        Meree,Caitlin : AssignmentsEdit Meree, Caitlin : Assignments here.5th Street Essay Streets connect humanity. They are the links between cultures, countries, and societies. According to Kostoff’s article, “The Street,” the history of the street dates as far back as the 6th millennium B.C.E. in Cyprus. It was defined as a raised limestone-paved path lined on either side with huts. The word “street” is literally derived from the Latin word, sternere, meaning “to pave.” Since that time, streets have drastically evolved. From alterations in width and material, to changes in regulation of what is allowed on a street and who has domain over a certain street, and variations in what is allowed to go over a street, streets have been drastically modified from the first recorded limestone-paved path and 5th Street is no different. From the marble steps of the Biltmore Hotel to the pedestrian controlled center of Georgia Tech, 5th Street is not only a thoroughfare, but a connector between completely contrasting regions. It is the bridge between metropolitan Atlanta and the campus of Georgia Tech. 5th Street encompasses a sprawling range of spaces, from those used for education and industry to places of social interaction and residency, but this was not always so. Before 5th Street became the bustling and trendy Tech Square, it was a street very similar to North Avenue, with a bridge analogous to the North Avenue Bridge. The area now known as Technology Square was simply a series of office buildings and parking spaces containing minimal (if any) aesthetic appeal. Though this space was literally connected to the Georgia Tech campus and offered no outlet for the Georgia Tech community into Atlanta. Now, 5th Street is a place of education, social interaction, commercial retail, and aesthetic appeal. Opposed to the cultural, commercial, and stereotypical “Main Street” of many cities or the peaceful suburban streets of mainstream America, 5th Street can only be classified as the hybrid of many streets, bound by no single description. 5th Street is a public street, but it has the aura of both a public and private space. Once a common pedestrian passes over the 5th Street Bridge into Georgia Tech campus, they find themselves in a differently defined space, a space that is not open to outsiders, but caters distinctly to those who interact within it. Georgia Tech is an open campus, but to those who have no interaction within, the stigma associated with scholastic constructs and conventions acts as an invisible barrier between the metropolitan and the campus. Unless entry is defined by a specific purpose, such as sporting or thespian events, those who do not “belong” to the scholastic environment feel as though they are shut out. Despite the invisible barrier imposed between Tech Square and Georgia Tech, 5th Street appears to have been designed with the pedestrian and consumer in mind. Light usage, bench placing and alignment, street size, and the exploitation of retail space add to the inviting nature of Tech Square and 5th Street. Though restaurants block off their outside patios with fences, benches are abundant along the street for students and metropolitan people to enjoy the outside or study. The benches are wide and are not placed facing each other, but linearly normal to the street, eliminating the tension created by and unknown “undesirable” sitting next to or facing another person. Some benches are placed catty corner to one another, inviting conversation on daily occurrences, politics, studies, and life. The sidewalks are also very wide and open. Though benches are provided along the sides of the sidewalks, they are not supplied in excess. The sidewalks are also not cluttered with signs or other artifacts that would cause impediment to the pedestrian. Light is employed to attract people to the space. Overhangs, umbrellas, and foliage filter light while simultaneously allowing a desirable amount of light to penetrate through. Restaurants and retail stores are resurrected with both the student and the working adult in mind. Fun, fast restaurants, like Moe’s for example, are geared more towards the student, while The Globe Café aims for an adult audience. Other places, such as Tin Drum, are the median between fast paced dining and cultural experience. The consumer planning of Tech Square attempts to ostracize few and appeal to the general public, both student and worker, who interact in Tech Square. The planning and intentions of 5th Street are clear, but the true test is if those intentions are fully conveyed in the usage of 5th Street. The 5th Street Bridge acts as the connector between scholastic space and metro space. The south side of the bridge is designed with many terraces for socializing and studying, while the north side of the bridge consists of a large, grassy lawn perfect for sport and recreation. The bridge was designed for students and city dwellers in its wide, spacious sidewalks and inviting foliage. Both groups are invited to socialize, enjoy a meal, or read a book in this space, but ironically, the main group to utilize the 5th Street Bridge as a space of rest and recreation as opposed to a thoroughfare are the students. This begins the divide of city and campus and the dichotomy of 5th Street. When one crosses over the bridge, the immediate feeling of a college campus is discernable. Greek housing lining the streets, students traveling from class to study and then off to social events, and very few people above the age of 28 set a youthful, college mood. The street does not narrow, but maintains width with large sidewalks, again ideal and inviting for the pedestrian. The campus side of 5th Street is no longer bustling with car traffic, retail, and large, imposing buildings, but offers a calmer, more suburban atmosphere. During the week days, the passageway through Tech is calm and studious. Very little music is heard resonating from the Greek houses and few people are seen participating in anything besides study and travel. When nighttime falls upon the street, it becomes alive with students, music, drinks, and festivities. 5th Street is transformed into a second sidewalk, and cars are transformed into the outsiders, no longer welcome in the pedestrian controlled society. A social atmosphere is alive on the campus side of 5th Street, while Tech Square’s 5th Street fades into a sleepy quiet. Despite the currently split perception of 5th Street as a social divide between academia and metropolitan society, the undisputable fact remains that the street was designed as a connector between the college atmosphere of Georgia Tech and the metropolitan side of Atlanta. 5th Street is a connector for Georgia Tech students to the outside world and was designed with Georgia Tech students distinctly in mind. The street does cater to the college student, but whether or not it is in compliance with the needs of the metropolitan adult is debatable. It is true that the Tech Square section of 5th Street does offer a quick place for the working adult to grab a cup of coffee, a quick lunch, or a drink at one of the bars while waiting for traffic to subside, but apart from dining needs during lunch breaks or business dinners at the Globe after hours, 5th Street offers little else that would appeal to the working adult. That specific demographic would rarely fain to the 5th Street Bridge for a picnic or chat with friends, not because outside recreation is unappealing, but because the 5th Street Bridge is a space invisibly marked for students because of its increasing proximity to thriving student life. In this way, the design of 5th Street is a failure as it is a connection for students to a faux city feel, but does not reciprocate the gesture to those who are not involved in academia. Regardless of the less than mediocre connection 5th Street offers to a “real” city feel, the street is triumphant in that it does successfully offer a connection to a well balanced life for many students. Social, academic, recreational, and commercial outlets are located all along the street in well defined sections. While the academic, social, and commercial spaces are strictly defined, they are also well blended in that there is no outsider feel for the student who wishes to partake of these spaces. Because 5th Street was designed for the student, it is also welcoming to the student in each of its partitions. Incidentally, the boarders of the recreational spaces, though attempted to be defined by the grassy area that spans the 5th Street Bridge and