By Steven Peralta

ARCH 101 – FALL 2012 MIDTERM

Objective:

• Design and construct an artifact that represents the most significant aspects and qualities of you and abstractly communicates this to others

• Find objects or images of inspiration that portray your qualities, then identify the aspects that convey those qualities

• “Architecture is Sculptural Biography.”

Requirements:

• Visually and abstractly communicate significant qualities and aspects of you

• Creation must fit inside a shoebox

Result: Primitive structural ideas and concepts

Central Theme: Wood knot with parallel lines to simulate strings of an instrument

• Central Qualities: Musical, warm, natural, and organized

• Inspiration: Wood knots, curvature of stringed instruments,

• Guide Question: “When is symmetry vs. asymmetry appropriate?”

Beginning: Brainstorming

Design language: Repetition of four parallel lines, two curvilinear shapes portraying the curves of stringed instruments, hole in one form to create a sense of unity with inside and outside

Qualities Intended: Musical, organized, warm, and natural

Insights

Issues: Closed, has a base, no clear message, lack of a clear design language, refine the craftsmanship

Positive Results: Portrays wooden knots and some of the central qualities

Comments: The lines and shapes were intended to portray a guitar with the lines representing strings while at the same time the slope imitated that of a piano thus signifying musicality.

Iteration # 1

• Exaggeration of elements to create

clear contrast

• More precise intervals to improve

craftsmanship and clear pattern

• Exploration of ways to further

exaggerate the unification of inside

with outside

• Beginning the use of the concept of

assembly of many individual pieces

Calculations and Blueprints

Iteration # 2

Insights

Issues: Still not open, no clear message

Positive Results: Exaggeration

emphasizes the difference between each

element, achieved more unity between

inside and outside, retained central

theme and concepts

Design Language: Sloped surfaces,

linear movement and direction, five

parallel lines, hole in both top and

bottom surfaces with extruded shapes

penetrating through holes

Comments: The addition of one more

line represents the five lines in a staff of

music and the central curvilinear shape

represents both a note on the staff paper

while also again portraying a musical

instrument passing along the organized

lines of the music. The alterations in the

design resulted in a reduction of the

central qualities from five to three.

Qualities Intended: Musical, warm,

natural

Left, second inventory of new shapes and comparing edges of each linear shape

• Inventory taken of each individual

element

• Playing and adjusting original shape to

produce a similar yet more open piece

Exploration to Create an Open Form

Insights

Issues: Lost original pattern of parallel

repetition, more artistic than architectural

design due to lack of a discernible language

and/or patterns

Positive Results: Achieved goal of creating a

more open construction, introduced a new

type of conversation between elements

(slotting and overlap)

Challenge: Incorporate the best of both the

last iteration and this current one

Design Language: Linear elements slotted

around the central curvilinear form combining

the two in intimate conversations

Comments: The design strayed away from the

predictable pattern but resulted in a creation

that did not have enough predictability to tell

a message.

Qualities Intended: Musical, warm, natural

Iteration # 3

The sketch above displays the successful attempt to both combine the two elements and create a new concept.

• Effort to attempt a combination of the parallel line

pattern with organic and curvilinear shape

• Separated individual elements of the best qualities from

the previous iterations

• Combined the two with overlaying technique to form

the image on the right

Further Exploration With Inventory of Elements

Insights

Issues: Not three-dimensional in overall

design and direction, less skill of craft

Positive Results: Achieved the objective to

create a combination of the best ideas of past

iterations, simulated movement with extruded

lines, slotted connections to create

conversations between elements

Design Language: Slotting of the linear pieces

creates conversations with the central

curvilinear piece maintaining the original

concept of musicality

Comments: When combining ideas of the

curvilinear and linear elements, to create

variation and cut down the predictability, the

linear pattern was tilted to eliminate the

symmetry and create more mystery.

Qualities Intended: Musical, organized,

natural

Iteration # 4

Iteration # 5

Insights

Issues: More artistic than architectural, edges

appear to have been neglected, most shapes are

the same size thus deleting the hierarchy and

order

Positive Results: Achieved a more open design,

explored a different way to assemble elements

together, explored the concept of voids rather

than solids

Design Language: Each large piece is repeated

four times and interlocked to show the unity and

is constructed using the Golden Section, the

smaller curvilinear object is at half-scale in

relation to the repeated larger

elements to add variation to the pattern created by

the repetition of voids

Comments: The initial objective in this iteration

was to create a more open design. That objective

was achieved by eliminating the concept of a

“core”. However, it neglected to retain enough

pattern and familiarity thus resulting in a more

artistic, rather than architectural, design.

Qualities Intended: Musical, warm

Design Language: repetition involving the Golden Section, pattern of void-space-void-space with the other end varying into a combination of the two

Comments: This assignment was to take a snapshot and create a new iteration as a drawing. It provided both ease and difficulty by being more time efficient while lacking clarity due to my lack of orthographic projections.

