Chislett, Morgan : Assignments

Chislett, Morgan : Assignments

Assignment: 5th Street Essay

Is 5th Street Becoming its Dream?

Stepping through Klaus’s “Gateway to Campus” I walk, nearly alone, down the newly built sidewalk and up the hill to the 5th street bridge. The arbor and small green space are nice, and the trees do block out views of the highway, but the area is not as populated as its relaxed vision might invite. I continue on to Tech Square, the “thriving retail community” and innovative business and technology center. Still, the population density I see is relatively low key—there is not quite the hustle and bustle of pedestrians on the wide sidewalks as I would have imagined this new, “better” addition to the Tech Campus to host.
This observation was nearly identical to all the others I have had when walking through or making use of Tech Square’s retail amenities. With the exception of parents weekend, welcome weekend, Tech home games, and the annual summer event, Flicks on 5th, I have never seen Tech Square and 5th street fully live up to the expectations that Bob Thompson, senior vice president for administration and finance at Tech, set for them: “the center of the high-tech corridor of Atlanta. Having a thriving retail community is essential to supporting the education and business innovation that Technology Square and Centergy will foster.” Now, I cannot say much for the education and business innovation sector of the idealized Tech Square, because I am neither a management nor business major, but we will come to that later.

A quote pulled from one of the readings for this assignment describes this situation perfectly: “Most American cities and towns…are organized around consumption and production…and public space is merely the void between workplaces, shops, and dwellings.” If one is not part of a major harbored by the learning center, a customer of the few retail shops on the street, or a fraternity pledge walking the dog in the green rectangle on 5th Street Bridge, then where does Tech Square apply? The sidewalks, in my observations, have thus far served as entities of transportation, unlike the highly social “corridors” and “salons” of Paris of which 5th street developers might have dreamed. As a few of our lecturers have mentioned, this proposed integration of pedestrian and motor traffic has been monopolized by the latter part of the integration. The stretch of asphalt between its north and south side, relatively wide compared to the majority of thoroughfares weaving through Tech campus, have made 5th street an intimidating place for pedestrians. Even with much wider sidewalks, crossing the road is only safely possible at the four or five crosswalks. This issue of integration has not brought together the two sides of the street in a “square,” but has separated them into two parallel, segregated walkways. More attention must be paid to this street in seven common design and planning filters to really see what characteristics help or hinder Tech Square’s and the 5th street bridge’s paths to their founders’ and developers’ dreams.

As a public space, the 5th Street Bridge is effective, but mostly as a space for movement and transition from one side of the bridge to the other. Rarely do I see people interacting with the space in a way that would suggest the slow-moving social scene of Paris’s grand corridors. Solnit would say that 5th Street, like “most American cities,” is “becoming more and more like [an] enlarged suburb, scrupulously controlled and segregated, designed for the noninteractions of motorists shuttling between private places rather than the interactions of pedestrians in public ones.” The green rectangle on the north side of the bridge certainly has aesthetic and natural qualities that trump plain concrete, but as for use by the public, it is merely a void. Perhaps people still have a nervous awareness of the cars zooming underneath them, and perhaps a game of Frisbee or ball would be too risky, for fear of the object accidentally flying over the fence and onto the highway, never to be retrieved. Picnics or gatherings lose their natural value when juxtaposed with cars and trolleys moving past on hard asphalt only ten feet away. As for the arbor and garden on the south side, the absence of concrete methods of interaction and learning about the plants (via placards or informational signs) make it, depending on the right season for blooms, just a nice view on one’s way to or from Tech Square.

Tech Square itself pertains more to public use of privately owned retail than it does to purely public, social interactions. The public walking space, though present, again serves as the “void,” quoted earlier, “between workplaces, shops, and dwellings.” The majority of time is spent within the enclosed spaces—the management school, bookstore, and shops. Outside, the purpose of pedestrian presence is either waiting for the Tech Trolley, walking from one store to the next, or being biting-nails nervous attempting to cross Spring Street among cars rushing through the intersection to make the yellow light.
5th Street holds its prior physical framework in the midst of the vertical changes on the east side of the bridge, and the horizontal changes on the bridge itself. Ferst Drive still curves gracefully into 5th, which is a straight shot from Klaus to the Biltmore. What was once divided into Midtown and Tech campus, however, has now become an annex of the campus, an extra arm that reaches into the lively Midtown scene. Retail and learning centers that fit students’ needs have replaced dilapidated buildings and abandoned lots. On a contrasting note, traffic on Spring Street and West Peachtree serve as windows to the world that has not changed around Tech Square. Contrary to hopes of a relaxed yet innovative social and educational scene, cars still speed by on these through-ways—life has not slowed down just to accommodate the “new and improved” development.

