        Nichols, Tiffany : AssignmentsArchitecture- Ellen Durham-JonesEllen Durham-Jones raised many questions and concepts to consider as an architect and in the field of architecture. She brought about the concept of using both sides of your brain to do anything and the idea of building with multiple centers, nested hierarchies, and individualism with unity. She also raised the fact that architecture is interdisciplinary. For example, the terms of multiple centers, nested hierarchies, and individualism with unity were all raised when she spoke about the University of Virginia designed by Thomas Jefferson. It was important that it was designed with both parts of the brain and the way it was set up with a library as its central piece and residence halls among entirety of the campus made it more than just a campus but a community. Nested hierarchies- nested hierarchies involve levels which consist of, and contain, lower levels. Commodity- something of use, value, or advantage. Multiple centers- the central building or areas of a design. (UVA and Palace of Versailles) I believe some of the primary issues for architects are to meet the three purposes mentioned when designing the world around them: commodity, firmness, and delight. The designs must be useful, stand up to time, and be aesthetically pleasing. Architects face the issue of how to build buildings now that will shape the world tomorrow. They must create something that people do not only like to look at and be around, but it must also be useful and last. Building Construction- Dr. Roozbeh Kangari Dr. Kangari spent a large amount of his time during the lecture going through the different components of building construction that make it function successfully as a whole, or integrated systems. He stressed the importance of communication through the following integrated systems; regulator, developer, owner/investor, contractor/builder, urban planning, architect, operator, and engineer. He gave examples of construction going on around the world that emphasized the implementation of all the systems of discipline in building construction like Dubai Construction and China Olympic Construction. Procurement- the act of obtaining or getting by care, effort, or the use of special means. (on the general contractors job description) Stakeholders- the people or groups that have money invested into a project. (according to his chart it includes: owner, architects and engineers, general contractors, and building operators and managers.) Holistic thinking- implying an all inclusive design perspective. (the system as a whole determines how the parts behave) The primary issues and questions for building constructors are how to keep communication clear and concise between the different components of this AEC focused enterprise. They must learn how to organize lead and manage physical resources and large groups of people. Looking into the future building constructors must find and answer to the question of make to make their business more integrated while keeping the same clarity in communication. Industrial Design- Abir Mullick Mr. Mullick brought up many terms and concepts in his presentation. He stressed the industrial designed involved many senses and skills. Also, he raised the point that this profession service of product design was social-economically focused and gave people empowerment through products that help them achieve something they otherwise would not be able to without the use or aid of the product. Product design- design of manufactured things that adds value, increases usability and simplifies life through improved human-product interaction. Social-economic- based off the study of the interaction between the economy and social life or people. Sensual- physiological methods of perception using the senses and their operation. The key issues and questions that industrial designers must face are to come up with a concept that optimizes function, value, and appearance that is mutual for both user and manufacturer. They must consider how the consumer will interact with the product and think of how the product is to help someone achieve something that could not be done without the machine or product. Bibliography-(can't figure out how to do spacing or indentation to correct format. it is correct on my hardcopy) Alpert, Bruce. “Dozens of Hurricane-Related Bills on Tap; Storm Reform is Popular in Congress.” Times-Picayune 30 Jan. 2007: 2. LexisNexis Academic. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 <http://www.lexisnexis.com/>. “Bankruptcy Law Called Too Tough; Move Under Way to Exempt Katrina Victims From Latest Changes.” The San Francisco Chronicle 8 Sept. 2005: C1. LexisNexis Academic. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.lexisnexis.com/>. Bergeron, Angelle, Tony Illia, Michael Powers, Tom Ichniowski. “Special Hurrican Report [Hurricane Katrina].” Architectural Record 194.2 (2006): 26, 28. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2006 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Bergman, Bruce, Michael Dolfman, and Solidele Wasser. “The Effects of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans Economy.” Monthly Labor Review 130.6 (2007): 3-19. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Bustillo, Miguel. “THE NATION; Exodus After Storm Quantified; New Orleans' Black Population Dropped 57% a Year After Hurricane Katrina, Analysis Shows: [HOME EDITION].” Los Angeles Times 12 Sept. 2007. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Campanella, Thomas J. “Urban Resilience and the Recovery of New Orleans.” Journal of the American Planning Association 72.2 (2006):141-146. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2006 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Chappell, Kevin. “Two Years After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Reflects And Rebuilds.” Jet 112.11 (2007): 6-8. