Rendering Nature Jasmine Pettway ARCH 101 Studio 1 Semester Portfolio II Spring 2015
Making the Invisible Perceivable For our final studio project, we were asked to render nature by making the invisible perceivable with the following requirements-‐
Generally • Choose a site specific characteristic to render in design • Create the unexpected and unfamiliar • Avoid obvious notions
Specifically • Have an inviting entrance • Organized set of paths & nodes • 3 separate spaces that meet general requirements
The Group
Members: Fidel, Natasha, Yue, Eminent Role: Project Manager Duties: scheduling/group meetings, budget, construction documents Theme: Light
Iteration #1 The first assignment was to demonstrate sectioning. Trying to keep the goal of rendering nature, I choose Light as my theme. Past projects mostly focused on wind for the creation of moving parts which I was interested in too, but light could be used to sculpt spaces.
Light can be magical, playful, warming, or exciting. It is also a unique spectrum that humans experience the world. Other animals typically see in other wave lengths or limited visible light.
My iteration was exploring light and shadow, and possibly moving parts. It was mostly sculptural, but I hoped it would be a good starting point and evolve into a thoughtful design for the installation. However, it was too obvious!
Iteration #2
My second attempt, I tried to focus on the specific program requirements of having 3 nodes, an organized pathway, entrance, exit, and spaces for activities. Of course, I could have tried to draw the layout on paper, but I did not want to make the mistake of getting fixated as I did previously in the semester. I was already inspired by this image of Janet Echelman’s “Every Beating Second” installation. String would be cheap, easy to put up and take down, and a great way to play on light.
Not quite knowing where I was going with it yet, I explored layout options. There was the vague idea of using frames that would bend at an angle to create arches with the strings, hence the triangles.
Using a base that only has horizontal spacing for my components was not the best choice because I limited how I can move these “frames”.
Site Analysis
It was time to finalize our site of choice. We nearly investigated every area of the courtyard and hill area.
We considered the center of the courtyard for full exposure and its flat stable surface.
We also appreciated the tree and slope in this area of the hill.
We choose the top of the hillside where Martson ave. and Batmale 3rd floor balcony meet. Pros • Connection with community • Large surface area • Full Sun Exposure
Cons • Extreme winds • Groundcover composed of mulch, uneven terrain • Full Sun Exposure
Iteration #3 After my team conducted our site analysis and choosing our top site and goals for it, I had more direction for my exploration. One issue I had was creating a shelter that wasn’t boring, or “obvious” to protect from the wind. I came across a student’s work in the hallway, and found new inspiration. Here are my prototypes of recreating this design.
I put the triangular huts together to create four separate spaces, and added simple arches leading out of the installation as my group discussed.
Collaborating With only one week left to decide on our final design, the team got together and combined ideas. Kit of Parts • 45 Triangle • 30/60 triangle • Frame & Skin • 1 irregular rhombus
Our final design included a main structure made of frames and panels. The section that would face the campus will have slices that allowed in sunlight. On top of the main portion there is a translucent material slightly covering the frames changing light balance. Entrance and exits would be obvious, but would create the boundary for a courtyard of triangles.
Preparations It was time to get organized. I took on the responsibility of making our initial budget and materials lists, schedule of deadlines, and availability.
Materials and Budget
Scheduling
Construction Fidel allowed us to prefabricate our pieces in his shop.
On Site
A few adjustments had to be made on site for a more seamless design. The 3 separate walls that were designed to be offset now met at the corners.
We had to reposition the walls to align correctly losing a little area.
Issues Finding angles and proper ways to cut them proved to be difficult.
We were able to find a few.
Last Minute Changes I helped design the entrance and exit archways. Originally I had the idea of using strings to create a ray of colors that would represent the light spectrum and cast more delicate shadows. I did not develop the idea very well so we choose not to put in the strings.
Final Product
Concluding Remarks Semester I don’t know if I spent the semester more confused or more intrigued by design and the process. Sometimes I was confused on intents and goals, which were usually discovered later. Other times I was confused on which choices to make. I’ve learned it’s best to explore all options in both these cases. I have a need to work with my hands and a need for information and understanding. In conducting these explorations for the best learning outcomes, I will need to craft and research extensively. Team We worked pretty well as a team and achieved our personal goal of craftsmanship and connecting the campus. However the theme we choose was not rendered strong enough in structure. Looking back, I think we should have spent more time on our design process really digging into the problem and how to answer it with the spatial experiences.
Personally When choosing teams, I decided to step down from a leadership role. I figured I could use more practice at following since nearly all my roles up to this point have been in leadership. In the end, I robbed myself of a great opportunity to experience leadership in my chosen profession. However, had I not done what I did, I would not be able to see this huge growth opportunity in my learning. I know how to do what I am told when given directions, but I also have the skills and forward thinking of a leader. At one point my instructor Jerry told me either I will be in charge, or second in command always. If I don’t put myself in the position to develop and refine those skills that I naturally have, I may not be satisfied with where I get in life, or I will not be able to get as far as I would like to go.