Alexander William Mackay
Architecture Portfolio
Newcastle University
15 -16
Apologia
Stage two has been an incredible journey of decoding my own interests in architecture and exploring more artistic approaches to design. Throughout the year I’ve used an array techniques and mediums to put more of a theory influenced twist on my projects, leaning away from a very technical and constrictive development. I’ve found identity through architecture to be the most captivating aspect of design work and have pushed my projects further with assumed narratives. Envisaging how people approach the blank canvas of a building and how both their character, and the building’s, affect each other is monumentally interesting. In my final year I intend to further de-construct and evaluate themes of identity in both my thesis project and dissertation. I hope to promote my work through wilder creative avenues and break further away from conventional procedure.
Alexander Mackay
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Non-Design Work
Artificial Consulate
Exploring Experience:
Engineering Experience
Teige’s Commune
At Home in the City:
Leith 2025
Byker Hobby Rooms
Study Type:
contents
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Study Type
Byker Hobby Rooms Originally a working class slum, in the mid 1960s, Newcastle City Corporation took the decision to redevelop the Byker Area. Swedish architect and planner Ralph Erskine was tasked with running a rolling development program, where the community was invited to play a major role in the design process. Erskine intended to maintain some original streets and landmarks to help residents orientate themselves and navigate the new layout. He broke away from the then popular brutalist style of building and introduced new materials such as painted softwood.
Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne
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The result is a bright and interesting selection of dwellings, heated through a refuse burning system and producing it’s own micro-climate by use of the unbroken wall of 620 maisonettes. With most occupants having little room to spare, Erskine introduced Hobby Rooms. A selection of community spaces throughout Byker intended to be used for different interests. Ultimately without a governing body and loss of social capital, these rooms fell in to disrepair or were claimed by neighbouring home owners and extra space.
1:2500 Site Map of Byker Hobby room location Case study area
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Various Hobby Rooms in Byker
Clockwise Model making club Furniture workshop Photography studio
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Cutaway
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Church Street Study
Clockwise Dwelling Section Hobby Room Section First Floor Plans Second Floor plans
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The cyclist hobby room has since been vandalised and is no longer in use. Today, less than five hobby rooms appear functional
Leith 2025
Linksview Modular Market Under the theme of economy, and assuming an economic crash by 2025, my group began envisaging a split from modern consumer culture and a reintroduction of medieval market communities. The modular market uses the huge unused square outside of the Linksview apartment block. People normally avoided the space for recreation purposes because of the mass surveillance of the apartments.
Leith, Edinburgh
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The market is designed to be flexible for new merchants or for successful ones to expand.
1:2500 Site Map of Leith Market location highlighted
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Failed economy as a social catalyst
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Variations of modular market system
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At Home in the City
Teige’s Commune Karel Teige was one of the most important figures of the 1920’s and 30s modernist avant-garde movement. One of his major theories on architecture was The Minimum Dwelling. This theory saw the family losing it’s role as an economic unit. With women being emaciated and taking up employment outside, their traditional duties being shared around the community. Teige envisioned the minimum dwelling not as a reduced version of a bourgeois apartment or rural cottage, but as a wholly new dwelling type.
Leith, Edinburgh
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My project ran a narrative of crashed economy and the inhabitants of Leith forming closer community groups to make a more economic use of building materials and space. I projected whole communities living in a single building, reducing inhabited space by communising recreation and dining areas. Studying Japanese capsule hotels and micro apartments in Manhattan was also useful. The ergonomics of these spaces played an important role in my development.
