tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17143844998259932622024-03-13T13:04:04.226-07:00Flax and FlagsDedicated to exploring principles and elements of design with respect to my personal design philosophy: interiors as a way of life instead of as an afterthought.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-18831111963807733962012-11-05T06:02:00.001-08:002012-11-05T06:02:13.021-08:00Holistic Living: What Can Indigenous Cultures Teach Us?One of my avenues of exploration for arguing for biophilia for Pagans, as well as the world at large, is going back to ancient sources. Much of Western society has been slowly built up over the ages on ideas and architecture that find its wellspring first in the ancient Greeks and then the Romans. However, hundreds and thousands of other cultures existed in the same time period, some that are much older than the Greeks, and some that still (barely) survive today. In every continent today, there are indigenous peoples whose way of life often (if not always) depended on an intimate relationship with the natural environment, building up their cultures, societies, and belief systems around that. I don't want to suggest a Noble Savage scenario, as that is just as disingenuous as it is racist, but rather that each culture survived (and in a few cases, still do) due to this interdependence. In those cases where indigenous peoples are dying out (and there are shamefully many of these), the reason why can usually be traced back to dispossession from the lands traditionally inhabited, whether physically (actual removal from said lands) or socially (active discouragement from retaining traditional ways of life in attempts to "civilize").<br />
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What I propose is not simply obtaining justice for indigenous people and restoring land to them - in some cases, this would also dispossess people currently inhabiting these lands. Rather, I think ways can be found for holistic integration. In fact, I believe this is imperative.<br />
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I have to stress that I don't think we should throw the baby out with the bathwater: we have many technological advances that can and should be utilized. Ideologies, as well. However, in helping restore native ways of life, I strongly believe we also uncover ways to save ourselves from a natural destruction. We relearn modalities that reknit families, societies, cultures, and our relationship with our natural environment. We help heal some of the spiritual and mental ennui (sometimes even despair or anhedonia) individuals of our societies sometimes feel.<br />
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I will begin with examining aboriginal domestic structures from all over the world. I propose that, where native cultures had a societal and spiritual, as well as biological, interdependence with their land, similar structural forms and spatial organizations can be found. These rely on recognizing a land's characteristics and building in relation to the site as well as the clan/family/tribe/cultural group's biological needs. I am hoping that, in finding some of these similarities and analyzing their sources, we can utilize the information to inform modern forms of biophilic design that are thoughtful and responsive to our individual as well as societal needs.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-7468402556167812992012-09-09T08:11:00.001-07:002012-09-09T08:23:51.493-07:00Body, Mind, Spirit: the Intersectionality of Biophilia, and Where the Hell I'm Going With This.Some classmates (who I also count as friends) and I attended the IIDA Annual Meeting at the Michael C. Carlos Museum back in June. We took a break from networking to go outside for a cigarette, when my friend Stewart up and asks, "So, what are you doing after you graduate?"*<br />
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I didn't hesitate, because I'd actually thought about it recently: "Aside from looking for a job? I'm going to write a book."<br />
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"Oh, yeah? What about?"<br />
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"I want to write about biophilic interior design for pagans. We've got books on <i>feng shui</i>, but there's nothing really out there for Westerners."<br />
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"Really? Why's that?"<br />
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I smiled. "Because that's what I am."<br />
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(*Conversation paraphrased due to poor memory, but this is as close to the actual conversation that took place as I recall.)<br />
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This is what happens when you get devoured in your Capstone project, or at least that's what happened to me: I became excited and pretty much obsessed with biophilia and the idea of biophilic design. I want to share it with everyone, but the first people I want to introduce to biophilic design are the people who will most identify with it and (currently) don't seem to be terribly aware of it.<br />
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You see, pagans (or Pagans, as you prefer) have a large variety of books on "decorating" the home in a mystical manner, which often rely on color theory and symbolism and don't typically go much deeper than that. Sometimes there is mention of ley lines or "dragon energy" and trying to orient homes and spaces to take advantage of them. But the most in-depth examination of "house energy" typically comes from a plethora of books on <i>feng shui</i>, not many of which I would personally put a lot of stock into simply because there's a lot of bandwagon and inappropriate appropriation going on in that area. I've done some study of <i>feng shui</i>, and there's a lot more to it than simply not putting a lot of red in your kitchen, or where you place your bed - it relies on a system of Occidental astrology and geomancy that's not always appropriate to a Western system of society or belief structure. That's not to say that it's bad or that you shouldn't use it, but that there needs to be more relateable and less appropriated alternatives (and that if you're going to use something like <i>feng shui</i>, please do so thoughtfully!).<br />
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What I want to do is pull together knowledge from a variety of sources into one book (or, if need be, a series of books) that helps Westerners of a pagan bent truly understand not only how their interiors work, but how to incorporate their belief systems thoughtfully into them to create something holistically harmonious and sustainable.<br />
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Part of that, I believe, necessitates biophilia and ecopsychology. Pagans, on some level, already know about these subjects but I don't think have been made aware of them and truly <b>taught</b>. I've noticed that people like Starhawk, for example, have gotten into permaculture - that, to me, is an example of walking the talk and something that needs sharing with the greater pagan community. We talk about living in harmony with our Mother, the Earth (even sing about it!), but I see many examples of where we don't always <i>live</i> that philosophy. I'm also seeing examples of where we <i>are</i> living it, and I want to encourage that to grow.<br />
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Biophilia and ecopsychology tie in together with our bodies, minds, and spirits. The body aspect can be easily understood: if we truly care for our natural environment, it will in turn take care of us. We eat more sustainably and make healthier food choices, and we go out into our natural environment more often, which means more exercise and fresh air. On a macro scale, the more people taking care of their local environments results eventually in better living environments and less climate change, the latter of which is not just good stewardship but also enlightened self-interest. Nature doesn't need us, but we need nature. That's just a fact.<br />
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Our minds need nature more than ever, and the burgeoning studies of biophilia and ecopsychology are making this ever clearer. The work of <a href="http://www.sph.emory.edu/faculty/MEDHF" target="_blank">Dr. Howard Frumkin at Emory University</a>, for example, has found some evidence that the presence of plants and animals in the design of hospitals reduces the need for hospital stays by approximately a day, as well as reducing the need for pain medication. This is because we find the presence of plants and animals reassuring and reduces our stress - we are soothed. Physical and mental ailments are reduced through interaction with nature. Children with ADHD, for example, are better able to focus in a natural setting. That is just one of many examples examined by Richard Louv in his book <i><a href="http://richardlouv.com/books/last-child/" target="_blank">Last Child in the Woods</a></i>.<br />
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I should hope that I wouldn't need to outline why spiritually biophilia makes sense for pagans, but I will definitely underscore one reason why: nature is part of our heritage. As Richard Rudgley noted in Episode 4 of the <a href="http://www.channel4.com/programmes/pagans/episode-guide/series-1" target="_blank">documentary series "Pagans"</a>, we made a bargain with Nature long ago. How we uphold it has changed, of course, but it is no less important today than it was long ago. We see care of our natural environment as part of our spiritual job as well as our physical job because we don't separate the physical from the spiritual: they are closely intertwined, if not one, and neglecting one for the other is foolish in our eyes. We need to care for ourselves and each other in a holistic manner to lead balanced, healthy lives. Biophilia should be part and parcel of what we teach and pass on to each other just as much as we talk of meditation or energy-raising.<br /><br />So, back to this hypothetical book.<br />
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There are many areas I want to research and address, and I've begun compiling sources. Among them are topics and experts I've cited above - just yesterday, I bought Mr. Louv's book. Last week, I found another of E.O. Wilson's books, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Creation-Appeal-Save-Earth/dp/0393062171" target="_blank">The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth</a>, which I've begun reading and found deeply moving and quotable thus far. I'm also picking up any books that relate to this - yesterday, I also found a college text on Environmental Science (<a href="http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=11394726871&qwork=5339190&qsort=r&page=2" target="_blank">Principles of Environmental Science: Inquiry and Applications</a> by William and Mary Cunningham) that talks about systems, species populations, human populations, biodiversity, and agriculture, among many other topics.<br />
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But aside from the specific ecological angle, I'm looking at the Western pagan angle as well. What did we do in the past with our homes? How was this shown in myths and stories? How do we know this from a historical perspective: what has history and archaeology taught us, and more importantly, how successful were their strategies and what of those can we use in our own homes? What are we as pagans doing <b>now</b> that is, or can be, successful?<br />
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What are we doing <i>as a society</i> that is successful? What does interior design teach that isn't commonly known, and how can we marry all of these ideas together into happier, healthier, more holistic interiors (and buildings!) for Western pagans?<br />
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These are the questions I am asking. I hope to answer some in this blog, which I want to become the foundation of my book. I will be looking at the past, present, and future. I will be looking at materials, sources for them, and their wise use. I will be, ultimately, addressing residential design as a possible curative for our society, beginning with education, and specifically of the people who will most understand it because it is you - us - who can be the example and carry the message:<br /><br />Caring for the Earth may be a dirty, hippie job, but it isn't crazy. It's imperative, it's everyone's job, and it's nowhere as onerous as others may try to make you believe.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-30672978964089598042012-08-31T18:21:00.001-07:002012-09-09T08:22:27.055-07:00Senior Capstone ProjectHere it is, I've finished college. Once I've completed all graduation requirements (I've got one left, at least), I'll soon have my BFA diploma in hand. I'll have graduated <i>cum laude</i> from the Savannah College of Art & Design's Interior Design program, which currently is ranked #1 in the nation for its graduate and undergraduate programs by DesignIntelligence. Kind of makes me a smart cookie, but I'm not alone - at least a quarter of my other classmates are also <i>cum laude</i> or higher. We're all smart cookies here.<br />
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So, now I have time on my hands to share things that I've learned, and also to begin sharing things that interest me about interior design, biophilic design, sustainability, art history, and related areas of interest (like archaeology, or physics - I'm a bit nerdy).<br />
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What I'd like to share first is my Senior Capstone Project. It's a bit like a thesis for most other undergraduate programs, in that it's a summation of what you've learned as applied through your particular lens of interest, but different in that it's not just a paper you're writing, but also a model of a design you're creating where you know every detail of the project and exactly why you make the choices you make. <i>Every</i> detail, down to the last brick. Ask me anything about this project and I guarantee I'll have an answer.<br />
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I created what I call the Chrysalis Shelter for Women and Children. It's biophilic transitional housing for survivors of domestic abuse. I was jokingly asked last night where the shelter is for men - my answer is, I haven't made it yet. I also don't want to make light of the plight of abused men, because it does happen, and it's a pretty serious problem, but the statistics for women and children are staggering. It is an epidemic. <i>One in four women will be affected by domestic abuse.</i> The rates of homicides linked to domestic abuse are horrific. In one year alone, Georgia rose from being 10th in the nation for the highest rates of male-instigated homicide of women in domestic abuse situations, to being 6th.<br />
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In the 2011 from the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Georgia had nearly 2000 victims served in one day. In the same survey, 243 requests were unmet due to factors such as a shortage of staff, shortage of funding, not enough transportation, and so on. 67% of those unmet needs were for housing. That's in just <i>one day</i>. Multiply that by 365, and that's for one year in one state. <a href="http://nnedv.org/resources/census/2011-report.html" target="_blank">Look at all the reports from every state.</a> If that doesn't absolutely floor you, if that doesn't move you, I don't know what would.<br />
