        Robertson, Elisabeth : Assignmentsassignment 11.26:Since the sixth millennium B.C., streets have been used to transport people, goods, and services. The fact that there was a time period when streets didn’t exist seems foreign to us now, because no matter where you go in this country– a large metropolitan area such as New York City, NY, or a town like Slapout, AL– there are always streets. Yes, of course there will be differences between them, but fundamentally, they fulfill the same basic role of transportation. It’s the differences of roles that set these two places and it’s by these same roles that the success of any particular street can be judged. Because of the recent reconstruction of the 5th Street bridge and the continued construction on the rest of 5th Street to create a seamless transition from the Georgia Tech campus out to the greater Atlanta community, this is the street that I will analyze. The street can be defined as a public space, a result of prior framework or subdivision of territory, a “palimpset” and “projection,” a dimensional space with certain physical and material characteristics, an urban form with a particular volume and section, a space with multiple functions and uses, a social institution, and a theatre activated by human performance. It is through these different roles and definitions that the success or failure of 5th Street, as it stretches from the Biltmore to the Klaus building, can be analyzed. The first lens through which 5th Street can be evaluated is as a public space for the surrounding community. According to Kostoff’s, “The Street,” as a public space, the street is supposed to offer structure to the city, allow processions and parties, and add a sense of “neighborhoodliness” to the area. Because 5th Street straddles the way between the Georgia Tech campus and the greater Atlanta area, it is not concerned with adding structure to the city but instead adds a strong link between the two entities. While Georgia Tech’s campus is technically separate from the rest of Atlanta, because it is open to the public, it must be aware and active in the spaces surrounding it. Similarly, as a large contributor to the economy of Atlanta, the city must also be active and aware of Georgia Tech. Therefore, the design of 5th Street, especially the bridge and the half that approaches the Biltmore, should slide seamlessly into the character of the surrounding area of city. In this respect, 5th Street is relatively successful. The majority of sidewalks on 5th are very wide and lined with a wide red brick path on the street side. As the sidewalks approach the Biltmore they get narrower and about 100 yards from the corner of W. Peachtree and 5th, they lose the red brick lining entirely. As the sidewalk winds around each corner and heads down W. Peachtree, they keep the same designe and in some places, the handicap ramps even retain the red brick design which ties them with 5th Street and the overall scheme of Tech Square. Where the junction of 5th and W. Peachtree fails though, is in the continuation of the bicycle lanes, which run all the way down 5th Street. If you choose to ride your bike up 5th Street and into the city, the change from having a bicycle lane to not having one is very abrupt and comes without any sort of warning. Therefore, a bicyclist’s experience in traveling from Georgia Tech’s campus into the city is not a seamless or safe one. On the other hand, because of the width of 5th street, it would successfully allow for parties and processions. In addition, because of the green space along the bridge and the width of the sidewalks, not only would there be room for a procession, but there would be room for onlookers as well. Finally, to successfully fulfill its role as a public space, the street must promote “neighborhoodliness.” In this respect, I think that 5th Street is successful. On warm days, there are plenty of people sitting outside of the cafés and restaurants, in the park, and even in the courtyards. In addition, the installation of bike racks at intervals, encourages people to stop and enjoy a cup of coffee or a look around the book store because they can be sure that their bikes will be safe. The failure of this first half of 5th Street is the arrangement and type of benches. I have never walked down 5th and actually seen people sitting on those benches. Because of their awkward placement in facing each other and not the street or stores and because they are cold and uncomfortable to sit on in chilly weather, they make for awkward obstacles instead of comfortable places to sit and chat or people watch as originally intended. 5th Street, as it winds past the Greek housing, does brings a sense of “neighborhoodliness” with it. The use of trees and flowerbeds, as well as unified wall materials, makes the street feels more like a residential neighborhood than fraternity row. In general, 5th Street fulfills its role as a public space and the things that hinder it are easily fixed. The next two lenses through which a street can be viewed are as a result of a prior framework or subdivision of territory and as a palimpsest and projection. In the first case, as far as the 5th Street bridge is concerned, its easy to see the improvement of widening the bridge and adding green space by comparing it to its North Avenue brother. By looking at pictures from Professor Khan’s slideshow, you can see that the 5th Street bridge used to look like the North Avenue bridge. Therefore, you classify the bridge as something that divided Tech Square from the rest of the campus and now, after its transformation, effectively joins the two parts of the campus. Even as 5th Street is a palimpsest, it is also a projection of the future because there is still construction going on. The courtyard around the Tech hotel has recently become a patch of turned and sifted dirt that will be relandscaped to better respond to the community. In addition, at the other end of 5th Street in front of the Klaus building, there is ongoing construction to continue the pattern of concrete and red brick. In this way, Georgia Tech is able to effectively link their success with Technology Square and their new College of Computing Building, Klaus. Another aspect of 5th Street that doesn’t actually have anything to do with the physical street itself is all of the signs that are posted along the street. There are signs that point you towards different parts of campus, maps of both the Tech campus and greater Atlanta, signs for the Tech trolley and the stinger, as well as street names and one-way signs. All of these signs help to distinguish the Tech controlled part of 5th Street from the Atlanta controlled part. The signs for places on campus are generally in Georgia Tech colors and help to visually subdivide Tech Square. Therefore, through the use of different kinds of signs, the street can effectively join the Georgia Tech campus to Atlanta while at the same time keeping clear which parts belongs to or is controlled by which entity. Another pair of lenses through which 5th Street can be viewed is that of a dimensional space with particular physical and material characteristics and as an urban form with a particular volume and section. As stated before, one way in which Tech Square and the rest of 5th Street is distinguished, is