I had no knowledge of the previous state of 5th street until I began researching for this paper. The layers, or “palimpsest,” upon which Tech Square and the bridge have been built are not apparent if one has no prior awareness of the physical appearance of the space, but the style and quality of the built environment just off of 5th street suggest what might have once existed in that area. I think the developers of this innovative area wanted to leave behind its structurally “shameful” past, and have Tech Square and the bridge represent the future of construction on Tech campus and possibly Atlanta itself. Everything has become bigger in this visionary world, and cleaner, and more structurally sound and sustainable. It might take more time for people on campus to really accept this area as a vital part of Tech, however, and until then the streets and sidewalks will be as sparsely populated as they are today. The center for technology and management in Tech Square serves as the prized jewel of the developers’ mission: to advance Georgia Tech and the surrounding area forward. Tech students learning about the processes that make the business and technological world successful are essential to the future achievement and innovation of Georgia Tech, Atlanta, and the world. Business meetings between corporate officials in the Tech Hotel signify important communications that will change our environment as well. This concentration of interactions makes Tech Square ahead of the game in business-education merging, but the integration of students and people outside of the business world into the equation may be crucial for Tech Square to maintain the thriving, diverse atmosphere that is apparent on the rest of the campus.

5th Street and Tech Square, like most built environments, are a majority hard material and a minority natural space. The unexpected presence of a green rectangle of grass on the 5th street bridge, as well as white roofs that reflect sunlight on all of the new buildings imply that the developers of this innovative space might have been moving toward a more sustainable environment. For the purpose of Tech Square apparent in its full name, Technology Square, this ratio of mostly concrete to some green is efficient, unless one takes into account the technological advances providing an equal balance of green and grey. For example, to improve the sustainable qualities of the street, developers could pull ideas that have been successful in other parts of the world, such as devoting the current stretch of asphalt to a streetcar running on grass. With only a few changes of dimension and material, Tech Square and the 5th Street Bridge could live up to their innovative potential.

As an urban form, 5th Street is again effective in the concrete-jungle sense. Wider concrete sidewalks and a recently repaved road cater to the traditional goals of construction: to make transportation easier for humans, but especially for humans in cars. As a relatively small space compared to Atlanta and the Tech campus, even the sustainable characteristics of Tech Square and 5th Street do not make much of an impact on the fast-paced, hard-edged life of the city. The fact that this street lies on almost the very outer edge of Tech campus lends to its relative bareness to the more centralized parts of campus (think Yellow Jacket Park, or the Student Center). On the other hand, one benefit of having this space to connect Tech and Midtown is that non-Tech affiliates in Midtown can see the campus as more than just a separate section for students, and contribute to the diversity of interactions and events.

The multiple functions of 5th Street could be drawn out in an endless list, but what is most important to the success and efficiency of the space is how these functions interact, cohabitate, and take precedence over each other. The stretch of street from Klaus to the bridge serves mostly as a people-mover within the campus, serving students a majority of the time. A few sorority and fraternity houses dot the way and represent part of the heart of the social scene at Tech, but with their brick walls and gated front yards, these houses still lend to a closed-off atmosphere to nonmembers on 5th Street. Up until the bridge, there is no public, centralized space other than the actual road and sidewalks. This leads to the purpose of most people on the street: to get from one destination to another. The bridge makes a small attempt to provide open public space for interaction, but is an empty grass rectangle and often-passed-over garden really worth the extra money it took to widen the road? A lessened auditory and visual effect of the highway on the normal passerby has minimal importance on such a short time span of interaction. Tech Square itself serves as an effective interaction of business and education, but these two definitely take precedence over the purely retail aspect of the space. In my observation, the most populated space other than the conference center and school was the bookstore, in which purposes of retail are often overshadowed by those of education.

The characteristic of 5th Street as a social institution is the most important to its current and future success and a thriving extension of the Tech community. From my observations, I noted that most social interactions occurred either in the middle of the moving stream of pedestrian traffic, or at designated private spaces (the retail areas in Tech Square). People seemed to gravitate towards talking in a way that did not take up time from other activities, such as getting from one place to another, eating a meal, or purchasing some consumer good. Does speech in our age really take this much of a back seat to such individualized actions? Obviously, constructing wider sidewalks has not induced passersby to slow down the pace or stop to chat a while. As a social institution, 5th Street continues to place movement and completion of tasks ahead of pure social interaction. Humans in this social theater seem to interact not on the bare stage, but in closed off side rooms. Only for special events, such as Flicks on 5th has a large amount of people every taken the stage. Even then, it took something as nonsocial and nonverbal as a movie showing to bring everybody together.

I have spent the majority of this paper giving reasons why 5th Street has not lived up to its full potential, but my aim is not to bash where it has gone from the beginning dream of the developers and other involved parties. In all actuality, my opinion is only one, and to someone else, such as a management major, the new developments on 5th street would be vital to their Tech life. To me, 5th Street seems as far away and disconnected from my use of the campus as Atlantic Station. To date, I have been there a number of times that I can count on both hands. Until someone starts integrating the non-majors on the campus into the life of Tech Square, I believe that others’ interactions with the space will be similar to mine. This may just take more time, as the sleepy eyes of Tech students like me open to the opportunities of 5th street.