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I'd already been moved before I knew the statistics; it made me want to cry, to fight, to <i>do something</i> afterward. Therefore, I devoted the next 20+ weeks of my life to working on this project, even if it didn't provide any immediate benefit to the women and children the project was intended for - if it just helps create awareness, then I've done something. Perhaps one day I can do more.<br />
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Perspectives from the project, created in Revit 2012 and manipulated in Photoshop 5:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulda_art/7903172074/" title="Seedling Room-final by Hulda Art, on Flickr"><img alt="Seedling Room-final" height="270" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8436/7903172074_90b2dd0a59.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Seedling Room<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulda_art/7903172220/" title="North Residential Hallway-final by Hulda Art, on Flickr"><img alt="North Residential Hallway-final" height="416" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8175/7903172220_6cc398caed.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
North Residential Hallway<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulda_art/7903172372/" title="Living Lounge-final by Hulda Art, on Flickr"><img alt="Living Lounge-final" height="246" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8321/7903172372_7f88eb4b7f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Living Lounge <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulda_art/7903172528/" title="Kitchen-final by Hulda Art, on Flickr"><img alt="Kitchen-final" height="322" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8295/7903172528_f922373148.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Kitchen<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulda_art/7903172814/" title="Kids Play-final by Hulda Art, on Flickr"><img alt="Kids Play-final" height="295" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7903172814_dfc1c32675.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Kids Play <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulda_art/7903172958/" title="Classroom - final by Hulda Art, on Flickr"><img alt="Classroom - final" height="364" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8042/7903172958_889ac68663.jpg" title="" width="500" /></a><br />
Classroom <br />
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This is the book I created: <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-mRacvE_4T3TF9kR2ZvcTYwMGc" target="_blank">Chrysalis Shelter for Women and Children</a><br />
These are the presentation boards for the project: <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-mRacvE_4T3eVcwekRqYk5lemM" target="_blank">Chrysalis presentation boards</a><br />
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The boards and book were both created in Adobe InDesign 6. So, a lot of programs were used for the project, everything from MS Word to Adobe products to Autodesk products. But I believe I also owe a debt of gratitude to Edward O. Wilson and Stephen Kellert, who wrote about biophilia and biophilic design: I've never met them, but their work inspired me and this project. My work from now on will hopefully build on this.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-4515656350947118932012-06-03T17:31:00.001-07:002012-09-09T08:22:49.435-07:00Revitalizing the world (and this blog).I believe that the writing I'm most drawn to is autobiographical in some way - it's the personal stories I'm most interested in. It's my way of connecting with other people that I otherwise might not get to meet. So when I write, I feel compelled to do the same, to write from an autobiographical point of view. I could write something slightly more impersonal and be more popular, perhaps, but for me it doesn't feel as genuine. Being honest with who you are is important to me.<br />
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What's also important to me are several things: interior design and the building arts, the Earth, community, and spirituality. I believe that all of them can intersect in meaningful ways, and during my time at school, I've sought for ways to make that happen. It wasn't until my most recent quarter at SCAD, which entailed beginning my capstone project, that I finally found it: biophilic design.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is biophilic design?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Biophilic design is an outgrowth of Edward O. Wilson's book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Biophilia-Edward-O-Wilson/dp/0674074424/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338767743&sr=1-11" target="_blank">Biophilia</a></i></span>. <span style="font-size: small;">"Biophilia" means "love of life," referring to nature, and biophilic design aims to incorporate this meaningfully into design as a restorative act. Studies have shown that ill, injured, or traumatized and stressed people recuperate faster when they have access to nature in even small ways, such as a window with a view to sky, sunlight, and trees.</span></span> People respond positively to nature, both consciously and subconsciously. Neuroscientific evaluation goes into the nitty-gritty of why and how, such as subconsciously noticing and responding positively to fractals, but the bottom line is this: if we're able to enjoy sunlight, fresh air, see and touch plants, and get the hint that animals might also enjoy the surroundings, then so do we. We relax more, are more productive, and are generally happier.<br /><br />As an interior designer who is eco-conscious, however, this has additional benefits. Biophilic design also aims to be sustainable. Daylighting, natural systems of ventilation (or that which successfully mimics them), and natural fabrics and finishes, for example, are very sustainable - it costs much less to air-condition a building if it's done so naturally. Less money is spent on lighting. Materials are less likely to contain VOCs, and if local materials are bought and used, they are contribute to the local economy, cost less to ship, and at least carry the potential to be sustainably harvested and created.<br />
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Biophilic design takes many of these wonderful, worthy theories and methods of sustainable design (Cradle to Cradle, LEED, etc.) and says, "This is really, really great, but let's push it one step further and not just heal our environment, but heal people as well." Biophilic design reconnects people with nature, and this disconnection from nature is something I feel deep down has become a societal illness. When we disconnect with nature and with other people, we value it less, and see it more and more as a commodity to be used and thrown away. We see people as commodities to be used and thrown away. We are no longer in communities that sustains every individual in it through interactive and interconnected systems of survival and nourishment, but are in our own little worlds that just happen to neighbor other little worlds. Civilization is founded upon communities, not individuals, and civilization can stand only if its communities reach out and truly support each other.<br />
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We have gotten away from the idea of mutual dependence for survival because we haven't felt the immediate need for a long time. With our planet and our societies decaying, however, I feel the time has come to recognize this mutual dependence once again, to acknowledge that we really need each other and for more than survival: we need each other for joy and happiness, to nourish a love for mankind as well.<br />
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I recognize that I sound as if biophilic design is our silver bullet to cure everything. I do sound like the recently converted, I know. Is it the magic cure-all? I don't think so, but only because I believe that <i>education</i> comes first. Education is the catalyst for change: not strictly classroom or academic education, but world experience, hands-on work, learning to see through the eyes of another person. Education can help foster empathy and understanding, and asks questions such as, "What can I do?"<br />
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I think biophilic design answers "what can I do?" with, "Respect nature by creating your built environment in harmony with it. When you do so, you knit communities together in harmony as well."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-84807737251333038022011-09-19T07:21:00.000-07:002011-09-19T07:21:10.763-07:00[Studio III] Designers Love to Create (Design Challenge #2)It's been a while since I've posted! I deeply apologize to anyone still following my blog; if any of you are, or have been, in an interior design curriculum, you know how busy it gets. Combine that with an active life, and things get a little crazy. However, this will not stand: I will be posting more often. I definitely have things to say, things to share!<br />
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Speaking of, today I'm sharing a presentation I will be giving today regarding an assignment given for my Studio III class. (The title of the assignment is the title of my post.) What we did was take an ordinary object we interact with daily, and see what we can do to improve upon it when we strip away our usual expectations of that object and see it with new eyes. Well, I smoke: my object was a lighter. I use BIC disposables, mainly because that's what my husband buys. I'd like to take a more eco-friendly stance to things I use and design, and frankly, *everything* can be improved upon (even the most awesome, seemingly perfect products available).<br />
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For this class, we are using, and being encouraged to use, sketchbooks: all the images I've created come straight from mine. This is a great opportunity for me to develop my sketching skills, but it also helps me order my thoughts and get them down on paper. If nothing else, perhaps this will encourage anyone seeing my presentation to use their sketchbooks as well without fear.<br />
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<b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/ElissaRich/thumbs-up-9322676" target="_blank" title="Thumbs up">Thumbs up</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/9322676" width="425"></iframe> <br />
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View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/" target="_blank">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/ElissaRich" target="_blank">Elissa Rich</a> </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-56818187275942135532011-01-22T05:44:00.000-08:002011-01-22T05:44:35.034-08:00A New Quarter at SCADI've thought about writing this update before, but hadn't gotten to it until now. It's a Saturday, which for most people may mean "weekend" but for me means time to work on projects and assignments that I can't, for whatever reason, get to during class times. It's also morning, which means coffee for me to wake up my brain. A blog update sometimes helps me ease into a day's work, as well.<br />
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A hiccup in class scheduling lead me to a decision I'd been waffling over but finally took took the plunge: I've officially attached Art History as a minor. Therefore, this quarter I'm studying Ancient Art and Architecture, which for this class means Greek and Roman -- we're in the middle of Greek vase painting and the Labors of Herakles. Another component of the class includes a "Lost Art" project and paper, and I've decided to study the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos. What in particular about it I'm not sure of yet; I've just begun my research and will nail it down as I read further. I'm particularly excited about it due to my beliefs (mentioned in my "About" page) - although I adhere more to Celtic and Norse pantheons, the Greek hold some residual appeal since it was reading Greek mythology that began my studies in general. Artemis the huntress has always been a favorite of mine in the Greek pantheon.<br />
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Other classes I'm taking this quarter are Electronic Design (which means AutoCAD 2011) and Studio I (which is focused upon residential design). I'm also excited about these classes for many reasons. The former will be a big boost to my resume, and I'm hoping could lead to an internship or part-time job soon. I'm also a technophile, and having another tool in my box other than drafting makes me feel more competent!<br />
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Studio I is the big launching point to me, however. Between residential building code research, learning site analysis, adjacency matrices, bubble diagrams, programming and more, I'm learning quite a lot. The main focus of this class, or rather the end result of this class, is a project wherein we are given elements of a client profile, asked to create the rest, and then create a floor plan, furniture plan, boards and more for this fictional client. I have lots of ideas bubbling away in the back of my mind, so I'm looking forward to seeing the end results down on paper!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://timberandtextiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Chesterfield-Sofa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://timberandtextiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Chesterfield-Sofa.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image taken from http://timberandtextiles.com/chesterfield-sofa/ - I'm required to include a leather Chesterfield sofa similar to this one in my Studio I project.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-88124541353612949892010-12-04T17:24:00.000-08:002010-12-04T17:24:00.031-08:00Leave Large, Love Little: LifeEdited Design ChallengeIf there's one thing I'm growing to love more as I learn more about the state of American economy, our world (and American) ecology, and innovations in design overall, it's seeing the drive to make our living footprints smaller and smaller. Learning to live more fully with less is imperative if all of us are to lead healthier lives in every possible aspect from the personal to the global - mind, body, and soul. With new designs emerging constantly showing us precisely how we can do this, the excuses not to do so are shrinking. One day, it will be affordable for everyone. Call it a design revolution.<br />
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One of the leaders of this revolution is Graham Hill, founder of the website Treehugger. (See my list of links in the sidebar.) Back in October (I'm only now finding out about this, or I would have posted it sooner) he launched a design challenge: turn a 420 sq.ft. New York apartment into "a jewel box" with "an ultra-low footprint." You can find more details at <a href="http://lifeedited.treehugger.com/">LifeEdited</a>.<br />
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Anyone following this blog knows that my classmates and I faced a similar challenge with our smaller list of requirements for our Living Cube project, so it's plain to see why the LifeEdited challenge would interest me. It's a larger space, incorporating a kitchen and bathroom, so theoretically it would be easier to do. I'm also familiar with the space-saving options listed at Resource Furniture, having utilized the Doc bunk bed for my particular cube. However, the larger list of requirements and the larger space also make the challenge more difficult -- and more fun!<br />
