Jessica TrevinoARCH 101Fall 2015

Instructor Jerry Lum

Contents

1. “What’s Your Sign?”2. Collages3. Constructed Signs: Version 1 and 24. Documenting Our Journey: Mount Davidson5. Gesture Drawings: Tranquility6. Collages7. Wall of Wonder: Precedence Study8. Gesture Drawings: Wonder9. Iterative Models of Wall of Wonder

“What’s Your Sign?”

For this project I brainstormed a list of words that I feel describe myself. I reached out to family and friends to add to the list, adding an element of how others see me as well. The top ten are as follows:a. Quietb. Curiousc. Inventived. Hardworkinge. Maturef. Structuredg. Kindh. Intelligenti. Drivenj. Quick

“What’s Your Sign?”

After narrowing it down, I came to settle on my three main words –

STRUCTUREDCURIOUS

INTELLIGENT

While these three were the main source of my inspiration, I have also injected other aspects of my personality into the collages and constructed signs.

Collages(Top to bottom: Collage 1, 2, 3)

For the collages I chose to work with images that conveyed my 3 descriptive words, but not in overtly obvious ways. My main components were glasses, gears, grid structure and books – all in a muted tone. A verticality began showing in my collages and additional sketches that I decided to keep for the design of my sign. The collages show a layering and intermixing of various items that come together in surprising ways. The color, or lack of – mainly a grey tone, black, and a wooden or antique yellow tone – were the main color choices in my sign designs as well. The mechanical, structured look was an insight into my more structured, logical way of looking at problems.

Constructed Signs: Version 1 and 2

Left: Version 1Right: Version 2

Constructed SignsMateriality and Method:I decided to use simple, straightforward materials that I could manipulate and layer in the amount of time given. Paper and wood were my main materials, of differing thicknesses and colors. With an X-acto knife, miter handsaw, scissors, glue and paint I was able to build the structure needed to hang the sign and design a layout that spoke about my personality.

Design Layout:I discovered through my collages and additional sketching, several areas I would focus on. The three words I chose to re-imagine were structured, curious, and intelligent. I liked the vertical lines that came through in my collages, reminiscent of a structural grid. Gears was chosen because they point to curiosity, the brain and the inner workings of the mind. Glasses point to an intellectual way of thinking. The wording on my 2 signs, “Curiosities” and “Curiosity Shop” give more clues to the main word Curiosity, but lead one to think of what a curiosity shop is – a collection of many varied items, secretive or elusive in nature. My palette was more muted, with only small pops or hints of color, because it gives a secondary layer into my way of thinking and my personality.

Strengths and Challenges:My signs clearly communicated my intention and my personality. The main issue I would change about my signs was that my second sign could have had more dynamic qualities. I was happy with the strong grid and stability in my first sign, but I wish I had played with more curvilinear shapes and been able to have my sign hang out from the wall.

` Perceiving, Experiencing, and Interpreting Spaces and Places:Documenting our Journeys

For this assignment, I brainstormed a list of places in SF and the Bay Area to possibly visit. After researching my top choices, I settled on Mount Davidson – a small peak with hiking trails that lead up to a massive cross. This was a great chance to explore a new area with fresh eyes and make unbiased observations of the land and design choices.

Following is a presentation I put together to show the most interesting elements of Mount Davidson and what emotions those elements evoked in myself.

Moment of Most Impact:The moment that held the most impact for me was that pause on the trail, before you turn the corner and see the cross. The expansive flatland, overlooking the grid of the busy city that unfolded below and over the horizon. It is that moment when you can feel a calm, quiet peace spread through you. As you turn, you catch a glimpse of the cross – unexpected in this environment but also an invitation to come closer, to delve deeper into the somewhat shrouded nature trail and see what lies beyond. That pause and suspense is what remains the most vivid in my mind.

Emotions:There were several strong emotions or feelings evoked on my hike up and around Mt. Davidson.

