        Plummer, Audrey : Assignments1060 time stamp essay responseThe buildings we looked at are not unique; they are not pieces of sculpture that can stand alone. They all have to be looked at in context—the values of the society at the time, the fashions of the time, the politics of the time. All of these factors put some sort of force on the building and help shape it, whether the architect realized that at the time or not. This project helped drive home the point that architecture is not art. Audrey Plummer Nov. 16, 2007 An Essay on 5th Street The 5th Street Bridge connecting Technology Square with the Georgia Tech campus is one of the more radical projects in Atlanta. People have never seen a bridge like this, and they love it! If they complain at all, it’s only to say they wish it was bigger. The bridge is a fascinating part of Atlanta’s infrastructure, and the wisdom of the 5th Street Bridge is revealed when we view it through the lenses of history and society. In order to fully understand this unique bridge, we need to know why it is here and why it was redone. We need to understand that it embraces a new standard and calls on the transportation infrastructure to serve the community. The bridge was built as part of a grand, comprehensive interstate highway system in the 1950s. President Eisenhower was determined to build a highway system across the United States after witnessing the efficiency of the German Autobahn during World War Two. In 1956, Congress passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, which authorized the new interstate highways. This system helped connect the vast space of America, creating a network for moving people and goods. In rural areas of the country, the interstate highways made people feel connected with urban areas. Expressways cut through most major American cities, Atlanta included, severing arterial streets and cleaving neighborhoods in half. The highways also fueled suburban development because they gave people easy access to cheap land outside the city. Developers responded with large-scale subdivisions, offering homes on large lots of land and often throwing in an 18-hole golf course. However, running the interstate system through the heart of downtown Atlanta was a horrible idea. I-75/85 and I-20 divided communities, obliterated poor Black neighborhoods, and created a way for businesses to flee downtown for what would become edge cities along the loop (Cumberland and Perimeter, for example.) Inside the city of Atlanta, the highways don’t even live up to the original promise of speed and efficiency because they are so congested, and unfortunately, there is no simple way to widen them. The bridges in Atlanta crossing over the expressway were built as a feeble attempt to connect the severed streets, but one bridge can’t replace five streets. In addition to the highway disruptions, Atlanta faced growing problems of poverty, crime and drug abuse; downtown Atlanta looked like a lost cause. People talked about walling it off. However, in the early 1990s booster groups such as Central Atlanta Progress (formed in 1941) and Midtown Alliance (formed in 1978) found a new voice and pushed to revitalize downtown and midtown. Though the recession in the mid 1990s was a setback, the revitalization took off in 1995, the year before the 1996 Olympic Games. The city already wanted to spruce up the city for the international guests, so the city was more willing to spend money to rejuvenate parts of Atlanta. The Olympic Games provided the push to reclaim the downtown space ruined by the arrival of the highway system. The effort created notable success in midtown. In downtown, Centennial Park was the gathering place for the Olympic Games, and in the years since, it has prompted new development such as the Georgia Aquarium, condos, offices and hotels. The housing market boom also fueled intown development as living in an urban environment has become desirable in society again. The 5th Street Bridge appears in this period of Atlanta. Georgia Tech traditionally expanded north and west; it didn’t go south because of Techwood Homes, a public housing project built in the 1940s. Techwood became a dangerous, festering pool of poverty and crime. (It was eventually torn down in the 1990s as part of the Olympic cleanup and the new public housing philosophy requiring mixed income developments. That area became the new Olympic Village and then the Georgia State dorms until Tech bought it the dorms in 2005.) Tech didn’t expand east because of I-75/85. Eventually Tech couldn’t expand west anymore because of Northside Drive and the railroad tracks. The constraints of expansion forced Georgia Tech to look to 5th Street under the shadow of the Biltmore hotel. Following a trend among inner-city universities trying to eliminate their isolationist image, including Ivy Leagues such as Princeton and University of Pennsylvania, Tech wanted to invest in the community. In the early 20th century, the area of 5th Street around the Biltmore was the place to see and be seen. Unfortunately, in the years after I-75/85 was built, 5th street was crime-ridden and plagued by drugs. Working with the Midtown Alliance, Tech’s building of Technology Square did not simply clean up 5th street, but helped create a new dynamic in the area. Instead of simply building a few classroom clusters, Tech created a destination. The university built different types of spaces—a conference center, retail shops, and a hotel—which