Notice Me by Erin Chapman

erin renee chapman 2010

Contents Basic Information | name, advisors, title, abstract................................................................................... 3

Final Project Proposal................................................................................................................................ 5

Methodologies........................................................................................................................................... 9

Literature Review..................................................................................................................................... 15

Case Studies............................................................................................................................................. 27

Site + Context........................................................................................................................................... 47

Appendix.................................................................................................................................................. 51

Name: Erin Chapman Advisors: Ana de Brea | major Tony Costello | minor Title: Notice Me: Abstracting Brands, Becoming Architecture

Abstract:

In today’s American culture, we are bombarded and consumed with visual stimulation. On an average day, an American urban dweller may come into contact with up to 20,000 different logos. Through symbol, color, and text, our society is able to identify and connect the logos to the company it represents without a technical company title. Since brand representation has been stripped down solely to a sign, our architecture has suffered. Once based upon form and structure identification, modern “architecture” has been reduced to basic, open floor plans which could house a multitude of businesses. However, since every company is now recognized by an icon placed on an exterior facade, there is no need to spend time designing the interior space. This realization begs the question, “Can corporations create architecture specific to brand needs while increasing the quality of architecture?” Through the strategic simplification of a logo, brand identity can be reduced to basic color and geometry. Transformed into built design, branding architecture would eliminate the need for flashy signs without decreasing brand recognition. Consideration of regional location will be examined at a national level to represent specific environmental factors and culture to improve the quality of space found in the design. Through observation and examination of existing successful marketing schemes, I hope to be able to deliver a designed example of an extracted logo that represents a specific company’s brand alone.

FINAL PROJECT PROPOSAL

The Idea We as a society have become obsessed with image. Bombarded on a daily basis by symbols, color, and text, we have become immune to the amount of brand images we can recognize when presented with a logo and no company name. Each year, prominent companies spend millions of dollars on marketing schemes to better advertise their company’s products or services. Branding, in fact, has become a very important business within the marketing realm. Not only are the companies attempting to enhance their products to make consumers enticed enough to purchase, but they are attempting market a lifestyle. Branding is effectively the recognition of one product or company against the their competitors. In today’s culture, every business needs a company logo. This logo, as mentioned previously, is just as important as the company name. Through colors and symbols, the company can still be accurately represented and remembered through logo. Through strategic extrapolation, brand logos can be reduced to basic geometries and colors. If done correctly, the abstracted form should still be able to represent the brand. Taking the idea of simplification one step further, brand can be applied to the company’s architecture as buildings have already started to represent their company’s image. When driving down the street, one can identify the difference between a Subway or Pizza Hut stand alone building without reading the actual signage. The Investigation Extensive studies and research will need to be conducted on successful marketing schemes. Not coming from a background in business or marketing, I will have to research. From a consumer point of view, I believe that McDonald’s has one of the strongest marketing campaigns in the United States. People from all walks of life can easily identify the double arched logo, recognize the specific combination of golden yellow and red on a billboard, or realize the building with the yellow arc above the entry is part of the McDonald’s brand. I have briefly analyzed some of their marketing ideas, but would delve much deeper into the company’s standards in the coming months.

Recently updating their image, McDonald’s has transformed from clunky to sleek in the matter of a few years. In many instances, franchises have completely demolished the existing building, only to rebuild the new model on the same site in mere months [example: McDonald’s on Tillotson Avenue, Muncie, Indiana]. This push for change shows how much design expectations have risen in America over the past decade. For McDonald’s, it is not about having the money to build completely new buildings instead of rehabilitating the old. It is more about eliminating the old version of themselves to showcase the new. Eradication is part of the plan. To completely update the McDonald’s brand, they have to eliminate any connection the old. The new prototype design is a vast improvement over the previous McDonald’s layouts. Spatially, the restaurant has been laid out in such a way that patrons are encouraged to sit and “linger” rather than focus on a speedy delivery. Materials are softer [wood and fabrics instead of plastics] and colors are less offensive [neutrals instead of bright reds and yellows]. These changes go back to validate the idea that America is demanding better quality designs, even in a typical fast food chain. The public would rather have rather have a comfortable restaurant than a 1990s pit stop. The Improvement Combining the ideas of brand recognition through architecture with the analysis of current marketing strategies found in companies like McDonald’s, I propose to develop a set of “branded buildings.” These buildings will utilize brand recognition techniques cued specifically from the company’s logo. The design will push for quality architecture-- meaning a focus on the spatial qualities and will not simply apply the brands represented colors and geometries. While undecided on a specific building type [besides the fact that it needs to have a commercial base or represented company], these basic principles can be applied to various types of architecture. To elaborate on spatial qualities, I propose we stop placing “cookie-cutter” stamps around the country. We have a very unique and diverse climate based country. Ranging from hot and dry to cold and humid [only to mention a few], one building design cannot tackle every environment in the United States. Developing a brand of architecture for corporation that is nationally, should step back and examine design from a regional scale. The regions environmental factors should be represented in design and layout. Unlike many McDonald’s, a building found in the southwestern portion of the country should look much different, not only in cultural cues but in basic design layout, from a McDonald’s found in New England or Florida. This becomes tricky due to the fact that all regional designs must still all read of the represented brand.

