PROMETHEUS

ESCAPING THE SHADOW OF THE GODS

Method: Muscle And Bone

1.

Should architecture communicate a story? Why or why not?

Yes, thinking of architecture this way enables consideration of each users’ individual lives and how the building will effect and become a part of their stories. Additionally, I believe architecture should strive to generate a unique and positive “genius loci” (the spirit of a place) which is why viewing architecture as if it were a character with a personality would be beneficial.

2. How do you think AI will change the role of architects?

Architects will probably from my point of view be even more human oriented. As tasks such as renderings and environmental analysis can be produced efficiently through AI, architects may have more roles in which they consult with clients and present their projects or proposed projects. Human to human interaction I think will still be prioritized or even more sought after as everything becomes digitalized. I also think that AI focuses too much on the visuals and doesn’t consider the other senses that play a huge part in the way “humans“ experience spaces.

3. How do you think AI will change your architectural design process?

Firstly, I think designers may use AI to help generate inspiration that can further be used to create design possibilities. Secondly, the designer won’t have to worry too much about generating visually intriguing rendered iterations or presentation layouts as AI could potentially do that, instead they will have to worry about “selling” their ideas to audiences thus good presenting skills will be essential as well as considering the other 5 senses and how they can have an impact.

1. How does a 2D line drawing suggest an image of 3D object?

There are many different techniques. You can add perspective to the line works which suggest depth that 3D objects have. Making lines closer to the observer thicker and those further away thinner can add to this effect.

2. How does an image, or images, of a 3D object suggest movement over time?

Motion can be shown through multiple sequenced drawings than change ever so slightly as they progress. Directional arrows or even swooshes can show that a drawn 3d object is moving in space.

3. How does video recording/photography provide designers an opportunity to draw insights from the object/subject being photographed?

One example is that videos when they are dissected frame by frame can show a subjects motion clearly when it would generally be too fast to be perceived by the naked eye. People used to paint horses mid gallop with their front and back legs out gracefully. However, under inspection using photography people eventually discovered that at no time were the horses’ legs in this formation. Instead, they were more visually awkward than they had previously thought.

1. What were your challenges in documenting your investigation (see last week Homework, #1.2) with images only?

For me the challenge is trying to communicate the more intricate and detailed information. For example through static images the audience can immediately get a sense of what the design is and how it looks but they don’t necessarily always get a sense of why it looks a certain way and the benefits that the current form has.

2. What were your challenges in documenting your investigation (see last week Homework, #1.2) with words only?

Words allow the meaning or idea of a design to be understood by the audience exactly with no interpretation. I think the interesting problem with this is that you are telling someone for example that they should feel a certain way as a response to the design but this completely removes the audiences imagination and opportunity to have a unique and individual experience.

3. What were your challenges in documenting your investigation (see last week Homework, #1.2) with line drawings only?

In general I believe line drawings are quite a good method of documentation however they can sometimes communicate functional details only whilst disregarding any emotion. I guess thats one of the things this unit is trying to help us get better at, producing functionally detailed drawings that at the same time communicate the emotion of the design.

1. How can architecture communicate emotively with its occupants?

Emotion through motion. People interact with movement and they display their emotions visibly through movement. Thus having architecture that isn’t static and moves in response to certain stimuli could potentially increase the sense of connection with its occupants, they see the building as living. Just as people create personas for their swords in history or their boats or even now their cars. Humans seem to attribute human like characteristics to objects that move - why couldn’t the same thing happen to a home that moves and responds with the occupant.

2. As a creator, it may appear obvious how your idea transformed into the design. For a viewer, this may not be a case.

a. How can designers make sure their design communicates the idea accurately?

I would expect the best way would be to create many different prototypes (if possible full scale) to test out and trial on a sample group of people. By completing these prototype trials and gaining feedback from the sample groups the designer can continually make changes to eventually produce a design that communicates their idea accurately.

b. How can designers make sure their visualizations and representations of the design communicates the idea accurately?

Again as I stated above the best method I can think of would be to conduct many prototype tests take on any feedback, make the changes required and then repeat the steps until the feedback is satisfactory enough.

