project 2b - Constructed Morphology

The intent is to model a physical construct based on the analysis done in 2a (see previous post) that results in a surface. I used my diagram of the darjeeling limited to construct a form work for creating a surface.

construction documents:





the process:

project 2a_the darjeeling limited

"Model, animate and construct an image of the procedural sequence(s) by the director/cinematographer in constructing the space and time of the selected portion of the scene from your film."

selected scene from the darjeeling limited



The train provides a series of vertical and horizontal datums by which the camera moves and the characters vary. Here I have diagrammed the datums as lines, the main characters as black rectangles and the stewardess as a red rectangle.




Here is an composite of each frame diagram overlapped to exaggerate movement and relationships.

Versioning

Versioning encompasses a mode of thinking/designing/producing that made me say “duh, of course.” It’s one of those ideas that once stated seems obvious, you wonder why you didn’t think of it, and finally, why doesn’t everyone ‘version’.

While technology was a catalyst for versioning, versioning is not defined in terms of technology. As SHoP puts it “versioning implies the shifting of design away from a system of horizontal integration [designers as simply the generators of representational form] towards a system of vertical integration [designers driving how space is conceived and constructed and what its effects are culturally.] " Versioning is a non-linear, collaborative thinking/designing/producing process that integrates all the conventional aspects of design to build simultaneously. Essentially, each step actively influences and effects each other step, instead of a step 1, step 2, . . . step n = building process. As a result architects have to become the conductors of the entire process: design, development, engineering, construction, etc.

So where does technology factor into versioning? While not essential to versioning, new technology facilities the collaboration and integration of multiple disciplines simultaneously into the process in a way that has previously been impossible. Versioning shifts the profession from the ‘hero architect’ to a field where not only is authorship of a form or design indeterminable, it is no longer important. The role of the architect is no longer to pluck an already formed design from his or her mind, but rather to design and control the process by which the design and construction of architecture occur. As Ingeborg Rocker puts it, “the concept [or process] alters accordingly: formerly presumed to be an a priori transcendent essence or think-in-itself, the concept turns here into a creative in-forming act, an event that is intrinsically linked with the design’s literal information.” She continues, “the architect finds himself – as a designer – controlling a process rather than a design.”

Versioning, like most of the concepts and projects explored in our class, is inherently emergent. There is no intended end result, only a highly designed process that allows for unintended results. A recent example of versioning can be seen in Carl Lostritto’s thesis project. He wrote several scripts for skins that responded to contextual, programmatic, and formal parameters. There was not a priori results sought after, rather he designed the process (in this case scripting) by which the relevant parameters would vary and ultimately produce possible design solutions. Each script (there were four) was dependent on each other script, resulting in concurrent, non-linear design process. He designed a process (scripting) that responded to a set of parameters and lead to a set of possible solutions.

The real potential of versioning is its ability to allow us (architects) to take back the process of architecture. Currently we have developers on one end, contractors on another, the clients, engineers and computer programmers (etc., etc., etc.) boxing us in. We can’t let the narrow-minded goals of the developer, or the un-design educated computer programmer controlling the outcome of the design. We have to design the process, integrate multiple disciplines, and reinvent the role of the architect if we are to keep from becoming marginalized by other related professions.

project 1

1c

1c_sectioning

1b_animation

1b_frame

1b_combining the kit of parts

Here are some combination of the parts:


camera moving forward and normal focal length to wide focal length


camera moving backward and normal focal length to narrow focal length


camera moving backward and normal focal length to wide focal length

1b_the kit of parts

I have added a background to pick up shadows. Hopefully this will act to orient movement versus camera focal length change. Here are the elements of my kit of parts:


normal focal length to narrow focal length


normal focal length to wide focal length


camera translating forward along a path


camera translating backward along a path