Stevan Romo Bitacora 2

GRUPO ESPECIAL DE DISEÑO

CSF14 Chicago Studio Fall 2014

Stevan Romo A01190173 August – October

GREC Architects

Located in 645 N Michigan Ave Literally new office from GREC, is an open office where all of the partners and architects work together.

Here is where I work, I usually work with Aime Cruz, also part of Chicago studio. But we interact almost twice a week with the rest of the group.

CHICAGO

NEW CITY NEW OFFICE

Thursday Arrived to Chicago got to explore some of downtown area, and got to meet some of the students from the Chicago Studio.

Friday Got to meet people i n t h e o f fi c e a t GREC and helped with the moving process, later that day I went to the review. Almost all the students presented except for me.

Reflection: A fresh start is always good. This program will help me learn new things, get to know new people and will definitely give me experience for the working world in the near future.

WEEK 1 Thursday 4/09 – Friday 5/09

RADICAL CONJECTURE 2

Monday First day at office we worked on planning how we will execute “RC2” Tuesday Lecture: Charles Chambers talked about what contemporary society is for him.

Wednesday Don Copper gave a presentation about “GREC Architects”. All 18 students from CS present themselves with a 20-slide life presentation.

Thursday Chip von Weise gave a presentation about “von Weise Associates” Friday Presentation @ “CannonDesign”

Radical “maps” explaining Pilsen with two of the five senses: Sight and Hearing.

WEEK 2 NOTE: More detailed week in diary.

Monday 8/09 – Friday 12/09

RADICAL CONJECTURE 2

The assignment was getting to know Pilsen (explore it) with only one sense, and we had to pick two out of five. This is the correction of the other two maps. There are also two videos that support this maps, and how they were made.

Reflection: Experiencing a site with only one sense at a time can really make you focus in more detailed things.

WEEK 2 Monday 8/09 – Friday 12/09

INVESTIGATION

Monday Aime and me worked in VWA with Tom and Nancy for the new assignment.

Also did research in Chicago’s Public Library.

Tuesday Worked in GREC the 4 o f u s o n t h e assignment, with the research done the day before.

Wednesday Presentation in VWA. The teams from SOM and CannonDesign also presented their work.

Deep investigation about Pilsen, we researched from 1920’s until 2014 Reflection: Research is always important in the design process, because it lets you know how the site has been changing through out the years. And what could be expected for the next few years WEEK 3 NOTE: More detailed week in diary.

Monday 15/09 – Sunday 21/09

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Thursday Travel day we got on the bus and traveled to Minneapolis, MN Friday Met with Cassey tour around the city some of the places we got to visit were: MSR architects, Guthrie Theater and University of Minnesota.

Saturday To u r d o w n t o w n Minneapolis. Half of the day was a free day.

Sunday Travel day back to Chicago.

Recording Minneapolis in a not so usual way.

Reflection: Travel helps you understand a city and he people. Best way to explore architecture.

NOTE: More detailed week in diary.

WEEK 3 Monday 15/09 – Sunday 21/09

RADICAL CONJECTURE 3

Monday Aime and I worked on planning how we will execute “RC3” for Friday.

Tuesday Went to Pilsen to take panoramic pictures (part of assignment) and had a lecture in JAHN architects.

Wednesday Mainly worked in GREC it was an individual task, but Aime and I still shared ideas.

Thursday First time working in the modeling room, finished the assignment for the next day.

First time working in the project, we had to come up Friday with 2 individual concepts. Here are the 4 concepts Presentation @ SOM. We had lunch with from Aime and I working in GREC Architects. some students from Virginia Tech.

Reflection: Most of the time radical ideas help you design more than “a box”. Feedback always helps you to put your feet on the ground and to re-think if what you are doing is the right way to go.

WEEK 4 NOTE: More detailed week in diary.

