Should I go into architecture?

 
This question keeps popping-up. I think, with any profession, you should ask why you would want to 'become' or go into that field?

It is really easy to fall in love with the romance of being an architect. I have a little cousin that has told everyone he wants to be an architect since he could talk, but I think he is more into the romanticism of the architect. I keep getting pressured by his mother and my aunt to talk to him about how to go about getting into an architecture program, but I just won't. Why won't I help him out? Well.... the kid is fu**in' lazy and full of excuses, but that is another story. I won't help him out because I'll screw-up his life if I enable his fetish to be an architect. If I help him out and help him get into an architecture program, There is a huge chance he might not even enjoy the curriculum. Our graduating class (Including undergrad, graduates, industrial design and interior architecture) is just as big as our incoming freshman for the BArch which isn't that big to begin with. My first day of first-year the guy next to me dropped because he didn't think he would have enough time with his girlfriend. Granted, people have different priorities, but WTF?! We started the semester with twelve-ish students and ended with eight. Doesn't sound like a lot till you take in consideration the eight other freshman studios and the amount of students each studio has dropped by the end of the semester. Long story short: my cousin has to want it for himself. He has to put in the work and work on his grades and portfolio and push to get into a program. It is a totally different story if he came to me with a mentality of 'how do I make this better?' rather than 'how do I get in?'

There are people that stick it out and go the five-plus years through the professional degree because they feel they're too far in to just quit. That seems totally understandable. I've had friends come-up to me at the end of the semester and don't know if they want to come back because they're just burnt out. Ive also had guys I went through an architecture program in high school with graduate with their BArch and just don't want much to do with architecture because they fell out of love. If you aren't going to give architecture the time and discipline it demands, than just quit while you're ahead. If you feel uncomfortable and unhappy, then that is probably a sign that this probably isn't for you. I first knew I was alright when I first worked on a model for thirteen hours throughout the night and by the time I was finished I just had this great feeling. Being an architecture student isn't just studying for an exam. There is a huge amount of performance that needs to be done on top of the studying. So, on top of studying for that quantitative environmental systems final we also have to physically show what we have learned through models and graphics.

Architecture has thoroughly screwed me....forever. But, in a great kind of way. The program has given me much more than a set of design skills -- it has given me a toolbox full of tools that can be applied to much more than just architecture, but has integrated itself into my daily life.

I aint buyin' it!

I was in a programming class and the instructor started the lecture by telling us about the great architects around the world and their dedication to the profession. He also begins to talk about how your last year as a an architecture student will define your career and begin to define the rest of your profession. I think we all take him pretty serious (even though he loves to name drop and exaggerate). At the end of his little rant he throws out the; "Whatever you are doing two years after graduation, that is going to do for the rest of your professional career. If you're working for a home builder you're going to be stuck working within that section." I think it is safe to say that that shook the class. He then says; "OMA, Pelli, Foster (famous architects) -- They arent going to hire someone that has been designing Walmarts!" All of this made sense. I mean, why would any architectural firm that pushes the envelope of design give two seconds to an applicant that just places a big box of concrete on a site. Yeah, sure there is a decent level of design and research that goes into layout, lighting and other 'tabs' of design that go into how customers shop and what they are more willing to buy because of the design, but it is nothing that gives a soul to the architecture. It is just designed to persuade customers to stay in the building longer and purchase more items.

But, I have seen this before. I see it every semester with the number drop of students that work their way up at the job they've had to help pay for school. I see it within my circle of friends that have children and they have to drop out to help support their child. But I also see people finish and maintain their goal of graduating and getting a job at a place they enjoy working. It is so easy to take a job that you're just taking for the money. I get it, students are broke and need a job to help pay for tuition and supplies. I just don't buy that how society works is the way we have to go about our lives. It is too easy to get sucked into these 'traps' because time flies by. It starts off getting a job you don't like for quick money. Get in, get the money, get out. But, getting out was five years ago and now you've worked your way through a position that you don't like and can't go back to where you really wanted to go because you never developed experience. Now, you're just part of a machine. You're just playing your part and it is no longer about developing your individuality and expressing yourself. You got sidetracked into working in a container for corporations instead of investing your time bettering yourself and doing something you have a passion and something you give a damn about. Now, you've given away your life for what? A new car you couldn't afford or some outfit that probably looks stupid on you. It no longer becomes doing something that makes you happy and giving your soul a purpose, but about filling that void in your life with objects that make you feel better after you come home from work. Does any of that make sense? Shouldn't the work be just as fulfilling. You work the from eight-plus hours a day PLUS commuting only to come home to a box with filled objects to keep your mind off of a sh*t job.

The sad part is that most people don't understand they're in that 'trap'. I think most people think that it is a good job and they should be happy and appreciative for the opportunity. They bring home a decent pay, are able to support themselves, got dental... I think most people in the American society are afraid of failing at something. We all went through this education system that teaches us how to pass tests instead of learning the actual material. I think its fuc*king bonkers that there are classes in high school specially for passing the high school exit exams.

I digress. There is nothing wrong doing something short term that gets you to where you want to get. But you have to push yourself to get-in and get-out to do what you really want to do. Something that you genuinely enjoy doing and pushes you to improve yourself. There's nothing keeping anyone from bettering themselves. We all have twenty-four hours in a day and yeah some people have more resources than others, but you just have to work that much harder. It is all about discipline, being able to take a step back, assess the information and work ethic.

Studio Process: Future City_03_Interpreting the data

Houston

Over the past week we have been reading articles, collecting information and looking for interesting points we can base a project around. For myself, I started thinking about how we move, communicate, how technology will evolve and how all of these topics will come together. On the first day, I made about four different topics of interests. The topics included: how we build, how we move, how we interact and how we work.

