Arch 101 Mid-term Learning Portfolio

Mid-term Learning Portfolio

Chun Mei Tan Arch 101 Spring 2013

March 14, 2013

Project 1: Icebraker Exercise

• Concepts: – Design as a tectonic language – Designing from words to forms – Abstract versus literal

• Process: 1. Use words to build an abstract model 2. Refine parts and build iterations using design principles 3. Create final iteration with the use of a narrative for the model

Iteration One: The Abstract Model

Words for Abstract Model: Curiosity, Flexibility and Persistence

Question of the Week: Why does design (tectonic) language have a syntactic (grammar) and semantic (meaning) aspect?


Concept Sketches

Iteration Two: Refining and Developing the Kit of Parts

Concepts: – Using rhythm and repetition to design and determining their purpose – Using regularity of forms, lines and curves to represent words – Bending, folding and penetrating forms


This is a valuable exercise for me in starting to brainstorm on a design for a structural form as a solution to a problem. I have never thought about using words to create an abstract model and was fascinated by the exercise after completing it that we can achieve the creation of very interesting forms for a design solution using words, and that the forms can illustrate words if we are able to express it in way that is abstract in the ideas. It is away of using language to bring up ideas for structural design and a way to bring in solutions to a design problem. It led my way to new ideas on transformation of forms and elements; and as a start of the architectural design process, it allowed me to define problem using words and turn words into forms to bring in design solutions for the problem.


The Models Question of the Week: What purpose do rhythm and regularity play in design?


Concept Sketches


The Kit of Parts from Iteration One

The New Kit of Parts

Iteration Two: Refining the Parts and Developing the Kit of Parts

From Iteration one, in my use of curves and imaginary circles to represent curiosity, persistence and flexibility, I reconstructed the abstract form of the design using the design elements of shape, color and space to create a structure of living space. The shapes I used are cones from the form of the string of circles I used in the first model to resemble curiosity, and a circle with wings from the circle of waves in the first iteration to represent persistence. The waves connected to the circle on the exterior are loose to give a sense of flexibility and each set of wings is attached to the surface of the circle to show the extent of flexibility that one cannot change when the wings are stretched. In coming up with the design, I directed myself into making the form following the principle of rhythm, using repetition of shapes, lines and curves to give an aesthetic look on the overall form and give motion to the form to draw the eyes of the viewer to the overall structure, all around the form to the center; and more importantly, in using rhythm, I used the circle and the repetition of wings around the circle to represent persistence, like going in a circular motion following one after another. In addition, I am guided into using regularity of forms in design to regenerate the model. In thinking about the purpose of rhythm and regularity, I find that they are connected in a way such that rhythm in the structural form shows regularity of the form. When there is repetition in elements of design, there is not only motion in the form, but also there is continuity, symmetry in certain part, direction, and unity that constitute a regular form; therefore, repetition defines regularity in one aspect.

Iteration Two: Refining the Parts and Developing the Kit of Parts

In using lines, curves and shapes to represent words, I had created the model to present me; and using rhythm and regularity in design, I recreated one that draws out the purpose of the two aspects of structural design to make the form more representational on the words used for the generation of the design. Then, in simplifying my design concept to create a more delicate and simple form of representation, I used one cone as an emphasis on the resemblance of curiosity; It is like one microscope that one looks through to satisfy his or her curiosity of what is not visible or not clear or what is being hidden behind the truth of what the thing or object is or is about. Then in simplifying more of the form to draw a better picture of the concept, I used straws for the roundness of the shape and the long and thinness of the form to represent a line, a straight line of persistence that acts like a ray moving toward a direction to infinity. To illustrate the concept of flexibility, I kept the use of curves or waves that form like wings on the structure which can be opened or closed or overlapped each other, following the direction of the wind when it is actually built to scale and placed outside. The wings which open and close to an extent, remain unchangeable to the direction set on their attachment to the surface of the cone. The purpose of rhythm and regularity is served and simplicity helps give a better representation of my design concepts.

