Conscience Thoughts

This blog is a hard one to do. Find inspiration for design layouts. I'm not exactly what I'm supposed to be looking for, but this is what I've come up with:

www.gwdesign.net/

www.bravadesign.co.uk/homepage.htm

http://www.swordfoxdesign.co.nz/cross-browser-compatibility/

http://www.mandmsite.com/images/porfolio/print/mediaboard_1.jpg

They all use a lot of images and little text and leave white space. The images are arranged in a pleasing manner. Some are bigger to give them more emphasis, while others are smaller, but still just as important to the layout and the point that is being made. Little design accents are also used. The fonts are not just the plain old fonts, and make reading the text more interesting. Also bolded and capitalized fonts are used for emphasis.

Posted by raeth008 at 06:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reading 15
The Search for Form in Art and Architecture by Eliel Saarinen
Key Words:
1. Form
2. Nature
Definitions:
1. Form: conveys the thoughts, feelings, and aims of man
2. Nature: inspires form, the surrounding landscape

This chapter tries to define form. It uses example from art and architecture to help, but then uses the subconscious, conscience, and self-conscience of man to further explain how form comes about. The basis for inspiration of all form in nature. It has inspired everything that has been know to be art. It inspired man to depict his surroundings on the walls of caves, to created weapons to defend himself, to create a shelter to protect himself, and to create art to decorate his shelter. Form exists because of nature and nature has inspired the creation of form.

Questions:
1. How has nature inspired you?
2. What are some forms that you have made that have been directly inspired by nature?

Posted by raeth008 at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was fun. I spent two hours surfing the internet looking for websites that offered fun educational games for kids. I got to play them too, to make sure the kids would enjoy them. Only about 3 kids came to the lab today, so it was pretty quiet. I don't mind though.
What made the day not so fun, was the waiting for the bus to go back to campus. I got to the bus stop around 5:20ish, just missing one bus, but there was supposed to be another bus at 5:27ish, so it was ok. However, another bus didn't come until 5:45. I was absolutly frozen by then. What annoyed me, was that 3 other busses went by in the half an hour, but two were out of service, and one was headed for the target garage and didn't stop.
But aside from becoming an icicle while waiting for a bus, it was a pretty good day.

Posted by raeth008 at 06:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reading 13
Nature and the Idea of a Man Made World by Norman Crowe pg 3-28
Key Words
1. Man-made
2. Nature
Definitions:
1. Man-made: the alternative to nature, created by artificial materials and built by people
2. Nature: the heavens, the seasons, landscapes, seascapes, plants, and animals

This reading is about how the man-made world interacts and is connected to the natural world. The things that people build and create all have an impact on the environment. This fact is hard for some people to grasp, so we are not working to create things that are environmentally friendly, and therefore nature is suffering.

Questions:
1. How does your man-made world fit into the natural world around you?
2. Has the man-made world, overall, taken up too much nature?

Reading 14
Nature and the Idea of a Man Made World by Norman Crowe pg 29-69
Key Words:
1. Settlement
2. Order
Definitions:
1. Settlement: the gathering of people into a permenent setting where they build homes and stay there
2. Order: to arrange in a pleasing manner

This reading talks of how the settlements were originally just one home in the woods, or in the middle of a field, and over time, more people would come and settle nearby. In time, a village would emerge and order would need to be in place. There was the ruling family, and the heads of the house from the rest of the families who would keep order in the village. Also, the way the villages were set up was orderly.

Questions
1. How is the need for order recognized in your home town?
2. Is your hometown a big or small settlement?

Posted by raeth008 at 07:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Why am I here? I am here because I am fascinated by the world. I am fascinated by people, nature, inanimate objects, water, the sky, stars, buildings, little things that make clicking noises, big things move, colors, shapes, textures, and sounds. What really made me want to be an architect is my fascination with houses. I have a secret desire (well, not so secret anymore) to see the inside and outside of every house on the planet. But I know that, unfortunately, this would be impossible to do. I love all types of houses. Tiny little ones in the city, cottages by the lake, farm houses, houses in neighborhoods, houses in the country, apartments, big houses, mansions, castles. I also love art. I love to create it. I love to look at it. I love to experience it. And I’m very logical. I like to solve problems and think creatively. All of these things added together equal me attending architecture school to become an architect.


