Solutions to Studio

The Gatewood building has become- in the past 2 and a half years-my second home here in Greensboro. So having to think about, provide, and then listen to analysis about the building was quite enjoyable. Hearing what the users thought about the space and how they could potentially make it better was enlightening. There was so much information…where to start? Well I think I should begin by saying that I am so thankful to have our own space on campus. This whole building was built in devotion to the arts; how wonderful! When I would walk up the hill first year and saw ‘my’ studio at the top, it gave me a wonderful feeling in my heart. I felt inspired; that whatever I set my mind to accomplish inside, I could. As I went inside, that feeling stayed with me through the exposed systems and immense height of the space. These were also the great aspects other people loved about the building.

            As with most buildings, there are features that could be improved or changed. In Gatewood’s case, these aspects were supposed to be included in the original building plan. For some reason or another, they went over budget and decided to exclude actual tackboards, markerboards, coat hooks, ceiling baffles, storage for chairs and model stands, and wood slats on the roof where there is now exposed concrete, along with numerous others. Though these are significant, the big thing is storage: there is none. This problem causes every available surface to be covered in past projects. Cluttered chaos is not my idea of inspiration, so it is sometimes tough to stay in studio for an extended period of time. I find myself looking up, not around, for that ‘breath of fresh air’. Though looking up at the actual building gives me-at times-some needed clarity, it should continue in the ‘livable’ area; the place where people walk, move, and generally facilitate. This concept needs to be kept in mind throughout the design process. I want the space to be as inspiring at eye level as it is when looking up.

            Many of the other presentations prompted many great ideas for the studio with photos of interesting gadgets and spaces with texture and variety. One great thing that I came away with was in keeping variety. Variety is inspirational. We cannot forget each one of us has our own voice and individual style to contribute to what makes the space ours. We have to hold on to this concept as well because it is truly important. Losing sight of this would be unfortunate.

            Now, how will I make these ideas happen? Well now that happens later down the line; I am not sure yet but bringing in the ‘necessary new’ should help me to begin. I should mention that practicality is an important attribute for me in any endeavor. I will strive to find furniture, materials, and other such things that work in our studio but that also can be seen as feasible implementations soon. I will provide space planning as an integral part in my project while focusing on key areas or problem-solving aspects such as storage, technology, and lounge areas.

IARC core values

Talking about core values in IARC... photos and writing; tried to consolidate my writing.  

Feedback: Corry

Looking at and analyzing Corry Mears' project was fun. I was not able to pull photos from his blog, but they are worth looking at! Go here to see them. I really enjoy the graphic style he uses; it is so simple to understand. As far as this project goes, I think he did a great job in listening and communicating the problems and solutions in the space. He included many ideas that were quite innovative. One that I particularly liked was the bookshelves that could slide into the wall, which made space to include an area to hold an event or presentation; this was a nice touch. I like the idea of a café as an area in the library. The smooth rolling wood element on the ceiling is a nod back to Corry’s concept of silent music in that it relates to the continual movement of music.
One of the things I wish he would have included was an office area. The librarians appreciate having their own space now and taking that away is a crucial decision. He definitely laid out the space well, with different uses clearly communicated but I think that the offices should have been included within those parameters. I also would have liked there to be a key plan on each of the pages. The main floor plan was great in that it included where the perspectives, details, and finishes were located but I needed to refer back to them as I was looking through the individual pages. Overall though, even with these small adjustments, I could see this as a legitimate library.         

Music Library Design

Tomorrow is the big day! Here is the link to my presentation for tomorrow. So excited to show what I've been working on and what everyone else has as well.

Presentation

Group decisions/moving ahead with the Music Library

As a group, we had to make some executive decisions about designing the Music Library. These were our thoughts: 

• We are NOT incorporating the bottom floor BUT need to include solutions as to where those LPs will be located.  
• To get rid of the CDs/DVDs- they can be provided digitally  
• Last one is still in the works.. What to do about the entrance/office/circulation area? It was stated that if we wanted to move them they needed to stay together.  

