SLEEPER KEEPER!!!!!!! GROUP PROJECTS!!!! OH NO!!!

Wow, I do not know how I pulled through the sleeper keeper project. In the beginning, I thought everything was going to go well. My group started a little late because we need supplies and we were waiting to get those supplies such as wood and real aluminum siding from the Queen Street dorm that they are going to tear down later this year (or some day...who knows now). So during Thanksgiving break, five of my group members and I were either staying in Hampton for break or lived in Hampton. However, when it came down to construction it was only four group members total!!! We spent that whole break building and I can say the four of us got A LOT done. However when break was over, it was a disaster. The sleeper keeper was due on Thursday and I also had other work to do but I put it aside for the sleeper keeper. That Monday we called a meeting, however, only the same four group members showed up!!!! Very angry and I rarely get mad. I just didn't understand.....do people know big of a grade the sleeper keeper was??? I wanted to have a test run also because I felt that we would get it done way before time. Things started to turn for worst than better, two of our group members seemed completely missing and the others seemed like they would show up when they felt like it. It was weird. Another big complaint is that I asked a group member to look up some information for our "book" that we are going to turn in for that class. However, when that person got back, they didn't even look up the information that we needed. Finally, another set back of this project was that the siding which should have been done a long time ago; however, Peronnet was a SPECTACULAR side of the wall. That was a good idea because he was right; we DID NOT want the sleeper keeper to look like "grandma's house" (HAHA). That caused an argument because they were complaining about the design for the SPECTACULAR wall. This caused problems which resulted in nothing getting done to the walls that night!! Even the day before it was due, people were still missing. It seems like the group didn't come together until about 3 hours before it was due....shame shame. I pulled TOO MANY HOURS on this project doing the design phase and building phase. The project is over now and when we had to put together all the prefabricated parts, people weren't listening to me about mistakes that could have been avoided. It turned out good in my opinion, probably not the best looking but it was definately warmer in the sleeper keeper than it was outside. We also had a movable window and chair. Finally, thanks to JEROME JOHNSON, we had one of the greatest water systems!! We collected water that first night I slept it and we didn't get wet!! Freaking awesome! However, I am not glad that it is over. I am not satisfied with the look of our cabin and I really wish that I could get an opportunity to do it over. I like construction and I really wish I could use my architecture skills in building a sleeper keeper that I can be FULLY satisfied with....

Architects must feel like proud parents!!!

TURKEY DAY BLOG!!!

Ok so I have designed projects and projects and projects for sometime now for studio and various other architecture classes. But it's really interesting to see the work you design be built. I felt like some kind of parent watching his child grow! Well I haven't had any of my major work be built in the real world ( that would be even greater); however, in my Building Science class we have to build a sleeper which is just a place for a person to sleep in and to do work in if they have to. Its not anything like a house for five or cabin to move around it. I think of it as a sleeping bag that contains Semper’s Four Elements of Architecture...the hearth, mound, fence, and roof. Basically, I love to design, and was made head of the design committee for our project and it was hard. Especially trying to incorporate the billions of changes that the group decided on. However, I have made designs before in architecture class and built models for them. This was different though. Not only was the design going to get built, but I would also have a hand in construction. I have never built some I design or have every seen something I designed be erected into some kind of masterpiece. Its weird being the architect. When changes come along, people come to the architect and tell them if things go wrong or if they do not fully understand the design. It feels good....in a weird "I Love My Job" kind of way. However pics of the finish product will be posted soon!!!

Making the impossible possible

As I was looking at my design for my final project, I took a look back at a precedent that I was using and I am still amazed "Rohner ports building"

Architecture Exchange East

On Thursday, the architectural department had an opportunity to go to Richmond for Architecture Exchange East and it was pretty interesting. When we first got there, there was a lecture from an Architect at Snohetta (named after the mountain) and he showed us a couple of projects such as the Olso Opera House in Olso of course. This was one of the projects that fascinated me the most here because of the shape and design and location of the building. Also the fact that I had already seen this building in magazines and websites from previous research for as a potential precedent for my project. But the I would talk about that building...maybe at a later date. However, at the Exchange, I noticed that they were doing a lot of renovations in the downtown area of Richmond which I thought was pretty interesting. I signed up for a tour of a hotel/condominium. It was interesting how they were restoring the building and adding rooms to make the place look so nice with the old structure. We got an opportunity to go in the basement to see the old structure of the building and how it differed from the newer structure. I believe one was built in the 1920's and the other was added in the 1930's. My final lecture of the day was learning about making sustainable homes (which is something I previously learned from Shannon my second year). But I learned some valuable information about U values ( the lower, the better insulation...the inverse is the R value). Net zero homes were also disscussed and he stated that some of those homes produced more energy than needed which I thought was interesting and a something I should look into for the future (they could get money for selling there enegry to the city). Finally there was a social at the end which I didn't get a chance to stay that long but it was interesting seeing architects socializing, drinking, laughing and having a good time without having to worry about a project due the next day. I can't wait to get my degree........

