OH! design blog | year 2

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OH!

design blog year two

THANK YOU Once again I will pretend this is a real publication and will thank people accordingly. Thank you to my family, specifically Mom, Dad and Noor. Without your motivation, support (emotional and financial), and encouragement, I know I would not be where I am now. Seriously. Thanks. Friends, close and distant, I appreciate your feedback and comments, facebook likes and retweets. They all mean a lot. Every time I let the blog fall behind, it is always one of you who pushes me to bring it back. Thank you. Internet strangers and blog followers, I’m glad you’ve stopped by. I don’t blog to gain notoriety in the blogging community, but every like and follow is appreciated. I hope you find something you like here, and thank you for stopping by. Most importantly, thank you. Whoever you are, reading this right now. At this very moment, you are the person I am most thankful for.

Thank you.

ABOUT This is a book about a blog created to document my design work, ideas, and everyday interests. Nothing formal. Just conversational writing. Hopefully, I’ll get you to smile… OH! is two things; It is the name of the sole-proprietorship through which I free-lanced design, architectural visualizations, and architecture photography. It is also my initials followed by an exclamation point. The OH! design blog began as a way to create an internet presence for myself and showcase some of my most recent work. As time has passed, it has evolved into a place for me to share anything; books I’ve just finished reading, movies I’ve just finished watching, professional projects I am working on, digital photography from my most recent adventures and even silly computer doodles. It has evolved into a mechanism that provides incentive for me to continue to read, write, create and explore. After completing the first year of blogging and publishing the book OH! design blog: year one, this blog has become a passion fueled by curiosity and friendly blog followers. I cannot even remember a time before OH!... Also, it is fun.

CONTENTS The following is a selection of posts from the second year of the OH! design blog. Posts are arranged in chronological order and are labeled as they were online. Enjoy.

ICON GLOSSARY dESIGN WORK: This icon is used to label any work that involves even the least amount of design work on my part. It may be an entire architectural project or just a small Photoshop doodle.

JUST THINKING: This icon is used whenever a post expresses my opinions, ideas, or thoughts on any number of matters.

A SEARCH FOR THE TEXAS VERNACULAR: This icon labels posts containing material from my adventures in the state of Texas.

OREGON AdVENTURE This icon labels posts containing material from my adventures in the state of Oregon.

COLORAdO COUNTRY: This icon labels posts containing material from my adventures in the state of Colorado.

UAE VACATION: This icon labels posts containing photos and opinions from my trip to the UAE (specifically to Dubai and Abu Dhabi) in December 2013/January 2014.

This is the title of the post... (Duh) This is the original post date. This signifies the start of a new blog post (it also resembles a square). This is where you can find the main/my favorite image.

This is text. You must be literate to enjoy this portion of the book. (sorry...)

BLOG ANNIVERSARY BOOK JULY 06, 2013

dESIGN WORK

July 3rd, 2013 marked the very first year of the OH! design blog. So I decided to celebrate/commemorate as I usually do: This is where you can find the category By making a Book in which this post was published. To the left are the first few spreads. It may not be apparent, but the cover of this book is actually all of the text I’ve written on the blog over the past year layered to create an almost solid color. The blog’s first Test Post functioned as a “how-to read this book” spread. Only selected posts were added to the book to keep it from getting too ridiculously long (though as it stands, trimmed and shortened, it is 240 pages long!). This past year of blogging has been fantastically fun. I’m very excited to continue posting for year two! But perhaps the blog could use a bit of a face-lift…

This colored bar signifies the end of a blog post. To the right of it you may find the icon that labels the post’s category (if available).

A dESIGNER’S CONUNdRUM JULY 17, 2013

dESIGN WORK, JUST THINKING, PHOTOGRAPHY

I have been wanting to make this post since this blog started. So here it goes: As a designer, I think I may be a modernist. I enjoy a good grid system. I like clean lines and beautiful details. I prefer interesting material use over architectural ornamentation. Essentially, I like everything Disneyland is not. In my experience, most architects/designers have a problem with Disneyland, and the argument against that place is something like this: “Disneyland lacks a sense of place. It is fake.”

I don’t necessarily want to argue this point, because they may be right. An amalgamation of different architectural styles and cultural vernaculars to create this “land” is essentially no different than say Las Vegas, an oasis in the desert filled with themed resorts and global landmarks. I also understand that Disneyland has some social and economical short-comings, which I don’t know enough about to discuss intelligently. What I will argue is that Disneyland has the potential to and should inspire all architects and designers to work more intelligently. It is important to note that this post is based on my personal experiences and NOT research and facts. With that said, a visit to Disneyland is a vessel to make memories. I don’t want this to be a commercial for why Disneyland is great, but it provides opportunities for people of any age to come together over rides, attractions, carnival food and characters, and to have a good time. Simple as that. I mean, where else can you go to see a glimpse of the future and stroll through a cowboy town on the same property?

As an amateur photographer, I love Disneyland. So many things to photograph! So little camera memory! In fact, some of my most all time favorite photos that I’ve captured come from Disney parks. All of these points are personal selling points, but here comes the architectural significance of such a place: All across America, main street is dying. “Ma&Pa” shops are closing, entire streets of store-fronts are vacant and empty, and sprawling suburbia is eating up the land. At the very same time, here is a global tourist destination that charges upwards of $50 per day for entry to a park that features just that: Main Street USA. The one thing that exists in everyone’s hometown has somehow been transformed into a tourist destination with street cars and horse trolleys. It is always the most crowded part of the park, with live music, food and souvenirs, and is, at the same time, the most ordinary part of the park. Could you imagine if architects could somehow learn from this attraction and apply it to the dying American Main Street? I am by no means suggesting that every Main Street should be turned into Disneyland. And I am also not suggesting that every Main Street should be a global attraction. But what if the abandoned Main Street could be just a bit more lively through architecture or planning tactics employed in Disneyland (like stores that connect internally or an almost pedestrian only street)? There seems to be a push by most people now to re-embrace the idea of Main Street by supporting local stores and attending weekend farmer’s markets and street fairs, all of which I am ecstatic to see. But the more successful these projects become, the more I am reminded of Disneyland. Which I think, in this case, is a good thing. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to Anaheim ASAP.

dOOdLE VACATION AUGUST 11, 2013

dESIGN WORK

I have taken a small vacation from any blog work. I haven’t stopped making things, just stopped sharing so much. So I will now proceed to over-share everything:

My very good friend had recently been working on a design competition to redesign Kansas City that was quickly coming to an end and asked for a little help with creating some icons to represent the different categories he intended to address with his design. With a little direction and input from him I created these four icons. To the left, my made-up University’s team logo. Yes, Vincenzo State University is my imaginary alma mater. And the Bricks are their mascot. Deal with it.

