HL- MLA studio III_2015

THE TIMES OF A DAY EXPLORING THE LANDSCAP-IC EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT LIGHT AND SHADOW

Heidi Liu LDAR 5503,Fall 2015 Emmanuel Didier, Lori Catalano

College of Architecture and Planning Department of Landscape Architecture University of Colorado Denver LDAR 5503

Landscape Architecture Studio3

Fall 2015 Instructors

Mondays and Thursdays 12:30 – 5:30 pm Emmanuel Didier ed@didierdesignstudio.com Lori Catalano lori.catalano@ucdenver.edu

Extracted from an interview of Peter Zumthor by Nick H.: PZ The model is part of the work, its process but it’s not abstract. We do the buildings! Then we look at them, how high is it? What could it be and so on, our models always have to do with the building, you see you are surrounded by models. (laughs…)

NH And is the model the final way of representing the building?

PZ It’s not representing it. It’s not representing. This is not representation (PZ points to a model in the room). This is it for me. It’s for me to look at and imagine, and see and read. To see how the light comes. It’s not representation, it’s like Giacometti making a sculpture. He is not representing something with the first sculpture, it is the work, it just gets bigger and bigger and bigger! It’s physical that’s what it’s about.

Assignment One – 3 places - in detail.

This first assignment sets us at the small, detailed scale exploring ways of making place, with no

site, but responding to time and the scale of the human body. Your 3 people are a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker. Design 3 distinct places for them to meet; one to meet at sunrise, one to meet at noon, and one at sunset or night. Explore each of the 3 spaces simultaneously through model making.

Goal: develop concepts in 3 dimensions through the use of study models. No sketches needed.

Models are the sketches. As you explore the 3 distinct designs, one for each ‘time of the day’, think of the volume, its orientation and sculpting the ground. Be specific with lighting and shadows. Establish dialogs of textures, zones of compressions, zones of openness, rhythms, joints, gaps, voids, points, lines and planes.

Materials: white (or cream) pulp board and 1/8” to 1/16” basswood dowels. No glue and no tape: just white pulp board and dowels.

Scale: models to approximately be 6”x6”x6” in size.

Keywords: score, peel, bend, fold, cut, puncture, attach, etc…

Readings: In Praise of Shadows by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki.

Thinking Architecture by Peter Zumthor.

Written in Water by Steven Holl.

Schedule: develop 3 study models by class on Thursday, and be ready to meet and present concepts in small review groups. Based on the comments you receive during your review, develop 3 new models for class on Monday. All 3 new models are to be completed by Monday before class. Bring all 6 models to class on Monday August 24th.

MORNINGBAKER

‘Light serves not ornament, but rather to give depth to the shadow.’

In the morning,I like to embrace the dimness of the twilight framed by my window when more people are sleeping. Yet the pervasive role of the light in the early morning model is illustrated by its root meaning of “the subtilty of illumination� -- the gradual changes throughout its shapes, sizes, elevations, textures, and most importantly the glowing of light and shadow.

NOONBUTCTHER

‘The technique seems simple, but is by no mean so simply achieved.’

When the sun rises at noon, the light directly sharpens the definition of its shadow, and the place shaped by a diversity of spatial perceptions. It is suggested even more by its base ground, negative space, “interactions of light and shadow� - the intention of merging in the place.

The light and shadow are merging together to tell a story of the place. People visiting the place interact with the story in the environment, which reflect their own experience.

NITGHTCANDLESTICK MAKER

‘A kind of silent music evoked by the combination of Structure and the light of a candle flicking in the dark.’

During the night, the darkness becomes the dominant role of this stage. Meantime, the sparkling of light feed my imagination, as it adds flavor to the dim space. Additionally, the variation of textures creates a dialog from the front base, though the middle canvas captured by the overhead structure, and are extended by the shadow. In other words, the effects of light pay more attention to the sequential experiences throughout the place, as a movement, than the vertical images as a moment.

It is positive, then, to see the models as an orderly presentation of daily experiences -- morning, noon and night a outline to the grace of the places harmonizes with the human participations. However, I expect those models to convey more. I see it as an new unfolding view of ‘landscap-ic ‘ experience through light and shadow ,such that the light and shadow, as a whole, are taken to be not merely a dimension or aspect of ‘landscap-ic ’ experience, but its emotional-aspirational core both its journey and destination.

HEIDI. QIAOCHEN.LIU (MLA) Colorado University of Denver E. qiaochen.liu@ucdenver.edu L.https://www.linkedin.com/in/ qiaochenheidiliu