Final Review ARCH 680

Final Pin up format

Process-created an outline of what elements i wanted to include, the space they would occupy and then how to place them to create a complete shape. Then created a timeline of what drawings I wanted to get done each day.

Media- Velum cut for my sizes, so was able to trace my other drawings, black pen was used to highlight the important aspect of each drawing then rendering in pencil. Mounted on butcher paper, overlapping and creating a double layer down the center where the larger 22" wide drawings fit. pins were small sewing pins with small silver heads that I had at home. Printed all my text and then hand traced it onto the images.



Context and Program

Site Plan Material study

Structural diagram, floor planes, post beams and joists


Sun, Wind, Water, and Energy production




First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan


Section B


Perspectives


Section A, main house looking south

Final Model:




My Model! all material was found in the scrap pile, including the trees.

Thoughts-My self imposed timeline was great, although it caused some anxious feelings on Saturday afternoon, but then realized that was what most people would be feeling on Sunday afternoon, so I was able to use my Sunday (that was originally allotted as free time) to finish and put it all together.

I stuck with just pencil rendering because I wanted to see how I could bring my drawing skills into the controlled environment of architectural drawings, how to make them bold, focus on the ideas I wanted to portray, and maintain a relationship to each other. I did not include color as a conscious decision of not feeling comfortable with how to bring in the color really subtly. Next time I will play around the color more!! But I did appreciate the elegance that resulted in the final presentation. I will also learn photoshop/indesign to work with the layout and how to print my hand drawings so they continue to keep the feeling of the hand.

Great feedback from the reviewers, I truly love the review process for what it reveals in our presentation, and what it shows as able to get across versus what stops people from understanding the underlying concepts. The main things I need to incorporate next time is how to have minimal text and create DIAGRAMS that represent the underlying design ideas. Example: the strong foundation and the axis within the site and buildings. Primary Ideas-represent those, the secondary ideas aren't as necessary. The structural diagrams started to get at that, but did not incorporate the way the outdoor spaces are additions to the interior the way it is revealed in my first floor plan. One reviewer asked what my three main concepts were for the project. I had a hard time coming up with those without having previously thought what they were. They are there, just hadn't been fully laid open as the main reasons for my decsions during the process.

I found a rock in the Willamette river that is a pyramid shape (photo to follow) and will have that on my studio desk as a continual reminder to find the three main concepts, push them, alter them, but continually be reminding myself of them.

Summer Studio Week 7-ARCH 680

Week 7-
Assignment-Tying it all together for the final review

Process- One week to refine the ideas and bring them together in a compound that sits within the site. Create new model that also represents materiality, make tower fit with the other buildings, define the terraces in the outdoor space, and enjoy the process of bringing my drawings to a new level of completeness, use bold lines, and also create a very hand drawn feeling, the computer lines seem too static and too concrete to me, I like the way a pencil shows the strokes of the hand that rendered it.

Images-see the final review post

Thoughts-ahhhh

Summer Studio Week 6-ARCH680

Week 6
Assignment-Main House continued. Work on the program for the main floor, focus on connecting to the site, and outdoor spaces.

Process-The seamless transition from the inside space to outside is really important on this site. The outdoor space is one the clients will use as an extension of the small inside space, and the large surrounding meadow is an extension of their property lines.

Images-

Structural layout of buildings site plan with outdoor space


Reworked second floor


Perspective drawing looking from the north east and from the kitchen looking west.
Then we had to add colored pencil. . . .

Color perspectives


Thoughts-The downstairs floor plan is a little cramped to get the program in, I omitted certain aspects that detracted from the overall scheme and made sure to includes mechanical storage for the solar batteries and water catchment!

Using colored pencil is still a very weak part in my artistic repertoire. I lost the contrast that I had with just the pencil rendering, it did add a bit of materiality, but it didn't seem very successful, next time I will try to just represent aspects of the material, and leave the rest of it pencil rendered with shading. Really subtle colors may help keep it from looking like a cartoon drawing as well.

Summer Studio Week 5-ARCH 680

Week 5-
Assignment-Sleeping and Bathing in the main house. We received the entire program for the main house components and were to focus on the sleeping and bathing areas of the house.

Process- I designed the second story with two bedrooms, and one shared bathroom. There are twin girls age 14, so they get a bunk room to cut down on space, tried to minimize the building footprint and maximize the outdoor space that is created in return.

Images-



Site plan and second floor plan


Section Elevation from the East




Rough model with site photos behind.

Thoughts-The rough model allowed for the most conceptual visualization of my ideas so far. I was then able to place it in the context of the site, which was the starting point for sketching perspectives. I did this in Word, making the model have a transparency to it, but when I printed it, it often did not have any transparency, I then created a screen shot of it and saved it as a jpg, that allowed me to print it with the right affect. I look forward to learning a better way!!! say with photoshop. . .. .