Monday 22/09 – Friday 26/09

RADICAL CONJECTURE 3

First time that Aime and I got to work in the modeling room, we had to make a couple of models for the assignment for Friday. 3D physical models.

WEEK 4 Monday 22/09 – Friday 26/09

PROGRESS REVIEW

Monday Had a meeting with Andrew, CD students joined us.

Tuesday Aime and I worked on how the program will best function in the site.

Wednesday Lecture in Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB).

Thursday N o n - f o r m a l presentation about our progress of the building itself. After it we went to James’ Corner presentation.

Friday Worked in the project in the office.

Had the first interaction with the actual spaces and site. This week we made many changes in the project.

Reflection: Having different proposals and feedback about them helps you go in the right direction. Or to ask yourself “why?” and make many changes.

NOTE: More detailed week in diary.

WEEK 5 Monday 29/09 – Friday 3/10

JAMES CORNER

There was a event that we could go to, some of the Chicago Studio students and I went to the presentation. He explained some of his past work, some of his future work, he will be working in the Navy Pier of Chicago. But he explained deeply the Highland Park in New York City.

Reflection: Landscape with old or new spaces can almost always change a city, hopefully every time a positive change.

WEEK 5 Monday 29/09 – Friday 3/10

“PECHA KUCHA” / DESIGN PROCESS

We made a presentation on the Design process and the case studies. And also tried to understand the recycling process, which is what the factory we are designing is going to do.

Reflection: Weekly meetings help us to really work in what we need to. In many of the meetings people challenge us. And that how we deliver better results at the end of the week.

NOTE: More detailed week in diary.

Monday Had the weekly meeting with Andrew and Don. Worked in the office.

Tuesday Lecture: Laura Fisher gave a presentation in AIA. Wednesday Worked and advanced in the project so we don’t find ourselves with a long night the next day.

Thursday Worked in GREC for the assignment for we left with everything ready but printing.

Friday Presentation @ GREC. Design “Pecha Kucha”, Physical 3D model, and 2 drawings.

WEEK 6 Monday 6/10 – Friday 10/10

“PECHA KUCHA” / DESIGN PROCESS

Here we tried to explain the program in the site. And how each of the spaces worked with one another, by diagraming the spaces.

Here the process of recycling can be seen how it works with the actual space. Also some architecture starts to appear. Form or design is not complete yet, and not definitive.

WEEK 6 Monday 6/10 – Friday 10/10

PROGRESS / “DELFT” WORKSHOP

Monday Early meeting in VWA instead of the on in GREC we presented a improvement.

Tuesday Lecture: Michael Lingertat a project manager in SOM explained how we worked.

Wednesday Small fast meeting with architects. We had to bring plans, sections and a 3D view. We reviewed all of the teams. And shared ideas with each other.

Lecture from DELFT professor and SOM employees. We made teams of 4 of 5 people.

1 from Chicago Studio 3 or 4 from DELFT.

Reflection: Working with people around the world in a short time is always challenging but leaves you with more knowledge.

NOTE: More detailed week in diary.

WEEK 7 Monday 13/10 – Sunday 19/10

PROGRESS / “DELFT” WORKSHOP

Thursday Walk in Pilsen. With DELFT students, so they get to know the site. The workshop was in Pilsen, we had to revitalize it. And had less than 12 hours.

Lecture from Peter Ellis an ex partner in SOM. Talked most about his work in Indian Cities.

Worked with my team from DELFT for the rest of the day.

Friday Presentation @ SOM Chicago Studio and DELFT students presented.

Since we had a few hours with this project, we thought of an utopic scenario, and challenged if revitalizing Pilsen was the right choice. So we made “Loop 2.0” but this time with walls around it.

WEEK 7 NOTE: More detailed week in diary.

