This portfolio represents the class as a whole, as well as the reflections I had while being in the class.
Learning Portfolio Architecture 101 – Professor Jerry Lum
Juveriyah Salat
Table of Contents Project 1 – What’s Your Sign? ......................................................................................................................... 2 Phase 1 – Concept Generalization ................................................................................................................ 2 Phase 2 – Build It ........................................................................................................................................... 3 8-31-2015 ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Project 3 - Perceiving, Experiencing, and Interpreting Spaces and Places: Documenting Our Journeys ..... 5 Project 3A ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 Project 3B ...................................................................................................................................................... 8 Project 4 – Wall, Window, Wonder ...................................................................................................... 10 Iteration 1 ................................................................................................................................................... 10 Narrative ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Iteration 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 11 Reflections ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Iteration 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 12 Narrative ........................................................................................................................................ 12 Outline ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Storyboard ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Iteration 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 15 Narrative ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Feedback ........................................................................................................................................ 16 Iteration 5................................................................................................................................................... 17 Feedback ........................................................................................................................................ 18 Additions to Iteration 5 .................................................................................................................. 18
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Project 1: What’s your sign? Week 1 Phase 1: Concept Generalization As we start class and learn more about making our sign, it offers a little bit of a challenge. What three adjectives describe me the most? Which ones are representative of me as a person? And how exactly am I supposed to create a sign using these? To accomplish this task, I chose determined/ stubborn, knowledgeable/ loves books, and curious. To create the sign, I started looking for images on the internet. I decided to choose a magnifying glass to symbolize curiosity, as that is a big symbol of curiosity. The personification of books was obvious – the open book I chose also represents an open mind, relating to curiosity. I had trouble deciding on stubborn though. I looked online for images that related to stubbornness; that was difficult as the only things that were coming up were rocks and mules. As I had to take into account the visual aspect of the entire design as well, mules and rocks made a terrible design. Looking further, I searched up a variety of different images and words, which led me to choosing my last picture – a flower coming out of gravel/a road. Creating the collage, was a different matter altogether. I layered them on top of each other to create a different aspect on what I decided was to be the more dominant personality type. The symmetrical composition of the circles and the asymmetrical line of the magnifying glass offset the symmetrical nature of the magnified area, leading to a hierarchical system.
Collage 1
Collage 2 2
Collage 3
Phase 2: Build It For my first rendition, I started with my second collage. To do this however, I had to think of a way to exemplify my collage into an actual sign. To do this, I first had to think about what I wanted my sign to look like. I had never made something before, so after we put up all our collages on the wall, Professor Lum explained how to create a sign as well as the dimensions that it was supposed to be. Through that, I got to thinking how I wanted to construct it. For my first design, I did not take into account how much time it would take to create the sign itself. I started to make it around 5 PM, but unfortunately, finished around 3 AM. Because it was late, the unaccounted-for consequence was that the construction of it wasn’t that great. Through this, I learned that it is necessary to give yourself time to design, plan, and then construct. Since I had never used spray paint before either, that was another challenge to overcome. My second design, I feel, was much better. The materials were the same; however, I started much earlier and had a clear idea where I wanted to go with the sign. The next few paragraphs will detail my thoughts; I will also explain my design process behind it. For the back resting against the wall, I chose a circle backing, which made sense, as that connected with the circular motion of the magnifying glass, as well as the other two elements. I chose for the rest of the sign to hang on a rectangular block as that connected with the slab that connected the flower and the book, as well as the handle itself. After the previous class, I had learned how to use spray paint correctly, and it made a very big difference in the overall presentation of the
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sign. The magnifying glass is hung from a string so that it dangles, showing multiple sides. The way that the flower and the book are placed has two separate hierarchical systems; the flower can be seen first from one side, but is shown second on the other side. 08/31 Professor Lum gave us some questions, and I have done my best to answer those. These are my answers as well as reflections for the class up to this point. In the past few weeks, we have learned that design is a language. Thoughts and ideas are very intangible and are not accessible to everyone else. Other times, it is hard to communicate what exactly we want other people to see or believe. Design is a powerful tool that can help convey the message we want others to receive. Even if there is a language barrier, or other obstacles, images can convey our message. The difficulty is choosing the correct images so that our message is the only one going through, and does not conflict with other things happening. It is necessary to say look at our past works, and compare them to our future. As with my work, my second edition was much better than my first. One thing that I can improve on is creating the correct balance for my projects. One thing I noticed was that my handle was much lower than I intended it to be. Weight is a big factor in design as well. The others in my class helped me realize how I could use better materials and tools to create my sign. For example, I could have used hot glue instead of rubber cement. For my craft, I learned that rubber cement does not keep cardboard sticking together. It is also a very messy and unreliable method of sticking materials together. It is necessary to be careful as well, as I burned myself using hot glue. Box cutters are good for straight lines, but scissors are much better for cutting round objects as well as finishing edges. Another thing that was
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mentioned in my feedback, that I corrected with my second iteration, was that all things need to go together seamlessly and combine. Shapes cannot be used arbitrarily but must coincide with something else in the design. Overall, I believe that the second time was much better, but asking questions and participating in class helped me realize what I could have done to make my first sign better and how I could have used my materials better.
