        Cotton,Thomas : AssignmentsWade CottonProgress in Pavement 11/26/2007 Visualize: students, teachers, professors, janitors, bus drivers, cab drivers, hobos, CEOs, walkers, stalkers, cell phone talkers, kids, babies, crooked old ladies, blue collar, white collar, dog collar, chefs, assistants, secretaries, gay, straight, any color, and above all, any background; and this is just the foot traffic. Just about anyone can be seen strolling down Atlanta’s Fifth Street Bridge given a certain time, weather, and day. This traffic, among a variety of other reasons, prompted Midtown Alliance, the Tech Square developers, the Department of Transportation, the campus planners and architects of Georgia Tech, as well as many others to reconstruct and re-plan Fifth Street and the Fifth Street Bridge into what it is today. The success of this remodeling is up for debate, however, even though the full ramifications of the effort will not be fully understood for years. While some it can be argued that Fifth street reconstruction was unnecessary and untimely, both spatially and socially the street lives up to that very name and serves as an excellent path both into the city and into the Georgia Tech campus. Firstly, at its base the street is an urban form and must be analyzed spatially. Jennifer Hinkel, in her Techinque article from 2000, discusses how Georgia Tech President initially foresaw the need for a Midtown renovation to help Georgia’s economy transition from one of industry to a more high-tech economy (1). She goes on to convey the plans for a $148 million, eight acre renovation to be known as Tech Square (1). The project was initially designed to cater the university and to Midtown with a multi-use, forward thinking facility; its main inter-fare, Fifth Street, accommodates this idea. Tall buildings with attractive access points surround the street, a must when it comes to aesthetics and invitation at eye level. Between Moe’s Southwest, Fifth St. Ribs, Tin Drum, Ray’s Pizza, and Starbuck’s, anyone should be able to find an eatery, all of which have outdoor seating on the side of Fifth Street. Also jutting from these flanks are the Tech Hotel, a 1,700 space parking deck, and a series of office buildings. The buildings are designed in an indigenously ‘Tech’ fashion, with glass and metal jutting over the sides of the street. These sides, however, are actually part of the street. By definition, a street is not simply a lane for traffic, but an entire right-of-way, including the lanes of travel, parking, sidewalks, street trees, and the transition into the surrounding buildings. Fifth street in particular has a generous set of street dimensions: two 22’ drive aisles, two 8 ½’ parking lanes, a 4’ bicycle lane, and 24’ of sidewalk space on either side. With a total of 90’ for the right of way, the street is marginally wider than the dimensions proposed by the director of our program, Douglas C. Allen, in his study on city planning. Allen gave a studied figure of 60’ for a standard street, exactly two-thirds the size of Fifth Street. What accounts for this spread? The developers of the street were aiming, as said before, to revitalize the Midtown area. To do so, the trend seems to be spreading the streets out and increasing the height of the surrounding buildings, both of which were accomplished here. The real spatial test comes from a view from above. In the hierarchy of city planning, the street comes as a side note to zoning. Again noted in Allen’s study, the zoning in Atlanta is based upon the evolution of the different sectors of the city and their ability to adapt to the ‘slice’ made by the interstate highways cutting through the center of the city. Somehow, the street successfully set up in the prior framework of the area. Being directly on top of this cut, the area around Fifth Street does an excellent job dealing with the adjacent thoroughfare. To include such an expansive road, parking, and sidewalks between medium to large sized buildings in a downtown area and on top of the largest highway connection point in the area is an impressive zoning achievement. This division works in favor of all of the players involved: the Tech Campus gets an attractive and lively new entrance, small business receive 20,000 sq. ft. to inhabit, pedestrians receive the obvious benefit, and the Department of Transportation is left out of the development with a successful overpass. This overpass is the next great facet of the street as a whole. The Fifth Street Bridge, in itself, is a correctly calculated work of art. From any view, aerial or direct, the bridge is three to four times larger than what seems necessary for two cars to pass over the highway. But it is the developers’ strive to go beyond this necessity that makes the bridge so successful. From the Tech side, the bridge formally and softly introduces the great structures of Midtown, acting as a courtyard to a castle, of sorts. Conversely, the arching path into campus over the bridge is a drop from bustle into tranquility, from structure into education. Both entrances are served well by the expansive bridge. Structurally, the overpass seems more like a landscape, denying the highway its intrusion onto nature. The awnings give the feel of enclosure in the midst of growth. The idea of the street tree is magnified into bushes, shrubs, and trees, too. More importantly, however, the use of the bridge, and Fifth St. altogether, is a function of a decision for the people who occupy it. The second major facet of the street is its social ramifications, use, and abilities. The first and most honest use of the road is to move traffic. Fifth St. grants vehicular traffic the luxury of 24-foot wide lanes, an unheard-of feat for two opposing lanes when on is in a city of one-way mazes and skinny side streets. Parking is limited on the street but not impossible, and the Tech Hotel does offer an alternative right around the corner. Cars are not the only vehicles on the road, though. Being a part of the Tech campus, Fifth St. grants Tech Trolley passage as well. Every once and a while, a MARTA bus will saunter by. The road allows for four feet of biking space as well as the convenient and not unsightly bike racks on the sidewalk. All of these hold a side to the most intimate street users, the pedestrians. A