Morgan Chislett

Department Lectures Assignment

Lecture One: Architecture

In this lecture, Ellen Dunham described the basic characteristics and goals of architecture as a discipline, a profession, and a program of study at Georgia Tech. Some terms that were important from this lecture were shape and architecture. Ellen showed this quote from Winston Churchill: “We shape our buildings, and then they shape us.” Architecture is, on the surface, about designing buildings, but the reach of its influence extends far greater than just a structure. Though we physically construct these buildings, their purposes and emotional impact on a group or society can be much more than visual. Ellen also differentiated between “architecture” and “ordinary building.” The line is drawn at a certain degree to which the construction is an answer to a meaningful question.

Terms:
1) Ecological literacy- being aware and efficient in understanding the impact a structure will have on the environment
2) Commodity- something useful or valued (Merriam Webster)- Arch. Must have a purpose other than just visual
3) Hierarchy- a graded or ranked series (Merriam Webster)in many designs for multiple building sites, a hierarchy exists for how the buildings are placed (ex: UVA)

Speculate:
1) Professional- Where does an architect’s job end? How much responsibility (to the construction process, engineering process) should an architect take?
2) Discipline- How can we look into existing and ancient city layouts to create an effective, efficient, modern standard for cities today?
3) Discipline- How do the goals of a society in a particular place affect the architecture of that time period?

Lecture Two: Building Construction

In this lecture, Dr. Roozbeh Kangari, director of the BC program at GT, gave an overview of the complex and far-reaching stretch of the discipline of building construction. Two important phrases from this lecture were integration and holistic thinking. Integration implies that two or more separate parts are crafted to work together and benefit from each other’s presence in the problem solving process. Holistic thinking is a type of thinking that emphasizes integration. To think holistically is to understand each component separately but be able to connect and interweave them as well.

Terms:
1) Stakeholder- a person that has something to gain or lose from a process, specifically the life cycle of a building/project
2) General contractor- a person or group that has a direct contract with the owner of the project, and is responsible for assigning the tasks necessary to complete the project (through making contracts with smaller, more specified professionals or groups)
3) Project manager- a professional whose duty it is to ensure the success of a project by minimizing risk throughout the lifetime of the project—solving conflicts, foreseeing possible complications or setbacks, making sure everything gets completed on time

Speculation:
1) Professional/pedagogical- How can the importance of BC in the process of design/build (not just hard hats and clipboards) be further recognized and respected by students in the COA?
2) Discipline/profession- How can increased AEC integration be of benefit to the job levels and comprehensive knowledge of BC professionals?

Lecture Three: Industrial Design

In this lecture, Abir Mullick, director and professor in ID @ GT described the definition, philosophy, and multi-faceted nature of the industrial design program at Georgia Tech, as well as the discipline. First, Abir posed the question: “What is design?” The answers to this question, based on the view of design as both a verb and a noun led to the different definitions of ID that companies and organizations have concluded. While the IDSA defines ID as a creation and development of products that have a mutual benefit for many people and the ICSID defines it as a “creative activity whose aim is to establish the multifaceted qualities of objects and processes,” Abir gave his own definition: ID is product design in a human scale that adds value to a human being’s life.

Terms:
1) Empowerment- to promote the self-actualization or influence of
2) Process-driven- spurred by a specific problem-solving equation that involves feedback and is not completely linear
3) Wearable- suitable to be worn on the human body (in ID, refers to items such as backpacks, glasses, etc.—not just clothes)

Speculation:
1) How does an institution’s definition of design affect their ID program? How is a Georgia Tech ID grad different from one at, for example, RPI?
2) How can the study of human interfaces and interactions improve the design process?

Library 101 Bibliography Assignment

Avery Index

Campanella, Thomas J. “Urban Resilience and the recovery of New Orleans.” Journal of the American Planning Association. Illinois, Spring 2006. 141-146.

Gerfen, Katie. “Greening New Orleans.” Architecture. New York, October 2006. 16.

Gonfard, Dominique. “Wash and dry: a design-built studio from Parsons offers post-Katrina relief in Mississippi.” Architecture. New York, September 2006. 56-61.

Illia, Tony, Russell Fortmeyer, John Bergeron, John Gendall. “Katrina Update.” Architectural Record. New York, September 2006. 36, 38.

Kennedy, Shawn, James Murdock. “Remaking New Orleans, without losing its past.” Architectural Record. New York, June 2007. 85-88, 226.

Kreisler, Barbara. “Homes that float.” Urban Land. District of Columbia, May 2006. 63-67.

Page, Max. “In dreams begin responsibilities [New Orleans].” Architecture. New York, December 2005. 41-43.