the baseball and football fields located along 5th Street, are not quite as clear. Recreation is apparent, of course, in the predefined spaces, but also in some unconventional ones as well. College students can be seen playing Frisbee and other sports in the street outside fraternity houses. This is an interesting observation as a grassy lawn was established with these recreational purposes in mind on the 5th Street Bridge, but students still choose to play in the street. As stated in the article, “The Design of Spaces” by Whtye, this is not because a lawn is not available, but because the street space in front of the fraternities is in a prime location for such play. There are porches for people to watch the games from, correct spacing for throwing a Frisbee or similar projectile, and areas of rest for those who tire of play. There are also two sorority houses located across the street, subconsciously beckoning the fraternity brothers to enjoy a brisk game of Frisbee in order gain attention from the females across the street. Despite the creation of a pseudo park in the middle of 5th Street, play is still reenacted in the streets, just as it was ten, twenty, or fifty years ago. Design unheeded, the creation of Tech Square and the grassy lawn of 5th Street Bridge could not impede those spaces that are inherently suitable for certain activities. In spite of the failures in design of 5th Street, the street maintains the potential to become a true link between the Georgia Tech Community and the metropolitan community of Atlanta. 5th Street has all the components of a people attracting space; the only component it lacks in the connection between academia and the metropolitan world. If 5th Street were able to blend those two communities together in a more seamless connection, it would encompass the essence of an ideal street. Unfortunately, the connection is difficult to improve due to the nature of the societies 5th Street attempts to connect. Georgia Tech is a distinctly defined college campus. Though no gates or walls were constructed to literally constrain the students of Georgia Tech, the boundaries of the campus are clearly laid out. In order to more deeply connect 5th Street Atlanta to Georgia Tech, more retail, dining, or office space would have to be constructed on the campus side of 5th Street, and due to the invisible boundaries set up by the campus atmosphere and the legalities of Georgia Tech itself, this is not a realistic suggestion. By constructing the College of Management buildings on the second block of Tech Square, Georgia Tech successfully integrated students into Atlanta, but the increased integration of those not associated with academia into Tech Square appears unlikely. Conversely, the creation of these campus building simultaneously segregated the metropolitan population of 5th Street. The only remedy for this incorporation is time, and over time, 5th Street will most likely simply blend into the campus of Georgia Tech, extending the invisible boundary of campus and exiling outsiders further. Like all streets, 5th Street is a connector. It connects those of different walks of life together. It has morphed from a homely collection of office buildings and parking spaces into a beautiful plaza for colligate and working adults alike and acts as a gateway to the city for college students. Though seemingly designed to connected academia with the working environment, Tech Square is slowly ostracizing those who previously inhabited it as the Georgia Tech community leads a slow and quiet conquest over the space. 5th street, though a public street by definition, is transforming into a public street with strictly a private feel. Despite the fact that it was designed to connect students to the world outside Georgia Tech, it is becoming as much a part of campus as the lecture halls or student housing. 5th Street will always be a gateway to Atlanta to the student, but as time progresses, it is becoming a space of academia instead of a place for everyone. Assignment 10.28.07 Architecture: 10.10.07 Playback: Some of the most important concepts highlighted in the lecture on the Architecture Program were that though buildings are a necessary place of refuge, work, and function, the importance of their aesthetic qualities cannot be overlooked. The way building are designed shapes the way we behave and think. A beautiful, open building can allow us to think more creatively and spiritually, while a closed, very solid building might make us behave in a stauncher, stricter manner. Buildings are a work of art and type of expression. It is important to never overlook the potential expression of a building. The way a building is designed speaks to those who interact in it and causes them to react back to the buildings expression. The Architecture program at Georgia Tech seeks to teach its students the importance of the technical and aesthetic in buildings. The lecture contrasted “architectural works” to “building.” An architectural work is a structure that speaks to the one who is interacting with it. A building does not have the expression or aesthetic quality possessed in a architectural work. Look-up: Ecological Literacy: Ecological literacy is the ability to build communities that do not interfere with nature’s ability to sustain life. Architects are challenged to build structures in nature that do not interfere with nature, thus following the understanding of ecological literacy (3). Re-presenting: An artifact is re-presented when it is re-created in a very similar form or shown again as a pseudo copy. This differs from representing in that in a representation, the artifact can be shown again not only as a copy of its original self, but also as a depiction, symbol, or visual connotation (9). Individualism within unity: In order to understand the definition of individualism within unity, one must first understand the definitions of individualism and unity. Individualism is “a belief in the importance of the individual and the virtue of self-reliance and personal independence (5).” Unity is “the state or quality of being one; singleness, or the state or quality of being in accord; harmony (10).” By merging these two definitions, it is possible to achieve an understanding for the meaning of individualism within unity. Individualism within unity in relationship to architecture is when building are built with a common thread, but each possess a character that, though not blatantly standing out, imbibes the building with a personality all its own. Thus, individualism within unity is achieved. Speculation: The use of light is incredibly important in the successful design of a building. How can light be used to implement the connotation desired in a specific building? City planning and architecture can implement a certain mood into a region. The way buildings are set up and designed speaks volumes about the regions culture and social constructs. How can a building be designed to hide or exploit the social constructs of a region? What is the purpose of the buiding? How can the purpose of what happens inside the building be shown through the aesthetics of the building? How can the building be designed to augment the purpose of those who interact with it? Building Construction: 10.15.07 Playback: Some of the most important concepts highlighted in the lecture on Building Construction were that Building Construction is about process. Every aspect of a building project is depended on the issue that came before it. Every part of the project from the owner’s desires to the creation of the building to the usage and maintenance of that building is dependent on one another. Each project stars with a need, leading to creation, ending in function. Vertical integration is key in Building Construction and the process that defines vertical integration is the backbone of any construction project. Without integration of disciplines and ideas, the construction projects would crumble. Look-up: Construction Documents: The last stage of the Construction Process. The Contract Documents, produced during this stage, include all the specifications and drawing prevalent to the construction or the building. A complete set of contract documents make up the construction documents, which allow the contracted to determine the lump sum price of the project and obtain the necessary permits and constructs for the project (1). Bidding Project: A bidding project is a project in which a contractor must place offers for a project against other contracts of varying size