Monday, January 31, 2011
Reading Response 04
I like the point that Heskett makes about technological advances and their affect on cultural identity. Todays industry makes it possible for people to fit in to more than one culture simultaneously, even in the seperate cultures have little to nothing in common. But globalization of our market place creates a really interesting sociological issue. What are the boundaries of one culture forcing its identity on another? The reading reminded me of the article Jihad vs. Mcworld (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1992/03/jihad-vs-mcworld/3882/), which describes the neccessity of a universal market place and an equally neccessary traditional cultural identity. Imagery and design are the driving force behind cultural identity, so it becomes the designers responsibility to incorporate both factors into a cohesive whole. Design adapts the way cultures adapt.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Course Response 04
I was intrigued by the Hot Wheels video we saw in class so I decided to do some research on what happened to the invention. After we talked about it in class I was curious and this is what I found...
http://www.mobilitymgmt.com/Articles/2009/02/01/Independence-Technology-Discontinues-the-iBOT.aspx
The long and short of it is that the chair seemed good in theory and was successful at certain tasks, like climbing stairs as we saw in the video, but it left more to be desired when it came to hand held controls and tilt options, as well as weight capacity. When Independence Technology's 5 year contract was up they decided to discontinue the chair stating there wasn't enough of a demand. There were also issues with medicare and its coverage of the chair as an elevating system. The idea seemed almost too good to be true, and I guess, for now, it was.
http://www.mobilitymgmt.com/Articles/2009/02/01/Independence-Technology-Discontinues-the-iBOT.aspx
The long and short of it is that the chair seemed good in theory and was successful at certain tasks, like climbing stairs as we saw in the video, but it left more to be desired when it came to hand held controls and tilt options, as well as weight capacity. When Independence Technology's 5 year contract was up they decided to discontinue the chair stating there wasn't enough of a demand. There were also issues with medicare and its coverage of the chair as an elevating system. The idea seemed almost too good to be true, and I guess, for now, it was.
Assignment 03: Hunting Down Design
The Wexner Center was designed by Peter Eisenman. "The towers symbolize the Armory, which used to occupy the site, while white metal girders represent the street layout of the OSU campus and the City of Columbus." (Ohio History Central)
The Barcelon Chair was designed by Mies van der Rohe. The chairs design was inspired by ancient folding chairs.
The Red and Blue Chair was designed by Gerrit Reitveld. The chairs colors were selected to resemble Mondrians paintings. 
Philip Johnson designed the Math Tower. 
Acock & Associates designed Thompson Library. It's interesting that the sides of the buildings facing the oval have to remain true to their original architecture but all other sides of the buildings, including the library have been updated with a modern twist.
http://kursinskis.blogspot.com/ Nick K.
The division of labor for the scavanger hunt was pretty simple within our team. Before we left Hopkins we all researched where all the clues could be found, then we traveled as a group and took pictures for each other at every location. We decided to do the remainder of the research seperately when we were updating our blogs.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Journal 03: Survey
How many books (approx.) have you read in your life time?
A. 0
B. 1-5
C. 5-15
D. 15-30
E. 30- more than you can count
What is your favorite Genre (out of the following)?
A. Romance
B. Naturalism
C. Distopia
D. Thriller
E. Historical Fiction
How many books do you own?
A. 0
B. 1-5
C. 5-15
D. 15-30
E. 30- more than you can count
Do you have a library card other than your BuckID?
A. Yes
B. No
For what purpose do you mostly read?
A. Educational/ Studying
B. Pleasure
SPREAD SHEET
A. 0
B. 1-5
C. 5-15
D. 15-30
E. 30- more than you can count
What is your favorite Genre (out of the following)?
A. Romance
B. Naturalism
C. Distopia
D. Thriller
E. Historical Fiction
How many books do you own?
A. 0
B. 1-5
C. 5-15
D. 15-30
E. 30- more than you can count
Do you have a library card other than your BuckID?
A. Yes
B. No
For what purpose do you mostly read?