While free-lancing in Texas I helped a small non-profit with designing some business cards and mailers. The Producer in charge of the company did most of the heavy lifting in terms of the overall look of the cards and had already created the lovely logo you see above. I just did a little layout work and created some small icons for the different information present on the card. I also added another book I created to my collection. The “OH! design blog: year one� book is here and is lovely. Thanks again Blurb!

My best friend since the fifth grade is a very talented film major that specializes in film production, music creation, and most things creative. He came up with the idea for a company called BANG | Laboratory. Since he is so talented, he already created a logo. Since I am so annoying, I had to also create something. So to the right is a little poster/logo/mailer/something he could use someday.

I’ll now try to resume regular and punctual blogging. GO BRICKS!

LIGHT PAINTING IN A HAUNTEd HOUSE AUGUST 25, 2013

PHOTOGRAPHY

Light painting is one of the most fun things you can do with your DSLR, and it is one of my favorites. I usually like to have a small army of helpers carrying different sized flashlights to draw and outline different things. But, when bored, you can set the camera timer, grab a light, and go to town!

If you’ve never done light painting before, it is very easy to do. All you need is a reasonably dark space, and then you just have to set your camera up for a very long exposure, place the camera on a sturdy tripod, and then draw in mid-air! There are no real rules when light painting, but the best results come from experimentation.

This image of my little sister was made using the light-up portion of the toy from the post about the concrete iron man head. Because my eye-sight isn’t so great, I accidentally focused on the wall behind her instead of her face. The key to this type of photo is making sure that the subject stands absolutely still.

The above image is an example of classic light painting. The University of Colorado Buffalo was drawn with a flashlight in mid-air by tracing a CU fleece blanket.

I don’t know what the technical name for this type of photo is, but I like to call it “ghosting”. Using my old DSLR, I use the flash-based focus system to essential take selfies of myself in different locations of the hall while my other DSLR is capturing the image over about 30 seconds.

The trick to ghosting properly is to try not to overlap the locations in which you shine the flash on yourself. It does still look very cool when the multiples of the same person overlap, but it can get very messy very easily. I’d really love to do some more ghosting with a larger group of people.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to call the Ghost Busters…

PHOTOGRAPHIC dIFFICULTIES AT THE MCA AUGUST 30, 2013

COLORAdO COUNTRY, PHOTOGRAPHY

Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, CO. Another one of the notable works of architecture in Colorado, David Adjaye’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is most definitely on my list of favorite architectural works. It is incredibly difficult to describe what makes the building so unique and beautiful, and is even harder to photograph. In person, the building has this great sectional quality where different areas look down to different things, and little nooks have hidden views, and natural daylight permeates through the black glass box. The building is small and rather simple, but at the same time is somehow complex…? Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Way to go, idiot. What the hell does that even mean? Simple but complex? You think saying contradictory things makes you sound smart?” Yes, but I have proof of what I’m talking about. On the next page is a series of photos of essentially the same space from different angles:

Can you kinda see what I’m referring to? Even though the images below are all of the atrium-like core space, they each show something almost completely different.

Above is the same space shown from the basement level. I suppose I mostly feel as though all of the images I captured are simply mediocre. BUT‌ when combined‌. they create a SERIES of mediocre images! Wow.

Okay. Dumb jokes aside, this is a really nice building. I don’t understand art, but they have it here. So you could look at that. But, honestly, if you went just to see the building you would not be disappointed. There is even a bar on the roof terrace that over looks part of the city. It really is an awesome place that was just really difficult for me to capture in photographs. In fact, my most favorite image from the trip is the one on the opposite page.

Yep. It is just a chair.

MAKING MOVES PART TROIS: RE-IMAGINE THE BRANd SEPTEMBER 03, 2013

dESIGN WORK

It has been well over a year since I started free-lancing as a architectural/ graphic/photographic design person, which means that the company (if you can call it that) is over a year old as well. As I have grown as a designer and gained experience in the real world, my brand has grown with me. I also recently ran out of business cards, giving me an opportunity to re-imagine the way I present myself. Rather than a range of colors with grid-like, sketchy lines behind them, I thought I’d attempt to share more about myself as I make first impressions on people. Since I operate as a sort-of jack-of-all-trades, I used moo.com and a series of images I’ve created over the past year or so to create these new-and-improved business cards. Annnddd… Since I like to over-do everything, I decided I’d also create a bunch of iPhone wallpapers for myself.

Annnnddd…. Once I made a series of iPhone wallpapers, I paused for a snack. Then made more. Gotta represent, right?

PRINT MEdIA MAdNESS SEPTEMBER 08, 2013

dESIGN WORK

After about a year and a half of working, waiting, and re-working, I finally managed to get my studio 4 book, Internal Conversation, printed. It was actually the first book I ever designed, and I’m very excited to add it to my collection. The premise of the book was that inside my head were two different people: Left-brain and Right-brain. Left-Brain is rational, measured, and strict. Rightbrain is creative, extravagant, and fun. Throughout the design process, the two parts engage in a conversation of checks and balances to create an end product that is both beautifully unique and sensibly realistic. The cover was re-designed to better match the theme of the book. It depicts the two sides of my brain and is printed on a reversible dust jacket. That way the reader can decide which side to side with! You know? Come to think about it, the whole concept behind the book makes me seem rather troubled… No it doesn’t… Yes it does… Shut up! What do you know?… Ssshhh! People are staring! Perhaps the nicest thing about finally having a printed version of this book is that it depicts a large amount of work that never really made it into my portfolio. To the left are a few select spreads.

