Coming Full Circle

Community. After a year in the Interior Architecture program I have realized that the word community holds a greater meaning then I ever gave it. I have come to trust, love, and cherish all of my piers. As first years, we have formed our own community. We take care of each other when were sick, we help each other when we can't handle the world, we take the fall for one another, we are a community of boss bitches. You mess with one, you mess with all. A friend will bail you out of jail, but great friends (a.k.a. all of us) ... we'll be sitting next to each other saying, "Damn what a great night!"

Stewardship. To be in charge of and in control of situations such as people places and/or things. Take for instance this story: A young girl, of no more then 20 years of age, is driving down the road, eating a big juicey, thick burger from her favorite restuarant, McDonalds, as so many vegitarians do. She finishes up the bun-wrapped cow, and throws the wrapper out the window. This story is an example of bad stewardship, because the burger eating vegitarian is not taking charge of her surroundings.

Authenticity. Being original, new, and fresh. In my many years on this planet I have realized that a lot of people are not authentic. Many try to fit in with everyone else instead of standing out. You will never find me doing this. The queen bee of fashion, Miss Coco Chanel said, "In order to be remembered one must always be different." Who wants to be ordinary in a crazy-mixed up world. Now I know that I can be fake to people sometimes, like when I say "Oh my gosh your outfit looks so foxy" when I really mean "That is the ugliest skirt I've ever seen!" But for the most part I'm honest. What I do hate though is when people fake bake and go to the tanning bed. I feel like it is a disgrace to my native Hawaiian/Brazillian/Spanish heritage. I am tan, you're not. Don't change yourself, love yourself. Be original, be authentic.

Inivation. To be new, creative; to hybrid new and old; to discover. When one is inivative they are trying out new things. I try to do new things all the time. When I first came into this program, I would have ideas for projects fluttering through my head, like a school of butterflies around a field of sun red tulips. I realized that my ideas were too complicated and I did too much with my projects. Whe I realized this I refined myself to do more simple and "to the point" projects. Now theres only a few (and by few I mean 59, give or take a few) butterflies in my head. Old with new. Inivation.

My community of stone fox, boss bitches is my family. I would do anything for them, a friend is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. Next time you go for that corndog dipped in mustard yellow .... mustard, remember DON'T LITTER, cause I will hunt you down and find you like the chihuahua you are. GO GREEN and be substainable. Save your mother lands. Love yourself always and be authentic. If you feel like a troll, dress like a troll, it doesn't matter what you look like. If you've got a hunch back, just throw a little glitter on it babies and go dancing. And finally, my teachers, my friends, my loveys, always be inivative and try out new things, but remember to be yourselves ALWAYS!!

GONZALEZ OUT !!

BLINK BLINK !!

Between Light and Space

A light fixture that Frank Lloyd Wright crafted.

It allows for back and direct lighting. (Above) 

Craft. An activity involving skill in making things by hand. Craft can be represented in a good way through clean lines, which can be achieved through a datum. Craft can also be represented through a negative way when lines don't line up or come to an end in a clean and polished way. "If one takes pride in one's craft, you won't let a good thing die. Risking it by not pushing hard enough is not a humility" (Paul Keating). Keating explains that one must always take pride in their craft, because when you don't you let your hard work die. One must always stand behind their own work and love it completely. Problems with Falling Water include having to fix the supporting structure every year. However, though the craft may be seem negative when it comes to the support system, it can also be seen as a positive in the fact that it was the first building to every be built using metal rods forced into the ground. YOU GO FRANKIE!

A room I designed for Suzanne's class. It is a virtual, that 

is something that is so good a fake, it looks real, 

drawing of a space. (ABOVE)

Virtual. Almost or nearly as described, but not according to strict definition. Virtual also means viewing without being there. In Jefferson's Monticello He placed mirrors on opposite sides of the windows to reflect and give the illusion of more light. As Tommy says, "It's so bad it looks good!" Virtual is also something that is so good a fake that it looks real. "The pyramids are virtual mountains, hauled block by block up to the plateau from the Nile" (Roth 169). This quote further proves the idea of virtual meaning so good a fake it appears real. Th pyramids are not mountain, however, because of there mass and form they appear to be geometric versions of mountains.

