nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
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the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the final project I decided to design a treehouse for my project because I had stumbled upon a unique treehouse on a design webpage and was intrigued by the idea of an adult-friendly treehouse. I had bookmarked it as a possible project for myself and decided that this idea was perfect for the parameters of this project. I started out by visiting some local trees and sketching their textures to get inspired. I noted various details such as the large, scaly bark pieces of oak trees and the smoothy, twisty shape of eucalyptus trees.
bark texture study of pine trees
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
At first, I was stuck on flat, angular designs because I was focused on the idea of building the treehouse out of wood, like most had done before. Many of the structures that I researched online and in books had used very straight, boxy shapes and so I designed mine the same way. In terms of style, I tried to mimic the asymmetrical shape of individual bark pieces in my design but clearly I was not very inspired at this point.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
The first solid iteration of my treehouse featured a deck, which I later dropped. Some ideas that I did end up keeping were the wide, sweeping-view windows, the bunk/canopy bed, and the interconnected site plan. The idea of the urban retreat was inspired by a camping trip I was planning with my friends. I envisioned the treehouses to be like hotel rooms in the sky. From this session’s critique, I learned that I initially had set limits to myself that really inhibited my creativity. I set to work to incorporate the ideas of a suspension-based support system, use of nonlinear walls, and the seeking of inspiration from nature.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
During my initial research, I was really drawn to this staircase design. I thought it was very beautiful and organic and worked well to highlight the verticality of the tree. I also thought it would work well as a centerpiece of the treehouse village.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
I was researching the nesting habits of tree-dwelling animal, such as birds, small rodents, and insects, when I stumbled upon a picture of a tree with an unusual mushroom growing on it and immediately knew that mushrooms were a great place to focus my attention. The unique shapes, the variety of looks, and the fact that they naturally inhabit trees fit perfectly with my idea of an organically inspired treehouse.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
The design I decided on was based on the king oyster mushroom, a variety of mushroom missing the traditional cap and stem formation. I was drawn to this shape because it seemed like it would have a good volume and it naturally attached to the tree in a same manner I imagined using a cable suspension system. To achieve the curvilinear shapes, I figured I would need to use a strong steel/aluminum frame, similar to a tent. Additionally, because the treehouse would need to be lightweight, clear plastic would be used instead of glass.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
After seeing one of Elena’s early critiques, I was inspired to think about the layout of my own presentation. I decided that the shape of a tree running down the entire length of my presentation boards would be a good way to connect the boards together. I also experimented with the idea of stringing two or three threehouses together to form a cluster, the same way that mushrooms grow out in the wild. However, after sketching out a few, I realized that having more than two in one location would probably stress the tree too greatly.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
During this in-class exercise, I tried different ways of playing with proportion and shape to further refine my idea. I did not end up adopting any of the main frame changes, however, I did like the look of a support along the bottom. Not only would it be extremely fuctional by providing additional support for the flooring system, but it also added to the aesthetic appeal of the structure. Instead of abruptly flattening out at the floor level, it gracefully continued the line of the outer curve of the treehouse. This exercise taught me that doing focused, quick sketches can bring about new ideas with minimal effort.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
Adding human figures in the space was a good exercise because it really gave the structure some perspective and made the space more real. I also played with how tall I wanted the treehouse to be by using differnet height people because it clearly gives a much different feeling in each case. The two images farthest to the left really showed me how dramatic a difference a couple of feet can make in such a small space. The addition of human figures was also useful to determine what kind of activities would be appropriate in this compact area.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
First iteration of final boards.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
First iteration of final boards.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
First iteration of final boards. I tried to layout my boards in a way that made sense, first showing my inspiration, initial iterations, and then the structure itself. However, at critique it was pointed out that I needed some human figures in my drawings and, looking back, the boards really did need them. I learned that sketching out the boards on notebook paper versus actually drawing them fullsize are quite a different experience. I also learned that getting peer review early on in the process is very helpful and can give loads of insight for final presentations.
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
Another revision I made after the critique of my initial boards was the addition of an interior perspective. I had been avoiding this step because I was very intimidated by all the curves. However, after building a rough model, really thinking the process through, and lots of sketches that just did not look right, I finally was able to come up with something that gives an idea of what the interior of the treehouse would be like. My favorite part of the interior view is that it really showcases the reason you would go to a treehouse, to enjoy the view of the woods.
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
The presentation of the final boards looked something like this. I needed more boards than I thought I would so I added branches to the tree to accomodate more boards. I had actually wanted to do the layout the presentation digitally and print out the boards but when I saw how printing seemed to take away the life of the drawings, I decided to re-draw everything by hand. This allowed me to sharpen the line quality and I feel like the drawings convey a more natural feeling. My only regret is not knowing how long it would take to trace the lettering. Though I love the look, it was extremely time consuming. The final boards in order follow.
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
nancy tariga design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
nancy tariga
the idea
> the sketches
>
the refinements
>
the final
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
The most important thing I learned from this project is the importance of time management. Each class, I made a genuine effort to pin-up something new, even if it was not my best work. The constant reiteration and refinement throughout the 6 weeks allowed me to achieve a great deal in a short amount of time. Because of the pressure to produce something new each class period, I was able to slowly build-up an ansenal of drawings that contributed directly to my final presentation. The timeline we put together when we first started our projects was also extremely helpful. From earlier in the semester, I found myself paralyzed with indecision whenever we did our in-class projects because I could never decide on what idea to pursue. I wasted so much time deciding and not drawing that when I finally settled on an idea, I had very little time to draw and thus the brilliant idea was lost in a mess of rushed, unfinished sketches. So for this project, I decided to just draw something, anything because it was better than nothing at all. This was apparent in my initial sketches which were very ordinary and uninspired. However, once I chose a design, I worked hard to make the drawings clean, informative and visually appealing. Lastly, I learned that I need to challenge myself to think outside the box. In researching for this project, I became inspired but I was also unconsciously influenced by the existing treehouse structures as to what was and what wasn’t possible. However, for innovative design to happen, I need to identify rules and precendents and question them. While many things exist for good reasons, others persist out of tradition or because no one thought to redesign the system. It is through curiousity that new exciting ideas and designs can be found. This is something that will be very relevant throughout my design career.
nancy tariga
>
other
design 110 fall 2008 final learning portfolio
I thought I understood shadows before I started to do the more complex figures. For one in particular, I couldn’t see how the individual pieces all fit together so I analyzed it piece by piece. Though I still have not mastered the technique, I now understand it enough to shade in simple objects. Shade and shadow make a huge difference in the appearance of a drawing. I learned so many useful drawing techniques in this class but I am still striving to draw the perfect free-hand straight line. One day, maybe, just maybe...