FINAL LEARNING PORTFOLIO
SPRING 2016
PALOMA SANTOS
JERRY LUM
What’s Your Sign?
What’s Your Sign? The first collage I created contains words that describe who I am: compassionate, confident, and curious, and I decided to place them in a distinctive order. In the collage, you’ll see that each word seems to be read ordinarily, from left the right, but suddenly the words drop down the page. The intention behind this was to create a pattern that was unordinary and unified the color chart. I chose various shapes and colors of letters to contrast to the structured squares of assorted greens.
What’s Your Sign? For my next sign I decided to maneuver towards a more abstract representation of myself. I chose four pictures I took recently over Christmas break that had sentimental value to me, and inevitably connected to my love for nature. I placed the car on the upside-down road to symbolize my persistent behavior of following my aspirations, despite set backs. Or in this case, a flipped highway. The plated hot drink and cookie symbolized a sense of sweetness, as the half-shown painting to the right stood for mystery. Overall, this was my favorite collage because it wasn’t so literal as my first collage and the hues of the images harmonized softly.
What’s Your Sign? For my third and final collage I focused on combining ideas from my literal and abstract collages. These photos represent my daily life as a student in San Francisco, ranging from homework assignments to public transportation maps. I had trouble coming up with how to display these images considering the dierent alignments of each picture. Similarly, the top and far right photos create the same pattern I designed in my first collage of words.
Construction of What’s Your Sign 1st Iteration
In creating my first model, weight and a successful construction method were my first priorities. Since this was my first time building a model of any type in a long time, I used all cardboard and paper materials to keep it adorable and eďŹƒcient and this gave me flexibility to experiment with dierent shapes and sizes.
Using cardboard with helpful for me because it kept the weight of my sign light and easily bendable to create the sharp edges in the triangle and smaller diamond pieces.
My original design focused around the main triangle structure which protrudes outward from the wall. The smaller diamond in the front was positioned there to compliment the diagonal lines from the larger triangle and to give the sign more dimension.
To be able to mount this to the wall, I added a horizontal piece of cardboard that I glued and taped to my model. Quickly, I was aware the back piece of cardboard wasn’t sturdy enough to keep the sign up. So I added another rectangle on the back, creating a wide cross-like backbone.
What’s Your Sign 1st Iteration For my first built model, I chose to work from my first collage. I kept the pattern of sharp edges and used the letters from the collage verbatim. The black painted cardboard was used to contrast from the varying hues from the words and color chart. I intentionally placed the words on the left and right side of the sign so that anyone walking towards the sign could easily read what it said. However, I positioned the diamond in the middle to show a dierent feeling if the sign were being seen directly in front. From the front view, the squares seem to be almost floating backwards, which leads to the words on the right and left side.
A main discovery I made while crafting my first model, was the importance of balancing the weight in the right areas for successful mounting. At home the cross backbone held my sign effectively, but in class it later collapsed. I realize that I need to incorporate some type of suspensions from the top and bottom on the sign in order to keep the sign in place. Or I could add layers to thicken my back support. Construction wise, I realized that standard scissors don’t cut cardboard as neatly as I imagined. I bought an X-acto knife and it made the world of a difference when cutting out rectangular pieces. Although the front diamond piece did compliment the diagonal lines from the triangle, I found that the squares appeared distracting to my main message from my sign, which was to communicate who I was. For next time, I prefer to shy away from literal messages and words. This was acceptable for my collage, but I am going to work towards a more abstract sign for my upcoming iteration.
What’s Your Sign 2nd Iteration
For my final iteration of this sign I took a more abstract approach, really testing my comfort zone. My message here centralized around the idea of “dualities,” as shown, the colors, textures, shapes and even weight of my materials contrast. The thin and frail wires symbolize the importance of dark moments in life we often forget to appreciate. The white, sturdy foam board protruding from the back board represent the joy of moving in a positive direction. Overall, the sturdy board would fail without the frail wires, thus a celebration of both good and bad, dualities of life, should be honored.
