Learning Portfolio

Josefin Jansson

First Iteration (not shown in class)

I thought about layers. A flower has qualities like delicate, good smelling,

beautiful. It’s shape and qualities has evolved over decades. It isn’t so reversible, if I should give critique myself.

MAIN THOUGHTS: Layers, multiple meanings After talking to Gena who was in class (I was home sick) told me objects in

class that had more literal or depicting got negative critique.

Words on me

Flexible adaptable

kind/nice

Multilingual SMART

Funny Perfectionist Deep

Emotional Extrovert Curious enquestiv

Meticulous good cook

Iteration one (shown in class)

Starting over..

I thought I was working with tree separate models on the three word pairs we put together to describe ourself. So this will be Flexible – Humorous. This material (plyable cuttingboard) is very

flexible, it can be bent and shaped. And how do you illustrate Humorous? I just thought of a mustasch, I (obviously)

don’t have one but I find them pretty funny for some reason. They appear in comic situations (Inspector Clouseau, Borat ), you see them in kids dress up kis and even the ones for adults and

so on.

1. Flexible – Humorous

2. Curiosly – Enquestitive

3. Emotional - Extrovert

Iteration one (B)

Extrovert – Emotional

I tried to illustrate ups and downs (as in being emotional) in the shape. I spend lots of time and thoughts on how to shape it. worked with different ways to bend and shape the form. I wanted the ends of the model to point outwards the surroundings.

I like the simple , clean and minimalistic but it has to show thoughts and work behind it. I guess it my Scandinavian heritage.

Critique in class – Killing of a Darling

I got mashed in class. It’s ok, at least after a while..

I was striking that my objects were different from everybody else's. I got very confused and wondered what I’ve missed out on, that everybody else got?!

I also realized during class that we were to incorporate all the words into the model, not tree different pairs, like I thought.

What I really about this “snake” is the

shadows it creates and how they

connect and interfere each other.

Iteration two (?) or four – let’s say 3!

This iteration actually feels like the first one. I’m on track, after finally understanding the assignments, and liking what I’m doing. I continued from the “snake” (note that I didn’t approve of the Snake as a name for my “Darling “).

Again, I really like how the shadows interact with the model.

Summary

I now understand better how to observe the audience and listen careful of what they have to say. As a designer, I will in first hand work for others, then it’s very important to stay alert of what those people have to say. I’ve realized that it can be risky to not try your idea or work on someone else before presenting it for an audience (client). People are in general alike, if the test audience univocal tell me they see a snake, I need to take that in consideration. Especially if I nor my client want a snake. My client will most likely think like the test audience.

I have to bring in some empiricism into my design process. I also need to be prepared for, if not murders, but some wounding on my Darlings, from time to time.

Iteration four

Latest critique in class my model still wasn’t as complex as the others and lacked space. I continued to explore and build on the shapes I already had. The struggle was both on how the parts should increase to size but also the shape of the whole model. I was pretty happy with the result. I continue to like the shadows my model creates (can’t be seen in these pictures).

From iteration to house

Next step was to turn my model into something more architectural.

I started with some simple sketches by hand but realized pretty fast I needed to move on by using Sketchup.

The pictures show my first attemps to capture some of the more spatial parts of my model. Some of wich I continued to build on to. I picked one of the new models to make into a smaller residential house.

The house

I really enjoyed “building” this house. I kind of dived into the project and got absorbed of all problem solving and design decisions I had to make. I worked so much with the house that I almost forgot that I had a homework to work on. I think I got stuck on this because I knew what I was doing and what was going on. I’ve really struggle with this class and I never felt that I had control over the situation and never really knew if I was doing the right thing. When you don’t know if you’re on the right track it’s difficult to make your best cause there’s always a doubt that bothers you. Building the house was fun and allowed me to channel some accumulated inspiration and design-will into an object. I do have a strong will of doing the right thing and making great design! It was rewarding to see something become out of my iterations.

Ready to move in

Furnished and ready to move in! A one bedroom show off house

high end materials and with smart details

Fibonacci and numbers I didn’t completely forget about my work with Fibonacci's numbers. I just had to stay up a little longer that night…

I did some research on Fibonacci and decided I wanted to create a composition with his numerical order as a starting-point.

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987…

I did a sketch on paper, playing with arranging foursquares and rectangulars. Relating the size and placement to the F numbers. I also found out that the Fibonacci sequence is related to the golden spiral. My arrangement follows the golden spirals but that was more of a unconscious act than conscious.

Moved on in Sketchup..

It didn’t work out as I wanted it, at first – my composition didn’t turn out like my sketch. The third turned out fine.

I raised my forsquares into “buildings” the measures follow the Fibonacci numbers. In the same way I added color, 1 black, 2 greys.. I placed the colors where I thought they looked best both separately and as a whole.

In the last model I worked with subtractions to change the shapes of the “buildings”. The number of pieces I took off where Fibonacci numbers.

Next I tried the opposite and assemble these pieces – all the same shape but with different lengths according to Fibonacci.

My last model was a play with the Golden spiral (golden section). I wanted to create rhythm and movement. The boxes are dancing around the spiral, some penetrate the spiral line.

It was interesting to study the theory and see what I could make out of the numbers. I’ve learned about the golden section earlier and I think it’s something that exists and function in my conscious while creating. But a couple of weeks ago I wouldn’t be able to describe it like I do now. Here’s a little movie on Fibonacci's numbers; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGeOWYOFoA&feature=player_embedded

Base Plane Elevated Plane Depressed plane Overhead plane

Vertical linear 1 1 1 1

L-shaped linear plane 1 1 1 1

Single vertical plane 1 1 1 1

Parallel planes 2 2 1 2

U-shaped planes 1 1 1 1

Full closure 1 1 1 1

Open at corners 1 1 1 1

Open at Mid-Wall 1 1 1 1

Open between columns 1 1 1 1

The numbers in the Matrix marks how many times the appear in any of my objects below.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.. After some tears and instructions I finally figured out what a Matrix is and how it should be connected to the mini investigations of space, plus help from Ching’s book I could start working with this assignment. Ching’s book was very useful and instructive.

