utilitarian sign, indispensable store...

just across the street from our studio bldg... our supply store... they have everything art related, except an artful sign... ironic?

light is a material we can shape, control, manipulate...

in this exercise, we were to build a model (with certain criteria) and do sketches under 3 different lighting conditions to study light and shadow....

important documentary

tonight we got a preview screening of a documentary film called 'citizen architect' about the auburn university rural studio- a charitable build program where architecture students build homes for those in need using recycled and donated materials. http://citizenarchitectfilm.com/index.php very inspiring- could we start something like this in thailand?

space for singular activity

this project is actually the culmination of a number of preparatory exercises in observation, light and shadow transitions, spatial relationships, materials, etc, etc... we were to design a space for an activity: choose either reading, writing a letter, or playing an instrument... i chose reading... the space provides for a number of possible sitting configurations, and purposefully invites the misuse of space. the open top and slat work on the seating surfaces bring about some interesting patterns from light and shadow even from crappy studio light. it's still an early work in progress... pictured here: early 'sketch models', drawings, and current unfinished model...

first project- bridge building- cardboard and people

our first project, given on the first day after a lecture. we were divided into teams of 5 and given very limited materials to build a bridge in less than 24 hours. the materials: 5 big sheets of cardboard, 5 dowels, and 2 rolls of cotton string- nothing else was permitted. we were to build a bridge to span the the fountain, and an instructor would have to walk over it. needless to say, most of them broke but that is a huge part of the assignment- learning how structures fail. third to last photo is dean kevin alter who said our bridge was a beautiful design. he also explained what we might have done different to help it survive. i suspect the intensive project is also an effort to form a bridge between the students.

studio

my desk in the front right corner