As far as what I need to do personally to move forward is begin to model the design digitally so that it starts coming together. I need to be solution-minded to make these decisions work in the space. It will be an intense week of design, but I am ready for it. Bring it on! 

Feedback: Nicole

Nicole delivered a super fun space. I am reminded of Alice and Wonderland somewhat because of the color choices and the style of rendering. The space is full of and impactful with color, which is a great concept in a music library.

The columns have been given a face lift and actually make a big (positive!) impact in opposition to what they were like previously. This take on structure is interesting. She really played up the horizontal structure here and celebrated it. While making them stand out, she made them an integral part of the space; I would not know they were structural columns. This was a success I think. The next step I think would be continuing the idea on the floor as she has done on the ceiling. The space almost feels top heavy so to continue this installation on the floor would help balance that.  

The nodes in the space are placed in this grid like system which have positives and disadvantages associated with it. First of all, it provides structure and defines the area which is great in assisting with boundaries, but I think it might be too structured. With all these flowing curves, introducing square areas breaks up that concept.

The next step I would suggest is in reference to quiet and loud sections. I love that it has a café area (I might have to incorporate that in my design!) which goes along with the social aspect. But the actual library is social as well. I think that quiet, listening areas should be established. The curved panel divider is slowly traveling in the direction of this idea, and just needs to be further implemented. I am excited to see the next few iterations!      

90 second presentation

The next step in analyzing and designing the libraries, our class looked at several pieces of writing, presentations, and surveys about libraries in general and then our campus libraries specifically. Aws and I looked a survey entitled: Institutional Effectiveness of 2010-2011. We found many important aspects that definitely need to be incorporated into our final design. The information displayed here made us change our minds in how we thought about a library. We learned specifically three new things: librarians are being trained to better serve in the customer service capacity, technology is being integrated as a vital aspect of the space, and the most asked question is how to cite correctly. Obtaining this knowledge allowed us to explore new instances with our designs. Having 'citation stations' where users could type in a book and having it cited for them would be greatly appreciated, along with a substantial amount of desktops, and a central or easily noticeable customer service area are all ideas we plan to integrate in the next phases of this project.      

Library Presentation

The next step in our library design was to actually design the interior. We focused on a concept and went from there. My concept is Reverberation. I saw that through all the hard angles within the building and site there are three circle areas: the organ recital hall, lobby, and little pond outside. I used radiating circles that reverberate from each of them. These arcs were used for either the ceiling, floor, or pieces in the space. These were my presentation boards:

Questions Answered

This past week or so has included several wonderful opportunities to hear and network with people in the design field. We had a visit from Mary Jane Grigsby (President of NCIDQ), heard a presentation from Nick Christopher (an Architectural Designer at Gensler in LA), a presentation from Debbie Nestvogal (an Interior Designer at CJMW), a visit from Paula Carr (a Senior Associate at tvsdesign), and we took a trip to Durham where we toured the Freelon Group Architect firm as well as the Durham County Public Library, which they designed. All these opportunities were extremely informative for me in reference to several aspects. Mrs. Carr talked to us about the ways they went about process work in their firm; how they presented their work, and how they worked with clients. The most apparent point in her presentation was that tvsdesign was basically formed like our studios are now. That was pretty reassuring to me. Another thing I found interesting and that really blew my mind was that they sent off their renderings to China for someone to set up and complete. That is still astounding me today. The trip to Durham was great as well. We were able to hear from several associates about pertinent portfolio information, how they work together, see the different areas in the firm, and see projects they were working on. The other opportunities of the week were just as intriguing and helpful as these two were. Mrs. Grigsby’s talk was enlightening as well. She was able to give us information on taking the NCIDQ test after we graduate. The great thing about this is that I don’t have to wait three years to take it after graduating. We are able to take the first part of the test right after graduation! It was a bit daunting to think that in a little over a year’s time is when this will happen. On the other hand, it’s so exciting!        

