Light and Color : architecture

Light is a crucial element in design by means of functionality, comfort, and experience. These passages highlight the need for light, and takes it further by suggesting techniques a designer or an architect can utilize to manipulate the light to create a desired effect. Reinhold spells out the three different types of light for design purposes: focal glow, ambient luminescence, and the play of brilliants. It was interesting to me to understand the difference in these types and their specific functions. Focal glow commands attention, attracts interest, fixes the gaze, concentrates the mind, and tells people what to look at. Ambient luminescence minimizes the importance of things and people, fills them with a sense of freedom, space, and suggest infinity. The play of brilliants quickens the appetite, heightens all sensation, and can be distracting or entertaining. [Reinhold 6] Designers desire to create a lighting effect because they have experienced the effect from natural light in some sense. They are trying to recreate it to heighten a sensation and encourage the interaction of others with that light source. “The power of these lighting effects that recall a natural lighting condition is connected with our associations with natural phenomena.” [Reinhold 16]

The reading continues on to discuss how light creates a mood and emphasizes a personality of a person or the character of the space. Color is also “used to emphasize the character of a building to accentuate its form and material and to elucidate its divisions” as Rasmussen explains in Experiencing Architecture. He provides examples of historical buildings and eras to explain that color is an important aspect to the character of the space. The theories of color do not state that there is a definite rule or direction that states good architecture is defined by it. The architecture of a building can be lacking in splendor, but through the different techniques of lighting and color, a design can expand to be effective, functional, and entertaining.

Tertia Mock Firm Competition Video

Thank you to David Michael Stapp with DMS Productions for editing assistance.

Mock Firm Competition [final interior renderings]

Mock Firm Competition [floor plans]

Mock Firm Competition [sections]

This is the south section of our building.
The East section of our building.

Personal Interior Renderings

This is a slideshow of my personal renderings that I did for the interiors section of this project. We decided on a graphic to use for this portion of the project. Nevertheless, it turned out to be a failure. We found that we were limiting ourselves in the design process by confining the interiors to be based around the graphic image. This slideshow is of the bottom retail lobby, the upper lounge, and a typical office floor.

Midterm critique images

UNCC : an architecture charette

Our studio traveled to The University of North Carolina at Charlotte for a charette with the UNCC Architecture students. They helped us analyze our design and give us a fresh perspective on the project. We gained experience in building techniques and were able to take notes on many suggestions that could further our design.

Process: model making

These are some beginning sketches of our final building. After the first organic looking sketch model, we realized that all of us are more straight lined, linear designers. No one typically designs with curves, so we started looking at the rock differently. Instead of going with the ribbon shapes of the rock, we started looking at more of the crevices and sharp edges of the rock. Also, because we are building out of the rock and cutting into it, we wanted to show more of a fracturing motion.

[site analysis]

Originally, we planned to place the building toward the back part of the rock so that visitors and employees could enjoy the rock and the view of the water. When analyzing the site, however, we realized that the shadows cast from the building would be covering the rock and water. Because Stockholm is a cold place already, we really wanted to allow people to enjoy the small bit of sunlight they do get. Because of this, we made a group decision to move the location of the building closer to the water's edge. Another reason for doing so, was because we realized that the rock is a little over 100 feet tall. Stockholm has very few tall buildings, and nothing to the scale of what we are designing. By having our building built into the rock itself, we are cutting down about 100 feet from the height, as well as allowing the rock to still be used, and making our building even more integrated into the site.

Mock Firm Competition [birth of a logo]

We have a logo! Our 4th year partners for this project are working as our graphic designers and marketing team. They developed a logo that we all liked and voted to use. We also took that logo and made a file to laser cut it into a piece of cardboard. It is going to be our sign for our critiques. Great job!

Skyscraper [1st iteration]

Running off the idea of layering that we extracted from the rock formation, we began to construct our first iteration for a skyscraper. As a group, we value the idea of forming our buildings and designs to the site, so that it is a part of the site rather than something you can pick up and move somewhere else. We were going for the design being so effective and a part of its site, that it would not "work" somewhere else. By taking this idea of layering and form to site, we began to extract the topography of the rock and build up these layers so that the building resembled the rock in some way. The layers bled into the rock, allowing people to actually walk up the building and still walk out onto the rock that is so important to the swedes.

