CHICAGO STUDIO by kvav26

C H I C AG O ST U DIO

K A I T L I N V A V O S O F A L L 2 0 1 3

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P R E FA C E CHICAGOSTUDIO creates a constant fluctuation in the building up and breaking down of an individual. The external shell is lifted and the individual is left feeling completely exposed. It is a rapid timeline along which a slow revelation of character occurs. Life itself is an ongoing process of self-actualization. However, there are brief moments that begin to provide clarity to who we are, CHICAGOSTUDIO is one of such occurrences. Knowledge is absorbed at an incredible speed, but realization is a prolonged occurrence as we analyze every bone, every tissue, and every cell that defines us. Nothing about this experience has proved completely insufferable, yet we find ourselves unraveling as the program comes to a close. It is not the reviews, the people, nor the events that brought us to this point. Rather, it is the pace, the passion, the rigor, and the routine that ultimately is the incision that punctures our defenses. Exhaustion is our harshest critic. The body and mind are both weakened in this state. Exhaustion is as infectious as any virus and it carries quickly through a work environment. As we struggle with our thoughts and with ourselves so too do the people around us. Late hours, rapid decision-making, and top-down pressure are tolerable only by a mechanized being. Like workers in a factory, there were moments where we let creativity slide away from us along the assembly line. When humanity is repressed, like a sickness forced out, it retaliates in volatile ways. After witnessing such reactions in the workplace, we realized that no infliction of order can change the blatant fact that we are human and we are flawed. How do we design with these weaknesses? The skin is the first and unified line of defense our body has to protect. When breached, the body must react in a more specialized way. As we begin to rebuild what was lost, we regenerate, and become something different. We realize that this outer shell is something more than a defense mechanism. It is the boundary that contains within its walls the entirety of our being. This barrier is intentionally permeable, but through it comes both life and loss. True strength is not found in this outer shell itself, but through the internal reaction that ensues after the body accepts what is taken in. How then do we let design parallel our being and become an external force strengthened by its internal complexity? Architecture is a creation of man. It is an active representation of humanity. It is evolving, flawed and yet, still striving for perfection.

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CONTE NTS T H E C H I N A T OW N S T U DY 08 DEFINING A HEART 10 EXISTING CONDITIONS 12 HISTORIC IMAGERY 14 CHINATOWN STUDIES 20 WENTWORTH AVENUE:

A NEW CULTURAL CORRIDOR HISTORIC RELEVANCE STREET ANALYSIS

36 GATEWAY PARK

PARK STUDIES ITERATIONS FUTURE STUDY

C H I C AG O I M AGE RY 70 FILM 72 SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHS

U R BA N M A PPI NG 76 EXISTING CONDITIONS 78 STREET STUDIES 80 FRUIT STAND COMPETITION

PROF ESSIONA L PR ACT ICE 85 LECTURES 111 ESSAY ON ETHICS 115 PROJECT SCHEDULE 119 INTERVIEWS V A V O S O 5

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CH I NATOW N ST U DY

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T H E H E A RT C H A M B E R S A. LEFT ATRIUM // NEW CHINATOWN (receives deoxygenated blood) B. RIGHT ATRIUM // HISTORIC CHINATOWN (receives oxygenated blood) C. LEFT VENTRICLE // GATEWAY PARK (forces blood out, short distance) D. RIGHT VENTRICLE // TRANSFER CENTER (forces blood out, long distance)

W A L L S E. MYOCARDIUM // CTA + METRA (muscular contraction) F. EPICARDIUM // SHIPPING YARD, DAN RYAN + STEVENSON INTERSTATES, CHICAGO RIVER (visceral)

A R T E R I E S G. LEFT CORONARY ARTERY // ARCHER AVE H. LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERY // CERMAK RD I. RIGHT CORONARY ARTERY // WENTWORTH

F H

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A C

I I

B E F

T H R E E

A R T E R I E S

W E N T W O R T H Wentworth serves as the cultural corridor, connecting both historic and new development along a A R C H E R Archer becomes the axis along which old and new are separated. It forms a central triangular plot between Cermak and Wentworth. C E R M A K Cermak is Chinatownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major access corridor to Greater Chicago. It connects Chinatown to two key places, McCormick Place and Pilsen.

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E X IST I NG CON DI T IONS A N A L Y S I S O F C H I N A T O W N S U R R O U N D I N G C O N T E X T

A N D

I T S

PARKS PRIVATE VACANT

2ND WARD

WENTWORTH AVE

25TH WARD

CERMAK RD

CERMAK RD ER

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WARD

SITE

SITE E AV

3RD

H RC

2ND WARD

E X P A N S I O N

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H I S T OR I C I M AGE RY P L A C E S A N D E V E N T S I N T H R O U G H O U T T H E P A S T

17th Anniversary Republic of China Parade, Wentworth Ave.

Protest: Japanese Invasion of Manchuria, Wentworth Ave.

1970

1932

China Times Newspaper Window, Cermak St and Wentworth Ave

Moy Shee D.K. Building Drawing, Michaelsen and Rognstad, Inc.

1963 1944

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1940

1920

Dragon Dance, Wentworth Ave.

1954

Lion dance, Wentworth Ave

Chinese AntiCommunist Returnees

1960

1928

C H I N A T O W N C E N T U R Y

2009

Chinatown southfacing aerial image.

2013

2010

2000

1990

New Chinatown Library designed by SOM is Announced, Wentworth Ave

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C H I N AT OW N S T U D I E S B O U N D A R Y

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A N D

A M E R I C A N

C H I N A T O W N S

WASHINGTON, D . C .

NEW YORK

CHICAGO

SAN FRANCISCO

LOS ANGELES

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ARCHER

CER

K WENTWORTH

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SITE DESIGN+ STREETSCAPE

WENTWORTH INTERACTIVE

SITE

PROPOSAL:

STREETSCAPE

PROPOSAL:

G AT E W AY

PA R K

TRANSFER

SCREEN

CENTER

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LOCATION W E N T W O R T H S T U D Y : S T I T C H I N G T O G E T H E R C O M M U N I T Y

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FUTURE STUDY AREA

SITE PROPOSAL

WENTWORTH STUDY

W E N T WOR T H : A N E W C U L T U R A L C O R R I D O R

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EXISTING PUBLIC SPACE (SIDEWALKS + PLAZAS) PROPOSED SIDEWALK EXTENSION

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INITIAL STUDIES S K E T C H

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S O L U T I O N S

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STREET ATMOSPHERE

WENTWORTH

1931 24

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AV E

WENTWORTH

AV E

2013

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RIGID SOFT FLUID

W E N T W O R T H ARTERY CROSS SECTION 26

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H I S T O R Y

E X P R E S S E D

S C R E E N S

+ +

L A N D S C A P E S N A R R A T I V E S

SOURCE: thisiscollassal.comm

SOURCE: designtaxi.com

SOURCE: thisiscollassal.comm

SOURCE: designtaxi.com

MODERN CHINESE LANDSCAPE PAINTINGS/COLLAGES: YANG TONGLIANG (LEFT) & YAO LU (RIGHT)

CHICAGO CHINATOWN WALLS + SCREENS (ABOVE), 17TH CENTURY CHINESE LACQUER COROMANDEL SCREEN: QUING DYNASTY QUING DYNASTY (BELOW)

SOURCE: http://zoom.mfa.org/fif=sc2/sc272715.fpx&obj=iip,1.0&wid=960&cvt=jpeg

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B L O O D T H E

F L O W

S T R E E T

A N D

I T S

U S E R S

R E S TA U R A N T

VISITORS TOURISTS CHICAGO RESIDENTS

BAKERIES FORMAL DINING INFORMAL DINING

R E TA I L

CLOTHING FURNITURE GIFT SHOPS ELECTRONICS

30%

DESIGN RESPONSE STREET SIDE

35%

SHELF

G RO C E RY/ M A R K E T

RESIDENTS YOUTH FAMILIES NEW IMMIGRANTS ELDERLY

FISH PRODUCE ASIAN SPECIALTY

COMMUNITY

CENTERS SCHOOLS CHURCHES

RESIDENTIAL

OTHER

BANKS OFFICES DOCTORS PHARMACIES POST OFFICES

WENTWORTH BUSINESSES

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SEAT ECLOSURE

10%

PLANTER DISPLAY

APARTMENT BUILDING

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

COLLECT

.01% 19%

ENTRY STOREFRONT

PROFILE

FRONT

FLOW

T H E TOUR IST

THE CHILD

THE LOCAL

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H E A R T B E A T F O R M I N G

L I V I N G

The street design aims to blur the distinction between people (what flows), natural (what softens), and built (what rigidly contains). Through the study of a screen, the street becomes a responsive environment, reliant on the activity of people and nature to give it form and a life of its own.

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S T R E E T

“THE ENVIRONMENT IS SOMETHING TO BE PLAYED WITH AS WELL AS IN. INTERACTIVE RATHER THAN PASSIVE. IT ALSO PLAYS WITH YOU, ELICITING A REACTION FROM YOU AS YOU MOVE THROUGH IT, WHILE ALSO SCULPTING YOUR MOVEMENT... AS IN THE IMAGINATION OF A CHILD, EVERYTHING CAN BE, AND IS, ALIVE.” KOVAL

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F O R M R E P E T I T I O N A N D M A N I P U L A T I O N The screen becomes an interactive device that can adapt and grow suit the needs of its users. Its identity is defined by those who engage it. The screen flows out from the plantings to enclose and recesses to blend within the tall grasses native to Chicago.

ILLUMINATE

DISPLAY

ENCLOSE

REST

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LOCATION S I T E P R O P O S A L : D E F I N I N G A H E A R T C H I N A T O W N

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F O R

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FUTURE STUDY AREA

SITE PROPOSAL

WENTWORTH STUDY

G A T E WA Y P A R K A

C O N T I N U O U S

G A T E W A Y

Chinatown has a complex layering of history that is evident in the physical evolution of the area. At the intersection of Wentworth avenue and Cermak Road resides the formal Chinatown Gate or Paifang. These Gates historically delineate an entry point and boundary between Chinatown’s and their context. The Paifang in Chicago’s Chinatown faces away from the more recent People’s Square. The square holds gates of it’s own, addressing a new history in Chinatown. Gateway Park serves as a formal place of arrival from the Metra and EL (Chicago’s rail systems), as well as a connection between Gateways. H O R I Z O N T A L C O N N E C T I O N S

people

conceptual

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V G

E E

a landscape that

RESPONDS form:

expansion

R S

T T

I C A U R E

architecture

contraction

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CHINATOWN GATES

S I T E A N A LYS I S C O N N E C T I O N T O W A T E R A N D G R E E N S P A C E

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Two parks reside in Chinatown itself with most of the parkland concentrated to the northwest edge in Ping Tom Park. Accessibility to parks is critical to citizens as green space within Chinatown is limited. As Chinatownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community has grown, much of the

population has traveled South toward Bridgeport, connection through Chinatown becomes key. Changing the street experience and creating an inviting path to Ping Tom Park is critical to its continued use and enjoyment by all Chinatown citizens.

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S I T E A N A LYS I S S T R E E T

C O N D I T I O N S

As Chinatown continues to grow, planning of the area becomes difficult as physical and visual barriers continue to restrict it. The street condition in Chinatown is rather undefined and diverse as a result.

CLARK METRA RAIL OBSTRUCTING VIEWS OPPOSING STREET FRONTS BARREN (RIGHT) TREE-LINED (LEFT)

Clark

Metra

Wentworth

Red lin

Arc

Cermak

CERMAK STRONG OVERHEAD PRESENCE OF CTA RAIL LINE OBSCURE ENTRY TO THE CTA RED LINE STREET CROSSING IS A SAFETY ISSUE TERMINATION OF INTERSTATE (LEFT)

Clark

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Cermak

Metra

Wentworth

Cermak

Red lin

Arc

STOREFRONTS FRAME STREET STREET TREES FORM ENCLOSURE AND VOLUME ISLAND BECOMES A BARRIER WIDE ROAD WIDTH (FOUR LANES)

Clark

Metra

e Red lin

Arc

Wentworth

Cermak

A RCH ER E X I S T I N G

E D G E

C O N D I T I O N S

STREET FACING PARKING UNENGAGED PLAZA ENTRY WIDE ROAD WIDTH (FOUR LANES)

UNENGAGED PLAZA FRONT Clark

Metra

Red lin

Arc

Wentworth

G G

CERMAK

S T R E E T FA C I N G PA R K I N G L OT S

Cermak

D O M I N AT I N G R O A D W I DT H

E D G E

A RCH ER

C O N D I T I O N S O N D I T I O N S

P eEr sDp eGc tEi v e C Perspective

STREET FACING PARKING LIMITED VIEWS LACKS DEFINITION AND SENSE OF ARRIVAL

Clark

Metra

Wentworth

Cermak

Red lin

Arc

Cermak

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S I T E A N A LYS I S I N T E R S E C T I O N

S T U D Y

Investigating Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management of intersections. Images were taken in Pilsen, The Loop, Damen, and Chintown.

