Thursday, November 29, 2007

Monday, November 26, 2007

Sunday, November 25, 2007

10 Buildings


Tom
Chudleigh Errington, British Columbia (Dwell)

To own a tree house tucked away in the woods is every child's fantasy. Now, Tom Chudleigh has made it a reality for children and adults alike. The house essentially is a functional living space. There is running water, sleeping accommodations, television, microwave, refrigerator, etc. It has all of the needs of a conventional house, but it happens to be suspended off of the ground.
I enjoy the idea of a tree house. It would be less invasive, take up much less space, and it would be more environmentally friendly. I think people are so caught up on the size of their home, but this tree house shows that you don't need all of the space to have all that you need.

Vladimir G.
Schuchov Chersson, Ukraine (architectureweek.com)

The Adziogol Lighthouse was designed by Vladimir G. Schuchov and it is made from iron framework. It sits out in the middle of the ocean and it is 68 meters high. I chose to write about this structure because of it's appearance. It is a graceful design, but it also looks very precarious. It looks as if a wave or a heavy storm could knock it over at any second. On a positive note, I like how it funnels upwards; it sort of gives the allusion of wave movement as the iron frame grows closer together as the structure grows in height.


Steven Ehrlich Architects Dubai (Architectural Digest Oct 2007)
This massive residence is an oasis in the hot desert, complemented with vegetation and basins of water. Reflected in the pools is the giant roof line, an imitation of the crescent moon in the desert night. The flow of the space is open and very much connected to the outside with the use of over sized doors and windows. The style takes a minimalist approach as to connect the residents to the weather and landscape beyond.

Peter L.
Gluck Texas (Architectural Digest Oct 2007)
Peter L. Gluck explains that his design works with the surrounding land acting," not passive," rather ,"on the design." At first glance, the building appears to be a dual-level house. On further inspection, it is obvious that the first floor is built into the ground. The shape of the structure is deceiving; every side has a different viewpoint that could not be detected from the side before. The first floor of the space is entirely glass; it alludes to a tank, with seldom privacy and views in every direction.
Dover Castle Dover, England

Pictures of Dover Castle don't do it justice; it is even more impacting in real life. The size alone is impressive. It is not what people think of when they think of buildings but, at it's time, this Castle was a top notch building. Clearly they built it well, or else it would not be standing as well as it is today. The earlier structures are what later designers base their buildings off of, evolving the concepts into what we see today.

Carlos
Páez Vilaró Uruguay (Architectural Digest Oct 2007)

When I look at this home, I immediately am reminded of making castles out of wet sand at the beach. It looks so handmade and sculptural with the odd shapes and curvature. It is a different approach to building, something that would doubtfully be seen in the United States.The white of the walls contrast with the surrounding water and make the white look even more pronounced and stark. the soft curves of the building makes the viewer wonder if the inside would have the same natural look to it.
California Academy of Sciences Metropolis Nov. 2007

What better place to have a green building than a building dedicated to sciences? Eco-friendly buildings are ones of the future and a smart move if earth salvation is the goal. I enjoy seeing a corporation take action in the preservation of the atmosphere; it leads others to follow from example. With green structures, there is also a great deal of interaction. People can sit on the grassy hills/ rooftops and stroll around the solar panels. I think the designers did a great job on this building. The
Millennium Dome Sir Richard Rogers

I am so
intrigued by this building. It reminds me both of multiple bridges puncturing a tarp or cranes protruding out of the structure. I find it appealing to look at, yet confusing at the same time. I feel like it would be out of place in a big city. How could something of this caliber ever fit in with the other buildings? Especially ones that are much older with a traditional style. It is no doubt an interesting idea, but it's placement should be questioned.
High Tech Modern Norman Foster
Some people refer to this building as the "gherkin" due to it's resemblance of the food item. The metal frame and stripes of glass rotate up the structure, thus giving it the appearance of a rotating object. The building may be impressive to look at, but it's place in the city is something to think about. It stands above the rest and it has no resemblance to the surrounding buildings, making it look as if it was inserted with no thought.