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Photos of the space to be renovated can be found at Graham Hill's Flickr set <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamhill/sets/72157624661757582/">150 Sullivan</a>. It really is a small apartment -- in Soho, from the looks of it -- but the neighborhood looks charming. When it's all done, who wouldn't want to live there? (I also have to say that it reminds me of a Counting Crows song, "Sullivan Street.") Keep your eye on the submissions; they're all pretty amazing! The deadline also happens to be my birthday, which makes me peculiarly motivated to make the attempt, despite not knowing anything about super-insulating or how to offset (or not) existing gas radiators.<br />
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If you're working on this design challenge, I'd love to hear from you!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-13643281943240542312010-11-19T13:33:00.000-08:002010-11-19T13:33:37.566-08:00PromotionI'm not sure if my other classmates from Form, Space and Order at SCAD will use these blogs beyond the classroom requirement, but as I've said before, I will. I started using the Internet in its early stages with message boards, online discussion groups, MUSHs and the like, and kept using as it has changed and grown, so this is a very comfortable medium for me. For all that most folks seem to be into social media, they're not really into using the Internet as tools beyond that, but I sincerely hope they do: it's invaluable in this day and age.<br />
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To begin with, I'd like to start promoting my work. It's very much student work at this point, which I'm sure anyone reading this (and not just my classmates) understands, but I felt it was important to reiterate that. I hope, then, that people will be able to see how I am growing and changing as an...well, I suppose "artist" applies (although that's a loaded term to me, which I will explain at some point), considering what I have done until recently, but as an interior designer as well.<br />
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I fairly regularly post the work I'm proud of or simply want to share on Flickr: <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulda_art/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/hulda_art</a><br />
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I'm most proud of my floor plans and Rendering pieces (of the work I've done most recently), and work like these:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4423888440_66423ece59_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4423888440_66423ece59_m.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"now i lay me down to sleep" - from Photography class</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4404567721_2b4b296be0_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4404567721_2b4b296be0_m.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"urban treasures" -- from Photography class</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4258800856_ed70f83d24_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4258800856_ed70f83d24_m.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"subtractive charcoal still life" -- from Drawing II class</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"identity crisis" -- final project from Drawing II class</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3509406070_d8453f43c5_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3509406070_d8453f43c5_m.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"alex in shadows"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I most love charcoal/pastels and photography, outside of the mediums used for interior design, but I'm coming to love the markers and colored pencils for rendering as well. Not a fan of the penciling and inking process, but I think it may just take some time for me to get used to it -- like an acquired taste, you could say.<br />
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I also like designing web pages (and have done so in HTML on Notepad), and occasionally give my husband feedback on his designs. (He does some freelance work putting together websites for friends and associates, and has been delving deeper into PHP, CSS, MooTools and many other web design programming tools.) There's an element of inserting beauty into functionality that's appealing, and knowing the guts of how to do just that, figuring out how things work and tinkering with them, is part of that appeal. Learning the fundamentals of design as a whole -- elements and principles like color, line, space, unity or balance -- has been very helpful with this in addition to my own work.<br />
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I like being able to flex my creative muscles toward a fulfilling end like helping others. I hope I can eventually find work with non-profit organizations, or companies that have many projects involving low-income or disabled clients. An acquaintance of mine builds playgrounds around the countries with the help of volunteers; I think that's an amazing job, and right in the spirit of what I'd love to do as well.<br />
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I hope anyone who's been shown my class's blogs will stay tuned -- I think I have a lot to offer, and am willing and able to grow and learn.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-55438715703141473062010-11-17T22:43:00.000-08:002010-11-19T12:36:31.179-08:00Final destination?As I've mentioned before, being in Form, Space and Order at SCAD has been a journey. For me it's been a rather bumpy one, but in my experience those are the journeys that teach you something. (And despite hearing others not in the class talk about 'time management,' that's not what this has taught. I had that already.) I'm still sorting out the lessons -- since the quarter officially ends tomorrow, for me, I'm still too close to it to assess with clarity -- but I did have an insight toward the end that has helped me put things into perspective.<br />
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My particular challenge in this course were many rounds of drafting and refining. Quite honestly, I find it tedious. However, it is a good opportunity to figure out how to do things differently so that your creation becomes that much better. I've had experience with that in writing, particularly freelance work. You're usually playing with someone else's world, someone else's creation, so if something has to change then you've got to roll with it. You can't afford to be married to your ideas because of that; you have to develop a thicker skin. You've also got to revise and edit as you're asked. That means refining your work, doing multiple drafts, and, as the writers say, kill your darlings.<br />
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So how did it all start? With our design philosophies, which I've detailed already. Those words and pictures became the basis for diagrams that would become our final parti drawing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0BdiOQ5W8YH9dYMJft5ZvPTbQ4qbxg-7gk2XDEDN5fOjsSuQN8LUva4_wpcFcYcJD1qKHTy8D4frr_dp9ZTypxcVVYZCWhzXsJXLiNKRbQARfjFqm_RSbbXvwc3GqNbhsNrI6vzEmWU/s1600/living+cube+process+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0BdiOQ5W8YH9dYMJft5ZvPTbQ4qbxg-7gk2XDEDN5fOjsSuQN8LUva4_wpcFcYcJD1qKHTy8D4frr_dp9ZTypxcVVYZCWhzXsJXLiNKRbQARfjFqm_RSbbXvwc3GqNbhsNrI6vzEmWU/s320/living+cube+process+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8GxIwK4c7t-ynaoRkpw6euSO2p2Y-3OzhbL8n09Jn1mkGsAIZOJRcLFWxTxZyGJcCrR7zNBjtDwQ2_tT3AGsvpoAcY6UAigjfThQAf4MGD7U14rNhOavtWFoGwy4LULJrhdHnbBkOXNk/s1600/living+cube+process+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8GxIwK4c7t-ynaoRkpw6euSO2p2Y-3OzhbL8n09Jn1mkGsAIZOJRcLFWxTxZyGJcCrR7zNBjtDwQ2_tT3AGsvpoAcY6UAigjfThQAf4MGD7U14rNhOavtWFoGwy4LULJrhdHnbBkOXNk/s320/living+cube+process+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The upper left mini typology pic has the final parti; the right shows the first version.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>From there, we created Form and Space models from our parti diagrams. I preferred the outcome of my Form model, which served as the focus for my typology studies and inspiration further on in the project.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ze4MX5l1yMe5hXB1qTiobXdXoiuhrfgfIlKZiGYo_J8eSsCq308nirn4eG8fw_3QD_z6vNKdedgKuXMEIOp1VyaOnZmbonYBeepRS7WZQjaDJ2DC33cO8QJcjM6khn5Ic7pMmTuKdRU/s1600/living+cube+process+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ze4MX5l1yMe5hXB1qTiobXdXoiuhrfgfIlKZiGYo_J8eSsCq308nirn4eG8fw_3QD_z6vNKdedgKuXMEIOp1VyaOnZmbonYBeepRS7WZQjaDJ2DC33cO8QJcjM6khn5Ic7pMmTuKdRU/s320/living+cube+process+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvagzqzpy3_0CyCZaUU0Z51FS04yBK1Nah1h-R9gycnTLN40YiEx5FM1_tCi8zdnhNY7QPjDhyphenhyphenVCux8-l2qUZ7BInOq8H4uAG1-pMAfU4wPojzor6Ewi0vyFrVzoKalYLc2yW_Dhbw10/s1600/living+cube+process+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvagzqzpy3_0CyCZaUU0Z51FS04yBK1Nah1h-R9gycnTLN40YiEx5FM1_tCi8zdnhNY7QPjDhyphenhyphenVCux8-l2qUZ7BInOq8H4uAG1-pMAfU4wPojzor6Ewi0vyFrVzoKalYLc2yW_Dhbw10/s320/living+cube+process+003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Then we were asked to make the leap from concept to functionality. It was a pretty big leap, so naturally folks had to go through a few critiques. <i>I</i> went through a lot of critiques. I think the end result, however, turned out well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlhbEgeNc9i2VLEv5cPadrWqXmUazuozTVy1F3yVos55-yKGoLvUty4cJXYeqPRBkLVzF7vcwXTsOidoylgbvezPCfQbGM7hI46__ZJTP7RHNTbSy1NfTBL7wiPlDE5ngUFOydlO3jMg/s1600/living+cube+process+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlhbEgeNc9i2VLEv5cPadrWqXmUazuozTVy1F3yVos55-yKGoLvUty4cJXYeqPRBkLVzF7vcwXTsOidoylgbvezPCfQbGM7hI46__ZJTP7RHNTbSy1NfTBL7wiPlDE5ngUFOydlO3jMg/s320/living+cube+process+006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GcbSrVAM5PtpKZTA5JCEj8DJHaicRE30qGMcZKzrbdJzACm_s8LgYhElMiGE_hI3ma1Tyr0hq1fAf5d7QxwxQrIugwkj_A_6c6nhOQ1JRbXjM2JpyjrnfTk4etoeoQb5G_xwM8dlPZE/s1600/model+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GcbSrVAM5PtpKZTA5JCEj8DJHaicRE30qGMcZKzrbdJzACm_s8LgYhElMiGE_hI3ma1Tyr0hq1fAf5d7QxwxQrIugwkj_A_6c6nhOQ1JRbXjM2JpyjrnfTk4etoeoQb5G_xwM8dlPZE/s320/model+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVmh9nV5Y891dD7KpTbFAtDsDnh793JLpHGp9DcZMnLEq9kpHrKxzMY1do4MhacjUPCxsVXYsULUekGGJqihtHvjxX_J49FztnmUgdLTrPZv_oByCyHTgOJ8gukeCQ2gJ4OqCCexf-84/s1600/living+cube+process+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVmh9nV5Y891dD7KpTbFAtDsDnh793JLpHGp9DcZMnLEq9kpHrKxzMY1do4MhacjUPCxsVXYsULUekGGJqihtHvjxX_J49FztnmUgdLTrPZv_oByCyHTgOJ8gukeCQ2gJ4OqCCexf-84/s320/living+cube+process+007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So what does this look like three dimensionally? Take a look.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrRimKtFQyYMQtlruRyaw3uTcYcnwmim2Zf2W-sNid7J2fu7Qd_WqfXodpmJNqmncrlDhMgCjsV48pqrSr6woKNdiC6369otf0yplOyZLu2Q4pkXrP7YsQQ4g2LsETm6xGPRvARHh1xc/s1600/living+cube+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrRimKtFQyYMQtlruRyaw3uTcYcnwmim2Zf2W-sNid7J2fu7Qd_WqfXodpmJNqmncrlDhMgCjsV48pqrSr6woKNdiC6369otf0yplOyZLu2Q4pkXrP7YsQQ4g2LsETm6xGPRvARHh1xc/s320/living+cube+003.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My barn door!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5n7ai5E4_Up037crVRfao0QyyuwzGR2fczvV5nCzmiGm8lv0RF9Dfo1pghyphenhyphenVrQq9LBV8qXW_EfWpP4ywFhoC2eL04f5pMnUw1N6MkFnRnt_gmn903RN6EtYoB4orsQNwgZorMuWf5lXE/s1600/living+cube+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5n7ai5E4_Up037crVRfao0QyyuwzGR2fczvV5nCzmiGm8lv0RF9Dfo1pghyphenhyphenVrQq9LBV8qXW_EfWpP4ywFhoC2eL04f5pMnUw1N6MkFnRnt_gmn903RN6EtYoB4orsQNwgZorMuWf5lXE/s320/living+cube+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sofa/bed. (It converts.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvZnqX6vSJ1WS78jNsoVUqXM4c1hQyBGotcKlT5hMFiW5gjrpQyZuWVZjdOzvX7uyJZTfgzJlu2iSUR7XO5NFSJNEFRTZRsOiLkWpNsNzImqdP67AA95naJd8UZH4lylwRiZR7q8lhsM/s1600/living+cube+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvZnqX6vSJ1WS78jNsoVUqXM4c1hQyBGotcKlT5hMFiW5gjrpQyZuWVZjdOzvX7uyJZTfgzJlu2iSUR7XO5NFSJNEFRTZRsOiLkWpNsNzImqdP67AA95naJd8UZH4lylwRiZR7q8lhsM/s320/living+cube+006.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished! From concept to reality.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have my own opinions as to how it all turned out; there are parts I'm really displeased with (not due to design, but craftsmanship), and other parts of the cube that I'm coming to like very well.I know I wouldn't have designed it this way if I'd known we were doing this from the beginning. It was certainly long and exhausting to work as intensely as I did toward the end. Friends and family have seen a picture as well by now, and all of them are various shades of impressed. If that is where I set my standard --and I do, in a way, considering they're also future clients -- then I'm pleased, too.<br />
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What I take from this class is a need for flexibility, patience, and perseverance. It also needs designers to remember those concepts taught in their first design class, the elements and principles of design. All else builds upon that. It's the foundation for everything else.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-8694075712287180242010-11-14T08:35:00.000-08:002010-11-14T08:35:43.167-08:00Final thoughts: a preview.I have many thoughts about Form, Space and Order in general and my capstone project -- a living cube -- in particular. We joke about it a lot because it gets said a lot, but both really have been a journey. This echoes everything about life and learning, actually: it's always a work in progress. For class purposes we'll call the project "done" when we turn it in at the end of the quarter, but the lessons learned will hopefully stay with me (and the rest of us) in future classes, projects, and perhaps even our actual practice outside of SCAD.<br />
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In reality, however, we're never really done. We just move to another phase, another cycle, another round of ideas and discovery, putting them into practice, and refining as we go. But to really move forward? That takes some thinking outside of the box.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaUQpwICOAWKQ7OxD4MHIEWQjcEuM6OV-MRkKS_jgx6NxBM3rc2bRUFXqJyiaU-INf0V7XIyqsw8hlaGdx7k-Oym8Mp1o3OLd2EtPJGVZGJ3hKNLj3yaA3qXVjD01uc1W5EMBCjQGVKE/s1600/bwmodel_001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaUQpwICOAWKQ7OxD4MHIEWQjcEuM6OV-MRkKS_jgx6NxBM3rc2bRUFXqJyiaU-INf0V7XIyqsw8hlaGdx7k-Oym8Mp1o3OLd2EtPJGVZGJ3hKNLj3yaA3qXVjD01uc1W5EMBCjQGVKE/s320/bwmodel_001.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cardboard study model for Living Cube capstone project.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-16548229714404915792010-11-10T23:08:00.000-08:002010-11-10T23:08:39.780-08:00It's the principle of the thing.I wrap up the terminology blog posts with this: ordering principles. These principles guide designs and make sense out of chaos, like a roadmap: you could design anything you like any way that you like, but it won't turn out well if there isn't a guiding concept to rally behind.<br />
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An <b>axis</b>, for example, is a line (visible or implied) that divides symmetrically or in a balanced fashion. Put another way, it's the central point or line around which everything collects, gathers, organizes or rotates.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnqBD6C98nvCE4vmog69Nx4O-EAeuk-fcZxrEVKdlBe8LOpGI5vP5rdRpDCKJqQxAEEVZPPHQLhdSuamxC-dmXRO_QBepmHJQfP3rIoRQdNM-21uYRhGSf-ln4zVL4FJhd97feEeLDpM/s1600/800px-Capitol_Building_Full_View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnqBD6C98nvCE4vmog69Nx4O-EAeuk-fcZxrEVKdlBe8LOpGI5vP5rdRpDCKJqQxAEEVZPPHQLhdSuamxC-dmXRO_QBepmHJQfP3rIoRQdNM-21uYRhGSf-ln4zVL4FJhd97feEeLDpM/s320/800px-Capitol_Building_Full_View.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj6b4-HW-aY2cXolL2uXDXb6NphJ_CrDpcv1eGYRypLIYqD_XJUemR6gi9ngOObQWnicvbABJ9Z5yyWb338rjxcipCrI69aiVp_KbKpgB3ASy1Ij9GwLqf8SJUAE0EPkHgBiLm_osDiw/s1600/axis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj6b4-HW-aY2cXolL2uXDXb6NphJ_CrDpcv1eGYRypLIYqD_XJUemR6gi9ngOObQWnicvbABJ9Z5yyWb338rjxcipCrI69aiVp_KbKpgB3ASy1Ij9GwLqf8SJUAE0EPkHgBiLm_osDiw/s320/axis.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture taken from Wikimedia Commons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Above, we can see an axis going through the middle of the Capitol Building, and all other elements arranged around it very symmetrically.<br />