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S I T E A N A LYS I S K E Y

PEOPLE’s square

PEOPLE’S SQUARE PEOPLE’S SQUARE

CHINATOWN GATE

CHINATOWN GATE WENTWORTH GATE

P L A C E S

RED LINE STOP

CTA RED LINE STOP TRANSFER CENTER

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S I T E A N A LYS I S D E F I N I N G

C U L T U R A L

C E N T E R

EXISTING CONDITIONS A, FIELD HOUSE B. PING TOM PARK C. PEOPLE’S SQUARE

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D. PROPOSED SITE OF TRANSFER HUB E. HISTORIC WENTWORTH F. LOCATION OF NEW CHINATOWN LIBRARY

A R R I VA L Orient and connect between key places Create a place of Arrival from the Transfer Hub Service Library

PROPOSED PARK

DE ST I NAT ION Create a centralized place of recreation Define a center by forming a destination that all places feed into

CLEARED SITE + CENTRALIZED PARK

I N T E GR AT ION Reinforce Wentworth Corridor Increase storefronts along Wentworth Bring together discontinuous layers of development

INFILL + GREEN ROOF

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CONCEPT A U N I T I N G

T H R O U G H

V I E W S

Northeast Section

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CONCEPT B C H A N N E L I N G

M O V E M E N T

FORMS ON SITE

ANALYSIS

LANDSCAPE MASSING COLLE

OBSC

URE

ELEVA

REINF

GENERAL GRADING STUDIES

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ORCE

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CONCEPT C A

C O N T I N U O U S

L A N D S C A P E

The third iteration of the design scheme aimed to unify the site through the study of movement of both people and water. Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Square, Gateway Park, and Transfer Hub become points of collection. The park exists to contract and pull together discontinuous places, while still promoting flow between them. The streets become channels, carrying pedestrians between places just as they direct and move rainfall. The rainwater gravitates with people to these key places in Chinatown. Where water is visible, people gather. Where water is channeled, people flow through.

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DESIGN DETAILS A R C H I T E C T U R A L P R O C E S S A T R A N S F E R H U B

F O R

The existing site conditions were compiled into a catalog of urban rules which included maximum building heights, street setbacks, floor to building ratios and design guidelines. The catalog formed the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maximum building envelope which began an intensive study of the building form. The thirty-two massing models were created to explore the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical ideas. Qualities of many of the models were taken into consideration as the project progressed.

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CIRCUIT This model focused on the idea of an elevated circuit above the trains, where a passenger can transfer from train to train. The circuit offers an interesting experience of hovering above the movement of the trains.

ACCESS Access points on all sides of the site allow for the project to meet each street equally. This model helped in thinking about the experience of moving from the street to a raised level.

VIEW A horizontally emphasized view and roof speak to the movement and direction of the trains. The architecture frames the Chicago skyline.

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DESIGN DETAILS S T I T C H I N G T O G E T H E R C U L T U R A L C E N T E R

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PLAZA RE-DESIGN (COLLECT) GREEN ROOF (FLOW) TRANSFER HUB ENTRY (COLLECT) LIBRARY DECK + SEATING COMMUNITY BUILDING: GARDEN LEARNING CENELEVATED PATH AND RECESSED SEATING (COLLECT) STREETSCAPE (COLLECT + FLOW) RELOCATION OF CHINATOWN PAVILION (FORMERLY ON CERMAK)

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DESIGN DETAILS P L A N T I N G S : R E S T O R I N G N A T I V E S P E C I E S

C H I C A G O ’ S

F D

J K D F

D C E

L G

E K

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H B G

J D

SUN F

K E NT U C K Y BLU E G R A SS

CHIGAGO BLUES BL ACK LOCUST

KEN TUC K Y COFFEE T R E E

CHAN TICL EAR PEAR

RDDELL’S GOLDENROD

BUTTERFLY WEED

WHITE TURTLEHEAD

GIN KGO BILOBA

PRARIE PHLOX

DRY

WET

DRY

TR EES

S H RU B S F LO W E RS GRA S S E S GRO U N D CO V E RS

CARDINAL FLOWER

BA L D CY PR E SS

FOXGLOVE BEARDTONGUE C SOLOMON’S SEAL

SHADE

F D

M J

K D F

D C E

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CON T I N U E D E X PL OR AT ION I N T E G R A T I O N O F P A R K C O N C E P T S

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S C R E E N

A N D

EAST-WEST WENTWORTH STREET SECTION

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CON T I N U E D E X PL OR AT ION I N T E G R A T I O N O F S C R E E N , S T R E E T S C A P E , A N D R O O F

Production for the final exhibition in Blacksburg only resulted in further exploration of the design. Initially, the Wentworth street study and the site specific design evolved differently. The ultimate hope was that the two would merge along Wentworth between the intersections of Cermak and Archer. Many of the design elements still remain in conflict. However, each iteration brought new clarity and understanding of the potentials within Chinatown.

ROOF + COLLECTION CHANNEL DETAIL

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I DE A L I Z E D

S K E T C H I T E R A T I O N C I R C U I T + P A R K

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SITE

O F

T H E

What happens when the park crosses the street and peals up to meet the circuit? The circuit becomes the sole unifying element on the site. Ground level retail is brought into kiosks at the circuitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry as well as into the first floor of the circuit as well. While such a setback from the street is improbable, it creates a powerful motion in and out of the site while providing accesible recreation area at the center or Chinatown.

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LOCATION F U T U R E S T U D Y : F O R G O T T E N P L A C E S

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FUTURE STUDY AREA

SITE PROPOSAL

WENTWORTH STUDY

CON T I N U E D E X PL OR AT ION R E I M A G I N I N G T R A N S P O R T A T I O N I N F R A S T R U C T U R E

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WENTWORTH PLAZA

PING TOM PARK

Throughout the past century, American cities have evolved with an emphasis on the car as the primary means of transportation. Today, as resources become increasingly limited, we must reevaluate the inefficient system we have created. If highways become obsolete, what happens to the space above, below and between them? In the Chinatown Study, this idea only touched on the full potential of what could happen if all boundaries created by transportation infrastructure were reclaimed as public space. This study and evaluation of space is something we must continue as we progress our design education. As Chinatown is a place with limited outdoor amenities and vegetation, quick sketch studies produced ways of “filling in the gaps” that transportation infrastructure has left behind. Wentworth Avenue gives way to many of this “left over” places. If these were to be stitched together through continuous public space, Wentworth could slowly transition from a car dominated corridor, to an inviting pathway for pedestrians.

SOUTHERN ENTRY

Our project in Chinatown barely brought us to understanding of the overwhelming possibilities these places might hold. I hope to continue investigates of transportationcentered design as I believe it is the only way our global society can continue to function.

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CH ICAGO FREQU E NCY

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A SHORT FILM O N T R A N S P O R T A T I O N A N D T H E W A Y C H I C A G O M O V E S Images were shot in Uptown, Chinatown, and the Gold Coast. A stream of endless cars move at such a rapid pace across the interstates that they create a continuous, undulating movement that elicits a still similar to that of Lake Michigan. Cyclists, runners, and the el are the infrequent bursts of energy that peak and crash like a wave hitting the Lakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shore. Demonstrators practice a prayer of fluid motion. Their bodies become the calm, constant rising and falling of the Lake. The dynamism of the city may appear chaotic, but after a time all motion creates one unified, constant pulse.

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SE LECTE D PHOTOGR APHS

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UR BA N M APPI NG

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FIGURE GROUND 5,000

10,000

20,000

AREA OF FOCUS BIKE ROUTES ROADS RAIL LINES (METRA) EL: RED + BROWN LINES)

T R A N S P O RTAT I O N 10,000

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20,000

40,000

10,000

20,000

40,000

SCHOOL PROPERTY PARKS FIRE STATIONS LIBRARY

LOCAL AMENITIES 10,000

20,000

40,000

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STREET CHARACTER A T M O S P H E R E C O N D I T I O N S

A N D

P H Y S I C A L

SITE PHOTOGRAPHS AND DESCRIPTIONS HIGHLIGHTING STREET QUALITY AND AESTHETIC ON 6 MAJOR STREETS (BELMONT, HALSTED, BROADWAY, SHEFFIELD/SHERIDAN, AND IRVING PARK) IN LAKEVIEW.

RESIDENTIAL

CIVIC

I R V I N G

COMMERCIAL

P A R K

O B R A D W AY

S H E F F I E L D

BOUNDING STREETS INTERNAL STREETS “GRID” STREETS

B E L M O N T

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Uniform Street Lights Uniform Bike Racks Lakeview East Signage 2 Schools Decorative Plantings

URBAN

SEMI-SUBURBAN

BROADWAY

STREET CHARACTER

Parking Lots + Suburban Elements Changes in Density Unified Decorative Street Lamps Avg. 2 per Block Diverse Building Typology Few Street Trees

Library Churches Evergreen Park Historic Buildings Residential Courtyards Increased Street Trees Decreased Street Lights

IRVING PARK

STREET CHARACTER

Parking Lots + Suburban Elements Changes in Density Unified Decorative Street Lamps Avg. 2 per Block Diverse Building Typology Few Street Trees

COMMERCIAL

BELMONT

Relatively Consistent Commercial Character No distinct Residential Blocks Greatest Number of Street Trees on a Commercial Street Distinct Street Signage Attention to Planters + Streetscape Historic + Modern Buildings Avg. of 2 Street Lights per block Slight decrease in density toward North

Sport Fields Increased Parking Lots on North End Increase in Gas Stations Decreased Building Density Decreased Building Height

Library Churches Evergreen Park Historic Buildings Residential Courtyards Increased Street Trees Decreased Street Lights

COMMERCIAL

HALSTED

STREET CHARACTER

COMMERCIAL By Wrigley: Barren Streetscapes Street Corner Parking View of Addison Stop By Irving Park: Lower Density/Building Height Parking

RESIDENTIAL Wrigley Rooftops Heavily deisgned Planters Increased Street Trees Street Trees appear to block lighting Michal Lutz Family Center

SHERIDAN/SHEFFIELD

STREET CHARACTER

COMMERCIAL Commercial edges at Broadway and Sheffield Poor Street conditions by Wrigley “Rough” Edge conditions Lower building heights

RESIDENTIAL Inter-Americal Elementary School Greenspace Assoc. with School Heavy Street streets Varied Charater toward Wrigley Center on Halsted Inconsistent Feel

RESIDENTIAL

STREET CHARACTER

WAVELAND

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F RU I T STA N D COM PET I T ION A L O C A L D E S I G N T H E G O O D F O O D

F O R P R O J E C T

S U L L I V A N H I G H S C H O O L R O G E R ’ S P A R K , C H I C A G O

oldable fruit stand Innovations in the way people use space, and a growing knowledge of the importance of locally grown produce have let to “pop-up” markets throughout the country. Farmer’s Markets are often temporary places, inhabiting empty parking lots, underpasses, and plazas. Thus, they must be quickly disassembled. The Foldable Fruit Stand addresses this need to quickly deconstruct and remove the stand from the market site. The wood front panels fold down to hold fruit boxes, while the back panel behind the chalkboard sign provides a more discrete place to hold a cash box and other personal items.

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U N F O L D E D

S I D E

chalkboard storage

wood shelf wire cable

6’

retractable foot securing foot strap

3’

D R A W I N G S

foldable fruit stand

F O L D E D

2”

4834-32

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PROF ESSIONA L PR ACTICE

THE DES IGN OF “MEA NINGF UL” CON N EC TI O N S

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LECT URES

N O T E S

R E F L E C T I O N S

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RANDY

GUILLOT

P R I N C I P A L D E S I G N E R C A N N O N D E S I G N S E P T E M B E R

5 ,

2 0 1 3

NOTES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT PEOPLE

INNOVATION

MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS HARD WORK COMMUNICATION STORYTELLING “DO THINGS FOR OTH ERS” A RCHI TEC TUR E = Quantitative + Qualitative “...perceived importance of tasks.” “If you are stuck, make stuff” “ Y O U R C L I E N T I S Y O U R D E S I G N PA R T N E R .” Therefore, you must learn to speak a common language “Be surprised by your own work.” “I don’t know the answer, that is why you hired me.” Work together, not as an individual. Do not let defensiveness hinder your level of commitment. I TE RATE Look at things at every angle APPRENTICESHIP THI NK ABOUT ALL OF THE LAY E RS What are the ramifications? Why is his decision being made? “Do not fear the eccentric opinion, for every opinion that is now accepted was once eccentric.”

