Final Learning Portfolio Berina Sehovic

Instructor: Jerry Lum Studio 101/ARCH 21

The objective of our group project was to work together in building a life size model that responds uniquely to the context of the site, reflects narratives of the human condition, supports accidental encounters and provokes others to appreciate everyday aspects of place that are typically ignored. Our plan was to build a model that implies experimental nodal environment in that it would be mysterious and magical, tantalizing and threatening, and a place to enjoy framed view that makes the mundane precious and sacred. To achieve this, we met every weekend aside from school time, invested a considerable amount of money, organized a Google Group for the five of us to make the communication and usage of our tools easier, delegated members different tasks and made sure we overlooked our differences and worked well together.

Objective

Site Location and Framed View First we wanted to build a structure, that would take in consideration all elements surrounding it; the wind, adjacent hill and the trees. We also wanted

To create a unique narrative to our model, one that reflects on our past as student and future as educated adults. Adjacent hill was framed due to its incline, and due to its representation of ups and downs, which we felt resembled

Our struggle in life as we faced obstacles, choices and decisions. The structure would have a large entrance viewed from the top of the street, go through the trees, frame the view and have the opening for the exit to give way to other structures.

Inspiration: Tessellating and Sectioning

Research Period: While looking at architectural installations to determine in which direction of design we wanted

to go, we collectively decided that structures that incorporate tessellation and sectioning, skeleton and skin base, were

the most appealing to us. At this stage, we looked at a lot of inspirational pictures and took a long time to decide what was possible to build and what was not, since our task was to build our structure in the “country” site and that meant uneven terrain and more obstacles to encounter.

Iterations

First iteration responded to the wind With free rotating triangles, and Movable panels that would respond To the adjacent hill. Positive: Represented transformation, Dynamic walls and adjustable views With movable panes. Negative: Involved more ingenuity than Design. Difficult to execute.

Second iteration was designed to have the audience go through the site and pause to observe the trees

and the adjacent hill, while sitting on

the bench. Positive: displayed repetition and shapes that vary in size and proportion. Negative: Impassible to put that many stakes in the ground.

Developed Iterations

Design further developed as we were eliminating and improving our understanding of the models. Here, the model would have a large entrance, with squared panels that would act as small platforms, varying in height, giving the viewer both the experience and the view. Positive: All loved the idea of curtain shapes acting as platforms. Negative: Needed more of a frame and structure.

Final model would have the frame with angulated corner, that altered angles every 8”, giving it evolving frame. The panels would start on the top of the frame, going down the sides, separating from the frame and turning into walk able platforms, around the tree and out as a bench or disappearing in scale.

Building Process

Cleaned the site of mulch and marked for stakes to put in the ground. Stakes were put in the ground at 18” distance between them, totaled of 14 stakes. Angela ting frame is up, displaying evolution of our journey.

Building Process While looking at how to formulate the squared panels, we decided to go for the school benches for two reasons: 1. because we could cut the shapes into triangles and triangles would give us better curve around the tree, and 2. They would be completely reusable, giving our model deconstructive design intent.

The tessellation of the triangles around the side of the frame begins.

Triangles now touching the floor and acting as walk able platforms.

Separating from the frame all together to defy the rules of gravity, triangles begin to create an inviting space for a viewer to come into and look outward at the adjacent green hill.

Building Process

Triangles separating from the frame and forming a view.

After looping around the framed structure and the tree, the triangles start to become smaller and vanish.

Narrative

Although tantalizing and threatening, they defy gravity with a magical floating lightness. The frame and triangles have an inverse relationship, like a lung contracting and expanding the shifting structure has life breathed into it. As you walk through the model, you are faced by a choice of going around one or the other side of the tree. We embodied the tree, to make the explorer have a direct contact, notice the smell and the texture of eucalyptus Presence. The tertiary element noticed are the ropes that are crisscrossing each other acting as implied surface of the walls of the tunnel. The ropes are representative of decisions we make and how each decision we make effects those around us. As you pass the first tree, the triangular shapes detach from the frame, turn into the walkable pathway that leads into a separate space, framing the adjacent hill. From there the second tree pulls them into its orbit making the second tree more interesting to observe, and the triangles slowly reduce in size and disappear all together.

In our model you start a journey at top of the hill, along a path that gently defies itself with same wooden mulch as its surroundings. The first part of the journey is peaceful as you only see the organic, natural frame, where as you come closer, you start to see the secondary and tertiary elements being introduced. Curvaceous triangles pull you into the space of the tunnel with a powerful, flowing repetition. All points of the triangles point forward, representing constant progression of time and life.

Reflection

As we reflect on our hard work and well composed design, we learn from our panels of judges, that accidental meeting points of the design, can work in our favor. In fact, when we encounter them, we should pause and consciously decide, what and how to address them. For example, as we framed the tree, with the sectioning frame , the design could have been a bit more successful if we exaggerated the separation on the frames, giving the viewer noting of a tree presence. Also, to actually frame the view, instead of curved, gravity defining triangular shapes making a single row that the eye follows, why not take a way one peace of the puzzle, and precisely frame the adjacent hill. It would make the audience, come closer to the frame and peak through the now existing framed view. Overall, I am very proud of our design, and collaborative work. This semester served as a communal ground for many more encounters with our new, good friends and professors, in a professional world.