Iteration Three: Creating Complex Forms using Repetition

Concepts: – Use of asymmetry and dynamics of forms – Levels of hierarchy – primary, secondary, tertiary – Overlapping and penetrating forms – Use of magnitude – Examine how parts relate to each other – Repetition of parts for balance


The Model with Refined Parts

Front

Top

Back

Question of the Week: How does the narrative inform our design process and solutions?


Concept Sketches


In this exercise, I learned to create more interesting forms using repetition of parts in which the original shape of form can be repeated and put together in any position or direction with each other to form a more dynamic shape. When the part is duplicated and combined, the overall shape, from a perspective, is more dynamic with a sense of direction and is more complex in a sense that the part is structured like going in a motion toward difference directions. The refinement of the parts using repetition, not only made the form more dynamic, but also made it look more aesthetic and more importantly, it added value to the concept of complexity in the purpose of the exercise. In showing the emphasis on the main part in the kit for the building of the structure, I used hierarchy, making the larger in scale. This shows the focal point of the structure when it is built.

Iteration Four: Creating the Model Using A Narrative

Metaphors for Model: – A Musical Instrument – The Music Band – The Drum, the Trumpet and the Flute – Bits and Parts of Discovery – Levels of Exploration – Monument – Wonderland

Iteration Four: Narrative for Creating the Model

My Abstract Design My abstract design of the model is to draw out ones curiosity, persistence and flexibility. One aspect of the design is to show one’s levels of exploration from his or her experience and give the viewer a sense of unity that ties to one’s perception of things with lines of perseverance that stand behind the scene. In creating qualities for my design, I used circular shapes to resemble the worlds of exploration, with persistence and unity. Because forms are created by shapes, and one will see many different things when they look at a shape that carry meanings to forms. A shape standing alone can also have meaning, and when we break them into pieces or put them with other shapes, we can create better meaning out of them that allow people to see and understand concepts we draw in our design. In my design, I used the shape of a cone to represent curiosity and divided it into pieces that look like drums stacking on top of each other where each level of the drums represent a level of exploration. I also used a dynamic tubular shape of a trumpet and standard elegant tubes of a flute to resemble rays of perseverance. Together they form a musical band or a music instrument that represents the levels of exploration in real life in which a person will see in this story of the Band in the Wonderland.


The Story Far away in a Wonderland of Music, there were three groups of drums—the little drums, the medium size drums and the big drums—that all like to get together with their good friends, the Trumpet and the four Flutes when they want to play music. One day, they got together with the five, and like usual, the three groups of drums sit on top of each other with their group members on a zigzag position. The Trumpet stood behind the drums next to the Flutes at their position; and this time it was chosen to sing its melody. As the Trumpet plays its tunes, the Flutes whistle following the melody; and the drums at their individual level play the beats, giving the music the great rhythm. As they were playing their parts for Trumpet’s song, the small drums suddenly stopped and asked to trade places with their group members, the big drums. They told the big drums that they want to be on the top level so they can be heard more and have their sounds be echoed more throughout. The big drums agreed for a tryout and switched places with the little drums. Then when they began to play the song again, the little drums were struggling trying to hear themselves play the beat. They stopped once again and told the big drums that they want to trade back their places. They realized that they are not as big and as loud as the big drums and cannot be up there to sing to the people at ground level.


The drums standing at their level represent one’s level of exploration, beginning from a narrow perspective of things to a wider range of perception through series of discovery from his or her curiosity. They are small and represent the first level, the lowest level, resembling the narrow view of the world the person see on ground level; the second level is where the person can see a little more of what is above them and be able to explore more from a wider observation; then as one move up to a wider area at a higher elevation like the middle drums in their designated position, he or she can see much more and will discover more as he or she reaches to the top level, level of the greatest echoes, where everything is above him or her that are not visible the eye on ground level. It is like standing at each level of drums projecting their sounds to the atmosphere, where one can reach to the level of the sky up to the universe where one can see even more, in both the inside world and the outside world as the person standing at the level being lifted spiritually by the rays of persistence, shooting upward toward a direction to the atmosphere; and it is until this level that the person is fully mature and be knowledgeable of things. This is the way things are which one may see.