In conjunction with the administered surveys [described in the methodologies section], I plan on validating the ability to read a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abstracted logo in relation to the architecture. For each region I study, there will be a different â&#x20AC;&#x153;branded buildingâ&#x20AC;? for the company to test. If various members of society are unable to recognize a specific brand in any or all regions, the design will be considered weak. A strong brand image should read from the architecture without clues from literal signs placed on the building. We are at a turning point in architectural history where designers have to stop creating open building for the ease of attaching a sign on the front facade. We should no longer encourage society to continue relying on signage for convenience. There are other ways to communicate rather than through icons and logos and it is up to us to allow for this visual stimulation through other means. We, as designers, have been given the ability to solve problems in creative ways and should use this to our advantage.

METHODOLOGIES

My initial research will include an examination and review of branding and its ability to be transformed into architectural design. These ideas will look at society’s ability to recognize and recall corporate company logos or their “decorated sheds” (Learning from Las Vegas) that have been stamped throughout the country. We, as members of society, are bombarded with hundreds of brand logos daily. Subliminally, we all have a “brand bank” in the back of our minds that allows us to recall these images and connect the company’s graphic representation to the name, jingle, or product. Our whole world is virtually a series of representative images.

My main source of ideas and thoughts have come from various writings and articles found on the Internet and through simple [currently not extensive] observation of how many Americans live their lives through the recognition through visual representation. Many books and current studies are focused on the promotion of awareness that imagery has had on society and how it is changing the way we interact. While exploring various different marketing schemes and examining their specific uses of color, shape, and symbol, I was able to find several logo examples that contain hidden symbols. This means that within the given logo there are suggestive icons of what the company either stands for or what they produce. While these logos are creative and theoretically subliminal, from what I have been able to find, most of society is able to see or recognize these hidden messages fairly quickly. Harder yet, I came across an Internet quiz that asked viewers to recognize and label a set of brands. These brand logos however were not the straight forward, cut and dry symbols. Stripping any given logo down to its basic colors and geometries, Graham Smith had created the “Unevolved Brand.” Smith, who is a freelance logo and identity designer in the United Kingdom, has done an extensive and a progressive study on brand & logo simplification [http://unevolvedbrands.com/]. Upon the discovery of the “Unevolved Brands,” I started to develop my own quiz or survey that I plan on administering over the month of December. This quiz will not only have some of Graham Smith’s logos but also have a few straightforward brand logos that many people should be able to identify. The idea behind the survey, will be to study the ability for everyday members of society to recognize the transformation of symbol into the same icon but stripped down to its bare form and color.

Over Thanksgiving break, I started to administer a very similar survey to the one previously described. My goal for December break on into next semester would be to ask, at minimum, 100 different people to complete the survey for accurate results. By conducting a majority of the survey over the month of December while away from a college campus, I will be able to gather a vast array of participants, ranging from young to old with varying backgrounds and educations [See Appendix for examples]. Once the surveys have been handed out, completed, and analyzed, the knowledge gained will be reexamined. Transforming the unevolved brand into a piece of architecture is where design development starts to get tricky. It is not merely placing the unevolved colors and geometry into the form of a building, it is about creating a memorable and desirable space out of an image. It is the ability to derive a company’s logo and perceived values and translate them into a physical, three dimensional piece of work that creates the same “vibe” as the two dimensional symbol. Potentially, I would like to be able to talk to students or faculty in the marketing department at Ball State University to get educated input on what they believe is important when it comes to consumers recognizing a specific brand. Colors, placement, readability, connection, and emotion just begin to skim the surface of a company’s marketing scheme. Through conversation or through specific questions, I hope to be able to gain a better foundation for how companies develop their campaign. A few case studies have already been examined with some being discussed later in this proposal. Potentially, a further examination of McDonald’s and other like corporations [Google, Apple, Taco Bell, or Pepsi/Coca-Cola] will be allow for insight into the “do’s and don’t’s” of a good marketing scheme. These new and developed understandings can be applied to new case studies [in addition to the ones already completed] to help develop my where image and new design have been able to successfully translate a brand’s logo into a recognizable piece of architecture.

From Left to Right | NBC, Starbucks, Google, Apple

Examples of Graham Smith’s “Unevolved Brands”

When transforming a brand into an architectural statement, the piece of architecture has to be inviting and memorable or else the visitor will leave feeling unimpressed with a potential negative view towards the company. This strategy is not good for business. Companies are in the business of making money not steering customers away. To further examine this idea of creating welcomed and inviting spaces with interiors that encourage visitors to stay longer, purchase more products, and want to return, I would like to go on numerous short site visits to corporate commercial spaces. These businesses should be able to communicate basic ideas of spaces that work and flourish from a marketing viewpoint. Ideally, they would also be able to be unique in design while still being recognized as part of the corporate brand that typically follows a stringent aesthetic or look. The one company that quickly comes to mind would be McDonald’s. 1 | They are everywhere. 2 | They usually follow a specific design aesthetic. 3 | Within the past five years, the company has started to transform its “look” from clunky plastic to contemporary and stylish 4 | They have a wide range of customers ranging from young to old, rich to poor 5 | They have many franchises that are “exceptions” and steer from the standard store layout, yet it is easily recognized as a McDonald’s [Chicago’s Rock and Roll McDonald’s, the Chase Tower McDonald’s in Chicago, the McDonald’s confided to the middle of I-90 on the south side of Chicago] While there seems to be many controversies with McDonald’s food quality or its correlation to American health issues, I only wish to look at the social aspects associated with the company and it’s cultural effect on our society through image and architectural recognition. While McDonald’s may seem to be elementary in design, I do believe that McDonald’s as a corporation has one of the strongest and most recognizable icons in the world today. Studying their marketing scheme and logo transformation into architecture may provide insight into the development of a final deliverable in April. the final outcome Whether the final deliverable is a standard design for a fast food restaurant chain that enhances the interior quality of space, a streamline retail store complete with memorable logo that is designed for the 21st century, or the development of a big box store’s logo and its ability to redefine their marketing strategy to create smaller urban-scaled stores, the principles of creating a recognizable piece of architecture out of a brand logo is merely all the same.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The following pages contain brief summaries of the literature reviewed thus far in the semester. The main ideas pulled from the literature have been graphically represented to present an argument for image and graphics. An examination of text has helped to formulate personal opinions on the subject matter relevant to image and society. By reading various pieces of work, I have been able to better understand the importance of creating architecture with personality [performance, appeals, and impression], creating memorable sensory experiences for users, and the significance of signage to a company. To better understand the ideas behind branded architecture and how we as a society react to architecture or design in our fast paced society, a reexamination [review] of the same literary pieces will need to take place accompanied by additional pieces of literature.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;..todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brandscapes-- exemplified by corporate franchises, signature buildings, shopping centers, expositions, and planned residential developments-- have resulted in a culture of the copy, imitating one another in their offerings and aesthetics.â&#x20AC;? -Anna Klingmann

