Transposing Architecture and Nature

Transposing Architecture and Nature

Transposing Architecture and Nature

Interior Practice/note the window view

Cabin Ext./Interior

Fashion Boutique

Manifesto

Design is a never ending process as well as a system. It evolves and Grows and its students are always learning about it.

Computing Architectural Design

It is clear that computational aids were relevant and were indeed monumental in importance both in 5,000 B.C, and today. From the pyramids of Egypt to the development of the Burj Al Arab, computational aids have been very beneficial and crucial in aiding designers throughout the design process. However, these aids have their place, and they should not be put in a position that is more important than the fundamentals that employ them. Any aid used in design must be used to assist the foundational elements of design provided by the designer himself.

This being said, aids can be very pragmatic. There are a multitude of possibilities that they bring to the table of design. For example: computational aids can help a designer make sure that all of his or her designs are structurally sound and correct, which saves the designer and the engineer time and money by allowing him or her to focus on the design more so than the mathematics that allow the design to be possible. In addition to this computational aids can also be used to make calculations very quickly, permitting the designer to spend more time on the design process and less on the technical elements. Lastly, the designers are able to use computer aided drawings to better communicate to the client what the proposed design will look like, which in turn invites the client to become a part of the design process, resulting in a more involved and pleased client.
After having glimpsed the current and past states of computational aids, one must wonder where the aids will take us in the future. Will there be 4-D projections that one can actually walk through and interact with, or will a program exist that allows a user to verbalize and discuss ideas aloud, which are then translated into shapes, figures, lines, and gestures. These are just a few examples of where technology could take us.
Bases on my knowledge of computer aided design systems it seems that in the future, architects and designers will need to be constantly consulted when a new software is being designed for them. In the past and even today, there is software that does not meet the needs of the people that are using it. Further, needs are ever changing. Thus programmers must simultaneously adapt to these changes while predicting future needs and trends. A need that I have had personally expressed to me is the need for facilitated communication among professionals utilizing diverse machines throughout the design process. That is, professionals utilize files that should be interchangeable between the various programs to steam-line collaboration in the design process. In conclusion, computer aided design programs need to be used as aids to assist the designer. They should not take the place of the fundamentals of design or be allowed to hinder one’s original creativity. If these parameters are kept, than the world of computer-aided design can and will be a very powerful tool in the future, through all facets of design.

Decompression

In this design project we were tasked with designing a mobile relief unit that houses four hurricane relief workers. One of the major requests was that there should be a transformation of the space architecturally.

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, firmeness, and delight. Sir Henry Wotten, The Elements of Architecture 1624. This quote still stands true today.

Implicit in the word “design” is the idea of creating an object or space for others to use and appreciate. Using this line of thought, I embarked on a mission to design with the relief workers in mind. As a result I found that the workers encounter and endure a lot mental, physical, and emotional stress from seeing and experiencing people who have been devastated by a natural disaster.
This brings us to my concept decompression. Decompression can imply the relief of compressing factors, such as mental, physical and spiritual stressors, the taking of an object, space, or person and expanding it to a larger size and to calm one down and relax, literally or figuratively. Using this concept the space is designed to psychologically, physically and spiritually decompress the relief workers, and it accomplishes this by allowing the user to gradually transition from the compressing factors of the outside environment to the more decompressed environment of the interior. To architecturally accomplish this gradual transition, I designed the entrance to evoke a more compressed feeling by having a small entrance and hallway where the more pragmatic spaces are located, (such as the bathrooms and the driver seat) in the front, and the more private comforting spaces (such as the living and bedroom) in the rear.

As the workers move from the hallway, the relief unit literally decompresses through a series of expanding panels, which make up the side walls of the bus. It is here where the three stressors of compression are met.

Fashion Ilustration

The picture on the left is one that I will be using for inspiration and am aspiring to produce drawings equivalent to this.

The picture on the right is the first of a series of fashion sketches that I am embarking on to enhance my sketching and illustrating skills. In addition to the good practice, I have am also doing these drawings for a project that I have in my Consumer Apparel class.

West Side Story

In Design History we are reviewing the modernist movement in America specifically during the 1960's. As a result we watched the west side story which was based during the 1960's and we critically analyzed how the movie has incorporated design through lighting, choreography, color, music tonality, lyrics, and many other elements.

More Chair Cards

Chair Cards

These are chair cards that I have been required to draw for my history of Design class. I have learned a great deal about shading and drawing chairs since this project began and here is some of my work from that process.

