Monday, May 18, 2009

What Is An Animated Space?

We will discuss this in the studio today. Please observe the differences in-between a dramatic person, a person in dramatic act, and the drama as delivered by Placido Domingo's voice other than his very act of singing.




EXP - 2 FEEDBACKS

The intention of publishing the feedback below is so that all students can benefit by understanding the strengths and weaknesses of a range of projects. Please take the time to review other student's work with these comments in mind. If you have any questions or would like any further clarification don’t hesitate to ask me during the studio session.

Ashneil
No Show

Barno
Key strength of the scheme:
The playfulness in making shapes and spaces. This is a bold solution that can. The application of textures is confidant and effective and it compliments the volumetric main spaces. Ingenious idea to use sculptural like elements (stairs, totem like column, pyramid shape lighting fixture) for the definition of place in space. The sketches are delightful but need more vigor and intensity.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The movement sequence in the UT environment doesn’t bright forth the quality of each “room”. The overall scheme lacks dynamism and in need of more development.

Belle
Key strength of the scheme:
Dynamic composition using element of circulation and the spiralling stairs enhance this impression.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Lacking main focus on the whole scheme. Need more effort in editing down the number of stairs. The travelling routes get to be confusing and this can be improved by the application of textures according to zones. The axonometric sketches are studiously drawn but lack imagination. The 2nd set of textures can’t be click enlarged and that is a drawback.

Berlen
Key strength of the scheme:
The comprehension of scale even in the virtual realm. This has been intelligently obtained by way of organizing the interlocking volumes and the open and semi-open spaces inbetween. The spatial experience is oriented by the visual sequence of openings, inside/outside and lights. The axonometric sketches are superb in imagination and with technique. They are at once idiosyncratic and uncannily beautiful.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The apparent disengagement with texture application. You can try to use texture in a way that the surface ceases to be a plane.

Diarne
Key strength of the scheme:
The attempt to create differences with very minimal spatial definition.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
There is not enough work done in this experiment. The axonometric sketches are lacking in  interlocking shapes and the line quality is general low. The main panel of the 5 captured images has been consistently rendered from the first draft to the final project. There isn’t any design development other than further rendering of the surfaces. Please engage with the weekly assignment and do more exercises.

DK Fawad
Key strength of the scheme:
The deliberate act to represent all of the ideas drawn from the client’s quotes. Some of the spatial sequences in the UT environment are strangely beautiful and with lots of visual clues. The axonometric sketches are compulsive and full of energy. The composition of spatial elements has been greatly improved since E1.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The 36 textures are overtly simplistic in terms of its degree of gradient. They are short of diversity at the same time. Please observe good examples for improvement.

Ella
Key strength of the scheme:
Clarity in every labs based on the ideas drawn from each client’s quote. The spare rooms are juxtaposed with the beautiful black strokes frozen in the transparent low walls. The captured images defy the generally artificial “look” of the UT environment. This is a critical manipulation of the digital tools. The textures and axonometric sketches are unique and with engaging spirit.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The final project is not ambitious spatially. You can still do an UT map that is critical of the medium yet expressing the richness of architectural experience.

Henry
Key strength of the scheme:
The dynamic balance between the “floating” lab and the embedded one. Many interesting features not only ornate the spaces but orient the movement in the UT environment. The imaginative use of texture in Nobel’s office and its formal composition. Axonometric sketches are vigorously studied.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The 36 textures haven’t shown the process of gradient clearly. Please look at them and try to see the pattern in a sequence so you can improve the effect next time.

Irene
Key strength of the scheme:
The axonometric sketches are forcefully composed and drawn with a distinct style. Some of the surfaces in the UT environment show interesting juxtaposition.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The ramp of your project is basically flawed and hard if not impossible to move through it even in virtuality. The environment in general is overtly chaotic and in need of editing.

Jazy
Key strength of the scheme:
The shear energy engaged in and complexity of the project are appreciated. The vigorous development from the earlier drafts to the final gigantic environment is welcomed. The interior space for Campbell’s lab is well integrated and spatially interesting.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Too many features that are just for visual purposes. Try to develop spatial organization and a certain overlapping of the circulations. The colors are too busy and super hyper. Try to exercise constraint so as to develop a sense of taste.

Katy
Key strength of the scheme:
The design development has been demonstrated in a series of fine axonometric sketches. The ideas drawn from each client’s quote are sound and have been carried forward in the design of the space. Persistent gradients in texture sketches.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
You must get into the UnReal environment! This is the major flaw in your submission! Please ask for help if you don’t know how to do it.

