Nathan Mok EDES 123 - Winter 2016 Instructors: Burke, Lucas, Shields Instructional Teaching Assistant: Marketa Jelinkova
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Week One: Body/Self
Assignment 1: 1 A . Head, 1 B . Body
Heart, Hands, Feet Double
EDES 123 Winter 2016 Burke, Lucas, Shields
NATHAN MOK Castro Valley, California Sushi Basketball Headlights by Eminem feat. Nate Ruess Sleeping, Travelling, Shopping Born and raised in the Bay Area, as a middle child of three siblings. Has played 10+ years of soccer, including High School Varsity Soccer, and in doing so, attained a love for sports. Recalls standing on the top of my dad’s shoulders when younger, on top of a skyscraper in Hong Kong, with the world seemingly under my grasp.
Team: Nathan Mok, Max Evans, Maiah Alman, Jake Navare
The Vitruvian man is important to the history of environmental design because it gives insight on the anatomy of the human body, and the proportions made that link it to nature. The Vitruvian man also distinguishes the differences between the two centers of the body (magnitude and proportion) and the correlation in the similarities of the human body. Leonardo da Vinci believed that the workings of the human body was an analogy for the workings of the Universe.
Vitruvian man: https://throughtheneedleseye.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/vitruvian.jpg?w=1356
SLO Special Space: On top of the “P” Because of my newfound love for hiking when coming to college, the top of the “P” is the perfect place for me. I like the calmness and stillness experienced when going up here. It’s like I can see all of San Luis Obispo, and the world is at the palm of my hand. It’s a place I can go to clear my thoughts and focus on the greater things in life. Though others may have the same spot as me, I can’t blame them, because it’s the perfect place for anyone to go.
Week Two: Body/Self/Others
Assignment 2: Pinhole Classroom
Nathan Mok EDES 123 Burke, Lucas, Shields Assignment 2: Pinole Classroom
Garbage Bag-Taped Room
Hole in Garbage Bag-Taped Room: Close View
Hole in Garbage Bag-Taped Room
Outside of the Room (as seen through the hole)
Outside Image Projection
Reflection: In the process of making this project, I did not know what to expect from this, or how any of the activities we did would lead up to something relevant in this class (making the room dark). When I finally saw the what was going on, I was amazed at how this project worked and how interesting it was to see a reflection like that, and I was fascinated by the way the light reflected the image as if it was a mirror, and how it was upside down when it was reflected. I hope we can do more projects like this in the future.
Pinhole Classroom: Diagrammatic Sketch
Pinhole Classroom: Cross-Sectional Sketch
Week Three: Community & Diversity
Assignment 3: [My] House Culture and Form
Assignment 3: MY House form and Culture
Nathan Mok EDES 123 Burke, Lucas, Shields
This is my house. Coming from the East Bay Area, it is located in a relatively quiet town called Castro Valley. Castro Valley is basically a suburb of the Bay, located around 30 miles east of Oakland. Though it is relatively close to the big city, it’s a small and quiet town. The neighborhood I live in is especially small, because it is located more in the hills where hardly anybody goes. My house is also a sub street coming out of a main street, so it is even farther from the urban lifestyle of the city. It is very peaceful. I love my house. Before we moved here, the house was covered with trees, probably because it was a very foresty area before in the older days. Around my house, there are many places that are very walk-friendly to my house: a lake, a park, and many view areas, which are excellent for me if I just want to relax. This space is meaningful to me because it is my quiet place. I can always rely on my house or walk around the neighborhood if I want to vent, or if I just want to reflect on life. “Social values take precedence over technological advances, in some situations.“ This quote from Rapoport clearly represents my situation. With technological advances making urban life the new big thing, I find comfort in my home because it helps me get away from that and focus on simpler things. It relates to me and my culture because it keeps me at peace, in a private, secluded area.
Week Four: Systems & Technology
Assignment 4: Mapping the Invisible Group Project Members: Nathan Mok, Jake Navarre, Luis Rodrigues, Andrew Stratford
Mapping the Invisible: Bike Infrastructure
Group: Jake Navarre, Nathan Mok, Andrew Stratford, Luis Rodrigues
1
Narrative For this assignment our group looked at the various bike paths that run throughout Cal Poly’s campus. We began investigating bike transportation by starting at the Construction Innovations center and carefully walked through the heart of campus, paying close attention to the numerous bike racks as well as bike lanes that allow bikers the freedom to coast through the community. We chose this network because we were very intrigued by the way our campus has the ability to organize people on bikes so that students and bikers can both travel to class without any obstructions or collisions. While exploring this network we were able to understand the importance of bike signs as well as the green bike paths that run through campus. By developing these signs and system, it makes abiding by the bike rules very crucial to the safety of student on campus. If people were allowed to ride their bikes at free will around campus, more and more students would pay the consequences from a poorly designed bike transportation network. Therefore while doing this assignment, the fundamental aspect of organization was highlighted to us all, showing us that our campus needs these bikeways and signs in order to create a well formated system. This biking network has a substantial impact on the quality of living on campus because it allows people to not be run over while strolling to their next class, as well as promotes proper bike etiquette. In addition, the implementation of bike lanes on campus vastly improves the environment on campus. By having bike lanes, it saves precious plants and animals from potentially becoming flattened by a bicyclist speeding through campus. While looking deeply at this network we discussed how several entities and people had to come together and put a lot of thought into the overall design and aesthetic of the bike networker. For example, we discussed how the architect had a vision of laying out the campus so that it would accommodate both bikers and students who chose to walk. Furthermore, we also discussed how the government could be involved, in the sense of creating codes and restrictions that Cal Poly must abide by in order to have bicycles on campus. Overall, exploring the bike network opened our eyes to the amount of structure and organization that goes into transportation on campus.
