Elizabeth Hillier358446Architecture Design Studio: AirSemester 1, 2012

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Situated above the streets of Manhattan, the New York High Line is built on an historic freight line. This public space allows pedestrians to move over the city and its traffic in peaceful park surrounds.I was intrigued by Georg Simmel’s views on the effect that urban spacial conditions may have on human behaviour, “where the perception of city life is conciously dulled due to the city’s multitude of sensations”. The High Line is an antidote to this by somewhat acknowledging the fact and providing a refuge for its inhabitants.The obviously much-loved greenery is complemented by rusty steel columns that support the structure and has been described as “one of the most innovative and inviting public spaces in New York City and perhaps the entire country.” Paul Gold-berger (National Geographic).I hope to achieve a similar human interaction with my project.

Architecture as an “urban experience”

The New York High Line

Frank Gehry’s architecture has prompted much discussion and argument in modern architectural discourse. Would one classify his building’s simply large works of art? Do his outlandish forms get in the way of other, more important aspects of architecture? As the forms created by him are so different to those seen in everyday life, the viewer can’t help but become involved in it - as though invited to make sense of the strange shape. According to Gehry, all elements of this building represent something, whether it be the colours of wine flowing from the roof, or the silver wrapping that covers a cork. Being so litteral in my design would definitely be a more obvious way of making a conection with the site. Such an approach may also be more suited to the project as I am aiming to create more of a sculptural piece.

Architecture as a “sign”

City of Wine ComplexFrank Gehry

Personal Project

Headspace Studio Virtual Environments

When working with Google Sketchup to create the Head-piece model, it was interesting to consider the program as something that could create a 3D object in the “real world” as I had never completed a fabrication process such as this.

Although capable of producing 3D models, Sketchup is merely for computerization of an existing design as there are no parametrics involved. This is as opposed to “computation”, which creates a design out of paramaters rather than someone’s personal taste.

I feel that a more sophisticated program such as Grass-hopper will bring the greateramount of complexity to my new design that I am aiming for.

Parametric Design

Adelaide OvalCox Architects

Contemporary

Computational Design Techniques

Rhino plugin, Grasshopper, was integral in designing the new grandstand for Adelaide Oval. In what would have otherwise become a tedious manual task, Cox Architects easily adjusted parametres in the program to best provide for patrons of the stadium. Variables such as latitude and hour of the day found the exact shadow on the stand at a point in time, in order to shape the structure.

If I was to test this practice in my approach I could have a moreintimate understanding of how my object would affect passers by- whether it be through the study of sun or other means.