1. Design varieties may help customize the design to specific site-specific needs. However, what are the impacts of design variations on fabrication processes? (Hint: discuss about how variations can both create and reduce fabrication waste) fig 1. www.youtube.com. (n.d.). KINETIC WAVE (sculpture). [online] Available at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=2rMJuUrAhJ0 [Accessed 24 May 2023]. fig 2. Carter, L., (2023). Mid journey Generated Images (series) fig 3. Carter, L., (2023). Idea puppet sketch fig 4. Carter, L., (2023). Idea inclined treadmill sketch fig 5. Carter, L., (2023). Ball bearing clearing path sketch fig 6. Carter, L., (2023). Sacrifice through water sketch fig 7. Carter, L., (2023). Moving walls sketch fig 8. Carter, L., (2023). Rotating walls sketch fig 9. Carter, L., (2023). Journey path idea sketch fig 10. Carter, L., (2023). Vertical moving fire sketch fig 11. Carter, L., (2023). Expanding cloth structure sketch fig 12. Carter, L., (2023). Sticks surrounding fire sketch fig 13. Carter, L., (2023). Fire held hostage sketch fig 14. Carter, L., (2023). Walls expanding around object sketch fig 15. Carter, L., (2023). Running away from shadows sketch fig 16. Carter, L., (2023). Fire pulled down to humanity sketch fig 17. Carter, L., (2023). Path through sand projected sketch fig 18. Carter, L., (2023). Gods stopping fire falling to earth sketch fig 19. Carter, L., (2023). Figure moving out of darkness to the light sketch fig 20. Carter, L., (2023). Fire trying to escape sketch fig 21. Carter, L., (2023). Levers as gods sketch fig 22. Carter, L., (2023). The gods moving as a wave sketch fig 23. Carter, L., (2023). Gods pushed back by fire sketch fig 24. Carter, L., (2023). Escaping the dark scary Forrest sketch fig 25. Carter, L., (2023). Top view of levers moving away from fire sketch fig 26. Carter, L., (2023). Figure moving past the gods sketch fig 27. Carter, L., (2023). Playing with “bone” mechanisms fig 28. Carter, L., (2023). Different cam setup sketches fig 29. Carter, L., (2023). Prototype 1 labeled diagram fig 30. Carter, L., (2023). Prototype 1 construction and problem photo fig 31. Carter, L., (2023). Stolen fire diagrams fig 32. Carter, L., (2023). Basic lever cam sketch fig 33. Carter, L., (2023). Lever with extension added sketch fig 34. Carter, L., (2023). Moving video of prototype 2 fig 35. Carter, L., (2023). Diagrams of prototype 2 fig 36. Carter, L., (2023). Photo of components for prototype 2 fig 37. Carter, L., (2023). Photos of prototype 2 in motion fig 38. Carter, L., (2023). Diagrams of prototype 3

If small prototype variations are made in the initial design phases for a sites specific needs, this may produce a little bit of waste. However, if the design gets to the final stage of installation and it for example doesn’t fit then there may need to be significant alterations and therefore fabrication waste in oder to make it fit.

2. By now, you should have attempted to use Gansterer’s Key Lines on analyzing and interpreting your design (refer to last and this week’s activity). What else can line drawings do, apart from representing a design? (Hint: Read Gansterer’s Key Lines Preface Download Gansterer’s Key Lines Preface).

They can be used to generate maps and diagrams for an example to get an idea of all the different emotions that could possibly be targeted. Or perhaps it could be a circulation diagram to show the flow of people through a space opposed to the desired flow.

1. An architectural experience is more than just the design itself. It is also the atmosphere of the space. Aside from the design, what other elements in an architectural representation can architects use to communicate experience?

My answer to this would be the 5 senses. Typically when we design we think of forms which only satisfy one of the 5 senses. There is so much untapped sensory potential that can effect and shape someones experience. Sound, touch, smell and taste should be considered more often.

1. What is the ‘art’ that your design is performing, and how did you explicitly represent this in your posters?

The art that I’m trying to capture is human engagement and interaction. So often there is architecture that is static or is dynamic interdependently from human interaction. This leaves the audience feeling more or less like an observer rather than a participator. I believe its a common trait for architects to concern themselves so much with a building and completely disregard the most important feature which is the people. In a few of my posters I have included and acknowledged humans and their emotions. From including just a portion of someones hand interacting with a lever to humans expressing their emotion through their body language.

2. What challenges did you face in representing this ‘art’ on your posters?

The biggest challenge was not to capture human emotion but to capture a sense of emotion from the movement of the design its self. I do believe I have room for improvement and have tried to develop some additional digital drawing skills from the knowledge in this unit (as seen in the experimentation section) for later use.

3. What is the ‘technology’ that your design is using to perform, and how did you explicitly represent this in your posters?

The technology that I have used and developed is a cellular paper medium that can propagate kinetic motion from one area to another. In order to develop it I looked at bushes and the way in which moving a specific section results in the visible delayed wave of motion through out the whole plant. The way in which every single interconnected branch and leaf (cellular structure) acted as both a tension and compression spring.

4. What challenges did you face in representing this ‘technology’ on your posters?

It was difficult to try and communicate that the cellular medium is made from paper through drawings. In the end a small text annotation was used. There are great communication benefits when drawings and small informative text annotations are used together.

1. Why is it important to structure how you visually and verbally communicate your design in your presentations?

The goal is to generate the desired reaction in your audience, whether this be emotive, informative or even entertaining. The best way to guarantee this reaction is to have a planned and structured response that has already been tested.

2. Why is it important to structure how you textually describe your design process in folios?

Because as designers we make so many different decisions and alterations that we don’t have enough time, space or audience attention to publicly display in a presentation. Therefore, it is important that if someone (e.g. lecturer) wants to know your design journey that it is all laid out textually in a way that is easily understandable.

3. Did you, and if so how, consciously structure your design communications in previous projects?

Yes I generally try to structure the layout of my folios in past communications projects. I have a basic structure that can move around a lot taking steps back if for example feedback requires it. However, when displayed in a portfolio I try to keep the story as linear as possible so that the reader can follow the narrative more easily. In reality the design processes can be chaos guided by the design process steps but when it comes to documenting it you want to take out as much confusion as possible.

4. Will you, and if so how, consciously structure your design communications in future projects?

Yes to some degree. I think it’s important to have structure to follow and keep you up to date and on track. However, as the designer you have to understand that you can’t always let the structured design process get in the way of more organic processes. If additional research or major changes are required three quarters into the project then you have to double back to previous steps and continue from there.