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RESPONSE To begin, I will admit to writing this essay three weeks after Randy’s Lecture. However, reviewing these notes at this point in Chicago Studio has made my appreciation for his words even greater. The lecture began in a casual manner and I didn’t understand the full weight of Randy’s simple, but incredibly true statements until now. He proposed that the most important asset to working well and with passion as a team is to build “meaningful relationships.” This word “meaningful” is truly what makes the comment so poignant. “Our work” is not ours. It is always formed in conjunction with others and for others. Our society promotes the idea of networking, but I find the word networking to be superficial. It speaks less to the relationships formed and more to the advantageous connections made. It often seems forgotten that the work environment is a place, housing a community. Therefore, the relationships we build at work are equally as important as the ones we build at home. The work place promotes a collective mentality, a necessity to forming cohesive designs. However, even after a month of working as a team in CHICAGOSTUDIO, we found the work often takes precedent over the people. We become so concerned with the resolution of a problem that we forget we are not a factory of production, but a team of individuals. Our team is challenged by the thought that to promote our work, we must promote each other. Randy also told us that we are here to “do things for others,” but that extends beyond the people we work with in the office. It includes our clients. He assured us that “our client is our design partner.” This is something that I believe many idealize, but few achieve. It strips you of the title of architect. While we often hope to gain knowledge on how to compose beauty and function, we must understand that function does not just mean structural or ecological integrity. What we do must have social integrity as well.

After hearing Toyo Ito’s lecture on Design after the tsunami in Japan, I realized the power gained from actually stripping power from one’s title. The ultimate power of a designer comes from his or her capacity to understand. Toyo Ito removed his title and gained the acceptance of a community of people. With this, he constructed a “home for all” that to his friends was “typical” Japanese residential design. Despite this, as Toyo described his reasoning for the project, we could see his pride came from something deeper than architecture. He initially denied himself, to understand the needs of those he was representing. Ultimately, he brought back this knowledge of his craft, but only after he rediscovered architecture as a means of representing a specific community in need. I see this project by Toyo Ito as the physical manifestation and application of Randy’s lecture. Success in Randy’s eyes appears to have little to do with reputation but more with rapport. The manifestation of his work is only a measure of the relationships he has formed. Perhaps, the most compelling part of Randy’s lecture, was how he spoke in an almost irreverent manner about topics most architects would let consume their demeanor. His nonchalant attitude only enforced the fact that excitement about our work doesn’t always require an attitude of rigidity. It is the acceptance that we cannot be so serious about our work to the point where it ultimately hinders exploration and excitement as we work with a client. I realize now that everyone is a student and it is the acceptance that we will never have every answer that will ultimately help us persevere in our incessant search for knowledge.

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CARL D’SILVA P R I N C I P A L A R C H I T E C T M U R P H Y / J A H N A R C H I T E C T S S E P T E M B E R

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NOTES PROCESS SITE/CONTEXT PROGRAMMING PLANNING D E TA I L I N G

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RESPONSE I know I.M. Pei’s project at the Louvre well, or so I thought. I recognized it only for its impact, but not for its intent. I suppose, proving Carl’s purpose of the lecture. As designers we must look at things critically, critical does not mean to seek out flaws, but rather to understand opportunities. Case studies are not surface value examinations, but the learning mechanisms by which we answer the question of “how.” We are faced with more problems than any one person can handle, but that is why technology can be incredibly positive if used as a means of understanding. We will never create something “original.” Even the word “create” holds more power that we as humans can ever achieve. We simply take the building blocks we ar¬e given, and repurpose and recompose them, but everything we do breaks down to the same elements. This is where a case study becomes our greatest teacher. We must look objectively at a project, even strip it of its beauty and break it down in to a series of questions to understand the intent and determine, for ourselves, its success or failure.

analytical phase of learning that brings about any sense of understanding. Knowledge in the full meaning of the word, means more than just retention of information, but purposeful translation and communication of this information. Knowledge and understanding are inseparable entities that form an ultimate desire to be an active human being in this world.

The enjoyment that comes from being a scholar often seems to get lost in the professional world where contracts must be fulfilled and buildings must touch the ground. Carl however, continues to study things as deeply as he did as a student. His knowledge and retention of information is incredible and it was truly impressive to see someone who takes the time to care so deeply about the history and detail of his work and others. Being surrounded by scholarly professionals such as Carl while in Chicago, has only made me more persistent and at times aggravated in my own pursuit of understanding and often lack of it. I realize I know so little about the world in which I live. However, it only drives me more to seek out opportunities to learn. I often wish learning were as simple as taking the time to absorb information, but in reality it is the smallest component of the learning process. As Carl’s lecture argues, it is truly the

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DREW RANIERI A S S O C I A T E P R I N C I P A L S O L O M O N C O R D W E L L B U E N Z O C T O B E R

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NOTES C O N T R A C T = Agreement between parties AGREE MENT - Work Product - Fee - Schedule - Scope of Work - Risk / Responsibility CO NTRAC T - Accountability - Scope of Work - Mediation - Common Ground - Quality Defines:

-Fees -Schedule -Scope of Work -Risk/Responsibility

Phases: Conceptual De si gn (develop agreement between architect and client of what the concept is to prevent confusion later in the design process) S chemati c Desi gn (establish basic schemes and thematic design), Design Development (Client approves one or two schemes to pursue and these are developed into a mor comprehensive design) Constructi o n Do cuments (Design is finalized and signed by client and licensed architect, construction details are established)

B iddin g

(The design is relayed to developers and contractors who compete for completion of the project)

Constructi o n Admi ni strati on (Observation and advising during the construction process is critical to ensuring that the design details are carried out in the intended manner) Post Co nstructi o n Se r vi ces (Assessment of the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successes and failures, repairs in design are made in this phase)

Time + MATER IALS: what one gets paid for. Materials are critical fees to be accounted for throughout the entire process. Time is also important to be written into a contract as an architect should not be working during time he is not being paid for.

O wner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Archi te ct-C o ntra ctor (Roles in a contract must be clearly defined. This ensures that no one oversteps the role that they are being paid to perform)

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RESPONSE While Drew’s lecture addressed the relevance of a contract to architecture, it is certainly applicable to Landscape as well. Contracts in any profession are reliant on an agreement between multiple parties. In Jane Jacobs’s novel, Systems of Survival, she illustrates the importance of the fragile “web of trust” that is created in the workplace. She also alludes to the notion that it is often corrupt and broken. The contract is one solution to the issue of a trust in the workplace. It holds all parties accountable to their responsibility to the task at hand, with ramifications at either end if the agreement I broken. Drew stated that a contract can be defined as an “agreement” between parties. I believe it is this and more. A simple agreement may not have consequences other than a lack of trust between parties. However, a contract rigidly enforces this agreement with rewards and repercussions to either side if it is kept or broken. I appreciated the emphasis Drew placed on construction documents. It is often understated in education, but it is our main means of assurance that the design is carried out in the way it was intended. It also allows the architect to consider how they bring their design details together. One aspect of our Landscape program that I respect is the emphasis they place on material. Changing the landform means addition and subtraction of material and this is always expected to be as closed to balance as possible. Material sourcing is also something that can become a part of a contract. If one believes that it is sustainable as well as culturally ethical to keep materials limited to those available within the town or city they are building, this is something that can be detailed in these documents.

and will negate any time put into it. It is interesting to me that the major repercussions written into a contract are often monetary. Every phase of design consumes money. The complexity of design today requires that we have detailed contracts, but when ultimately money is often the determining factor of quality assurance, it is hard to believe in design that is inherently good. Design ideals are often overshadowed by the realities of the working world. We are taught to be dreamers but become disillusioned when these dreams do not meet our reality. How do we work in a way that is both just and moral when justice is insured in profit? How do we remain critical of our environment, but still hopeful regarding its betterment? Chicago studio has taught us to be critical of how we communicate verbally and graphically, but it also has briefly emphasized written communication as well. Contracts rely heavily in diction and must be written in a way all parties can understand so that all may be held accountable without confusion of responsibilities. In today’s world we cannot work effectively without a contract. Contracts eliminate the vague, they create strong boundaries. However, are these boundaries always necessary? Have we lost our own capacity to define moral convictions now that a paper defines them for us? We have no need to trust others if we have a contract. Perhaps, this is a bit extreme, and perhaps I just don’t fully understand the weight of the matter, but I would like to believe we could create agreements that truly are mutual proclamations and of not only agreement, but trust between individuals.

I question the validity of payment for one’s time in the office as architects often work over hours and I cannot imagine firms have the capacity to account for this. Time is a difficult issue to define as time put into the work is not enough to validate it. Poor work or improperly executed work is inexcusable in a professional setting

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NATASHA KROL MAUSKAPF E N G A G E M E N T M A N A G E R M C K I N S E Y & C O M P A N Y O C T O B E R

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NOTES A s k , L o o k, L ISTE N Ricardo Sco fi di o, The C i l i a r y F u n c ti on “there was a short story about a series of murders committed along a block but no one noticed anything strange..” Varied Past Undergraduate pursuits -Neuroscience -Architecture -Urban Planning “Alternative Generation” “Doctors for Business” “Today’s companies care about ‘what you think’ rather than “what you know.” Personal reflection: How do we design for the common man if we are trained to think differently? “A dapti ve co nstra i nts” How do we identify constrains based on the situation at hand? “Holist i c” approach to work Is it possible to be truly holistic? Only societies detached from technology seem to come close Tats u o Ho ri u ch i , Excel Spreadsheet artist 73 years old Means o f co m m uni cati n g p rop os a l s : “Gallery walk” Means depends on client Educato r vs. Pro bl em So l ver “Const ructi ng the box ” The box as a framework As constraints W hat ha ppe ns when there i s n o b ox ? Adapt?

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RESPONSE One of the greatest problems with design in academia is that we are so eager to seek out knowledge that we so rarely take time to make this a less passive and more active experience. The art “doing” is a much more difficult realm to engage then just simply learning. Natasha’s lecture immediately took us from the passive realm to active realm. She forced us out of our seats and onto the streets (excuse the cheap rhyme). What she does has little to do with anything built in the way we see the term. Her “built” environment is actually framework of connections to people and places. The product is not a formal structure, but a structured thought and resolution. What was most encouraging was to hear that emphasis in the working world today has changed from simply acceptance of raw knowledge to a question of innovative thinking. The fact that the business world is actually starting to give more credit toward a process of thought rather than pure fact, is rather incredible. It is so easy in Blacksburg to become absorbed in a world in pursuit of pure, aesthetic beauty. We are taught to make beautiful things, and if they do not meet the standard of beautiful, we are taught to find beauty in it. The world needs inspiration, and often this stems from a beauty that either illustrates or transcends man’s flaws. However, this way of thought tends to exacerbate the inherent flaw which is also our innate talent, our affinity for the aesthetic. A consulting firm is an interesting environment for a former architect as it asks for resolution. This does not always manifest in physical form. It can be through ideas, research, presentations, and ultimately communication. More than anything, her firm appears to invest in people not products. The eternal debate of whether architecture can be differentiated from art is tested in Natasha’s work. Both art and architecture speak to humanity. I think the debate is lost when the two are stripped down to their essence, they are a reflection of man. Both can stir emotion, provide comfort, address spatial conditions, and most importantly, tell a story. When the visual component is removed, consulting can become an equal to art and architecture. While architecture and consulting may be more focused on finding resolution than art, they still may never reach this. There may be a tangible product in art and architecture, but who is to say that the people McKinley effects are not the same.

Natasha emphasized constraints in architecture, the idea of framing a thought. We become experts at creating a structured framework. I believe architecture is nothing more than a structure. However, its power comes from the way it collects and captures life, not unlike a film. I struggle with the idea of setting constraints, of limiting options. My curiosity often gets in the way of my productivity. I find myself incredibly jealous of my peers and professionals who can look at their work as though they were a film director and say with confidence, “This is the shot.” How do we train ourselves to listen, but also to filter this information? Is it right for us to try to build with such certainty? This takes me back to the argument of art and architecture. When we set constraints, we inflict a personal bias. This is intentional in art, but when architecture must at times address specific needs of a user, do our constraints prohibit understanding of this user? I have asked these questions to several people involved in the program and the most common response seems to be that our knowledge of architecture supersedes that of the client and therefore we trust ourselves on technical architectural components. The best response I received came from Natasha. This answer of whose ideals should take precedent is always dependent on who is involved in the conversation. Catering a conversation or presentation to a client is not just a matter of good business practice, but it also helps the firm better understand how the client may think. The framework we create and the constraints we set may not only be our own bias, but those given to us by a client. This returns to Natasha’s initial statement about the importance of listening. However, passivity is not the answer either. It seems that the best architects do not ask their own questions, but they ask to initiate conversation. The experts learn to give the conversation a life of its own. The back and forth, the give and the take are balanced to a point where the discussion becomes a mutual understanding and exploration. Natasha’s lecture became such an expertly crafted conversation. Her responses affirmed our questions, but also begged us to look further. Her engagement showed us the importance of conversation as many of us left believing in something greater than architecture, the power of understanding.