1:2500 Site Map of Leith Project site highlighted
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Kirkgate
Not as a reduced version of a bourgeois apartment or rural cottage, but as a wholly new dwelling type
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Tribal Tendencies
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Collage Site Photos
Collage
Rack, Ruin and Economic Redeux
Nakagin Capsule Tower  
Evolution of Form Clockwise
Solid mass Elevating dwellings above street Separating communal and private areas Separating dwellings. Added kink in dwelling section for psychological threshold in unit Staggered to introduce internal circulation via geometry Balconies for economic use of rooftops Final
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Circulation route to roof from entrance
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Dwelling for Two People Dwelling orientated for maximum solar gain Glazing focused at front, storage focused on side walls Slight dual level section to provide psychological threshold of private/ semi-private Entrance as large sliding door, gives access from kitchen to communal dining area Loud utilities to back of unit Internal windows to promote interaction with communal hub
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Counter-clockwise Roof Family dwelling upper floors Family dwelling lower floors Professional dwellings Entrance/Gym
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Design Isometric
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1:100 Section
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1:100
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1:200 Model and Context
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1:50 Model
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Communal dining area Rooftop space Living unit
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1:50 two person unit model
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Engineering Experience
Сталкер My early experiences of the project were centred around understanding and decoding Andrei Tarkovsky’s work. Splitting up the powder room scene revealed it’s physical ambiguity through warped space. We further discussed character interaction with this room and began to unravel the film and conceptualise our installation piece. The entire group helped develop and manufacture the piece, beginning with group members running material tests whilst others worked with structure and form. The three different disciplines gave a really varied and useful set of skills and we got of to a good start. Working to our strengths and planned our storyboard
Йäгала
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from our physical work, putting a major focus on setting a scene through practical effects over conceptual and contemporary filming. The nature of our installation piece as a functional film set was a fantastic chance for group synergy. It took the entire group to operate the set through piling powder down through slits or operating the interactive canvas base. Although the initial construction phase took a long time, this made everything thereafter far easier. We ended up with really interesting shots of the space which cut editing time down dramatically; simply rotating and reversing scenes was our prime visual effect.
Powder room scene, Stalker 1979
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Screed, powder and light tests respectively
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Effects Testing
We thoroughly inspected the scene, looking particularly at the aesthetics and acknowledging the sensations the scene evoked on us. From this, we discussed which features were essential to include in the model in order to evoke a similar sensation. The floor to ceiling height with repeating pillars, the random beams of natural light, the placement of the well and arrangement of the sand in a wave-like form were all aspects we believed were essential. We carefully looked at the placement of the sand and how it created clouds of dust when disrupted. We were unsure of how the exterior of the room appeared, however we predicted it to be above ground level as the characters in the previous scene ascend a set of stairs. We embarked on this project with an equal and indiscriminative attitude. We wanted all the disciplines to have an equal contribution to the project. This, in turn, would expose each individual’s ability and would also help to create a well-rounded and balanced work.
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We gathered our ideas and came to a definitive conclusion. We sought to create a maquette that was bleak on the exterior. No decorations or embellishments. This aesthetic would then entice and encourage the viewer to look into the box. We discussed that the experience of looking into the box would be an all sensory one. The viewer should feel immersed in the scene and taken into an unfamiliar world – there should be no distractions. We believed, this could occur if the viewer were to look through a spy hole. We discussed as a group the sensations that arose when we watched the film. These common sensations, we wanted to evoke on our viewer. (Sense of distance from reality, the unknown, cold, pensive, isolated etc.) Certain elements within the interior contribute to the feelings we felt, as a group, when watching the film. The unfinished surface of the pillars add to the cold, disturbing aesthetic. The two broken, deteriorating pillars accentuate the grottiness of the scene and make the viewer feel uneasy and neurotic. We wanted the room to feel cold and inescapable. The mirror at the back of the structure emphasises this hence evoking a sense of isolation and distance on the viewer.
Disassembling the installation Internal space capped with mirrors for infinite space illusion when filming.
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Final movie stills
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Final maquette
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Exploring Experience
Artificial Consulate I intended to create a physical foothold for the Russian ‘Facebook’ equivalent, VK.com. VK is the largest Russian speaking social media website with over 28 million accounts yet is barely known to western web users. Aesthetically representing a cultural gift from Russia, I wanted to create a visually enveloping structure based on traditional geometric form and more specifically, digitalised vernacular. My experiential qualities will come from these shapes and arrangements and how users interact or view these areas. I also researched and reflected on the nature of the online organisation through layout and facilities, perhaps accommodating a more controversial aspect, wherein documents are stored, information is gathered and users are watched
Berwick-upon-Tweed
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unknowingly. Superficially the facility should represent Russian programmers contribution to the internet with an inviting and playful form hosting a series of culturally important concessions; this could range from traditional crafts, distilled goods and perhaps travel agencies. VK has also been subject to controversies over copyright infringement from users hosting illegal media, temporary blacklisting by the Russian government and being renowned for easy access to pornographic material. Perhaps entwining these darker aspects of the site would give compelling opportunities to divide the structure between public friendly and institutionally private areas. How these spaces could interact and juxtapose is also of interest to me.
