It's getting crazy, and I find less and less time to write about what's going on, but this week has been pretty good despite the enormous amounts of work quickly closing in on me.
On a personal front, I've gotten to spend time this week with a few new people (Madoka from photography, I'm going to a movie later today with others) and those outside of the AA (last weekend with Justin and Iain).
I was feeling pretty sick at the beginning of the week, and missed dance to sleep and do a bit of work. I generally feel better now, though I'm not in 100% perfect health; I think the dryness of the room has a lot to do with it.
Last night I went to a Burlesque show with Justin; burlesque has been gaining popularity among the swing dance crowd, and I've been hearing lots about it lately. Justin got tickets to the opening of a new Burlesque show because he knows everyone in the troupe- yay connections! I enjoyed all the non-burlesque-y bits a lot; there was a tap dancing juggler, a violinists, a singing comedian (host), and a pair of HiLaRiOuS parody singers. Dressed in Tim Burton-esque faux-punk goth garb, the girl sang over dramatized renditions of pop songs, while the boy wailed / jazzed / old tymed on the key board. It was amazing.
Afterwards, we stopped by a jazz club on the way home to hear the last two songs of a 5 piece band, crammed shoulder to shoulder in the tiniest basement I've ever seen. We only stayed for 15 minutes, but it was a pretty incredible place.
I have lunch at 2 in Chinatown with Studio, and then a movie and dinner with AAers. Oh, the social life I lead!
-----------------Studio-----------------
32000 lines, and more to go.
Last Saturday Monia changed all of our plans, and so I've been working non stop on this drawing. I'm at 32000 lines, and still not done. In fact, after our discussion yesterday, I have to change or redraw a lot of them. I really need to finish it today though, so that I can work on other things (like my white book) for our next big crit. I'm going to start faking the drawing really soon (by using scripted pieces, instead of hand drawing it all), just to get density.
-----------------Shaping Seams-----------------
Our pieces were -finally- milled, and again came out in pieces. Something happened to the geometry when the surface was applied, so half of our pieces have holes in them and the other half are broken beyond use. Monia said it was ok, and to photo and assemble whatever we could.
Hand ins for all Media Studies is this Wednesday, so we've got to get crackin on all the submission stuff.
-----------------The Deep End-----------------
Goswin canceled our final photoshoot "due to exhaustion" so our supplementary work must be printed, bound, and handed in by Wednesday. I'm going to find a place that prints photos for you and somehow put them all together. I really have no idea what format is ideal for these things... and no one seems to want to give me explicit instructions or advice. I'm going to [hopefully] take my final image tonight with my own camera, and get them all printed on Monday or Tuesday. I'm a little bummed that we didn't get to use the large format camera after all, but oh well. He was in a really terrible mood last Monday, so something important must have come up.
-----------------Architecture to Architecture-----------------
Mark Cousins came in again and directed our discussion on the implications of computers. We talked about everything from the change in student understanding, educational culture, expectation... to the differences between Simple, Complex, and Complicated. These discussions have been a really enjoyable mix of intellect and humor.
"The computer seems to become something like a conscious, a psychological prothesis. You start to feel guilty when you shut it, like it has eyes. It's saying things like 'Why haven't you got me open? You call yourself a serious student? Bah!'"
In architecture, there is often simple (like Mies) and complex (like AA academic work). Both are seen as Good in their own respects, but the complex is attractive through its sheer mass of seemingly incomprehensible stuff: lines everywhere, difficult math and algorithms, whatever.
At this time, the students and faculty are beginning to feel a little uncomfortable with the pure scripted-ness of the work from the last few years. We are beginning to question the definition, value, and future of the work. What are the implications of doing everything via computer? Have we lost our pre-thought in determining what is good? What is the new language that arises from this kind of design. Does formal design matter? What draws us to working on our computer? How should we really view it? How should a university approach it or teach?
-the simplification of the complex is a tool for communication, explanation. Complex must have a strong underlying rationality, in itself simple. It can be broken down.
-the simplification of simple is impossible. simple is in many ways fantastic. it is qualitative, not quantitative.
The computer has afforded a tool to kick-start the second phase of design; it produces iteration after iteration that we were previously unable to do. This, I believe, will require a shift in critical thinking. While currently, we still reside within the mode of thought that we make choices while designing, while drawing. Our critical thought is at the very beginning, when deciding What to do, and at the end, when we look at How we've done. But the middle stage is the most critical now. The computer punches out hundreds of options, where as before we might only have 2 or 3 or 5, and our eye for understanding what is Good and Why is not yet up to the task to slog through hundreds of options. It is very easy to keep punching out new iterations, without selecting and moving forward, because we do not understand the math or process behind why a shape is the way it is. Our selection is completely arbitrarily based on aesthetic, which many architects struggle with. (Overcoming the "arbitrary is bad" mindset is an incredibly difficult task)
Ok, and before I ramble for hours, I need to stop. I have pages of this stuff, that will stay safely in my sketchbook until I have to write my final paper (which is soon).
I am, however, particularly interested in our discussions around education style, and have laid out rough sketches for "my ideal school" several times. This is probably because I'm still IN school and it's all I know, but...
-----------------Lectures-----------------
Richard Horden spoke this week. He does super small light weight structures, like the micro-compact home:
It was a really good discussion. I felt like he clearly articulated many of the topics I think are relevant and interesting: function-based inspiration from nature, small spaces, relationship with nature, environmental/energy/consumption management. A few things were off, like his attitude towards food [by living in a smaller space, you eat less!] because I think living in a smaller space without easy cooking facilities just makes you buy more premade food in excessive packaging.
I met him briefly after the lecture and want to buy the book.
I thought it was just me who was interested in burlesque ... or are there others that I don't know about? :P
ReplyDelete