Physical Model - Question

Good morning all..

I'm assuming most of you are still up and I had a quick question to ask regarding the model submission... Since my laser cutting time is Wednesday especially.

What is preferred... a sectional model of the entire building, or a sectional cut of a portion of the building. Let's say its a 1/4 of the building that is a featured element.

Is either or acceptable? According to the brief I believe it's entirely up to the designer's discretion.

Would like to hear everyone's thoughts.

Thanks

Structure HELP

So I need a little help. I'm trying to configure my structure to hold up the 9.5 metre deep pool.

I'm would like to maintain the same language throughout my building. . But at the same time, do not want to make a completely enclosed space within this transition point... essentially a cage...

Any suggestions would help in regards the most appropriate way to hold this pool in its given state.

Right now as you can see, I'm playing with parabolic sections from a hyperbolic form. Wouldn't I need to brace these sections together? Or is it not necessary... taking precedents from the OCAD building.

Step Aside from Design...

So...No its not done ... not even close... But I figured I step aside from designing/figuring out structure and spatial design to see what we need on the boards.

It seems one board is sufficient enough for all material. Keep in mind, its A0!!! Huge!

I also recommend to play with portrait for the board layout.

Now to go back to designing. I'm in serious need to figure out the logistics of the theater and... my structure of course.

Parking ... Is that an Issue for YOU?

Hey Guys,

I've been playing around with the logistics of the facility... It seems parking may be an issue.

I have not spread out my programming all over the site and have maintained the min floor area. But it still seems I won't have adequate space for parking for both visitors, staff and performers.

Is it just me? (Please mind the messiness of my rhino file... but you get the picture)

Ashley's Independent Study

I guess it's never too late to post. As most of you know, I am conducting an independent study based on architectural wayfinding. I'm hoping my studies will be on its way to serve as data for the future venture of architects and psychologists within the field of neuromorphic architecture. (Hmm... well at least its a start towards there.......)

I initiated an experiment in Las Vegas within Caesar's Forum (- note a foreign location). Each student had to get from Point A (the entrance) to Point B (The Apple Store) without using any maps.

My hypothesis entails: If wayfinding is related to architectural narratives, then utilizing narratives that embody cultures, traditions and/or personal experience will facilitate navigation through a foreign space.

It seems my hypothesis was somewhat right. But after examining everyone's results, I soon uncovered some other reasons explaining their navigation through a foreign space. Scale of a space, efficiency of a path, distractions and of course past recollections (defined as memory and familiarity) were all what created the architectural narrative of the space.... which in the end allowed them to locate point b. It seemed that there were points of interest within the narrative (which will be noted as the memory/familiarity). Each point was linked by one of the three elements: scale, efficiency or distractions.

Think of it as a movie... there's the main points, linked together by the transitions.




















UNFORTUNATELY my video could not upload. I've been trying to upload it for two days now... Instead check out this timeline below showcasing Dov's navigation through space.


<--- Click on it to enlarge the size!

P4A - MORE STUFF

Image to the left: Showcases the different conditions within the arid climate. The light well optimizes the ventilation within the space by controlling the size of the apertures. Keep in mind, to increase the cross ventilation, the inlet and outlet apertures must increase in size by maintaining a 1:2 ratio in order to be effective. (Yes, there will be more components around the large training facility that will work accordingly).







Such an improvement!!











Believe it or not.. its still soaking in the shop!












Unfortunately the mechanism did not operate at its best in this model. Nevertheless, you can see the effect I was trying to achieve

P4-A

Here are just a few samples of what I included in my final submission. For those who weren't in my presentation, I'll give you a quick breakdown. Essentially my component embraced two biomimetic systems: the stomata (controlling ventilation) and eye's iris (controlling light). In the building, this component would be utilized for a light well that would occupy the large training facility. The apertures of the module would open and close depending on the temperature of the space; the warmer the space, the aperture would open to allow cross ventilation of the space. (Noted from my crit, I will be designing several light wells penetrating through various spaces. I will focus this one particular light well for ventilation in the large training facility. - Instead of both light and ventilation... As it seems to contradict itself at times - The other main light well will be located within the design studio. This one aims to control the lighting within the space for the designers.

Duck and Decorated Shed

Okay so here's what my argument is...

How integrated are themes to the actual resort beyond the "decorated shed"?

