In Praise of Shadows - Tanizaki

I enjoy the very idea of considering materials that we generally consider modest and rustic to form an elegant shape and space.  The idea that rough fibers can be pressed into a beautifully translucent plane says something about what is and what can be.  At least I like to think so.

We do not always need to praise the obvious.  We do not always need to exploit the resources common suggested to us.  And most importantly, we do not need to remain in our comfort zone simply because it hard shell already remains.

After all, high praise should be earned.  Resources should be valued and conserved.  And norms should be studied, questioned, and when well called for should be broken and rebuilt.  This exercise provides us with great promise - or do you envision something else?

Thinking Architecture - Zumthor

"My task as a designer is difficult - by definition.  Its is related to artistry and achievement, intuition, and craftsmanship. But also to commitment, authenticity, and a deep interest in subject matter."

This interest me. 

Zumthor list these rather abstract concepts such as "craftsmanship" and pairs it with other abstract ideas claiming some sort of fundamental relationship to design.  Or perhaps the designer himself?  In any case I have deep interest in the reason why this nexus of ideas and concepts present such a tough task.  Why is it difficult?

Does the subjectivity of art weigh to heavy on our minds?  Does the weight of decisions to be made block our intuition?  Or should we direct out attention to the craftsmanship?  After all, considering the execution of most designs is separate from the hands of the designer?

My take - the difficulty does not lie in any one challenge or rather the burden of managing yet another abstract agent.  Instead, the difficulty is having good sea legs as one sails through the design process directly in the heart of an incredible storm made up of the very ideas Zumthor names.  And keeping one's head above water is not enough - rather one must achieve some for of success through the journey of design.

Summer Readings - mik

Here is an overview for two books that I have read over the summer:

- In Praise of Shaddows”  by Edwin McCellan

The first book that I have read and enjoyed is called  “ In Praise of Shaddows”  by Edwin McCellan.
This book had compared the relationship between the design as a product of social conditions that is seen and valued in context. he had exposed the Japanese tradition and cultural values which shaped the material form. He had also explained how forcing it out of context may change it’s essence allowing it to loose it’s originality and intent. His examples of comparing the cultural value of the Japanese and the European influences that slowly dissolved the cultural significant and the value of traditional form.

- The Thinking Hand: Existential and Embodied Wisdom in Architecture” by Juhani Pallasmaa

The second book is called “The Thinking Hand: Existential and Embodied Wisdom in Architecture” by Juhani Pallasmaa. It described somewhat similar concept of the ‘before and after’ focusing on the architects ability to record and express meaning through built form further emphasizing the fact that the current means of teaching and making form is separating the architects  mind from ability and craftsmanship. 

Summer Readings - Maya

THE CRAFTSMAN - RICHARD SENNET

Reading some of Sennet's ideas about focussing on the work of the craft rather than on ourself, made me think of how of a selfish society we have become, where the main goal is no longer 'How can my work benefit society', to 'How much can I benefit from society, with the least amount of work'. We are slowly losing the appreciation of making, we are becoming more and more detached from the things that surround us, but somehow society still makes us want more. We are developing a wrong and probably unhealthy relationship with physical things, where they become only of media to represent our social 'worth'. 

We have to change our relationship with our work, and what it produces. Our work will represent ourself inevitably, and so we don't have to be so mindful of trying to figure out how to represent ourself through our work. Nowadays, it has become where the product is no longer about the use or need or purpose of it, but more of an iconic representation of what we believe we are, or wish we were, or a set of values which we associate ourself with, a great example of this is our overly recognized and adored starcitects.

True craftsmanship should be more modest, and more anonymous. not that we shouldn't get recognition for our work, but the recognition should come from a work well done, for the sake of itself. we as architects should not be known for the ability to reproduce a concept over and over again, but, the opposite, for the ability to reevaluate the problem in hand, and find the write solution for it. 

I agree with Declan, that I love that Sennet is talking about the importance of the process of doing, and rethinking new ways of doing, it is through theses explorations that humans evolve and develop. 

IN PRAISE OF SHADOWS - JUNICHIRO TANIZAK 

I started reading this one, since I really liked the visual descriptiveness of spaces in the reading, and the emphasis of the connection between nature, views, light, materials and details to design, and the experience of design. 

Although as I got more into it I found the author to be very imbedded in a particular cultural mind set, almost ethnocentric where only true traditional Japanese design is good enough to evaluate and describe, he was dismissing any western design thought, and so I found it to be really  subjective. 

THE ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL - EDWARD R. FORD

I find myself quickly disinterested since the book is mostly about looking at the definition of the word and the concept of detail through out history. Ford is defining detail by placing the word in historical / cultural context, showing viewpoints of people through history, particularly mostly looking at modernists and the anti-detail movement.

He was trying to express how does it exist in society, and how it evolved as an idea, but mostly it felt like a history book to me, which I find hard to keep awake for...