How do we build?
The first topic dealt with Houston's history with flooding and a part of global warming. I think many of my peers remember how badly Houston kept flooding in the 90's. Or maybe it just seemed like a huge deal because I was so young, but looking back I just remember playing in my flooded backyard. I digress. Looking at maps that predicted where the flood line would be if our icecaps melted showed the Gulf of Mexico would be well into Texas and knocking at the door of our hill country. Texas being Texas, most of our coast is relatively flat. There wouldn't be much in the way to keep the gulf from coming inland. Anyway, I thought it would be cool if  there was a way for the city grid to float with the tide. As the water receded, the structures would stay in-place leaving room for more infrastructure. Next flood comes and lifts the city up, including the newer infrastructure, and the process would repeat itself. each city block would be independent from the rest of the grid as far as moving vertically. Well, that issue was quickly shot down after discussion. I realized that even if the block was independent from the rest of the blocks, they would all move at the same pace because.... Houston is flat.

How do we move?
I think most of us are aware that we're slowly moving towards having autonomous cars. We have the technology and we're executing on that technology. We can even go and purchase a car that can park itself with a press of a button. How do autonomous cars move? GPS. Last week I was driving home on an evening so rainy that I could barely see the lines on the road. I thought it would be cool if the 'dots' in the road could communicate with my car to keep me in my lane regardless of the weather conditions. I know there is a short stretch of highway that is completely filled with solar panels and other forms of technology. But, to do an entire highway or even a loop system would be insanely expensive. So, how about we shrink down from thinking about the entire road to thinking about those little 'traffic dots' that notify us when we're moving out of our lane. I figured the 'dots' could easily be integrating within the roadways, could communicate with each other, send data to the city, and can communicate with the vehicles. While this was really interesting and we are moving towards having 'smart' roads, this was shut down too because while very interesting perspective, these topics didn't create 'space' in the city.

I commute to school from quite a distance (30+ miles). I proposed an upgraded HOV lane that was able to have your autonomous car 'plug' into. Almost like a a hybrid of how we get onto a highway from the feeder and a train system. When you're commuting from a distance that takes more than twenty-minutes, you start to realize how much time you have wasted when you could have been working or doing something. I mean, how cool would it be to be able to write this blog from the comfort of my vehicle without having a worry? I'll continue with this topic later in this post.

How do we work?

Downtown Houston.

I think for anyone that has walked through downtown Houston, you might have noticed how many parking garages we have. About a third of downtown Houston is parking. What would happen to those parking garages if we no longer needed them? How would they change the city? Could we redesign those parking garages into livable or workable spaces? I think so! Why not? Then, I started integrating the 'ferry' system I mentioned above and what if I could design a system that takes the vehicles and was able to park or 'plug-in' into a spot in the work/living space. If you no longer need to drive your car, your car becomes an extension of your office. The car no longer becomes a vehicle, but a cell that takes on a completely different form. It would be able to enter the base of the structure and taken on a conveyor belt-like system that plugs into a small section of the workspace from x-amount of hours. Once you're finished you could unplug, ride the conveyor down and get on the rail to your next location. This would allow this 'parking space' to be used by another person for x-amount of hours. Meaning, that 'building' is continuously used. Normally, we all check out at 5-ish and the building stays empty from 5-8 the next day. Right now, just a thought.

How do we communicate?

Green: Parks, Pink: Parking garages (not showing parking lots), Red: Main St.

I think we all have dreams of a future city being highly dense. I listen to my classmates talk about high dense Singapore is or Hong Kong and how everyone is on their mobile device. Nobody pays attention to their world. They're more concerned with how many 'likes' they received or how a celebrity is living their life. I think with more of these technological opportunities, we become more and more unsocial. I mean, every time you step out of the door you see someone you have never seen before. And guess what? More likely than not is that you will never see that person again even if you live within a certain area. I proposed having an app that would silently collect data on each person you come within a certain amount of feet. You wouldn't get any notifications, but at the end of the day you could see how many people you have crossed paths with and if you have actually interacted with them before.

This app idea needed to manifest itself into a physical space to relate to the project. So, what if I proposed a certain area/s of downtown Houston to be free of technology. Like, once you enter this park, you are unable to use technology because you cannot get wifi or any other signals within this space. 


Conclusion
Out of these proposals; I have decided to integrate the physical park-like space without technology signals, the ferry-like transportation system that brings your 'cell' to the city and the redesign of the parking garage. The progress of the proposal consists of being able to ride this rail-like system to the city. Once downtown when you start approaching this 'technology free park space', you go underneath the park and are able to enter the parking building from the base of the building (Which is still underneath the park) and ride this conveyor system to your work/living space. Keep in mind the form of the 'car' will no longer resemble a car, but become a cell that once 'plugged-in' would become part of the aggregate that becomes the building. I hope that all made sense. It is still really early in concept and further development and decisions need to happen, but that's the beauty of the design. I want to keep main street as a tradition main street. I think that shouldn't change. Houston is desperately needing more of that traditional main street walkable environment. I am hopeful I can develop these parks that can aid to a more walkable main street.

I just wanted to show this is an image of a highway in Dallas that was sunk just so a park can be built above the highway. The Office of James Burnett

Studio Process: Future City_02_Falling in love with the city

Downtown Houston

The past week we have been documenting and collecting data about how we use our city. Houston is a commuter city. You (almost) have to have a car to get around this city because everything is so spread out. Sure, there are adequate means of transportation services within the city, but for a lot of us that live 'outside of the loop' [Loop 6-10] there isn't much of a choice other than to use a park and ride. The problem with a park and ride is it turns a thirty-minute car ride into a three-plus hour transportation waiting nightmare to get to a specific location.