[site analysis]

We did some research on our rock! As a group, we found out that the rock type is "Gneiss." Its pronounced "nice." We definitely got a kick out of that! I'm sure we will have many jokes to come about how "Gneiss" the rock is. We found that it is a rock type that we can cut into and build out of without too much stress. After taking the rock and researching it, we began sketching it and abstracting the layers and ribbons in it to extract form and shape. It was interesting to see the different layering of colors within it.

[site] Soldermalm : Stockholm, Sweden

MOCK FIRM COMPETITION [the birth of a site]

Tertia Studios has been coming along! We have determined the structure of our firm. We have 3 core principles or partners. David Harrill, Clairissa Anderson, and Cassandra Gustavson. Though they are principles, we maintain a pretty steady and level sense of order. The principles merely act as liaisons to the competition heads for information purposes, and act as settlers for disputes. They have great leadership roles and will step up to make an executive decision if necessary. The members of our group are all very laid back and we like to have fun while getting our work done. We have pretty much decided that our firm will be very laid back and fairly informal. It seems to us that we've already had dirty looks and comments made from the other groups about the structure of our firm. They seem to be a little jealous that we can have fun and still get our work done effectively.

We decided on a site for our skyscraper for the competition. As a group, we really valued and respected existing buildings and parks. We therefore wanted an open space in which to design the building so that not many things would be destroyed. Researching the area and taking a 3 hour tour around google earth, we found very few open areas. Either they were important parks, or many buildings would have to be removed. After a long search, we decided on a site on the island of Soldermalm. The problem was.... there is a giant rock on our site. We will have to do research as to whether we can successfully and effectively build a skyscraper on this particular rock. We will have to do research on the rock type and drilling, cutting, and anchoring options for the site. During the group meeting, we all kept making funny comments about the "wise man who built his house upon the rock." It seemed ironic to us. We WOULD be the group to pick a challenge....

MOCK FIRM COMPETITION [the birth of a name]

After the first day of class, we all took one to two days to contemplate how we thought this building should start to be designed. We were asked to come up with a concept and make a sketch model or two of the building and aspects we wanted to concentrate on. A small critique/presentation was held, by which we were placed into groups by those aspects that were similar. Since this was a mock firm competition, the group we were assigned would become our "mock firm." We were to then come up with a name, a structure, and a history within the firm. A marketing packet will be constructed for us by the 4th year professional practice class.

My particular group decided on the name "Tertia Studios." The latin word for 3 is Tertia. 3 is an important number to my group for several reasons. We are third year students in our 3rd year of the interior architecture program. There are also three main principles, or partners, in our group.

initial concept explorations

Sweden’s early history began at the end of the Ice Age that brought the first inhabitants to Scandinavia. The receding glaciers and warmer climate turned the barren land into lush plains and forests. As the years went on, climates changed with the seasons and the people moved southward toward the coasts. The cycle reversed and the inward land became fertile again. The back and forth movement of the people from the land to the sea, farm to boat, characterizes Swedish culture. Contemplating this idea of land and sea migration, i’ve considered the idea of having two separate buildings that work together to create one essential building. They would take on the form of a wave movement and fit together within the negative spaces of the sister tower. Pushing back toward the land and again back toward the sea.

The idea of land and sea working together speaks to Stockholm, Sweden specifically in that the city is built on fourteen islands that rise gracefully from the water. Swimming and fishing are activities that occur even in the heart of the city. Ferries, boats, and cruises shuttle you around the city and allows for many ports for trading and exit. The sole purpose of the skyscraper is to provide a building for offices and other commercial uses. It will provide places for people to work both individually and together: just as the land and sea works both individually and together to keep the city vivacious.

Consider: “Everything in moderation”

Swedes tend to be very humble in nature and consider boasting to be unacceptable. They prefer to be quiet and listen rather than making their own voice heard. Excessiveness, flashiness, and boasting are abhorred within Swedish culture.