The built environment affects who I am in a couple of ways. To me, every building has a character. Each one affects a person in a different way. They way it looks combined with its function, the type of activities that take place inside of it, the people who occupy it, and they landscaping around it all help determine the buildings personality. For example, Coffman. It is the center of activity on campus. It is a gathering place for students to work on projects and hang out. University wide events are held there. Concerts take place there. It is a hive of activity. It’s a very active, outgoing building. It is very easy to get in to, everyone knows what it is, where it is, and has probably been there. In contrast is Eddy Hall. Most people might know where it is, or at least the general location. I don’t know what happens in there. It is one of the older buildings on campus. I find it to be a quite, shy building that serves a specific purpose, and if someone doesn’t ever need the service it offers, they would never find the need to enter it.

I identify with a particular part of the build environment. Libraries. I love libraries. I worked at one for 2 years. I suppose my personality is similar to that of a library’s. I love books. I read them perhaps more than I should. They take me to faraway places I could never go or can’t go at the present time. Libraries are also generally quiet, but have a buzz of life to them. I am a quiet, shy person, but if you get me talking, I may just sound like a buzz of noise. They are also a social gather place and can hold events. This is the outgoing part of the library. I am a very social person. As much as I love to be alone, I need to be around people. When I’m with the right people, I can become very outgoing.

As for my fascination with houses. I have always loved them. The one of the highlights of my year is the Parade of Homes. I love walking through the houses looking at the new design ideas that have been thought up and the fun ways that the interiors have been decorated. I also have a pretty good spatial memory for houses, and for almost any building for that matter. Once I’ve been inside it and walked around, I can pretty much remember the floor plan of the places I was. Ask me about it a week later, a month later, or even a few years later and I can probably still walk you through it or draw a picture.

And still, how does this all add up to me wanting to be an architect. I feel that the only place that I can combine my strengths—art, logic, creativity—my loves—houses, life, people—and my fascinations—everything. Architecture is an all encompassing field that will let me explore my skills, build on them, work with people, have alone time to sit and think, be creative, give back to the community, and keep my fascinations with life and the world alive.

This is the best I can do to explain why I'm here. I don't know if I can put the rest of it into words that would make any sort of sense.

1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/7730590@N08/2268235034/
2. http://www.chihuly.com
3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/miqul/431145332/
4. One of my own
5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/h2okatcher/45563687/
6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/7337148@N05/751357047/
7. http://www.voteyes4library.org/
8. Default picture from Windows Vista

Posted by raeth008 at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What would I do if I didn't go through the architecture school program...what would I do...
Hmm.
What do I like to do?
...i like to sit in comfy chairs and read books...
...i like to visit the library...
...i like to draw/sketch...
...i like to paint...
...i like to go on walks...
...i like to wander around campus...
...i like to listen to music...
...i like to play my flute...
...i like to march with the marching band...
...i like to cheer with the pep band...
...i like to dance in the rain...
...i like to jump in puddles...
...i like to golf...
...i like to make jewelry...
...i like to laugh...
...i like to go on adventures...
...i like to use sharpies...
...i like to smile...
...i like to hike in the woods...
...i like to contemplate life...
...i like to take pictures...
Hmm. I could do something with my pictures...

I love taking pictures. Everywhere I go, I've got my camera with me, and if something catches my eye, I take a picture of it. My favorite pictures to take are close-ups of flowers and large landscapes in nature.
If I wasn't in architecture school, maybe I would take pictures and then use them to promote environmental awareness. I could print them in calendars and sell them with proceeds going towards protecting nature.
If I weren't here in Minneapolis, Minnesota to study architecture at the second largest university in the US, and money wasn't a problem, and I didn't need a job, I would be out in nature, wandering around outside, through the woods, across the countryside, taking pictures, enjoying the clean air, contemplating life, while alone in nature. Of course I wouldn't go too out of the way, because I do like civilization and people. I'm a rather social person. Over the summer, my family and I went out west. We started in San Francisco and drove all the way up the Pacific coast to Seattle. Along the way, we stopped at the Muir Woods, the Redwood Forest, multiple beaches with tide pools, a sea lion cave, a couple of national parks, a rain forest, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Olympus, Hurricane Ridge, and everything in between. It was amazing. We spent over a week hiking trails through the woods, along the ocean, and past lakes. I loved it. I took over 1200 pictures in 11 days. I've never run through my camera battery so quick. I was recharging it every night. Maybe that's what I could do. I could work in a national park. I could be in nature, still be social, and take pictures. The pictures could be for all the brochures that the parks have, maybe take pictures for the park's books. That would be a fun job. During this coming summer break, my family and I are going to The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. I'm so excited for that trip. I know that my camera will be put to use on that vacation too. ...good thing I got an extra camera battery for Christmas.

Posted by raeth008 at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)