Wyly Tower - 13th floor

Here are a few cool pictures that I took after staying up all night working on projects.


Tech's football stadium This is Hale Hall where I
work now on the 3rd floor
The tall building in the back is Neilson, which is where I live.

Here are two of my previous projects that were entered in the Student Show by one of my teachers!

In architecture 210, we had to design an avalanche control station that would house one worker, a howitzer cannon, a look-out tower, and a bunker for the ammo. My concept was to blend the building with the mountain that it would sit on.

In architecture 130, we had to make a hanging lamp out of plaster cubes and wire.


This is the design.

Here are the rest of the architect baseball cards.


-This yellow one is a rookie card of myself.

Here is Alvar Aalto.

Here are cards for Frank Gehry and Peter Eisenman.

For Architecture Theory we have to make baseball cards for 12 architects of our choice. Here is my card for Frank Lloyd Wright.

The rest of the cards are being made and will be on here later.

Here are the latest projects that I have done. We are using plaster.

Activity Three

It is time to learn about planar distortion. This activity sequence is all about taking a flat object and forming it into a 3-Dimensional object.

TASK
You will need to create 12 different 3-D planar distortions with index cards.

MATERIALS

• pack of 3x5 index cards
• half sheet of cardboard
• glue
• tape

PROCEDURE

1. take an index card and change its appearance by slits, notches, scoring, creases, and subtracting
2. make the same cuts to another index card and this time warp, twist, pinch, fold, and overlap it
3. use glue or tape to make sure the distortion stays together
4. make 11 more of these(you should have 24 cards when you are done)
5. once you have your 12 distortions, cut a half sheet of cardboard lengthwise and grid out 12 even rectangles(6 on top, 6 on bottom)
6. mount your first flat and distorted cards in a block, then keep doing this until you have filled all 12 blocks with

Here is an example of a planar distortion:

Now you can begin the graded experiment.

(If you would like to see more examples of planar distortion go to www.latech.edu/tech/liberal-arts/architecture/Arch120.htm)

GRADED EXPERIMENT

For this experiment, you will be constructing a sunshade and a rigid structural framing system to support it. The sunshade can be a wall, roof, or skylight. It is up to you.

The Site: A sunshade footprint of 12"x24" and a rigid frame suspended or resting between 2"-6" above the cardboard footprint

MATERIALS:

• 3x5 index cards
• steel rods
• floral wire
• skewers
• tape
• glue
• cardboard

PROCEDURE:

1. cut out a 12"x24" peice of cardboard for your base
2. build a rigid structural framing system
3. create a 3-D planar distortion with the index cards(either make the same one over and over or make a few distortions and connect them in a pattern)
4. connect the distortions in a pattern to form a sunshade
5. connect the sunshade to the frame

Make sure your distortions create a nice shadow when held under a light.

Here are some examples:

EVALUATION: Craftsmanship, function, aesthetics, and invention will determine your grade

To see other examples of this project click here http://www.latech.edu/tech/liberal-arts/architecture/Arch120Manuals.htm

Activity Two

Poche', figure/field, and positive/negative space are all terms that you will need to know before starting this project.

• Poche'- the term refers to the "blackening" convention of architectural drawings to signify the thickness of walls in plan
• Figure/field-the pictoral relationship between positive and negative space in an art work
• Positive/negative space- spaces which are occupied by the main subjects of the work / spaces which are the areas around and behind the positive space

You can see more about these definitions and find out about other definitions and see some example photos at www.latech.edu/tech/liberal-arts/architecture/

Now that we know what concepts we are working with, we can begin the experimental activity. Your materials include

• corrugated board
• thin chip board
• bamboo skewers
• steel rods
• floral wire
• string

PROCEDURE:

1. cut the cardboard into a 16" by 24" rectangle
2. make three sections (A,B,C) by forming another 16" by 24" rectangle, this time with walls and no base (the walls need to be 3" high), and split it into six 8" by 8" squares. then glue it to the cardboard, three squares on it and three squares off.
3. using your vocabulary words, shape the container. Here is an example:

the scale is 1/4"=1'0 and max wall height is 12' in scale

Finally you are now ready for the graded project. The materials include:

• corrugated cardboard
• wood dowels
• paper
• chip board

PROCEDURE:

Design a cenotaph, a monument erected as a memorial to a dead person buried elsewhere, for Einstein's brain. It should include the following:

1. place for the brain to be viewed
2. viewing space for no more than six people at a time
3. a vault where the brain is stored after hours
4. clearly articulated entry (should be a big elaberate enterance)
5. a meaningful and spatial path that the viewer walks through
6. an exit (should not be a reversal of the entry
7. path way in which only an employee can move the brain from its location to the vault

The Site:

Using the cardboard, cut a 12" by 24" rectangle. Then using the wood dowels, create a frame 12" high and 24" wide like the one seen here:

You may lay it flat or stand it up, it doesn't matter. The scale is 3/8"=1'0

The objective is to explore the glossary of the architecture terms and spatial ideas and to learn how to "shape the container".

Evaluation:

You will be graded on craftsmanship, function, aesthetics, and invention.

Here are some pictures to help you:

For more examples go to www.latech.edu/tech/liberal-arts/architecture/Arch120Manuals.htm