pedestrian’s close relationship to Fifth Street is marked by many factors, first of which is the plaza next to the street. In keeping with the Design of Spaces reading, the plaza has very obvious successes and failures. Aesthetically, the space is very pleasing both internally and from afar. There is seating, trees, and illumination to give a calm feel at night and a welcoming hand during the day. The tables and chairs allow for a business lunch, a quick exchange, or a break in a walk. The benches also sit in asymmetrical ways so as to eliminate the tendency for men to face the street and women to face away from it. It does, however, cross a few of the design mistakes outlined in Design of Spaces. Firstly, the benches are large enough for only one human backside, creating a limited interaction on the bench. Most of the plaza at eye level from the inside is fairly bland. One can see this as an escape, but surely the excitement of the city needs to show through in some way. Also, and more so a failure of zoning, the plaza is at a place where most people will be walking by instead of walking through. Thus, it is a stop on a journey rather than its true purpose as a congregation area. This is not, though, the only place for meeting on the street. The restaurants of the mixed-use buildings on Fifth do well to bridge the gap between outside and inside. Dagenhart’s discussion of building projects brings to light the importance of turning our conception of the project inside out; to bring the effort put into the innards outwards with the same enthusiasm and care. It is this inversion, Dagenhart says, that will attract people to the building as well as recognize it. The architects around Fifth do so effectively. Passing by the Hotel’s open back patio peaks interest. The series of inviting glass spectacles draw window shoppers in through the panes. They even purge so much as to have a continuous flow of exterior tables on the south side of Fifth. Again, some downsides emanate: the spiked barriers around some of the patios could be removed and give a certain ‘protected’ feel to the passerby. A quick stroll, however, brings a welcomed feel like nothing else on the street. The artistry of the bridge discussed earlier carries over into the output as a whole. The second one walks onto the bridge he or she takes a look around. It is inevitable. Some inherent qualities of the structure, whether it is the natural feel or the open space, pull at one’s peripherals until the pedestrian looks around, up, and down constantly. The wonder of the bridge is that it does not feel like a bridge at all. One does not smell the highway, one barely hears the highway, and one can only see the highway far off. The feat of masking an international expressway is one of the most astonishing abilities of this particular bridge. On another note, one cannot help but love the walkability of the space. It is so refreshing to have a sidewalk that does not make it necessary to stagger a group of friends into a series of pairs just to get by. As far as congregation, there is very little obvious. The open green grass can serve as a seating area for picnics or for a throwing field for Frisbee. Entry form either side also warrants the type of wandering discussed in Bolnit’s case study of meandering in through the heart of Paris. In this sense, the bridge makes all of its travelers into a flanuer, one on the edge of delving, but consciously reserved from over commitment to either side. The ledges for seating, however attractive, are broken up by unattractive and uninviting ridges perpendicular to the ledge itself. Walking the actual street seems a bit different from this façade. Actually strolling Fifth through Tech Square is a completely different experience from getting to it. There are few shops to wander into; however it is tough to walk down Fifth without putting something in one’s stomach before leaving. The seating is placed in such a way that only one looking for a resting place would use it. Maybe the owners are trying to avoid loitering, but whether they want it or not, loitering is improbable. The street does what it is meant to do in its basest purpose: it gets you where you are going. One does not, however, feel the need to stand at any point on Fifth and just stay around. On the other hand, common and simple amenities help produce a pleasant feel throughout the right-of-way. The city has done well with the street trees, especially for Atlanta. Also, the dividing line between sidewalk and patio works better than one would expect a simple change in ground consistency to work. Street crossings are easy and smooth, with little urgent or dangerous traffic. In conclusion, I must first digress to memory, to my first impression of the street. I honestly do remember the dialogue between my mother and myself about the appeal of the bridge, the great opportunities for activity in the restaurants and shops, and the nice entrance into campus. Being a city planner, she could appreciate the effort and expense that must occur for that notice to take place. Whether one thinks that the Fifth St. construction is chalked up as a ‘success’ or ‘failure’ is quite irrelevant. What is more important is the thinking and planning done behind this project that puts spark under the lethargic development of Atlanta, and specifically Midtown and the Georgia Tech Campus. What is most impressive is that with all the traffic congestion, all the cones and signs, all of the hard hats, drills, and cement, the planners of planners can devise a way for at least some of the population to feel that these woes are behind them; in this case, beneath them. The bridge raises the population above the worrying interstate and places them in relative tranquility. This street really does not mean much unless the idea is carried further and the connecting streets are remodeled in the same way. The idea of greening, simplifying, and calming Atlanta is the real success in this project. Sure, there are topical, superficial mistakes; that can be inferred from the fact that humans designed it. The care and thought behind the project takes it to a new level of progress for the area. What Atlanta could use, and what seems to be the trend, is to not only fix eminent problems, like traffic and crime, but also revise the side