https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByctTyGygR-8ZjljMjc1YmYtMjJkZi00MTI4LTg4ZjMtZDYwZjkyYzBjMjU2&hl=en
or
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByctTyGygR-8ZjljMjc1YmYtMjJkZi00MTI4LTg4ZjMtZDYwZjkyYzBjMjU2&hl=en&authkey=COrl2ooL
Friday, November 12, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
3 October
Revised Position Statement:
The importance of modeling (digital and physical) in this project is a direct reflection of the necessity of architecture to be real. Architecture without realization is art, something I am not personally interested in pursuing. Realization is the motivation behind production and is what requires one to solve problems creatively.
I am pursuing my project as a study of process. Through the program of a theater I intend to make the argument that sustainable practices can be conceptual motivation for architecture, in this case using building performance as an active part of the theater performance. The passively lit theater will be a case study which I can design and test through computer and physical modeling to determine absolutely whether proposed systems actually work.
Revised Methodology:
The place I am currently in my process is looking for mentors. I need to find someone who I can use for technical help and reference.
The main elements of this project will be repeated and exhaustive modeling of systems. Primarily through the use of Ecotect software and physical models, principles of light and optical effects will be manipulated to produce dramatic lighting effects typically produced with electrical lighting, without diminishing performance expectations of lighting designers and production crew members in the theater. This will require greater study of the specific manipulation of light and the application of learned principles in physical form. Models will be applied to the digital or natural light source and evaluated repeatedly to inform revised iterations.
Annotated Bibliography
Inspiration:
Ando, Tadao. The colours of light / Tadao Ando architecture. London : Phaidon, 1996.
This book explores the effect of shape, mass, texture and contrast on how light is perceived. *
Flavin, Dan, Dan Flavin : the architecture of light. New York : The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation ; distributed by Harry N. Abrams, c1999.
This book shows examples by Flavin using artificial light focusing on subtle color and temperature differences, and on the use of contrast. *
Asensio Cerver, Francisco. The architecture of glass : shaping light. New York, NY : Arco ; Distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Watson-Guptil, 1997.
This book looks at the effects of layered transparencies and refractions.
Marpillero, S. James Carpenter : environmental refractions. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, 2006.
This book shows the architectural applications of artistic interventions about refraction, reflectivity and compressive strength of glass.
Eliasson, Olafur. Take your time : Olafur Eliasson. San Francisco, Calif. : San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ; New York, N.Y. : Thames & Hudson, 2007.
This book shows pictures and explanations of Eliasson's works in light and with optical effects.
Plummer, Henry. The architecture of natural light. New York : Monacelli Press ; London : Thames & Hudson, 2009.
This book is a survey of contemporary architecture in light. It talks about the phenomenological effects of natural lighting.
Technical References:
Rice, Peter. An Engineer imagines. London : Artemis, c1994.
This book details the Full Moon Theater by Peter Rice, a project which is a close precedent. *
Keller, Max. Light fantastic : the art and design of stage lighting. Munich ; New York : Prestel, 2010.
This book discusses the more practical requirements of lighting for theatrical performances.
Michael Bell and Jeannie Kim. Engineered transparency : the technical, visual, and spatial effects of glass. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, c2009.
This book talks about the use of glass in architecture and links phenomenological applications to advances in engineering that allowed them.
White, Anthony G. Architectural daylighting : a recent bibliography. Monticello, Ill. : Vance Bibliographies, 1984.
This book provides a good resource for finding new projects that deal particularly with how light works.
books marked with a star have been read.
The model below shows a scalable parti exploring how one would catch, concentrate and redirect light for the theater purposes.
The importance of modeling (digital and physical) in this project is a direct reflection of the necessity of architecture to be real. Architecture without realization is art, something I am not personally interested in pursuing. Realization is the motivation behind production and is what requires one to solve problems creatively.
I am pursuing my project as a study of process. Through the program of a theater I intend to make the argument that sustainable practices can be conceptual motivation for architecture, in this case using building performance as an active part of the theater performance. The passively lit theater will be a case study which I can design and test through computer and physical modeling to determine absolutely whether proposed systems actually work.
Revised Methodology:
The place I am currently in my process is looking for mentors. I need to find someone who I can use for technical help and reference.
The main elements of this project will be repeated and exhaustive modeling of systems. Primarily through the use of Ecotect software and physical models, principles of light and optical effects will be manipulated to produce dramatic lighting effects typically produced with electrical lighting, without diminishing performance expectations of lighting designers and production crew members in the theater. This will require greater study of the specific manipulation of light and the application of learned principles in physical form. Models will be applied to the digital or natural light source and evaluated repeatedly to inform revised iterations.
