HANNAH DENMARK

LEARNING PORTFOLIO ~ ARCHITECTURE 101 ~ INSTRUCTOR JERRY LUM ~ FALL 2015

8/20 Concept Generation, What’s Your Sign? Making a sign for myself offers some challenges. Which traits are most representative of me? How do I find symbols for these traits that are clear without being trite or cliche? Once I have my symbols, how on earth am I supposed to integrate them? I worked with the personality adjectives of caring, loyal and nervous. For caring I looked at images of nests and holding hands. For loyalty I thought of letters and stamps to convey a connection despite difficulties of distance. For nervousness I thought of bees, cliffs, nervous mice. I couldn’t think how any of these elements could be combined. (This is when I should have asked for direction!) I tried a few different compositions, trying to get one of each element in each little collage. They were layered rather than woven/connected. Jerry rightly likened this sort of simple combination to a scrapbook page. I could have chopped up the images and used components of them. I could have repeated them or changed their positions. But I used these I accepted my collages as a starting point for a 3D sign.

Caring Loyal Nervous

Week 2 What’s My Sign, First Version 8/25 For my first sign rendition, I used the idea of a cliff to represent the nervousness. A girl at the edge of the cliff shows us what it takes to be caring and loyal. I put an envelope under her hand, but the class didn’t notice it. I enjoyed the process. I was working as a sculptor does, using my hands to shape something to discover what works. The human figure was rendered with a wire armature, and strips of fabric with fabric stiffener. I was worried it looked too rough and so made a clay version but it was too heavy to tack to a wall (one of our project requirements).

The feedback from the class was helpful. Were there other ways to let the word “LEAP” reach out for readability? Could a second figure be oriented away from the first, giving both sides of the sign that human interest? Is the first figure reaching for something? Could she?

8/26 What’s Your Sign, 2nd Versions I knew the second iteration would be an in between step­­that we will be doing a third version. So I decided to make a couple of quick and easy versions to explore my ideas. The first sign integrates a second figure, and dangles the word leap from a tree branch beneath the cliff. The cliff itself changes shapes to look more branch like­­something I had contemplated in the beginning but not executed. I wanted to see how it looked. The original figure is now reaching out to grab a flower off of the tree branch. Will she make it? I added a second figure oriented to the right side of the sign.

In the next version, I wanted to have the figure reaching for something that dangles. I couldn’t sort out the cantilever that would suspend the dangling item. I wanted it to be invisible but how? So I let it hang from an obvious structure­­a sort of scaffold. The feel is much less organic. It seems more urban and edgy.

8/27 My classmates liked how the bright color of the pink flower drew the eye. Could the figure be closer to actually reaching it? Turning the cliff into sort of a branch made a lightness to the project that resonated well. Could there be more correlation in the lines of the bracket and the end of the branch? The scaffold suggested a grid that could fill up with other elements of my personality. Maybe the squares suggest steps along my path. I think this is less dynamic and so I plan to expound on my ‘branch’ version.

Charcoal Gesture Drawings We turned to gesture drawing in this class. Charcoal is very malleable and responds readily to changes in pressure and to layering. What kinds of lines can we get from our piece of charcoal? This picture came out upside down, but I find I like it better this way. I think I have a lot to learn here!

Jerry asked us to identify feelings that a building can elicit. We came up with awe, comfort, joy, daunted­­among others. The class selected joy and daunted as traits to render in charcoal. To me Joy has an upward, dynamic feeling. Daunting feels heavy and permanent­­unwilling to go away. This is what I came up with.

We also talked about wall sections and the different moods and feelings and impressions they impart. We were challenged to come up with 16 approaches to designing a wall.

9/1/15 What’s Your Sign, Final Version Today we submitted our final versions of the What’s Your Sign project. I approached this final version trying to visualize alterations based on my class’s feedback. Can there be more elements of the journey of who I am? Can two figures create interest on both sides of the sign?

I used the branch structure to lighten the sign. I took a stiff foam, cut it to my desired shape, and reinforced it with tongue depressors. I cut out and attached a foam core backing and then set about wrapping the foam in brown paper. I would eventually remove the foam core and go to a cardboard backing, with a shorter branch as it was easier to suspend. I went through a few versions of figures. They had to be light. They had to read well without getting too cartoony. I tried air dry clay (too heavy), paper base clay (which I rendered too large), plaster gauze (too thin and difficult to shape on a wire armature). I went back to the paper based clay and made smaller figures.

9/1 What’s Your Sign? Final Version I was pleased with the final product as a sign, and with the execution specifically. To improve it further, I would try an approach that was less literal/realistic. The class responded well to my earlier ‘scaffolding’ version because it was less literal. I would have been happy to run through about 20 versions to see what works best. But now we’re on to something new.

9/1 Continued Today in class we spent some time putting down our thoughts and discoveries about a) design language, b) design process, c) craft and construction and d) active classroom engagement. Design Language My approach to design thinking is still a little unsophisticated. I am glad to be meeting with a class and talking about design concepts as I continue to train my eye and develop my visual vocabulary. I enjoy the classroom discussions about things like ‘conversation’, ‘tension’, ‘momentum’ and ‘reward’. The experience of a design is so subjective and it is interesting to get the input of the different students. I wanted my sign design to be graceful and organic. I have a long history in dance, and the movement and growth of stationary shapes is important to me. I am on the hunt for the ultimate design term vocabulary list. I would like to learn more. Craft and Construction It is important to me as an environmentalist to use what I have and to “waste not”. As a designer I want to feel the integrity of the materials. I am not big on plastics and polyesters. I am newly appreciating the beauty of something so mundane as concrete. I like seeing the construction in a design. With Ben’s mask sign, I asked him to tell me how he made the wall bracket. It was a revelation! What ingenuity. He’s setting the bar high for our class. I am daunted by difficult materials. How can you cleanly cut foam core? It takes a lot of my time, I might fail anyway, and I have other things to think about. This will be a challenge for me.

Active Engagement “Awareness and Anticipation, Openness to Constructive Criticism” Well I criticize myself plenty before I turn my assignments in. I have thought through a lot of things that might be considered failures or disappointments. I build answers to all of these critiques in my head. I know there is a thin line between understanding and excuses. I have been thinking a lot about Dignity lately. What does it mean personally? Can it become a bigger part of our popular culture some how? I think dignity asks me to do my best work and receive criticism with grace. As for classroom engagement, that comes easily to me. I’ll want to be someone who can support others in their efforts to speak up.

Week 3 9/2 Experience an Environment: The Cathedral of Christ the Light and Slide Presentation

Shanell and I went to Oakland to see the cathedral. Neither of us had visited before but both of us wanted to. We took photos for our environmental experience project. The building was astounding. The light in the space is a living visitor, gracing us, moving, and we know leaving with the sunset. The mausoleum beneath the Cathedral has no natural sunlight. Instead the lighting design dances and lives in its own way. Some marble panels reflect shining light. Some glow within. Arcing pathways sometimes spill light from a distance, showing you a promise of transformation.

