Arch21 Midterm Portfolio - CCSF Spring 2009

City College of San Francisco

KENT WILSON

MIDTERM LEARNING PORTFOLIO FALL 2009

Notes made on location, immediately following the hike (below and right). From these observations and notes, the form of the presentation began to evolve.

1•17•09 ICEBREAKER – WALK IN THE PARK This was the kick-off of the first iteration of the project.

I partnered with classmate Jessica to do a weekend exploration of the Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trails to Stinson Beach. The purpose was to develop a presentation communicating our findings with regard to: • perception of what shapes the experience of a place, and identify potential tectonic factors could trigger those perceptions •

developing sensitivity to what defines a sense of place, and to specific aspects that constitute the journey through a space – distance, milestones, contrasting features, mode of travel, difficulty/ease, speed, rhythm, direction, agenda, expectations, obstacles – especially as those things relate to the level of inspiration experienced, the emotive qualities, at various points along the journey

• identifying at least six adjectives that express the emotive qualities evoked by the journey, that form the foundation of our ongoing narrative, and that inform our evolving tectonic language through the subsequent iterations of the project Critical Reflections The notes taken on location were of equal (or greater) value to the photos, allowing us to capture the essence of the place while it was fresh in our minds. This first phase of the project – the actual physical exploration of the space, the photography and the note taking, as well as collaborations with another person – taught me the importance of first-hand experience of a place versus reliance on maps, text or photography supplied by someone else.

The physical structure and layout is intended to enhance the evocative properties of the photographs.

Curving lines reference the soft undulation of wafting breezes, the sensuous curves in the topography of the place, as well as the presence of rumbling ocean waves that become increasingly prominent as the journey progresses.

Structural layering of the presentation board symbolizes a sense of discovery and an unfolding journey.

1•19•09 ICEBREAKER Emotive qualities are categorized as: Waves fluid • graceful • wafting • wispy • serene • soothing • delicate Exposure raw • vast • expansive • dry • broad • crumbly • prickly crunchy • spiny • twiggy • exposed • revealed • fractured Enclosure encompassing • enveloped • embracing • encircling nurturing • protected • deep • soft Convergence balanced • harmonious • unified • verdant • thriving blossoming • symbiotic • contrasting

Critical Reflections While I feel that our presentation was engaging and visually appealing, and achieved the objectives for this iteration, I learned later that our emotive qualities could be more fully developed to capture actual human emotions. While at least 6 of our adjectives achieved this, I feel this could have been developed further.

Critical Reflections This focus on the descriptive adjectives and emotive qualities of the journey heightened my sensitivity to the contrasts between the different spaces within the whole. Here I began to understand the qualities of the spaces as existing on a continuum from dark to light, enclosed to open, vertical to horizontal, lush to sparse.

11” x 17” presentation begins mapping of emotive qualities

embracing

expansive mysterious exposed nurturing vast LIGHT

EXPLORING 1•21•09 EMOTIVE QUALITIES Here I began to refine my thinking about the contrasts between the dark, enclosed environment of Steep Ravine and the open, exposed environment of the rolling bluffs on Dipsea Trail above Stinson Beach.

SHADOW

bright sun

dappled light

The charting out of these qualities began in this presentation and was further developed in the next iteration.

shade

TERRAIN

EXPOSED broad rolling hills | rocky path expansive sight lines | horizontality

ENCLOSED

steep narrow canyon | ground thick with organic material limited horizontal sight lines | verticality

crumbly dry

deep

enclosed

steep V E G E TAT I O N

SPARSE

low bushy chaparral | grasses | riparian oaks

I hypothesized that these, along with the elevation of the trail and surrounding land in relation to the observer, were essential elements triggering the emotive qualities of the site.

Kent Wilson Arch21 Spring 2009

STEEP RAVINE and Dipsea Trail to Stinson Beach

LUSH

thick redwood forest | ferns | moss | oaks | fungi

twiggy

soft

tall verdent

prickly E L E VAT I O N 2000” 1500” 1000” 500” 0”

0 mi.

TRAIL

1 mi.

2 mi.

S U R R O U N D I N G S LO P E S

3 mi.

Critical Reflections These notes and sketches helped me to organize the information for the next presentation. The most successful aspect of the preliminary organization was the charting out of aspects of the spatial environment, luminous environment, auditory environment, thermal environment, lines of sight, surfaces and materials, and vegetation.

Six key areas on the journey – specific places – were compared and contrasted according characteristics relative to these essential elements.

This iteration was focused on delving deeper into the spatial experience to identify specific essential elements that shape the experience.

This is intended to answer the questions: • • •

What would one have to do to re-create the experience?

How would the observer/traveler be positioned in the space?

What patterns, rhythms, contrasts, variations in scale, distance and direction are expressed in the surfaces, planes, shapes, paths and nodes?

1•27•09 RECIPE for a SPATIAL EXPERIENCE

Critical Reflections This exercise constituted somewhat of a breakthrough for me in organizing the information gathered in the first iteration. In that initial phase I had seen the experience as more of a non-linear collage of images and sensations.

This was a valid interpretation, but not as useful from an architectural design standpoint as the insights gained from this iteration. In this second iteration I began to think more in terms of the specific building blocks of the experience, and began to recognize their relationships, sequencing and scale in relation to the observer.

2•2•09 RECIPE for a SPATIAL EXPERIENCE

2•4•09 FIRST 3D MAQUETTE The objective was to select the most compelling and memorable site within the area researched in the previous iterations, and to explore through a small maquette how its emotive qualities are expressed through three-dimensional form, organization, spacing, rhythm, and other primary physical elements that comprise the space without mimicking actual textures and colors.

