Voices

This is a plan drawing with each dimension labeled.

Metric is many times considered a measurement. Have we ever really thought about it any other way? I think that metric can have a couple different meanings. The most common one is a form of measuring something. Metric is a unit that was originally used in France. Therefore, they use the Metric system like we now use inches. However, in History class we looked at baths of the Diocletian. This building can be considered a system just by so many ways it is divided into. It is 32 acres and is separated into 10 different facilities. This can be considered a system of where to too put these different rooms. Finding the exact space to locate all this facilities and also accommodating the different times of day to make it convenient for men, women and slaves also creates a Metric system. Its like a space of time and location that has to be established. To me all these forms of placements have something to do with metric. However, relating it back to measurement, metric is a way of measuring. In our drafting class, measurements are major points. When we design something it has to be according to the space. As designers we have to know where to put something and how much space we have. By knowing this we know how much we have to work with and it just makes thing much easier.

This is an inspiration drawing that I was looking at while drawing my view of my building. This would be considered the precedent that I used.

Precedent is like a model that was designed prior to our actual design. In many cases we look for precedents to come up with ideas of our own. When looking at precedents we often take similar characteristics of that building/or structure and input it into modern days work. In history class we were to pick a building for our precedent analysis project. When researching different 20th century buildings, I wanted to keep in mind different characteristics of the past that look similar to my building now. I decided to research further on the Chrysler building in New York. This building contains a decorative style characterized by sharp angular or zigzag surface forms and ornaments. Buildings in ancient Rome where always ornamented and consisted of columns and arches. The same way, Gothic architecture took from Roman Architecture. “ The same kind of movement away from structural directness in favor of ornamental embellishment occurred in the late Gothic Period. In France, this attention to ornament appeared in decorative forms, particularly in the stone tracery of stained-glass windows.” (Roth 342) This shows us that even though it was their own time period they to had the same characteristics that Rome did. In studio class, many times we are asked to create different models. In order to create models we sometimes have to look for a precedent to be inspired for our creation. We then take certain characteristics of this object, or model, and create something of our own.

I feel that the walls in this image show a presence of safety, since it is surrounded by the fortified walls.

Presence is the vibe/essence that a building portrays. To me the way a building is built shows the essence. “ The keep at Dover Castle came to be surrounded by two such fortified concentric walls, resulting in an inner bailey and an outer bailey.” (Roth 307) When I think of “fortified concentric walls” I immediately picture something that is strong and provided to protect. Later Roth also talks about presence in a different way. “ Architecture attempted to recall the substantial presence and clear circular geometries of Roman Construction.”(Roth 314) Here it is stated as something that has existed over time and within time they have been trying to take the basic appearance of circular geometries that Rome had. Presence can also mean the appearance of something. In many cases our appearance and the way we are dress influence our models in many ways. For example, when presenting our artifacts, our appearance was somewhat important. The colors that we wore or the style of our clothing affected the artifact. When wearing something that many times went with our design completed the image of your head and made you think of a situation where the project could be used.

In this image I wanted to capture the "moment" when you walk into the building and look up at the ceiling.

Moments in many ways can mean the point where something becomes meaningful. In history we saw how Romans were more interested in the façade of a building and Egypt was more about around the site. This shows that many times the surrounding is what creates the moment in the building whereas the Romans considered the façade of a building to be the moment. Also certain areas of a chair create a moment. For example, churches that have the rose window which cast light on the alter. This creates the special moment on the alter. In Suzanne’s Class we were asked to draw certain places through of our assigned building that would take people through our building by just certain drawing that we created. For example, we were to draw thumbnails of the most important places of the building. Places that create a “moment” in the building, the most important places that may become significant to the building.

Duality has different meanings. This drawing shows the same design but each having a different meaning. As you can see the one on the left shows fire and the right shows ice.

Duality is having two different meanings or having a combination of meanings. In example, Roth says “ A wooden tower structure was built, serving as both a place of refuge and a residence of the local lord”. (Roth 305) This shows how a building was made for different purposes. It could be used for a place for protection or a place for something to live. Also I feel that buildings have a duality of a way they are created. “ Although designed to accommodate their new commercial and municipal functions, stylistically these buildings borrowed extensively from the vocabulary developed for church building, using pointed arches and elaborate tracery.” They are designed for a purpose of providing different functions yet the building characteristics has a dual meaning by using the same design and characteristics a church has. The same way that this medieval architecture had dual meanings, my designs in studio class had dual meanings. In class we have been working with the words symmetry, balance, hierarchy, proximity, rhythm etc. When creating a model that was symmetrical you ran into a problem where it could also be balanced. This was because when you cut something in half and it looks the same on both sides it creates a balance and makes the image symmetrical.

This week we have seen many architectural structures that have precedents from the previous time periods. However, even though it may have similar characteristics each building has its own special moment inside. This creates a duality because even though two building may have the same kinds of designs they may have two different meanings. This can be by the exterior or interior which set a different presence in the location they are.