Ah! Celebrating Calc?

You know you've wondered about the actual Eams show about math...enjoy-

http://www.designboom.com/eng/funclub/mathematica.html

Introducing Architecture for Humanity

Architecture for Humanity started in the 90’s in San Francisco, as a means to organize design projects for the less fortunate, often acting as a match maker between in-need communities/organizations, architects and designers, financial funding sponsors and contractors/physical production and construction services.

These projects are fundraised or sponsored by companies or even firms. There is always a “call to service,” in which Architecture for Humanity (on their website, a form of social media) promotes a particular project to a network of architects or philanthropic organizations, so that they can brainstorm. The key to their success, beyond the idea of helping others (and the possibility of a tax deduction), is the fact that it is coming from volunteer hands and heads, makes the organization all the more charitable.

Architecture for Humanity had a simple idea to a.) fundraise and b.) get the messages and ideas of their organization out there. It is titled: Design Like You Give a Damn and this book has caused international fanfare in the international construction and design world. The book features images of past constructions that the organization has overseen as well as call to entries by design students, activists and licensed architects and designers.

I have been looking to them as an organization that I could arrange a student volunteer service-cooperative project with, similar to endeavors with Un Techo Para Mi Pais.

http://www.architectureforhumanity.org

Designer’s spotlight: Laura Kirar, American interior designer and entrepreneur

Young Laura Kirar, Fine Arts graduate from the Art Institute of Chicago (1992) decided to actively follow one of her professors, upon the completion of her degree in his business of interior architecture. When I stumbled upon this elegant contemporary designer, I was beyond excited and I became inspired. She has had an intuitive business sense since she began working with high end firms and furniture manufactures, always yielding to excellent quality of both textiles and materials.

Ms. Kirar works out of a New York City office, as her own textiles and finishing brand president. Also owning, creating and overseeing her Miami based licensing company, she is an amazing role model as disciplined, discerning designer. This made me think of how Nathan Shedroff expressed the need of services being the most essential things that we can create as designers (vs products).She is also well published through out design world literature and has won several prestigious interior design accolades and awards, notably for her sensitivity to spaces that are close to the human heart.

"My interiors are more curated than designed." Laura Kirar

http://www.trudesign.com/

Davis Gym; De Stijl + function

Since visiting the UCD campus nearly 3 years ago, I have regarded the ARC, as an architectural gem on campus. Today, in 2009 we more notably consider the incredible state-of-the-art Mondavi center as the true modern marvel on campus, but a facility that is used frequently, by so many on a daily, routinely basis, deserves its credit as well.

Before I began this architecture critique, I referred to the “De Stijl,” Manifesto I as a means of headway, considering that the ARC building seems to exemplify “modernity” as it stands today in such contrast of UC Davis’ first two silo buildings; North and South Hall. De Stijl, known as a prolific movement that the Manifesto doctrine influenced, was written with the vision for the necessity and development of a new international design aesthetic. Later influencing the Bauhaus and Gestalt principles, this aesthetic has come to life in that it is a following of nature and naturalistic forms (also according to function, another entry in and of itself), all the while paying attention to a high art aesthetic, in which the bare minimum is needed to function successfully.

Now into speaking of the actual function of the building on the Davis campus called the “ARC”, standing as an acronym, it cannot be said that although the building has exposed internal structures, a concrete outer shell, highly exterior glazing on the window surfaces, that this building is very outrageous, or non linear. It follows from a natural progression of Art (with a capital ‘A’) and development of architecture in and of itself, from necessity.

An open double-heighted ceiling greets you upon entering the main entrance, the rich smell of a coffeehouse, as does a slightly-sweat-influenced humidity of the gym. To think that a building so large in scale, featuring unique cooling systems and sensitive windows that filter the rich, California sun was designed and created to be a shelter in which humans can build their strength & stamina- can be quite fascinating.

