Thursday, September 17, 2009
1500 words
"Architecture that bleeds, that exhausts, that whirls and even breaks. Architecture that lights up, that stings, that rips, and under stress, tears. Architecture should be cavernous, firey smooth, hard, angular, brutal, round, delicate, colourful, obscene, voluptuous, dreamy, alluring, repelling, wet, dry, throbbing. Alive or dead. Cold then cold as a block of ice. Hot then hot as a blazing wing."
USE OF LIGHT
Lao Tse once said, “architecture is not four walls and a roof; it also and above all, is the air that remains within, the space that these enclose.” One of the most fundamental elements to keep in mind when designing a building is that life goes into it. The space that is created encloses life. The source of life is of course sunlight. This then allows us to understand hitherto the historical interdependent concept of architecture and sunlight or sunlight and architecture. Light sustains such an importance that it is an “architectural form” (Bruno Zevi).
Sunlight, natural light, light gives us the ability to identify our surroundings within the changing perspectives of things that it touches. It defines the space that is contained within the things it impacts. It is a factor of the configuration of architectural space. Light can be weary, it can be energetic, it can help literally halt darkness from engulfing the minds and it’s perception of the world. It empowers the architect to create a world within shaped walls to create emotions, feelings that are agreeable to the individual, disagreeable, enlarging the physical space. The proper use of light therefore has the power to alter the spatial context. The right use of light enhances the space while bad light degrades it.
Having test out sunlight on the model the results indicated that the movement of people within my building in relation to light is partly successful. It is more successful in the old draft model than my second latest model which I used as a comparison however The key highlights were the amount of light entering the building which was a definite plus however the planning was still half baked and needed more time to become resolved but at this stage, it is just about fixing up the interior because the light is successful in both models than interior logic. The testing method used was to record people where they went inside the building but I noticed it was the views and light that was most popular. In terms of success in design criteria, the light aspect is perfect and the interior needs to be thought out more.
The purpose of light in the building was to drive people around however it could be more efficient with rooms and much more subtle light control mechanisms that made it more humanistic. This project came off rough in the end and the successful part was the entry which is good. The exterior form is doing a good job at keeping the sunlight dynamic. The images on the poster boards help present that idea of lightness because depression is something heavy and hard to escape. In medical testing, there is a treatment for depression where people are subjected to hours in a light room. This is what the building is trying to mimic. The purpose of this building is to provide the basics for battling early signs of depression. Unlike hospitals which require many rooms and corridors, this is also for the homeless therefore special consideration needed to be taken into.
CORRECTING FLAWS
As with all things, architecture too has its initial flaws that are made, found and corrected. The previous interior design proved to be too crowded and did not create enough space which is needed for such building structure and purpose. Hence the final test showed that the latest form is derived from the first model with the corrections made to its flaws in regards to the first model having been too space-confined.
In the first draft with the current exterior shell, the plans were rated as difficult to understand and required the mindset of someone who wanders the streets. This is where the difficulty came without using walls. The problem was about clear distinctions and privacy for the homeless and staff. In the first draft it was about no walls but open areas with no clear distinction. The problem with this was there were too many comments about privacy and a lack of divisions. The accumulation of work has resulted in the model shown. The emphasis on lighting and the interior from the original concept animation with the sharp edges was the driving force behind the building. However the model itself was too large to impose on the small site therefore the qualities of light and interior had to be extracted.
The summary analysis of the old cramped open space model was that there was a lack of distinct spaces and it was hard to understand. The place needed to be re organized into spaces that could be read without any trouble however due to the size of the site, it would mean the roof needed to be changed and time was of the essence. Furthermore, the interior lacked the coherency of a normally conceived space because this was not built for the homeless. The old saying applies to the homeless. You can not tell a homeless person to do something; you have to lead them somewhere to do what you want. This is the problem about this project. Do I rely on standard architectural planning or do I use a new sort of idea which is new to some. There is an old saying that is ringing in my head constantly and it was a building without a working plan is nothing at all. The question becomes how do I design a place for the homeless if conventional walls and barriers are scare away the homeless.
