Looking back on WK 10...

Looking back I realise I still have a lot of work to do...

Update on Assignment 2 development stage

WK 10 Studio Reflections

WK 10 Lecture Reflection

Reflections on my WK 10 Readings

Assignment 2 brainstorming

Thoughts about the semester up until now... & where to go from here...

Reflecting back on WK 9....

WK 9 Lecture Reflection

WK 9 Reading Reflection

Disappointing Assignment 1 Mark and Reflecting back over the last few weeks...

My Reflection on the Wk 8 Lecture

Reflecting on Wk 8 Reading

Reflection on WK 7 Lecture

Catching up & Reflecting on WK 7 Reading

Reflection on Assignment 1 and the Team

Assingment 1 Presentation Day

Assignment 1 posters

.... Hard at work

Reflection of current status of Assignment 1

WK 6 Reading Thoughts

Reflecting back on WK 5

WK 5 Studio Reflection

Reflection on Wk 5 Lecture

WK 5 Reading Thoughts & Reflections

Reflecting back on WK 4....

WK 4 Studio Reflections

Reflecting on WK 4 Lecture

Group brainstorming notes 2

Reflections on WK 4 Reading

Reflecting back on WK 3...

Today I also started a FB page so the group could communicate with eachother 24/7.

Reflection on WK 3 reading: The Aspatial City by J.V. Zelfde

This reading discusses the fact that we now live in a world that is dominated by the ‘unseen.’ The hidden communication networks of wi-fi, mobile phones and other wireless devices have altered the way we utilise time and space on a daily basis. Social media has added an extra dimension to our world and in this 4-D virtual reality distance is reduced and time feels like it’s sped up.  A city used to be defined by its physical form but now it can also be a city based in virtual time. I believe this has (and will continue to) cause a loss of space identity and loss of connection to true context. Although the physical world has limited spaces and boundaries, the virtual world with all its boundless space cannot exist without the physical… like a parasite it must feed off the living.  This 4^th dimension will only continue to exist if we let it and therefore we have a choice on whether we utilise it. Is this system really the way we should be heading for the future. With all the communication avenues open to us, I feel we make less effort to keep in contact with each other than ever before. Everything is less personal and disconnected from reality. With all this ‘extra space’ and communication possibilities everyone is busier than ever, so how is this extra dimension really helping us? In this sense, this technologically advanced world feel like its missing something…like it’s incomplete.  How can we make this virtual technology more personable? I believe this will only happen if an entity is definable, the space touchable and the context recognisable. If looked at this way, the virtual world will always be lacking.  Therefore, how can I incorporate the technological world into my future architectural designs without it overshadowing the physical spaces and the personal interactions they create?

Wk 3 Studio - Initial Group Brianstorming session

Reflection on WK 3 Lecture

Reflecting on Wk 3 Reading: Shearing Layers by S.Brand

This reading has given me a new outlook on how I conceive the make-up of a building.  Previously I had thought buildings compromised of a series of components that all worked together to produce a building.  However, I now realise that these ‘components’ are better looked at as active layers to which none can exist without the other. This reading describes this layering classification as, “The 6 S sequence” and notifies that different parts of a building/ sequence change at different rates.  It theorises that every building consists of the following six layers; Site, Structure (skeleton), Skin (exterior surfaces), Services, Space Plan (Walls, ceilings, floors, etc) and Stuff (furniture).  The Site is the most crucial layer as it will outlast longevity itself and it is the foundation to the whole. All constructions must conform to its terrain in order to exist. On the other hand of the sequence is the ‘Stuff’ which has the lowest rate of longevity and the quickest and easiest rate of change.  This sequence description reminds me of a play in which the Stage represents the fixed Site, sets are the Structure and Skin, equipment as the Services, scenes are the Space Plan and props are the Stuff, as they move constantly.  This analogy directly relates to our assignments, in which we have to think about a future development and consider it in terms of its future context/ story, by setting the scene/ stage, and inhabiting it with realistic characters.  In terms of incorporating this analogy into the now, the components of daily life can even be broken down into these components.  Should we as designers have a checklist in the future that ensure that these six layers have been incorporated into all future developments and to the degree it has been done? It could be a checklist of ‘dwelling livability’ that tells possible inhabitants of buildings’ positive (and also less desirable features) and compares it to the ‘average building liveability.’  In this way, users will be more aware of the capabilities of the buildings they inhabit.