Another thing I’ve worked on recently is campaign posters. I happened to have two younger cousins running for office at their respective schools at the same time, and was asked to help them out the very same weekend. So the results are very similar. Lots of Helvetica. Lately I’ve been a big fan of writing with images. It makes the text more aesthetically interesting while emphasizing the message.

I’m also very happy to say that both cousins won the positions they were campaigning for! Now, I’m not saying that it was because my posters were so amazing. Buuuttt I am expecting a call from future presidential candidates in 2016.

HULK HOUSE SEPTEMBER 14, 2013

dESIGN WORK

A little while ago I saw a design competition that’s premise was to design a residence for a single person of significance to you (ie a historical figure, family member, fictional character, etc.). Shortly after seeing this, I decided to fuse two of my passions: ARCHITECTURE + COMIC BOOKS. I decided to start designing homes for super heroes. As time passed, I made very slow progress on the project and jumped from one hero to another. Realizing that I was running out of time before I left to attend grad school, I decided to give myself one week to design and complete final production for this project. May I present to you‌ HULK HOUSE. The Hulk is an incredibly destructive force that is fueled by anger. However, inside this monster is an incredibly established scientist, Dr. Bruce Banner, who specializes in gamma radiation. The main concept behind this home was to provide a place for Dr. Banner to retreat to after a Hulk episode. The home should provide adequate facilities to keep Dr. Banner away from civilization until he has fully recovered physically and mentally from his outburst. This means that the home should provide opportunities to continue a normal life without human interaction, spaces to pursue hobbies and kill time, spaces to continue research, areas that provide sustenance, and spaces for meditation/relaxation. The programmatic requirements are pictured to the left. Some fun things to note: If you look closely at the rendering on the next page, you will see that the Hulk is actually standing in the flex space, possibly trying to calm down and prevent a destructive episode. Also, in the living space, you can see that The Avengers film seems to be playing on a loop.

As Dr. Banner moves through his home, it should become progressively more removed and private so that he may avoid sudden fits of anger and is able to retreat to spaces that allow for different degrees of rest and solitude. The shape/form of the building is derived from the very gamma waves that created the Hulk (pictured below).

Glazing that is continuously less transparent allows each wave to take on different light qualities and levels of privacy. As Dr. Banner progresses through his house, each wave is more removed from the outside world than the last.

SHOTGUN BOREdOM SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

dESIGN WORK, OREGON AdVENTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY

I’ve settled in Oregon rather quickly and decided to post some of my passenger seat photos as well as a re-cap of the journey. I promise I’ll stop writing with photos soon…

In Oregon, safe and sound, with more trip photos to come (whether you like it or not). I can’t wait to start school! ^NERD!

A SURPRISINGLY WARM WELCOME SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

PHOTOGRAPHY

Just after leaving Colorado and entering Wyoming, we were faced with two things: Sprawling Nothingness + Incredible Architecture I don’t mean to submit any stereotypes, but the Southeast Wyoming Visitor Center is not at all what I would expect to see in terms of its design aesthetics. The building is… well… beautiful.

Constructed out of concrete, glass, metal, wood, and, most importantly, rammed earth, the building shoots out of a hill and reaches towards the passing highway. As soon as I caught sight of it I immediately pulled over. Within the sharp exteriors are some very clean interiors, filled with natural light and new restrooms. All of the different materials seem to fit together rather naturally and make for a really nice experience.

Like usual, I was to busy admiring architecture to even take notice of the actual exhibits present. So I don’t know that I learned anything about Wyoming, or if there is even anything to learn‌ There is an entire lower level that is dedicated as the offices of some kind of tourism bureau, and is not accessible without an escort. I managed to snap this picture down the hallway, but I recommend making an appointment with someone who works down there so you can see the whole thing. The main take-away: Go see this building. If you live in Colorado it isn’t too far away! If anything, it is an opportunity to see some beautiful rammed earth work in person!

HOME SKETCH OCTOBER 18, 2013

dESIGN WORK, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

I am now a few weeks into my graduate education and would be a big fat liar if I said I wasn’t feeling challenged. So much to do, yet so little time. I forced myself to take the night off from studio so I could get a haircut and wash laundry, so I thought I’d share a project that was made in the first week of studio. The challenge was to create a 500 square foot home with a 500 square foot exterior space. The REAL challenge was thinking of a creative way to combine the two. I decided to choose an urban infill site in the alley between two buildings and to create what I liked to call an, “Urban Camping” experience.

The idea of escape from the city, within the city really intrigued me. As with previous projects, I wasn’t shy about making the living conditions a bit more than inconvenient for the clients. As the relationships between indoor and outdoor spaces formed “blurred” spaces, opportunities to push the camping side of the project arose. Pivoting walls created zones of both indoor and outdoor spaces. To the left you can see the site plan and building footprint, along with hand drawn section and plans with a little Photoshop love.

It may be strange to think that a person living here must go outside to get from the kitchen to the bedroom. Perhaps stranger to think that a person must go outside once again to get from the bedroom to the bathroom. But the idea was to emulate the camping/lodging experience within the urban context. The bathroom is open to the entire house via a wall of glazing, but is screened by a wall of bamboo. This is meant to re-create the feeling of using the rest room in the forest, during which one can never be sure if someone can see what one is doing behind the bushes. Also, the ceiling of the bedroom/flex space was designed to be perforated in a way by which light would enter through the screen and recreate the stars at night. So as not to completely remove one from the city, two opportunities to reconnect with the urban nature of the site are provided in the form of slightly perforated screens that allow people standing immediately adjacent to them to see/hear through the wall without disturbing others in the home. Below is a gently rendered SketchUp model that illustrates these architectural moments. Although I was pleased with the outcome of the project for the time spent on it, during a group review we discussed a MISSED OPPORTUNITY! Where the above image shows a small, man-made fire, there was an opportunity to provide a large outdoor oven that doubled as a fire-pit. That would have really given purpose to the courtyard and would have tied the entire project together.