Step one: Document our route home

Beginning route through downtown. A city for parking

Ending route home. Sorry about the uncleaned windshield

The first part was to document our route to or from the studio to our home with a series of photos. It felt like any other day. I was driving home seeing the same thing I always see. I usually take a route right through downtown, because I would rather get stuck in traffic watching people than on an overpass looking at other cars. I figure at least the people walking are getting somewhere. Yeah, it was a pretty normal day -- there wasn't much going on other than trying to figure out interesting points to document through photos while trying to drive.

So, an interesting point here is that I am documenting the process from inside a car. The environment inside my car is constant. Meaning, my comfort level is pretty much the same other than the stress from driving. I am able to control the conditioned air, my field of view isn't changing and I am experiencing the city from a specific point that doesn't move (car seat). It almost feels like I am watching TV.

But, I do get some value from the exercise. I usually am aware of my surroundings, but I never payed too much attention to the changes in density throughout the route. The urbanscape (urbanscape meaning everything but the traffic of cars and people. Like the buildings and developments) density starts high and tapers to less dense areas. Then, density gets less dense and more dense and less dense aaaannnnd a little more dense.

Step two: Visit and document the site

My focus is site 1

On the map above are the areas of Houston our studio is using for our project. We visited all three locations and walked the majority of each site. The difference between walking through an area and driving through an area are completely different. Walking is a much more dynamic activity than driving and you're able to be more aware of your surroundings. *Side note* Even though we walked through all three sites, I will mostly talk about site one.

Look at that section! Photo taken off of Main street in front of Greyhound bus station.

First off, It was a GORGEOUS day! It really was perfect weather for anything outdoors. When you're walking, you're actually there -- you're not in a car, you're on the sidewalk experiencing the sidewalk environment. Meaning, moving through different elevations, feeling different textures, smelling different scents, interacting on some level with different people and hearing much more sounds than just being in your car. It doesn't matter if any of that I described is enjoyable or not, because it is about the experience. Its like when I go to a bar. I hate the smell of people smoking, but I don't mind it at all when I am at a hole-in-the-wall bar. Why? Because that is just part of the experience that makes that place unique.

You're able to have a sense of being vulnerable. I think being able to have a sense of vulnerability or a sense of the fear of the unknown is like a shot of tequila! It just opens-up your awareness and gives you the most bang for your buck to take in your surroundings. You try walking through a group of some sketchy lookin folks with an exposed camera you've saved up for and don't think about holding that thing a little tighter #IJudge. But, that is the beauty of the environment! There is a mix of all different sorts of people. You interact with the homeless person next to the businessman next to the student running for the train to make their job. You see the faces of struggle trying to make it through the day from the pan handler and from the person with the $5 coffee that couldn't wait to get off of work. You see the mother with child taking the metro just wanting to get home. The small group people hanging outside a convenience store because they 'aint got no' place to go or just want to catch up with their buddies. You see a grungy-lookin' fella looking like he is having a bad day instantly smile like a kid on Christmas morning when he walks past a beautiful woman. All of this within a city block. To hell with reality TV, give me a highly dense urban block at 5 o'clock! You cant replicate that experience by driving through an area in the safety of your car. You need that slower, more 'in your bubble' experience to appreciate your city. As designers, we do much more than just design buildings. If you notice, I didn't describe much of any building. We design environments for a better society.

Granted, Houston being Houston, we still have a long way to go to have a decent downtown environment. Nearly a third of downtown is just parking, the underground tunnels close at 5-ish along with the rest of downtown, downtown isn't really designed for people to live and support the are and it isn't pleasurable walking next to hugely massive scaled buildings with nearly zero street interaction. But, there's a gem in there. You just have to walk around to find it.

Maker busy

Old workspace

It always happens. I lay down to sleep and right when I get all cozy I get a thought in my head that I cant get out. "That would be cool..." That is how it starts. Next thing I know is I am up and at my workstation sketching out and cutting materials to figure out how I build this object. It is a blessing and a curse. I'm one of those people that is most comfortable making things. Whenever I have some downtime I am always fiddling with something to keep busy. There is such a satisfying feeling walking out of the wood shop at four in the morning covered in sawdust. I suppose working with high revolution sharp metal isn't the wisest thing to do when you should be asleep.

I digress. Designing and making objects It is high addictive. I guess it is the equivalent to playing video games and trying to get to the next level. There is somethings so fulfilling and deeply meditative once you immerse yourself in a craft. You don't even realize how quickly time has passed. It is an instant gratification kind of thing. You get instant feedback if something is working out or if the item you're making matches what you have designed. Making stuff does not just limit itself to objects, but also everyday tasks like cooking and other things I cant think of at the moment because I am too sleepy. The second best thing about making something are the screw-ups. I know that sounds weird to say, but a screw-up is a direct result of what you did. Its better to have a result of something you made rather than no result because you didn't try. Studio professors always tell us, "The worst thing you can do is nothing at all."and "the more you have, the more we can discuss." Of course the best thing is when you have a finished, tangible object that you put in so much love and time. Something that has gone on a journey with you and has turned into a quality object with a great story. I guess at the end of the day we are all out to surround ourselves with the stories we made.

For now, I will take a little rest. I hope everyone has an eventful Monday and gets to work-in some time to do something that brings you joy.

Studio Process: Future City_01_Architecture as the Infrastructure

Very dense morning fog. It was so eerie seeing people walking in the distance. They were like ghosts.

It is good to be back! There is always a certain energy in the building at the beginning of the semester, but just give it a week or two. As expected, It is the start of a new project and we're thrown right into the 'process'. Thankfully, it feels right on beat and very much of a smooth transition back into studio culture.

This semester the studio project has to deal with future cities. Future cities? Contemporary cities dealing with density and how these densely urban areas function, grow and impact our society. It is very much a visionary project with a goal being to re-think the city -- to imagine how the architecture of a bunch of individual structures begin to become so dense that their spatial overlaps begins to blur the line between being architecture and urban infrastructure.