firms. The contractor that has the most appealing offer, or bid, to the owner will receive the project (2). Building Decommissioning: When a building is decommissioned, it is demolished. Building are decommissioned for a variety of reasons: they are not structurally sound, they are in an undesirable location, a new building is going to be constructed in the spot in which the previous building was located, and there are no longer funds to maintain the building. The decommissioning process is tailored to the information discovered about the building and site before decommissioning. For example, if there are hazardous materials inside the building, considerations much be taken while the building is being demolished (4). Speculate: How can a faster, more economically and materialistically efficient building process be implemented and what is the best method to teach and learn more efficient building processes? What is the best method to increase disciplinary integration, augmenting creativity and individuality of the project while still maintaining efficiency? Loss of information is a major problem in Building Construction, especially when working on long, drawn out projects. How can this loss of knowledge, efficiency, and building performance be lessoned through the design and building process over time? Industrial Design 10.22.07 Playback: Some of the important concepts and constructs in the lecture on Industrial Design at Georgia Tech were that Industrial Design is a merging of many disciplines and that design is not only about function, but also about people and how they are going to be empowered by the design. Industrial Design is a mixture of applied arts, engineering, and architecture. In order to be successful at Industrial Design, the designer must have an appreciation and knowledge of many disciplines. The designer must be an expert in multiple areas if they are going to succeed. Designs must be created in a way that display their focus on the individual and a knowledge and concern for how the individual is going to react with the design. A good design is one that will create an experience for the user, possibly bringing back memories of a previous time or allowing the user to experience such a hassle-free as they connect with the product that it is memorable. Look-up: Humanization of Technologies: Humanization of Technologies is when technology, such as computers, are used to analyze human creations, such as works of art, and combine the human factor with the technological factor. Humanization of technology is when technology is used to increase the human experience and increase the human experience within technology. For example, humanization of technology could be used to compare two pieces of art to find their similarities, thus creating a third piece of art though computer graphics in which the similarities are highlighted and the human experience is increased (7). Iterative Adjustment: Iterative adjustment is the adjustment of a design through repetition. Iterative adjustment is when a design is altered slowly, one aspect at a time until the design is finalized at its desired product (6). Re-Design: To re-design an object is to design the object again. New designs come from the process of re-designing currently existing designs. Through re-design and iterative adjustment, newer, more efficient and aesthetically pleasing designs are formed (8). Speculate: Design starts with a problem. How can students be taught to best identify a problem and then take that identification into account in order to effectively solve the problem? Good designs are user centered. Are the best designs those that are user centered with all users in mind, including those with disabilities? In order for consumers to enjoy a design, the design must be manufactured. When designers conceptualize a design, how to they structure the creative process utilized in that design to form to the manufacturing process that must be used in order to produce the design? In order for a design to be more marketable, it must be environmentally friendly. How do designers combine their creativity with scientific research to produce a product that is aesthetically and structurally innovative while also applying an understanding of ecological literacy? Works Cited: 1. 2001. Construction Documents. Stanford University. (accessed October 23, 2007). 2. "Construction Project Bidding: When to Bid or not Bid a Project." Construction Directory - Construction Industry Business Directory - BuilderSpace.com. http://www.builderspace.com/features/construction-bidding.html (accessed October 27, 2007). 3. "Ecological Literacy - Ecoliteracy." Holistic Education - Tasmanian WWW Site. http://www.hent.org/ecoliteracy.htm (accessed October 28, 2007). 4. "Green Building Encyclopedia - Building Decommissioning." Green Building Encyclopedia - Design, Construction, Water Conservation, Energy Efficiency, LEED (Elements Group Inc.). http://www.whygreenbuildings.com/ecolodgical/page.php?pageID=224 (accessed October 27, 2007). 5. "individualism - Definitions from Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/individualism (accessed October 28, 2007). 6. "Iteration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Main Page - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 28 Oct 2007 7. "Lillian Schwartz Show." Digital Art, Paintings, Photography, Prints, Sculpture:The Williams Gallery. 28 Oct 2007 8. "redesign - Definitions from Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/redesign (accessed October 28, 2007). 9. "represent - Definitions from Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/represent (accessed October 28, 2007). 10. "unity - Definitions from Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/unity (accessed October 28, 2007). Bibliography 1. Avdeyeva, Tatyana V., Kristina Burgetova, and David Welch. "To Help or Not to Help? Factors That Determined Helping Responses to Katrina Victims." Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy 6 (2006): 159-173. EBSCO. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 2. Birch, Eugenie L., and Susan M. Wachter. Rebuilding Urban Places After Disaster : Lessons From Hurricane Katrina. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania P, 2006. xii-375. 3. Brown, Joseph E., and Kenneth Caldwell. "New Orleans: One Year After Katrina." Urban Land 65 (2006): 40-43. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia. 12 Oct. 2007 4. Caldwell, John. "This is Home." The Advocate 970 (2006): 32-40. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 5. Campanella, Thomas J. "Urban Resilience and the Recovery of New Orleans." Journal of the American Planning Association 72 (2006): 141-146. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 6. Chappell, Kevin. "One Year After Katrina: the Progress, the Hope, the Anger, the Recovery." Chicago Jet 110 (2006): 6-8. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 7. "Distribution of Impacts of Natural Disasters Across Income Groups: a Case Study of New Orleans." 8. Elliott, Geoff. "Katrina Won'T Happen Again: Bush." The Australian 31 Aug. 2006: 9. LexisNexis. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 9. Grunwald, Micheal. "In Defense of Finger-Pointing." The Washington Post 19 Feb. 2006, sec. B02. LexisNexis. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 10. Heitman, Danny. "The Media's Post-Katrina Flaw: Boredom." Christian Science Monitor 29 Aug. 2006: 9. LexisNexis. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 11. Hughes, Alan. "Blown Away by Katrina." Black Enterprise 36 (2005): 148-155. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 12. Jefferson, Iman A. "Will New Orleans' Black Buisnesses Bounce Back." Black Enterprise 37 (2006): 30. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 13. Kabacoff, Pres. "Operation Rebirth: Development Needs to Be Connected to New Orleans's Neighborhoods." Urban Land 65 (2006): 67. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 14. Kennedy, Shawn, and James Murdock. "Remaking New Orleans, Without Losing Its Past." Architectural Record (2007): 85-88. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia. 10 Oct. 2007 15. Leavey, Pamela. "A Katrina Reflection." The Democratic Daily 30 Aug. 2007. LexisNexis. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 16. Loyd, Jenna M. "Katrina: a Racist Disaster." Capitalism Nature Socialism 18 (2007): 122-129. EBSCO. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. Keyword: Katrina. 