Intrium critique

Today was the next critique for our continuing library project. I finally figured out where to go with my design of the space. I took Patrick's words I heart when he said think out of the box. I believe I am on the road to accomplishing that task with my idea of what I call 'pods' in the space. The following sketch illustrates my idea. This is as far as I have gotten: I haven't looked at the scale, relationship to people, or the space yet. My thoughts are to have these big installations really make the space, so we'll see what happens with them.

Design Manifesto

The ultimate factor in designing anything and everything is to design specifically for users of a space, object, or idea-meeting their needs-and then to make that atheistically pleasing.

-Anna Behrendt 

Along with this, I am including a quote from How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand. It might not be the perfect parallel to my manifesto but on pg 63 he states, "The simultaneous seizing of power and shedding of responsibility by contractors puts the onus on architects to anticipate perfectly all of a building's needs. Nothing is left to the builders, to the client, or to the actual usage." I think that it cannot be this way. Builders, clients, and usage have to be an integral part of the design. These cannot be overlooked or cast aside. Ultimately what is designed and accomplished is for the client/user. It has to be suited for them. Designer's jobs are to aid in illustrating what the client/user expresses to us. If we have not met the need to fulfill the desires and vision of the client/user, I say we as designers have not succeeded.          

Classmate concepts

In looking at other classmate's diagrams from the last step in the analyzing process, I found that Kacie Leisure had some interesting ideas pulled from systems. I thought that her concepts from light and water were the strongest. First, the light diagram was simple and easy to read and relates itself to an actual design layout later. Her first statement here was 'a beacon of light is a form...intended to serve as a guide'. This immediately brings an illustration to my mind about what the space could be. Way-finding in this library is extremely difficult so designing this space with guides in mind could really help connect areas, allowing them to be used to their full potential.      

http://www.kacieleisure.blogspot.com/2012/01/systems-conceptual-development.html

In viewing Kacie's water concept, the sub-concept I found was 'flowing'. This goes hand in hand with her light concept in that providing a flow to the space with furnishing placement or design in general could aid in the potential utilization of the entire space.
Right now I have been at UNCG for almost three years and I have not spent time in, let alone, seen the entire library. This mainly has to do with the overall design of the space. Every time I enter, I want to leave as soon as possible. The space is broken up into sections and does not have smooth transitions that would assist to a flowing circulation.    

http://www.kacieleisure.blogspot.com/2012/01/systems-conceptual-development.html

The rest of her diagrams were informative, but I believed the two above to be the best in regards to communication with the graphics, information included, and how they pertain to the Jackson Library.

Concepts from Systems

The next step in our library process was to find concepts from systems of the building. This included lighting, electricity, water, technology, and structure. We were to design diagrams around these concepts, focusing on how they relate specifically to our library. I realized through this exercise that a concept and inspiration do not have to come from outside a project by bringing something new into it, but by looking at the existing and pulling from that. How do certain elements work in this space? How can we make them better and celebrate what is/has to be there?  

Precedent Libraries

While looking at our own libraries on campus, we also looked outside of the city to various libraries around the world. The libraries I analyzed were Library of Papyri, Abbey Library St. Gaulen, and Bibliotheca Alexandrina. I found these libraries to be so different from each other in the way they are designed. I focused mostly on diagrams to capture my point but still stuck to the seven categories from our campus libraries. I have included several diagrams from the analysis. They have little blurbs to aid in understanding the concept as well as the library name. First though, I have shown the summary page for each library which include photos from the actual site. 

Music Library Light Analysis

One of the major projects this semester is to design one of the two libraries on campus. Before actually designing the space, we are first analyzing it from the inside out and then the outside in. Our first step in this process was to look at the of the space. Each person had one out of seven categories: users, systems, circulation, transition/boundaries, materiality, furnishings, and sensory experience. I was given systems which I then furthered narrowed down to lighting. I felt this was the most important aesthetic system in the space and the one that needed to be looked at the most. I made a section of the space and showed the intensity of the light in the work area as well as the book stacks. The light path and source are slightly over exemplified in my illustration because I wanted to make apparent that this lighting situation is not the best and could be (will be!) changed for the better. 

