Arch 484/584 Architectural Design - Cheng

Assignment 4.3:

Project Summary

To develop competency in communicating design ideas digitally

Problem Description:

Throughout this term, you have been:

reflecting on the role of computing in the environment

Now you want to show off how much you have learned: your design thinking as well as your final project development. You are challenged to use your imagination in addressing both a remote and local audience. Can you convey the essence of your project on the web to get feedback from external critics and use the same document as part of your live presentation? If you can draw pieces digitally, they should transfer straight to the Web.

1) PLANNING

Think about your audience and what major concepts you want to convey.

Plan the media of your presentation and how you will sequence your story. What is best shown on the Web through a projector and what is best shown in real life? Can you integrate a walk-through to show the best features of your design? Consider

• Concept Statement
• Diagrams
• Large Scale Sections showing connections & assemblages
• Perspective views showing Lighting & Material
• Animated Walkthrough
• Color Board
• Furnishing images

2) MOCKUP

Draw pages for your Web summary. Images should be displayed with few pixels and linked to the full scale images.

3) PRODUCE according to schedule

Create everything in a quick rough form first, allowing time for later refinement.

Create test prints of all critical pieces, Try pinning up

Monday, May 22: Planning of the final review format

Wed, May 24: Rough layout of all presentation components at 1/4 real scale or larger, dummies of webpage

Friday, May 26: Posting of Web page for remote critics. Mock-up of presentation, practice verbal delivery.

Wednesday, May 31, Thursday, June 1 & Friday June 2: Exit Interviews

Friday, June 2: All work pinned up by 8:00 am

M. Saleh Uddin's Virtual Architecture

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Dear Students,

As we come into the final stretch I want to make sure that I clarify what

my expectations are. Because it's challenging to work creatively using

digital media, some of you have been concentrating on technical skills.

Please don't forget that this is a design studio.

For the design process, I want to see that you can generate aesthetic

alternatives and hone you eye in selecting between them. I would also

like you to be able to refine your design starting from the big-picture

parti and gradually working down to the details, examining alternatives

within a narrower and narrower scope, keeping focused on the overall

design task.

Since it's so hard to manipulate ideas in a 3D model, I suggest that you

print out often and use sketch overlays and notes to clarify your design

direction. This how-to sequence may be helpful:

1 Review project objectives, list tasks and create a tentative

schedule

2 Using a printed plan and sections, sketch out lighting and

space-defining objects in the public open areas.

3 Block in all major furnishings, ceiling planes and partial height

partitions with simple shapes or blocky symbols in public areas and in a

typical repeated room. Place approximate lighting, use simple materials.

(Do this as fast as possible to get a quick visualization).

4 Examine key perspective views, sketch over either manually or in

Photoshop to explore construction materials & detailing. (look at

inspirational objects)

5 Adjust computer model by replacing symbols with more detailed

versions. SAVE views as image files.

6 In a cyclical process, repeat examining the results in light of

your design objectives and adjusting the model. Plan a schedule of these

sequential studies, looking at considerations such as different user needs

and design concepts & elements (hierarchy, rhythm, color, enclosure,

material, lighting, etc.).

7 Assess how what you have created throughout the term could be used

to tell the story of your design exploration. Plan a presentation that

addresses the course objectives and highlights your areas of interest.

Students who would like to substitute work in place of the digital

assignment need to submit a work proposal. We can discuss this more on

Monday.

Let me know if you have any questions. I really want you all to have

successful results for the final and I will try to stop by the studio to

see if you need help.

Nancy