Project site highlighted
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1:2500 Site Map of Berwick-upon-Tweed
Ambassadors Office
Permanent Storage Area
-Private document storage -Viewpoint of Berwick -Access to staff only areas
-Physical storage areas for paper documents -Printing area -Attached to Profiling Services -Hidden from public access
Digital Profiling Services -Space for staff to process applications -Photography Area -Booths to fill out personal information forms -Kiosk type area to submit forms Digital Passport Manufacturing -Office space for four staff to process applications -Viewpoints of clients applying for profiles Profile and Password collection Area -Waiting room -Connects to manufacturing area -Kiosk for distributing VK welcome packages and new profile information
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Server Room -Guts of business -Away from public access
Bazaar -Street food stand w/ seating area -Russian Crafts Stalls -Delivery and Storage areas -Lift access to upper levels
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Site Photographs
Digitalising Landmarks
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Ambassador’s office
Profile collection Server core
Profile manufacturing Circulation hub
Hard copy storage
Digital profiling
Spacial Language
Profile Manufacturing Route
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Private Access Routes
Access to Central Hub
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Materiality and geometry exercise with cast concrete
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Initial 3D massing
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Massing as a visual exercise to imagine internal spaces of towers
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Full Isometric
The building uses a series of interesting vignette rooms to draw visitors in and up through the profile manufacturing process. These rooms are visible from outside, intended to make the building look labyrinth like and fun. The truth is that the building has a very strict route, visitors will pass by all points on the profile chain. Independent path-finding is a myth here.
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Contrasting with this enticing public route, the staff only areas remain functional and proper. The staff stairwell doubles a as fire escape.
Rooftop rainwater collection system
Rooftop facilities
Snow cannons
Snow Room
Ambassador’s office
Baba bar
Senior Staff Offices
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1:50 Model
Showing the profile processing vignette rooms as well as the concrete structure used in all four towers.
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Profile collection
Processing observation
Profile processing
Staff room
Gallery observation
Gallery
Yaga cafe
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1:100 Section
Profile registration
Main entrance
Kitchen
Server core
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Central Void
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Entrance
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Second Floor
Ground Floor
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Sixth Floor
Fourth Floor
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Eighth Floor
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Left to Right Concrete Frame Structure Interior Frame Inserts Inner Leaf Masonry Insulation Window Inserts Outer leaf Masonry Exterior Frame Inserts
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Non Design Work
The Extras Architectural Technology Structural Report Architectural Technology Access Report 21st Century Architecture Poster 21st Century Architecture Essay Place of Houses Poster Environmental Design and services Report Dissertation Studies Learning Journal Process and Reflect
Newcastle upon Tyne
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Architectural Technology Report
My dwelling is based on New York and Boston micro-apartments, these apartments connect to a central communal section giving each of them a sheltered wall with half a ceiling and half a floor/full floor covered by another dwelling. Either end of the space is largely glazed, with the front end being a glazed good systems designed to give the owner full access to the balcony space when desired (Fig 1). Very open plan and only featuring two internal rooms for an entire house. The building is a GluLam structure with Structural Insulated Panels inserted between beams. Allowing for minimal wall thickness and being somewhat economic. I did not change wall or roof structure through my changes, nor did I change my window inserts.
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My design started as an SAP level B rating (Fig 2), I undertook several changes to improve it’s efficiency. I changed the front and back glazing sections to smaller, thinner windows and replaced the bi folding door area (Front of site) to a simple door and windows instead. This meant less energy was leaving the site through windows. The windows on the sides changed shape but not area, changing how light entered the space for purposes discussed on my DiaLux page. Changing the windows also changed the solar gains in my dwelling, which decreased along with my total internal gains. I removed my chimney but kept all ventilation the same otherwise. I reduced my primary circuit loss by adding a cylinder stat to my water heating system For the sake of this project I have disregarded the small change in level in the middle of the design.