The fireplace Jefferson manufactured in Monticello. 

His technique involved adding acorns in between the molding. (Above)

Technique. A way of carrying out a particular task, esp. the execution of performance of an artistic work or a scientific procedure. In Monticello, Jefferson used all local materials to build the structure. Also, in Monticello Jefferson placed acorns in between the spaces of the molding on his fireplace. Jefferson also borrowed technique from the french when designing his home. "Eventually these become just as commonplace as metal framing, which was itself a highly novel technique when used for building ..." (Roth 41). This quotation explains how good technique can be used to create beauty. 

Jefferson invented a dumbwaiter, which is a rolling cart. 

It was constructed for one person to roll out and serve

 guests instead of many servants doing the job. (Above)

Public / Private. Open and closed. Jefferson had one third of Monticello designed for his own personal space. He was also embarrassed about having slaves work for him, so he built the kitchen and staff areas under his house so no one could see the slaves. The food was brought up from the kitchen and placed onto a revolving service station, this also prevented his guests from seeing his servants. In Monticello, Frankie W. designed dark hallways to prevent people from walking to the other end (where the private bedrooms where) and stay in the guest area. "Saying that beauty and elegance in public construction are worth having" (Roth 137). "The nobles moved to Paris, where they erected spacious private houses, hotels, in what were then outskirts of the city" (Roth 389) These quotes allow you to understand the importance of public buildings being delightful for the people and private spaces being secluded for personal use.

Falling Water was constructed in an extremely modern 

way for Wright's time. It's language expresses how 

advanced he was. (Above)

 

Language. A method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. In Monticello, one gets the essence of being sent back in time. Through language the design remains old but timeless. Falling water was constructed of local stone in an extremely modern way. Wright's design seems like it was built just a few years ago but in reality it was erected over seventy years ago. He was completely ahead of his time. YOU GO FRANKIE, YOU GO AGAIN! 

In my fantastical visit to Monticello and Falling Water I was able to experience and view many different elements of architecture. Craft is always one of the most important components to design. If you're going to do something, do it fit and proper. Technique applies in the same way. It's all in the details lovey. Overall, one's craft and technique creates a language that explains your untold thoughts. Also, with virtual imaging one can create images that illustrates the public and private spaces of a home. YOU GO FRANKIE, YOU GO AGAIN AND AGAIN.

[RE]ACTION [week ten: the opus project]

The alter at King's University is a great example of a space rotating 

around a central axis, the alter. (Above)

Rotation. The act of rotating around an axis or center. Rotation allows you to see things from all sides and every angle. When you rotate your body, you can see everything around you. When you're drawing, rotating the paper can help you draw at better angles (at least for me it does). In architecture, some people focus their entire structure on one main axis and rotate the rest of the building along that axis. "... in the Gothic cathedral the emphatic axis directs movement toward the single focus - the alter" (Roth, 51). This quotation explains that the main axis of the cathedral is the alter and every other part rotates around that center.

A room design for Suzanne's class. Movement is shown 

through the three hanging gold light fixtures. They move your 

eye from one side of the space to the other. (Above)

Movement. An act of changing physical location or position or of having this changed. Movement in a drawing directs your eyes from one side of the page to the other. In architecture, movement has the same effect. It can make your eye steadily move from one room to the other, or make you eyes jump from one exciting detail to the next. "But the line that most strongly conveys dynamic action and movement is the diagonal. This phenomenon was exploited in numerous compositions in Baroque ... " (Roth, 61).

My light fixture I designed for my studio class was all 

about reflecting light in a colorful and energetic way. 

How I got a "C" on it .... I DON'T KNOW? (Above)

Reflection. The throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it. Reflection can obviously mean the reflecting of light but it can also mean to think deeply and carefully about something. "So the laboratory spaces were separated into two parts, large spaces to work and small private spaces for reflection" (Roth, 16).  I find that this quote is a great example of explaining that every person needs their own environment to review and contemplate their ideas. It also confirms that reflection isn't always about a mirror.

