ARCH 101
Midterm Learn Portfolio Spring 2015
By: Kenneth Woodson Instructor: Jerry Lum City College of San Francisco
Introduction •
I decided to take ARCH 101 due to my curiosity of what major I should pursue. My expectations were far different than what was actually being taught. My instructor, Jerry Lum, has taught me to change my point of view when designing new iterations by stepping away from the generalities of just creating buildings. Though adjusting to this type of thinking and design work, I was very interested in Architecture and the thought process into creating the next iteration. This is something that I do enjoy spending my time on and the curriculum is very different as compared to my other classes. Over the course of 8 weeks I have learned a lot more than I anticipated. By changing my mindset from being general to a more observant architect.
Icebreaker Exercise: Assignment 1:
“Malevich Reinterpreted in tech tonic The Malevich assignment was designed kick start our creation by looking at the two-dimensional elements and interpreting them into three-dimensional form and space.
• When looking at the image for the first time, I saw many possibilities but I did not know where to start. So I decided to pick out a small area and work my way from there. • Managing the 3-D concept was challenging for me. It was hard to take this image and pull it out with form and space. What I did to help brainstorm was taking these ideas that were at the top of my head and drawing them out on paper. Some ideas came from inspiration from existing buildings such as, the Mountain Dwellings by Bjarke Ingels and his group.
ITERATION: 1 Thought Process: • • • •
When constructing this iteration, my plan was to create a “multilevel building”. I also wanted to added some complexity by playing around with the edges of the different floors. By raising the whole structure off the ground I wanted to connect the second level to the ground level with a ramp. By coloring it in, I wanted to make the structure look exactly like the Malevich work.
Analysis & Reflection:
• This was my first time building something and constructing it architecturally, so I didn’t know what to expect when I came to class with it. I was actually afraid of presenting my work because the other classmates' work looked more professional than mines. Their craftsman's was a lot cleaner and they were not taping the pieces to together. I also found out that I had taped my iteration to a base with the printed picture of the Malevich. This defeats the purpose of having my iteration stand by itself because having it attach to a base made it hard to see what was under my work. • I have learned a lot on that first day of bringing our iterations. It was recommended that I would not worry about coloring my iteration and just proceed on working with form and space. • Some of the Strengths that I’ve gotten from this first iteration was planning ahead of time before building. I’ve also seen some opportunities by looking at what my classmates created. The weakness I learned about this iteration was random the curves of the different levels I added. When planning, your ideas must have a meaning onto why you’re adding this.
ITERATION: 2 Thought Process • Having the weekend to work on our next iteration, I first noted down what ideas that came up while I was in class, to plan out on what I need to improve on. I saw a few models that had my interest during our discussion of the first iteration and I wanted to incorporate them in my next model. I saw that people didn’t have box shaped models but creating fine edges with many levels of foam board. I also wanted to incorporate my last idea of the curves but give it an actual meaning rather than visual ascetics. I came up with an idea of two “buildings” (at the time I was always thinking of buildings and not just looking at form and space, which took some time to develop a different point of view) that have a relationship with each other. I wanted to create the difference in size and how something small can have a greater effect on something larger. Now some of these ideas came from my last iteration when I asked Jerry for help after class. I wanted the advice to help guide me in the right direction because I did not want to fall behind in the class after I saw how well crafted the other classmates’ iterations were. • I wanted to get rid of the risen level because I wanted this iteration to feel more welcoming and prove more access. Because I thought about my last iteration and how little access there was since there was only one ramp that leads to a higher level. • I also wanted to create a sense of flow with this iteration so I decided to add a pathway feeling with the two ramps going into the building and also exiting the building.
Analysis & Reflection: • I felt really proud of this iteration because I’ve spent more time trying to improve my craftsmanship and evolving my thought process more by answering the questions to help on my reflection. • “What is the relationship of one element of your composition to another and to the whole?” -”The lone smaller structure shows relationship to the much larger one because I carved in some of the layers of the larger one to show that there was a force caused by the smaller structure” • What I learned after presenting my iteration is that, when I was reading my responses to the questions, I was mentioning the word buildings & structures and my thought process is focused on the final product instead of actually developing from smaller steps. One way to show how I was thinking of it as a building is that when I turn it on different sides, you can see that it becomes less interesting. • A major strength I learned was that I should stop thinking of buildings and focus more on form and space. So I tried to shift away from thinking of these iterations as buildings with ramps and floors to more of form and space. This created opportunities in my thought process by sticking away from the building mindset to creating meaningful forms and spaces. Where any angle should have a purpose. No more starting from the bottom, try some other way.