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Architectural Technology Report
Alexander Mackay
Commercial Mutation Junkspace as a perversion of purity Junkspace as sterilisation of passion
Alex Mackay 140545092
Rem Koolhaas - Junkspace In Koolhaas’ ‘Junkspace’ he comments on the emerging new commercial vernacular which has perverted present day architecture. He constantly and sporadically redefines the term junkspace, ultimately conjuring images of tacky, hollow shopping malls -places devoid of meaning or beauty. These spaces abuse architecture as a commercial vessel, a complete bastardisation in the name of consumerism.
20th Century Architecture Poster
My work can be interpreted as junkspace being a tumorous growth emerging and consuming pure architecture; a completely out of control mitosis born of advertisement and marketing. The imagery can also be read inversely, the sterile and meaningless totally whitewashing the interesting and controversial. I see junkspace as an artistic plague, totally enveloping. Junkspace is when Stanstead airport’s once clean form was pumped full of duty free lard. Junkspace is also demolishing the quirky in the name of progress, when a mall paves over and old area of town. ‘Rabbit is the new beef . . . Because we abhor the utilitarian, we have condemned ourselves to a lifelong immersion in the arbitrary . . . LAX: welcoming— possibly flesh-eating—orchids at the check-in counter . . . “Identity” is the new junk food for the dispossessed, globalization’s fodder for the disenfranchised . . . If space-junk is the human debris that litters the universe, Junk-Space is the residue mankind leaves on the planet. The built (more about that later) product of modernization is not modern architecture but Junkspace. Junkspace is what remains after modernization has run its course, or, more precisely, what coagulates while modernization is in progress, its fallout.’ -Rem Koolhaas
Bibliography Ahmed, Fatema. “Rem Koolhaas: Junkspace - Icon Magazine”. Iconeye.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Apr. 2016. “Junkspace”. OMA. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Apr. 2016. Koolhaas, Rem, and Hal Foster. Junkspace. Print.
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21st Century Architecture Essay
Environmental Design and Services Report
Summary My project consists of four tall concrete structures arranged with a large multi floor void between them, This void is glazed off, internalising walkways and stairs which span it. Due to how narrow the towers are, the amount of people in the building is low for a nine building, making The original design features a staff circulation core which would also be used as a fire escape. Aside for this core, a labyrinth like route connects the floors which was intended as fun geometry for the buildings visitors. This would be chaotic if the staff core was inaccessible, being hugely difficult to navigate the changing layout in advent of fire, to solve this I inserted a second protected fire escape stairwell which spans all floors. This means there are actually three sets of stairs for people to use to escape. Areas which were previously not connected to both fire escape routes have been, the building would have smoke detectors and fire alarms spread throughout and both protected stairwells have refuge points for wheelchair users. Aside from being physically separated from the other buildings, there are also doorways sealing them.
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Place of Houses Poster
Does architecture have an effect on social interaction and in the case of richardson road accomodation, is this positive? In the wake of accomodation overhaul in the city, Richardson road stands an a section of low rise, dated design. To be demolished in the summer of 2016 and replaced with a new series of housing blocks, Richardson road exists and an infamous destination for Newcastle university students, regarded by many as remarkably sociable and the place to be for outgoing students. I intend to find out, when compared to other halls of residence, if this is the case and why.
Dissertation Studies
I will be making observations of architectural aspects of the halls and how residents interact with them, what effect this has and how it compares to other residences. This study will also take in to consideration social capital generated through geometry and location of the site, noting and analysing any unique aspects between them. Use of space and social interaction will be a massive part of this study, whether spaces are used by residents for their intended purposes or adapted, any improvised architecture or rearrangements of thresholds and what that might change. Perhaps my largest area of interest is the theme of identity and Richardson Road, I intend to investigate prevailing cultural trends and what effect this has had on people associated with the site. Was it’s reputation present from the start or did it evolve over time? How can a residency with a reputation affect it’s inhabitants and in what way this warps the social interaction between them. Students passing through seem to have a stronger sense of identity than those from some similar areas. However this is not limited to Richardson road and identity in other accommodations for the university may be an avenue worth exploring. Around the city of Newcastle there has also been an emergence of new, privately owned accommodations. Speaking to students residing there or talking with the architects who built them may also give me an insight in to the process behind designing new residence halls and what effect this has on current tenants. Is there a difference between these newer and Richardson and how can I use information gained here. Students seem to be choosing older halls than new, seemingly influenced by price and location but perhaps also reputation. I feel that Richardson may be marketed as a brand from students to other students. Do they choose to go there or do most get assigned it? Research will be undertaken from observation and interaction with focus groups, residents and site staff -from both Richardson Road and other accommodations. I will be looking to compare and contrast these groups and use the information along with studies of the architecture of these sites to determine an answer to my question. Finding a research method which I can quantify to answer my question will be a large part of my initial work. There may also be scope to compare information gained from staff regarding security call outs, property damages, disruptive gatherings etc.