Example:  Rome v. Las Vegas

Figure ground drawing of Rome

If we look at Rome, we notice how dense the city is and how the buildings are creating space. From the drawing you really cannot tell the front from the back. The pedestrians get more of an experience from the city because the city is literally having more to offer.

Figure ground drawing of Las Vegas

Now, look at Las Vegas. It doesn't take an architect (or an architecture major) to see Vegas is all about the strip. The infrastructure is making the city rather than the city making the infrastructure.

I think It will be beneficial for me to document my process. It allows me to recall and reinforce important topics discussed and It gives the you guys (the readers) my 'perspective' of a future city.  

"As the global population increases, out cities grow larger. This growth is accompanied by population and demographic changes, skyrocketing real-estate costs, sprawl, encroachment of green space, increased air and sound pollution, traffic standstills, and inadequate housing. Are our cities as efficient as they could be? There exists inefficiencies in spatial usage and spatial qualities within the urban fabric from abandoned buildings and lots to buildings that are empty for more than 12 hours a day. What if a city could adapt quickly to turn those inefficiencies into opportunities and find a new ideal state?"
-Winy Mas, The Why Factory

CAD or hand drafting?

 

Frank Lloyd Wright drafting

A new semester is about to start and a certain topic that always comes-up is about rendering software or how we did the images on the last project. Once you get past first-year, a lot of the students are struggling to decide between hand drawings or doing work on a CAD software. As students progress through the program, there tends to be a lot less hand drawings and a lot more computer work. I mean, It is kind of understood that most (if not all) drawings used on final presentations are going to be CAD generated. Sadly, that is just how it usually goes down. I love, love hand drawings and I often do a hybrid of computer work and hand drawings in projects. After asking around, most students tend to fall back on what they know, especially during crunch time and the deadline quickly approaching. I can't really blame them. It all comes down to turning-in work you know you can produce or risk turning-in something you may not complete.
  
I am not here to say you should use hand drawings rather than CAD -- that's not the point. I do feel hand drawing isn't utilized as much these days and is a very important communication tool to learn and use. But, I also feel the evolution of architecture is dependent on technology and the software is nothing more than just another tool in the bag to use as a conduit to best express an idea. I know a lot of older professors curse the use of computers in architecture. I am sure the majority of us wouldn't want to visit a doctor if the doctor was taught and practices the same medical practice used in the 1950's, right?

Why do we always speak of hand sketching with such nostalgia? First, hand sketching is such a romantic notion. We see technology everywhere and seeing a hand drawing reminds us of bringing things back to basics. Hand sketching will always play an important role in design. It is the designer's go-to when we need to get an idea out and just 'play around' with, but that is usually where it stops. The designer has to make a decision early on that they are going to use hand drawings on their final board. Why? Because hand drawings take time and it is very difficult to fix a mistake (especially when working with drafting pens or colored pencils). CAD has a built-in 'F-it' button that we love to press because it makes our mistakes go bye-bye with a press of the button. But, CAD drawings aren't necessarily much faster either. I can easily spend five hours working on details on a drawing and most people couldn't notice much of a difference than five hours before. 

Both hand-drawing and CAD drawings take time and require layers on layers of detail. You can easily spend just as much time on one style as you can on another. Deciding which style to use is just a matter of considering how much time you can allow and how the style will work with other drawings if there are others.

"You are God..."

I believe we're all familiar with the Architect from The Matrix.

"You are god. You are able to create something from nothing..."

I have heard at least three different versions of this statement throughout my architectural education. I have even listened to one of my professors compare us (god) to the architect in The Matrix and how Neo (Neo - new) is the latest iteration in the design process. It is in our name: Archi- first, original, archetype; Tect- technician. Ultimately, at our core we are creators. We are able to sit at a desk with a piece of paper and a lead holder and just design. Then, we take what is sketched and create. To create something from nothing does seem 'god-like'. 

I digress. This evening I spent two and a half hours making turkey noodle soup (I am feeling pretty ill and really wanted soup!). I took the time to make fresh noodles, broth and the little turkey meatballs. By the end of it all I didn't realize how much time I spent preparing soup. After I was able to reflect on how much I had done and the time spent making soup I said to myself, "I created something from nothing." So, I view this whole "You are god" ego-petting speech as just a romantic notion. I mean, doctors were able to bring an uncle of mine back from being dead. Granted he didn't last much longer, but surely that is a hell of a lot more god-like than creating something from nothing? Women push a living person out of themselves! WTF?! Just saying that is insane to me! I consider that a lot more 'god-like'! But, that also is creating something from nothing. Well, maybe not nooothing. There was a little somethin'-somethin' for that to happen...


I digress. What I really wanted this post to be about it is that were are all our own god/master architect. Each person is able to create and design our own universe how we want. This all comes down to design and creating. Some results may take longer, but every move is a direct result of a design decision we have made. Nothing is ever perfect the first time around. Neo was not the first design of the architect in The Matrix. Well, the first time he was, but the Neo we all know and love was the sixth design. As designers, we take our iterations and learn about what works and what doesn't and make a new (Neo) design. I think If you can take a good/bad situation and learn about about what and why (all data) something happened, then that is just being more the wiser.

Did we just design ourselves into a dependent bubble?

Kids these days with their mobile tel-lee-phone and their tweeters with their gimme-gimme-gimme-now-now-now. Lazy-spoiled brats! Back in my day...  

It is difficult to go anywhere without noticing someone on some kind of electronic device. Hell, I am on one now. I kind of need to be using an electronic device to communicate with anyone these days. I need a computer to check important personal accounts and to do my work. Even an amount of my leisure time is spent on YouTube or looking through Pinterest. We have advanced so much with technology that we're starting to not design libraries in schools (That is kind of scary to say). My most recent educational project was designing a high school. We were shut down at the hint of mentioning a library in the program. The director pulled out his smartphone saying "This is my library. I have the world at my fingertips!" Also, three to four years ago my own high school announced they were renovating the library into.... a cafe... I spent many, many minutes in that library and now it is a cafe?! The books in the library were so random and seldom relevant to anything I needed to research, but that is a tangent I should probably refrain from going towards.