I do however think that detail is an extremely important and fundamental part of architecture, and deserves the attention and analysis theory has giving it. 

The Craftsman

The Craftsman by Richard Sennette embodied a lot of what I am passionate about in my professional work, and managed to also shed light on some new ideas for my degree project.


Though the book takes many tangents to reveal one fascinating story after another, ultimately Sennette was using examples from all over the world, at all different times in history to explain the nature behind the Craftsman. Sennette believes that the work of the hand can inform the work of the mind, and that one who utilizes this unique human traite of doing and thinking to produce some product, is a Craftsman. The concept of the craftsman spans all fields of study and craft. Sennette discribes being a craftsman as a way of living and an active/ physical lens in which one can see and interact with the world. For a craftsman there is a an inherant objective to be and make things better for the sake of doing it the best one can. It is in this mind set that innovation is born. Sennette takes it one step farther and argue that there should be a re-imagining of the Enlightenment, from the perpective of how craftsman made innovation and piece by piece changed the who outlook on the developing world.

He writes on a few occasions about the structures of various workshops, including that of Antonio Stradivari's violin workshop, and that even if one tries to reproduce the exact conditions and make of his violins they  never sounds as good as the orginaly by the craftsman. There are things learned in the hand and mind that can be expressed in the making of an object that we may not have the language (either verbal or visual) to express. And so in the apprentise based model a true craftsman may try to teach other by immersing them into the a whole way of life. In this experience a craftsman will learn to find the balance between autonomy and authority.

A craftsman will also learn to find challenges and resistance and turn those into areas of opportunity. Others less passionate will stop in the face of a challenge, but a craftsman will think and create a solution resulting in solution never explored before by others. Sennette uses an example of engineers drilling the first tunnels beneath the Thames, to explain that an obstacle can lead to innovation, and dos not have to stop forward progress. However, it is also the case that the solution must be smart instead of heavy handed. As chefs chop vegetables, they use minimum force, and the right tool to do the job right.

An interesting point that Sennette makes about craftsman, which I didn't expect to come up in this book is about the importance of play. He says that in play a craftsman can find the  true and ernest interaction with their medium, whether it be coding for linux or sculpting with clay.

He goes on explaining what a craftsman is and what traits one has, and how this way of working is something we all ought to strive for.

I do strive for this in my Design Build business, and I hope to create a design for my Innovation center/ Library of Conversation/ Workshop that would help to facilitate the development of craftsman, and then have them collaborate. Sounds pretty sweet to me.

The final review comments were very helpful and allowed me to take a step back. I over edited my presentation at the end and this was not helpful.     Much of the early design sketches and diagrams were not represented in my presentation and questions were asked that would have related well to some early studies.    In terms of program, my concept was convincing and generally well received but my representation fell short of what could have been the more powerful part of the presentation. The massing was also convincing and representative of what I was trying to express with the path. I will look to really get into the plan layout of the spaces to determine rational adjacencies and ways to display the cycle.    In the next semester I will look to improve on the presentations and be more rigorous in what I show and how I show it.   Main items to focus on next semester: Structural systems of the two masses Program layout and adjacencies What is a curating program? What spaces contain this program? How can the exterior exhibit spaces be more powerful Presentation preparation

The Next Steps

Sorry for the delay, I've been trying to catch up on family, friend, and makeup time at the office.

Overall, I was pleased with the constructive feedback from the reviewers on my project, and I am confident that the next phases will allow me to develop a deeper approach to constructing an argument that is self satisfying, fruitful and rich with stimulation.

I felt my presentation needs some finer tuning, and the feedback I received to clarify my argument was something that I have been trying to absorb. The delineation of stilted vs. flooded is an architectural language/parti I plan on carrying throughout the development of the site and interior mechanics of the building. I want my project to be thought of as one with the landscape, and as one that does not fight the climate change, but accepts it for what it is. My project is about the change, its projection, and the potential long term solutions. Climate mediation is a global concern, and I want my project to serve as a catalyst for discussion for the resilence of waterfront cities. 

In efforts to refine my analysis, I must take a more rigorous approach in researching the projected sea level rise (in other words, lets get real with the numbers). What does 1 - 2 meters really look like in section? How does the spaces and activities change as the water is rising? When does it start to become a problem and where/ what does it immediately effect? What does a site model of rising currents look like? Does the model change over time? I feel this will help me with my narrative and analytical thinking of the site.

I also want to investigate the library program much further. What really happens in this building? What specific research occurs and how is it different than a typical research library? I plan to develop my narrative, and start to realize potential client(s). Recently I have attended a conference hosted by the BSA and Urban Land Institute "Preparing Boston for Climage Change and Sea Rise". The conference led me to develop connections and establish repores with people in Boston also concerned with this issue. Perhaps some of these people can become my potential clients.

The attached image is one of my renderings from the presentation on May 17th, 2012. Although it was a bold move, I plan to use it as a reference in the next steps.