Archinect - University of Arizona, Tucson

012 - What is the eden pavilion?

2004-12-03T03:43:25-05:00

on the boards...

011 - Not Funny Anymore

2004-11-08T00:34:21-05:00

...

010 - Folanized

2004-10-26T03:14:49-04:00

We've passed the midpoint in the semester and things are really heating up. Between keeping my construction documents group organized, and moving into building design, my plate has become very full. This does make things interesting though, and I really am enjoying myself again.

For construction documents, we've hit the 35% submission point, and I'm very pleased with my group. I feel like we've done a very good job and I hope that everyone is happy with our progress. Almost the entire building has been realized in CAD now, in full 3D, and I must say this: Autocad 2004 solids modeling is a sad excuse for a comprehensive modeling solution. I'd really like to start training on a system that can more effectively handle the level of detail we've applied. Now don't get me wrong, autocad's a great program, but I want more. Personal Project: learn CATIA V5

In addition, the eden pavilion is in full swing now. I'll go into more detail at a later date, but my project is going to mak...

009 - Phase II Complete

2004-10-11T01:59:45-04:00

Thus concludes the "flow" exercise. Below is the final synthesis acheived through the process of the last four weeks. I'd be ranting more if I wasn't so pleased with the final results. ( that is, assuming I do not question whether or not it is reasonable to base the concept of the building on some plastic tubing from home depot. I might not question it. ) But, now, seven bottles in a box, who could question that as a concept???

008 - Selected Rants, Vol. 1

2004-10-06T22:06:38-04:00

I am always torn between whether or not our "conceptual" exercises are worth the time. As a whole, I can look back on the exercises done throughout my studio education and say that yes, most of them have helped me as a student and as a person. This is not to say that every exercise is well received, especially when we are chomping at the bit to design a building. The flow project has been confounding.

I am personally very torn about the way we are being educated,
however, at least in studio. CDs class I have no doubts. My problem relates to the social responsibilities of architecture. We have two kinds of architecture that people will easily recognize: the really expensive conceptual shit (guggenheim bilbao, new seattle public library), and the really cheap commercial shit (my supermarket, my convenience store.) Now although both of these two are undoubtably necessary, and I appreciate what gehry does for our profession as much as I appreciate what circle K does for my nee...

007 - Flowbox of Consternation

2004-10-01T02:21:08-04:00

Frustration.

How else to describe projects which only address architecture in roundabout ways? I like to be creative and all, but you'd think these exercises could have a little bit more flexibility and a little bit less, well, FLOW. (Observe below)

Now, this project deals with the concept of flow. As I have mentioned, the theme of this semester is systems integration, hence flow is the determinant force of systems. I suppose. Yeah and phenomenology and stuff. Also reductio. Reductio and vocatio are all cool. END

jp

006 - Victory is Mine

2004-09-19T03:21:19-04:00

So last semester, one of our professors offered up a competition opportunity, put on by the Arizona Roofing Contractors Association. It was, obviously, for an innovative roof design. Now only 4 months after turning in my submission, I was informed that I won! Hooray! 1 free semester is always a good thing. I'll keep this entry short: here are the submission pages!

jp

005 - The Terrifying Le Corbusier

2004-09-10T13:05:42-04:00

Today we will present the philips pavilion to our crits, in all its paper mache/ pourstone glory. I realize now that the Philips Pavilion was wholly unsuited for a precedent study which was supposed to focus on systems integration, which makes me wonder why it was put on the list of acceptable projects. Anyway, I have learned a great deal about both model building and teamwork, so I guess I cannot complain.

Ultimately we owe it to ourselves to figure out how to take knowledge from anything we do in a class, because after all, we are paying to be here.

I am so happy that it is friday.

Attached images for this entry are the pages which I will be pinning up to describe the building.

004 - Labor [intensive] Day Weekend

2004-09-07T04:44:19-04:00

Model building is super fun! Observe the fruits of my group's labor in building the aforementioned philips pavilion. Also observe my attempts at modeling what will become our building for the construction documents class mentioned in entry 002!

tired
JP

003 - Philips Pavilion

2004-09-04T02:05:28-04:00

For studio we are now in groups of three, preparing to create models of various precedent studies. Because our semester project will be an exhibition building, so will be our precedent. Mine is the Philips Pavilion by Le Corbu / Iannis Xenakis. The construction of a sectional scale model at 1/4=1' is proving to be quite a challenge, although we have come up with a method which combines string, paper mache and pour stone. I will submit construction photos in upcoming entries. For now, here is the pavillion itself. Friday night, here I come.

-jp

002-Construction and Destruction

2004-09-01T03:41:52-04:00

Our construction documents course will be realizing between 25-50 pages of documentation (per group of 5) for a building on the site shown below. We studied the existing conditions in 105 degree heat for a couple of hours. The existing brick wall shown will require extensive documentation in order to realize an effective rehabilitation. More later on that project.

In addition, we learned the meaning of John Folan's teaching when he told us all to redo the Salk institute analysis exercise. My last post showed my version of that exercise. IMHO the new one I've done (below) is worse. How can we do better on the same assignment with less than half the time of our first attempt? Oh well.

-jp

001-The Salk Institute

2004-08-30T23:58:46-04:00

Our fourth year class at the U of Arizona has returned from our first fieldtrip: The Salk Institute. The highlight of the tour was a trip through a virendeel truss, which holds the buildings many systems. The Salk Institute is an amazing building. Its tight yet flexible integration of systems into a highly populated, busy scientific research building has allowed it to serve the community for over 40 years now, and without showing any signs of aging. Kahn is truly a master of both form and function- you'll know it when you see it in person.

But don't let me tell you, let me show you with a few of my favorite shots. One is a self portrait, as an introduction of sorts to a semester of blogging. Also: the illustration is my own, a warm up exercise for the year.

-jp