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Colten, Craig E. “Vulnerability and Place: Flat Land and Uneven Risk in New Orleans.” American Anthropologist 108.4 (2006): 731-735. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Donovan, Sharon. “One Year After Katrina New Orleans Retailer Try to Adapt, Preserve.” WWD: Woman’s Wear Daily 192.42 (2006): 1-12. MasterFILE Premier. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Duncan, Jeff. “Combating Katrina; Elderly Veterans are Hit Hard by the Hurricane.” Times- Picayune 7 Jun. 2006: 1. LexisNexis Academic. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.lexisnexis.com/>. “Economic Development DASHBOARD.” New Orleans CityBusiness 27.2 (2007): 10. MasterFILE Premier. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Fellows, Matt, Nigel Holmes, and Bruce Katz. “The State of New Orleans.” The New York Times 7 Dec. 2005. LexisNexis Academic. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.lexisnexis.com/>. Gilliam, Stacy. “Back in Business.” Black Enterprise 38.3 (2007): 144. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Golub, Robert M. “New Orleans, Katrina, and the Death and Life of Cities.” JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association 298.9 (2007): 1062-1063. MasterFILE Premier. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Hall, Mimi. “States Cutting Disaster Red Tape.” USA Today 9 Oct. 2007. MasterFILE Premier. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Heath, Brad. “Katrina Evacuees Feel Money Pinch.” USA Today 8 Oct. 2007. MasterFILE Premier. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Holtzman, Anna. “Why Are So Many Displaced Residents of New Orleans Being Left Out of the Rebuilding Process?” Architecture 95.3 (2006):72. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2006 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. “Katrina and the Economy: A Toxic Combination.” The National Journal 37.39 (2005). LexisNexis Academic. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.lexisnexis.com/>. “Katrina Cleanup May Take 2 Years; Operation Will be Nation’s Largest.” Waste News 26 Sept. 2005:1. LexisNexis Academic. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.lexisnexis.com/>. “Katrina’s Lasting Effect.” Broadcasting and Cable 137.34 (2007): 26. MasterFILE Premier. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Kennedy, Shawn, and James Murdock. “Remaking New Orleans, Without Losing Its Past.” Architectural Record 195.6 (2007): 85-88. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2006 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Lawton, Kim. “Two Years After Katrina.” The Christian Century 124.19 (2007): 12-13. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Lukensmeyer, Carolyn J. “Large-Scale Citizen Engagement and the Rebuilding of New Orleans: A Case Study.” National Civil Review 96.2 (2007): 3. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Markels, Alex. “Down and Out in New Orleans.” U.S. News & World Report 143.8 (2007): 12. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Olshansky, Robert B. “Planning After Hurricane Katrina.” Journal of the American Planning Association 72.2 (2006) 147-153. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2006 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Postal, Arthur D. “Hurricane Katrina Puts New Orleans Agency to the Ultimate Test On Service.” National Underwriter P&C 24 Sept. 2007: 20, 23-24, 30. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Seager, Joni. “Noticing Gender (or Not) in Disasters.” Social Policies 36.2 (2006): 29-30. MasterFILE Premier. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Simoneaux, Rainier L. “Seeking a Sure Footing [Louisiana Recovery and Rebuilding Conference.” Architecture 94.12 (2005): 45. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2006 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Viuker, Steve. “Rebuilding New Orleans.” Multi-Housing News 42.9 (2007): 16-17. Research Library. ProQuest. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://www.proquest.com/>. Yeoman, Barry. “KATRINA: The Untold Story.” AARP the Magazine 50.5A (2007): 72-107. MasterFILE Premier. Georgia Tech Lib., Atlanta, GA. 10 Oct. 2007 < http://search.ebscohost.com/>. Assignment #4 Lecture 9/17- Architecture, Culture and Behavior Dr. Craig Zimring spoke about how architecture and the way it designed and placed affect people. He did this by giving specific examples of this in the world and studies that go along with it. For example, he spoke about obesity along with its climbing rates in America and impact on depression, cancer risk, diabetes, and other health risks. However, Zimring stated that doing physical activity just thirty minutes on most days can reduce this greatly. He further backed this up with a study on stairs and how its location, visual appeal, and even sound affected it amount of use by people. Dr. Zimring also spoke about hospital rooms how changing different design aspects of the room could help improve recovery time and reduce risk. Some key terms in his presentation were “space syntax”, “hybrid”, “activity inducing areas”, and “activity programmed areas”. Look up: • Space syntax (noun) - evidence based approach to the planning and design of buildings and cities. Dr. Zimring spoke of this term when referring to the new hospital room designs with the three zones for family, patient, and caregiver. • Analgesics (noun) - a medication that eliminates or reduces pain. When Dr. Zimring spoke about how having access to natural light reduced the use of analgesics by about 22%. • Voluntary use predictors (noun) –predictions on why one thing is used as opposed to another. This is referred to when discussing the study on stair use, and why one uses the elevator or other means instead of the stairs and how to increase use of stairs. Speculate: • How or even are these questions of how architecture affects culture and behavior addressed when teaching students about design? • Is the idea of improving human health even taken