John Baxter Taylor Smith Process Book Fall 2012 Critics: Jane Kim, Babak Bryan, Thomas de Monchaux, Eduardo Rega
Columbia University GSAPP
Shape of Two Cities: New York/Paris Fall 2012 The New York/Paris program is a yearlong architecture program run by the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. The first semester takes place on the Columbia University campus in New York. The second half of the program is spent at Reid Hall, Columbia’s affiliate campus in Paris. The program is focused around the design studio, which in itself is focused on fashion and blending a physical New York site with a conceptual Paris site. Each project gradually increased in scale, moving from the body to a fashion atelier. Each studio group rotated through the four critics, with each group having two of the critics twice.
(far left) Elevation of device. (above) Prosthesis on site.
(left) Sightlines and movement through the site.
Site: Orchard St between Delancy and Broome, New York City Critic: Jane Kim
The analysis of the site focused on the relationship between one’s head movement and the direction travelled. A prosthetic device was created to align this relationship as one entity.
(right) Plan and elevation of constructed model. (bottom left, right) Effect of window screen on the display window.
(above) Relationship of feet and shoulders.
Site: Flatiron Building, Display Window Critic: Babak Bryan
The panel’s ability to move independently of one another is directly related to the analysis of one’s feet in relation to one’s shoulders while moving through a site.
(above) Space invader. (above right) Using the structure. (right) Space suit.
Site: Fashion District Critic: Thomas de Monchaux
I became obsessed with the ideas of space invader and space suit, both derived from George Perec’s Species of Spaces, which became the two focus points of this design for a changing room.
(above, left) Space invader and space suit woven into previous model.
(above) Plan and elevation. (above right) Using the bleachers. (right) Effect of the structure on the site.
(above) Speed and focus.
Site: Bryant Park and the Pompidou Center Critic: Eduardo Rega
One’s path of movement is dictated by the end destination. Comparing the paths of someone looking for an acceptable spot to read and another person running back to work lead to the creation of bleachers that inhibit and enhance movement.
(left) Atelier open to the public. (above, left) Site plan. (above) Atelier during a fashion show.
(above) See and seen.
Site: Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center Critic: Eduardo Rega
After studying a security guard while being studied by the same security guard I latched on to the idea of seeing and being seen. I created a fashion atelier that represented this idea inside the architecture and on the site.
(below) Elevations. (right) Plan.
(left) Impact of architecture on the Lincoln Center Opera House.
(above) Effect of the atelier in the Atrium. (right, above) Collapsing and enlarging space (right) Compressing and expanding views.
(left) Impact of existing structure on views and movement.
Site: Paris Opera House Critic: Jane Kim
Compressing and expanding views and collapsing and enlarging space was the focal point of the fashion atelier designed for the Paris Opera House Atrium.
(right) Axonometric representation of the atelier in the Atrium.
(left) Conceptual collage demonstrating effect of model on the Paris Opera House.
John Baxter Taylor Smith
554 Fowler Ave Pelham, NY 10803 914-374-2589 jbsmith53@gmail.com