A. Educational/ Studying
B. Pleasure
SPREAD SHEET
| # of Books Read in Lifetime | Favorite Genre | # of Books Owned | Library Card | Reading Purpose | ||||||
| A | D | A | A | A | ||||||
| B | D | A | A | A | ||||||
| B | D | A | A | A | ||||||
| C | A | B | A | A | ||||||
| A | C | A | A | A | ||||||
| A | D | B | A | B | ||||||
| B | A | E | A | A | ||||||
| B | A | E | A | B | ||||||
| D | A | D | A | B | ||||||
| D | E | B | A | A | ||||||
| E | A | B | B | A | ||||||
| A | C | B | A | B | ||||||
| B | C | B | A | B | ||||||
| D | C | B | B | A | ||||||
| E | A | A | B | B | ||||||
| E | A | C | A | B | ||||||
| A | A | B | A | A | ||||||
| E | D | B | A | B | ||||||
| C | B | E | A | B | ||||||
Assignment 02: Designer Investigation
Alden B. Dow
1.) Was an American architect
2.) Started designing structures with leaves when he was eight.
3.) Studied engineering in order to prepare to take over his fathers company (Herbert Henry Dow founder of the Dow Chemical Company) but instead transfered to Columbia and became a student of architecture.
4.) Was an apprentice under Frank Lloyd Wright
5.) Known for his blending of surrounding nature into his architecture.
6.) Follwed the guidelines of designed with "honesty, humility and enthusiasm", three concepts he incorporated into all of his work.
7.) Designed a work camp/ town called Lake Jackson for 5,000 employees of the Dow Chemical Company. The town had no strait streets or walkways.
8.) Designed the Fleming Administration Building at The University of Michigan. The building was rumored to be designed as riot proof based on a rise in student activism.
9.) The home he designed in Midland, Michigan has been designated a national landmark
10.) He developed and ran his own architecture firm, Alden B. Dow Associates Inc.
Works Cited:
Dwell Magazine
Alden B. Dow House and Studio". State of Michigan History, Arts and Libraries. Archived from the original
Zaha Hadid
1.) Was born in Baghdad, Iraq
2.) Earned her degree in mathematics before entering grad school at The Architectural Associaion School of Architecture in London
3.) "Some criticize her work as insensitive to context and function--sculpture at the scale of architecture" (Dwell)
4.) She is the first female Pritzker Prize Winner.
5.) She works in the deconstructivist style.
6.) Many of her designs have never actually been built.
7.) The first building she built was a fire station that was quickly repurposed into an art gallery.
8.) She has taught at prestigious institutions around the world, including The Knowlton School of Architecture at The Ohio State University.
9.) She runs the firm Zaha Hadid Architects, based in London.
10.) Her most celebrated work is the Maxxi in Rome, a National Museum of 21st Century Arts.
Works Cited:
Forbes: The World's 100 Most Powerful Women
Dwell Magazine
Robert Venturi
1.) American Architect
2.) A major figure in architecture of the 20th century.
3.) Founded the firm, Venturi Scott Brown and Associates with his wife, Denise Scott Brown
4.) "Helped to shape the way that architects, planners and students experience and think about architecture and the American built environment."
5.) Was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1991.
6.) "Less is a bore" vs. "Less is more".
7.) Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Princeton and recieved a Masters Degree in Fine Arts. "The educational program at Princeton in these years was a key factor in Venturi's development of an approach to architectural theory and design that drew from architectural history in analytical, as opposed to stylistic, terms."
8.) Worked under Eero Saarinen and Loius Kahn.
9.) Has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Yale School of Architecture, and Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.
10.) Considered a counterrevolutionary of corporate modernism.
11.) Published the manifesto Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. "The book demonstrated, through countless examples, an approach to understanding architectural composition and complexity, and the resulting richness and interest. Drawing from both vernacular and high-style sources, Venturi introduced new lessons from the buildings of architects both familiar and then forgotten. He made a case for "the difficult whole" rather than the diagrammatic forms popular at the time, and included examples-both built and unrealized-of his own work to demonstrate the possible application of the techniques illustrated within."
12.) Led a research assignment at Yale documenting the Vegas Strip.
13.) Him and his team published a pholio Learning from Las Vegas: the Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form based on their studies. The pholio was another attack on commercial modern architecture, mocking ornamentation of buildings that were essentially "decorated sheds".
14.) His work helped "redirect American architecture away from away from a widely practiced, often banal, modernism in the 1960's to a more exploratory, and ultimately eclectic, design approach that openly drew lessons from historic architecture and responded to the everyday context of the American city."
15.) His approach to design was "inclusive".
16.) His buildings were more centered on function rather than unity and simplicity, unlike other modernist architects.
17.) He has been commissioned to build for several academic institutions.
