Ways to Study lecture 02Concepts, types, models

CONTENTS

Introduction

A.Naming and describingB.Design research and typologyC.EvaluatingD.ModelingE.Programming and optimizingF.Technical Study G.Design Study H.Study by design

EpilogueStudy by design

Empirical research

the bookVan der Voordt & Jong (2002) Ways to Study

determined variable OBJECTdetermined design research design studyvariable typological research study by designCONTEXT

Publish on your website:

9. types useful for design your comparison could produce;10. design concepts you could derive from the objects you

published;11. models you could make of the objects you published;12. programs you can read from the published images;

assignments 9-12

Concept, type, model, program?

Found by Tzonis (1999) figure 42 on page 89

Concept(ion) and type

A concept(ion):

• has no form;• is a theme transferable to others;• it organizes design choices;• it is transferable in words, schemes and reference images;• it pervades a design into the details.

Examples of concepts

Le Corbusier, sketch of the concept of his ‘Unité’

MVRDV, scheme of the concept for admission lodges on the ‘Hoge Veluwe’.

‘Transform the same type in brick, steel and wood.’

Types

• Blue houses are a category• Cubic houses are a category• Blue, cubic houses are a type• A type combines incomparable categories, like form and color,• or beautiful, sturdy and useful.

Typical theaters

Semper, Bayreuth

Rossi, Genua OMA, The Hague

prototype

type

Scala, Milan

Are types models?

• Are types and concept(ion)s on their way to become a design also models?

• Klaasen (2002): ‘Yes!’• Quatremère de Quincy (1890?): ‘No! A type cannot be copied

or realized as a model can.’• Leupen (Chapter 13): a type has to be transformed into a

model by design to get the possibility to be realized.• A concept can not be realized either before it is elaborated: it

only organises design choices.

Are models types?

• There are types of models, but are there models of types? • Is any transferable idea a model?• A type can be transferred in words or a diagram.• Leupen (Ch. 13): Types should be transformed into models by

design.

Spatial models for evaluation

Verbal models

‘Topfloor without Bottomfloor…

‘Topfloor and Bottomfloor…

‘Topfloor…

‘Bottomfloor without Topfloor…

‘Only Topfloor or Bottomfloor…

‘Bottomfloor…

‘Topfloor or Bottomfloor…

‘Not Bottomfloor…

…

‘If Topfloor than Bottomfloor…

is closed.

A mathematical model

IntroductionThis is the report of a design process of Carel Weeber for a new City Hall in the town of Berkel en Rodenrijs. Each illustration indicates an important step in the design process. In my design process, the working out of associations and design ideas is taking place in my head, in my memory. This may be done everywhere and at any time. I investigate an idea like that small sketches. As I grow older, I am in need of fewer sketches. Now that I am working exclusively on the computer, these sketches are at the same time the start of a process of elaboration.Previously, I started with a drawing in ink in the top-left corner; a few days later I would finish in the corner right-below. If that didn’t come off well, I started anew. I was taught to do so at the Technical University of Delft; and basically this is still the way in which I work.

Design Process

Study of contextAs the first study the context in terms of urban architecture

Weeber designing a City HallVan der Voordt & Jong (2002) Ways to Study, Chapter 31

Relation schema + valuationA next step consists in determining the relations between

parts and characterizing them.

Summary program of requirementsAlong with the situation I study the program of requirements extensively. I always make a summary of it; I am learning it already by heart.

Weeber program first, relations

Urban contextWhat the study of the program of requirements has yielded as a whole is placed in the context in terms of urban architecture. This will result in morphological requirements for the surroundings. In a small sketch in perspective I look whether something can be made of this.

TypingGuided by the program of requirements and the relational schema I determine the total concept. I am looking first to what I’ve got in hand. How much office surface is required? Is it an office with additional functions or is it a hall with offices?

Scale relation studyI study possible organisations for the building and proportions of the parts of the building.

Weeber typing, concept and context

Test of form

Cross-sectionFollowing this, the elaboration in floor-plans and cross-sections starts. I consider it to be very important that this is directly done in the right proportion and scaling. These small sketches are acting as a further elaboration of the design ideas in my head.

Loose sketch

Sketch with a ruler

Weeber sketch and measures

Study of the frontNext I study color and texture of the front. Any number of these modest studies is being made. If I run into something of importance, I just make a note.

Spatial sketch A spatial sketch to look again whether it is any good.

Different design ideaWhile studying a detail of the building, a different design idea emerged: some upturned halved spheres are forming corridors trough the space they are leaving open. A nice idea, a kind of fascination; something for a next design.

Weeber front, 3D, alternative concepts

ContextStudy of the adaptation in the urban context, as far as entrance and accessibility are concerned.

Adding functionsIt was permitted to add a few programmatic components. I added some homes and a library. Obviously, no further study of a programme of requirements for the homes was necessary: a house is a house.

Come-back of an idea On the corner of the page the other design theme is returning. Maybe I saw in this also a solution; or maybe I was uncertain about the solution on which I was working; or maybe I just had fallen in love with this idea.

Weeber context, come-back, adding

Library studyA simple design study for the library. The envelope for it hailed back to the design of the city hall. For the rest it was matter of connecting with the program here. I have partitioned it in segments preceding the fitting in with the program.

Weeber extending the program

Looking BackIs this report of sketching happening in your head?

This is no report of sketching but an elaborate program of requirements study; I am doing this for each design.You are unleashing your design idea on the urban context. Is this a characteristic approach?

Yes, the program of requirements is providing a box of building blocks reacting to the location.What is making for the initial inspiration?

My most important source of inspiration lies in a deadline. The approaching moment of presentation coerces the making of choices.A deadline is forcing the idea; for that I am not in need of flowers or things like that. It is just hard work. While your designing experience is growing, you are putting greater confidence in your intuition. I panicked only once in relation to the enduring absence of a design idea; in my time as a student. That proved to be also the last time. I have learned to take trust in the circumstance that design inspirations are coming by themselves. In addition I have learned that designing is just working hard.

Etc.

Final drawings

During the production of the presentation drawings, I work with a pencil and a pen in hand. In the way I work, I calculate before I draw; so there is not much going wrong. In addition you see, before you start with ink, already while drawing the auxiliary lines, whether something is going wrong or right. My sketches are illegible and introverted. Designing this way is individual.

Weeber final drawings, evaluation