Brandscapes Klingmann, Anna. Brandscapes: Architecture in the Experience Economy. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2007. Print. Klingmann stresses the importance of personality and ambience in architecture and how we use sensory experiences help us understand the world live in. Originally, buildings were recognized by the form they took on due to the function of the building. Now, buildings are identified by their front facade and the images that project to the street. We have lost the personal, authentic touch of architecture and replaced it with staged media. “Because icons have the power to reflect a social system, they become objects of veneration that are imprinted in people’s memory.” Branding plays a very important role in our lives. In one image of Times Square [granted it is probably one of the most influential places in the U.S.] there are at least two dozen digital billboards flashing “propaganda” down the glowing street. Through propaganda, we buy into the lifestyles that are being sold-- after all, who doesn’t want the last celebrity has? We want to fit in because “we live in a society that is exponentially growing in insecurities, belonging, and disorientation.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The spheres of our lives (enclosed rooms, work spaces, offices) are structured and segmented by the rhythms and patterns of what surrounds us (cars, traffic, the television, other people talking, the sound and light of a Xerox machine)...â&#x20AC;? -Doug Aitken

Sleepwalkers Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. Print.

Sixth avenues on Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth streets becomes an active act of piecing together, generous and demanding at the same time; it connects viewers with a complex work about horizontal and vertical movement, constant traffic, round- theclock restlessness, and the unstoppable pace and automatic rhythms of the city.

nothing ever stays the same. Images displayed on the inside buildings are generally associated with the architecture that houses them; murals on and in governmental or corporate facades and lobbies tend to represent the myths and ambitions relevant to a building’s funtion.

An analysis of Doug Aitken’s installation, Sleepwalkers, examines the city as a living, breathing organism through the means of image, human interaction, and architecture. The study of five individuals and their journeys through the course of a day reveals the basic ideas of sleepwalking. During rush hours the city breathes in. At night, even the “city that never sleeps’, breathes out. During the deep breath in, we are consumed with our personal “bubbles’ [individual cars and ipods] too busy to interact with the millions of other people going through the exact same actions. Aitken broadcasts his exhibit on the facades of Museum of Modern Art to the natural background noises of the city. A lack of human interaction combined with the projection of images onto the facades of a well-known museum confronts society with several serious issues.

Sleepwalkers, instead of creating a Times Square- Architecture, however, is often lit like a beacon. like frenetic voic, alludes to The characters now arrive at work, climbing stairs, riding elevators, ascending in to the inof a Times Square sign. The velocities that gradually coalesced as they traveled to the museum as a container: terior their jobs now seem once again to ebb, to separate-- but as they start their work, the firm’s a building that exhibits pace once again quickens: mail is sorted, papers are copied, posters are pasted up, electrical circuits are replaced and repaired. We find a hard reality in the characters’ environments, in and conserves some of the the grit of a subway platform, in the coldly minimal decor of the office. Each life takes an odd turn. While walking down the street, the businessman almost collides with a taxi; he then world’s finest art, film, climbs onto the car’s hood and starts dancing on it, chipping away the yellow enamel. architecture, and desing.

We’re safe as long as we keep moving. The closest precedent for Sleepwalkers may be the drive-in cinema-- not because the films shown there were made with the outdoor format in mind, but because of the way drive-ins created an audience of spaces both mobile and private.

Wearewaystations ...when he says that usuyou think of a city for energy, the ally like New York as being work seems to tell anti-past, always changus, a brief stopover ing, always developing, for calories being bit the city holds the inexcited into heat. expungeable odor of the long ago.

Pop art in the 1960s generally dealt with commercialism in a very cool, critical, and distanced way. Now it is nearly impossible to be shocked by commercialism-- the landscape is like a moving collage, a shifting shower of images.

A series of connected rhythms continuously expands and shifts, reflecting a world that is harmonious, mysterious, mesmerizing, passionate, and sometimes rough and violent... captures the multiple facets of living city as if seen through a cut diamond, revealing a kaleidoscope of simultaneous views.

