Light Comparison Photographs

 Here is a simple analysis of the steps leading into my house. During a winter advisory, one can expect it to be largely overcast. Shadow neglected, overcast days can still provide multiple lighting conditions over time. Times of Photography are:

2:45

4:35

6:20

Lego Fun

 Snowboarder tip 167: sag yo' pants son.

 gnarly hills bro!

 U-S-A, U-S-A!!!

 Before the Race

 Don't even know what country just took gold.

 Nervous as %#$@

Kick back and relax on a cloudy January Saturday.

ENG Post

Detroit’s Beautiful Ruins?

By Matthew Weiss

I’ve never looked so fondly on Detroit, for some reason or another. Part of it may be that I’ve never been there, or perhaps that the Lions are located there. Perhaps also, I don’t appreciate Detroit because it brought its own destruction in a way. But that’s an entirely different story altogether. I believe that ­Witold Rybczynski has composed a wonderful photo essay in defense of the rich history of Detroit, and how this history is being not only neglected but misused by its own inhabitants. It’s maddening that people could turn an historic theatre into a parking garage. But if any city were to do it, I guess that would be Detroit. I’m always amazed at how homeless-friendly that environment must be. I can’t imagine the homeless have to look far and wide to find a roof with no inhabitants.

Looking at the relationships between Rybczynski’s photos and captioning (in reference to McCloud’s book “Understanding Comics and the metaphorical language of Susan Sontag), I can see an inter-dependent relationship. I believe that Rybczynski’s photos can speak thousands of words about the city of Detroit, but the fact remains that his wording is also equally important. You can’t have only the pictures and receive the factual, historical data. Likewise, you can’t fully appreciate the ruins of Detroit without a mental image to bolster that thought to your brain. The images truly capture precisely what is going on in this current economically driven world. They’ve claimed their spot among other developing nation photos in proving to the rest of us just how wonderful our own sheltered cities are. It’s quite right to say that Rybczynski’s photo essay is a bold example of the aggressive and provocative nature of picture taking, having all-but taking pictures of dead homeless in abandoned warehouses.

FINAL BOARDS

 Final Boards are here, as posted. They are for the project entitled Urban Infill. Thanks to anybody viewing them!

Meeting 3, Steps 7,8,9

 Step 7, an emphasis on Volume, Massing, Structural Pattern.

My own structural pattern is relatively simple, but with complex engineering beyond my ability.

Parking below three floors of living/working. Each floor space is roughly 1200 sf. Bottom two floors are linked and of the same owner.

 Step 8, an emphasis to compose for beauty, elevations, section studies, character sketches.

Balance is certainly an important part of my project design. Another key emphasis is placed upon my window portals to key in on certain vistas and areas of the flat. Each 1200 sf is different and engages the site in different ways. Parking is below, a careful cantilever, a question of trust for the audis and bmws down there.

Step 9, an emphasis to test constructibility, systems, material expression.

Materials used are discussed here. Renderings are being updated daily, with detail added in photoshop in layers. background images will be added with photography later this week on site. My renderings will be very human-oriented. HOPEFULLY, nothing will seem out of place or hugely fake.

After talking to the design expo guys and gals, they understood my worries, concerns, and assumptions, and affirmed them all. Each and every one of them said "REVIT! REVIT! REVIT! What....hand drawings? What are those, but meager sketch drawings used as process for the napkin or tablet?"

Of course, hand drawings have their place in the world of Arch still, but their power seems to be dwindling. I've yet to talk to an architect who said that they were hiring young, technologically advanced college students Because of their HAND DRAWING SKILLS. I'm not going to say that all firms and all architects are only looking at our portfolios for our highly detailed 3ds Max renderings, but it seems to be the general swing of things. As a drawer by nature, this project (and the way I have decided to go about it ((all revit))) is slowly pushing me off a mountain cliff. But, I realize the importance and the obvious benefits of a computer program that doesn't fail [if the user doesn't fail]. I know that it is not revit's fault for my problems, but my lack of willingness to learn the software that is [for the moment] free. If I had semesters to learn revit, and not weeks, would my skill be greater? Should there be an entire class to learn revit? Did Mike do his job in 232? What separates those people who have a natural affinity for computers and those who don't? Are those people who know computers well also the kids who receive laptops for their 10th birthday? Is our enculturation the preemptive action here? And who told me in high school that a strong basis of Math and Physics are the only things I need going into Architectural School?

Certainly I wish that I'd have had better training on a computer before college. I'm working against the flow of my education K-12. But beggars don't receive good marks. They earn the street.


So it goes that I'm striding to learn what is put in front of me, and for anybody who reads this and agrees, I hope we all can get our heads out of our asses and learn something alien.
 

Cloud. Use It. Okay?

Cloud rendered this in 6 minutes? What can cloud do for you?