2
Field Map
Google Earth Map
3
Walking Path
Context Maps
4
Final Map
5
Week Five: Community & Collaboration
Assignment 5: Inhabiting the Other
Letter to the editor: Regarding Cal Poly’s Lack of Parking – Mustang News
Nathan Mok Stakeholder: Student Architecture Major – Freshman Position – Student of Cal Poly As a student to the school of California Polytechnic University: San Luis Obispo, I am deeply disappointed in the lack of parking space given to the students on a daily basis. After their freshman years, many students decide to live off campus, due to lack of housing on campus and the relative inexpensiveness of living off campus. When living off campus, students need to find a way to get to school when they have classes, and many of these students choose to drive a car. As a student, there’s hardly any places to park whenever we want, unless we have a permit for that specific parking lot. If we don’t, then we risk a parking violation, or our car getting towed away. The parking laws are too strict for such few parking lots at school. It shouldn’t be like this. There should be less strict rules and more parking lots, so the students don’t feel like driving to school is a detriment instead of an advantage. In addition, there’s also not that many parking spaces on campus where we actually can park. There’s only a select few parking lots for the whole campus. This poses the problem that when we need to get to the other side of campus, we still have to park on the far side as well. This is very inconvenient for parking closer to the classes we need, or when we need to pick something up really quickly with or from our cars, and is an annoyance because we are not able to choose where to park. When driving to school, there always seems to pose the problem of not having enough parking space to support how many of the students or staff that drive to school. I believe that one solution to this problem is that we build more parking structures. Instead of knocking down parking structures to build more housing, we need to add more for the student’s use instead. Students should have first priority in the space in the school. We need to be able to get to school and park comfortably, without needing to rely on finding parking space. One place I suggest that we put a parking lot is next to the gym, near the middle of the school. That way, there is easy access to our cars whenever we need. It will also solve the problem of not enough parking space, as another parking lot is added. Another solution to this is that we have a parking permit for the whole school, not just relegated to one specific area. In other words, parking permits should not be only available in one specific parking lot. They should be valid to use in all different parking lots on campus. With that being put to use, there would be less complaints about too little parking because there would be such a large variety in places to park all around the campus. Another proposition that I have is that we spend a small portion of the money from our tuition for the parking structure, so we can guarantee that we can build something like this. Though I love Cal Poly, and the people of this school, the school really needs to solve their parking problem, and put an end to all of this confusion, and I know I am not the only student from Cal Poly that feels this way. Thanks for your consideration in my proposition! I hope that we can come to a compromise and be able to fix this lingering problem for many of our students.
Week Six: Health, Safety, & Welfare
Assignment 6: Large Environmental Vectors Group Project Members: Nathan Mok, Maiah Alman, Jamie Mosler, Andrew Stratford
The building process in this activity required more planning than some of our other activities. We were given few resources and told to make a structure as sturdy as possible with the products we had in front of us. We had cardboard, long toothpicks, and luckily my group had a hot glue gun as well as a razor. We divided the tasks. One group member Jamie measured the toothpicks and marked the half way line. Another member, Maiah, cut them all evenly in half and handed them on to the next station. We counted out the exact number of pieces we would need before starting the process. Then, two of our group members, Andrew and Nathan, worked together to secure the wooden pieces together on top of the cardboard. After creating the structure that followed all of the requirements, we measured the length of the diagonal window and cut pieces that were that exact length. We then used these to attempt to make our structure stronger in places that needed extra support. After we were done we places book after book on top to see where it broke. It fell in the places where we had not put the extra support.
Week Seven: Health, Safety, & Welfare cont.
Assignment 7: HEARing the Other Group Project Members: Nathan Mok, Jake Navarre, Joseph Szillinsk, Bree Banducci, Ryan O’Neill, Carolyn Adams
Assignment 7 - HEARing THE OTHER
EDES 123 Burke, Lucas, Shields
Group Members: Nathan Mok, Jake Navarre, Joseph Szillinsk, Bree Banducci, Ryan O’Neill, Carolyn Adams
Topic C. The City of San Luis Concept Plan Height Change to 75 feet
The update of the Downtown Concept Plan is underway! A consultant team lead by Michael Baker International has been hired to work with City staff and volunteers on the update of the Downtown Concept Plan, originally developed in 1993.The primary objectives of the project are to assess and update the present development, vision and policies related to downtown, in order to provide a road map for future public projects and guidance for private development in the downtown and surrounding areas.
Main Points – Pro Side (Carolyn Adams, Bree Banducci): • More Parking o There is always a shortage of parking spots in downtown SLO. Especially on weekends and Farmer's nights, it can be extremely difficult to find a parking spot in the heart of downtown. The creation of another parking structure would allow more spots for both locals and visitors. In addition, a 4 or 5 story structure would be more space efficient than a parking lot. • Hotel Convenience o While there are several hotels in SLO, most are located on the edge of downtown on California Boulevard. Placing a hotel in the center of downtown between two prominent streets, Higuera and Monterey, would attract many travelers. A newly designed, 80-room hotel, would bring attention to this area of SLO. • Housing o Housing is still the top challenge for SLO Chamber members. Increasing the height and density of certain areas downtown will allow for more downtown residents. This new plan will "create an opportunity to turn limited downtown real estate into housing, office and commercial space, creating density while helping to sustain the city goal of preserving open space and preventing sprawl."
