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[FF101.01] Project 2.2: Technician/Craftsman

MICA Spring 2016 Foundations (Freshmen)

Students swapped instructions with a classmate from the another critique session. Solely using their classmate’s instructions, students had (re)create their classmate’s foam mass to the best of their ability at 1/2 scale in OSB board (wood) and balance this wooden mass at the centroid point specified in their classmate’s instructions. Students accompanied their (re)creations with their own sets of instructions that rigorously detailed how to fabricated their classmate’s foam mass in OSB board (wood).

#mica #maryland institute college of art #sculpturalforms #spring 2016 #rioclasses #art school #sculpture

[FF101.01] Project 2.1: Excavations

MICA Spring 2016 Foundations (Freshmen)

Students created two unique sets of instructions that detailed a previous process of carving out foam volumes from an original mass and reallocating them within a 24” x 24” x 18” volumetric boundary. Students’ reallocations were required shift the centroid (center of mass) of their original mass by 3” in a particular direction. During their excavation process, students were asked to consider what “holds” or “defines” their negative spaces left behind from their excavations, as well as the negative spaces created by their reallocations. Students were asked to produce two sets of instructions that were clear enough for anyone to reproduce their process of excavation and reallocation. Students’ instructions should have clarified how deep their excavation cuts were, the dimensions of each excavated volume, whether their cuts twist/turn in space/direction, and the position of their excavated volumes’ reallocations. One of their instructions must have been produced as a hand-drafted axonometric.

#mica #maryland institute college of art #sculpturalforms #spring 2016 #rioclasses #foam #sculpture #aicad

[AD401.01] Drawing 2: Subject(s)

Prompt

Over the last several weeks you were tasked with collecting as much information possible (site, material type and source, structure, method of construction, immediate context, historical influences, lighting, environmental conditions, etc.) on a given architectural precedent and translating it into a representation. Whether your information translations were written-to-visual, verbal-to-visual, visual-to-visual, or a combination of these, there were discrepancies that required you to negotiate what, how, and why you represent them. In that process of negotiating between these discrepancies, the drawing(s) you produced constructed it own version of “truth” about your architectural precedent. You will now redraw this “truth” without drawing the architecture; the things your deemed as central elements of the architecture. Instead, focus on representing the things that give legibility and readability to the architecture. You are also prohibited from relying on this use of line as an architectural tool for representing boundaries and connections. You must think of alternative ways, such as fields, to distinguish between spaces, edges, and the structure to the page.

Representation Techniques

This list is not exhaustive, and it is up to you to pick which techniques will work for your drawing. You will want to consider the drawing instruments you use to create marks as well.

+ Time lapse

+ Erasure

+ Collage

+ Blurring

+ Gradients

+ Blending

+ Dot Matrix

+ Fields

+ Overlapping

+ Projection

+ Model-making

+ Shading

+ Audio

Readings

+ Colin Rowe, Transparency: Literal and Phenomenal (optional)

+ Jacques Derrida, Edmond Jabés and the Question of the Book

+ Jesse Reiser, excerpt from Atlas of Novel Tectonics (optional)

+ Robin Evans, Figure, Doors and Passages

+ Edwin Abbott Abbott, Flatland (optional)

#mica #maryland institute college of art #architecture #architectural drawing #drawing #axonometric #rioclasses #spring 2016

[AD401.01] Drawing 1: Object(s)

Prompt

You will choose an architectural precedent from the list below. It is recommended you pick a precedent that will compliment your thesis work if possible. Amass as much information as possible on your precedent (site, material type and source, structure, method of construction, immediate context, historical influences, lighting, environmental conditions, etc.) through the use of drawings, diagrams, and photography. When you have accumulated a significant amount of information, identify a key plan or section drawing of your precedent. Thoroughly measure this drawing and draft it at a scale that will appropriately fit within a 12” x 12” drawing area. You must work from the measurements you recorded and cannot trace from nor underlay your key plan or section drawing. From your plan or section drawing, draft a three-dimensional wire-frame oblique projection (plan to plan oblique, section to section oblique). Your oblique drawings should focus on central elements of the architecture, but also include as much information as possible. There may be discrepancies between your sources of information, which will require you to negotiate how you represent these conflicts and which information is privileged. Be precise to the ‘truth’ of your drawing methodology over accurate to the ‘real’ architecture by discovering and depicting relationships. Throughout this process, you will accumulate a great deal of construction and computational marks, and notations. Do not erase these lines or notes but allow them to become apart of the drawing. Feel free to explore with other media, but be critical how the addition of alternative media will augment or supplement the reading of your drawing, and therefore the ‘truth’ of the architecture.