Reflecting back on WK 2...

Another intriguing week indeed…To me the highlight was still watching the inspiring movie, Robots of Brixton by Factory Fifteen. The following still images from the movie resonated with me as I felt they encapsulated the Architectural context of this specific future context. The amazingly vivid style of their future Brixton setting made me wonder how I would be able to create a believable future for my scenario.

 (Factory Fifteen 2011).

(Factory Fifteen 2011).

Invention research:

After the lecture it spurred me to have a look at some technologies that are nearly in use or are soon to be in the near future. I came across a few interesting developments from Gizmag (2003-2012) such as;

·         Disney patents reality cakes – advertising to be beamed onto birthday cakes.

·         Modular solar panel homes which can exist alone or in a modular tower.

·         Part garden, part machine – a landscape type sculpture that moves.

There were so many interesting new products and ideas on the horizon and I will endeavour to keep up-to-date with current developments throughout the semester. Will any of these ideas be able to be implemented into my future storey/ scenario? Perhaps I could in turn, develop my own new invention?

Theme selection:

With regard to my choice for theme group I am hoping to get into the Woodford/ Regional group or the Paddington/ Suburban group.

Reflecting on WK 2 Reading: A History of Greenwashing: How Dirty Towels Impacted the Green Movement by J. Motavalli

Greenwashing!... Finally I have a name to put to all these ‘so-called’ sustainable, apparently energy reducing systems and products that are bombarding the market. I have noticed these now suddenly ‘green’ companies flood the market in recent years with the heightened awareness of global warming.  However, to be seen to be green does not mean they are actually any better than any other competing product on the market. However, ‘seeming green,’ appears to have won over the general public.  I believe society is not given the true reality into what makes a product truely more sustainable.  For instance, the embodied energy that goes into some ‘green’ products could actually be just as/ more damaging to the environment than other so called ‘land-fill products.’  Large energy consuming companies like BP have also scrambled to revitalise their look by evolving their logo into a green and yellow flower in the hopes it will blend with the trend (BBC 2012).

 

BP revitalised its logo in the hopes of ‘looking’ more sustainable (BBC 2012).

However, in the effort to look more ‘green,’ BP has still been criticised for their emissions and the disastrous oil leak last year left little to admire (ABC 2012).  I believe that the only way to really reduce greenhouse emissions is if large global companies reduce their dependency on finite resources. We as users should not buy their products if we do not agree with their green stance but the problem herein is that we have all become so dependent on their products/ services, eg. our dependency on fuel and the lack of a suitable replacement.  Like in this reading, I do not believe small things will reverse global warming but I do agree that we have been too wasteful in the past and that it is beneficial for our environment to be more purposeful with what we do use.  People need to be more aware that just because something has a sticker on it saying its ‘green’ does not mean that it is in the sense they might be thinking.  I encourage articles such as Motavalli’s as it helps to unveil the truth about the ‘green movement’ that we are currently experiencing. I feel the majority of companies are exploiting this trend and acting superficially ‘green’ as a marketing ploy to increase revenue.

 As future designers we have been left with a heavily burdon... how can we design practical, aestheticly pleaseing and environmentally friendly developments that actively work for its users? Can this challenge be used to spur needed change within the future industry?