Here is a link to the presentation of my 10 favorite photographs. Now I am trying to pick a word to express what it feels like to be at the cathedral. It is peaceful for sure. The light and the size and the natural materials aid that. It is modern in feel. Some churches make you feel very small, but that was not my experience here. My body was small in the space, but the way that

the walls curved around the sanctuary is something like an embrace. The smaller chapels off the main sanctuary were very pedestrian and cozy, with lavender walls and frames of plain golden canvasses. I keep thinking about the way that the light is a vivid participant in the space. I don’t know what it would feel like to be there after sundown. That would certainly change things. At noon on a beautiful day, the light comes from the sun in the sky and then filters down through the ceiling and walls, through the stencil image of Jesus over the altar, and lands on the floors and the pews and the visitors. Walking under to the mausoleum which is illuminated with artificial light, you find that the sun also pierces through a skylight, shining through a cross onto the altar tomb. Possible words brainstorm:

1. Filtering, Piercing, Connected ~ the sun flows everywhere 2. Solar, Woven 3. Peaceful, Harmonious, Welcoming

I am trying to think of a word that connects Heaven and Earth, that connects one person to another. There’s something about the universe or about community.

9/6 Okay, I think I’ve got it. Mix community and continuity/eternity (light) with transparency and vertical ascension, and I think you come to hope. So my collage word will be Hopeful. I did some online research for hope in architecture. There is a lot I don’t like. But these are interesting.

From Longwood Gardens in

Pennsylvania

The Shigeru Ban house without walls and the design for the Busan Opera House Lobby

Week 4, 9/7 Collage: Hopeful With this second opportunity for making a collage, I dove in. I ran with the mixture of pieces of photos for my first rendition. I tried to acknowledge the structural shape of the building and to capture the filtered light through a weaving effect. I departed from any realistic representation and I let the shapes dictate aspects of the composition. I spent a long time on it. And then I stepped back at the end and thought it didn’t look ‘hopeful’ at all.

1st and 2nd Hope Collages Another consideration was Jerry’s recommendation that we look at architectural collages online. I thought my initial attempt was a little off base. I lost entirely any sense of the building I was using. So I did 3 more collages which I treated less preciously. After a slow start I quickly churned them out which gave me a lot more to work with. This is evidence that it is useful to work in broader strokes when starting a project.

3rd Hope Collage 4th Hope Collage

9/10 Gesture Drawings We worked on more gesture drawings in class. We were working with the idea of wonder. The first two drawings you see were more 2 of my most successful. Something about the expansiveness, the ascension, and the amount of negative space proved evocative. The third drawing was after considering elements of the class’s drawings that were successful. The last picture is just a funny juxtaposition of a cat going where he oughtn’t. (The drawings are folded from biking home without an effective means of protecting them. Will photograph them before transport next time.)

Precedence Research After our class gesture drawings I decided to explore examples of faceted walls and walls with small windows. I was thinking about how repeating elements tracing outside of the boundaries create a feeling of wonder. Also, so many of the drawings had a central point from which other lines radiated. These are some of my favorite photos.

Clockwise from top left: Villa F Guest House, somebody’s pretty guesthouse, European Investment Bank in Luxembourg, and a rendering of Medinah station in Saudi Arabia.

This contemporary small house remodel reminded me how the element of time can be highlighted by a wall. So I started looking into old walls.

Cloisters, NYC

In the above image, I love the walkway tracing along this wall and disappearing in through the opening.

Metaphorical Position on the Wall of Wonder: Inspired by these images, I use the wall as a visual reminder of the passage of time. I do love how old things transport the imagination. What was the world like when this place was built?

Week 5, 9/15 Wall of Wonder Model, First Version

I decided to use small, fractured but repeating elements to suggest a path of expansion. The little square windows are tracing away from the window, away from the curved initiation of the wall on the left. The last window breaks away from the wall, puncturing the upper edge. I like the feeling of movement in something so stationary. The tall window suggests ascension, another visualized aspect of wonder. Using white paint brightened the chipboard. It also gave a sense of texture and direction.

The wall did not specifically include a place to sit or lie down, but the deep window sill offers an opportunity. Jerry suggested an ergonomic shape to the window to make it more inviting. Racquel suggested bringing blocks the shape and size of the little windows to act as steps up to the perch. Inspiring, right? I would like to play with the angle of the window sills and headers to get more sunlight into the space. I found the 1/4 scale to be a challenge. My initial design had a large arched window but I was frustrated by the execution and chose to simplify. I thought this was also a nice chance to try something apart from the curving lines I’m often drawn to. The Narrative, 1st pass The visitor approaches the wall. It is roughly textured but light in color­­creating a tension between strength and delicacy. A tall window is toward the left side of the wall. It is tall enough to offer passage through, but being 3 feet off the ground must be a window instead. As the visitor’s eye reads across the wall to the right, she sees three more windows. These are small and square. The third and final one lacks a header, instead opening as a perforation to the sky. The wall encourages the visitor to think about her place in time. It also welcomes her to spend some of her time here, relaxing, being in contemplative beauty.

9/17 Wall of Wonder, 2nd Iteration

For this model, I explored taller walls and bigger windows. If tall is good, is taller better? I think it ended up dwarfing the person, and the wall becomes a little intimidating. Then, if some paint texture good, is all paint texture better? Here the answer seems to be no. The shift in texture seems to invite possibility. Continuous texture answers all your questions which is less enticing. In this version I also angled the window headers up toward the sky to get the most light I could in such small openings. To adjust the shape of the larger window, I added a shade with a triangular opening. I do think that in conjunction with the pillows, it makes the window a more inviting perch.

From my instructor and fellow students I received the following feedback: let the texture change, maybe while reflecting the placement of the smaller windows. Can the smaller windows evolve from the bigger one until they trace their way out of the room? Can the small windows retain the more random placement from the first version? Can more blocks spill into the room, reflecting the curve of the wall and the slope of the windows? Can both wall ends curve in or is symmetry too predictable? I was thrilled to see all the different approaches that different designers brought to the class. I was blown away by some of the ideas and the evident effort. There are so many different ways it could go. Today in class we worked in small groups to discuss a model and to sketch as we came up with our impressions. I found this to be tricky ­­ talking with 2 others, while drawing on my own page. We played with ways the design could evolve even further, and then we would quietly draw by ourselves. This type of practice seems useful for design meetings. During a client presentation, feedback could be incorporated quickly, brainstorming could be pinned down, more ideas could be generated. Presenting our own project in 3rd person was another challenge. It formalized the style of speech. It focused the presentation on the model instead of the speaker. I can also imagine this style of speech coming into future presentations, meetings and seminars.