Wah-Waaaah! You live you learn! I’ll get’em next time!

STUdIO FIELd TRIP: PORTLANd NOVEMBER 02, 2013

OREGON AdVENTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY

Midterms have just finished and I am still alive. So I have a ton of stuff sitting on my desktop, waiting to be shared. Let the sharing begin: DISCLAIMER: As usual, I was mostly lost and following the group. So I don’t know names or locations for any of the projects or photos I took. (HAHA! How am I still alive?) Last weekend my entire studio went on a field trip first stopping in Portland. This studio’s main project is a LIVE+WORK project, so we made a point to visit several housing projects. From the roof terrace of a project called “The Janey” we could see all the way to the river and had a unique view of the construction site for the addition to this rather lovely project.

Breaking for lunch, the entire studio somehow found its way to Voodoo doughnuts‌ (How?)

I, on the other hand, made a point to go to Powell’s Books again and may or may not have accidentally bought a book (Sorry mom…). After, we stopped by an old factory that had been converted into a few restaurants and offices (I think…). V

V Just before getting on the bus, we stopped by a park that featured a sculptural wall made from the rails that had made up a railroad track that had formerly run through the area. Pretty cool, no? Portland was fun, as always, but was just the first stop on a really awesome trip. More to come soon! If I can remember anything about any of the photos I took…

STUdIO FIELd TRIP: TIMBERLINE LOdGE NOVEMBER 04, 2013

OREGON AdVENTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY

I hate that these photos are cluttering my desktop. GO! BE FREE! POLLUTE THE INTERNET! After visiting Portland, the entire studio went up to the Timberline Lodge to stay the night. Apparently the exterior shots of the film The Shining were captured here. Needless to say, this lodge attached to the side of Mt. Hood is extremely charming with its massive timber beams, stone walls, and nature-themed decorative elements.

At every possible moment, beautifully intricate ornamental details are added (sometimes in the form of smiley faces‌)

While the interiors are charming and lovely, with an exterior to match‌

‌the real treasure is the mountain setting.

It makes a Colorado man yearn for home.

Isn’t it charming? The way the fog settles between the peaks? In person, it is almost like a watercolor painting. It is good to know that such natural beauty is only a few hours away.

Now, whenever I am homesick, I’ll just head north and turn up the John Denver tunes. Lets keep up the tempo and get this desktop clean! More trip photos soon.

STUdIO FIELd TRIP: MOUNT ANGEL LIBRARY NOVEMBER 06, 2013

OREGON AdVENTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY

Two down, two to go! Lets keep rolling! The Mount Angel Abbey Library is one of five American works by the architect Alvar Aalto. Like most projects we study in architecture school, it is amazing. The library’s main attraction is the curved day-lighting feature that allows gentle light into the entire space. Though this portion of the project is the most prominent, I’m going to limit myself to three photos:

But there is beauty everywhere in this project, and shines in the attention to detail.

The exterior of the building is extremely underwhelming, but I documented it regardless. I think the most interesting part of the Mount Angel Library is the experience of the space. We study plans and sections and photos of this project in school, but the quality of space is never really translated until you experience it first hand. Way to go Alvar Aalto. You make sense to me now.

STUdIO FIELd TRIP: THE GORdON HOUSE NOVEMBER 08, 2013

OREGON AdVENTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY

This is the last one! After this I’ll quit posting so much, promise. Located in Silverton, Oregon, the Gordon House is the only example of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s work in Oregon. Also, it is the first work by Frank Lloyd Wright that I’ve seen in person.

Designed in Wright’s Usonian period, the home is made with affordability in mind. It was originally located near the Willamette river, but has since been relocated 21 miles south. (Literally, the house was disassembled and moved on a massive truck to its current location and re-assembled). Perhaps the most interesting design element you can see in the Gordon house is the horizontal lines that are carried out throughout the entire house. Wood boards become bricks then become some other horizontal element. Very cool. Another interesting element are the plywood panels that sandwich glass. On the top right, you can see the effect on the exterior, and bottom right the effect on the interior.

They say the Gordon House contains the best kitchen Frank Lloyd Wright ever designed. It is the small double volume room with a skylight and is kinda awkward. I like it.

One strange detail of the building is the extremely low ceiling height in certain places. Upon entering, the ceiling is at approximately 6’7” above the finish floor. That leaves 4” between the top of my head and the ceiling. VERY CLAUSTROPHOBIC. However, this creates the feeling of compression and release once you enter the double volume living room. Below you can see the second level corridor that connects the bedrooms.

I liked the Gordon House. It reminded me a lot of my grandparents house, though I think that likely had to do with the building’s age. It seems as though, at the time, Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs were both cutting edge and visionary. Now it seems as though most of the “impressive” architectural elements included in this project are things that are considered standard for home design (double volume spaces, large living room, connection with nature, etc.). It still was an awesome opportunity to finally see a project by the Great American Architect in person and I recommend a visit to anyone living in or near Oregon. And now, to the left, the money shot. With that, my desktop is clean. Now back to studio…

WINTER WONdERLANd dECEMBER 08, 2013

OREGON AdVENTURE, PHOTOGRAPHY

One of the reasons I chose to move to Oregon from Colorado was because I was informed it rarely snows. I was told that when it does snow, it is usually a couple inches that melt by noon. You can imagine my “excitement” when I found massive amounts of snow and extreme cold. So I’m jumping on the band wagon and sharing some of my favorite snow related photos.

The campus was littered with snowmen and kids throwing snowballs at passing cars, so I did my best to avoid it at all costs.

One interesting thing about exploring when there is snow out is though the sun sets rather early, the snow covered ground keeps everything much brighter, much later.

<-- I don’t know why, but I just like this photo.