Reflection on WK 2 Reading: Urban Form and Locality by H. Barton

Neighbourhoods form the heart of our communities but are these hubs really master planned with the users in mind? In a climate where people are readily moving to the cities, we must ask ourselves why is this happening?  Is there not enough facilities or transportation available for people to utilise in these outer suburban areas? Or perhaps the facility locations are hard to access and/ or the road networks hard to negotiate and require extensive driving time? With inner city space becoming scarce, we need to be able to produce not only functional dwellings but efficiently working suburbs. This reading proclaims that there are four interlocking dimensions of form that all impact on the functional success of suburbs. These forms are; the degree of dispersal or concentration, the degree of segregation or intermixture of urban activities, settlement density and fourthly, the Shape of the suburb. All these factors contribute to how a suburb works and ultimately produces a set of characteristics (for positive or negative) that are particular to each suburb.  Currently there ‘is disagreement between researches about ‘the significance of density, the validity of the compact city strategy and the appropriate role for new settlements.’ However, I don’t believe that having one formula to produce new suburbs will necessarily mean that it will work well in every context or for every target user/ community. Although I do believe it is important to set up guidelines for incorporating mixed use facilities, green spaces and a strong transport and road networks for each suburb targeted at future needs rather than what is required at the now.  I believe that providing for the future in the beginning would ensure the community had room to grow for the future and would perhaps minimise then need for people to move to the cities.  Before reading this reading I had no idea that the shape of a neighbourhood impacted functionality as much as it does!  Concentrated linear bands are known to reduce transport times and also let more green spaces filter into the suburb.  Having a road network that works really does save time as before the M7 was built there were multiple ways to get to the North-side of Brisbane but few where direct and many congested.  The M7 now cuts my travel time to the City/ Fortitude Valley by over half and is much more direct and functional and as such I often use it multiple times a day.

Overall, this reading has tried to debate the options required for the future vitalisation of the suburban form.  However, I believe this will be a long debated subject with which no specific answer will ever perfectly fit. Like any individual home, master planning of suburbs must be considered in each individual context and setting.

Reflections on WK 2 Lecture

I had no idea that I would feel so inspired about Architectural Fiction as I do after seeing the Wk 2 lecture.  Based on Future visions and scenarios it definitely lived up to its title.  The initial 1927 Metropolis clip by Fritz Lang dared to dream of an extreme futurist city, which no doubt at this era would have greatly dazzled the imagination of all.

However, it was the clip called Robots of Brixton by Factory Fifteen that took my breathe away.  This movie successfully designed a futuristic context where robots co-existed with humans and as such, adapted human like behaviour and problems. The lead up to this event depicts humans creating robots to fulfil menial tasks that humans no longer wanted to do. However, with the increase of the robot population the robots themselves were struggling to find work. History repeats on itself and shows that even with technology advancements, the population – whether human or robot, experience the same problems. As such, the movie mimics the events of the 1981 Brixton riots (Guardian News and Media Limited 2012). The animation and rendering in this movie are truly superb and enables the viewer to vividly enter the world of the Robots of Brixton.  The movie cleaver plays out the daily life of a robot, shows the streets they inhabit, built-forms they use and they emotions they evoke.  Also, the way the movie unfolds discretely shows the Architectural context into which this ‘alternate’ city exists. Perhaps this movie also tries to tell us that technology itself is not the answer to everything.  Perhaps as a species we are not learning from our mistakes and as such, are destined to repeat history?  Therefore, it does not matter what technology we have or how we implement it, if we don’t learn from our mistakes, we will never truly move forward.  In addition, how can we as future Architects, adequately design for the future when we can never be quite sure what the ripple effects can be? In this sense, perhaps advanced technology could actually create a more damaging risk?

 

I found this clip very inspiring and although an architectural entity was not the main point in its fictitious story, I admire the approach they took in developing a story from a context.  In relation on my upcoming assignment we need to think about a story and then think about what would become a good building in the context of the specific site.

The ‘What If’ Scenarios….

Four different sites with four different scenarios were discussed during the lecture and will be discussed in the form of charettes during studio time.

·         CBD / Urban – consider a congestion charge. How would this effect the built-environment?

·         PADDINTON CENTRAL / Suburban – what would happen if shopping wen digital and retail stores stopped selling good but stayed open to provided customers the opportunity to view/ try goods?

·         WOODFORD / Regional – what if the Woodford Folk Festival became a self-sufficient community?