Main Points - Con Side (Nathan Mok, Jake Navarre): • The plan is too massive, would degrade and disrespect the city’s small-town charm ○ Doesn’t fit in and is not consistent with the surroundings of a small town of San Luis Obispo ○ Small town and small building are something that makes this city unique ○ Building large buildings will take away from the longevity and history of the town, which is something that we don’t want to destroy • Too large and too tall ○ Causes related buildings (that want to push 75 feet) to stand out too much ○ Blocks views seen around the city, such as the hills, mountains, sunshine ○ “The thought of a 75-foot structure makes me sad,” said resident Pam Orth, who walks downtown from her home numerous times a week. “I enjoy the mountains, the clouds and the sunshine. Change is inevitable, but I have noticed less sunshine on the streets and less hills in the background due to higher buildings going up.” • Disrespects the architecture of the surrounding buildings ○ James Papp, another committee member, added, “I think more importantly … we need to respect the very good architecture of the buildings, such as the (art) deco county courthouse and deco Fremont Theatre. To put up a building that is a strange mess of elements … it is really problematic.” • Construction: will crowd downtown and it will be unpleasant for current residents and workforce traveling to and from work/will add to downtown parking problems; ○ Construction means dirt, dust, and loud working throughout downtown all throughout the weekdays • Encourages even more expansion/construction downtown in the future • Residential units should be built outside the downtown area ○ Should remain lively and not crowd downtown streets • If buildings are created too big, there will not be enough parking space downtown to accommodate everyone. • Compromise: Make the buildings 60 feet instead of 75 feet ○ Won’t stand out as much ○ Low enough to be acceptable for SLO advisory
Commissioner Reports Commissioner Ryan O’Neill: The San Luis Obispo proposal to change the height maximum to seventy-five feet was a very well proposed debate. The proposition that was being discussed was to change the height maximum of buildings in San Luis Obispo to seventy-five feet. This would be adding fifteen feet to the current maximum which is sixty feet. This proposal is specific to a certain project that has been designed and proposed for the downtown section of San Luis Obispo. The project is to be set in a space between the streets of Higuera and Monterey. There is a lot of facilities that will be incorporated into the building such as parking, housing, as well as a hotel. Which is in need in San Luis Obispo, especially in the downtown area. However, due to the amount of space needed to incorporate all of the functions so they are all included in the building, the height needs to be seventy-five feet tall. This is against city regulation but there is analysis of the change due to the need for this type of structure. The pros to this argument are related to the needs of the city. There is a constant issue in San Luis Obispo for parking and housing. Due to the small town being so crowded, there is a dire need to incorporate more facilities into the city to make this less of an issue. There is also the source of a hotel. It would be very convenient for tourists to have a hotel in the downtown area as well as it may create a source of revenue for the city. Most hotels are located just outside the downtown center which can make it less motivating for tourists to stay. However, the cons to this proposal are n great quantity as a result for what the city of San Luis Obispo is known for. A very large amount of the city is made up of college students as well as retirees. Though there may be benefits for having parking and housing, the result of this new incorporation could in a way add to the problem. This meaning that due to there more space, there will be more occupants to take up this space which will only continue the problem at hand. There is also the discussion of how the new building will in a way disrespect the architecture of the old buildings that will surround the new one making it seem not to fit well together. San Luis Obispo is made up of many small efficient buildings which in a way makes the city unique and adding a bigger more multi-use building may cause that feel to depreciate. One of the bigger issues that this building may cause is obstruction of view. The city is known for its view of the many mountains that surround it and it is one of the main reasons for retirees to locate in the city and this new building can cause this to be a great issue. The most concerning issue is the fact that there will be a new law allowing buildings to be at seventy-five feet. There is no way of knowing what other abstracts may be incorporated after this. Also, there is a possibility that the limit may be changed again if the city has already allowed it to be changed once. This last argument was the one that convinced me as the commissioner to vote against the proposal. I for one am a big advocate for the small town feel, and I would hate to see this diminished as a result of the proposal of one building.
Commissioner Joseph Szillinsky:
The group that I was a part of was tasked with debating whether or not the max building height in SLO should be changed to 75 ft. tall. More specifically this change would allow the approval of a new development that would include commercial space, office space, a hotel, apartment style residential living, and a parking garage. First to present was the group that argued in support of changing the code. They first brought up the fact that this project would provide SLO with some amenities that it is currently lacking in. They mentioned the difficulty of finding parking anywhere in downtown and how much another parking garage could aid in this. They then brought up how San Luis Obispo is growing like any city, and to support this growing we are going to need more space, whether it be for offices, living, or shopping, the growing population not only will utilize it, but soon will need it. At this point they reminded us that to fit all of this it would be crucial to have permission to build up to 75 ft. tall. Some other benefits resulting from this development is more affordable housing, and the attraction of more visitors and tourists due to having a hotel in downtown.
Following the arguments made in support of the change, we had presented to us the cons and reasons to not build 75ft high in San Luis Obispo. The argument started with listing the aspects of SLO that make it feel and function and a small scale city or town. They then said that it is the small town feel and look that draws people to live and visit here. It keeps it unique and beautiful in a different way than all the big cities you see up and down California and across the nation. Many of the residents in SLO that are not college kids are retirees, and when interviewed it was obvious that the features that they value have a lot to do with the fact that it is a small town and that the beautiful views are visible from all over town and not inhibited by tall buildings. On top of that they countered the point that the parking garage would free up more parking downtown by pointing out that the new attractions being built would draw in more people than parking spots. Additionally, as with any construction project the area around the site, downtown, would be flooded with noise, dirt, and traffic as it is being built. Finally, what in my opinion is the biggest point throughout the debate, the second team stated that once you change this rule its getting a ball rolling that could change the whole town. First its 75 ft., next year its 100 ft., and before you know it San Luis Obispo could be morphed into a completely different city.
After hearing the arguments on both sides of this topic the other commissioner and I came up with a unanimous decision to decline the approval of building a 75 ft. tall project. This decision was reached after analyzing the fact that all in all it will spark a change in San Luis Obispo that will lead to it changing into a completely city throughout the years following.
Week Eight: Materials & Technology
Assignment 8: Material Taxonomy
MATERIAL TAXONOMY Observations and Conclusions:
In conclusion, I’m very glad that I did this project because it introduced to me the 4 different elements of Architecture that I have not quite taken my time to deeply look at or analyze before. Being an architecture major, it was very helpful and eye opening for me to look at how the structure of a building was made in a way that I might have not seen before. The material ranged from tectonic material, to stereotonic material, to enclosure material, and from the basics of Earthworks material. I observed that most Earthworks are living material, most tectonics are from pieces that fit exactly into place, most stereotonics are big, solid materials, and enclosure material always has a purpose to enhance the building. Looking at the four elements, I saw the stages of how a building such as Engineering IV was built, and got a closer look at how the structures all came together as one, even though they are from different Architectural Elements.