GIL@GIT

“The federal response to Hurricane Katrina: lessons learned.” Washington: White House, 2006. Available online, Government web site.

Brinkley, Douglas. The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. New York: Morrow, 2006.

DesRoaches, Reginald. “Hurricane Katrina’s impact on Louisiana’s transportation infrastructure.” Tuesday Talks. Available online, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006.

Troutt, David Dante, ed. After the storm: Black intellectuals explore the meaning of Hurricane Katrina. New York: New Press: Dist. By W.W. Norton & Co., 2006.

U.S. One Hundred Ninth Congress, Session 1. “Expert views on hurricane and flood protection and water resources planning for a rebuilt Gulf Coast.” U.S. G.P.O. Washington, October 20, 2005.

United States One Hundred Ninth Congress, Session 1. “Historic preservation vs. Katrina: what role should federal, state and local governments play in preserving historic properties affected by this catastrophic storm?” U.S. G.P.O. Washington, November 1, 2005.

United States One Hundred Ninth Congress, Session 2. “After Katrina: the role of the Department of Justice Katrina Fraud Task Force and agency inspectors general in preventing waste, fraud and abuse.” U.S. G.P.O. Washington, May 10, 2006.

Van Heerden, Ivor. The Storm: what went wrong and why during Katrina: the inside story from one Louisiana Scientist. New York: Viking, 2006.

ProQuest

Anonymous. “Louisiana Recovery Authority divvies up millions for Jefferson, Plaquemines parishes.” New Orleans CityBusiness. New Orleans, Louisiana, September 11, 2007.

Anonymous. “U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Responds to TIME Magazine’s August 13, 2007, Cover Story, ‘The Threatening Storm’.” PR Newswire. New York, August 13, 2007.

Gundersen, Edna. “Walkin’, talkin’ and hopin’; Fats Domino is reconstructing his life, his home – and on a new album, his timeless music.” USA TODAY. McLean, Virginia, September 21, 2007. D9.

Heath, Brad. “Katrina evacuees feel money pinch; Census survey shows joblessness, poverty.” USA TODAY. McLean, Virginia, October 8, 2007. A1.

Rioux, Paul. “Researcher blames flooding of nursing home on levees; He says St. Rita’s should have been dry.” Times-Picayune. New Orleans, Louisiana, September 5, 2007. 1.

LexisNexis Academic

“Architecture: You could tell Katrina was going to be a different kind of political event….” Architecture Magazine. December 7, 2005.

“Katrina as a Teaching Moment.” The Boston Globe. October 23, 2005. A32.

“Tourist in my own city.” USA TODAY. McLean, Virginia, July 3, 2007. 8A.

Chu, Kathy. “Insurance costs become 3rd storm; Crushing burden for residents, businesses threatens recovery.” April 3, 2007. 1A.

Clark-Fory, Tracy. “Cry for Katrina’s kids.” Salon.com. August 22, 2006.

Kolbert, Elizabeth. “WATERMARK; Can southern Louisiana be saved?” The New Yorker. February 27, 2006. 46.

Landry, Cathy, Matt Spangler. “Months after hurricanes, 42 pipelines remain closed in Gulf; down from 64.” Inside Energy with Federal Lands. January 23, 2006. 12.

Webb, Christine. “After Katrina, a breath of fresh air; As New Orleans struggles to rebuild after the hurricane, designers commissioned by Prince Charles have devised an affordable home that may even prove useful in the UK.” The Sunday Telegraph (LONDON). September 10, 2006. 7.

Webster, Nancy Coltun. “Katrina gives new meaning to Web-led crisis response; Financial service, retail hear customer call: ‘We want to do something’.” Advertising Age. June 12, 2006. S2.

Other Sources

“Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina.” www.wikipedia.org. October 11, 2007.

“Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans.” www.wikipedia.org. October 11, 2007.

Grunfeld, David. “Katrina: The Ruin and Recovery of New Orleans.” The Times-Picayune. www.nola.com, October 11, 2007.

Kral, Abby. “Cottage industry: Modular home companies build on housing demand.” New Orleans CityBusiness. www.neworleanscitybusiness.com, October 10, 2007.

Assignment 4: Critical Listening 3

Lecture 1: Architecture, Culture and Behavior

In this lecture, Craig Zimring examined the effect that design on different scales has on individuals and groups, and the reverse effect that the characteristics of individuals and groups have on design. The discussion was presented in a slideshow that outlined statistics on health and healthcare issues in the US. The slideshow also included the effect that these statistics have on design (for example, more elevators to accommodate increasing obesity/immobility), and the effect that design has on these statistics by showing ACB’s testing results on hospital design and recovery time. Some of the important terms in this presentation were intentional physical activity, incidental physical activity, and evidence-based design.

