ARCH101. Midterm Portfolio.

PORTFOLIO Brenda Joy Gabbac.

ARCH101. Spring 2012.

Midterm.

noun ● a continuous area or expanse that is free, available, or unoccupied; • an area of land that is not occupied by buildings; a blank between printed, typed, or written words, characters, numbers, etc.; an interval of time; the freedom and scope to live, think, and develop in a way that suits one ● the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move; a mathematical concept generally regarded as a set of points having some specified structure. verb 1 position (two or more items) at a distance from one another; (in printing or writing) put blanks between (words, letters, or lines) 2 be or become distracted, euphoric, or disoriented; cease to be aware of one's surroundings

SPACE |spās|

noun an essential supporting structure of a building, vehicle, or object: a basic structure underlying a system, concept, or text

FRAMEWORK |ˈfrāmˌwərk|

ITERATION NO.1 This semester's theme is “spatial journeys.” For our first iteration, we were to find a handheld object in our home and create its barebones, or “framework”. I decided to use a trinket – The Hundreds x Medicom Adam Bomb toy – as my artifact for my iteration. I honestly did not know why I chose this as my artifact; maybe its my interest in “pop art,” Japanese collectables, or collector's items. I like how the toy, although a spherical shape, has an equilibrium to it. If you tilt it in any direction, it finds its equilibrium itself.

I did not know how to go about doing this first iteration. I did not really have a design process; I just started constructing. I created my iteration using balsa wood strips, a little bit of wire, and glue. I did run into a bit of trouble during the construction process – I tried to emulate the artifact's spherical shape, however, it was a difficult and frustrating. After many methods and trials, I thought, “what if I used wire as a curving framework?” Once I realized that, I looked at my almost completed iteration and realized that I made its exterior, or “skin.”

ITERATION NO.1 I am a bit unhappy about the overall result of my first iteration.

The reason of this is because while constructing my iteration, I completely forgot that the instructions were to create a “framework,” rather than its “skin.” I also think the reasoning behind my failure of this iteration is not thoroughly thinking about my design process, and having a lack of inspiration from this artifact.

ITERATION NO.2 Being a bit unhappy about my first iteration, I decided to redo it for my second iteration. This time, I did have somewhat of an idea of what I wanted to do. I constructed the framework using wire. Before constructing my iteration, I thought what materials would be easy and malleable to construct something that is of a spherical shape, and I thought, “WIRE!”Although my choice of material is quite malleable, I did run into a bit of trouble while constructing though. As for the “spark” on the top of the artifact, I thought of what should I do for that part. Should I do some sort of layering lattice work? Should I just try to construct it as one part? Should I do it as an attaching part? I ended up constructing it as an attachment. However, I ran into another altercation – it keeps on toppling the entire iteration over! Therefore, I added a bit of a lighter gauged wire to attach the “spark” and to create a balance of weight of the overall iteration. The main framework is made with a thicker gauged wire, of which draws your attention more than the lighter gauged wire.

ITERATION NO.2 I felt more satisfied with this iteration because it was an actual framework, rather than “skin.� Compared to my first iteration, it was a giant step in thoughts of design. However, I think the flaw of this iteration is that there are components that have no aesthetic purpose, such as the light gauged wire which is only used for balancing out the weight of the overall iteration.

ITERATION NO.3 With my third iteration, I wanted to show movement of the equilibrium in the artifact. Similar to the previous iteration, I used wire again because of its malleableness. As for my construction process, I used the same method as I used in the previous iteration. The so-called “movement” is displayed by the tilting of the iteration.

I did run into the same construction problems I had in the previous iteration. I constructed the “spark” component as an attachment and again, it kept on toppling the entire iteration over. Therefore, learning from the previous iteration, I constructed the attachment piece to be longer and entwine it into the base to create stability.

I think my main flaw of this iteration was that I'm still sticking so close to the original artifact and its form, and I should begin thinking abstractly.

GESTURE DRAWINGS I found gesture drawings to be quite helpful. I found the use of charcoal gave me the opportunity to be “free” – in terms of arm and hand movement and spontaneity of ideas – in my drawings.