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<b>Symmetry</b> then, to follow up, is a balanced arrangement around a central point or axis. This definition tends to go hand-in-hand with an axis, but a building or space could have more than one axis and with no symmetry, whereas symmetry demands an axis to revolve around.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9Ffho6Iin2C04XW4KzbiPr8zsfvcxB0_O5qW4nQl4bhnfULhEi-__sKS-qOFr3mxbzEDx_ejI2LGayA_TbapLPYzj096V_pxu8qKp1_0TH8CIytQYU1x-cEN6JJtRhjYfGXKDoSG0hw/s1600/djoser-pyramid-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9Ffho6Iin2C04XW4KzbiPr8zsfvcxB0_O5qW4nQl4bhnfULhEi-__sKS-qOFr3mxbzEDx_ejI2LGayA_TbapLPYzj096V_pxu8qKp1_0TH8CIytQYU1x-cEN6JJtRhjYfGXKDoSG0hw/s320/djoser-pyramid-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGZlSCW_vhHhDg4Cwy-ks0mZ2FPmkMxl85E8T_dhFsyY6zxrTaYwFl0mPbl5upLd1FiSMUbG6FDQNpED9aEaVZ1J3mdz377PvtTFkoEYe-NrcLFXVAZ_FgLyWQ-LEjFRg3e3Syrgp8hA/s1600/symmetry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGZlSCW_vhHhDg4Cwy-ks0mZ2FPmkMxl85E8T_dhFsyY6zxrTaYwFl0mPbl5upLd1FiSMUbG6FDQNpED9aEaVZ1J3mdz377PvtTFkoEYe-NrcLFXVAZ_FgLyWQ-LEjFRg3e3Syrgp8hA/s320/symmetry.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Images Copyrighted by <a href="http://historylink101.com/">Historylink101.com</a> & found at <a href="http://www.historylink101.com/ancient_egypt/ancient_egypt_picture_gallery.htm">Egyptian Picture Gallery</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>A pyramid is one of the most basic symmetrical forms; if cut down the middle, each side would mirror the other.<br />
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But perhaps your arrangement will have asymmetrical balance, instead. One way to achieve this is through <b>hierarchy</b>, heightening the importance or distinguishment of a form or space through increased scale, articulation, shape, or other design principle.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJ0xhO8RTytOhioOj_6-WYD2JAQRT5I0uuzIIRuIT6eOpmoAUfJ_A0sNNCfR7yShGArJTkXNSMEQIkFFtBnpFuF6YR12v0q9u_FAgnEAqUXK2tM1Yx79O0ZkWcmG0MkyaWDHa5mV0cR0/s1600/800px-London_Parliament_2007-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJ0xhO8RTytOhioOj_6-WYD2JAQRT5I0uuzIIRuIT6eOpmoAUfJ_A0sNNCfR7yShGArJTkXNSMEQIkFFtBnpFuF6YR12v0q9u_FAgnEAqUXK2tM1Yx79O0ZkWcmG0MkyaWDHa5mV0cR0/s320/800px-London_Parliament_2007-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4kcXmpsyMdIs3gz_1IiI_FRBNYsUjxVOPMBB8oMlssMDYI3p2TFLKQXG3JY_NQOzozJkBXGlK3ZWLu8T5rLTjM5xNrhsBBlVOijba_AMgew5LsRa6SPHU4xas0D8m05822oEjVXwLTI/s1600/hierarchy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4kcXmpsyMdIs3gz_1IiI_FRBNYsUjxVOPMBB8oMlssMDYI3p2TFLKQXG3JY_NQOzozJkBXGlK3ZWLu8T5rLTjM5xNrhsBBlVOijba_AMgew5LsRa6SPHU4xas0D8m05822oEjVXwLTI/s320/hierarchy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from Wikimedia Commons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>London's Parliament building shows hierarchy through two larger-scaled buildings attached to or associated with it, like Big Ben, while the majority of the structure follows the same pattern and shape.<br />
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<b>Rhythm</b> is a recurring pattern or motif - it repeats or alternates in some manner, such as through color, shape, or positioning.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL5T0SAC4H3XiFnKmlgAdPqbXaizVeoxG2kP92NIshHnRw3SmVWQmXkyaQXKik30qAxefDUAjLKDiBVFHKj01ybtIzz1Z1BL6KUGH0NJQDnnvENDLaaFxqpqJWQKzk9PVupof2MZAiVc/s1600/rear01_oscar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVL5T0SAC4H3XiFnKmlgAdPqbXaizVeoxG2kP92NIshHnRw3SmVWQmXkyaQXKik30qAxefDUAjLKDiBVFHKj01ybtIzz1Z1BL6KUGH0NJQDnnvENDLaaFxqpqJWQKzk9PVupof2MZAiVc/s320/rear01_oscar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghb3xs-neyQnwTh9H7mAFcRjTfK529yZhAQDIWHPvp2pn-H_Q7w5_lHKm7gbJl4gOQJpvyg7Clt-CNLGAJlsZS5vUzIlto9DX4M4tkysFnfIAvMSRB66vzWu_UL8tD6wnBr8dYKanExiw/s1600/rhythm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghb3xs-neyQnwTh9H7mAFcRjTfK529yZhAQDIWHPvp2pn-H_Q7w5_lHKm7gbJl4gOQJpvyg7Clt-CNLGAJlsZS5vUzIlto9DX4M4tkysFnfIAvMSRB66vzWu_UL8tD6wnBr8dYKanExiw/s320/rhythm.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Architectural Digest. <a href="http://www.architecturaldigest.com/resources/notebook/2008/06/oscar_slideshow">http://www.architecturaldigest.com/resources/notebook/2008/06/oscar_slideshow</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_so43arUoCBIUyenWhCVRppTD-_UYypi0EDy9nP3gt00BxopkolPts943css26SRWhma1n86xPznKaSNI7y1dO00xBOfhy1G-59TZ2F9DVuKNNhXBVczhEEZWqZ263TAn1yGIqEbQMw0/s1600/rhythm+diagram.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_so43arUoCBIUyenWhCVRppTD-_UYypi0EDy9nP3gt00BxopkolPts943css26SRWhma1n86xPznKaSNI7y1dO00xBOfhy1G-59TZ2F9DVuKNNhXBVczhEEZWqZ263TAn1yGIqEbQMw0/s1600/rhythm+diagram.JPG" /></a></div>In the room above designed by Dorothy Draper, we can see that not only do the floor tiles show rhythm, but the repetition of colors or placement of chairs do as well.<br />
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Often we see <b>datum</b> organizing our designs, a line, plane or volume to which other elements relate. An axis line would be a pertinent example.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkczZkxmLWQ3Qv4kN95ueJ2wTn5pRF24M6p9IvUSDHV61pxKxRg33a3P_AYuBnDH0Inwm_IJxn8VgzkZNUKGN9Q-653d1CJWHyzE-CQ87O_mGzgtQN_h4gppNJW-5UcaF-ZpJ6WSwhYrs/s1600/Lightmatter_colosseum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkczZkxmLWQ3Qv4kN95ueJ2wTn5pRF24M6p9IvUSDHV61pxKxRg33a3P_AYuBnDH0Inwm_IJxn8VgzkZNUKGN9Q-653d1CJWHyzE-CQ87O_mGzgtQN_h4gppNJW-5UcaF-ZpJ6WSwhYrs/s320/Lightmatter_colosseum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGs4Ojn66YUpMKQIWJsx6eXHhNxca2FTurUO78cc5pxait3bBhjkQVtB4RMyNbvZ-a7GHlU7TLCb4dD0tnPRVWdohr9_evjaGwm9YtifiKSTb3Nr8YT_G0KhIfbaLLk5tgoPJsq2xGPI/s1600/datum.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGs4Ojn66YUpMKQIWJsx6eXHhNxca2FTurUO78cc5pxait3bBhjkQVtB4RMyNbvZ-a7GHlU7TLCb4dD0tnPRVWdohr9_evjaGwm9YtifiKSTb3Nr8YT_G0KhIfbaLLk5tgoPJsq2xGPI/s320/datum.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from Wikimedia Commons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The layers of the Colosseum serve as the datum under which the arches gather, organizing them so that they appear in this orderly fashion.<br />
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Lastly, the practice of <b>transformation</b> can be a very helpful design too. Transformation takes a design and makes changes such that it still retains its original identity afterward. We can see this when comparing Bramante's and Raphael's plans for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IScSLMVWTIlB4df7U8cP6XAAoAyTVqqVqrCjlbO7r6Yuqh08z_St-uxL36TODAaC-YSkYu_ntkF9WZC3nrvu3n8y60U2lJaRT5vj9BpRmeVRnFU_vnVrSrBmZBTyGU-xI9LOu9l3v5M/s1600/474px-SaintPierre4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IScSLMVWTIlB4df7U8cP6XAAoAyTVqqVqrCjlbO7r6Yuqh08z_St-uxL36TODAaC-YSkYu_ntkF9WZC3nrvu3n8y60U2lJaRT5vj9BpRmeVRnFU_vnVrSrBmZBTyGU-xI9LOu9l3v5M/s320/474px-SaintPierre4.JPG" width="252" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30cNshcgMIPDKW-TmL3wX7_PKQcuqbqrUBQQa6SHYXxSEUUeaD7gzEVeBTHwUQObibtBCdXVULUYLL6ohHgn-Hg0kUrlQ7FCtLeZQC_MHgr-VOUHrq7qBkk_vWYvb77S0kvu-KxgL4-U/s1600/341px-SaintPierreRaphael.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30cNshcgMIPDKW-TmL3wX7_PKQcuqbqrUBQQa6SHYXxSEUUeaD7gzEVeBTHwUQObibtBCdXVULUYLL6ohHgn-Hg0kUrlQ7FCtLeZQC_MHgr-VOUHrq7qBkk_vWYvb77S0kvu-KxgL4-U/s320/341px-SaintPierreRaphael.JPG" width="181" /></a></div>Notice the elongation of the basic basilica plan in Raphael's version versus Bramante's more centralized and compact composition below.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi4znD4BoHMxPXqi_8JWpyuzfSYGMYEgK6gBiHx3SaIn1X-QQoucRU2EO7Bzivz1PmbWNZsI6qdJDZGgOHJpmeG__cSCxhSFHN5VnboXBtx_wfTWtrpOfO9NSuDDPlRWnuPZyW3MXvgg/s1600/transformation2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi4znD4BoHMxPXqi_8JWpyuzfSYGMYEgK6gBiHx3SaIn1X-QQoucRU2EO7Bzivz1PmbWNZsI6qdJDZGgOHJpmeG__cSCxhSFHN5VnboXBtx_wfTWtrpOfO9NSuDDPlRWnuPZyW3MXvgg/s320/transformation2.JPG" width="181" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1nsWti6cvo79jSKDYppfgSRDmRCWOKemPUm0p1U73cAxL94uhYdGoU7bDe5jv9HVexhUJxw62dNknl7PCSGBEd7Qh0Dp5BjOp4BJhb_yByiN7aLGuz88_1RA-0dfH_0Uvd8dxIXc-lWE/s1600/transformation1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1nsWti6cvo79jSKDYppfgSRDmRCWOKemPUm0p1U73cAxL94uhYdGoU7bDe5jv9HVexhUJxw62dNknl7PCSGBEd7Qh0Dp5BjOp4BJhb_yByiN7aLGuz88_1RA-0dfH_0Uvd8dxIXc-lWE/s320/transformation1.JPG" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from Wikimedia Commons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-5603392259264699092010-11-03T16:17:00.000-07:002010-11-03T20:21:38.896-07:00A proportional response.We often underestimate just how much of an influence the Greeks had on the world, Western society and maths more than anything else. The idea of democracy contributed to the establishment of the United States government, for example. Science and mathematics contributed the most to our sense of fundamentals, however. Pythagoras's theorem is a fundamental of trigonometry and geometry. These in turn are the foundation of <b>proportion</b> and <b>scale</b>, which are also necessary elements of interior design just as they are for architecture.<br />
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There are many kinds of proportion used for architecture and interior design: material proportions, structural proportions, manufactured proportions, all used to define where and how certain elements can be placed to create a functional and safe building or space. We take this one step further, however, and shuffle these elements to also create something aesthetically pleasing. To do that, we take a closer look at scale and proportioning systems or theories.<br />
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The <b>Golden Section</b> comes from Pythagoras himself, and was used to build most of the ancient Greek monuments and temples. It's a mathematical concept, a progressive geometric expression, that starts with a rectangle. If cut into a square on its shorter size, the smaller rectangle left over will have the same shape as the original, but scaled smaller. When this is continued (whether cut into smaller and smaller squares, or added to in a reverse process), the lines created when beginning from the corner of the smallest shape will spiral out like a nautilus shell.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHFJjviB69NjQ1_eN-rNcom_OCR-1CGfRtQIeVKXad74gcM5Z3wOth4LEx6NPwtQSR5tWimj-PzERaCzMSEKwJGvAc8cwhKjE5DT1YCsGnTHnhX-335P8KlkRglJ7iJOu2S3BWwQc8qQ/s1600/golden+section.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHFJjviB69NjQ1_eN-rNcom_OCR-1CGfRtQIeVKXad74gcM5Z3wOth4LEx6NPwtQSR5tWimj-PzERaCzMSEKwJGvAc8cwhKjE5DT1YCsGnTHnhX-335P8KlkRglJ7iJOu2S3BWwQc8qQ/s320/golden+section.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8SPBg3FpOH5Ky1j392-RjZ3XuWt2LfJySnapTBgs8KDQU9LZuedWUaZkOIBxrnGp63nTraCW-f5EyfiZID5ZdL48qU25l8va3vEQ80u5518QmgN_vcdFAslSSMA-9H8Pbcw6UDYUyOY/s1600/golden+section+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8SPBg3FpOH5Ky1j392-RjZ3XuWt2LfJySnapTBgs8KDQU9LZuedWUaZkOIBxrnGp63nTraCW-f5EyfiZID5ZdL48qU25l8va3vEQ80u5518QmgN_vcdFAslSSMA-9H8Pbcw6UDYUyOY/s320/golden+section+overlay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This basic idea can be carried through into interior design in very simple ways, like the windows above that carry over into the cabinetry. It creates a sense of connection or context with the rest of the space. In fact, that is a key concept to keep in mind regarding proportion and scale: their properties rely on a relationship with other elements. One gets a sense of scale or proportion only when compared with surroundings.<br />
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Similarly, the <b>Classical Orders</b> are another proportioning system the Greeks and Romans gave us, architecturally. They are based upon the dimensions of a column's diameter; since the five different types of columns each tended to have its own dimensions, each gave its name to an order. Therefore we have the Tuscan (Roman), Doric (Greek), Ionic (Greek, Corinthian (Greek), and Composite (Roman) columns and capitals that lend their dimensions to the buildings in which they are integrated (hence <i>intercolumniation</i>). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzU0jiXyonBt7h2giTV0IY9XPDxs9fwFjqYhoo5TY5K3HoWSsKS_HIvEZ7NrbgJL8vfguf0fsFVZpppHVTRAgaQPZjhP29TGVOjUHUGkLkHif4qC3ffw5YsVCrmaEp65c7MPzkt4d3ckw/s1600/orders+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzU0jiXyonBt7h2giTV0IY9XPDxs9fwFjqYhoo5TY5K3HoWSsKS_HIvEZ7NrbgJL8vfguf0fsFVZpppHVTRAgaQPZjhP29TGVOjUHUGkLkHif4qC3ffw5YsVCrmaEp65c7MPzkt4d3ckw/s320/orders+overlay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Clarke, Gerald. "Temples of Light." Architectural Digest. October 2006. 144. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
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The skylight seen above has a Greek temple front on its exterior, and so its interior follows its lines nearly exactly. The lines don't follow directly below it, but the space below is still proportional to it.<br />
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Then during the Renaissance, Andrea Palladio applied Greek concepts to determine optimal ratios for architecture (<b>Renaissance Theories</b>). This gave rise to the <i>seven ideal plan shapes for rooms</i>: circle, square, 1: (square root) 2, 3:4, 2:3, and 1:2. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnivNXSefBqgUDfu0oMOoIRcngEM7xnkkxbNYq8xlPMof6BPNF8Zkm88xxwf7mCzRw8AZAatPjSUalTxuyfpfOLd3mIx6ErG2XlilAIKH1ieW4nbpZNGwXp9mVRFW4jXwh2L81JuXC-U/s1600/renaissance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnivNXSefBqgUDfu0oMOoIRcngEM7xnkkxbNYq8xlPMof6BPNF8Zkm88xxwf7mCzRw8AZAatPjSUalTxuyfpfOLd3mIx6ErG2XlilAIKH1ieW4nbpZNGwXp9mVRFW4jXwh2L81JuXC-U/s320/renaissance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Rowlands, Penelope. "Charles Allem." Architectural Digest. September 2006. 229. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The proportions seen in Charles Allem's apartment here follow the 2:3 ratio or proportional system.<br />
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Then Modernists caught revolutionary fever from many of the artists and politics of their time, and wanted to promote forward-thinking and not be tied to the past. The results were not always successful; Le Corbusier developed his own proportioning system that could not entirely divorce itself from the Golden Section. He did, however, reconcile it (for the most part) with human scale: his <b>Modular</b> is based upon a six-foot tall man, with base units coming from how he sits, bends or stands such that it follows the Golden Section. Three main measurements are used and repeated (in centimeters): 113, 183 and 226.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGZFEzPaxed-e6G67Abs7N4bhodM1LmxmfSHRu77HQs_LDg-og9qpframL9SU2OaRoRg0pWBcar_mYCUeZoP3TCdd-xaoRcKenQWAGzMB-qOAiN6NhX4uRlSxyVDudkH8iBxq-l5Bq_8/s1600/modulor+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGZFEzPaxed-e6G67Abs7N4bhodM1LmxmfSHRu77HQs_LDg-og9qpframL9SU2OaRoRg0pWBcar_mYCUeZoP3TCdd-xaoRcKenQWAGzMB-qOAiN6NhX4uRlSxyVDudkH8iBxq-l5Bq_8/s320/modulor+overlay.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Giovannini, Joseph. "Taking on the SKY and SEA." Architectural Digest. October 2006. 237. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