Student Name: Nathan Mok ISA Name: Site:
Marketa
Engineering IV Courtyard
EDES 123 [Burke / Lucas / Shields] Winter 2016
Earthworks Material #1: The Earthworks are the Living Materials that covered the Earth before it was built upon. A material or an element of Earthworks around the Engineering IV building is a tree. The objective characteristics of this tree includes that it’s a living material, made and composed of wood and leaves. It’s use in nature is to provide oxygen for all of us and a habitat for small animals or insects, and was what this area was filled with before it turned into a building. It is a natural life form existing within the school and can be used for shade, or just to enjoy a representation of nature and the living Earth around us.
Earthworks Material #2: A material or element of Earthworks found around the Engineering IV building is dirt. Dirt is a nonliving earthwork element of the Engineering IV building, unlike the living element found in the tree. Some objective Characteristics of the dirt include that is brown, sandy, rocky, and can be found plentifully all over the ground. It is one of the more abundant things found in the nature of the building at Cal Poly. One thing that it has in common with the tree is that it a representation of naturalmaterials, that could have been found before the place was built.
Earthworks Material #3: Another Earthwork element found in the premises of Engineering IV are the grass and flowers that lie all over the lawn, just on the outside area of the building. These plants are living earthwork elements. Like dirt, they are very plentiful and can be found outside, where there is a large designated area specifically for grass. A human purpose for grass is to lie down on something soft, to play sports in, and so much more. Some objective characteristics are that grass is usually green and very soft. It is a great representation and appreciate of nature when grass is seen around the campus.
EARTHWORKS
Stereotomic Material #1: Stereotomics are defined as the heavy wall systems found and located in or around a building, that support the building in the main way that it’s supposed to be supported. The stairs pictured on the left are stereotomic material, because they are a large object that supports the building. Some objective characteristics of stairs are that they are metal, on this specific building, and that there are at least 4 flights of them on the outside. It’s specific purpose for this site is to allow people to get from floor to floor when they need to travel.
Stereotomic Material #2: Another stereotomic material found on Engineering IV is the column that holds up the foundation of a certain chunk of the building. It is classified as a stereotomic material because of its ability to hold large heavy materials. It’s main purpose is just for support for the large building wherever it needs to be held up. Objective characteristics of this column are that it is made mainly out of metal, as it needs something heavy to hold up heavy material. It is also a good representation of the architecture and the great pressure that the weight can handle.
Stereotomic Material #3: The last feature stereotomic material is the large walls that seemingly look like yellow tiles all over the building of Engineering IV. It is a stereotomic building because it is large and heavy, holding up the foundation of the whole building. Objective characteristics of this wall is that it is probably made out of cement and colored yellow. It also has kind of a rough texture given to the feel of the building. It is the main wall type within this whole building and it goes all the way around. This type of stereotomic material is what makes the building what it is.
STEREOTOMICS
Tectonic Material #1: Tectonic Materials are the light, frame systems found around a building, as defined in the world of architecture. The metal coating/plates, found around one side of the large Engineering IV building represents tectonic materials. Some objective characteristics of this metal plate is that it is a reflective silver metal, probably aluminum or steel, and it’s purpose, in this specific case, is to decorate or reinforce the building. It is a artificial, nonliving material, like most if not all other tectonic materials found in Engineering IV. It has a fairly smooth texture, and is designed for a modern look.
Tectonic Material #2: Another example of tectonic material is the frame that holds the window together, as shown in the picture. This is a tectonic material because it is built into a stereotomic material, but cannot be classifies as that because it is a light frame system rather than a heavy system. It’s main purpose, in the specific case, is the create a window opening for the inside to see the outside, or vice versa. Some objective characteristics of this tectonic material is that it is a smooth metal frame, holding together glass that makes it what it is. It is designed to fit in nicely with the building.
Tectonic Material #3: A material or element of Tectonic Material found around the Engineering IV building is the graphite-looking plates found of the walls of the building. Many of the walls have this certain type of texture given off by plates all around the site. This material is artificial, and some objective characteristics of these materials are that it is in all different shades of grey and silver, making it look different but unique. These plates give off the texture or feeling of rock but are actually used as a coating for the walls. The specific purpose for this is to give it a nice, but rough look that makes it attractive to audiences.
TECTONICS
Enclosure Material #1: An Enclosure Material is defined as enclosure or skin, and is mainly supported by the frame of the building. This hanging lamp post, found along the outside of the Engineering IV building, is an example of an enclosure material. Some objective characteristics of this light source is that it is coated in metal and attached onto the wall of the building, making it hanging off the side. It’s specific purpose, in this case, is to illuminate the hallway of the stairs during the times when there is no light available. It is designed in a way to match the building and create a lighter scenery for the entire hallway.
Enclosure Material #2: A material or element of Enclosure found on the Engineering IV site is the outside canopy that is attached to the building. This is an example of an enclosure material because it is not part of the building but more of an add on to the outside. It’s specific purpose is to create shade for those under, or as a rain barrier as well. Some basic objective characteristics of this canopy is that it is metal, and it is smooth. It is also created in such a way to give it a nice, metallic look to uniformly blend in with the rest of the building.
Enclosure Material #3: Another enclosure material found on Cal Poly’s Engineering IV building are the air vents. Because they are built into the frame of a wall, they are considered enclosure material, as well as the fact that it is detachable. The specific purpose of the vent , in this case, s to let air inside and outside of the building. The vent also looks designed to complement the metal plates nicely. Some objective characteristics of this is that it is made out of metal, elevated high off of the ground, and attached onto the wall of a building .
