J.C. Penny in Seventeen magazine which was run out in of. This is where the inspiration for my two-page spread cam from.

Illuminated Objects

2010-01-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Our first assignment was to choose five artifacts from home and studio which had some sort of value to us and create a two-page spread using only one black pen and one colored pencil of our choice. We had to illustrate a story on our page. I chose a red bow to tie all of my objects together, because when I think of something being "special," I usually imagine it with a red bow on top.

Second Phase of Luminescence

2009-12-09T17:46:00.000-08:00

First and Second Models

Final Model

Drawings

"Luminescence"

2009-11-03T12:54:00.001-08:00

This project is titled Luminescence. I did a lot of research for this project because I didn't really know where I wanted to go with it. I researched sunrise, sunset, starlight, direction, intensity, spotlight, shadow, and many other kinds of light. I noticed that I found myself at the darker end of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The shades of light that I discovered at this end really caught my attention when it came to how certain shades of light can make you feel certain ways. Light is an amazing thing which plays a huge role in how we live our daily lives. We wouldn't be able to see anything if it weren't for light. While sitting in church one Sunday morning, I found my inspiration. Stained glass.

Stained glass is something that you can glance at and easily find yourself in a daze with. It is not only a beautiful object with its amazing patterns but also relays a breathtaking reflection of light onto a wall, ceiling, or other surrounding object. I found myself lost within the array of colors that something so simple offered.

Even though stained glass was my inspiration, like any designer, I moved on into the phase where your mind is filled with so many ideas that you can't figure out what to do. I found myself with another inspiration...the actual light bulb.

I thought about how simple a light bulb is to everyone, but as a plethora of thoughts filled my head, I realized that if anything is given the chance, it can become something incredible. I thought about how the light bulb is the part of a light fixture that gets hidden away and never gets credit for being the most important part of the light fixture. I then got out my sketchbook and created a throw-up page...

After grasping both ideas, I realized that the fixture is not what the important part of the project is, but what is, is the actual effect it gives off. After coming to this conclusion, I decided that I would put the light bulb chandelier aside for now, and go ahead with the stained glass idea for this project.

"Dialog"

2009-11-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

Collage

Orthographic Drawings

Plan View

Front View

Right View

Section View

Pictures

One-Point Perspective

2009-11-01T22:11:00.000-08:00

For this assignment, we were to go into the EUC Building and find a space to draw using the techniques we learned on one-point perspective in class.

FIRST RENDITION

2009-11-01T22:09:00.001-08:00

RIGHT SIDE WALL

2009-11-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

ADDED LEFT SIDE WALL

2009-11-01T22:04:00.000-08:00

ADDED CEILING

2009-11-01T22:02:00.000-08:00

ADDED BACK WALL

2009-11-01T22:00:00.001-08:00

ADDED CHAIR

2009-11-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

COMPLETED

"Junk Drawer"

2009-10-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

For this sketchbook assignment we were to pull open our junk drawer and draw in pen with shading using thatch work techniques. Since I don't have a junk drawer, but do have a drawer of fabrics, I used it instead. I have a lot of paisley materials so it was a lot of drawing and took a long time to do. I was skeptical at first to the fact that you could literally shade using pen, but can now say that it is possible and I am very excited about it!

"Unity"

2009-10-15T20:23:00.001-07:00

The goal of this project was to define unity through 12, 4" by 6" pieces of bristol board, and 12 bamboo skewers. It needed to be over a 12" by 12" base. This project was definitely a challenge and really forced me to think outside of the box. I started with two ideas...a Chinese takeout box with chopsticks and a parachute...two completely different thoughts. The next step was to pull out my sketchbook and start a "throw-up" sheet.

2009-10-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

Next I started playing with the Bristol board and the skewers and rendered a model of each idea.

2009-10-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

Chinese take-out box

Parachute

After critique, it was decided that I would continue on with the Chinese take-out box idea. I built a new model that was much more well crafted than the first model. Every part was equally placed together.

2009-10-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

When my model was done is started drawing. I drew a front view, right view, plan view, detail, and 3-dimensional view of the model.

2009-10-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

Front View

Right View

Plan View

Detail

3-Dimensional

Once completed with these steps I went on to create a collage of graphics of every thought or idea I encountered along the way.

2009-10-15T17:40:00.001-07:00

Overall this project was difficult. Designers have very free, open minds, and when given boundaries that they must take into consideration, a struggle arises.

Interior Spaces

2009-10-14T21:56:00.001-07:00

This was another sketchbook assignment given in our drawing class. We were to go out and draw 5 interior spaces, preferably containing people, that we found inspiring. Along the way, I looked at in particular pieces I found in these atmospheres that I found interesting, and decided to draw them.

