chapter iii
| look to the stars
needle needle
scissors scissors
around the studio i managed to find thread, a needle, scissors and paper. the technicals were created by threading through the paper.
a4 paper a4 sheet of paper
polyester thread thread
presentation pins presentation pins
h ow to th read p ap er n o t to scale co m p o n e nt s a b ove
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chapter iii
| look to the stars
hexagram twenty-six led to the introduction of constellation patterns. mentioning exceeding boundaries and heaven specifically, it brings to mind notions of space and the stars. aesthetically, the previous work is relatively congruent with pre-existing patterns, ones which constitute the next section of work.
b elow:
the nor the r n s ky - s pr ingtime
key
mag n i t u de (b r i g ht n e ss) - 1. 5 - -0. 5 (h i g h )
c l u ste r
0 . 6 - 3 . 5 (m e di u m )
ga l axy
> 3 . 5 (l ow )
nebula
m i l ky way
er
r
dece
mbe
r
ja
aquarius
n
ry
oc
ob
embe
ua
t
nov
p i s ce s p e ga s u s
ce t u s
aries e qu u l e u s
d e l ph i nu s aqu i l a
triangulum
r
l a ce r t a
t au r u s
cyg nu s
uary
septe
febr
mbe
s ag g i t a
au r i ga
ce p h e u s
l y ra s e r pe n s (caud a) c a m e l o p a rd a l i s
orion
d ra co u rs a m i n o r
h e rc u l e s lynx
augu
m a rc
st
ge m i n i
h
co ro n a b o re al i s
u rs a m a j o r
m o n o ce ro s
b o o te s s e r pe n s (caput)
c a n ce r leo minor c a n e s ve nt a c i 36
hyd ra co m a b e re n i ce s
10
m ay
ju june
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l
s ext a n s
ri
v i rgo
ap
y
leo
0
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chapter iii
| look to the stars
aquarius
aquarius variation one. thread, pins and paper. 297x210mm
aquarius variation two. thread, pins and paper. 297x210mm
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chapter iii
| look to the stars
in line with the previous hexgrams of abstraction and inversion, the works of this section take the star locations of a given constellation, but give them a new connections between them. this section was mainly focused with exploring the aesthetics of previous technicals, and exploring a three-dimensional format. these works are key in laying the foundation for the installation works.
cygnu s
sygnus variation one. thread, pins and paper. 297x210mm
h e rcu l e s
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sygnus variation two. thread, pins and paper. 297x210mm
chapter iii
| look to the stars
h e rcu l e s
cam e l o p ard al i s
camelopardalis variation one. thread, pins and paper, 297x210mm
camelopardalis variation two. thread, pins and paper, 297x210mm
hercules variation one. thread, pins and paper, 297x210mm
hercules variation two. thread, pins and paper, 297x210mm
cygnu s
h e rcu l e s
cam e l o p ard al i s
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chapter iii
awakens. thread, pins and paper. 297x210mm
| look to the stars
empire. thread, pins and paper. 297x210mm
jedi. thread, pins and paper. 297x210mm
deco n stru cti o n
menace. thread, pins and paper, 297x210mm
attack . thread, pins and paper, 297x210mm
revenge. thread, pins and paper, 297x210mm
deco n stru cti o n
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chapter iii
| look to the stars
while the works appear two dimensional in plan, (as viewed upon a board), they are in fact three. in elevation, it is clear that the thread has a quality of depth, which was created by the random movement of thread during the creation of the works.
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studio presentation board presentation pin black cotton thread
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a4 paper
hercules variation two east elevati o n 1 : 2 (i n set)
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chapter iii
| look to the stars
this next work mimiced its predessors, but embraced its three dimensionality entirely. again bound by hexagram thirty-five, i had to use items found around the studio - in this case fishing wire. hexagram twenty-six also indicated an increase in scale would be benficial - the works were now at a scale where a direct interaction with their audience was possible.