(Video is of Louis C.K on Conan O'Brian talking about his plane experience )

I get it! We get information so much faster, with more choices and with great quality. Wait a couple of years and it will get even better! We also start becoming impatient because we are accustomed to instant gratification. Does instant gratification contribute to anxiety? I think so. You could make a drinking game on how many times a person refreshes a page when you're next to someone checking their Facebook on a slow connection. Any little notification 'ping' or highlight and the person is right back on the screen. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people are on their phone or pad during a meal. It is fine if you're by yourself, but at least have enough respect to give your company your attention (little rant, sorry). A lot of people just don't know how to be alone with themselves. That is a pretty tough pill to swallow when you can't stand being alone with yourself. It is almost comical that if you have done something wrong in jail they put you alone with yourself as a punishment.

I suppose today would be one of the worst days to try to be independent from technology because it is the start of the work week and everyone is trying to get back into the routine. I am not saying be totally independent, but just a having little alone time throughout the day dedicated to something that makes you happy.

Pursuit of perfection

Jiro Ono, sushi master

I was suppose to be in bed three hours ago. Three and a half hours of cleaning a turkey, making a brine and preparing stock.The kitchen was freezing and there was a warm bed next to a cozy fireplace waiting for me. Could have all of that waited until morning? Of course it could. It is nearing 4 am and I am exhausted. For those three and a half hours nothing mattered and I was just focusing on achieving perfection. I never notice how I get into this meditation-like 'zone', but I know it well. It is the same unawareness I get when I am building, designing or shooting. The pursuit of perfection is what gets me up at 3:30 in the morning to get to the studio and what keeps me up hours after I was suppose to be sleeping. It is a dedication to craft and the pursuit of perfection.

Kyudo.

It is all about perfection for me. How can I do one-something as perfectly as I possibly can? Will I ever reach perfection? No, I do not believe I will ever reach perfection in anything. I could shoot an arrow everyday for the rest of my life and will probably never attain an absolute perfection. I do not believe perfection is ever meant to be attained. It feels like reaching up and trying to grab the moon. So, why bother if you can't attain perfection? I believe it is the discipline, commitment to the craft and pure pleasure that drives people to put aside their comfort to reach a higher level of meditation. It is not about doing something as quickly as you can to finish a goal, but more about having the pride to perform each individual task as perfectly as you possibly can to accumulate towards a goal. It is really easy to notice how much someone takes pride in their craft. I know I may feel (and look) like crap after, but emotionally and spiritually I feel content. This pursuit of perfection will always make me strive for better. I feel there would be nothing more to advance if I ever reach perfection. With the weekend approaching, I hope everyone gets to set aside some time to immerse yourself in something that brings your great pride and joy.

Real estate and infrastructure

By now you have probably heard me talking about begin ruined by design. It is a simple case of  'ignorance is bliss'. I can no longer walk into a space and not look-up and check out the ceiling or notice the layout of furniture. Designers are a totally different breed. Our brains are rewired differently and we all look at the world completely different from normal people -- we have to. So, for this post when I mention a term like 'real estate', I am not really talking about a piece of land. I am referring to spaces like my room, my desk, my studio or even the interior of my car. Those spaces are valuable real estate to me. I think of these spaces like they are spaces in a retail shop. In retail, if a certain product is not selling or has enough demand, then the product gets taken out or/and replaced. I believe the items in my spaces that I control should add to the quality in my life.

This is where the infrastructure part comes into view. A couple of examples of infrastructure in a city are the utilities and the streets. Infrastructure gives a city the basic needs to function as a society. The items/infrastructure I am referring to are usually tools and sentimental items. My camera, books, colored pencils, computer, sketchbook, coffee, photos of love ones -- these are the basic items in my daily life that give me inspiration, bring more joy to working and contribute to my overall efficiency. At the end of the day it is about surrounding myself with items that contribute to my quality of my life. I can't necessarily control what is outside my my walls, but I can control what is on the inside.

Behind the Design: Logo

There is now a logo! It was overdue. The logo allows for more of an identity to the blog. I am really happy with the outcome. It is simple, straight forward, no fluff and legible. There is a literal sense of a section drawing and a little play with positive/negative space. I decided not to go with a literal perspective view on the word 'Perspective' because putting more graphics on the word looked really cluttered. There is a little bit of minor tweaking that needs to happen, but for now it is pretty good and I am content.

So, what when into the making a logo?

It all starts with bringing things back to basics. Simple quick sketches will get you a long way to just getting ideas out. They don't have to be perfect (as you'll see below), they just have to be something.






















__________________________________________________________________________________________________
There is nothing buttoned-up here! It is just quick sketching to get out ideas. You have a checklist of what you want to accomplish and you work off of the needs. All of the sketches probably took no longer than eight minutes at the most. I guess I feel I should clarify that it isn't about the speed that I am emphasizing, but about the content and design process and working off tangents to clarify a direction I wanted to be guided. Ooo! **Important ramble** I feel good design is seldom about designer. The designer should act as a conduit to listen, interpret and facilitate the design process. Once you get into a zone you'll find that the design will begin to design itself. The designers roll is not to fuck screw it up with their ego (a little ego is fine as long as ego isn't the primary driver for the design).

If you noticed the process -- I began to detail the composition. There are positive spaces and negative spaces. There is also that same design 'language' with the words. Notice the word 'Section' is displayed like a section drawing cutting through a ground. I began to hatch the background of the word 'Section', but opted for more of a hatched look.

