Journal part C - Toni Pringle

Part C. DESIGN WORKSHOP • Toni pr ing le - submission C 2017 s emester one desig n workshop j our na l. C ompi l at ion of p ar t A, B, and C.

PRINGLE

I’m Toni Pringle, a third year Bachelor of Architecture student, originally from Perth, WA, now living in Melbourne. I have previously studied one year of Building design after completing high school, then transferred to Deakin University to study first year architecture, and now at Melbourne University to complete my degree.

I discovered a love and interest for architecture at ten whilst studying art and architecture in school. I especially became intrigued by the lack of architecture in the homes that were, and still are being mass produced in my home town of Perth, a house with four beds, two bath, one living and a home theatre room, all set out the same but with a different “façade”. Fortunately growing up my neighbors were architects that ran a business from home, I would make little models of houses out of balsa wood and bring them to their house for constructive feedback.

I explored how a house functioned and what we required in a home to live comfortably. After leaving school and fortunately exploring some corners of the globe I discovered a real passion for old architecture, their rich history, careful design, and most of all the art of building something so spectacular.

Now in my third year studying architecture I am feeling a little lost as to who I AM as a designer... What i want to do with this degree when i “grow up”. I am leaning towards restoration of architecture in another country or maybe even set design for the performing arts, I really don’t know! I am however hoping that through this semester i can gain an insight to my strengths and weaknesses that may (or may not) help guide my decision for life after my bachelors degree.

A. A1.

A2.

A3.

INTRODUCTION DESIGN WORKSHOP

DESIGN THINKING AND AGENDAS

DESIGN SPRINTS

COMMUNICATING DESIGN IDEAS

REFLECTION OF MINERAL / ATELIER TEKUTO

In my first year of my bachelor's degree I was strongly discouraged to design with triangular shapes due to their awkward and excluding form - I think this is why I like this building so much, because somehow the architect has made awkward and excluding work! The surprising, geometric facade emerges from the street corner in an area where one building is hard to differentiate from another, exciting me as to what lies behind. The interior, as carefully designed as the exterior, too, explores extreme geometric form combined with surprising practicality.

Pictured to the left is an explorative model I made during the design studio where I delved into design and triangles. Fortunately I concluded the semester having ‘proved my tutor wrong’, gaining courage in my design and teaching myself to stick to my guns when it comes to my designs.

PAPER GARDEN / ANOUK VOGEL

I was drawn to this garden simply because of how different it is to any other garden I have seen before. The Paper Garden by Anouk Vogel in Japan explores so much more than a typical garden, depicting messages of peace as well as delving into reflection of an ancient Japanese Legend. The thought and time gone into creating such amazing architecture alone is inspiring to me, however my favorite part of this garden is the message concealed - world peace!

FARNSWORTH HOUSE DER ROHE

/ MIES VAN

Farnsworth house has always been a favorite and inspiring piece of architecture to me. The simplicity and rawness of materials juxtaposed against its lush surrounds, allow this work to stand alone as more a piece of art rather than a 'house'. I enjoy the lightness Mies has given to the structure; almost as though the house is floating above the ground making no impact to the environment in which it is placed.

What is design workshop...?

I was slightly confused as to what this subject entailed when first semester commenced, I had never really heard of it, therefore I had NO idea of what to expect. After the first lecture I believe I had a pretty good idea that this subject will teach me a lot about, ME! Who I am as a designer, and what tools will assist me to design better.

In this journal I will explore the learnings from each week and combine them into a ‘Design Task’ suitable to aid how I will approach future and current: learnings, designs briefs, and designerly thinking. I hope that from this subject my approach to all aspects of design and learning will escalate, allowing me to succeed in ways I had never hoped or imagined.

Approaches and Methods: How to get there, and the tools to get there!

With only the subject overview in week ones learnings and been given the task to design a ‘personal logo’ I felt slightly concerned. Looking over my notes I realized I had actually already received a number of tools that could aid this design task.

The first exercise of the lecture to complete quick sketches is how I commenced the design. I then combined a number of my sketches in more sketches, finally resulting in the ‘personal logo’ below.

PRINGLE

01 DESIGN

TASK

1.

2.

Establish Brief:

Find Precedent:

Where are the problems that require precedent studies?

Explore precedents relating to problems derived from brief using the following sources:

Magazine: Journal: Book: Internet: Excursion:

3.

Sketch:

Sketch precedent studies to allow yourself to fully comprehend the design

4.

How: Fill in the following, exploring how or if the precedent is suitable: How does it relate to my design?

How was it constructed?

What is successful about the design?

What wasn’t?

A1.

DESIGN THINKING AND AGENDAS

“A HOUSE IS A MACHINE FOR LIVING IN.”

LE CORBUSIER

Visual Learner:

Where good ideas come from / Steven Johnson

•

Easily distracted by sound and movement.

•

Slow hunch: breakthrough of ideas taking long time to evolve - years to

•

Will watch something if become bored.

•

Understand and remember by sight.

•

mature/becoming successful.

•

Must: avoid distractions whilst studying.

•

Partial hunch: lots of ideas coming together to create idea over time.