Project 3: - Perceiving, Experiencing, and Interpreting Spaces and Places: Documenting Our Journeys Week 3 Project 3A: As we started Project 3A, I quickly began to brainstorm some places I would be able to go to. I don’t live in San Francisco – in fact, I live so far, I have to take one of the furthest Bart stations to get there (Fremont). I also had some limitations further placed on me for personal reasons. Therefore, I had to choose a place that had significant value but was also very unique and could provoke a multitude of experiences in me. In the end, I chose Lake Elizabeth, a local park in Fremont. While I had been there previously, I had never been on the far side of the 2 – mile walk path. Walking there was a serene experience. My pictures and reflections follow, and are noted here.
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Lake Elizabeth, at 1 PM was gorgeous. It was a beautiful day and the sun was
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Lake Elizabeth, at 1 PM was gorgeous. It was a beautiful day and the sun was hitting the water perfectly. Overall, there was a sense of adventure as well as a sense of awe and wonder, as I pondered what I would see and what I would feel during my trip. I had never been
in
nature
for
that
specific
purpose, just to capture light and certain emotions, and it was a new experience. I had such a great time; I
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think I’m going to reflect more outside and just think about nature, and ponder. I believe that this experience helped me become more in touch with myself, and learn other ways in which to expand how I see the world, as well as myself. I believe that this experience was the result of us learning that we could broaden our horizons and show, through this medium of photography, that we have learned how to expand our world view as well as our senses I had never been to that specific area of the park (labeled above) so it was an entirely new experience. I tried not to let my preconceived notions of what it would look like and just experience how it was itself. Through this process, I noticed the intricate details of the park, and I took in several aspects I had never acknowledged before. As this project progressed, I started taking pictures of specific areas that identified with certain emotions rather than ones that just looked interesting. There had to be something more to that, and I wanted to capture that essence in my photographs. I believe that the camera did highlight my experience as it created a small window to look through so that my focus wouldn’t be one a random series of objects, but what was right in front of me. My most memorable moment was seeing all the bright yet dark aspects that nature and lighting have to offer. It created a perplexing yet pleasing experience to the eye, and that very much agreed with me. I would not have been able to see this aspect without this assignment. It certainly helped me. The only thing I think was the problem was that I took pictures of nature rather than buildings, which is what most people did. However, I think this was a very beneficial project for me. Project 3B: For the second aspect of the project, we were required to create a collage from our pictures that we had created. Our objective, as has been for the entire semester, was to evoke wonder. I had been wondering how I could
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have done that with my collage. I came up with the collage above. When I took it to class, I got some interesting feedback. One thing that was said was that there was way too much going on at once. Instead of adding layers upon layers, was that I could have subtracted images, or add different elements of each image on one image. With that image, I took the initiative to create another collage just for my sake to learn from my experiences (to the left). I really like this one, as it has multiple aspects to it, and there is not too much going on. While it seems as if it is multiple objects, in reality, it is one flower, and the idea of it being just one plant, evokes awe in me.