If you drive though the Las Vegas strip at an even speed, it’s as if you’re moving like a film, with your car running twentyfour frames per second. You see it together as a panoramic, linear film. In places like Sun City, Vegas, or Times Square, you fall into an immersive atmosphere. You suddenly become “inside cinema”: you’re no longer watching the spectacle-you are the spectacle. You find yourself navigating your own film; as you walk, you edit.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We shall emphasize image-- image over process or form-- in asserting that architecture depends in its perception and creation on past experience and emotional association and that these symbolic and representational elements may often be contradictory to the form, structure, and program with which they combined in the same building... the duck... the decorated shed...â&#x20AC;? -Robert Venturi + Denise Scott Brown

Las Vegas Strip the

BIGGER

the Better “look at me, look at me”

architecture ure words. pictures. sculpture.

scale

SIGNS

automobile

of image

flashy  

BORING

persuasion information

POP CULTURE

Learning from Las Vegas Venturi, Robert, Brown Denise Scott, and Steven Izenour. Learning from Las Vegas. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1972. Print.

night life

the duck: a special building that hat is a symbol

the decorated shed: the conventional entional shelter that applies plies symbol

“If you showed a driver a green blurs, Oh yes! He’d say, that’s grass. A pink blur! That’s a rose garden! White blurs are houses. Brown blurs are cows. Have you seen the two hundred-foot-long billboards in the country beyond town? Did you know that once billboards were only twenty feet long? But cars started rushing by so quickly they had to stretch the advertising out so it would last.” -Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York, NY: Ballantine, 1991. Print.

“It’s the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We’re always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.” -Crash

“Crash (2004) - IMDb.” The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. 7 Dec. 2010. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375679/>.

Additional Sources to be Considered A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers will Rule the Future Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind: Why Right-brainers Will Rule the Future. New York: Riverhead, 2006. Print. Architecture as Signs and Systems Venturi, Robert, and Brown Denise Scott. Architecture as Signs and Systems: for a Mannerist Time. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2004. Print. Broken Screen Aitken, Doug, and Noel Daniel. Broken Screen: Expanding the Image, Breaking the Narrative-- 26 Conversations with Doug Aitken. New York: D.A.P./Distributed Art, 2006. Print. Delirious New York Koolhaas, Rem. Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan. New York: Monacelli, 1994. Print. McDonald’s new look: Less aesthetic heartburn, but where’s the spice? Kamin, Blair. “Cityscapes: McDonald’s New Look: Less Aesthetic Heartburn, but Where’s the Spice?” Chicago Tribune. 5 Dec. 2008. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/ theskyline/2008/12/mcdonalds-new-l.html>. Minority Report | fictional movie Spielberg, Steven. Minority Report. 21 June 2002. Mutations Koolhaas, Rem, Stefano Boeri, Sanford Kwinter, Nadia Tazi, and Hans Ulrich. Obrist. Mutations. Bordeaux: Arc En Rêve Centre D’architecture, 2001. Print.

BREAKING DOWN STATIC IMAGERY IN SOCIETY Project: Architect: Where: When:

Pavilions in Independence Park | Public Restrooms Rafael Iglesia Rosario, Argentina 2003

Typically, when searching for a restroom, one looks for the standard sign off motionless i l man or woman to locate the proper room to use the facilities. Usually located in the back corner of an office building, in an inconvenient portion of a park, or down a hidden hallway, these mandatory spaces of function are hard to find. In Independence Park, located in the center of Rosario, Argentina, Rafael Iglesia breaks down these norms to celebrate location and functional spaces. Located next to the main entrance where two main streets converge, the restrooms are placed in a very noticeable area, visible for all to see. Placed here, the glass and concrete structure celebrate the need for functional spaces that are convenient to use. When illuminated at night, the structure becomes a beacon of light, illuminating a part of the park that was typically dark and forgotten prior to its existence. Far left | Plan of Independence Park, an large city park located near the center of the city. Four main roads surround and contain the park [red]. There are two secondary roads that cross through the park and allow for vehicles to travel deeper into the park [orange]. The restrooms are located in the SE corner, next to one of the main entrances.

Left | Site model of the portion of the park that contain the restrooms. The restrooms are located in an obvious and visible position next to a main entrance.

Not only are the restrooms located in a visible and prominent location within the park, but the materials the structure is made from allow for a high visibility into the usually private rooms. Made from reinforced concrete and incased in structural glass, the interior of the restrooms are seen from the exterior; one can see if the facility is being occupied by others by the shadows and silhouettes that are cast from the lighting fixtures and strategic plan Iglesis designed. The standard rest room is usually considered very private and is typically tucked away where no one can see. The conventional design of a restroom can lead to several types social issues such as entrapment spaces, destruction [graffiti], and promiscuity. Iglesis eliminates the majority of these issues by encasing the rest room in glass and placing the structure in a prominent viewing area.

Top Left | Main entrance to the restroom Top Right | Image of silhouettes and shadows that are visible from the exterior both day and night 6

Bottom Left | Photograph of the simple rectangular structure made of reinforced concrete and structural glass

During daylight hours, natural light filters into the hallways of the restrooms through the structural glass that lines the pavilion [left]. A flat concrete roof makes it possible for skylights to allow daylight into the divided and private rooms [below]. The doors slide on a track to cover the openings to the individual rooms when in use. The slight bend in the metal door allows for strip lighting to illuminate the hall and the private room at night. When the light is covered or the door is closed, one is able to see which â&#x20AC;&#x153;stallsâ&#x20AC;? are being used from the exterior of the building.