by the continuation of the brick and concrete combination from one end of the to the other. This specific characteristic helps to define the space within the Georgia Tech campus just as the signs for the Tech Trolley define Georgia Tech’s campus within Atlanta. Another way of space definition is along Technology Square. Each of the businesses has a circular hanging sign at regular intervals along their storefront so that the name of the store is easily visible to passer byers on the street. Also, in Technology Square, both the sidewalk and street are subdivided to allow for many different simultaneous activities. For example, the street itself is divided into driving lanes and bike lanes as well as turning lanes in the middle. The sidewalk is divided into the red brick portion along the side of the road to provide a buffer from the traffic, allow the pedestrian to feel comfortable, and allow passing room. Next to that, between the brick and storefront is a concrete area about the same width as the brick that is the main thoroughfare for pedestrians. Within these defined areas, there are also areas of seating, both in outside café forms and in benches along the street. An exception to this rule is along the 5th Street bridge, where instead of benches there is just a large, elevated green space on one side and an arbor on the other. These green spaces help to define the parts of the bridge by first convincing the pedestrian that they are not on a bridge by buffering the sound of cars passing underneath and also by hiding the drop down to the interstate from view. In order to keep the feel of a small street life, the use of interior courtyards helps to break up the area and make it seem smaller. In this sense, they are successful because even though there are some classes in Technology Square, they’re set off from the main road in courtyards and don’t encroach upon the neighborhood feel of the street. By dividing the street and sidewalk into different areas, continuing the pattern of concrete and red brick from one end of the street to the other, and by hiding large academic buildings in back courtyards, Georgia Tech successfully provides dimension as well as an urban form to 5th Street. The street should also be a space with multiple functions and uses that all fit seamlessly into one another. An example of this characteristic is Atlantic Station with its traditional neighborhood development approach to living. This is something that 5th Street has not accomplished. The closest that they have come is their integration of retail and academic buildings in the same block, but even then, the academic buildings are almost all set behind the retail. As an entire street, yes, 5th Street does include retail, housing, and academics but they are all divided up into three sections and do not truly describe the characteristic of multiple functions. Yet, 5th Street is functional. The Georgia Tech Barnes and Nobles serves not only as a bookstore, but also as a study area for many students. During football games, tailgaters use the green space of the bridge. Another attempt at functionality by the 5th Street developers is the emergence of outdoor cafés onto what was previously primarily a way for pedestrians. The sidewalk has since become not only for transportation, but also for sitting, talking, and advertising. Overall, 5th Street has not managed to successfully fulfill multiple functions and uses. The best attempt that the developers made towards this goal of multiple uses and functions is in the actual Tech Square area. The last two characteristics that a street can and should fulfill are that of a social institution and a theatre activated by human performance. For a street to become part of a social institution, it has to become ingrained into the culture of that particular area. In Montgomery, there is a street in the older part of the city along which local stores and hangouts are located and where you can find a friend at any time of the day or week. This street has become a social institution of Montgomery, AL and I cannot imagine my hometown without it. The question is whether or not 5th Street fulfills that same role for those traversing between the Georgia Tech campus and Atlanta. For me personally, 5th Street does not fulfill this role. Possibly for those who live in the Greek houses along the street it’s a different story, but I think that in general, this is a characteristic that takes time to develop and grow because its not something that can be designed by a developer. With the various coffee shops, restaurants, and amenities shops like hair and nail salons, there is a good groundwork laid for the first half of 5th Street. With the pleasant sidewalks and bike lanes, there is also a high possibility that even the second half of 5th Street could enjoy this classification. While sitting on the 5th Street bridge the one thing I noticed that seemed to be missing, were benches on the actual green space. Instead, you sit on the grass or off of the green space along the street. With the addition of well-placed benches on the grassy area, I believe even the green space can become a social institution. Lastly, we consider whether 5th Street is a theatre of human performance. With outdoor seating in cafés, small parks, green spaces, and benches, there is surely enough seating for people watching along 5th Street. As before, it would be helpful if the benches at Tech Square were turned away from each other and instead faced outward to the street and inward towards the stores. Raised walls along Greek row provide seating. So, although 5th Street doesn’t fit the role of social institution yet, it has high potential. What it does successfully fulfill is the role of a public theatre for people watching. Although interpretations of 5th Street are based on investigation, people will always have different opinions on whether a street is successful. The street is defined as a public space, something resulting from a previous framework, a palimpsest and projection, a dimensional space with physical and material characteristics as well as volume, a multi functioning space, a part of the social culture, and a theatre for human interaction. Although these are concrete definitions, there will always be different opinions and disagreement. With this fact in mind and the discoveries made, I believe that the redevelopment of 5th Street is overall a success. Yes, there are things that should’ve been done to the street and there are some things that can still be done. Although someone will always be unhappy with one part or another, the real way the success or failure of 5th Street should judged, is by whether or not the changes that were made are actually being taken advantage of and if the street changes and grows with the community that uses it. In this sense of success or failure, 5th Street is in fact a resounding success because as developers notice things that need to change, they make them, and no matter how cold or miserable the weather, there will always be people walking along 5th Street. assignment 10.28 10.10.07 Part I: Some of the important terms of the Architecture Program essay are the way that buildings shape our lives by defining public versus private space, and the way that design can affect a place and the people that use it. What