into account when designing a building? • In the plans for the new hospital rooms with three zones, where is the money going to come from to make these improvements? And, won’t there be loss in number of rooms with making each room so much bigger? • How will the change in the room designs affect the overall design of the hospitals? Lecture 9/19- Photography Ruth Dusseault spoke about her fascination of people building an entire world from scratch. She did this by specifically focusing on her documentation of the destruction and demolition of the steel mill through to the full construction of Atlantic Station and showing lots of her pictures and even a video. She wanted to keep from forming a before and after picture of the area and wanted to preserve the memory of the place. Some key terms are “utopian”, “industrialism”, “modernism”, and “patina”. Look up: • Utopian (adj) – founded upon or involving idealized perfection. Dusseault mentioned this at the beginning of her speech as “utopian architects” being one of the inspirations for her work. She is fascinated by how they think, and led her to study the building/renovation of Atlantic Station. • Modernism (noun) – the quality of being current or of the present. Dusseault stated that photographing this in different forms allowed her to “meditate on human condition in late industrial society”. They way that she defined modernism herself, she was referring to the destruction of steel mill and construction of Atlantic Station. • Industrialism (noun) - an economic system built on large industries rather than on agriculture or craftsmanship. This was referred to when Dusseault spoke about utopian architects. They were inspired by industrialism, for them what was rebelling against trends. Speculate: • How did you choose to document this type of thing with your photography? Personal preference, asked to, learned about it and wanted further exploration? • Your photography documented the architecture of something as a third party instead of actively being involved in the architecture; do you think this is still a good way to learn something or a lot about the architecture of an area/building? • What was the purpose in taking pictures of the things you did? To learn something, teach something, preserve memory, personal appeal? • In photographing this you were there for the entire project: do you approve or are you happy with the end result? (because changes were made form original plans) Lecture 9/26- The appeal of Palladio Sonit Bafna spoke of the architectural work of Palladio and different characteristics of that work. He did this by showing lots of examples of Palladio’s work, and even some pages of one of his books. Bafna emphasized the harmony of proportions of Palladio’s work, and how he designed them to be useful for the farmers that lived in most of these homes and be functional for the sophisticated lifestyle (roman party) that the inhabitants desired too. Some key terms in his presentation were “dilapidated”, “Palladian windows”, “temple architecture”, “elevations”, and “geometric keynote”. Look up: • Palladian window (noun) - a large window which is divided into three parts. The center section is larger than the two side sections, and is usually arched. This is mentioned numerous times throughout the speech as it is one of the key elements of Palladio’s work. It is still used today in some architecture but mostly used in Renaissance architecture and in classical style buildings. • Dilapidated (verb) – to cause or allow to fall into a state of disrepair. Bafna mentioned this when referring to Palladio’s villas now in Venice. The style is timeless and still used today however the originals of his work are now left to ruins as time goes by. • Geometric keynote (noun) - the basic geometric pattern for the problem “villa” he adapted it as clearly and as simply as possible to the special requirement of each commission. He reconciled the task at hand with the “certain truth” of mathematics which is final and unchangeable (taken directly from power point). All of Palladio’s work was based of geometric patterns and “musical measurements” and his formula was just adapted based on each commission. This term correlates with the idea of “fixed architecture”. Speculate: • It was mentioned that a lot of Palladio’s ideas are still around today like Palladian windows and idea of columns, but are any of the interior designs of Palladio used in design today? • All of Palladio’s work seemed to be on the upper scale end of the residential area, have his ideas influenced any of the lower end residential work either then or today? • It was mentioned that Palladio was very adamant about featuring elevation drawings and cross sections in his plans/books, was he the first to do so? • Palladio planned around mathematical ideas and geometric proportions in his design, did he have much schooling along these lines, and do you think students today should study these ideas about design? Assignment #3 Lecture 9/10- a multi-disciplinary approach to disability research Stephen Sprigle from the Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access spoke to the class about his job specifically with developing wheelchair technology and about standing issues with disability mobility and assistive technology. He begins by defining key terms such as disability, assistive technology, and specifying between universal and specialized technology. He went on to tell us about all that the CATEA was involved in, including research and development (barrier free edu. and info., workplace accommodations, wheeled mobility, and environmental access) and outreach (training and education and their three websites). Look up • Universal (adj)-applicable everywhere or at all places. Mr. Sprigle used this term specifically when referring to the types of assistive technology. It is key when trying to develop new technology or improving upon the old to take into account whether it needs to be universal and used