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p ut yo u r h an d i n i t (to p ) p lan (b o tto m ) n o rth elevati o n 1 : 20
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chapter iv
showtime
the studio exhibition makes up the bulk of the project, and exemplifies the developed thesis. the five installations combine the themes developed throughout the project into interactive works that shape the exhibition itself. the installations comment on the architectural quality of the studio space, doing so through three - technically four - dimensional works that interact directly with the audience whether they know it or not.
c h a p te r iv
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i asked the i-ching one simple question: why?
thirty - five | advancing again, advancing speaks of using what is around to one’s benefit. i must use materials from around me.
this hexagram shaped the core theme of the exhibitions, and the crux of the entire projects. the answer to my question is the question itself. why? what i seek is development and depth in my thesis, the question why? is the perfect way to do so. the installations indicate areas of the studio that are and aren’t used - their forms are developed through the reason behind their use, or lack thereof. the red thread installation (below) maps the void above the rubbish bin, a space unused by students primarily because of its smell. the space around the perimeter of the bin tends to be avoided, a subsconscious measure taken due to our repulsion of foul odours. as the work was progressively destroyed each day by students walking into it, it became clear the space i selected was a conflicted one. i had simultaneously mapped an area of low use, as well as high use - when considered different purposes. the shortcut coincided with the repugnant space of the bin - which formed an interesting commentary on prioritisation and concession within overlapping spaces.
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installation one so uth elevati o n 1 : 20
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h ow to re- co n stru ct i n stallati o n o n e n o t to scale
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the second installation mapped the space between the microwave and the sinks in the studio. the pink thread i selected was very nearly invisible, much to the frustration of some students. the space i selected was a shortcut from one side of the studio to the other, and a popular one at that. the installation changed the route people have to take, or at least had to duck under it. the installation was a meta approach to my themes - the invisible string represented a blockage that one cannot see - smell, temperature etc. - and forces users to take another route.
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i n stallati o n two n o rth elevati o n 1 : 20
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c h a p te r iv
whilst eating my lunch one day, i sat at the end of the studio hallway and simply watching students move through it. patterns were immediately evident. students inadvertently avoided the left hand side of the hallway, through very subtle course corrections. the left-hand side of the hallway houses rrubbish bins, closets and several series of industrial chrome pipes. whether it be for pragmatic or aesthetic reasons, students avoided these areas.
1 750 50
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the yellow thread work proved this true; the installation filled those unused spaces, and for an entire week, was not destroyed. it created an arch to walk under, one which narrowly missed the heads of taller students. at was with the arch that i started seeing structural value and architectural form in these installations. despite the weak nature of the thread, when taught and wound together, a relatively durable structural form is created.
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average studio head height
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in s t a l l at ion t h ree wes t el evation 1 : 20
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c h a p te r iv
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the fourth installation was primarily focused by the previous i-ching mandate of using materials around oneself. the work is constructed of leftover black thread and a (now) spare studio table. the thread maps the space underneath a table - one typically unused in the studio, save for a few loose boxes and rolls of large format paper. this work again embraces its structural nature - this time the thread pattern is akin to an arched bridge.
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b la c k t h re a d i nve rte d s t u d i o t a b le
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i n stallati o n f o u r
se c t i o n aa 1 : 20
east elevati o n 1 : 20
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c h a p te r iv
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the final installation was a touch different to the others. wrapping around a faux workstation, it had a musuem-like quality to it. through the influence of a nolli-section, the thread weaves its way around the desk and chair, charting the use of the various areas through the density of the string. ares of little practical use have a higher density than their busy counterparts. like the other installations, the colour of the thread was chosen by the i-ching - altough from any fair distance, the thread remained invisible.
i n s ta l l at ion f ive no l l i- s ty l e el evation 1 : 20
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the technical below succintly captures the theory behind the installed works. the image is a plan of the level four studio, but defined by the spaces that are not used, as opposed to the ones that are. the reuslt is strikingly similar to a traditional plan, a similiarity that substantiates the entire project. it confirms that our lives are shaped by the spaces we don’t use as much as the ones we are, and speaks to the symbiotic relationship the two share.