Graphics

2009-10-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

16 drawings of cell phone

16 drawings of stick

32 drawings of cell phone

32 drawings of stick

32 drawings of stick and cell phone combined

16 drawings of stick and cell phone combined

8 drawings of stick and cell phone combined

4 drawings of stick and cell phone combined

Models

from bottom right drawing

from top right drawing

from top left drawing

from bottom left drawing

For this project we started with two things. A stick and a cell phone. First we were to zoom in and out on the stick and cell phone to make a total of 16 drawings per item, 32 drawings all together. Next, we zoomed and and simplified in greater detail each page of drawings into two separate pages of 16 drawings, one for the stick and one for the cell phone. Once this step was completed, we were to create one page of 32 drawings combined of the stick and cell phone. After this, we zoomed in three more times in a page of 16 drawings, 8 drawings, and the final set of 4 drawings. From the last four drawing we created 4 3-dimensional models of whatever we wanted based off how the drawings make us feel. When the project was completed we ended up with a total of 156 drawings and 4 models. This project was really amazing. I loved the process and seeing how everything really came together in the end.

Chilipepper

2009-10-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

I love when we get to play with color!

Food

2009-10-13T13:02:00.000-07:00

These are just a few drawings I did of food lying around.

Feet

2009-10-13T12:54:00.001-07:00

This was a morning exercise. We were to look around the room and draw as many feet as we could fit on one page in our sketchbooks.

Leaves

2009-09-28T17:11:00.000-07:00

For our 3rd sketchbook assignment we were to go outside and find 4-5 leaves and conduct a series of drawings. We were to do a negative space contour, a detailed contour, a blind contour, and a shadow sketch. It was an interesting project that really opened my mind. It's amazing how many different ways you can look at a leaf, and how many different drawings you can create from it. Each drawing captures an essence of art in its own way. Over the past month, I have discovered that I really enjoy working with nature.

"Integration"

2009-09-23T10:24:00.001-07:00

Model One- Primary Critique

Model Two- Midway Critique

Finished Base

Plan View of Finished Product

Front Elevation of Finished Product

This project was titled "Integration." The object was to create a structure with the combination of two separate, but integral pieces. The instructions were to build a four inch cube with one open side, leveled four inches above an eight inch base. We were to use only bristol board and straws to create this three-dimensional structure. It was a very difficult and time consuming project, but I really enjoyed it! I gain confidence when looking at the progression from the first idea sketches to the finished product.

"Intersection"

2009-09-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

This project was titled "intersection." We were to create a container for a special object using only thread, fabric, and paper. This project was definitely a challenge for me. First I chose my favorite piece of African Art as my special object. I used a wProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

te background against red thread to create contrast within my piece, and chose an African fabric to work with. I actually ended up with three models because I couldn't decide on one final design for my piece. Overall it was an interesting and very challenging project. I definitely enjoyed it.

Australia

2009-09-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

Missing my Jude <3

Inspiration

2009-09-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

...things that inspire me :)

My Bookbag

2009-09-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

I love the IARC pin on my bookbag!

Mary Foust Building

2009-09-14T06:05:00.001-07:00

This is my freehand drawing of the Mary Foust Building on the University's campus. It is the oldest building that is still used at UNCG. It wasn't very easy to draw and definitely took alot of time to do. I did enjoy being outside and drawing the building!

Sketchbook Assignment #1

2009-09-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

In my Design Visualizations class we are studying blind contours. Our first sketchbook assignment was to find five creative objects and compose a blind contour and regular sketch of each object. I chose shoes as my creative object to try and get more practice within the "foot department." When the drawings were completed, we were to choose one of the pair of drawings to post on our blog so, naturally, I picked my favorite pair of sandals. I learned that I take a lot of time on my regular sketches, and rush through my blind contours. I think the blind contours would look much more realistic if i spent just as much time on them as i did my regular sketches. This is something I will continue to work on.

"Joinery"

2009-09-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

This was my first project for Environmental Design. The directionsProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

ere to find two natural artifacts and join them using a linear material (string, thread, wire...) as a binding agent. As you can see, I chose a feather and a thorn branch to be used as my two artifacts. I cradled the feather between two of the thorns and used a thin wire to join the shaft of the feather and one thorn from the branch. I focused my project on contrast and lightness. I wanted it to look like the feather had simply fallen onto the thorn branch.

My First Blog

2009-08-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

Today I took the time to look at many online blogs by various designers, artists, and architects. Looking at the blogs really got me excited to endeavor out on the journey of becoming an interior architect myself! It motivated and encouraged me as I start to prepare myself for the road to eventually reach my goal. I am so excited about the courses, work, and projects that I will undertake this semester, and the following 4 years. The blog which stood out to me the most was definitely the one done by Suzanne Cabrera. It accomplished the personal and professional aspects of a blog, which can sometimes be a difficult task. The drawings, sketches, and photographs were all done so well, but they still had that personal flair to them, which I loved! Her creativity amazed me, and really got me excited to start a blog of my own! I think I'm really going to love this!