~ System of a Drawing ~ Trial 01 ~

Here is a trial of a drawing we tried that is organized in the way how Miralles and Penos does it. This time, we were tasked to create a drawing on a good quality strathmore paper. 


For my choice of subject, I decided to go with a concentrated blown up portion of my plan at 1/16" scale as well as a few sections cutting through this portion to further emphasize the expressive characteristics I would like in my plan portion. 


The drawing here is of a concentrated floor plan of my addition drawn at 1/16" scale. It is of the space that is dug into the earth and leads into part of the program which includes the library, and a storage room. This space is situated just below the current existing mausoleum. To the right of the plan is a few sections cutting through this plan portion.

Sector Cemetery ~ Beginnings of a concept ~ Part 1

After having come up with a design concept, I have sketched ideas as to how I should place the burial plots and how they should be arranged in order to create a meaningful experience.


In my trial attempts, I have created a drawdel that at this moment best expresses what I am trying to express in my design. In this drawdel, I have shifted the two Programmatic curves further apart on either end. The curve on the left is the elevated space whereas the curve on the far right is the dug into or unearthed space. 


In between these curves are the burial plots. They are placed in such a way to mimic the currently existing pieces of wood embedded into the floor of the cemetery that symbolizes the flowing of a "river". Also, if you look closely, the arrangement of the burial plots have been positioned at angles so as to give a sense of rhythmic flow similar to the movement of a river flow. 


Here is a drawdel of this trial ~ 

Sector Cemetery ~ Beginnings of a concept ~

For our next assignment, we were given the project which we would be working on till the end of semester. We were presented with a set of programs and the problem in which we were tasked to tackle. 


The assignment is to develope either an addition to the existing cemetery to allow more space for burial plots. 


For my proposed concept. I have decided to go with a design that is reflective of my focused map drawings from the earlier project. I have here 2 curves. Both similar in appearance but are very different in character. The bottom curve is an elevated piece, whereas the top curve is dug into the ground.


For my design concept, I started looking at what I have already have. 
I looked at both my wire map model, as well as the poem, "A Throw Of The Dice". 


With the wire map model, looking at it from top view, it is the plan of the existing mausoleum structure at the cemetery. But on its side, it is something completely inventive. 

As for the poem, I took the form I created and applied it to my design concept. A form that is dynamic, rhythmic, and expresses movement. 

These forms have been expressed in my drawdel trials. In my drawdels, the forms created here are different variations of an elongated letter "S". Which I have derived from the already existing curves on the site. 
Here are some of my drawdels I have been working on ~

Map(in) Igualada ~ Map 03 ~ Final

After the many failed attempts at making a wax model. I have decided to go with plaster. Here is an image of my plaster model. I did this only once and to my surprise, it was a success. For this mold, I used foam core again. This time it was easier since the plaster was cold and wasn't going to damage the mold like the wax did.

With this model, I played with positive and negative space. Interestingly, this came out a lot nicer as compared to my earlier wax trials. 

Here's another view of my plaster model.

Map(in) Igualada ~ Map 04 ~ Trial stage

Here are images from my wax casting trial. 

This is the newly built wax mold made with layered chipboard and lined with tacky glue.

This is the outcome after attempting to remove the wax from the mold. This trial was not a complete failure as the "positive" spaces appeared to be perfectly intact on the surrounding edges. But once it got to the middle area, the pieces were fragile. Not only that, the chipboard in the middle was soaked in wax and was almost impossible to remove without breaking the wax. 

This is my second attempt at making a wax mold. This time, i used foam core. 

Equally, I lined the inside with tacky glue. 

This I have to say was not at all what I was expecting. The wax simply seeped through the foam mold and spilled onto the ground. It seeped through the lined glue areas like water. Also, it started eating away a bit of the foam mold. 

At this point, I ran out of clean wax to use. With that, I decided to try out plaster. 

