Living, Breathing Architecture

What I love about this design is that it reads life and breath and looks like it was brought directly from nature. The expansive green roof is designed to mimic the function of low-lying ground cover vegetation. What particularly attracted me to this design is the way it takes on complete life, in it’s movement of form and the way it sort of looks like it could inhale and exhale, as if the structure as a whole was a living organism, not only the green roof. The idea of living, breathing structures is an element that I am considering with my final studio project. Creating an installation that incorporates movement of life into a space with its actual built form. Architecture does not have to be static, nor a place that solely houses life, it can become a part of the living realm as well.
http://www.calacademy.org/academy/building/

Class Reflection, November 27, 2008

The presentation on green roofs by Anna, (a professor from the landscape department) really helped clear my mind of some biases that may have altered some of my own thoughts on green roofs. I am intrigued to discover the cultural history and folklore behind the conception of green roofs, having always retained this idea that green roofs were quite modern and a only a recent response to a lack of green space in our urban centers. I especially loved Anna’s own landscape project entitled Five Courtyards, which demonstrated a kind of natural containment, where the vegetation kept within certain boundaries while maintaining it’s natural state and growth patterns. The challenge is in choosing the right species for the right space, and avoiding the possibility of placing restrictions on things that do change and grow. This surrendering to the natural environment and allowance to take it’s own pace is what I find so refreshing about environmental design.

Biomimicry: Oyster Shell Seawalls

When I think about water and architecture paired together, a part of me thinks about cool houseboats or living cities on the water, marrying water with the design as a cohesive unit. The other part of me thinks of protection from water, disaster relief, working with nature, not working to combat it, but to preserve and protect it and us from ever harming one another. Coastal erosion caused by hurricanes and sea storms can cause serious damage to shorelines supported by man made structures such as bulkheads, beams or sea walls. As a new way to contain the erosion, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Dauphin Island Sea lab have turned to nature for inspiration rather than resorting to the conventional barrier technique. Oyster shells are dumped all along the shoreline to create a sort of barrier reef that functions further as a thriving habitat for sea life, standing against strong storms, even hurricanes. The project encompasses the direction of thought that should be taken when confronted with any sort of environmental issue. This is yet another example where the processes inherent in the natural world can lead us in a right direction for much more sustainable change.
http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/11/19/protecting-eroded-coastlines-with-oyster-seawalls/#more-16506

Class Refection, November 20th, 2008

Professor Shauna Mallory-Hill joined us once again, this time to speak about sound and its involvement of sound in architecture. I found listening to Daniel Levitin’s insights on music and the human psyche especially valuable. He expressed that humans are innately musical creatures and that so many aspects of our cultural development have been shaped by music. It is evident that not a single culture lacks it; even animals use vocalizations and songs etc… all of which are antecedents of music. We were encouraged to think of the emotional centers triggered when sound enters a space and how it can be used to enhance or influence a structure’s design. The surrounding geometry of a space affects the quality of sound within it, as represented in early religious architecture to modern day concert halls, all spaces built to house and shape voices and instruments.
I thought it would be quite compelling if architecture could create sound, not simply support the sounds created by those who use the space. There are already so many sounds that one associates with their homes, like how it settles at night or the creeks from wooden floor boards. These sounds can also provoke certain feelings of comfort or discomfort. However, I have yet to discover a piece of architecture that demonstrates this in its original design.

The second portion of the class focused on flood architecture, though not entirely relevant to the first presentation, it had much relevance to some people as relating to their studio projects. I found this lecture especially moving, specifically because of Edward Epp’s more humanistic focus concerning water and floods. I appreciated him showing the different ways people identify and deal with the water around them, whether it is in a positive way or not. Different societies and cultures react to water in various ways and this was so apparent in his examples of The Ganges River in India and the towering, water dams and cement walls in China. The way structures are built can reflect so much human emotion, for example, the desperation with which the cement support walls were constructed is blatant. This is so interesting to me and a part of me feels that I cannot blame anyone for bad design or planning or anything. I feel more so a sense of compassion for the people who are experiencing these difficulties in the face of the forces of water.