the lecturer meant about how a design can affect a place and the people there was that the way that the building made you feel was something important to consider in the design process. The example of the Japanese church versus the Hagia Sophia and the way that one church was very simplified and looked out towards nature and the other looked inward and was fortified from the outside world. Each building shows what the people using the building believe. Part II: Nested Hierarchies: “refers to the way taxonomic groups fit neatly and completely inside other taxonomic groups.” (wikipedia, “Nested Hierarchy”) -I guess what nested hierarchies means in reference to the lecture, would be that professor housing is above their teaching space in the original U.Va. Lawn plan as imagined by Thomas Jefferson. Corporate Architects: from what the speaker told us about the difference between corporate architects versus solo, I think that this word means a group of architects working on one design instead of each working on a different project. Its more of a group design than an individuals. Ecological Literacy: "’the ability to ask 'What then?'," and goes on to say that in addition to the ability to read and calculate (literacy and numeracy–both indoor activities of education), ecological literacy also implies an intimate knowledge of our landscapes, and an affinity for the living world. It is, too, a systemic view, "to see things in their wholeness’ [Orr 92]. (http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/environ/m2/s1/e nvlit.shtml)” Part III: The primary message of the lecture on the architecture program was that the buildings we will design reflect as well as shape the people that use them. Therefore, you can’t just design a building to look pretty but you must also keep in mind what it will be used for not only in the present time but more importantly in the future. At the end of the presentation I think that the professor was trying to stress to us how it wasn’t an easy major and even after we graduate from here that we’ll still have graduate school and several years of interning before we can actually become licensed but I think that by telling us all of these steps that we had to go through to become licensed he was also telling us how worth it the process is if you want to be an architect. 10.15.07 Part I: The speaker talked about Life Cycle Phases of a building as it goes through design, build, use, and decommission. He also talked about stakeholders in the process and the relationship between the stakeholders and the life cycle phases. He discussed building types and the traditional and new track of communication between architecture, buyer, contractor, and engineer. After all of the slides on different relationships, the instructor began to talk more specifically about Building construction and what it was. The life cycle phase of a building is Planning, Engineering, and Design; Construction; Operation, Management and Maintenance; and Decommission. Part II: Decommissioning: the process of removing a building or area from use and decontaminating and disposing of it or placing it on standby?(www.cardnm.org/glosscolfrm_a.html) Intelligent Robots: An automatic device which is capable of performing many complex tasks with seemingly human intelligence. Robots are highly efficient but are devoid of sensibility. (http://composite .about.com/library/glossary/i/bldef-i2832.htm) Master Builder: A term historically applied to the individual who was responsible for both the design and the construction of a project. (http://www.colorado.edu/engineering/civil/db/DBS/glossary.cgi?word=Master+Builder) Part III: The main part of this lecture was about building construction and the life cycle phases of design and construction and how building construction fits into this cycle. He also talked about the changing relationships between building construction and subcontractors. The main issue in the lecture was the relationship between stakeholders and the life cycle phase of a building. 10.22.07 Part I: Important concepts from the Industrial Design were the different types of industrial design such as everyday objects, work, computational, medical, household, wearable, sensual, transportation, environmental, interaction and experience. Also, it focused on what design is. Part II: IDSA: Industrial Design Society of America is the voice of the industrial design profession, advancing the quality and positive impact of design (http://www.idsa.org/absolutenm/templates/?a=80&z=28) ICSID: International Council of Societies of Industrial Design is a global not-for-profit organization that promotes better design around the world (http://www.icsid.org/about/about.htm) Industrial: Industry is the segment of economy concerned with production of goods. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial) Part III: The main part of this lecture pertains to the different types of industrial design there are, because most people think that industrial design is only for places like industrial plants and things. They also talk about how design should be done. For example, it should be done for future generations and designed with the user in mind. BIBLIOGRAPHY 10/12 “After the Flood.” Editorial. The Nation 285.7 (2007): 3. Bascetta, Cynthia A. Hurricane Katrina Status of the Health Care System in New Orleans and Difficult Decisions Related to Efforts of Rebuild it Approximately 6 Months after Hurricane Katrina. DC: U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2006. Bates, Kristin and Richelle S. Swan. Through the Eyes of Katrina: Social Justice in the United States. Durham: Carolina Academic Press, 2007. Brown, Joseph E. and Kenneth Caldwell. “New Orleans: One Year After Katrina.” 65 (2006): 11-12. Brunsma, David L., David Overfelt, and J. Steven Picou. The Sociology of Katrina: Perspectives on a Modern Catastrophe. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Campanella, Thomas J. “Urban Resilience and the Recovery of New Orleans.” Journal of the American Planning Association 72.2 (2006): 141-146. Curtis, Wayne. “Road to Recovery: How Did Hurricane Katrina Affect One of America’s Great City Treks?” Preservation: the Magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation 58.5 (2006): 4951. Curtis, Wayne. “Urban Renewal: The Demand for Low-Income Houseing is Soaring in New Orleans – So Why Are Historic Housing Projects Facing the Wrecking Ball?” Preservation: the Magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation 59.2 (2007): 13-15. D’Arrgo, Terri. “Katrina’s Aftermath.” Diabetes Forecast 60.4 (2007): 71-73. Dudley, William. Hurricane Katrina. Detroit: Greenhaven Press/Thomas Gale, 2006. Gerfen, Katie. “Greening New Orleans.” Architecture 95.10 (2006): 16. Gordon, Ed. “On Katrina Anniversary, Examining a Fear of Water.” News & Notes (NPR) 28 Aug. 2006. Gordon, Susan H. “New Orleans Musicians Get Sound New Housing.” Architectural Record 195.6 (2007): 42. Squires, Gregory D. There is No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster: Race, Class, and Hurricane Katrina. New York: Routledge, 2006. “Katrina: Help People, Not Places.” Editorial. Buisness Week 26 Sept. 2005: 148. “Katrina’s Impact will Last 20 Years.” Contractor 54.1 (2007): 21. Kennedy, Shawn and James Murdock. “Remaking New Orleans, Without Losing Its Past.” Architectural Record 195.6 (2007): 85-88, 226. La Londe, Bud. “Fiddling While Rome Burns?” Supply Chain Management Review 9.7 (2005): 6-7. Lukensmeyer, Carolyn J. “Large-Scale Citizen Engagement and the Rebuilding of New Orleans: A Case Study.” National Civic Review 96.3 (2007): 3. Mielke, Howard W., Eric T. Powell, Christopher R. Gonzales, and Paul W. Mielke Jr. “Hurricane Katrina’s Impact on New Orleans Soils Treated with Low Lead Mississippie River Alluvium.” Environmental Science & Technology 40.24 (2006): 7623. Nobel, Phillip. “Welcome Restraint: In the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Something Strange Happened: Architects Kept Their Mouths Shut and their Hands Off their Pens.” Metropolis 25.4 (2005): 64, 66. O’Connell, Kim A. “House by House: Trust, Partners Press on with Coast Recovery.” Preservation 58.2 (2006): 6, 8. Rose, Chris. 