In the new model, the issues of tackling possible land integration is clear and there is an entry just like the early concept model animations. The problem is the interior is bland and the lighting inside it is not a problem. It was easy to read, it was straight forward but as one of the testers pointed out in the navigation run it was rather too easy. In a sense there is some victory where leading the homeless is present but that idea is too much of an assumption. The exterior is fixed and raised, but it only leads to one thing, if the interior needs a massive reconstruction, the exterior is going to change as well. This attempt at melting the interior with the exterior was futile in this project but if this was the final draft, then I have a better I idea how to improve on the interior. From now on, it is a rush to getting a desired interior.
CONVENIENT AND EASY ROUTING
The enclosed spaces that we find ourselves in are ones which we do not want to be grounded in for always. Hence there is always the need to move around and eventually move out in order to have the option of moving back into a building. The convenience of easily navigating oneself through a building is dependent on the organization of the building and its paths that have been set within it for your personal movement. In testing out the convenience of finding an exit to the building it was discovered through the data that from the testers who moved through the building, it was all about the intention of the design which made it a flaw or benefit. In the case of the homeless this building failed to satisfy the requirements of free roaming. The early model had a successful attempt at baffling people because it was against the rules of conventional spaces. This was the realm of the homeless where anywhere was territory. However the internal planning made the light areas popular. This is disappointing because a good metaphor for the homeless would be gas in a balloon. It’s how the building expands and it was lacking in the models. The early concept of landscape had the best example of the homeless wondering in and out of places. There was no distinction of spaces and walls and it was confined.
However, the practicalities of these spaces required much more space than the site had. To achieve that level of detail on a restricted site would mean constant refining and the ability to take away the stack itself to utilize the space properly. This would not be possible therefore to recreate the tunnel effect of going in and out requires a lot more land than required. Not to the mention the ramps and stairs required in each tube. The landscape idea is good one which should be used however the question for easy routing becomes, how would you design a building which is completely illogical?
IN CONCLUSION
This building design adheres to the purpose of sheltering the depressed of a targeted age group. It is not a place for them to be permanently grounded in the road to recovery of their mental instability but a place of transition towards the cure. The use of lighting is the predominant factor in determining the whole concept of using light in all its positive ways to create a soothing and curing ambience. A space that is lighted, one that shows that depression is a darkness to which light can be shed. As Leonard Cohen stated:
“The term clinical depression finds its way into too many conversations these days. One has a sense that a catastrophe has occurred in the psychic landscape.”
This building in its own right as an enclosed landscape is meant to assist in undoing the catastrophe that has occurred in the human psychic landscape. And as Luther appropriately notes, “Darkness can not drive out darkness: only light can do that.”
USE OF LIGHT
Lao Tse once said, “architecture is not four walls and a roof; it also and above all, is the air that remains within, the space that these enclose.” One of the most fundamental elements to keep in mind when designing a building is that life goes into it. The space that is created encloses life. The source of life is of course sunlight. This then allows us to understand hitherto the historical interdependent concept of architecture and sunlight or sunlight and architecture. Light sustains such an importance that it is an “architectural form” (Bruno Zevi).
Sunlight, natural light, light gives us the ability to identify our surroundings within the changing perspectives of things that it touches. It defines the space that is contained within the things it impacts. It is a factor of the configuration of architectural space. Light can be weary, it can be energetic, it can help literally halt darkness from engulfing the minds and it’s perception of the world. It empowers the architect to create a world within shaped walls to create emotions, feelings that are agreeable to the individual, disagreeable, enlarging the physical space. The proper use of light therefore has the power to alter the spatial context. The right use of light enhances the space while bad light degrades it.
Having test out sunlight on the model the results indicated that the movement of people within my building in relation to light is partly successful. It is more successful in the old draft model than my second latest model which I used as a comparison however The key highlights were the amount of light entering the building which was a definite plus however the planning was still half baked and needed more time to become resolved but at this stage, it is just about fixing up the interior because the light is successful in both models than interior logic. The testing method used was to record people where they went inside the building but I noticed it was the views and light that was most popular. In terms of success in design criteria, the light aspect is perfect and the interior needs to be thought out more.
The purpose of light in the building was to drive people around however it could be more efficient with rooms and much more subtle light control mechanisms that made it more humanistic. This project came off rough in the end and the successful part was the entry which is good. The exterior form is doing a good job at keeping the sunlight dynamic. The images on the poster boards help present that idea of lightness because depression is something heavy and hard to escape. In medical testing, there is a treatment for depression where people are subjected to hours in a light room. This is what the building is trying to mimic. The purpose of this building is to provide the basics for battling early signs of depression. Unlike hospitals which require many rooms and corridors, this is also for the homeless therefore special consideration needed to be taken into.