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While its aims were to be applied universally (much like the International Style Le Corbusier attempted to design), it did not see as much popularity as the more classic proportioning systems. The above pictures are another way to reconcile the same concepts (human scale and the Golden Section); they appear similar to, but are likely different from, the Modular.<br />
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Western proportioning systems are not the only ones out there, however. In Japan, there is a system revolving basically around the proportions of the tatami mat, which was intended to either seat two people or let one person sleep on it. This system is called the <b>Ken</b>, and tends to look very grid-like when laid out (though occasionally linear or staggered, depending on the orientation of the mat units). Each room is built according to how many mats it can or will accommodate: 3-mat, 4-mat, 6-mat, and so on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFnD0YFRgjntlXP2_WAunLQraMHsTY2SOG1PhJjzgD3YLLwSjpCg8A6PQWqandZ8l2gyjXZdgj2lG7LTOMrKMtJ0WsF1_1FbTZJxxN-K5tUunlnhRnK4qHggbZpgtghDJ7179rb2nhk4/s1600/ken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFnD0YFRgjntlXP2_WAunLQraMHsTY2SOG1PhJjzgD3YLLwSjpCg8A6PQWqandZ8l2gyjXZdgj2lG7LTOMrKMtJ0WsF1_1FbTZJxxN-K5tUunlnhRnK4qHggbZpgtghDJ7179rb2nhk4/s320/ken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6CWujfInJIu3sl_4BeE12iN8Wyx_zxj649yMYtOr-zwLr-QusWJcop6Vm0oA59sCQIGe9odkWw6bvb-zNpYMaOYS55wTlvFK0IYHwW0FpgA4P-rTKF8joBK5ghWAdhKlIYk9M-XrfhQ/s1600/ken+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6CWujfInJIu3sl_4BeE12iN8Wyx_zxj649yMYtOr-zwLr-QusWJcop6Vm0oA59sCQIGe9odkWw6bvb-zNpYMaOYS55wTlvFK0IYHwW0FpgA4P-rTKF8joBK5ghWAdhKlIYk9M-XrfhQ/s320/ken+overlay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: "Editors Select Properties Around the World." Architectural Digest. February 2005. 146.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Frank Lloyd Wright, who was inspired by the Ho-o-den of the first Chicago World's Exposition, is likely to have known about the Ken. The windows above come from one of the houses he designed in Chicago.<br />
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As design progresses, we become more and more concerned about it being as accessible as possible. Interior design is particularly concerned with human needs, so it follows that human scale and proportion governs how we design spaces for our clients. This means we must be educated in the study of <b>anthropometrics</b>, which are human measurements. We generally design for the human average, but sometimes need to deviate due to different measurements thanks to age, ethnicity/race, or other genetic factors. By extension we must also be mindful of divisions of public, social, and personal space (proxemics) in our interiors, or we inadvertently create spaces too large or small for our clients' comfort.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMJcBssIeHPrq2RuU5yQt2zgbc9LOns68PBMYVrFgsR9DKy6uY0FKhCpAXcxNZgIgM0BmPv7UhIdCexd0o0_UY3G6p9_91DWAKDPq787qq6loXNQWhSx9KUyDPjkv5inFd14t08DF2Uk/s1600/anthro+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMJcBssIeHPrq2RuU5yQt2zgbc9LOns68PBMYVrFgsR9DKy6uY0FKhCpAXcxNZgIgM0BmPv7UhIdCexd0o0_UY3G6p9_91DWAKDPq787qq6loXNQWhSx9KUyDPjkv5inFd14t08DF2Uk/s320/anthro+overlay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: O'Keeffe, Linda. "Northern Exposure." Metropolitan Home. June 2008. 162. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
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Here we see the designer (who is also the client) in relation to the sofa in her living room.<br />
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Most fundamentally, we must be concerned with <b>scale</b>, which helps determine our proportions. <b>Scale</b> refers to size, and tends to be fixed. Francis Ching defines it as "a fixed proportion used in determining measurements and dimensions" (<i>Architecture: Form, Space and Order</i>, p 301). We can get a visual sense of how large or small something is when it is in relation to another object, such as a figure standing next to a building. We can also manipulate that sense of scale by increasing or decreasing elements such as patterns within an object or space: a busy pattern on the walls of a room could make the room seem smaller than it is.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjosScVNLhrOLyi46TTopi5ubEQzjClDmjWk9i0AnlYcF9LhTZPnUA8flo88Wwj7zPKkWLSqPIR-5LmzslYJnDcTalt9lCCGp3YJ1Ek7UL7BGTgD_OZScDmHTE12EnSjrKOxYbKZR7ZA/s1600/scale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjosScVNLhrOLyi46TTopi5ubEQzjClDmjWk9i0AnlYcF9LhTZPnUA8flo88Wwj7zPKkWLSqPIR-5LmzslYJnDcTalt9lCCGp3YJ1Ek7UL7BGTgD_OZScDmHTE12EnSjrKOxYbKZR7ZA/s320/scale.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3t_z2A_7xj1n6qhWjVsQvJksSrvdOHDBfYgLdQYRvJrBSzVMqEQ6T18j4JP21vwVznZJvM5NMMW4hiLehmpkRr_9Rx_E0372mq1_rwYqgljNe73Uc2ZzalJzJ-koO0WW2nzmyEnS-GV0/s1600/scale+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3t_z2A_7xj1n6qhWjVsQvJksSrvdOHDBfYgLdQYRvJrBSzVMqEQ6T18j4JP21vwVznZJvM5NMMW4hiLehmpkRr_9Rx_E0372mq1_rwYqgljNe73Uc2ZzalJzJ-koO0WW2nzmyEnS-GV0/s320/scale+overlay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Gorlin, Alexander. "Louis Kahn Remembered." Architectural Digest. February 2005. 134. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Louis Kahn was very conscientious regarding proportion and scale and knew how to manipulate them to great effect. In the above picture, if we had no piano or other item to give us an idea of its scale, we might be tempted to believe that the central building is smaller than it really is due to the towering structures surrounding it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-59271187881425665042010-10-26T19:29:00.000-07:002010-10-27T06:32:31.882-07:00CirculationWhen I think of a home - although this analogy can also be applied to offices, hospitals, restaurants and more - I tend to think of it in terms of a heart. To channel Frank Lloyd Wright for a moment, home is where the heart(h) is; it is a center of life, of activity and creativity as well as rest and rejuvenation. So, much like a heart, to keep it functioning properly, it needs good circulation. Blockages and inappropriate paths can frustrate and cause undue stress; no one wants to live or work in such a structure or space, so it dies metaphorically. Of course, what is appropriate for one client may not be for another so, like many aspects I've discussed thus far, it's important to choose the right circulation for the project at hand.<br />
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<b>(Building) Approach </b><br />
Your destination may lay be a few yards to a mile away; if you have control over that span, then you can control the pathway, or <b>approach</b>, to the building or interior space. In general, this pathway can be straight-on or <i>frontal</i>, to the side or <i>oblique</i>, or you can circle completely around to approach from the other side in a <i>spiral</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyzj0z8eEQbjwaEgjAcy52qRZyM_q-ALkYbfDBnE2SoRhjZLhEBu5uqFDTrdJvJ92ShHJZyiPSEX67KQzCv2AnHIZfd6eq9UNw6Dc-3GGT8gLzJEaH9d9PZaYpBlIGlzVRPqAo2Xo1-g/s1600/frontal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyzj0z8eEQbjwaEgjAcy52qRZyM_q-ALkYbfDBnE2SoRhjZLhEBu5uqFDTrdJvJ92ShHJZyiPSEX67KQzCv2AnHIZfd6eq9UNw6Dc-3GGT8gLzJEaH9d9PZaYpBlIGlzVRPqAo2Xo1-g/s320/frontal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2myOYDVfJHnBlI6k9bS-AyUPI4bBqu4oc2PqaQ6Jwdpi6yQhBUZMXjCsXEpkI5L9JTTMAB_OFoEC18kYQOsUU_bJuKM3MFxylfeGnLIlbs2ckNe5rSrvuOPe-1iBdxomacQIvvsCVK0I/s320/frontal+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Turrentine, Jeff. "Dude Ranch Do-Over." Architectural Digest. June 2006. 206. (Overlay mine)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2myOYDVfJHnBlI6k9bS-AyUPI4bBqu4oc2PqaQ6Jwdpi6yQhBUZMXjCsXEpkI5L9JTTMAB_OFoEC18kYQOsUU_bJuKM3MFxylfeGnLIlbs2ckNe5rSrvuOPe-1iBdxomacQIvvsCVK0I/s1600/frontal+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>The approach to the dude ranch above is frontal, through an impressive wooden gate. Visitors are clearly meant to appreciate the spread, and the owners can experience a sense of satisfaction in seeing their home in this way.<br />
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<b>(Building) Entrances</b><br />
The first impression makes the mark when meeting a future employer, friend, or house. For this reason, the <b>entrances</b> are just as important when designing a space as choosing inspirations or color palettes. How they look and where they're placed play a big role in determining if your entrances are effective and relate well to the rest of the project. Entrances can be flush, recessed, or projecting from the building; they can be centralized or off-set; they can take on particular geometric shapes or classical designs to reinforce ideas on the spaces to be seen beyond that entrance. Placing heavy emphasis or (opposite) de-emphasizing can call just as much attention to an entrance.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZ81ypbFN6tuacTYc4h1hDQUD619IXVGvtWN8hl5Sx7BLZV5y5EvLSyxzgqfBesQ_CU68F7O5i69bMiHhSUf55OE16jZ_M5PKk0V_2yrW1TRLSXehlZ7wJ9kK_6ZPM5Q2z9GU_v-acGs/s1600/entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZ81ypbFN6tuacTYc4h1hDQUD619IXVGvtWN8hl5Sx7BLZV5y5EvLSyxzgqfBesQ_CU68F7O5i69bMiHhSUf55OE16jZ_M5PKk0V_2yrW1TRLSXehlZ7wJ9kK_6ZPM5Q2z9GU_v-acGs/s320/entrance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWcie3RQ22lomEhd4X55YR_qExDGShKegrgm2_YIuBSZRV9ChUUpxJa6P6V_zcsghuw2Q9PLvJoDIShXEPlpVuP0Jq5S3PNg4rY1vjvi_Sodc8m4URnR9kCnvzys67EkEgA9i2vKK9LA/s320/entrance+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Nevins, Deborah. "Distilling the Cottage." Architectural Digest. June 2006. 224. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWcie3RQ22lomEhd4X55YR_qExDGShKegrgm2_YIuBSZRV9ChUUpxJa6P6V_zcsghuw2Q9PLvJoDIShXEPlpVuP0Jq5S3PNg4rY1vjvi_Sodc8m4URnR9kCnvzys67EkEgA9i2vKK9LA/s1600/entrance+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> As seen, because there is a kind of structural awning over the entrance, it calls more attention to it. It's a transitional space - visitors are both indoor and outdoor while under this projection - that protects from the weather and subtly recalls kingly canopies.<br />
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<b>Configuration of the Path</b><br />
This is, or can be, very similar to spatial relationships - which it should be, considering how these concepts dovetail together. Paths can be <i>linear</i>, <i>spiral, radial, grid, network, </i>or <i>composite</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3e9IRrRM04hWWYd-z4IgSZkk5BcPylrpWLhz1jTydx2E54Ig86nf89B_gUWw3A2CFPEHavjOrwgoHkpHw6DjkdiVTnaVWVrA4ehqaXJs4QHH6NmxgzUkN61JRM_e67yf1gV99CwBGwow/s1600/grid+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3e9IRrRM04hWWYd-z4IgSZkk5BcPylrpWLhz1jTydx2E54Ig86nf89B_gUWw3A2CFPEHavjOrwgoHkpHw6DjkdiVTnaVWVrA4ehqaXJs4QHH6NmxgzUkN61JRM_e67yf1gV99CwBGwow/s320/grid+overlay.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>Remember the Hugh Newell Jacobsen structure in my last post? Here we see what a close relationship the configuration of a pathway can share with spatial organization. Its grid layout also ensures a grid pathway. The relationship won't always be this close, but it won't be terribly far off, either. For example, a clustered organization could lead to a network pathway configuration.<br />
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<b> </b><br />
<b>Path-Space Relationships</b><br />
This concept differs from the above in that we consider how the path is relating to spaces very generally. As such, the path can <i>pass by spaces, pass through a space, </i>or <i>terminate in a space</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekkwRGxB4-Cdn5lWa6DCkQxpBe1qIftx6F4wkMQjUO7apcRkVeti2pxntyUHWDnbeqlTCwXjqhcEmo5HI16oZbxbYYOSe3Ct6mDc7fy72mvONv9PhwwmYNIe1BwJ-Tz_lGTZs6NsK9XY/s1600/pass+by+space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekkwRGxB4-Cdn5lWa6DCkQxpBe1qIftx6F4wkMQjUO7apcRkVeti2pxntyUHWDnbeqlTCwXjqhcEmo5HI16oZbxbYYOSe3Ct6mDc7fy72mvONv9PhwwmYNIe1BwJ-Tz_lGTZs6NsK9XY/s320/pass+by+space.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReioIjGg3kMdFtVv0_qhWm4nZu3teFkJUJ3MTTcU-3GWhE-W39fiqck8yOppRypvblc0N6VX2VI5inwQ4bfWxeKSR0i7dV7maunB9BDarEVl7QvrMShJ1qsU1tfJpCpBTbrUc1RjyZvs/s320/pass+by+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: O'Keeffe, Linda and Ellen Johnson. "Hall in the Family." Metropolitan Home. April 2006. 116. (Overlay mine)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The pathway above passes by most of the spaces, and then terminates (mostly) in the den. The effect is of a rather large hallway, which was the focus of the article. The spaces off to either side have reduced traffic and help maintain a semblance of privacy for their occupants, while the hallway psychologically enlarges the place overall (one might think a long hallway means a big residence or building).<br />
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<b>Form of the Circulation Space</b><br />
We take our pathways for granted; we don't always think of how our pathways are built. But they, too, need consideration. They can be entirely <i>enclosed</i>, <i>open on one side</i>, or <i>open on both sides</i>. (I would argue that a bridge is almost entirely open; while there may be railings on both sides, their construction is such that you can typically reach over or through those planes, and unless it is a covered bridge, there is typically no overhead enclosure either.)<b> </b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkidLTwjAJrQ1Mq47jMFLP812Gg2Qjb53bqWhSL4IhRIAZEamk5dwP2EWciKs7BsWu1gftaXvXupXRlA5wOctSMVBnnVf8vdUbG76AR704xwxIZiOifQKDXmU0TvxfK04fLxusI9ZcZ2A/s1600/enclosed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkidLTwjAJrQ1Mq47jMFLP812Gg2Qjb53bqWhSL4IhRIAZEamk5dwP2EWciKs7BsWu1gftaXvXupXRlA5wOctSMVBnnVf8vdUbG76AR704xwxIZiOifQKDXmU0TvxfK04fLxusI9ZcZ2A/s320/enclosed.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_1xJ5hRJ5o6SDTxZLHZh-9PTcksjFeHWqijj1vS43-CihJ1sEbSF42CE94gS0zgKox1B0YAtl63dQzF9coDPO0YBvzUS0SlNHlb_IyR_fb87_lITmEP5tTk9dpHkLQjLnkrjmMueaa0/s320/enclosed+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="222" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Thurman, Judith. "Juan Pablo Molyneaux." Architectural Digest. September 2006. 186. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_1xJ5hRJ5o6SDTxZLHZh-9PTcksjFeHWqijj1vS43-CihJ1sEbSF42CE94gS0zgKox1B0YAtl63dQzF9coDPO0YBvzUS0SlNHlb_IyR_fb87_lITmEP5tTk9dpHkLQjLnkrjmMueaa0/s1600/enclosed+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>A typical hallway, like the one above, is enclosed on all sides. Colonnades are examples of the other types, depending on whether or not they are situated next to another plane (wall). In a situation where there is a space within a space (such as a walled courtyard), the pathway's form would be open to one side when skirting the inner space. It could be a similar situation for a stairwell, also a space within a space, though the argument could be made that it is enclosed, instead. Regardless, the forms these pathways can take depend on various needs, such as air and traffic flow, or a need for openness or enclosure, more light or less, and where the pathways lead and terminate.<br />