I also found the use of charcoal was a great way to express my ideas with exaggeration and expression.

I thought the “blind” drawings were difficult to do because I'm so used to looking back and forth while drawing. However, its interesting to see your outcomes when you don't look while you're drawing. There is a variety of line weights and lengths.

You can also see the energy someone put into their gesture drawings.

noun ● the visible shape or configuration of something; arrangement of parts ● a mold, frame, or block in or on which something is shaped. ● a particular way in which a thing exists or appears; a manifestation: • any of the ways in which a word may be spelled, pronounced, or inflected; the structure of a word, phrase, sentence, or discourse ● a type or variety of something verb ● [ with obj. ] bring together parts or combine to create (something); (form people/things into) organize people or things into (a group or body); go to make up or constitute • [ no obj. ] gradually appear or develop; conceive (an idea or plan) in one's mind; articulate (a word, speech sound, or other linguistic unit); construct (a new word) by derivation or inflection ● make or fashion into a certain shape or form; [ no obj. ] (form into) be made or fashioned into a certain shape or form; (be formed) have a specified shape

FORM |fôrm|

ITERATION NO.4 With my fourth iteration, I took one of my classmates advice during critiques – “What happens to the 'bomb' afterwards?”

Using their advice, I thought about what literally happens to a bomb post-detonation – it explodes. Therefore, in this iteration, I wanted to exemplify the bomb exploding. I also wanted to integrate what makes a bomb – atoms of plutonium or uranium.

As a result, this iteration can either be viewed as an anatomical structure or an explosion. Again, like my previous iterations, I used wire. I continuously entwined the wire into a ball with rays extruding out of it, like an atom or an explosion.

ITERATION NO.4 I'm not to fond of the outcome of this iteration. I think the largest flaw of this iteration is the lack of thought or inspiration that is put into the construction process. I thought the idea was good; however, the construction is not and seems to be lacking what I wanted to portray.

ITERATION NO.5 With my fifth iteration, I felt I put more thought into it compared to my previous iteration. I wanted to show the de-evolution of the actual bomb with an anatomical structure of plutonium or uranium and the stage after igniting the bomb with a mushroom cloud. I also thought about the irony of beauty in destruction while constructing this iteration.

I continue to use wire again with my iteration. I've used a thicker wire for the bottom part – the anatomical structure – not only as a base, but also as an emphasis to show that there is an hierarchy in ideas and placement. The stem leading up to the mushroom cloud is of a thinner wire to show its less importance compared to the other components of the iteration. The mushroom cloud is comprised of the thinner wire layered in a radial fashion and its top ends to show the expansive mushroom cloud. With the thought of the irony of beauty in destruction in the back of my mind while constructing, I realized my iteration looks like a flower.

ITERATION NO.5 Compared to the previous iterations, I did not run into any major altercations during the construction process. I learned to make the bottom component heavier so the entire iteration would not topple over.

I really liked the outcome of this iteration because it did exemplify the ideas I had in mind correctly. I continue to think my largest flaw is my constant thinking about a bomb and thoughts that comprise of it. I also think I should break away from using wire and explore other materials.

ITERATION NO.6 In my sixth iteration, I thought I should simplify my ideas of the previous iteration of de-evolution and evolution. Therefore, I created a layered lattice that is shaped like the “spark” and then organize the parts chaotically to create an exploding look.

I still continue to use wire because of its ease of malleability. I used the method I used in the second iteration of creating the “sparks” to create the lattice in this iteration. I create three of lattices – two of a thick gauge to display my idea well enough and one of a thin gauge as a connector between the two lattices.

I thought this iteration did somewhat display the idea I am trying to portray. However, compared to my previous iteration, it seems to be lacking more. I think I still have the mindset of the bomb and any literal ideas attached to it still embedded into my design.

ITERATION NO.7 In this iteration, I reverted back to my thoughts and ideas from the fifth iteration. I thought again about the irony of beauty in destruction and how there is a sense of beauty in mushroom clouds. In beauty and in destruction, there is a sense of gradualism – things take time to become at most beautiful.