•

Sit near front of classroom, use flashcards, write down key words, draw pictures to explain concepts.

•

What does the Internet do to our brains? -is it altering our creative thoughts - allows us to borrow and combine others ideas more easily.

•

The Deans Lecture by Gregg Pasquarelli:

Steven Holl Interview: Not a ‘Signature Architect’ / Andrew Caruso:

•

Buildings that look the way they work - Performance based design.

•

Architecture reflecting its purpose – reflecting religiosity in a chapel

•

Look into new emergence of aesthetics with technological developments – from aerospace to art.

•

Each project is unique – deep exploration to find something to inspire and drive the design process

•

Thinking about HOW machines would work in order to create and build – time where labor was expensive.

•

Architecture changes the way we live….. especially today

•

Direct to the supplier for detailed knowledge of how the building will be built – letting the building technique drive the design.

•

Design concepts with water colour paints – allows one to introduce light, colour, texture, shade, etc.

•

Thinking of on-site assembling – how many people can lift it OR does it require specialist equipment.

•

Reduce costs with in depth material research.

•

Making the most of technology – limiting need of ‘working drawings’ by creating diagrammed details of construction and connections .

HOMEWORK NOTES

•

Winston Churchill - “First we shape our buildings and then they shape us.”

TED talk / Elizabeth Gilbert •

Why people have concerns for creatives – reputation of mental health

•

How to help creative peoples ‘design anxiety’ – looking at ancient Greek and Romans

•

Creativity not from humans but ‘daemons’ – supernatural being

•

The concept of humans being the creatives was where we went wrong

•

Go back to how ancients thought of creative being not within but like a magical ‘fairy’

Buildings that look the way they perform?

Gregg Pasquarelli of SHoP Architects’ lecture was a standout not only this week but, lectures in general. The generative thinking he spoke of reminded me so much of Le Corbusier’s during the modern movement. The combination of technological developments and its marriage with architecture wreaked with similarities to Le Corb. The thought and effort of design Gregg and his colleagues at SHoP possessed was inspiring; designing for on site assemblage and standardized sizes and still producing works beyond the what any other architecture firm is. Their fascinating approach to architecture and the construction business was captivating, making me understand that what we do as architects is much more than creating an aesthetically pleasing facade but about inventing methods of construction that could change and assist the industry. Similarly, the way Steven Holl discussed architecture in his Arch Daily interview with Andrew Caruso presented a similar approach to making buildings look how they perform but in more of a ‘reflect religion in a chapel’ way. He touched on the impact buildings have on us as though they are alive, emphasizing what architects do is of extreme importance, quoting Winston Churchill’s “First we shape our buildings and then they shape us.”

Distracted I always assumed I was a visual learner but had never actually investigated it to confirm. Well I did find that I was correct about this, from this weeks homeworks, additionally I detected my strength a weaknesses as a result. I am a pretty messy person, by the fact that my room is mostly, never clean, however, I am pretty organized - recently I discovered that if I actually have a cleaner work area, or room I am actually more organized and efficient, and through my analysis of visual learning I found that this is due to the elimination of distractions.

02 DESIGN

TASK

1.

Visual Learner: Set goals appropriate to my learning style to aid productivity:

2.

Design Agenda: Project design ambition = design agenda

1. Always start with a clean work area to decrease distractions 2. Set goals to increase focus time: set a timer for focus time and take breaks between each interval, then slowly increase focus time 3. Sketch, diagram, and highlight key obstacles outlined in design brief - allowing main issues to stand out throughout design process

1st most important issue Project Brief

2nd most important issue 3rd most important issue

How do you think the design will respond to this??

3.

ALWAYS: Try to tease out what is possible - even if it is strange at first - THEN choose

A2.

DESIGN SPRINTS

I really enjoyed the design sprints method. Its realistic approach to a design brief within a time frame seems so suited to a distracted and indecisive person like myself. The crazy nines ‘quick sketch tool’ is something I will definitely adopt into my design approach.

The method of having people critique my work is something i have never actually done and DEFINITELY need to incorporate immediately as i think it could have immensely improved many of my past works.

•

List problems - Mind map!

•

Draw

•

Quick sketches - crazy nines. Complete 9 drawing in a

•

Write

time limit, do as many sets as necessary - combine ideas

•

Model

EXPLORING DESIGN IDEAS

1

2

FRAMING DESIGN PROBLEMS

•

Identify and prioritize the most outstanding issues in

DEVELOPING DESIGN IDEAS

3

4

DECIDING DESIGN IDEAS

•

Analyze ideas: Select “Best Shot” Ideas

the brief

- ideas that can be moved forward and

•

Precedent studies: successful/unsuccessful - why?

respond best to the brief

•

Site analysis: social context - who, what, where?

5

TESTING DESIGN IDEAS

•

Validate the project and thinking

Phase TWO from previous design studios: Generating designs through form finding - quick/simple models

03 DESIGN

TASK

1.

Phase ONE: UNDERSTAND

2.

Phase TWO: DIVERGE

Discover: problem, business, customer

Generate insight and potential solutions – as many ways possible regardless of feasibility

Identify: biggest risks and plan HOW to reduce them

“How might we…”.