Annotated Bibliography
Inspiration:
Ando, Tadao. The colours of light / Tadao Ando architecture. London : Phaidon, 1996.
This book explores the effect of shape, mass, texture and contrast on how light is perceived. *
Flavin, Dan, Dan Flavin : the architecture of light. New York : The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation ; distributed by Harry N. Abrams, c1999.
This book shows examples by Flavin using artificial light focusing on subtle color and temperature differences, and on the use of contrast. *
Asensio Cerver, Francisco. The architecture of glass : shaping light. New York, NY : Arco ; Distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Watson-Guptil, 1997.
This book looks at the effects of layered transparencies and refractions.
Marpillero, S. James Carpenter : environmental refractions. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, 2006.
This book shows the architectural applications of artistic interventions about refraction, reflectivity and compressive strength of glass.
Eliasson, Olafur. Take your time : Olafur Eliasson. San Francisco, Calif. : San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ; New York, N.Y. : Thames & Hudson, 2007.
This book shows pictures and explanations of Eliasson's works in light and with optical effects.
Plummer, Henry. The architecture of natural light. New York : Monacelli Press ; London : Thames & Hudson, 2009.
This book is a survey of contemporary architecture in light. It talks about the phenomenological effects of natural lighting.
Technical References:
Rice, Peter. An Engineer imagines. London : Artemis, c1994.
This book details the Full Moon Theater by Peter Rice, a project which is a close precedent. *
Keller, Max. Light fantastic : the art and design of stage lighting. Munich ; New York : Prestel, 2010.
This book discusses the more practical requirements of lighting for theatrical performances.
Michael Bell and Jeannie Kim. Engineered transparency : the technical, visual, and spatial effects of glass. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, c2009.
This book talks about the use of glass in architecture and links phenomenological applications to advances in engineering that allowed them.
White, Anthony G. Architectural daylighting : a recent bibliography. Monticello, Ill. : Vance Bibliographies, 1984.
This book provides a good resource for finding new projects that deal particularly with how light works.
books marked with a star have been read.
The model below shows a scalable parti exploring how one would catch, concentrate and redirect light for the theater purposes.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
the Performance of Performance
Revised Position Statement:
I am pursuing my project as a study of process. Through the program of a theater I intend to make the argument that sustainable practices can be conceptual motivation for architecture, in this case using building performance as an active part of the theater performance. The passively lit theater will be a case study which I can design and test through computer and physical modeling to determine absolutely whether proposed systems actually work.
Revised Methodology:
The main elements of this project will be repeated and exhaustive modeling of systems. Primarily through the use of Ecotect software and physical models, principles of light and optical effects will be manipulated to produce dramatic lighting effects typically produced with electrical lighting, without diminishing performance expectations of lighting designers and production crew members in the theater. This will require greater study of the specific manipulation of light and the application of learned principles in physical form. Models will be applied to the digital or natural light source and evaluated repeatedly to inform revised iterations.
Bibliography, Read to Date:
Ando, Tadao. The colours of light / Tadao Ando architecture. London : Phaidon, 1996.
Flavin, Dan, Dan Flavin : the architecture of light. New York : The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation ; distributed by Harry N. Abrams, c1999.
Rice, Peter. An Engineer imagines. London : Artemis, c1994.
Bibliography in Progress:
Asensio Cerver, Francisco. The architecture of glass : shaping light. New York, NY : Arco ; Distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Watson-Guptil, 1997.
Horden, Richard. Light-tech : towards a light. Basel ; Boston : Birkhäuser Verlag, c1995.
Keller, Max. Light fantastic : the art and design of stage lighting. Munich ; New York : Prestel, 2010.
Marpillero, S. James Carpenter : environmental refractions. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, 2006.
Michael Bell and Jeannie Kim. Engineered transparency : the technical, visual, and spatial effects of glass. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, c2009.
Eliasson, Olafur. Take your time : Olafur Eliasson. San Francisco, Calif. : San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ; New York, N.Y. : Thames & Hudson, 2007.
Plummer, Henry. The architecture of natural light. New York : Monacelli Press ; London : Thames & Hudson, 2009.
White, Anthony G. Architectural daylighting : a recent bibliography. Monticello, Ill. : Vance Bibliographies, 1984.