• Issues: Less clear on dimensions and perceptions,

lack of orthographic projections

• Positive Results: Quicker and more efficient

design process, easier to play with ideas before

committing to the construction of the new edition

Iteration # 6 Snapshot and overlay variant

Continued use of the Golden Section to provide a measure of scale and proportion to the patterns and concepts

Multi-colored diagramming of the design with center lines showing the precisely measured midpoint intersections of each plane

Critical Question: Does the design of my connections impact the range of discoveries outside of what are initially envisioned?

• Utilization of orthographic projections to make up for the

last iteration that only used perspective drawings

• Established patters of midpoint intersections and a series of

oblique to right angle and back to oblique

• Below, further separation of key element to explore new

possibilities from old concepts

Orthographic Exploration

Iteration # 7

Insights

Issues: Sacrificed order for the sense of

being more open, message is unclear,

craftsmanship is lower quality than the

last iteration

Positive Results: Orthographic

projections made it easier to create

multiple layers and complexities with

patterns and shapes

Design Language: Constant angle change,

series of planes with voids in center

ending with a solid plane creating

variation

Comments: The separation of the central

curvilinear form provided a great

opportunity to derive more elements from

pre-existing ones. The angular pattern

(obtuse-right-obtuse) created a greater

complexity giving order to an artistic

design without resulting in arbitrarily

constructed designs.

Quality Intended: Musical

• Explored the musical quality further by

examining patterns within music resulting in

the sound wave frequency

• Combined both the transverse and

longitudinal sound wave qualities to create

repetition and thus sectioning

• Added a central line to provide a rib-like

structure combining the frame with

sectioning

• Critical Question: When does a line

become a plane?

Introduction to Frame and Sectioning

Insights

Issues: Two-dimensional, predictable, does not

fully portray a frame, poor craftsmanship

Positive Results: Portrayed the sound wave

with sectioning patterns on all four sides, well

thought out scale to use the same shape with

different sides to achieve a higher complexity

Design Language: each rectangular element is

attached to the “backbone” of the design

creating a mother figure the many pieces are

branching from, refinement to just one quality

Comments: The focus on sectioning and the

representation of the sound wave neglected the

frame portion of the design and resulted in a

rather bland and boring piece yet still retaining

some value and complexity.

Quality Intended: Musical

Iteration # 8

Insights

Issues: Predictable, too simple, too

symmetrical

Positive Results: Refined sectioning

approach, deleted the problem of sides

Design Language: Backbone supports

each circular plane using the property of

sectioning creating an implied surface

Comments: This iteration was another

exploration experiment to see what can

be achieved with sectioning. It also

proved to be a great learning experience

to utilize both the negative and positive

space created by cutting one shape out

of a surface, as understood in the next

iteration.

Quality Intended: Musical

Iteration # 9

• Attempted to combine the curvilinear

form of the first iterations with the new

sectioning approach

• Focused on a triangular shape derived

from the lid of a piano

• Experimentation with lighting effects by

making spacers of incomplete circles to

separate the planes creating multiple

entryways of light

• Critical Question: What are the

transformation options related

to torqueing/ rotation?

Brainstorming Results in New Form

Insights

Issues: Unclear changes in size of inner

spacers, not fully accurate intervals of

sectioning,

Positive Results: Established greater

complexity with design personalities and

“body parts”

Design Language: Torqueing of the outer

shell creates a sense of tension, holes in each

plane relates to the spacer between the

current and next plane in the series,

backbone is transformed into another part of

the design

Comments: This idea was derived from the

negative cut out from the previous iteration

and used to create a whole new effect. Also

the transformation of the spacers, from

simply a spacer to another character in this

story, multiplies the complexity of the whole

design, making it more interesting and

mysterious. Here the focus quality is

portrayed with a melody being represented

in the center and the outside edges being

harmonizing chords of the song.

Quality Intended: Musical

Iteration # 10

Insights

Issues: Outer rectangular form is

too predictable

Positive Results: Achieved the

exaggerated internal form

portrayed by the sketch at bottom

right-hand corner, expanded

complexity of previous iteration by

having only part of the pattern

rotate while the other half

essentially stays still

Design Language: Outer

rectangular form creates a

noticeable contrast between it and

the interior backbone design, inner

core spacers are exaggerated in their

proportional size to each other thus

suggesting the cyclone-like shape in

the center (bottom right-hand corner

sketch)

Comments: This iteration was a

great success in addressing all the

previous issues and exaggerating

the important concepts. However,

the great attention to prior issues

neglected the rather boring shell.

Iteration # 11

• Exploration with intersecting

pathways and morphing sections

• Used a simpler design to focus

more on the technicalities of how

to intersect and how to possibly

rotate or bend the axis

• Critical Question: How can I morph

the original shape to create a

transformation effect?