Monday 13/10 – Sunday 19/10

Diary WEEK 1 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 (DAY 1) I’m still in Monterrey, finally I have my visa, the Chicago Studio started on August 25, and I will be almost two weeks late.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 (DAY 2) Took the 7:00 am plane to Chicago, I got to the apartment by noon I got to know a little bit of the city that day.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 (DAY 3) I came to GREC office for the first time, they had just moved literally the day before; Aime and me helped with putting boxes out, moving things, putting things away and in order. Got to meet several people here, and actually they invited us to eat with them. Later that day we went to von Weise Associates (VWA) there was a pin-up. David Mason (urban planning) presented “The resurrection project” which takes place in Pilsen, and is where we will be working. The Industrial Design students also gave their presentation about the project they will be doing. Architects and Interior Design gave individual presentations “exploiting an idea” between the weeks lecture and Pilsen. There where a few people as “judges”; Chip von Weise, Andrew Balster, Charles, and several people from VWA.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 (DAY 4) We went to the Museum of modern art, to see the architectural expositions, the building and explore some of the art that was showing. The painting “American Gothic” by Grant Wood was unavailable at the time. Again I got to visit part of the city of Chicago, explored it.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 (DAY 5)

WEEK 2 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 (DAY 6) Technically my first day in GREC, we have a new assignment and we worked on planning how we will execute it. The assignment was getting to know Pilsen (explore it) with only one sense, and we had to pick 2 of 5. We went to Pilsen recorded and took notes for what we were going to do next. We chose Sight and Hearing.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 (DAY 7) We had a Pro-Practice Lecture from Charles Chambers he work in GREC. The meeting took place in the AIA from 12:00pm to 2:00 pm. His lecture was about Contemporary Society, but in a way that it was his way of looking and understanding it. Aime and me came back to GREC. We had a Desk Crit/Review with Andrew about what we had for Friday, he really pushes us to go as far as we can, which is perfect because in a way we forget about limits, and it was a Radical Conjecture.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 (DAY 8) All of the 18 students from Chicago Studio (CS) came to GREC. Don one of the associate partners gave the intro of the firm to us, and explained how they work, why they are not as big as other firms, and showed us a few projects here in the US and outside the US. Then had a few minutes for questions and answers. After that since all 18 where here we have our self presentation “Self Pecha Kucha” which consists in 20 slides and each slide changes after 20 seconds. The motive of this was so we all get to know the background of all of the students. Because of time we reduced the time of the slides to 8 seconds. It was fast, but we actually discussed that it was interesting, because you know more about the people now, which is great because we are a big group.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 (DAY 9) The Chicago Studio (CS) went to von Weise Associates (VWA) Chip von Weise gave the intro. He showed us how his process of designing, he specializes in residential but also has different projects. He showed us different projects that he worked in and was working in.

We also had some minutes for questions and answers. Aime and I came back to GREC after the Intro at VWA to continue working and finish the Radical Conjecture for the next day.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 (DAY 10) We got to GREC and helped with a few things, because they are still things to order in the office. We got my computer setup for printing, we printed the 2 maps from the Radical Conjecture, and saved the videos. After a while we went to CannonDesign (CD) each team (divided by host firm) presented to everyone, their maps and their process of how they got there. The ID’s also presented an advance on their project. After we all presented there was a “Round robin” so people who went to the meeting talked individually to each of the teams and gave feedback. We had feedback from people from SOM, CD, and other people. The hard part is to get all the feedback and choose what we thought it was best for us.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 (DAY 11) SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 (DAY 12)