Once you have the general direction, you can begin to bring the idea into the computer and begin to refine the idea. This is where it can begin to get fun. What is shown above is the same direction -- just minor little details are being tweaked like line thicknesses, sizes, fonts, hierarchy, adding more detail, taking away details so the overall composition doesn't become cluttered. Each iteration is slightly different from the others and gives me more of a range of direction I would like to take. I think I should address the colors shown are used as guidelines for putting a perspective view on 'Perspective'. How it is designed looks very simple, but it allows me flexibility to add playful versions of the logo throughout the year to help highlight special events or days.

One of the "tweaks" I need to perform is a printed test of the logo. As designers, we all know that what is on our screen is never what gets plotted...Ever! As for now, I hope you enjoyed my rant and process.

Order and clarity

Happy new year, everyone! I hope everyone had a very fun, eventful and safe start to their new year. I'm sure all of you guys that made resolutions are off to a great start. Picking right-up where we left off in the 'restraint' post. I couldn't help but notice how much I was cleaning my bedroom and studio. Now, I am not a messy person....unlesss.... It is my personal area behind closed doors. Common areas I use are always as clean and ordered as I can make them -- I just think that is being courteous to other people. Howeeeever, my bedroom and home studio are always messy. I always seem to just save items I think I could use and seldom ever touch again. I also have a bad habit of just throwing my clothes in a corner or on top of the dresser when I get home. Anyway, I could not help reflecting on how much cumulative time I have wasted throughout the year cleaning and getting things in order.

Yeah, sure we have all heard the "put it away now so you won't have to later." speech (which never gets my attention), but It is more about being and becoming efficient. Maybe, we just need a different perspective on how all the little things add-up. Efficiency gets me out of bed and gets my attention. Efficiency, to me, sounds like I am becoming better than the competition. Wait, what competition? Where did that come into the picture? Competition is the best way to make sure your stuff gets done. Maybe it is just in my nature to be competitive, but you can't tell me next time you go into your job and your boss brings-in someone to 'help' you that you are not thinking you are getting replaced. Betcha you are going to work a little harder and shine a little brighter that day, no?

Getting to the point, becoming efficient is a way to bring order and clarity back into the elements of your daily life. If you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready and you can go on with your life rather than wasting the extra time it takes to clean-up the cleanup. Daily life shouldn't be about having big moments of wasting time doing what should have been done.Now my room and studio are clean, everything (most of everything) is easily accessible and back in order. Which means I can be more efficient and spend more time and energy on what I want to spend more time doing.

Happy New Year!

I wanted to take time to wish everyone a very safe and happy new year's eve. I hope everyone gets a chance to ring in the new year with someone very near and dear to you. Stay safe and I'll be back with you guys next year!

Restraint

Japanese calligrapher painting enso

Thanks to the image search I have found out a lot of other people have totally different ideas when you search for 'restraint'. The first think that comes to mind when I hear restraint is being able to know when enough is enough or being able to self-edit. I think for a society, that hasn't been ruined by a design guidelines, restraint is a foreign term. We are constantly bombarded with more of everything. I won't get into the whole "less is more/less is a bore" conversation, but we see a hell of a lot more excess than what is needed in everyday life.

Is restraint minimal?
Short answer: Yes, I think so. You can make a much bolder impression with a single gesture than with a bunch of supporting fluff. Throughout my education I have noticed it takes a lot for a designer to know when they're pushing too hard and to ease off. There is a certain level of maturity, awareness and a bit of sophistication when a designer can take a step back from his/her work and begin to remove the not needed. Huh? Example please! Everyone may not design, but everyone cooks, right? At some point in your life you've probably made eggs. Okay, there comes a certain point when you're cooking your egg that you think to yourself, "I should probably take the egg off the heat. Otherwise, the eggs are going to smell like a wet dog when they overcook!" I think that is the most basic and straightforward example I could give. You know the eggs will overcook when you leave them on the heat longer so you take the eggs off the heat. Now comes another issue: what do you put on the eggs? Seasoning the eggs is another opportunity for restraint. You could season the eggs with twenty-plus different flavors, but a simple salt and pepper would suffice. But how much salt and pepper? You see how something simple can just have layers of complexity?

Recording artist Salt-n-Peppa. *Do not put Salt-n-Peppa on your eggs unless you want to push it*

When it comes to restraint in design, I think Japan in King. I'm not talking about the newer stuff and Hello Kitty. I'm talking about the architecture, the tea ceremony, the ikebana, the calligraphy, the food (my god, the food!). All of these topics have few bold gestures and can celebrate the voids between the elements. Meaning: what is not there is just as important as what is there. Take a birds nest. There are two elements to a birds nest. There is a the structure that makes a bowl shape and there is the void space where the eggs will lay. Both elements are pretty important, right? If there is no structure, there is no nest. If there is no void, there is no safe area for the eggs. You don't need more stuff to fill the voids. You don't want to labeled as a 'void-filler'! 

I guess what it all boils down to is quality over quantity. I suppose during this transition between holidays is a great time to reflect on the past year and what you would like to be more self-aware during the coming new year.

Let's talk resolutions...Go!

Numbers for the 2015 new year ball in Times Square

We are getting close to a new calender year and new year resolutions are getting brought up more frequently in many conversations in my social media feeds. I'm sure at this point many of us tend to give a second or two to think about the resolutions we made (or didn't make) at the beginning of 2014. But, this time last year the majority of Americans just weren't making resolutions. According to a poll taken by CBS New York, sixty-eight percent of Americans had no intention to make a new year resolution. Thirty-three percent of the Americans making resolutions only were able to keep half of their resolutions. I happen to fall within that thirty-three percent. I managed to fulfill just over half of the resolutions I have committed to -- falling short from making a functional iron man suit and building a catapult. Also, resolutions tend to be a younger man's game with forty-six percent of people under thirty having plans to go out to help bring in a new year. 