No night-time, snow photo trip would be complete without a visit to the Jock-Box on the way home. I suppose the snow is a blessing in disguise, as it is keeping me indoors and working on papers and presentations as the term ends. However, I was disappointed at how beautiful everything looks in the snow. Go away snow. Nobody likes you. You’re beautiful. I hate you.

HAPPY HOLIdAYS dECEMBER 23, 2013

dESIGN WORK

It is the time of year for family, snow, merriment and other terrible things. HAH! Only joking. This Buff has flown south (technically southeast) for a small piece of this winter and it is good to be home, even if only for a moment. Regardless of what you do or do not celebrate, I hope the season brings you closer to your loved ones and is filled with happiness. ^^I know that sounds cheesy, but I’m being genuine. Zero sarcasm, I promise!^^ I’ll be back in 2014.

A VIEW FROM THE TOP // dUBAI JANUARY 08, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

I’m back in school and ready to work (kind of…), but first I must post a few trip photos. Yes, it is true. I was in Dubai for a little while and was so over whelmed that I fell into an architectural coma. I’m attempting to sort through the thousands of photos I’ve taken to make several cohesive posts, so the first will be short. The view from our hotel’s roof:

The better view from our hotel’s roof:

The BEST view from our hotel’s roof ---------------------------------------------------------> The trouble with the image on the right is that I spent a lot of time on the hotel’s roof and I couldn’t decide which time of day made the towering skyscrapers and busy highways look the best.

Morning is nice, but night is better:

However, in my opinion, Early sunset is the BEST:

More to come soon! Assuming studio doesn’t get too crazy too quickly…

OLd SCHOOL // dUBAI JANUARY 11, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

To avoid posting about Dubai for the rest of 2014, I’m going to be highly selective about what I post and am going to post much more frequently to help clean my desktop faster. Let us begin. Imagine Dubai in your mind. What do you see? Super tall buildings? Record breaking malls? Fashionable people driving cars that cost as much as small mansions? The old Dubai is nothing like that. In this special part of Dubai, near an area they call the Creek (which looks much more like a river to me), is a re-creation of the original city that is Dubai. It is full of small houses that often serve as re-creations of the past and as museums, shops, galleries, or restaurants. It is, in my old-people mind, very fun to wander around this tiny town and admire the architecture and sense of place. It seems like a tourist trap, but has the potential to become a cultural hub more significant than any of the massive malls Dubai is littered with.

To maintain these little pieces of history, one of the homes serves as a restoration shop.

Though the houses are lovely, I think walking between the houses is really special. I have to constantly remind myself that, though walking between these homes in December is lovely, come spring, summer, and fall I’m sure it is a whole other story. Recognizing the 106.1 degree Fahrenheit average in August did not stop me from falling in love with this tree-bush-thing.

Strangely enough, this was one of the highlights of the trip. Stay tuned for more of my favorite grandpa activities.

<-- Look at this graphic design decision I’ve made. It is like a vegetation centerfold. Hah!

BACK TO BASICS // dUBAI JANUARY 16, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

Dune Bashing seems to be the type of tourist attraction that every country that has a desert features. Hundreds of similarly named companies (like Dubai Desert Tours or Dubai Sunset Desert Tours or Sunset Dubai Desert Tours etc.) offer once in a lifetime opportunities to drive Toyota SUV’s across the desert, ride camels, get henna tattoos, see belly dancers, and eat authentic Middle Eastern food. Let’s begin with the Dune Bashing:

Dune Bashing is a fancy way of saying “driving recklessly through the desert”. It begins by letting half of the air out of your vehicle’s tires and then immediately moves to chaos. There is no doubt that the drivers are very talented. Though the desert was littered with car parts (and a shockingly ridiculous amount of garbage), the drivers all seem to be extremely good at drifting the cars along the edge of the dunes without falling over the edge or flipping the vehicle. Needless to say, I was made car sick almost immediately. This effectively lowered my abilities to take photos for the rest of the excursion, so I will share whatever I have.

After surviving the perils of the desert (which was also filled with other Dune Bashing vehicles from rival companies), You return to the highways of civilization at which point your driver pulls over and asks for your camera to take the above photo.

After that cultural gem, the driver takes you to a camel farmer, who he hands a bottle of juice, and then tells you to take pictures of him. Then you drive towards the camp while you slouch in your chair, point the A/C at your face, and pray nothing you ate that morning makes a guest appearance in the Toyota.

I really didn’t like Dune Bashing. Riding the camel was not as exciting as it looks. The “authentic Middle Eastern cuisine” was actually rather good. The belly dancer had very admirable… assets… Considering all of the above, the best part of the trip was seeing the sun set over the red sand dunes. Walking through that desert was a highlight of the Dubai trip for sure. Hang in there folks. More Dubai posts to come.

WORLd’S BEST THEME PARK // ABU dHABI JANUARY 20, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

Keeping with the standard of World’s Biggest This and World’s Tallest That, Abu Dhabi is home of the World’s Fastest Roller Coaster in what is, in my opinion, the World’s Best Theme Park: Ferrari World. Please allow me to explain why:

A theme park is only good as it’s theme. What could possibly be more universally appealing to children and adults than Ferrari’s?

Unlike other theme parks of this size, this theme park is completely indoors. This means that all the pesky fresh air and sunlight that plagues most theme parks is removed from the equation. The interior buildings that house programs like restaurants and smaller attractions are all clad with these interesting fins. Which obviously makes waiting in a line for three and a half hours totally okay, right?

Speaking of restaurants, there are plenty of delicious options to choose from. I actually have nothing special to add about the restaurants. As far as theme parks go, the food is pretty standard. The massive scale of the building is an impressive attraction in itself. After standing in a room filled with a mix of different BO’s and successfully defending your place in line from the European family who thinks it is okay to cut in front of you in line if you don’t notice, you’re going to want a break. Go outside and take a look around.

Take a moment to enjoy nature. Lucky for you, there is a fence to keep you from running away.

