Archinect - Newschool of Architecture (Brer)

an earsplitting week

2008-12-05T14:17:55-05:00

There is only 2 weeks left. On track with two projects and really not much i can share except this.. the first physical proof of the existance of a model.

Over the weekend I attempted to create this by hand and ended up with a pigs ear. Shopbot, if you have the means I highly recommend picking one up.

Condolences to a friend and a bit of bad weather

2008-11-10T18:47:03-05:00

Quite unexpectedly I've ended up seriously bed ridden. Its come on the back of wind and rain. For the first time in my life I can see a flock of several hundred crows outside my window and its just putting me off my coffee as I am remembering that poem by Poe.

A dear friend of mine has also lost her father this week. The only reason I mention it here is the fact that he was an architect.

The first time we met was at a restaurant bar in Las Vegas. He pointed to the elbow rail running the length of the bar, the wood one that all drinkers and bartenders know for the useful way it provides a place to lean without forcing you to set your elbows on the wet bartop.

"I designed that" he told me.

Not sure what he was referring to I said "what?"

"the elbow rail, I designed that at my first position in an architecture firm, in New York." I think he said it was for the Ritz but i've forgotten which hotel exactly.

Anway, here's to the details mate, godspeed.

on the river, of the marsh

2008-11-01T16:10:53-04:00

I wanted to post a few pictures and a link to a project I'm working on for 'Professional Practice: Design Clinic'. The class is not part of studio but allows students to take on design tasks for real clients or assist in real world design projects.

The class deserves a proper mention as I feel it is one of the more dynamic classes offered at the NewSchool in that it includes students in real world design and research projects led by local architects/firms.

Projects this quarter include an Intermodal Transportation Center for San Diego Airport, a Green Bus terminal on the UCSD Campus and then of course there is my tiny little project which is a floatiing outbuilding for 2 artists living on a tidal waterway in Ruskin Fl.

Short Brief on my project:

Bruce and Delores Marsh are both artists and teachers and are looking to gain space at their home studio compound. Their site , being next to a waterway and bound by local regulations, has no more room for development so they would lik...

burning

2008-10-21T13:24:29-04:00

What do you say when it comes to the point where 10 people are standing there wondering how to proceed?

A week was burned floundering with the topographic model despite the valiant efforts of our instructor Marcel. Overlapping surfaces and unworkable models were all that materialized in the large topo group and had no chance of being passed through to the mill.

In the end we had help moving from the GIS data through to Rhino and all attended 2 Saturday morning sessions to get a bunch of Rhino newbies rolling. I've had some experience with Rhino previously but had no idea how to achieve this.

Now I do.

This morning groups were working at Fab Lab at 6am in an attempt to finish the small scale laser cut topos. Burning eyes and of course no coffee in the lab.

Time shortages have left our large model group with no option but to drop the idea of Milling the large scale model in 3D which is a serious disappointment for me. Given more access to that setup I feel I could h...

unto this first

2008-10-15T14:09:17-04:00

Our first project is a complex site located in the wealthy coastal enclave of La Jolla, CA., 15 minutes north of the studios. There is a client seeking ideas for its future and they have agreed to let us tromp around in their flower beds in the name of architecture.

Our rather large class of 65 has been broken up into research teams for the exploratory and data gathering portion of this project, after which we will each make use of the data and site models to develop our own projects.

Studio group is headed by Chuck Crawford who graduated the GSD and has worked with Zaha, Safdie+Rabines, ect . Seems like a nice chap and certainly knows how to handle a large group.

Last wednesday the entire studio visited the site which is tucked away in a quiet canyon on top of an existing stream. By that I mean that when the current structures were built the stream was directed into an underground pipe that daylights on the other side of the site and fill was brought in as a base for the 3 s...

musical chairs

2008-10-14T13:07:56-04:00

Its a new year. This one (blog) is a document of an experience at NewSchool if I can keep up. Already a week out of the starting gate I'm seeing things looking better on all levels.

I've read sideways comments about the place here on archinect and If we were face to face I might just say whatever and ignore it. No sense defending what is an average reputation, and if I had to frame my past experience there as an object or item I would submit this chair.

Practical, durable and somewhat comfortable but collapses easily if you lean back in it.

As we left for break a few weeks back everyone knew the school was under new ownership. On our return to the studio the effects of this change of ownership were recognized immediately as the scent of VOC's and carpet glue. A Mac Lab and third PC studio were also installed complete with high functioning AC, and a much needed expansion of the library.

http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2008/07/16/businesswire20080716005...