easily without hassle by all or developed to help a specific group of people. For example wheelchair ramps are necessary for those with wheelchair but because of their public location are made universal for everyone’s use. • Specialized (verb)- to adapt to special conditions. This is the second term Mr. Sprigle referred to as a type of assistive technology. This is technology made more for personal everyday use like hearing aids, prosthetics, and wheelchairs. The CATEA spends a good bit of its research on improvement of this technology. Mr. Sprigle himself works on wheelchair improvements, like the new seat with sensors he is currently working on. • Myriad(adj)- having innumerable aspects, variations, or phrases. This term was used when referring to how they approached the problems they researched. They used a three factor approach in many cases; looking at the technological factors, business factors and human factors. Speculate • How do you distinguish which disability issue to work on/research or how do you prioritize one issue as more important than another because there are infinitely many problems each person facing that problem thinks it is most important? • You mentioned some of the staff fields that are involved at CATEA such as architects and engineers, but are any law or government employees staffed to deal with or fight bigger issues such as justifying putting a wheelchair ramp or other technology that some may oppose because of cost or space issues? • What are some examples or ways that “barrier free” education can be implemented for those with disabilities without interfering with the education of those without? • You mentioned some of the outreach techniques used to educate others like the three websites, but has this “teaching” proved beneficial in helping with the development and research of assistive technology? Lecture 9/12- AEC integration- A view from the center This lecture focused on the integration of the construction industry. Brian Bowen began by giving a brief history of the construction industry. Then he spoke about the characteristics of the industry and how a project is broken up and divided among the different vendors and agents to complete it. Mr. Bowen also touched on reasons for integration and gave some of the barriers preventing this integration. Some terms and concepts that he mentioned were technocrat, life cycle costing, turnkey, design-build, and value engineering. Look up • Technocrat (noun)- a technological expert, especially one concerned with management or administration. Mr. Bowen mentioned this term when asking the question of how integration can be brought about. He brought up the idea that many people think it will be implemented by a “technocrat behind the controls”. • Turnkey (adj)- pertaining to, or resulting from an arrangement under which a private contractor designs and constructs a project, building, etc., for sale when completely ready for occupancy or operation. Mr. Bowen referred to this as a delivery option for a project. It was one of the delivery options that were more integrated than the others. • Value engineering (noun)- a systematic method to improve the "Value" of goods and services by using an examination of function. Basically that quality not be reduced in an effort to reduce costs or improve value. It is mentioned in the lecture that everybody wants it good, cheap, and fast, but in reality you can only have two of the three. Value engineering is a method that tries to preserve at least the “good” part of this. Speculate • What is being done in schools to help teach students now about integrating the industry to help it happen later? • How will the collaboration within the industry change jobs? (Will there be less jobs or just different jobs?) • Is integration really going to speed the process up at all, because there is still the same amount of work to be done? • How is Georgia Tech specifically dedicated to helping with this issue? Lecture 9/14- Geographic information systems: whenever whatever matters Dr. Steven P. French, director of the center of GIS, spoke about converging technologies and using environmental information as a tool in urban planning and in projecting future conditions of the area. He began by defining GIS, and then listed the converging technologies and emergent environment, showing lots of picture to demonstrate examples of some of these. Following, he focused on modeling the effects of disasters and provided a list of ways to get involved. Some key terms he used were impervious surface, photo-interpreted land use, flood plain, regression analysis, and land suitability analysis. Look up • Flood plain (noun)-a nearly flat plain along the course of a stream or river that is naturally subject to flooding. Dr. French referred to flood plains when discussing some of the images he had in his slide show and issues that had to be taken into consideration in urban planning and development. • Regression analysis (noun) - The measurement of change in one variable that is the result of changes in other variables. Dr. French gave a specific example of regression model development for estimation of impervious surfaces. • Impervious surface (noun) -are mainly constructed surfaces - rooftops, sidewalks, roads, and parking lots - covered by impenetrable materials such as asphalt, concrete, brick, and stone. This term is mentioned several times throughout the lecture when referring to specific picture or studies. (ex: impervious surface image analysis slide/image) Speculate • How is the use of GIS and other technologies in urban development being taught or implemented into the curriculum of up and coming engineers and architects? • Since most cities are already developed and built like NYC and Atlanta, how is this used in developing these cities? Or is it just a tool used in improving these areas? • What fields involved in urban planning use these tools and images? Is it just the “head” city planner or do other fields like architects and