Inspiration

This is an inspiration / precedent of the design the gateway group decided on.

Alternative View of Gateway

Visual Aid *Critique Day

This is a visual approach to the project. During our critique we had the stepping stones in a 3x4 fashion and was told that it took away from the steps. The group decided to switch gears and change the project into a diagonal line to make it more appealing to the eye. The semi circles is plays dual roles to guide the walkers and to strengthen the idea of a bigger picture of circles.

A stepping stone in the right direction.

This slab of concrete is one of the final outcomes of the frame. The group came to an agreement to have two incomplete circles as the frame to give a sense of a bigger picture. We plan on using 30 + of these stones to create a usable walkway across the Gateway island.

Frame and Siteplan Overlay

These are some of the contributions I helped create for the Pathways, Edges, and Boundaries project. The top picture is the frame that I helped Sharon and Phillip create. We poured concrete into the mold to create a finished stepping stone that is to be installed in January. The picture below is the Site Plan Overlay that I had to draw for the Gateway Island. It shows an aerial view of the Gatewood building and the Islands that are in the parking lot. 

Venturi House Plan

This is the Venturi house plan that Stoel had us recreate on Bond paper. I was told to narrow my letters and make them smaller to present the picture/ plan better.

Perspectives

These are two of the perspective drawings Nadia had us work on. The top is a one - point interior and the bottom is a three point exterior. I loved working on the three point because I never would have believed that I could draw something like this. 

Exterior Poche

"Gateway" Island

While working on the Studio project I photographed students in front of the "Gateway" island. I found the colors to be extremely beautiful by the way they contrast each other. On the black and white picture I saw the scale to be wonderful. The contrast of big vrs small, man vrs nature is easily shown in this example.

"Unity" Front View

The front view of my unity structure shows triangular pyramids rising upwards. The 12 skewers are thrust upward through the planes. The height of the project extends to 14 and 3/4 tall and 8 and 3/4 long. 

"Unity" Top view

The top view of my unity project was made up 4 triangles that eventually come to an intersection point. The bottom measured out to be 6 and 3/4 and the adjacent side 7 and 3/4's. 

"Unity" precedent

My precedent is chinese architecture. I saw that chinese architecture have rising uplifting gestures in their buildings. I also saw that most of their faces are triangles. 

"Unity" Gesture

My gesture drawing was also created using charcoal. I drew this with triangles and vertical lines. I wanted to describe the upward motion of the model by drawing vertical lines. I also used chinese architecture as a precedent to help me draw this image.

Unity "Contour"

For the contour drawing I decided to use charcoal. It was my first time using charcoal and I enjoyed blending the color to make a soft tone. I believe it made my unity project become more dynamic. From peers and classmates they told me it looked a pirate ship or a boat. 

Abstract 16

Mrs. Cabrera asked us to draw 16 squares of parts of a twig, and our cell phone. I found that the twig was more freehand sketch techniques and the cell phone used more drafting materials such as rulers and protractors. I personally enjoyed the cell phone because of the drafting techniques I previously learned in Stoels exercises.

"Unity" Attempts 1&2

"Unity" Attempt 2

The first model didn't show much unity because it was 5 sided and there were 2 planes that I plopped on there for no apparent reason. My second sketch model, I was inspired by the fold up paper toy that entertained many kids throughout school. My first attempt at doing this model I just bundled up the sticks and shoved them in the center. The 2nd attempt I combined three pyramids and put the 12 sticks in a 3x4 stack in the center. My fellow classmates liked the simplicity but, it wasn't as dynamic and interesting. 

"Impossible Triangles"

"Unity" Attempt 1

I used the 12 skewers and planes to present a triangular unit. I was trying to take ideas away from the "impossible triangles". It was a triangle that looks as if it were a series of 3 triangles that were interwoven into one another.

"Unity"

We were given an assignment to use 12 skewers (sticks) and 12 bristol board planes to create a structure, object to show unity. This project had to demonstrate some aspects of the Gestalt theory. For example, laws such as continuity, proximity, closure, similarity, and symmetry. 

Abstract 4

After the rigorous smell of Sharpies, I came to the conclusion that after everything that the class went through the image that comes out is outstanding. I loved the end result of this. The top left is overlapping V's in a black background; top left is a V behind genetic looking strands; bottom left is a stairway in many directions; and the bottom right is a collage of letters and numbers.

Abstract 8

In Suzanne's abstract exercise we took sets of pictures from twigs and cell phones and in turn made a collage out of 8. I really liked the overlap quality in most of these. For example, the overlapping V's in the top right corner inspired me to further that into the collage of 4. 