The central core and structure are some of the more interesting attractions. Especially because they are the only attractions that don’t have a line that is over an hour long. If ever you are bored of the rides, there is a lovely museum that houses some of Ferrari’s past and present models. Be sure to take lots of pictures here. Everyone else is! Besides, it isn’t like every Sheikh and his male relatives are driving them around the city, right?

In all seriousness, I don’t recommend this place. If you have to ride the World’s Fastest Roller coaster or you love Ferrari cars, then perhaps you will enjoy this experience. If you are a sane person who enjoys pleasant theme parks with polite staff and less… um… pungent guests, then I suggest you avoid Ferrari World. The very MOST I recommend you do is walk into the main atrium and visit the gift shop. Then, without purchasing a ticket or entering the park, turn around and face the direction you came in. Then run. I could say much, MUCH more, but I have too much school work to do. I must now read myself to sleep or death, whichever comes first.

MONEY MOSQUE // ABU dHABI JANUARY 26, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is, like everything else I’ve posted about up till now, massive. It is beautiful. It is overwhelming. It looks expensive.

Following the format of traditional Mosque architecture, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque features a massive central courtyard where visitors are asked to remove their shoes before entering. Nose plugs for this portion of your visit are highly recommended‌

The impressive scale of the building is made more astonishing by the materials used. Things like 24-karat gold, Swarovski crystals, marble, mother of pearl, and Iranian rugs amplify the impression of grandeur.

In case you ever visit the mosque and, for some reason, forget to look up, the image to the right is a photo of the largest chandelier I have ever seen:

Bordering the Mosque are beautiful, blue reflecting pools. If you are able to look past the glaringly large budget and in-your-face type of appearance this building has, you may be able to recognize that it is a very beautiful place. Especially in the “winter� during sunset.

This is a must see attraction in the UAE. It is definitely a tourist trap, and you will be pushed around and stepped on by people trying to take stupid pictures of their dumb family. But, if you are able to look past that, you will see something you won’t see anywhere else in the world. You might even have a spiritual revelation… …or an upset stomach from the stench of sweaty socks and dirty shoes. Back to studio! I count at least seven more posts about the UAE. So… bear with me…

EXTREME GREEN // MASdAR CITY FEBRUARY 01, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

Sustainability is most definitely a hot topic, especially in the field of architecture. Imagine a series of massive cities in the middle of the desert. You may ask, “How is that sustainable?” A more rational question could not have been asked. Building skyscrapers and super highways in an area with extreme heat and little water seems like a bad idea, and, without a wealth of oil, would likely be impossible to sustain. Enter Masdar City. The story goes (this is strictly the “dumb guy” version of the story), that someone at some point during the growth and expansion of the UAE (or Abu Dhabi or Dubai or something) had enough foresight to recognize that the country only has a finite amount of oil. Someday (maybe in 10 years, maybe in 100 years) the oil will run out. So, in preparation for that day, Masdar City (Designed by Foster+Partners) was created as a case study in Sustainable city design for a world that no longer relies on oil. I don’t know how accurate this back-story is, nor do I care. Just stop worrying so much about it and look at these pictures:

As a visitor who is interested in sustainability and in architecture, this was a real treat to visit. The trip begins by parking your car along the periphery of the city and entering a self-driving electric vehicle terminal. This was the highlight of the visit. It is such a novel, Disneyland-style idea that makes visiting Masdar City worthwhile. Since the city is only part built, the vehicles make only one stop. However, you can imagine how this idea will become more useful as the size of the development increases. It even features some really interesting way-finding/ typography tricks to use Arabic and English cleverly.

This terminal also features a model of a portion of the development, highlighting how little of this ambitious project is actually completed. The photo of the model is depicting the library of the Masdar Institute, which is the only built portion of the city.

There are quite a few interesting looking buildings, but none are more eye-catching than the library. Massive, curved glulams hold up a metal screen that allows diffused light to enter the library (left). Inside is a DNA-strandlooking, concrete staircase which I was not allowed to go up‌ (right).

Out back there were four large vans sitting idle with the engines running and no one inside. Sustainability!

While all of the architecture is very contemporary, it takes cues from the local vernacular by utilizing design elements such as geometric screens, day lighting, and windcatchers. Above you can see the dorms for the institute.

And a similar, but somehow different view of the dorms.

Contrary to the majority of the photos you see when Google image searching Masdar City, the entire project is not a curvy mess. There are some areas that utilize simple geometries. Also, not everything is a warm earth tone. It can occasionally be a cold looking place.

The project is littered with interesting details. You have to hunt for them, but they are there. The idea behind this place is great. In the winter there is a gentle breeze that flows between the buildings and makes for a really pleasant walking experience. In the summer, I have been lead to believe that Masdar City, like the rest of this country, is unbearably hot. No amount of clever wind directing or thermal insulation can prevent you from being cooked alive by the desert sun. While I am being negative I should mention that there are some questionable design elements too.

For example, allowing water drainage to run along the paths sounds perfectly harmless. But, when the color of the drain matches the rest of the path perfectly, you can imagine how one might accidentally step backwards into it while trying to capture the perfect shot and nearly fall on one’s fat American ass. I haven’t seen to many positive things written about Masdar City. I also haven’t seen too many negative things written about Masdar City. Most importantly, I am too lazy to research anything about Masdar City. So I will tell you the three things I know: 1- Masdar City looks interesting. 2-Masdar City is supposed to be sustainable. 3-I’ve never seen anything quite like Masdar City in my entire life. Just like most things I blog about, if you are in the area you should definitely check out Masdar City. Or just wait for the rest of my UAE blog posts. If you do that you won’t have to suffer through an unbearable plane flight.

THE LANd OF BROKEN dREAMS // dUBAI FEBRUARY 07, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

I ask you to do a lot of imagining. Indulge me once more. Imagine Dubai. Specifically, architecture in Dubai. What do you see? Super tall buildings? Crazy metal forms? Ambitious and expensive designs and materials covering a former desert? As a student of architecture, my preconceived ideas of what Dubai’s architecture would look like reflects exactly what a Google Image search yields. One of a kind buildings. Feats of architecture found only in this one area of the world. Buildings so unique that, no matter their performance, will be referred to as masterpieces (Though I disagree with this type of architecture, it exists and is easily photographed). Almost as impressive as the buildings I saw was the construction graveyard that takes up so much of the city.

