In Pursuit of Thesis: Week Ten

You know what they say about riding a bike? That once you learn you'll never forget? Using Revit is not like riding a bike.

...at least not at this point, anyway.

For those of you that don't know, Revit is a computer aided design program focused on 3D modeling. It's fantastic because you can build a digital model and pull construction drawings straight out of it all in one, convenient little package. It's not fantastic because it's sort of like a teenager - it eventually does what you want it to, but you have to really know how to manipulate it. In other words, it's fairly user-friendly, but you can do SO much with it that it can become difficult to know how to go about it.

Unfortunately, I'm out of practice with Revit, and my first go-around with it left a lot to be desired. For all intents and purposes, I haven't learned how to use the program. Because of this, I've spent many hours harassing classmates, watching youtube videos, and hitting the books. In other words, progress has been slow, but progress nonetheless.

With so much going on in the last few weeks, I'm really just trying to keep my motivation up. Nevermind everything's due in the next four to five weeks and then I'm graduating....

...I got this

Until next time,

In Pursuit of Thesis: Week Nine

Let's be honest for a minute. It's the first week post-spring break, and there are roughly six weeks left in the semester. Productivity hasn't been my strong suit this week, and this post will be relatively short in the spirit of things.

All of this is not to say that I haven't been working - quite the opposite actually. The strange thing about this point in the semester is that everything seems to be shifting from development mode to production mode. There are a few minor tweaks within my floor plan and material considerations that I have yet to work through, but I've largely moved into solving those as I work on the digital model and drafting. I've also been dividing a lot of my efforts between producing construction documents and moving forward on my actual design as well as working towards finishing up my Capstone reflection paper. For some reason, this really makes me feel like I'm getting nowhere. In actuality, I'm getting somewhere - multiple somewheres - at a bit slower pace.

Speaking of all that, it's been quite the process really focusing my energy onto using Revit. I've learned the program before, but it's been just long enough since I really learned it that it seems like a foreign concept to me. Getting all of my designed elements in there has been quite the (re-)learning experience. But hey, might as well do it while I have the time, right?

And on another note, I'd previously been thinking about how I could incorporate angular forms into the space without simply including more, possibly overwhelming, sculptural forms. With a focus on the classrooms, I feel like this will largely happen in the reflected ceiling plan - specifically in the lighting and acoustical panels. I may or may not use both ideas in the final design, but small clusters of these elements could be an effective way to reference the large sculptural pieces in the main public areas. Check out these awesome designs I found that could be interesting:

Lord & Taylor in Ridge Hill, NY by Reggiani USA

Ecophon Solo Triangle seen Here

Similarly, I've been focusing on including solutions that would allow the students to have some more control over their learning environment as well as the work they produce. At this point, I've decided to include a 'blank slate' of a blackbox theater, pop-up isolation practice rooms in the music studio, and a moveable gallery wall system in the main lobby. I also found this great modular seating system that has a pretty subtle form similar to the angular forms I've included so far. 

HM77 Seating System

Anyway, I'm really excited to show you more progress as these next few weeks come and go. It's really exciting to finally see everything taking shape and I can't wait to see it all come together in a final design! 

Until next time,

In Pursuit of Thesis: Week Eight

The moment you've all been waiting for is here...or more accurately...the moment I've been waiting for. I spent an entire afternoon sitting on the most comfortable of couches, sipping on a cappuccino and enjoying the sunshine reflecting off the building across the street. So what? 

So I've survived midterm week - not that it was an event I was particularly worried about. There's something so inexplicably wonderful about the minute you get out of your last class before spring break - no matter where you may or may not be going. It's certainly temporary, and there's definitely work to be done over the following week. But, for now, I'm basking in it. 

I always find this point of the year really refreshing - as I'm sure many people do. I don't know if it's the lack of sleep from the weeks prior, or the elating effects of a sunny day in Syracuse, but I'm feeling incredibly accomplished and at ease. I still have the ideas of finding a job, graduating, or even just finishing my thesis successfully in the back of my mind, but there's nothing about those that's causing me to panic...right now. 

After my second formal review in thesis, I'm more excited than ever to move forward. Something about hearing the words, you're actually ahead is incredibly motivating. Especially when, despite my constant progress I tend to feel like the work I'm producing isn't enough. Call it a curse of the 'mostly' Type A personality. Regardless, I'm not letting it get to me and I'm planning on moving full-speed ahead. 

As I’ve probably said before, actually taking a step back to look at everything I’ve done is always a little surprising to me. You know how if you see a person every day they don’t seem to change, but if you’ve been apart for a while they can really seem different from before? That definitely applies to my thesis – definitely. Here's an idea of what I've done:

From this point on, I'm really moving into the how does this actually work phase. I need to make sure the large, sculptural elements I designed can actually be constructed with the materials I imagined and really see how it's made. Lighting is another obviously important part that I've been thinking about in my head, but not necessarily on paper. But don't you worry, I've got it all planned out. In fact, I'm considering combining lighting into the sculptural pieces, with a translucent, colorfully lit resin mixing with the use of light tubes in some areas. Kind of like this:

See original here

Programmable LED behind translucent resin panels from Seeyond

Angled tubes mimicking the form of the panels.

Another idea I'm really considering over break is the incorporation of angular forms and triangles throughout the other spaces. While these won't necessarily take shape in a sculptural manner like in the main areas, I'd like some elements in the classrooms and secondary spaces to give a nod to the major ones. What I'm most concerned with is incorporating all these elements without them being visually overwhelming. It'll be a really fun mini-project to play with once I return from SEATTLE next week. Check back soon!

Cheers!