WEEK 3 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 (DAY 13) That day Aime and me went to VWA, to work with Tom and Nancy on the next assignment, which in our case was a research on Pilsen. We all 4 had a meeting with Andrew before, and we had little research from the internet; we decided to go to the library where we got some really interesting books, about 15 of them. We found maps from the 1920 until 2000 and some interesting readings about Chicago’s industry and most important Pilsen’s industry.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMEBER 16 (DAY 14) After yesterday’s research we separated the information and maps we gathered, and with that we are going to try to do a timeline about Pilsen, and have some drastic scenarios, for Pilsen’s research. The assignment is a 20-slide presentation so we are trying to summarize without leaving important details out.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 (DAY 15) We digitalized everything we had for the presentation and practiced what each of us was going to say, after that we all went to VWA, where we had our presentation. Also SOM presented about the site on how it was today, and the important things that have to pay attention to in the site. CD presented different case studies of factories in the world. We had this presentation on Wednesday instead of Friday as usual, because we had a trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota. From Thursday until Sunday.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 (DAY 16) Travel day, the 18 of us from the Chicago studio, Architects, Urban Planning, Industrial Design and Interior Design, got together in the lobby and went to Union Station. We boarded the bus, and it took us 8 hours to get to Minneapolis. Once there we met up with Cassey, who is from Minneapolis and works at SOM, with Andrew. Cassey took us to the hotel; the rest of the day was a free day. We explored a little bit of the city that day.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 (DAY 17) All of us toured the city with Cassey; we started in an architectural firm MSR, then to the “Guthrie Theater”. We had free time to eat, and then we all met in the University of Minnesota, we got to explore the university, different classrooms, the architecture and design studio, and we also got a behind the scenes tour in a Frank Gehry building in the university, which is used for art. Then we had a group dinner in the university’s downtown.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 (DAY 18) We toured downtown Minneapolis with Cassey he took us to different buildings from the outside, and some from the inside. We had the rest of the day free, and we just wondered around the city.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 (DAY 19) Travel day, once again the group of 18 traveled from Minneapolis to Chicago. We arrived to Chicago around 1730.

WEEK 4 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 (DAY 20) We had an assignment from the trip, which was to record Minneapolis in a different way that you usually do. Aime and me worked in GREC on the assignment. We finished a little early on it and the spare time we planned the process of work for the next Radical Conjecture (RC) for Friday. The assignment for RC3 was to come up with ideas and concepts for the fabric we are going to make, no program was given to us yet.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 (DAY 21) Part of the assignment was to get panoramic pictures in Pilsen, we were asked to take pictures of streets that crossed Cermak, so we went to Pilsen in the morning, and after that we had a Pro-practice this time in JAHN architects, which is in the same building as the AIA meeting take place. After that Aime and I worked in the panoramic pictures in GREC and left when we finished them.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 (DAY 22) That day we came to GREC to work and we worked until late night. Aime and I worked separated this time, because that’s how they asked for this time. But we still interacted with each other to give ideas to one another; We got help and critique from our mentors John and Tracy.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 (DAY 23) That day Aime and me kept working, we worked all day, and left GREC around 1:00am. It was our first time working in the modeling room, because models were part of the assignment.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 (DAY 24) We got early to GREC and printed the 24”x24” sheets, that was the only thing missing, because last night we did the models and the sheets digitally. After that we went to SOM, we got there early and helped with arranging the meeting place. Some students from Virginia Tech (VT) came to visit the city, we had a meal with most of them, and they wondered around SOM. Then we had the presentation with different Jury’s, SOM started the presentation, then GREC, VWA and CD. The industrial design students that work in TEAMS presented after us. After the presentations we had our feedback, as las time “Round-robin” style.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 (DAY 25) SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (DAY 26)

WEEK 5 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 (DAY 27) Cannon Design students, came to GREC that day around 3:00 pm. Andrew was joining their meeting with our meeting, and we had a Desk-Crit all together, mainly discussing now the project and program, and how we should work (in teams individually). Aime and I will work together from now on, in what is now developing the project.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 (DAY 28) No lecture today, we worked in how the program will work in the site, and what our main idea or concept was going to be. We combined our ideas into one better adding and subtracting what we thought it was better for this program.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1 (DAY 29) We worked early in the office, and around noon we left to Pro-Practice meeting with Andrew, he was working here that morning. The meeting was 2 blocks away from GREC it was in Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB); Drew gave the presentation about architecture itself, and the areas we usually don’t pay attention to. After that we had an other meeting but this time in Beyond Design, it was mainly and industrial design firm, and they showed us some of the work they have done.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 (DAY 30) Aime and I got early to GREC, we made some little changes on what we were presenting that day, it was a non-formal presentation at VWA, each team presented and got feedback.