So, whats the bad wrap about resolutions? I think it is all about the game plan. People get caught up in all the hype of a new year (...a new you) and a fresh start. We get excited about bettering ourselves and burn out too quickly. The majority of new year resolutions never make it into February. Sure, who doesn't want to get healthier? Who doesn't want to save a little more or kick a bad habit? We all have the best of intentions for ourselves, right? Just as long as it doesn't interfere with our current lifestyle. Maybe that is it! Maybe when we get pushed out of our comfort zone too quickly our resolution becomes more of an inconvenience or trying to keep up with resolutions becomes overwhelming and we end up resetting ourselves back to our default. Or life just gets in the way.

Why is it a good idea to have a resolution?
Having a resolution gives you something to work towards that is self-fulfilling. It is about taking the current you out of your bubble to better yourself. By learning a different language or skill it gives you another layer of complexity that leads to a more well-rounded and interesting person.
 
What can I do to better my chances for a successful resolution?

• Pace yourself! You're not in a competition. Break down your resolutions into smaller, more attainable, goals. You can't just say you want something. You need to make a plan on how to attain your goal. You're not going to loose that 20 lbs in a week or kick a bad habit in a day. Make a plan, take your time and do it right!
• Give yourself time! Have a goal of completing a resolution by a certain time. Then, add a month for a buffer. What I mean by this is things always take more time than you plan. It happens all the time. It is happening right now! I had a goal of finishing this post within an hour and half. Two and a half hours later.... here I am. Still typing away.
• Reward your progress. This shouldn't be about cutting out stuff that makes you happy. It should just add to your happiness.
• Push yourself out of your comfort zone. <----Self explanatory. 
• You've got to be willing to change. Don't do that to yourself. Don't give yourself false hope. You've got to want to save more money or learn a language or improve yourself for the better and be consistent with your efforts towards your goal.

Look, here's the best little nugget of data I can give you: It is easy to see a resolution as a huge metaphorical wall. It is okay for you to feel overwhelmed. You just need to focus on a task and work at doing one thing as perfectly as you possible can. For instance, think like you're trying to build a brick wall. You don't just show up and have a wall. You work at laying a single brick as perfectly and as straight as you can. Work on your craft, remain consistent and over a period of time you will have a wall. I'm not telling you anything new. There's a reason you've heard some of this over and over before -- because it helps! That is also the beauty of it all. You don't have to wait for a new year to change. You can start to better yourself in the summer, last month and even now! Decide what you want, make a plan to attain your goal and focus on executing a specific task as perfectly as you can towards your goal. Progress may be slow and that is okay as long as there is progress. Don't know if you're progressing? Ask yourself: "Am I further along than I was yesterday?" Progress is progress!

Transition me this

Color of leaves transitioning from summer to fall.

When I hear transition I think about two materials transitioning into each other or how spaces transition from one defined space into another. But, I want to talk about other forms of transition. Like how we transition throughout the year. I think now would be a great opportunity since we just finished the majority of cultural holidays and we are getting ready for a new year. I refer to this changing time as a transition. Others may call it a new chapter in life, another page or leaf to turn. Doesn't matter what ya call it, it is something different.

As a student, we have two major transitions (winter/summer break). It usually takes me a week or two into the break to really get use to not getting up at three in the morning to go to school. It is a huge shock to my system because the last two weeks of school we're going all out to meet the deadline. We go from performing on our project every waking moment to an absolute stop. It sucks! At least for me. I get in a rhythm and get set on cruise control to just hitting a wall once the final project is over. How do I deal with the sudden stop? First, I get my sleep! Sleep and hydration are paramount! I usually take a solid day and a half to get all the rest I need. Second, I get selfish. I do not want to see, smell or hear anything about my project. I just want to focus on me and what makes me happy. Usually that consists of having a really great cup of coffee, cooking something I really enjoy, spending time with family and giving my dog lots of belly rubs. Third, I get back into a rhythm that keeps me busy. Usually that is just getting back to work and hobbies that I couldn't devote enough time to during the semester. My hobbies keep me busy and keep my mind fresh and clear in design without having to get burnt out with architecture. I feel all three of these steps are important elements to keeping me sane and allow me to perform well without having to worry about a hard crash or getting stuck in a lazy rut.

Okay... That is good and great for you, but how does that relate to me?  I think everything is relative in principal. When it all comes down to is a transition is a great opportunity to reflect on what you have done, what you're doing and where you're going. The process I have taken allows me to think clearly without much room for anxiety and keep me fresh for the next 'chapter' or event. The process allows me to fully enjoy the special nuggets of moments that I would have usually overlooked because I would have been too tired or wouldn't have enough time to enjoy.

I hope the process above can help you cope if you are dealing with holiday stress and feel like you can't catch a break. I also hope it can help you guys prepare and thoroughly enjoy the next beginning chapter in your life.

Season of giving

Happy Festivus for those celebrating!

Festivus celebrated on December 23. "A Festivus for the rest of us!" (Not an actual recognized holiday...yet!)

Christmas festivities are already starting around the house. The scents of baked treats and the sound of wrapping paper tearing along with a curse word or two. It is starting to feel like the holidays! I love cooking and baking for loved ones, but I love more when I am able to see the moment of joy I have contributed to them when they take a bite of something I made. I think most of us get great joy and even a huge rush from giving something to someone that we know they really want or need.

What happens when we give? When we give something to someone without any expectation of receiving something in return, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin along with other happy chemicals that make us feel pretty good. People that spend time doing charity work often have lower levels of depression and high self-esteem. Also, have you noticed that when you spend money on someone else, you feel much better than when you spend it on yourself? But, isn't that the catch? Is the reason some people do good for others is because that is a way of making themselves feel better? I remember watching Friends and there was an episode that cast members were talking about there is no such thing as a selfless good act. In my opinion, who cares as long as you're contributing to the quality of another persons day. It is a win-win! You don't need to spend lots of money or any money. You just have to show that you care and you took some time out of your day to better another person(s) day.  

