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ARCHITECTURE 101 LEARNING PORTFOLIO

“If I can create some space that people haven’t experienced before and if it stays with them or gives them a dream for the future, that’s the kind of structure I seek to create -Tadao Ando

Jeremy Chin 10/14/2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS • • • • • •

Collages Who Am I? What is Your Sign?

Gestures Discovery of Places of Wonder Collage Revisited The Wall Is a Permeable Membrane – Precedence Studies – Gestures Revisited – Wall 1st and 2nd Iterations – The Place is a Permeable Membrane – Precedence Studies – Sketches.

– 3rd Iteration – The Power of a Narrative – The Storyboard A Way to Evoke Spatial Wonder

– Storyboard Model – Precedence Studies – 5th Iteration –

Midterm Review

Collages: Who am I? Creating the first set of collages and developing a concept was actually very difficult as it was so foreign to me. I was initially presented with a couple challenges 1) How do I generate collages which evoke who I am and 2) The fact that I needed to question what images can encompass “What I value and love?�

I initially began with a word list of adjectives which I believed summed up what I value and what I really liked and used it to generate my three collages. I used the words (Dog Lover, Faith, and Urban Planning.) My first collage to the left showed a mix of my interest in the built environment, and my love for dogs. With my second collage I attempted to better address who I was by addressing my faith, how my faith anchors me, and how I am taking leap of faith trying to switch to design. My third collage to the right, which was my third iteration used transparency the best to sum up everything I am, I am a Christian, I like the built environment, I am taking a leap of faith, and I love dogs.

What Is Your Sign & Gestures My First Sign made with Chipboard, Spray Paint, and the use of Cardstock Stencils

Space

My Second Sign made with Chipboard, Spray Paint, and the use of Painter Tape (Stencils)

Motion

Light to Dark

Concept Generation and Generating the First Sign & 2nd Signs & Gestures I initially began with a word list of adjectives which I believed summed up what I value and what I really liked and used it to generate my three collages. I used the words (Dog Lover, Faith, and Urban Planning.) When it came to generating the sign, I changed the adjectives to reflect my faith, my dreams, and the built environment. I decided to make the sign out of chip board and to utilize spray paints and stencils to try and achieve an urban grunge look. What made this first problem difficult was the fact that I had to deal with a question of existentialism “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?” and the simple fact that I was having to deal with a problem I’ve never done before and design a sign and have it be critiqued by my peers (initially this was very scary).

I ran into problems of being inexperienced with materials (the chipboard curled as it absorbed the spray paint) With my second Sign I tried to utilize foam core to avoid the the curling and again utilized spray paint for my colors. I used the foam core to make the sign project from the wall, but and things turned out quite terribly. I think my key take away from this was the fact that design is a difficult profession, it takes failure after failure to develop craft, but what is even more scary… is that design.. And the process of design makes transparent who you are and what you can do. While my first signs were something that anyone can do which was discouraging, I think it also set the bar for the potential of development and progress.

The Sign Project in conjunction with the gestures both were informative as my struggle with them was synonymous with my difficulty as a designer to convey clear meaning, and they were both illustrative of the work it will take to continue developing toward becoming a competent designer. It outlined Design as a process and Evolution of my work and how through seeing everyone else's successful signs, how I could become inspired to do better and to incorporate their successes into my own design.

A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERING A LOCAL PLACE OF WONDER Adventure

Discovery

Unseen Beauty

Mystery

(Downtown Mountain View & Stanford University) • Find a place you’ve never been to before and explore.

• Experience the places with all your senses and track down with photos the connotations of spaces.

• Choose the Best and Create a Slide Show.

Collage Revisited

As we used our photos to generate another collage, I tried to capture and evoke the feelings which I experienced during my journey of discovery. I tried to capture to essence of discovering beauty, utilizing light exposure to try to show an awakening of sorts to the beauty all around us if we were to go look. In my attempt to recreate wonder I found, the main drawback to this collage was the lack of unity between the elements as it was described as possibly being two different people.

That said, it was also encouraging that despite the lack of execution one of my peers actually found this collage to be thought provoking, that inspiration can be found by others in the works we deem insignificant. Not a confidence booster, but some Improvement.