18.) His work is obviously influential to many other architects, including Michael Graves.
Robert Venturi is an inspiration to me because, while I love the application of design, his ideas about design theory itself influenced so many young designers perception of what kind of design works. His theories were revolutionary and even more inspirational because he didn't just regurgitate concepts developed by post modernist designers in his generation. His bold denunciation of elements of their work that didn't make sense displayed his ingenuity (because he didn't just bad mouth their work, he also came up with practical solutions) and his courage to blaze his own trail. Venturi is more concerned with practicality in design. You can design a beautiful building that is still highly functional. This belief was not so closely followed by some of his peers, who were sacrificing function for "meaning". Venturi was also an explorer. He elevated design from a rigid and systematic system to an inquiry of what works in design and what is just a highly ornamented box standing in as "sophisticated" architecture. I also love that Venturi was a teacher. He taught his students to consider the whole, instead of focusing them on the glamorization of previous buildings that were trendy, but not entirely sensible.
IMAGES OF VENTURI'S WORK
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Allen_Art_Museum_Addition.html
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Vanna_Venturi_House.html
Works Cited:
Goldberger, Paul (14 April 1991). "ARCHITECTURE VIEW; Robert Venturi, Gentle Subverter of Modernism". The New York Times.
Thomas, George E. (2000). William L. Price, Arts and Crafts to Modern Design. Princton Architectural Press
1.) Was an American architect
2.) Started designing structures with leaves when he was eight.
3.) Studied engineering in order to prepare to take over his fathers company (Herbert Henry Dow founder of the Dow Chemical Company) but instead transfered to Columbia and became a student of architecture.
4.) Was an apprentice under Frank Lloyd Wright
5.) Known for his blending of surrounding nature into his architecture.
6.) Follwed the guidelines of designed with "honesty, humility and enthusiasm", three concepts he incorporated into all of his work.
7.) Designed a work camp/ town called Lake Jackson for 5,000 employees of the Dow Chemical Company. The town had no strait streets or walkways.
8.) Designed the Fleming Administration Building at The University of Michigan. The building was rumored to be designed as riot proof based on a rise in student activism.
9.) The home he designed in Midland, Michigan has been designated a national landmark
10.) He developed and ran his own architecture firm, Alden B. Dow Associates Inc.
Works Cited:
Dwell Magazine
Alden B. Dow House and Studio". State of Michigan History, Arts and Libraries. Archived from the original
Zaha Hadid
1.) Was born in Baghdad, Iraq
2.) Earned her degree in mathematics before entering grad school at The Architectural Associaion School of Architecture in London
3.) "Some criticize her work as insensitive to context and function--sculpture at the scale of architecture" (Dwell)
4.) She is the first female Pritzker Prize Winner.
5.) She works in the deconstructivist style.
6.) Many of her designs have never actually been built.
7.) The first building she built was a fire station that was quickly repurposed into an art gallery.
8.) She has taught at prestigious institutions around the world, including The Knowlton School of Architecture at The Ohio State University.
9.) She runs the firm Zaha Hadid Architects, based in London.
10.) Her most celebrated work is the Maxxi in Rome, a National Museum of 21st Century Arts.
Works Cited:
Forbes: The World's 100 Most Powerful Women
Dwell Magazine
Robert Venturi
1.) American Architect
2.) A major figure in architecture of the 20th century.
3.) Founded the firm, Venturi Scott Brown and Associates with his wife, Denise Scott Brown
4.) "Helped to shape the way that architects, planners and students experience and think about architecture and the American built environment."
5.) Was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1991.
6.) "Less is a bore" vs. "Less is more".
7.) Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Princeton and recieved a Masters Degree in Fine Arts. "The educational program at Princeton in these years was a key factor in Venturi's development of an approach to architectural theory and design that drew from architectural history in analytical, as opposed to stylistic, terms."
8.) Worked under Eero Saarinen and Loius Kahn.
9.) Has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Yale School of Architecture, and Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.
10.) Considered a counterrevolutionary of corporate modernism.
11.) Published the manifesto Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. "The book demonstrated, through countless examples, an approach to understanding architectural composition and complexity, and the resulting richness and interest. Drawing from both vernacular and high-style sources, Venturi introduced new lessons from the buildings of architects both familiar and then forgotten. He made a case for "the difficult whole" rather than the diagrammatic forms popular at the time, and included examples-both built and unrealized-of his own work to demonstrate the possible application of the techniques illustrated within."