The primary emotive quality that I identified for the place was the sense of a delightfully dangerous journey of discovery.

Critical Reflections I embarked on this iteration intuitively, without the use of preliminary sketches. This was a somewhat literal interpretation of the space. The materials and craft reflect the spontaneity of the process and may have detracted from its presentation value; however, this expression of the space in three-dimensional form without the use of drawings was a useful interim step for me in developing the subsequent iterations. This showed me the value of preliminary sketching by exposing the weaknesses brought about by their absence, while simultaneously giving me confidence to improvise spontaneously with materials. The limited presentation value derived from the labor expended also helped open my eyes to the advantages of starting with a more generalized abstract interpretation of the space rather than fixating on literal details.

Critical Reflections This is the stage where I began to understand the iterative design process – the idea of returning to the subject repeatedly to explore and develop deeper understanding, and to extract elements that ‘work’ to be carried through into future iterations.

After the critique of the first iteration of my maquette and those of my classmates, it became clearer to me how abstraction could bring about unexpected discoveries in the design process. For the second iteration, I set out to find more abstract ways of expressing the emotive qualities of the space.

The notes and sketches I made for this iteration continued to influence the subsequent iterations.

2•4•09 SECOND 3D MAQUETTE – sketches

Critical Reflections This is the stage where I began to understand the iterative design process – the idea of returning to the subject repeatedly to explore and develop deeper understanding, and to extract elements that ‘work’ to be carried through into future iterations.

After the critique of the first iteration of my maquette and those of my classmates, it became clearer to me how abstraction could bring about unexpected discoveries in the design process. For the second iteration, I set out to find more abstract ways of expressing the emotive qualities of the space.

The notes and sketches I made for this iteration continued to influence the subsequent iterations.

2•4•09 SECOND 3D MAQUETTE

My goal here was to begin to refine the geometry of spaces within spaces, and to explore details of ceiling, wall and floor that define the spaces. I also began to work with the notion of “welcoming” as a contrasting emotive quality overlaid with the original concept of delightfully dangerous.

2•9•09 THIRD 3D MAQUETTE Critical Reflections With this iteration I further let go of the literal interpretation of the hiking trail, and move closer to set of spaces with its own unique qualities – still evoking a sense of the “delightfully dangerous” while introducing spaces in which it can be imagined that an occupant of the space might feel more welcomed by some adjustments to scale, the addition of walls and ceilings that bring a sense of order to the spaces, and by replacing the precipitous ladder with a staircase to bring an increased sense of self determination within the journey. These preliminary sketches illustrate this conceptual development.

Critical Reflections While most of my objectives were achieved with this iteration, the concept of a ceiling for the overall space was still unresolved.

2•9•09 THIRD 3D MAQUETTE

In the fourth maquette, the goal was to begin to consider primary, secondary and tertiary aspects of frame (skeletal structure), surfaces (skin) and connections – developing parallel conversations among the elements, and establishing repetitive patterns and variations of patterns. Additionally, my goal was to further expand the “welcoming” aspects of the spaces, and to begin to realize a more resolved structural system for the roof.

2•18•09 FOURTH 3D MAQUETTE – sketches

The process of making the model brought its own unexpected creative inspirations, such as the lattice effect on the right-hand wall – initially conceived as a continuous surface on only one side of the supports, it evolved into a more permeable varied pattern alternating from one side of the supports to the other, within the sections of the modified grid.

2•18•09 FOURTH 3D MAQUETTE – process

The roof structure began as a series of translucent panels framed into a modified grid (photos at left), flush with the plane of that grid.

It evolved into a series of panels (photo below) suspended beneath the grid and “exploded” away from it, arranged in a manner that presents a further variation of the still recognizable grid configuration.

2•18•09 FOURTH 3D MAQUETTE – process

2•18•09 FOURTH 3D MAQUETTE

After the fourth iteration, I continued to develop the concept by exploring ways to refine and unify the elements of my tectonic language so that those patterns could become recognizable and readable – to be incorporated into subsequent projects, and to become a defined part of my design vocabulary.

2•25•09 ONGOING EXPLORATION

I continued to explore and refine the interplay between “enclosed” and “open” spaces, and to further define specific places within places.

3•2•09 ONGOING EXPLORATION

3•2•09 ONGOING EXPLORATION Narrative: Evolving Intentions The narrative is a way of using expressive language to first describe the spatial experience, independent of its physicality; then to identify distinct places and transitions in terms of their actual physical descriptions. This narrative is intended to both inform and be informed by the design.

Narrative – First Draft I feel a rush of soft cool air as I descend into dappled light. I’m aware that if I lose my footing, I could plunge into a dark abyss. I’m compelled to move forward by the sense that there is adventure and discovery ahead. I feel that I am flowing. I am calm, but thrilled by a sense of timelessness. I am delighted by a whimsical grandeur and a sense that life is springing forth around me. I am free to explore, and excited about what I may find.

Narrative – Second Draft Space 1: I’m in a space about 20 feet wide and 30 feet long, beyond which I can see a continuing path. There are no distinct walls, but to the left there is an open lattice structure, which – when I look through – reveals a drop to a lower level about 15 feet below. To the right is another drop-off, with partial walls beyond.

Transition: Shallow curving steps lead up, and a narrowing of the space between a tall column and angular wall.

Space 2: Platform at top of staircase gives view of drop-off all around. About 8 feet square space flowing over abyss.

Transition: Staircase, flowing Space 3: Dark space below platform, bounded by stream on one side and cave-like wall with an opening. Divided into two areas by lattice columns.

Transition: Abrupt, through arch, into lofty vertical space Space 4: Terraced area, with 30 foot high partial ceiling formed by balcony /walkway above.