CORRECTING FLAWS
As with all things, architecture too has its initial flaws that are made, found and corrected. The previous interior design proved to be too crowded and did not create enough space which is needed for such building structure and purpose. Hence the final test showed that the latest form is derived from the first model with the corrections made to its flaws in regards to the first model having been too space-confined.
In the first draft with the current exterior shell, the plans were rated as difficult to understand and required the mindset of someone who wanders the streets. This is where the difficulty came without using walls. The problem was about clear distinctions and privacy for the homeless and staff. In the first draft it was about no walls but open areas with no clear distinction. The problem with this was there were too many comments about privacy and a lack of divisions. The accumulation of work has resulted in the model shown. The emphasis on lighting and the interior from the original concept animation with the sharp edges was the driving force behind the building. However the model itself was too large to impose on the small site therefore the qualities of light and interior had to be extracted.
The summary analysis of the old cramped open space model was that there was a lack of distinct spaces and it was hard to understand. The place needed to be re organized into spaces that could be read without any trouble however due to the size of the site, it would mean the roof needed to be changed and time was of the essence. Furthermore, the interior lacked the coherency of a normally conceived space because this was not built for the homeless. The old saying applies to the homeless. You can not tell a homeless person to do something; you have to lead them somewhere to do what you want. This is the problem about this project. Do I rely on standard architectural planning or do I use a new sort of idea which is new to some. There is an old saying that is ringing in my head constantly and it was a building without a working plan is nothing at all. The question becomes how do I design a place for the homeless if conventional walls and barriers are scare away the homeless.
In the new model, the issues of tackling possible land integration is clear and there is an entry just like the early concept model animations. The problem is the interior is bland and the lighting inside it is not a problem. It was easy to read, it was straight forward but as one of the testers pointed out in the navigation run it was rather too easy. In a sense there is some victory where leading the homeless is present but that idea is too much of an assumption. The exterior is fixed and raised, but it only leads to one thing, if the interior needs a massive reconstruction, the exterior is going to change as well. This attempt at melting the interior with the exterior was futile in this project but if this was the final draft, then I have a better I idea how to improve on the interior. From now on, it is a rush to getting a desired interior.
CONVENIENT AND EASY ROUTING
The enclosed spaces that we find ourselves in are ones which we do not want to be grounded in for always. Hence there is always the need to move around and eventually move out in order to have the option of moving back into a building. The convenience of easily navigating oneself through a building is dependent on the organization of the building and its paths that have been set within it for your personal movement. In testing out the convenience of finding an exit to the building it was discovered through the data that from the testers who moved through the building, it was all about the intention of the design which made it a flaw or benefit. In the case of the homeless this building failed to satisfy the requirements of free roaming. The early model had a successful attempt at baffling people because it was against the rules of conventional spaces. This was the realm of the homeless where anywhere was territory. However the internal planning made the light areas popular. This is disappointing because a good metaphor for the homeless would be gas in a balloon. It’s how the building expands and it was lacking in the models. The early concept of landscape had the best example of the homeless wondering in and out of places. There was no distinction of spaces and walls and it was confined.
However, the practicalities of these spaces required much more space than the site had. To achieve that level of detail on a restricted site would mean constant refining and the ability to take away the stack itself to utilize the space properly. This would not be possible therefore to recreate the tunnel effect of going in and out requires a lot more land than required. Not to the mention the ramps and stairs required in each tube. The landscape idea is good one which should be used however the question for easy routing becomes, how would you design a building which is completely illogical?
IN CONCLUSION
This building design adheres to the purpose of sheltering the depressed of a targeted age group. It is not a place for them to be permanently grounded in the road to recovery of their mental instability but a place of transition towards the cure. The use of lighting is the predominant factor in determining the whole concept of using light in all its positive ways to create a soothing and curing ambience. A space that is lighted, one that shows that depression is a darkness to which light can be shed. As Leonard Cohen stated:
“The term clinical depression finds its way into too many conversations these days. One has a sense that a catastrophe has occurred in the psychic landscape.”
This building in its own right as an enclosed landscape is meant to assist in undoing the catastrophe that has occurred in the human psychic landscape. And as Luther appropriately notes, “Darkness can not drive out darkness: only light can do that.”
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
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