Tall towers that are so near completion are left unfinished and exposed to the elements. Re-bar is rusted and concrete is weather worn. Idle cranes hover over empty shells and serve as monuments to tough economic times. You can literally trace exactly where the money ran out.

Though this is a sad sight, with an awakening economy and the fast approach of the Dubai World Expo in 2020, things have once again started moving. For every ten exotic renderings of Dubai on Archdaily, there is one constructed architectural artwork. One example is the Cayan Tower. Though unfinished at the time of my visit, work continues on this nearly complete project. The tower twists as it reaches up towards the sky. It is a bit more awkward than a stacked series of planes that rotate as they move up, but it is still an eye-catching project.

Projects like this succeed for a reason. People seem to be thirsty for the new and original, and are willing to pay any cost. Sometimes the cost is much greater than a dollar amount. To create a unique piece of eye-candy, sometimes building performance is sacrificed. Meet the O-14 Tower: From a distance, this building looks exactly as it’s computer renderings portrayed it.

Even when visiting the building up close, there is something enticing about this one-of-a-kind project.

It is essentially a glass tower, like any other in Dubai, that is wrapped in a thick skin, punctured by large apertures.

I could probably post a dozen pictures of this glaring, white surface that hovers a few feet from the black glass volume. I’ll limit myself to just three‌

I can’t speak to much to how the skin affects the interior spaces, since I was only allowed into the lobby. I hope that the holes in the skin are related (either in size or proximity to one another) to the function of the spaces within the building, but it is doubtful that this is the case. I do know that the punctures near the bottom of the skin expose the entry.

And that larger openings allow for halls of circulation to extend to and from the main volume.

But, as my father wisely pointed out, this floating skin poses a problem of function. Glass buildings in the desert, perhaps more than glass buildings in any other setting, must be washed almost continuously because of all the sand that collects on the surface. With a skin design like this, it is impossible for window washers to clean the black glass.

This was an uncommonly long post designed to come to the conclusion that though some buildings look cool, they don’t always work well. The above example is one found quickly just by looking at the building. Imagine, if you will, the problems that exist (if any) when trying to use the building. Is it worth the cost? Is there any reason to create a landmark building and sacrifice function? I’m not sure there is a definitive answer. Architecture purists might follow the ideal that form follows function. A business savvy client might argue that unique sells, and that to fill the building with tenants they need something new and cool. More importantly, I lied. I’m posting four photos of the skin… To end this post, I present an anecdote: While trying to gain access to the interior of this building, I had a conversation with the security guard. I told him that I was an architecture student and that I just wanted to peak into the upper spaces, and he smiled and kindly said that would not be possible. So I thanked him and informed him that they had a very nice building. To that, he grinned and exclaimed, “Yes! It looks like Cheese!”

STUdIO BLUES

FEBRUARY 14, 2014 dESIGN WORK, JUST THINKING, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

I was out the door at 3am today because the amount of work I needed to get done called for extreme measures. You may ask: “Why?”

Well, I need to draw and redraw floor plans until they eventually come full circle to what I originally started with, Photograph a crappy study model that looks nothing like the finished project, and essentially spend hours of my time doing work that no one will ever see or appreciate.

Once more, you may ask: “Why?” Well… Because I love it. I had this epiphany this morning while working alone <-- in studio, which made me realize something else

SPACE BEAN HOTEL // ABU dHABI FEBRUARY 16, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

If you’ve ever read my blog or ever heard me talk about architecture, you know that I am not a big fan of the arbitrary. I think there is a place for crazy curves and sharp angles if used purposefully, but they are often not. So, when seeing this massive glowing structure that resembles a color changing bean, you can imagine my preconceived notions. This is the Yas Viceroy Hotel. I can’t imagine how this form was decided upon. Inspiration from a breaching whale? A Lima bean? What’s more, I can’t imagine what it is like trying to sleep in one of those rooms as the surrounding skin changes colors throughout the night. But whatever negative biases I had towards the building and its extraterrestrial form were diminished when we entered the hotel.

It was beautiful.

It seemed rather dark for American standards, but it worked in context. The entire interior had a warm glow of indirect lighting. You can see the small yellow dots of light tucked away in the edges of the wall. All of the circulation space felt a bit like an airplane runway as a result.

All of the halls were embellished with lines, perhaps associated with wayfinding (though I did not follow any one line long enough to see where it led).

The walls were detailed with a pattern that were sometimes apertures into the adjacent rooms that diffused light into the halls. Other times they were nothing more than paint on the wall.

The entire interior had a strange retro/space-age feel that was unlike anything else I had ever seen.

I sincerely wish I had taken the electric lighting class I am currently in before I visited this project. I am sure there are some really fascinating lighting details I was oblivious to. I think the beautiful interior made the exterior bother me much less. I wish I had visited when it wasn’t so dark or with a tripod on hand since you can see how grainy and blurry the photos turned out. Regardless, I’ll end with what I thought was the money shot (right).

I think I am often too critical of buildings I visit, particularly ones that scream for your attention. I like this building. Visit it if you have a chance. I could probably say a few bad things, but I’ll hold my tongue. That means you’ll hear double the negativity next time… Lucky you…

A VIEW FROM THE VERY TOP // dUBAI FEBRUARY 23, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

Remember how I said I hate posting about the same thing for a long time? We are at a point where I am getting lazy and careless (more than the usual amount). So instead of respectfully categorizing my posts, I’m going to write about the experience of a place in multiple scales: The Burj Khalifa At the largest and most distant scale, the Burj Kahlifa is an iconic anchor to the city. It is impossible to miss and is a landmark for the entire region.

At the foot of the tower, you find that you and everyone around you is constantly looking up. Everyone is crouching to try to capture the entire building in a single photo, and photographers are being scolded by their families for cropping out the top of the Burj.

