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.