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This year I have documented my progress through a Pintrest blog.
Journal
I have updated it with photos throughout the year showing all parts of the design process. I also made note of any useful visits I took part in, I saw it as more a collection of influence mixed in with my own work than a pure transcript of my project. Ongoing documentation helps digest feedback as it comes, this keeps me looking ahead and focused. Time management is incredibly important and having a live resource of my own work does help make realistic decisions with what to do next. Next year I would look to start a wordpress blog or similar, looking to have it bound as a final output. Thinking long term next year is necessary and moving away from a purely image based resource might be a smart move.
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I think there is also scope for inviting people to comment and critique my work. This year the journal was more reflective than anything else but I would find an outlet for people to offer opinions very rewarding.
Expressing
This year I have pushed myself to express ideas and concept in more abstract realms. I’ve tried to lean as far away from practical but overly grounded design work.
This year I feel like I’ve recognised how much room there is for expression, I began by introducing more photo-collage techniques using a range of softwares from CAD to photo editing. With more abstract work, I feel like it allows the reader more scope for interpretation with the real skill being how to curve them towards your point.
sions.
In future I would also like to consider final output from a much earlier stage, placing a greater emphasis on the experience an onlooker has. How well a presentation draws in observers is paramount to how successful it is.
Later I began experimenting with new modelling techniques as means of introducing more materiality and insight to my though processes. I tend to shy away from hand drawing as I feel more comfortable working in the realms of sculpture. Next year I would like to investigate new areas of drawing and how I can blend this in with the digital techniques I have learnt. Although I value more of a 3D development process, it can be time consuming. In comparison, I have found using software for initial 3D massing incredibly useful, with how quick I change aspects of a design, it’s far easier being able to quickly manipulate a model than to hand cut again. Producing works which stimulates me creatively really does help get a project in motion. I still find it difficult to hit the eureka moment which then drives me further on, free and interpretive early stage works have been the catalyst for a lot of empowering design deci-
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Modelling
I have always found modelling to be one of the most important aspects of a project. Being able to physically witness a design can give a vast amount of insight. A lot of design development has came though physical prototype models and I feel near instinctive modelling sessions can nicely clear my mind and stimulate good design.
This year I have worked with a host of new materials for the first time and have enjoyed discovering their merits. I have used computer software to hep produce 3D models accurately, I CNC milled a site model for my engineering experience project. Next year I will be connecting more computer designed work with physical outputs, it’s a quick and easy process which I think gives beautiful results. I also began casting concrete for conceptual early development pieces, this help stimulate of a lot of thought on materiality, form and experience. Having these objects presented with my final outcome helped show my thought process to onlookers, hopefully revealing
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to them aspects which filtered in to my final work.
Working with foam was also interesting, I enjoyed the rapid nature of the modelling but felt the rougher outputs may not balance with my graphical style. I think digital massing will still be my go to method. Next year I’m interested in throwing more of an abstract twist on my modelling as means of expressing my projects. I look forward to trying out new materials and processes and will hopefully produce some very interesting works.
Representing Throughout Stage 2 I have been keen to try out new methods of representation, this was also the first time I’ve ever used most creative softwares. Discovering how fun and flexible photo collages can be has really fed in to all of my design work, I love how freely they can be interpreted and ow this can influence the development process. I’ve particularly enjoyed blending 3D modelling and photo manipulation and the results it an produce. Using digital work to produce physicals models is something I touched on with my milled site model, next year I would be interested in printing digital models. With my graphical representation this year, I have leaned towards a minimal, sleeker technique. I think consistency with graphics is important and that this year gave more a trial run for my thesis project. I’d be envisaging the aesthetics of a presentation, and all the formats it takes, from the of next year. I even think there’s room to experiment with introducing more 3D aspects to a final outcome, outside of small physical models. I would like to explore the experiential aspects of a pin up and how this can alter how the work is interpreted.
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