Avoid: investing time and money in unknowns and assumptions

Complete quick, small sketches

3.

4.

5.

Phase FOUR: PROTOTYPE

Phase FIVE: TEST AND LEARN

Take all possible design sketches (eliminating impractical/unworkable ones) and hone in on most feasible

Build a prototype that can be tested with existing AND potential customers

Test prototype with existing AND potential customers

Phase THREE: CONVERGE

A prototype is a very low cost way of gaining valuable insights about what the product needs to be

A3.

“ARCHITECTURE IS THE THOUGHTFUL MAKING OF SPACE” LOUIS KAHN

Communicating Design Ideas Diagrams enable designers to explore potential design ideas in a form that enables further exploration. Diagrams can aid an explanation, display a designers thinkings, or display ones findings in a more simplistic manner. Diagrams are best used to capture ideas, exploring the ideas, and finally consolidating an outcome or project.

A diagramming tool that particularly caught my attention was the ‘interaction matrices’ outlined in the lecture slides. This matrix allows designers to map intersecting spaces, highlight importance of spaces, or explore characteristics of spaces. This became a helpful tool in a later design workshop studio when the class collaboratively designed a house plan for two artists, which had connective and spacial requirements.

Diagrams: tools for thinking •

Visualizing figures with diagrams – easily displays results rather than just seeing numbers

•

Explore with eyes

•

Subconscious sight to design

•

Capture ideas and give them form

•

Consolidate data into a possibility

•

Explore options

•

Explaining design

•

“Data is the new soil” – fertile creative medium

“Data is the new soil” This quote discussed in David McCandless’ TED Talk: The beauty of data visualization allowed me to realize the mistakes I had made of representing data in the past. A past assignment for the subject ‘Changing Melbourne’ required me to display pedestrian flows within an area at certain times throughout the day; I chose pie charts to display these. After watching David’s talk and how he explored the beauty of data and its requirement for design I chose to re-create my diagram into something one can explore with just their eyes

No 15/101 Thing I learned in Architecture School by Matthew Frederick

Designing with diagrams initially seemed a bizarre and new method to me, until I realized I have always designed using Parti Diagrams. Matthew Frederick’s 101 Things I learned in Architecture School explores these diagrams at number 15. The diagrams allow the designer to explore: spacial hierarchy, site relationship, circulation, public/private zoning, and many other solutions. I have found this form of diagramming incredibly useful for all of the design briefs I have attempted, weather they be hand drawn or computational. The Parti diagram is a useful technique to start the design process and idea flow.

04 DESIGN

TASK

1.

2.

Use precedent studies to educate and fill your imagination with inspiration. Look at books, the Internet, EXPLORE your surrounds, or even look to elements of your everyday life.

Explore design possibilities, capturing the essence of some precedent studies. Create as bold and unimaginable as possible.

Explore design options

Capture ideas

3.

4.

Combine the new “data� (design explorations) and filter out a possibility. Use the precedent studies and realistic approaches to assist.

Explain the result - BUT - do it with diagrams. Show the design process and end result. Through diagrams a final product does not need to be shown but can be understood with a variety of elements.... or design processes.

Combine data into a possibility

Explaining design

B1.

B2.

B3.

INTRODUCTION DESIGN WORKSHOP

DESIGN THINKING AND AGENDAS

DESIGN SPRINTS

B1.

CINEMA AND ARCHITECTURE By drawing out elements of everyday urban life, city symphonies were able to reproduce this cinematic experience on screen.

These city symphonies construct a rhetorical argument of the city without the traditional dynamic, based on a main protagonist.

The movie genre, featuring scenes of the city life was generally shot on location with little to no set design. Locations such as train stations, factories, market places, became quintessential in the portrayal of the modern world on screen. Additionally, to represent the most realistic microcosm of the city, real life people were cast as real life versions of themselves. The city as the main ‘character’ is characterized as an artificial reality with use of montage sequences with internal consistency, and the manipulation of image in an urban setting. This complex and consistent method is an ideal precedent for the production.

The success of the city symphony is largely dependent on the ability of authors to communicate their visions of the city to audiences. Dziga Vertov’s Man with the movie camera exclusively explores the public places within the city bypassing almost all private places. Vertov constructs the film, highlighting collective living in the ideal socialist city through architectural types such as workers clubs, communal housing and factories.

SPATIAL DIALECTICS

CITY SYMPHONY

URBAN LIFE R E A L I T Y

LIFE

AND

ARCHITECTURE

ON

SCREEN

I really enjoy watching movies not only for the narrative but I genuinely appreciate the art of film making. The ‘Spatial dialectics’ chapter from Digital Creativity allowed me to recognize such an outstanding quality films share with the audience I had never apprehended before (quite embarrassingly), and that is of the relationship between life and architecture on screen! The movie genre ‘City Symphonies’ successfully captures this notion and brings a somewhat realistic illustration of collective living through adaptations of urban life. This movie genre has never really ended with city life being explored in many ways from New York in Sex in the City to Iran in a recent film I watched called Argo. These different representations of people with architecture within the city creates a somewhat relatable and empathetic perception of place and time – allowing us to almost feel that we are in the crowded bazaar in Iran or amongst the hustle-and-bustle of NYC in a yellow cab.

