Archive for May, 2010
Master of Architecture
Yay, I’m a Master of Architecture! It’s such a funny degree name; it makes it sounds as if I know everything. The truth, though, is that I’ve acquired just enough knowledge to know how very much is out there to still learn. Here’s to a lifelong process-based project in understanding architecture! I’ll get a post [...]
Filed under: Musings | 2 Comments
Tags: architecture, awards, congratulations, graduation, Mike Hara, success
Site Test – “It’s alive!”
Are there things that could stand for improvement? Certainly. But as a single step in this semester-long process, I’m quite happy with it. It’s an especially sweet success for me after the many iterations over the weekend. It’s a proof of concept. It’s been so amazing to see everything I thought I knew foiled by [...]
Filed under: Musings | Leave a Comment
Tags: fabric, fabric architecture, installation, success, test, video
Kengo Kuma’s CCCWall
A beautiful installation by Kengo Kuma in Italy. I feel very awkward comparing myself to a master like Kuma-san, but it’s hard not to when I see light fabric (although this fabric is much more sheer and lovely than mine) stretched across a space with periodic openings. It’s just lovely and a nice thing to [...]
Filed under: Precedents | Leave a Comment
Tags: fabric, installation, Kengo Kuma, outdoor, precedent
Fail again. And again. (what it should look like) And again. Then fail a little less. Until…. You find success. Tests for a full-scale mock-up of the fabric planes with framed openings. Coming soon to an urban space near you. For reference: the vertical poles’ pockets are sewn with a triple stretch stitch and the [...]
Filed under: Musings | 1 Comment
Tags: fabric, fail, frame, mock-ups, sewing, success, tent pole, test, thank you
The little site scientist
My adviser, Marc, has continually been encouraging me to be rigorous and follow a control and variable method of experimentation. I’m trying to be scientific and actually stick with it. What usually happens is that I’ll do a few experiments and then follow one meandering branch a ways and never getting around to doubling back [...]
Filed under: Dance/Performance, Musings | Leave a Comment
Tags: fabric, Marc Swackhamer, models, movement, performance, rhino, site specific, test
How to measure success
The thesis doula, Gayla Lindt, asked me how I would know if I were successful in my site-based experiments. It was a really interesting question to consider since applying a real world context to the work brought in a dramatically new element. I think the answer lies in several places. First, have I interpreted and [...]
Filed under: Musings | Leave a Comment
Tags: analysis, application, architecture, body, evaluation, fabric, highlight, interaction, success, test
Site? What site?
These posts are out of order today, but just give your scroll wheel a workout and you’ll be up to speed in no time. I’d previously documented three different urban sites (Target Field Plaza, Peavey Plaza and the Church Street & Scholars Walk intersection), but none of them was really grabbing my attention as I [...]
Filed under: Dance/Performance, Musings | Leave a Comment
Tags: fabric, Rapson Hall, site, site specific, test
Site context – physical models
I can never resist the chance to build physical models. Here are some photos of the site context experiments in physical form. It amazes me anew each time I work in tandem with digital and physical models how they complement each other. Some ideas begin better digitally and far apart physically while for other ideas [...]
Filed under: Musings | Leave a Comment
Tags: context, fabric, models, Rapson Hall, site, site specific, test
Openings
The site-based investigations have all maintained a neutral surface. It’s in keeping with the minimal character of the dances that have inspired it (Serif and Flow). Here are two full-scale tests of how to make a minimal opening that maintains the surface quality of the fabric as much as possible. This test overlapped two pieces [...]
Filed under: Musings | Leave a Comment
Tags: detail, fabric, full-scale, mock-ups, opening, performance, test
Site context – for comment, Marc
This semester has been focused on the process of learning to represent and visualize movement/dance in ways that can be architecturally meaningful. Nearly all of my studies have been done without a context. I’ve decided that the last step of the process that I’d like to complete before presenting my work is to look at [...]
Filed under: Musings | 2 Comments
Tags: design, fabric, interaction, low tech, process, progress, Rapson Hall, structure, temporary, test, transportable