The Model


Kit of Parts


Concept Sketches


In coming up with this model, I expanded the notion of curiosity and use design to draw out the significance of curiosity that brought an individual to many explorations and how exploration widen or expand as one matures and further out in life when they see more things around them, both in the inside world and the outside world. I used the level of drums to illustrate the idea of the level of exploration in life where each level is offset to the opposite direction from the top and bottom to show the idea that there are shifts in every turn of exploration. The strength of my design in this iteration is the pieces of oblique cylinders stack on top of each other at an offset position, increasing in size from bottom up that carry motion in the design with dynamics and rhythm in the repetition of the parts, as well as hierarchy in emphasizing the idea that the higher up the level, the wider or bigger the exploration one may find. The weakness of my design in this iteration is the whole form itself that it does not have much transformation to allow the viewer to rotate it all around for more views. After completing this exercise, I learned that we generate new ideas as we write and build; and the ideas can come to a match in concept rather than in forms or structures. A narrative can inform our design process by allowing us to design with words, turning words into forms. It informs our solution to design by allowing us to design with a story, a notion of design to draw out the concepts and factors to be addressed for design development. I had written several narratives for the design of my model where each is similar in concepts of


metaphors I developed and different in the story. Then, after I build my model, I came up with my final narrative to illustrate better of the concept with a story that allows one to see the metaphors in my design of the model.

Project 2: Proportional Analysis

• Concepts: – Proportion, balance and beauty – The four proportional systems: Fibonacci Series, Harmonic, Golden

Section and Modular

• Process: 1. Analyze the four proportional systems 2. Create a composition in SketchUp


Fibonacci Series

Golden Section

Question of the Week: What principles and strategies do you employ your design into a beautiful whole?


Harmonic

Modular


Model Composition with Fibonacci Series and Harmonic


Looking at proportion of things we find beauty, and this how proportion is explored through drawing. We look at things around us, examine the proportions of feature elements and through drawing, we create a scale for the forms or objects and use a proportional system to enhance our design to make all forms connect in a more organized way that transform elements from one to another. In my process of designing with a proportional system, I imagine what is real and believable that can bring to the real world for people to be in and experience the world of forms and structures. I also think of space within the form, making sure that there is a limit on how much space one form can occupy on the outside open space to bring in human experience. In addition, I think of balance, making sure that the structural form stands steady on ground or in space and that if one side is heavier than the other, then it should be held up by support to balance the overall structure. In my creation of the complex model using the modular proportional system, I used scale to resize the form on the top levels so that there is difference in size on the structure, showing hierarchy to emphasize the predominant form in the design. Then, to complete the structural framing of the form, I enclosed the space between each structural frame with an additional part on the exterior of the enclosed walls and make repetition of the part on all enclosed walls for the aesthetic look of repetition in design. For functional and aesthetic purposes, I subtracted parts on the forms and added a column on the right side of the elevation next to the large form to show support on the structure to make it look more balanced.


My strength in the design process is the use of the proportional system to begin framing the overall design and continue using the system to modify the design with scale and repetition. My weakness in the process is creating complexity in forms for the design which can be hard to achieve because too much complexity can create a mess in the formation of the design and too little does not give the viewer much to see or bring more interest to the viewer; so it is important to create just enough for the viewer to see while making structure functional.

Project 3: Shapes of Space

• Concepts: – Typologies of space – Defining space with form using sets of variables: 1. Horizontal Elements,

2. Vertical Elements, and 3. Degree of Closure and Opening – Spatial Relationships and Organizations – The three spatial journey: Welcoming, Monumental and Tranquil – Sectioning

• Process: 1. Generate a matrix table to compare the sets of variables and find all the

possibilities in creating shapes of space 2. Create a 2D visual matrix of the table 3. Create a 3D composition of the possibilities 4. Build a model in SketchUp and by hand the three spatial journey


The 36 Possibilities: Vertical and Horizontal Elements – 2D Array of 20 Diverse Spaces

Question of the Week: How does a program (a brief) impact your design than a narrative?