1 Dead in Attic: After Katrina. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2007. South End Press. What Lies Beneath: Katrina, Race, and the State of the Nation. Cambridge: South End Press, 2007. Suplee, Matt. “New Orleans Gets Affordable, Greener Housing.” Architectural Record 195.4 (2007): 40. Thomas, Greg. “Heart of City Needs a Jolt, Blakely Says; Canal Street Deemed Vital to Recovery.” Times-Picayune 15 Sept. 2007: 1. Vollen, Lola, Christopher Ying, Dave Eggers, Stacy Parker Aab, Mary Beth Black, et al. Voices from the Storm: the People of New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina and Its Aftermath. San Francisco: McSweeney’s Books, 2006. Wilson, Alex. “An Ecological Vision for Rebuilding New Orleans: Planning for a Cleaner, Greener Crescent City.” 96.1 (2006): 6,4, 66, 68-69. Witt, Howard. “Crime, Murder Rate, Worse than Pre-Katrina.” Chicago Tribune (IL) 18 May 2007. Zell, Jennifer. “Visions of Green: What Role Will Parks and Open Spaces Play in a Rebuilt New Orleans?” Landscape Architecture 97.3 (2007): 100-103. LECTURES 9/30 9.17.07 In the first presentation, the speaker spoke about the affect that architectural design has on human behavior and how it influences the population’s physical health. The presentation begins with a discussion of the history of physical activity as well as a general list of statistics relating to physical activity and health. Then, the speaker began to discuss some studies and design changes they have suggested such as stair and hospital room design. Some important terms and concepts from the presentation are scale, space syntax, colon cancer, intentional, incidental, and hybrid. SCALE: In the context of the presentation I thought that scale meant a series of physical sizes either going up in size or decreasing in size. When I looked up scale, I found that it could mean: -The relative size of an object when compared to others of its kind, to its environment, or to humans. -The proportional relationship between a linear measurement on a map and the distance it represents on the Earth's surface. -In music, a scale is a set of musical notes in order by pitch, either ascending or descending. -A scale model is a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object being represented. SPACE SYNTAX: The term space syntax encompasses a set of theories and techniques for the analysis of spatial configurations. Originally, it was conceived by Bill Hillier, Julienne Hanson and colleagues at The Bartlett, University College London in the late 1970s to early 1980s as a tool to help architects simulate the likely effects of their designs. ? -The definition that I found shows that the idea of space syntax is not a new one and therefore shows that human kind has been thinking about design as it relates to behavior for a long time. INTENTIONAL: I thought, from what was said in the presentation, that intentional in this sense means that someone has purposely decided to exercise -by conscious design or purpose -Injuries resulting from purposeful human action whether directed at oneself (self-inflicted) or others (assaultive); sometimes referred to as violent injuries.? TEACHING/LEARNING/CURRICULUM/PEDAGOGY: Is there a class at Georgia Tech that addresses how design affects living or is it just intrinsic with the whole curriculum? DISCIPLINES: Is this an issue that concerns all three disciplines or just architecture? PROFESSIONS: Does the way design affects physical health play a role in residential architecture besides the presence or absence of stairs? SYSTEMS OF ORGANIZATION/ECONOMIC PRODUCTION: When architects and engineers work together, does the role of analyzing the way design affects people’s health fall more to the architects or engineers? 9.19.07 In this lecture the speaker mainly focused on the old Atlantic Steel plant and its transformation into Atlantic Station. The speaker began by listing some general statistics about Atlantic Station and then about Atlantic Steel. Then, through pictures and a video, she visually showed and vocally narrated the transformation. Finally, she ended by explaining some of the underlying problems of Atlantic Station. Some important terms in the lecture were utopia, vernacular, modernism, southern modernity, and fragmentation. UTOPIA: I believe that Utopia is a state in which everyone lives in peace and harmony and there is no concept of ownership. -A place in which social, legal, and political justice and perfect harmony exist. -A literary work which describes the ideal state or way of life. The most famous example of a Utopian work is Thomas Moore's Utopia (from which the term is derived). VERNACULAR: I believe that this means of a place, such as wrap around porches are characteristic of southern homes. -The vernacular is the native language of a country or locality. -Vernacular architecture is a term from academic architecture to categorize structures built outside of academic tradition -The traditional architecture of a region, frequently developed in response to the climate, land conditions, or culture of a region. MODERNISM: I have always believed that modernism is a very stark and bland movement of art. There is not much decoration yet everything is on a very large scale. -International cultural movement after World War I expressing with tradition and interest in new technologies and visions. -Movement of the late 19th-20th centuries during which artists made a deliberate departure from the traditional art of the past. Modernist artists were interested in experimenting with new types of paints and media, in creating and expressing abstractions and fantasies, rather than representing something in the external world. TEACHING/LEARNING/CURRICULUM/PEDAGOGY: What can we as architecture, BC, and ID students learn about design techniques from this lecture? DISCIPLINES: Does this lecture pertain to one discipline more so than another and if so which one(s)? PROFESSION: Is there an actual profession besides just a general artist in which you document the development of a particular land site? SYSTEMS OF ORGANIZATION/ECONOMIC PRODUCTION: Is it possible that a better system of organization in planning Atlantic Station would have kept some of the tensions from cropping up? 9.26.07 In this presentation on Palladio, the speaker focused mainly on the design habits of Palladio and how he changed the profession of architect. He began the lecture by introducing some of the