Week 6 9/22

We reviewed our expanding and evolving Walls of Wonder today. We tried our hands at sketching other students’ models and working in lines to depict and explain the architectural elements. These are my drawings of Marat’s interesting and intricate work.

Jerry took my model and showed several ways that it could be drawn and then rethought. (See his work in the image to the right.) The endless number of options is astounding. But it is nice to think that you can build something with the assurance that you have considered every angle (figuratively and literally).

I have been working with an evolving model. I have worked to retain successful elements. This means that every rendition I bring in is similar in a lot of ways the the previous one. When I hit a stumbling block­­like how will I put a ceiling overhead of a curving wall, I just have to make something work. I am taking it as a challenge. On the other hand, I have been very impressed at how Raquel and Deyuan have brought in different ideas every time they make something. I think there are advantages to both approaches­­coaxing, adjusting and problem solving on one side, and brainstorming and establishing a broader range of ideas on the other. To explore the evolution of the next phase, I created some rough paper models. This version is evocative of grace and peace, perfect for repose, and so I proceeded. This is where I introduced the repeating vertical windows. You can see I contemplated altering the sill height and shape, an idea I took on later when adding a partial second story.

3rd model of the Window Wall, now with a second wall, a floor, and a ceiling. The domed ceiling was challenging to render but offers gracefulness to the spacious room. Paint texture is used sparingly. A ramp is introduced as a means to approach the space. This space lacked a journey. Jerry asked me to introduce one in the next iteration.

Narrative, 2nd version: I used as a template the breakdown of Maya Lin’s design proposal for the Vietnam Memorial. 1. Describe what you feel are the most significant aspects and qualities of your selected site: The vertical windows on the left carry around and drift away on the right. The ceiling ascends in the corner of the room. The feeling is one of upward movement. The ascension also offers a path outside of the room. The texture of the walls reminds the visitor of time past, while the repeating windows and access to light represent possibility. 2. Describe what a first time visitor to your site will see and experience: A visitor will first notice the tall repeating windows and the light spilling in like steps across the floor. Following the windows windows from left to right culminates in a corner staircase that takes the visitor out of doors. Once through the last window, a path lets the visitor slowly down to the earth. 3. Describe what your project primarily represents: My design represents eternity. There is a contrast between the concrete, the temporal which inevitably disintegrates, and the mind boggling age of the planet and of the stars. The structure will last a very long time, but it’s nothing in the scheme of things. I take inspiration from the work of the Long Now Foundation.

“Civilization is revving itself into a pathologically short attention span. . . . Some sort of balancing corrective to the short­sightedness is needed­some mechanism or myth which encourages the long view and the taking of long­term responsibility, where 'long­term' is measured at least in centuries.” ­ Stewart Brand

4. Describe the details of what your audience will see and experience as they engage your work and relate these details to your metaphors: The staircase and the window sills bring to mind cloisters and churches, maybe even grand public libraries. They invite you to stop, to sit, to touch, to take a deep breath. Moments like this help us relate to the people that passed through before us and those that will follow. The arcing ceiling reaches its peak in the corner of the room. It is a truncated chapel roof. The rest is up to you. 5. Tell us how you are provoking your audience to wonder, question, and think in an intended direction of thought; for whom is your work intended?: This design is intended to create a sense of peace for each visitor while also enhancing a sense of expansiveness. The unexpected curve near the corner, the asymmetrical slope of the ceiling, the diminishing window size should all ask the visitor to investigate further, to recirculate and to understand the space anew. And yet many of the elements are familiar and inviting. 6. Tell us more about your work in terms of the physical aspects and qualities, its organization, and its relationships to significant existing conditions at your local site and beyond. The room is organized to act as an invitation. The repetition of the windows and of the railing outside lead you along. The corner staircase is a pinnacle of movement until reaching the threshold you can see that there is more. The setting would be most enhanced with lots of trees and greenery all around. This would increase the sense of the eternal and the instinct to seek repose.

9/24 We brought in rough, sketch­like models to quickly explore further evolutions of our walls. In hopes of creating a compelling journey, I experimented with a second story, with balconies and landing places, and with a strikingly vertical space with a spiral stair inside. Side by side, these two look like a California Mission. I was not excited with these versions but I thought they demonstrated possibilities regarding height, and stairs to other places. I retained these concepts in my next iteration. In class we discussed the generation of plans and elevation. Jerry encouraged us to use renderings to analyze and assess our plans and to develop them toward a more evocative expression of wonder. In architectural plans, perspective and a vanishing point is unnecessary. Things are rendered flatly, which I think helps with understanding actual measurements. From drawings, a designer can consider proportions, scale, elements, relationships, unity, balance, rhythm, shape, form, line, relationships. . . . The doors and windows and stairs are the elements of the design. The lines of logic are the grammatical rules. Jerry suggested we make rough models until we were inspired and then turn to drawings and overlays to explore the possibilities and the logistics.

Week 7 9/29 Our class was visited by admissions representatives from the Boston Architectural College. The school looks inspiring and prestigious. I loved imagining attending. They have a remote masters program, though it is intended for working designers. I have less experience than I think they expect. My current plan is to focus on developing my portfolio and my rendering skills at CCSF and see about doing architectural interiors here in the Bay Area. Evolution of rough models and creation of plans and elevations I took my models from the week before and combined them, incorporating the tower into the building to become a partial second story. I played with the placement of a balcony, an open staircase, an evolution of vertical window openings. There was still a California Mission feeling which was unintentional and therefore requiring further investigation/adjustments. I looked into this through my drawings. I ended up moving the staircase to the other wall and making the interior balcony smaller. I was able to picture these adjustments on the page.

I decided to take out the definitive tower of the rough model and make it more like a mountainous peak. That made it feel more natural, ethereal and less church like. I decided to reflect that angle in the roofline and the staircase too.

We made another iteration of the wall based on our rough models and plans. This is the evolution of my Towerless California Mission. The slope of the roof line became translucent panels­­facilitating the feel of elevation, while rendering the ceiling simpler. I incorporated the journey with the ramp up the entryway, the stairs to a second story platform, and egress to a balcony.