·         Virtual – What if the QLD Gov. strategy was to resolve Urban, Suburban and Regional Issues Virtually?

 

Future Scenarios - A good place to start…..

·         Research the Statistics of the site’s suburb.

·         Research new Technology. See what is already available or what is almost available. New inventions actually have a dramatic cause and effect on the built environment.

Looking Back on WK 1...

Overall, I found this week somewhat enlightening. I came across some intriguing and thought provoking articles that really helped me to reconsider the process of idea generation. It prompted me to research new topics that I had not previously come across. In particularly I found the Archigram group really resonated with me. I liked and appreciated the way they designed without restriction which in turn, enabled them to produce ideas that were so out of the ordinary.  Although mainly un-built designs, their extreme way of thinking has inspired me. I find their way of approaching architecture particularly relevant for this subject as we are also required to imagine futuristic scenarios for an existing site.

 I like the way the following image shows a juxtaposition between the existing city and their ‘new’ imagined city adaption.  I appreciate that they are not afraid to push the boundaries and take a risk.

Archigram’s fictitious Walking City (The Unique Creatures 2012).

The following image is another creation from the Archigram group that has inspired me.  Although not a built-form per se, this photomontage of an instant city portrays to me a sense of freedom through trial and error.  The image has a sense of energy and actively creates interest.  The thought that a city could appear in an instance makes me question the reality of my current surrounding built environment which is static/ fixed.  Although two-dimensional, the image feels alive and portrays a sense of immediacy. Again the juxtaposition of elements being brought together in a planned but seemingly un-restricted way helps to captivate me as a viewer.  The composition subconsciously makes me question elements and blurs the line between socially accepted function and fictitious application.

 

Archigram’s Instant City (The Unique Creatures 2012).

During this week’s readings I came across a few reoccurring terms that which I was not certain of.  This spurred me to find out their definitions.

 

Avant-garde was a term I had heard many times but was unsure exactly what it meant. It can be described as, “A group active in the invention and application of new techniques in a given field, especially in the arts (Farlex, Inc. 2012).” In context the Archigram group had avant-garde ideals in which they pushed the boundaries of the norm and tried to establish a new way of thinking about the built environment.  The Archigram group acted ‘new age’ and even established new words into the English discourse. For instance the word indeterminacy was invented by them and means, “Not of fixed extent or character, vague, left doubtful” and is used often throughout their design descriptions (Sadler 2005).

I have taken many ideas and thoughts away with me this week. None as much as the invigorated idea generation that was so aptly used in the Archigram group. I hope to implement this type of enlightened design development into my assignments.

Reflection on WK 1 Reading: Innovation that will change your tomorrow.

This article was indeed fun to read and encouraged me to keep trying, to keep pushing the envelope of creativity.  I like the honesty in this article as it clearly explains that ideas/ inventions are not always initially successful. Sometimes ideas need to be massaged and developed and often take a great deal of time to perfect.  Even the light bulb was not created overnight.  Patience and determination are key attitudes that resonated with me after reading about the many intriguing inventions that are already in development.  Compared to the last reading, Revell’s 88.7: Stories from the First Transnational Traders, where an extreme scenario existed, this reading showed creative inventions that have either come about or will do in the near future.  This proves to me that imagination, coupled with alternative technological applications, can actually make ideas a reality!  The truth that inventions and idea generation is messy, also appeals to me.  It provides a somewhat less-restrictive platform for development.  The trial and error and re-evaluation that is a necessary process of innovation allows a product/ to naturally evolve and change.  I agree that in fact, innovation has no end as “what we want and what we need keeps changing.”  This open-end adaption reminds me of the earlier reading of the Archigram group which believed Architecture should be open to change (Sadler 2005).  Is it this ‘open-ended’ approach that is still the missing link in the longevity of our built environment?  In our rush to ‘complete’ buildings have we actually confined living?  How can we stop and re-evaluate the process of an industry that has been ingrained in accepted social and cultural contexts for so long?