Physical activity takes on a much larger portion of design’s investigation processes than I would have thought. Architects must take into account why people are physically active in a space to most efficiently design that space. Physical activity is either intentional, incidental, or a combination of both. Unlike incidental activity, intentional activity involves actions made outside of everyday life spaces or duties, such as working out. If obesity is increasing in the US, then that may mean that intentional physical activity is decreasing; therefore, space for this kind of physical activity may not be required in as high of a quantity. This can affect how an architect proportions spaces in a public living situation. Another phrase important to the goals of ACB was evidence-based design. Specifically relating to hospitals’ affect on patient recovery time, evidence-based design is a data-centered way of saying that better hospital design equals faster recovery time. Statistics have shown that even a pleasant view out of a recovery room window can get patients out of the hospital quicker and more often. These simple testing results can have monumental effects on the lives of patients worldwide.

Questions to Consider:
1. How can evidence-based design be applied to other centers with close human contact, such as schools and living communities?
2. Can increased importance placed on people-space interaction in the pedagogical goals of architecture studies make a dramatic impact on the future health and well-being of the US? Worldwide?
3. How can hospitals balance economic feasibility with providing pleasant, high-tech recovery spaces for all patients?
4. How can simple, nationwide changes in, for example, a staircase’s placement, decoration, and structure promote a healthier lifestyle for the US?

Lecture 2: Photography

In this lecture, Ruth Dusseault examined the current standing of new public/private space design, in relation to its historical connection with the previous site. She opened the lecture with a lengthy video that illustrated the demolition of the Atlantic Steel Mill, and went on to connect Atlantic Station’s problematic use of utopian constructs with the way architecture and construction in general is heading today—build from scratch, leaving all traces and characteristics of the previous site behind. Some important terms in this lecture were utopian, vernacular, modernism, and identity.

To me, “utopian” connotes a paradise-like society where everything is clean, in its place, and peaceful. In relation to architecture in this lecture, however, utopian took on a completely different context—one that is frightening and almost negative as it relates to building a world “anew.” Utopian construction involves completely demolishing an existing site and “building from scratch,” leaving no trace of the previous structure’s history or context. Another important term in this lecture was vernacular. Vernacular speaks of a common language, and can be applied to architecture by a relational style between multiple structures in an area. In Atlantic Station, the shopping district has created a vernacular relationship with the past site, however unintentionally or intentionally, through its common shapes with the steel mill’s warehouses. Identity of a space was of utmost importance to Ruth. She stressed that the identity of a space as public or private should be a large factor in designing mixed-use communities. In addition, the issues relating to the design and historical identity of Atlanta came into play as Ruth discussed the modernist changes already occurring in this area’s architecture and construction.

Questions to Consider:
1. If all construction becomes “utopian,” will all of the area’s history relating to its spaces eventually be erased?
2. How can educational institutions implement an awareness of history and spacial identity in all of their course offerings?
3. Will drawing from historical roots in meaningful ways affect the time constraints of the design-build process set by the customer?
4. How can governmental agencies have an effect on new, utopian design (for example, the EPA intervening because of environmental threats)?

Lecture 3: How to Look at Palladio

In this lecture, Sonit Bafna introduced a man who was one of the most important cornerstones of architectural design today: Palladio. Sonit spoke about this historical figure’s significance to design of the built environment while playing a slideshow that contained pictures of Palladio’s works and works influenced by his created style. Some important phrases in this lecture were type, structural “truth,” visual engagement, and interior/exterior relationships.

Type is defined at Princeton’s web dictionary as “a subdivision of a particular kind of thing.” If the thing would be assumed to be architecture, then Palladio created a new type of architecture. He investigated the efficiency of existing structures and found that a large portion of the spaces was wasted. Palladio’s new type promoted small buildings with effective proportionality and purpose. His use of wall surfaces differentiated this type from the classic Greek type, which had minimal wall usage. The relationship between interior and exterior came into play next, as every characteristic and relationship within a structure became important. Chimneys and wall supports began to dictate where windows could be placed, and exterior features such as pediments became not just decorative, but useful as well. Thus, the interior became firmly tied to the exterior. Palladio also promoted visual engagement in his designs and constructions. He made spaces not only useful, but inviting and interesting as well through his use of illusory paintings in interiors and method of layer overlapping.

Questions to Consider:
1. How is Palladio’s type ingrained into the pedagogical goals of architecture courses?
2. How can relating to disciplines outside of architecture, such as music, improve the relationship of the designed structure to the human?
3. Why did Palladio discover his “type” when he did, and why wasn’t it already in use by architects, considering its positive effects on efficiency of space and purpose?
4. How does Palladio’s type show up in all present-day architecture and construction?

Assignment 3: Critical Listening 2

Lecture One: CATEA

In this lecture, Stephen Sprigle, Director for CATEA at Georgia Tech, gave an overview of CATEA, as well as a multidisciplinary view of disability research. He began by defining disability and assistive technology, and then explained CATEA’s goals and successes in making the connection between those two words more seamless. He presented statistics about disabilities in the United States and about AT use as well as a list of the many disciplines that participate in CATEA. Key terms that Stephen spotlighted during this lecture were disability, assistive technology, applied research, accessibility, anthropometry, and barrier-free.

