Archinect - Arizona State University (Joe)

ARCH education summit

2007-04-15T17:47:27-04:00

I just read the symposium review for the summit @ SCIarc by Orhan Ayyüce. Was there any student interest in the crowd? I was flipping through SCIarc reps' blogs, no comments. I guess final projects take precedence.

End of the lecture series

2007-04-12T02:17:06-04:00

We had our final lecturer tonight, Sean Godsell, from Australia. He kicked off a two week series at our school. It sounds like he is going to stay in the southwest the entire time, ending up at Berkley.

This is the second architect from Australia that spoke for over two hours (last year, Glen Murcutt's lecture lasted for three).

His style draws paralells to some of the starchitects we have in AZ, Bruder, Burnette, Joy.

His consideration for homeless people in the design of public structures is admirable. As of yet, none of these designs have been realized.

Politics SUCKS! I can't belive I used to want to be one!

Here goes (please comment)

2007-04-11T01:46:19-04:00

Ok, so here is my project this semester. I will post the description that I wrote to explain the project:

Parasitic Catalyst
Parasite- an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.
Catalyst- something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected.

The highway system that dissects Phoenix is expansive. While connecting 515 square miles of the Sonoran desert to support our sprawling culture, the valley freeways divide communities. My catalyst proposes to retroactively collect royalties on the land taken from social interaction. The design is a retrofitting replacement of the horizontal steel tube that currently holds freeway signage. The replacement will house two horizontal axis wind turbines (Quiet Revolution designs) that will be powered by the turbulence created from the passing cars.

Average vehicle speeds on the valley highways are approximately 70 m...

What to do, what to do.

2007-04-09T02:04:54-04:00

We are real close to our final presentation, yet I feel I have not designed anything this semester. I am beginning to worry. I have ideas for what I want to do, but I am developing a fear of putting pencil to paper. Pretty crazy, I know. We had to design a catalyst that will change the way we use a certain site. My catalyst is designed, but I do not know what I want to do with it. What does this site look like after my catalyst has been installed. Community gathering? Homeless shelter? Talk about wirter's block. I think I could use a productive crit right now! Any takers? I'll post images if you are willing.

Studio Pics

2007-03-29T00:25:00-04:00

The new and improved architecture studios (well, not so new. We've had them wall-less since the beginning of the fall term). I like it.

Lectures lost forever

2007-03-28T01:13:32-04:00

We have another lecturer coming to speak about aesthetic sustainability tomorrow. It got me thinking...Why don't we record these lectures and archive them in the library? Too much work? Is it forbidden because of some sort of contract agreement? I would think future generations would benefit from these recordings (if they would take the time to find them). Given technology, maybe they could be part of a podcast. I know that these on-air lectures exist.

Review images

2007-03-26T02:02:23-04:00

Just before spring break, we had a review.

We are making a map of phoenix, defining connectors. i feel like i'm connected at the fingertips to my cpu!

The studio is very interesting. I drive around town now, noticing all of the dirt lots that seem to occur randomly.

My friend's project is dealing with the old mill at the end of Mill Avenue. Currently there are plans to make it a hotel or residential condos, something like that. It has been a long time coming for some sort of development. Cool building.

Its been a while

2007-03-25T02:05:33-04:00

Well, it took me a long time to recover from last semester. It was brutal. The trip to the big easy was great! It was my first time in the south.

Dixie Brewing Co.

Classmates in N.O.

We completed design proposals for New Orleans prefabricated housing. It was the first time that I fundamentally rejected the assigned studio problem...and failed miserably. I froze about halfway through and could not recover for the rest of the semester. Design= thinking+doing+making, OR rather, Design=(thinking*doing*making) because if it was an addition equation, my design would not have produced 0 as an answer! All I can say for that studio is that you live and you learn.

My design

As for this semester, I am enjoying the studio. Under professor Kim Steele, we are studying Urban Catalysts. Ways of occupying the "wasted space" of Phoenix.

Our school is undertaking a transformation. We are merging Architecture and landscape Architecture studios together. Accordingly, our class had 6 studio options...

Post-New Orleans

2006-09-24T01:33:36-04:00

Friday, we had a site analysis mini review. We're moving right along in studio. I guess our pace is going to be elevated here quickly. I feel a little bit rushed, a little pressed for time, you might say (hence, the 'non-posting' of the New Orleans photos. I'll do that tomorrow).

Anyone out there doing any work in New Orleans(be it school work or otherwise)? There's a lot going on down there. We got the grand tour by Byron Mouton of Tulane University. They were very hospitable. They even created a list of places that we should go for the full "New Orleans" experience. One on the places included the rock and bowl, where George Porter, Jr. and his band were playing. Great music!!! Porter had a cool t-shirt on. It was black and had "renew orleans" written on the front, with the "re" highlighted in red. Talk about some spirit! It was really cool to see all of 4th year in a bowling alley together. I'll post pictures of that, too. I'm glad I had the chance to see it.

T...

Off to New Orleans

2006-09-14T21:35:14-04:00

We're off! I'll post pictures when I get back.

Isn't it too early to be busy

2006-09-08T01:36:56-04:00

Is it historically true that your first semester of your senior year is just crazy? So much stuff to do.

Anyway, tomorrow i'm delivering a presentation on Shigeru Ban. My group did a study on some of his work including the paper log house, a temporary relief housing shelter. Fascinating! If you get a chance, check out his website. From the small amout of his work that I saw, I would say that he is creative to say the least. As a matter of fact, he is coming to ASU later this semester. Can't wait.

Hopefully soon I will post some images of our newly remodeled studio space. Our director, Darren Petrucci knocked down the walls that separated our studios into prison cells. Check back soon to see the pictures.

Touring the Palm Harbor manufacturing plant

2006-09-07T02:34:07-04:00

My first post...Exciting! Thank you for allowing me the opportunity of reporting for you. I'll try to post on a regular basis. I think that this will help me keep organized as to the happenings of my school as well. I tend to lose track of current events, lost in the world that is not school(or what is left of it).

For those of you reading this for reseearch as to which school to attend, please ask as many questions as possible.

Well, no time like the present to get started...I'll give you a brief introduction. My studio professor is Michael Underhill. The two other professors are Wendell Brunette and Mark Ryan. We have about 36 students. Twelve of the students originally accepted into the program in my year are currently in Buenos Aires, Argentina, studying under Claudio Veckstein for the semester.

Our studio is focusing on modular housing, this semester. Next weekend we will be in New Orleans, witnessing first hand the aftermath of Katrina. Our semester long proje...