the spring quarter has begun. by hook or crook i scraped by the last quarter of structures and things are lookin up!

This is the quarter called the "comprehensive" studio where we are supposed to address the integration of all the building systems (HVAC etc.) this is the last "mandatory studio...the final two are completely up to us. many people take furniture studios or go to rome or china or some used to go to the mexico design/build program to fulfill the optional ones.

Anyway the 5 studio options this quarter:

Ferry Terminal with Karyn Thomas
Art Book Library with Anthony Pellechia
Design/Build (green house in UW arboretum) with Steve Badanes
which unfortunately does not count as "comprehensive"

Tidal Sciences Bldg (I think) with Dave Miller

and the studio i'm in:

the "mini-muni+market" with mark millet

which involves designing a neighborhood based city services building, public forum and neighborhood market place. a LITTLE bit too much in one building for my taste...but i like the neighborhood/public based aspect of it.

also in my queue of courses besides my moden arch hist. class that i should have taken last year and building systems, are my double dose of jeff hou (who i'm really appreciating right about now): design activism and architecture in the landscape. i'll undoubtedly write more about those throughout the quarter but initial thoughts:

maybe i should have pursued landscape architecture i definitely think its less object oriented which is one of my frustrations with architecture.

perhaps, through this design activism class, i can address my inner angst about where the HELL i fit in. we talked even today about the paradoxical nature of the design "profession" and activism. how in the world will i mix the two and still be able to eat?

thats for another post. now i must sleep. got in from philly 2 days ago and still haven't recovered from the time difference. 8:30 am class isn't helping things.......