CORE
DESIGN PORTFOLIO 2016-2017
JASON BARKER
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Wall Intervention.
2. Machine De Phenomenon 3. Urban Intersection. 4.War Memorial.
5.Celebration Space. 6.Caples Mansion.
7.Highline Museum. 8.Trips.
Savannah.
Charleston.
Puerto Rico. New York.
9.Elective Projects.
10.Independent Sketching and Analysis.
01 MACHINE DE PHENOMENON
01 MACHINE DE PHENOMENON The first project involved conceptual analysis and abstract creation of a spatial intervention, which prepared us for the second assignment. Drawing some ideas from the first, we were instructed to create a tower situated within an abstract context of intersecting planes ofplexiglass.
01: CONCEPTUALIZING
The first project ran in to the second, and it all began with a conceptual analysis of a Russian film, from which we developed a number of abstracted sketches that eventually informed process models, more refined drawings, and a final model.
Initial Sketches. These geometric, abstracted rawings were generated via our impressions of form, color, light, shadow, and other traits seen in a film we were assigned to watch. From this, we had to create something the captured our overall feeling of what the film was, without simply depicting it in a purely representative form.
Models. Early conceptual models that would be intersected with each other at a later date were developed, using museum board. Layering Sketches. From these models, layered drawings were devloped that generated the final conceptual form for the model.
Abstracted Final. The site was constructed from laters of MDF board, carved with a lasercutter, while the intervention was made out of museum board. The basic concept for how the final form interacted with the site was that of a growth, with tendrils extending from the central mass and forming new extrusions at their tips.
This project was important in the development of the Machine de Phenomenon, as it dealt with the same idea of inserting an intervention in to a materially different yet somewhat abstracted site.
02: MACHINE PROCESS
Sketching formed the basic process of the Machine de Phenomenon, emphasixing the vertical nature of the structure and the progression up a tower-like space.
03: FINISHED MACHINE
The final model was constructed from plaxi glass, basswood, and museum board. The plexi provided a context, while the rest of the materials formed the actual space itself, atached to the transparent site.
Atmospheric forms. A general similarity to clouds, and the plexiglass echoing air and sky, led to an embrace of clouds and weather as a metaphorical form generator. The entire structure was meant to give an impression of lightness, vast space, uplift, and other traits one might associate with clouds.
Sections. Final drawings were two sections at an area of our choice, simply expressing scale within the space and the relation of floors to the overall form.
02
URBAN INTERSECTION
02
URBAN INTERSECTION The final assignment of Core 1 drew from our analysis of Savannah and Charleston, specifically of the overall urban layout and the way individual building sinteracted in their larger context. We were instructed to combine elements of both cities to generate a dynamic urban layout, and then create an intervention that had some public purpose (specifics were left up too us).
01: URBAN CONTEXT.
The initial step was to create an abstracted urban context out of wood, which would be made of interlocking horizontal lengths. It would vary in height and begin to form the basic gestures of a cityscape. One area would be selected for the intervention.
Page 34
Sketch models. The form of the intervention was explored through quickly made sketch models of chipboard. These form generators could be intersected with one another to develop forther forms, and this would lead to the basis of the final structure.
Page 35
Gestural streets. Diagrammatic sketching led to the development of the overall street plan, particularly the idea that the intervention would be at a major thoroughfare where a vertical, horizontal, and diagonal move all converged. This also aided in developing the overall scale of the intervention in relation to the site.
Page 36
Page 37
Taking shape. From the sketches came a foamcore draft of the overall urban context. While nowhere near a final version of the site, this further refined the basic odea being explored, allowing amore robust visualization of the surrounding enviornment and how that related to the intervention.
City meets Experience. These watercolors developed the manner in which the intervention and the context communicated with each other.
Page 40
Page 42
Page 43
03 WAR MEMORIAL
04 WAR MEMORIAL
This assignment was the first major project of Core Design 2. It was the most involved yet, with a long development cycle and a great deal of process work, allowing the idea to fully conceptualize. Of all the projects I have been involved with, this one is by far my favorite, as it comes closest to matching my vision, while at the same time imparting a great deal of knowledge.
01: FOLDS AND LINES.
The initial step was a freeform exercise in paper folwing. Two 11 x 14 pieces of paper were used to form a landscape with several conditions: ground, wall, tower, and ceiling. From this, we created sketches and a final drawing, searching for a central parti and other useful ideas.