Reflection on WK 1 Reading: 88.7: Stories from the First Transnational Traders

This reading provides a glimpse into an imaginary world scenario.  Revealed as a story in blog-like style it cleverly tries to blur fiction with reality.  Although this reading is not architecturally focused, it shows how an imagined future developed from an actual current issue (in this case, the need for global financial stability).  The story was made more believable with its description of the impacts the scenario had on humans.  This imaginative story showed how a current issue could result in an extreme change in context or situation.  I can see a ‘charette-like’ development in how the author came to the cause and effects of their chosen scenario.  Perhaps this would be a good way to tackle all the possible ideas for the assignment?  This story has also opened my eyes to how I could imagine a future scenario for the first assignment and has also encouraged me to become less restrictive in my idea generation.  As such, I believe that only when ideas are un-restricted can imagination come to life.

Reflection on WK 1 Reading: Beyond Architecture by S.Sadler

This insightful reading describes the view of the Archigram group that existed during the 1960’s – 1970’s. This avant-garde group of Architect’s pushed the ideals of Architecture into a grey area that blurred the built-environment with futuristic technology, energy and indeterminacy.

This reading made me think out of the box and made me questions the limits of the environments we create. “What is a room?... The ‘container’ was a central defining device in the game of architecture.” Perhaps I have been looking at Architecture wrong? Instead of trying to define it as solid entity perhaps it is just a game of space function? Have we as Architects become too rigid in its application and too quick to control the imagined metaphysical into the applied reality?  As a group Archigram believed that architecture was only completed with, “the active involvement of the observer.” In retrospect, architecture would not exist without its users.  However, the revolutionary future view of Archigram also believed that, “in a fully functioning cybernetic environment, in fact, the architecture could become the observer of its human subject.”  This would have to be one of the most resonating Architectural quotes that I had come across to date.  Archigram cleverly personifies Architecture and gives it human characteristics. Could Architecture actually be seen as a person with needs and emotions?  I had never once thought that our surrounding Architecture could actively observe us and respond directly to our moods.  Could advancements in technology allow architecture to observe us and respond in real-time to our needs without wires or electricity? Could we become so in-tuned with our built environment that it knows what we are thinking without us saying or doing anything? It makes me realise that the ideas are endless but are unfortunately limited to the currently accepted technology.

Archigram also turned the ideals of the Architecture profession on its head by saying that, “Architecture is probably a hoax, a fantasy world brought about through a desire to locate, absorb and integrate into an overall obsession a self-interpretation of the everyday world around us.”(Sadler 2005). Have we just made something out of nothing? Has Architecture just become another thing we Humans are obsessed to control.  In a climate where reality renovation shows are popular and everyone thinks they are designers, have we completely lost the true essence of what Architecture really is?  I believe the industry needs to get back to basic and agree that an architect, ‘performs no specifically ‘artistic’ acts, since he is merely the medium through which the technique becomes substantiated.”

In essence,  Archigram designs centred around the human users, the playful re-composition of built-entities that were not locked in a finished state but were open to the inhibitor’s desire to continually change their surrounds. This flexibily represents to me the freedom that is missing in today’s architecture. Architecture must be able to change in order to stay ‘real.’ Therefore, perhaps the true question we as future Architects should be asking ourselves is, how can we create a liveable entity that is ‘alive’ and adaptable not for just for now or tomorrow but is still modern in 20 years?

 

Reflections on Lecture 1

Lecture 1 enabled me to get a better understanding of what was required for the semester ahead. Yasu emphasised the need to keep exploring, to try something different and experiment with my ideas/ designs.  The need to always question myself about what I think the contemporary and future roles of architects should be, will help to stimulate growth in my future career. I agree that Architects are not just drafters anymore and that the Architect’s role is currently changing.  I believe they are becoming more of an overseer of work in which they co-ordinate the many consultants to the point that project management has become a central role for current Architects.  I find that currently Architects are out-source a lot of specific tasks to consultants such as; structural engineers. Perhaps this out-sourcing will continue into the future which may result in Architects out-sourcing all drafting works to a new ‘drafting profession’ and become purely project management focused.  In this instance, this could ultimately lead to the demise of the profession.  Especially in a drained financial climate where people are avoiding the ‘middle man’ to cut costs, perhaps Architects may become the next casualty in this war to maintain profit? If this is the case, then action must be made now to ensure our profession is still needed in the future.