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Project 4: Window, Wall, Wonder Iteration 1:
I got the idea by doing some preliminary research on what reading nooks were, and spending some time looking at why I liked them. As I wanted to create something new, I had to come up with something new. That’s where I came up with the idea of having stairs leading up to the seat. The first picture is my original sketches of what I wanted to create. The second is my schematic design, along with all the dimensions as wells as the conversions. This is usually how I tackle a project,
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starting with rough sketched, then with detailed dimensions of the model, in this case, the wall. First Narrative: Entranced by curves & curvilinear walls, I started sketching. I sketched, eggs, waves, and anything I believed would result in the desired outcome. Given the problem, as well as options that I wished to choose, I started researching a specific type of window/ interior I had envisioned in my head. Creating just a wall was the initial challenge. Once I had finished the preliminary research, I started sketching what exactly I wanted my design to look like, as well as adding dimensions to it. The model shows a ¼” = 1’- 0” to scale model; the base is 14 feet wide, and it is 17’ feet hide, along with being 1’ – 6” deep. My vision was to create a unique reading nook, as I believed that that replicated my personality clearly. My position was “The wall is an augmented extension of me – a magnified hyperbolic extension of me”. To fully bring this to life, I had steps to reach the window, as high windows are a source of wonder. This was inspired by various designs of houses I have seen that implement a nook. It is also shaped to mimic a person’s back resting against the wall. There is an added element of danger as the seat for the reading “seat” extends past the window, allowing a sense of danger, but within reason. Since there is a window that allows you to go back into relative safety, the two conflicting natures balance each other out, allowing an added sense of wonder to the wall. Iteration 2 Reflection: With the second wall of wonder, our objective was to build upon the feedback we had gotten on the first wall. Therefore, I changed up my design a little bit, and added more elements to add more of a cohesive design to it. Some drawbacks were that the intricacies of the so-called wall did not show up in the final shadow, which was a bit disappointing. I was looking forward to what it would look like. This was a developing portion of what my completed space
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would look like, as that was the main goal we were going for. As such, it showed developing
progress,
as
well
as
a
heightened sense of what exactly I was doing. I wanted to reach a point that was clearer to my objective as well as a clearer design. Iteration 3: Third Narrative: As you enter into the tower, the essence of being in a fairytale suddenly comes to life. Walking up twirling stairs, such that you cannot see the top, leads to an
ethereal
sense
of
wonder.
Shadows and hints of light come through, peeking
from out
small
into
the
windows sunshine.
Trailing a hand along the smooth, stone wall, a fairytale springs to life. You can just imagine Rapunzel throwing down her hair, or hear the echo of a dragon roar, maybe even the sounds of Snow White singing. As you slowly walk up the stairs, you reach a landing, leading to a window in which you can look out to the beautiful view outside. The stairs are at a comfortable level, leading to a feeling of ease walking around. The spots that the light shines through makes you walk around all the time, leading to a sense of mystique. Slowly going to the top leads to new views, looking in all directions, and leading to places that capture just the right moment to look outside. As we
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get nearer and nearer to the top, we realize that the spaces in
which
the
windows
are
spaced is getting larger, giving a sense of expectation, in which we want to see what is at the top. At the top, there is a blast of light as there is a huge window. Leading out from the window is a balcony in which you can go out to and see the sun. The window
and
the
balcony are the south facing portion of the wall.
The
tower
is
cylindrical in nature, and has a pointed cone
roof,
also
lending aspects to the fairy tale aspect of the tower. The roof is also made out of shingles, which look like stone. The whole effect is to make it look like a safe spot to those who may want to have some time for themselves and reflect. On the top floor, there will be furniture which will reflect what the person wants to do, and will reflect the aspect. The outside will have an elegance of its own, and so will the inside. The windows are spaced at approximately 4.5 feet apart, but will exponentially increase as it nears to the top. They will be in a circular pattern, reflecting the stars inside.
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Outline:
Walk into doors, bigger than the average person – 8 feet tall
Look to your right, see stairs
Before you get onto stairs, look to your right, this will be the first window
As you walk up the stairs, you will get to the first a window in 9 steps, leading to a distance of 4.5’
The first landing you will reach will have a window looking outside at approximately 6’.
This will be a place to rest your feet, as there will be a seat, and there will most likely be an option to sit with your feet dangling off the edge.
The intended path will then repeat 3 times, each leading to a different view outside.
As you get to the top floor, you will be drawn to go outside as soon as possible. The balcony allows that option.