When I first heard the word assistive technology, I assumed it meant technology that aids only disabled people. However, as Stephen pointed out in the lecture, assistive technology is “anything that helps someone increase their functions.” AT can be either universal, that is, assistive to everyone regardless of a disability or none (ex: elevator, one-hand jar opener, word prediction software), or specialized, specific only to a disability (ex: hearing aid, artificial limb, communication device). Another puzzling term is anthropometry. As defined by Merriam Webster, it means the “systematic collection and correlation of measurements of the human body.” Anthropometry is extremely important to the AT-design portion of CATEA, because researchers must assess the size relationships between the human body and AT device to best serve a disability. The final term in question is accessibility. Originally, I knew the word had to do something with disabilities, probably how easily objects are used. However, Stephen differentiated between accessibility, the ease of moving from one place to another, and usability, the ease with which a product is used. Accessibility comes into play largely with the built environment, from designing wheelchair-friendly sidewalks to installing elevators. The word accessibility also applies to a specific portion of the discipline of disability research, and its responsibilities can range from setting standards on the internet, such as large-print websites, to designing wheelchairs that are easier for the elderly to use.

At the end of this lecture, I realized that while giving me answers about CATEA and disability research, Stephen also left me with a few questions to speculate:

1. How can we change the societal view of using assistive technology for a disability? (ex: as Stephen pointed out, people buy hearing aids—an invisible AT—much less than they buy glasses. Why not improve your hearing with hearing aids like you improve your sight with glasses? Is there some shame in buying hearing aids?)
2. Why are the pedagogical goals with AT through CATEA at Georgia Tech not as recognized as they could be? (I, personally, did not even know there was a CATEA at Georgia Tech before this lecture—how can we improve our awareness of these lesser-known research programs and support them?)
3. How can greater awareness of disability research improve public policy dealing with wheelchair use and reimbursement?
4. How do multidisciplinary qualities and multi-interface studies aid in the comprehensiveness of the profession of disability research?

Lecture Two: AEC Integration-A View From the Center

In this lecture, professor of practice Brian Cohen informed us about the characteristics and history of, and questions raised by the construction “industry/economic sector.” He first posed questions about which label (industry or economic sector) best fit the construction profession, then proceeded to list specific characteristics of the construction industry and give a short history of construction’s breadth. Finally, Brian covered an important issue within this discipline: integration with other disciplines, and the possible return of the “master builder.” Some important terms from this lecture were integration, design-build, turnkey, supply chains, lean construction, economic sector, and industry.

The first two terms to be questioned in this lecture were economic sector and industry. Investopedia.com differentiates between sector and industry by their scopes. According to this site, a sector is a much larger part of the economy, for example, the financial sector. The financial sector includes smaller divisions, called industries, which produce a specific type of good, such as life insurance. Construction could be a sector of the economy if one took the term to include design and engineering of the built environment as well, a more integrated approach. Construction is commonly referred to an industry because more visual to this discipline are the products it produces, not the multidisciplinary work that goes on behind the scenes. Another phrase important to this lecture was lean construction. Brian presented this as a relatively new concept, related to the changing of the “10 specific characteristics” of construction, that deals with making construction sites more efficient by using formulas and reducing the waste of each project. Design-build is a concept that implies that there is meshing of designing and building in a method of construction. Supporters of the integration of construction would argue that this is the more comprehensive and efficient way to create a new structure because it tears down the barriers between the two disciplines.

Questions to Speculate:

1. How can professionals and citizens break down the barriers to integration of construction? (ex: societal attitudes about the inferiority of construction as a profession, professional and trade organizations, fears of litigation)
2. Is there a specific “mediator” who needs to be called in to perform this integration or can it be accomplished through interdisciplinary reaching out?
3. What are the differences/improvements that could result if we consider construction more often as a comprehensive sector than a specific industry?
4. How can we draw from knowledge of past construction practices to broaden the profession of construction in today’s built environment?

Lecture Three: Geographic Information Systems—Whenever Where Matters

This lecture covered the topic of representing information about the landscape—its physical and descriptive characteristics—in a visual way. Stephen French introduced us to the GIS (Geographic Information System) and its abilities. He also informed us of the existing and new technologies that help both scientists and constructors of the built environment gather data and connect it to statistics to further their respective researching. Important terms from this lecture include research, land suitability analysis, remote sensing, ubiquitous, and descriptive information.

