midterm portfolio

Learning Portfolio

Moises GarciaArch 101 Midterm

Fall 2013

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Ice Breaker

The first week of class we had to create our first iteration.

I did not understand the objective, so I just gathered 12 objects that related to

me in my everyday life. Little did I know, the first iteration would be base upon

my future work.


Iteration OneAs you can see my first iteration did not meet the requirements but the objects I chose did have a meaning to me personally, and can relate to other people too. That is the reason I chose these objects.

For my next iteration I chose carefully one object from this first iteration to continue my work


Week Two

The second week was to continue and create a new iteration, but still relate

the new iteration to the first. Based on the first critique in class on the first

iteration I had a better understanding on how to make my work stand out

and capture peoples attention. I put in more thought into my second

iteration, but had to lose the relation between the first iteration.


Iteration 2For my second iteration I developed more of a thoughtful design. I did a more organized iteration where the lowest cylinder escalates upwards in a circular form. I colored in the tallest cylinder black to make it stand out and capture the viewers attention to my iteration. I was hoping to have the viewers wonder why is it colored in black. The only relation I had from my first iteration was the cylinder shape paper.


Iteration 2Here my iteration is more organized and simple. It is way different than my first iteration. In which I learned how randomness does not make the viewers focus on any parts of my work. Unlike here they can focus more on my iteration because of the organization and simplicity. It also has repetition on use of cylinders and rhythm by the cylinders scaling upwards.


Plans & Elevation

Iteration 1 Iteration 2


- The Plans and Elevations assignment I drew six views for both my iterations.- Viewing my iteration in different angles I saw how disorganized my first iteration was and how more difficult it was to draw. I also notice how there was no meaning to it, structural wise - My second iteration was much easier to draw and I observed how my iteration looks in different angles.- Viewing my second iteration in different angles made me realize how simple it was, and did not stand out from other students iteration- During the critique of my drawings I found out how I needed to be precise with measurements and not only draw my iteration.

Outcome of Plans and Elevations drawings


Kits of Parts

Developing the Kit of Parts I saw how I can create something new, I had more options to do so. Here I was more precise with my measurements and more cleaner with my drawings. I used a ruler this time, instead of free hand drawing it. From the Kit of Parts I created my third iteration.


Iteration 3

For my third iteration I used my Kit of Parts to create and develop a structure and a narrative. I wanted to emphasize on how strong my design was and the long cylinder to represent a bridge that connects the two pier like structure. Overall, my third iteration was mostly about unity. Unity, because it is a big part of my narrative. Here my iteration is way different from my last two iterations because I had an opportunity to change everything.


Iteration 4


Narrative

I want viewers to see how there are four posts in both my last iteration’s representing four of my family members. I chose to have my family in my narrative because at one point in my life I was in a car accident. While at the hospital my family was really depressed and sad about what happened to me. In my third iteration I have a cylinder going across from one pier to the taller pier meaning no matter if in my hard situations or best my family stays united with me. The four post on both my third Iteration and fourth represents how strong is the support in the design and in my life. How strong my Dad, Mom, Brother and I are. Strong as a family and we can face any rough times we may have together, but not fall apart. In my fourth iteration I have a triangular shape paper faced upside down, meaning like an upside down shape roof of a house. It brings an asymmetrical design and also means how a roof is suppose to protect the house and make people feel safe at home from the outside world, but life can sometimes be unexpected so that is why the “roof” of my fourth iteration is upside down.


Iteration 5

For this iteration, I did not understand what to do. I thought I understood but when I tried to do this iteration I could not.

This was an experience for me and telling me how to dig in deeper until I understand the assignment. Asking questions would have really helped

When I went in the day it was due I saw other students iteration and seeing what we had to do and it seemed like a doable task and I did not know why I did not understood it.

That day in class I got into a group and talked about the geometric shapes the new iteration had and I understood more of the assignment.

I learned how there can be more designs within a design by just zooming in on areas of the original design.


Iteration 6

For iteration number six we had to take pictures of any of our previous iterations in different angles and then print out the pictures to spray mount them into a piece cardboard. After the spray mount I cut out pieces to create iteration 6. I converted a 2D object to a 3D construction. This was a fun process to create iteration six.


Iteration 6


For iteration six I had fun creating space and cutting out the pieces of cardboard

When rotating my design I saw different spaces that can be created by movement of the design

I also created many geometrical shapes that were form by the spaces, this was at first unintentional, but after I noticed how it can be formed so I tried to continue to make more shapes with space


Iteration 7

For this iteration I created a surface base upon of the exterior shape of iteration number three. The opaque surface makes the viewer assume that its just glued together and it has no frame inside of the surface. This was a reason for the opaque surface.


Iteration 8

For this iteration I added frame to my iteration 7. I constructed a symmetrical frame which not only helped my iteration to stand up on its side but it also was unexpected due to the opaque surfaces. I learned how frame is really important to a structure although many people may not see the frame until it is exposed. That is a reason why I did not cover the whole shape with opaque surface so viewers can rotate it to its side and see the frame.


week 7: nature


Noe Valley Residence

This house in Noe Valley has a backyard that fits well in the neighborhood by adding the calm atmosphere in Noe Valley. The tree in the backyard and stone design landscape provides a cool/fresh feeling since Noe Valley has one of the best warm weathers in San Francisco. Standing in the backyard you can feel that you are in a Noe Valley neighborhood due to the tranquility, unlike other neighborhoods like the Mission District where it is busy.


Mills College

Mills Hall- Is a four story victorian building which was constructed in 1871. It is the heart of Mills where students go for classes and administration purposes etc. Mills is full of greenery and this building goes with the flow with nature because of its historic meaning and the current use, it is not a random design nor building.

This is the entrance of Mills where you can see all the trees welcoming people in. When entering Mills it changes your mood, it makes you feel safe from the outside busy street, McArthur Blvd. Nature here brings tranquility from being out in the streets of East Oakland to a very safe college.


Conclusion

This has been a challenging class for me seeing other students work and comparing it with mine. I figured out that my designs are not as good as others, but I understand that I may not be as creative as others or just take a bit longer to learn this new information about architecture and how to approach to think like an architect.

Overall, I like the work I do. I like the process and the designs I do, because it still comes from me. I just need time to improve and I’ll become a good thinker and designer

This is my first class that has a lot of hands on work, which I really like to do. So there was no plan at all to drop out in the first weeks of class. Although I knew it was not going to be easy.


midterm portfolio

Documents

new iteration

organized iteration

students iteration

iteration oneas

different angles

kit of parts

week of class

viewers attention