17. Masozera, Michel, Melissa Bailey, and Charles Kerchner. "Distribution of Impacts of Natural Disasters Across Income Groups: a Case Study of New Orleans." Ecological Economics 63 (2007): 299-316. EBSCO. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. Keyword: Katrina. 18. McCarthy, Kevin F., Bring New Orleans Back Commission, and Rand Corporation. The Repopulation of New Orleans After Hurricane Katrina. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Gulf States Policy Institute, 2006. xvii-41. 19. Miles, Brian, and Stephanie Morse. "The Role of New Media in Natural Disaster Risk and Recovery." Ecological Economics 63 (2007): 365-373. EBSCO. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. Keyword: Katrina. 20. Paletta, Damian. "Baker Bill for U.S. to Buy Damaged Homes Stymied." American Banker 170 (2005): 1. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 21. Paletta, Damian. "Baker Tried to See Bright Side for La. Recovery Bill." American Banker 171 (2006): 3. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 22. Plume, Janet. "Should MR-GO Stay Gone?" Traffic World (2006): 22-24. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 23. Rosan, Richard M. "The Path to Rebuilding: One Year After Hurricane Katrina Devastated the Gulf Coast, New Orleans Still Lacks a Coordinated Plan for Action." Urban Land 65 (2006): 58-63. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 24. Rozhon, Tracie. "From the Ground Up: Frustrated by the Federal and State Response to Katrina, New Orleanians Have Begun Making Plans of Their Own." Metropolis 25 (2006): 118-124. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007 25. Russel, James S. "Can New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Face the Hard Questions?" Architectural Record 194 (2006): 130-138. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007 26. Scallan, Melissa M. "Hurricane Katrina Was an Anomaly." The Sun Herald 9 Aug. 2006. LexisNexis. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 27. Schatz, Joseph J. "Navigating Crossfire on the Gulf Coast." CQ Weekly 64 (2006): 583-584. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 28. Schulte, Bret. "Turf Wars in the Delta; Plotting a Future for the New New Orleans Isn'T Just About Urban Design. Try Money–and Politics." U.S. News & World Report 140 (2006): 66-71. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 29. Sommers, Samuel R., Evan P. Apfelbaum, Kristin N. Dukes, Negin Toosi, and Elsie J. Wang. "Race and Media Coverage of Hurricane Katrina: Analysis, Implications, and Future Research Questions." Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy 6 (2006): 39-55. EBSCO. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 30. Villa, Alba L. "Katrina Suit Against U.S. Government Moves Forward." Washington 43 (2007): 72-75. ProQuest. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 31. Weinrach, Jeff. "What Can Hurricane Katrina Teach Environmental and Quality Professionals?" Environmental Quality Management 15 (2005): 87-90. EBSCO. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007. 32. Wilson, Alex. "An Ecological Vision for Rebuilding New Orleans: Planning for a Cleaner, Greener Crescent City." Landscape Architecture 96 (2006): 64-69. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007 33. Wilson, Alex. "An Ecological Vision for Rebuilding New Orleans: Planning for a Cleaner, Greener Crescent City." Landscape Architecture 96 (2006): 64-69. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007 34. Wilson, Alex. "An Ecological Vision for Rebuilding New Orleans: Planning for a Cleaner, Greener Crescent City." Landscape Architecture 96 (2006): 64-69. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 12 Oct. 2007 9.10 Summary: In his presentation, the author takes on the issue of disability and how to improve the lives of those who live with a disability. The author structured his argument by introducing the topic and interjecting questions throughout the presentation to enforce his main point. He defined terms in respect to his presentation in order to deepen the meaning of the vocabulary used. His ideas were structured around motivation to get wheelchair users out of the house. Important terms, comment, and constructs used were the idea of visible vs. invisible disability, the idea of universal design, and the relative definition of disability. Definitions: Visible vs. invisible disability: A visible disability is one that is seen on the outside of the body. A limp, hearing aide, wheelchair, glasses, or disfigured body part would be an example of a visible disability. An invisible disability is one that is internal, such as a mental disability. Invisible disabilities are only detectable if the person possessing the disability allows outsiders to notice the disability. To me, any disability can be invisible if the person possessing the disability allows for it to be. Disability: A disability is a physical or mental handicap, especially one that prevents a person from living a full, normal life or from holding a gainful job. I think that a disability is state of mind. Many people have mental or physical disabilities and participate in as many aspects of life as their non-disabled counterparts. I believe that if the disabled person has the desire to live a quasi normal life, they have the capability if they have the desire. Universal design: Universal design is one that is useful to people with a disability and those without. Universal designs are those that are useful for all people to use. While not all designs need to be universal, I believe that a large majority of them should be in order to desegregate society and allow accessibility to anyone who desires it. Questions: Previous designs influence those of the future. How do industrial designers, and architects learn from past designs to create new designs that are more acceptable or universal to disabled and non- disabled people? The author spoke of how engineering and design are heavily fused in modeling and design of universally designed products. How do you overcome the stereotypes and prejudices held in each discipline against the other to create a workable and collaborative workplace? The speaker also stated that it didn’t matter what department individuals were placed but their area of expertise. Is the area of expertise perfected in the workplace, mainly acquired in University, or a combination of both? Environmental barriers in respect to disability are different for everyone. How do you organize a project in order to best target individual barriers and devise methods to overcome those individual barriers? 9.12 Summary: The author spoke on the topic of structure in the building industry. He tackled issues on perceptions and problems that need to be addressed to improve the industry. He did this by beginning with an introduction on what the building industry is, followed by a listing of the characteristics and a brief history of the building industry. He addressed problems inside the industry and readdressed the characteristics of the building industry and how those much change if the industry is going to evolve. Important terms used in the lecture were: profession of practice, fragmentation, ephemeral project teams, technocrat, and Renaissance Man. Definitions: Technocrat: My perception of a technocrat is one who is extremely well versed in technology. To me, a technocrat is one comparable to the aristocrat of the technological world. Technocrats are actually people who have technical training and see societal problems as solvable with technology focused solutions. They are technical experts and huge supporters of technology. Profession of practice: My perception of a profession of practice is one that is not just a desk job or a profession of constancy. To me, a profession of practice is one that requires the employee to go out into the world and learn more about his or her profession. It is profession that is constantly changing and evolving and requires the person to stay current on issues pertaining to their job. Ephemeral Project Teams: To me, an ephemeral project team sounds like a team that after the project has been completed, disappears like smoke. The word ephemeral has a negative and weak connotation, leading me to believe that an ephemeral project team would be a weaker team on the whole. Ephemeral project teams are actually those that are transitory and last only a short amount of time. Questions: The author spoke of how the building industry lacks the diversity in discipline of other industries. Do you think that this lack of diversity limits growth? Why is there not must professional research and development taking place in the building industry? Consumers desire diversity in their built environments, but not much research and development has taken place. How do builders renovate and freshen up designs that have been used for hundreds of years? When builders are not taking on new research in the industry, how do they learn better ways to perform their profession? The speaker spoke on how the building industry must integrate. How do you propose integration be organized when different disciplines are so deeply engrained in their stereotypical perceptions of one another? 