ARCHITECTURAL PORTFOLIO
DESLIE MOSES
DESLIE MOSES
Good buildings come from good people, and all problems are solved by good design. - Stephen Gardiner
DESIGN STUDIO 3
CONTENTS arch覺tecture projects AS2 SEMESTER 1/14
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3-
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1-
CLIM
ORY ATE
MEM
RIT UAL
OUT LOO ISE K 5TEC TON ICS ERC
EXC
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ERC
EXC
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EXC
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EXC
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EXCERCISE 1 - RITUAL
Lecturer: Mr. Wright
No. of Sessions: 4
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This excercise required students to design a space that represents an assigned ritual. The design must be generated from your analytical and experiential understanding of the ritual.
This exercise was given to us to design a space that represented a ritual. I was placed in a group where we had to do a bit of research on the ritual assigned, Death - The Sunni Muslim Funeral. The main idea behind my design, based on research and tradition in the Islamic religion, was to create a space that was elegant in circulation as well as provide a solemn experience for persons attending the Sunni Funeral. Because I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to achieve, I began looking at designs from Islamic architecture, hoping to gain inspiration from different elements within this style.
After a lot of browsing, I decided to design a space that would in involve decent into the space since Muslims pray in a fetus-like position, and when someone dies they are put down into the grave. I consulted with the lecturer I was assigned, Mr. Wright, and he helped me develop this idea I had into something more meaningful and respectful to the ritual. The project had taught me that clients can come from any walk of life and as an architect, it is important to respect culture, religion and ritual in your design.
EXCERCISE 2 - MEMORY
Lecturer: Mr. Curthbert
No. of Sessions: 5
Students were to create a spatial experience that is representative of an important event in Jamaica’s history. Students were to also develop the experience, in the form of an installation.
In this exercise we had to explore memory as a generative idea, and investigate a important event in Jamaica’s history. The exercise needed to be broken down in different layers of emotions that were existent from the respective event and they made into one design concept that could be installed. The special event in Jamaica’s history that I was assigned was Haile Selassie’s inaugural visit to Jamaica in 1966. The main idea behind my design was to allow persons that experience this space, feel a sense of what it was being in the crowd awaiting the arrival of the man Rasta’s saw as a God, as well as give the feel of what Haile Selassie felt when he stood up at the entrance of the door of the airline carrier. I felt that it was important that people get an idea of both sides of the event since usually only one side of these kind of story are really heard of. So I began my design process by first gathering all of the emotions that I felt were most present at the event. I then made a series of collages of these emotions and the one that I felt was most successful, I deployed as my foundation for my design. Based on the images shown, it can be observed that the journey throughout the space is somewhat cramped, it is to allow for the same feeling as going through a thick, energetic crowd. Upon arrival to the bottom of the step, build to look like that from an airplane, persons can make their way to the top where they experience the overwhelming emotion that was felt by the emperor and view large object which represent the massing of the crowd. From this assignment I’ve learnt a bit more about Jamaica and its history as well as to appreciate the past an sometimes is good to experience the past so you know what is ahead in the future.
EXCERCISE 3 - CLIMATE
Lecturer: Mr. Curthbert
No. of Sessions: 5
students were to design the skins for adjacent elevations and to create a system that satisfies the needs of the interior. It involoved adequate daylighting, ventilation, views, shade cover just to name a few.
In the climate exercise we were expected to design a skin to provide shelter which had to be functional, obtain privacy, security and protection from the weather. The shelter was to provide an interface between the outer environment and the interior spaces. My idea was add a simple shading device that would be carved from the structure instead of being attached. I was given the north-east sides to construct. My lecturer (Mr. Curthbert) fell ill and was unable to assist me in my venture find a solution to this problem that we were assigned to address. So in light
of that event I sort guidance from the other lecturers in class, who all gave me different idea to work with so it was
a bit challenging to hold on to one idea to develop. Eventually I proceeded to do some
sketches and to look for inspiration on social media for ideas. After having one of the two ideas squashed by one lecturer, I then sort to build on the other idea which I stuck too until the end. Because of the research involved in this exercise, I was able to understand better how certain architectural elements can add to the beauty of a building, but they also provide shelter, shade and sometimes protection from the Mother Nature.
EXCERCISE 4 - OUTLOOK
Lecturer: Mr. Haile
No. of Sessions: 5
In excercise 4, we designed a space for the viewing of an object located at the exterior of the building. The object being a Poui tree postiond in a uninterrupted view from where the construct is located.
The outlook exercise was the fourth exercise and it dealt more with perspective and view point. This assignment was centered around the display and prestantion of something outside a building and trying to pick that perfect view of seeing the object, which turned out to be a Poui tree. I began my preparation for design by looking for elements that I can combine to create a building that would encourage, Ritual, Memory and still provide shading and protection for persons coming to the site to view the tree. After selecting the elements I desired, I did sketches that in cooperated everything I had learnt for the semester so far. For me this project I enjoyed the most because it allowed me a certain level of freedom to design an create a fitting journey for the viewing of the tree. This assignment also taught me that the genius loci is so important to consider when designing because these spaces allow people to either enjoy or dislike the framed views provided.
EXCERCISE 5 - TECTONICS
Lecturer: Mr. Haile
excercise 5 was designed to allow for a better understand of structure and how forms are built. we had to design a pavilion that woud
No. of Sessions: 6
house events such as con- the entire site, as well as certs and plays. we were the stage being raised off of tasked with designing the the floor. structure as well as adding a canopy that could span
The last an final assignment of the semester involved structure and construction and was considered the most practical assignment above all since it dealt with the structure and how things are put together to make the building stand up properly, and yet still functional, practical and elegant in design. Gaining inspiration for this project was challenging because I knew the semester was coming to an end and I was a bit exhausted from the rigor of the semester. I still tried my best to work with my circumstances and develop an understanding of structural issues. As with my previous assignments, I began by doing various sketches, trying to come up with suitable concept. We were advised by lecturers to not complicate the designs and to keep them simple, so I used that as motivation to push and figure things out. After interim critique I realized that I had a lot of work to do because I still wasn’t showing how things were put together properly, so I went back to the drawing board and overhauled my design which was not welcomed by my lecturer, Mr. Haile but he still worked with me ah assisted me in figuring out the suitable solution to my design. Even though the final product wasn’t entirely what I wanted it to be, I think learning more about structure and how things are build was important because in the future it allows me to design with structure an understand that it’s not just about designing a building but designing something that can stand and and stand the test of time, all while not looking like it was built by an engineer.