I am pursuing my project as a study of process. Through the program of a theater I intend to make the argument that sustainable practices can be conceptual motivation for architecture, in this case using building performance as an active part of the theater performance. The passively lit theater will be a case study which I can design and test through computer and physical modeling to determine absolutely whether proposed systems actually work.
Revised Methodology:
The main elements of this project will be repeated and exhaustive modeling of systems. Primarily through the use of Ecotect software and physical models, principles of light and optical effects will be manipulated to produce dramatic lighting effects typically produced with electrical lighting, without diminishing performance expectations of lighting designers and production crew members in the theater. This will require greater study of the specific manipulation of light and the application of learned principles in physical form. Models will be applied to the digital or natural light source and evaluated repeatedly to inform revised iterations.
Bibliography, Read to Date:
Ando, Tadao. The colours of light / Tadao Ando architecture. London : Phaidon, 1996.
Flavin, Dan, Dan Flavin : the architecture of light. New York : The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation ; distributed by Harry N. Abrams, c1999.
Rice, Peter. An Engineer imagines. London : Artemis, c1994.
Bibliography in Progress:
Asensio Cerver, Francisco. The architecture of glass : shaping light. New York, NY : Arco ; Distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Watson-Guptil, 1997.
Horden, Richard. Light-tech : towards a light. Basel ; Boston : Birkhäuser Verlag, c1995.
Keller, Max. Light fantastic : the art and design of stage lighting. Munich ; New York : Prestel, 2010.
Marpillero, S. James Carpenter : environmental refractions. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, 2006.
Michael Bell and Jeannie Kim. Engineered transparency : the technical, visual, and spatial effects of glass. New York : Princeton Architectural Press, c2009.
Eliasson, Olafur. Take your time : Olafur Eliasson. San Francisco, Calif. : San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ; New York, N.Y. : Thames & Hudson, 2007.
Plummer, Henry. The architecture of natural light. New York : Monacelli Press ; London : Thames & Hudson, 2009.
White, Anthony G. Architectural daylighting : a recent bibliography. Monticello, Ill. : Vance Bibliographies, 1984.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Reply to Lowell
This response to Lowell's comment on Sept 3rd was too long to post as a comment.
Lowell said... Liz, after reading your post I wanted to disagree with you, but then found I had some trouble doing so. That led me to a couple more questions that I do not readily have the answer to.
The first was I wondered why I had immediately reacted negatively to the claim that architecture without use is devoid of meaning/significance. I think in some sense use can be a dirty word in architecture school. I think to some extent after four years of school I've been left with the impression that to focus so much on use means to relegate your architecture to that which is boring, uninspiring, or even utilitarian (gasp, the realm of the engineer). After the initial reaction subsides though, you realize there are plenty of examples where this is not the case, in fact my favorite piece of architecture is essentially an exercise in program. Which brings me back to questioning why I had the reaction that I did.
Secondly I had to question the validity of architecture that has changed uses, if the facilitation of use (generally in architecture projects, a prescribed use) is the architects primary concern. Or even more so, what of architectural monuments that are relegated to sites of tourism, i.e. the pantheon, devoid of any use (and thereby meaning?), outside of the maintenance of its own existence.
_____________________________________
Lowell said... Liz, after reading your post I wanted to disagree with you, but then found I had some trouble doing so. That led me to a couple more questions that I do not readily have the answer to.
The first was I wondered why I had immediately reacted negatively to the claim that architecture without use is devoid of meaning/significance. I think in some sense use can be a dirty word in architecture school. I think to some extent after four years of school I've been left with the impression that to focus so much on use means to relegate your architecture to that which is boring, uninspiring, or even utilitarian (gasp, the realm of the engineer). After the initial reaction subsides though, you realize there are plenty of examples where this is not the case, in fact my favorite piece of architecture is essentially an exercise in program. Which brings me back to questioning why I had the reaction that I did.
Secondly I had to question the validity of architecture that has changed uses, if the facilitation of use (generally in architecture projects, a prescribed use) is the architects primary concern. Or even more so, what of architectural monuments that are relegated to sites of tourism, i.e. the pantheon, devoid of any use (and thereby meaning?), outside of the maintenance of its own existence.