architects main goals in his designs, showing pictures of some of his more famous designs, explaining the national and international role in the spread of Palladio’s designs to large country farmhouses, explained some of Palladio’s trade marks of design, and attempted to explain his concept of room proportion and layout. Some of the more important terms or ideas discussed in this lecture were Roman style, rhythm, and cornices. ROMAN ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: I think that the Roman architectural style consists of columns, arches, stone, and tiles. -Movement of the late 19th-20th centuries during which artists made a deliberate departure from the traditional art of the past. Modernist artists were interested in experimenting with new types of paints and media, in creating and expressing abstractions and fantasies, rather than representing something in the external world. -Multi-storey apartment blocks built to cater for a wide range of situations RHYTHM: I think that rhythm is when objects appear in a repetitive fashion or follow some sort of pattern. -The regular or ordered repetition of dominant and subordinate elements or units within a design. -The pattern of sound in a line, usually based on stressed and unstressed syllables. -A term an athlete uses to describe the sensation of flow and pace in his sport performance. The weight trainer’s rhythm of training is achieved when functions are efficient and unimpeded. CORNICES: I think that cornices are a petruding section of a wall. -A decorative framework to conceal curtain fixtures at the top of a window casing. In classical architecture, the cornice is the set of projecting moldings that crown an entablature. The cornice lies above the frieze, which rests on the architrave. The function of the projecting cornice is to throw rainwater free of the building's walls. -Decorative projection along the top of a wall. TEACHING/LEARNING/CURRICULUM/PEDAGOGY: Is there a class we can take if we want to learn more about Palladio and people like him? DISCIPLINES: Did the work that Palladio did fall only in architecture or did he also function as an engineer? PROFESSIONS: Is there still work designing “farmhouses” such as the ones that Palladio does? SYSTEMS OF ORGANIZATION/ECONOMIC PRODUCTION: Did Palladio work with a system of organization of other people or designers or did he work entirely on his own? _ LECTURES 9/16 9.10 In the lecture from Dr. Sprigle, the topic of disabilities and the role that designers play in understanding and catering to the needs of disabled people was discussed in general. The presentation was organized by first defining what some key terms were, such as disability, assistive technology, then presenting some statistics on disabilities in the U.S., discussing some organizations that work with disabled people and design and specific ways in which they help, and then ended the discussion by speaking about specific projects. Some important terms that Dr. Sprigle employs and in some cases defines for his audience are disability, assistive technology, universal design appeal, and environmental access. Disability: “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits or restricts the condition, manner, or duration under which an average person in the population can perform a major life activity, such as walking, seeing, hearing speaking, breathing, learning, working, or taking care of oneself. (An impairment or diagnosis, in and of itself, does not necessarily constitute a disability: it must ‘substantially limit’ these activities.)” (www.fas.harvard.edu/~sdr/glossary.html) -The definition I had in my head of the word “disability” was generally the same as the one I found, except that in my head I considered having glasses as a disability, but the definition I found to be the most comprehensive specified that whatever physical or mental limits you have must “substantially limit” an activity so under that definition, having glasses does not really apply unless even with glasses you still cannot see very well and that limits you Usability: “a multidimensional attribute that relates to the impact a product has on its end-users. In general it refers to the efficiency with which a customer can do their tasks with the product, and their overall satisfaction with that process.” (www.thehfe.com/glossary.htm) -Before looking up the term “usability,” I assumed it just meant the extent to which something can be used, but after researching the term, I discovered that it is also a study that takes in the impact of the objects design on its users and its efficiency. Universal Design: “the design and production of products that promote equal opportunity for use by individuals with or without” (www.buffalostate.edu/offices/disabilityservices/glossary.htm) -When I looked up the phrase “universal design”, I assumed that I would find a lot of different definitions dealing with general objects but instead the majority of the definitions were dealing with computers and web sites. This may point to a lack of concern or imagination concerning disabilities and design. Teaching/Learning/Curriculum/Pedagogy: What steps are taken to teach students about the point of view of people with different types of disabilities? Disciplines: To what extent does designing for people with disabilities affect the approach an architect must take on a project? Professions: How can we as students, prepare for future projects in which knowledge of disabilities will be helpful? Systems of Organization/Economic Production: What percentage of the economy is concerned with products designed to aid those with physical disabilities? 9.12 In the discussion on AEC Integration, the speaker talked about the channels of communication between architect, engineer, contractor and how AEC Integration works with all three, the history of industry, and the strengths and weaknesses of the industry. The speaker began by first defining what exactly his company does by explaining the different sectors of industry and certain characteristics. He then covered the history of industry and the way it has evolved into how it works today. Finally, the presentation ended when he addressed the weaknesses of the industry and what can be done to combat those weaknesses. Some of the important terms that were brought up in the lecture were lean construction, supply chains, risk management, life cycle costing, and value engineering. Lean Construction: “a design and construction administration process based on Japanese ‘lean manufacturing principles’ which is designed to promote efficiency and eliminate waste.” (www.theboldtcompany.com/mrc/terms/htm) -I thought that the term “lean construction” meant building in a very minimalist way not using any very complicated design. In a way, this could correspond to the correct definition in the fact that minimalist design could be very efficient since there aren’t very many frou-frou elements to it, but at the same time, it also presents a lot of wasted space in some designs that could be used. Therefore, it embodies both the actual term and the opposite of the term. Risk Management: “Decisions about whether an assessed risk is sufficiently high to present a public health concern and about the appropriate means for control of a risk judged to be significant. [It is] the