attracted an array of people, not only students, and gave them a reason to be on 5th Street. In addition to jump-starting development on the west side of midtown, Tech seized the opportunity to connect across the treacherous divide. The 5th Street Bridge was a purely functional slab of concrete across I-75/85 which did not provide a smooth transition between the two sides of the campus. The plan for the new 5th Street Bridge was bold: a park on a bridge. Only Georgia Tech, one of the most sophisticated, cutting edge institutions in Atlanta, could have come up with such an imaginative solution. Walking across the bridge is a magical experience. You don’t feel as if you are on a bridge; you can’t hear or smell the cars on the expressway below, and you can have a conversation with the person next to you without shouting. The staggered heights of the planters create this effect, and the scale of the sidewalks compared to the two-lane road give a sense of balance. A concrete border along the edge of the grass provides ample choice of seating area, should someone want to sit. Though the green space is not a huge expanse of lawn, the expanse of grass is large enough to lie on, and the trees and shrubbery are substantial. Because Tech is an open campus, people of the community are free to use the park on the bridge, and in the evenings, people from nearby apartments walk their dogs and sit on the planters talking. Even people just walking past, who have no intention of stopping, benefit from the new 5th Street Bridge and its modest amenities. In his book City: Rediscovering the Center, William H. Whyte observes, “The knowledge that it is there becomes part of the image we have of a much wider area ” (130). The bridge creates a smooth transition between the two side of the Tech campus and adds to the public image of Tech as eco-friendly and innovative. In these aspects the bridge delivers, but could it have been more? Though it is wonderful to walk across, the bridge does not affect the majority of the people who come into contact with it—namely the multitude of drivers who cross under the bridge every day. The basic form of the bridge is unimaginative, and from underneath the 5th Street Bridge, it is just as ugly as the North Avenue Bridge. The bridge does not add anything to the aesthetic or landscape; it could have been a landmark for Tech, but the planners may not have been thinking big enough. At the very least they could have made the park wider; we still have the opportunity to add interesting metal work on the sides and paint the underside of the bridge in vibrant colors. Though this is a typical case of the Atlanta architectural “might-have-been”, compared to other bridge projects in Atlanta, the 5th Street Bridge is the most innovative. The 17th Street Bridge was an obvious bust. The Department of Transportation (DOT) scratched anything imaginative and opted for a gussied-up, conventional bridge that was hardly the landmark and gateway to Atlanta that the public was hoping for and that the DOT hyped. We missed the opportunity for a bridge by Santiago Calatrava or another notable architect (That the 5th street bridge was given the go-ahead is speculatively linked to the spectacular failure of the 17th street bridge.) DOT is singularly focused on automobile, truck and bus traffic; it has little concern about streetscape design. Without legislative action giving the agency a broader mandate, it cannot expand its mission. Tech was probably able to do so much with the bridge because it had the clout of Midtown Alliance and private developers putting pressure on the city. The same phenomenon happened with the new Perimeter I-285 flyover bridge. Following the example set by Tech and Midtown Alliance, the residents and business owners in the area pulled together and put pressure on the city and state to connect the two parts severed by I-285. It certainly helped that the Perimeter property owners taxed themselves through a Community Improvement District (one of the first in Atlanta) to help pay for the bridge. They also insisted that the bridge accommodate not only cars but also bicycles and pedestrians. The new design for the 14th Street Bridge follows Tech’s lead as well. The DOT needed to tear down the bridge to build a ramp for the 17th Street exit. With pressure from Midtown Alliance, the design had to correspond to the Midtown streetscape palate. Instead of simply widening the bridge, DOT will add wider sidewalks, decorative lighting, pavers, and street furniture, as well as a landscaped median running down the middle of the bridge. All of these attempts at building a “good” bridge are beginnings. They will spur something larger in the city as we try to reunite and rebuild the communities torn apart by the interstate. Yet, bridge building is not a cure, only a band-aid over the cut made by the highways. Catherine Fox, a journalist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, wrote “A bridge is, if not forever, a long, long time,” but building a better 5th Street Bridge—making it wider, painting it gold, adding more benches—will not address the problem head on. As Jane Jacobs, author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, puts it, “This is all that can be done…unless a problem much more difficult than shrub planting and bench installing is faced…[We need to] cut down drastically the absolute number of vehicles using a city” (344-5). If we really want to reconnect the city, we have to re-imagine