Class Reflections, November 13th, 2008

The presentation on landscape form and processes proved to be very informative and quite inspiring as well. Dr. Ted McLaughlan spoke of the continuous processes that shape the land and the cycles of growth, death and decay inherent in our natural environment. He expressed the significance of human interaction with the landscape and the notable role we play in the way landscapes have evolved. One thing I found particularly interesting, was the concept of scale pertaining to landscapes. People usually view the land from a generalized perspective, rarely extremely close up and rarely from very far away. However, when looking at and thinking about a broad range of scales, from macro to micro, there is so much evidence in that landscape telling us about its history as well as its future. Knowing the processes occurring and that have occurred on a landscape at every scale is essential in making intelligent, sustainable choices. Humans have made very clear their imprint on this earth in their ability to alter and destroy natural landscapes. The extent to which we have reshaped the earth is so large that natural processes that were once sustainable are now completely destroyed. Our dependence on infrastructure has created huge a disconnect with the earth and in turn transformed the way we understand and respect the land. A return to allowing natural processes take their course is one way we can reshape how value the planet. Before any human intervention, nature regulated the environment intuitively. The solution is simply to rediscover these functions and embrace what is naturally there instead of creating engineered solutions to problems that can be solved much more organically.
The second half of the class centered around gardens, focusing more on an abstract definition of one. The idea of a garden conjuring up experiences, existing as a moment in time, was something I found so beautiful. The example of a floating garden, a triangle of flowers placed on the water, allowed to float freely and be transformed by the natural environment instilled a sense of hope within me. Perhaps it is this same idea of allowing nature to take it's course and acknowledging the beauty and usefulness in this process.

Slow Design

Recently, the idea of time has provoked much thought and discussion between myself and other students in my classes, specifically the concept of slowness and how it can be adapted to our cities and to our overall way of living. Our lives are driven by speed and the need to fulfill as much as we possibly can in a small amount of time, which makes me question the value society places on such fastness. Is it healthy for our physical, emotional and spiritual well being to exist at such a fast pace? How can we bring aspects of slowness and the opportunity for full experience back into our lives at a personal and global scale, and how can the integration of design help refocus our off-centered perception of time? As my interest in this subject grew, I realized that a movement towards slow design had already been in the works for quite some time now.
The concept of slow design is one that has already evolved in the design world. It is a design philosophy and process that integrates slowness into our current understanding of modernity and speed. The term “continuous present”, coined by the architect Bruce Goff back in the 1950s, emphasizes living in the present and allowing the future to unfold as a result of being involved, focused and reflective in the present moment. This, I think is so profound. Read more on this here.

Class Reflection: November 6th, 2008

Professor Jean Trottier from the landscape dept. spoke of the details involved in site planning. I found his presentation particularly interesting not only because of an interest in landscape form and its pertinence to the design process, but because it opened my eyes to the pressures and reality of failure that a designer must deal with. Knowing how the land beneath the ground we walk on functions is just as important as the way the structure will appear above the landscape it rests on. Utilizing slope concepts and other ways of building that can predict the way the land will move with the structure are useful, but never definite. This is something that must be realized when approaching any design endeavor, that the earth is a much more powerful place than we perceive it to be. His examples of homes distorted by the natural processes occurring beneath the soil and some completely destroyed as a result of our own neglect of the landscape, such as the effects of erosion on a hillside that has been clearcut of trees to make space for the structure. There are certain things we cannot control in nature and then there are choices we can make that are informed and thoughtful in respect to the natural landscape.

Looking To Nature For Design Solutions

Imagine looking to nature for design inspiration beyond application of form, but for our application of technologies too. Think about using the naturally built world as a model for the human built world so to create a more sustainable, healthy way of living and solving problems. It is apparent that nature has already solved most of the problems that humans still struggle to find solutions to, and manages to do it in the most efficient and strategic way possible. “Biomimicry” is essentially this, the process of emulating nature’s natural strategies and patterns in our own design technologies, therefore enabling them to adapt much more sustainably to our environments. This, I feel is crucial in reversing the way we approach the design process, by shifting our energy towards finding solutions and learning from existing organisms instead of focusing on implementing completely artificial solutions that work against the earth's systems.

Jane Benyus, the biologist who coined the term, shares amazing insight on innovative, sustainable design ideas drawn directly from nature in this inspiring presentation on Biomimicry.

The Artificial Landscape

Landscape has taken on many forms and degrees of change over time and our notion of a natural landscape is now one that has transformed significantly. The alterations that our needs have imposed on the instinctive forms of a landscape are shocking and unrecognizable. Sculpture Center’s group exhibition, Degrees of Remove: Landscape and Affect, curated by Sarina Basta with Fionn Meade addresses exactly this; how perceptions of landscape take on new meaning and identity to those who had never before known what these places looked like in their natural state. Technology has enabled us to view and engage in the landscape in an entirely different way. The piece poses the question of whether we truly do engage in landscapes at all, which to me is such a strong commentary on what landscapes will mean to us in the future.