After that we went to the James Corner presentation he showed some of his projects and then talked about the Highland Park, which is one of his most popular projects.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3 (DAY 31) We worked in the office all day, we changed some parts on the project. We also worked in making digital and fiscal 3D models to understand better the space and for us to be able to explain it better.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4 (DAY 32) SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5 (DAY 33)

WEEK 6

MONDAY OCTOBER 6 (DAY 34) We worked in the office, and we had a meeting with Andrew and Don at 4 pm, we talked about the evolution of our project.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7 (DAY 35) We had a conference in AIA this time Laura Fisher gave her presentation, she talked about her professional life and how she managed to become what she is now, and also gave us advice in what to consider and not consider for our resume.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8 (DAY 36) We worked since early morning in GREC and left late around 1130 pm working in the project. We wanted to advance a lot that day, so the next day we didn’t have to stay longer than Wednesday.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 (DAY 37) Again we worked on the assignment for Friday, this time we left earlier, because of the work we did the day before. We left around 10:00 pm and we left everything ready to print. The review will be in GREC Friday, October 10.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10 (DAY 38) Got to the office, we printed, and practiced the Pecha Kucha of the design in the conference room. Around 2:00 pm we started to get everything ready for everyone who was coming. We had some students from Virginia Tech and they stayed for the review and presentation. After all the teams presented, including the Industrial Design students; we had a Round-robin” style critique.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 (DAY 39) SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12 (DAY 40)

WEEK 7 MONDAY, OCTOBER 13 (DAY 41) The meeting of today at GREC was canceled and we had an earlier meeting in VWA, with Andrew and Chip von Weise, we took a look on what we did on Sunday. After that we talked about what we were going to hand over on Wednesday, it was a lot of work in a small amount of time, because some students from the school DELFT in The Netherlands and us are going to have a workshop from Wednesday to Friday, this week.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 (DAY 42) We worked in GREC that morning and later that day we had a Pro-practice in SOM. Mike Lingertat, a project manager in SOM gave the presentation about how he works as a project manager and that he has to interact with everyone in a project. He also showed us some of the projects he has worked on and what he usually does. After that we continued working in GREC for a while.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15 (DAY 43) We had to print for the meeting with Andrew and the rest of the Architects in Chicago studio, we went to SOM, had a small meeting/review and interacted with the other projects, and got to put our opinion. After that quick meeting, DELFT students arrived, we had a talk from the professors at DELFT and after that we awkwardly made teams between Chicago Studio and DELFT students. We had another talk from SOM employees. After that we had dinner with DELFT students.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16 (DAY 44) My team from DELFT and I went to Pilsen that morning, so they got to know a little bit of the site, we were going to do a fast “revitalizing Pilsen” project. After we went to Pilsen we went to CD there was a lecture from Peter Ellis an ex-partner in SOM, he now works alone and talked about his projects, one of his main projects is in India. After that my team and I came to GREC and worked.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17 (DAY 45) I got together with my team early morning in the office, and we worked until noon. We went to SOM around noon we had the group review, all of the teams presented different proposals which were really interesting because of the short amount of time. After that we got to explore the city a little bit with the DELFT students.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 (DAY 46) OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO. A group of us from the Chicago Studio and DELFT got to be part of the Open House, and got to see some different companies and building from Chicago. Like the GROUPON headquarters, merchandise Mart and the Chicago City Hall.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19 (DAY 47) OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO. That the we also got together and we visited: Robie House, Chicago board of trade, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium park, House of Blues and finally the Tribune Tower, most of this buildings are closed to public in a normal day, and we got some “behind the scenes” tour of some of the places.

stevan romo chicago 2014