Bob Dylan With Peter Yarrow & John Hammond Jr. Hailing Taxi 1965, NYC.

S

Y

M

M

E

T

R

Y

Film Director Wes Anderson, is an exemplary precedent of the art, combining life and architecture, with the use of symmetry as the glue. The film formalist elegantly composes one point perspective with use of hallways and doors, an identifiable style that most film makers are advised to avoid. The scenes in his films capture the essence of the City Symphonies with his own stylistic approach, allowing his meticulous attention to detail to shine through, though not overshadowing the overarching theme or storyline.

Scene from Argo (2012), displaying protagonist Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck) walking through crowded bazaar in Iran. Image encapsulates fear and attention to the Americans during a time of conflict between the two countries.

I recently went to the cinema to see John Wick 2, an amazing action movie which I attempted to take careful note of architecture and how it was used in this film and was it used?!?

Fortunately - it was used! In quite an amazing way as well. Director Chad Stahelski perfectly frames so many of the scenes with historic or iconic land marks, like the Brooklyn bridge to the left, or a few times stairs and archways encapsulate the scene creating focal points, ;guiding the viewers eye to what he wants them to see. Most scenes weather at a train station or in ancient ruins of Rome have some connection to architecture creating a perfect connection to the character and atmosphere.

“Architecture exists, like cinema, in the dimension of time and movement”

jean nouvel

I captured this image on a recent trip to India. I felt incredibly blessed at this moment at how well I timed being stood in front of the historic Hawa Mahal and that this wonderful woman decided to wear this pink Sari on the day. Basically my point of including this image in the Cinema and Architecture section of my journal, was not just to share my favorite photo of my trip but to discuss the connection we have in our everyday life with architecture; the ability for a producer to replicate it is merely a bonus. Everyday we take for granted architecture’s beauty, comfort, and mere existence. However I have fortunately become more aware of it now after this weeks discussion and learnings, the connection of space, our circulation within a city, or simply even walking past a building dressed perfectly to represent the microcosm of ‘the Pink City’.

To the right is a still from the short montage film i created in hope to capture the connection between roof forms in architecture and the outside world, a common feature in many new shopping complexes here in Melbourne. Click mouse over left image to activate video.

Artists Ward Shelley and Alex Schweder’s plan and section of the balancing house

To design a house for 2 artists with: 2 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms, and a communal kitchen/studio space – this immediately made me think of the ReActor house by artists Ward Shelley and Alex Schweder. The house is situated atop a column allowing it to rotate and tilt with the artist’s movements. The symmetrical living space creates a “social relationship architecture” (similarly to cinema and architecture…), making it quintessential for the artists to mimic one and other movements in order to live ‘balanced’ within the sculpture.

When it came to this design task I could not shake this notion of symmetry for the life of me, however with multiple sketches myself and another class member were able to create a circular version of the this symmetry with a kitchen central but at a second level, almost like I viewing platform above the studio and living spaces.

We created the space as open with just dividing walls to hide beds. The only covered space was the bathroom located beneath the kitchen, centrally located for each artist. These images explore quick model making to show the form of the design.

05 DESIGN

TASK

1.

2.

Map the circulation flow in and around a building at 3 different times of day Consider how these flows determine success and failure of design

Create a short video highlighting the success and failures found in the previous task Capture the users connection with the space

3.

Consider how the user connection could be developed to enhance the user experience based on the short video

B2.

DESIGN DECISIONS A design decision can be affiliated to a number of steps within the design process; from selecting a design, too selecting a method of design. Each design decision is executed by applying a number of steps to What, How, and Outcome: 1. What: • Attack context – what am I trying to achieve?

• Suspend judgment – what different opportunities are there?

• Embrace complexity – Have lots of options!

• Expand and concentrate – broaden your field of understanding 2. How: • Search for Patterns – Is your design process always the same? - Identify and explain patterns • Deepen the themes - investigate options to achieve the ‘aim’ • Sharpen the frames – communicate your interpretations clearly • Be Prepared - Support your interpretation to show your journey 3. Outcome: • Create the moment – what advice can you get to resolve ideas • Follow through – is what is being said match the design?

By understanding our decision making we are more likely to understand our design. Whilst designing, it is important to ensure we keep an open mind to change, don’t just anchor down on one idea or belief (often something stubborn me can do). Don’t just do something because it worked the last time, a better, easier, more successful way could be found – if not, hey, I’ve branched out and tried something new! Often I find myself rushed for time and therefore struggle to be able to try something new, so I hope that in my next studio I attempt more prototyping with both physical and digital models – a skill I really lack that results in me not exploring my full design potential.

What am I trying to achieve?

Have LOTS of options!

Consider what you could learn from previous design projects?

Further investigation into ‘user’.

Explore precedent studies at this point: How can they aid the design?

What can you learn? What was good/ bad?

Brief

Research

1

3 2

4

What different opportunity’s are there?