I hope everyone is looking forward to the holidays. Regardless which celebration everyone takes part, I hope everyone has a wonderful and a very giving time!

"Everything has been done before"

"Everything has been done before. You're not inventing anything new."

This was what was drilled into us the first two years of architecture school. Looking back, we were all so optimistic. We all thought we could come up with something different and revolutionary than what other students decades before us have done. We all had the same project, the same requirements, same materials. How the hell do I set myself apart from the 100 other students if we all have an equal start? Answer: craft and execution beat out the competition every time. You can't understand how beautiful a two-inch by two-inch cube of gray museum board can be while you're inches away and it looks like a perfect cube of clay. Hell, you couldn't even see shadows from the edges.

Once we were past the fundamentals, we began designing spaces for people to inhabit. We have complete freedom to create a concept and form an idea of what we would like the building to become. We begin rough sketches and begin researching projects. And that's the thing -- Why do we always research projects if we already have a general idea on what we want to design? On every project we research wall systems, structural systems, finished materials, shading devices and the list goes on and on. We look at built and unbuilt projects while documenting our precedents for reference. The oddest thing is when you have a clear concept of your building. You're sure there is nothing in the world like what you're thinking and you find the EXACT same idea during your precedent research. Oh, and it is built too... multiple times... by totally different firms... oooon totally different projects. But, why do we still do research? Because that's how we learn as individuals. We all learn by copying what someone else has already done and apply it to our own use. Doesn't matter if it is architecture or business or science. We copy because what we copy is a proof of concept. It has been successful before and, if applied correctly, should yield successful results.

If everyone is copying everyone else, wouldn't everyone end up with the same result? No! Unless there are very specific guideline and steps to follow. Like performing an experiment. Referring back to what I learned in first-year architecture -- It doesn't matter how equal our materials and projects are, the defining factors are craft and execution. It is funny how common similar concepts come-up in architecture. I remember one semester three people in the same studio had the exact same concept, program and site. Guess what! All three of them had very different outcomes.

So how does copying lead to something different? We all contribute to the development of a discipline. On my most recent project, I needed to design a shading system. I did a decent amount of precedent research and found dozens of examples for what I wanted to execute, but the finished materials were different and I had to tweak the form of the shading device. Also, I had to figure out how to connect the shading device to building while staying within the language of the architecture.

I used to think, "how could I ever create something new and different if all I"m doing is looking at precedents?" How could I have a different thought if I'm looking at other peoples ideas? If anything, you become a more well-rounded person the more you expose yourself to different methods, technologies and even culture. You're able to grab your 'bag of tricks' to help you distinguish your work and yourself from others. You have to be able to research, document and put your own spin on an idea. Otherwise, you're just plagiarizing.

Why is architecture so weird?

"There are no ______ in architecture. There are only design intentions and strategies." 

This statement blew my mind and totally changed my perspective on...life. One of my favorite professors would always tell us this statement throughout the semester while our projects developed. He changed our perspective on design every time we hinted the mention of doors/windows/roof by saying, "There are no doors/windows/roof in architecture! They are openings/canopies relating to design intentions and strategies." This abstraction is part of giving architecture a soul. Anyone can put up four walls (planes) and a roof (canopy) and call it a building; but the manipulation of the form and space relating/responding to the environment, relating to the surroundings, responding to the inhabitants all help give a living soul to the architecture.

Sketch of Santiago Calatrava's 'Turning Torso'

Abstraction of a concept pretty much drives architecture. Why abstraction? Abstraction sparks intrigue. Abstraction makes you think and ask why or how. Well, doesn't that make it art? Well, yes and no. Granted, there is a lot of architecture that is so strong formally (the shape of the building) that it cannot adequately respond to the program (needed and wanted rooms for the building). That is when it just becomes art. The architecture fails to respond to the needs of the inhabitants and/or the environment and was just about an architect's ego.

Jewish facility at Woodlawn Cemetery in Houston

Take this building. No doors, no windows, just abstraction of a concept and architecture. Forgive me, but I do not know enough Jewish history to accurately describe Jewish origin. The context of the building has everything to do about the number 12, which I believe describe the twelve tribes of Israel, and 7, which I believe have to do with the seven days of creation. If anyone is more familiar with Jewish culture, please comment the story below.

Arrangement of elements on the right-side of the pavilion

Five out of the six of these massing elements are shown in the photo. Looking at the front of the pavilion, the series of the elements are all on the right. On the left-side of the pavilion, there is a space dedicated for a seventh element, but its just an empty space meant to represent a seventh element representing the seventh day of rest.  

View from back of pavilion showing courtyard

This photo is showing the transition space before people actually enter the pavilion. Notice there are no doors. people enter through the space between each one of the rounded objects on the right-side of the photo.

Front right-side view

If you look carefully, there is a bench and this is the only area that you cannot enter the pavilion. There are a series of seven elements in this pattern. Again, this is more symbolism integrated with the architecture that on the seventh day was a resting period.

Access to interior of the pavilion

Seven elements. You enter the pavilion through the space between the elements.

Interior of pavilion

 Take notice of the seven water spouts.

Rear of pavilion

This was the back entrance. The back entrance of the pavilion is used to transport the casket and religious directors. Also, take notice of more symbolism representing the seven days of creation. The series of 6 square openings.

Exterior left-side of the pavilion

Look closely and you''l see little steel pegs embedded into the wall surface. Shown are eleven of the twelve pegs.

Steel peg on the left exterior wall

Notice the rust from the steel peg on the concrete. This is more symbolism integrated within the structure. The rust literally and symbolically references time.

I hope this example gave you guys a different perspective on architecture and hopefully a better understanding about why architecture seems weird.