Final

This semester had been a great learning experience. Final presentations went great, and I feel like overall everyone received great reviews. I know everyone would have wanted to see another curved wall added, however my partners and I feel strongly about our proposal and we were stubborn with our diagonal walls. Our project could be improved ofcourse at a later time, but for now I feel like it is a strong proposal.

Posters

My group is continuing to work on our renders to put on the posters. Photoshop has really enhanced our pictures! Going to try to enjoy thanksgiving while trying to finish our posters and studying for structures!

Letting the parking lot influence this parti limited us in extending the building northeast. It appeared to work with the existing parking lot, but when only the ground of the building was drawn, the shape became awkward. This parti did not meet our satisfaction in that we were aware that there are
various other design possibilities that could function better for the library.

We moved the curved wall down more to create more
interior space. The curved wall would have to be knocked down and re-built; this was not the best solution for, it is not practical to knock down an existing wall only to rebuild it.

We created a new wall that would still have the windows that visitors could sit alongside. Getting rid of the half arched roof and curved wall was an idea that got rid of the character that the standing library holds.

Our final parti combines our first two ideas. We decided to keep the existing curved wall and use it as a separation of spaces. The windows would be taken out and wooden elements will be put in place as separators. This wall would help keep out the noise from the children’s area at the other end.The space created between the curved wall and new wall design would best serve as a separate quite reading area. An exterior reading area will sit right outsde the reading room.

The Architect

As it was mentioned during class, an architect randomly thinks about his/her design through out the day and comes up with ideas. To me this is what makes an architect's thinking process distinct. The article I read talked about the process of a  DIY project. The main process is to create a checklist of items to get and a checklist of the steps to take. Even though an architect always has a mental checklist, ideas could randomly come up while laying in bed. Of course every architect can approach a project differently, but they all have a mental checklist nevertheless. This relates to the picture that I posted in that architects are constantly thinking about what the next step is and how to go about it. Architects have to think about every single detail, for it all affects the language and design of the building. 

When printing our posters, we noticed that one was way too dark and gloomy- something pointed out in the critique. This is an easy fix for future posters. More importantly, it was brought to our attention that our goals were not clearly seen on the boards. Also, we are now thinking about making our new walls curved to follow the same language as the existing curved wall. We are going to keep moving forward with our design of the building and posters.

Ornament is looked down as decoration that was used previously by architects meaning that it does not fit in with the views of modern architects.  It is said in the reading that "Ornament was symbolic of historical forms of architecture." We learn in our architecture history lectures of all the elements that make up every era in architecture. Each one being specific, such as a rose window defining a Gothic church in Gothic architecture. However, why can't modern architecture include elements from other "historical forms of architecture" and still be considered modern. Modern architecture seems to be known for, as said in the reading, "less is more." But what if we no longer categorized architecture by ornament/decoration.

Architecture is more than just looks and function. Of course the intention of architecture in the beginning was meant to just put a roof on top of our heads to protect us from the rain. That is no longer the only reason for the continuation of architecture. Modern architecture should have a bigger focus on the experience rather than its basic function. Of course an architect can meet the regulations and codes for a building, but an architect's bigger challenge is creating a great experience with his or her design. Each and every building is different, and the experience in each will also vary accordingly. The architect has to find the best way in which to create a space that users will be attracted to.

I do agree with the author in saying that "the value is no longer in the hardware." Hardware has been the driving force in design time and time again through every architecture style. However, who says that this has to continue to be the way architecture is? Modern architects can design freely without having to continue to use certain ornaments. There are countless amounts of cars and phones and they all have the same basic function. Both the car and phone were invented for a sole purpose, but every year the designers and engineers try to create something new, something that will give its user a better experience. Architecture is also designed to serve a better experience for the people that it was not able to provide before.

Every style throughout time has its own ornament that separates it from the rest. Well modern architecture is set out to be different. Architects strive to be acknowledge and to stand out-this can be achieved by creating a different experience without specific hardware-by no longer being traditional.  Being able to design freely opens so many possibilities to the coming age of architecture.

Sketching

We are continuing to sketch out the reading area and courtyard. We have moved the courtyard to be in front of the reading area. Also, we messed with the roofs and the staff area to make our renovation more dominant.

Sketching

Sketching out the reading area is definitely helping develope it. We are moving to have exposed wooden beams and a curtain wall. Our design for the reading room has changed drastically since Wednesday.

Model

Wednesday 15.

