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2009-01-22T04:36:44Z

The Light of Man

2006-12-04T06:19:11Z

]]> Gershenfeld would most probably concur the true spirit of Thomas Edison's revolutionary patent of the light bulb was a simple work of genius. Kahn would have to disagree.
The principles of Gershenfeld’s Fab articles were based primarily on the brilliance of man and the exploration of new and innovative creations. What Kahn explains, much more eloquently, is the relationship of light and nature in all of man. So, light is the essence of all life and without it there would be nothing. Man is simply a product of light and nature. He is born with a brain and the “golden dust�? that man inherits is where “he senses the desire to learn to express.�?
Gershenfeld speaks of this desire, but on a much different tangent. For in the world of Kahn nature “knows no favorite,�? and therefore all are equal, but with Gershenfeld humans are born with individual desires that they eagerly pursue if granted the willpower and supplies to do so. The course, which Gershenfeld instructs, is based on establishing the want for creating something new and actually constructing it. For Gershenfeld this process is magnificent, but Kahn once again weakens the impressive argument. “Inspiration must already have something of a promise of being able to express that which is only a desire to express, because the evidence of the material making of light gives already a feeling of inspiration.�? Basically stating that light is the ruler of all creation and exploration beyond the tangible evidence of reality.
The two authors reflect too much of their personal brain wave activity in their bias reports. Gershenfeld brags of the accomplishments of manmade machines and how they shall one day rule the world. Kahn’s theory proves to be more realistic, but still quite vague. For the sun is not the only control of the universe there are millions of people who fight and support their individual beliefs. But there are so many other necessary elements in the universe that do not depend solely on the sun and its light. For the tulips resting upon the windowsill, yes they are attracted and made visible by light, but when the sun sets and the florescent lights overhead are fired up, there is no sunlight radiating through the thin frames of the petals and creating their brilliant hues. The artificial light serves as an invention of man that reproduces the sun and illuminates beauty while the great body of light sleeps. In summary, perhaps Edison did have a stroke of genius, but what fueled his desire to create were elements of nature and the light of the sun.

Technopolies

2006-11-26T03:14:53Z

The Ipod Technopoly

]]> Every individual has their own perspective on the world of technology. As we have been briefed in class, technology is “seeking beyond the brain,�? where one must go past their internal networking and reach for new ideas, concepts, and unknown realities. From an unbiased perspective one can conclude that, “every technology is both a burden and a blessing.�?-Neil Postman But once influenced by the eyes of society humans develop their own perspectives of technology favoring some and avoiding others. There are millions of obvious connections between technology and the evolution of lifestyles. I shall avoid restating these obvious applications and go deeper into the mindset of the individual and their grasp for new knowledge.

As people become accustomed to new technologies inevitable problems spring up. They are then forced back to the drawing board to continue the crooked maze into an even deeper basis of thought. Freud’s example states, “If there had been no railway to conquer distances, my child would never have left his native town and I should need no telephone to hear his voice.�? People are constantly trying to find new solutions. Seeking further and further beyond their domains, humans develop technologies so foreign and impressive they often become popular.

People may not want to be the same as everyone else, but new designs attract customers creating a common demand for the same object. This demand is what feeds the technopolies of today. New products appeal to people and they take steps to conform to their community without immediately realizing it. The consumers support companies, engineers, designers, etc… who put together new and innovative ideas. Soon businesses are booming, growing progressively stronger and buying out smaller less successful organizations. Eventually a handful of companies control almost an entire network of products. The term for this gross success and control is known as a monopoly. These monopolies are nourished by new technologies. The term can be reformulated as a technopoly. What technopolies and their clients fail to conform with is that of the style of nature and its endless variety.

