you'd best learn to live while you're alive

Technology and architecture. It is inevitable that as technology expands, it will make its way into every aspect of life. So, yeah, technology is always going to be a major part of architecture. Instead of trying to keep with the traditional ways, why not embrace architecture in the technological age?

Technology brings a whole new life to architecture. It starts with the way architects put their ideas onto paper. Now, it is through the computer. CAD and other programs organize thoughts. They help dimension and work with complicated numbers. It is no longer necessary to draw and redraw to get it perfect. The computer allows a designer to play around with things more. The method of designed is quickened. Beyond the process, the things you can do with the programs are incredible. Frank Gehry is the obvious example. Since he got his jet designing software, the scale and complexity of his projects have skyrocketed. What an architect can now do with the form of a building has changed completely. Architecture is always evolving, this is just the way it is now evolving.

Despite it’s benefits, it is still really important to have skills beyond the computer. I feel like even if plans aren’t all drawn out and what was once hand drawn is now done on the computer, it is important to be able to draw. Computers may be able to convey scale and details, but your drawings should convey emotion and the feel.

So I say, yes, technology and architecture are a beautiful combination. We just have to be careful not to forget the artistic aspect that computers may lack.

Posted by berry191 at 01:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The presentations are over! Hurrah!

Now, a moment to reflect on other people’s presentations.

I really enjoyed Byron and Michelle’s presentation on poverty on hunger. They looked at Somalia and how the problem can be improved in such an unstable nation. Broc and I focused on Somalia as well, so it was really interesting for me to see other information about the country. I learned a lot more about the agricultural and social sides of the nation.

The presentation was set up very well. It was well designed and had powerful pictures. I thought the banner that constantly remained on top was great because it created a flow throughout the presentation. It was faded just right so that it was not distracting as well. The images used were obviously carefully chosen and fit well with what Byron and Michelle were trying to get across.

After setting up a background of the country and why exactly people suffer from poverty and hunger, they went into specific case studies of programs that were helping the people. They looked at programs tat helped Africans help themselves. Rather than a program that just gives Somalis food and supplies, they found ways for the community to make decisions together to improve conditions. I especially liked the case study of UN-HABITAT. It is a UN program to maintain socially and environmentally sustainable shelter for all through working with governments and small communities. It helps the communities take action against their problems. I thought the case studies on improving the agricultural problems were also fantastic. Somalia is a dry country. It has seen many droughts and does not grow crops very well, thus limiting the amount of food put out to the people. Working on improving agricultural productivity in the nation itself is the base of improving the hunger situation.

After looking in depth at these case studies, they went on to establish their proposal. It was not a specific list of what they think needs to be done in Somalia. Instead, it was a call for community involvement, the improvement of the government, and the reversing of rural degeneration. I liked that they just had a vague guide of what to do. I think if programs were expanded for Somalis to get started and help themselves, they could pull themselves out of this state of hunger and poverty.

Overall, I think Byron and Michelle did a great job of explaining the problem and establishing a basis for their solution. Yey!

Posted by berry191 at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)