CCTV Headquarters Rem Koolhaas

Koolhaas' CCTV Headquarters begs for attention; there is no way it could go unnoticed. The building stands above and outshines it's surroundings. The actual shape of the building is, by far the most unique. It is so dynamic and provides great views from every side due to the layout. With the combination of the glass reflecting the city and the gap in the middle of the structure, this building seems rather transparent, which is positive because it allow the structure to have an open environment.

Graphic Media

Forget that this piece is upside down and focus on the lines formed from the images and text. They may be constructed with altering sizes and width, but the angle s they are placed at structure and add some uniformity to the layout. The use of one color is a sea of black and white is an effective strategy as well; it draws the attention to that specific area of color, in this case, the title. This graphic layout is all over the place and I am not entirely sure if I appreciate that. There are image blocks of ranging size and shape, placed randomly across the ad. The text is another issue; there are too many fonts and sizes as well. Too much variety of color can damage a design and I think this is borderline excessive. I really would term this ad a 'throw up of idea.' The Designer should have chosen one concept instead of all three.


This graphic layout is effective because it uses strategies to provide flow between the pages. The font and the text strip are the same colors as the orange walls in the space. It looks appealing and particularly noticeable in contrast to the white background. The images are of different sizes, placed in an way that would not look off balanced.


This layout has a successful marriage of organization and spontinaety. The images are all so different and random looking but they are all toned down with the addition of the linear text boxes below. Following the line across the page that the text provides, the reader is allowed to look at the cluster of images in an organized way.
This ad uses shape references to appeal to the viewer. The circles contrast with the shape of the chair and therefore make it stand out because it is out of place. An obvious observation is that the circles are red; they contrast with the white of the background. The red is placed near the products to increase the viewing impact and importance.

This graphic layout is a different take on layout design. It has more a personal feel than any other layout, probably due to the handcrafted method of design.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Two New Design Technologies


Eventscape
Metropolis Nov. 2007
Eventscape has created a new form of ceiling decoration with the introduction of the Custom framed fabric ceiling panels with projected waves. The panels can be of any design, and since the design is projected onto the fabric, it can be changed to fit the desired style. Though the custom ceiling may not be practical for residential spaces, it certainly could be popular amongst larger companies and businesses looking for the extra “wow” factor.

FLIR Systems Inc
(http://www.buildersshow.com/Exhibitors/VBooth.aspx?id=12579#FP)

FLIR Systems has created a camera that is a non-evasive way to check the condition of the home. Specially designed for
home inspectors, restoration contractors, and other home construction professionals, the B400 has everything built into one. There are infrared and visible pictures, insulation and moisture alarms, and touch screen technology. This inspection camera is the ultimate deal.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Drawing and Such

Thumbnail Final Product

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Capsule Pre-Zine

Layout Option #1
Layout Option #2

Layout Option #3
Layout Thumbnails



Zine PrototypeSo, my actual zine does not look exactly like this, but as I was making it, I found myself liking ideas that I had not planed for.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Le Corbusier Shading


This one is my favorite, mostly because of the time I put into it. I ended up redoing the assignment because I did not like my first version and I knew that this would be good practice!!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

People and Cubes


This is Lindsey

Capsule Drawings

For the first sketch, I made the image darker but I redrew the second drawing ; it was too light the first time, but I could not darken it because I shaded too hard.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Interior Environments

Elle Decor April 2007

This room is the perfect example of indoor/outdoor space. I would classify it as an interior room that lacks walls. It breaks the barrier that divides two rooms. There are certain benefits with this kind of space. The room uses natural light most of the day and, given the location, the space needs little air conditioning or heating. I would love to have an interior environment like this one. It looks so peaceful and one with nature. The furniture is minimum and monochromatic, allowing the main attention to be focused on the breathtaking views.