8 why is this important These unique restrooms are important because they start to celebrate function through location. Although welldesigned, the restrooms still have to be functional and serve their purpose. Iglesias does this but also changes layout and materials. By using daylight to illuminate the space, he uses glass where opaque materials are typically used for privacy. The rooms still do not breach anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s privacy at all. By changing the layout of the typically closed off dark room, it becomes more interesting, unique, and celebrated for its differences. More importantly the restrooms start to change the way the public sees a typical restroom. Usually, we see are informed by the male and female stick figure sign to rely on which room to use. We are confronted by the actions of the different genders to figure out which room to use instead of the standard figures. In most cases, the combination of sign change and the new layout and use of materials would make the public feel uncomfortable but Iglasiasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to control privacy issues while enhancing design still makes the public comfortable to use the facilities.

Picture Credits Photo 1 | Mens/Womens Room Sign. Photograph. Newton Distributing Company. 2010. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http://www.newtondistributing.com>. Photo 2 | Extracted from Google Earth Photo 3 | Foto-01BG. Photograph. Rafael Iglesia-Architect. 2003. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.rafaeliglesia.com.ar/first-E.htm>. Photo 4 | LaPlante, Madeline N. P1011268. 2007. Photograph. Photo 5 | Pabellones_parque_de_la_independencia_4. Photograph. WikiArquitectura: Buildings of the World. 24 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http:// en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/Independence_Park_Pavilions_in_Rosario>. Photo 6 | Pabellones_parque_de_la_independencia_7. Photograph. WikiArquitectura: Buildings of the World. 24 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http:// en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/Independence_Park_Pavilions_in_Rosario>. Photo 7 | LaPlante, Madeline N. P1011274. 2007. Photograph. Photo 8 | LaPlante, Madeline N. P1011273. 2007. Photograph. Photo 9 | Pabellones_parque_de_la_independencia_9. Photograph. WikiArquitectura: Buildings of the World. 24 Nov. 2008. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http:// en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/Independence_Park_Pavilions_in_Rosario>. Photo 10 | Fritegotto, Gustavo. 71a_08. Photograph. Summa+ 71. 2003. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://www.summamas.com/71a.htm>.

Article References Iglesia, Rafael. “Pabellones En El Parque.” Summa+ 71. 2003. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://www.summamas.com/71a.htm>. “Rafael Iglesia - Architect.” Rafael Iglesia - Arquitecto. 2003. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://www.rafaeliglesia.com.ar/first-E.htm>. Redstone, Elias. “Rafael Iglesia.” New Architects in Latin America. 27 Feb. 2009. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://newarchitects.blogspot.com/2009/02/rafaeliglesias.html>.

BROADCASTING LIFESTYLE THROUGH IMAGE Project: Architect: Where: When:

Sleepwalkers Installation Doug Aitken Museum of Modern Art | New York City January 16 - February 12, 2007

For nearly a month in 2007, The Museum of Modern Art presented Doug Aitken’s sleepwalkers exhibit. The broken narratives depicted have no set script, showed different scenes each day, and have no set beginning or end. The installation comprised of eight large projections in the courtyard and street facades, exhibit to an audience the travels and daily routine for five different city dwellers. Shown for five evening hours each day, Aitken relives the nocturnal journeys of a bicycle messenger, a businessman, an office worker, an electrician, and a postal worker.

Aitken’s attempt by showing several different images on multiple facades of the building was an effort to “capture the multiple facets of a living city as if seen through a cut diamond, revealing a kaleidoscope of simultaneous views” (MoMa.org). By this Aitken is examining the handful of lives that run simultaneous with each other, even over lapping, but never diverging. Within New York City, there is a constant flow of life and energy. Millions of people go about their everyday lives without noticing the other people passing them on the street or within their office building. By showing the five different lives up on the facades of the museum, people are virtually forced to stop and notice their actions.

6 8

The lifestyles and depictions, although important, are not the main focus of this case study. Architecturally speaking, the use of a facade to display information is not necessarily new technology, but it is a new way of examining and seeing a building. Flashing images or movies up against a well known and visible building in one of the busiest cities makes people, not only stop and stare at the presented material, but it also changes the way the people passing by interact with their surroundings. 8

Consider Aitken’s work to be an urban drive-in theater, without the cars, audio, and popcorn. During the day, thousands of people pass by ignoring in their daily surroundings, focusing on their next meeting, listening to their ipod, or chatting with their friends via phone. At night, even though many New Yorkers are accustom to flashy lights and a spectacular show, witnessing an outdoor exhibit in a place not meant for one, definitely gained attention.

9 Above |All images above depict the Museum of Modern Art’s courtyard. All Previous Page | All five people are the characters from Aitken’s Sleepwalkers exhibit: a bike messanger, a businessman, an images are examples of what the building and courtyard looked office worker, an electrician, and a postal worker. like when Aitken’s installation was playing.

The transformation of space from day to night is not new to the New York scene. Places like Times Square, Chinatown, and the Empire State Building illuminate the night sky. While these destinations are close, they are not set in the same scale as the Museum of Modern Art. Surrounded by skyscrapers, the intimate courtyard is small and closed off from the bustle and bustle of city life-making it more to the human scale.

Due to the courtyards human scale, the more inviting and the more noticeable a change to the space would be. I believe this was also part of Aitkenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea. He used and manipulated the existing space with digital projections-not even a movie sound track [no musical elements, just the natural cityscape sounds] to showcase his ideas. He had placed them on specific sections of the building to make viewing the movie even more prominent. Obvious to those who came to the museum to see the show, but also intended for those just walking by in the heavily white collar and visitor area of New York City, Aitken wanted his presentation seen and the ideas of sleepwalking to start inspiring.