Class Reflection, October 30th, 2008

We’ve had our share of presenter personalities in class, but I think the polarity of the two in today’s lecture made for an especially dynamic experience. Carmine Milatano shared with us a very logical and business oriented side of design, one that I’ve been hesitant to think about, but felt surprisingly comfortable with after listening. I found his approach forward and concise, although quite aggressive,

The second lecturer, Dr. David van Vilet, from the dept. of city planning, guided us through a presentation on the typology of land-use planning and sustainable settlement practices. Although his disposition was more of one that I myself would naturally gravitate to, his method of presenting information was a little bit difficult to follow. His own knowledge on the issue was well versed, however and thoughtfully considered. His mentioning of innovative European green cities was quite fascinating not only in their ecological initiatives, but on everything that makes for a strong urban fabric. These cities intrigue me in that they are conceived as one single unit and do not undergo any sort of major growth. They account for expansion, but that too is calculated to an extent. City planners have always designed cities based on a certain typology or pattern, but the cities that we perceive for the future seem to come ready-made and decided. I am not suggesting this is a bad way to progress, I am simply noting how much we learn from the past and apply to the future and how much we abandon for what ever reason it may be.

Integrating Architecture and Food, A Match Made In Heaven

I was so excited to discover an event that centered itself on both food awareness and sustainable design practices. Slow Food Nation in San Francisco, California held the event with collaborative efforts by the 2008 Architecture and the City Festival to present a collection of films and presentations, and best of all, a large variety of tasting pavilions, each showcasing a different locally- sourced ingredient. What I find most ingenious, is that the pavilions themselves were all designed to reflect the type of ingredient they housed. For example, the cheese pavilion and the chocolate pavilion both incorporated and referenced elements used in their production, sourcing only recycled objects and materials in their designs.

Possessing a passion for both good food and good design, I began thinking about their relationships, and specifically how both food and architecture reflect their immediate environments and contribute a sense of identity to those places. In architecture, we draw inspiration from our surrounding environments to develop a distinct structural style as we have all seen in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Architecture designs, for example. Architects must also be aware of the topographical, geological and climatic specifics of the region, which largely determine the final outcome of the design.

When we think about food in association with architecture, some interesting parallelisms arise. Knowledge and availability of local and seasonal ingredients is so important in our efforts towards more sustainable food practices, just as the source of construction materials are important in sustainable design processes. Foods naturally relate people to their environments and help to develop a distinct local and global identity. More and more, chefs are looking to their own backyards for inspiration from the freshest, cleanest, most seasonal ingredients available, making for simple menu creations that emphasize the natural flavors of the ingredient.

A blending of all the right elements creates the framework for the perfect dish, or even the perfect design. Food has always been a great way to reach people, so why not educate them on the issues pertaining to smart, sustainable food strategies while integrating relevant, equally sustainable design approaches? Love the idea!

http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/09/03/slow-food-nation-2008-tasting-pavilions/

Class Reflections, October 23rd, 2008

Our concern for the environmental impacts of manufacturing has become quite apparent, and rightfully so, since so much of what we make enters and conflicts with the environment’s natural processes. This was the overriding theme of our outing to Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors. The presenter was composed and articulate and I was truly convinced that their products were at the very top of sustainable technology. As the presentation went on however, I began to think more about the impacts of PVC on the environment and on our health. Working towards having little impact on the natural world goes beyond recycling waste materials and a reduction in resource use. The processes of production that flush chemicals and foreign things into the environment have just as much of a negative effect than anything else. Despite this, I did leave with much insight into the complex engineering of window design and technology. Although I do have to agree with Katie on this one, that perhaps the aesthetics should be left to the designers.

I Love The Whole World...

The Discovery Channel has come up with a brilliant new commercial that manages to instill a deep sentiment of love and appreciation for the Earth in anyone who watches. It is a rare occurrence when you come across a commercial that is so moving, you begin to think, wow, now this is how all advertising should be. To watch it is truly a one-minute humbling human experience that puts into perspective what we are all apart of and what we are really trying to preserve. There is a part of me that feels reassured that this innate love for nature exists in all of us, (Biophilia, E.O Wilson) and that ecological competence will be acquired unconsciously once we develop this love and appreciation even further.
A truly powerful display of what is so much overlooked in this world... Enjoy!