9.14 Summary: The author spoke on the topic of geographic information systems and how they are used to influence city planning, environmental control, land suitability, and building materials analysis. He organized his presentation by displaying many different types of map and showing how each map was used to display a different type of information. He then connected the information shown in each map back to real world applications to imprint where each type of data would be useful. Important terms used in this lecture were land suitability, research, impervious surfaces, and geographical growth. Definitions: Land suitability: Land suitability is determining what kind of land is useable for a certain project. To me, land suitability does not only encompass geographical formations but should also encompass demographic formations. It would appear that land suitability is not only determined by geographical formations, but also by where land is most economically instead of environmentally suitable. Research: To me, research is a series of questions and investigations employed to discover new knowledge. Research is not just looking information up in a book, but going out into the environment and testing different variables and asking questions. Research is diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation into a subject in order to discover or revise facts, theories, and applications. Geographic growth: Geographic growth is urban sprawl and development of civilization in the built environment. I believe geographic growth has both good and bad connotations. While development is occasionally beneficial to society, it can also have negative effects. Decades ago, Atlanta was a cultural hub. People would travel from all over the country to enjoy the music, art, and cultural richness Atlanta offered. Because of geographic “growth,” Atlanta is now an industrial city lacking much of the raw cultural richness is once possessed. Though more economically influence, I would not say geographic growth truly helped Atlanta to grow. Questions: The GIS system’s organization is so fine tuned that a Frisbee can even be seen on the map. This level of precision is only increasing. Where are the boundaries marked to protect the privacy of individuals? The emerging environment is seeing much cross-disciplinary collaboration. Do you believe this collaboration will influence the future of geographic information systems? How does city planning using GIS effect disaster response? Do you think GIS significantly increases the effectiveness of disaster response? GIS is a very analytical science that has been honed to extreme accuracy. In order to expand the capabilities of GIS, do you believe it is important to learn to incorporate creativity in the analysis? 08.29 In this lecture presentation, the authors focused classical architecture and the importance of looking at past architecture and incorporating it into the present. The authors also emphasized that though classical architecture is from the past, it is not set to a strict set of rules. The authors did this by reviewing classical architecture from Rome and colonial sites (such as Williamsburg, VA) and incorporating these styles and proportions into their own work. Some of the important terms employed in the lecture were: proportion, low-end, high-end, modern, traditional, classical, and vernacular. Classical Architecture – Classical architecture is based of the architecture used to build temples in honor of the gods, town meeting halls, and basic homes in ancient Greece and Rome. It is simple but breathtaking, complex but elegant. Traditional Architecture – Traditional (vernacular) architecture is a type of architecture that uses local resources to fulfill local needs. Traditional architecture reflects the environmental, cultural, and historical background of the area in which it resides. 1. Classical architecture has many rules and regulations. In today’s changing society, how do you overcome these regulations to make classical architecture more marketable? 2. Industrial designers seem to be concerned with constantly making produces look more modern? How would you inject your knowledge of classical architecture on the product scale to make products that utilize the same beauty and essence of classical architecture? 3. Classical architecture has been used for thousands of years. How did you learn to make buildings that employ classical architecture, yet have their own feel? Is it possible to teach someone to make a classical building with its own personality or is it something you have to feel and cannot just be taught? 8.31 In this lecture, the author explained the Solar Decathlon project and emphasized the importance of many disciplines working together in to create a beautiful, green-wise, and efficient house. He highlighted the need to pick and choose the most important elements of the home as not every desired element can be included. He did this by displaying the plans for the house and reviewing the details that go into its design and build. As he reviewed each part of design and construction, he relayed questions asked while designing the house. Some important terms used are: green-wise, effective, process, communication, efficient, and reflection. Effective home – An effective design or structure is one that when produced, has the intended result and striking effect. An effective home in the solar decathlon would not only function as a shelter, but would be environmentally friendly while appearing in the desired fashion designed. Communication is key – Communication is the verbal or nonverbal exchange of information. Communication is especially important in the solar decathlon project as students of many disciplines are constantly being shuffled through but the project must continue seamlessly if it is to be effective. 1. Many disciplines are needed to create the solar decathlon home. Each of these professions has priorities. How do you decipher what the most important elements of the project are when there are many different people and schools of thought working together on one project? 2. It was mentioned in the lecture that industrial designers were used mainly to graphically display the home though programs such as cadcam and that architects and engineers were used primarily in the creation of the home. Do you think the solar decathlon home could be improved if industrial designers played a larger part in the project? 3. Colorado won the solar decathlon last year. When designing the home each year, do you take into account what others did before you? Do you have to start over on a new home each year, or can you add on to the pervious version? Do solar decathlon alum return to pass on what they learned in previous years to the students working on the project at present? 9.05 In this lecture, the speaker focused on how design is changing based on new techniques. He emphasized the important of knowing what the project is, how the project is going to be done, and why the project is being done at all. He also proposed the question, “How do we come up with a system that challenges the beginning idea?” He did this by displaying different designs and articulating the methods used to construct each design along with the questions asked while designing each artifact. Some of the important terms used were: nonstandard mass customized, toroid, master builder, global manipulations. Master builder – The Master builder is based off a Norwegian play about an architect who scratches his way into fame and revolves his entire life around his work. He neglects his family and focuses only on his architecture. When he finally realizes the error in his ways, he falls from one of his own buildings to his death. The Master builder is one who becomes so obsess with a project that it consumes him. To me, the master builder is not only a person who is obsessed with work, but it could also describe someone who designs, constructs, and perfects a structure without the help of others for fear of losing recognition or self-fulfillment. Nonstandard mass customized – Nonstandard mass customized is a term used to describe pieces of a whole that are mass produced, but each piece has its own separate identity. The term is paradoxical in that though the pieces are nonstandard, hence, customized, they are mass produced, and therefore becoming their own standard. 