The true experience within this building is felt between the first and second floors, in which a main lobby can clearly be seen at the top of the second floor landing. This causes a sharp tension between the tight, narrow spaces, which are lined with weight/toning machines at the second floor, to being able to view the first floor, with it’s large open badminton hall, weight room (filled with mirrors reflecting the room, within the building), and main lobby. The sharp tension created is thoroughly met warmly, as young athletes physically thrust their muscles to be more powerful and strengthen their personal endurance. It is a pure sense of motivation that can be at times, difficult for a person to take in all at once.

This is a very “high impact” building, primly utilizing De Stijl principles, right here in our neighborhood.

(photo credit: personal photos)

Un Techo Para Mi Pais, UTPMP Barrio Nicole, Argentina

Building as if you care.

Being bilingual and having been raised in Guatemala during the summers, I’ve seen first hand the lack of appropriate housing for the indigenous people in the cities and the countryside. I have always had a desire to give back to those less fortunate.

One of the greatest projects that I participated in this past year was a service trip to Barrio Nicole, Argentina. The organization Un Techo Para Mi Pais (A Roof for my Country) really impressed me, it was comprised of college age students spending time physically constructing homes for the less fortunate.



Our group constructed for them simple one-room enclosures with four wood walls. We dug holes for wooden piles, laid out the framework and added floorboards. We then raised the walls and installed the windows and door, and later the roof. My team worked solidly and cohesively to build these ten homes. We created HOMES where these families now had doors to shut out the rest of the world and to interact with one another within the intimacy and privacy of their own space. What a concept.



Shelter is such a basic need in human survival. Void of any aesthetic detail, our constructs were simply functional. As a student of design and interior architecture, it was during this trip that I decided that I would like to design with a humanitarian mindset, taking into consideration the socioeconomic factors, landscape and environmental concerns of the region, and to help those in need whenever possible.

http://www.untechoparamipais.org.ar/espanol/index.php

(photo credit: personal photo)

“Design dissolving in behavior,” Objectified film

In the Gary Hustwit film Objectified, the relation between form and content was not that of a conventional educational video. It would appeal to a crowd that appreciates untraditional, artfully presented films. This also goes to say that the type of information and ideas presented in the film varied greatly from one another in visual content, ranging from interview style shots, to production within a factory, drawing boards, urban streets to shots of the designers in their own homes. There was a definitive flow and progression of thought about design and it’s purpose from the perspective of the designer.

Various designers from all over the globe offered commentaries. Hustwit’s film seemed to be planned using a traditional essay-style format of a layout. There was an introduction with a thesis, main idea (the meat) and a conclusion, and within each juncture between 2 and 3 designers spoke either about a specific product or company of theirs, or a social issue surrounding a product or movement, each segment appealing to the progressive world of contemporary design, “working to stimulate people’s minds and souls.”

Innovation in design, connections made at the CLTC

I had never considered the importance of the type of light distribution systems (a.k.a. light fixtures) in every day-to-day spaces. Luminares include the light fixtures, placement of light as well as bulb used. They reduce glare, direct light to support a specific task and may have aesthetic intentions.

Focusing on several types of commercial lighting fixtures, we went over the common, standard florescent two strip bulbs in a plastic textured enclosure, these account for 60% of all American public spaces. They are inexpensive yet at the same time, extremely effective in producing high light levels. My professor argued that they are no longer preferred because they cause a lot of glare.

Comparable to recessed lense troffers are parabolic systems, which have parabolic shaped individual reflective grid systems that were designed at the onset of the computer revolution in corporate offices. With these parabolic systems, one has more control of the amount of light that enters, and was created to balance the light coming from the ceiling and the light coming from computer screens. Found in mostly higher end commercial and higher education buildings, they offer a darker feel for the light coming off of a higher angle.

I’m finding this to be a very difficult course, because the content of the material covered is very rich and so different than the fantasy realm of design that I am used to. As a design student, creating away without a single notion of budget or many other practical limitations I have found at UC Davis, to be very difficult. I find that as I have been working at a TA and as a student at the CLTC, I have began to realize that creating within limitations give the final product or creating more deserving credit for their innovation.

http://cltc.ucdavis.edu/

(photo credit: personal photos)