11 Diagram Above | Diagram of the Museum of Modern Art and location of the projections with ideal path to view the installation.

why this is important The two main factors found in this case are very important to the development of my thesis because they explore our current lifestyle situation-- sleepwalking through a very fast pace lifestyle-- and the use of architecture to project image. While the image portrayed in this installation may not be the same as some of the other case studies or examples I have looked at, it is still the use image. Aitkenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea was not to draw in a crowd by using neon lights and a flashy logo, but to draw people in by an unforgettable tale that made the audience realize there is more to life than always running to and from meetings. I believe that Aitken wanted to spark a tiny twinge and a brief realization into his viewers to open up their eyes. Maybe not immediately, maybe not even for a while, but he wanted to spark enough light into their eyes so that he could build the main principles of sleepwalking through life and this idea could start to fester and come into perspective later on. Through the use of logos and branding, marketing teams wish to accomplish these simple same ideas. In a much more forward situation, companies place an icon of themselves through logo or slogan in a strategic place in hopes of leaving a little bit of themselves and what they stand for implanted deep in the viewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind. Eventually, the viewer will be able to recognize the company outside of that situation and can call out the company by slogan or logo alone-- sometimes, even just through color. Being able to recall the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name when it comes time to purchase or recommend to a friend proves the marketing team has done their job and the company continues to flourish. While Aitken was not advertising for Coke or McDonalds, he was raising awareness of this subconscious world we live and lifestyles we lead.

Picture Credits Photo 1 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 101. Print. Photo 2 |“Free Film of the Week.”This Week in New York:The Insider’s Guide to the City Since 2001. 31 Jan. 2007. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://twiny.com/twiny.01.31.07.html>. Photo 3 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 109. Print. Photo 4 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 125. Print. Photo 5 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 103. Print. Photo 6 | “Category Archive for ‘User Experience’ at Silberbauer Says:.” Silberbauer Says:. 20 Feb. 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http://silberbauer. dk/wp/category/user-experience/>. Photo 7 | Michel, Sia. “MoMA Does a Drive-In.” New York Magazine. 7 Jan. 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http://nymag.com/arts/art/ reviews/26286/>. Photo 8 | “Category Archive for ‘User Experience’ at Silberbauer Says:.” Silberbauer Says:. 20 Feb. 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http://silberbauer. dk/wp/category/user-experience/>. Photo 9 | Smith, Roberta. “The Museum as Outdoor Movie Screen.” New York Times. 18 Jan. 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http://www.nytimes. com/2007/01/18/arts/18moma.html>. Photo 10 | Smith, Roberta. “The Museum as Outdoor Movie Screen.” New York Times. 18 Jan. 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http://www.nytimes. com/2007/01/18/arts/18moma.html>. Photo 11 |“MoMA.org | Interactives | Exhibitions | 2007 | Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers | Index.”MoMA | The Museum of Modern Art. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2007/aitken/>. Photo 12 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 7. Print. Photo 13 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 155. Print. Photo 14 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 162. Print. Photo 15 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 116. Print. Photo 16 | Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. 93, 96-97. Print. Article References Aitken, Doug, and Emily Hall. Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers. New York: Museum of Modern Art in Association with Creative Time, 2007. Print. “Creative Time.” Creative Council.blog. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http://heartasarenacreativetime.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html>. Michel, Sia. “MoMA Does a Drive-In.” New York Magazine. 7 Jan. 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. <http://nymag.com/arts/art/reviews/26286/>. “MoMA.org | Interactives | Exhibitions | 2007 | Doug Aitken: Sleepwalkers | Index.” MoMA | The Museum of Modern Art. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2007/aitken/>.

RECOGNITION OF BRAND THROUGH ARCHITECTURE Project: Architect: Where: When:

McDonald’s Varies Anywhere, USA 1960’s to Present

Without debating whether McDonald’s is good or bad for American society, it is hard to argue that McDonald’s does not have a profound impact on our landscape all across the country. The prominent golden yellow and vivid double arches are one of the most recognizable icons in America. With over 12,000 McDonald locations in the United States alone, it is hard to miss the prominent symbol when driving down the street. Over the years, the well-known company has had several standard designed buildings pepper suburban cities. Starting in the 1960s, McDonald’s restaurants consisted of a small boxed building with an angled roof, flanked on both sides by a golden arch. At first, these restaurants did not contain an area to sit and eat in an interior setting-- just a drive thru or order/pick up window. In 1969, McDonald’s issued their second famous building form. Franchise owners were asked to implement a brown-toned overhanging double-hipped parapet roof-- commonly known as the double mansard roof. McDonald’s was focused on eliminating the giant golden arches that were considered eyesores by the general public. Interior space was also added.

