RIDE OR DIE Part I Dissection
Š Architectural Association School of Architecture & Laurens Peter Paulmann History & Theory Studies 2015 / 16 THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PORTFOLIO by Sylvie Taher
PART I
RIDE OR DIE
PART II
PART II Curiosity
The object of curiosity is a "Monster", a motorbike produced by the Italian brand Ducati, introduced in 1992. The transformed image is the 2015 Ducati Monster 821.When under examination one questions the origin of its appearance. How was it made? Why was it made? Why was it made in that specific way? The transformation is a figurative representation of these questions. It dissects, zooms in and out, rotates, accelerates and decelerates the functions, processes and visuals of the machine. It opposes the object with its anatomy that one does neither see nor understand. Only the super curious mind will discover what is behind the curtain. A portfolio, in all design disciplines, showcases a similar confrontation. It mostly includes both objects or products and its more precise analysis or
documentation. It is a confrontation of the object that is forced to stand alone with whatever makes up its background. It is a portfolio vs a drawing, a collection vs an artifact, story vs idea, journey vs location, documentation vs object. The selection of ten items was driven by the same curiosity. This time the object is the city and its mundane suburbanity. This selection investigates the journey vs the item / the location. There was no direction, no destination and no guidelines. One machine and one curious mind. Ride or die. With this, the portfolio will make an attempt in giving weight and importance to all content of a project, may it be the single drawing or the journey that brought you there.
Location Coordinates Time Location Descriptive Overall Distance Trip Distance Fuel
High Wycombe
Marlow
Wembley Stadium
Maidenhead Shepherd‘s Bush
Windsor Castle Heathrow Airport
N W
51°29‘46.910“ 0°15‘52.347“
10:54 Acton Green Common 8323,0 km 3,0 km 1/6
The journey starts with stocking up in resources. Gasoline for the bike plus delicious Hot Dog in Chiswick for the rider!
N W
51°29‘46.910“ 0°15‘52.347“
11:09 London Museum of Water 8328,0 km 8,0 km 6/6
The City consists of amalgams of different elements. Often the elements are of similar topology but sometimes they are very different.
N W
51°28‘29.307“ 0°20‘37.352“
11:35 Clifton Road 8334,0 km 14,0 km 6/6
A growing metropolis has to respond to complex parameters that carry the potential to create extraoridnay and unexpected situations.
N W
51°28‘33.698“ 0°23‘58.775“
11:48 Haslemere Avenue 8339,0 km 19,0 km 6/6
Houses might have faces and expressions too. Immobile they stare at us and catch our interest.
N W
51°28‘40.037“ 0°24‘51.497“
12:02 Waye Avenue 8340,0 km 20,0 km 6/6
Once we reach further west of the City a very frequent encounter triggers our curiosity. So close we are to the rest of the world.
N W
51°29‘59.064“ 0°45‘53.761“
12:48 White Wlatham Airfield 8368,0 km 48,0 km 5/6
1000 km
Papa Stour Airport Scotland
Lunde Nome Airfield Norway
Hässleholm Bokeberg Airport Sweden
500 km
Szczecin-Dabie Airport Poland
Piper PA-28-161 Warrior III Crew: 1 Passenegers: 3 Length: 7,3 m Height: 2,2 m Wing-Span: 10,7 m Maximum Speed: 213 km/h Reach: 950 km
Vilshofen Airport Germany Hohenems-Dornbirn Airport Austria
Cipieres Alpes Dazur Airport France
Villaframil Airport Spain
St Léocadie Airport France Sangüesa Airport Andorra
St Cressent Heliport France
A bit further outside the M25, Londons notorious circular motorway, a different world occurs. Planes become smaller, surroundings become greener.
N W
51°31‘21.418“ 0°47‘41.097“
13:22 Burchetts Green Road 8373,0 km 53,0 km 5/6
Yet, what always stays the same, is the desire for nostaliga in an odd and untruthful way.
N W
51°33‘08.182“ 0°47‘15.258“
13:37 Temple Lane 8376,0 km 55,0 km 5/6
Far outside of London it seems very quiet. Calm and empty. As if the metropolis does not exist.
N W
51°33‘03.330“ 0°47‘27.347“
14:24 Temple Mill Island 8385,0 km 65,0 km 5/6
Not everything and everywhere is accessible for anyone. Land ownership is taken seriously. To protect from whom?
N W
51°33‘47.275“ 0°46‘27.480“
14:41 Bisham Road 8389,0 km 69,0 km 4/6
The autumn reveals the most colours of nature, but it takes quite a journey to discover these realms beyond the city.
Part III Appendix
Š Architectural Association School of Architecture & Laurens Peter Paulmann History & Theory Studies 2015 / 16 THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PORTFOLIO by Sylvie Taher
RIDE OR DIE
PART III
PART III Appendix
This portfolio did showcase an attempt of combining the object with the documentation and making them both integral for the project. After all a portfolio is a collection. A collection of everything related to the project, therefore the collection continues with this appendix. It is a selection of remaining images that were part of this work or came aclong during its development.
a. colour options for the first transformation
b. the river Thames in Marlow
c. White Waltham Airfield Clubhouse
d. floorplans of the houses on Burchetts Green Road
e. the remaining pages of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 about trespassing
f. encounters with the airplane
g. testing the folding
h. a sophisticated system for sketching and notes
i. alternative options for the very first image
j. the infamous travel companion
Š Architectural Association School of Architecture & Laurens Peter Paulmann History & Theory Studies 2015 / 16 THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PORTFOLIO by Sylvie Taher