Vitruvius' plan for the Roman theater is a

 great source for all theaters built today. (Above)

Source. A place, person, or thing from which something comes or can be obtained. "Once again Virtuvius is the source of ancient advice, for he observed that oikonomia, the Greek term he used, is essential to good architecture, suggesting that this would result from selection of a good building site, use of good materials, and wise control of expenses" (Roth, 135). Information is learned through the knowledge and experiences of ourselves and others. When we get any idea from another person we considered them to be a source.

My friend ambuLAAAR took this picture of me at the arboretum. 

It is expressed through the illumination of the beaming sun. (Above)

Illuminate. Help to clarify or explain, to bring light to. "Painters of the Baroque period, such as Rubens and Rembrant, did much the same, similarly creating areas of strong illumination to direct our attention" (Roth, 75).  Illumination allows designers and artist to decide where they want people to focus on their work. It demonstrates the most important part of a scene and can beautifully highlight everything around.

Grammar : Syntax [week nine: the opus project]

Audience. Viewers, onlookers, patrons; crowd, congregation, turnout. Though the creation of an artist or designer reflects mainly on their views and feelings, an audience is sometimes the most important part of a design. An audience or crowd are the people who will view your creation and make their own judgments on them. They will tell you wether they believe it's good or bad. This can sometimes be a good or bad thing. When an audience critiques you as being good, you really have nothing to worry about. It's when somebody doesn't like your work that you have to step back and think. Not everyone will appreciate the things that you do, but it comes to design you can look at criticism as being something to work from or improve on, or you can accept the negativity placed on your work but stand strong by your design. It's your work, what you created, you wouldn't put something out there if you didn't like it. "Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience" (Henry David Thoreau). Design what's in your heart now, don't wait for the audience to be ready. Do it now and ask for forgiveness later.

Drawing was first done in pen - I later revised it by adding splashes of color for interest.

Revisions. Correction, alteration, adaptation, editing. Revision means correcting or altering something done in the past, but it also means taking a second or closer look. You start out with your first idea. It's always something extreme and crazy, it has to be though. When you are given a new project or assignment, you imagine no limitations. You are free think up and dream any wild idea your mind can create. Slowly, your head comes out of the clouds and you revise and alter your ideas into something more produceable. "Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt [revise]. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent" (Nolan Ryan).

Character is shown in the way people design. I like flowers and

colorful frilly stuff so -- thats my design up there for my next studio project.

Character. Personality, nature, disposition, temper, mentality, makeup. The character of a person defines who they are. It allows you to know how they were brought up and raised. This can also explain why some people design the way they do. When a designer creates something thats always playful and energetic you can easily see their character in their design. A design helps you to understand the character of a person. "... let us say every man is an architect of his own character" (George D. Boardman).

The transition above is from the natural objects I chose in the 

first drawing to the design patterns I made in the second.

Transition. Change, passage, move, transformation, conversion, metamorphosis. "The best performance improvement is the transition from the non-working state to the working state" (quotes). In design, a person always starts off with extreme and eccentric ideas, those ideas are then revised into something more produceable and then transitioned into some that you can actually bring to life.

My group followed a datum line to show consistency through our presentation board.

 

Datum. An assumption or premise from which inferences may be drawn. In Suzanne's class this past week, we work on presentation boards that reflected the all of the work we've done this past semester. On those presentation boards we focused a lot on datum lines, or a common line that all of our drawings shared. I found that when using a datum line it really allows your final product to come out clean and smooth.

This week was all about appealing to an audience through the process of design. One must always start with a first draft or idea. That idea is then revised and transitioned into what is more appealing to the audience. However, while working for an audience you must always have your own character in your creations otherwise the project will not be your own at all. Finally to create a successful design you must must follow a datum or guidelines that will again appeal to your audience.