Wall of Wonder Narrative #3 & Meaning

Hannah Denmark October 2, 2015

Hiking up a trail in the early morning, I approach the building from the west. A yellow glow fills the sky. The silhouette of a structure emerges from the light. The building reveals itself to be taller than it is wide, with a form projecting out to the right. Coming closer, I can see the texture to the projection which turns out to be a railing on a 2nd story balcony. As the building comes into better view, I detect fenestrations along the visible wall. The first one is very small and merges into the left hand corner. The next is lower set but a little larger. And then further on there’s another. Before my eyes get to the right edge of the wall the windows have become tall enough to contain me, were I to pass through. A path leads to the right of the building and I take it. The southern wall has a door at the near corner. I see the ramp that will lead me to it, but it points away from me so I will have to walk the length of the building to reach it. Along the way, very tall vertical windows repeat, but step down in height. They mark time as I walk to the ramp. Through them I can see the skeletal form of a staircase. It steps down in the same direction and angle as the staircase. I step onto the ramp and start back toward the door. I can now see more clearly the stairs and their structure. I can also see those irregular windows of the western wall. At the doorway I have a full view of the room. The open staircase descends from over my head, down to my right. The light of the morning floods in from my right as I see the space is open on two sides. It seems to be an outdoor room, a protective covering. I could here seek respite from wind or rain. It is also a culmination of my hike in nature. As I step down three stairs to enter the room. I can drop my backpack on a platform to the left of the steps, so I do. If I want to sit and drink water or sketch in my notebook I will sit on a wider ledge that is to my right. But it isn’t time for that yet. I want to know where those stairs lead. (I actually know where they lead, but I want to experience it for myself!)

The base of the stairs is all the way to the right and I head that way. The staircase seems to float next to the vertical repeating windows. With no railings on either side, I am intentional about the placement of my feet and aware of my balance. I don’t want to tip either way by accident. With this heightened awareness of my body, I ascend. To my left, the increasing window height acknowledges my movement. Ahead I can see through the stair treads to segments of those western wall windows. They move and shift with each step that I take. When my eyes reach the landing at the top of the stairs, my view of the ground floor is masked but I can see now an open door onto a balcony. Here it is! The pinnacle of my journey. I step out into the breeze and the fresh air. The sun still rises at my back. It is peaking up over the horizon and it bathes everything before me in a rosy, glorious glow. I breathe. I close my eyes and feel the wind moving across me. I feel a sense of boundlessness. I feel a deep rooted and powerful respect for the Earth. I am powerfully grateful for this reminder of my little place in it all. On Meaning This design is intended to create a sense of peace for each visitor while also enhancing a sense of expansiveness. The room is organized to act as an invitation. The repetition of the windows leads you along. The larger staircase takes you to the pinnacle of movement rewarding you with balcony and a view. It is a peaceful place above it all. The setting would be most enhanced with lots of trees and greenery all around, perhaps on a mountainside. This would increase the sense of the eternal and the instinct to seek repose. My design represents eternity. There is a contrast between the concrete, the temporal, which inevitably disintegrates; and the mind boggling age of the planet and of the stars. The structure will last a very long time, but it’s nothing in the scheme of things. I take inspiration from the work of the Long Now Foundation.

“Civilization is revving itself into a pathologically short attention span. . . . Some sort of balancing corrective to the short­sightedness is needed­some mechanism or myth which encourages the long view and the taking of long­term responsibility, where 'long­term' is measured at least in centuries.” ­­ Stewart Brand

approach under a flying balcony, walk a path flanked by windows, notice window heights are irregular, a ramp skims the wall

enter the room under stairs, the room has high windows too, the stairs are open and sunny, the path upstairs is clear

windows flow off the edge, and the visit ends with breeze and a view.

10/6 The storyboard above is created from images I found online. I had started this process for our assignment but then abandoned it. After seeing Jessica’s storyboard using researched images, I decided it was a process worth completing. Here is a link to the other storyboard I created (represented loosely in slides) utilizing photographs of my model. Taking pictures directly from my work made a clear representation of a visitor’s experience.

Week 8 10/6 Wall of Wonder Model Today we discussed a 4th version of our walls. Our narratives are consciously intertwined with these structures. I spoke to the class about the peace, ascension, and connection to people through time that I was trying to achieve through my model. Classmates liked the railings on the ramp, the windows that perforate the edge of the western wall, and the varying viewpoints into the space offered by the different types of windows. Suggestions I took away from today include a wider balcony that better echoes the other diagonal lines in the walls, more consistency in the lintels under the eaves so that there was a connection between windows on adjacent walls. Jerry suggested carrying the roof line out farther over the balcony to encourage the gaze on its upward path. Also could the far eastern corner extend out further from the space? I feel like that’s getting pretty space age for me but I will at least tape an extension to my current version to check it out. Also the balcony support could offer another opening through which one could glimpse and move toward the ramp.

10/8 Complementing Piece Inspired by Ben’s work with an additional wall piece, we brought in an additional structure meant to enhance the experience of the design. I settled on a large archway that would look like it was a remnant from another building.

Sometimes a man made structure enhances the beauty of nature. The Golden Gate Bridge is a prime example. The bridge defines the path into the bay, pulls the two coastlines into a relationship, and gives us a graceful definition to the sky above and the water below. In my model, the apparently old archway was meant to heighten the wildness of the (admittedly imaginary) surrounding forest. I thought it was out of scale. Jerry asked that I examine how the pieces of the archway resonate with the pieces of the existing room. Also, if I introduce a path, it is essential that I consider the pathway it leads you on. Using it as a sculptural point of interest does not justify its symbolic and functional pull.

10/13 Final Wall of Wonder For this rendition of the wall I wanted to revisit the complimentary piece. I decided to keep my the basic shape of my existing wall the same. I improved the structure of the balcony by supporting it with a wall panel with repeating windows. I gave up the incline to the balcony but instead repeated the expanding footprint of the ramp. The complimentary piece from the week before had not been particularly successful. I decided to repeat (with alterations) the new wall panel under the balcony with doorways through each one, creating aligned slivers of a tunnel. I sketched it out, considered the relationship of the different elements, and played with floor plan and rise and came up with a rendition that I found harmonious. But once I built it, I worried that these pieces were too much of a departure from the existing space. They also placed a lot of emphasis on the balcony side­­and I thought, it was lopsided. It was becoming very detailed and busy. The balcony lost its status as something special, alone and beautiful.

So next I made a long wall with one doorway and one small window. I ran it as an extension from the curved portion of the wall. Not bad, but not great. It created a directionality away from the original window wall, and I knew from my introduction of an archway the week before that I needed to have a good reason for that direction. I was having trouble thinking of something new. Simplicity has been one of my goals in this project and everything I did changed the orientation, the experience, the hierarchy. I went after a 4th wall. I thought about the wall sections that we played with at the beginning. Could the new wall enhance the directionality of the journey up to the balcony? I angled the lower half of the wall into the space. I mirrored the gentle angles of the ramp and balcony. I wanted to repeat windows from the existing experience but not exactly. I chose the opposing wall’s tall vertical windows, but I made two more and then set them behind a translucent screen. I liked how together with the other wall pieces it created a cube, but it also left behind dynamic cutouts. I think they enhanced the sense of wonder by letting light through new, seemingly sky­high shapes. And yet the regularity of the cube left things peaceful. It answered back the suggestions of the opposing wall. (Though Jerry aptly noted, “That one is undermined by craft issues!” It’s good to have a sense of humor too.)