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GEOFF WALTERS P R I N C I P A L D E S I G N E R C A N N O N D E S I G N O C T O B E R

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NOTES Director of Quality: “quality reviews” deepen one’s understanding of the project “The amount architects must learn is overwhelming” Deep understanding of all aspects (technical + conceptual) of practice makes one a better designer Key components: Collaboration + Integration Integration: Taking practical concerns and optimizing them into design thought “SEEK KNOWLEDGE: Ask questions. Seek answers.” Essentially, if you don’t know, ask. Do not try and do things incorrectly. Means of resolution/Solutions: -Understanding code -Engineering/Structure -Lateral Forces -- Plan Generation “NO ONE IS AN EXPERT. To be a Director, one must know ENOUGH to drive process and COMMUNICATE.” Function of a Building: Materials + Systems + Performance Performance Assessment Programs/Tools: Sustainable design Architecture 2030 LEED, Living Building Challenge ASHRAY BIM Modeling CBECS (Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey) Architecture 2030: Buildings are designed to reach certain goals in a timeline to ultimately reach Net Zero energy performance by 2030. By 2015: 70% Reduction in energy output based on building typology/region TRANSPARENCY is key to reaching these goals AIA Sustainability Opportunities Leadership Scan: 2 Core Trends: Energy + Material Emerging Trends: Design & Health + RESILIANCE Form Follows PERFORMANCE (Then function) Hand Drawing + Rendering vs. 3D modeling Carefully Framed Narrative vs. Everything told at once

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RESPONSE After listening to Geoff’s lecture, I left feeling entirely overwhelmed with information presented in his lecture. However, after revisiting my notes, I realized how incredibly relevant his lecture was to the issues that plague designers of this decade. Our world is struggling to maintain a level of efficiency in production that stems from inefficient practices. Our intricate infrastructure has created a paradox at every level. Technology is our greatest means of complication, but also our greatest means of understanding. I chose Landscape over Architecture as a result of my belief that we are only a product of the natural environment. To build within it, we must understand it. It is incredible to see how rapidly our world has and will change as a result of technology. However, it is often underutilized. Technology, I believe is a tool for understanding and for testing. This is where I find BIM modeling so incredible, in both positive and negative ways. It is advantageous in that we can model a building not as simply a static form, but an adaptable entity through which performance and efficiency can be assessed. What it lacks is what Geoff believes is the ability to “carefully frame a narrative.” I agree to an extent. It is becoming increasingly difficult to filter information. I see firms so excited by technological advancement in their work that they allow the architecture to become more about the information and less about the experience. Artists seem to have found a more satisfying balance of technology and storytelling. I believe this is because they are less inclined to replace emotion with fact. The truth is found in the story told and not the data at hand. I believe architecture needs to step back from the constant information feed and remember why architecture has evolved as a profession. Essentially, architects create relics. A building may stand longer than its original occupants, but it can still tell their story. If we bring these thoughts into the computer models and renders we make, perhaps we have a chance at salvaging the “narrative” that Geoff believes is missing.

The planning department at SOM is wonderful at embracing new information as it is incredibly critical to the planning of sustainable cities. I wonder, however, if today’s cities lack a sustainable mindset, not because of a lack of knowledge, but rather too much of it. It becomes far too easy to retreat into the world of a computer or a television that it is to be an individual in a living city. I am starting to believe that we cannot resolve these pressing environmental concerns with advancements in technology alone. We must strengthen our minds as well. Geoff brought up the idea of “resilience.” I see this as a far too passive word. It operates under the assumption that catastrophe will occur and it is a matter of how we react to it. We have created wonderful mitigation measures, but few solutions that ask what the source of the problem is. This becomes difficult when it questions our lifestyle. I believe Perhaps, environmental sustainability is not only a question of utilizing new environmental technology, but also capitalizing on mental integrity as well. The division between natural and man-made must change. The world has a natural order and it will fight to maintain it. I believe we will only resolve our current environmental and societal if we continue to pursue a better understanding of this natural order and mesh our systems with it. BIM Modeling and other Green Initiatives are only a strong beginning to a process of resolution.

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CHIP VON WEISE P R I N C I P a l D E S I G N E R V O N W E I S E A S S O C I A T E S O C T O B E R

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NOTES P r o d u c t I ni t i at ion -Client Proposal -Job number & project data entered into accounting software -Set-up computer files -Edit/Write Project checklist M a n a g emen t Tips : -Become the first source for product information -Proactive communication at all levels -Manage books -Manage Budget -Be Excited -Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Rush -EVERYTHING is designed (letters, emails, drawings) -Ask questions- Do not assume -Match design with budget -Love what client loves T riangle ( C lient - C o ntract o r - A rchitect ) is becoming more linear De a d l ines : -Proactively manage deadlines with design team -Proactively manage deadlines internally -Proactively manage deadlines with client O t he r Tips -Ask for help early on -Know what you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know -Distribution of labor is key -Have efficient communications (Consider questions before you ask) -Execution of what client wants determines project success -You are not the firm -Know who to seek out to compensate for your own lack of experience -Observe, learn, go out and do -Clients come from diverse acquaintances

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RESPONSE Chip’s lectures are always effective in their honesty. He speaks candidly about the experience of both working in a large firm and being the owner of a small firm. It is interesting to break down the process of how a small firm must operate. SOM has their own accountants; Chip must work with accounting software. After looking at both types of practice, I feel small firms must be incredibly careful about who they hire and how they operate. Chip stressed the importance of communication at all times and at all levels. It was interesting to see that he wished to have as much information in his control as possible. I am curious to compare how a small firm of partners might operate and distribute the control.

of unquestioned support. I do not think I can practice architecture if I believe it takes me away from being able to give to a greater family. I believe Chip hopes to achieve this through his willingness to “love what the client loves.” He is willing to sacrifice his ideals only if it is for a greater need of the client. This leads me to an inescapable question. Can morality exist in a business of architecture? As students, we hope for fulfillment through architecture and in our future profession, but ultimately there is always a monetary backing in a job. That is, by definition, what makes a business. Profit and fulfillment do not ask for the same result. Profit is temporary gain; fulfillment becomes a permanent building block of character. I wonder if our profession is The idea of “control” and management in architecture fundamentally flawed in that we hope to understand the is one that I struggle greatly with. Many of my peers world through something that today must fit a business have decided that after working so heavily with a group model. in Chicago Studio, they hope to own their own firm. After hearing Chip’s lecture, I realized how little I want this control. I want communication and partnership not absolute power. As a head of a firm, the position seems to be framed around the sales pitch. From what I have witnessed here, architecture today is broken down into, communicating and producing a product. My reaction to this practice changes daily. I believe in providing something real and tactile, but I also believe in providing something that allows for imagination and excitement. Sam Mockabee’s Rural Studio is one of the few instances where I feel both are achieved. Clever, yet practical and cost effective solutions were able to provide structures for a community that was in need. To be blunt, Sam Mockabee did the opposite of Chip and chose not to surround himself with rich friends. However, he did have a University’s backing, which could be considered the same. I understand that in the case of many practicing architects today, ideals are often sacrificed for supporting one’s family, but I fear we have lost sight of what the purpose of family might be. Family is not simply blood relatives. It is a community

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M I C H A E L S K O W L U N D + p aul b landin g h o e r r s c h a u d t l a n d s c a p e a r c h i t e c t s o c t o b e r

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NOTES “Landscape requires that you develop details throughout the entire design process” “Details can become critical to the overall design” Gardens (Often heavily maintained) vs. Public Landscapes (Low maintenance, large open spaces) “Landscape as a profession is incredibly diverse. Few landscape architects are actually plant specialists.” Hoerr + Schaudt work well together. One is a plant expert and the other with hardscapes. -One builds a landscape through the plantings -Plants can be aesthetic and “structural” New projects in landscape with “collapsible” soils compact under the weight of heavy vehicles and cause them to essentially descend into a pit to prevent passage “Prospect-Refuge Theory” Projects -Gary Corner Youth Center (Roof Garden in poor area) -Soldier Field -Uptown Normal Traffic Circle (use a landscape to collect storm water and direct pedestrians and vehicles)

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RESPONSE As soon as our team entered Hoerr-Schaudt, I was immediately aware of an environment much different from most of the firms we experienced. The employees appeared invested in their work and content with their work environment. Michael and Paul made us feel welcome as they spoke about their work in an excited, but casual manner. They also found humor in the strengths and weaknesses of many Landscape Architects. The attitude reminded me of one that might be found at an Industrial Design studio. There is a playful rigor to their carefully crafted work. I truly believe Landscape is not so different from industrial design in its capacity to be incredibly tactile and intimately related to the user.

something more than glorified planters, seating, and strategically places street trees, but case studies that break these practices are often rare. I believe this is because I street is an incredible political realm, where safety and policy dominate. Hoerr Schaudt was quite successful in creating something that starts to question these boundaries and I am excited to continue following their work in hopes that more projects such as this occur. The street holds more power than we realize in a city. I hope in the future it can become something of a conduit, carrying life’s most precious powers all within its walls.

It was refreshing to see work that challenged what a landscape can be and how even in the most natural, unconstructed forms it can have an inherent and powerful aesthetic. One of the projects I ound most interesting was the Uptown Normal Traffic Circle. They were able to work within regulations and take what usually becomes a rather mundane and engaging road feature into a memorable pedestrian and vehicular experience. Not only did it serve pedestrians in giving them a friendly means of crossing an intersection, but it served the environment as well. It funneled storm water as it collected people. The concept of guiding people with water is one I spent an entire semester investigating. I believe it is incredibly powerful, because it is reflective early man who was so deeply tied to the natural environment. Rivers became trails guiding early settlers through our country and cities formed by necessity near large water bodies. To take this idea and modernize it through our most heavily utilized means of travel, the street, could be either brilliant or just incredibly logical. Other firms are trying to change the so called “streetscape.” However, I have seen few examples that truly challenge the existing experience. It is a growing knowledge that plant life can have both social and environmental benefits on today’s city streets. I have searched endlessly for projects that become

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IKER GILL D I R E C T O R , E D I T O R M A S - S T U D I O , M A S - C O N T E X T N O V E M B E R

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NOTES From: Bilboa, Spain -Studied in Barcelona and did an exchange program with IIT Architecture for Humanity Street Furniture -Adaptable, efficient, cheap -Won the competition and had to teach the community how to build it -Helped change the residents perception of what their street could be Millennium Park Installation -Color panels move in the wind -A not so spontaneous intervention (city regulations made project completion difficult) Lambau Field Signage -Native American Reservation -Native Americans bent trees to mark path Often works with others (eg. Graphic Deisigners, etc.) Individual Project: Pedway Redesign -Saw an opportunity and can now propose it to city -Issues: Disconnect, poor signage & lighting Marina City Publication -Reveal the diversity of apartments within -Sense of community Shanghai Transforming -Data + Images + Essays (Ademic + Personal) Lead to Mas-Context Mas-Context -Communicate urban context through a variety of means Collaborator: works with others who are experts Choose people who will also be interested in the project Process:

Break things into chapters. Specify rules. How much can be extracted but still convey all information?

“Do not SELL” “Be aware. Talk to others and find people with common interests” “Architect + Social Impact are inseparable”

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RESPONSE Within the first weeks of arrival in Chicago, a discussion was started regarding the disappearance of the “STARCHITECT.” Iker reaffirms this suspicion. Many of the firms today that are winning competitions are small and relatively unknown. There appears to be a shift from the powerhouse mega-firms to the small innovators. Iker is particularly interesting as he was a part of both. His connections from SOM, brought him to a point where he felt comfortable starting his own endeavor. Many believe that written media and books are dying, but I only see them as evolving. It may no longer be a means of monetary gain. However, media still has power and it has even greater power today to be accessible. Iker was was willing to invest in something he could make entirely his own only because there was no price attached to it. The purpose is shared knowledge. He seems to only have found success because he was willing to sacrifice stability for the pursuit of something he wanted to invest in. His publication appears to be more recognized than his architecture. Although, it could be argued that the Mas-Context is as much architecture as anything built. The publication creates a community of contributors and of readers structured around shared interests. Iker is the personality-type I am entirely envious of. He is a “self-starter.” When asked why he chooses to focus on the things he does, he explained it was simply based on what interested him in the moment. I wonder if people such as Iker, have to be eternal optimists. Is it possible to frame a life around only pursuing what interests him? He must be creative in seeking opportunities as opposed to succumbing to struggles. Iker confessed to be disorganized (as the man who began his own publication, this must be a somewhat of a selfdeprecating bias). However, this gives us less orderly people some reassurance. Iker firmly assured us that he was not a “social architect,”

or at least in pursuit of such a title. He appears to choose projects selfishly, based on his interest, but as soon as he invests in the client he is present in his position to serve them. While Iker claims he’s pursuits are for his own satisfaction, it is only a testament to his rooted moral convictions that what serves his needs aids others as well. I often feel at conflict with myself in design. When I pursue something for my own vain interest, I feel extreme guilt. I realized in Chicago, that while I may have strong beliefs, I also am very much too eager to deny my own convictions for that of another if they appear to be more experienced or self-assured. As students, our world is almost entirely driven by our individual wants and needs. It is my grades and my education and my life to live. I constantly berate myself for feeling like I do not know enough. I realize that I am entirely unjustified in this thinking. Individual knowledge is not what will drive design. It is relationships and shared knowledge that will sustain the future of this profession. Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the lecture was Iker’s willingness to state that he often does not know enough to complete a project on his own. Rather, he seeks out others who can give him the combined knowledge he needs. He appears to be truly invested in the people he encounters and this is what gives his design the “socially” driven nature. Iker helped me understand a different way of approaching morality in design. I am incredibly aware of my own flaws, but unwilling to accept any of my talents. Iker recognizes that by engaging his interests, he will serve both himself and his client with much more rigor and passion. I left Iker’s lecture feeling more hopeful about the future of design and more willing to trust in myself. I cannot say I will leave Chicago with complete knowledge of my strengths, but I know I will not be able to find them until I learn to accept the entirety of myself as a designer. Iker, like many of our lecturers seemed anything but satisfied with the design world. However, he still seemed content with himself as he was able to allow this unsettling nature of design to drive his work in a positive way.