ENCLOSURE/SKIN
Week Nine: Utopias & meanings
Assignment 9: Drosscape & Personal product
Nathan Mok EDES 123 Burke, Lucas, Shields Assignment 9: DrossCape and Personal Product PART ONE: IN CLASS 1. Local Drosscape Map: Castro Valley, California. East Bay Area
2. Take Notes: William McDonough’s Cradle to Cradle (pages 1-15, 92-104) Pages 1-15 • Introduction to Cradle to Cradle o William McDonough and Michael Braungart o Merging international design, chemistry and products for industry
•
•
o What is Cradle to Cradle? § Design principles provide a positive agenda for continuous innovation around the economic, environmental, and social issues of human design and use of products and services o Principles § Eliminate Concept of Waste § Renewable energy § Celebrate Diversity o Complementary Metabolisms § Major emphasis on the human and ecological health impacts of a product’s ingredients at the chemical level § Products of Consumption § Products of Service § Externally Managed Components (EMCs) Overview of the Standard o Product Scope § Materials, sub-assemblies, finished products o Standard Categories and their scope § Material Health – do not contain X or Grey assessed materials/chemicals § Material Reutilization – concept of technical nutrients and biological nutrients § Renewable Energy and Carbon Management – Positively impacts our energy supply, ecosystem balance, community § Water Stewardship – measure of water o Certification Levels § 5-Level System of Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum o Summary of Standard Requirements o Continuous Improvement and Optimization o Certification Marks Cradle to Cradle Material Health o Safe and Healthy Materials o Requirements § Basic – 100% characterized by generic materials § Bronze – product is at least 75% assessed by using ABC-X ratings § Silver - 95% assessed using ABC-X ratings § Gold- 100% assessed by ABC Ratings § Platinum – All process chemicals have been assessed and none have been asses as X o Generic Material Type and Inputs Subject to Review § Standard Requirement – 100% generic materials § Applicable Levels of Certification § Intent – identify § Methods • List
•
•
• Weigh • Determine § Required Documentation o Identifying Appropriate Metabolism § Standard Requirement – appropriate metabolism § Applicable Levels of Certification § Intent-identify nutrient cycle § Methods • Technical Nutrients • Biological Nutrients § Required Documentation Determining Absence of Banned List Chemicals o Standard-doesn’t contain o Certification o Intent-ensure that chemicals are not intentional o Methods § Banned List of Chemicals § Declarations o Required Documentations Banned List o Metals: Lead, cadmium, chromium VI, mercury o Metals: Arsenic o Flame Retardants o Phthalates
Pages 92-104 • Terms and Definitions o Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene – common thermoplastic o Algae Toxicity – how toxic algae is o Androgen – Any natural or synthetic compound o Bioaccumulation – substance stored and accumulated in humans/animals o BCF – measure of chemical accumulation tendency o Biodegradable – Material broken down and reduced to (in)organic molecules o Biological Metabolism – cycle in which biological nutrients flow o Biological nutrient – product usable by defined living things for process o Biomass – organic, non fossil material o Carbon Disclosure project – Organization that helps discloses greenhouse gas o Carbon Offset – Reduction of gas o Carcinogen – exposure to cancer o CAS number – Chemical Abstract Service Number o CEN – provider of European specification o Chemical class – grouping of elements o Chemical Profile- 24 human health endpoints
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Chloride – PVC chlorinated Child Labor – Children working Clean Development Mechanism – sustainable development Climate - Temperature Climatic relevance – measure of characteristics Co2 Equivalent- cause greenhouse gas Colorant-impart color to matter Compostable-capable of undergoing biological decomposition Degradation - decomposition Down cycling – consequences od design failures Earthster – free open source platform Endocrine Disruptor – Substance that interferes with hormones Excessive Work Time – Edes making me do this bs Externally Managed Component – managed from the outside Facility – final step of manufacturing Finish – coating or surface pretreatment Forced Labor – edes environmental design class Fundamental Human Rights – Universal Declaration of human rights Global Warning Potential – CO2 equivalents Gold Standard – internal organization Half Life – amount of time it takes half a substance to degrade Input-chemicals, mixtures, simple complex materials Living Wage – sufficient to meet basic living needs Material – Group of one or more chemicals Mixture – 2+ substances Product – finished good, under review for Cradle to cradle Certified Rating – Chemical Profile – Green, yellow, red, grey Recyclable – material that can be recycled Sensitization – ability to induce response Toxicity – Measure of how poisonous or deadly a substance is Upcycling – measure of activity Verified Carbon Standard – provides a framework for developing a project for quantification
3. Select and Print: C2C Products
4. Select and Print: Transmaterial Products
PART TWO: PUBLISHED PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION 1. Home History and Drosscape 1.1. Castro Valley, California. Located in the East Bay Area. Cloudy/Foggy morning weather (near bay), sunny weather (California), rain not too frequent (drought) 1.2. Sites and Drosscape Role: 1.2.1. Hayward Airport – Emits CO2 into air, causing bad air quality shed 1.2.2. Interstate 580 - Emits CO2 into air, causing bad air quality shed 1.2.3. TAP Fabric Company – Making of fabrics, CO2 Shed 1.3. Plans for Restoration: BART alternative for travel, BAPPG (Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group) 1.4. From the information given from my research on Cradle-to-cradle, these innovations of Airports, Interstates, and Fabric Companies cause environmental issues in the area in which I live. Some alternatives to these problems are principles of alternative travel to get to places without emitting so much CO2, so the environment is safer. Another alternative is using alternative fabric products, to lessen the making of fabric, causing CO2 emissions to drop. 1.5. Final Map:
Local Sources – Bibliography (Bay Area Drosscapes): http://bacwa.org/committees/bay-area-pollution-prevention-group/ http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Emissions-to-be-monitored-on-majorBay-Area-roads-4816992.php http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_23928015/bay-areas-mostcongested-freeways-get-air-pollution 2. C2C Notes Summary: Cradle to Cradle was invented by two people named William McDonough and Michael Braungart. Their main goal in creating Cradle to Cradle was to merge international design, chemistry, and products for industry. In making Cradle to Cradle, they defined it as design principles provide a positive agenda for continuous innovation around the economic, environmental, and social issues of human design and use of products and services. Their main principles were to eliminate waste, create renewable energy, and create diversity. They also emphasized human and ecological health impacts, as well as making products of consumption and service. 3. Personal Products 3.1. My Products: 3.1.1. Wet Green OBE: plant-based concentrate designed to produce leathers showing good shape retention but also softness, lightness, and durability 3.1.2. Krystal Weave Laminates: transparent, shatterproof, fire-resistant sheets for everyday use 3.2. These products attracted me because they were very unique. For the Wet-Green OBE, I was curious to see how it worked and how it functioned in everyday life. For the Krystal Weave Laminates, I was fascinated by the design and how useful it has potential of being. For the Wet-Green OBE, I can picture it being used to be put on shoes or sofas, to keep the leather material fresh. For the Krystal Weave, I can imagine using it as a design on a wall, or used as a separator of some sorts 3.3. The manufacture’s information for the Transmaterial product compared to the Cradle-to-Cradle product is that the Cradle-to-Cradle product explicitly states that it is from a natural material, while the Transmaterial product does not. They are both well documented, but only the Cradle-to-Cradle product states that it is from environmental friendly materials. Based on the evidence, I can assume that the Transmaterial product is not as environmentally friendly as Cradle-to-Cradle.