Deepen the design theme to gain a more direct aim!

Context

Consider the site and who is involved with design, materiality, use and function. How can these be resolved?

Composition

Movement, circulation, and scale - What is the best layout for the Design?

What advice can you get to resolve ideas?

Incorporate feedback.

Communicate your interpretation clearly!

Client - stakeholders - Engineers user - How does this feedback alter the design?

Sketch and Diagram - Does form justify context?

Feedback

Visualization

5

7 6

Modeling

8

Explore different options, broaden your form generating process

Is what is being said match the design?

3D form generating - scale, proportions - How does this further the design potential?

Document!

Present!

Reflect!

Final Design

xt nte

Co

Res

ear

ch

Com on

iti

Bri ef

pos Vis

ign

Des

ual iza

al

tio

n

Fin

Fe

ed

ba

ck

A personal display of how I feel my design process and thinking is represented up to date.

g

lin

e Mod

It became apparent to me in this lecture that words hurt! I don’t like my ideas being knocked back and struggle to move on once they have been. A human characteristic I know, but I feel like I lack confidence in conveying my initial design ideas and therefore already feel confusion and anxiety towards negative remarks from tutors. How I can move on from this? – I suppose gaining confidence in myself in order to persuade others with my designs, this could come from further investigations into precedent studies that aren’t just architects, or more prototyping rather than just stopping when I give up, and most definitely TIME MANAGEMENT! Something I definitely need to work on to improve my design quality and furthermore, confidence. I also need to strive to improve my computer skills, from Rhino to PhotoShop; I often find myself extremely scared, embarrassed and, intimidated by technology, then persuading myself to stick to hand drawing or AutoCad. I feel at this point in time in my studies having a greater grip on how technology can actually assist in conveying my designs will help me improve exactly where I am currently falling behind in design studios.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

C

O

N

F

I

What needs to be solved?

How could these problems be solved?

Where is this design project to take place?

Who is it targeted to?

How will it be used?

Precedent studies: Was their design good/bad Precedent studies: What can I learn from their mistakes and successes?

What is the best tool to explore layout?

What is the best layout?

How can I draw this to best display my ideas?

Should I prototype with models to show/find form?

3D model and drawing: How has bringing my idea to a 3 dimensional form going to change it?

What needs to change?

How can I present to successfully convey my design ideas for feedback?

Who will i ask for initial feedback?

Who will I ask for more constructive feedback?

How will this feedback alter the design?

Should I re draw?

Should I re model?

How can I present to successfully convey my final design idea?

D

E

N

C

E

STUDENT

RUN

DESIGN

TASK

Develop a student led design task that will take approximately 1 hour to complete, then consider what could be changed in order to improve it! Below is Bui’s design task which I completed, creating a reading maze where people could socialize, read, and interact through means of circulation.

Brief: a space for people to come in, relax, read and move around, talk to each other. Follow these 3 steps: Through drawings and descriptions: 1. (Technology): Determine the objects of/inside/outside... the space. How can people interact with these objects? How the objects help people experience the space?

2. (Amenity): Determine the movements and imagine the interaction between people?

3. (Poetry): Determine the overall shape/form of the space. What materials will be used?

After task is complete, rearrange the order and design another space.

DESIGN

TASK

RE-IMAGINED

A space for people to come in, relax, read, move, socialize. Follow three steps using drawings and descriptions: 1. Poetry: overall shape and form of space. [insert design generating tool. i.e. crazy nine, Parti diagram] Having poetry as the first task I found to be more feasible, allowing more design development when considering movement, interaction and objects in the space for the tasks to follow.

2. Technology: Determine objects in/out of the space – consider the experience this could evoke Having some form of boundary for these objects will narrow down the design potential thus flow of the project at hand. With consideration and restrictions to the objects a connection between them and the shape and form of the space can be created.

3. Amenity: Determine the movement and interaction between people within the space The consideration of movement and interaction will provide a greater connection to the space and surrounding objects. This will allow the designer to finalize the design appropriate to the ‘relax, read, move, and interact’ aspects of the initial brief, therefore creating a better user experience consideration towards the final design.

06 DESIGN

TASK

1.

2.

3.

Goal of the project:

Present as if you would to a client

Limit the options:

Be clear and concise, outline what CAN’T be changed

Don’t seek everyones feedback, too many opinions will lead to confusion

4.

5.

6.

Ask targeted questions:

Ask WHY?:

Take ALL feedback positively:

E.g. What was memorable? What is clear/ confusing?

Question the negatives to further uncover why they are identified - don’t argue!

You cant think of everything

DON’T EXPECT PRAISE - THEN WHEN IT COMES, YOU WILL REALLY FEEL IT!

B3.

GET UN-STUCK Design as a discipline could be related to a phobia in the sense of overcoming and fearing. We, well I know, me, struggle to move on from an idea despite being able to develop it, or sometimes ignore the truth because its too hard. But just like that phobia, it is best overcome, because the unknown beyond our fears is the most exciting part.

So how can we move on from this design phobia?