A fountain show begins every 1/2 hour. People stop in their tracks to watch water dance to music in a show that is (of course) larger than that of the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

It is perfectly reasonable to expect that a visitor to Dubai would like to enjoy the view from the top of the world’s tallest building. But first, one must journey through the world’s largest mall to reach the base of the tower. If you survive the Dubai Mall, then you may scale the Burj. Restaurants in the Dubai mall are plentiful and beautifully themed. Even the cafes sport brand names. Nearly every store in this mall rivals a high end retail store in any other place in the world. An ordinary book store is raised to the status of a high fashion shop. This simply means that the high fashion stores are designed to make a very wealthy person’s home look like a cardboard box.

The Dubai Mall also features a massive “Underwater Zoo� that is not to be confused with a lowly aquarium.

I am similar to the stereotype of the average man in that I don’t particularly enjoy shopping. Especially shopping for shoes. However, I could spend several hours wandering around the “Shoe District” of the Dubai mall.

This “district” features architectural details the likes of which I have never seen.

Assuming you survive your journey through the Dubai Mall, you may then consider going to the top of the Burj Khalifa. If you are lucky you can purchase a ticket to go up at sunrise.

It may not seem to be that high up once you reach the top of the Burj, but the massive buildings that you had previously been surrounded by now seem like they’re a small architectural model. Before you know it, a massive red/gold egg is rising in the sky.

And you are left kinda speechless‌

Eventually it is day and all of the HVAC systems of all the towers in Dubai are revealed on the tops of all of the buildings. But you’re still left a little speechless. If you are ever in Dubai, do not miss this.

Though I suppose if you ever go to a country that is home to the World’s Tallest/Largest/Fastest/ Smartest/Greenest/ Smelliest things, you’d likely know to visit them. It isn’t really a secret that required my divine insight, is it?

TEXTURAL UAE // dUBAI-ABU dHABI MARCH 03, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

Spring term is ending very soon, which means that I have even less time to blog. So today there are no more words, just textural images from around the UAE. Starting now.

EVERYTHING ELSE // dUBAI MARCH 21, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY, UAE VACATION

I’VE SURVIVED ANOTHER TERM. I can’t believe I’m still posting photos from my UAE trip. Lets stop doing that, shall we? I could probably continue to post images for the rest of the year, but I’m drawing the line here with one last batch of photos.

^A pedestrian bridge with a rib-like shade structure.

^That is a photo of some sprinklers. I don’t really know what is going on‌

^Some art in the Ritz Carlton.

From the ground level, this is a fountain/water feature. But, from underneath (which is where the photo is taken) this is a skylight that throws interesting light patterns all over the space beneath.

This is one of about 500 photos I have from the Jumeirah Emirates Towers. ------------------>

^This weird lump of a building is an entry to a… currency house? I don’t even know what that is…

The weird lump from before curves over to define this space. The memory of this space is the only reason the Curvy lump was included in this final UAE photo collection. Otherwise I think it was kinda pointless. ------------------------------------------>

This is the Burj Al Arab.

This is also the Burj Al Arab.

The rest of the images are from New Year’s Eve/Day and the largest firework show in the world.

Fireworks shooting off of the Burj Khalifa was pretty impressive, but turning back to see the whole city pause and watch the show was even more captivating in my mind. Cars stopped in the middle of the street as every available space in the city was occupied by a spectator.

Look at all those cell phones and iPads being used as cameras to capture that event. There must have been millions of photos taken that very instant, all pointing towards the Burj. I like to think that mine was one of the few cameras pointed the other direction at that very moment.

After the Burj Khalifa’s firework show ended, we ran back to our hotel room to watch the fireworks shoot off behind the Burj Al Arab far off in the distance.

Then eventually the much closer World Islands ignited with the most fireworks I have ever seen at once.

Which made for a lovely end to a busy day. I think I’ll end UAE posts here. It really was an awesome trip, enjoyed between plane rides from hell. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity enjoyed with great friends and lovely family and littered with more photos than anyone will ever have time to look at. Hope you all have enjoyed this little OH! series, we’ll now return to posts about my childish doodles and lousy opinions.

HAWAIIAN VACATION (AKA THE LONGEST POST EVER) MARCH 30, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY

I’m about to try something new. Rather than beginning a series of posts that continue for half a year and drag on until I can’t remember what/why I’m posting, I’m going to do one massive post. For spring break I traveled to Hawaii to visit my little sister. There are three things you should know about me: 1- I hate sand. 2- I hate sun. 3- I hate sand combined with sun. You can imagine why I wasn’t terribly excited to take this trip. I hate to admit this, but my every reservation evaporated and I fell in love with the place. The following is a large collection of images without description that I would like to share with whoever wants to see. Some of the photos may have been taken by my little sister. Enjoy the long, LONG line of photos.

Taking into consideration the sand and the sun, it was still a really awesome trip.

Please excuse me now while I tearfully search for an Acai Bowl‌

COOL, BLUE, WATER. JUNE 27, 2014

OREGON AdVENTURE

Spring term has ended and Summer term has started with a vengeance. But between the two terms I managed to sneak away from the architecture school with a couple friends long enough to see an Oregon Attraction. The deepest lake in America. The most blue water I’ve ever seen. Crater Lake. This visit took place a good way into June, but the ground was still slightly covered in snow!

It was almost as if we saw Crater Lake during the battle between winter and spring.

Regardless of the snow and the slightly chilly breeze, this trip was full of grand views and sublime scenery.

Three beautiful things were combined to make the Crater Lake experience. 1- Steep, rocky walls. 2- Blue, BLUE water. 3- Mountains and hilltops that border the horizon. When you combine all three, you get spectacular views like these ----------------------> | <------------------------------’ Which will make you want to pose like the two on the opposite page. I don’t need to tell you to go see Crater Lake. It is nothing unexpected. It is what you probably think it is. Beautiful Nature.

The nights are cool and I’m a fool each star’s a pool of water, cool water.

<--

OH!

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