effects of these problems; the same analogous nature seeds between overpass and congestion. The Fifth Street renovations are flawed but beautiful, passable but walkable, and above all, the are much needed progress to the betterment of the city as a whole. Hinkel, Jennifer. “Clough holds press conference to reveal master plan details.” The Technique. June 16, 2000. Wade Cotton Lecture 10/10 Architecture The author focused primarily on the causes and effects of architecture in different situations. Noting Jefferson’s use of the unified variation at the Lawn and the central focus on royalty at Versaille, she showed how the architecture of a structure can have serious implications in its meaning to the society that operates it. Also included was the difference in implications between a Hagia Sophia with a massive exterior and a vaulted interior versus a simple meditation pond fronted, Japanese church, which gives simplicity rather than extravagance. She then moved on to explain the curriculum after this deep analysis. Initially, she explained the timeline of becoming an architect, followed by the ways Georgia Tech expands and twists this linear view to help globalize the minds of its students. The most important idea the author focused on, in my opinion, was to “build the world as we want it to become.” Definitions: - Four Focal Directions- if asked what this meant before the lecture, I would have assumed that it was referring to the different majors or degrees in the college. However, the author defined the college’s directions as: Design and the arts- the creative, left brained initiative, trying to plant intuitive thoughts in to the student’s minds Sustainability and Ecological Literacy- the presumably newest of the four, the decision to make the future a clean and earth relieving one. Urban Design and Policy- educating students on the boundaries and limitations of their work in order to better prepare them to function in the fluid cities of today Digital Manufacturing and Technology Integration- instructing students on the latest design tools in order to add more skills and unique abilities to their tool boxes.
Questions: How can we build what we want the future to become? I feel like this is the most important question given to any designer. What other improvements can be made to our program to keep it in the high rankings of the competition year in and year out? Is there any room for expansion within the program? Could an expansion help the trend of integration? Could it help the problem of Old Man’s Profession? Lecture 10/15 BC The author here focused on the series of responsible people in the life cycles of a building: Urban Planning- local and national government regulators Owner- Investor, Client, Group Develop- Developer, investor, deal-maker Design- Architects and engineers Build- General contractor, builder, construction management Operate- Facility manager, property Manager, facility operator The then took a detailed look at the course of actions that parallels this change of hands: the planning, engineering and design, followed by construction, then operation, management, and decommissioning. The author was a bit repetitious because these two core ideas were repeated at least once apiece. He then went on to detail the motives and initiatives of each person dealing with the process. Not until the end of the lecture did he even begin to discuss the specifics of the curriculum or a building construction major’s chance in the job world. Definitions: - Stakeholders- who has an investment in the outcome of the building: Owner/developer— Arch/Eng— Contractors, subs, fabricators— operators/managers
Questions: - For the construction managers: Who is the user? Is the building built suitability? - In the design world, is there any way to calm the never ending quarrel between designers and builders? Is there a smoother translation of the design to the build? - What can a building construction major do to broaden their responsibilities other than just a general contractor? Lecture 10/22 Industrial design The author, Abir Mullick, began his introduction to industrial design with a variety of definitions for the word design, as it relates to the curriculum and design world: his personal definition read “Design of manufactured things (not necessarily mass manufactured) that adds value, increases usability and simplifies life through improved human-product interaction. Industrial design facilitates manufacture by simplifying process or adopting technology, demonstrates concern for the environment, and builds community.” He then outlined the different aspects of an industrial designer’s job. Also of importance, he listed the various ways that the Georgia Tech program’s philosophy assists in developing the best designers possible; the ranking of 17th in the world helps to bolster that statement. Definitions- - Experience- everyone feels a different experience when they come in contact with a manufactured object, but Mullick asked how the design adds value to the experience as well as how it adds to the possibility of reuse and continued experience. - Good design- Mullick took a sustained look at what could make a good designer produce successful designs: - People focused, Empowering - Socio-Economic focused- creating a hundred doller laptop, etc. - Environment focused- green design - Future Focused- Inventive - Use centered- the way design should be, because if one is ot designing for continuous and perfect use, then one is making a selfish and superficial design. Design must be an advocate for the people, as well as the intersection of people, objects, and the environment. Questions: - What makes a good designer into a great designer? Does it fall on the union of use and inventive creativity? - If the market is slowly molding to the needs of frugality, then where can high design reside? - How can these ideas of use and intuition be continually integrated back into the curriculum to help produce better designers? Wade Cotton 1060 A Searching Katrina and New Orleans on Avery Gerfen, Katie. “Greening New Orleans.” Architecture. v.95, n.10, p.16. Oct. 2006. http://web.ebscohost.com Jacobs, Karrie. “Drop in the bucket: the number of housing initiatives currently under way in New Orleans is impressive, but without active federal involvement they fall well short of the urgent need.” Metropolis. v.26, n.6, p.50,52. Feb. 2007. http://web.ebscohost.com Lewis, Pierce F. “New Orleans: The Making of an Urban Landscape.” Reprinted in Arris: Journal of the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians. Hanbury, Mary Ruffin. v.17, p. 67. 