We made a model to be able to better understand how our addition works with it's site. The reading space we have incorporated into the building has to be further developed. We are trying to figure out how it will correspond with the site adjacent to it.

Revit for dummues

Today's lesson on revit was pretty helpful. Even though I have used revit almost every semester there is still so much to learn! Knowing how to set up a curtain wall properly is going to be much needed in the future.

Proposed renovation

Now that we have a basic design party for our proposed renovation, we need to keep developing the spaces and site. Our addition to the building will affect the site and, we have to change the parking on the northeast side to fit with the building.

http://www.architectmagazine.com/Images/0511_AR_Toren_Polidori_002-001_tcm20-753750.jpg?width=600

Mass customization in architecture has evolved from the failure of mass production. Although mass production used to work for society in the sense that the first automobiles were made this way, it is an idea that is completely neglected. No one would want to see the same building being built over and over again nor would we want to own the same home as our entire neighborhood.

In architecture, mass customization can be used to satisfy the client and allow for the architect to carry out his/her design . Architect's work is often driven by the construction process and budgets. When the cost of materials increases, architects have to take away from the design more and more to meet the client's budget. Very rarely are materials chosen without cost being an important factor. This can be solved by the mass customization of materials.

Larger buildings can benefit from having the same restrooms installed on each floor, mass produced curtain walls on towers, etc. Instead of a firm designing a typical curtain wall tower, the design team can customize their own façade by using mass customization. In this way the design of the building will be unique and will still satisfy the client. This idea provides an easier and faster route for the designers and the construction process.

Units fabricated off-site and shipped to the site have proven to speed up the construction process because the units are assembled faster on site. Less time used to construct means less money.  Also, because the units are fabricated off-site in a controlled environment, this ensures quality work. The construction employees also benefit from a controlled environment. Because of this, details in the design can be paid more attention and done better than if they were designed on site. As mentioned before, mass production also reduces cost in that the budget can be controlled better. The examples given in chapter six have used mass customization, and prove that it continues to work in the profession today.

As supported in the prior text, the profession of architecture extremely benefits from mass production. Already designed units limit the architect's design. Instead custom units open up vast design possibilities. Mass production is being used more as we advance in technology. Buildings are being built faster, and people are saving money. As stated in Refabricating Architecture we cannot imagine that one will fit "all projects, all sites, and all clients." Because of this reason, customization is continuing to move forward to fit every unique situation. And I believe that mass customization should continue to be incorporated in future designs. 

Presentation

Today's presentations went well. It was good to see how various other library spaces were. 

I did say "like" through out my presentation, but it is just such a hard habit to break!

Today's class

I haven't had much experience with creating a topo surface on revit or at all. I am excited to start working on the parti's and keep developing them to get started on the design part. 

Posters

Today my partners and me continued to work on our case study. We are currently still working on the area of the floorplans and the layout of the posters.

Library tour

It's always a different experience to be able to see the building and walk through the different spaces than just seeing the floorplans. Being able to walk around the library helped me get a better understanding of the problems. Also, the chips and salsa were great while discussing the library further!

According to the reading, architects were once seen as master builders who possessed various skills. They worked on everything from the design to the construction of a building.  Over time architects have lost their touch of being a master builder. Architect's role is vital to a building as discussed in the last writing, but it is no longer the architecture that was seen so long ago.

It has been broken down into very specific branches such as engineering, construction, and material scientist. This may be the cause for people believing that architects only design and that their job can be done by anyone. Yes, architects do develop the design of the building and then pass it on to engineers and so on. Every person involved in the design and construction plays a specific, detailed role in the process.  However, this does not mean that an architect has completely lost his or her touch and ability to create what he or she envisions although I does complicate it.

As mentioned in the reading, master builders were able to carry out the process of a building from beginning to end. This allowed for the architects to carry out their design the way they envision it from the beginning because they were able to make all the decisions. The breaking down of careers into specific branches has created a disconnect between the architects and what he or she has envisioned for the design. The design is passed down, and changes are made accordingly so that the building is structurally supported and follows codes. Unfortunately, the disconnect between the people in these different careers has increased more.

I believe that architects entail a basic understanding of the job of the engineer and builder, but just as an architect specializes in his or her field so does the engineer and builder. This basic understanding, or great understanding for some, allows for an architect to think more about the structural part of a building rather than just design. This understanding distinguishes an architect from an everyday person. However architects cannot do an engineer's job just as an engineer cannot do an architect's job.  The separation of careers and focus that each one has is too detailed to be specialized in both. Engineers, architects, and builders learn similar things yet are so different in specialization.