The Wall is A Permeable Cell Membrane, Letting in What it Will…

• Create a Window wall which can evoke wonder in others while also being a location for reading, meditation, and rest.

• Conduct a Precedence Study of Windows that evoke similar forms of wonder • Explore Design through Gestures • Create a generic Wall • Create a Wall of Wonder

Precedence Studies: Windows that evoke Wonder Glass Block Window in my Bedroom

Tadao Ando Church on the Water A complete Glass window and the notion of the window.

Tadao Ando Church of Light

Unknown Location Rays of light piercing through the window sill.

Gestures Revisited Charcoal Gestures of Wonder – With each iteration getting better and better.

Various Iterations of Rectangular/Square-like Patterns Drawn by Hand Can Squares and Rectangles Evoke Wonder?

The Wall is A Permeable Cell Membrane, Letting in What it Will‌ Second Iteration Wall of Wonder First Generic Wall Iterations

As I began the design process with my precedence studies I tackled the fundamental question of what is a membrane. I explored through gestures and drawing possible patterns that evoked wonder, and through analyzing my precedence studies, I noted the strengths of a fully permeable and non permeable walls and the security or exposure it offers in comparison with the glass block window that is a part of my bedroom. With this I explored the notion of materials and using framing to pop things out, materials to make a window semi permeable, while trying to create a wall and structure that is both open, and not open at the same time. With the first generic wall models I utilized cardstock to save time, and to generate many iterations quickly and efficiently. When an iteration was selected, the wall of wonder was then constructed using chipboard, sketch paper, and glue.

Precedence Studies Part II What evokes wonder?

Exploring the Use of Levels

Habitat 69

Grand Central Station

Japanese Shoji Screens

Stair of Wonder- Location Unknown

Identifying Problems Through Rapid Sketches First Generic Sketch

Sketching a Wall of Wonder

Through identifying problem areas, in rough sketches I outlined Goals and possible ways to address it. Through this process I was able to write down notes about things I wanted to “steal and make my own� from my peers. I was also able to simplify my design for the next iterations.

3rd Iteration Exploring Floors Initial 3nd Iteration

Permeable Floors?

Exploring Dividing Walls & Hierarchy

With the use of quick my quick sketches, precedence studies, and in conjunction with what I liked from other designs, I simplified my wall design and restructure my narrative so the wall can be interchangeable wall pieces as recommended by my peers. I added a wall to represent a non permeable wall based off the design from another peer with square patterns coming from impacting thorough the wall. However I was unable to devise a mechanism to allow screens to be slid out and in so what I had instead were three permutations of the same wall, with differences in permeability. While it wasn’t intended I found it to establish a stronger language of rhythm and repetition in my project. I also began exploring the notion of floor and the possible reuse of my skylight in my first iteration as a floor piece. My main drawback with this design was I was fixated on be able to have movable pieces that when the models were tested in the sun, the wind blew my model to the point that it would fall over as such it wasn’t adequately designed to the program and did not preform. My key take away from this was to not get overly fixated on trying to promote the concept at the sake of designing for the program. The design must meet the requirements of the assignment objective before anything else. As I was building the levels and trying to create hierarchy in my design to strengthen another drawback was that I did not settle on my means of egress, whether or not I wanted ramps or stairs. So while the design language is progressing.. I think I disavowed the practical considerations that must be accounted for.

The Power of a Narrative Describe what you feel the most significant aspects and qualities of your selected site?

Walking into the structure, the structure appears as a composite. It offers multiple layers of experience and different vantages of the cubic form in varying layers of complexity, simplicity, and that provokes thought.. As each level progresses, the membrane becomes more and more permeable transforming from something that is secure and sturdy to becoming semitransparent where selective elements are let in, to eventually becoming fully transparent at the top most portion giving full permeability to light rays entering the structure during certain times of the day. During certain positions of the sun the rays pass through the permeable windows and are refracted and cast upon the cube in the center‌ creating a one time of having the light generate color, reflections and shadows on the cube that is the center piece for the structure.

(From Most Updated Narrative)

A Narrative gives a powerful storytelling element of your designs, it paints a myriad of experiences, emotions, of wonder, and it helps articulate and transform abstract thought into reality. The design process informs the narrative while the narrative is informing the design process.