process of evaluating and selecting alternative regulatory and non-regulatory responses to risk. The selection process necessarily requires the consideration of legal, economic, and behavioral factors.” (www.nsc.org/ehc/glossar2.htm) -Risk management seems to me like it would be more a legal department but from the definitions I read it seems like really, any profession can do risk management because they are the ones that know their designs the best and what sort of stress it can take. Life Cycle Costing: “A procurement evaluation technique which determines the total cost of acquisition, operation, maintaining and disposal of the items acquired; the lowest ownership cost during the time the item is in use.” (www.mmd.admin.state.mn.us/mn06008.htm) -From our discussion last Friday I thought that life cycle costing was determining what the most cost effective materials to use were in conjunction with the different life cycle of a structure and finding a good medium between those and other factors. According to the definition, life cycle costing is used more for accounting purposes than overall construction decisions. Teaching/learning/curriculum/pedagogy: How can universities aid in fostering understanding and teamwork between different professions in the Construction industry? Disciplines: How does integrating the different levels of industry affect the three main disciplines of design: architecture, building construction, and industrial design? Professions: Do the firms that deal within a higher technological medium of communication have an easier time of integrating the different stages of construction production? Systems of Organization/Economic Production: How much more effecient does this type of integration allow a project to go? 9.14 The issue discussed by Dr. French was how the Geographic Information System (GIS) can be used to link written information to a physical representation of the same information and how this link can help when making decisions about urban planning. Dr. French began by explaining what GIS was and then by presenting multiple examples of how this technique has been used in Atlanta to make major construction decisions. He used this technique to compare growth patterns of Atlanta, Chicago, and New York City. In addition, he compared how different surfaces and building materials affected the heat absorption and energy consumption. Finally, he talked about how urban planning can play a role in preventing some factors of natural disasters. Some of the important terms that were brought up in this lecture were GIS, social vulnerability, and research. Geographic Information System: “A computer based system used to input, store, retrieve, and analyze geographic data sets. The GIS is usually composed of map-like spatial representations called layers which contain information on a number of attributes such as elevation, land ownership and use, crop yield and soil nutrient levels.” (www.bae.uky.edu/~precag/PrecisionAg/PAterms.htm) -GIS makes looking at lots of information at one time a lot easier and this way, by comparing many factors that affect one another all together at once, you can make a more informed decision. Social Vulnerability: “The degree to which societies or socio-economic groups are affected by stresses and hazards, whether brought about by external forces or intrinsic factors – internal and external – that negatively impacts the social cohesion of a country.” (www.sidsnet.org/docshare/other/20031104114454_Building_Resilience_to_Social_Vulnerability.pp, UNDP 2000) -The definition I found for social vulnerability is generally what I thought that social vulnerability meant, but I did not think about the fact that it could include vulnerability brought on by human forces such as rebellions. Research: “Diligent and thorough inquiry and investigation into a subject. This includes using ALL appropriate print and electronic sources, asking the reference librarians for help, and making use of bibliographies given by other authors.” (www.wit.edu/library/Orientation/glossary.html) -All of the definitions that I found for research seemed to focus on either literary research or scientific and not much in between. During the lecture, the presenter talked about how research was asking questions and then through reading, experimenting, looking at what others had done, and making models, attempting to answer the questions. Teaching/learning/curriculum/pedagogy: What sort of research opportunities are there for using GIS within the GT COA? Disciplines: How often do residential architectures use GIS in the process of designing a house? Is the location already predetermined usually, or do they have several places and use GIS to choose the best? Professions: What sort of professions outside of those in the COA use GIS? Systems of Organization/Economic Production: From the standpoint of a system of organization, how helpful is GIS in determining a site for a project? LECTURES: 9/9/07 8.29.07 In the first lecture, the speakers discussed their backgrounds in architecture, why they chose to take the classical design class, the general study of classical architecture, and its relation to modern design. The talk was given by multiple people each talking about their background, pre and post collegiate, their reasons for taking the classical architecture class, and the ways in which classical architecture and design could be incorporated into their actual professions whether they are high-end residential, restorations, or additions. Some of the important terms and concepts that were discussed were “vernacular,” “proportions,” “timelessness,” “community,” “classical design,” and “green.” The meaning of some of the terms used by the presenters may be hard to understand. The concept of a structure or object being green, refers to “economical, energy-saving, environmentally-friendly, sustainable development that explores the relationship between architecture and ecology” (Brister). In the presentation the term “vernacular” was defined as being of the place, but it can also mean “the idiom of a particular trade or profession” (Answers.com). Disciplinary: What role do the principles of classical design play in the three disciplines: architecture, industrial design, and building construction? Professional: What percentage of single commission residential designs are based on a purely classical style? Pedagogical: What place does classical architecture have in the contemporary college design studio as students are encouraged to push the boundaries of design? 8.31.07 In the second presentation, the speaker talked about the solar decathlon in general and Georgia Tech’s specific involvement in the competition. The presenter began by speaking in broad terms about the general competition and then went into specific details about the design and though process behind Georgia Tech’s house using real and virtual models, drawings, photos, and computer aided designs. Some of the important terms from the lecture are the “off the grid,” “zero energy homes,” “sustainability,” “biodegradable,” “cross disciplinary,” and “transparency.” Some of these terms were unfamiliar to me. The quality of being “off the grid” is when “[people], places or buildings […have] renewable power and [their] own water supply” (Off-grid). Biodegradable means that the product “has the ability to break down, safely and relatively quickly, by biological means, into the raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment” (Biodegradable). Of course, depending on what is being created, the property of decomposing rather quickly may or may not be desirable. Disciplinary: To what extent is cross-disciplinary work within the College of Architecture being done in the solar decathlon? Professional: How does working on the solar decathlon translate into the projects that we will be doing in an actual professional setting in a professional firm? Pedagogical: What goals or lessons do the designers of the solar decathlon want participants to learn? 