the highway system through Atlanta. Right now it is too convenient to drive on the highways, even in their congested state. We have to create other viable options and make them more attractive than the highway. Those options include getting rid of the highways through Atlanta, and forcing the cars to simply disperse in the streets as they do in Manhattan. Another option is to build one long bridge over the expressway and create a pedestrian walkway that reconnects the severed streets, which will eventually revitalize communities. Unfortunately, these ideas may prove to be too costly and unpopular, but we can improve the bridges we have, and build more. The new bridges should be the 5th Street Bridge on steroids. Like the 5th Street Bridge they should be innovative and create space that gives a new dynamic, facilitates a sense of community, and promotes connectivity across the scar of the highway divide. Bibliography “14th Street Bridge Improvement Project”www.midtownalliance.org. 18 November 2007 “5th Street Bridge Project Updates”www.midtownalliance.org. 18 November 2007 Fox, Catherine. “Atlanta misses it’s big chance on bridge.” Atlanta Journal Constitution. 10 December 2000: F1 Fox, Catherine. “Not a landmark but new crossing offers personalities.” Atlanta Journal Constitution. 1 April 2004: C1 Hart, Ariel. “5th Street Bridge: Green path over Connector; Unique project ties Tech campus to new buildings.” Atlanta Journal Constitution. 5 December 2006: A1 Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities, New York: Random House, 1961. Whyte, William H. City: Rediscovering the Center, New York: Doubleday, 1988. Audrey Plummer Architecture Playback In her lecture, Dunham-Jones introduced the architecture major at GaTech. She talked about architecture’s impact on society and vice versa. Buildings give order to society and shape lives, like the palace of Versailles and the UVA campus. Architecture re-presents the world, like in Andao’s church. We build the world as we want it to become, but we also build what is suitable here and now. Terms Urban structure: the arrangement of land use in urban areas. Sustainability: the ability to build for today and tomorrow without depleting future resources. Suitable: appropriate for a condition or purpose or occasion or a client/space/society’s character/needs. NOT personal. Speculate Architecture is the degree to which the simple questions are answered: how should we build here and now? And what kind of world are we shaping? Architecture is the ideal liberal arts education because it combines nature, economics, psychology, art, history, and math. Architecture, like medicine provides a basic need and is essentially a public service, not a path to celebrity status. The better architects are the ones who can produce a “vision” as a result of exploring the societal context of the building, and drawing ideas from other disciplines. BC Play back In his lecture, Kangari introduced the BC program at GaTech. He talked about thinking holistically. Who’s financing the project? Note the codes and regulations and think about how you are going to build this building. After you design it and build it, how will it operate? Consider the development program and be able to connect everything together. Terms Return on investment: The amount of profit a property generates. Market study: The process of gathering, analyzing and interpreting information about a market; about a product or service to be offered for sale in that market; and about the past, present and potential customers for the product or service. Construction manager: The Construction Manager is the supervisor who is responsible to the project manager for day to day activities on the construction site. A construction manager is normally employed when day labor, rather than contract, is used to carry out the construction. Speculate Kangari stressed good communication between contractors, architects and engineers. There are so many people involved (dealmakers, client, investors, architects etc.) that inefficient communication between branches will result in higher costs for the client. Integrated systems or a construction manager can increase efficiency. Construction managers are costly though. Maybe if everyone (but architects especially) practiced a bit of humility, we could cheaply solve the problem of inefficient communication. ID Playback In his lecture, Mullick introduces the ID program at GaTech. Industrial design is the professional service of creating and developing concepts and specifications that optimize the function, value and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit of both user and manufacturer. The products from ID are human scale; therefore the designers are forced to be more intimate with human being than architects, for example. Terms Interaction Design (IxD or IaD): the discipline of defining and creating the behavior of technical, biological, environmental and organizational systems. Social-economic design: advances the right of every person to live in a socially, economically, and environmentally healthy community. One example of this is the 100$ laptop for people in 3rd world countries. Experience design: the practice of designing products, processes, services, events, and environments – each of which is a human experience – based on the consideration of an individual's or group's needs, desires, beliefs, knowledge, skills, experiences, and perceptions. Speculation: In the lecture, Mullick mentioned the manufacturing aspect of design. As they design a product, the designers must have an idea of how it will be put together and implemented. If someone designs a very nice looking motorized scooter, but doesn’t leave enough space for a motor, the design can’t be implemented. Without a base knowledge in manufacturing, the products the designers produce may be too difficult to produce and won’t appear in the world to help anyone. Audrey Plummer Politics James Surowiecki. “Pump Pressure.” New Yorker 9.26 (2005) Lee, Spike. When the levees broke: a requiem in four acts. Videorecording. Hbo video 2006 Mascolo, Georg. „USA: Luftbrücke für die Weltmacht.