School of the 21st Century Jan 2007
I would love the Cafeteria at UNC Greensboro to look like this. The floor to ceiling window stretches the length of the space, opening it out to the view beyond. The tables, in turn break apart the size and provide space to eat a meal or. The unfinished ceilings give the space a loft feel, and the height gives the allusion of a larger, more open room.

Interior Design May 2007
This space alone is impressive enough. The multiple open stories and the oversize windows create a large, lofty space. Now, add in the beehive-octagonal structure and it makes for such an entertaining conference room. The first characteristic that stands out, apart from the shape and pattern, is the color. The orange-yellow pops in its surrounding. The color illuminates from behind as the light penetrates it.
The designer took the idea of a conventional room divider and turned it into a functional work of art, providing shelving units within the structure. I commend the design for being multipurpose.


Interior Design Oct 2007
This particular environment clearly suggests calm and relaxation. The bathroom has a strong Zen feel. The lines of the bathroom itself are relatively simple, that is, except for the tub. the tub is the focal point with it's soft curves and starkness in contrast to the space surrounding it.
There are no window treatments on the windows, however the garden beyond has a private feel as well as relaxing feel, proving the simple task of taking a bath to be a luxurious experience.

Southern Accents July/August 2007

Words cannot describe how much I dislike this interior environment! The first negative opinion regards the wallpaper. Wallpaper can a hit or miss concept and it is clear that this design proved to be the latter of the two. Moving past the walls, the accent color strikes the eye immediately. The color of yellow is incorporated into every aspect of this space, not in a positive way. It overpowers the room by itself and combined with the walls, it makes the room appear smaller and clustered.

Dwell December/Jan

This is not the traditional environment, rather an exhibit in a museum that acts as one. This hallway in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Design doubles both as an interior and a piece of art. The space is beautifully crafted, even though it might leave the viewer disoriented. The colors are vivid and contrasting as the light filters through them. The colors are vivid and the shapes are intricate, not only due to the material selection, but also because it is surrounded by smooth and stark white walls. The pattern of the shapes give the hallway an exaggerated perspective.

Architectural Digest Oct 2007

Bart Prince created and interior living space arranged around a tiled pool running the length of the particular space. When I found this interior, I could not help but be reminded of tree houses and the Swiss Family Robinson. Prince has made the line between outdoor and indoor space very thin; the concepts found in the space are nice tributes to nature, from the foliage, to the surplus of wood, to the lack of window treatments. Though maybe not my particular style, I enjoy looking at this piece. The wood is detailed and beautiful, and the mosaic pool is stunning.

Antoine Predock Architectural Digest October 2007
Antoine Predock has used a combination of wood, glass, and metal to create a home full of abstract interpretations of homes surroundings: the Rocky Mountains. The room slopes downward to a full walled window. The beautifully crafted staircase leads from the first floor to the second. The steel and glass catwalk connects the first level, while allowing light to come through ever part of the window. The space remains bright dues to the amount of windows and light wood throughout.

Robert A. M Stern Architectural Digest Oct 2007
What a peaceful retreat! The octagonal room designed by Robert A. M. Stern provides 180-degree views of the lake. The room is entirely made out of Douglass fir and the ceiling forms a cylinder. The room offers plenty of storage with built in bookshelves underneath the windows. Accents compliment the Design of the Space such as the wood des and the carpet that imitates the ceiling above. This room would be wonderful for reading a good book or watching the wildlife pass by.

Veranda Sep/ Oct 2006
This Foyer is fit for Royalty. The focal point is the Gowan ornamented iron banister. If looked at carefully, the glass in the banister is the same color as the walls. Tiles lead into the other rooms and the area has sparse, but ornaments furniture. The window above allows or natural light.




Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Boxes Boxes Everywhere


I don't really like this one. It was really difficult to establish the light at this angle and I think the craft could be better.
Out of the three drawings, I think this one is my favorite. I spent a lot of time on it and I think you can tell when you compare it to my other ones.