1. Why is calculus 3 not taught to architects and industrial designers? Do you believe that learning parametric calculus could improve the understanding of modern and classical designs? Do you think that requiring Industrial Design and Architecture students to take a class on vector calculus and parameterization would improve the curriculum and give students a better understanding while also allowing them to be more prepared? 2. It appeared that many of the structures shown in this lecture such as the “squid,” wooden waterfall instillation in Architecture West, and the toroid artifact could have been created by industrial designers or architects. Do you believe that the line between architect and industrial designers is becoming thinner as technology increases? 3. Many questions were posed during this lecture. In the professional environment, do you get together with your group or team and discuss possible questions while working on a project or are questioned better posed though quiet reflection? Do you continually check up on the questions originally asked in order to update or answer them while working on the project? The Plastic Wave Description The plastic wave installation is located outside Architecture West. It is a large, plastic artifact in the shape of a twisting, spinning eye, or a bird’s wing taking flight. Though the plastic wave is eye shaped at first glance, it moves around the columns and reinforcement structures much like the wind. The plastic wave begins rooted to the concrete section of earth and flows inwards, then around the first column, suddenly becoming a scene of complete plastic weave chaos in between the first and second columns, and culminating in sinusoidal vertical alignment at its end as it rests atop the second columns reinforcement beam. Though the plastic wave is a large artifact and anything but indiscrete to a student working in or passing by the Architecture building, its place on campus is not one of prominence. It is hardly visible from the library computer room windows and can not even be seen from on top of the hill behind the library in front of the Architecture building. It is large in comparison to the foliage and man made structures surrounding nearby buildings, but it is small compared to the building itself. The contrast in size is a reminder that though problems may seem larger than life when they’re upon you, in the scheme of things, the conflict is not that large The plastic wave instillation is made of clear polycarbonate. It was manufactured by vacuum caste molding, in which the polycarbonate is sucked into a mold and baked in a vacuum oven to harden and release of excess gas. The polycarbonate sheets were cut into strips of varying length and width with a mechanical saw opposed to a laser or torch due to the ruff edges. A system of dotted incisions were used to indicate where certain pieces of plastic were to be placed. The plastic wave was constructed by first laying strips of varying length and width cut out from the polycarbonate sheet on top of each other in a slight fan-like way. All the ends of the panels closest to Architecture East in this section are shaped with curved edges and straight line backs. The ends are all aligned on top of one another at the end. The base of the beginning section of the plastic wave is made with a single strip of the shorter, wider polycarbonate. A circular convex cutout was made on the end farthest from Architecture East. The next section of strips used is longer and narrower with a concave circular cutout on the end farthest from Architecture East. Ten of the longer, narrower strips are stack on top of each other over the shorter, wider base strip. The narrower strips are all the same length, but with varying width, the widest of these narrow strips on the bottom of the narrow strip stack. The strips are aligned flush with each other on the side of the structure facing the street, but on the side of the structure facing the building, the strips fan out due to the differences in width. After the set of ten narrow strips, two wider strips follow, but they are secured slightly back from the beginning base wide strip. The after these two wider strips, each with a circular cutout on the connecting end, more narrow strips are placed over each other in the same position as the previous set of ten strips. These pieces of polycarbonate are also cut to varying widths, the widest again placed on the bottom of the stack and the stack again flush on one side and tapered at an angle on the other due to the varying widths. The pattern progresses in this manner, two wide, slightly set back panels are laid on top of ten narrower panels of varying width, flush on one side and tapered on the other. The formation ends with a single wider, shorter panel. The panels are secured together with nuts and bolts. Due to the consistency of panels and the varying position of placement of the wider panels, the beginning section of the plastic wave appears to be constructed of panels of arbitrary width, simply stacked and then twisted upon one another, but with careful examination, it is possible to see the narrower panels maintain the same position while the wider panels fan above them. This structure of layering panes adds a translucent but concrete feel to the beginning of the plastic wave. As the plastic wave progress, the panels begin to radiate outwards and upwards from their original base. The horizontal panels do not move parallel to each other, but up and down like waves. Spaces are created in this section in which no plastic is present at all, just air. The panels move up and down, joining at some locations and diverging at others. As the panels are moving upwards and downwards, their position in relation to the ground is also moving in and out. The panels sweep away from the original base section of polycarbonate and then rush forward and around the first column in Architecture West. They are positioned in fanning angles and a slight lean and twist is visible. Sometimes it appears that the horizontal panels are oscillating, but it is only because of the movement of the vertical panels and the angle in which the panels on a whole are positioned. The new set horizontal panels contain inverse circular cutouts in relationship to the beginning wider panels on their connecting end. These new panels are placed flush to the wider, shorter panels possessing the opposite circular cutout. The new panels are secured not only by the cutouts, but to the set of ten panels with bolts about a foot down from the beginning of the cutout. The new panels begin about as wide as the first set of wide panels and progressively get narrower and narrower, finally oscillating as they progress upwards towards the first column. The horizontal panel continuations from the original wider panels at the base of the plastic wave are not one continuous panel, but five sets of panels. The first set of panels are constructed in the same manner as the beginning panels, except the panels are progressively getting narrower. The panels have eyelets cut out on their far end in order to secure the vertical and horizontal panels. The horizontal panels also contain concave circular cutouts on the end nearest Architecture East. The second set of panels decrease in width and contains about six eyelets evenly spaced on the edges of the panels. The third, fourth, and fifth sets of panels all oscillate and contain evenly spaced eyelets as they radiate upwards. In order to establish differing lengths between the radiating panels, no panels are secured next to the set of ten panels in the beginning section of the plastic wave. Instead, narrow pieces of polycarbonate are cut and vertically placed in between the horizontal panels were the set of ten panels was originally located. The vertically placed panels are not continuous, but cut into sections. The first two sections of vertical panel radiate inwards into the middle of the horizontal slices and then outwards, providing definition