Intersecting and Rotating Patterns

Iteration # 12 Insights

Issues: Predictable design,

getting close to being familiar

objects, morph was not as

significant as it could have been

Positive Results: Achieved the

challenge of bending the central

axis to create the variation, also

achieved the challenge of

morphing from one shape to

another

Design Language: The two

spines create the sense of

strength and support by

connecting the sectioned pieces

at two points relative to each

other, bend in axis creates a sense of

awe and mystery as it goes from

boring stagnant section to taking a

“dive”

Comments: The design process

is taking a productive turn in the

complexity department by

adding the twist at the end, the

“dive”. This creates tension and

possibly a climax if exaggerated

more. This iteration strayed from

the central focus quality yet still

stayed under the umbrella by

using modulation to represent

the rhythm or the beat of the

song, changing in the “bridge”.

Critical Question: What are the transformation options related to adding and subtraction?

• Combined the previous rectangular form with the

newer “climax” concept

• Experimentation with new variations in the interior

spacing as well

Combination of Previous Designs

Iteration # 13

Insights

Issues: Climax does not resolve

creating tension

Positive Results: Explored

while constructing this

iteration resulted in greater

and greater complexity as the

design evolved, none of the

planes are the same but they

are all related and similar to

one another, retention of the

climax (“dive”)

Comments: This iteration took

the idea of a song much further

creating more obvious

differences between the central

“melody” inside the

harmonizing

edges and

corners, or the

“chords” of the

song, again

resulting in the

bridge.

Iteration # 13

Insights (continued)

Design Language:

Used subtractive method to make

biased cuts along each suggested

corner creating a constant

morphing on each edge from line to

surface

At the more rectilinear end, the

first set of five planes only one

corner is biased cut changing to the

next set of six planes which consists

of two corners cut biased rotating

and parallel to each other relative to

the center point of each plane

Final set of five planes transforms

the theme entirely by rotating on

one corner instead of an edge,

“diving” and bending the central

axis, and morphing the rectilinear

shape into a

curvilinear semi-

circle producing

a climax

• Exploration with combining all work

including the first few iterations to the last

design prior to this

• Used morph concept to transform the shell of

the latest iteration with the form of the

previous one (iteration #3-7)

• Introduced a new complexity to the design by

turning it into a story experience

• Achieved this feat by making one end with

two holes instead of one measured precisely

with the distance between a human’s two eyes

then tapering to the axial interior creating the

illusion that there is only one path when there

is actually two combining into one

Expansion on All Past

Work

Insights

Results:

Multiplied the complexity a lot

more with the addition of the

morph at the end of the path or

“story”

successfully achieved the unity

of all significant points from all

iterations leading to this one

Created a guided experience by

constructing eye pieces to gaze

into (showed on next page)

Fixed unresolved “bridge”

Design Language: Uses the

illusion of the natural

phenomenon of human eyes

creating a central focus point to

suggest the beginning of a story or

experience, then uses a constant

algorithmic change in the planes as

they rotate creating a dynamic and

exciting movement leading into the

climax of the transformation and

resolving in the curvilinear form at

the end

Comments: This last iteration

combined the ideas behind the

“song” and the new challenge to

turn it into a story. This is

suggested by the guidance the

viewer experiences by the “light

at the end of the tunnel” which

is also represented in songs. The

unification of all the iterations

also provided for a nice resolve.

Final Iteration (#14)

The journey is created by the progression of each circular interval and the lighting provides the sense of a “light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel” thus guiding and suggesting the viewer to travel or look in that direction leaving them to wonder “what is at that end?”

• When the viewer gazes into the eye pieces

depicted left, they see the image at the

bottom right

• Eye pieces precisely measured to effectively

taper at the same rate at the human eyes

Final Iteration (#14)

(Continued)

At the beginning of the semester, I started out thinking this class be challenging due to feedback from my peers. However, I never thought of it being this arduous and rigorous to the extent of diving me into the unknown and knocking me off balance. To roll with the challenges, I took it upon myself to hold a friendly competition with myself, trying to top my last iteration with something more substantial and complex. I absorbed as much information and inspirations possible from my classmates’ iterations, vocabulary uttered by the professor, and especially my surroundings, always honing on the focus qualities. I eventually worked out an algorithmic science to my creations, constantly evolving and responding to critiques and my own ambitions.

As the semester flew by, I started looking forward to critiques and building excitement at the thought of seeing the plethora of new creations migrating into the classroom. I examined qualities of other work, taking the time to identify the elementary factors that fascinate me and then seeing how I can transform those ideas to inspire facets of my next iterations. This friendly competition with myself morphed into a competitive drive to seek out more ways to improve and expand the limitations of both my creativity and my creations. I developed a more clear design language as well as a method to these abstract concepts and their assembly. All in all, after a long and rigorous attempt at refinement, the result was a success in both clarity of my design language as well as creating a narrative with each part of each iteration and a greater inventory of tools and methods to multiply complexity and proficiency. I believe this process proved that quality is not always greater than quality but quantity always leads to quality.