In regards to my second iteration, a main strength I noticed was being more conceptual with my design. From my first collage to my 1st iteration the meaning represented was too literal, giving it a juvenile touch. This sign is embraces the complexities of contrasting components, such as materials for example. Another strength was keeping the the structural design somewhat the same, as both the first and second iterations are extend out from the wall perpendicular to the floor. Exploring how I can integrate logical patterns and meaningful order in my design is definitely an opportunity for growth that I plan to incorporate in my future projects. Patterns create a sense of purpose and meaning, so instead of three horizontal boards, I can add various sizes and place them in a relevant order that coincides with my overall message I want to convey.
Evoking Wonder In San Francisco University of San Francisco and Golden Gate Park
This image gives me a feeling of power because of the monumental size of the structure. The two vertical pillars give the structure an elongated point of view compared to the horizontal layers and a symmetrical composition. The bold dierence of hues varying from a rich blue, to shades of tan, and then green and white flower bed at the bottom compliments each component uniquely in this picture.
Entrance of University of San Francisco
Martin Luther King Drive, Golden Gate Park This images gives me a sense of relief every time I look at it. When I initially took the picture, the sun was shinning directly in the middle, but I think it adds movement to the still picture. The darkness of the intertwining branches add a dynamic element compared the clear, bright, hopeful sky. The fading clouds and run rays compliment this image with an angelic chroma.
Inside building of University of San Francisco This image evokes a melancholic emotion within me when I captured it, and even analyzing it now. The ironic scale between the inside and outside environments creates a feeling of longing and distance, from the observer and the view. The dark window pane blends eortlessly with the skeletal tree and it’s shadows casted on the building to the left, yet the bright sky and illuminated city provides multiple layers for the eye to wonder o.
Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park
I feel a sense of serenity and peace when I look at this picture. The mirrored lake looks similar to a sleek sheet of glass, bestowing a sense of stillness compared to the hundreds of excited sprouting flower buds, springing into their full size. The tree presents a uniformed connectedness of the full scene in this image.
The open spaces originating from the open spaces and ceiling window gives me a sense of liberation when I look at this image. I took this image around 9 in the morning, noted by the shadow in the lower left corner, allowing a generous amount of relative light rays to radiate through the spaces.
The defined arches and curves emphasizing a space of ultimate release with intrinsic tension. The tiled path invites the observer to continue exploring at the freedom of their own will.
Entrance of University of San Francisco
Wall of Wonder
Wall of Wonder 1st Iteration
Design Intention My main intention behind creating this wall was to establish monumentality. After experimenting with a couple different materials, I concluded that my wall will be a high-rise building in the city. With that, I scaled my model in correspondence to my main intention of height and verticality.
The model itself is in a “s-shaped” form made from notebook paper that rests in the middle of two cardboard cutouts. I chose to make it a curved wall rather than a typical straight wall to incorporate visual balance.
Building the model was not too difficult, but I quickly noticed it was lacking complexities, representation and design wise. For my next design, I plan to build a wall with more than focus point.
Wall of Wonder 2nd Iteration
Meaning and Narrative The most significant aspects of my constructed design are the slightly curved walls and open windows. This gives a first time viewer a sense of welcome, I envision white solid walls slowing hugging into the rooms, similar to a slightly rounded arms open for an embraced greeting. From the outside, I want people to see the uniqueness of each person per room. The two balconies offer a sense of home, one of my main design objectives. The wooden balcony on the first floor is for hosting small dinners and friendly retreats, looking over the city with the privacy of the top balcony, creating a cave-like feel. The second balcony is on the second floor, where I imagine the bedrooms, to entertain children and small pets. Turf is preferable, with a wide umbrellas, wide hammock, and scattered stones bordering the walls. The second balcony is allow each tenant a sense of freedom to personalize their living space, gardening, bbq-ing, sun-bathing, in the comfort of their own space. All of which is not traditionally done in high-rise, city apartment complexes. The walls are to be a light gray clay material, so that the focus can be mainly differentiating the balconies.