and strength to the structure. They are secured in the middle by an elliptical polycarbonate piece and a bolt. As the second panel section moves outward, it grows wider and aligns with the edges of the horizontal pieces, connecting with bolts at the eyelets. The remaining four sections of vertically aligned polycarbonate oscillate as the plastic wave grows higher, creating the look of many strands moving and undulating into one. The third section of the plastic wave does not posses the immediate organization of the previous two sections. In this section, the horizontal panels are divided into three pieces which grow to become as wide as the previous single panel. The vertical panels are connected to the previous sections vertical panels by elliptical polycarbonate cutouts. Almost directly after this connection, the vertical panels begin to twist and contort into horizontal panels. There is no longer any discernable nomenclature of panel direction as vertical panels stretch and twist to become horizontal panels and horizontal panels contort into vertical panels. Through the chaos, there is a definite organization of structure. For example, the first time the panels diverge from their original direction, they sway inwards, but are then clamped together in horizontal alignment. After this clamping, the panels twist and from their binding and sway again towards Architecture West before converging into their bolted hold, this time in the vertical position. Another twist leads the panels to become bolted again in their horizontal position. This change from vertical to horizontal position continues as the plastic wave again climbs higher and higher into Architecture West. As the panels converge and diverge from each other in alternating clasp direction, it is possible to see almost mirror images of the entire structure on a whole. In this section of utter chaos, the structure recreates itself on a smaller level between each bolted section. It is a three dimensional likeness, displayed through contortion and twist. The artifacts shape is again seen in smaller scale as the images of the plastic wave produced by the panels overlap each other and create smaller images of the plastic wave. Through the overlap of space and plastic, thousands of smaller plastic waves can be seen throughout the chaotic third section of the structure. This mirroring is also seen in the second section of the structure, but in the second section, it is more two dimensional and lacking much of the motion possessed by the actual artifact. In the fourth and final section of the plastic wave, the panels return to their horizontal and vertical alignment. The split sections of panel converge again into one and are connected with overlapping horizontal panels with bolts. The vertical panels are again connected by the use of eyelets. As the panels converge into the end of the plastic wave, they become narrower and perform one last twist, culminating in a vertically aligned structure that goes up and down like a wave. Mirror images of the plastic wave can still be seen in the overlapping sections before the conclusion of the artifact, and a contour of the artifacts beginning and end are seen in the vertical wave culmination of all the panels. The intricate twisting and oscillating inner workings of the plastic wave are beautiful to behold. In the early morning they reflect dim sparkles of morning light, almost as if a tiny glow was instilled in each movement of the plastic. In the afternoon sun, the light reflects off the panels with a brilliance and shine that is as bright as the sun, despite the immense dirt build-up on the corners of the connection and debris inside the plastic double tear drop sections. In the evening, the light reflects off in a warm glow, casting shadows across the overlapping plastic and dimming the open spaces. At night, only the moonlight is reflected, in soft, gentle waves. The most amazing time to see the plastic wave is during a rainstorm, when droplets of water are reflected against the plastic and clouds like little diamonds. When the plastic wave is surrounded by people, its aura changes from a gentle breeze into a chaotic wind storm. As people surround it and study it, it’s as if the artifact is agitated and its turbulent structure becomes more pronounced. When few people are around the plastic structure, it becomes more of a softer river or an artifact that demands thought and respect. When the scenery around the plastic wave is calm, the presence of the wave becomes calm and peaceful. It offers shade in the hot sun and slight refuge from the rain. In the morning dew it is slimy and appeals more as a liquid than a solid structure, while in the dry sun, it’s warm and very solid, almost metallic. Speculation The plastic wave was constructed in the mid 20th century. It is an artifact of duality. It can instill peace and tranquility when the scenery around the artifact and the observer is at peace. Likewise, it can also plant frustration and chaos. I think the plastic wave was created to display that even though the environment can become chaotic, there is always an element of organization, always a purpose in the muddle. Turmoil in the creators’ lives might have motivated them to create a structure that was peaceful and furious at the same time, but with careful observation, would teach those willing to learn that there is a beautiful thing in disorder, and that even disorder has some version of a plan. I think they sought to teach that even though the world may seem random and crazy, there is always some small line of peace. The plastic wave might seek to teach that “every cloud has a silver lining.” The plastic wave is like the creation of solid water, or visible wind. I believe the creators wanted to discover a manner in which to create a man made structure that mirrors a natural occurrence. They sought to show immense movement in the still; a fusion of gentle flowing and turbulent cascading all in the same piece. In order to create the plastic wave, designers may have asked, “How do we impose the natural on the unnatural?” “How do we show movement in a still figure, and contrast the movement we show?” “How do we create an artifact that requires no analysis while also begging to be pondered on?” “What materials can we use that will hold up to intense weathering while also displaying the level of aesthetics we desire?” “How can we create a structure that looks as if it grows and flows from one block of material?” After discerning the answer to these questions, the designers most likely drew up schematics and plans for the creation of their artifact. They worked with models made of many different materials and bending shapes in order to discover the exact position they wanted. They planed the location and where certain pieces of the plastic wave would be anchored in order to achieve the greatest effect. Models were tested in varying light and conditions to see the response and to discover the most effective design. The plastic wave reminds me of a bird taking flight, as the wing lifts up and swoops down, caught in the breeze. It also reminds me of the twisting cross section of the human eye, especially when the light and rain reflects off of the plastic panels. The plastic wave reminds me of a flowing stream, beginning on the mountain top and cascading over rocks and ravines before finally flowing into a river. Finally, the plastic artifact is reminiscent of the story of a wind storm. It begins calm and gentle, like a breeze and progresses into a torrent of energy before leveling out and disappearing all together. The plastic wave may have once been a symbol of reverence for a foreign culture. It could have stood for the necessity of the population to work for the whole and to come together as a group to accomplish a job. If I had to name the plastic wave, I would most likely name it “Free,” because though it reminds me of many things, all of these things are natural and cannot be tamed. The flowing stream, the inner workings of the eye, a flying bird, or a windstorm are all too powerful and alive to be assigned to a specific object. They all have their own essence, and it would be wrong to give such a structure displaying bits and pieces of each of these things a specific, defined name. The Wooden Waterfall Description: The wooden waterfall is located inside Architecture West building. It stretches from the top of the third floor of the building, about level with the window line, and careens down to the first floor of the building, ending