Explore creating spaces

Few and simple objects can create space. By just looking at row of columns may not give a visual of a experience but being in that “space” could give that experience. It would have been interesting to step into some of the models. There are many ways to experience an environment and if you get to use all your senses I believe you get to experience more.

After getting critique from Jerry, by e-mail, I hadn’t fully got the idea with the Matrix…

This time I’m just going to accept the fact that it didn’t work for me. This challenge was a little too much for me and I’ll walk away. Matrix will be an adventure I’ll explore some other time…

So did I learn anything from this struggle?

I got to know that I have some very warm and caring friends in this new weird country.

I also learned to not pressure myself and got to practice to balance my passion that appears in every project I go into. And sometimes it’s ok to walk away from things (like a Matrix) and be ok with that.

When I look back this was a turning point for me. A beginning of understanding and great step up and big move forward.

The whole truth and nothing but the truth..

How does truth manifest itself in architecture?

Although stating some kind of truth in architecture could be arbitrary, despite that I will say it can manifest itself in many different ways, in architecture. As an architect you can be true to your material.

Here Shigeru Ban Architects show it in the use of the wood in the Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Clubhouse (2010). We see these columns made of pine wood, they show the marks of the branches in the wood. The columns are used as structural elements as well as decorative. As they are made by trees they imitate trees. The truth lies in the way of presenting and using the material. The wood is naked, they use the strengths and qualities of the material and show of the decorativeness it possess. That is a truth!

Josefin’s Design studio 1.0.1

If you can, get help from a (c)a(t)ssistant(!)

If it doesn’t turn out well, you can have someone to blame ;-)

I got really inspired from the links on contemporary architecture that Jerry shared and was discussed in class. The same week we also went to SFMOMA to see Lebbeus Woods exhibition, with another class. I got really stuck on his models he built. It reminded of things I’ve done earlier, as we spoke the same language. So when we were to create our first structural iteration I had the word “skeleton” (Jerry’s voice) and the Lebbeus Woods models..

Model by Lebbeus Woods.

I really like the facet shapes and how the model/building and the site intertwine.

Some things get lost while travelling from world of ideas to the material world

This shows what I first had in mind for my site and construction. A hillside and down the slope a great cathedral would rise with a high tower turned down towards the valley and town below.

My skelett (swenglish for skeleton) would fall down the slop but rice and open up its face to the world.

I started to build a creature from the inspiration of Lebbeus Woods but I did not turn out like anything I hoped it would..

My assistant cat Kungen (the King in swedish) agreed and suggested I started over. I’ve learned to pay attention to my critiques.

New ideas A house merged in to the cliffs of a mountain. I kept the idea of a mountain or hilly terrain.

By using the shapes of the rocks in my design and locating the building construction into the rocks will create a clear connection between site and building.

I wanted to show the structural elements, what carries the building and that they would merge into the landscape. A moose stew cooked with spices that gives hints of Lebbeus Woods, Mies van and perhaps even Hadid.

Smaklig måltid!

I showed my work to Ms. Gena and she reminded me about not making any surfaces. Disappointed but grateful for being pre-critique before class made me change my construction.

The house is a modern building with open floor plans that has a shape that relates to the surrounding environment.

Transparency throughout the building.

Nature and the rocks in focus and construction that frames that. All glass walls facing the viewer so the mountain wall will be shown as a backdrop.

To help me Gena also shared this picture for me. That helped to visualize what we’re suppose to achieve. I later showed the picture to several others in class.

Sharing is caring!

Redo, do right!

I changed my floor plans to get rid of surfaces.

I worked with the relationships of the horizontals and verticals. I left the third floor open, wasn’t sure what I wanted for it. Either a open balcony area or roof. I thought some critique in class would help. The whole shape of the structure should strive upwards but have the center of mass in the first floor, like a pyramid. In terms of hierarchy the base is highest – does that make any sense?!

Critique I wanted, critique I got!

Preface

Poor Professor Lum Night and day he slaves away Oh, poor Professor Lum All day long on his feet Up and down until he's numb Doesn't rest, doesn't eat Doesn't touch a crumb…

And so suddenly;

I think she's got it! I think she's got it! Den spanska räven rev en annan räv - The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!

I got really got critique in class, my construction hade a clear relation to the site.

Some things needed improvement of course. But over all a very positive experience, good for my self-confidence. My building construction looked a bit unfinished and some elements needed to be clarified.

I learned that columns can be more than something antique and that they are vertical and beams are horizontal.

Jerry referenced my work to Landform architecture (!!!!).

We were all introduced to Stan Allen's works, some hot stuff! I could through this fully understand my nerdy Industrial designer friend, how she used to talked about how she and her college friends would drool over some design projects.. Haha!

So my construction went through a transformation. I tried to clean up the lines, the structure and make it more whole and finished, according to the critique I got in class.

The ends of the columns was removed. I can still have a roof top patio. The protecting rail would be made in glass to keep the transparency.

I added walls on the first floor and extended the second so they would connect better into a whole unit. I tried to clean up the lines by removing some beams. I just wanted the lines going vertical – columns and planes that in and out of the mountain, not across the floor planes (from left to right).

Experience

In architecture or design of objects the ideas has to turn into it’s natural built form. In this world the material world is the ideal. Not until we can see, touch and feel your idea in 3D we’ll be able to experience its true nature.

3rd iteration – new structure, old concepts

Kit of parts.

Material -