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PETER ELLIS P R I N C I P A L D E S I G N E R C A N N O N D E S I G N N O V E M B E R

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NOTES B A C KG R O U N D : -Graduated from Cornell in 1971 -Worked in small practices after undergraduate degree -He described himself as having a very “60s mentality,” meaning he distrusted large organizations. -SOM > New Cities > CANON -Worked at SOM for 32 years, ultimately becoming a partner “It’s a bumpy ride.” “It is the rule. Not the exception.” “Pace yourself. Don’t get burned out.”

-Peter always “said ‘yes’ to travel.” He worked all over the world (7 years in London, San Francisco, and trips to China -Formed his own practice called “Peter Ellis New Cities” -He believes there is no distinction between Architecture, Design, and Urban Design. Practice “Creates an artificial distinction” between disciplines -Peter Ellis New Cities worked in India with 10 workers in India and 10 in the US -The collapse of the Global Economy caused him to reevaluate and consider becoming a part of a large firm once again. He then merged with Canon and established their City Design Practice -This studio focused on winning campus design projects as he believes College campuses are essentially microcosms of cities. -Ford Foundation invited the studio to an event and this is where the design studio became aware of Brownsville, Texas. -Brownsville is a poor community with a College campus that is expected to grow from 8,000 students to 20,000 students in the near future as it was merging with another local university -Canon is responsible for designing both a physical and virtual campus -The design of the campus was to relate to its impact on the growth of an entire region

UT BROWNSVILLE

-Historic Hispanic Tradition -Risakas = Fragments of the Rio Grande River as it has changed its path over time. Flood water recedes to these river fragments -Designed a “Compact Urban Campus” -The campus must have short walking distances as a result of intense heat -Shade and channeling wind were critical -Narrow Streets were designed in the direction of prevailing winds. This was derived from a renaissance notion of the Spanish conquistadors city design (Ex: Antigua, Guatemala) -Renaissance ideals created a “natural order at the human scale” -Net Zero can be achieved through solar, wind, and water (Water is key) -Convey water on the surface -Enforce Pedestrian, Bike and Mass Transit systems -The campus will use Nature and Landscape as a “learning laboratory” -In such a dry environment storm water management and restoration of aquifers is critical. -“No Walls.” The campus will be fully integrated with the city. It is not an “Ivory Tower.” -The campus will be a 24/7 live-work environment -The street grid merges the urban grid with the Hispanic historic grid -The “Green Arch” = Main pedestrian way that becomes similar to a “main street” -Restoration of the Riskas: open all channels to drain to the Risakas and flow through the landscape -Student Run Bike Share, Car share -Pedestrian Plaza: Lights on street flash red and the street becomes a plaza -Space-X: Research will be conducted by students of launching and tracking of spaceloads -Thornscrub: unique native plants -Respect Ecological Transect -Follow existing human ecology -Design “sensory courtyards” and “agricultural gardens” -Landscape can be a “silent mediator” -Passive design strategies can get 60% energy reduction the other 40% must come from sun, wind, water -Designs used traditional materials such as brick. “Sometimes you have to know when to oppose and when to go with it.”

“BELIEVE IN DESIGN”

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RESPONSE “Even if I work parallel to nature and only intervene with the greatest possible care, a basic internal contradiction that underlies all of my work, which in itself can’t escape the inherent fatality of our existence. It harms what it touches: the virginity of nature.” Nils-Udo, Artist

We constantly borrow from nature and rarely give back. The campus design shows that beauty lies not in perfection of form but in is capacity to evolve with life. The integration of the Risakas into the campus design as the connector, as a resource, and as a thing of beauty ensures that they are cared for in the future. Water is our most underutilized, underappreciated resource, yet “We, in our art, are to follow nature’s processes, nature’s it is our greatest source of life. rhythms, because those processes, those rhythms are vital, organic, coherent, logical above book logic, and I spent this semester questioning the value of investing flow uninterrupted from cause to effect.” in design for the natural world. It was difficult to Louis Sullivan, Architect decipher the intent behind the “environmental” design of many firms. Was it a genuine interest in resolving the As we become more aware of the fragile nature of our conflict between the built and natural worlds, or was it a world, today we as designers have a choice to work mere adherence to a trend? Peter was able to reassure with nature or in opposition to it. Peter Ellis’s lecture us that with engineers as our allies, we can achieve a reaffirmed my hope that we could grow our technologies design that supports the natural world. I applaud his with nature. Nils-Udo’s work is very much architectural optimism, but still find myself perturbed by Nils-Udo’s as it often consists of installations made from natural description of his interaction with the natural world. materials. His quote appears to be in contradiction As history reveals, good intentions in design do not with Sullivan, as he believes any action man takes is always result in a design that supports a healthy future an infringement upon nature’s purity. However, if man of our planet. In the past century, the car became the is a product of nature, are his designs natural as well? dominant vehicle in transportation design. Today, we Sullivan sees the natural world as something that gives aim to fight the car, and push for walkable cities with us a predetermined order. Peter Ellis takes this one step public transportation. We have changed our views on further, that we do not simply look to nature for order, what dictates “good” design. Is it possible to design for but we look to nature for answers. Design with nature the future when our world is changing in rapid and often is not about mimicking the natural environment, but unpredictable ways? Peter reaffirmed my hope for a integrating with it. Peter made a convincing argument future where built and natural will be indistinguishable. against Nils-Udo’s harsh statement as he showing What is built could still remain true to nature. We will technology, science, and nature coming together never be able to predict the impact of our design in the in the design of a college campus. He provided an world. I suppose it is really only hope that can drive us. eloquent description of the importance of the Risakas Design does not fail as a result of mistakes; because it is to the function of the campus, making awareness of this through these that we evolve. Design will fail only when resource a prominent part of the design. He descripted we stop doing, when we lose hope in its capacity to be smart practices that would string together the campus something positive for society. as both people and the natural world could live in unison in Brownsville. It is baffling that for proceeding the industrial revolution, our country forgot that nature is truly what powers the growth of technology.

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ADAM WHIPPLE P R O J E C T M A N A G E R , P A R T N E R N E W C A S T L E L T D . , C O R E 1 0 , C R O C K E T N O V E M B E R

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NOTES PROJECT MANAGEMENT & THE BROADENED FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE B A C KG R O U N D : -MASTERS IN ARCHITECTURE, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS -MASTERS IN URBAN DESIGN, HARVARD -U.S. NAVAL OFFICER, CIVIL ENGINEER CORPS -SCB-SOM-PROJECT MANAGER AT NEW CASTLE -INDIVIDUAL FIRMS: CROCKET LLC, CORE10 DESIGN SKILLS: -PROBLEM SOLVING -PRESENTATION -COORDINATION -BREAK DOWN COMPLEX IDEAS INTO MANAGEABLE PARTS P R O J E C T M A N A G E M E N T: -SCIENCE AND ART OF ORGANIZING THE COMPONENTS OF A PROJECT P R O J E C T: -HAS A BEGINNING AND END -USES TIME AND RESOURCES -BUDGET, SCHEDULE, SCOPE PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN ARCHITECTURE -PROJECT MANAGER = PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PROJECT DELIVERY -GENERAL INDUSTRY MANUFACTURE -ARCHITECTURE CONSTRUCT 3 LEGGED STOOL: TECHNICAL/DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION DIFFERENT SCALES OF WORK SMALL PROJECT: ORTHODONTIST OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES: CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS, BID TO CONTRACTORS, CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION LARGE PROJECT: KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN (SIZE OF CHICAGO) 2 YEARS “ILLUSION OF TRANSPARENCY” MUCH INFORMATION TO CONSIDER/ORGANIZE RESPONSIBILITIES: TIME + BUDGET LACK OF INVOLVEMENT IN DESIGN, LIMITED ROLE DEVELOPER PURCHASE OF PROPERTY, PLANNING OCCURS EVEN BEFORE PROPERTY IS BOUGHT BUY AND MARKET TO A SPECIFIC DEMOGRAPHIC BID/NEGOTIATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: CORTLANDIA, 2534 WEST CORTLAND STREET RESPONSIBILITIES: PURCHASE, FIX, MANAGE CASH FLOW -EXPLORE PERSONAL IDEAS OF DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION -BUILDS/RENOVATES MUCH OF THE INTERIORS HIMSELF -SCHEDULE -CAPITAL -CONSTRUCTION -COMMUNICATE DIAGRAM: ”THE DESIGN OF BUSINESS” –ROGER MARTIN BUSINESSES STARTED BY ARCHITECTS: APPLE, IDEO, TARGET, PINTEREST “IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT’S BEING SAID, THEN CHANGE THE CONVERSATION” ETHICS, PUBLIC WELFARE, PUBLIC DOMAIN: “WHAT ARE YOUR TALENTS?” “WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE AROUND?” SOLUTION BASED THINKING: -DECIDE WHAT A PROBLEM IS BEFORE YOU SOLVE IT -NO CLEAR PROBLEM -SIMILAR TO IKER, ADAM CHOSE NOT TO WAIT FOR PROBLEMS “ Y O U L E A R N T H E M O S T W H E N Y O U D O N ’ T H AV E C L U E .” “ E M B R A C E W H AT O T H E R S K N O W A N D Y O U D O N ’ T.”

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RESPONSE Adam’s lecture was unexpectedly compelling in his complete honesty about his experiences in the working world. He took what could have been a dry breakdown of the roles of a Developer and Project Manager and gave them life as he described his personal experiences in each position. After speaking with Adam in reviews, I had a much different opinion of what his thoughts on architecture might be. I was encouraged to see yet another professional that, like Iker, chose to explore beyond the traditional realm of architectural practice. Both Adam and Iker left positions where they felt too removed from the more tangible aspects of design and brought their skills into their own pursuit of Architecture. I was impressed by Adam’s willingness to take risks and to learn things on his own. My father also chose to accept time in the Navy in order to pay for school, only he never was able to be fully removed from it. He continues to work for the Navy as a Nuclear engineer. I have talked with my dad about his position and I believe he kept in only out of stability and sacrifice for my family as my mother has been unable to find a job. I was impressed that Adam was able to take these risks even with a family; although, he did hint at his wife’s occasional frustration.

bring him to new understanding and rather tangible satisfaction in being able to physically construct many things himself. Our school encourages a lifelong pursuit of learning. Adam seems to have embraced this aspect of architecture as well. Many professionals seem to become so concerned with the production of a product that they forget the excitement and risk that comes with understanding something new. We have encountered an incredibly diverse range of professionals in Chicago. However, many graduated with the same degree, proof that architecture applicable to endless interests. As Adam listed the skills each position taught him, I finally grasped just how broad the application of architecture can be. Chicago often left me feeling unsettled, even fearful about what my future might be. Professionals such as Adam and Iker have helped assure me that the only way I can fail is if I let fear inhibit me from doing. Adam concluded his lecture telling us, “You learn the most when you are in situations when you feel like you don’t have a clue.” Chicago has taught me how much I have yet to learn, but as a result I have never been more eager to understand this complex world that surrounds me.

In the many professionals I have encountered, their greatest internal conflict appears to stem from achieving balance between work and home life. Today, we are encouraged, and even promoted, when we work overtime and drop all else in our life for a job. I spoke with a friend from Italy this week and he explained to me that he was confused after coming to the United States. He hoped that the level of work and rigor would stem from passion, but he felt it often was out of habit and pressure. How do we find this seemingly unreachable balance between exhaustion and passion? Passion pushes past exhaustion, while exhaustion only leads to discontentment. Perhaps Adam has found that balance in taking risks. As he explained his role in development, every stage of the project seemed to

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LAURA FISCHER M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R I P M C O N S U L T I N G L T D . N O V E M B E R

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NOTES B A C KG R O U N D - Undergraduate Degree: Bachelors of Architecture, Virginia Tech -MBA University of Chicago, Finance -Licensed Architect in Texas, New York, and Illinois -Licenses in Real Estate and Interior Design -Fellow in AIA -CORE-NET corporate real estate group -Spent 4th year doing a work study with SOM -First job was working with the firm that designed Marina City. One of few females. -Many students in her MBA program worked at banks who would help pay for their tuition. She felt this was a better way to spend her time and worked as a corporate architect for Continental Bank. -In this position she found herself interviewing I.M. Pei only two years out of school. McDonalds Corporation 250 thousand square feet of property Leasing design, Construction and Properties CONTRACT WORK London, worked for Walt Disney PRITZKER HOTELS Hayatt hotels//Hyatt Center//I.M. Pei CHARTER SCHOOL Needed furniture inventory DEAN FOODS, DALLAS Food processing industry What does the building need? What repairs need to be made to make it functional and an acceptable? headquarters for this large business? Was able to negotiate with the landlord to give the company money to make the renovations Gensler (Architecture Firm responsible for redesign) T H E 2 N D H I G H E S T E X P E N S E F O R C O R P O R AT I O N S I S R E A L E S TAT E . I T I S A L O N G T E R M I N V E S T M E N T W O R K I N G “ O N C O N T R A C T:” Laura has to do everything. Managing finances, etc. Create a document that you can modify from project to project “Learn as you go.” Know that your interest may be different from your skill set. MAINTENANCE: How you maintain and take care of the things you design FINDING A JOB: -Wide range of opportunities available -Stay open -Spend time connecting: AIA, Professional Associations, etc. -Volunteer, be a part of committees -Who are you valuable to? “You might be more valuable to a church board than an architecture firm.” -Volunteer to find jobs -Consider how you present yourself. “Dress for the job you want.” “A R C H I T E C T U R E I S A B U S I N E S S . Y O U A R E A D V I S I N G C L I E N T S O N H O W T O S P E N D T H E I R M O N E Y.”