I presented all four versions of the complimentary walls to my class mates. Jerry and fellow classmate Ben began picking up the pieces and arranging them together. The repeating doorways came off from the curved wall, finishing with the the original larger archway. The long wall with a door skimmed away from the perforated wall. The tall translucent wall stood where I originally imagined it. Jerry liked the overall effect and pointed out there was a new courtyard that had been created and required further exploration. Moving away from simplicity altogether, the four new elements expanded into the surrounding space, creating a combination of spaces with even more possibilities. Across the table, Towers had combined his two stand alone pieces making a striking combination of curving waves and a expanding rectangles. It was lovely to look upon. The potential never ends. Playfulness seems to be a key element of innovation.

These are the parts diagrams for the model with one of the complimentary walls. We did not present these in class. Not sure whether I’ve got it right.

10/18, Precedence Research for Final Project of a Full Scale, Outdoor Construction I am looking for inspiration for a jumping off point. This elegant folding creates structural interest with integrity.

Visual segmentation creates a reassuring pace.

Fabric and tension creates a structure with lightness, while Calatrava’s architecture (the lower 3 images) combines senses of soaring and delicacy. It is graceful and heightened.

Shigeru Ban’s work is unexpected but still graceful and serene. I like the curving shapes and how he reveals the structural components.

10/21 I am having a lot of difficulty picking a direction for this next model. I am making quick mock up models to generate ideas. I don’t love any of them which is frustrating. I need to pick some point of inspiration, and find a design integrity. Here are some of my attempts.

I liked the wall on the right there that had open, semi circular column. I felt okay about the 2 posts with diagonal lines running down. I could not think where to go, and how to make a unique design feel cohesive if I kept sprawling. I went back to my precedence research and remembered that I liked the exposure of structural pieces. I mentioned my frustration to my family at breakfast.

My husband said: “Try to make something current. Think of small houses or maybe an airstream camper.”

My daughter said: “Make a garden! Have a big tree with a swing hanging down!”

Their breakfast brainstorm gave me something to hold onto. I thought these ideas related to the last 2 images in my research. I like the curved walls that give a camper feel. I won’t have a tree unless there is one on my eventual building site. But I can use beams to be trees, and a swing makes a lot of sense it what will be an outdoor sculptural experience. I am letting go of soaring awnings. I need to begin somewhere concrete.

3/22 Final Project, 1st Iteration I am really excited about this design. It is actually buildable. My husband is a furniture maker and I understand the difficulties with making pieces stick together. I did some problem solving along the way and ended up with a result that is beautiful and feasible. The horizontal and vertical lines cross each other only visually as they are on opposite sides of the piece. The wood could be easily sourced and the construction itself would be relatively straightforward apart from the semi circle pieces and any irregular ground surface. The shortcoming for this assignment is that the model does not push into any new areas of folding, tension or tessellation. I struggled with these elements and decided to use segmentation and curvature instead. I thought including a moving piece (the swing) heightened the experiential quality of the design.

First Iteration, Final Project

On presentation: I brought in my model of the swing in the half dome. The beams and posts extending from it made an interesting lattice work. I incorporated movement, and a final destination for a little journey. These elements were successful. However before I shared my work, I saw my classmates’ models with the fuller realizations of concepts like folding and tessellation. They were often less structurally complete than what I brought in. Okay, so you have folded a piece of paper. It is pretty, but what is it? When I spoke of my model, I did it with the air of apology for not accomplishing an exploration of these more abstract design concepts. And so Jerry went along with me there, seeming a little disappointed in my result. While I received feedback, Ben picked up my model, caused the swing to move, and whispered to me “I want to sit in there”. Actually I agree with him! Think how lovely that space would be in a garden with sunlight spilling in and with the wooden slats providing a framework for the beautiful, wild greenery beyond. It’s not that I am beyond critique here. The problem is that I help critique myself and I don’t end up giving my work the fair shot. This would be a terrible approach in a presentation. I need to present my work with confidence. Then I can receive criticism with grace. (In this photo of singer Jason Mraz’s wedding. I love the simple effect of framing nature.)

Final Project, 2nd iteration Trying to move away from the readily recognizable, I pictured the work of Calatrava and of Jansen. I was interested in light forms strung across graceful framework. I thought too of Christo’s Gates from Central Park. Positive points were my success in moving away from the predictable/readily recognizable, into the more abstract. Could there be more than one line of ‘sails’? Could they articulate and make the invisible (wind) visible?

Final Project, Iteration #3 Successful elements in this rendition include the angular tubes near and around the swing alcove. I also introduced an element of sound with the bells. The sound would carry to the swing via the angled tubes. The bells would be activated by another person climbing to reach the pulley­­incorporating cooperation into the transition.

Final Project, Iteration 4 For the sake of moving forward, I committed to a site: the steep incline on the eastern side of “the country”. I created three rows of sails. I articulated the bases so that the posts could swing back and forth. The height of the base serves to stop the swing of the post so that it would not tip too low. I planned to put my swing alcove at the top of the ascent. It would require revisiting proportions. I had filled up the whole hillside with flags.

What is the symbolic meaning of the journey through the flags? I hit on the notion of a whisper or a secret. Breeze would filter through subtlely. What would it say if it was louder? It was an exciting development of an idea. Jerry told me about a movie called In the Mood for Love. The protagonist whispers secrets into a hole in a tree.

In my design, the three lines of flags needed to indicate a specific choice of path and a destination. I thought of having small boxes for leaving secrets inside. At the beginning of the path we will see small, secure boxes. We can write our secrets and regrets on notepaper provided. The boxes will look impenetrable. At the top of the path one of the rows of sails will wrap around a destination node with boxes for hopes and prayers for others. Quite a lovely journey. I am getting attached to my plan and I hope we can build it!

This walking sculpture by Theo Jansen is a beautiful example of heightening the experience of the wind and the sun.

Iteration #5 I used the three lines of sails to create one definitive path. I allowed more fabric to billow. The path has wider nodes for pausing in the journey. Small boxes at the start and end of the pathway are painted in cool and warm colors, for regrets and hopes respectively.

Awakened by a midnight downpour, I wondered how we would build in the rain. Here is Iteration #6.

This version extends across the balcony outside of our class. A journey is introduced with an articulated path. Boxes and windows represent repositories for regrets and hopes. I did not have the opportunity to show this version to the class.