MICRO : MACRO [week six : the opus project]

Composition. A composition is a collective whole. It is the act of putting things together. Constructing and forming. This past week was filled with compositions in all of my classes. I find that any drawing is a composition and in Suzanne's class we had to create a series of drawings of an assigned building. From that we also had to form detailed plans of that building. In my mythology class, I used composition in putting information together. Though I did not construct anything, I formed a series of events that allow me to have a better understanding of the culture and religion. The above picture is the graphic I composed for my Portal project in studio.

Porch, Court, Hearth. In architecture, a porch surrounds the building and is the opening to everything. It forms a connection to every part of the space. The court is the next part of a building. It is an open area and acts as a gathering and meeting spot. It allows people to come together. The hearth, which is usually in the center if a home, also acts as a gathering spot. It is the heart of a home and family. All of these parts form the whole of a home. "The sequencing of rooms followed the norm in which a tripartite arrangement begins with the reception spaces and is followed by the great hall or living room and private section" (Blakemore 6).  In this quote you see the were the three words relate to the structure of the home. The porch, or reception space, is the area surrounding the home. The Court, or Great Hall, invites people in. The hearth, or living room and private sections, are the heart of the home. The above picture is a plan view of an Egyptian home.

Diagram. A diagram is a picture that allows to see the intent of a space or thing. Diagrams, like the drafts I made in Stole's drafting class, allow you to see the intent of a building. Diagrams can also be a collective group of picture that allow you to see the intent and vision of a designer. In studio, I had to create a diagram that showed a connection between a precedent building and a portal that a group of people and myself created. "When applied to contextual analysis, a diagramming process can act as the key informant at the very outset of design" (Lockard, 29). The above picture is a diagram copied from a handout that Suzanne gave to us by Lockard.

Impressions. An idea, feeling, or opinion about something formed without conscious thought. An impression is the what you walk away with after seeing something. An example would be the Gothic Cathedral or Egyptian temple. Both spaces consume you and make you feel as if you are being swallowed in by all of the architecture. "Like mid-twentieth century modernist architects, medieval master masons sought to dematerialize structure, to make the church an analogue of the ethereal heavenly city" (Roth 336). This quote informs us that the architects of many churches and cathedrals wanted to leave an impression of one walking through heaven. The above picture is "supposed" to represent a church reaching into and becoming apart of the heavens.

Detail. A detail is a close up picture of a specific part of a building, it is an individual feature, fact, or item. With Suzanne's project, we were assigned a building and then from that had to draw a series of pictures and the from that we had to create a detailed drawing of a site specific feature. "Your purpose is to make your audience see what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt. Relevant detail, couched in concrete, colorful language, is the best way to recreate the incident as it happened and to picture it for the audience" (Dale Carnegie). The above picture is a detail I drew for Suzanne's class. It is a detailed drawing of the pond outside of the Elliot University Center.

The more I relate these Opus projects to my everyday life, I find that every topic relates back to parts and whole. To me it definitely relates to Micro : Macro. Micro meaning the small parts and macro meaning the bigger picture. A porch, court, and hearth are the parts of home. They leave a warm and inviting impression on all people and allow you to find little details in hidden corners. Finally, with that detail you are able to create compositions in the form of diagrams. Every "micro" part leads to a "macro" whole.

Voices [week five : the opus project]

Duality. "In love all the contradiction of existence merge themselves and are lost. Only in love and are unity and duality not at variance. Love must be one and two at the same time. Only love is motion and rest in one. Our heart ever changes it's place till it fits" (Rabindranath Tagore). The word duality means "of, or pertaining to, or noting two. composed or consisting of two people, items, parts, etc." (dictionary.com). When given this word, I was not exactly sure what it really meant. When I read the above quote, however, I realized that duality does not mean being just two different things. It means consisting of two things or qualities at the same time. Instead of being black and white, duality is the shades gray, containing both black and white, good and evil, right and wrong. Above is a picture of the EUC that I drew for Suzanne's class. It serves the purpose of being a dual piece, because I drew it for her class but it also serves a purpose in my studio class. The drawing also uses light and dark to create dimension.