The breadth of the term “research” is often constricted by people’s (mine, included) high school term paper-produced preconceptions. As Stephen said, research is not limited to “looking up stuff,” but also involves “creating new knowledge using scientific techniques.” Land suitability analysis is a system of visual layers that describe different physical characteristics of an area. This tool is useful for many different necessary constructions, from power line routing to residential and city planning. Remote sensing, in relation to geographic information systems, is a method of collecting data by satellite about the land’s characteristics. Remote sensing allows professionals in this field to have access to important information without scoping out every square foot of the land personally. Ubiquitous, or “existing everywhere…at the same time” (m-w.com), was applied to data availability in this lecture. Because of new technology, data collection has expanded to allow people to have access to different types of data simultaneously, in the same screen. This gives researchers an inclusive way to view information.

Questions to Speculate:

1. How can the successful multifaceted research of geographic engineers inspire a multidisciplinary approach to other types of research?
2. How can we gain as a society from geographic information systems’ data used in urban planning?
3. How can GIS reduce the physical and social vulnerability of cities to environmental disasters?
4. How can GIS influence a change in the built environment from the use of asphalt and other light-absorbing materials to light-colored, reflecting materials? Could this change be significant in reducing Atlanta’s air pollution and heat problem?

Assignment 2: Critical Listening

Lecture One: Classical Design Curriculum / Classical Architecture
This lecture presented information about the new one-year degree program at Georgia Tech covering classical architecture, as well as information about how classical architecture is shaping a new age of the suburban and commercial built environments. In this presentation, seven students from the new degree program showcased a portion of their portfolios and each gave their explanation of both the definition of classical architecture and impact of it on both their profession and the built environment. Some of the terms highlighted in this lecture included classical, traditional, green, precedent, and New Traditional Neighborhood Development.
In today’s increasingly globe-friendly environment, how do we define “green” in relation to architecture? In my preceptorial class, we came up with this answer: when a building process or product is “green,” it is modeled after nature, that is, sustainable, unobtrusive, and self-supporting. Another pair of terms presented in this lecture were classical and traditional. Often, people mistakenly assume these words as having the same definition. However, “classical” refers to a style specific to a few old and established cultures, such as the Romans and Italians. Design in this area is both complex and well-proportioned. “Traditional” implies lasting across time and can take on whatever style a culture finds acceptable and enduring.
A disciplinary question raised in this lecture was whether classical architecture could be implemented in not only high-end development, but also consumer-friendly development. Classical architecture as a discipline serves as an excellent base for any style or price range. It deals with correct proportions and durable design, which are essential for any built structure. Another question pertained to the adaptability of classical architecture to “green” technology. As one of the students answered, “Classical architecture is intrinsically green,” that is, the originators of the style had to employ what was efficient and durable from their respective areas, therefore making structures low-profile in the environment. How can classical architecture adapt to already-built structures? Architect Trey LaFave’s specialty is adding classical elements to existing homes in the Atlanta area. His work proves that you do not have to completely obliterate a structure and build a new one to improve its design and aesthetic value.

Lecture Two: Solar Decathlon
In this lecture, Chris provided information about an extensive, cross-disciplinary project going on at Georgia Tech: the Solar Decathlon house. This student-produced house will be entered in the national Solar Decathlon, a competition where teams try to construct the best (in 10 categories) off-the-grid living environment. Chris showed images of the construction process and explained how each discipline came into play in this project. Some of the important terms from this lecture were off-the-grid, market viability, collaboration, and cross-disciplinary.
Off-the-grid means disconnected from all public power and water resources. It is typically used to describe homes that are completely self-sustaining, and is the goal for Solar Decathlon teams. Market viability is important for the increasing technological improvements on residential living. It is the goal of Solar Decathlon: to make these self-sustaining houses sensibly-priced for consumers.
How do we increase the market viability of “green” living? Though it may just take time as production of new technologies increases and prices go down, increased market viability could also result from research to find less expensive ways of producing the same quality products. This is an essential pedagogical goal for all research and learning institutes. Another issue in developing the Solar Decathlon house was collaboration between the disciplines involved. Architects had to work with engineers, engineers with contractors, contractors with electricians, and so on. Only through effective communication could this happen. Through their successes and mistakes, the Solar Decathlon team will serve as an excellent model for cross-disciplinary work that could improve the future of the built environment professions. Finally, this lecture raised a common and very important question: how does a project effectively transition from seeing to drawing to building without losing integrity of the idea? As some of the Solar Decathlon pictures showed, the end product was often very different from the original idea, depending on what worked in a practical, not just ideological, way. As budding masters of design and construction, we must learn that practicality will always come into play, and not become discouraged if our ideas don’t turn out spot-on in the finished product.

