Arch 101

Maria Sheppard October 11, 2012

Architectural Design 101 Midterm

Instructor Jerry Lum CCSF

This was my first iteration that was intended to express my persona. Edgy, flexible, open minded, creative, imaginative, dynamic, stable and energetic are the attributes are that I have chosen to describe through my work.

This iteration is to express some of my personal qualities, but it was to literal of translation. I made the mistake of choosing synonyms to give the viewer a hint of what I was trying to express. Secondly, I used bendable straws to convey my message of flexibility and words that described movement and change of flexibility, instead of showing it through form.

First Iteration

This piece is not literal, yet it better expresses my personal qualities that I wanted to get across. The material bends and curves around each other--movement that describes my flexibility to look at things from different angles and around all sides.

I used the different colored materials to express contrast between the curvilinear elements reflecting movement in space. It also describes the negative space around the different elements that are interacting with each other.

Iteration 2

In this piece, the colors are used to show not only movement among the different elements, but change from one thing into another. This iteration also suggests movement because of the directional qualities of line described by the wire which brings the eye from one end to the other, even though it has an open end.

Iteration 3

The white in this piece represents a kind of blank slate. The black contrasts to and deviates from that blank slate revealing the interconnectedness of the silver elements. The shadow that is reflected from the form of the elements gives the illusion of the “other dimension” – the other space that is contingent on the “real.”

Iteration 4

This iteration I wanted to have a stronger contrast between the elements with black as the driving force of the movement. The white and silver floats in the negative space—suspended and static in contrast to the movement of the black—as if the black is outgrowing the other elements in strength and power.

Iteration 5

In this iteration, the colors are married to each other to show directional form from top to bottom and from bottom to top—to make it more self-contained and moving through space instead of delineating space.

Iteration 6

In this iteration, I wanted to show movement from top to bottom—a kind of suspension of gravity. The intertwining of the black and silver strengthens the tension between bottom and top in defiance of gravity. Again, the shadow gives yet another dimension that makes it seem as if this object is spinning in place giving it a dynamic feel.

Iteration 7

The approach to this piece was to contrast the static shapes of the square with the curvilinear lines as if they are fighting each other. The piece neither moves through space nor delineates space but becomes a conflict between the elements used. This one was one of my least favorite designs for it resembled to me like a person wearing a hat that is coming out of a box and this is more art than architecture.

Iteration 8

In this iteration I wanted to describe two universes or waves interacting with each other and spinning around each other-- barely touching. I wanted to show that the elements are, in a sense, unified and interactive, yet separated in space.

Iteration 9

In this iteration I wanted to show how the rectilinear shapes trap the movement of the curvilinear shapes within the confines of the “box.” The tension between the two distinct elements—the box and the spiral—is palpable. The spiral is meant to feel like it’s about to spring free of its confines.

Iteration 10

In this piece, the rectilinear form has more strength than the spiral. It is meant to be growing in strength against the curvilinear power of the spiral spring. The spiral is trapped within, and it’s movement is stopped by the outward force of the rectilinear lines growing from it. Creativity is trapped “inside the box.”

Iteration 11

This piece maps the cross sections of iteration number 11. The pieces were secured and evenly spaced using chipboard and skewers; and starts from one end of the object to the other end in progression. It shows the conflict between the spiral and the box containing it.

Iteration 12

In this iteration slotting was used to secure the elements using chipboard. I also increased the number of elements in order to more accurately describe the gradation of the object from one end to the other.

Iteration 13 A

This is a variation on iteration number 13 A. I wanted to project a different form from the same shape—standing it on its head and twisting it to make a new shape out of the same space.

Iteration 13 B

Iteration 14 In this iteration--a variation of iteration 13a--I added forms using additional sectioning to interplay with the original form using the slotting technique. The outer form seems to be capturing and enclosing the object as if it were being scooped up in space to be transported to another place. The shadows from the outer form interplay with the shadows from the original object as well as with the place of momentary rest the object is sitting on.

Iteration 15

In these two iteration variations, I wanted to use distinctly different two-dimensional shapes in order to create a three dimensional object using the slotting technique. I used straight-edged right triangles and curvilinear shapes to create the three dimensions in both pieces. In the iteration on the left, I used heavy construction paper and on the iteration on the right, I used bass wood. While the shapes and construction were similar, the effects of the two materials were very different. The iteration made of the heavy construction paper—because the material itself was more flexible—had a kinetic aspect missing from the iteration made of bass wood. In other words, better material doesn’t necessarily mean better design.