engineers refer to it as well? • Besides urban planning what else can the GIS and other technologies be used for? (Research? Medical?) assignment #2 Lecture 8/21- Classical and Traditional Architecture In this lecture all of the speakers focused on the issue of classical architecture and some the projects their firms worked on within this specific design field. Each speaker organized their presentation in generally the same form; giving an example or two of their work and describing the specific classical inspiration (old English, French, Michelangelo…etc.) and then reviewing the process for that job. The speakers used contrasting pictures to show either before or after effects or to show where the inspiration came from. Some important terms that were brought up were “green”, “proportional”, and “new urbanism”. Look up: Green (adj) - environmentally sound or beneficial. This was the use of green in this particular lecture, answering the question that since these houses or projects were based off older pieces were they environmentally or even economically friendly because so individualized and can’t have parts mass produced. Proportional (adj) - having the same or constant ratio or relation. Most of the speakers referred to this term when talking about how the classical idea was transferred over into the modern piece by keeping the proportions the same. Speculate: I wondered how the architects in this discipline chose what aspects of the classical pieces to keep in their designs and what they deemed needed to be updated to more modern architecture. Also, why those aspects over others? What are some of the specific ways they could cut down costs to these types of projects because so much is customized, and most of it is generated for high residential and high class projects? How is recent technology incorporated in the construction and planning of these projects (because they are based off of in some cases very old places or things)? Lecture 8/31- Solar Decathlon In this lecture a Georgia Tech student spoke to us about the Tech solar decathlon team and their entry in this year’s competition hosted by the U.S. department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. He organized his presentation by starting with general information about the competition itself and moving down to more specific information about the GT entry and how it is constructed. Some of the important terms and concepts raised in this presentation were “sustainability”, “greywater”, and “living walls”. Look up: Sustainability (adj) - to support, hold, or bear up from below or to bear the weight of, as a structure. This is a big issue for the solar decathlon team because the house not only has to stand and work but must also be transported to Washington D.C. Greywater (noun) - water that doesn’t have to be as clean as drinking water. (ex: water used in the toilet) It is a concept that the team uses to help save water when designing the systems for the house. The team will use two different water tanks for the different cleanliness of water. Speculation: How was team able to make this house more economically friendly and consumer accessible, because he brought up the fact that they were working on doing so? How much did the house change in the translation from design to construction? Is the house actually comfortable and livable for people or was it made just for the competition or scaled down for the competition? Lecture 9/5- Digital Design and Manufacturing In this lecture Tristan Alhaddad focused on computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing. He also covers how the computer has changed the design and construction process. He organizes his presentation by reviewing some projects designed through computer programs and discusses some computer run machinery used to help actually construct the pieces. Some of the important terms in Tristan’s presentation were “local variation”, “global variation”, “self form”, “parametric modulations” and “combinatoric”. Look up: Self form (adj) - is able to stand on its own or self erect. He used this term numerous times within his presentation when referring to some of the pieces he has worked on like the donut-like piece he created. Combinatoric (noun) - a branch of pure mathematics concerning the study of discrete (and usually finite) objects. Aspects of combinatorics include "counting" the objects satisfying certain criteria, deciding when the criteria can be met, and constructing and analyzing objects meeting the criteria, finding "largest", "smallest", or "optimal", and finding algebraic structures these objects may have. Tristan referred to this particularly with the plastic installation and how it was formed with making all the shapes out of one “brick”. Speculation: Was there less error or change when translating the computer aided design into actual construction, compared to older hand drafting? Or will there always be adjustments made? I wondered if since society is becoming so dependent on computer aided design if some individuality or variety would be lost in each projects by always turning to defaults or program shortcuts? How will increase use of computers and/or technology affect the job status or availability of jobs within the profession of architecture or construction? (all definitions found or referenced from www.dictionary.com) assignment #1 Wooden Installation When observing this installation from directly in the front it appears to be an overall shape of a rectangle, formed of numerous vertical pieces of solid wood spaced evenly most of the way through the piece. Although it stretches about seven feet across the floor and is just two or three feet short of reaching the ceiling of the three story atrium it is small in comparison to the overall size of the inside of the building. When you glance up the piece, one sees that it is not a flat rectangle, but one that waves and twists to move from balcony to balcony as it climbs it way to the top. Also from the side