9.05.07 Finally, the third presentation focused mainly on Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CADCAM) and how it can aid in design and creation of different structures. The speaker organized his presentation by describing the design process using images he created in CADCAM and by then describing various projects and the steps and time it took to create them as well as the changes brought to the overall design process by CADCAM. Some of the important terms and concepts that the presenter referenced were G-code, design process, combinatorics, unity, CADCAM, schedules, variable formwork, local and global variation, and the master builder. Unlike the two previous 1060 lectures, I understood very little of the terminology presented by the speaker and so defining those important terms was very important in understanding CADCAM and the way it affects the overall design process. “Historically [the idea of the “master builder” was…] the individual…responsible for…the design and construction of a project” (“Master Builder”). CADCAM is an integration program of CAD and CAM wherein “products designed by CAD are input[ted] directly into the CAD system,” generating the directions for a machine to use in creating a material object (PCMag). Professional: What role does CAD/CAM play in designing residential structures? Disciplinary: Do all majors learn CAD/CAM and if not, which ones do and why don’t the others? Pedagogical: How useful is CAD/CAM in studio situations? “Biodegradable.” 9 Sept 2007 Brister, William. Sustainable Green Architecture. 9 Sept 2007. “CAD/CAM.” 9 Sept 2007 “Master Builder.” 9 Sept 2007 Off-grid. 9 Sept 2007 “Vernacular.” 9 Sept 2007 INSTALLMENTS: 8/29/07 As you walk into the atrium of the West Architecture building, you are confronted with an extremely large wooden structure resembling a frozen waterfall that eventually forms a chair. The structure is made of strips of plywood jointed together to make long three story strips. These four to five feet long strips are joined together by either gluing or screwing together at a lap joint. To distinguish where each slat is placed in the installation, on one side of the plywood a number and letter has been imprinted so that the order and overall shape of the structure can easily be kept. Each strip in the structure is joined to the other strips beside them by long screws that pass through the middle of the pieces of plywood but still leave spaces in between the slates of about two to three inches. In the sections of the installation that run perpendicular to the floor, only one long bolt passing all the way through the installation is necessary. On the other hand, in the section where the installation curves inward above a balcony, multiple shorter screws are used to provide more support for the waves. Some of the slats are curved either inward or outward separate from the slats surrounding them and this forms shaped holes as the structure runs through the first floor. Due to the sheer size of the structure, it is obvious that it had to be assembled in sections. From the visible differences in the connection of the slats at each level, one can tell that the installation was built one layer at a time. The bottom floor was built first, then the second, and finally the third. If the structure had been built from one side to the other instead of bottom to top, the means of connection would most likely not be as varied. An example of the variation in the slat joins is the second floor section of the installation. Here, unlike the other slat connections that use a lap joint, a piece of metal has been nailed into each slat to hold them together. As the structure reaches up into the highest levels of the building, it is anchored at each concrete landing by a series of metal bars and screws. On the second floor landing, the metal anchor includes a free rotating metal screen that hangs against and level to the concrete wall. While this might be left over from construction of the installation, I believe it serves a purpose in that it contrasts as a sharp, cold, and industrial material connected to a free flowing, warm, natural material. Although the slat connections throughout the structure vary greatly, overall, as seen from a holistic point of view, each individual slat works together to create a semi-solid, fluid installation. While it is extremely important to understand how the wooden installation is constructed, it is equally important to understand its more formal qualities. What is surprising about the structure is that when one thinks of wood the normal thought is of a rigid, straight material with minimal curvature. Instead, this installation is almost entirely composed of curves, both vertical and horizontal. Major curves at both the bottom and top of the structure provide stability through contact with the ground as well as a comfortable seat in the atrium on the first floor. On the top floor the curve echoes on the first floor seat but instead of becoming an actual seat, it tapers off as it moves from left to right. Therefore, it evokes the image of the bottom floor without actually copying it. Proportionally, the straight lines at the first floor help to elongate the space and as you move up, the curves of the second floor make it appear shorter than it really is. The third floor is a mixture of both of these visual tricks. This last section is straight up in the air making it appear longer, but at the same time because it doesn’t reach all the way to the ceiling, it makes it appear shorter near the top. Finally, it is important to understand the way the installation performs in space in relation to its surroundings. Because the installation stretches from floor to ceiling, it draws your eye upwards towards the second and third floor and emphasizes the rest of the building. It also seems to filter light down into the atrium. Light catches on the top most stretches of the structure and slides down the graceful curves to the bottom in the atrium. In addition to variation in light, the structure also has a variation of textures. The wide sides of the slats are very smooth and soft, but if you feel the thin front of the slats you can feel the rough edges of the wood that remind you that the structure is in fact made from natural materials and therefore have some variation. Once you understand how the installation is put together and how it functions in its environment you can begin to explore the background and the thinking that went on in order to create it. These two structures while beautiful, are not only for aesthetics. They have a concrete purpose in their interaction