• Take a break • Change design reference • Try a new medium to work with • Set time constrains • Meditate - I have recently been listening to meditation music to block background noise and its actually super helpful If the blockage continues maybe the mode of exploration needs some reconsideration. Shifting exploration could lead to possibilities beyond the current skill set or what your mind could imagine. Try moving what you have already, weather it be upside down or rotating the plan 90 degrees.

Could the drawing instead be diagrams or words (writing architecture will help when presenting showing complete knowledge and confidence in design).

The ability to recognize where the block has occurred is an extremely useful tool to acquire. Acknowledging what caused it is even more.

Common design blocks include: fear, taboos, environmental limitations, inadequate approach, or inappropriate expression of ideas.

1. • Make lists 2. • Carry notebook 3. • Try free writing 4. • Get away from the computer 5. • Quite beating up yourself 6. • Take breaks 7. • Sing in the shower 8. • Drink coffee 9. • Listen to music 10. • Be open 11. • Surround yourself with creative people 12. • Get feedback 13. • Collaborate 14. • Don’t give up 15. • Practice 16. • Allow yourself to make mistakes 17. • Go somewhere new 18. • 1Count your blessings 19. • Get lots of rest – I say, despite the fact I know I’ll be up late doing ,mjgfdf homework and have work early tomorrow 20. • Take risks 21. • Break the rules 22. • Don’t force it 23. • Read a page in the dictionary 24. • Create a framework 25. • Stop trying to be someone else’s perfect a 26. • Got an idea? - Write it down 27. • jgkClean hgjk jgkhjj your workspace – i tried to work all day and couldn’t until jg kjkjhjhg my room was clean, messy life = messy mind 28. • Have fun 29. • Finish something

S C A M P E R

Substitute

Combine

Adapt

}

Modify / magnify

Put it to another use

Eliminate

Reverse / rearrange

Clone

Use tools such as: repetition, series, create variations of themes, create sets

Decompose

Fractals, hierarchy, fracturing - increase complexity

Counterbalance

Opposition, suites: a bunch of things working together as a group that don’t look alike. Narrative: Shift of buildings as characters

Elaborate

Build on hints of ideas through: doodling, mutating, or morphing

Graft Idea

Adding different ideas to the root idea: golden mean, religion, symmetry

Unfolding

Unfolding of ideas explaining a scheme in a series of steps

Can the problem be related to something experienced before? If so consider the similarities of the new and old problems - what can be taught

2

Consider the results obtained - can they be used again to solve other issues? Could the result have been different?

EXAMINE SOLUTION

DEVISE A PLAN

1

UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM

Consider the unknown, exploring the data and condition of what is given or at hand. Separate these unknowns and attempt to draw them, this will help understanding.

3

CARRY OUT PLAN

Carry out a plan with careful consideration that each step is completed correctly and successfully

4

Put to other uses:

Is there a new way this can be done, or used? In studio air i attempted this with computational design and the endless possibilities and outcomes

Is there anything else like this?

Consider what this suggests - could whats been done in the past assist in furthering the design in both improving or learning from others mistakes.

Modify:

Try change the meaning - this could open a whole new world of possibilities for the design. Try change colour, form, and shape too!

Magnify:

What could be added to the design? Experiment with thickness, length, strength. Multiply or duplicate elements.

Minify:

What could be taken away? Explore smaller, condensed, lower or lighter elements - split parts up!

Substitute:

What else instead? Try to replace elements with something different

Rearrange:

Experiment with interchanging components and patterns - this could be a design generating tool too.

Reverse:

Flip it upside down, on its head or side

Combine:

Blend it all together - see what new combinations could appear

07 DESIGN

TASK

1.

2.

Look back to a previous design task complete. Analyze and take note of where and when went wrong?

Develop ways to overcome these design blocks. Take note of these new found tools, they may be of use in future design tasks.

3.

Attempt to alter where you went wrong with your new tools on overcoming the design blocks - you need to be sure they work!

C1.

C2.

C3.

DEVELOPING DESIGN IDEAS

EVALUATING + SELECTING BETWEEN DESIGN IDEAS

DESIGN COMMUNICATION

C1.

DEVELOPING DESIGN IDEAS Towards the end of semester for all architecture students comes the time to make some pretty important decisions. What design to go with? How will it be presented? How could it be modeled? However there are many decision and evaluation methods that can help simplify this process along the way so the final decisions are easier to make. These include: • • • • • • • • • • •

Checklists - invented by pilots Performance specifications – rules that must be abided by – e.g. Hall must be X wide SWOT analysis – identifies strengths and weaknesses Decision trees - includes: chance event outcomes, resource costs, and utility De Bono’s six thinking hats – 6 groups focusing on different thinking groups - more productive, focused, mindfully involved Value management Post-occupancy evaluation - evaluating the performance of the building once it is in use - client/stakeholder satisfaction Delphi Method – forecasting or decision making technique. Umpire of a team states problem to be solved, ask opinions and give evidence, then evidence is given by umpire …

Trade off games – come to a conclusion of concerns/ issues Decision matrices - list of values in rows and columns in which relationship of values can be drawn out Computer supported decision systems - computational design where figures are put into a computer program, resulting in design outcomes

Now, we need to throw in the bases of choice. Why and who are these decisions for?