Keena
Key strength of the scheme:
Clarity in the spatial organization and the rendered ambiance that has been informed by each client’s quote. The scale is proper and the application of textures and lights are skilful. The sketches are superbly done especially the axonometric ones.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The UT environment is composed mainly by conjoining boxes/rooms. Even though they are sufficient but the design possibilities haven’t been fully investigated and experimented. The ramps are just there for functional purpose and short of expression.

Maria
Key strength of the scheme:
Dramatic application of architectural elements: spiral stair, repetitive gates for path, lighting effect.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The connecting ramp is too generic and not visible from the captured images. The UT environment lacks spatial highlights leading to a rather bland experience. Try to integrate your rooms and create overlapping area that does not necessary sit at the same floor level.

Michael
Key strength of the scheme:
The spatial sequence of the external lab. The application of textures and the composition of volumes within a large space. The sketches of parallel projection are highly stylized and with diverse combinations.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The textures lack process of gradient. They need to show the range from Dark to Light instead of Dark and Light! The captured images of the final project, although nicely organized into 2 panels, haven’t expressed your UT environment comprehensively.

Miller
Key strength of the scheme:
The scale and proportion of Cousteau’s lab have been properly achieved. Textures have been effectively applied. The process of design development has been vigorously engaged.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The encaged ramp, although beautifully envisioned, hasn’t been shown effectively in the captured images. The glass ramp is too transparent to a degree that it is almost not there. The embedded lab for Nobel has been put together by a series of conjoining rooms and they lack spatial varieties even though great care has been applied. The textures need more patterning instead of just using one composing method: density. Otherwise, a promising submission.

Natalie
Key strength of the scheme:
Stylized axonometric sketches. The UT environment has been scaled properly and clearly oriented in space. The design ideas are well discussed and illustrated. Effective use of red color to indicate paths in the map.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The ramp is not dramatically realized based on your design idea. The emphasis of a slanted surface is always about its continuity from the floor and the movement it alludes to. The expression of a ramp works best as a straight line instead of a spiralling, wide + “textured” surface. It connotes stillness instead of sliding movement.

Nick
Key strength of the scheme:
The application of textures onto main circulations. The system of movement that connect each rooms is visual comprehensible from the captured images and before entering into the UT environment. This helps one’s orientation in the virtual. Using drawing to solidify design ideas.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The skills in drawing and developing interlocking volumes are poor even though signs of engagement are there in the sketches. Please observe the good examples and practice more. The capacity to conjoin “shapes” in a expansive way can help you comprehend the “secrets” of creating dynamic spatial sequence.

Patrick D
Key strength of the scheme:
Clarity in spatial organization as signified both in the 18 axonometric sketches and the final captured images. Effective yet minimal employment of ascending steps to enhance the “lightness” of Cousteau’s lab.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Not enough energy in the development, organization and experience of UT environment. The possible means of design that group each spatial elements together to form a larger integration haven’t been explored. This is a major flaw. Please continue to make progress in E3.

Patrick S2
Key strength of the scheme:
Clarity in articulating design ideas generated from each client’s quote. A comprehensible design development that shows fine tuned mastery in volumetric composition. Strong axonometric sketches.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Although the spaces have been carefully rendered but their architectural effects haven’t been further dramatized. There is a tendency to engage the design of a “room” via perspectival view, say through the aiming tip of the virtual gun. Try to “see” your design in mind’s eye first before visualization. The 36 textures are short of the patterning variety. They are all about density.

Sarah
Key strength of the scheme:
The design development signified by the series of axonometric sketches demonstrates engaging vigor. The final UT environment is clear strung together via a central circulation loop.
The textures are interesting employing different organic patterns.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The spatial sequence and further development of the dramatic effects in certain area of the UT map. The trick is to do a well proportioned environment with a lot of spatial highlights achieved through organization, imagination and the creation of ambiance.

Serena
Key strength of the scheme:
The meeting place is simple but effective and served as the conjoining space both spatially and functionally. The axonometric sketches are quite an improvement and they have shown their effects in your UT environment. The desire to perfect has emerged in this experiment.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Although the spatial organization shows certain level of imagination, more understanding in the essence of a beautiful space is needed. Please study more of the precedents and try to capture what makes architecture move! Good progress.

Tri
Key strength of the scheme:
This is such a delightful journey of yours in virtuality! Even though the UT environment doesn’t have the heap of UnReal excitements that one would like to see using this engine, but the shear joy in the making of architectural space is appreciated. Well drawn sketches and slow delivered ideas combined with a cool mind of an architect, this experiment should lead you to a more dynamic and “gravity-free” environment in E3.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The audacity in motion, perhaps. Try to break loose all constraints and turn the visual richness in your space into action packed kind of animated space.