I chose to make the two windows on the sides to be almost completely open to give a sense of elegance, this was also to ensure of a good view and natural sunlight, as often times, apartment buildings lack. This also opens up the room generating open space for the people. I angled the balconies slightly rounded, similar to the main wall of the building, to continue the feeling of welcome with protection. The walls on the balconies ensure a sense of privacy, with the right amount of scope. As I imagine the walls outside to be around 6 feet, this can serve as a corner of liberation for small children, as they stand at the edge of the two glass pieces conversing with one another.
Wall of Wonder 3rd Iteration
Design Intention - Parallelism This model is of the lower level balcony outside of the apartment. My previous model had two balconies that were functional, but not necessarily eye-catching. I began to experiment with parallelism by inserting multiple wooden popsicle sticks on an elevated piece of cardboard. This process generated another wall itself, except the position of the sticks were placed adjacent to one another which created long vertical opening that appeared similar to thin windows.
Next I positioned a somewhat semicircular piece of cardboard at the edge of that wall to create a cozy sitting area. Since both the popsicle wall and cardboard semicircle were raised slightly o the ground, I decided to insert the sitting area in the middle of that cardboard piece. By adding a lower level to my design, it created intentional depth to my low-level balcony.
Finally, I aligned five elongated, thin wooden poles to cover the balcony and make it a slightly more private. But since I used fewer wooden sticks in the front and back of the
actual sitting area, the space was still open enough to possibly add something else in this balcony.
This model is far more progressive in terms of design, yet it lacks foundational stability.
Wall of Wonder 4th Iteration
Design Intention For my final iteration of this wall project, I focused on the interior of the apartment instead of the balconies. My intention was to securely build a model that represents the multiple stories within the house that provides hierarchy within the space. The bottom level is slightly more enclosed than the other areas because I envisioned this area to be the kitchen. While the second floor is smaller in size, it’s open space is intended for a family living room. To the left of the second floor is a hallway that leads to bedrooms. I arranged cut pieces of foam board perpendicular to the edge of the wall to provide privacy and dierentiate the two spaces. Finally, the third level of the interior was created to be an oďŹƒce space or reading area. The windows on the back white wall are not cut out, cut I imagined the room to be the most illuminated of all the rooms.
I was able to build a sturdy foundation for this design, but I was unable to complete the rooms and tackle the small, yet highly important details, such as the windows, or shelves in the walls.
Final Project
Seeking Inspiration
German Pavilion - architects Schmidhuber + Kaindl
First Iteration
Seeking Inspiration
Voronoi House
Second Iteration
Seeking Inspiration
O’biz Tower Lobby
Third and Fourth Iterations
Site Analysis - Main Tree + Lamppost
Reasons For Site: -elongated views of sky
-slope of surrounding area
-natural shade from tree
Collaborative Group Design
Construction Findings + Discoveries
Construction Process
Budget
Conclusion I have never experienced a project quite as this one. For the last weeks, my group and I have overcome multiple challenges and tribulations both physically and mentally. Although we were given our favored site, the location of our design came with difficulties, the slope, that changed and developed our team design for the better. Our intent was to enhance the existing site while being mindful of nature and essentially constructing a design intriguing and captivating to one’s mind. We respectfully accommodated to persons needs and suggestions, all while being true to our each individual beliefs, in reference to the overall design and construction needs. In the end, we were able to complete a model quite similar, but more dynamic than our first small scale model. Overall, I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with such unique, passionate, intelligent and charming people. Completing this project was an achievement already, but being able to discover new things about myself and others around me is also spiritually fulfilling. This class has illuminated my greatest strengths and weaknesses as a young student and even as a young woman. I cannot thank you enough, Jerry, for being as supportive and enlightening as you were to myself and the rest of the class this semester. I will truly never forget the first day of your class when you amazed and inspired my curious mind and revealed the difficulties and challenges we will be faced with, but to pursue something so intriguing as architecture, it will show you about life and yourself. Thank you.