Parti Drawing. Isciam quas expliquia con esedita comnihi llabo. Odis qui quaeste recaecto earcipsuntur aut quam, ius sint eat et odit, comnient vel intiatetus alitate dolupta ectatio reicimus, od ut liquasp itibus a sam rem que od qui sum fugiatem ipsuntis anis pres qui dia sam sus paruptiumqui con parumquatur, omnis rerspis arum aute doluptium is explabori beatur? Occatec eptatem quo moditaquia ex et omnis doluptae placcul luptaqu idelectem quiducid quibustin nimus quideri onsequa ectatur sum quis es dis quiae sequia ipsam sum si dus.
Page 60
02: THE JUNK MODEL.
The next step in this assignment was a bit unusual. Pursue form generators by creating “junk models” out of found electronics. VCR’s, TV’s, stereo’s, computers, and more. This afforded the chance to create some truly unique constructed objects.
Found Forms. Thiis assignment taught the value of found pieces as form generators, which would allow for the spontaneous emergence of spaces by virtue of their basic proximity to one another. Not done at any specific scale, this was, instead, a generalized approach that allowed for more organic relations to take hold.
Page 64
Coded Systems. Different conceptual parts were repesented via color. White for the basic site and context, gret for wall, floor, and ceiling conditions, and orange for the tower. From this model came the idea of the tower somehow reaching out and affecting the entire site. Represented here via lengths of painted basswood. Though in the final model, the impact it had was more conceptual than immediate.
Page 67
03: PRECEDENTS.
For the third step, we moved away from our own ideas, and did a series of sketches of existing architecture. Drawing from a list of architects, we analyzed several designers and how they handled the conditions of our focus: wall, floor, ground, ceiling, and tower.
The Method. A large printout with twelve lists of different architects was distributed to everyone in the class. One group for each person. Our instructions were to create a Pinterest account, and then set up folders to save images of the buildings of each architect in our list. We would cycle through the list, and for each group we would analyze a specific condition. So, for one group we would analyze how the architects handled ceilings, and sketch our analysis with notes. Then we would go to the next group, and look at the pinterest gallery for the person who had that group, and add to it while analyzing the next condition (floor, etc.) We did this until we have a huge amount of structural analysis of the different conditions we had to understand.
Page 70
Media. This was largely a mixed media affair. The drawings were primarily done on sketch and trace paper, with some done on vellum, mylar, or regular drawing paper. Graphite, mechanical pencils, markers, watercolor, colored pencil, pastels, and charcoal were the media of choice. These were chosen based on specific toning needs. E.G. pastels and charcoal were useful for expressing dramatic lighting conditions, while markers were better at expressing tone in regards to materiality.
Page 75
Designers. The architects were drawn from all over the world, across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From early masters of modernism, to contempoprary superstar firms.
04: PROCESS MODELS.
The process model segment of the project ranged from simple fast sketch models to more intricate, large scale final drafts. All geared towards developing individual components of the site.
Wood and Cardboard. .Sus doluptae explat. To ilibus dolupta comnias pellaut ex essum eatur? Luptas evel earchillenit essitia nulligent, sollori aeperes rerspid ucianditat voluptius, odis ipsam conecumet volupie ntorem et et minum iuscipid miliatur? Andi blania pel il modi aut et rectore ptaquas illaute mporum adicien issequo ssimill orehenis est quis adipistempos sit untur, qui cus. Apidest inctati rentia ipis cum rem diorro cum re odit alic to eos dendit iducias ad molessecat omniaeped mod quasi inihilibus. Por ariae same con consect orepudio
Page 80
One Piece At A Time. This 1/4 scale model was a high quality draft/process model of one of the conditions that would be inserted in to the final war memorial site itself. Working at this scale allowed us to think about detail and connection in a way that may not have been possible had we jumped immediately to the final scale.
Floor and Ceiling The relation between floor and ceiling, and how that fit in to the overall scheme of the final project, was the focus of this particular model. This presented a unique challenge, as the wall condition was suposed to be minimal. Therefore, we have to think of a different way of suspending the ceiling without a fully articulated, opaque wall.
Page 85
Tower Derivation. Once the model was complete, we were told to photograph it with dramatic lighting, put those images in photoshop, increase contrast, and then use the resulting image as a form generator for the final component of the war memorial: the tower. How the image informed the tower was left to us. We simply had to use the photo to generate a drawing of a basic parti concept and use that as the starting point.