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<b> </b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-82766985180127944782010-10-19T20:07:00.000-07:002010-10-20T09:22:57.911-07:00Spatial Relationships and Organizations.Now that we have defined our spaces, we can look at how they relate to each other and how they're organized. Doing this not only keeps them interesting, but makes them cohesive and relate to whatever central guiding principle we're working with for any given project. For example, an ultra-modern house for a family that needs a high degree of organization to keep it clutter-free will not work well if each space is too cut off from the central space, or arranged haphazardly with no relation to each other. Family members would feel justified in keeping their areas less clean and neat because "it won't be seen" from the main public area.<br />
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<b>Spatial Relationships</b><br />
The concept of "spatial relationships" is fairly self-evident, however, looking at examples can clarify what it entails, for it really is a visual construct and understanding. It's rather important, in fact, because although it can be applied broadly, it can also be applied on smaller scales to maintain aesthetically pleasing arrangements in your home or ensure that each piece will fit appropriately in a given space.<br />
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<b> </b><br />
These relationships include: <i>space within a space</i>; <i>interlocking spaces</i>; <i>adjacent spaces</i>; and <i>spaces linked by a common space</i>. Examples include atriums and courtyards (for spaces within a space), or kitchens and dining rooms that follow immediately from living rooms (for spaces linked by a common space).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvY_Elteb6sBde-Ew4KZbpqrLSK9dL-hxPZkeG1oFmE-sc7tAPjlBC-c4Whs8-1gL2IVODXuLliE1O1FVETBj4RNnP00MvX4MGOc1DIVoeUBEFAtHlT0PUKsok-yNEjeppr0Gz6fvBqA/s1600/space+within+space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvY_Elteb6sBde-Ew4KZbpqrLSK9dL-hxPZkeG1oFmE-sc7tAPjlBC-c4Whs8-1gL2IVODXuLliE1O1FVETBj4RNnP00MvX4MGOc1DIVoeUBEFAtHlT0PUKsok-yNEjeppr0Gz6fvBqA/s320/space+within+space.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0BNIQM4eMUDgvzwScDxLT5YIj31r3Pyrv5Q7kKj4CDLXYoinIo0QCpzYzeNDgSJpsCjw8SKISNpeOGxjqndl2nEm5gy_9hSgCnoOf-7YzdLDXUJVliW7k6phXfV1Scx7DTXxuS7IvIo/s320/space+within+space+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Drucker, Stephen. "Connecticut Crossover." Architectural Digest. June 2004. 196. (Overlay mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0BNIQM4eMUDgvzwScDxLT5YIj31r3Pyrv5Q7kKj4CDLXYoinIo0QCpzYzeNDgSJpsCjw8SKISNpeOGxjqndl2nEm5gy_9hSgCnoOf-7YzdLDXUJVliW7k6phXfV1Scx7DTXxuS7IvIo/s1600/space+within+space+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> The above is an example of <b>space within a space</b> - the squared-off area surrounds a stairwell leading downstairs, but also has purpose of its own as storage and display.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaKvf1BbnTvh-8k2IkzmZWTogbNEO7Ot4ptB70P5JynHcEFcYSRQXaF5qYQhzavP4ICz5aZe8kJn7dx_aDh27chmonse0sWIacgtMAz5_spbELqxHK_kgHiomCropj2xwQmk-IW6NGJk/s1600/interlocking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaKvf1BbnTvh-8k2IkzmZWTogbNEO7Ot4ptB70P5JynHcEFcYSRQXaF5qYQhzavP4ICz5aZe8kJn7dx_aDh27chmonse0sWIacgtMAz5_spbELqxHK_kgHiomCropj2xwQmk-IW6NGJk/s320/interlocking.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEHF6Jwu1rSIbKhtdciJGONcwAG4OfTWflYU9YahBm4HNAN8uSKlm86khUImxK0cSQmp31vSCilRwyuXmmn4q7u82aebnK3SScytDxlAioLABd-ft7t3VTAi_rU6BLiXIo16n3ZC8-zg/s320/interlocking+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Newhouse, Victoria. "In Accord With the Landscape." Architecture by Zvi Hecker. Architectural Digest. September 2006. 110. (Overlay mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEHF6Jwu1rSIbKhtdciJGONcwAG4OfTWflYU9YahBm4HNAN8uSKlm86khUImxK0cSQmp31vSCilRwyuXmmn4q7u82aebnK3SScytDxlAioLABd-ft7t3VTAi_rU6BLiXIo16n3ZC8-zg/s1600/interlocking+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>In the plans above, there are many examples of <b>interlocking spaces</b>, of which I have picked out a few. Note that this can be achieved many ways, some of which can be seen above and some that can not.<br />
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<b>Spatial Organizations</b><br />
<b> </b>Additionally, spaces can be organized -- as groupings of spaces, or as groupings or arrangements of furniture or other defining elements within a space. Again, this should adhere to the aesthetics and guidelines you desire for your spaces. If you are designing for an eclectic, bohemian and kitschy client, it's helpful to have an organization scheme that also reflects these sensibilities - something clustered would work better than arrangements in a grid or linear manner.<br />
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The organization schemes we commonly work with are <i>centralized</i>; <i>linear</i>; <i>radial</i>; <i>clustered</i>; and <i>grid</i>. Occasionally an organization scheme could incorporate more than one type, such as linear and radial. As long as it fits with the client's needs, is aesthetically pleasing and relates to the central concept, it doesn't matter.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Xk5Z8j9roL2z_xVNjFYQLD-4WETzBtNV3dXjl6BpJfbu3ij54_21KRGD0inHgIWEXew6v3Dm2I5kz95ANkIuvPdWcZ-zYoatMvMcVCFYPmAr9M_utKNLMXV1AiU2NnYoyALaWifouDo/s1600/clustered+org.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Xk5Z8j9roL2z_xVNjFYQLD-4WETzBtNV3dXjl6BpJfbu3ij54_21KRGD0inHgIWEXew6v3Dm2I5kz95ANkIuvPdWcZ-zYoatMvMcVCFYPmAr9M_utKNLMXV1AiU2NnYoyALaWifouDo/s320/clustered+org.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1CL9uPS_WKmkkkkfNlqJnFBUff8-crGqM6AuUAN6ufMZXVjlAeotIYzS8_rQnJqfHzDHEnuGG2A6_aLKZpugzIeXcUDkEXZDmJXf21BnmHwpHhbZrmUi_0hYK_VGtUqZk9mud-pE8gA/s320/clustered+org+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Aronson, Steven. "Distilling the Cottage." Architectural Digest. June 2006. 228. (Overlay mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1CL9uPS_WKmkkkkfNlqJnFBUff8-crGqM6AuUAN6ufMZXVjlAeotIYzS8_rQnJqfHzDHEnuGG2A6_aLKZpugzIeXcUDkEXZDmJXf21BnmHwpHhbZrmUi_0hYK_VGtUqZk9mud-pE8gA/s1600/clustered+org+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> Here we see <b>clustered organization</b>, which is similar to centralizing in that the spaces or objects surround a central space or object. Where it differs is in how they may be arrayed around the central axis, differences in size, shape or form of the surrounding objects, and so on; the <i>only</i> organizing principle is the centrally-located object.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRaRq0yz9Alt9vZQMwl20C172xHLcoJGnRRk10-FzImhXi6tCly4FTVvnEvanYn2pg8-7YpYBjdtkVlZJycaOczMhicBiLazxl-5foXFZY4b0WpE5W7q2PNgZq4PAZSAORFaN8SxicuZ4/s1600/grid+org.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRaRq0yz9Alt9vZQMwl20C172xHLcoJGnRRk10-FzImhXi6tCly4FTVvnEvanYn2pg8-7YpYBjdtkVlZJycaOczMhicBiLazxl-5foXFZY4b0WpE5W7q2PNgZq4PAZSAORFaN8SxicuZ4/s320/grid+org.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4POPEx9B_0-Rowfkq61XNvjgN9Vsz23QKw2pWZQRGRKfrp0Mr1I5J0Wgj8qV76fnbbn69LLgjAXe8C1CWpqDxRYL_KtmXR2oVL0WaqQLyN4Y_oweBOkV1C6GJ2FhXcs1TN6JfiP7PLw/s320/grid+org+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Bissell, Therese. "State of the Art." The Mary Howard and Lester Wing (by Hugh Newell Jacobsen), University of Oklahoma. Architectural Digest. Sept 2006. 164. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4POPEx9B_0-Rowfkq61XNvjgN9Vsz23QKw2pWZQRGRKfrp0Mr1I5J0Wgj8qV76fnbbn69LLgjAXe8C1CWpqDxRYL_KtmXR2oVL0WaqQLyN4Y_oweBOkV1C6GJ2FhXcs1TN6JfiP7PLw/s1600/grid+org+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Hugh Newell Jacobsen's plan for the new wing of the University of Oklahoma shows a very straightforward <b>grid organization</b> of the spaces, which relate to each other via hallways and stairs, as well as gallery spaces. It also features examples of interlocking, adjacent, and space within a space relationships.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHnmquUuQ1MuhSNXM-FzZgJaVTg5v7ixj3YpHRMsesBJWGGKpe-bmb20kn4RQ7U99Hn6dDULQNuRiqTFjTUuTRnhaSvJR2iJZRaaGNhMJ6CPPjusH9Myxh-E062IFif0pFLSevxk2nIs/s1600/linear+org.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHnmquUuQ1MuhSNXM-FzZgJaVTg5v7ixj3YpHRMsesBJWGGKpe-bmb20kn4RQ7U99Hn6dDULQNuRiqTFjTUuTRnhaSvJR2iJZRaaGNhMJ6CPPjusH9Myxh-E062IFif0pFLSevxk2nIs/s320/linear+org.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7LpTCl16ucHg-mzV5tZ_QuqAOgAMKp0wOWsT1Y49ygVNRSkRwsAj5F2v-InadWcQHOZAS4f7PMUEV4z5giIziucaa8L-hd_bZEbfLAAkmMu1iuGhz8NNnoV3NED40TA1EI3jTcAvPjE/s320/linear+org+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Schmertz, Mildred. "Gavin Macrae-Gibson." Architectural Digest. Sept 2006. 264. (Overlay mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7LpTCl16ucHg-mzV5tZ_QuqAOgAMKp0wOWsT1Y49ygVNRSkRwsAj5F2v-InadWcQHOZAS4f7PMUEV4z5giIziucaa8L-hd_bZEbfLAAkmMu1iuGhz8NNnoV3NED40TA1EI3jTcAvPjE/s1600/linear+org+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><b>Linear organization</b> doesn't always follow a straight line as seen above; it can also follow curved, jagged, u-shaped, or other kinds of lines. At its essence, spaces or objects are arranged in a linear fashion to promote a certain continuity or flow. In the example above, the bed leads to the breakfast nook which leads to the lounge chairs outside in a logically progressing manner.<br />
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Speaking of continuity and flow, my next posting will address circulation, another important consideration of your interior spaces!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-3076911922262910022010-10-14T03:56:00.000-07:002010-10-19T19:08:37.213-07:00The intermarriage of Form and SpaceNow that we understand Form, we can see how it can affect Space. Space is defined by form(s), in fact; we think of it as empty, so the idea of defining it is impossible without involving form. This is what I'd call a dichotomy of design, but is more formally called <b>the unity of opposites. </b>These two opposite concepts are necessarily united in the building arts - designing a building isn't just about the structure, it's also about the spaces inside it. In a house, for example, the spaces are 'kitchen', 'bedroom', 'bathroom', 'studio', and so on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpntYGHPm6_jDiQM5yY4fY_8H3_CqdKsQwkVBHDvILbGouajsS1cKmSUrDt_NEUzwWu7KGAaT0WTCf_cDjXY3u50NB1ZoPcjV_21YP-DUjzqQOt1d28ZN5HHV5Mh7S3q5JPG4taConMs/s1600/unity+opposites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpntYGHPm6_jDiQM5yY4fY_8H3_CqdKsQwkVBHDvILbGouajsS1cKmSUrDt_NEUzwWu7KGAaT0WTCf_cDjXY3u50NB1ZoPcjV_21YP-DUjzqQOt1d28ZN5HHV5Mh7S3q5JPG4taConMs/s320/unity+opposites.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpKMKgUaz7to7d1xxdD4YCXrJJ6qYQUxqKFpMkkUy3QzNWN4987k5h_48HllOzeUBy1CoaSKIpN0u9kl2IhNlCoiOZXVEYlyYArmae5Cv6x7emCz0kv5YGDypyciNSX-WRiAVxYKyBts/s320/unity+opposites+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Kohl Children's Museum by Booth Hansen, Metropolitan Home, April 2006, 44. (Overlay mine. The overhang of the building is a form creating space.)</td></tr>
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But how do we define those spaces? In many, many ways, all involving the use of planes and openings within them.<br />
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We can <b>define space with horizontal elements</b>, and typically this involves the <i>base</i> (or ground) <i>plane</i>, <i>elevated plane(s)</i>, <i>depressed plane(s),</i> and <i>overhead plane</i>. Translated, this means ceilings, floors, and any horizontals in between. A sunken living room floor would be an example of a depressed plane.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnDjxy75KP7wNlXCOPMp5m7omL1QKA_NGh6Hoy4CDnfkykXK7TbopKgWLNQFz1NjrsratMfdZB1QFamdVSUoCeSq2cqAfk39QDfaUjijwBnzhf7VI6RdBJUTBIh2lWNp1IgpEsgewprA/s1600/overhead+plane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnDjxy75KP7wNlXCOPMp5m7omL1QKA_NGh6Hoy4CDnfkykXK7TbopKgWLNQFz1NjrsratMfdZB1QFamdVSUoCeSq2cqAfk39QDfaUjijwBnzhf7VI6RdBJUTBIh2lWNp1IgpEsgewprA/s320/overhead+plane.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOn7lziZLSziDuGixAqRcvoiUgTKzA6hBXmMzqbDoccTwFT9wdeJQgRYaBc2oY2a6sZlxJhZj4Y5-BYdqKWBx0viysyShcDmdOUMyrgCYWekWV-rXHmFRHYHhySzXzq09Ps-KycdRKMwo/s320/overhead+plane+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Barreneche, Raul. "Park Avenue Petite." Metropolitan Home. March 2009. 92. (Overlay mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOn7lziZLSziDuGixAqRcvoiUgTKzA6hBXmMzqbDoccTwFT9wdeJQgRYaBc2oY2a6sZlxJhZj4Y5-BYdqKWBx0viysyShcDmdOUMyrgCYWekWV-rXHmFRHYHhySzXzq09Ps-KycdRKMwo/s1600/overhead+plane+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> In the above images, the circular element subtracted from the overhead plane defines a space within the hallway that encompasses the table and flowers below it.<br />
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<b>Space</b> can be <b>defined by vertical elements</b>, as well, and may be the easier concept to understand since it typically involves walls -- we tend to think of space as areas defined around us, not above or below although they are included. As such, there are many more ways that a space can be defined: <i>vertical linear elements</i>, <i>single vertical plane</i>, <i>L-shaped plane</i>, <i>parallel planes</i>, <i>U-shaped plane</i>, and <i>four planes: closure</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1ADyIEAqm2IbmK1iyIdClTGUfcOj_fImBynwTw-Dq824dhqotiTsJ9d8rmiftpRVQ92wUA2nvhTlUm9fhmfyyY_bkrpqj7MvAMLsWtcCJLhv8exq3nYf_FAvGfcT0bluoJp-8V6ikTQ/s1600/vertical+elements.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1ADyIEAqm2IbmK1iyIdClTGUfcOj_fImBynwTw-Dq824dhqotiTsJ9d8rmiftpRVQ92wUA2nvhTlUm9fhmfyyY_bkrpqj7MvAMLsWtcCJLhv8exq3nYf_FAvGfcT0bluoJp-8V6ikTQ/s320/vertical+elements.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG1Wk4eA8f72jviFsrRrangbG-plzcLBOew7akAZzxftQ2jQ4gbU0s42Mnudi3qHAI35C4HkWWSyTLZnElsltQJD97zFN1aFTmhVjxL6hJ25sIVXrfilmP5fg9E_TJMkP-KxTWlyXegY/s320/vertical+elements+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Philip Johnson's 1949 Glass House. Architectural Digest. May 2006. 68. (Overlay mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG1Wk4eA8f72jviFsrRrangbG-plzcLBOew7akAZzxftQ2jQ4gbU0s42Mnudi3qHAI35C4HkWWSyTLZnElsltQJD97zFN1aFTmhVjxL6hJ25sIVXrfilmP5fg9E_TJMkP-KxTWlyXegY/s1600/vertical+elements+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>The above images show what can be done with vertical linear elements, better known as columns or posts. These can also be seen in Le Corbusier's modern works like the Dom-ino Skeleton, or from antiquity like the columns of Greek, Roman, or Egyptian temples, for example.<br />
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This and the next images also show examples of <b>openings that define the space</b> -- usually meaning windows, but can broadly be any opening within (or instead of) a plane. Openings occur in various positions <i>within planes</i>, <i>at corners</i>, and <i>between planes</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2msLNcrrSf2W_LOA8XLX0D-yb0C3fi5jPV9HSRDWPldL1a3jSC9ZkqwSNdCBOU-hkwAiURFcbtP8L_yaVmXMSFANGwZCRwWQaiP0C_hENi_GNbKjJCsUZVne2Zbx_r9t3It2AlFMMm8/s1600/window+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2msLNcrrSf2W_LOA8XLX0D-yb0C3fi5jPV9HSRDWPldL1a3jSC9ZkqwSNdCBOU-hkwAiURFcbtP8L_yaVmXMSFANGwZCRwWQaiP0C_hENi_GNbKjJCsUZVne2Zbx_r9t3It2AlFMMm8/s320/window+wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-Gwr5PGg3Ds2sLt2ZaOSL9obrQ7mvd0QGpNoIdXj95j7Ig3voTcGVWIUpAXZTSX_6Hoe1eKv07x8P6IVMD2Gv9y7Bivo5lJNvpzBe6_rbrDUzojb9QJvghR_gp5Sl1lt49pdf8gLLZE/s320/window+wall+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Nobel, Philip. "A House for Art's Sake." Architectural Digest. May 2006. 242. (Overlay mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-Gwr5PGg3Ds2sLt2ZaOSL9obrQ7mvd0QGpNoIdXj95j7Ig3voTcGVWIUpAXZTSX_6Hoe1eKv07x8P6IVMD2Gv9y7Bivo5lJNvpzBe6_rbrDUzojb9QJvghR_gp5Sl1lt49pdf8gLLZE/s1600/window+wall+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>These openings above are window walls, which occur <i>between planes</i>. When the edges of the window/opening go from planar edge to planar edge (involving 3 our of the 4 possible), an opening is between planes. Any smaller, and it would fall under one of the other categories. This configuration tends to let in the most light, although a few of the corner opening configurations may be equal.<br />