Class Reflection, October 16th, 2008

Dr. Shauna Mallory-Hill’s presentation on light, strangely enough got me thinking more so about darkness than light itself. The absence of light is just as important as its presence. My fellow classmates and bloggers have made these issues of the negative impacts of light apparent as well, as expressed in their lighting suggestions to improve the studio environment. I find it amazing that the environments we create have such an effect on our sensory functions. This idea of light trespassing and light pollution intrigued me because people express such strong reactions and emotions to the wrong levels of lighting. You experience this, but you don’t really think about how your feelings are a direct reflection of a designer’s inconsideration for that one thing. I admit I’m slightly overwhelmed by the amount of thought that must go into what we might think are the small decisions. Every decision made has a direct effect on the way we experience a space.

Often we become concerned and preoccupied with form while leaving function to follow, but as our second guest speaker, Daniel Petrak, E. I.T M. Arch expressed, form can be most effectively generated by the other important issues at hand, such as in the context of ecology and sustainability. I found his studies and innovations on thermal modeling to be especially compelling and they inspired me to approach design in a new way. His analysis of daylight movement as a way to initiate the form of a building was well researched and developed, yet the outcome still possessed a kind of effortless beauty. We must always be lead by a larger purpose when we design, this I’ve realized with my own studio work. It’s such an obvious thing, however I’ve had to learn this through my own processes. When an idea is driven by superficiality, I struggle to fit the other essential components into the design, however when my thought is driven by something purposeful and meaningful, everything else just follows and fits into place effortlessly. This is so simple to say, but I believe one of the greatest challenges as a designer. It is something I will carry with me throughout my entire design education.

Class Reflections , October 2nd, 2008

For as long as I’ve known of the EQ3 design store I had no idea that it was founded and based in Winnipeg. It was interesting to see former environmental design students working for such a company, actually realizing their own designs and having them recognized globally. However, as Lindsey mentioned, I found it strange that such a young company put little emphasis on sustainable design initiatives specific to EQ3. Despite this, awareness of this issue was very present in the designers. They expressed the difficulty of implementing sustainable design practices when a company’s priorities put little weight on environmental awareness.
It also dawned on me how impersonal design truly is, and I know that this is a reality, but somehow I still believe that design must fulfill a personal desire on top of everything else. There are so many niches in the design realm. The possibilities are endless, and although a part of me still loves flipping through catalogues filled with the latest season’s trendy furniture and sleek accessories, I’m not quite sure I find myself contributing to that aspect of design.

Touching the Earth Lightly

With so much innovation occurring in the design world today, particularly sustainable design, I find it incredibly hard to pick and choose the ones I like most. Sometimes however, one really thoughtful, creative design or designer manages to push all the boundaries and stand out among the rest. One that I find fulfills all of these requirements is Lambert Kamps and his Air Bridge design. Perhaps what I find most intriguing about his designs are the concepts behind them and the fact that he uses air as a main part of the structure. One idea he emphasizes in this project is that not all things in the built environment need to stand as permanent structures, but can exist only when they are needed and disappear when they are not. The Air Bridge is essentially an inflatable tube-like bridge that is temporarily blown up to extend up to 15 meters and hold up to 12 people at a time in its tunnel. The beauty of his design is maybe not so much in the practicality of it, but more so in the experience. Imagine bouncing along a long pillow of air floating above the water’s surface. This is a structure that literally touches the earth lightly. I like to think that there are times when foregoing function for experience is accepted in the design world, and I feel that this is just one of those instances.
I fell upon Lambert Kamps’ designs in a little book called XS. The book features designs that center on conserving space and ecological sensitivity. Among this one are many other ingenious designs that may well redefine the way we approach contemporary architecture.

Here is a link to Lambert Kamps webpage

September 25th Class Refection, Topics: Colour and Light, Thermal Energy

Our third class began with an introduction to colour and light with guest speaker Vaike Ruus. She spoke of the origins and cultural significance as well as the composition of different colours. She touched briefly on colour fundamentals, the colour spectrum, relationships between colours as presented in the different colour wheels and the two scales: value and intensity.