Architectually Stuck! Complexity or No Complexity??

So we have gotten our final projects in Studio and I was trying to come up with a design for my building. A DESIGN!!!!!! That shouldn't be the hardest thing in the world. I start my design process first with models....models....and more models. Not as much as others though; however, I me modeling a design. Not so good at all. I have become stuck with the idea that I need to make my design so complex and different. My designs for other projects in the past were good! People loved them....well I loved them...and my designs explained my concepts very well. However, I was no pondering does it depend on the design??? Meaning, does the design have to have that complexity in order to make it appealing and well conceived or can a design still be simple. I was trying to try something complex and different; however, it just seems like my complex ideas aren't coming together like I want them to. I know I am a box man. Things that I design are kind of....square..and I know that and I was trying to explore something different. I need to know how!!!! I need help!!!! tear........Should I be complex Isiah or should I just stick with what I know?

Model Making is my gift

Today I was admiring the work I have done over the past couple of years in architecture studio and I have noticed that I have a skill in making models. I believe it is a craft that can be done very well if the proper amount of time is given to it. Believe me I know. I once spent about 3 days on my model for my fable project ( darn you curtain walls). However, capturing as much detail as possible when given a specific scale is something that I love to do. The bigger the model, the more detail. the smaller the model, the most detail I can put in as possible. Here is a picture of the post office in Newport News. We had to model the site that we were working on and I was given the opportunity to model the post office. Here is the final product of my model. I also realized that models help me visually when making my design. By doing a model first it can help craft that floor plan and sections that a designer needs. I believe Frank Gerhy had a similar method in designing. It makes design interesting in a way I would have never thought of. Thanks Peronnet! Haha

Stereotomic vs Tectonic

Over this past weeks our class has had a discussion about stereotomic vs tectonic. I understand the concept of stereotomic, use of heavy construction, such as in Bemis, which uses Bricks to hold the rest of structure. I also understand the idea of tectonic as with the new building project that they are building on our campus, I forgot the name of it, but it is using tectonic construction with a brick veneer. So the brick have no significant purpose in holding up the structure. It was kind of interesting as now I notice more stereotomic construction especially with older buildings. Now we have a project and we are using a site in Newport News. In the site, you can really see and understand the stereotomic buildings and the tectonic buildings. But now I just need an idea for this last project............

shhhhhhhh

Lets put a curtain on.........THAT WALL!!

This week has been an interesting week. I have been thinking of the idea of using curtain walls for my project in Studio. Curtain walls hang off of a building and have to be applied correctly or a lot of disasters could happen with that building. They don't carry the dead loads of the building and they should contain the shield and the wrap. However on my studio project I didn't know much about curtain walls so I kinda trashed the idea because I didn't want to use them incorrectly. This week has been interesting because in building science we had a more in depth lesson on curtain walls. Now i seem more confident in using them; however, I believe I still need a little more research on the subject, but I have seen some interesting uses of the curtain. One neat little building is the Chinese Central Television Headquarters which uses curtain walls in a unique way. I am still researching this curtain wall and others structures that use them in order to get the full grasp of the subject. More to come....

THE POINT PROJECT!!!!

Today I was walking upstairs to the second year studio and I couldn't help but notice that they were doing the point project. I HATED THAT PROJECT!! Well at first I did because my ideas weren't coming together like I wanted them to. As I was looking at those second years developing their concepts and models for their Point project, it brought back memories of me doing my Point project. My first idea was TOTALLY different from my final results. Oh yes!! In the end, I believe the Point is one of my best projects that I have done so far at Hampton. It just reminded me of all the PROCESS WORK that I did just to complete that project. It was definitely a lot; however, it was definitely worth it!!!