11/3 Final Project Team Selection This was an interesting process. Without a system beyond putting the two vehicles (mine and Murat’s) on different teams, the pieces fell out by a voluntarily. With Ben and Murat on one team, the more vocal/active classmates quickly signed up. The remaining unassigned folks became ‘Team 1’ with Towers and myself, including the student who was absent that day. An interesting effect of this process is that my team is a lot quieter. The ideas are there but nobody is demanding attention. This is nice in that we won’t be stepping on one another’s ideas. But I want to be sure that ideas are indeed generated. I think this will be a nice group to work with and I look forward to expanding our ideas and building something together.

We came up with a preliminary site proposal. Quince provided sketches of the site and I wrote up descriptions of possibilities.

11/5 Safety Videos I’m glad to have seen these. Below I have included major points from the videos we saw in class. Power Tool Safety

1. Keep work area safe: well lit, clean, without distractions. Don’t work around vapors or in wet conditions.

2. Stay in control. Don’t lurch or jump. No pets or kids. 3. Always use appropriate outlets and extension cords for your tools. 4. Avoid accidents by using common sense. Pay attention. Think it through. 5. Wear eye protection and hearing protection. No loose clothing, jewelry, hair. Wear sturdy shoes. 6. Check that tools are in good shape: sharp blades, functional guards. 7. Be balanced and steady before making cuts. Do not overreach. 8. Match the tool to the job. Let the tool do the work. Don’t force it. 9. Unplug the tool before changing the blade or making other adjustments. 10. Store tools properly when done.

Circular Saw Safety Video

1. Get rid of clutter. No distractions. 2. Keep workspace dry. 3. Never operate when tired or under the influence of alcohol or medication. 4. Wear protective eye wear with Anzi rating. 5. Check the saws parts are working properly. 6. The cord should have a clear path­­not snagging or tripping. Unplug it before adjusting the saw. 7. The blade should not extend too far past the width of the wood ­­ about one tooth’s length. 8. Never clamp a circular saw to turn it into a table saw.

9. Never hold a piece of cutting wood in your hand or on your lap. 10. Secure your wood piece to something stable. 11. Examine the wood and avoid knots. 12. Stand the side of the saw, not directly behind it. 13. Always have two hands on the saw. 14. Let the blade stop before putting it down. It will run across surfaces. 15. For a pocket cut, put the nose of support down on the wood. Then start the saw and slowly

lower it. You will be holding back the guard but let it fall as soon as the blade pierces the wood and put that hand back in a stabilizing point on the saw.

Mitre Saw Safety

1. Mitre saws are for wood. They can be used on non­ferrous metals like aluminum, with the proper blade.

2. Keep hands away from side of blade. 3. Your free hand can support the work, but stabilize it against the table. 4. Large pieces that extend beyond the table should be supported, but not by a person. 5. Clamp down small pieces. 6. Keep your hands out of the path of the blade. You don’t want it in the way when the blade lowers. 7. Never cross your hand in front of you to hold the wood. 8. Turn on saw and wait for full speed before making cut. Wait till it stops spinning to release. 9. No free hand cutting. 10. If the saw jams, wait for the blade to stop. Then unplug the saw and free the wood.

After class today, my group was able to work on a model together. We weren’t hooking into anything interesting. It was all so vague. I took Quince’s starburst shape (left) and built it with walls (right). Towers added the starburst of beams, a quick visualization of tubing that would catch the sound of wind. It was really fun and interesting, but also elegant. We are all going to look into exploring this model. We want the 3 walled off rays of the starburst to highlight experiences of light, color and sound. We will have the unexpected, we will have diverse experiences. We need to develop the paths in the design as well.

We will each create our own model this weekend, and reconvene on Monday to make a 9th iteration.

9th Iteration I took the partial spiral with walls and developed it further. I created an incline, and walls of increasing length. This developed a sense of expansion. I incorporated mirrors in the smallest section to capture light, I played with fabric and bits of colored paper hanging from thread in the second section. The largest section has some tubes for catching wind sounds. I imitated Towers’s path style, and placed a platform for sitting or standing on. We all brought in different stuff. Ryean had platforms between trees, Quince’s spiral became square (seen right).

We came in and worked together on Monday (without Jie who has classes). We built a mock up hillside. We struggled and worked and came up with this version. I added the sails that night to enhance the journey. We made a spiral hut with colorful walls, a pathway with ascending slabs, a maze of curtains that we hoped would generate a feeling of walking through clotheslines draped with sunny fabric. It combined many of our efforts, but it ended up confused and uninspired. Tuesday Jerry looked at our assembled models and his eyes went to my ascending spiral, and to Quince’s square version. He liked the architectural integrity. So we went back to that. We decided to focus only on experiences of sound, letting go of color and light. The platform began to reveal itself to be a shell. Later we saw it could also represent an ear. So we have our team name: Hear and Now.

We then tackled our what might be our 10th version, in 1/2” scale. Sound reigns supreme in a guitar chamber, a xylophone experience, and a wind catcher. We used this model to find measurements which Quince is clarifying with the help of sketch up. What a great tool! The measurements were not precise from the model alone. The scale is small enough that cutting things off by 1/8” makes quite a difference. Quince’s drawings will act as precise plans. I am very excited about it.

We’ve had to brainstorm some building techniques. How you you float those long, extended ridge beams? How do you support the plywood ceiling while it hangs with heavy conduit pipes? Jerry offered to draw out some options. He quite simply imagined and drew some physical solutions.

11/17 We removed a lot of nails from some reclaimed (read: “free”) 2x6s today. It was fun to get down to

it. We felt sheepish about the noise only for about five minutes. Jie, Towers, Quince and I got better at nail removal along the way. Some bent nails could not be extracted. We’ll just have to pay attention as we use the planks. These will be underneath the platform we are building to create a flat floor and anchor of our walled structure. Thor (my husband) and I were brainstorming on platform plans. The shape is a little off here. We don’t have Towers’s help all weekend due to his work schedule. Quince might be able to help. I haven’t heard back from Jie. Thor is willing to pitch in. I haven’t heard on Ryean’s schedule. Maybe we’ll work it out at class tomorrow.

11/18, Team Update The group works together well. People seem to respect each other. People are willing to fill in with different types of tasks. I nominated Ryean to create our presentation visuals. She has a way with computers, and I think she’s got a bit of a vision already. She wants to make a presentation board, not a slide show. Towers and I have really been fulfilling our roles as Project Manager and Design Director. We worked together both Mondays and are doing extra research into supplies. Quince is a sketchup master and looked into guitar making for us­­a great resource. Jie is reliable and a willing helper. Our schedules could line up better. We’ll need to take full advantage of our scheduled class times. We don’t have Jie Mondays, we don’t have Towers all weekend. I am starting to lose some sleep over construction thoughts and I dream about it too. I just have to remind myself that anxiety and excitement have the same physiological manifestations. I’m not scared! I’m thrilled!

