Well see vado there's technical description like your structures professor explaining how tension and compression work beautifully in rebar in concrete because the two materials have a similar thermal expansion rate. Then there's what Kent Kleinman and Leslie van Duzer call "think description", wherein you add non-technical information aka poetic information, like when Peter Schjeldahl says concrete is a slut* because it is willing to take any form, whatever form you pour it into it is supple and easy and will do your bidding without concern, will consent to be used in whatever way you desire as long as your formwork is strong enough to hold it.
*Schjeldahl also says concrete is a gigolo, BTW. No gender bias here.
And I enjoy any kind of description when it comes to talking about concrete. (Don't you love the smell of a fresh pour? Jeepers...) I just wish EE's explanation had pushed further toward either science or poetry.
I have to watch Project Runway because my gf is a fashion designer. The lady is always right!
Actually one of the finalists last time Kara, the girl from South Africa also had an architectural undergrad degree...see i know so much about Project Runway!
Jeepers did I mess up above, my apologies. Kleinman and van Duzer used the term thick description, not "think" as I mis-typed above, in their discussions about the Loos house Villa Muller in Prague. And according to Wikipedia they learned the term from Clifford Geertz.
Liberty - I love that link to Clifford Geertz!
The 'thin' and 'thick' descriptors for a reading of a thing is a great way to describe it. In a sense, my goal in the design of a building is to 'thicken' someone's understanding and engagement of a space through experience with it, but have had difficulty explaining this concept to clients without using terms like 'phenomonology' or 'anthropological' (which usually results in glazed eyes and a slow nodding of the head).
Thanks
FR
So glad my mistake led to some helpful informaiton for you, freq! And yes, Kleinman and van Duzer use "thick" as a method of describing architecture, which has serious parallels to social anthropology. It is a helpful and as you say accessible term for people who are made nervous by archi-speak.
To tie back to Extreme Engineering, I would love to see more technical information, explained in a fun way via Danny's graphic-space, of course, with less attention to the melodrama of concrete pipes bursting and time running out. Maybe because some of the info on the show seems remedial to me, having been in architecture for so long. Does anyone else think the show shoots too low in its demographic? Maybe I'm wrong.
Haven't seen this.
Mythbusters are wornout. too slow, and sometimes they continue "reasearching" after the basic math or first results are obvious.
"hey. i wonder if a 3 lb hammer can smash a fly?"
Project Runway If that's the clothes designer "survivor" show, i saw a couple episodes. the judges are off too much. hard to quantify, but they glow over soso or ugly, and may judge a good item as just middling.
EE fans - you'll be happy to know that Extreme Engineering (and Danny) got picked up for another season. Also, in case you haven't noticed, Danny was interviewed on "Architecture on Air" - see this for more.
The Extreme Engineering Thread
i see all the reality i need to see
on my tv...
Well see vado there's technical description like your structures professor explaining how tension and compression work beautifully in rebar in concrete because the two materials have a similar thermal expansion rate. Then there's what Kent Kleinman and Leslie van Duzer call "think description", wherein you add non-technical information aka poetic information, like when Peter Schjeldahl says concrete is a slut* because it is willing to take any form, whatever form you pour it into it is supple and easy and will do your bidding without concern, will consent to be used in whatever way you desire as long as your formwork is strong enough to hold it.
*Schjeldahl also says concrete is a gigolo, BTW. No gender bias here.
And I enjoy any kind of description when it comes to talking about concrete. (Don't you love the smell of a fresh pour? Jeepers...) I just wish EE's explanation had pushed further toward either science or poetry.
Either way, I'm off to bed.
I have to watch Project Runway because my gf is a fashion designer. The lady is always right!
Actually one of the finalists last time Kara, the girl from South Africa also had an architectural undergrad degree...see i know so much about Project Runway!
Jeepers did I mess up above, my apologies. Kleinman and van Duzer used the term thick description, not "think" as I mis-typed above, in their discussions about the Loos house Villa Muller in Prague. And according to Wikipedia they learned the term from Clifford Geertz.
So sorry to be so sloppy in my posting.
Liberty - I love that link to Clifford Geertz!
The 'thin' and 'thick' descriptors for a reading of a thing is a great way to describe it. In a sense, my goal in the design of a building is to 'thicken' someone's understanding and engagement of a space through experience with it, but have had difficulty explaining this concept to clients without using terms like 'phenomonology' or 'anthropological' (which usually results in glazed eyes and a slow nodding of the head).
Thanks
FR
So glad my mistake led to some helpful informaiton for you, freq! And yes, Kleinman and van Duzer use "thick" as a method of describing architecture, which has serious parallels to social anthropology. It is a helpful and as you say accessible term for people who are made nervous by archi-speak.
To tie back to Extreme Engineering, I would love to see more technical information, explained in a fun way via Danny's graphic-space, of course, with less attention to the melodrama of concrete pipes bursting and time running out. Maybe because some of the info on the show seems remedial to me, having been in architecture for so long. Does anyone else think the show shoots too low in its demographic? Maybe I'm wrong.
Well crap. I missed it tonight. I was too busy eating pizza and drinking wine. What did I miss?
I missed it too, husband was watching a movie while I work on drawings. Anyone else?
you didnt miss anything - it was not on???
Haven't seen this.
Mythbusters are wornout. too slow, and sometimes they continue "reasearching" after the basic math or first results are obvious.
"hey. i wonder if a 3 lb hammer can smash a fly?"
Project Runway If that's the clothes designer "survivor" show, i saw a couple episodes. the judges are off too much. hard to quantify, but they glow over soso or ugly, and may judge a good item as just middling.
EE fans - you'll be happy to know that Extreme Engineering (and Danny) got picked up for another season. Also, in case you haven't noticed, Danny was interviewed on "Architecture on Air" - see this for more.
I was looking the other day but I couldn't find anything... is there a season 4 (I think that's right?) DVD out yet?
Could you tell them to make it at a different time? Or maybe buy me Tivo? The whole EE - Project Runway thing stressed me out.
The show is back, now titled "Build it Bigger", premiering this Tuesday (7/10) on the Discovery Channel. Official website
OK, I love Danny, but come on: "Build It Bigger"?!?! How about calling the show "Build It Better" instead?
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