This lecture also explained the important connection that every architectural proposition should have with its context, (see diagram below).

 

A key quote from lecture that resonated with me showed the need to constanly look ahead;

“Envisioning, rather than simply responding to what you see today, is essential to be able to prepare and respond to future needs (Santo 2012).”

Architecture is like a play which has a plot (scenario), stage (context) with characters and scenes (how users utilise spaces).  This analogy also connects with my earlier thoughts about the definition of ‘Architectural Fiction’ and reiterates the direction of focus for the semester.  To which we are required to design and architectural entity that provides critical scenes and responds to my future scenario. This proposal will be then presented as Architectural Fiction.

For the first assignment (Project One: Future Scenarios and Architectural Opportunities) we, in groups of four,  must define the context of our site, identify certain issues and identify certain strategies in response to possible scenarios. These will in turn, lead into Project Two.

Considering future scenarios should always show a relation between four main topics to be believable (see diagram below);

Theme Groups:

There will be four site options to choose from within four differenct site contexts. I can select one site which I will eventually need to propose a future Architecture entity for. The site options exist within the following Theme groups;

·         Urban Theme – CBD

·         Suburban Theme – Paddington

·         Regional Theme – Woodford

·         Virtual Theme – The World.

At this stage I would like to look into the Regional Site as I have not had an opportunity to design projects in regional areas before and am interested in the specific brief for this site. However, I will have to wait till the end of next week (Wk 2) to place a selection for my first and second site preferences.

 As Project One mainly consists of master planning my group’s future scenario/s within a specific site, Project Two will allow me as an individual, to lead straight into designing an entity and presenting it through its Architectural Fictitious scenario.

Initial Contemplations for the Semester Ahead...

When I Initially enrolled in DAB810 I was apprehensive yet intrigued about what ‘Architecture Fiction’ meant and how this topic would be integrated into our design work for the semester.  I started to think about fiction and what my earliest memories of fiction were to me.  The pretend lands and characters of storybook fantasies came to mind.  Tales of childhood favourites such as Cinderella and Mary Poppins were envisaged and brought to life so clearly not only by word but through movies and subsequently resonated strongly with me during my youth.  In this sense, I portray Fiction as; a made-up story/ a world of pretend that enables the imagination to cast away from any fixed reality and in which anything can exist. With this thought process I realised that this subject may require us to incorporate a contextual story to our design.  My memory was then cast back to the subject; DEB601 - Collaborative Design from Semester 2, 2011 in which our group had to come up with a pretend context which came about from a ripple effect of a particular event.  Perhaps this imagery producing scheme is also what is required of us in DAB810?

With my initial ideas on the subject starting to develop, I waited for the current outline to be uploaded to the DAB810 Blackboard (Bb) page.  Upon opening the DAB810 page, I was immediately struck by the header image.  Shown below, this image caught my imagination and further spurred my curiosity into what ‘Architecture Fiction’ could entail.

  DAB810’s Bb Header Image (Santo 2012).

The image vividly shows a play being conducted on a stage which is surrounded completely by a large audience.  In context of ‘Architectural Fiction,’ this portrays to me that perhaps we are being asked to imagine a future scenario to which we will act out and produce a suitable development.  As such perhaps those actors featured in the image are a metaphor for our building and that the audience is the future public that we have to design for and whom must be happy with our future entities. I also found it interesting that both the actors and the audience are wearing noticeable casual attire.  Perhaps this means that we need to focus on producing buildings that interact and perform at higher levels on a daily basis with the average person.

I believe that this image portrays a thousand words and was carefully selected to provoke thought and stimulate ideas. In conjunction with my initial ideals of fiction, this image has prompted me to realise that I will need to think outside the box and think more 3-dimensionally to produce a more creative and believable context/ outcome.