Complete with non-moveable chairs and bright, nearly offensive colors, the McDonald’s standard stood strong for nearly thirty years-with the iconic roof being the prime identifier. It was not until the late 1990s, when owners were heavily pushed to change the color of the roof from the standard brown to a bright red or the company trademark yellow. It is at this time that we can see McDonald’s preparing for a complete revitalization of building identification. 4

Five years ago, McDonald’s rolled out their new prototype building-- a visually more sophisticated and comfortable structure, one less offensive for the eyes to observe. An exterior that is articulated with well-detailed, recessed brick courses and aluminum panels, the design is not life changing but is an improvement over the previous. Keeping the yellow but adding shades of variance and transforming the double arch to the widened “eyebrow” arc, the new prototype reads as fresh and modern as opposed to clunky and dated. Dayna Proud states that although the building transformation is costly investment [1,000,000 to tear down, 3-4,000,000 to rebuild] it is a fifty year investment for the company. In other words, McDonald’s was losing their edge as a fast food competitor and this change should keep them on top for many decades to come. Left Top | Modernized version of first McDonald’s Left Middle | McDonald’s complete with iconic red roof Left Bottom | Example of new building prototype Right | An original McDonald’s sign containing the original mascot “Speedee” and only a single arch

Left | New interior of McDonald’s. Softer materials create a space more enticing for patrons to relax and linger. Above | Old interior of McDonald’s. Harsh surfaces encourage patrons to get in and get out as fast as possible. Right | An collection of McDonald’s ranging from Times Square, an airport terminal, a modernized version of the original design, and an example of the new design iteration

The interiors of the new McDonald’s are drastically different than the previous designs. The hard molded plastic seats that once represented cleanliness now represent sterility. While having a sterile place to sit at a restaurant that turns over hundreds of people at all walks of life in one day is important, feeling comfortable in that same space has started to take importance. Grouted dark tile and offensive colors scream dated; not to mention the daylighting factors and oversized windows that take in no account of sustainability. The new interiors focus on getting rid of the amount of cheap plastic visible. While most of the surfaces are still plastic [easier clean up], the surfaces are designed with a disguise in wood tables and wall moldings. Softer chair backs made out of plastic, soft pendant lighting for individual tables, and contemporary art now floods the interiors of McDonald’s. In some instances, a fireplace with designer chairs may even appear to encourage patrons to stay longer. Daylighting and to an extent other green principles have been implemented. Glazing effectively uses daylight enhances the interior space during the day. At night, the electrical light illuminates the exterior facade creating a beacon of light and attention to McDonald’s. Effectively McDonald’s has been able to sign their sign without touching the actual sign. The layouts of the buildings have also started to change. Designed with three separate seating areas [a fast zone-- typical fast food ideology, a social zone-- larger tables for more social gatherings, and a linger zone-areas completely focused on comfort] McDonald’s has catered to a patron’s every need. The new design and appearance of McDonald’s has become more of a restaurant than a pit stop. People are spending more and more time away from home and the workplace in spaces dubbed “third place.” McDonald’s wants to benefit from these observations by creating space for people to work on a laptop or enjoy a cup of coffee to entice people to stop by and purchase products... after all, they are still in it for the monetary profit.

why this is important The study of brand evolvement through architecture is important because of the effect it has on our country. People no longer have to rely solely on a sign with symbols and text to identify a company. The recognition of a company’s colors and abstracted geometries connect to the study found in the methodologies portion of this abstract titled “Unevolved Brands.” We as a culture have begun to understand brand as more than just a logo. It is the result of a personal connection to a specific company through product or lifestyle. 14 Picture Credits Photo 1 | “McDonald’s Buildings.” Eateries. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.agilitynut.com/eateries/mcd.html>. Photo 2 | “McDonald’s Buildings.” Eateries. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.agilitynut.com/eateries/mcd.html>. Photo 3 | “McDonald’s Buildings.” Eateries. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.agilitynut.com/eateries/mcd.html>. Photo 4 | “McDonald’s Buildings.” Eateries. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.agilitynut.com/eateries/mcd.html>. Photo 5 | “The Case of McDonald’s versus Deluxe Hamburgers.” Firlapalooza. 7 Oct. 2007. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://firlapalooza.com/?p=126>. Photo 6 | Holley, Paxton. 2008. Photograph. Photo 7 | “McDonald’s Buildings.” Eateries. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.agilitynut.com/eateries/mcd.html>. Photo 8 | “Eco-Friendly and Green News.” Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://keetsa.com/blog/tag/mcdonald/>. Photo 9 |“An Old Style McDonald’s Building on Powell Blvd.”Portland Ground: Portland Oregon Pictures - Fresh Images Daily. 28 Dec. 2005. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.portlandground.com/archives/2005/12/an_old_style_mc_1.php>. Photo 10 | “Not Your Average McDonald’s.” Things to Do in Atlanta. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://projects.accessatlanta.com/gallery/view/restaurants/ mcdonalds0415/>. Photo 11 |Y.C., Noel.“NewYork’s Glitziest Fast Food Restaurant.”NYC NYC. 4 Sept. 2010. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://nyclovesnyc.blogspot.com/2010/09/ new-yorks-glitziest-fast-food.html>. Photo 12 | Holley, Paxton. 2008. Photograph. Photo 13 | Schwietzke, Rene’ “McDonalds at Route 1.” Yet Another Photo Blog - Fly Agaric in Sweden. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www. yetanotherphotoblog.de/index.php?showimage=212>. Photo 14 | “McDonald’s Buildings.” Eateries. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://www.agilitynut.com/eateries/mcd.html>.

Article References Kamin, Blair. “Cityscapes: McDonald’s New Look: Less Aesthetic Heartburn, but Where’s the Spice?” Chicago Tribune. 5 Dec. 2008. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. <http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2008/12/mcdonalds-new-l.html>. Mc, Kevin. “Weird McDonald’s.” HubPages. 2008. Web. 07 Dec. 2010. <http://hubpages.com/hub/Weird_McDonalds>. “Mickey D’s McMakeover.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 15 May 2006. Web. 07 Dec. 2010. <http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_20/ b3984065.htm>.