Material choices

In choosing material choices for our libraries, we stepped back and looked not at how they were applied, but the materials themselves and attributes that went along with them. We were given the time-old marriage cliche "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue" in regards to our four materials. I would say that in deciding on a color scheme and the types of materials were easy but when it came to those parameters, it was tough! The four I finished out with were lace (something old-and out of the box), energy tiles (new), iron (borrowed from Abbey Library St Gaulen), and wallpaper (blue-though not necessarily on the wall). I feel that my material scheme comes together first of all by the actual materials themselves. I believe the delicacy of the lace stands in stark contrast to the hard, rough qualities of the iron and since these two were black and white, color needed to be introduced. This was accomplished from the two other materials, blue wall covering and green energy tiles. They each have their own unique texture they can bring to the space. Those were the realitively obvious comparisons between two. Now to switch them. I believe the lace has a connection with the wallpaper in that together they promote a sense of calmness. The opposite goes for the iron with the energy tiles. Though the tiles will bring sustainability into the mix, they also bring in some life into the space. They provided a type of light, a fun pop of color, and reference to a new, youthful outlook to the future. In contrast, iron has been a strong statement in many spaces for several centuries now and provides a look back, a nod if you will, to older times along with the lace.
Now secondly, my materials came together in the form of my deliverable. The lace and energy tile were included in my box which is meant to be the blue wall covering enclosing them while representational iron tied them all together. I wanted to illustrate that they could work together in a seemless way and still make an impact alone. Each one has a specific use and part within the grand scheme of things, just as would happen eventually in the space itself.
Conceptually I believe that the materials combine to form an insight from the past and inspiration towards the future. The colors ingraved within the materials were very important to me. Blue was a thought even before the parameters were given because it promotes productivity as well as calmness. The other color included in the materials palette is a spring grass green which encourages success and therefore is important within a library space. A common user travels the space believing for success in finding correct information for a variety of projects. These tiles could further encourage student success and cause an increased use of the space. Lace and iron are the ones that really bring that old fashioned, antique quality to the space, again, allowing for the fusion of the past and present to come together in a wonderful harmonious composition.

Response to Parametric Modeling

Parametric modeling makes digital modeling easier and more efficient for the user. This is a new approach that is surfacing in the design world. It assigns real-world behaviors and attributes to the model. For example, if the pitch of the roof is changed, the user does not need to be concerned about having to go in and change the height of the walls. Parametric modeling programs do that for you. It revises everywhere so you don’t have to. Parametric modeling also provides a schedule for the project, keeping each component of the model in a category: doors, windows, etc. If these parts are changed in the graphic model, they change on the list. Even if they are changed in the list, they are changed in the model. This program updates the changes you make for you. Not having to do steps twice makes modeling so much easier and less time consuming.
     

Having this assignment to complete has really helped me see how simple parametric programs (such as Revit) can be. This program has the potential to really help me in the future. Revit is so user friendly. Want to draw a wall? Draw a wall. It’s that simple. For me, it was straightforward because I drew the wall exactly as I thought I would draw it: by selecting the wall tool and drawing it in its desired location. There are some setbacks to BIMs, and those have to be dealt with. You have to make sure that when deleting a line or point, it doesn’t delete other important things that might be attached to it, like a wall. Some would say transitioning from a 2D program like CAD to a 3D program (Revit) would be difficult. I have used CAD and although it’s somewhat user friendly, Revit is much more so. The article mentions this great feature: “a change anywhere is a change everywhere.” This means that I don’t have to double check the cross references because it does that for me already. I enjoy that Revit has no layers. No layers means more time in my book. You will not have to consistently check to see if you are on the correct layer. The fact that you can go back and forth quite effortlessly from 2D to 3D is fantastic; which basically means having an ‘intelligent connection’ between every aspect. This allows you to see a perspective version of the project, as it would look from all angles. This is really a great feature.