Technology is directly opposite the patterns of nature. Nature is free flowing, asymmetrical, and continuously changing. With technology and its attraction to consumers there is an opposition to the order of nature. No longer do humans follow the sweeping curves of natural changes but conform by means of technology. For generations it has been preached in institutions that every individual is special. But now, influenced by technology people are coming closer together and the lone natural elements are becoming less and less apparent. Technopolies have gone as far as to promote a certain body type, hair color, style, ethnicity, etc… people now shape their bodies with technologies such as plastic surgery. The once natural human figure is being redesigned by the development of new innovative styles.

Society has been redesigned by the seekers of new ideas and innovative theories. But in this process consumers are urged to conform and become alike rather than unique and creative. Those who still manage to grasp their connection to nature and the wildness of change and difference are able to reach “beyond the mind�? and create new ideas which will eventually feed the booming technopolies of the future.

The Core Ceiling at the Eden Project

2006-11-05T18:21:52Z

Math in Architecture

2006-11-05T17:44:28Z

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]]> Class contradicted the message I had interpreted from the reading of lecture 16, “Mathematics and Creativity.�? In this work Alfred Adler noted, “The qualities embedded in the mind of the mathematician by the discipline of mathematics fail to extend beyond the boundaries of mathematics.�? This can be interpreted as the connection between an architect and a mathematician simply does not exist. He then continues, describing series of mathematicians failing at attempts in business, finance, politics, etc. On the contrary, Adler expresses, “The mathematical language is continuously being altered to fit new results.�? What he fails to mention is that the changes in the mathematical world go beyond the values of x and y. The creation of physical structures are yet another application of alterations in the mathematical language. Complicated formulas on paper are transferred into a sensory provoking physical structure of immense mathematical quality.
One application of math in society is that of the Fibonacci numbers pertaining to the structure of the Chambered Nautilus. The shell of a Chambered Nautilus consists of a series of compartments that increase in size as they spiral around each other. The series evolves from 0 to 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21… This pattern is not only found in the shell of a sea creature but in other natural elements such as pinecones, pineapples, and sunflowers. Many Architects have adopted the sequence of The Golden Ratio, as it has been tagged. The creation of the Eden Project Core (http://www.edenproject.com/about/1723.html) is located in the United Kingdom and an excellent example of the application of Fibonacci numbers in architecture. Its roof is composed of a series of cross beams that resemble the Fibonacci sequence. The curved spruce beams extend from the center in an opposing spiral. The application of these numbers adds a natural quality to the building and a striking structural appearance. By applying the concepts of math derived from the structures of nature architecture is given a whole new sense of life and intrigue.

1st Grade

2006-11-05T16:40:35Z

I spent the usual first hour volunteering in the second grade class. Today I stepped in the door and was greeted by a slew of children who managed to remember my name. I am still trying to pronounce half of the class’s names, as they are different than the typical Jane and Joe I am used to. I started out sorting magnetic letters today, which was a bit less difficult than last week because, they stuck to the boards instead of sliding all over. After a brief meeting on the circle rug, groups were assigned stations. I got to sit in the corner with four literate students and read a story. I decided to allow each student to read a paragraph at a time to the group. By the time we were finished, the students were reading in a smooth flowing fashion that made me proud of my strategy. I then was assigned a group of three students who did not know how to read. This was a bit more difficult. We sat in a circle and I held up my book and pointed out each word as I sounded it out. After each page we summarized the message. One girl caught on quickly and was an excellent summarizer, while the little boy followed along with his finger sounding out words quite diligently. The third girl lay on my lap, drooling. I assumed two out of three listeners was a pretty decent average for my first time with a group of non-readers. Next I got to venture down the hall to the first grade class. There were half as many kids in this class, and everyone was much better behaved. We sounded out words at the circle rug for a while, and then I settled down with one student at a time and let the student read their stories to me. This class was much more mellow than my second grade friends. I look forward to facing my second grade challenges next week, as I am sure the kids will keep me on my toes.