b elow: all th at we can n o t see p lan o f th e i nvi si b le/ i ntan g i b le 1 : 200 def i n ed by: socia l conve nt i on restricti on by rule restricti on by s i ze temperat u re - co l d
te m p e rat u re - h o t d ange r p e d e s t r i a n d e n s i ty od ou r
v i s u a l d e te r re nt v i s i b i l i ty - d ark v i s i b i l i ty - gl are nu l l s p a ce
1 : 200 mapping the invisible - the unused spaces of the level four studio social convention restricted by rule restricted by size temperature - cold
temperature - hot danger pedestrian density odour 82
visual deterrent visibility - glare visibility - dark null space
c h a p te r iv
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the installations played a key role in shaping the exhibition itself. the red installation forced users to take a specific path down the hall, which led to the yellow work. the arch form prompted the audience to view it by walking through it - maintaining the foot traffic. these led to the black work at the end of the hallway, which was known as the ‘focal point’ of the exhibition. manipulating the traffic of the exhbition is a meta apparoach when applying the thesis - the works become a component of a larger work, the exhibition itself.
installation one guides people through the hallway, forcing them to continue straight ahead
installation three enticed the audience with its arch, and prompted movement through it
installation five was labelled the focal point of the exhibition, with all roads channeling to this work
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t he ep i l o g u e
the final thesis of this project is one appreciably grown from its humble beginning. while the initial works explored the designation of ‘used’ and ‘unused’ spaces, the later works are more concerned with why they’re designated that way, and how the line between them blurs. the works, and notable the final installations, indicate that ‘used’ and ‘unused’ spaces are indeed symbiotic to one another, and that their designation is a result of overlapping phenomenon we can and cannot see. so where does this all lead to? as the i-ching would quite happily have it: a question. how can this thesis be practically applied to architectural spaces, new or old? the level four studio is a location that would suit such investigation. odour, social convention and temperature extremities are only a handful of factors that determine students’ limited use of the studio. these elements, among many more, limit the studio quite severely in its spacial capacity. the next step in the project would be to nullify the difference between used and unused spaces. taking those unused spaces and converting them into ergonomic, usable ones would greatly amplify the efficiency and utility of the studio space. this notion is holistically applicable - to perform such a process on a larger scale would present a significant architectural challenge - with equally significant results. the strides that could be achieved in sustainability, efficiency and general quality are potentially intriguing. during the exhibition, parallels to bridges and arches were made due to the form of the works. their structural qualities fit the requirements for structures that in fact do illustrate my thesis. a bridge or arch takes a space that isn’t used - air or water - and gives it a function. in this case, transporting vehicles and pedestrians. the scope of such application is greatly fluid. at room-scale, furniture and shelving devices could be of great value, when designed bespoke to the condition of the space. reacting to a space’s specific characteristics naturally leads to a bespoke response, and it is here where the truest application of the thesis could be seen. by no means a concluded journey, this thesis and the works that substantiate it are only an embryonic exploration of a vast topic. all that we cannot see is a rejection of current design standards, and an exploratory look into designing more intelligently.
sic parvis magna
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Chapter Three Threading Paper Q : Do technical drawings have to be readable in a traditional sense? A : (37, 3) - People in the Home, Sprouting. - “What are the boundaries...What kind of growth does this environment support?” I think that abstracted drawings can provide more successful results and room for further development. - Take idea of growing and sprouting in an aesthetic form?
i -chi n g i n d ex
Q: Do drawings have to be two-dimensional? A: (59, 44) - Dispersing, Coupling. - “How can you be less rigid” - So no, they don’t. My technicals will be three dimensional. - Idea of meeting, letting go. Take the notion of this to shape the aesthetic.
co n s u l t at i o ns performed during construction of works
Chapter Two
Q : What materials should I utilize? A : (14, 1) Great Possession, Creative Force - “Given all that you have..” - using materials I have already acquired. Nothing new.
Ice
Constellation Technicals
Q : How many times should I throw the bottle? A : (29,7) Repeating Chasms, The Army - Repeat process over and over. Increasingly smaller throws, turn them into drops. - 29-7 = 22.