Page 88
The subsequent drawing provided an approach that quickly solidified in to what the tower would eventually become. In addition to basic form, there was a focus on light, and how it related to circulation and negative space within the tower. From this point, it was all a matter of bringing the disparate elements together in a single context.
Page 89
Concept Sketching. Further sketching was done to develop the relation of different concepts to overall circulation. These sketches depict the idea, later realized, of the floor and ceiling condition being near the edge of a cliff/drop off at the edge of the site.
Page 90
Page 91
05: THE SITE.
The final step was to create the site, and miniaturize the floor and ceiling conditions at 1/8 scale. The entire model is constructed from basswood at a delicate scale, with a focus on concept and circulation.
Articulated Wasteland. The final site was a memorial to a forgotten war. A damaged battlefield transformed in to a museum, filled with machine-like interventions, multiple approaches to the tower, secret pathways, and many other dynamic aspects meant to give life and intrigue to the final model.
04 CELEBRATION
SPACE
04 CELEBRATION
SPACE Following our Puerto Rico trip and visit to a pre-chosen site, the final assignment in core 2 was the creation of a mixed use “celebration space”, featuring a cafe, retail, sitting area, and a large auditorium or other multi-use area for events.
01: INITIAL PROCESS.
The initial steps for this assignment were a condensed version of the pervious process; sketch models and drawings. A basic concept was solidified early on.
02: FINAL MODEL.
Given the limited amount of time (4-5 weeks, roughly) for this assignment, we spent much less time on process, and leapt to the final model very quickly.
05
CAPLES
MANSION
05
CAPLES
MANSION An extension and re-utilization of an old structure on the New College campus in Sarasota was the overall concept of this assignment. A great deal of flexibility was offered in how we implemented the program requirements. This was our first assignment in which we utilized a large scale site that required us to deal with topography, flood plains, soil and weather conditions.
01: INITIAL SKETCHING.
Numerous proccess drawings and sketch models realized the basic approach to the site and how the addition would communicate with the existing context.
Micro Sketches. Small process sketches on gridded paper allowed for fast development of a wide range of details, moves, spaces, and other important aspects of the project.
Final Drawings. The final drawings of the project consisted of sections, plans, and two perspectives. The former two were digital hybrids, while the latter were rendered in watercolor and illustration ink.
02: SITES AND MODELS.
Sketching led to models. PRocess, sketch, diagrammatic, and the final site are all collected here as they approached the culmination of the project.
06 HIGHLINE
MUSEUM
06 HIGHLINE
MUSEUM This assignment involved an off-site extension of the Morgan Library and Museum in New York, situating the new facility on the Highline park near the Hudson river. We were given a great deal of freedom in deciding what, if any, specific focus this new library/museum would have, so long as the basic program was met.
01: EARLY PROCESS.
A handful of draft models and sketches are presented here in chronological order, as these ld to the ultimate concept of the assignment.
02: FORMS AND LINES.
Final models and drawings are collected here, with a focus on intense graphical images highlighting the relationship between the different floors of the museum and the archive space.
Auditorium.
Lobby.
G
Ramp from street level.
Public space : open above. Public space : enclosed/interior.
Auditorium.
Sculpture gallery.
Reception desk.
Lobby.
Security.
Garden.
Ramp from street level.
07 TRAVELS
07 TRAVELS
Each semester brought with it a new trip. Savannah, Charleston, Puerto Rico, and New York. These involved a good deal of photography, sketching, analysis, and other activities allowing us to understand cities and the way structures inhabited them,
Levels and grids. Savannah is defined by two primary traits: a grid system organized around small public parks, and the sudden drop off and gradual sloping down towards the water. The historic architecture and infrastructure is everywhere, giving the city its distinct character. The Stories Materials Tell. Historic spaces such as this are notable for the variety of old, weathered surfaces. Texture and materiality lend a sense of history and permanence. Brick, old wood, iron, stone streets. Sketching and photographing these things can be very valuable, as they make one thing about the lifespan of materials in the built environment.
Historical Detaling. FRom the hotel to every corner of the city, intricate detailing can be found all over Charleston, carrying with it the mark of different styles and periods as they flourished in the city. Much can be learned from sketching these elements. Columns, street lamps, furniture, and more.
Diagrams, Pt. 2. The diagrammatic approach, mixed with elevations, sections, and more realstic sketching, continued in Charlseton. Given the variety of organic spaces, sprawling alleys, historic structures, and overall dynamis, there was a great deal to focus on in this city.