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This leads to the last point: <i>light</i> is a <b>quality of architectural space</b>, as is <i>color, texture, scale, form, </i>and so on.<br />
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Light can come from different sources, but it is typically natural or artificial. "Natural" includes sunlight and candlelight, while artificial comes from anything man-made (lampposts, flashlights, lanterns, lightbulbs, etc.). In the image above, light comes from both sources: the ribbon windows echo the showcase of cars along the edge of the room, while the overhead lighting spotlights the car underneath, evidently a prized possession.<br />
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Next posting will include the organization of space, and spatial relationships.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-90626922550874988092010-10-07T04:24:00.000-07:002010-10-07T04:24:20.066-07:00Playing with blocks. (part 5)Sometimes interior design and architecture is a puzzle. You're given certain pieces - usually requirements from the client, maybe some measurements of the space to work with - and you need to provide a solution to the problem (puzzle) you're given. Within the context of blocks (working with forms), we can look at it like a tangram puzzle. In the client's case there may not be just one right answer, but it's our job to figure those answers out and provide the best fit. <br />
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Sometimes even using the previously- mentioned tools (<i>dimensional transformations</i>, <i>subtractive forms</i>, <i>additive forms</i>) isn't quite enough to provide that best fit. We have one last tool in the box: <b>formal collisions of geometry</b>. The name itself is pretty suggestive of what it is, but to clarify, it is using at least two forms (as they are, or rotated) and combining them together so that they become a new form. (Remember the movie <i>The Fly</i> with Jeff Goldblum? That was a formal collision, indeed.) Any forms can be used, and a look at a wide variety of floor plans will show that it's used quite a lot when a certain effect is desired, or the space one is working with is challenging. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lOO5rq9gAuN2-JaiKjTgVQFSDaFkLdyCQiCQQSlFJ4R-yrt4wGL_aPeic8MQCtY0HQkf-_kT44KR4opjjU_x4d9qAKStDR58al0ugxghaZ9JqioYUYrcu6tVIFhqdCiB9vNGDGRNEHg/s1600/edges+corners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lOO5rq9gAuN2-JaiKjTgVQFSDaFkLdyCQiCQQSlFJ4R-yrt4wGL_aPeic8MQCtY0HQkf-_kT44KR4opjjU_x4d9qAKStDR58al0ugxghaZ9JqioYUYrcu6tVIFhqdCiB9vNGDGRNEHg/s1600/edges+corners.jpg" /></a></div>There are formal types of these collisions: <i>circle and square</i>, <i>rotated grid</i>, and <i>articulation of form</i>. The last refers to a form with surface definition such that it particularly defines or suggests the form. Think of scales, or plates of armor, for example. Pattern and texture can achieve this as well. Here, however, I would like to address <b>edges and corners</b>; no matter what sort of forms you end up using, you will need to address your edges and corners and how they define your space. To make it perfectly clear, edges are the exterior outline(s) of a form or plan, and corners occur in the interior of a space where two planes meet (literally or figuratively).<br />
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Both edges and corners are important, but when considering interior design, how you address corners in particular is important for defining (or not) the space. The key is that the angle between your planes - the corner - must be such that the corner does not simply resemble a wall. In other words, an extremely large angle won't feel like a corner. Most corners are formed with right angles (90 degrees), but as a general rule of thumb, one could realistically work with angles anywhere from 60 to 120 degrees. (Cases could be made for smaller or wider angles than these, but it would take a truly talented designer to do so.)<br />
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Angle alone isn't the only concern - what shape could the corner take? Any, really, and sometimes there isn't anything there at all. Sometimes a lack of definition provides definition by its very absence. The corner can fold inward or jut outward, can be smooth or highly articulated, and so on. Consistency is key.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-90749716648153396702010-10-06T21:20:00.000-07:002010-10-06T21:20:48.698-07:00Playing with blocks. (part 4)Blocks inspire a simple desire to build and create. How we do this can take on any number of strategies, but the most instinctual is simply to stack and group blocks together. In architecture and interior design, the resulting structures and spaces are <b>additive forms</b> - forms created when pieces or other forms are added to a base, original form. Additive forms can be accomplished in many ways, but for this post I will be focusing upon one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLo_GnOP1gWmdK1AsusjmZlBBvo32St2F3iT7dYsmT5F7O1EGQzigTg2wvlFrK4jQZkv_NfRFA5UxC0mzutrwWoCxCf4CwPPf0blyFsshbPx6c_JNRFvx2Fwrxu29olOURnlfCApIODQ8/s1600/additive+forms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLo_GnOP1gWmdK1AsusjmZlBBvo32St2F3iT7dYsmT5F7O1EGQzigTg2wvlFrK4jQZkv_NfRFA5UxC0mzutrwWoCxCf4CwPPf0blyFsshbPx6c_JNRFvx2Fwrxu29olOURnlfCApIODQ8/s1600/additive+forms.jpg" /></a></div><b>Clustered forms</b> are arguably the most common additive forms. Primary solids are grouped, attached, or overlapping each other to some degree to create one complete structure. Typically, no one form is dominant over the others, as in the centralized form. Some examples of these can be seen in modern interpretations of English Gothic Revival houses, or some Victorian Queen Anne or Stick Style houses. These clustered forms most truly resemble the little structures we assemble with blocks in our youth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2H5YSkBepjLVSD9umvWoRIdvAmhe-dQkZnXtaOvNYbexacmore11m1F1lzYRO_UtaJKQ40wjNa7iaBc0GcfBf0P1Wzzhut4CTRVqBVXD6jqGv_k7-NvuGtYK4mnRXgKfe0QycJAD3v7o/s1600/additive+form+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2H5YSkBepjLVSD9umvWoRIdvAmhe-dQkZnXtaOvNYbexacmore11m1F1lzYRO_UtaJKQ40wjNa7iaBc0GcfBf0P1Wzzhut4CTRVqBVXD6jqGv_k7-NvuGtYK4mnRXgKfe0QycJAD3v7o/s320/additive+form+image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBTf4EIr7c0w2PVhVfSAlS0b0mMh1fOWMAL3lqPkPCfB6FtpbnD3eE4tNGdI3qNBCGpaQDqnkEsqgtmLPFTEA9pwYVSBj8Uhyphenhyphenjqlvlyo8rhFfY1LtQlmK_WkSWM3PTBv5wk_wrnNTGTc/s320/additive+form+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="312" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Tamco Building Products, Inc. Advertisement, Lamarite slate. Architectural Digest. May 2007. 193.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBTf4EIr7c0w2PVhVfSAlS0b0mMh1fOWMAL3lqPkPCfB6FtpbnD3eE4tNGdI3qNBCGpaQDqnkEsqgtmLPFTEA9pwYVSBj8Uhyphenhyphenjqlvlyo8rhFfY1LtQlmK_WkSWM3PTBv5wk_wrnNTGTc/s1600/additive+form+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>The above images underscore the "building block" aesthetic I spoke of - here is a chunky triangular pediment piece, here is a cube, there is a cone. Clustered forms don't have to have this charming, haphazard structure, but it is one of the easiest to achieve. Taken to the interior, a clustered form could create what I would call a "layered" space, and as long as the concept is strong, designing for such an interior would be as interesting a task as the result would be for the client: visually appealing, blending in with the rest of the space almost unobtrusively, and always exciting.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-7534925507746613822010-10-06T15:42:00.000-07:002010-10-06T21:23:17.910-07:00Playing with blocks. (part 3)There's a certain adult version of playing with blocks -- the tower of crisscrossed squared block pieces that you must carefully remove from lower sections of the tower and equally carefully place on top of the tower, the aim being to build as high as possible with the tower's own parts before it falls over. We can do the same in architecture and interior design, only it's not a game and you definitely don't want it falling over! An essential component is just the same, however: doing something unexpected with what you thought was solid and unchangeable.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL4VysbV_vRt1LUmUL8Kpuxhqwvml_y2IVYtyUJTzp2dJGXhNGBGPj4JHUGUiRq31yeGKqP12TvWrCOJawwIUkodLl1PRRQzM6G0cPqCfjQuL11OY1vRtE1jE3NkWD6RcoUfJ0W0dhiI/s1600/subtractive+forms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL4VysbV_vRt1LUmUL8Kpuxhqwvml_y2IVYtyUJTzp2dJGXhNGBGPj4JHUGUiRq31yeGKqP12TvWrCOJawwIUkodLl1PRRQzM6G0cPqCfjQuL11OY1vRtE1jE3NkWD6RcoUfJ0W0dhiI/s1600/subtractive+forms.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The idea is just as simple as the game: removing parts from the original form to create a new form. The new form may still resemble the original, but it may also look completely different. These are <b>subtractive forms</b>, and can surprisingly be found in many places you look.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImeQlNK8uMRlWSF2wVFy7WbHc3DE6h1ToUQAFHQU1PngQ18-bOfhieZnJyM6iwIbsXdF8oWVd39yNNeyqI6b8EZCf-sv4BGd-qPDYRe40JkQLW2UpObmg09_xKVZl5_N_dj0lXuwb2i0/s1600/subtractive+form+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImeQlNK8uMRlWSF2wVFy7WbHc3DE6h1ToUQAFHQU1PngQ18-bOfhieZnJyM6iwIbsXdF8oWVd39yNNeyqI6b8EZCf-sv4BGd-qPDYRe40JkQLW2UpObmg09_xKVZl5_N_dj0lXuwb2i0/s320/subtractive+form+image.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjV1h3jfoM0oXwBNaS1g4b2LPDb05M5KcEhMQMBpG2O7ZgK8b80F4KVM1fY2F-XE9rGtr9ezDHPFwDLIubV0GDIpDGYpa88uAp9K-cetKCfTmlcDjM1Z9lE9G-99Ug6CNj7RTJhPehXyU/s320/subtractive+form+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="266" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Bissell, Therese. "A Not-So-Simple Plan." Architectural Digest. November 2006. 194. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjV1h3jfoM0oXwBNaS1g4b2LPDb05M5KcEhMQMBpG2O7ZgK8b80F4KVM1fY2F-XE9rGtr9ezDHPFwDLIubV0GDIpDGYpa88uAp9K-cetKCfTmlcDjM1Z9lE9G-99Ug6CNj7RTJhPehXyU/s1600/subtractive+form+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
This can be done in different ways, and more than once, depending on the concept at hand. Modernist houses like the one above have more than one subtractive form to be found. For example, the second floor seems to have a subtractive quality, as does the fireplace downstairs. This maintains a clean-lined aesthetic without it appearing static and uninteresting. Subtractive forms may also serve a purpose, mainly in delineating special spaces. Some resort hotels or vacation homes subtract in order to integrate with what's outside, such as a pool. That space then serves a transitional purpose, allowing users to seamlessly move from indoor to outdoor with no thought or effort.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-86352357252699932102010-10-06T09:40:00.000-07:002010-10-06T21:25:38.667-07:00Playing with blocks. (part 2)While primary solids on their own are useful building tools in creating space and organization, they don't have to be used unaltered. In this post and the next few posts, I'll discuss ways to change and adapt them for more interesting uses.<br />
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Imagine those building blocks from childhood, again. While those blocks included some pieces that were not strictly primary solids (such as the arches and half-circles), most of the time the basic set sometimes proved frustrating in that they didn't always provide enough desired forms to build what was in our minds' eye. However, if we could have stretched, pushed down, or trimmed pieces from them, we would have gotten precisely what we needed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_akQIYNGzT4PgMpbwOC2wkzwqdZnp4g81MvFJFfdlMZ57dwnl0C11cZbcymeCNz3v1eUzQpmneAU52OdmRF_GunembDPGQI8Rs8Y1JAV62vUwGCTQo1jSSYqC211TGRMtM_nmewtlxk/s1600/dimensional+transformation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_akQIYNGzT4PgMpbwOC2wkzwqdZnp4g81MvFJFfdlMZ57dwnl0C11cZbcymeCNz3v1eUzQpmneAU52OdmRF_GunembDPGQI8Rs8Y1JAV62vUwGCTQo1jSSYqC211TGRMtM_nmewtlxk/s320/dimensional+transformation.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br />
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In design, this is called <b>dimensional transformation</b>. In more formal terms, one is altering one or more of a form's dimensions, such as height or length, in a way that still leaves it recognizable as the original primary solid. As mentioned before, this is a useful tool in space planning, furniture selection, lighting, and many other areas of interior design. One could use this either to adapt a challenging floor plan, create something new and innovative, or simply add unexpected interest. A particular form could be suitable in general (such as a cube for a chair), but dimensionally transformed it becomes better, and tie in with a concept more appropriately.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMbDUbVE7Aeds19ksc5soHnV8_tsOkq1bkv5AJEaifO2QL7CaxbEVISOkKATjJvGP39yoL_hpHH733wAFJR6hJwAHTamKXyUz_BWWWBH_LAqRyyliLAYlNTPYQK07Y3pHkHR6CIZ1ijc/s1600/dimensional+transformation+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMbDUbVE7Aeds19ksc5soHnV8_tsOkq1bkv5AJEaifO2QL7CaxbEVISOkKATjJvGP39yoL_hpHH733wAFJR6hJwAHTamKXyUz_BWWWBH_LAqRyyliLAYlNTPYQK07Y3pHkHR6CIZ1ijc/s320/dimensional+transformation+image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVZHlEzyevr6Ec-TQb-Ebnw4eO_tRPfQ3wiO_xi04YPa82DVrubwhDxXmygEyfQrOZp-X8wxoTtEBEG3tjC70Otf33Oo0gpRWpoGhJKKDFeR2tSCAG76lNSwHCZJk0eSJrsVr0ZhxCco/s320/dimensional+transformation+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: O'Keeffe, Linda. "Rooms to Grow." Metropolitan Home. April 2007. 123. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
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In the pictures above, a cylindrical form was put into this space. It could have remained small and served as an endtable, but squashed and up-sized, it becomes an ottoman, coffee table, and even additional seating. It also provides some interest in what could have remained a room with mostly sharp angles, lending it some soft edges.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-8424052699274577072010-10-06T07:37:00.000-07:002010-10-06T07:39:13.102-07:00Playing with blocks. (part 1)When I was in kindergarten, one of the most popular toys was an enormous pile of blocks. These didn't just include the alphabet cubes, but a whole range of blocks with different architectural shapes. Miniature child-wrought architectural wonders were created until accidentally (or purposefully) knocked down. Some of us never really outgrew that, because in architecture and interior design you <b>must</b> play with these forms, in essence, to create the structures and spaces clients desire.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RYP1_zhF6BHNvC8fIgLhhk4j1OYivCe0VpHOAG9MU_9Cm6S5mSiotY8fDvQMqXfyy82-rm9AdGUmeU3PKcXaQ-SiToMSPa2jaDla0suSPPEKRoFH9hUbokoIIuZgL7tuxaIGNqCrP3U/s1600/primary+solids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RYP1_zhF6BHNvC8fIgLhhk4j1OYivCe0VpHOAG9MU_9Cm6S5mSiotY8fDvQMqXfyy82-rm9AdGUmeU3PKcXaQ-SiToMSPa2jaDla0suSPPEKRoFH9hUbokoIIuZgL7tuxaIGNqCrP3U/s320/primary+solids.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br />