_____________________________________
Lowell,
All I meant to say was that buildings (specifically) by themselves are not significant. They cannot carry "meaning" like a piece of writing, for instance. As long as you can read, you can basically understand what is written (linguistically it's debatable that anyone really knows what anyone else is saying, but I mean to say that there is a greater level of interpretation that is needed in architecture to glean any meaning whatsoever as opposed to other human creations.. and because of that interpretation, more-or-less consistent meaning between people is much more elusive). Interpretation is an action that can only be carried out by a human. I consider "meaning" and/or "significance" to be the end result of that interpretation so in the absence of humans architecture cannot have meaning or significance; it cannot be interpreted. Because meaning and significance are not actually embodied by the building itself they require interaction between the building and the person interpreting.
Architectural meaning is like a bacterium that cannot live outside the human body and is transmitted only by contact between people. Meaning cannot survive outside humanity. To have similar understandings architecture’s significance, some sort of collective memory, social norm or explanation needs to be included in the interpretation along with the building itself. The building’s significance requires contact between people. Because architecture is not a system for conveying meaning (like languge is) each building requires a different body of knowledge to understand its significance.
"Use" is the interaction between a person and building. I don't mean to say that use is necessarily occupying the building one way, or the way it was intended. I simply mean that any way of interacting with a building is "using" it. I think that even studying a building remotely through text, pictures, model etc without visiting is "use" because it's being used as an example. There is an interaction that the person has with the building. On the other hand, "use" does not have to be academic or thoughtful. It may be utilitarian or even ignorable. Any non-architect that passes through any built space is "using" it, and thus giving it meaning and significance. Significance might not be revolutionary, but it is how we interpret and understand the world. It is only because we walk through doors that they signify entry and exit points.
I disagree with your assumption that monuments or centers of tourism are not used. They're used as destinations, as places to learn about history, as places to anchor grief and memories. Even vacant buildings can be used by people. A vacant building that defines the outdoor space of the street or of a yard is being used, just from the outside. It signifies a boundary or point. It still defines spatial experience, it’s just not lived-in. A vacant house in the woods, however, that is never visited or passed has no meaning or significance until someone finds it.
What I was trying to get at with the first assignment was the fundamental discrepancy I see with what architecture IS. The word is not just a synonym for “building” it also covers an idea about meaning and the process of creating both the building and its significance. It seems to me that architects are aiming to create meaning, significance, experience, but can only create a physical building. (Actually not even a physical building, construction documents don't even outline how to make it, just what it should be like in the end). It’s as if architects are trying to make a cocktail, but only have the ability to cast the glass. You can suggest that someone make a martini by shaping it a specific way but ultimately the person drinking it decides what to pour into the vessel. Furthermore, for them to understand that this is a martini glass and that a martini is a certain mixture of beverages, requires some other knowledge that is not actually existent within the glass itself.
I concede that there is some tenuous relationship that architecture has to significance but it is not through the building alone. Drinking a martini from a nice glass and from a solo cup is indeed a different experience. They will both, however, get you equally drunk and the conception that one is fancier and demands a different demeanor is more dependent on culture and interpretation than the artifact. The artifact merely queues an existing conception.
We are calling both the glass and the martini “architecture” while fundamentally, architects will never be the bartender.Tuesday, September 7, 2010
thesis statement.
i understand that this is supposed to be iterative, but i'm not sure why it's useful to continue to explore my own thoughts as they are. my opinions about architecture are skeptical and founded in emotion more so than research. i am hoping they evolve. what i really need to is spend the time taken for these assignments on a ton of self-defined reading.. and i'm frustrated that although this is a thesis, it is not an independent study. we get to pick a site and a program but the method of coming to our argument is entirely prescriptive.
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1
architecture is useful emptiness.
+3
how do we distinguish between different voids? what specific kinds or conditions of boundaries determine how people occupy space? how do people correlate location ?
+9
i'm still not sure what i'm interested in but i do want my thesis to be part observation, part creation. my bibliography now includes several anthropological case studies regarding how people use space. is there association between formal typology and use typology? my main interest in architecture is in how. how it comes to pass, how it's made, how it's used, how to evaluate it. i know that's not much but it's where i am. i also want something about this project to be real. i don't want to do another simulation of architecture. and the guy i wanted to be my advisor is too ill to take on the project.
how do we distinguish between different voids? what specific kinds or conditions of boundaries determine how people occupy space? how do people correlate location ?
+9
i'm still not sure what i'm interested in but i do want my thesis to be part observation, part creation. my bibliography now includes several anthropological case studies regarding how people use space. is there association between formal typology and use typology? my main interest in architecture is in how. how it comes to pass, how it's made, how it's used, how to evaluate it. i know that's not much but it's where i am. i also want something about this project to be real. i don't want to do another simulation of architecture. and the guy i wanted to be my advisor is too ill to take on the project.
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