the building i'm designing is like eating soup with a fork. i ain't getting no where. nothing is working. it is a gigantic clusterfuck of residential style roofs and huge masses with windows that can only go in certain areas - some very large areas can't have windows at all one of them is the main front corner. Some areas have a vaulted ceilng and desire nice groups of windows - but only at 8' above the floor and higher. it has 3 "main entrances" one of which has a big drive thru drop off. the style "we want it to look like a big house" was determined from commitee-owners hence the roofs. I am freaking out here. I have worked on it for several weeks and hardly have anything. It's a huge mess - all out of proportion and so awkward. I feel destined for failure.
Time to pull the "spork" out of the drawer. By that i mean look at things from a new perspective and make it interresting in at least one way- a new material, a cool detail, propose a new roof, challenage the MEP with compelling drawings that can help you negotiate higher ceilings...etc
and VOILA! Its done and off to making the next monstrocity...i mean building.
I concur with the above.
"Go where there is no path... and start your own." --Anonymous
Use the properties of your obstacles as your investigative starting point.
Failing that, it sounds like from your issues, some of the same stuff that (in all seriousness) FLW and Patkau Archts came to.
Look at things a new way. The client has come to you wanting something that only you can design - not them, and not anyone else. The client can't specifically ask for something that they don't know exists... draw it up, present it, if it doesn't work, go to the drawing board. It doesn't hurt to have some guts, especially early in the project.
You know what to do, go back to basics... i have no idea what your scheme looks like... but things that automatically might come to mind... many roofs=set up a rhythm.... this quazi-residential roof appearance: does it have to be a pitched roof at booth sides, or can you open one half up that isn't seen making it a different form/material, skylight... something?
nobody here has all the answers... but you do, just haven't found them yet. You'll get it!
If they want it to look like a big house then make it a big house, but make it NICE and not crappy. Like get some cute looking windows or European style roofs instead of normal house stuff.
ConstructionKid - thanks but - the budget won't allow for anything with fancy roofs, they are all pretty simple. I can play with the eaves though. Windows either, no individual panes or even fake muntins except maybe one side of the building. They are boring easy fixed aluminum "maintenance free" you know. I am trying to mix up all the window shapes and sizes a little bit - treat them all different but am getting wierd looks from my coworkers. (Why do people think that all the windows on a building should be the same? What did modernism do to us?) The sidewalls and the ceiling heights jump up and down as the volumes inside have very unique shapes and functions. One room is 4400 s.f. itself and no windows. Anyways, I have made some breakthrus and its coming along OK now! Although my still very simple roof is catching some slack from the principal arch for being too complicated yet. Mixing gables with hips - I must be CRASY!
eating soup with a fork
the building i'm designing is like eating soup with a fork. i ain't getting no where. nothing is working. it is a gigantic clusterfuck of residential style roofs and huge masses with windows that can only go in certain areas - some very large areas can't have windows at all one of them is the main front corner. Some areas have a vaulted ceilng and desire nice groups of windows - but only at 8' above the floor and higher. it has 3 "main entrances" one of which has a big drive thru drop off. the style "we want it to look like a big house" was determined from commitee-owners hence the roofs. I am freaking out here. I have worked on it for several weeks and hardly have anything. It's a huge mess - all out of proportion and so awkward. I feel destined for failure.
use your problems to your advantage. pick up the bowl, sometimes you don't need to struggle with the fork.
when you feel that way, isn't it best to clear your head, step back from it and come back to it with fresh eyes?
thanks joek. there is just so much going on and there are no precedents. i am getting there slowly.
Time to pull the "spork" out of the drawer. By that i mean look at things from a new perspective and make it interresting in at least one way- a new material, a cool detail, propose a new roof, challenage the MEP with compelling drawings that can help you negotiate higher ceilings...etc
and VOILA! Its done and off to making the next monstrocity...i mean building.
I concur with the above.
"Go where there is no path... and start your own." --Anonymous
Use the properties of your obstacles as your investigative starting point.
Failing that, it sounds like from your issues, some of the same stuff that (in all seriousness) FLW and Patkau Archts came to.
http://www.patkau.ca/project%20html/patkau%20strawberry%20vale%20school.htm
where can i fill out a rental application? good luck i know you can pull it together
I agree with Suture verbatim.
Look at things a new way. The client has come to you wanting something that only you can design - not them, and not anyone else. The client can't specifically ask for something that they don't know exists... draw it up, present it, if it doesn't work, go to the drawing board. It doesn't hurt to have some guts, especially early in the project.
You know what to do, go back to basics... i have no idea what your scheme looks like... but things that automatically might come to mind... many roofs=set up a rhythm.... this quazi-residential roof appearance: does it have to be a pitched roof at booth sides, or can you open one half up that isn't seen making it a different form/material, skylight... something?
nobody here has all the answers... but you do, just haven't found them yet. You'll get it!
If they want it to look like a big house then make it a big house, but make it NICE and not crappy. Like get some cute looking windows or European style roofs instead of normal house stuff.
ConstructionKid - thanks but - the budget won't allow for anything with fancy roofs, they are all pretty simple. I can play with the eaves though. Windows either, no individual panes or even fake muntins except maybe one side of the building. They are boring easy fixed aluminum "maintenance free" you know. I am trying to mix up all the window shapes and sizes a little bit - treat them all different but am getting wierd looks from my coworkers. (Why do people think that all the windows on a building should be the same? What did modernism do to us?) The sidewalls and the ceiling heights jump up and down as the volumes inside have very unique shapes and functions. One room is 4400 s.f. itself and no windows. Anyways, I have made some breakthrus and its coming along OK now! Although my still very simple roof is catching some slack from the principal arch for being too complicated yet. Mixing gables with hips - I must be CRASY!
i like PLAY and BREAKTHROUGHS. it sounds like you have turned the corner.
nice work!
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