2006. http://web.ebscohost.com Monchaux, Thomas de. “Easy being green: post-Katrina, a Resource Center teaches eco- friendly buiding on a budget .” ID: Magazine of International Design.v.54, n.2. p.30. Mar.-Apr 2007. http://web.ebscohost.com Olshansky, Robert B. “Planning after Hurricane Katrina.” Journal of the American Planning Association. v.72, n.2, p.147-153. Spring 2007. http://web.ebscohost.com Proquest search “Katrina and New Orleans” Andrulis, Dennis P., Jenna L. Gantner, and Nadia J Siddiqui. “Preparing Racially And Ethnically Diverse Communities For Public Health Emergencies.”Health Affairs. Sep/Oct 2007. Vol. 26, Iss. 5; p. 1269. http://proquest.umi.com Barnshaw, John, Joanne M Nigg, and Manuel R Torres. “Hurricane Katrina and the Flooding of New Orleans: Emergent Issues in Sheltering and Temporary Housing.”Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Thousand Oaks: Mar 2006. Vol. 604; p. 113. http://proquest.umi.com Golub, Robert M. “New Orleans, Katrina, and the Death and Life of Cities.” JAMA. Chicago: Sep 5, 2007. Vol. 298, Iss. 9; p. 1062. http://proquest.umi.com Stevens, Kate. “Tourism Rebound Still Has a Way To Go ; Pre-Katrina Vibrancy Could Be Years Off.” Times - Picayune. New Orleans, La.: Oct 11, 2007. p. 05. http://proquest.umi.com Tucker, Patrick. “Rethinking Emergency Housing.” The Futurist. Washington: Nov/Dec 2006. Vol. 40, Iss. 6; p. 68. http://proquest.umi.com Voelker, Rebecca. “In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Efforts Under Way to Build Better Health Care.” JAMA. Chicago: Sep 20, 2006. Vol. 296, Iss. 11; p. 1333. http://proquest.umi.com GIL Search “Katrina and New Orleans” Brinkley, Douglas. “Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.” The Great Deluge. 1st ed. xix, 716 p. New York : Morrow, c2006. http://galdb1.gsu.edu Brunsma, David L., David Overfelt, and J. Steven Picou. “Perspectives on a Modern Catastrophe.” The Sociology of Katrina. xx, 282 p. Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, c2007. http://galdb1.gsu.edu Horne, Jed. Breach of Faith : Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City. 1st ed. New York : Random House, c2006. http://galdb1.gsu.edu Joint Taskforce. “Environmental health needs & habitability assessment: Hurricane Katrina response : initial assessment.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. viii, 28 p. http://galdb1.gsu.edu Olasky, Marvin N. “Katrina, Big Government, and a New Strategy for Future Crises.” The Politics of Disaster. viii, 231 p. Nashville, Tenn. : W Pub. Group, c2006. http://galdb1.gsu.edu LexisNexis search “Katrina and New Orleans” Chu, Kathy. “Katrina Keeps 'Closed' Signs Up; Small Businesses Among Those Tied Up in Insurance Disputes.” USA Today. Pg. 3B. March 13, 2007. http://www.lexisnexis.com Jarvie, Jenny. “Atlanta Moves to Motivate, Empower Katrina Evacuees.” National Desk Los Angeles Times. Pg. 14, August 24, 2006. http://www.lexisnexis.com “Katrina Largely a Man-Made Disaster.” The Toronto Star. August 30, 2006. Pg. A20. http://www.lexisnexis.com Robinson, Erin. “Dealing with Winds of Change; A Year After Katrina, Some Retailers Struggle.”Automotive News. Pg. 6. August 28, 2006. http://www.lexisnexis.com Schwartz, Matthew. “Louisiana Business Publications Find Opportunity After Katrina.” Media Business. Pg. 6. September 1, 2006. http://www.lexisnexis.com Avery search “Katrina and Society” Bakker, Karen. “Katrina: The Public Transcript of 'Disaster.’” Environment & Planning. v.23, n.6, p.795-809. Dec. 2005. http://www.lexisnexis.com Craig, Robert M. “Hurricane Katrina's Impact on Nineteenth-century Cultural Landmarks. Society of Architectural Historians Newsletter - Society of Architectural Historians. v.49, n.6, p.2-5. 2005 Dec. http://www.lexisnexis.com Martin, Colin. “After the Flood: The US Pavilion at the 2006 Venice Biennale Addressed the Rebuilding of New Orleans After Hurricane Katrina.” Landscape Architecture. Australia., n.113, p.29-30. 2007 Feb. http://www.lexisnexis.com LexisNexis Academic search for “Katrina and Politics” Deggans, Eric. “Katrina Has Failed to Kindle Dialogue on Race and Class.” St. Petersburg Times (Florida). Pg. 1A. March 1, 2006. http://www.lexisnexis.com DeSue, Tedra. “The Superdome Deal: Fixing the Roof and Raising the Spirits. The Bond Buyer. Pg. 24A. December 28, 2006. http://www.lexisnexis.com Gordon, Jane. “An Arts Festival Invites New Orleans to the Northeast.” The New York Times. Pg. 8. May 28, 2006. http://www.lexisnexis.com Parker, Laura. “After Katrina, Courts Flooded by Lawsuits; Lawyers Worry Jury Trials May Not Resume Until 2007.” USA Today. Pg. 1A. January 16, 2006. http://www.lexisnexis.com Walsh, Bill. “Katrina Likely to Be in Eye of 2008 Storm: Seen as Way to Fire Up African-American Voters.” The Gazette (Montreal., Newhouse News Service. Pg. A20, March 13, 2007. http://www.lexisnexis.com Proquest Search “Katrina and Rebuild” Christoff, Annie. “House of the Setting Sun: New Orleans, Katrina, and the Role of Historic Preservation Laws in Emergency Circumstances.” Georgetown Law Journal. Washington. Vol. 95, Iss. 3; p. 781. Mar 2007. http://proquest.umi.com Content, Thomas. “Businesses Seize Green Initiative: State Companies See Big Gains Ahead Tackling Greenhouse Gases.” Knight Ridder Tribune. Washington: Oct 7, 2007. http://proquest.umi.com Sparks, Richard E. “Rethinking, Then Rebuilding New Orleans.” Issues in Science and Technology. Washington. Vol. 22, Iss. 2; p. 33. Winter 2006. http://proquest.umi.com Wade Cotton 9/17- Architecture, Culture, and Behavior The author of this lecture, Dr. Craig Zimring, argued that the areas around us greatly affect our health and wellbeing. He also stated that obesity and hospital welfare are in direct proportion with the structures we use to facilitate stair use and health care, respectively. He structured his argument using a series of extremely interesting statistics about the effects of certain elements in the design world on our bodies. The research he gathered was cleanly and