Using wire, I created a gradual tiered framework to display the gradualism. In this iteration, there is a sense of hierarchy in terms of height of each tier. From the bottom-up, the tiers gradually become larger in length and corresponding to each tier, it contracts, making it look as if its expanding.

ITERATION NO.7 During the construction process, I did run into a bit of trouble.

Like the previous iterations I had trouble with, this kept on toppling over as well. I then again rethought about what I can do to fix it; therefore, I fixed it using what I learned from those mistakes. I entwined all of the tiers together with a thinner gauged wire by creating some sort of weave to even out the weight in throughout the iteration.

I think my ideas have showed in this iteration, however, not enough. I know there is a lacking sense to it. I am beginning to think that I am holding back on my designs or not expressing them well-enough.

ITERATION NO.8 In this iteration, I thought about this quote, “destruction is a form of creation.� In creation, there is beauty to it, and referring back to the previous iteration, beauty has balance and harmony.

Beauty can also have a sense of grace to it. In destruction and creation, there is also a sense of gradualism to it. As in time, they gradually happen. I wanted to show the sense of balance and harmony while having the theme of gradualism.

Breaking away from my comfort zone in wire, I used basswood and glue. I bent the wood at different lengths in each strip of wood, showing harmony. Each strip of wood is almost equally distant from each other, displaying balance. Once completed, I thought there was a sense of grace to it.

I like the overall idea and themes I created with this iteration.

But I still feel as if I'm holding back with my creations, which continues to be my weakness.

noun ● a structure consisting of strips of wood or metal crossed and fastened together with square or diamond-shaped spaces left between, used typically as a screen or fence or as a support for climbing plants.

• an interlaced structure or pattern • Physics a regular repeated three-dimensional arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in a metal or other crystalline solid.

LATTICE |ˈlatis|

noun ● the outside part or uppermost layer of something (often used when describing its texture, form, or extent) • the level top of something • (also surface area) the area of such an outer part or uppermost layer ● (Geometry) a continuous set of points that has length and breadth but no thickness.

SURFACE |ˈsərfis|

ITERATION NO.9 With this iteration, we begin thinking about surfaces. Prior to constructing my iteration, I thought about latticework, textures, and contrasting. I wanted to progress my idea of the irony of beauty in destruction with this iteration. As said before in my previous iteration, there is balance and harmony in beauty. And when I thought of destruction, I thought about deconstructivism and how there a sense of controlled chaos.

Using balsawood, paper and wood, I constructed this iteration. I first created the framework with a lattice. I then organized the latticework to create the sense of chaos, yet withholding the thought of harmony in between the latticework. The latticework is also thought to be expansive; creating space in between. The expansiveness of the lattices can be thought to be the bomb exploding outward.

ITERATION NO.9 I liked the outcome of this iteration. However, I feel like there are a few flaws with it. I feel as if I should get bigger with my iterations and try to add more thought into my designs. If I make my iterations larger, I can exemplify the space better and maybe my designs will look more complete. With this iteration, I feel as if I am getting somewhere in terms of my designs, but in babysteps.

OVERALL REFLECTION No one said architecture is easy.

I found this semester so far to be difficult, yet motivating. I found it difficult to be constantly inspired by my original artifact. I also thought fighting against time was difficult. I also found model-making to be a bit difficult. Probably like many others in the class, I have never really done much model-making. I did find others's work to be really well thought out and a bit intimidating.

But the number one thing I found to be difficult was not expressing my ideas well enough and holding myself back from what I want to express constructively.

I think a way to improve for the next half of the semester to try to be constantly creative and draw or write out my ideas whenever possible. I think I should also explore other materials and other methodologies of approaching my constructions. I also will try to think more complex in my design process to show in my construction what I want to express. I also thought, although I am passionate about architecture and even though I find ARCH101 to be difficult, I should still show that passion in my work.

Make it look complex. Like a Korean drama.

- Professor Jerry Lum