So, pulling from my previous Revit experience as well as the tutorial I have worked on and completed, I cannot find any annoyances of the program as of yet. This opinion might change in the future, but I am going out on a limb and saying that I enjoy Revit now and therefore intend on using it extensively in the future. Having heard that Revit is being used in big time Architect firms, it is safe to say I would like to continue to learn and grow in this program for future endeavors.

Summary of Computing in Architectural Design

This article gave a brief informational history of computing in Architecture. It was interesting to see how far it has come to help in design. Towards the beginning in the 1970s, computing took on two categories. One was specifically for mechanical engineering and the other exclusively for the construction industry. This was the first generation. After these programs were initiated, a tidal wave occurred in programming. There were constantly people dreaming up and implementing new and better advances. Industries began to see immediate advantages of having this illustrative software for their designers. They were able to see new things graphically that before people would have to hand draw. This way, it was accurate. These programs were beginning to be used not only now for visualizing the design in an illustrative form but to actually solve building issues before construction even began. This first generation used more architectural ideas instead of computer science to iterate ideas. This was supposed to help the software, but it would need a few more years to mature to become truly user friendly.

These first generation programs needed large powerful computers along with expensive displays in order to actually use the software how it was meant to be. Enter personal computers! After these were introduced in the industry, it became easier, not to mention cheaper to use these programs for large firms. Thus began the second generation of CAD systems. It was initially written for Apple but other companies quickly jumped on the personal computer bandwagon. They brought with them faster, more powerful processors, better display resolutions, and ink jet printers. This furthermore allowed the programs to not only be used for architectural drafting, but for basic photo realistic renderings. They hit the scene and they hit big. Clients would not have long to wait anymore to see their projects come to life. This was a big step forward in my book for computer modeling programs. Though computer model was making a big leap forward with rendering, they fell backwards in the technical aspect. Instead of having analytical capabilities that were vital in the first generation, that was exchanged for polygons, solids, and NURBS. This all changed in the third generation.

People knew that this was not an option. These programs should have both the rendering and drafting capabilities. At various Universities, they set about making this come into fruition. They all tried fusing the non-informational solid shapes into units that would have sets of rules and qualities to distinguish them from others. They came to find out the following: “…recent advances in object-orient programming (OOP), artificial intelligence (AI), and database management systems (DBMS) are the underpinnings of the third generation CAD systems.” As of now, we are still in the third generation era. There is a continuation to make these programs better but it is difficult to pair ‘comprehensive building-specific data and knowledge bases” with that of “nongeometric attributes into an effective design support system.”  

     Computing helps not only in the architectural field. The brobdingnagian aspects of its existence is in the ability to communicate. No longer do people have to be in the same room or even the same city to talk and see ideas. They could even be a part of a meeting from their own home if they would like. In more advanced computing, the computer or program has the ability to do specific tasks for the user. The example given in the article is to tell the computer, "design a staircase between these floors" and it would. That blows my mind that we have come so far. Taking this one step further and looking outside of using computers in design is utilizing one day to day. Computers are used in security systems, automatic doors, cell phones, car systems, etc. There are little computers everywhere doing big jobs and most of those jobs never even cross our mind. Our cars have a plethora of computers running every second. All we do is turn the key and put it in drive. That is what makes it so interesting. I believe what hit me the most in this article is the fact that technology has become so ingrained in our culture. This just astounds me. Knowing where computing has come from has shown me that this shouldn't be taken for granted but to be used with tremendous gratitude. Computing is such an important and vital role in our culture today. It has come so far, but I bet it will go farther. It will be fun seeing what comes next in the computing world of design tool as well as a help in life and being a part of the process is a truly great opportunity.