February 2011 Archives

Paper folding allows you to work through a composition/design without thinking about it. You are suppose to read back from each move to see where the progression is headed. Moves are dictated by initial rules set up by the designer. In my paper folding, I was working with the medium and it's natural tendencies- curling and flowing. I am showing the final move for 3 different progressions , as well as the final progression and move.

In this exercise students focus on the structural system of their studio design proposal. During this semester, we have emphasized the intrinsic relationship between architectural design and structure. Through our sessions we have reviewed the most common components that make building structures. We have learned the different components comprising a building structure (spanning and vertical), we have studied how spanning elements can be solved (form, vector, bulk, surface active, etc.) and we have studied how lateral force resisting mechanisms work. We have studied the supporting system of buildings and we have learned about the role of structure in the overall architectural composition. You have brought to class case studies of significance to the contemporary context of architecture. Through these case studies we have learned that meaningful architectural proposals are loaded with the strength of structural logic.

This project aims to identify the structural components of a chosen Case Study and represent them through diagrams. The outcome of this assignment has two components; a scaled model and a set of well proportioned or scaled diagrams and drawings. Structural members were identified following this hierarchy:
a) Primary Structure
b) Secondary Structure
c) Lateral force resisting mechanisms
d) Materials
e) Flow of forces in the structure