effectively presented. Some of the more important terms he defined included On/Off Site, Occupational Activities, Activity Friendly, and Natural View. Terms: On/Off Site: Presumably just a location, the information of on and off site is involved in separating the research of obesity research. Whether the individual is on or off of their prospective worksite directly influences the outcome of the research as well as whether it can be considered as an effect of the occupation. Occupational Activities: Assumed: work. Included Specifically: Any activity done as a compliment to the vocation. Whether it is standing at an assembly line or running hot dogs through the stands, it is the activity involved in completing one’s days work. Activity Friendly: Assumed: Easy to use Included Specifically: Any facet of a stairway or area that makes it more intriguing and accessible to the common user. In the example of stairs, it could include accessibility, artwork, lighting, or ease of use. Questions: How can we create activity friendly sites? What can be taught in the classroom about activity friendly usage? How does design at different scales affect individuals and groups? How do characteristics and goals of individuals shape design? What will activity friendly/ clean hospitals do for the course of the economy? Could it help job placement and accessibility? Could it help patient output rates? 9/19- Photography of Atlantic Station The photographer argued that the movement of a site from old to new is just as, if not more, important than the newness as a progression. She wanted to capture the life cycle of the area without assuming it to be simply ‘better’ than before. Her opening movie was artistic, but confusing, showing nearly comedic slow and fast motion video of the destruction of the Atlantic Steel site. Mostly, she narrated a series of photographs to explain her feelings about the metamorphosis of Atlantic Station. Some important terms included Industrialism, Substructure, Utopian, Human Condition, and Southern Identity. Industrialism: Obviously, the industrial revolution was a major societal shift both in thought and action around the vocational world, however, today’s industrial sites hold just as much value in their transformation as before. Industrialism here means that specific shift, from aged to reborn. Substructure: Simply: The base, or underground foundation of a site. Here: The bones of Atlantic station. One of the photographs saw the first line of the site as a single piece of the substructure. So, in all, it is the skeleton of the body in the site; the armatures of the masterpiece. Southern Identity: As the world changes around it, the South has always been assumed to be slower to catch up. Here, the photographer tries to capture the new identity of the South as an urbanized area, with soulful poverty mixed on the outskirts. Questions: Should students be taught more about the history of an area, or the progress that it has made? Does a juxtaposition of the two help round out the picture? Does the design world treasure these movements from new to old enough? Do firms and contractors have an obligation to photograph and document the heritage of a site? Because, if this photographer would not have come by, the heritage may have been lost, save a single smokestack and an arch. Is the economic and industrial acceleration superceding our thirst for historical documentation? Shod we take progress and history hand in hand? 9/26- Palladio The study of Palladio done by this professor was a study into the various depths of Palladio’s genius and artistic merit. The author showed different aspects of Palladio’s work, like proportionality and strict rules, as the defining simplicities that made him so intriguing and studied. He structured his argument with research-framed pictures as well as a historical basis for Palladio’s interest and techniques. Some important terms were Villa, Keynote Geometry, and Separation of threes. Villa: Simply: a simple home in the Mediterranean. Palladio released the idea of a villa into his mind, letting it form into the proportioned form that he later created. He created functional forms that were more fitted towards the customer and the creator rather than the trend of the times. Keynote Geometry: Palladio used this type of geometry as a cornerstone of his works. Scholars see a pattern in the proportions of his rooms, following melodic structures in musical forms. Separation of Threes: Palladio exhibits a form commonly used in classical architecture, the rule of threes, to proportion his works. The rule puts a third in the middle, with two smaller thirds on the outside. Questions: Personal about education: I was just wondering, has anyone ever found a harmony within the home’s ‘musical structure’ that resembles a certain song? Has anyone ever found a melody or a correlation between the homes? What does Palladio’s works have to do with the structures of today’s world? Does the built environment need to incorporate more Palladio? Separate? If Palladio could create these grandiose, yet humble homes for the wealthy, why can today’s broader firms not create something even more grandiose with their combined work? Where does large, classical home construction fit in today’s society? Is it still prevalent for large landholders to be spending so much on such priceless, magnificent homes? Wade Cotton 1060 A 9/16/07 Lectures 9/10- CATEA and Disability Research The author discusses the realities of disability accommodations, the research being done about it, and the ways the industry can track and identify certain accessibility problems. More specifically, he talked about his personal involvement with wheelchair research and how it can be pertinent to a built environment study program. His argument was organized into the different research arms in the profession: barrier free education, workplace accommodations, wheeled mobility and seating, and environmental access. Aside from that structure, he spoke briefly about statistics on accessibility and a summary of information relating to our program. Some important terms used were barrier free, real vs. perceived, CATEA, and functionality. Definitions: Barrier free- (assumed) accessible, able to be used through by any person
Functionality- (assumed) usability of a tool