12.) Led a research assignment at Yale documenting the Vegas Strip.
13.) Him and his team published a pholio Learning from Las Vegas: the Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form based on their studies. The pholio was another attack on commercial modern architecture, mocking ornamentation of buildings that were essentially "decorated sheds".
14.) His work helped "redirect American architecture away from away from a widely practiced, often banal, modernism in the 1960's to a more exploratory, and ultimately eclectic, design approach that openly drew lessons from historic architecture and responded to the everyday context of the American city."
15.) His approach to design was "inclusive".
16.) His buildings were more centered on function rather than unity and simplicity, unlike other modernist architects.
17.) He has been commissioned to build for several academic institutions.
18.) His work is obviously influential to many other architects, including Michael Graves.
Robert Venturi is an inspiration to me because, while I love the application of design, his ideas about design theory itself influenced so many young designers perception of what kind of design works. His theories were revolutionary and even more inspirational because he didn't just regurgitate concepts developed by post modernist designers in his generation. His bold denunciation of elements of their work that didn't make sense displayed his ingenuity (because he didn't just bad mouth their work, he also came up with practical solutions) and his courage to blaze his own trail. Venturi is more concerned with practicality in design. You can design a beautiful building that is still highly functional. This belief was not so closely followed by some of his peers, who were sacrificing function for "meaning". Venturi was also an explorer. He elevated design from a rigid and systematic system to an inquiry of what works in design and what is just a highly ornamented box standing in as "sophisticated" architecture. I also love that Venturi was a teacher. He taught his students to consider the whole, instead of focusing them on the glamorization of previous buildings that were trendy, but not entirely sensible.
IMAGES OF VENTURI'S WORK
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Allen_Art_Museum_Addition.html
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Vanna_Venturi_House.html
Works Cited:
Goldberger, Paul (14 April 1991). "ARCHITECTURE VIEW; Robert Venturi, Gentle Subverter of Modernism". The New York Times.
Thomas, George E. (2000). William L. Price, Arts and Crafts to Modern Design. Princton Architectural Press
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Reading Response 03
What is the purpose of an object and who is it made for? Heskett deals a lot with the idea of an objects meaning versus its functionality amongst consumers. Unlike postmodernists design concepts I think designers today are responsible to produce products that make sense to consumers. You can create smart products that arise from an intended meaning, but ultimately if they aren't usefull they become meaningless. This point also coincide with the consumption of name brand merchandise. Elevating prices in the name of fashion and selling a product for hundreds of dollars to do something that a product worth ten dollars could do has always been a sore spot for me. Fundamentally design is materialistic, but design driven by the consumption of material objects becomes less about its interpretation and more about profit.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Course Response 03
I am absolutely in love with the idea that designers should work together with people they don't agree with. Constructive criticism is a great influence on the design process. Focused Chaos is such an ingenius concept. Generating insane ideas makes so much sense in trying to narrow down a functional design. Asking the question why not and trying to realize an idea is inspiring.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Reading Response 02
Hesketts writing put the history of design into context. I appreciate how he didn't try to constrain the definition of design to a static characterization. He acknowledges that there are multiple opinions about what design is and incorporates them all into its definition. The human factor is the only universal of design. It's a cool concept to think that humans are responsible for utimately every aspect of our tangible world. It also wasn't until recently in human history that we began to examine how our design processes will affect the future of our enviromnent. Producing responsible design is just another example of how the definition of design is ever evolving, "objects are not just expressions of a solution to a particular problem at any point in time, but can extend much further, into embodying ideas about how life can be lived in a dynamic process of innovation and refinement beyond the constraints of time and place".
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Course Response 02
Coversations with Paul Rand: Paul is very concerned with formal elements of art and design. He emphasizes the idea that form and content must work together to produce an effective product. This idea is somewhat of a challenge, since these two concepts are averse to one another. Manipulating form and content as it relates to shape is the equation to creating "good" art. Aesthetics also play a role in the success of a design, but function trumps aesthetics, things have to be useful. He seems to subscribe to the idea that form follows function. He doesn't recognize a distinction between graphic design and fine art, "It's all art, or it could be". Everyone has a different definition of art and design that don't correspond. You have to define it for yourself.
- Theres always a way to improve on an idea and possibilities are endless.