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RESPONSE Despite the fact that Laura’s job is something I could never imagine doing myself, I am still in complete awe and admiration of the woman. She is strong willed, but incredibly kind; blunt but entirely honest; rational, but compassionate. After talking with her about her student life at Virginia Tech where she was one of very few girls, to again being the only woman working at her first job, she is a person to admire for her strength. While she was at Tech, the few girls there all had curfew while the men did not. This was not very conducive to architecture studio where all-nighters are a weekly routine. She told us how she often had to climb through open windows to make it back to the dorms. This woman had incredible determination even in college. She seems entirely undisturbed but aspects of professional life that many would find cumbersome. She takes it as a reality of her position and moves on to the task at hand. Laura admitted that even early on in her architecture degree she was fairly certain the typical architecture career was not the path for her. Her ability to recognize this and accept it rather than fear it is something I admire as I am not certain I will pursue a job that relates specifically to my degree. Like Iker and Adam, she broke out of the traditional mold of architecture and chose to apply her skills in a way that suited her. When we first met Laura as a group of only females in CHICAGOSTUDIO, I was intimidated and taken aback by her personality as Andrew described her as a “mother figure.” I was expecting a warm soft-spoken woman. Instead she was at times abrupt, and almost forceful in her willingness to share her life in architecture with us from start to finish. Laura, like many of our lecturers earned my trust with her complete honesty, a sometimes shocking honestly that revealed her very justified distaste of short skirts in the office. She was one of the most rational individuals I met while in Chicago. It is much needed in a profession where architects strive to be rational, but find themselves in conflict with their

curiosity and creativity. She seems to have an incredible skill in seeing things objectively, defining what is there, what the problem is, and what the ensuing solution might be. This was evident in the way she dealt with the property bought by Dean Foods. She was able to convince a company that spending money to improve their office would ultimately be a good investment. She changed not only their views, but that of the property owner as well. She was able to convince both parties to invest and found the renovation of this building. This is true skill in communicating. We often think of the word “communicate” as something referencing speaking and negotiating. However, after spending this semester observing office communication, the best communicators appear also to be the best listeners. The will often be able to manage a situation in the way they want because they are able to understand the client’s needs and merge them with their own needs. When Laura invited us to her house, I found myself at one point in the night surrounded by her and all of my male peers. As I watched her speak, I could tell she had all of us equally engaged. Regardless of her gender, Laura has a presence that commands respect, not out of force but through her generosity and decency. While, I cannot say I would want Laura’s career path, I only hope that I can learn to have similar strength and poise as a professional and as a person.

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JOHN SYVERTSEN S E N I O R P R I N C I P A L C A N N O N D E S I G N N O V E M B E R

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NOTES “ W H AT W O U L D Y O U B E I F Y O U W E R E N ’ T A N A R C H I T E C T ? ” Social Interest related profession FAV O R I T E B O O K S + A U T H O R S Dorris Kern Goodwin- Team of Rivals Depicts the unselfish Leadership of Lincoln in spite of tension Adversary vs. opportunity David McCullough-John Adams QUOTES: Team 10 after WWII “This approach to the world is dehumanizing.” Peter and Alice Smithson “Humanic Modernism” “Space in the image of man is place and time in the image of man is occasion.” -“Calming Stabilizing, orienting” -“Mountains beyond mountains” -Companionship in social interest HOPE + FEAR “Don’t be afraid to show emotion…leave a meeting both excited and terrified.” U N D E R G R A D U AT E D E G R E E I N P H I L O S O P H Y Studied the “Subject of inspiration, The Act of making art.” “Inspiration is a way of absorbing your context in a way that is inspiring.” Motion in the world  Engagement A LEADER IS… Respected, Admired One must “overcoming the fear of separation between people you are speaking to allows for vulnerability…” but it also allows for you to look at everyone with admiration. DESIGN IS A LANGUAGE A R E S P O N S E T O H U M A N B E H AV I O R “ S O M E T I M E S AT TA C K S A R E T R U E B E C A U S E I T I S A T R U T H T O T H E P E R S O N W H O I S M A K I N G T H E AT TA C K .” W H AT D O Y O U L O O K F O R I N E M P L O Y E E S ? LAST ON THE LIST: PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS FIRST: SINCERITY, ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT, CURIOSITY, WILLINGNESS TO EXPLORE AND LEARN SOMEONE WHO LOVES THE WORLD AND THE CITIES HE/SHE EXPLORES WOULD HE HIRE AN ECONOMIST? WHY NOT? SELFISHNESS IN LEADERSHIP “What is good for you can be good for them.” Leadership comes not when you seek it but through respecting others The reward comes with the feeling you receive from this CLIENT MEETINGS -Not linear. “Explode and let the dust settle.” -Meetings are DESIGNED CAN DESIGNERS MAKE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING? “ T H E R E I S S O M E T H I N G . J U S T F I N D I T.” “ FA C I L I TAT E I N T E R A C T I O N .” “ E L E VAT E H U M A N D I G N I T Y.” SELF PROMOTION John believes in “shameless self promotion” only because I believes that this will drive others to be better as well.

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RESPONSE John was calm and soft spoken. However, his demeanor did not mask his passion. He has a quiet confidence. With every word he spoke his lips formed a smile. A better man could not have been chosen for our final lecture. He has such a genuine way about him that I felt immediately that he was a person I could trust. As he told us that John Adams was one of his favorite books, I found myself excited. I read this while I was in middle school after my father recommended it to me. As it was so long ago, there are few details I remember. However, what struck me was how addictive the book became. I spent a week with my hand glued to the books cover until I finished reading it. What strikes me now is that this novel was able to speak to me even at such a young age. I was not able to relate to his professional and leadership roles, but I was drawn in by David McCullough’s illustrations of his personal relationships both to his family and to his coworkers. Despite his frequent travel, he was able to maintain these relationships through something as simple as letters. This only speaks further to his effectiveness as a communicator.

to meet their standards, the article makes it clear that many of the social and planning issues they hoped to address still have yet to be resolved. I was drawn in by the article’s description of their master plan for Römerberg as similar to today’s “fluid landscapes that dissolve the boundaries between city buildings and streets.” However, as I looked at drawings and photographs, much of their work still appeared rigid and harsh. Their drawing style was fluid, but the resulting forms didn’t seem to reach their ideals. Perhaps this was a result of technology not meeting their imaginative capacity. Today, I hope we can fulfill their goals of integrating the city, the landscape and the community.

John was the first lecturer to acknowledge emotions as valid players in the architectural profession. While emotions can often lead to irrational behavior, acknowledging them can help bring us to a more rational understanding of our thoughts and designs. By addressing the things that we fear in conjunction with the things that we hope, we can use hope to drive past these fears. We want irrational, insuppressible hope, not overwhelming, exhaustive fear. When we acknowledge what we fear, we can work to ensure that your fears will not occur. I had never heard of Team 10 until John’s mention of the group and decided to research them after the lecture. One of the first articles I found was a New York Times article, “Team 10: A Utopia of the Present.” The article explains the goals of Team 10 as they chose to fight the norms of modernism. While buildings today are evolving

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HONEST ARCHITECTURE H U M A N R I G H T S + D E S I G N P R A C T I C E

Metropolis magazine’s article, “The Fountainhead All Over Again,” references architectural historian Peter Collins who believes architecture to be akin to culinary arts. He states that “behind the original notion of taste-both aesthetic and culinary-was the basic desire to please the consumer, a value that has all but disappeared in contemporary architecture.” While this quote addresses the issue of the evolution of a seemingly arrogant architecture, it fails to address the issue that the consumer may not have the best interests of the society or even the world at heart. How do we as working professionals meet the requirements of our profession while ultimately keeping the greater good in mind? The case studies presented in Chapter 2 of Professional Practice 101 address both of these issues. The ultimate resolution of these questions appears to be found not in the direct solutions, but in honesty. These Case Studies are analyzed in conjunction with additional readings and an interview with Natasha Krol Mauskapf of McKinsey according to Ethical Standard 1.4 of the AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and Rule 1.101 of the ASLA Code of Professional Ethics. The AIA Ethical Standard 1.4 is written as the following: “Human Rights: Members should uphold human rights in all their professional endeavors.” The ASLA Rule 1.01 Addresses human rights more specifically through the following: “Members shall deal with other Members, clients, employers, employees, the public, and others involved in the business of the profession and the Society with honesty, dignity, and integrity in all actions and communications of any kind.’ Human Rights address not only clients, but all persons involved in the design process. It is important in design to consider the fact that whether a project involves large corporations or small groups, those involved are individuals and deserving of certain rights. According to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, human rights are undeniable to any human being and can range from “the right to life” or “equality before the law.” These rights are interconnected and often difficult to distinguish as one may rely on another. Just as the definitions in the Codes of Conduct are vague so too are the definitions of human rights.

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We look to define what is “right” and “just” and we find that the answer can rarely be defined by a generalized document. Rather, it must come from ourselves. In order to define what is “good,” Chapter 2 of the Professional Practice manual suggests that understanding “good” means searching for inherent qualities, “the essential nature of a thing.” This becomes confused as each individual in a firm may have a different perception of what the nature of a thing may be. Natasha Krol Mauskapf, works with a large consulting agency with many types of people. When asked how she kept herself grounded and in pursuit of what is just, while still a part of the corporate world, she said she simply strives to “do the best [she] can with what [she] can.” She begins each day at work looking at the things she can resolve and then begins to work from there. After feeling as though she exhausted herself trying to communicate with government heads in Nigeria in an attempt to eradicate polio, she still found herself failing to resolve the issue. This became an example where no visible resolution was in sight and she felt she had little to begin with. In a moment of weakness she felt tempted to scream, to explain to these people that she left her country and her comforts and she did it for them. Those she worked with did not see these sacrifices. They only saw the lack of resolution of the issue at hand and did not allow her integrity. Natasha’s story was filled with both passion and emotion, but is an example of how emotions can become barriers in the way we address Human Rights confuse rights with thoughts and emotions. Rights are defined without emotional implications; human behavior is not devoid of such ties. Technically, Natasha could have expressed her emotions to her client, but this could have meant losing the client’s respect. However, the client could have been considered negligent in their failure to recognize Natasha’s passion for the project. Thus, creating disconnect rather than a truly united effort. As designers, we work as creative thinkers; some would say as “problem solvers.” However, we must realize that we are all human and thus, individuals. Despite our seemingly unique, talents and desires, we are all equally flawed in our humanity. The more we try to be understanding of, if not excited by, our differences, the more effective we will become as problem solvers. It is not always efficiency and precision that explicates a “good” design. Honesty is the true means through which we can affect change in our world. The Case of the Citicorp

center is written as an example of honesty in practice in the Professional Practice 101 manual. However, Architectural Record’s article on the Citicorp building questions this honesty. William LeMessurier, structural engineer of the Citicorp building dealt with a range of human emotions after finding failure in his design. Rather than giving in to his overwhelming sense of initial incompetence, he chose to prove his aptitude for design by not only admitting his mistake, but working tirelessly to resolve it. The Citicorp case is an example of good ethical behavior not only in LeMessurier’s honesty, but in the way those at Citicorp responded to his revelation. Despite his obvious failure, they respected his honesty and worked with him to create a solution. The Architectural Record article, “Practice Matters,” looks further into this seemingly good act and argues that the lack of disclosure to the public could be considered unethical. The occupants of the Citicorp building were unaware that for a time, the building in which they were living was deemed unstable in a severe storm. Were they denied rights they should have been given to this knowledge? While the knowledge may have instilled unnecessary fear, the tenants, perhaps, should have been allowed the decision to choose whether or not they wished to remain in the building during its repairs. This case proves that with muddled definitions of “ethical” behavior, even the most genuine acts can be riddled with flaws. One could say our role as designers is to contest nature. Physics exists as an explanation of natural forces and we test the resistance of such forces with our buildings, structures, and art. The Citicorp building was essentially a skyscraper on stilts. It is among many cantilevering, curving, contorting structures that exist only as a result of our willingness to explore, to challenge nature. The “Fountainhead All Over Again” author might call this arrogance, while others see it as growing competence. There is a certain degree of risk involved in constructing something that has never been tested. But when our responsibility is to serve humans, not technology, are we “doing the right thing?” The Professional Practice 101 manual states that “change is endemic to the profession.” What happens when society and technology are in conflict yet both evolving? Which changes do we chose to accept? Advancing technology could mean putting lives at risk. However, when we look at the state of the Earth amidst climate change, ignoring technology could eliminate all life. And still, will an existence where technology rules even be considered living (in the human sense)? Architectural