Real vs. Perceived- (assumed) actuality of a fact
Speculation Would the process of R and D in accessibility be accelerated if it began in the early classrooms? Could colleges do more to make students aware of the idea of universal design? Of course the industry has standards for accessibility, however, is there any way to incorporate universal design principals into the process earlier to avoid having to renovate an area to make it barrier free? How can R and D be more widespread? Is there a way for professionals to communicate better through forms like CATEA? Can the production in the accessibility discipline be better geared towards individuals (ex. Six wheeled wheelchair)? How specific can one apply a universal design? 9/12- AEC Integration The author here took on the problem of overspecialization in the built environment. Using statistics and specific examples, he showed how the industry is spending far too much money on so little improvement and cooperation. He structured his argument well, showing a specific list of the characteristics of the industry and later referring back to this same list with the questions each raises. His graphs and charts were also very useful in visualization of his ideas. A list of terms could be pages long, however some of the more important terms are niche market, vertical consolidation, Turnkey, supply chains, life cycle costing, and PPP. Definitions Vertical consolidation- (assumed) beginning with the steel tycoons of the industrial revolution, the process of buying every step in the manufacturing of a product in order to expedite - (actual) in the built industry, the process is not widely used because the competition collapses the purpose of the acquisition of the steps; a step towards integration that usually ends in a relapse Supply chains- (assumed) the chain of hands leading from a product’s birth to its application - (actual)- logistics network of people and information leading from production to consumer Niche Market- (assumed)- specific demographic of consumer - (actual) focused portion of market sector, helps to address needs and demands, usually evolves alongside the niche itself Speculation What can the classrooms do to correct the balance of integration? Can the CFY program act as a beacon? Can it be improved? Is integration even possible? With so many failed attempts at consolidation, what can the industry do about overspecialization? Where do firms come in to perpetuate ideas to their subsidized companies? Does the industry start from the top or does it build from the bottom? What will integration do for the greater buying community? Will an integrated production reduce sale prices and increase the market production rate? 9/14- Geographic Information Systems Steven P. French discusses the value of statistical knowledge in the design and built environment. He argues that the depth and breadth of knowledge on the people and land in an area are infinitely important in the design process. The argument is organized in a few solid points about developmental statistics and corroborated by a series of graphs and maps showing interesting and applicable knowledge about the areas discussed. Some important terms are EPA, GIS, thermal, Lidar, IR, low cost data acquisition, and one meter photography. Definitions One meter photography- (assumed) being able to see clearly at the meter level from a satellite image. - (actual) one meter per pixel in a satellite image. Can actually get up to six inch photography in some more metropolitan areas. Lidar- (assumed) some sort of modified radar - (actual) measures properties of scattered light to find distances and depths. Similar to radar except that it uses light instead of sound waves. Low Cost Data Acquisition- (assumed) Cheap accessibility to public information - (actual) a system of Low Cost DAQ is a valuable set of information technology used for various reasons in the engineering and planning disciplines. Speculation What can classrooms do to integrate information technology like GIS into curriculums? Is there enough awareness already? Where should the availability line be drawn for certain information? Does GIS technology only stand useful as public information? Is there any private GIS? How closely can the built environment track GIS information? Is this the replacement to surveying land? Is there a way to get even closer to replacing the need for surveying? What will that do to the surveying companies? What has GIS on public sites done for the general public? Do sites like GoogleEarth ask for exploration? Exploitation? Wade Cotton 9/9/07 1060 A Lectures 8/29- Classical Reformation In the several part lecture on August twenty-ninth, the broad range of opinions stressed the resurgence of Classical architecture in today’s built environment, especially the idea of proportionality. The authors structured their statements using a focus on New Urbanism and the ways that their examples of structures fit in the movement. One interesting idea was to prove the importance of building codes of New Urbanism by showing a failed example of traditional style. Some important concepts and terms included New Urbanism, Traditional, Classical, Proportionality, Mixed Use, Vernacular, and Classical Reformation. Definitions: New Urbanism- The reaction to the sprawl, in the sense that new design is pushing for mixed use areas, with industry, commercial area, and residence consolidated rather that spread. Vernacular- Spoken dialect/mannerism of a locality; in design, the application of an area’s native tones and moods into the design of a structure Speculation What are the paths for education in Classical Design for the future? Should it be a main focus in degrees? Should it be more commonplace in the classroom mind? In the changing global marketplace, where does Classical Design fit? In mixed use? In the Green movement? What are the responsibilities of today’s larger firms to apply Classical Design into their more popular and larger scale projects? What about smaller, even individual design firms? 