The window will be able to be opened, and the elegance of the window door will lead an extra experience of wonder to the experience. Storyboard:
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Iteration 4: Narrative: Walking
inside
you
initially look to the front. It is difficult
to
see
the
beyond. Intrigued, you
room walk
closer to see what is on the other side. Trailing your hand past the walls, the webs add an interesting feature when the sun is reflected through them. You look back, all you see is a huge window, inferring not the light. When you look forward it is so dark. The idea of going further trades your mind, compelling you to go further and further in. You take one of the pair of stairs going to the other side of the room. This side of the room has an obvious depression in the roof, compared to the other
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side of the building. There are two small shafts of light coming from the roof, sometimes intercepting but not always. As we walk to the other side, we see that it has the same continuous theme of the webbing in the other room. However, that is where the similarities end. The windows on this side are much curvier, relating to the curved nature of the walls. As we walk in, we can immediately see that it is much narrower at this end, rather than the opposite end. This creates a sense of intimacy and closeness, contrasting with the large space at the other end. Feedback: I got some crucial feedback on this iteration.
One
thing
said
that
the
excessive glue made it look entirely messy; that I could have done something else instead to make it look better. There were come issues that I could have resolved fairly easily, which I did in the next iteration. These issues included: small windows, making it seem as if it is a result of poor craftsmanship; the front “door” or entrance’s threshold was too high, as it coincided with other windows as well, making it seem as if you could get in through every window, which was not my intention; the sloped floor was also very low, leading to the idea of the “reading nook” not being promoted. Overall, I learned a lot from the feedback that was given by both my classmates, as well as Professor Lum. What I learned, I used in the next iteration for my space of wonder.
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Iteration 5: For this iteration, I started with the feedback I had gotten from the previous iteration. The first thing I did was create a highly sloped floor, which plays back to my original idea of a high reaching place. What I then did was cut out windows in the walls that matched the curve of the floor as well as the wall; this lead to a pattern emerging, as I did the same for both sides of the space. I then added stairs to that floor, leading up. The stairs are positioned with risers leading up to the top of the area. There is a “reading nook� type
ledge
which
the
stairs
lead
to.
As
mentioned previously, I did take suggestions from the comments and one thing was the entrance to the space. For this, I created an entrance that followed the shape and curve of the walls. The light-heartedness from the lightfilled area leads to the darkness coming from the floor, as there is no direct sunlight that reaches it immediately. The entrance is the South-facing wall, and will receive the most sun throughout the day. This way, the idea of the light slowly going into dark and then becoming light again will show through most of the day. However, the shadows from the sun going to the other side of the space and meeting the other windows will happen only at one point in time; each set of windows will have their own period of time that this will occur. This creates the one-time wonder effect, and allows for multiple experiences to be had.
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Feedback: When we got back to class, I got some essential feedback. I had to figure out a way to make it stand up on its own. I had no idea so I asked my classmates for some help, and they gave me the idea of creating trusses that will help support the room so that it will not fall down. Another piece of feedback I got was that the design of the stairs could be more cohesive and work with the overall design and layout of the space. He gave me some ideas on that as well; creating a zigzag layout on the stairs or create a set of stairs that have a stadium-like appearance. Additions to Iteration 5: When I searched up trusses, the first ones I saw
were
bridges.
Once I looked further, I realized
there
were
some for bridges. As there were none that had the exact shape I was going for, I started
sketching.
Professor Lum had given me some ideas on what it should look like, and I started from there. I had tried to use chipboard to
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make it but it proved not be a completely flexible way of making the trusses. So then I migrated toward using toothpicks. They were very easy to use, and were the perfect shape to make trusses. Most of the trusses online were triangle based as triangles are widely known as the strongest shape. Therefore, I went with that idea, and glued multiple pieces together. As I based it off the original design, the pictures off to the side and above show the final product. It works very well and helped the structure stay up, which was my initial intention, and it looked cool
as
well.
I created two quick study models based on another portion of my feedback, and I definitely like the zigzag style much better, mostly because of the fact that I wanted to keep the stairs confined to only the raised, sloped floor, not extending onto the flat are of the floor. Therefore, I decided to go with that. With that, I am planning on creating windows at every node, in which there will be a window at every landing, creating a one-chance moment. The reading nook will once again be in the center. I’m excited to see what it will look like by the end with all the components put together.
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