The 36 Possibilities: Vertical and Horizontal Elements – 3D Array of the Diverse Spaces


In the purposes of this exercise, we were to explore all the possibilities of creating space using combination of sets of variables to compare in a matrix which include horizontal and vertical elements such as base planes, elevated planes, single linear planes; spatial organizations such as linear, grid, centralize, clustered; and spatial relationships of space within a space, adjacent spaces, and interlocking spaces. From the four matrixes we can create to compare the variables, I had selected the first one to compare the horizontal and vertical elements, creating models of different kinds of space organization in SketchUp with the 36 total possibilities. In creating the models of space organization for each composite after illustrating the first simple basic composition, I used the concepts of spatial organization to generate components of forms of space, for example, in creating the model for L-Shape planes on elevated plane, I used organization of a grid to make a composition of the two sets of variables and then look at the whole composition to determine if there are relationships in space. The exercise allowed me to learn more about the ways of creating space and how we can see relationships of space when putting elements in a unique and organized way. .


Spatial Composition: Spatial Journey of Welcoming, Monumental and Tranquil – SketchUp Models – SketchUp Models


The Physical Model

Scale: ¼ in. = 1 ft.


The Physical Model



Concept Sketches


Concept Sketches


Concept Sketches


The project is to build a model, first in SketchUp and then by hand, showing three kinds of space in sequence where the person first walks through a welcoming space, then into a monumental space, and goes into the tranquil area. In coming up with my design of a place with the three kinds of spaces, I made a list of the criteria for each of the factors and find examples of existing places that show these concepts using the essence of people’s experience, as well as my personal experience. From there, I developed my own design using the principles of hierarchy and unity, horizontal elements of L-Shape walls on elevated planes and depressed plans, as well as spatial organization in clustered formation with relationships of adjacent spaces and space within a space. From creating the composition of the three spaces through a person’s experience of a journey, I learned a lot about what it takes to design the spaces and how to make spaces a unified whole by using and examining the kinds of spatial relationships. I also learned the kinds of places that have the three kinds of spatial discoveries from my research and how I can use existing designs to generate new forms by incorporating the designs into the concept I want to illustrate. This exercise had allowed me to revisit my experiences of spatial journey of the three discoveries; and it allowed me to look into the great designs of others that brought great values to my development of space creation.

Project 4: Forms and Nature

• Concepts: – Architecture and construction framing – Structural relationship with site or how design respond to site

• Process:

1. Research on the types of architecture and find inspirations on works of the twelve architects listed

2. Reconfigure parts of the model and design a site for model frame


Iteration One- The Structural Frame Scale: ¼ in. = 1 ft.

Question of the Week: Is Bauhaus manifesto, “Frame follow function” truth?


Iteration One – Model on Site


Concept Sketch


The purpose of the project is to construct a framework for the structure and place the structure on a site in which we are also designing for the purpose of the construction of the structure. For both models, the framework and the site, there is the design intention for development that justifies both the structure and the site come together and that the structure is placed where it should be in responsive to the features of the site and the surroundings. My intent for the design of the structure of the three spatial experiences is a museum, a world for people to gather to see things that are preserved from our history as part of the world and part of the people of the historical times. With a welcoming space on the entrance and a tranquil space outside connected to one side of the monumental space by a staircase, it is designed to be placed in a large open area with a large capacity of people, such as a park or a wide open area near a park. In my design of the site, I had come up with the idea of a wide area in a park where not many people are around and design to turn the space into a more busy and lively are by placing a structure for the people to gather together for activities or to sit around with things to see in an enclosed space. The idea came from my visit of a site in the outer Mission on Geneva; it is a park next to the hills where it is very much deserted with not many people. The park is depressed from the sidewalk where people walk down a stairway attached to the sidewalk to the grass field. For a more welcoming area to invite people to see things other than walking, running or playing in the grass, I used the site to design a space for the structure, creating space within