8/31- Solar Decathlon In the lecture, Chris K. focused on the Solar Decathlon and its association with self-sustainability. The practicality of the solar home was explored as well as the aesthetic appeal of its design. The argument was mostly informational about the Decathlon, mixed with persuasion about the importance of a self-sustaining structure. The Decathlon itself was centered around zero energy homes and collaboration between the different interdisciplinary steps in the manufacturing process. Some important terms were self-sustainability, Chassis, Grey Water, and Interdisciplinary. Definitions Self-Sustainability- the ability of a space to be self-supporting, without a centralized power system external to the house. Grey Water- Undrinkable water converted into use in toilets and other locations in a home as a recyclable. Speculation How much emphasis should be put on Green living in today’s building programs? Should there be a required emphasis on sustainability? Should there be a push for more research? What does self-sustainability have to do to be an appeal in the common market? Where does the movement market its ideas? How can larger firms and design studios implement Green ideas into already existing homes and buildings? In future buildings? 9/05- CAD/CAM Process The author focuses on the iterative process of CAD and CAM. Specifically, he showed how today’s building process is given a new path due to the conceptualization of CAD and CAM. He does this by showing the methods by which each installation in the Architecture building was created; the CAD/CAM plans were shown, explained, and reiterated. Some important vocabulary words were Curtain Wall Frame System, Appropriation of a Space, Parametric Modeling, and Master Builder. Definitions Parametric Modeling- the ability of CAD to conceptualize and reproduce three-dimensional spaces from a series of commands and coordinates. Iteration- The renewed style of CAD/CAM which takes information hypothesized in the modeling and recycles these ideas into the design process Speculation What is the future for CAD/CAM in the classroom? Where does it fit in high schools? What could it do in a home-based system? What can scientists and computer engineers, together, do to perfect the CAD/CAM system? Is there any perfection to be done? Should companies really rely on a computer-based system to do artistic expression formerly reserved for pen and paper? Where, then, is the place of a freehand architect in the design environment? 1060 A Sabir Khan 8/29/07 Installations in Architecture Installation One: The first installation is found directly outside the atrium windows on the bottom floor of Architecture East, facing the middle of campus. Description Fabrication: The fixture is made of a polycarbonate material, similar to a thin plexiglass. Stainless steel bolts connect the strips of polycarbonate at their intersection. The strips are bolted together as they overlap, excluding the need for any excess of the sheets. Only as the strips come together to create a ‘solid’ form does excess poly connect the strips as an ovular, half-dollar sized washer in between the strips’ edges. On the lowest side of the form, the installation is supported solely by the concrete slabs beneath it. As the form grows and wraps around the adjacent column, the support rests on the bottom of the form itself. On the tall end, a concrete overhang jutting between the atrium and a column outside supports the form. Steel grates rest between the concrete overhang and the form, as to prevent either wear or uneven distribution of weight. The middle, and largest volume of the installation, is held up by a series of steel cables connected to pulleys on the third floor. Two of the cables seem to have been removed; one is hanging loosely, unconnected. Some evidence of fabrication exists in the form of dents and scratches around the drilled holes. Also, around the column, where the form is supported by the poly, the strips seem to be deformed and bending from the pressure of the form above. Interestingly enough, the team categorized and kept track of their strips using a Braille-like hole system imprinted on the strips themselves. Form: The form begins at its lowest as just the poly slabs resting on each other in a stack on top of the concrete. The strips then move together, separate, and form four sided solids. The solids fill out and rise to about 10ft. As the form wraps around the column, the solids separate into diverging strips. The strips the undulate and turn in seemingly random directions. The closer look sees that there is a recurring pattern of separation and connection between the strips in this area. As the movement approaches the cement overhang, the strips converge as one again. The tail, or upper end, of the form is a zig-zag connection of strips of poly. Through the entirety of the movement, the figure’s dimensions and measurements are constantly undulating, especially at the bare strip level. No single strip is perfectly straight; there are no corners, only curving edges. Phenomenological Qualities: The installation is, obviously, extremely multifaceted. From underneath, above, and directly beside, one can see straight through holes and gaps in the midsection ‘weave.’ Light reflects and bends off of the surfaces of the form from every angle, and most times in a repeating pattern. The more light emitted onto the form, the more facets one ultimately sees. The common directions of the strip series give a patterned reflection. If on stands close enough so that his or her entire vision is taken by the object, all images and light rays coming through his or her sight are warped and distorted. Some of the higher climbing areas give off a ‘rainbow,’ ‘oil slick’ reflection, most likely due to weathering. The poly suspended by the cables reverberates the entire form with the slightest pressure. However, the pieces at the wrap of the column and at the base on the concrete hardly move or bend at all because of the extreme pressure they are suspending. As well, the more dense the form, the more heat it holds; therefore the stack on the cement and the solids feel warmer to the touch after a day in the sun than the undulating middle section. Speculation Motivation: The students, aside from being motivated by expectation and teachers, could have been motivated make the most undulating form possible from a simple set of polycarbonate sheets. Also, motivation could have come from the simple idea of the movement of wind in sculpture, or rushing water made into a semi-symmetrical solid form. Research