Planning history is an excellent example of good intentions gone astray. Architects LeCorbuisier and Frank Lloyd Wright, both modeled cities and towns now scoffed at by today’s Urban Planners. It seems time is the only fair judge of what is “good.” How then do we design in the here and now? Natasha of McKinsey, concluded her thoughts on ethics reiterating her belief that we must take what we know and demonstrate integrity as we exude this knowledge it in all aspects of our life. Ethical behavior is perhaps not dictated by knowledge of a specific moral truth, but by choosing to pursue an honest lifestyle. In an example of contradicting behavior, the Boston Globe article, “Design for Acrimony,” portrays the failure of a design firm to respect the individual rights of the firm’s partners. Nader Tehrani and Monica Ponce de Leon were partners at Office dA who chose to let ill feelings and emotions obliterate the greater goals of their firm. The article depicts behaviors reflective of rebellious teenagers, not two accomplished adults. Once a respected and award winning firm, became a legal disgrace over earnings and egos. There is great tension and constant strain in architectural practice. However, when rationality and respect are lost, so too is the willingness to accept Human Rights. Natasha left the interview with a simple statement; “Be a happy person. Smile. Smile at everyone you see.” This was a thought apparently forgotten by Tehrani and Ponce de Leon. Design is a profession that involves such a drastic degree of scales and places that day-to-day behaviors are often ignored by the individual. The truth and the honesty of our profession are exposed in these day to day encounters with others. It may take years to complete an architectural project, but in a day it can be ruined when we forget that it is people that make a structure a place. We should not be afraid to reach, we should not be afraid to challenge nor to struggle, but we must do it all with kindness. It is compassion that teaches us to understand the rights we should share with another. It is this pursuit of understanding not simply knowledge that will bring us to truth and ethical architecture.

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TIME {WEEKS}

SCHEMATIC DESIGN DEFINE PROJECT STATEMENT DEFINE DESIGN CONCEPT ESTABLISH INITIAL SCHEMES DEFINE DESIGN CONCEPT ESTABLISH PROJECT OUTLINE

PRE-DESIGN MEET CLIENT FEASIBILITY REQUEST INFORMATION ON SITE RESTRICTIONS PRELIMINARY PROJECT TIMELINE

ROUGH SITE ENGINEERING DESIGN CALCULATE AREAS AND VOLUMES REQUIRED ASSESS DESIGN IMPACT ON NATURAL SYSTEMS INITIAL VISUALS

INITIAL PRESENTATION/ CHARRETTE

SCHEMATIC DESIGN PROPOSAL

PROJECT PROGRAMMING

CLIENT APPROVAL

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT REFINE SCHEMATIC DESIGN CONSULT: Engineers Urban Planners Specialists Regulatory Agencies REFINE PLANS: Hydrology Grading Planting Structure CONSULT CLIENT

PROJECT INITIATION

PERMITS: ESTABLISH PERMITS NEEDED MEET WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PERMIT APPLICATION IMPACT STUDY EXISTING CONDITIONS: SOCIAL ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORTATION

SITE ANALYSIS

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REVIEW BUDGET

CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION REFINE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

DEFINE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT

REFINE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

PROCESSING OF RFIS AND SUBMITTALS

SPECIFY DETAILS CREATE PLANTING PLAN

ASSIGN CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATORS

SUBMIT DOCUMENTS FOR PERMIT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

POST CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION

ASSESS IMPLEMENTED DESIGN FUNCTION

SUBMIT DOCUMENTS FOR RECORD

REFINE/DESIGN MAINTENANCE RECORD DRAWING

COMPLETION

FINAL BIDS SELECTED ASSESS BIDS BIDS SUBMITTED CONSULT CLIENT’S LEGAL COUNCIL REFINE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

BIDDING

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I N T E RV I E WS

N O T E S

R E F L E C T I O N

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MICHAEL KAVALAR G I S S P E C I A L I S T , C I T Y D E S I G N E R S K I D M O R E , O W I N G S , & M E R R I L L L L P O C T O B E R

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NOTES ORIGINS: -Place of birth: Milwalkee -Family: Single Mother, Grandfather was an Austrian inventor -Undergraduate Education: English Literature -Masters degrees: Translation, Urban Planning CURRENT POSITION: GIS Specialist + High Performance Design, SOM (1.5 years) T R AV E L :

-Lived in many different city environments from those in the Midwest to those in Brazil -Worked as an interpreter for a law firm and two corporate businesses in Washington, D.C. where he struggled to be a silent mediator of often uncomfortable conversations. - Met a French girl whose father was an Urban Planner in Paris -Spent nights and free time reading publications such as Skyscraper Magazine -The culmination of these events led to his pursuit of a professional career in Urban Planning.

WORK LIFE:

-Michael was brought in with a group of several others in a quiet push to diversify the studio’s education backgrounds which mostly consisted of colleagues with degrees in architecture. -As a result, he essentially was able to write his own job description -He “snuck in” with the title of GIS specialist, and as a result few people in the studio are aware of his education in planning. -“There is no ‘ideal’ job.” However, the days he loves are when he gets to learn something new. For instance, understanding programs like City Engine and CAD have helped him to have more of a voice in the studio.

-He worked with Phil Enquist on the “Great Lakes” project . Although most saw it as a side endeavor, it gave him time to invest in something he felt passionate about and a chance to understand Phil a bit more as a person and a professional. -The studio environment he feels is filled with “nice people” that are “hard workers,” yet he feels the ones that have been with the studio the longest appear to be miserable in their positions. -He sees the mentality not as a fully collaborative effort, but a collaboration to complete another person’s work -It is often difficult for him to have discussions in the studio because he lacks the design program knowledge and terminology. -He mentioned reading a book unrelated to planning, but relevant to the current project and it was announced in a group meeting that members should have been in the studio all night working and not home reading books.

-Ultimately, Michael feels he is learning from this job, but he cannot see himself staying in the position.

FUTURE OF DESIGN:

-Transit is the future and its relevance is rapidly changing -Eg. DIVVY would not have worked as well ten years ago if you could not look up locations on your phone -GIS is able to tie data to place in a way that has not been done before (Eg. Skyline analysis) -Information is underutilized today and needs to become more efficiently managed

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NATASHA KROL MAUSKAPF E N G A G E M E N T M C K I N S E Y &

M A N A G E R C O M P A N Y

O C T O B E R

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NOTES WORK LIFE

-Ultimately, she feels her job at McKinley is not a “sustainable lifestyle.” -She is still there because she cares about her work and she is friends with the people she works with

SEEKING FULFILLMENT -She tries to do the best she can in her job. However, what ultimately brings her through each day is how she chooses to behave. She tries to engage the people around her and constantly reminds herself to smile. She believes it is these small interactions that hold the most power. There will always be things that are out of her control in the workplace but what she can control is how she reacts to her day to day life. D E F I N I T I O N O F H E R “ U N S U S TA I N A B L E ” L I F E S T Y L E

-Traveling constantly makes it difficult to ground herself in a single place with a single group of people -Professional relationships grow while personal relationships suffer -Constant adaptation is both mentally and physically exhausting -She started caring about her performance evaluation. She sees this as a sign of conflict because her true focus should be on her morally driven goals

ON AN

“ I D E A L” J O B -National geographic photographer -IDEO consultant -When asked if she thought these jobs would be equally as draining, she agreed that they would most likely be the same. However, the energy would be put toward something she felt she would be truly passionate about. -She believes that she has a difficult time sticking to routine, an attribute I can understand well. We discussed how each of us have forcibly caused change in our lives when we felt we started to settle. This mindset proves difficult when maintaining relationships at a deeper level. -Although neither of us have answers, it was refreshing for me to find someone with similar questions and struggles. To me, a conversation of questions is more powerful and revealing of character then one of definitive answers.

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DON COPPER M A N A G I N G P R I N C I P A L G R E C A R C H I T E C T S N O V E M B E R

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NOTES ORIGINS H o m etown : B a l ti m o re Un d ergra d u ate Ed u cat i o n : Arc h i tec tu re , V i rg i ni a Tech A R C H I T E C T U R A L E D U C AT I O N

-Don was the only artistic minded individual in his family. -He feels his path was quite “cliché.” As most who find themselves good a math, science, and art find Architecture to be the happy medium -Virginia Tech was also a happy medium in terms of proximity to home -He felt the program opened his eyes and taught him how to think, but more importantly, it helped him to understand his path as a designer -Ferrari told him “Your brain is in your elbow.” He immediately was frustrated and insulted by this comment, but he realizes now it was merely a truth about his thought process. He had to draw to understand.

CHANGES ARCHITECT’S ROLE

-Be the mediator between client and contractor -Protect the interests of the client -Create a “contract for construction” -He feels the current trend is toward a more powerful and involved contractor which leaves the architected a bit “marginalized.” -He enjoys collaboration at all levels from clients to other design professionals. However, he finds it difficult to collaborate with contractors when their concerns are often only related to their own profit. -The firm’s goal is to provide “High Value solutions” for clients. That is, to create the best product at the lowest cost. -There is nothing he would change in his job, except for increased work opportunities. His partners and collective studio are his closest friends. Each day he enjoys going to work because he enjoys those that he works with

CONTINUED DISCUSSION TOPICS

-Great struggles are reflective of growth

-Has architecture become hyper-rationalized? Do we need to rethink its origin in place and people?

Both believe in the importance of place, even down to the materials that construct a building -Building locally, helps preserve identity -He lent me the Genius Loci, by Christian Norberg-Schulz. We discussed the meaning of the “phenomenology of architecture” and the evolution and decay of buildings in relation to place

-When asked if he found his job fulfilling, Don responded by describing his feelings toward Architecture as a profession. Ultimately, it is a business, and that ties it to things that become less personal and fulfilling. He found another avenue as is ultimate creative outlet through his art. It is an entirely selfish pursuit, but necessary and often ultimately beneficial to who he is as a person.

-When I expressed concerns about my difficulty in filtering feedback as a result of my fear of not learning enough and exploring every option. He provided me with two simple answers.

“ P U R S U E W H AT Y O U A R E E X C I T E D A B O U T I N T H E M O M E N T, T H E R E S T W I L L C O M E I N P R A C T I C E ,”

and finally,

“ T R U S T Y O U R S E L F.”

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PAOLA AGUIRRE S K I D M O R E ,

O W I N G S ,

C I T Y D E S I G N E R & M E R R I L L L L P N O V E M B E R

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NOTES E D U C AT I O N

-Undergraduate degree in Architecture. Graduated with what was essentially a minor in Urban Planning a school in Mexico -She felt unsatisfied with her program. The architects that taught her planning courses merely had an interest in planning, but did not know enough to prepare her for what she hoped to do. -Her thesis was on a neighborhood in a “forgotten area, “the space between.” She focused on the idea of defining a courtyard. -Worked with a Harvard graduate professor on a project and this connection ultimately allowed her to get her postgraduate education.

C A R E E R PAT H

-Applied for an internship with SOM, but ultimately ended up accepting one through NYU -The first firm she worked for focused on hospital where there was always “leftover” public space to be designed. She took the initiative to design these spaces. -I found Paola was more eager to ask me about my own career aspirations than to talk about herself, which I was not entirely prepared for. -She tries to stay involved with education, because that is the true source of innovation and new thinking. What is done in academia often seems impossible, but now ends up being implemented a decade later as a result of the rapid pace of technology today. -When asked if she planned on staying at SOM, she responded saying did not see it as a long term future. She felt there work to be a bit “dull” and lacking innovation in planning. She seemed to believe her talents would be best utilized in a different setting. She is considering being more involved in academia at some point because she enjoys learning from students. -Her curiosity and energy was something I found to be something rare as compared to many currently working with her. Her investment in us was both selfish/curious and generous. It seems that architects that are most compassionate are able to find opportunity and self-fulfillment in helping those around them.