SITE + CONTEXT

For this project proposal, a site has not been chosen or developed yet. The reason for this is simple. If the idea for the creative project is to develop a recognizable brand, image, or logo for a company through architectural pieces and is not necessarily a specific building type, then the deliverable may not be one specific building, but rather a line of buildings or architectural pieces.

Like the McDonalds case study discussed previously with the redesign of the arc instead of the double arches and the new use of golden yellow, the restaurant or store must be able to be recognized no matter what the specific location. Color and overall exterior design is tricky because it must be both read from a detailed, up close perspective [walking by or intentions to approach the building] as well as a high speed perspective [driving down in a vehicle, may or may not be looking for the specific building] which ties back to ideas of image and scale discussed in Learning from Las Vegas. Ideally, once branding has been identified for the company [fictional or non] and those main geometries and colors have been selected and transformed into architectural features, basic building design may take place. Many important strategies will be considered and tackled when developing a functional and efficient program. Not only will exterior consideration take place but also the improvement of spatial quality on the interior will be examined. It is important for the building or key architectural features look and act as though they are part of the 21st century. If the building or its qualities do not look as if they are from the current era, prospective visitors will be less interested and may consider spending less time in the store [equals less money in the eyes of a business owner]. Many can see the examination and then the transformation of improved interior quality of several different fast food chains in recent years. The hope is to not focus solely on aesthetics to improve these qualities, but in fact, to rely on some basic sustainable strategies. Without going into great depth at this time, it is important to me to implement sustainable ideas and principles into the design. Creating a LEED efficiency building is not the main design push behind this section of thought, but many simple design strategies that are encouraged in sustainable design help to improve the quality of space. For example providing accurate amounts of daylight and encouraging an orientation for optimal passive ventilation may help liven up a space and bring it into the 21st century.

When it comes to potentially designing a set of buildings that read specifically to a brand, there is the potential that the brand will be nationwide, possibly even global-- like McDonalds or Taco Bell. This does not create a problem but does create a hindrance when developing a specific architectural type for a company. The buildings should be able to be recognized no matter what section of the country it is looked. When combining these thoughts of locality with simple and basic ideas of sustainability in regards to interior quality improvement, it would be key to design for a specific region of the country. Especially looking at design principles, orientation, daylighting factors, and solar gain change drastically throughout our diverse country. One could not design the same building in Indiana as they would Arizona or Florida. Too many factors regarding these specific locations change region to region. With these changes the overall shell of the building will change; however, design will still need to represent the company or brand the building is being designed. On the following pages, quick design principles based on location have been developed to note the differences in climate change and schematic design ideas. It is important to note that these are not the only climates in the continental United States. These three locations were selected do to their extreme differences to each other.

The following information was found on www.worldclimate.com and through the use of the program Climate Consultant.

6.8â&#x20AC;?

33 N 112 W

annual rainfall

1154â&#x20AC;&#x2122; above sea

arizona Temperature Averages Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

YEAR 53

37 40 44 49 56 64 73 72 65 54 44 38

66 71 76 84 92 100 102 101 96 87 74 66

Heating Degree Days: Cooling Degree Days:

1573 3026

Use window overhangs with operable sunshades. Use lightly colored building materials and cool roofs (with radiant barriers) to minimize conducted heat gain. Keep building small not to waste heating and cooling energy. Face most of glass areas to south to maximize winter sun but shade to prevent summer overheating. Design for cross ventilation possibilities. Eliminate glazing on west facing facade to reduce summer and fall heat gain. Shaded, wind protected courtyards create micro climates in hot, windy, dry climates like Arizona. Utilize fans to increase air movement and mask the need for air condition. Use plant material on west to shade the structure.

26 N 80 W

59â&#x20AC;?

annual rainfall

9â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

above sea Heating Degree Days: Cooling Degree Days:

florida Temperature Averages Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

YEAR 69

59 60 64 67 72 75 76 77 76 72 67 61

75 77 79 82 85 87 89 89 88 84 80 77

200 4198

Use window overhangs with operable sunshades. Use prevailing breezes to move air through structure via cross ventilation. Use light weight construction with openable walls with shaded outdoor porches, raised above the ground. Warm, humid climates tend to have high ceilings and high operable windows. Well ventilation, pitched roofs can protect entries or porches and can be set up for water collection. Keep building small as to not waste cooling energy. Consider stack ventilation where possible. Orient most of the glass to the north, shaded with vertical fins. Open floor plans promote natural cross ventilated spaces.

40.2â&#x20AC;?

40 N 86 W

790â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

indiana Temperature Averages Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

YEAR 42

17 21 32 41 52 61 65 63 56 43 34 23

34 38 51 63 74 83 86 84 78 66 52 39

annual rainfall

above sea Heating Degree Days: Cooling Degree Days:

5614 1013

Low mass tightly sealed, well insulated construction is best in cold, overcast climates where heat buildup is needed early in the morning. Consider a snug floor plan with central heat source with south facing windows and a pitched roof for wind protection. Winter sun to penetrate into daytime used spaces. Vestibule entry. Locate storage areas on side with the coldest winds to protect interior space quality. Tiles/slate can store winter daytime solar gain and summer nighttime coolth. Use window overhangs with operable sunshades designed for this specific climate. Consider using extra insulation. Natural ventilation could potentially eliminate the need for air conditioning on warm weather.

APPENDIX Survey One | exploration of iconic image and the recognition of respective city

_________________________

________________

_____________________

________________

_____________________

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Age: ____________

Gender:

Survey Two | identify the logos brand name

_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

Survey Three | identify the abstracted logos brand name

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