Precedent. The idea of precedent is to take inspiration from another designer and artist and use similar ideas and characteristics in our own works (of course we always cite where we get our ideas from). One can take precedent from another designer, and architect, or the natural environment that surrounds. In Suzanne's class we looked at a building on campus and used that space to create our own drawings. In my latest project for studio, I was assigned a group and then we were assigned a door in the studio building. We were told that we had to make a portal for that door and we were then given a building to look to for inspiration. My building was the Pylos Palace. The palace contained a lot of columns with patterned designs on the ceiling. From that I created a sketch model of my door with two columns on each side. The columns form trees made out of a patterned technique. "The glory of each generation is to create its own precedents" (Belva Lockwood).  Above are some images.

Presence. "The state or fact of being present, as with others or in a place," also "the ability to project a sense of ease, poise, or self-assurance" (dictionary.com). Prime examples of presence are Gothic Cathedrals. Though unique and different, in their own way, each cathedral expresses a presence of religion, the purpose of these grand buildings were to celebrate the presence of God. "Gothic architecture is most familiar as the architecture of many of the great cathedrals, abbey, and parish churches of Europe... it is also the architecture of castles... town halls... and private dwellings" (the wiki pedia). This quote expresses the presence a gothic cathedral had on everyone. People all around began using the style as a precedent to form their own everyday buildings and homes. Above is a drawing of a Gothic Cathedral.

Metric. The word metric is often immediately associated with rulers, drafting boards, and scales. In fact the above picture is a scaled drawing I created in my drafting class. However, the word metric can mean something different as well. The Baths of Diocletian are also considered a metric system. It is separated into ten different sections through a thirty-two acre span.

Moment. Moments are created everywhere you go. With every drawing you sketch, every picture you take, every painting you brush, a moment is formed. When i think of the word moment, I think of capturing a scene forever, grasping onto a picture and holding it through time, taking hold of something that will never change. "You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment" (Henry David Thoreau). Above is a moment that I captured and drew of a girl studying in the book store in the EUC.

Reflections. In design, one must look to his surroundings. He must take qualities and ideas from his entourage and form that into a precedent. From his precedent he must then fall to the metric system to create something well crafted and designed. He must use duality to create a feeling of rhythm and interest, that may be done through color or light or shapes. He will have then created something that holds a presence. It will be seen and known, it will create a moment.

Parts : Whole [week four : the opus project]

In architecture, one always starts at the beginning, where most things should. An archetype is the beginning steps of a process, it is a general example of something. A prototype is then derived from the original archetype. It branches out from the original and begins to form the final product. To emphasize one point of something we create hierarchy and order. Order allows us to make sense of something. Hierarchy draws your eye to specific point with an entourage that surrounds and enhances it. Finally, with help from other sources, one creates the hybrid, a mix of everything. All these parts work to finalize a whole, without one piece we loose everything.

Archetype/ Prototype/ Hybrid. An archetype is a very broad general example of something. I has no specifics and is usually just a basic object. In Roman Architecture, a basic Doric Column would be an archetype. A prototype, "is a model on which something is based or formed" (dictionary.com). An example of a prototype would be the Tuscan Column. It branches out from the original Doric column, but begins to lead to the newest model. A hybrid is formed or composed from two, or more, different objects. The Composite column would be an example of a hybrid. "The composite order is a mixed order, combining the volutes of the Ionic order with the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian order" (wikipedia.com). Above are a few sketches of the mentioned columns.

Source. A source is where you derive ideas from. It is something that guides you along the way and is, "any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained; origin" (dictionary.com). A source can also provide information about things that you may of may not know. Above is a picture of an athenian coin with the owl of wisdom pressed into it, the drawing next to it is my class notes for the day. I used the picture of the owl as a source to help me draw and remember the coins significance.

Entourage. An entourage is the surroundings of an object. Every object or thing has some sort of entourage. An object may stand alone, but it still has it's surroundings, the room its in, the shelf its on, the case it's displayed it. An entourage is anything around a particular thing. Above is a series of vignettes that I completed for Suzanne's class. The focus can be placed on one picture and everything else surrounding it is an entourage.