ADVICE -“Start forming ideas of what you want and what kind of environment you want to be involved with.” -“Public and Private sectors are very different types of work and work environments -Research large and small firms that interest you (Jason Lee, CONTINUUMINNOVATION.COM)

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IKER GILL D I R E C T O R , E D I T O R M A S - S T U D I O , M A S - C O N T E X T N O V E M B E R

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NOTES ADVICE: “ E V E R Y T H I N G Y O U D O D O E S N O T H A V E T O T R A N S L AT E T O Y O U R W O R K , B U T I T K E E P S Y O U R M I N D O P E N . E V E N T U A L LY T H E S E T H O U G H T S C O U L D A P P LY T O W O R K .” “ B E A PA R T O F S O M E T H I N G B I G G E R .” “ C R E AT E Y O U R O W N P R O J E C T S . F I N D O P P O R T U N I T I E S A N D P R E S E N T T H E M . D O N O T WA I T F O R S O M E O N E T O S E E K Y O U O U T T O S O LV E A P R O B L E M . I F Y O U P R E S E N T A S O L U T I O N F O R A P R O B L E M T H AT H A S N E V E R B E E N A D D R E S S E D B E F O R E , Y O U C A N W O R K T H R O U G H I T I N Y O U R O W N WAY.” “ D O R E S E A R C H P R O J E C T S I N C I T I E S Y O U A R E I N T E R E S T E D I N L I V I N G A N D A D D T H E M T O Y O U R P O R T F O L I O .” “ D O S O M E T H I N G T O H A V E A R A P I D O U T C O M E . D O N ’ T B E B O R E D !” “ S E E K O U T P R O B L E M S . N O T C L I E N T S .” “ I T I S P E R S O N A L ; N O T J U S T B U S I N E S S .” A R C H I T E C T U R E S C H O O L I N S PA I N :

-No one graduates on time. Schooling is cheaper and thus, you can take more time. -Most people are failed at least one semester. It teaches you to learn, communicate and defend your work. - It allows for time to intern and understand professional life while still in school. -Did many competitions with friends to find things he enjoyed and to work with others

BIG FIRM TO SMALL BUSINESS:

-Chose SOM because it was the most recognized and largest firm “If you are going to go to the dark side, might as well go all the way.” -He wanted to test himself against the experience, to see what it was like. -SOM is drastically different from firms in Spain. -Transition from SOM to working on his own was done not with confidence, but by “working [his] ass off.” -The scale and scope of work is much different. He felt that what he did at SOM was such a different application of architecture that much of what he practiced there did not carry over into his work now. -Working in planning, he was a part of a “tight group,” but it felt like a law firm -There is not more or less freedom, but just different kinds. -At SOM there were too many resources to fully utilize them. -Everyone has their own agenda. Thus, communication between teams is critical -People who question things typically struggle in large offices. ABOUT MAS STUDIO:

-He feels he has more control operating on his own, but this also means more responsibility -Always pay attention to a client. Treat them as a friend, as an equal partner in the exploration. -Often Iker’s clients are willing to let him be creative because they are asking for design input -Design is not just a business. It is entirely personal. -There is no difference between work and other projects you do for yourself. Your work, all of it, is your own so make it something you want. Find what is the best outlet for you and pursue it.

“ D O Y O U E N J O Y W H AT Y O U D O ? ” “ I E N J O Y A N D S U F F E R B O T H .”

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PETER ELLIS P R I N C I P A L D E S I G N E R C A N N O N D E S I G N N O V E M B E R

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NOTES ON UT BROWNSVILLE

“ I F W E C A N D O T H I S I S A C O L L E G E W E C A N D O T H I S I N A C I T Y.”

-Need “big ass wind and big ass solar” -Working with engineers makes this possible -The more connections one makes the more possible complete sustainability can be achieved

O N S O M / C A R E E R PAT H

-Rapid pace. Rapid Changes and thus employees change quickly. At 60, one is encouraged to leave. -Described it as “the perfect Darwinian Environment” -At SOM he always involved himself in projects that considered a city scale and were often involved with planning. From the beginning he has been invested in cities. -After he formed his own practice, they saw and learned much from their project in India. It was a place of extremes, but it is through these extremes that you learn the most. -Places closest to the equator are most impacted by climate change and ironically are the most impoverished with little means of making these changes themselves. -Planned neighborhoods around parks where parks become the major pedestrian connectors not the streets. Parks become social centers. They restore the aquifers and become lungs for a neighborhood when aligned to prevailing winds. Winds cool the reservoir. -Financial struggles brought him to merge with Canon. He agreed with their mindset. He refused to join them if they would not let his entire firm come with him. He said he refused to “feed anyone to the wolves.”

O N S U S TA I N A B L E C I T I E S

“ I B E L I E V E W E A R E A C H I N G A P O I N T W H E R E B O T H B U I LT A N D N AT U R A L E N V I R O N M E N T S C A N H A V E A T R U LY S Y M B I O T I C R E L AT I O N S H I P.”

-Solar and Wind only get you so far, but they are not enough. Waste is where the difference can be made. Methane can be collected and sold from sewage treatment facilities to be used as fuel. -We have been treating the city as a machine. We need to see it as a living entity, both built and natural. -Rapid transit and self-driving cars (Google is currently investigating) are the future. Zip cars are getting close (1 zip car means 11 fewer cars). We need “Cataclysmic change.” -The biggest issue in American cities is parking. Waste and runoff they produce is incredibly difficult to mitigate.

PERSONAL NOTE: -After meeting with Peter, I remembered what I came to Chicago searching for. I believe natural and built environments cannot longer function as separate systems. Peter left me with an incredible sense of optimism as he truly believes that technology can bring us to this true interdependent relationship.

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REFLECTION

I will admit to approaching the interviews with an agenda. I was less concerned with understanding “how” to practice and more invested in understanding “why” these professionals chose to practice design. I found myself analyzing each interviewee’s demeanor more so than their words. As I had hoped, the interviews often turned into very personal discoveries rather than scripted conversations. After transcribing the interviews, I realized that many of these people learned more from when I was not interviewing them, but interacting with them on a daily basis. Each day I walked into SOM and was greeted by my desk neighbor, Michael Kavalar. Although he is still a very new to the professional world, he is by far one of the most fascinating people I met in Chicago. This may be a biased as he was also the person I was able to speak with most frequently. On weekends and after hours, Michael would listen to my rants on what fascinates me in design while he would contribute knowledge on anything from city design, to mapping, to books, and even biking (Michael is a member and avid promoter of DIVVY). He was the first person I felt was equally invested in me as I was in him. Often, he would pick up the phone and respond in one of ten different languages. This man is invested in learning. He is knowledgeable not only in language, but in culture of cities. From Michael, I learned to be a life-long-learner.

any better for me. After this, I felt as though I had found not only someone I could trust, but I had found a friend as well. Iker is one of the few professionals I met in Chicago that seems entirely content, even excited, by his constant struggle. He seems completely unabashed in the fact that his lifestyle may change from month-to-month or even day-to-day. I saw so many designers appear disillusioned and disengaged from their designs. Iker chose to take these seemingly negative aspects of the profession and turn them into opportunities. From his choice of SOM, a world far different from what he was accustomed to, Iker appears to find solace in the unknown as he knows it will bring him better understanding. Iker is able to sustain himself only as a result of his optimism and believe in design. Truly good design does not have unlimited resources, rather it has rigid restrictions that transform from constraints to opportunities. Iker’s opportunistic mindset reminded me that to believe in design I must be a better optimist.

I noticed in reviews that Don always appeared to drift toward the students who spoke the least or even appeared neglected in reviews. He has an overwhelming capacity to listen and with each acknowledgement of my thoughts he would smile and nod his head. He was the first person to assure me that it was acceptable to merely be myself with the knowledge I had in the moment. His depth came Paola amazed me with her willingness to share information. I spent not from a rigid knowledge base, but through an unquestionable a half hour talking with her one evening about her involvement in sense of understanding. From Don I recognize that “knowing” is not the effort to preserve prentice. I found myself exchanging emails knowledge when it lacks understanding. as we would find more articles relevant to our quick discussions. It was reassuring to find someone who wished to form a relationship Peter Ellis appeared in perfect time to save my mind from losing of mutual learning. Her willingness to invest in things beyond what hope in design. Optimistic talk about the future if design is she is asked to do is a quality I greatly admire. The amount of time wonderful, but I wanted facts and honest resolution of a conflict. she spent with me and with our group helping us to organize our Peter’s hope for an environment that can coexist with technology thoughts and understand our design process was truly incredible. was enough to convince me. Despite his clear exhaustion over the From Paola I learned to be invested, involved and organized. project in Brownsville, he was willing to speak with me more about it and still with great excitement. Here was a designer that finally Natasha was the first person to awe me with her lecture. After I had many of their design goals come to fruition. While the new met with her for the first time, I realized we were not so dissimilar. design for Brownsville is not perfectly efficient in its use of energy She became more than a professional, but a peer. I found my inbox and resources, it is a step at a large scale that is convincing enough flooded with emails from her the next day with lists of readings, to prove that a more sustainable lifestyle is possible. During the videos, and people I needed to investigate. In Natasha I saw interview Peter began laughing about how human waste will actually someone who was not necessarily a person who reached their be what saves us. I remember thinking, “Here is a man of authority, goals, but was in avid pursuit of answers. She is a person incredibly a partner at SOM, an owner of his own practice, and he still finds dedicated to those around her. Our conversations often strayed from fecal matter humorous.” This still has me smiling. Peter taught me to professional topics and turned into conversation about ourselves keep pushing past exhaustion, to keep fighting, because ultimately and our individual struggles. After I left one meeting with her rather the struggle will be worth it. upset, she sent me an email a week later asking if things had gotten

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CONCLUSION

F I N A L T H O U G H T S O N C H I C A G O S T U D I O + D E S G I N

V A V O S O 129

At twenty-three, I have let myself become entirely too disillusioned with the world. I need to learn to love it again. CHICAGOSTUDIO taught me more about myself than design. I know now that as a designer I need to continue to question, but I also need to know when to trust my own thoughts. I know that I can still continue to improve my graphics, design concepts, and nerves during presentations. I still need to learn to listen more and speak less. While these were all great tests of my design capacity in Chicago, they were not my ultimate realizations. What I know is this; I believe I am here to serve others. Although, I may be incredibly selfish at times, I refuse to let my design be driven by my own ambition alone. I spent this summer doing gardening work for an elderly woman in Arlington, Virginia. This experience was one of the most rewarding I have had in a job. I spent six hours a day hauling backs of weeds larger than myself across her yard as I hatched through years of neglect. At noon she would make me lunch and we would talk about her family, her beliefs, her garden, her home and any other aspect of her life she cared to share. At the end of the day, I would measure my work by the amount of mulch bags I had emptied and filled with weeds. I got invited to her violin performance with the local orchestra she was in. To me, this was the best payment. I knew she saw me as a friend. She is the reason I was able to afford CHICAGOSTUDIO. But more importantly, she is the reason why I was able to reflect on CHICAGOSTUDIO and understand for myself a world beyond architecture as simply “the built environment.” I believe architecture can be defined simply as a framework, a means of order, but it is nothing without those that give it thought and life. In the past there were architects and there were inhabitants. Today I see a change. Design is not reliant on form and experience, but connections and relationships, relationships from person to person or even person to object. Design is the platform through which interactions are facilitated, both human and inanimate. People meet in places. Both place and people become a part of memory. We are defined by our memories. The truths we hold onto are a result of an accumulation and analysis of memory. Thus, we are unquestionably connected to both our environments and each other. I believe in Landscape because of its capacity to be a silent powerhouse of life and change. It somehow corrects its flaws or evolves and adapts with them. It even has the capacity to reverse man’s polluting mistakes. It has unquestionable beauty that portrays a design that is perfect through its imperfections. I believe in Industrial Design’s ability to adapt and change almost as quickly, if not faster than the natural world. I believe in the process of testing by doing. Industrial designers have taken the phrase “walking in another’s shoes” quite literally. It shows a willingness to sacrifice and explore for the sake of understanding. Lastly, I believe in architecture as it is so deeply tied to both human triumphs and struggles. It is present through centuries and is proof that the past is both real and relevant. I believe we no longer design to make relics. By this I mean architecture is often so caught in challenging new technologies that it loses its tie to the people and place it represents. Designs should be designed through their lifecycles. Adaptive reuse brings us closer to this, but is an afterthought, not a preliminary design intent. After reading Cradle to Cradle, I trust this mindset is slowly changing. I have listed my major, my minor and what I hope to be a master’s degree. As I go into my 5th year, I hope to prove that my interests in each are all interrelated. CHICAGOSTUDIO showed me that design is changing and disciplines are becoming less defined. I became fascinated with the idea of an urban landscape design with architectural and industrial elements that become equally as alive as the environment we design for. I feel our project in Chinatown is far from resolved, but there is much of it I hope to carry into my fifth year. I believe the future of design lies in more than a consideration for the environment but rather a complete integration with it. Today our designs reflect a parasitic relationship, but the future I choose to hope for is the

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“symbiotic relationship” that Peter Ellis so described. As in science, order is reached through equilibrium. Design must find a similar balance with nature. If not, one will eventually overpower the other. I think I could be quite content as a gardener. It is intimate and tactile, yet it requires care and patience. It is to me, no different than caring for another human being. However, I think my ambition might get in the way of this dream. After graduating high school, I told myself I would join the Peace Corps when I finished college. I applied for a program in my sophomore year to build homes in Haiti. After my parents reacted violently to this I idea, I let go of the thought for a few years. However, I am strongly revisiting it now. Several people I considered mentors in Chicago suggested I leave the United States for places such as India and Africa. I am tempted by this thought of complete upheaval. My feelings may change in a year and a half as I do not know what ties I will hold. Regardless, I believe I need to understand the world a little bit more before I feel I can declare myself a professional.

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