ITERATION: 3
Thought Process: • After the discussion on Iteration 2, I’ve learned to speak up more and try to get my iteration criticized because it leaves me with new ideas to improve on my mistakes and to not make them again. • When thinking about Iteration 3, I had to step away from creating models on a base and focus on having the model be interesting on all sides. • I also wanted to relate it from the reading on language, where I wanted to create certain degree of shifting. • I started this design out with the same idea of multiple levels reaching the top (this was some unconscious decision at the time, I didn’t note down onto why I liked it, but later on I developed a reason to making my models inclining). • I also wanted to create some sort of view but its more controlled to a certain direction.
Analysis & Reflection •
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This iteration was a step forward from thinking about buildings. I looked at the notes I wrote down in class and followed some of the guidelines to keep me on the right path. Some of the areas I went to was “create depth in my work” and “establish repetition but create a difference to make it not boring”. It was hard to not think about buildings, when I'm trying to brainstorm my ideas, I always think of what it will look like. This was a step back from creating unique ideas. But over a few drafts of thinking I finally came up with this iteration that focuses more on breaking the grid and creating chambers. An activity we did to help shape my perspectives is by drawing out our iterations. This help taught me perspective when looking at the iteration from different angles. This also helped me to step away from building the “base” first.
Constructing Narration • •
When constructing iteration 3: we need to make it useable for a ¾ of an inch miniature to be able to fit. With this model, we can use it to find tight spaces and also to get the point of view if this were real size. To help us generate supportive ideas, we would need to start a narrative to give out iterations background information, sense of purpose, and meaning. The very first draft of the narration was very general. Small Man was walking down the street for his morning exercise and came across a new structure he has never seen before. He feels curious because he hasn’t seen it before, so he wants to take a look at what’s inside. He enters through the structure and he starts to feel cramped once he’s under the connecting bridges because his head is almost touching it. It makes him want to go to the other side now. Once he reaches the other side, Small Man feels relieved now because exiting the narrow space and it is now opening up. Now that he’s at the end of the structure, he wants to take a look at what’s on top. So Small Man turns to the right and sees a way that leads up. Small Man decided to hop onto this bridge area underneath the overhang. It gives him a view that is over ten feet above the ground. The view is not too breathtaking because the structures across the street are still blocking his sight. Small Man then decides to check out where this bridge will take him. After it curves around, he sees another level above him. Small Man hops on the second level and notices that he cannot fit underneath the overhang. But he wants to look around on a high level, so Small Man decides to crawl and gets a views on his stomach. This space doesn’t seem fitting for Small Man, because he feels a little cramped because ha has to lie down to fit. Now Small Man wants to see the overhang since it built up anticipation after being on the two bridges. Once he arrives on the overhang, it gives him a sense of space but also a sense of fear. Since he is out in the open he feels that he has more room to move but also there are gaps that drop down, that’s what brings the fear.
ITERATION: 4 Thought Process: • When constructing the narrative, I looked more into spaces and tried to create more openings. • I also used the narrative to improve the journey to the top of the structure and also provide a more direct view when looking through the slots. • I also wanted to create less connectivity with the pieces so I a tried to lessen the amount of cuts to create more of a slotting look.
Iteration: 3
Analysis & Reflection •
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When designing this new iteration, there were not any major changes to the form itself. What happened was, that I focused on the problems that were heard of in class and only changing those instead of creating a whole new iteration. This iteration looks similar to the previous one but with more openings. What I seen from iteration 4 is that I’ve created more meaning than the previous one but it still needs work with its form because the problem I was still holding onto was the shape of the structure. This and the last iteration were locked in the x and y axis with many right angles to create a box looking structure. What I needed to do was to start changing the upper half to be in a different angles/position so it wouldn’t look so boring. This was the time where creating this iteration was starting to become hard. From iteration 3 to 4, it was hard trying to create a new model and still sticking to the same narrative. Luckily for this weekend, we were assigned to go out and write about what feelings are provoked from a structure/area.
Iteration: 3
Iteration: 4
On Site Structure: Cliff House • I chose the Cliff House because it seemed like a good structure of architecture that was rebuilt over the years. One of its parts inspirited me to create my climatic space for my future iterations. • After walking around and analyzing the architecture, it seemed that the front of the building was more focused upon as compared to the back. I can see this related to my iterations because I would focus working on my iteration from one side rather than constantly turning it to see what all sides are equally interesting.
ITERATION: 5 Thought Process: •
When designing this Iteration, I was still looking at the Malevich picture for representation. Though during this week we were suppose to step away from Malevich and start developing from previous models, I was combing both Malevich 2-D perspective of the top view and the narrative.