you can see the waves. At the bottom on the carpet it begins with this big outward swirl on one side of the piece and then going more straight up towards the ceiling. It is made of wood, perhaps plywood that is manufactured and not natural and is put together with sectioned wood that is cut at an angle and fitted together by either wood glue or metal plates and bolts. The wood is smooth to the touch and doesn’t appear to be stained. The vertical sheets of wood are kept separated by long bolts that are about one and one half to two feet and are stringed with about one and one half inch pieces of metal pipe between each sheet. The long bolts are staggered throughout the entirety of the piece. At the top as well as at the bottom of the piece it is composed of two separate pieces of wood about a foot apart that come together into one piece of wood for the “body” of the piece. At the top that split occurs around the hand rail and wall of the third floor. At the bottom, where the instillation hits the carpet of the first floor, I did not observe any attachment to the floor itself it was freestanding on the carpet. Thus, I believe it is supported mostly at the top with a thick metal bar brace that hooks around the third floor hand rail. Looking straight onto the piece it appears to be translucent, allow light to shin through and the viewer to see through to the other side. However, if observed from the side it appears to be solid. Also, from the first floor carpet and up to about four feet it is completely solid with the gaps in the vertically spaced wood filled with three more pieces of wood making it solid. Continuing up towards the ceiling for about ten more feet it is its most translucent with larger gaps being forced in the structure in some places, causing the vertical wood pieces to be squished together at those points. Because this structure is inside the building in a temperature controlled and protected environment, it isn’t affected by the weather or outsider temperature. I believe the piece was motivated or inspired by a bench and the fact that it needed to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional because it is on the floor and within reach of people to see, touch, set things on, or sit on themselves. I think the main research questions looked into when creating this piece was the question of “how would it stand stable three stories tall?” Another big question at hand was “how to form and cut the wood the form the rolling waves around the balconies and be able to support and hold it up?” I think it uses the design processes of sketches and physical models, and maybe some computer diagrams. The bottom of the piece gives an image of a bench, and towards the top it appears more like the ocean or water with rolling waves. Plastic Installation When first glancing at the plastic installation it looks as though it could be some complex scientific molecule model of some element, its strange amorphous form is puzzling to look at. It is placed outside the architecture west building on the terrace, stretching over about one fourth of that face of the building. Formed with acrylic, the installation begins on the ground, based on the cement strip portion of the terrace. My guess for this specific location for the base was that the level cement would prove more stable then the uneven brick squares. The rounded off end of the installation is stacked a little over a foot high on the cement. It remains flat on the cement for about two feet then begins to lift and spread apart. It is supported in this lift with strips of the plastic about an inch high bolted in the middle to form an “x” shape. From there, the strips get sides added on forming somewhat of rectangular prism shaped pieces that are one above the other, hollow, and vary in widths along the way, making them get skinner and fatter like waves. The sides are held on with bolts and reinforce with extra plastic for extra support. The rectangular prism shapes gradually lift up off the ground as they wrap around the column. After bending and wrapping passed the column the prisms again separate into flat sheets of plastic. The flat pieces at this point began to twist and weave among each other joining together with a set of bolts at various places among the way. This “basket weaved” part of the installation begins to more rapidly lift off the ground until coming together more and reaching the supporting bar of the second column. It overstretches the support a little, but by the time the plastic sheets have reached it they are again aligned stacked and rounded off but this time horizontally beside each other and slightly spaced instead of vertically stacked tight like the base. It is supported at the top by suspended cables latched onto the installation. Although appearing to be sturdy, it is actually quite flimsy to the touch and easy to sway or move if pushed. Because the plastic is clear one is able to see through, however, because it is outside and gets so dirty it is hard to get a clear view through the installation. The light creates very light shadows of the piece because most of it can just pass through. It is smooth to the touch on the sides, but sharper and rougher on the corners and edges. The temperature at the current time was not extreme enough the change the temperature of the plastic enough to be felt, however I don’t know if it would ever effect it that much. I think the installation was motivated by something like a molecule or thing with complex structure or shape. I believe the question had to be answered as to “how to make this structure to withstand the weather conditions?” Also, they had to choose what material could “weather the storms” and “how to construct this complex shape and have it stand up?” It gives the image of something fluid or moving. I think it used the design processes of sketching, computer diagrams and 3-d models, along with physical models. Link to this Page
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