-Process is a very important in the creative development.
- Art has many definitions, genre doesnt matter as long as its found its perfect form, formal problems are all the same.
- Art is a biproduct if you're lucky.
-Form and content work together, one cannot exist without the other.
- Art is realized when form and content are in synthesis. It is problematic bringing two antagonistic elements together successfully.
-Form has its own language and it has nothing to do with style.
-Aesthetics helps find truth about objects
-You have to have the ability to self generate ideas.
-Everyone has a different definition of design.
- Theres always a way to improve on an idea and possibilities are endless.
-Process is a very important in the creative development.
- Art has many definitions, genre doesnt matter as long as its found its perfect form, formal problems are all the same.
- Art is a biproduct if you're lucky.
-Form and content work together, one cannot exist without the other.
- Art is realized when form and content are in synthesis. It is problematic bringing two antagonistic elements together successfully.
-Form has its own language and it has nothing to do with style.
-Aesthetics helps find truth about objects
-You have to have the ability to self generate ideas.
-Everyone has a different definition of design.
Journal 02: Found Patterns
This pattern was found in my apartment. It is a blanket that was actually draped over me at the time the picture was taken. The hair like nature of the textile drew me to the pattern, and also the fact that it was keeping me very warm at the time.
The pattern shown here is a twill pattern on my friends couch. I took a textiles class last semester and the intricacies of the twill design stuck with me. I love the hand of this fabric, and I think its texture is really aparent through the photo.
I found this patter when I was walking home from the RPAC. It is one of the thousands of mats found at crosswalks around campus. I was drawn to it by the curvalinear and raised nature of the dots, while the background of the mat utilizes a cubed pattern. I also like the fact that this object was a design solution to indicate a cross walk and reduce slippage.
This is a chain link fence. I found this patter walking on campus. I like the coolness of the metal offset by the snow. The interlocking of the links is attractive.
These are the pavers outside of the SAS building on campus. The very clean lines of the rectalinear tile is neutralized by the dust and salt caked over the face of the tile. The color contrast this creates is also very appealing.
This is the arm of a sign on Lane Ave. It drew my attention because the metal it is made out of is bent without any hard edges that match the circular cut outs in the material.
This wood grain pattern was found on the side of a building on Lane. The vertical lines running between the planks oppose the rough texture of the planks themselves. The gradation of color and general erosion of the material also added to my intrigue of this pattern.
This pattern is a chainlink fence found on campus. I took the picture from this angle because it shows the scalloped structure of the metal. This pattern is interesting because it's something we see frequently, but it can take on a completely different nature when viewed from an unconventional perspective.
This pattern is a bench placed next to an outdoor basketball court on campus. The ergonomic holes placed in the bench create the pattern and I helped emphasize it using one point perspective. The original pattern itself was somewhat bland on its own.
This final pattern is the side of a trashcan near the same basketball court. The conglomerate nature of the pebbles and the grey scale color scheme caught me eye. I chose to include the rust stain to emphasize the lack of chroma throughout the rest of the material.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Reading Reflection 01
Books and Bars: LA's Thirst for Literature (and Style) is the article I found on styleture.com. The article focuses on the trendy movement of incorporating extensive bookshelves into LA based bars. It interested me because of the obvious juxtaposition of literature and alcohol, but as the article points out, the two aren't exactly mutually exclusive. Some of the best authors of our time were heavily influenced by drink. I think the article does a good job of pointing out the influence of trends on interior design. Trends impact design through human cultural experience. Some bar patrons prefer the revitalized notion of sophistication books bring to bars. Adding books to the decor of a bar is an effective means of manipulating the aesthetics and atmosphere of a bar.
http://www.styleture.com/2011/01/04/books-bars/
http://www.styleture.com/2011/01/04/books-bars/
Journal 01 & Course Reflection 01
Hello Design 200! I'm Elissa. I transfered to OSU this quarter from the University of Akron, where I was studying Interior Design. After I complete the entrance exam I hope to be admitted to the Interior Design program at OSU. I'm a student member of The American Society of Interior Designers and I was actively involved with the University of Akron's student chapter. I'm passionate about sustainable design and was really excited when I saw Cradle to Cradle on the syllabus. I read it on my own over summer and can't wait to explore it more in depth. In my spare time I like to refurbish furniture and occasionally play some tennis. I'm taking Design 200 because it's a prereq for Interior Design.
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