Hierarchy. "A hierarchy is an arrangement of items, objects, names, values, categories, etc." (wikipedia.com) One example of hierarchy is found in the greek and roman columns. "The Greek orders consisted of Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. To these the Romans added the Composite (a combination of the Ionic and Corinthian) and the simpler and heavier Tuscan Doric" (Roth 31). Hierarchy is also found in line and line weights. The darker the line the important it is, the bigger a letter the more import as well. It has a great deal to do with visual aesthetics. Above is an example of line weight.

Order. Order also has a lot to do with visual aesthetics. It is "the disposition of things following one after another, as in space or time; succession or sequence" (dictionary.com). Order is greatly related to the Greek and Roman columns. They are set in a sequential order: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan Doric, and Composite (Roth 31, Image 2.9). Order is a way of making sense out of things. Above is a series of thumbnails I completed for my studio class, they are all of the same object and placed (or ordered) into a specific pattern.

Week Three : The Opus Project

This week we were given another set of five words. They were Scale, Unity, Section, Boundaries, and Vignettes. All of these words were very important in the week. Scale drawings were given in my drafting class, were I had to create scale drawings of a chair that I created. Unity is always apart of the projects that I make. Every small part or piece of material works to create a unified whole. Section drawings were also done this week as well as throughout this past year. Finally, vignettes are something I just learned how to do, and I find that it is a great way of demonstrating and highlighting the focal point of a place and space.

Scale. Drawing things to scale gives the viewer a better understanding of the space you are presenting or the creation you are demonstrating. It allows the picture to seem more realistic. In architecture, one must always consider scale in the spaces they create. "the complete harmonization of proportioned parts in the finished building is especially remarkable, for the architects were using elements originally proportioned for a building of different design" (Roth, 236). When you pay close attention to the scale of your designs, the finished product will, more then likely, be something pretty darn spectacular. (Above is an example of a scaled drawing).

Unity. "A whole or totality as combining all its parts into one" (dictionary.com) Unity, to me, is creating a cohesive project. A project where every form of material (last week's word) relates to each other to form one whole, one strong sturdy piece. A perfect example of unity, is found in the nautilus shell. The shell contains many different small compartments that add onto and layer to form one beautiful piece of nature. The picture above was my Unity Project from last semester, the twelve white planes create the shape of the nautilus shell and the skewers are meant to be and abstract grid of that shell.

Section. When dealing with drafting and architecture, section views are really important. They are the only way you can see the inside of building without looking directly from the top. A great example of a section drawing is in Blakemore's History of Interior Design and Furniture, Figure 1-1, p 4. Above is a section drawing that I completed in my drafting class last semester, that I feel really demonstrates a proper section drawing.

Boundaries. Albert Camus said, “Whereas the Greeks gave to will the boundaries of reason, we have come to put the will's impulse in the very center of reason, which has, as a result, become deadly.” This quote is a great illustration of the boundary. It describes that the Greeks gave boundaries to their will by basing it off of reason, and not completely judging everything to reason. It goes into saying that now, people place their will in reason and base all their actions to reason without thinking outside of that and from this the results can be deadly. Below is a picture of a boundries created through trees. Trees create a shelter, a save haven, a place to hide.

Vignettes. "an engraving, drawing, photograph, or the like that is shaded off gradually at the edges so as to leave no definite line at the border" (dictionary.com). In my drawing and studio classes, we have been assigned to do a series of vignettes, all about different things. I personally enjoy doing vignettes, I find that they do a better job emphasizing what is important, unlike drawings that fill the whole page. Above is an example of a vignette that I created for another assignment (the picture is also posted below).

Week Two : The Opus Project

It is said that for a building to be considered a true piece of architecture, it must process three qualities: Commodity, Firmness, and Delight. A building must be commodious, in that, it must serve a function. The building must also be firm, meaning it must withstand the elements and stay sturdy and strong. Finally a true piece of architecture must be delightful to the eye, it needs to be welcoming and inviting. ""The tension we may feel when looking at a modern structure so delicate, it seems to break, is the difference between physical and perceptual structure" (Roth 25). "[Delight] is the most complex and diverse of all components of architecture...it engages all of our senses" (Roth 67).