11/19 The Marvelous Minivan Carries 4x8 Sheets of Ply!

11/22 Towers was able to cut all the joists with Jie. Thor (my husband) came over the weekend to help us install the platform. It was a big relief to to have his expertise at hand. He has heretofore built decks. I had been awake at night worrying about building a sound structure on uneven terrain. With his help, we got everything done in probably 1/4 the time it would have taken us. Ryean, Quince and I all learned a lot about tool use and wood joints during the process. Thor’s tool collection was also invaluable. Quince discovered that she loves belt sanders. Postscript: This platform enables us to approach the complicated angles of our walls on a level playing field, so to speak. We understand that Andrew (Department Head and instructor of Arch 102) has questioned our rather un­inventive design approach to building on a hillside. I’ll certainly incorporate this feedback on future designs. Meanwhile, community members have stopped to tell us how much they like the platform and to request that we leave it up when our project is complete.

11/24 Yesterday Towers and I met to buy our 2x4s. Quince was supposed to be there with her Sketch Up Kit of Parts, but she did not come and we had to sort out our measurements and numbers on the spot. Quince has difficulty waking up and it is a challenge on occasion when we are counting on her. Towers and I did okay with our remembering our plan and getting a proper count of various lengths of 2x4s. We built two wall frames that afternoon. Our first wall was too wide initially and we had to do it again. We also figured out that we could make all of our walls shorter in general ­­ the tallest will reach 8 feet, not 10. Standing on the platform we discovered it would feel tall and expansive. It didn’t have to be massive. I made a silly measuring mistake on our second wall by not considering the header in my total. We were freezing cold. So we called it quits a little early. The Tuesday rain let up and after class we finished the third and fourth wall frames. We stood them up on the platform. It was really fun when other classmates came up and admired it as much as we did. I loved seeing the experience of our creation on other people’s faces. What a wonderful reward. A team from the other class asked if we were logging hours. They had noticed a discrepancy about who was showing up. I am operating on the assumption that we are all doing as much

as we individually can. It might be my fatal flaw: believing the best of everyone, but it has been going okay. I happen have a car big enough to transport supplies, so I am the one to do Lowes returns. Towers had access to a catering truck but it was stolen. It’s the way it goes. In class today I wanted to get a good count of how much plywood we needed. I forgot to count the front wall of our ‘guitar’ chamber. It would have been helpful to have a second pair of eyes from someone else in the group but when I asked for their confirmation, nobody stepped up. We’ve had people miss appointments once or twice. It can feel like a drag. For the most part we get along and we enjoy each other. So I think it will continue going fine.

11/27 Thor and I came to campus the day after Thanksgiving to put up the walls. The rest of my team could not be there Thanksgiving weekend. I believe dialing in the sound experiences will take a long time and that we need to get the walls up. If we wait to do it all in the last week we will not be able to complete it. Thor and I finished 2 panels before it got dark. We bolted the frames into the platform. It seemed solid and we think it can withstand the winds. We had to make some poorly cut angles fit. Geometry folks: it is important.

11/29 Thor and I came back to finish the wall panels. The thin plywood I found at Lowe’s needs to be supported. Here we are looking at the way we can lay it across the roof of the guitar design.

12/1 We worked from 9:00 to about 4:00 in various numbers as class schedules allowed. I sent this email to my team to make sure our remaining work days would be fully utilized.

Hi folks. Good work today. Who's exhausted? (Please read to the bottom where I have some schedule suggestions. Please let me know if you can make these times. I can't work alone, none of us should. Jie if there are days you can pitch in, please let us know.) TODAY We finished tightening down the platform and wall panels. We cut and built the roof of the guitar chamber. We cut and installed some cross beams. We measured for conduit chimes. Did that really take 7 hours??? All these steps take longer than we think. What's next:

Chamber 1: planning and building the front of the guitar; attaching it to the chamber Chamber 2: rigging and hanging conduit chimes (I'll cut them at home) Chamber 3: planning, cutting and hanging pvc pipe; hanging/trimming the curtain (this crossbar

still needs cantilever braces­­we had to call it quits when I started dropping tools on Towers's feet)

Still to consider: a defined entrance and a place to reflect/repose. Presentation

Wednesday: Quince and anyone else who's free, can you meet me at 11:00 tomorrow to finish 2 cantilever supports, and possibly trim the curtain? Everybody please send important project photos or any written support to Ryean Thursday: We have to give our preliminary presentation Let's also use this rainy day to plan out the guitar front and conduit hanging methods Drive to Lowes for final shopping trip Friday: Hannah and Ryean (and anyone else!) work on hanging conduit Sat and Sun: TBD I am only free in the mornings, we have Ryean on Saturday and Quince on Sunday ­­ but I think the guitar needs to get started. Monday: Mount the PVC and make the guitar Please confirm that you got this and whether or not the schedule works for you. Thanks, Hannah

At this point I am getting tired. I feel the weight of this project on my shoulders. I realize that I am willing to do much of the work and that my team will take me up on it. Everybody is busy with jobs and classes. I don’t have a job beside feeding my family, transporting children, and taking care of house and supplies for a family of five. This is flexible work. I work on the project after tucking my kids into bed. I have difficulty getting class work done while they’re here and awake. I could possibly structure that better. At home, Thor and I drilled holes in conduit and cut lengths that I had measured with Tower’s help. I also sewed curtains to the lengths I measured with Quince’s help. I see that other teams are having difficulty getting things done. I know every team needs a good leader or two. From what I hear, Team 2 in our class has strong opinions that stymie them here and there along the way. The team from Monday/Wednesday with the flags only ever has one guy on campus and he’s moving slowly. I can be grateful that my team more or less shows up. Jie only comes in on Tuesdays and Thursdays and he has never sent us any communication, but he isn’t fighting against our progress and that’s positive. I think in a group with more experience, I would be a follower instead of a leader. Anyway, it is getting done and I am proud of that.

Here is our building in the rain. The plywood isn’t holding up particularly well. If it was a permanent structure, I imagine I would replace some of the less sturdy materials.

12/4 I put up the curtains today to check for fit. This one was not long enough so I used the tape to mark what was still needed. I was using fabric I had on hand (further helping our budget). The way I am piecing them together will be lovely. I just adore simple, clean, natural fabrics. I can imagine going into this line of work and being very happy with it.

I liked this view from up on the ladder. We don’t have climbing element in our design, but what a good idea that could have been.

Google Photos generated this image from one of my photos. I don’t know how the app decides which photos are charming enough to ‘enhance’. However I am flattered that this image is digitally worthy. I brought my kids back that afternoon. They were charmed by the chimes, realizing the experience of our design. They also rode their sled (homemade for this site) down the dramatic hillside.