3.4.
Images of Chosen Material
3.5. Materials Data Sheet 3.5.1. Cradle-to-Cradle: http://www.c2cproducts.com/detail.aspx?linkid=3&sublink=13 3.5.2. Transmaterial: http://transmaterial.net/tag/material/
Week Ten: Utopias & meanings
Assignment 10: Utopia [You-Topia]
Nathan Mok EDES 123 Burke, Lucas, Shields Assignment 10: Utopia [You-Topia] PATH: Common Road, Paris, France A path is defined as a channel in which a person customarily or potentially moves. This can include paths, streets, roads, sidewalks, etc, and that is defined in the picture shown of a common road in Paris. I chose this road in Paris because I really appreciate how it is designed and the architecture in which it took place, and because it is also a place I would like to visit and experience in the future.
EDGE: Miami, Florida, USA An edge is defined as the boundaries that separate one region from another, with a visible seam that joins the regions together, though still remaining separate. This Miami beach is a perfect example of an edge because it shows two different regions of land and water. I chose the Miami beach because I really love the feel and the weather of this area, and it is one of the places where I aspire to visit. NODE: New York City, New York, USA A Node are points within a place or city, strategically located, where a person or an individual can enter and exit. These can also be defined as junctures or a convergence of paths. New York City is a representation of this because it is where streets collide into one collective area, where people can interact. I chose this place because I love the atmosphere of the area, and it just seems like a great place to interact with others.
LANDMARK: Tower Bridge, London, England A Landmark is a reference point. Unlike nodes, a landmark emits external specific characteristics features, and exemplifies and image that creates commonality within an individual, whether that person has been there or not. A landmark can be anything that helps an individual remember a certain place. I chose the Tower Bridge in London because it creates in image of London in my mind, and represents it.
DISTRICT: Chicago, Illinois, USA A District is a section of an area or a city that an individual enters or passes through. Unlike the others, a District can cover a wide variety of areas that appear in the same region, usually stemming from medium to large sections of a place. I chose this area in Chicago because it clearly depicts a medium-large area, in which a region takes place in a large scale. I also chose this because it is a district and place that I would like to explore in the future. COLLAGE In this collage, my group combined the 5 different elements to make a large picture. Within this collage, we had various paths, edges, nodes, landmarks, and districts stemming from places all around the world, with each having a special meaning to us in some specific way. Some of these pictures include Times Square, London, Sweden, Miami, Italy, and many more different places around the world. Group Members: Jake Navarre, Luis Rodrdiguez, Jamie Mosler
Reflection
Upo n t a ki n g t hi s c la ss, I o r i g i na lly d i d no t k no w wha t
t o e xp e ct , s i n c e i t i s a l s o a so m e w h a t ne w cla ss. O r i g i na lly , I t hou gh t i t wa s j u s t a n o th e r Ge ne r a l E d u ca ti o n cla ss t ha t I had t o t a ke b ec a u s e i t w a s r e q u i r e d f o r m y A r ch i te ct ur e Major, bu t I s o o n r ea l i z e d th a t th e r e w a s a lo t to ta k e a wa y from t hi s c l a s s . T hr o u g h th i s cla ss, I le a r ne d m u ch a b o ut t he princ i p l es o f en vi r o nm e nta l d e si g n, a bo u t th e w o r ld arou nd m e, a n d a b o u t th e e nv i r o nm e nt th a t a f f e cts th e wa y in whic h we l i ve o u r l i ve s to th i s d a y. I n ta k i ng th i s cla s s , I gain e d a l o t o f i n s i ght o n h o w o ne si m ple pi e ce o f nat ur e c ou ld affec t l i ves a s a w h o le , a nd i t w a s i nte r e sti ng to f ind an d le ar n a b o u t t he a s pe cts o f a r ch i te ctu r e th a t I m i g ht no t have kno wn a b o u t b efo r e , su ch a s h o w o u r se nse s a f f e c t ho w t hings a r e b u i l t , a n d o u r su r r o u nd i ng s. T h e r e w e r e m a ny int rigu in g t o p i c s t ha t I t h r o r o u g h ly e njo ye d , su ch a s U t o pia s , Com m u n i t y , a n d Tec hn o lo g y, ju st to na m e a f e w . I r e ally le arn e d a l o t fr o m t hi s c la ss, e v e n th r o u g h I d i d no t e xpec t m u c h fro m i t a t fi r s t . I ’ m r e a lly g la d th a t I to o k th i s cla s s bec au se it o p en ed m y ey es to th e r e a li ty o f th e w o r ld , a nd I’m e xc it e d fo r ho w t hi s c l a ss h a s pr e pa r e d m e f o r th e f u tur e.