Vaike then brought our attention to the elements of colour in architecture, describing it as a sort of language, a story that, oddly enough has less to do with the aesthetics of architecture than one might think. Colour can express an atmosphere, a specific geographical location, a rich cultural history, as well as pure human emotion.
Since light varies in different parts of the world, in turn, so does the colour that one would consider unique to these places. How a sky can morph from place to place is something I find so intriguing. That in combination with the distinct soils and vegetation of an area can create the most beautiful palettes. The colour then found in the architecture functions in unison with the colour of the region as they play off and reflect into one another. This is why we find distinctions in light and the associated colours in Northern, Mexican and Mediterranean regions, for example. Vibrant splashes of pinks and oranges and cobalt blues are visually pleasing colours set against the backdrop of a dry, Mexican landscape. In Northern light, colours like deep matte blues, soft yellows and pinks compliment their cool skies. The unity of the natural world and the built environment in this way only reassures me that although it may not in a technical sense be “green” architecture, it is an expression of the organic world through architecture. Yet, despite this, I am going to be stubborn and say that I strongly believe the natural landscape will always be much greater than anything else we decide to force upon it.

Jae-Sung continued the second half of the class with a lecture pertaining to thermal energy. He opened our minds to the usefulness of energy and how it is essential in creating sustainable architecture. He encouraged us to think of the human comfort level and to explore how far that notion could be stressed. It was amazing to see the amount of information needed to create a flawlessly comfortable environment.
I think the most valuable lesson taken from this class was that, as designers, we must always be mindful of our parameters, be critical of design and pro-active towards the issues that are most important to us. Functionality, sustainability and beauty can co-exist in the design world. It is this hybridization that will lead us to be most successful in the future.

Changing The World, One Designer at a Time

As design students, we are entering a massive revolution in the way we perceive the built environment, and although it is quite daunting, it is also the perfect opportunity for us to establish our role in improving the direction our world is heading. It is a responsibility, not a choice, to set a standard for the future so that “green” buildings are not distinguishable from regular ones. This idea of design as separate from “green” design is no longer the way we should be thinking at all, for ultimately, all design should be thoughtful and conscious of the environment. This is our reality as designers.

During a recent class discussion concerning these very issues, a fellow student posed a question that has resonated within me ever since. He said that if we are to preserve and protect the natural environment as much as we can, then should we not refrain from building at all? All building, no matter how ecologically sensitive you try to be, disturbs the land on which you are building. Even if your design uses energy at a net zero level, there is still the alteration of the land being used that must be accounted for. How do you even being to perceive this, especially as a design student?

After thinking long and hard about it, I came to realize that new design and new building will always happen and there will never cease to be a demand for it. So, with that being said, if we are going to put something in our already dense urban spaces or wherever it may be, then it should stand there justifiably. The main focus should be on minimizing negative impacts and simply thinking about every aspect of the design process with a critical, environmentally aware mind.

www.inhabitat.com is a website/magazine created by a group of young designers with a promising outlook on designing for today.

Class Reflections, September 18th

There was a noticeable distinction in the topics discussed and the themes touched on in this Thursdays class. The class began with a presentation on ergonomics and user-centered design, focusing on the body and personal space as a means to improve the relationship between humans and the spaces they inhabit. Understanding behaviors, our sensory responses and the space we occupy is imperative in designing buildings and products that will support humans.
The second half of the class did not focus on one frame of reference such as the human body, but informed us on the much broader scales that exist beyond it. We were shown the film The Powers of 10, which put into perspective our place in this world as being a part of a collective whole. Despite humans’ interest in centering ourselves on this earth, we must understand and accept that we are interconnected to so much outside of our interests.
In another more shocking approach to addressing the different perspectives and relationships between natural and human systems, was demonstrated in the film, Baraka . The film proved to be extremely effective in translating this issue through juxtaposing images of humans and machines. There was much discussion and debate surrounding the film after the class had ended, but what I personally drew from the film was this strong sense of dialogue between two seemingly opposing systems (human and natural). We are so much more apart of nature despite the offset patterns and segregation we’ve imposed on it. There were many images of people working in factories, all of them acquiring such machine like qualities, and although we are in a sense still in control of the machine, since after all we’ve created it, it is our reliance on it that makes us a slave to it as well.

Class Reflections: September 11, 2008

A point that I found particularly significant was that of the separation between the human landscape and the natural landscape. Where does the human realm begin and where does nature end, and further, why consider the two as separate from one another at all? The separation that I am referring to is both a psychological one and a physical one, where humans have become so far disconnected from nature that instead of supporting it, we have adopted this sense of ownership over it. There is no boundary or limit as to what we can conquer, we infiltrate and transform the natural landscapes in order to support our own ever-growing needs while losing sight of the interconnectedness that both human and natural systems possess. A shift in how we perceive these natural spaces is needed, while abandoning the idea of "non-human" spaces so to acknowledge them as they really are. There is so much that we can learn from the earth simply by being aware of it's presence amongst us, and if we are to even come close to touching on the notion of sustainability, we must do so collectively with the planet.