space. I created a plateau for the placement of the structural frame to elevate the structure from ground level for more stable foundation and for the development of a staircase to lead people to the entrance. It is set about 25 feet from the stairway to the street’s sidewalk so there is room for people to walk on the pathway to the building; and it is flat so the structure can sit straight up steadily on it. Because it is more welcoming to have the front entrance facing the sidewalk where traffic flows, the structure is set back from the sidewalk for a larger welcoming space. It is set in its position for the views of the streets on the front, the hills on one side, the playground on the other and views of the residential area on the back. In terms of the framework of the structure, my intent is to maximize complexity due to the wide spans of the structure and the requirement for deep foundation for the structure. Factors of the soil will be considered and design will be responsive to the wide open area of the site and its surrounding. While complexity is required for strength, it is also important to bring interests to people in their spatial experience. In building the framework, I learned that there is a lot of planning that needs to be done before actually building the structure. We need to think about the foundation such as how deep it needs to be, the structure of the frames, the load bearing capacity for each floor level, the measurements of the frames, the thickness for structural spans, and the available resources that will add to the cost of labor and time. There is the design of the framework itself to consider before building frames such as how complex it needs to be and what is the limit on the


complexity so that the structure can bear great capacity of loads while at the same time it is not too difficult to build and it brings interest to people. In terms of designing for the site, I learned that we need to think about what we are building, why we are building the structure which includes the essence of the project, and where it can be placed that will add value to the site for the people and the community. Then after choosing the site, we can modify the site for placement of the structural frame in responsive to the nature and then place the structure in the best orientation based on the surrounding for views people can see inside of the building. While it is important to find the right spot for the framework of the structure, making plans for the framework will allow us to create a better design of frames for the structure. It allowed me learn about building construction from my research and explore some of the possibilities for the geometric forms and framework.


Iteration Two



Iteration Two – Concept Sketches


To correlate my design with the site, I used the concept of carving nature to develop a monumental structure around the framework. My intention is to utilize the existing forms of nature to create new functional space to the overall structure and at the same time, make the design of forms more interesting to the viewer while providing people a more diverse set of spatial journey as they walk and explore the site. In my concept sketch, I intended to place the framework of the structure in front of the hill that is carved or modified into a curvature form of platform with a set of stairs to the platform where people can walk around and enjoy the views at an elevated level. The monument consists of two arms that wrap around the structure at a distant and provides space for people to go around the building in their spatial journey of a tranquil space. The structure standing in the middle of the natural form is the crystal sitting in a hole on earth’s crust; and the intention of my design of the structural framework for the iteration and shall be asymmetrical to bring better interest to the viewer.


Iteration Three – The Physical Model



Concept Sketch


In the final iteration of my model, I kept my concept of carving nature, but instead of carving a hill or modifying a hill, I came up with another idea of using rammed earth or soil to create forms of nature to wrap around the structural framework. My intention is to utilize the availability of material resource on site to reproduce forms of nature such plateaus, valleys, and lakes, and to have a structure of spatial journey be placed on the forms or in the forms for people to experience space with nature. The will not only create a better environment, but will also promote more healthy activities with more things to see as people walk to their spatial journey. In my design, a hole will be dug on ground for creation of a lake for the structure to sit on. Then, with the use of the soil dug from ground, a circular bridge will be built for the border of the lake and for people to walk around the lake. The framework of the structure will sit next the focal point of the natural scenery farther from one side of the lake above water where there are more to see in the water. The structure standing on water is the cup that fills with fascinating levels of adventures for one to experience.

Conclusion

It is a great learning experience for me in architecture design using the design principles to develop models and building models with the development of design concepts. The projects are well connected from words to forms, abstract to structural formation and from forms to spatial experience, organization and finding all spatial relationships as we progress in our design work and model making. I had learned a lot about the beginning process of architectural design and the essentials of creating space with connection to nature by knowing how design respond to the selected site. I value the development of iterations that allowed me to practice model making and enabled me to go deeper into the concepts to developing better design solution for the problem. I also value the concepts I have learned in this introductory period and hope to learn more about other concepts that can be applied to develop workable solutions to problems in architectural design.

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Arch 101 Mid-term Learning Portfolio