• Let the market decide • Arbitrary procedure • Compare with accepted canon • Develop universally valid set of criteria • Develop criteria based on the differences between items to be compared • Judge each work against its own intentions

CRITICISM

The critic aims to describe, provide a surrogate experience, explore theories, share someones work, all with the overarching agenda to persuade the reader to take on their point of view. The main types of critics consist of: normative (ideological), interpretative (advocating a good thing to do whilst attempting to get you to adopt critics point of view), and descriptive (factual). Despite some differences all critics have similar focus on what comes before the work and the work itself, these include: Before the work: • Geographical context, ecological • Historical, history of ideas • Socio-political, economic • Legislative context • Biography of the author • Client, task, brief • Repertoire of current disciplinary interests On the work itself: • Creation/design focus • Form, geometry, architectonics • Subject matter, reference, tone of voice • Presentation

Before a critique, either at the end of university semester or mid, it is extremely important to share your thoughts, presentation, and designs with fellow students, family members, and friends. It is good to get an idea of how others perceive your work as this could help change an aspect that was lacking or just improve your work as a whole. Students are commonly assessed on the follow so take careful consideration to: • Communication of design: drawings, models, diagrams, report • Communication of presentation: speaking, response to questions asked • Range of issues addressed • Range of scales addressed: i.e. just rooms designed or is every detail down to the door nob designed?

• Improvement of skills through the process • Achievements and limitations to the projects The university critic may not always have the same view as you, however it is important to take note of what is being said, some part of it will actually be useful for future assessments or works.... at the end of the day anything we ever make will always have some aspect of criticism, whether it be the public eye or an architectural magazine.

Always ensure the university standards, minimum degree standards, and most importantly the subjects learning objectives are being met.

THOMAS HEATHERWICK - UK PAVILION

British Pavilion; Chelsea Barracks, By Rowan Moore, 25/04/2010 The guardian article kicks off with an insulting view towards all international pavilions, likening them to the Olympics, inviting people from all over the globe to only “leave behind wildernesses of decay and debt…” Then making a quick come back commending the British government for their well commissioned pavilion, in order to improve all ties with China. The passion and commending increases for the rest of the article, applauding architect Thomas Heatherwick’s magnificent work and ability to turn a drad pavilion brief into an exciting representation of Britain.

Other articles on the Pavilion, from the likes of ArchDaily and DeZeen only explore the makeup of the project, the inspiration, statistics, whilst touching on peoples lack of belief the project could even be built.

Diwan I Khas - Toni Pringle

SPACIAL SEQUENCES Spacial sequences combine internal relations, external relations, and program (occurrences or events) to create customary architecture. There are a number of sequences, from transformational to programmatic, but the stand out was Spacial for me. A family of spacial points form a well defined axis in plan with increased complexity, this is evident in Diwan I Khas in New Delhi, India (pictured to the left). The order, movement and space create a single progression allowing the users movements to be mapped out, guiding them in a purposeful manner.

EVENT Programmatic Sequences

S

E

M

SPACE

MOVEMENT

Spacial Sequences

Transformational Sequences

FLOATING PARK - FLINDERS WALK

Finders lane is a busy pathway situated adjacent to the Yarra river, connecting Melbournians to Southbank and Flinders Street Station. In a place where most people rush by in their everyday life I thought it would be an ideal location for this park. A wharf already floats here and is often inhabited on sunny days by people and seagulls, however it is pretty run down and not very user friendly. The park idea came from in depth studies to how other cities incorporate parks into urban life. Looking into Oklahoma city in America and Mayor Mick Cornett’s passionate aim to create a healthier city with more parks, pathways, and walk-ability really emphasized the necessity for more inner city escapes that could be walked to on a lunch break, to feel the fresh air and sun.

TECHNOLOGY

AMENITY

POETRY

LARGEST SCALE

Making a floating park possible within this busy walking path - considering pedestrian flows, weight of the park, and how many people it can safely hold

Accommodating ALL city goers from business people to school children, Disabled to bike riders.

Accessibility will be a key feature of this

How to get to the park. Its quite an unusual space in the middle of the city on the Yarra river so making the journey smooth and noticeable is extremely important.

MIDDLE SCALE

Safety features of the park

Flow of people entering and exiting the space. Is there a way in and out?

Create an inner city oasis. A place for people to go and escape the hustle and bustle of this busy city precinct.

SMALLEST SCALE

Park maintenance

Litter disposal - So much waste is in the Yarra River, cleaning and keeping these water ways clean is extremely important encouraging and implementing litter disposal is a necessity

The experience whilst rehabilitating the space. Will the plant options attract native birds and other wildlife?

08 DESIGN

TASK

1.

2.

Complete a small presentation of work thus far to the tutor, friends and family.

Take careful note of the critiques feedback, it will improve the project and can allow you as the designer to further understand the projects, assisting with any difficult questions that might be asked in the final presentation critique.

3.

Change the project! Make any alterations necessary or as a result of the critique.

4.