"Twig 64"

Abstract 64

Drafting

Stoel's drafting exercises began on page 114 of the Design Visualization book and had us create a number of structures using our drafting board. The top left is a square separated into lines. The bottom three are buildings that we had to do and taught us how to make even lines.

UNITY Comparison and Contrast

I decided to compare and contrast my project with Haley Preston's. Her project consisted of six levels created with 2 triangles per level. I found her project very clean and stable, unlike mine. I chose her project because in ways it is alike and unlike. I based my project on triangles and my precedent is Chinese architecture. I admire the proximity, continuation, pattern, and craft. She provides not just 12 triangles, but 18. The spaces between the triangles are almost perfectly spaced and creates an invisible layer of triangles. I love the proximity in this project because the spaces were so evenly made and the craft was beautifully done. The craft also made the patterns look so well done.  

"12 Twigs" Finale

For the Finale I created the spiral like motion and used hot glue to stick it to the paper. I found beauty and inspiration in the life and death of this project. It represented opposites like dangerous and safe, beauty and ugly, and openness and closure. I plan to remake it by the end of the semester to be well crafted and better planned out.

"12 Twigs" 4th Attempt

My 4th Attempt I used the previous idea of 12 twigs wrapped by paper. I added the rose petals to strengthen the color and idea of roses. There is also 1 rose in the center. The teachers said it was unnecessary so I decided to vamp that idea and try something different. 

"12 Twigs" Attempt 1 and 2 and 3

Following "A Place For A Leaf" our teachers had us design another place... Basically they wanted us to create a place for 12 twigs. At the beginning of the project I had trouble thinking of ideas so Stoel, Tommy, and all of the TA's  helped me. My first idea was a commemoration to the heroes of September 11th. By doing so I created a gateway and a cube like structure to represent new york. It was point blank too literal. My next idea didn't help either. I created a shape of new york, new york and covered it with rose petals. at the bottom of new york i put 2 roses uprising out to represent the two towers. Negative. My 3rd iterations combined 12 rose stems and wrapped paper in a spiral motion; it was more simplistic and more meaningful.

Lighting Fixture "Car"

Nadia's Light Fixtures

I found that doing Nadia's exercise before Stoel's drafting exercise made it difficult to draw objects such as light poles or headlights. In retrospect I believe that I could draw these a lot better with time and more effort than before. The skills like drafting and perspective drawings can help tremendously in projects like these.

A Place for a Leaf (Model finish 1)

Our first project was a place for a leaf. I used a giant leaf found between the stone and foust building at UNCG. I found the leaf interesting because of its texture (soft vs hard) and its scale. I loved the the fact it felt like a lizard. I decided to project the lifespan through its "Place". I believe I could greatly improve it by the techniques i've learned so far being 4 weeks into iARC.

Random Post.

So it's been about 13 days since i last posted... don't get me wrong I like Blogger... it's just so tedious and stressful to get Blogger to work and upload photos quickly. Anyways in the past 5 classes, i went through Professor Nadia's art technique classes and had to use a viewfinder to draw light fixtures and architectural pieces. For the final photo I decided to draw a Car headlight. In the past 2 periods I have began drafting in Professor Stoel's exercises. They are extremely fun yet tedious. I absolutely love using techniques to make a line straight and find ways to create angles. 

Issues and a Guest Speaker

Today in Environmental Design we got into 3 groups and talked about our individual projects. We also learned about the basic issues with new projects. We came across craftsmanship, the focus, scale, and purpose. In my specific group with Dana and Amanda, we came across craftsmanship. For example, Sharons TP-like structure, it showed amazing craftsmanship and it made the project much more cleaner and professional. Focus, scale, and purpose played roles to augment the energy it provided. Focus brought the eye towards the main idea and if the scale was off it detracted from the structure. Sometimes people through stuff together cause it looked cool but had no purpose and it hurt the object tremendously.

Also today John Lin was a guest speaker and talked about sustainability and the year 2030 in architecture. It was very enlightening. He described the human race and the impact of sustainability as a storm. He provided places and resources from the AIA or the American Institute of Architecture. He told us to "know the storm, find - trust - and live the beauty." He compared the human race to a storm because it is an agent of transformation, constructive and destructive, it is a dynamic event, and it is a process. The speaker was enlightening because the way he described LEAD buildings were amazing such as the Proximity Hotel. I enjoyed the lecture. It brought insight and inspiration to architecture.

Precedent Study (Twin Towers)

My project consists of an aerial view of a doorway and a twig unlike the rest jetting out of it. The doorway will be created using 11 twigs. The single twig will represent the twin towers. I picked the twin towers as the precedent because it shoots out of the buildings and represents something unique. The twin towers were structures that were used as a symbol of New York City.

Negative Conture *Bike

Blind Conture *Stoel Kurt

Mess #2 and #3