Sensing the Flow

2006-11-05T16:27:41Z

Today went much smoother than the other two days. I am not saying that I had zero difficulties working with the kids, but I did know what was expected of me. I was initially assigned to read a book with a young girl who was thrilled to have a helper. Keeping her on track was a bit of a chore. Then, I was assigned to a group of about four students sorting letters and forming words. My job was to make sure all of the letters stayed in the right bags. With four sets of second grade hands flying about the place snatching and whipping letters everywhere I was very busy. Once a student completed their tops, bops, mops... and flop boards I was granted the honors of checking their boards and congratulating them. Their grins warmed me as I praised their diligent work. This week I realized the teachers have a specific schedule for volunteers. I have graduated to the next rung on the ladder. Now I am assigned to not only one kid at a time, but to four. This multiplies the amount of effort I need to expend by four. It can be quite a chore. I have also realized, that I eagerly await my Wednesday trip to A Chance To Grow, because I get to work with little kids. I miss my younger siblings and working with children. Hanging out with college students 24/7 can get a little dry.

Oops!!! Iron vs. Steel

2006-10-30T16:45:27Z

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]]> This prompt struck a soft spot in my memory and I was swept back into the days of high school Chemistry. Visions of elements, electrons, valance shelves, nuclei, charges, and atomic numbers danced into sight. One fact I do recall quite vividly is that iron is an element while steel is a metal alloy. After a little research I was reminded that steel is mostly composed of iron. Iron seems to be a more basic metal with a much stronger history. It exists not only in the trusses of structures and bows of ships, but in human bodies and living things. It is an essential element for life. This one reason is enough evidence to prove the demand for iron is much greater than that for steel.
But steel is mainly composed of this necessary element; it is simply fortified with other elements to produce a powerful tool for building and creating. Stainless steel does not rust as iron does and therefore has the ability to withstand more elements of weather and climate. So although steel is a manmade creation it has advantages which overpower those of iron and can be used in situations where iron would literally shrivel and disappear.

Oppositions of Materials and Tools

2006-10-22T15:54:02Z

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Materials and tools

]]> Architecture is constantly creating conflict with other elements in space. An opposition in architecture is that of tools and materials which limit the ability to construct and design suitable spaces. Deep in the rainforests of undeveloped regions of the planet there is little access to technology and materials which seem necessary for creating decent living facilities. When venturing to Costa Rica for my first time, my family and I stayed in an almost completely self-sustaining resort hidden in the depths of the Osa Penninsula. Bosque del Cabo works with nature to obtain electricity, produce food, and control temperature.
Almost all electricity at Bosque del Cabo is generated by a stream which falls from the cliffs around the resort to the sandy shoreline. The energy from the falling water is transferred into electrical energy which in turn powers the ten bungalows and two private houses. In addition to the hydroelectric power, the restaurant is solar powered. The energy to make the meals at this rainforest restaurant is the same energy that generates the growth of the fruits it serves.
Bosque del Cabo’s landscape is speckled with fruit trees and shrubs. They are harvested daily and chopped up for meals in the restaurant. All additional ingredients are sought for at the local food markets where farmers sell their homegrown goods. Each of the meals served at the restaurant is made from scratch and homegrown materials.
All of the facilities at the resort are naturally heated and cooled by breezes. All rooms are completely open and houses are constructed with door less doorways and glassless windows. Water is heated by the sun, and refreshingly cooled by the earth. The architecture of these remarkable spaces has been shaped by the influences of nature and the lack of man-made materials. The thatched roofs of banana leaves and jungle vines are yet another prime example of the influence available materials and tools can have on the space created. What architecture is all about in the sense of materials and tools is that of looking beyond the initial obstacles and using what is available in the most efficient means possible. This is innovation.

