Friday, April 22, 2011

SSEF and ACSA Competitions

For those who want to enter either their studio project, their biomimicry project or both in these competitions, the deadlines are as follows:

SSEF: May 2nd

ACSA: June 8th

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Progress Report P4B - 5

I know we've submitted this project and I present tomorrow but I jut wanted to post a short series of photos I took of the sectional model I produced for this part of the submission which shows some of the simple, yet flexible, reconfiguration options of the small performance area.

Image 1 - Performance area from within the facility. The glazed wall on the ground floor is the internal facade of the cafeteria and as can be seen in the model, the panels move to open the cafeteria to the courtyard in good weather. The hold in the model here represents the edge of the pool. The second floor glazing looks into the performance area and would make use of "smart glass" (glass that becomes opaque when an electric current is passed through it) in order to make it darker when necessary.



Image 2-5

These images show the interior of the performance space and if you pay attention to the seating podiums, you'll notice they sit on a rail and can be adjusted to accommodate a small variety of show types. of course, during nice weather periods, the glazing overlooking the courtyard with the pool could be opened and shows involving the pool might be exhibited or shows involving the large polycarbonate wall of the training center opposite the performance venue.




Tuesday, April 19, 2011

That's a wrap...

With our final studio project done, I have a question: Which is more of a mess? Me or our studio space? Funny thing is, I wasn't intentionally trying to close my eyes for the photo...


We are now only 1 presentation away from finishing our undergraduate education!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Post your design work to ArchGrad

Though the deadline has passed and many of you have switched your focus from rendering/drafting to sleeping/relaxing, it would be worthwhile for you to upload your projects to ArchGrad.com.  It is a free hosting service for your design projects and allows you to get your work out there for everyone in the world - including potential employers.  Better yet, the search optimization puts your name atop Google searches and provides you a personalised URL with unlimited project upload capacity.  Best of all, there are opportunities that will once again provide a platform for students to win national design awards and citations as there will be a national competition based on entries from Canadian schools.

As described on their website, here are a list of services this organization offers:


  • unlimited uploading of Projects and Images

  • personal URL address ie: www.archgrad.com/johnsmith

  • avoid sending large attachments to professional architectural practices when you are applying

  • expose your work through a minimal, professional and unique presentation page

  • upload, share and connect with students and employers around the world. Your work, your talent, your turn!

  • monthly prizes to be won
It is easy, accessible, and worthwhile.  You have already done the work - get some mileage out of it!

Alternate Fourth Year Studio Presentations

As soon as the other studios make their presentation schedules and rosters available, they will also be posted on this site so you may plan your next week.  It is expected that students will visit other studios' work and reviews in this final week.
Just to reiterate the Spectacle and Subtlety Studio reviews will be as follows:

WEDNESDAY, April 20th beginning at 1 PM [Resource Centre]
 
Adryanne Quenneville
Michael Suriano
Kara Green
Razmig Titizian
Jordan So
Perry Low
Mitch May
Tricia Arabian

THURSDAY, APRIL 21st beginning at 9:30AM [Resource Centre]
 
Serouj Kaloustian
Andrea Vettoretti
Marcella Au
Dov Feinmesser
Jessica Stanford
Sam Ghantous
Joey Sin Loi
Ashley Biren

This is the anticipated schedule for Professor Arthur Wrigglesworth's studio reviews:

Tuesday April 19th, 2:00-6:00 (PIT)

Yekaterina Mityuryayeva
Zachary Trattner
BREAK
Marcin Chmura
Kathleen Narbonne
BREAK
Sebastian Lubczynski
Behzad Sabbaghi Banadkooki

Wednesday April 20th, 2:00-6:00 (PIT)
 
Ekaterina Issaeva
Marcin Czoraj
BREAK
Jameel Mulani
Dorian Resener
BREAK
Paul Kim
Nicola Reid

This is the anticipated schedule for Professor June Komisar's studio reviews:

Wednesday April 20th  9:00 to 12:00 (PIT)

Jason Baker
Arkadiusz Zjawin
Matt Dietrich
Nedim Karabegovic
BREAK
Aaron Hendershott
Kais Al-Rawi
Tomor Sodnompil

Thursday April 21 2:00 to 6:00 (PIT)

Miryam Doshin
Shirdokh Paymani
Madiha Hafeez
Darryl Rahim
Salina Ramsaran
BREAK
Zohra Akbari
Raymond Lai Fan
Katrina Cristobal

The reviews for Professors Miljana Horvat and Vis Ramasubramanian will be held later this month in the Architecture Building at:
Tuesday April 26th, 2:00 to 6:00 (PIT)
Wednesday April 27th, 2:00 to 6:00 (PIT)

Computer vs. Architect

On one computer I've got this...

Apparently I don't exist on the network anymore? Early graduation?


And on the other I've got this...

(not responding...)

Computer always wins.

Excuse me as I go panic.

Game Time


All nighter galore.

Progress on the model so far..

In light of not sleeping the , my one cut wonder didn't work out so well...still missing some minor pieces. guess i will have to improvise!


