New York Day 3

 

 

 

Richard (lecturer for product design), Silvio and I visited the Philip Stark Hotel called 'Hudson'.

It is very much a sensory building: each space had a different  aesthetic and feel. The attention to detail is impressive. Couldn't help think there was a lack of 'truth of material' though. A great visit all in all and thanks to Richard for organising.

 

 

Wednesday morning we visited the Guggenheim after a fine muffin breakfast in Central Park. The exhibition was about Italian futurism. I though this would be an ode to fascism. And it was. In honesty it wasn't my thing. So.........

I jumped in a cab and went back to MOMA. I spent the whole afternoon photographing Brancusi's sculptures. He pioneered extreme simplification of form. I like his work very much. His designs were the inspiration for Alison Brooks Newhall Be scheme which I am researching for Polly's module.  See some of Brancusi's quotes below.......

"Don't look for obscure formulas or mystery in my work. It is pure joy that I offer you. Look at my sculptures until you see them . Those closest to God have seen them"

 "Simplicity is complexity resolved" 

Below is the research room at Central Library. I have spent most of my time hear researching and reading. I am very happy.

New York day 1 and 2

 

New York

 

We arrived at new York after a fun flight and tasty food. I thought the flight was 3 hours but it was 8, so a good chance to catch up on some rest.

 

My first impression of NY was of   imposing, volume blocks, enslaved to a grid, with a gritty industrial feel.

 

Despite all the hype about bed bugs in our hotel, I could find any, but the nylon sheets are pretty good at delivering small electric shocks, so they have probably all been executed.

 

Day one was a visit to the Empire State Building. This was the first truly high rise reinforced concrete building. The trouble is the internal space is just circulation and structure! more a statement than a useful space.

 

 

I took the shot below from the roof. It is  of an adjacent building. It was snowing, but I like the silhouette of the white structure behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silvio and I visited the Seagram Building. Its a black block with bronze coloured glass, an enticing front courtyard and clean lines.  He has forgotten more than I know about Architecture, so it was good to learn a little from him.

Day 2 we visited the MOMA. It is probably the best museum I have ever been in. There was a Frank Lloyd Wright exhibition of a new town he planned for 'anywhere'. The models and drawings are detailed beyond belief.

To me, Frank Lloyd Wright's ideas for 'A new freedom for living in America' were  big brother socialism. He has prescribed how the city would work, interact and conduct itself.  Just who does he think he is! I would'nt let him tell me how to live.

 

 

 

 

Immersive space

 

 

 

 

Brilliant fun making these models and animations.

The model is on a 1:5 scale: a 600 sq cube, and its very effective.

The model does have a more serious side: we have been exploring immersive space. The model illustrates scale, form, anthropometrics and ergonomics.

Sight lines align well with the windows.

Curves have been used in an ergonomic context.

The space is functional too: drawing, layout, computer work, resting , storage and internal/ external spatial interaction are catered for.

Thanks to Josh (L4) and photography technicians for enthusiastic support.

 

Development of mapping ideas for Arcola

Further mapping ideas

 

 

 

 

Idea for map theme

 

 

 

 

 

Sketch representation of area. Each landmark is located in its relative position. Still need to refine this, so there will be a later version, but this will be my theme

 

 

 

 

 

 

Initial Studio Max drawings

Spent the day on working on initial 3D studio drawings.

Here the layers are lifted to show the model construction. The green rectangles at the bottom are the windows!


These will be developed to add internal texture options, lighting schemes and furniture. I converted a pdf file into  acad.  I cleaned the Acad converted file.  I imported the auto cad file in 2d then  extruded the main components to achieve 3D.





 
 


I introduced the woman to show scale.

I down loaded her from google warehouse and imported into 3D max.

 

This perspective show the walls as a 'wireframe'

 

 The staircase is formed from multiple blocks. This will form part of the lobby entrance. At present the external daylight has been modeled. You can see the sunlight through the windows and shadowing. This is achieved by introducing a 'sun' into the sky.


Tomorrow I will be developing my 'mapping' ideas. I intended to incorporate some of the collage ideas that Heidi (my course lecturer) showed me last week.

Richie 121013

Arcola. Mapping development ideas 10 oct 13

Here are some ideas for taking my mapping concept further:

Identify the  key cultural links within the hub. i.e identify the buildings that form part of the set -done. This set includes the Vortex Jazz Club ( where I celebrated my 30th birthday!), the library; the community gardens; Dalston Station; Ridley Road Market, café Oto, and the Artists house. Done.

Analyse different  ways of presenting my mapping findings  with different colours and textures- card, crape, graphite?

Sketch and identify key material of the identified buildings.

I would like to create a collage map combining the locations and materials to create an abstract representation of the cultural hub.

Richie 101013

Arcola- concept design strategy 09 oct 13

Arcola Theatre

My initial thoughts on design development.

There is no defined entrance into the building. The entrance should be obvious, and provide a welcoming identity to the space."Welcome, you have arrived at the Theatre".
A  ramp, glass doors, a canopy, themed identity and scene lighting will form a portal to culture, and fun.  Strategy- experimental  sketches and convert to autocad. Technology detail drawings of the entrance doors.

Cafe Area. I'm not convinced this should be a cafe at all? Given that the café Oto caters well next door why compete? Why? Cafe Oto has an abundance of space, atmosphere and defined sense of purpose.

The Arcola Theatre is a local authority state sponsored venture designed to spearhead regeneration in a run down area. My research has lead me to the belief that there are two barriers to longer term success and integration.

The first of these is the narrow spectrum of society that the Theatre is marketed to. This should be broadened through identity awareness and diversification.

Second, there is a lack of appropriate commercial strategy required to generate much need funds to engage long term viability.

I believe that the successful use of the entrance and its associated static and link space should integrate these two factors as part of defined Identity .

I intended to prepare CAD 'before and after' arrangement drawings.

Specify appropriate 'Truth of Material' components.

Render the café spaces in studio max - complete with daylight and artificial lighting modeling- so key to any successful interior strategy.

Anyway, that's the plan at the moment!

Richie 09 oct