• What I developed from the narrative was that it was shifting its way to a better meaning. Instead of being really general, I started to make the narrative setting at a mountain. A mountain setting was just the right place as to trying to get my perspective of a journey. Where you are traveling to the top of the mountain to get this wonderful view. • I wanted to incorporate an incline on the structure to give the feeling of ascending to a higher level. • As for the inside of the structure, I wanted the person to feel like they are in a cave and towards the end, there is something that hangs down that looks like its about to fall to give some sense of fear or caution. • As for the top part, I created a peak that people can walk on and can see from a taller perspective. But inside the peak holds an entrance that leads back down to the cave. I wanted to connect the cave and the peak so that it can be one system that goes in circles.
Analysis & Reflection • After discussing about this iteration, I found out that we were not suppose to be working on the continuation of the Malevich work. It is now transitioned to storyboard and the narrative. So having to do both story board and sticking to the Malevich work was a setback on creating something entirely new that could relate more to the narrative. • I’ve learned that I’ve been stuck in this “blocky” design and want to create something more complex. Because in class when we were comparing models by interest, mines didn’t get chosen as interesting and the reason for this is because this was lacking complexity. • In order to have more complexity in my next iteration I should step away from straight and flat surfaces.
ITERATION: 6 Thought Progress: • •
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I took in account about complexity and decided to change how my narration will unfold. In this week, we are switching over to creating storyboards and climatic space. The climatic space I chosen was that little ledge pointing out of the structure. The reason I chose this climatic space is because I wanted the scenic view of hiking a mountain to be on this iteration. When climbing up you’ll face the challenge of the slope and when you reach past that part, you’ll be able to go on that platform and see the progress you made. In my story board I took pictures from where you’re approaching the structure and being curious onto what's at the top.
Analysis & Reflection
• When constructing this iteration, it was difficult to put the slope piece together with the two walls. Eventually it stuck together and I was able to create an entire pathway up the structure rather than building a ramp that takes you up. • But I wasn’t really liking the slope pathway because it made the building
ITERATION: 7 Thought Process: •
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To help with my climatic space I needed to make a model that highlighted the current space but create it in double its size. I tried to have little materials as possible to help highlight the climatic space only. When making structure double its size, it feels weird somehow. It definite got my out of my comfort zone by creating smaller structure and also allowed me to closely analyze on how to improve my climatic space to that it’ll have a stronger meaning.
Analysis & Reflection: • After making my climatic space double its size, I notice how it didn’t feel as climatic as it should be. I decided that for it to be more of a mountain I would need to have this at the top of my iteration rather than having it in the middle section.
ITERATION: 8 Thought Process: •
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When looking at the climatic space from iteration 7, I wanted to direct the view not away from the structure but I want it to show you where you started when going to the top. I wanted to change the blocky feature of my last iteration because having a larger incline gave the inside a blank space area. This time I took the top level and lowered it to a more middle level and moved the climatic space above that. This will give the climatic space more attention than the previous iteration.
Analysis & Reflection • This Iteration came out nicely in terms of the story board and climatic space. Putting the climatic space on the very top does make it more dramatic than the previous iteration. • I learned that trying to make something more climatic is to create its own space so it can stick out more. For example, when I moved the climatic space on top, it has it own space and is easier to be seen. • A trick that I noted down that worked on this developing process is to have your setting/ concept first, then you can think of the details later. Before I would think how will I reach the top, rather than figuring out how will my story board flow with the next iteration.
ITERATION: 9 Thought Process: •
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When creating framing, the process was a lot harder than I expected. I didn’t have the convent materials such as skewers, so I decided to cut up lengthy thin lines of foam board.
Assembling them together was also hard because I was used to having flatter surfaces and gluing them together. When putting the framing together, I would need to glue them into parts first, then glue those parts together.
Analysis & Reflection • This process of building framing was a hard approach, but it taught me some new lessons when looking at groups and parts. • When looking at frames; to make things more efficient, is to have connecting the spaces and joints all be together to make the connection a lot stronger.
ITERATION: 10 • When creating skin for this iteration, I really find it interesting on how you can decided which spaces are open and which are closed. • This lead to ideas on what I want to be transparent and what I want to be obscure. • I really like this process because after the hard part of making the framing, you can choose the areas you want to be more solid which really makes it stick out more in my opinion.
Conclusion Taking ARCH 101 was a really interesting and fun learning experience. Though it was tough in the beginning, I think they everyone will go through this and after you pass that bumpy road, it starts to get really fun with your imagination. I really enjoy creating these iteration and seeing how my thoughts can make a difference if I record them. The hard part for me is to keep on analyzing everything I see. Though its probably not something you get in a week, hopefully ill become better at analyzing and expressing more ideas when it comes to architecture.