Q : Which constellations should I select? A : (18,46) Corruption, Pushing Upward - Neither of these were particularly relevant, so in the spirit of ching, I selected three at random. Q : How should I interpret the constellations? A : (20) Seeing - “If you had no preconceptions, what would you see?” I’m taking the star points of each constellation and re-imagining them.
Q : Should I preserve the ice or let it melt? A : (19,3) Nearing, Sprouting - “what is beginning to grow?”, “how does this want to grow?” - I’m not sure, so I’ll do both. I’ll photograph both preserved and melting shards.
Q : How many variations of each constellation should I do? A : (36,34) Brightness Hidden, Great Vigour - 36-34 = 2.
Q : How long should this melt for? A : (53,18) Gradual Progress, Corruption. - Didn’t have much time today, so 18 minutes will suffice.
Q : One of the works just broke. Should I start again or document? A : (49,15) Radical Change, Integrity - “How can you break the mould? How must the form change..?” Looks like I’ll continue along this path, I’ll destroy each one as I go and document the results.
Glass Q : How many times should I drop the glass bottle? A : (3) Sprouting - That settles it. Three times.
3D Fishing Wire Technical
Q : How will protect myself from the glass? A : (39,15) Limping, Integrity. - “What is the simple reality?”, “how can you find help?” - I need to stop the glass exploding everywhere, so I’m wrapping the bottle in a zip-lock bag, to prevent cuts and stray shards.
Q : What materials should I use? A :(14, 15) Great Possession, Integrity - “Given all that you have..” - using materials around me available. Pins, boards, paper, fishing wire found on the floor.
Q : How much clay will I require? A : (32,7) Lasting, The Army - “lasting, creating success” - I need to use enough as I see fit, to last the entire process.
Q : Scale? A : (55, 56) - Abundance, Traveling - Go bigger. Q : How many more connections? A : (11) Flow - “How will you work this potential, how can you channel the flow of energy to create harmony?” Not too insightful, but I’ll aim for a work that has aesthetic harmony, or at least looks to be complete. Q : Is this work three or four dimensional? A : (7,59) The Army, Dispersing - “What are you aiming for?” I’m aiming for a 4D work, one that has an element of touch. I guess Ching agrees?
Chapter Four Red Thread Installation Yellow Thread Installation Q : What color thread should I use? A : (10) Treading - The hexagram speaks of tigers prominently. The shop didn’t have orange thread, so I’ll use red thread for this installation.
Q : What space of the studio should I map next? A : (7) The Army - Large amount of soldiers = foot traffic. Do a busy area, the hallway.
Q : How many more connection points do I need? A : (62) Small Exceeding - “all that you need to cross the line” - using the bare minimum to cross the line. I won’t go much longer on this, only do what is required to communicate my idea.
Q : I have some purple thread laying around. Should I use this? A : (20,7) Seeing, The Army - “When you stop searching, what comes into view?” - I stopped looking for a color and left it a day or so. I opened my locker the next day and grabbed the yellow thread sitting in there.
Q : Is it bad that I’m blocking everyone’s path? A : (51) Shock - “What must change? What must continue?” - “shock, creating success” - this will be good for the exhibition, guides people down the hallway. The change is positive.
Q : How long should I spend doing this work? A : (58, 29) Opening, Repeating Chasms - Whatever is comfortable. I took my time, deliberately constructing. Half a day. Black Thread Installation
Pink Thread Installation
Q: What object should I utilize next? A: (41, 27) Decreasing, Nourishment - Must simplify. I was hungry so ate my food, on a table. That gave me the idea to use the table - would simply convey my idea with a gathered object.
Q : Should I use all of the space available, or just some? A : (46) Pushing Upward - “Creating success from the source” - upwards, I’ll use connection points that are mainly higher, which suits my idea perfectly anyway. Most unused spaces.
Q: What thread should I use? A: (14) Great Possession. - Will use leftover black thread.
Q : What color should I use? A : (29) Repeating Chasms - “How can you flow on through the dark?” - hidden, hard to see? Use the pink. Almost invisible.
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