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20100929

DRAWINGS

On Friday I need to see all drawings at the final required scale - even if they are not completed yet (they won't be anyways!). We have to discuss them together. We will also discuss your presentation strategy.


reminder from an old mail:

Each scale addresses and leads to resolving different aspects of design.
It is not a simple zooming in or out, but a real progression through different worlds to which belongs different elements and languages.

I guess this is a bit abstract, to make it clearer have a look at this great film by the fantastic designers Charles and Ray Eames:




The section is particularly important because it forces you to look at your design in terms of construction, assemblage and details.

Also, a great source of inspiration in terms of architectural drawings is the work of the Japanese firm Atelier Bow-Wow. Look especially at their sections, perspectives and axonometric projections. The best would be to get their books.


Problems? Questions? Images? Progression?
Camillee

20100928

Comments and references

Dears,

We will be collecting your work Monday at 5pm. Thus you can have a good night of rest and prepare your oral presentation.

Now it is time to think about the visual presentation of your work.
How can you make a clear connection between analysis, researches, studies and design?
What specificity can you find in your project in order to define the titles, the colours,  the fonts, the frames, the paper size etc. of your presentation. Find a name for your bridge/project.
Again look at the RIBA awards' website for inspiration.

Regarding the section at 1/25, you have to produce 2: one longitudinal and one cross section. (+ any addition/modification discussed individually today)

Do not forget that ALL drawings and models (except detail drawings and models) should show the environment as well - especially what is relevant to the integration of your project.

Following are comments, references and suggestions:

PUN
Be careful about the exactitude of your structure. In space structure, the pyramids are connecting 2 layers of grid. Otherwise those pyramids are totally unnecessary! If i remember well, in the model you showed me today, you only had one. Look here for an example of a barrel vault.
The 1/25 model is very important to understand and test how you can play with the mirrors and their angles of reflection (and other materials you may use - coloured glass, opaque material etc.)

TON
Very crucial for you now is the work on drawings and on renderings.
For the melting look you are thinking about (but not doing much!), have a look at Monika Sosnowska's 1:1, here and here. Remember that she is an artist, doing an installation in a gallery, while you are intervening on a public bridge. That is actually one fundamental aspect of you work: where/when is the limit you draw? Prepare your oral presentation around this.

GRACE
Focus now on the roof, its overall design, "movement" and structural system.
Maybe you could alter the steel façade in order to have more variety in its transparency? Look at perforated steel panels. I think the early projects of Herzog & DeMeuron (when they were mainly experimenting on the skin of buildings) will be of interest to you.

GENG
You have to put a lot of effort in defining and designing your idea!
Do not change your proposal, develop it to a level of execution though drawings, models and research on the disabled people's movement and activities.
WORK MORE

ENN
Work hard on the axonometric representation, and the sections.
Present the research, the examples and how you adapt the techniques to your proposal + detailed models
Work on the overall model at 1:50, to be tested with water!

SHANE
Move from concept to realisation. A lot needs to be done!
Cut sections every 5m or so of your bridge, draw then, draw the structure, and build your model accordingly.

FA
Structure, openings, frames, staircases, etc. are super important in terms of the usage of the workshop. Design them!

N

2 sections - elevation and axonometric 
+ presentation of research and examples and how you adapt the techniques to your proposal + detailed drawings
Your work on the roof comes in 2nd place - now you have to focus and push forward the vibration mechanisms and the design around it.
+ the overall model at 1:50 THAT CAN BE TESTED

ONG
If you decide to focus all your design on the fold, the origami, it should attain a great level of detail and beauty.
For an example of paper models and lightness, look at the poetic work (a unique combination of models and drawings) of the architect CJ Lim.
Be precise on the articulations, the materials, and, extremely important, on the ways those apparatuses are fixed on the bridge. I would like to see a complete working model on Friday, along with drawings where you express the kinetic/transformable properties of your proposal(s). 
Look at Leonardo da Vinci's machines' drawings for a timeless example.

AMY
Think about your position - between being literal and being symbolic. Explore other dimensions! Structures themselves, if explored and developed truly (without trying to make them resemble something they are not) are amazingly powerful means of expression.
Work on the concrete floor - with the understanding of how it is built. And proceed similarly with the roof (in the 3-dimensionality that the branch structures naturally imply). 
drawings and models SCALE 1/50!

BEST
Bring me work and i will guide you.

GOLFE
Focus now on the design of your bridges. They cannot be only the pure outcome of technical performances.
Or if this is your position (your belief), then develop the structural system with the same attitude. 
Look at the work of Antonio Gaudi, Buckminster Fuller, Santagio Calatrava or Norman Foster.
The forces in play in your structure could be expressed as well, you could try to reduce the use of material to its minimum, which will encourage you to sculpt all columns, beams, arches etc.

CHERRY
Try ways to express materiality in your model. Think about how your could use the structure to the benefit of your proposal, instead of looking at it as a constraint. It should add quality to your design, not fight against it! Bring me those drawings and model.

EIAB
Make sure that the bridge (existing and additions) can be used properly (the cars passing under, the people, etc.). Remember that you are not doing an art installation, and that you have to show that this proposal could be built.
Right now the 4 paths look totally similar. Develop those differences, not only in terms of materials, but in terms of structural systems, dimensions, openings, views, experiences, interaction with the site, encounters etc.
Present me all drawings and scenarios on Friday. + the model.

Good work!
Post your questions and images of your work here.
Camillee

20100926

Presentation

Very good examples of projects' presentations are to be found on the President Medals Student Awards ' website from the Royal Institute of British Architects.
The awarded students are from all over the world. You can have a look at the previous years as well (the website goes back to 1998).

Look at how they present their researches, their drawings, their models. Find your own unity, in accordance to your project, to what (and how) you are proposing.
Do read both the tutor's and student's statements in order to understand the projects in depth.

Writing your own short statement for the presentation of your project will also help you a lot. Writing is a productive tool!

References

Dear all,


If you have some problems understanding how this will work, have a look at INDA DLab 1.0 (link on the side).
Ideally we will in the future develop our blog into 14 different ones - private evolution.
Provided you start publishing your work!!


In the meantime, i will now write comments and references here, so please check it daily.
And post daily as well.





GENG - using handrail to create shade
An artist you can get inspiration from for your work on the fences: Tadashi Kawamata
In your case, be careful about not creating a mess! His work may look very messy, but there is a logic behind it. You need to establish this logic!!
Also be aware that he is working with wood whereas you are working with metals.

ENN - foldable porcelain facade
Here is the last project of my friend Fredrik Hellberg, studying at the Architectural Association:

FA and BEST
Atelier Bow-Wow (find the drawings)
Shin Egashira + http://koshirakura.org/
And, especially for Best's library, Shigeru Ban.


Hope to see your work here soon...
Best

20100916

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog.
I guess you are all familiar with this system.
Let's start publishing now!