Appendix: Reading Notes
Week Two Reading Notes: Body/Self/Others p a l l s a m a ’ s E y e s o f t h e S k i n :
Architecture and the Senses Nathan Mok EDES 123 The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses Notes
· As our most important sense, perception of sight is well grounded in physiological, perceptual, and psychological facts. · Isolation of the eye restricts and reduces the experience of the world compared to other senses · Our movements and bodies are in constant interaction with the environment and with the world · The experience of architecture is multi-sensory, meaning that we measure the qualities of space, scale, and matter equally using our eyes, ears, nose, skin, muscle, skeleton, and tongue · Vision reveals what the touch already knows · The eye is the organ of separation and distance · Tough is the sense of intimacy, nearness, and affection · Light is a mediator between two worlds: enclosed and open, exterior and interior, public and private, shadow and light · Sense of sight implies exteriority, but sound creates and experience of interiority · Architecture presents the drama of construction silenced into matter, space, and light · Architecture expands our imagination · A particular smell can trigger a memory inside our minds, or a daydream · Hands have histories in their own touch. They develop wishes, feelings, occupations, and moods · Skin reads texture, density, weight, and temperature of matter · There is a strong identity between naked skin and sensation of home · Experience of architecture brings the world into more intimate contact with the body · Sensations of protection, home, and comfort are rooted in the experiences of our countless generations and bring out the primitiveness in us · Architecture cannot become an instrument of functionality, comfort, or pleasure without losing its task of program, functions, and comfort. · Architectural “experience” is made up of elements of encounters, confrontations, and memories · We behold, listen, measure, and touch the world with our bodily existence · Inside our minds, perceptions, imagination, and memory are in constant interaction · Architecture recognizes the realms of hearing, smell, and taste · Architecture is timeless; it reflects, materializes, and eternalizes ideas and images of the ideal life
Week Three Reading Notes: Community & Diversity R a p o p o r t , S t e a , U b b e l o dNathan e h Mok EDES 123
Burke, Lucas, Shields
Assignment 3: Lecture Notes Rapoport • Primitive and vernacular buildings and settlements, from the point of view of the environmental designer • Main interest: general features, given the serious limitations of space • Overlaps many disciplines: architecture, cultural geography, history, city planning, anthropology, ethnography, cross cultural studies, behavioral sciences • Nature and definition of the field • Architectural theory and history have emphasized the work of men • Environment is the result of vernacular architecture, which has been largely ignored in architectural history • Primitive building refers to that produced by societies design as primitive by anthropologists • Vernacular design process is one of models and adjustments or variations • Vernacular buildings give more individual variability and differentiation than in primitive buildings • Alternative theories of house form • Social values take precedence over technological advances, in some situations • Socio-cultural factors and house form • The suggestion that social and cultural factors, rather than physical forces, are the most influential in the creation of house form is an important reason for turning to primitive and vernacular building for a first look at house form • Possibility of this degree of choice and freedom with regard to the house is most usefully understood through the concept of criticality • Climate as a modifying factor • Construction, materials, and technology as modifying factors • Present day: We can do very much more than what is possible in the past • Result is the problem of excessive choice, the difficulty of selecting or finding constraints with arose naturally in the past • We act as though criticality were high and close fit to physical :function” were essential Stea • House, Form, and Culture Revisited • Abstract study resulting from the housing preferences of a Navajo reservation • Relationship between cultural identity and housing preferences among the Navajo nation • Cultural variables of socio-cultural forces, such as religious beliefs, family, clan structure, social organization, livelihood, and social interactions • Two processes simultaneously occurring
• • •
• •
• •
o Acculturation of part of the Navajo population o Construction of new, non-traditional house and settlement forms Current Navajo house is termed as a Hogan, which are three forked poles, laid upon a network of branches and rocks Hogan was usually associated with religious beliefs which prescribe or prohibit location Two principle beliefs concerned with the conditions of occupancy of a dwelling o If a person dies in a house, that house must be abandoned and the first wall knocked known o A home must be blessed before occupied Head of each sampled household was interviewed, and the interview was designed to elicit systematic information concerning level of acculturation, residential behavior, and preferences for the residential environment Study acculturation was operationally defined in terms of five subscales o Urban experience o Language acculturation o Traditional knowledge o Education o House traditionalism Data suggests that there are trade-offs involved for non-acculturated Navajo The attention of Navajo urban planners might best be directed at questions of settlement pattern and energy utilization rather than to house form.