“ Der Spiegel. 12.09(2005) Olasky, Martain. The politics of disaster: Katrina, big government, and a new strategy for future crises. Nashville, Tenn.: W Pub. Group, 2006. Society Brusma, David L. David Overfelt, and J. Steven Picou..The sociology of Katrina : perspectives on a modern catastrophe. Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Gebauer, Matthias. „New Orleans nach ‚Katrina‘.“ Der Spiegel. 18.09(2005) Kristin A. Bates, Richelle S. Swan. Through the eye of Katrina : social justice in the United States. Durham, N.C. : Carolina Academic Press, 2007. Culture Baum, Dan. “Kajun’s.” New Yorker 9.19 (2005) Lewis, Pierce F. “Die exzentrische Stadt, New Orleans.” Bauwelt 36 (2006) 48 Economics Klein, Naiomi. The School Doctrine. Metropolitan books 2007 Krugman, Paul. The conscience of a Liberal. WW Norton 2007 Policy Childs, John Brown ed. Hurricane Katrina: response and responsibilities. Santa Cruz, Calif.: New Pacific Press 2005 Gauging the Federal Response in Louisiana. Renee Montagne. NPR, Washington DC. 5 Sept. 2005. Nicholas Lemann. “Insurection.” New Yorker 9.26 (2005) Engineering Recovering PC Data after Flood Damage. Larry Abrahmson. NPR, Washington DC. 8 Sept. 2005. Environment Elizabeth Kolbert. “Storm Warnings.” New Yorker 9.19 (2005) New Orleans' Live Oaks Devastated. Nell Greenfieldboyce. NPR, Washington DC. 8 Sept. 2005. Geography New Orleans Is Sinking. DVD Video. CBS, 60 Minutes . November 20, 2005 Saving New Orleans, a Sinking City. Richard Harris. NPR, Washington DC. 8 Sept. 2005. Construction Düttmann, Martina. “Fünf Tage New Orleans.” Bauwelt 36 (2006) 14 Lewis, Michael. “Going Home, New Orleans.” Bauwelt 36 (2006) 34 Nicholas Lemann. “Rebuilding.” New Yorker 10.10 (2005) Manning, W Raymond. “Wie geht es weiter mit dem Wiederaufbau von New Orleans?” Bauwelt 36 (2006) 56 Architecture Colten, Craig E. “Die unnatürliche Stadt, New Orleans.” Bauwelt 36 (2006) 26 Gans, Deborah. “Pine Village, New Orleans.” Bauwelt 36 (2006) 60 Kiel, Irene. “New Orleans Diary August 2005-July 2006.” Bauwelt 36 (2006) 66 Lauren Collins. “222.” New Yorker 9.11 (2006) Infrastructure New Orleans Levee Breaks Repaired, Pumping Begins. Richard Wagenaar. NPR, Washington DC. 6 Sept. 2005. United States. Cong. Senate. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hurricane Katrina : why did the levees fail? Hearing. 2, Nov. 2005. United States Senate, 109th Cong., 1st sess. Microform. Washington Audrey Plummer Photography: Atlantic Station This lecture focused on the site of Atlantic Station. The speaker used a photojournalistic approach and documented the demolition of Atlantic Steel, the foundation of Atlantic station, and the eventual completion of the project. Some key terms she used were industrial form, homogenous surroundings, speculative development, and utopian constructs. Terms Utopian: communities founded in attempts to create a hypothetically perfect society. The adjective utopian is often used to refer to good but (physically, socially, economically, or politically) impossible proposals, or at least ones that are very difficult to implement. The lecturer sighted Le Corbusier’s model of a perfectly planned city, in which he wants to raze Paris to have a clean slate on which to start.. Atlantic Station was sort of created in such a manner because the sight was cleaned of the buildings and waste of Atlantic Steel. Homogenous surroundings: an architecture in which each element is of the same type. Atlanta represents the new south and its mediocre architecture. Speculative development: building for profit from fluctuations in its price as opposed to building it for use or for income. Questions: How do the schools teach the next generation of architects to value the past? Is the fact that that very little was preserved from Atlantic Steel the architects’ fault or society’s? What could have been better about Atlantic Station? What parts of the old mill should the designer have saved and incorporated? Palladio This lecture focused on Palladio’s revolutionary works and ideas in the 16th century and why he is still such a revered architect. He did this by discussing Palladio’s architecture in the context of Venice in the 16th century and discussing the math behind Palladio’s buildings. Some key terms used were order, harmony, and pediments. Terms Order: impose regulations, regular or proper arrangements. Palladio imposed order on his buildings so that once the whole system was in place it was fixed. Harmony: the use and study of pitch simultaneity and chords, actual or implied, in music, creating unity be stressing separate but related parts. Palladio used some of the ratios from music theory. He also played complex numerical games with the dimensions. Pediment: In classical architecture, a low-pitched gable above a portico; also a similar feature