with the building structure. The wooden structure in the atrium invites people to come into the space and have a seat. In addition, because it does stretch from the first floor to the top, and it changes shape as it goes up, it draws not only the eye to the upper levels of the building but it also beckons you to physically go up and explore the upper levels. Therefore, I think that through a desire to make the stark concrete interior of the West Architecture building seem more welcoming, the wooden installation was created. In addition to inviting one in, the structure is also an experiment. The twists and waves that make this structure so interesting also form a sort of test to see what can be achieved through the use of plywood—a material usually thought of as cheap, rough, and ugly—and what shapes can be formed and supported. Because of all of this complicated waves and curves formed by many individual slim boards working together, the modeling and design techniques employed in this installation also had to be unique. Just drafting the design on paper would not have conveyed the idea of the installation effectively and so I’m sure many concrete models as well as computerized models must have been made. Now that we have broken down the installation by how, why, and with what it was made, it is important that we give it a name. The sharp drop from floor to the third floor, the curves of the figure as it winds its way down from the third floor to the second, and the even sharper drop from second floor to first evoke the sight of a waterfall. The breaks in the perpendicular pattern on the first floor are like rocks jutting out of the curtain of water so it has to run around them, and the light filtering down from the top most reaches of the structure into the atrium is like the water running down the rock face. Another installation at the West Architecture building is a long and twisted chaos of polycarbonate fins zooming around one side of the exterior of the building. These zooming shapes are formed by long thin pieces of polycarbonate plastic that have been melted and molded into various twisted shapes connected by bolts. The bolts pass through the ends of six or eight fins of polycarbonate layered in a staggered fashion, one of top of the other. Between each of the twisted fins rests a nut holding each piece of plastic separate from the one above and below it. The ends of the bolt are covered by cap screws. Some of the polycarbonate pieces form a three-dimensional shape. Tags pulled from the fin, folded over the edge, and screwed in place connect these shapes together. To distinguish between the different pieces for construction, on each polycarbonate fin is a small pattern of dots unique for each piece. Although it is easy to distinguish how the pieces are joined together, it is more difficult to understand how each piece works together in the whole installation. Starting from the base, formed by the stacked polycarbonate pieces, fins curve outward and in toward the building before curving around a column parallel to the base of the sculpture. As the structure wraps in towards the building, it creates three-dimensional diamond shapes and holes through which depending on the viewers location, the building behind or the street across, can be viewed. These diamond shaped figures create a wave-like pattern. As the polycarbonate comes from around the front of the column, it begins to twist from its initial vertical orientation into a horizontal one. As it turns, the three-dimensional figures begin to lose their concrete form and turn into twisting and chaotic loops, turning in midair. Cables to the archway directly above them connect these twisting pieces. As the installation nears the archway, its finally reaches a completely horizontal orientation and droops over the archway with the three-dimensional shapes flattening out into wavy fins. Here it is anchored by iron grips to the archway underneath. While close up, this installation seems extremely large and complex; against the background of the whole building it becomes smaller in the viewer’s eye. Viewed from across the street, this installation provides a curved and semi-transparent contrast to the sharp angles and lines of the concrete building. Viewed from inside the atrium of the Architecture Building one cannot see the end of the structure as it curves up and over the last archway, therefore giving the idea that the installation continues up and around the building. In addition to seeming longer than it is from inside, the structure also seems much larger because it is within the smaller frames of the windows. Because the figure is made of a semi-transparent material, under different lights and from different angles the view it offers has a lot of variation. From inside the afternoon light shining through the polycarbonate creates a very beautiful contrast between the brightness of the sun and the shadows created by the light filtered through the structure. In addition, the holes created by the twisting pieces form mini frames that highlighting the sky, trees, and buildings. The view during the afternoon from outside the building is not quite as beautiful. As the light reflects off the polycarbonate it highlights the dirt and weathered look of the structure. At night on the other hand, the view from both inside and out is equally beautiful because the structure casts a blue, silverish light. During the morning, the view is similar but instead of a blue aura, it is red. While these two installations are separated from each other by the building and differences in material, they are still closely related to each other. The wooden structure echoes the shape of a waterfall and similarly, the polycarbonate structure echoes the shape of the wind in motion. I think that these two structures were modeled after elements of nature to contrast with the harsh, sharp, and rough lines and walls of the Architecture Building itself. Because this installation does represent the wind, I think it can be seen as a study of the way that the wind wraps itself lovingly around the building as well as how different types of material can be used to show this relationship between the solid and permanent concrete and the invisible and ever-changing wind. In designing this installation I believe that its designers drew a lot from the way wind moves, possibly by studying virtual wind tunnels. In addition, I believe that they tried to stretch the limits of the polycarbonate material in how it was initially shaped and then put together into this complex and wonderful structure present today. Both installations represent a different aspect of nature and yet they are man-made. Although the wood in itself is not man-made, the process of turning trees into plywood is not a natural process and therefore it still upholds the juxtaposition of nature and man. If you look closely at the two structures you can see where mistakes in construction were made; where the elements have worn and in some cases broken parts of the whole; or even where man itself has somehow defiled the face of the structure. Yet viewed from afar this structures or installations still hold all their intended complexity and wonderment as intended by the designers. Link to this Page
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