To identify the level of integration of themes beyond the "decorated shed," one must first uncover who is writing the architectural narrative. Is the user identifying conventional elements in relation to past experiences in the Imperial Palace? Or is the space immersing the consumer in a thematic world of Venice? Robert Venturi and Denis Scott Brown, the authors of Learning from Las Vegas, beleive the "decorated shed" is successful in exemplifying the conventional as the new high-culture architecture. In opposition to this theory, British architectural historian and theorist Reyner Banham perceives the living architecture of our age for what it is - " 'formlessness and tastefulness' not as a source for high culture but as an end in itself." By adopting Banham's ideology, one can hypothesize the everyday "ugly and ordinary" gives power to the user to define its space using past recollections of their lives and ultimately eliminating any trace of a predefined thematic space. The "duck", the polar opposite of the "decorated shed", is identified by its ability to wholly integrate the theme into the built form in order to narrate a dictated story of place. Kligmann's Brandscapes reveals the bylaws of a thematically integrated space and how an architect can create a "duck" - a choreographed architectural narrative - using three broad strategies: drama, diversity and detail. Four resorts were analyzed and placed in a spectrum commencing with the compositional space of the "decorated shed" to the choreographed space of the "duck": Imperial Palace, Excalibur, Paris and The Venetian.

Spectrum

High Spectrum = (Choreographed Duck - A story is choreographed by the space to exemplify a theme using drama + diversity + detail)

Drama, Diversity, Detail

(Real icecream vendors FROM ITALY?)

Low Spectrum = (Compositional Decorated Shed - A story is created by the user's recollections as a result of the "ugly and ordinary" being the living architecture of our age)

Why does the Imperial Palace Hotel building looks like grandma's florida condo? Oh and hey, doesn't that celebrity dealer look like Christina Aguilera? (Familiar in an unfamilar context. Need I say more?) You tend to forget your in an imperial palace... but merely just taking familar memories, architecture and non architecture, to form your own story.

Render Fail - Second Project

Hmm so this seems to be a trend..............

Taking an image 1hr or so to render... and the laaaast minute...

Sorry Ashley, I don't like you.

Maybe its a sign to make friends with another computer?

P-2 - Brainstorm

Hey Guys,

I figured we should start sharing our case studies, so we don't run into the problem of having TOO much of the same thing.

I will be studying the penguin's feathers in relation to double/triple curtain wall system. (More particularly Telus-William Farrell Building by Peter Busby in Vancouver.)

The properties of the feather, in a nutshell, prevent water from getting in while allowing condensation to escape. ALSO, they simply trap air to provide warmth. That's why those little creatures can dive into freezing water.

Now I will be looking into warm climates... will get back shortly!

Deployable Architecture - Silver Fern - Part 1

Alright... So lets begin by state by saying that I'm sticking with the theme I suggested in my first post. (Flexible/transformable architecture - looking at nature's way of modifying the physical state through the changing of volume/shape)


What better way to look at changing shape in nature than the leaf. More interestingly, the silver fern.


(Watch it unfold!)



<--- Final Outcome


I will be designing an interactive space in which the state of the architecture will vary amongst the seasons/night and day/ at the minimum. The program entails a deployable bridge along with interchangeable spaces in the public realm. (Winter time, the bridge would extend to its fullest - bridging the gap. Summer time, the bridge will be in its "unfurl" stage, ready to bloom! Hence spectators can walk along the entire perimeter of the board walk to enjoy Toronto's fantastic summer weather, as well as the unfurling bridge.)




That leads to the next topic. Site. I choose two prospective locations, but both have slight issues with them.


Site # 1 - South of the intersection of Queens Quay and Spadina. (This is actually a great space where a connection can be drawn from the HTO Park to the Music Park on the West. Nevertheless, West 8's deck is just north of there. Regardless, that is possesses the most mildest waves, in comparison to the other decks, what I propose on site might take away their design.)







































Site # 2 - Just east of Site # 1. Problem with this site is the fire station on the east side of the dock. Hm problems?


Now I have some sketches in the works to explain my design....wait!

Deployable Architecture

See the link below! Very interesting methods of folding a sheet of paper into a rigid 3D structure by Daniel Piker.

http://www.todayandtomorrow.net/2009/03/25/deployabletransformable-structures/