site for studio 681

This plot is in Newport, right on Bay Boulevard-looking right out toward the water. We'll each be designing a Seafarers center- a place for fishermen to take a break, do laundry, check the weather, visit with family, etc.
Six of us took about 8 hours to build this site model. It has a section cut out where each of us can place our own building models. Soon it will have the dock, plants and neighboring buildings on it, but that's for other people to figure out...

Inspiration for future projects

In the last week of summer quarter, we were supposed to be graphic artists, to put together a presentation of our drawings and ideas. I struggled to think of a visual theme that would convey my concept for my project, share something about myself as an artist, and attract viewers. I lost some time in this process, so when I found this book at 1/2 Price Books, I thought it would provide lots of inspiration for colors, letters and composition.

Dancing About Architecture!

Yesterday, the last day of Summer quarter, a small dream came true during a review on my group project on Le Corbisier's Villa Savoye. Our reviewer told us about his friends from school who did a similar project, but their analysis involved an interpretive dance describing the structural elements of this particular house. One guy was in a black body suit and portrayed the rigid geometrical aspects of the home; the pillars and the rectangular shape of the house. He kept his back very straight and marched in a square. Meanwhile, another guy in a white bodysuit represented the curvilinear forms of some of the walls, and free-form flowed around the pillar guy.
I'm sure they must have had fun doing this, but it really is a great way to show this aspect of the house; the tension between the grid and the organic forms. A floor plan will tell you the same information, but dancing so clearly conveys emotion and experience with just a few steps.

More pictures of my final project:

Mt. Baldy

Yesterday was our summer quarter final pin-up!  Everyone showed their work-plans, elevations, sections, diagrams, model-EVERYTHING!  I learned something from everyone.

Dancing about Architecture

A few years ago, I read this quote: 

"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture."  Maybe it was Nick Lowe or Elvis Costello.  He was expressing a frustration about music writing-implying that the written word cannot do his music justice.

Well, I think he was right, but in a different way.  Because this summer I have began to see how all these fields are so related, it's almost silly.  If I said 'In my job, I must take into account rhythm, structure, pattern, and context', who am I?  Writers, Musicians, Dancers and Architects share the creative process, and to some extent, must please others with their work in order to be successful.  At some point, I have been or will be each of these people, and the more I draw upon the lessons learned in one field and apply them to another, the more successful I think I will be.

Now, I see architecture everywhere.  While watching Sewing with Nancy on OPB, hearing her talk about the structure of a garment, and how certain pieces of fabric hold up the other pieces so it will all fit properly and look right- I never thought about sewing that way, but it is how I am being trained to think, as an architect.  

Ironically, now that I am in architecture school, I have no time for my other hobbies!  But there is no doubt I will be thinking about architecture during my next sewing or cooking project.

Tower

Today was the Summer Midterm review, where I set out a model of my tower, and all the accompanying drawings; isometric, plans, elevations and sections. This project required that we build a five-story tower for a family, that includes spaces at the top for the husband and wife to birdwatch, meditate and sleep.
This project was difficult for me because I hate stairs, and this tower is all stairs. Why do I hate stairs? All the stairs in my parents' house make it difficult for my grandparents to visit. The second floor or third floor of a house is hotter in the summer and if it is an older house, colder in the winter. Stairs limit accessibility for those in wheelchairs, or not in optimum health.
What are stair-alternatives? How can a home have a small footprint, and enough room for everyone? How much is enough room?
Are there stair materials that can ease the impact on knee joints?