in a wooden seat-like structure. The wooden waterfall connects all three floor of the building as it flows downwards to the floor. The wooden waterfall’s place on campus is unnoticeable to anyone but students in the College of Architecture, but its presence in the building is peaceful. The gently twisting wood overhang and seats add a quality of nature into a building composed of concrete. The wooden artifact acts as a certain organic life source in a building of cold material. The wooden waterfall was constructed by cutting pieces of wood composite with a mechanical saw into long, strait sections, waved sections, and bended chair-like sections. The wooden waterfall artifact begins with the installment of 80 sets of seat-shaped wooden composites pieces, three boards per set. Between each of these sets and at the beginning of the chair is a single, strait board. The seat-shaped boards are bolted together with a single rod at the foot of the installment, the edge curve of the installment, the back curve of the installment, and at the head of the installment. These pieces act together as a bench like structure. They compact together, allowing no light through, and reminiscent of the lake or stream the waterfall plunges into. Different boards are attached together with screws. Each single board composite is made of seven layers of wood. At the ends of each board, three or four of those layers are cut off at an angle. The thinner part of the board is fit with another angled board containing only three or four layers of wood and screwed together. Each of the boards used in the wooden waterfall are assigned a letter and number to indicate their respective position. As the wooden waterfall progresses upwards, spaces are left where the sets of seat-shaped boards once occupied. The wood begins to converge and diverge from its parallel status. These undulations are created by bolting sections of wood together. The stress applied to the wood from the bolts causes the wood to come together at places and split apart on others. This creates a waterfall effect, causing the viewer to imagine rocks or crevices separating the sections of flowing water at the bottom of the waterfall. When the wooden artifact meets the second floor of the building, it begins to swoop inward, towards the floor of the second story on one side and towards the ceiling on the other. This section of the wooden artifact was created using curved boards. The boards are attached in a similar manner as the straight board by carving off layers of the wood and screwing together. At some points in the curve, it is possible to see triangular shapes where the wood has been carved off and no board was attached. At these intersections, screws and metal sheet connectors were used to connect the pieces of board. The wood planks no longer diverge or converge from each other, but remain evenly spaced. Rods about three feet wide are used to support the new waving motions applied by the wooden structure as well as maintain spacing. The rods are inserted at varying angles to maintain the wave-like structure From a side view on the second floor, the structure appear eye shaped, like two tear-drops merged together. When the wooden waterfall finally reaches the top floor, it performs a wave over the third floor balcony and a final opposite wave as it stops its vertical oscillation. The wood plunges from the window line where it ended into a minor version of the bench structure below, merging with the wood that climbed to the top window with bolts. The shapes formed on the inside of the top bench structure are tear-dropped and arch-like from this merge. The bench created on the third floor is very narrow at one end and gradually progresses to about the width of the first floor bench. This third floor bench is not solid, but consists of only 80 sets of one chair-shaped plank spaced evenly like the planks that climbed from the second and third floor. None of the wooden waterfall is secured into the ground, but held in place by rods and metal fixtures attached to the walls and railings. When the College of Architecture is full of students, the wooden waterfall seems alive with motion. There are students seated on its first floor bench, basking in the pool of the waterfall. People traverse through the second floor corridor underneath the undulation of the waterfall. This installment acts as a canopy, like a place of refuge, for those under its wake. The third floor seating is similar to a pool in the upper region of waterfall. Although most do not use the third floor instillation as a bench, its presence acts as a symbolic lake or stream atop the mountain. It is still a peaceful place to sit by in a class or rest and think in moments of peace. When the building is deserted, the waterfall is not as alive. Unlike the plastic instillation outside, the waterfall thrives on life and sound to make it alive. When no one is around to enjoy it or bask in its shadow, the wooden waterfall becomes just that, a lifeless mass. During the day, light pours though the windows of the building, basking the wooded installment in light and causing parts of the installment to virtually disappear. In the day time, when the light shines through, the wooden waterfall shimmers in places very much like a waterfall. At nighttime, the light no longer shines though, but the wooden structure still appears transparent. Instead of shining like water, at night, the wooden waterfall is velvety and soft. The feel of the wooden waterfall is ruff around the edges, but smooth on the sides. The ruff edges visually add to the texture of the waterfall, causing the wood to look more dynamic and moving, while the smooth sides remind the observer that they are indeed looking at a natural, smooth being. On hot days, the wooden waterfall is a symbol of relief. It reminds the observer of a calm, almost tropical scene. On cold days, the waterfall might act as a reminder of the warmth that is to come. Speculation The wooden waterfall was created less than a decade ago. I believe that it was created as a sign of sanctuary for the students inside the College of Architecture. The waterfall is a peaceful sign. Students can gather on the bench on the first floor and talk and communicate together. They can rest in the shade of the waterfalls wake on the second floor, or meet for class in the ripple of the pseudo bench on the third floor. I think that the people who created the wooden waterfall asked questions such as, “How do I feel when inside the College of Architecture?” “What kind of structure would benefit the life and habitation of the people inside the COA?” “How can we create a beautiful, but non obtrusive structure inside the COA that will add to the students’ experience?” In order to design and create the wooden waterfall, the creators probably used AutoCAD in order to play with design and shape. They asked questions such as,” What is the best material to use for this structure?” “How can we create the structure to let in light at just the right angle?” “What would be the best way to construct the structure once it is inside the COA?” “How can we attach it to the previously existing building without making the structure unsafe?” “How can we impose the natural inside the unnatural?” The creators communicated with each other and bounced ideas back and forth in order to come up with the best design plan. They then created models and tested their models in situations similar to that of the COA. The wooden waterfall installation makes me think of a flowing waterfall. It makes me see an image of the mountains and water flowing over rocks and branches. I think about camping with my family or going to the Caribbean and playing the water with my brother. The wooden waterfall fosters warm, happy, and carefree feelings, and makes me feel at peace with myself. I would name the wooden waterfall “Fall,” because it reminds be of a plunging waterfall. The structure also reminds me of peaceful times, like the season fall. I see camping trips and family outing in the waterfall. I also see refuge and rebirth in its cascading wood. Though fall is a time of death, it is also a time to remember the good of what will come. This structure reminds me to look for the good in what is coming. I can image this structure as once living in a calm wood, surrounded by trees and lakes and animals. I can see people accidentally stopping upon it and basking in its shadows. I can see it as being a secret spot that offers hope and refreshment. Link to this Page
|  | 
|