Questions: How to take flat poly to create an undulating monster of a form? How to make pattern and consequence out of what seems aimless? How to present undulations in a patterned volume? How to bring a rounded, flowing feel to the flat, hard cement of the building? Design Process: The initial research questions (above) where probably laid out and pondered, filled in and analyzed. The student team then would draw out plans for the design and construction in phases: general outline, initial forms of strips, strip connection. The plans would then go through scale modeling and layouts. Then, the CAD would come into play to lay out exact measurements, proportions, and mapping. From this mapping, the team could find measurements for the strips and construct the product after cutting. Images: The form could represent several motions and figures. As far as motion, the form could represent an escaping wind, flowing water into a stream, or a flexing muscle. It could also represent a flock of birds’ motion towards the stoop on the first floor. One can imagine the form being docile, quiet, and even sneaky at its lowest on the concrete. The feeling gets more erratic at the mid section, suggesting flow, change, and escape. Name Ideas: The Flock, Ecoulement, Actin… Installation Two The second installation is found in the atrium of the new Architecture wing. It climbs three stories of the building and double plays as a bench on the bottom floor. Description Fabrication: The bare material for the installation is pine, 3-ply, plywood cut into curves with a width of about four inches. These curved plies are separated by 2-3 inches consistently as they rise. The lowest point is a form similar to a rounded bench, with the gaps between the plies filled in with more plywood to create a near ‘solid’ bench. The student assembly team kept track of the plies using a number (width location) and letter (height location) system; the combinations are printed on the lowest face of each ply. The connection between plies varies by location. The wood is cut into triangular points before assembly, and bonded with wood glue to create the feeling of continuity. Long bolts drilled horizontally across the strips between several plies maintain the separation and form of the installation. The bolts are masked and minimized by 2-3 inch metal tubes which seem to be either rusted or finished in a manner that prevents excess shine. In the curve of the form the wood glue is supported bolstered with flat metal pins nailed at the intersection of ply lines. As the form curves over the second and third floor railings, it sits on steel grates and tubes that rest on the concrete rails. However smooth the form is from a distance, obvious fabrication errors occur. The wood comes in contact with people and objects every day and is therefore scratched and chipped in some areas. Screw marks and cutting circles pepper the form. As well, some ply lines are out of sync with the form as a whole and seem to jut out of order. Form: From the ground up, the form presents itself as an elongated bench; a bench with a stream ascending from it. The feet of the bench curve into the floor. The back melds into the ascending plies anchored behind the bench. The form heads vertically from the ground to the handrail of the second floor. A curve then gaps the railing on the second and third floors. The height of this S-curve follows the line from the west top of the second floor railing to the bottom east point of the third floor railing. After evening out against the third floor railing, the form curves around again above the third floor railing and ends as vertical lines above the third floor. The ‘bench’ on the third floor is less dense than the one on the first, and is therefore not much of a bench at all. Its form is more abstract than the lower, curving up on its right side. Phenomenological Qualities: The distance in which one views this installation greatly changes the way in which it can be perceived. The farther one is away from the form, the more transparent it seems. The same phenomenon happens when one looks at a field of corn stalks from the right angle at a distance. From directly beside the form, the translucency dissipates and the installation seems almost solid, cloth-like. Facing the installation, the closer one moves, the less light emits through the plies. To the touch, the plies feel different at different areas. The flat widths of the plies are sanded and seemingly stained, giving them a shiny, glossed quality. The edges, however, are not sanded, bare plywood. They feel grainy and splintered to the touch. When one pokes the installation, even jostles it a little, the vibrations travel through the plies as well as through the bolts between. Also, the shadows between the plies give interesting shadow forms that spread through the figure. Speculation Motivation: The project could have been motivated as a model of luminescence or transparency. Also, the task could have been to bring curve and movement to the inside of the atrium. Research Questions: How to mimic the grain of a wood on a larger scale? How to create an interesting use of space that is both usable and artistic? How to bend the inside of the atrium? How to explore ascending curve? Design Process: The initial design could have been as simple as a swooping charcoal line on a page. The sketches of the curve could have been inverted and separated into threadlike separations. A smaller scale model would be useful in mapping out the trajectory, size, and fit of the form. As CAD comes into play, the design could be mapped and full scale modeled and measured. The most time consuming and difficult part of the design process would be the cutting and placement of the plies themselves. The connection to the site would be as simple as raising and bolting. Images: As earlier stated, for me the image comes up as crops in a field as one drives by. Also, the form could represent wind billowing down the atrium or the grain of a piece of wood. A poem I once read about a flock of birds falling like a strewn scarf makes me think of the form’s movement. Moreover, the movement could be of sound reverberation or falling locks of hair. Names: The Veil, The Drive, Breath… Link to this Page
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