above doors in homes. Palladio used pediments in his buildings and played with the faces on the buildings. Questions: Is Palladio only in cannon because he was the first to design such building or are his buildings especially good compared to other architects of the same style? Did Palladio use a lot of imported materials in his country houses or was it all local material? Do the magic ratios of music have a direct affect on the aesthetics of a building or does the architect have to do something more? Palladio played around a lot with the illusions of depth on his facades: Was that purely aesthetical or something deeper? ACB This lecture focused on how factors of the built environment influence people’s behaviors and choices. The speaker did this by discussing the design of hospital rooms, the indicators of stair use, and the factors that encourage physical activity. Some of the key terms used were space syntax, Terms: Space syntax: encompasses a set of theories and techniques for the analysis of spatial configurations Activity-friendly settings: “Active living” is a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines. The goal is to accumulate at least 30 minutes of activity each day. In order to facilitate and support individual health choices, a focus on the built environment- including neighborhoods, transportation systems, buildings, parks and open space-is essential. Environmental factors: way of design/layout that causes people to behave a certain way. Aesthetics, comfort level, availability, convenience Questions: How do you set up an experiment to measure something like the factors that influence stair use? How do you incorporate GIS into researching environmental factors? When designing a building, do you design around the behavioral response factors or do you put those in after you have the general design? Are activity-friendly settings more expensive to design and build than something slapdash like we have now in America? Audrey Plummer Geographic Info Systems: Whenever where matters In this lecture the speaker focused on using GIS to create databases that linked up different types of information together and then rearrange it to come up with interesting conclusions. He did this by showing us different examples of database-linked maps and explaining what they were useful for and how the lavers of information were created. Some of the important terms were impervious surface, urban heat island, abstract office accessibility, and land suitability analysis. Impervious surface: I first thought it was a surface that retained heat energy and that some surfaces like asphalt were more impervious than others like concrete. Actually, impervious surfaces are artificial structures, such as pavements and building roofs, which replace naturally pervious soil with impervious construction materials. They are an environmental concern because, with their construction, a chain of events is initiated that modifies urban air and water resources: storm water runs off impervious surfaces quicker than pervious and impervious surfaces retain large amounts of solar heat. This can raise the temperature several degrees in urban areas. In GIS most of the database-linked maps specifically showed impervious surfaces, esp. the NASA linked maps that tried to find trends in the rising heat in urban areas and the materials we use to build with, and also, how much of an effect would it have if we were to replace the very impervious surfaces with less impervious ones. Abstract office accessibility: I first though it was the ratio of office space to minutes away from your house; so basically, how long your commute is to the high-density office space. The model in the lecture based abstract office accessibility off of the amount of offices available in five minutes of driving time. This model was used to illustrate commute time in the ATL metro area. Most of the offices are located in downtown, midtown, Buckhead areas. However, most people live way outside of the perimeter and have to spend a few hours each day commuting. This model will also show where the most desirable land is. Land suitability analysis: I thought it was a 3D diagram that showed the different elements of a chunk of land ie water table, forests, slope, and was used to find which part of the area is best for whatever you want to build. Actually, the Land Suitability Analysis project is a GIS-based process for evaluating the suitability of land for development. Two major outputs are environmental composite map and a land suitability map. The ECM show the extent and overlap of natural features and environmental conditions that indicate the capability and limitations of natural systems for urban development. The LSM shows the relative suitability of land in a planning area for urban-type development. In the end, the output of LSA should be suitable for planning and policy development. Questions This lecture presented data that showed everything is interconnected and preexisting. That means architects to not design for an isolated space. Do the studio courses esp. the CFY courses set this fundamental frame of mind in the students? In the professional world, you have to sell your design to a bunch of suits who don’t want to fork over any cash. How much does GIS help in selling your idea? Judging from the Atlantic Station example, I would guess GIS helps a lot. These data models show that our urban design in America sucks for the most part. However, most people like