PeaceTranquilityReverence

CalmSuspense

EnlightenedEnveloped

Gesture Drawings: “Tranquility”

These drawings are emotion-based, drawn quickly and from a gut reaction.

From my visit to Mount Davidson, I was trying to create a sense of tranquility and peace. The top photo was my first attempt, where I created an enclosed void with rushing movements and sharp angles to contrast the inner quiet void.

In the bottom photo, I focused on some of the same elements with several quiet areas created in contrast to the fluidity and rushing movements surrounding them. In my opinion, this gesture drawing was more successful at evoking tranquility; to improve even more, I would blend the lines to make them into a more fluid motion. I would also make a sharper contrast by using more pressure on the charcoal, being less shy about my movements.

Collages 1 and 2: A Journey to Transcendence

Wall of Wonder:

To start, I researched different wall and window designs from famous architects. I made a collection of this for my precedence study. The next step was using gesture drawings to hone in on

what “wonder” really means to me. After this, I drew up a narrative for my wall design and sketched multiple options. My

wall that evolved was made of triangular cut-outs, making a dynamic and interesting web that interplays with the sun and

changes with the different times and seasons.

Gesture Drawings: Multiple iterations of my personal idea of WONDER

Gesture Drawings: Multiple iterations of my personal idea of WONDER

Model One:For this model I was focused on looking at how light filters through a fractured, perforated wall. The light and the shadows are just as

important as the built structure. The underlying narrative for this model was nesting – sitting high up in the trees and looking down at the branches crisscrossing over each other. This led the design to be asymmetrical, even in how the wall ends at the top and seems to spread

along the floor. Because the model (and hence the hypothetical built “wall of wonder”) are south-facing, the sun is very direct and harsh. Light was a key

factor in my design but the high contrast of light and dark – with no middle ground or blend of light - left the design stern and severe. This aspect, along with the sharp and random angular cuts, undermined the idea of tranquility and a place of sanctuary.

Wall of Wonder Model: Iterative ProcessMultiple models were built throughout the design process to refine the main focus of my project. Throughout the process,

the model transformed as my ideas became more clear and the design became more cohesive.

Study Models Two, Three and Four :Making 2D wall patterns into 3D

Filtering light Differing amounts of light through openings

Seating against wall, formed from wall

Model Five:

Model Six:

Storyboard

LANDSCAPE-grass-rolling hills-open air

OVERALL-wooden structure-nestled on hills

APPROACH-main shape-entrance

-spiral-slowly becomes more built space

SEATING-public to private-seating is pushed up from the walls/floor

IN – OUT-inner walls are alsoouter structure-dual relationships

UNDER CANOPY-under structure is thecanopy section-feels grounded

-canopy effect from underthe seating area-wide openings for light

WALL of WONDER NARRATIVE:

What would a first time visitor see and experience?

A visitor to this site would first encounter a dynamic, free-form wall – fluid and undulating. The wall is varied in height and width, creating a form that is quite alien to our idea of regular “architecture”. Once entering the space, the visitor would be enchanted by the glowing, beaming

light emanating the focal point of the wall. The light is created from the wide openings and transparent glass used in this part of the wall. Surrounding the light, airy portion is a slightly dimmed area, made possible by the wall sections being closer together and also the frosted or

translucent glass used. The last section of the wall is quite solid, with beams close together and with many coverings closed off by wood.

The floor is a continuation of the fluid wall design, pushing and pulling into seating – either benches for several people or for one person to lie down, and a larger raised seat – meant for one person to lounge upon.

What are the most significant aspects and qualities of your design?

-different amounts of filtering light

-hierarchy

-solitude vs public

What are your envisioned construction methods and materiality? (In model and in built piece)

Model: Chipboard, Wood, Paper, Vellum, Matboard

Built: Wood, Frosted Glass, Transparent Glass

How exactly are you provoking wonder, curiosity, and/or tranquility?

-Differing lights

-Fluid walls

-Wall into floor into seating, etc

-Exposed structure

Model Seven:

Model 8: Final Iteration