A I JOURNAL
Tho m as Cornelius
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c o nt e nt s A . 1.0
A case f o r i n novat io n 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
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About me digital design experience Architectural discourse precedent project 1. precedent project 2.
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ABOUTME My name is Tom Cornelius and I am a third year architecture student within the Melbourne University Bachelor of Environments Undergraduate course I was born and raised in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, completing my education in Melbourne also. I come from a very designer based family, my dad operates a graphic design firm, whilst my mum was a fashion designer and brother initially an industrial designer. Growing up in this environment meant that I was constantly exposed to design, not just the final product but very much the process involved. I have always had an interest in the built environment especially residential design and the way in which people reflect their personalities in their home. Outside of studies my passions include sports, travel, cars and food. I like to combine these at any chance possible. Through sport I have had the chance to spend extended stays across Europe, getting amongst the different cultures and gaining a wider perception of the world in general. My ambitions are not yet decided, but I am sure I will explore more professions than just architecture itself. For now I am enjoying learning and have found the Architecture Major to be challenging but rewarding, It is a very interesting industry for many reasons and I love its dynamic nature that comes with the ever developing technologies of the world. I would love to one day be known for leaving a mark on the architectural world, whether it be in Australia or abroad.
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D i g i ta l d e s i g n experience Throughout my first two years in the Bachelor of Environments course I have been introduced to and used a number of programs. From the Adobe Suite to AutoCad, Revit and Rhino3D. My experience with each of these varies considerably however. Having used the Adobe creative suite throughout my schooling I would admit that I am most confident with it as a program. I have however used Autocad and Autocad Architecture to generate plans for design proposals and created a wearable piece through 3D modeling in Rhino that was then printed and constructed by hand. I am keen to learn more about all of these programs and am currently completing workshops in all of them through the Visual Communication subject offered at Melbourne University.
V I R T U A L E N V I R O N M E N TS This subject was based around the design of a lantern that had to reflect a natural process. It involved an initial design process and a weekly refinement through the assistance of Rhino3D to panel and fabricate a wearable piece. I found this initially quite challenging as the brief for the design had very few limitations and I realised I had never really worked under those circumstances before. I chose to design based on the movement path of our bodies as you moved, including directional and speed change. The skills learnt in regard to the design process, digitization and fabrication of an idea
D E SIG N ST U DIO : E A R T H I completed this subject last semester and thoroughly enjoyed my first attempt at designing a building. The brief was to design a museum that acted as a gateway from pre colonisation in Australia to early settlement and beyond. This project allowed me to teach myself AutCad Architecture and utilize the drafting tools to communicate my ideas accurately and effectively. The subject also required model making which definitely improved over time.
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a rc h i t e ct u r a l discou rse Architecture is a “conceptual, cultural and intellectual enterprise.” 1 As Peter Eisenman, a profound architect and theorist states. This perception of architecture has developed throughout the years. Whilst it was commonly percieved that architecture was merely the physical forms that line our streets and create the grids of our cities. In reality it is so much more than that. Architects such as Semper and Adolf Loos were amongst few that discussed ‘enclosed spaces’ as the essence and purpose of architecture. 2 The views of these early architects however would be considered somewhat narrow minded by those such as Eisenman. Architecture is much more than an envelope enclosing space. Architecture does have the power to define space but it is the power architecture has to define a space, a city, a culture that makes it much bigger than the physical form. People interact with architecture subconsciously everyday, it dictates how they move, it evokes an emotional response and a critical assessment. When discussing architecture as a discourse you have to look at these aspects beyond the physical. You have to look at the theory involved too. Much of architecture does not even exist in the physical, because many designs never get built. But within these designs are the use of new architectural methods, different ways of thinking about an enclosed space and people will read about or look at those projects never built and provide a critical assessment of their opinion. Architecture is a very public domain, as stated earlier everyone interacts within it on a daily basis either on purpose of subconsciously they are analysing the architecture around them,
I have tried to choose two precedent projects that clearly express what is beyond the physical aspect of design. The Holocaust Museum by Peter Eisenman is what I believe to be a perfect example of metaphorical meaning and purpose beyond the aesthetic. By using form Eisenman has represented a population, an emotion and a history in a space that is not enclosed. The museum’s primary purpose is to act as a memorial for the many lives lost. The function is to express physically what is embedded into the emotions of the population. In contrast my second precedence project is that of the Grande Arche de la Defense bJohann Otto Von Spreckelsen. A form that too stands to evoke more than an aesthetic response. A symbol of humanity. Where architectural discourse has previously situated around physical appearance, I believe there is a distinct need to progress the focus to the social interaction, and public perception of a building. This applies to the ‘Gateway Project’ that will be completed as part of this course. Much like the precedent cases that I have chosen act as discourse, the ‘Gateway Project’ and my teams final design will aim to be much more than just a physical attraction, but a symbol of deeper meaning to all those who may interact with it.
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p r e c e d e nt P r o j e c t m e m o r i a l to t h e m u r d e r e d j e ws o f e u r o p e p et e r ei s e n m a n
Having travelled throughout Europe during 2012, I felt I was too uneducated on the history and devlopment of architecture to make comment about many of the buildings I witnessed. One of these buildings was the ‘Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe’ by Peter Eisenman. Admittedly I didn’t know much about Peter Eisenman himself, an architect I have now come to recognise and enjoy. What amazed me about this space created by Peter Eisenman was that it seemed so minimal, so simplistic, yet completely encapsulated the emotion surrounding the history of Germany and the holocaust. The memorial has been written about in many different literary journals, some focused on the architectural elements, but many on the representation embedded within. What the majority of these pieces agreed on however is the emotion that is evoked from walking through the stelae. They make you feel very confined, like a maze that with many paths but only one exit. There is nothing inscribed on the stelea to force you to remember the incidents of the holocaust, but somehow it communicates that to you anyway. One of the most interesting aspects of the building is how the public interact with it. It seems to be a concrete playground to alot of the locals. Children who are still unknown to the immense history it represents jump from stelae to stelae and play games. Some pretend as if it isn’t even there and others look on in mourning. When looking at the form of the design from above in images such as that on the next page, you can’t help but wonder how such a form achieves such an evocative tone. Peter Eisenman is well known for his use of computer aided design (CAD) and digital design techniques. Computer aided design has helped Eisenman to achieve the undulating form of the stelea within such a varying topographical site. As a discourse I believe it is very effective in embedding a deeper meaning within its form. Although the design has been subject to criticism since its initial proposal. The criticism however revolved around the wider meaning of the building, the who and what it represented and paid memorial too. The space has been used as a discourse to discuss the readyness of the public to accept and move on from their past. It is the way in which the space created by Peter Eisenman has so much meaning connected to it that I chose it as a precedent and something I will endeavour to achieve within my teams ‘Gateway Proposal.’ Although the meaning will be much less somber and more forward moving and positive.
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