12/7 I brought back the curtains. The length is good so I clamped them in place and stapled them to our cross beam. This is a Monday and we were all able to pitch in, except for Jie who we have with us only on class days. I used a jigsaw, a drill and a belt sander to make this mallet. Wood creates the nicest sound when striking the conduit chimes. This mallet invites new visitors to play. I used remnants of the curtain fabric to braid a strap for hanging. The wood is the same as the furring strips that we used for various cross beams. It was left behind from previous projects and was free. By hanging it here, the mallet serves the dual purpose of a visual warning. The beam is low and has knocked some of us in the head as we look down at the narrow pathway at the edge of the platform.

The others left at noon and Quince and I stayed on to finish the guitar. I was grateful to Quince for researching guitars and learning how to make one with hardware components. I was happy that Towers picked up some guitar strings. I was disappointed no one thought to buy the necessary hardware. Luckily I was able to do so that day. I was also relieved that Quince wanted to stay on to finish up the guitar and possibly our entry stair and seat for repose. My energy is rather thin and her positivity was a boon to us. Here Quince is tuning. Our design does not incorporate a fret board which would have been difficult to use. Nevertheless, the sound is lovely. I am really proud of us for pulling this off. I suggested we remove the PVC communication tube from our tallest chamber. I started to feel like it wouldn’t happen if I didn’t do it. I had asked Towers to design the pathway of the tubing so we could get a count of how many joints we needed to buy. He never did so, I think because he was disappointed we weren’t going to have a chamber completely full of pipes. It would have looked wonderful but it would have been very expensive and used a lot of materials.

12/8 The Hear and Now team: what a good looking bunch! This bench came into existence today. Quince and Towers set about designing it. I stayed inside to work with Ryean on our slide show. I think their results are wonderful. They used trimmings from the platform wood so the shape is repeated. Meanwhile they have slid it off the edge, using longer legs to support it off the back of the platform. This seat along with the ascending wall height move your eyes to the distant San Francisco hills. We have our directed view. Yay team. There was a remaining question with what to do with the now empty, curtained chamber. It could be a spot for peaceful reflection, and an appreciation for the power of wind. Quince suggested using mirrors here. We were all excited about this option. Reflection becomes something visual, not just mental. And what a surprise to walk through curtains and face yourself. Quince and I will come in tomorrow to install mirrors we already have at home. Jessica stopped by our installation to tell us how magical and eerie it is at night. The streetlamp shines on it. The chimes are discordant. The curtains are ghostly.

The courtyard team asked for help cleaning their site. I helped and so did Jie with some direction. I thought it was the right thing to do. We did a practice presentation today. I was frustrated by the absence of my teammates model images, and the utter lack of preparation. I had asked repeatedly for images and for people to decide what they wanted to present. When we were in front of our class and our teacher, and I looked around at the blank, unprepared faces of my teammates, I had a bit of a breakdown. I had not realized how tired I was and how much of myself I have invested in this project. I realized my limits. I did not help with the bench building that day. It was wonderful to see how some folks were able to use my tools and get some stuff done without me. Maybe the lesson for me is to do less. I struggle with that a lot.

12/9 It is the final day before our presentation. Quince and I met to hang mirrors in the last chamber, her brand new idea. We brought mirrors from home, not wanting to increase our budget any more. The smaller mirrors were useful to hide some of the blocks we had put in to correct our buckling seams of plywood. The effect of the mirrors with the sun and the wind is truly refreshing. This chamber is now about light and air. (We could have used the help of a taller person in these last minute adjustments. The mirrors are just the right size for us, but not as it turns out, for Jerry, Towers, or our jury architect!)

12/10 The Final Presentation Our class projects were reviewed by George Lin, an architect with Studios Architecture. We shared our slide show. Jerry recommended a length of 15 minutes, but we spent longer talking about our project, as did Team 2. George was very excited about some of our individual models. He was drawn to my Whisper/Secret model. He said that a lot of good architects will take ideas from early in their education or career and continue to work on them and develop them. He said he would like to see some of our ideas developed further. It was very encouraging. George wanted to see more images of our completed construction in the presentation. We would describe elements of our design and he would lean back in his chair in an attempt to decipher the details through the window and up the hill. I had not been certain if the visual experience should be revealed in the slideshow or saved for the walk through. I now see that to help a design translate in a presentation, photographs are very helpful. George also wondered how our project related to the site. Could we, he asked, move it over ten feet? Yes, we admitted you could. The design was inspired by the site but not dependent upon it. This circles back to Andrew’s earlier criticism of our platform.

When we looked at the construction, George asked us how he should walk through the space. This was another oversight in our presentation. I thought he would want to visit the built design without any instruction, so I didn’t have any prepared. As an addendum to this request, he said he would have liked to see each separate experience developed further with layers, so that you could hang out in that spot for longer. On the bright side, he said that he wanted more because he enjoyed it. As for our last chamber with the last minute mirrors, he wondered could the whole space be lined or walled with fabric, with only one mirror inside? More like a shroud. I think that is a brilliant idea. The last minute mirror addition points to other possibilities. George said he liked our platform. He told me about a modular platform he had designed. George Lin finished with an exhortation to document our work. He said some great architects rose to fame because a good photographer was interested in their creations. He said the lifespan of a building these days is often a mere 20 years. Photography will help preserve design ideas for longer, and will help a designer reach a broader audience.

Final Thoughts I had no idea what I was getting into with this class. There was a lot of work that needed to turn around quickly. I saw the importance of research. I enjoyed the critiques by Jerry and my classmates. I loved looking at other designs and discovering their wonderful successes and learning from their shortcomings. I was flabbergasted by the sheer number of options in design. Every fork in the road is followed by 20 more. The work expected sometimes exceeded my skill set. I took the advice from a book about imrov: just start somewhere. I asked questions, asked for help, asked more of myself. As a result, I have done more and learned more that I realized I could in a couple of short months. Strengths

knowledge of the physical body and of movement through space my appreciation of visual unity or cacophony my years of experience wondering why a design works and why it fails my attention to graceful lines and beautiful materials my ability to communicate verbally and in writing

Weaknesses

ease with designing abstract forms graphic rendering tools managing my attachment to a project when the stakes are high

Moving forward, I wonder if I could have managed the design and building time for our final project any differently. I think we succeeded when we pushed ourselves to come up with a final design and when we marked a moment as the shift into building the real thing. We had only 3 weeks left and we needed

them all. As we built, we noticed that a number of ideas were not fully developed or needed adjusted on the spot. I spoke with Jerry a couple of times about understanding what is left to the contractor to figure out. The architect should design with an eye toward a successful building completion. My commitment and work ethic paid off. I am a little sad to tear down our final project construction tomorrow, but the experience will live with me. I know I can do it again, and do a better job of it at that. Thanks, Jerry for pushing us more than we thought possible.

(Nadine feels the music.)