sprawl, and big houses, and long stretches of highways even though it’s bad for them. How do you combing principles of design and these GIS models to change people’s minds and make them want the things they need. Should architects learn how to create GIS models or should they just rely on statisticians to do the work, and instead focus their attention on the higher art of design? Multidisciplinary approach to disability research In this lecture the speaker focused on explaining disability and how an environment affects a disabled person. He also talked about how architects, engineers, physical therapist etc work together to optimize a disabled person’s experience. He did this by explaining the technology such as GIS the researchers use and the methods. Then he showed examples such as the seat cushion and the 6-wheeled chair. Some of the key terms he used were assistive technology (AT), universal design appeal, anthropometry, and disability. Assistive Technology: I thought AT was anything to help a disabled person function. Actually it is anything that increases function verses nonfunctional. Specialized AT promotes greater independence for people with disabilities by enabling them to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. Specialized AT is what the lecturer designed among other things. Most people think of AT as something specific to disabled people but really we all benefit from AT. Specialized AT is for everyone. Universal design appeal: I thought good accessible design is universal design. They appeal to a wide range of consumers. It is actually a broad-spectrum solution that helps everyone, not just people with disabilities. It includes the qualities eequitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use. So when we design, what we should really be aiming for is universal design appeal, and not something super specialized that scares off the majority of the world. Disability: anyone who can’t function normally in the world. It is actually a condition or function judged to be significantly impaired relative to the usual standard of an individual or their group. This definition fits a physical model. A social model would focus on functioning as an interaction between a person and their environment, highlighting the role of a society in labeling, causing or maintaining disability within that society, including through attitudes or accessibility favoring the majority. Disabilities may come to people during their life or people may be born disabled. The speaker works closely with disabled people, researching their habits and lifestyles and trying to optimize their experiences. Questions: If the entire world becomes a project based on universal design appeal, will disabilities still exist? Is it easier to design universally or specially? A lot of the assistive technology is difficult to use. How do different disciplines work together to address that, and who funds all this research? Are researchers who have handicaps better at designing for disabled people? AEC Integration- A view from the center This lecture focused on the construction sector and how it connects with the design field. The speaker did this by describing the clients and what they want, describing the makeup of a contracting firm, and illustrating (with charts and diagrams) the relationships between owner, general contractor, and designer. He also stressed the extreme disconnect between ID/arch, and BC. Some of the key terms used were competitive bidding, economies of scale, lean construction, technocrat, niche marketing, Economies of scale: characterizes a production process in which an increase in the scale of the firm causes a decrease in the long run average cost of each unit. Economies of scale can be enjoyed by any size firm expanding its scale of operation. The common ones are purchasing (bulk buying of materials through long-term contracts), managerial (increasing the specialization of managers), financial (obtaining lower-interest charges when borrowing from banks and having access to a greater range of financial instruments), marketing (spreading the cost of advertising over a greater range of output in media markets). Firms practicing economies of scale can potentially offer clients a better price. Lean construction: I thought it was not using so many building materials. It is actually a quasi “way of life” for contractors that involves using local materials whenever possible, respecting the environment and the neighbors, reusing materials and when using new materials, using materials that have low energy intensity and minimize environmental damage in their extraction, production, construction, occupation and dismantling of the building, minimizing use of natural resources and energy during the construction and operational phases, etc. Lean construction isn’t so much a revolutionary new way to build, but a compilation of several well accepted methods of friendly construction. Niche marketing: I thought it was a focused, targetable portion of a market sector. By definition, then, a business that focuses on a niche market is addressing a need for a product or service that is not being addressed by mainstream providers. A niche market may be thought of as a narrowly defined group of potential customers. A distinct niche market usually evolves out of a market niche, where potential demand is not met by any supply. Such ventures are profitable because of disinterest on the part of large businesses and/or lack of awareness on