Complete at various stages of the design process to ensure all aspects of the brief are covered, allowing time for any changes to be complete before the final presentation.

C2.

EVALUATING + SELECTING BETWEEN DESIGN IDEAS

I have always enjoyed creating final presentation posters, even despite my lack of photo rendering and computer aided design skills. I enjoy the graphics, and still manage to create a somewhat aesthetically pleasing poster or presentation. Looking at design presentation posters on sites like Pinterest, did however display to me where I need to improve in order to gain higher marks. We are always told not to ‘judge a book by its cover’, BUT, its pretty much what we aim to do in architectural posters, gain the viewers attention with pretty pictures, guiding them at what we want to see, and understand. I really enjoyed this poster to the right, it successfully captured my eye, giving me that user experience as though I was walking down that path. I definitely will aim for presentation results like these in my upcoming studio subject’s.

KNOW the concept!

What is your position?

1

3 2

Narrative

4

Use of precedent

Presentation of technique

How the eye works?

7

5 6

3 levels of communication

8

Lay out of pages

Talking to your pages!

9

Selling ideas is exactly what a design presentation is about. You have to convince your audience, critiques, and most of all you must be convinced yourself. Begin with the studios agenda, have you stuck to this? Be sure to look back to the subject overview to ensure you are making the right decisions and saying the right thing. Consider why you are doing this subject, these drawings, this presentation? This will assist in your personal convincing and help nut out any questions that could be thrown your way. Consideration of the drawings will also assist in determining importance of them and therefore aid the hierarchal layout of the presentation poster. Grab the audiences attention and make them focus on your work, use phrases like, “…I was really intrigued by…”, or “through my exploration of….I discovered....”

Narrative will assist now, tell the audience a story, not only verbally but visually too. Be clear in your presentation, talk with confidence and clarity; don’t apologize or highlight problems with the scheme, rather use your voice to highlight key themes, pointing to assist the eye.

Know the concept. Outline the BIG idea with graphics, make the most important and visually representative drawing or model stand out. This is generally the area with most colour, surface area, and clarity. Juxtapose elements, enable the viewers eye to flow consistently through the presentation, guide them to what you want them to see.

In a past assignment with a triangular theme I drew elements of that into image layout, from president studies to final images of the model. The 6 page, A1 layout allowed for many elements to a page, requiring something to link the narrative of the pages to form a clear layout. I feel this was a successful graphic technique, not only having a clear and concise presentation but something also relating to the overarching theme of the presentation.

09 DESIGN

TASK

1.

2.

Look to the subject outline, taking note of main learning objectives.

Look to the assignment brief and assessment rubric. Take note of main objectives from these.

3.

Combine all objectives that have been highlighted, create your own marking rubric with a grading system similar to the one for the class.

4.

Assess your own work at various stages of the design process to ensure all aspects of the brief and subject are covered, allowing time for any changes to be complete before the final presentation.

C3.

DESIGN COMMUNICATION

“The most effective, most creative problem solvers engage in a process of meta-thinking, or thinking about the thinking.�

- Matthew Frederick

GRASSHOPPER - AIR

The way technology can basically do the designing for you now is pretty incredible and scary at the same time. To the left are different variations from my project in studio air. I had never used Rhino before so attempting the plug in, Grasshopper was a challenge to say the least. Despite the hurdle of this program I did enjoy the attempts I made at computational design, and the various result that occurred by adding or subtracting a single input or changing one or many variables in the sequence. In my algorithmic sketchbook I was fascinated with adding humans in to give these crazy forms scale and bring them to life. It was an exciting thing not really knowing what I was doing but still developing small forms of architecture.

10 DESIGN

TASK

1.

2.

Read this design workshop journal before ALL design tasks to ensure every aspect of being an architect is being met.

Complete all 10 design tasks to assist and improve the design process and design.

CONCLUSION I started writing this journal as a summary of my design Workshop learnings but it kind of merged into a design guide, including tips, tricks, and exercises for future design tasks. This subject has taught me a lot, not only skills and in depth thinking I had never considered, but a lot on what I need to improve on and also some encouragement that I CAN learn new skills and I am not as bad a designer as I often convince myself. Design workshop has enabled me to try new methods of understanding and forced me to take a completely different view on how a design task should be approached. I enjoyed how each lecture made me stop and think, reflecting on how I could have adapted previous projects and left me with the skills to attempt others. My tutors constant questioning on our methods and responses to his questions, looking back was helpful as it made me think more about why I came up with that answer, definitely a handy tool for quick thinking in design critiques.

Design is much more than a brief that is answered with a plan and final model only to please a tutor; design is way more than this, and beginning of semester me did not know this. End of semester me now knows the many, many elements that can capture a design brief and expand on it, explore it, and break it up into all these methods I have learned in order to squeeze out every last design idea possible. I can now apply photography, video, fashion, narrative, and computer aided design - many of which i would have never thought to attempt in a design studio, and am left with an abundance of skills to attempt not only future design work but I think any University class.

Part C. DESIGN WORKSHOP • Toni pr ing le - submission C 2017 s emester one desig n workshop j our na l. C ompi l at ion of p ar t A, B, and C.