The craft and skills that master builders held was and still is admired. Even today architects strive to be as skilled as possible by picking up minors while in school in other specializations. However, the way today's education is geared it is too difficult for one to specialize in various branches. An architect goes through so much schooling, but can only do so much. The necessity of an engineer and builder will not go away just as the necessity for an architect will neither.

Like said before, this does not be little an architect of today. Architects are able to focus more on the design and process that a building undergoes. Although they have budgets and limitations, architects find solutions and ways around the complications to be able to design to the best of their ability.

   Source: http://bgwallpaper.net/architecture-blueprint-of-a-house-wallpaper-architecture-blueprint-hd/

The library we chose that was built after 1995 is the Chingquing library. It is a modern library with curtain walls and a shallow pool on its sides. The library built before 1995 is Chapel Hill Public Library. Chapel Hill Public Library has had a couple of additions and remodels but it was first built before 1995.

Improving the project

Our cicada is finally done and placed on the skywalk where the sun can shine on it. An idea to improve the project may be to design a different animal after the first one we put together. The first one could be used to see how the connections work, and then the intermediate model could be to see if the new design works and the corrections needed.

Cicada coming together

Our cicada is coming along great. We had to sand a couple of slots so that they would slot together better. Tonight we are going to buy the paint and make it into out own abstract cicada. We are thinking white and yellow!

The ranch

Alicia and me went out to the ranch this morning to turn in our tests, do the walk through, and start cutting. Some mistakes were found with our file, so it took us a while to fix it. We had to make the diameter of the circles added .01 bigger than the bit we intended to use. Eventually we fixed everything and left our wood cutting. We were told it would take about two to three hours, so we will be picking it up tomorrow and hopefully assembling it. Hopefully we accounted for everything correctly and don't have to re-cut. However, if we do have to fix something we accounted for enough time!

After doing our intermediate model, we know that we have a lot of work to do with the joints. Some of our joints were not scaled correctly therefore making our model flimsy. We know that up scaling our cicada would create a problem with the wings and the body, so we have to design a couple of more pieces to help stabilize it. Making our cicada three times bigger will make the wing span about three feet, so i'm excited to put our final together and see how huge it is over all.

The difference between Architecture and architecture is completely based on the perspective of an individual. Different definitions have been developed through time as architecture evolves.

I see Architecture as the development and design of a space. It can be as little as a house to as big as an entire community. Buildings do not just appear from night to day. There is so much more behind the walls and roof. The architect team on the project has to develop ideas with the clients' budget, needs, and wants. Several design schemes can be developed and also rejected, but this entire process to me is Architecture- not only the end result. It does not matter what size or codes have to be followed. Residential firms still create Architecture because homes have to be developed in the same way. Yes, homes are not as time consuming as commercial projects, but they still require a team to develop a design. Over the summer I interned with a residential firm, and although the design team did not have a licensed architect, Architecture was still being created. There was the process with the audit, construction documents, build of materials etc. - these steps are the work of Architecture.

In addition, architecture with a lowercase a is what an everyday person sees. It is the house they live in, the building they walk through, what they see on the exterior etc. Someone who has not studied architecture is not aware of the process of the building itself. They may think a building looks nice and the architects' purpose behind it was only aesthetics. However, you and me both know that there is a reason for everything. We all know that if it is not needed, unless the budget allows for it, then it will be cut from the project. Also, they may not think of a community as Architecture as a whole. The sidewalks have to all coincide and be thought out, the parks have to be designed to best fit the community, and many other things that an Architect can also develop.

Refabricating Architecture states that everyone involved in the development is the architect in Architecture- with a capital A. However, I do not coincide with the idea that the client is also the architect. Their contribution is merely the budget, their preference, and their need; this is only the beginning of the process. The long hours and perfection are met by the architects themselves when the deadline comes around. I do agree that engineers play a significant role in architecture, but this does not make them the architect. They work with what the architect has already designed. If the engineer says something does not work, then the architect makes the changes required.  Ships  and planes are their own type of design- not architecture. The suggestion of architects following their design process is a good point. After all as imaginative and creative as architects can be, they always steal ideas and incorporate them into their own design.

I had an awesome first day, and I know I will really enjoy your class. I am definitely enjoying this first project although it will be challenging to make the bigger model stand on it's own. And the wings will be fun, difficult to keep up, but fun!