the part of other small companies. The key to capitalizing on a niche market is to find or develop a market niche that has customers who are accessible, that is growing fast enough, and that is not owned by one established vendor already. Questions Is it really better to have economies of scale in the design sector or are we going to end up with something like a contractor’s version of Microsoft? Do architects need to be better educated in building construction (ie some sort of hand on learning) so they at least have an appreciation for the amount of work involved and lose some of the elitist attitude? How do the professional relationships between the disciplines in the US differ from those in Europe? How does it work when you design and build at the same time? Audrey Plummer In the institutional building of Architecture West, two form stick out as complete opposites from the site. The Kunststoff outdoor installation and the wooden indoor installation both act as foils to the building. The forms, materials, construction are at first glance at, not at all fitting in this location. However, on further observation the structures were clearly designed to fit here, and even enhance the experience of the building because they offer such contrast to it. Just outside of the atrium visible through the full length window is the installation. Off of the beaten path, the cut-outs of clear, sheet plastic twist and knot together in various small clumps finally creating an impressive fluid form that spans a third of the ground floor and reaches up to the first floor windows. The twisting ribbons of see-through plastic are dynamic; they give off torque. Interestingly, on closer inspection the construction is rather straightforward. Small tabs cut out with the pieces were folded and then screwed into place to form the lower prisms. The more cloudlike sections were formed by gathering three or four of the giant ribbons and then clumping them together with a few rivets. The installation is only anchored at two places: in the ground at the compact node in front and to the first floor concrete beams at the height of the cloud. Thus the structure is literally fluid—it swings in high wind or when someone leans against it. In the noon light every streak of dirt, every scratch and every spider web glare, but in the more forgiving light of the early evening the lucid material retains the light, giving the impression of a phoenix, a comet or a wave. Such impressions beg the question of motive behind this artifact. Were beautification the only object, something more traditional would have sufficed. A mere experimentation of materials can be done with less concentration on artistic merit. The mind behind the artifact may have wanted to straddle the divide of liberal arts and science. Georgia Tech is technical institute with historically no use for philosophy, creative writing or modern languages. The Architecture West building obviously reflects this bent in the sparseness of the space and materials. The very shape of the installation make a statement of contrast with Architecture West but it is also meant to enhance this building by its close proximity. The designers meant to have the connection between the two. What if this installation was not a mundane study in the nature of plastics but something cross-disciplinary? It could be philosophical study not in the English language but in the language of material science. The artifact could be time, the present—moments, people, lifetimes—exploding into the future—not destiny, but possibilities. Like the outdoor artifact, the indoor installation has a fluid form that contrasts with the brusqueness of Architecture West. In this case though, the contrast is more pronounced because the wooden artifact was installed inside as direct contest and not outside in a sort of parallel. It actually seems to drip from the second floor, over the concrete rails and down to the ground floor where the form molds into an impromptu bench. The most striking aspect of this installation is tactile—the wood makes this form organic, again in direct contrast to both the concrete-layered Architecture West and the plastic outdoor installation. Even in the large cool atrium, the wood is a fairly mild temperature and quickly warms when a human sits on it or leans against it. The construction in this installation is also fairly straightforward. Half-inch thick pieces of plywood were cut out in the desired shape, numbered and then assembled according to a diagram. Horizontal bars every few feet hold the general shape, and angled cuts and discreet metal braces hold the pieces of wood together to achieve a streamlined look. The entire apparatus is anchored onto the concrete rail on every floor, effectively keeping it immobile. As a whole piece this seems without scale. The sheer size of it for one, and two the way it effortlessly flows ceiling, to floor—from seat, to wall, to tunnel, to window and again to seat. It creates a space within a space using the idea of a barrier but does not hinder the flow of traffic. Therein lies the most logical purpose behind the design. The designers probably wanted to create an all encompassing form to meet the various needs of students, teachers and guests in the building. The designers also steered away from mimicking the pre-existing architecture to avoid an anticlimactic end result that melts into the background. This form is striking, drawing people towards it and encouraging them to