Ubbelodeh • • •
• • • • •
Architectural Myth of the Ecological Vernacular Story of disjuncture between the intent of the individual author and the effects of the collective literature Myth is constructed based on the ideas that: o vernacular design has a lack of theoretical or aesthetic pretensions o the designs work with the site and microclimate rather than against o Architecture displays a respect for people and hence for the total environment Vernacular, or “primitive”, buildings and settlements learn climate responsive design strategies to collaborate with nature Desire for technical information that has been lost or confused in the industrialized world Looked for a means to live in harmony with nature through design Each book, in their own way, contributes to the mosaic of ideas and images of the myth, which is the relationship between vernacular design and ecological responsibility has been created in the realm of the inferential and the collective, through the power of images and a chemistry between the individual texts
Week Eight Reading Notes: Materials & Technology B a k e r N o t e s
Nathan Mok EDES 123 Burke, Lucas, Shields
“We are all Outdoor Animals” Notes •
•
•
Thermal Comfort o Two schools of thought § Thermal comfort is best described by thermal neutrality brought by steady state of heat balance § Thermal comfort can be achieved within a range of thermal sensations o Schools of thought are so different because people behave differently in different contexts o Huge problem of “uncomfortable climate conditions” Adaptation and Survival o Adaptive ability of humans has resulted in the species occupying climatic extremes wider than almost any other species o Achieved by sustainable technologies in the past o Present situation causing half of the world’s energy consumption to be accounted for o Humans have feats of survival and inherent adaptive skill o Survival is an instinct, and is like rhythm of the human body Daylight and Health o Seasonal Effective Disorder (SAD) o Daylight has special spectral qualities o “individual task times can be reduced due to greater visual efficiency raised morale from reduced environmental stress supports better work from healthier, happier people.” o People will tolerate much lower illuminance levels of daylight than artificial light o “bad luminous environment” § generally bad satisfaction § satisfaction was still high when: • view of high landscape value present • occupant had some freedom to change orientation or move out o Environments with bland and uniform lamination do not score particularly wel
•
•
Nature in Buildings o Dependence of nature in buildings on the seasons, and day to day weather o Designs have to be sustained by energy-consuming services o Plants can sometimes reduce neuro-psychological symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, and concentration problems. o Reports of physical improvement in air quality by indoor planting, namely the reduction of contaminants o Flowers and vegetation are a normal part of indoor life that we don’t even bother to question it Conclusion o We have deep hereditary affinity for the natural world o Modern life in the built environment increasingly isolates us from it § Unconscious behavior § Conscious behavior o Assertion § Bring more nature into built environment § Design in those characteristics similar to which we have evolved in the natural world o The looser control of environmental conditions should not be seen as a weakness provided that the means and freedom of responding are also present o Denial of the need and freedom to respond to natural stimuli should be regarded as any cultural deprivation
Week Nine Reading Notes: Utopias & Meaning Nathan Mok EDES 123 W i l l i a m M c D o n o u g h ’ s Burke, Lucas, Shields CWilliam McDonough’s Cradle to Cradle (pages 1-15, 92-104) radle to Cradle
Pages 1-15 • Introduction to Cradle to Cradle o William McDonough and Michael Braungart o Merging international design, chemistry and products for industry o What is Cradle to Cradle? § Design principles provide a positive agenda for continuous innovation around the economic, environmental, and social issues of human design and use of products and services o Principles § Eliminate Concept of Waste § Renewable energy § Celebrate Diversity o Complementary Metabolisms § Major emphasis on the human and ecological health impacts of a product’s ingredients at the chemical level § Products of Consumption § Products of Service § Externally Managed Components (EMCs) • Overview of the Standard o Product Scope § Materials, sub-assemblies, finished products o Standard Categories and their scope § Material Health – do not contain X or Grey assessed materials/chemicals § Material Reutilization – concept of technical nutrients and biological nutrients § Renewable Energy and Carbon Management – Positively impacts our energy supply, ecosystem balance, community § Water Stewardship – measure of water o Certification Levels § 5-Level System of Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum o Summary of Standard Requirements o Continuous Improvement and Optimization o Certification Marks Cradle to Cradle • Material Health o Safe and Healthy Materials o Requirements § Basic – 100% characterized by generic materials § Bronze – product is at least 75% assessed by using ABC-X ratings
Silver - 95% assessed using ABC-X ratings Gold- 100% assessed by ABC Ratings Platinum – All process chemicals have been assessed and none have been asses as X o Generic Material Type and Inputs Subject to Review § Standard Requirement – 100% generic materials § Applicable Levels of Certification § Intent – identify § Methods • List • Weigh • Determine § Required Documentation o Identifying Appropriate Metabolism § Standard Requirement – appropriate metabolism § Applicable Levels of Certification § Intent-identify nutrient cycle § Methods • Technical Nutrients • Biological Nutrients § Required Documentation Determining Absence of Banned List Chemicals o Standard-doesn’t contain o Certification o Intent-ensure that chemicals are not intentional o Methods § Banned List of Chemicals § Declarations o Required Documentations Banned List o Metals: Lead, cadmium, chromium VI, mercury o Metals: Arsenic o Flame Retardants o Phthalates § § §
•
•
Pages 92-104 • Terms and Definitions o Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene – common thermoplastic o Algae Toxicity – how toxic algae is o Androgen – Any natural or synthetic compound o Bioaccumulation – substance stored and accumulated in humans/animals o BCF – measure of chemical accumulation tendency o Biodegradable – Material broken down and reduced to (in)organic molecules
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Biological Metabolism – cycle in which biological nutrients flow Biological nutrient – product usable by defined living things for process Biomass – organic, non fossil material Carbon Disclosure project – Organization that helps discloses greenhouse gas Carbon Offset – Reduction of gas Carcinogen – exposure to cancer CAS number – Chemical Abstract Service Number CEN – provider of European specification Chemical class – grouping of elements Chemical Profile- 24 human health endpoints Chloride – PVC chlorinated Child Labor – Children working Clean Development Mechanism – sustainable development Climate - Temperature Climatic relevance – measure of characteristics Co2 Equivalent- cause greenhouse gas Colorant-impart color to matter Compostable-capable of undergoing biological decomposition Degradation - decomposition Down cycling – consequences od design failures Earthster – free open source platform Endocrine Disruptor – Substance that interferes with hormones Excessive Work Time – Edes making me do this bs Externally Managed Component – managed from the outside Facility – final step of manufacturing Finish – coating or surface pretreatment Forced Labor – edes environmental design class Fundamental Human Rights – Universal Declaration of human rights Global Warning Potential – CO2 equivalents Gold Standard – internal organization Half Life – amount of time it takes half a substance to degrade Input-chemicals, mixtures, simple complex materials Living Wage – sufficient to meet basic living needs Material – Group of one or more chemicals Mixture – 2+ substances Product – finished good, under review for Cradle to cradle Certified Rating – Chemical Profile – Green, yellow, red, grey Recyclable – material that can be recycled Sensitization – ability to induce response Toxicity – Measure of how poisonous or deadly a substance is Upcycling – measure of activity Verified Carbon Standard – provides a framework for developing a project for quantification