100326 - system, revised

This is mostly a reiteration of what I spoke about with everyone in desk crits yesterday, but I want to make sure we are all on the same page:

• Focus on the attachment component, develop one or two component types that attach to +/-80% of the molding parts in the foam landscape. Deploy the attachment component pervasively throughout the entire foam landscape
• Focus on the extension component, the length and angle of the extension component must transform in response to transformations in width, cut angle, and rotation from part to part in the units and clusters.
• DO NOT focus on the surface component. Except for some of you with whom I spoke specifically about installing platform components in a limited zone, the rest of you need not worry about surfaces for Monday.
• Remember you have the landscape wiring and light filter waiting to be integrated into the project as an envelope strategy, so all you really need out of this new system are ‘ground surfaces.’ Many of you need to scale back and simplify the system.
• Develop the system diagram to document the structural aspects of the system, do not worry about including dynamic aspects of the system yet.

We will be doing a joint pinup with Ezio’s studio on Monday, which will be another good opportunity to get outside feedback.  You all need to be making a push have the first generation attachment component, extension component, in some cases the platform component, and the system diagram well resolved for Monday.

If you are unsure about the direction you are taking over the weekend, email me images and questions!

100322 - system

The organization of a machine [system]…only states relations between components and rules for their interactions and transformations…

- Humbert Maturana & Francisco Varela
Autopoiesis and Cognition 1972

Generally, a system is a set of components defined by ‘their interactions and transformations.’ The high-level organization of a system emerges from consistently enacted behaviors among low-level components. Specifically, architects work with systems that have dynamic and structural qualities. Dynamically, systems deal with transformation and movement. Structurally, systems deal with organization and pattern. Also note that systems can be conceptual and/or physical.

Louis Kahn – Vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow study for Philadelphia city center

George Kubler – Photograph of the Palpa Lines

Kahn’s Philadelphia city center diagram studies a system that manages the movement of traffic in an urban landscape. This system is dynamic (movement of traffic), structural (spatial relations), and conceptual (the design was not realized, but used to think about how a could work). The Palpa Lines are a system that inscribes pattern onto a geologic landscape. This system is structural (legible pattern introduced to the natural landscape) and physical (the design was realized). Both of these systems operate on landscape, one urban and one geologic.

INHABITABLE LANDSCAPE

Conceive a system that augments your landscape to make it inhabitable for human bodies. This system will be comprised of basswood attachment components touching down on the existing landscape and basswood surface components that create surfaces and enclosures for bodies.

Build this system in the large-scale (1/4” = 1’-0”) foam landscape. Keep figures in the model to gauge scale. Developing a system is developing a procedural way of working; prioritize a systematized material practice over preconceived notions of inhabitation.

SYSTEM DIAGRAM

Diagram the dynamic and structural aspects of the new system. The dynamic aspects will deal with the potential flows of bodies across surfaces (specifically, how and where do bodies move). The structural aspects will deal with spatial relations between existing landscape and basswood attachment components (specifically, how and where are attachments made, how and where are surfaces located). Consider how the system operates both physically and conceptually. This diagram will be an extension of the material analysis drawings (modeled in Rhino, graphics and notations in Illustrator).

100315 - tracking document

Example of the tracking document (drawings that analysis the performance of the light filtering device).  Go here for the handout that introduced this exercise.

joseph

sebastian

shachar

100314 - light filter

Examples of the light filter instruments.  Go here for the handout that introduced this exercise and here for drawings that analyze the performance of the light filter instruments.

joseph

kirsten

rony

sebastian

sylvia

100312 - over the break

Congratulations everyone on a successful midterm review.  Nearly all the critics told me they though the work of the studio was very strong.  You should all be proud of what you've done so far...BUT also realize there is a lot more work to be done.  So after you've had a bit of rest, here is what to be doing over the break:

2x SCALE LANDSCAPE

Rebuild a portion of the landscape at 2x scale in solid foam block (use pink or blue foam from Apple Art or Home Depot).  This model should not rebuild any more than 25% of the wood landscape and it must accurately duplicate the wood landscape.  It must be located around one of the most successful portions of wiring; select the portion to rebuild so as to include key wire touchdown points. 

Use a low-power hot glue gun to attach pieces of foam.  Finish the foam model with water soluble matte gray spraypaint to match the wood landscape.  Some spraypaints can melt the foam, but something water soluble should be fine.  In any case, test the paint on a scrap of foam before spraying your model. 

LIGHT FILTER

Refine the light filtering device to make it better at what it is supposed to do, and refine the tracking document to show how it does this.

READING

Cecil Balmond, Informal. [excerpts]
Reiser & Umemoto, Atlas of Novel Tectonics. [excerpts]

Mostly likely we will not discuss these until the week of March 29, but take some down time during the break to read them.  They should be helpful as we move into more concretely architectural propositions.

RESEARCH

Visit these two exhibitions in the city:

Landscapes of Quarantine at Storefront for Art and Architecture
Envelopes at the Pratt Manhattan Gallery

Aspects of both these shows pertain to the work you are doing in studio.

100304 - midterm

In these transformations...every point may change its place, every line its curvature, every area its magnitude; but on the other hand every point and every line continues to exist, and keeps its relative order and position throughout all distortions and transformations.

- D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson
On Growth and Form, 1942

Plan your time well and work efficiently to prepare for your midterm Thursday, March 11. Do not, however, work for the sake of production alone. Clarify conceptual aspects of your project while developing documents that communicate your ideas.

 

Emergence Design Group – Skin panel study
incremental change, difference in degree

M.C. Escher – Metamorphosis Drawings
incremental change, difference in kind

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

Focus your efforts on refining the gradient field model, tracking document, animation, and if necessary, completion of the landscape wiring:

• The gradient field model must operate relative to the movement of sunlight throughout the day and year. It must contain a ‘change in degree’ gradient (see example above).
• The tracking document must show the operation of the gradient field in a perspective view of the model with rendered shadows, a top view of rendered shadows, and a drafted section with constructed shadows. These images and drawings must show different moments of time superimposed, and in series of filmstrip-like still frames.
• The animation must show the development of five neologisms and segue three of these neologisms into a transformation tracked though changing lighting conditions and/or scalar shifts. Draw on all of your work (including gradient field and tracking document) to produce the animation.
• The landscape wiring must have a clear, high-level organization that extends from the geometry of the landscape. It must have surface-like qualities and an identity ‘separate’ from the landscape.

MIDTERM REQUIREMENTS

The midterm will be a comprehensive review of all work to date. Present the following:

• 2 dunesape images (9” x 9”, can be in color)
• 2 dunescape maps (18” x 18”, with grayscale image of dunescape)
• material analysis drawings
• 5 unit models
• 1 cluster model
• landscape with completed wiring
• sunlight study filmstrips
• completed gradient field model
• completed tracking document
• animation with neologisms and transformations
• 5 neologisms with definitions (9” x 9” sheet)

All work on the wall (including filmstrips) must fit in the 9” x 9” grid, no exceptions!