experience it by sitting down on, standing under or leaning against the long wooden slats. This piece stirs people to pause, however briefly, and have a thoughtful interaction with their environment. Such a facilitation of a human-to-surroundings encounter is the goal of any good architect. Audrey Plummer Solar Decathlon In this lecture, the speaker focused on the solar decathlon, a biannual event sponsored by Dept. of Energy. This project aims to facilitate solar energy in modern average American house. Participants were required to design and build a self sufficient house that simulates daily life under a budget. The speaker reviewed the challenges students had to deal with translating drawing to real life and still maintaining the main concept during construction. Speaker also talked about materials used and reasons behind design. Key terms include SIP, Duo-gard system, sequence of constructions, reclaimed lumber, and exterior façade studies. Key Terms SIP: (structural Insulated Panels) Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are high performance building panels used in floors, walls, and roofs for residential and light commercial buildings. The panels are typically made by sandwiching a core of rigid foam plastic insulation between two structural skins of oriented strand board (OSB). Other skin material can be used for specific purposes. SIPs are manufactured under factory controlled conditions and can be custom designed for each home. The result is a building system that is extremely strong, energy efficient and cost effective. Duo-gard: Advances in translucent day lighting include a new generation of polycarbonate structured sheet – PCSS. This versatile multiwall glazing creates diffused daylight that balances high natural light transmission and high energy efficiency as it minimizes glare and heat gain for windows, skylights, walls, clerestories, canopies and walkways – all at typical savings of one-third to one-half over traditional glass or fiberglass. The advantages extend to interior applications too. Translucent panels can separate, enclose and define spaces while allowing the flow of diffused natural light. Questions Most Americans have an aversion to alternate forms of energy (the high instillation cost, the promise of more oil in Alaska, etc.). What is the role of the architect in changing people’s attitudes toward “green energy”? How difficult is it to stay within the budget? How do you decide what to sacrifice? How do the non-American entries differ from the American ones? Masters Program in Classical Design In this lecture the speakers focused on the different facets of classical design and how they personally made the journey back to school to study this narrow field of interest. Each speaker reviewed some of the work they’d done relating to classical design. These examples ranged from new high end residential to restorations and remodeling to entire communities. Some key terms include proportions, vernacular, traditional architecture, and classical architecture. Key Terms Traditional architecture: (vernacular) a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources to address local needs. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it exists. It has often been dismissed as crude and unrefined, but also has proponents who highlight its importance in current design. Classical architecture: architecture influenced by the ancient Greeks or Romans. Symmetrical. Questions Is classical architecture only good for high-end residential or can it be used in low income housing? Why is there such a stigma now that classical architecture is boring and conformist? Can the ideals of classical architecture be taken and applied to designs heavily influenced by the freedoms of the digital world? CADCAM IN this lecture the speaker focused on the use of digital in design and manufacturing. Computers have changed the design-assembly process from linear to nonlinear. Architects and designers now engage with a feedback loop ie the planning of the assembly and manufacture process directly influences the design process. The speaker reviewed several of the artifacts installed at GA TECH a few years ago as well as an installation at the High Museum of Art. Key terms mentioned in this lecture include CNC machine, combinatures, bifurcated, local variability, and global variability. Key Terms CNC machine: computer numeric control a computer "controller" that reads G-code instructions and drives the machine tool, a powered mechanical device typically used to fabricate metal components by the selective removal of metal. CNC does numerically directed interpolation of a cutting tool in the work envelope of a machine. The operating parameters of the CNC can be altered via software load program. Self indexing: A technique to access items by filing them under subject headings without creating a separate index. Self-indexing files work well when each item has a single, clear subject. A self-indexing system can include a cross-reference by filing a dummy under a heading that indicates where the item is filed. Questions: Because we have all the computer tools now, is the seemingly outdated craft of drawing the perfect sketch or draft actually necessary? What are the common pitfalls when designing in digital? What is the thought process in designing a complex artifact using the “single mold, infinite variability” philosophy? Audrey Plummer Link to this Page
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