ARCH1142 - Reflection

It is always interesting to take a step back once a course is finished and try to gauge how much you have learned from it over the course of the semester. It is much easier in first year to see the benefits of a course like Architectural Communications because it is introducing ideas to us for the first time, instead of developing existing ideas. In this respect it has been enourmously benefical, for example with design studio this session we were expected to make balsa models in week one having never used the material before and I admit that my early models were terrible. However with the Material Modelling workshop we were introduced to ideas of working with balsa and other materials that made the process so much easier and the work so much better than having to figure it out yourself.

I think that is what this course really has to offer in the end. Things like architectural drawing, balsa modelling, charcoal sketching and film presentations are all things that students could be expected to learn on their own, but the work that would be produced if this was the case would be far from a professional standard and we would all miss out on learning about proffesional conventions in communicating ideas.

I am slightly disappointed that I did not get to complete all of the workshops, especiall the drawing component, but each rotation was pressed for time anyway and I cannot see how it would be possible to include all the material in a single semester.

Rotation Three - Fluid Thoughts

The final workshop that I completed was Fluid thoughts to actions, and was perhaps the most fun of the workshops that I completed. There are several things that I have learned from this course that I will take through into other projects, and on top of this, I enjoyed drawing so much that I am planning on continuing to draw in my own time.

The course taught me top always find different ways to look at things, and i think that in the end it didn't matter as much what ended up on the paper, but more the relation ship between what you observe and the lines that you draw.

I have included below the major images that were produced through the course, unfortunately my blind contour drawing was torn up and reworked, but I've leaned not to be so precious with my drawings, and I am quite happy with how the collaborative piece turned out. Not shown here are the 42 sketchbook drawings that we completed over the course, but i learned a great deal about using different materials from this. In the end i used willow charcoal, compressed charcoal, graphite sticks, lead pencild, coloured pencils, pastels and ink for my drawings, and each of them has a different way of representing either light or form which I tried to play with.

I think I will endevour to use sketching for presentations and representing abstract concepts in future projects, as it has been a lot of fun to do it for this course.

Rotation Two - Material Modelling

Because this session is the first time that I have ever worked with balsa wood and creating physical models I though that it would be beneficial to take this class. There is so much that I have learned from Material Modelling that I will continue to use well into may degree.

Firstly is just modelling skill. There is so much to learn about the way in which to cut and adhere different materials, and the way in which they work together, and the best way to get to know how this works is to do it yourself. Although design studio give you experience with balsa, i now have experience unsing box board, foam sheets, metal, wire, leather chord and foam core in my modelling.

The second major thing that I have learned from this workshop is the way in which we look at buildings and the potential for them to undergo a transformative action. As can be seen from my images, I started with a particulaly plain model that was originally two floors of a high rise appartment, by when sliced and slightly rearranged and glued back together says so much more about elevation. It make you think that even a completed building has potential to change.

Rotation One - Architecture in Motion

The first workshop that I have completed is Architecture in motion. The basic concept behind the piece is looking at the way that components are interconnected, and how this is hidden within the architecture. This project has made me look at spaces differently as I am now questioning what is going on behind walls that we are not seeing, but is enableing the space to be accupie as it is. Below is an example of an animation that I completed for another course, it was inspired by the work of William Kentridge.

Clean Thoughts

This is my final submission for Architecture in motion, it is entitled 'Clean Thoughts'