PRECEDENTS

+ Alvar Aalto, Wolfsburg Cultural Center, Wolfsburg, Germany, 1959–1962 + Alvaro Siza, Ibere Camargo Foundation, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 1995 + Charles Moore, Sea Ranch Condominium #1, Sea Ranch, California, 1963–1967 + Eladio Dieste, Church of Christ Obrero (Atlantida Church), Atlántida, Uruguay, 1952 + Herzog & de Meuron, M.H. de Young Museum, San Francisco, 2005 + James Stirling, Engineering Building, Leicester, England, 1957 + Kenzo Tange, Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan, 1964 + Lina Bo Bombardi, Sesc Pompéia, Sáo Paulo, Brazil, 1977 + Mario Botta, Cathedral of Resurrection, Evry, France, 1988–1995 + Rem Koolhaas (OMA), Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal, 2005 + SANAA, 21st Century Museum, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, 2004 + Toyo Ito, Sendai Mediatheque, Sendai-shi, Japan, 2001

Readings

+ Alberto Pérez-Gómez, Prelude (pg.2–pg.9) + Paolo Belardi, Why Architects Still Draw (optional) + Randall Davis, What Is A Knowledge Representation + Robin Evans, Translations from Drawing to Building

#MICA #maryland institute college of art #architecture #architectural drawing #rioclasses #spring 2016 #drawing

[FF101.01] Project 1.4: Scale

Prompt The past several weeks have been dedicated to exploring concepts of translation: two-dimensional representation to three-dimensional construct, line to plane, and plane to volume. In this next project, you must combine these explorations into a sitting-structure that can support the weight of a human body. The dimensions of this sitting-structure must be 3 ft. x 3 ft. x 4 ft. (no smaller, no larger). Begin by finding a volume defined in your planar or linear construct. How does a body inhabit this volume? What is the tectonic language of the structure that defines this boundary? Search for other volumes defined in your planar and linear constructs. How would a body lay across, in between, against these other volumes? How would other bodies (tall/small bodies, young/old bodies, male/female/androgynous/non-gendered bodies) experience these volumes. Translate these mental explorations into a sitting-structure that positions the body in a similar fashion to the logic of your past works (take not that I use sitting-structure and not chair). Use this weeks readings to help inspire and define these questions.

Materials You may use any materials you desire, as long as they relate to the logic of your previous projects. The use of glue and tape are still prohibited!

Body When constructing 1.4, actively think about the body. Use Le Corbusier’s Modulor Man as a reference. Realize that not all bodies meet these dimensions, so question why I am asking you to build a sitting-structure for the Modulor Man. We have talked extensively about evoking a sense of mood and movement in the previous projects. These qualities should be translated into your 1.4 structure. Use your animations from 1.1 a reference for how a body could move on, through, or around your sitting-structure. Your structure should make various types of bodies perform in different ways (being able to sit, stand, lie down, extend limbs, feel constricted, move freely, feel claustrophobic, etc.). Ask yourself, “How does my structure, structure the body?”

Scale/structure Be cognizant that you are constructing at a significantly larger scale. The integrity and stiffness of a material in your past projects may not translate at a larger scale. You need to think about how your sitting-structure is structured (its tectonic language)! In other words, how do you ensure your project will not fall apart when bodies sit on and interact with it. This requires careful consideration of material type, your method of joinery, material thickness, etc.

#maryland institute college of art #mica #sculpturalforms #spring 2016 #rioclasses

[FF101.01] Project 1.3: Plane + Surface

Prompt How does a line imply surface? Does it frame (perimeter) a region that you translate in a plane? Or, does a line extrude back in”space” to “thicken” into a physical barrier? Translate your linear construct from 1.2 into a new planar construct made from two planar materials different in thickness and opacity. Think critically on why I am asking you to use two different planar materials, and how their differences effect the reading of depth. Your choice in materials should relate to your previous works. Avoid the temptation of wrapping your linear construct in a skin. Keep in mind three things throughout the process: transparency, thickness, joinery!

Materials

+ TWO PLANAR materials of your choosing. These materials must differ in transparency, thickness, structure/form/materiality: i.e., bass or balsa wood, chipboard, cardboard, paper, card-stock, foam core, acetate, vellum, plastic, latex, fabric, sheet metal, etc.