Summer Studio Week 4-ARCH 680

Week 4-Mid Term Review
Assignment-Tower focusing on views and openings

Process-Refining the tower observation deck, and how it relates to the site.

Images-

Site Plan with important elements, sun angles in arcs, views with red arrows, footpaths in blue, and rough building forms on site.




Mid Term Pin up

Thoughts-Review process is really fun to see what is apparent to someone unfamiliar with the project, and the questions they ask are areas where it is not clear in the drawings or model. Gary Moye, our history professor reviewed me last and had a great conversation about how to play with the strong ground connection with the basalt, and the roof forms above. Highlight those aspects.

Summer Studio Week 3-ARCH 680

Week 3 Assignment-the structure of the tower. 10' x 10' footprint, must have observation platform at at least 42' and the entire tower no more than 53'. Includes a place for Linn to write, sketch, read, paint, bird watch, and maybe for an outdoor sleeping space.

Process-I wanted to tower to be a distinct space from the rest of the complex, and to make it a calming process and transition space as you ascend to the top contemplation platform. I also wanted it to fit the Northwest vernacular and looked at many fire towers, which is came through in the open structure, bracing, and roof. I also wanted the public using the surrounding space to see through the tower at the landscape beyond. In turn creating a less obtrusive vertical element (that is high due to the program!)

Images-

Tower Concept Elevation, section, and plans


Guest house and rough Tower Model


Tread detail, how each riser works.



Figure Ground Exercise: Working Title: Stone Haven:
Functions of the indoor and outdoor spaces combine and blend, while maintaining a relationship to the built forms. The spaces progress from public to private the further the site is penetrated. Repeating forms tie together the separate functions within the structures.

Thoughts-feedback was how beautiful the structure itself was, like a spring coiled, but the stairs inside were a separate element that did not relate to the structural elements until the final landing (that happens on each horizontal beam). The connection to the main house is to be determined, and there should be relating factors with the entire site. From the tower I found the patterning I want to bring into the guest house. Sections of 3-roughly 3' each. This will be brought through the design to unit the elements.

Summer Studio Week 2-ARCH 680

Assignment-Material Study. Determine materials to use for project, feel them, touch them, experience them. Post and Beam structure as framework for the guesthouse design, create a space that the parents in law can stay at, include bathroom, bathing, small kitchen, bed, small desk, closet, the space can also be used as a hang out spot for the teenage girls, music room, etc.

Process-Indoor outdoor, connection with future main house, how to create a space that holds the required program, and does not get to large. Versatile space that can be transformed for multiple uses. One large room, smaller auxiliary service section. Clump uses together.


Images-

Material Study

Building Relationships and Access Structure post and beam structure

Guest House floor plan

Guest house elevations

Results- Make the images bolder!! define lines with darker pencil or pen to make plan stand out, and is easily read from afar. Enjoyed the material study, I took all the pictures at one point or another in my travels and in the house I"m renting right here in Eugene!

Summer Studio Week 1-ARCH 680

Design Studio 680, Summer 2009

First design studio for the Master of Architecture Option III program at the University of Oregon. The 3 year program starts with a summer intensive 8 week long studio, media and history/theory classes.

Program: A single family dwelling on Mt. Baldy, Eugene, OR, accessible by footpath with three built elements: Main house, guesthouse, and contemplation tower.

Week 1:
Assignment-Site Analysis, examine factors that influence the sites, choose one, and document those factors. Human, Environmental, Natural, Access, diagram these conditions.
Process-We visited the site, mapped out the 3 possible building sites, recorded our observations for each, took pictures, documented existing conditions, what is there now.
Images-

Thoughts-started to work with ways of diagramming influencing factors, using color as a tool, not as cartoon like. Imposing images together with diagrams to portray concepts to be highlighted. Would have added more patterns within the site, color pallet of the surrounding area, vegetation, sun patterns with the existing large maple tree.

Oct 2007-May 2009
Alternative Power Enterprises
www.alternative-power.com
Small solar company that designs and installs solar electric and solar thermal installations on homes and commercial buildings. I have helped in the office, designing systems, working with potential clients, performing energy audits, creating estimates, following up with clients, ordering materials, and some install help. It has been a great experience to explore the intricacies of the solar systems and how they work on existing homes and how to work with Architects and designers on their in progress designs to incorporate solar successfully. Everytime plans came in I would find myself very interested in the overall design and knew the solar company has been a great learning ground, but ultimately too narrow focused for my passions to incorporate the built environment with natural systems.

Be patient with all that is unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a foreign tongue.

Live the questions raw.

-Rainer Marie Rilke

The care for the earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing, responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.

-Wendall Berry