The challenge is to create a building that speaks to the strength that Scandinavia holds in the field of architecture and design without offending the humble culture of the Swedes.

Skyscraper Precedent [Rodovre]

Above is a slideshow of a few diagrams that I created to better understand my skyscraper precedent. I chose to study a building that wasn't actually constructed, but rather was entered into a contest similar to our mock firm competition of this year. My precedent was the Rodovre skyscraper that was designed to be located in the municipality of Rodovre in Copenhagen, Denmark. The building was designed around a series of pixels. The "sky village" originally began as a block and was subtracted in some places and added in others to become and interesting design. The building is interesting in its sense of flexibility. It can be used to accommodate a predominately large market for commercial offices, residential, hotel spaces, restaurants, or retail. The way that the pixels are organized throughout the building creates sky terraces for the people within the building to use as yards or gardens. They are located in a strategic place to allow for adequate amount of sunlight, but placed in corners so that the spaces do not suffer wind damage.

Workplace Precedent {Larkin Building]

Above is a quick slideshow of a few diagrams and construction documents that reflect the design of the Larkin Administration Building by Frank Lloyd Wright. I diagramed specific aspects of the workspace, such as form to site, light to form, hierarchy, circulation, structure, and organization. This exercise encouraged me to look at the space on an analytical level so that I might better understand how workspaces are organized. From this particular precedent, I gained a knowledge of hierarchy in the sense of quality of workspaces depending on the position within the company. Wright designed the space also with a large central atrium that was surrounded by balconies. The rows of seating and desks were very structured and resembled a grid pattern that was also reflected in the rest of the space with the conflicting vertical columns and horizontal balconies.

Rodovre

Awaken City Church : 1 year

Along with my usual studio blog, I wanted to periodically add little tidbits and excerpts of what God is doing in my life. He is the center of our universe, and is my biggest inspiration. He is my everything, all the desire and passions that drive my design work. Why not give Him the credit and glory for it?! This is the first of many blogs to come about my faith and personal walk with God. I pray that God works and moves in your life as much as He does in mine. I also pray that God gives me the words and topics to post here that they might impact your life as much as my own.

With that said, let me jump right in...

Awaken City Church is a new church plant that celebrated our first year birthday/anniversary yesterday : January 16th, 2011. I have been attending this church the full time of it's opening, and a little before that as well. We are a church dedicated to seeing the manifestation of God's love and kingdom on our planet. Our simple mission statement sums it up...

"Awaken City Church . . . Awakened hearts loving our city."

Encountering the Kingdom of God—not just doctrine. We seek to encounter the reality of God's Kingdom; not just doctrine about the Kingdom.

Embracing deep satisfying relationships. As Christ followers we embrace and form deep satisfying relationships because we were created for community.

Effectiveness in all we do. Because the Gospel is the most relevant, live-giving message on the planet, we want to be effective in all we do.

Excellence in all we do. We pursue excellence in ministry, always trying to rise above mediocrity and the status quo.

You're Beautiful by Phil Wickham

You're Beautiful : Phil Wickham

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
Youre beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
Its all proclaiming who You are
Youre beautiful, You're beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
Youre beautiful, you're beautiful

When we arrive at eternitys shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
Well enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and well sing
Youre beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
I see Your face, I see Your face
I see Your face, Youre beautiful, Youre beautiful, Youre beautiful

Ranch [presentation thumbnail]

We presented a powerpoint in class on this project, but we also had to create a simple layout for presentation purposes. I decided to highlight my main image and then add smaller thumbnail shots of other locations through the home below it.

Ranch [private: bedroom 2]

I brought in the same concept of everything connecting together in this bedroom as well. If you'll notice, the top window panes connect to the mirror above the bed...

And the mirror becomes the shelves on the side of the closet that fall down the wall and meet the carpet rug...

And the carpet rug runs the length of the room, visually meeting the shelf on the opposite wall.

Ranch [private: bedroom 1

Ranch [private: Master Bedroom]