Day Two

2006-10-22T15:19:56Z

I was eager to return to the school, but still a bit groggy from the early morning wake up when I entered A Chance To Grow for my second time. Our guide decided to split us up into three different classrooms. I was assigned the second grade class. The students were in an uproar as I entered the class. Kids were screaming at one another while trying to concentrate despite all the distractions. The child I was assigned to sat in his chair and screamed above all the other voices, “I can’t focus! There’s too much noise!.�? I settled him down and tried to get him to concentrate on his math worksheet. We spent the hour telling stories, and counting series of dots. He got off track continuously, showering me with math questions. He was impressed by my fluid responses to 2+2 and 7+3. I informed him if he focused on his math tasks he would soon be able to add quickly in his head too. After one hour, the class left for a variety of other activities, but not before I got to sit in the circle and introduce myself. The kids had a slew of questions to ask me, and one young guy was still questioning me on my favorite foods and music as he walked down the hall in single file line with his classmates. I then ventured down to the third grade classroom where an energetic young lad greeted me and insisted that I help him color. He was quite impressed with my colored pencil skills and said that I colored “Beautifully.�? Once coloring time was over the students were handed a packet featuring the chemical process of popping popcorn. I worked my way through the back two rows of the classroom helping the students match up words, spell, and search for definitions. By the time I glanced at the clock, it was past our time to leave and the other two volunteers and I grabbed our jackets and waved goodbye.

First Impressions

2006-10-22T14:48:18Z

There are no words that can thoroughly describe the emotions, energy, and satisfaction one experiences while volunteering. After rushing across the frozen parking lot and bursting through the front doors of A Chance To Grow, we were enveloped by a swift heat wave and beckoned into the front office. There we stood as our guide introduced us to a slew of helpful characters. I am not one to remember more than one name at a time, so the introductions breezed past me. Once we had picked up our nametags, signed in, and survived the early morning photo op we were led down a well-lit hallway to the third door on the right. Our guide then deserted us as we entered and introduced ourselves to the swarm of third graders, begging for assistance. I was genuinely impressed by the commitment every student made to learning. There were constantly five kids at my side begging for assistance on some sort of assignment. I was initially assigned to work with a young lad who was copying down definitions from his textbook. He stayed focused despite the numerous distractions. Once he was called away to take a test, I decided to walk around the classroom of over 20 bubbling students. I did not get far before a young girl tugged at my sleeve and asked me if I would like to help her read a book. I agreed and we breezed through the story of pigs, puddles, and ooey-gooey mud. The teacher then suggested I take one young lad out into the hall where the level of distraction was significantly lower. We went into the hall and he read me a story of Spiderman explaining additional snip-its from the movie all along the way. We then took the reading quiz, and with his generous background in Spiderman, he aced the quiz. The look of triumph that swept across his face as he glanced at his score was magnificent. After a few more books, some crossword assistance, and some vocabulary practice, it was time for the volunteers to leave. Our two hours had flown by, and I wished I could stay in the class all day, but there was college to return to and homework to master. The kids asked when we would return and were obviously going to miss our assistance. We promised we would be back next week and then rushed out to the car.

Clockwork Bloom

2006-10-08T21:26:11Z

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Floral Phenomenon

]]> To some a blossom is simply the presence of yet another “thing.�? But, the phenomenon of a single flower’s cycle is comprised of an intricate network of not only things; but of frameworks and clockworks as well. The thing is what someone who half-heartedly glances or sniffs a flower is to recognize. Flowers smell “sweet�? and look “pretty�? and even feel “soft�? but these are only the sensory images of a flower.
When the story of a blossom is brought to a spectator’s attention a framework begins to take shape. As each hidden petal begins to feel the heat of a ray tickling its shell it begins to shift. Once all the fingers of a blossom have wriggled free of the tightly knit bud they are positioned in an unrepeatable fashion and when observed as one their image is transformed.
The days wear on, the petals wilt and fall. Drying in the mulch. Scattered by the wind their seeds are planted and the cycle repeats itself in a never-ending continuum of dormancy, growth, life, aging, and death. This process could be applied to almost all natural sequences but there is significance to the story of one small bud. The tale of a single blossom and its impact is magnified when viewed over generations of gardens. It stuns many who have the will to stop and not only smell but also ponder the scent of the roses.

2006-10-08T04:54:34Z

2006-10-08T04:54:10Z

2006-10-08T04:53:42Z