+ The use of glue and tape is prohibited... again! Think about how surfaces are joined together: are they stitched, tongue and groove, lap joint, dovetail, dado, doweled butt joint, mortise and tenon, waffled? Not all joints are about adhering two pieces of material together, sometimes a joint involves creating is a fold.

Thickness Thickness is an important quality you cannot ignore! Most of the materials artists and designers use begin flat with a uniform thickness and dimensions determined by the world of shipping. The artist/designer does not passively accept standardization! You must be critical about where, why, and how your surfaces thicken. Be critical on how you structure the thickening of surfaces. Do you layer them and shave them down? Do you create an internal structure (ribs) or warp them into form? Keep in mind that a straight line in one dimension could be a curved in another dimension.

Transparency Transparency is a marriage between material, light, and space. Various material opacities allow for a reading of depth (foreground, mid-ground, background). Transparency also means a clarity of intent, content, or idea. Your linear constructs from 1.2 allowed the eye to easily travel through a complex gathering of linear form and space. Your drawings were built up and erased down, leaving ghosted paths. How does this happen when using a bulk of opaque and transparent planes? How can you retain the clarity of projects 1.1 and 1.2 in this next step? You should stay true to the formal language of your past works

#MICA #maryland institute college of art #sculpturalforms #spring 2016 #rioclasses

[FF101.01] Project 1.2: Lines

Prompt Imagine there is an invisible volume in front of you. Use your two drawings from 1.1 as two different elevations or sections/plans. Where you place your drawings in relation to your invisible volume is up to you: parallel, perpendicular, intersecting, near, far, inside, outside. However, you are required to construct at roughly 1:1 scale with the perspectives you set up. Refer to your stop-motion videos for suggestions of time/duration, movement, impact, softness, vulgarity, tension, and dynamism (vectors) that I will be looking for in your linear construct.

Be critical about the boundaries of your linear construct and how they help define or hinder the reading of your invisible volume. Your drawings have a defined boundary (where lines meets the blue tape). However, the boundary of your linear construct is unresolved. The edge where a line stops in your drawing my continue in the ‘real’ space of the linear construct. Use the aggregation of your material(s) to define or dissipate your linear construct’s boundaries.

Materials

You may use between 1–3 materials. However, the number and type of material(s) you use must relate to your drawings. Consider the material(s) physical properties, the may work for or against the logos/ethos of your drawings and videos. I will be extremely critical on your material choice!

+ Any LINEAR material(s) of your choosing. bass or balsa wood, piano wire, plastic rods, copper wire, straws, tree sticks, toothpicks, strips of paper, etc.

+ The use of glue and tape is prohibited! You may need a material to create joints, such as pins, rubber-bands, plastic tubing, string, etc. Your joining material will count towards your 1–3 material limitation.

#MICA #maryland institute college of art #sculpturalforms #spring 2016 #rioclasses

[FF101.01] Project 1.1: Murmurations

Prompt Start by drawing a line. Take a picture of it. Reflect on the line’s relationship to the edges of the page and where it is situated on the paper? Draw another line and take a picture of it. How do the two lines communicate with each other? Do they overlap? Create balance? Asymmetry? Repeat this process of drawing one line, taking a picture, and reflecting on the line’s relationships between the other lines and the overall composition of marks. Make meaningful decisions on where you place your lines, but do not over analyze your decisions and allow yourself the freedom to just “feel it out.” Refrain from representational drawing (keep it abstract! Lines only!). Your drawings should incorporate various line styles and weights using hard, medium, and soft charcoal. Continue this process of drawing a line, taking a photo, and reflecting, until you have accumulated a drawing of 500 lines. Repeat the entire process for your second drawing. Upload your last images and compiled videos to the drive before the start of class.

Materials

+ 2 sheets of 22” x 30” drawing paper. + Compressed charcoal sticks (4B, 2B, HB, 2H).

+ Digital Camera (iPhone, DSLR, point-and-shoot).

+ 1” artist or painters tape.

+ Spray fixative to fix charcoal.

#MICA #maryland institute college of art #sculpturalforms #spring20 #rioclasses #art school

A Year In Review: The First Year of Sculptural Forms, Fall 2015

Work from my first semester at MICA, teaching Sculptural Forms Fall 2015.