Lecture Three: CADCAM
In this lecture, the speaker, Tristan, provided information on some new technologies available for digital design and fabrication. This program, CADCAM, is revolutionizing the process from idea to construction. Tristan structured this lecture by comparing the 20th century design and fabrication process with that of the 21st century. He showcased the technology in the Advanced Wood Products Laboratory, including the 3-axis router and 5-axis laser cutter. Some important terms that came up in the lecture were master builder, non-standard, local, and global.
Master builder is a term dating back to medieval times, when one man designed, represented, and built structures and all of their components. The term contrasts with the concept of contracting today, in which separate projects are delegated to experts in each field. Non-standard is defined as custom-made, or not fitting the mold of current, related products.
A question raised from this lecture was, “Is the concept of master builder reemerging in the 21st century?” Because of new technologies, architects and constructors are able to work closer, and provide feedback to each other throughout the design process. This closeness may evolve into a nonexistent separation, that is, a merging of the two professions into one “master builder.” How do new tools and technology affect the design and production of our built environment? New instruments, such as the 5-axis laser cutter, are creating opportunities for us to create with a machine what once would have only been possible by a skilled wood carver. Production will become faster and more uniform because of this machine. Finally, in reflection on the installations in the west architecture building, Tristan examined the issue of creating the least amount of molds and waste to produce a complex figure. In the polycarbonate structure outside the architecture building, he told us that the seemingly tangled and unpredictable design of the structure was created with only a few molds, with each piece just placed a different way. This technique could redefine the efficiency of the way we create unique designs in the built environment.

Assignment 1: Observation

Ask most Georgia Tech students about the two installations inside and outside of the Architecture West building, and they will probably give you variations of the same descriptions: that plastic wavy thing, and the wooden bench. What most Tech students don’t know is that upon close observation and reflection, each installation becomes exceptionally complex and prompts questions about its structure, purpose, and interaction with the surrounding environment.

What is commonly and practically called “the bench,” stands three stories tall with only a small portion devoted to the actual seat. It creates a definite, but not restricted division between the hall outside CFY studio and the back portion of the atrium, which allows people in both rooms to act separately while still being able to move from one area to the other easily. Its dominating size would be intimidating in a smaller space, but the bench was designed so that it would fit proportionally in the roomy atrium. With its connections to the rails on the two upper floors, and its seat anchor on the bottom floor, the bench interacts with its surrounding environment by literally leaning on the walls for support. Its artifact quality comes from the way it both assimilates with and affects the atrium. While the bench stands out visually because of the contrast of its curved shapes to the straight and hard edges of the atrium’s walls, its functional purpose as a resting place creates a natural acceptance for it in one’s view of the interior.

The bench becomes an inviting portion of the space through its organic design qualities. People can relate as living and moving beings to the bench’s rising, twisting, and graceful curves, and yet they are also drawn to it to sit by its vertical, symmetric, straight slats that imply a sturdy structure. The fact that the material of the bench is a hard composite wood allows for this natural and sturdy-looking, but also pliable, quality in observation and construction. Solid connections and supports using metal rods, bolts, and nails ensure that the weighty structure does not weaken from its constant contact and use. Qualities such as spaces between the slats to admit light from the third-floor windows, and a balanced, interesting composition add artistic appeal to the installation.

The plastic structure, which rests on the concrete outside the Architecture West building, represents a contrast between order and chaos. From stacked plastic layers that allow for an orderly and structurally sound beginning to the installation, to the twists and turns of the seemingly innumerable pieces intertwined in the middle, the structure represents this chaotic transition in a bold, visual way. One has to wonder whether the designers meant the structure to be self supporting except for the piece resting on the horizontal column support protruding from the building’s walls. The stacked pieces in the beginning, as well as the curved bottom path along the patio might have been able to allow the structure to be free standing and only requiring interlocking and overlapping pieces for connections. Apparently, however, the weight of the installation and the complexity of the paths in the middle needed more support, and rivets are visible holding the layers and separate pieces together. The complexity of the structure and construction is further emphasized when one observes tiny dots in specific formations on the end of each plastic piece. These alignments of dots are different for each uniquely shaped piece, and probably aided in the construction process of the installation.

The surfaces of the plastic interact with the surrounding outdoor environment through their reflection, absorption, and deflection of the sun’s light as well as the surfaces’ response to the elements. Though the structure covers most of the right side windows of the atrium, when viewing from the south, the plastic’s transparent nature allows some light to filter through into the indoor space. The plastic’s transparent quality causes the structure to take on the colors of the background upon which it rests, while reflecting sunlight as well. These three characteristics of the material’s relationship with light permit the installation to both blend in with its surroundings and catch the eye from a distance. Weathering elements interact with the structure as well. From observation, dust has collected only on the unexposed horizontal surfaces of plastic, which implies that precipitation or wind has cleaned off the other, exposed horizontal surfaces. As with the bench, the plastic installation’s entire curved shape contrasts with the corners and straight lines of the building in the background. Unlike the bench, however, this contrast in the plastic structure has a purpose: it provides a transition from the surrounding organic natural world to the built environment of Architecture West.

Morgan Chislett

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official class list last edited on 15 September 2007 at 5:34 pm by 12.19.35.253

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