Thursday, March 26, 2009

[ALTERNATIVES] unit summary

Ritual Shape Buildings and Building Shape Rituals

         In the churches circles are a very sacred form and symbol because it is the connector from earth and heaven.  In the Church of the Nativity around the center of the cross is a circle.  With it being on the alter, the circle allows the focus point to be the cross.  There are also circles found in the designs of Santa Constanza and Hagia Sophia.  Also being developed from a circle pattern is a dome.  It allows light to come into churches.  In the church of the Holy Sepulchre a dome is the sacred burial spot, but still has function.  The courtyard separates the dome and the basilica where the people gather in one area so they can hear.  After a while architects and designers started to test the boundaries and break rules of the normal rituals and go outside the box.  

The Duomo, in Florence, Italy, shows the rebirth of antiquity, individualism, and humanism.  It rediscovers the natural world and is a reglorification of the state as a work of art. The Venezia is known as the city of floating stone, where you can find Santa Maria della Salute, while there is still a dome on this church it is a pilgrimage church inside a city.  The Doge’s Palace, in Venice, is designed to resemble lace. Glass and lace were important materials in Italy.  Filippo Calendario’s design did a good job in doing so.  Piazza San Marco is the principal square of Venice.  It is the only urban space called a piazza in Venice.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Grammar:Syntax


[Re]visions

A new model of something.  In design we do a lot of planning and thinking and it can sometimes be to complex and so we revise it and turn it into something better.  Last week we went on a nature hunt and found inspiration from things in nature.  We drew thumbnails of the patterns we saw from the things we found in nature.  And this week we have designed a model to reflect what patterns we found in nature and that also ties into a celebration story from our life.  It is also suppose to work with light and shadow, so if one model doesn't work we revise it to make it work.


Audience

When designing something a key factor is to think about how the audience will react to it.  The designer wants the audience to be wowed and amazed by the design.  At the DATS program we went to at High Point University, Alexander Julian was one of the speakers.  He talked about when he was called and asked to design the new UNC basketball jerseys.  He had a design in mind, but wasn't sure how the basketball players would feel about it.  He thought carefully about his audience and how he would get the players to like it and so he called Michael Jordan and asked if he would mind coming with him to show the design.  He did, and the players thought well if Michael Jordan likes it we'll wear it.

 

Character

The most common definition for character is the character in a story.  Another is, how the person acts would be his character or characteristics.  And in design an architect makes his building more interesting and delightful by the character it shows.  For my History and Theory of Design class we were to pick a building in the 20Th century that we will be working with through out the whole semester.  I chose the Mercedes-Benz Museum because of the character is has.  It is a modern design, designed to take the shape of a three leaf clover.  

Transition

A change or movement from one place or thing to another.  Transition takes place a lot in design.  Whether its the change from one level to another or to a completely different idea.  I think of transition having a lot to do with a pathway or road to lead you to where your suppose to go, but I think the transition is noticeable.  Like in a house when you walk from a living room to the kitchen the transition you made is from couches and a television to a refrigerator, sink, and cabinets.

Datum

A line or point used as a reference to measure.  When I think of a datum line I think it should be around eye level when things are hung so that it's easier to see.  When we were planning and placing images on our presentation boards about our buildings we used a datum line, making sure everything lined up and were evenly spaced so that you wouldn't be distracted.

To summarize this week, I feel like as a designer you should think about the audience and giving you design character and if something doesn't work you should revise it.  The transition you make from one place to another should be thought about and when hanging things up use a datum line. 

Friday, March 20, 2009

Precedent Analysis [deliverables]

[outline]

The Mercedes-Benz Museum

I.  Introduction
II.  Body
       A.  History/Background
             1.  Why it was built?
             2.  Who built it?  When?
                    a. Key dates
3. What is it used for?
             4.  What does it represent?
       B.  Building Itself
             1.  Size
             2. Shape
             3.  Materials
             4.  Interior 
              5.  Exterior & Surroundings
       C.  Museum Tour
              1.  Admission
             2.  What will you find where?
             3.  History
III.  Conclusion
       A.  Why I chose this building.
       B.  Summary of all.


[views & media]
  • plan view, 1':1/4", pencil on bond
  • front elevation, 1':1/4", pencil on bond
  • section cut (n-s), 1':1/4", pencil on bond
  • section cut (e-w), 1':1/4", pencil on bond
  • 1 point interior perspective, colored pencils on bond
  • 1 point exterior perspective, markers on bond
  • 2 point exterior perspective, markers on bond
  • interior detail, colored pencils on bond
  • exterior detail, watercolor on bond
  • diagram, pen and colored pencil on bond

[questions]
What should I focus more on in the essay?
Are the drawings a good variety?

Precedent Analysis (new)


The Mercedes-Benz Museum is located in Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, Germany.  UN Studio was very creative in the design process, and it was completed and opened in 2006.  This steel structure with modern glass houses around 100 cars.  It is a spiral ramp showcase, with a tour starting at the earliest models to end with the newest.  The building is shaped with three rounded corners, in the shape to mimic a three leaf cover.