Above is a picture of the Weatherspoon Art Museum. I find that it represents all qualities of commodity, firmness, and delight. Though it is a solid white wall, it is apparent that space is firm. It houses the work of many artists and the circular window in the space engages your eyes to want more.

Illuminate is a word which here means to lighten or bring light. This past week in drawing, we were assigned a series of vignettes. A vignette is a picture that does not reach the edges of a piece of paper. We were then told to illuminate our drawings with water color. Suzanne also mentioned that the best way to show light in a picture is to let the white of the paper shine through. Above is an example. "Perhaps the most powerful element in our perception of architecture is light. Louis I. Kahn insisted that there was no true architecture without natural light" (Roth 85).

An idiom is “an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head.” http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idiom. Idioms, I find, were a major part of our fairy tale week. In my story, The Owl, I thought that the owl was more of a representation of unknown knowledge. An owl is a symbol for knowledge, which the townspeople feared.

Materials are found everywhere. Materials are the pieces that make up the whole. They are the pieces of bristol board that make up a chair for Pat, the colors of water paint that fill our books, the feathers that create hats. Materials are the pieces that make up everything.

In our second week of studio we were given four new words that relate to our classes. They were: Commodity, Firmness, and Delight [One phrase], Idiom, Illuminate, and Materials. I found that all of these words are woven together to describe architecture. An idiom means known by a majority, what is beautiful, what is right. To illuminate is to bring beauty, style and delight. Materials work to produce firm structures, commodious spaces, and create additive pieces that engage our senses.

Week One : The Opus Project

Express : Design : Tell : Story

Throughout the week, I’ve been learning about new stories. Stories about an owl that was too big, stories about mischievous fairies and fickle people, stories about ancient Gods, and stories about the people in my everyday life. In studio the first assignment we were given was to read a fairy tale. My story was called The Owl, it was about an owl who who was misunderstood and consequently, it lead to her death. I also watched the movie A Midsummer Night’s Dream, within this story there contained many separate stories. There was the overall story which acted as a sort of umbrella and underneath it lied the story of the Fairy King and Queen, the tale of four lovers, the marriage of the Duke, and the play within the play.

Within A Midsummer Nights Dream, there lied key artifacts. The flower of love and the many different bicycles. These artifacts, like all, depict many different meanings. The flower of course represents love, where as the bikes seemed to be a funny joke. Artifacts in general, for some reason or other, seemed to hol d such great meaning for people. A simple necklace, for instance, of no visible importance can hold such a strong feeling for someone. In Clairissa Anderson’s drawing of her five favorite things, she drew a necklace that her best friend got her from New Zealand, this represents the bond and sisterhood she shares with her friend. 

Multi-view is a word which here means the telling of different sides, or views. Many stories have different views. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for instance, the story is shown through many different points of view including: the fairies, mortals, and actors. Just in general what I’ve found is that a story from a particular event can be told from one side, but if you go to the other person involved in the event, the story can be something entirely different.

Cycle, a word which here means an ongoing circle of stories that connect together to form one. As stated before, there can be many different stories beneath an umbrella of the major picture. The stories of the Duke, the Fairy King and Queen, th e four lovers, and the actors, all cycled together to form one story, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I feel as if The Opus, in general also works as a cycle of events. It holds ideas, pictures, and information from all of our classes and forms one whole, one major thing, one artifact.

Many things can be translated to mean something entirely different. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the actor is transformed into a jack-ass because well, he acted like a jack-ass throughout the whole movie. In The Owl, the owl could clearly be translated as a symbol for knowledge, as most owls are, and the townspeople were afraid of the knowledge that she did possess.

The Opus Project

The Opus Project is my newest project in my studio design classes. It is a semester long activity that highly describes my life, in my major and outside. It is a collection of detailed drawings for studio work, as well as being a mix of random ideas and sketches that I create.