Image my first narrative

The Storyboard A Way To Evoke Spatial Journeys of Wonder.

Outline of Steps of Journey Read Left to Right, Top to Bottom

The Storyboard A Way To Evoke Spatial Journeys of Wonder.

Outline of Experiences of Wonder Read Left to Right, Top to Bottom

The Storyboard A Way To Evoke Spatial Journeys of Wonder.

We also explored the use of story boards as median toward communicating intended experiences and elements of wonder within our projects. As the user experiences my structure, the would be user would experience a cold semi transparent cube. Following this the user experiences by a sense of vastness as they are captivated by a repetition of shape and form. With each successive level they experienced varied notions introspection as they experience different levels of permeability. Finally if the user reaches the top and the user is patient Enough the user experiences a warmness as light cascades and shines on the cube that unifies the structure as a whole.

The storyboard is an effective way to essentially sell your project, and I feel like it is a very useful tool to potentially getting designs built in the future.

The narrative ->>> Design ->>>The narrative ->>> Storyboard ->>> Design

Storyboard Model Storyboard Model depicting Circulation in design Structure

Exploration of Seating Orientation and Limiting Views based on Permeability

In this phase of the design process I constructed means of egress between the levels of of my various permeable walls in my design. I also began creating seating and exploring possible orientations of seating and the use material to restrict views as I was constructing the seating. The main drawback in my design was a lack of in depth analysis of spatial organization, and some conceptual analysis as I went back to old habits of poor time management as I was eager to craft my story board model rather than investing time in doing more planning through sketches and overlays with the trace paper.. Which could work out design permutations and without the significant time constraints that creating and cutting a model of chipboard. My key takeaway would be time is a resource as invaluable if not more valuable than money and as such as a designer I need to develop a better business model of how I tackle design. (take the low hanging fruit.. To develop a clearer picture of what my design can be and what it should be.)

Precedence Study Pt III A Cave Like Space Aoshime-udo Shrine, Japan

Interior of Factory Space

La Pedera, Barcelona

5th Iteration A Cave Like Membrane.

Site Plan of 5th Iteration of Model

5th Iteration A Cave Like Membrane.

North and South Elevation view of 5th Iteration of Model

5th Iteration A Cave Like Membrane.

West and East Elevation Views of 5th Iteration of Model

5th Iteration A Cave Like Membrane.

3D Renderings of 5th Iteration of Model

5th Iteration A Cave Like Membrane.

With my 5th Iteration of the model, due to time constraints I was unable to create a chipboard model, I was able to however incorporate a structure around my initial concept from my 4th iteration. My narrative notion of place was in many ways inspired by my precedence studies of the Aoshime udo Shrine in Japan and the La Pedera in Barcelona. I found these images to me provocative in that the darkness magnified the power of the rays of light and I began thinking of generating a dark cave like enclosure that protects like a womb of sorts. In doing so the openings that I do have would have greater prominence, and greater position in the mind of the users of this space. I applied concrete as the wall materials throughout the structure to give the overall structure a fortress like feel, but to also contrast the warmness of light that will be received by the cube during that one moment during the day when light passes through the permeable wall at the topmost level.

Lighting for this overall structure will most likely be indirect ambient light…but this is something I still need to study, try, and fail until I succeed..

Midterm Reflection A Photo I took of the Salesforce Build Site

I feel as if the picture on the left is very much a metaphor toward what I’ve learned so far in the semester. I’ve felt I’ve done so much, grown so much in the way I see things, but like this construction of the Salesforce building…There is still a lot to learn and a lot of hard work to develop. Like a structure, I am seeing progress, in that I’m being built up as a designer, and as a person. My key take away from this point thus far and my current framework of thinking.

1) Design is powerful, it is difficult but above all else it is rewarding.

2) As you develop as a designer you and pick up on the nuances of the world it helps you develop a greater appreciation toward the diversity 3) Your peers are your inspiration, through them you can learn, be inspired, and be challenged to become a better designer, and to see new perspectives 4) It is okay to fail “Rome wasn’t built in a day” when you fail, when you pick your self back up your learn and get better and better 5) There is always room to learn, to improve, to get better, to be inspired, to grow.