The all nighter essentials....

and last but not least...... our last all-nighter together of undergrad here in the lab. we all look so grown up tired haha

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Friday, April 15, 2011

Don't Forget to Clean Up

The studio is relatively safe right now but understandably in the mass push to get things done things might get neglected and order, cleanliness, and organization will give way to messy anarchy.  Please remember that a relatively clean studio is a lot safer than a messy one.  People can slip on dust, get blinded by flying rotary tool bits, or trip over electric equipment amidst all the model making.  Please take precautions in ensuring that models, computers, and others are not injured during this deadline.  A moment of cleaning up things would be both therapeutic and safe... unfortunately we do not have things like the Portrash to help out...
<48 hours until a major portion of your undergraduate education comes to an end...

Model Test

I thought I'd never have to use the shower in the Architecture Building but...



It proved useful as a dark space where I could test my model lighting. Sorry the following image is not the best quality... hard to hold the camera and the light in place at the same time!

Model Building

Here are a few images of my model building process for Project 4B.

Image 1. Pieces to build "egg-crate" framing for model.
Image 2. Symbols given to bracing/ support pieces to help organize the assembly process.
Image 3. Assembly of profiles and bracing/ support pieces.
Image 4. Assembly of both forms in section.
Image 5. Completed framing system with exterior finishes (wood veneer) applied.
Image 6. Though nothing oggle over, a look at the pool in the sectional model with a slight shadow of the "frit" applied to the glazing.

Rhino Humour

Why won't my model SEXplode!?!?!?!

Smart Glass

As more of you begin bringing questions about transparency, privacy, and controls for light, it became apparent that many students have forgotten about the glass used at the Springs Preserve and other innovative facilities.  Smart Glass is a glass which in its "off" state is frosted but when an electrical current is run through the material, it becomes clear.  This may help those of you looking at negotiating change rooms, classrooms, and the theatre areas with respect to privacy.

One cut wonder

As the title reads i am attempting a one cut wonder. (i.e. one laser cut shot to cut the whole sectional model due to it being FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY FUN FUN FUN FUN! NOT!) I've followed Michael's approach and cut a section from my rhino model, now I just have to figure out each surface's material for the laser cut bed. *Sigh
(yes this project deserves a giant sigh)

But on the bright side the lab now has a new temporary HVAC system! Yay no more germ infested hot air!

Skin Design

Dear Diary,


Its 4:07 am and the Sweep Tool's and I are currently making up given the recent fight we had. I'm still mad at Sweep 2 because he refuses to work well with with everyone else... Simply put he's being mean... At least Sweep 1 apologized and agreed to play nice. I've decided to include a picture of Sweep 1 and I getting along just incase we get in a fight again, I can look at it and remember the good times.


- Mike


"Sweep 1 and Mike - Best Friends For..... now"

Thursday, April 14, 2011

ANZAS Dance Studio

Given the preoccupation that many in the studio have with glazing, patterning, and opacity, it was rather serendipitous to have Dezeen post a profile on Tsutsumi and Associates' ANZAS Dance Studio in Beijing. Though we are not advocating directly emulating the "illusion of a mist hanging in the air", it is an interesting showcase of the mass effect of the gradient of dots on a surface.


Progress Report P4B - 4

Trial of integration between the exterior facade and the complex.



Image 1 - Looking from the south, the exterior facade shields the complex from direct sunlight.



Image 2 - Looking from the north, the facade shrinks to let in maximal daylight. The loading dock can also be seen here, secreted and hidden from the complex by the only hard solid walls in the complex.



Image 3 - A look at the south facade form the interior revealing the translucency of the polycarbonate panels.

Project 4 Physical Model

Spent today working in the shop and will continue on with my physical model tonight. In contrast to Mike's method of model-making, I have approached my model with 2D drawings. A printout helps me get a sense of the scale of my overall model. The end product will be a full building section at 1:100 cutting through areas that showcase the materiality used on the Cirque facility.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Progress Report P4B - 3

Started looking into interiors. Unfortunately, lost a day and now have to focus on the model instead but hopefully will have enough time to go and revisit these as it is clearly evident they need work...

Image 1 - Ramp ascending along the south facade up to the "theater/small training space" in daytime. (Still no ceiling on this one so over exposed)



Image 2 - Interior of large training facility during the day. It should be evident that it gets sufficient daylight to light the interior.



Image 3 - Interior of large training facility at night. Lit from above.

P4B progress!

Its 5am and the lab is still 50 degrees and rising (no joke)
if it weren't for the fan blowing in my direction every five seconds I probably would've passed out by now.
It also means that its super crunch time for the entire department of architectural science so make sure you grab your lab comps! (3rd yrs have a deadline thurs and monday)

so far after many failed attempts at designing proper spaces for my building i've begun modeling the building in 3rd starting from the atrium.
its been really helpful to model the circulation spaces and be able to visualize everything in 3D.




As Michael also pointed out below, it will also be extremely helpful for when i need to laser cut my model this week! eeks!
There are still a million things to figure out, such as my facade, structure, component. And these are all pretty much crucial things...so its time to get ready for a crazy week.
For those that need coffee to get us through the week... because we all drink an average of 1 starbucks drink per day (don't even try to deny it)...





May the force be with you.


Stay Tuned.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Gehry VS. Titizian


Thought I'd give you guys something to chuckle about! Good luck everyone!