Shelter/Bus Inspiration

Below are some pictures of a truck and a R.V. that has utilized some interesting design principles that cater specifically to the needs of the user. They are also in a utilitarian kind of way aesthetically pleasing. This is the link to the website that I received the pictures from.

http://www.newmarcorp.com/models/luxury/Dutch%20Aire/56

rendering practice

lamp

Value Study

LC4 Pony Chaise by Corbusier

Artifact Relocation

The library table was designed by the Herter Brothers who were German Born but opened up a successful cabinetmaking and decorating firm in the late nineteenth century. They formed their firm during a period in history when the wealthy were changing what it meant to live luxuriously. It was during this time that their famous library table was made for a gentleman by the name of William Henry Vanderbilt. Her first designed his fifth avenue mansion from 1879 to 1882 and then the library table to which would be centered in the library. Aesthetically this table contributed to the overall look, and it complimented the paneling through its use of rosewood with lavish mother of pearl and brass inlay (The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1). Furthermore, this table served more as a symbol than for pragmatism. It was an august library table that implied Mr. Vanderbilt was powerful and highly esteemed, as he was the richest man in America at that time. Not only did this table allude to Mr. Vanderbilt’s power but also the details contained within the table bring out the respect and power from the Roman Empire as Napoleanic Heraldry. It is even said, that the globes on each end imply that Vanderbilt had the world within his grasp; and the table top presents a celestial field with the stars over the northern hemisphere on the day Vanderbilt was born, May 8, 1821 (Metropolitan Museum of Art 2).
The library table, because of the power it references from the past and that it uses that power to affect the viewers today, it has been chosen to be relocated into a world renown politicians office. The designer Jayson Parker specifically designed the room the table is placed in, around the library table. As a result, the room is longer than it is wide, the door is centered on the table, and when people enter the room their vision is immediately directed to the table. It draws the eye and shows the importance the owner places on antiquity, alluding to the past, power and self. In addition to the shape of the room there are lights on each side of the table and above it to further draw out the singular importance and power it bestows upon the owner. This also enhances its hierarchical importance within the room. It is as if a divine power placed this table in the suns rays to fulfill its purpose in life.
With a piece this magnificent, we would expect nothing less superb from subsequent works. The crafter of this table, the Herter Brothers, do not disappoint with a later work- a writer’s desk. There are two writers desk in this room placed on each side of the rug in the center of the room. They were primarily chosen to bring balance to the room, to offer similar materials and finishes and to add to show how magnificent the works of the Herter brothers are.

Bus Shelter + N.C A & T

Organizational Concept
People need three basic elements to survive: food and water, shelter and a sense of belonging. By further examining the need for shelter, one will find that it can be further disaggregated. There is shelter from the elements, from physical danger and from psychological fears. This shelter addresses some of these simultaneously by protecting the users from the rain, the sun, from the fear of darkness and from the fear of being in enclosed spaces. However, in contrast is the shelter’s facilitation of the wind. Indeed, the shelter is designed such that the wind blows through the structure, cooling its users from the hot sun.
Character Concept
Mass and form, repetitive and unique, material, finish, and symbolism are all terms used in design to aid a design’s concept. They are terms that amalgamate to support the general notion of unity. Mass and form address the structure and materials that are nearby. Repetitive and unique call attention to the lines that are delineated across the N.C A & T campus. Material and finish address the materials that are used in other buildings in close proximity. Symbolism is shown through the unity of all these terms as well as the use of steel. Steel represents an amazing resource that is used here to signify the schools’ focus on technology. As a result, all of these pieces come together to provide the user with a cohesive sense of unity. The structure symbolizes the way in which all walks of life in and around the university utilize this space. It is here that they come together and are unified for one moment in time for the purpose of using the bus system- meeting this simple need in life.

Precis'

A precis' is a summary or abstract of a text or speech. Above is my precis' of the bus/shelter presentation and shelter/bus presentation that was given by all of the groups that presented. Its purpose is to summarize all of the presentations in each of the two categories into one clear and concise presentation.

Shelter/Bus

Here are longitudinal cut sections that show the first and second floors of the shelter bus. The first floor serves the relief workers by offering them a place of rest, relaxation, storage, bathroom, laundry room and a gym/yoga room. On the second floor there is a kitchen, living room with an entertaining area, relaxation room for victims, garden and hot tub, and an atelier.

Shelter/Bus Final

Top left- A Kohler Stillness multifunction hand shower.
Top Middle L. - Window opening from the aft of the bus while looking forward at the zen garden.
Top Middle R. - An LG energy star refrigerator and stove.
Top Right - Front view of the driving section of the bus.

The focused drawing is of the sustainable water filtration system and renewable energy source. The roof of this bus has angled solar panels that have the ability to rotate up and down to match the angle of the sun. During a rainy day the panels are able to catch the rain and direct it to a ceramic filter that runs the length of the solar panels. This provides the passengers with a renewable energy source as well as a constant source of clean water.

Thomas Berry

Kevin, Laura, and I volunteered to make a post card for a gentleman buy the name of Thomas Berry whose video we watched in theory hour last Wednesday. Below is the process we went through to come up with our design. The end result will be posted shortly.

Earrings

Depicted below are earrings that I designed while in Honduras this summer. Lord willing I will be able to make them in the wood shop this semester if our professors ever give some room to breathe. They will made out of mahogany and I can not wait to see the result.

Shelter/Bus

The goal with our shelter/bus was to maximize the ability to transport as much food as is achievable, to provide for as many people as possible. The image on the left shows a retaining wall in which will be stored sustainable goods. The picture on the right shows a shelving unit that will be used to to store tools, food, and other miscellaneous items that may be needed. In addition to the shelves, the seating arrangement is shown for the few volunteers needed to distribute the food and water. The second illustration shows the storage containers for the water that being stored underneath the bus. The water will be renewed by catching rain water through the roof as well as pipes that can pull water from a local water source. This water will be purified by using a ceramic filter, which will then store the water in the containers below.