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The basic building blocks are called <b>primary solids</b>. They are forms that arise from primary shapes, discussed in my previous posts. Triangles become <i>cones</i> or <i>pyramids</i>. Squares become <i>cubes</i>. Circles become <i>spheres </i>or <i>cylinders</i>.<br />
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Use of primary solids isn't confined to creating spaces; they can be found in elements of an interior, such as furniture and lighting. They can enhance the utility or aesthetic of such pieces.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvwRU7D8-RB5hKp4iHW_eQjfoEOo9hE05ZFd2f5iWOKmOSRjjRpEyIRqHV5c8naFn_pNS1Zf5i5_yC06f-t5dpNRIm9SXrLomJUbWDqhjT1o1ma4nf_Utd_HE98WB5G3xRANWJRi4qVY/s1600/primary+solids+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvwRU7D8-RB5hKp4iHW_eQjfoEOo9hE05ZFd2f5iWOKmOSRjjRpEyIRqHV5c8naFn_pNS1Zf5i5_yC06f-t5dpNRIm9SXrLomJUbWDqhjT1o1ma4nf_Utd_HE98WB5G3xRANWJRi4qVY/s320/primary+solids+image.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_RRQs2l0tfZk2R4BmpXT8D9SbTPzdKb6rIHMd5AtPHlNn3r3KiOyyEmAgopwD2Gjs18BFul3x8yu_8qs3oPFyr5f46JrVYS7e9VpOHwsCuECkvWIKHn863uLm3svicsfu_kZkJ84CY8/s320/primary+solids+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Bernstein, Fred. "Naturally Perfect." Metropolitan Home. April 2007. 107 (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
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In the above images, using a conical form for the pendant lights enhances both their aesthetic and utility - the light generated will overlap and spread outward over a greater area, concentrating the light in that part of the room.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-14724714526098100322010-09-29T09:23:00.000-07:002010-10-01T19:10:44.916-07:00Primary Elements (part 4)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVH_M8NneBEQMkrfE0EN-sZ9RukXRODBHEqJCOqbrkODaeD4d6AHr-jgNK1_Ij-FVmM9tz1ah6JGmpMgDgpcyQBq5uZIyjnNQJWKlsX2QEsDEGsfBCpCbhdtQ3-E6XHDUfaJCkwTVIWmA/s1600/volume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVH_M8NneBEQMkrfE0EN-sZ9RukXRODBHEqJCOqbrkODaeD4d6AHr-jgNK1_Ij-FVmM9tz1ah6JGmpMgDgpcyQBq5uZIyjnNQJWKlsX2QEsDEGsfBCpCbhdtQ3-E6XHDUfaJCkwTVIWmA/s1600/volume.jpg" /></a><br />
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Shapes are two-dimensional, forms are three-dimensional. Cubes, pyramids, cones, and spheres possess depth and therefore <b>volume</b>. Any structure or building has volume, but so do their interiors. Anything that has four or more connecting planes that create a form has volume. This can also be literal or implied in the way planes and lines are used to create the form in question. Perceived volume can be as effectual as actual volume in a space, and depends on the intended use or desired atmosphere.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmDVA0dAxAdmmURZ0XTIPeSNw4Yy9eX6eSDAZSDEFmLHwxG0EHRjrXDGa80VMlpbOz4uSnR1ikCwvUT9hzN_7MtIwvk5O4T6hrnYzEkyscK1unCBvNvoMbOE4H3cAgCvjoy5dixZMmbE/s1600/volume+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmDVA0dAxAdmmURZ0XTIPeSNw4Yy9eX6eSDAZSDEFmLHwxG0EHRjrXDGa80VMlpbOz4uSnR1ikCwvUT9hzN_7MtIwvk5O4T6hrnYzEkyscK1unCBvNvoMbOE4H3cAgCvjoy5dixZMmbE/s320/volume+image.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKRHdEaMYGCZuW5K93gldEUpWuy4M18qpbI3E_Ig3zZtvuVgjhlyo8WEaoJUIahOeeeXIWJfcS8KIfxcz8CS-IXy8XI27szXVBKDJi-sBf9KUjrTOsAQ0DcQeL7pCt_ivpeNP4NNaLPQ/s320/volume+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="257" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Kleinman, Susan. "Mid-Country Modern." Metropolitan Home. April 2006. 105. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKRHdEaMYGCZuW5K93gldEUpWuy4M18qpbI3E_Ig3zZtvuVgjhlyo8WEaoJUIahOeeeXIWJfcS8KIfxcz8CS-IXy8XI27szXVBKDJi-sBf9KUjrTOsAQ0DcQeL7pCt_ivpeNP4NNaLPQ/s1600/volume+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Volume in interiors is not limited to the areas of your floorplan, but also includes sections or zones within those areas, or even structures or furniture used within zones. Here scale and proportion are just as important as actual use; while a large conversation space in a living room may be desired, it could crowd out your equally-desired zones and uses if your created volume is bigger than intended. Considering furniture size and placement is one way to solve this problem.<br />
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Volumes can push out or enclose, and clever usage goes a long way to creating an effective and beautiful design.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-1632087400242678762010-09-29T07:34:00.000-07:002010-10-01T19:19:43.986-07:00Primary Elements (part 3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Three or more lines that converge to form a two-dimensional shape is called a <b>plane</b>. Like lines, planes can be literal or implied, defining spaces or creating an area of interest. They are most often found in a square or rectangular shape (as in walls or corridors), but can be any other shape, regular or irregular, so long as it is flat and possesses no perceived depth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktZ7XcNeHfed6lvBOs2AAcKe3mFR-h7iZsWWRDCWloUH04LlCarErddfaBuM9g6dyge1_qN4NQ7zBg-ejxZYVE-og4oidTdhLDANlhizcrLGT8WFYPUOrVQiqMoa-9i7O5LTq5QAUXBk/s1600/plane+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktZ7XcNeHfed6lvBOs2AAcKe3mFR-h7iZsWWRDCWloUH04LlCarErddfaBuM9g6dyge1_qN4NQ7zBg-ejxZYVE-og4oidTdhLDANlhizcrLGT8WFYPUOrVQiqMoa-9i7O5LTq5QAUXBk/s320/plane+image.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3Z6j1plMfFnUXbdN6MyAu5sflMTiLqNxUV_4IcxcAksiTHLVJE7nXqZIN4Kt765dIFu3IXCLpVqRGOopojgM9KASNeHGNjq7hv__P8KPcdC9Oee_wTFtqcRPzZju0JztW0Q09Sl0t2U/s320/plane+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="242" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Bernstein, Fred A. "The Good Earth." Metropolitan Home. March 2009. 75. (Overlay mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3Z6j1plMfFnUXbdN6MyAu5sflMTiLqNxUV_4IcxcAksiTHLVJE7nXqZIN4Kt765dIFu3IXCLpVqRGOopojgM9KASNeHGNjq7hv__P8KPcdC9Oee_wTFtqcRPzZju0JztW0Q09Sl0t2U/s1600/plane+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>How you treat planes within a space will greatly affect your perception of the space. This frequently means walls, but can include screen dividers, furniture, or sculptural elements in a space. Emphasis or de-emphasis of a plane can perceptually open up or close off; this can be achieved through wall color, mirrors and pictures, glass or movable wall screens (such as in a Japanese teahouse), or simply via height. A breakfast counter coming off the end of a kitchen counter can provide a barrier between the kitchen and a living room while still visually perceiving both areas.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-91952262308901919782010-09-29T06:24:00.000-07:002010-10-01T19:05:47.580-07:00Primary Elements (part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-W98TnPNNblAtaSqVNxBJkDJSx6wg3xlapasDMqLSuyaVFbCOmgUnBw_-H0v3ON14i4zwGoRlxg_xlhPw-9GqpBrnHlFJk_K27lAVdR5KikbXSE8VjbWFsnghp5PJkw1EYSjRerFMlU/s1600/line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-W98TnPNNblAtaSqVNxBJkDJSx6wg3xlapasDMqLSuyaVFbCOmgUnBw_-H0v3ON14i4zwGoRlxg_xlhPw-9GqpBrnHlFJk_K27lAVdR5KikbXSE8VjbWFsnghp5PJkw1EYSjRerFMlU/s1600/line.jpg" /></a><br />
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A <b>line</b> is essentially a series of points. In algebra, if you have two points you can draw a line. A line can be defined, with a starting point and ending point, or it can be infinite (in algebraic terms), heading off in one or two directions without end. In the latter case, it is also directional, pointing up, down, left, right, or in a diagonal. An implied line may not be solid, but still lead you (physically or visually) in a linear fashion toward a location.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWIbmQypeVl1svMzw2GBSSTtYr6n1ZoyuZRifpwp8c5d6U_p3J77IM50hU8a63lt6hIv29d8GEnXOUF0vHu1sDJew06HIgnazt2q4TSbDLlv254i2wiCt5wNaRJzzVwnDiYxjwWedMQ4/s1600/line+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWIbmQypeVl1svMzw2GBSSTtYr6n1ZoyuZRifpwp8c5d6U_p3J77IM50hU8a63lt6hIv29d8GEnXOUF0vHu1sDJew06HIgnazt2q4TSbDLlv254i2wiCt5wNaRJzzVwnDiYxjwWedMQ4/s320/line+image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKHUWRzPhsTgQ9Xhwf6_IA8IA4JrLG2O1jnW79tARmTJOLMxUvDrF9WDzVX-SJEQfz8WIL7mAsVMVhOMAvmCnpFjhzHyJy8FwlufzEBpgev2WaJnKZX9w9UVgOF1n8hkkwWxR9p5DGc8/s320/line+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Kleinman, Susan. "Mid-Country Modern." Metropolitan Home. April 2006. 98. (Overlay mine.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKHUWRzPhsTgQ9Xhwf6_IA8IA4JrLG2O1jnW79tARmTJOLMxUvDrF9WDzVX-SJEQfz8WIL7mAsVMVhOMAvmCnpFjhzHyJy8FwlufzEBpgev2WaJnKZX9w9UVgOF1n8hkkwWxR9p5DGc8/s1600/line+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Line orientation can also have a psychological effect. Vertical lines lend height and can imply strength, definition, grandeur, or intimidation. Horizontals can lower perceptions of height; they echo or recall ground lines, which also imply stability, but can get static or boring. Diagonals are dynamic, implying movement and lending energy to a space. The number, frequency, and repetition of lines can do many things, from defining a space to changing your perception of a space; many verticals, for example, could be invigorating but could also create anxiety, chopping up the perception of space or making the user feel hemmed in. Deliberate application of line is always called for.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-16687551509236105392010-09-28T23:22:00.000-07:002010-10-01T19:08:32.114-07:00Primary Elements (part 1)Every creative art has its fundamental building blocks. Writing has alphabets and grammar -- spelling and knowing how to parse a sentence gives rise to forms of communication, information, or entertainment. Visual arts, whether two-dimensional (drawing) or three-dimensional (sculptures, models, jewelry, etc.), have their own primary elements, each building on the other in increasing complexity: point, line, plane, and volume.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUyUCezyUmelRcMzS3qlTce753RUYTiM-WyDITbWf6hoUYC23x5ISPJkSkL0caA-ia6O4i42W3GMGfYYSZLIzKPpAJm-ZO6sf_PwhcT2FopqP-QGVYdS2W4eRufV2QCZAJn6LzZrOhvY/s1600/point.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUyUCezyUmelRcMzS3qlTce753RUYTiM-WyDITbWf6hoUYC23x5ISPJkSkL0caA-ia6O4i42W3GMGfYYSZLIzKPpAJm-ZO6sf_PwhcT2FopqP-QGVYdS2W4eRufV2QCZAJn6LzZrOhvY/s1600/point.jpg" /></a></div>All things begin with a <b>point</b>, whether you're writing a letter or doodling in a notebook. It is a beginning and sometimes and end unto itself: a point can be a <i>focal point</i>, where your attention is drawn (whether it is because of color, shape of an object, its placement, etc.), or a point of departure that marks a transformation or transition (such as a parti diagram). A point can either be found in isolation, such as for emphasis, or located within a line, such as an orienting position on a floorplan or instruction manual.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbf3fW038cEUWo9ugeKzztVppU_D0TLeLGJZrkCaxmVx03_3ET5Ir7aGySg92JIk1vqXlZsz0TI13KUrk2xRXIoaWKMAA8gmeYnia0AiBrNKLALzD2gW41FKs38IlXv40tjayHZ7nbeg/s1600/point+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbf3fW038cEUWo9ugeKzztVppU_D0TLeLGJZrkCaxmVx03_3ET5Ir7aGySg92JIk1vqXlZsz0TI13KUrk2xRXIoaWKMAA8gmeYnia0AiBrNKLALzD2gW41FKs38IlXv40tjayHZ7nbeg/s320/point+image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkbMvSNN0Dl_Ow5-Q8LjhuqxAJk-ylyHNdhj0F9oVW9YgqGJp3Ym4RmwpRZDa_bFMDHGloVX3NsZXIKEWbOGDj_rljCVpC5fPzkLUjtstC7g6xcXkbv4UjWYk1vKbQlxkUqiT4SK0FaA/s320/point+overlay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Bernstein, Fred. "The Good Earth." Metropolitan Home. March 2009. 66. (Overlay analysis mine.)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkbMvSNN0Dl_Ow5-Q8LjhuqxAJk-ylyHNdhj0F9oVW9YgqGJp3Ym4RmwpRZDa_bFMDHGloVX3NsZXIKEWbOGDj_rljCVpC5fPzkLUjtstC7g6xcXkbv4UjWYk1vKbQlxkUqiT4SK0FaA/s1600/point+overlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714384499825993262.post-15912354705454862382010-09-25T20:06:00.000-07:002010-09-25T20:06:55.996-07:00Sukkah CityI'm not Jewish. I know barely more about Judaism than most folks just because I'm interested in other faiths and their practices, particularly ones that have such ancient and deeply spiritual practices. So when I heard of Sukkah City back in May of this year, I had to hunt for more information about its background so that I could truly understand the idea behind the project. (<a href="http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday5.htm">This site provides a good grounding of the basics of the holiday Sukkot</a>, which inspired Sukkah City.)<br />
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<a href="http://sukkahcity.com/">What is Sukkah City?</a> It was/is a design competition aimed at looking at sukkahs from as many angles as possible, but centering around the idea of "temporary shelters." There's an interesting set of rules, which are taken right out of Jewish law regarding the building of sukkahs. One of them: "A sukkah may be built on a boat." Another says that it could be on a wagon. Walls and ceilings and height are mentioned, as well, including their possible porousness or complete lack thereof. Aside from these rules, designers could imagine and build the sukkah in any way, and using whatever materials, they wanted. (Michael Arad, the designer of the World Trade Center memorial, is one of the main judges.)<br />
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This week, the finalists' designs (you could also call them winners, although the final winner hasn't been announced) are on display in New York's Union Square, and as you might imagine, these structures are truly amazing and imaginative. They also look at the sukkah in many different and unexpected ways; one sukkah is made out of signs (of the "will work for food"/cardboard & Sharpie type), while another appears to be made out of wooden slats put together in a very sculptural fashion with a flame-like form. Essays are supposed to be written about the Sukkah City project and slated for publishing, and I'm extremely interested in reading what is sure to be a lot of insightful analysis and commentary.<br />
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Art meets architecture meets spirituality and spawns something amazing -- that's how I'd describe Sukkah City. It treats the rules and design principles (particularly line and volume) as toys and tools, not restrictions. It's an interstitial project that strikes a deep chord with my personal design philosophy. It can also teach us a great deal about how we could live in the future, especially if disaster strikes and destroys permanent housing. The fact that proceeds from auctioning the structures will go to <a href="http://www.housingworks.org/about/">Housing Works</a> (an organization that through various projects "is committed to ending the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness") is the cherry on top. There has been mention of seeding Sukkah City to other cities across the country for next year, and so I am hoping that Atlanta will rise to that challenge.<br />
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Other links regarding Sukkah City:<br />
* <a href="http://www.forward.com/articles/131428/">Sights and Sounds of the Sukkah City Design Competition</a> [Forward.com]<br />
* <a href="http://www.designobserver.com/observatory/entry.html?entry=13908">In Search of Sukkah City</a> [Observatory: Design Observer; by Thomas de Monchaux]<br />
* <a href="http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/sukkah-city.html">Sukkah City</a> [BLDGBLOG]<br />
* <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/17/arts/design/17sukkah.html">Sukkah City - Harvest of Shelters, Temporary by Design</a> [NYTimes.com]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04429502799905722242noreply@blogger.com0