Map(in) Igualada ~ Map 02 - Final ~

Here is my axonometric section drawing of my focused map of the mausoleum structure. This drawing shows the axon in the middle of the page with sections that branch out from it. 

Map(in) Igualada ~ Map 03 ~ beginning

This is the beginnings of my wire model for map 3. Its still of the same focused mausoleum.  

From above, it appears to be the plan of the mausoleum structure.

But once the angle is changed to its side view, you get a completely inventive new approach to it.

Map(in) Igualada ~ Map 03 ~ Final

Here is my final wire model. I have added the second "boundary" with the addition of the thicker wire. On this thicker wire i took the thinner wire from earlier, and created "spaces" with it.

Here is the model in a plan view  

Here is the model taken from its side view.

Map(in) Igualada ~ Drawdel Final ~

Here is my final drawdel. I have added a little cutouts to the outside boundary to give it a little more shape. Everything else remains the same from Trial 02.

Map(in) Igualada ~ Map 01 - Trial 02 ~

Here is my new current Map #1. Things I've updated, I have kept the simple gesture on the outside of the "circle" space to act as a boundary and added more "objects" into the center of the "circle" to further emphasize my focus of transitioning from the concentrated "circle" space towards the outside space of created by the simple gestures. 

~ Map(in) Igualada - Map 01 - Trial ~

"a map that must be produced, constructed, a map that is always detachable, connectable, reversible, modifiable, and has multiple entryways and exits and its own lines of flight."


Our next assignment is called Map(in)Igualada. 


Our task was to look at the site map and to focus on a point of interest that has a means of transition.


For my project, I came up with two choices. Either the mortuary building in which the public space would bring the visitors through a long and zig-zagged shaped corridor and finally into the autopsy rooms, or the mausoleum structure located towards the end of the path where the symbolic "river" invites you. 


I have instead chosen to go with the mausoleum structure located at the end of the path of the site. I figured this spot had a unique shape and form and I'd thought I'd give it a shot. 


Here are some example trials carving into a regular 11" x 17" (A3) sheet of paper.


The first image is of the site to represent the transition space between the boundaries of the exterior shape of the "pit" and in the interior form of the "crypt". the paper has been cut out and flipped on both sides of the sheet to give it the impression that it can be viewed from all angles.

This next piece is of the same site but instead of taking the boundaries, I chose to cut out the pieces of the symbolic "river". This "river" leads visitors from the beginning of the path, pass through the tombs on either side of the path and finally ending and gesturing to enter the doorways of the mausoleum. 

~ Book Carving ~

Assignment 1: Empty Space I: Books, Paper, Scissors


The assignment was to carve into a book something that is relevant to the book itself. The book i was provided with was Patricia Cornwell's Predator. With the name, Predator, I first had images of lions, tigers, dinosaurs, dragons, in mind. Further research shows that the Predator in this book was simply an organization with the first initials that spelled P.R.E.D.A.T.O.R. This book tells a story that consists of a detective case with murder and mystery.


I have practiced earlier with carving into a book. The book I practiced with had a soft paperback cover and pages that were soft and easy to cut. But the only problem was that the pages would tend to curl when the details got small and fine. 


My assigned book was of much better condition. It had a hard cover, and pages that were rigid enough to cut through and stay its shape most of the time. 


 I did many research with what to carve into this book. I felt that the book was full of fear, and negativity that revolves death. With that in mind, I have chosen to carve out the image of an anonymous individual, (without the knowledge of its gender), with a look that is fearful for its life into the pages of the book. 


From the outside, there is no change to the book. It appears normal, just as any other book would. But once you open the cover, you are greeted with eyes, carved into the title page. Turning the page, the reader is greeted with an creepy face that has been struck with fear. The anonymous individual is clawing at its face and with its eyes stretched out and its mouth wide open, screaming for its life. 

~ First in class exercise ~

For our first in class exercise, we were presented with a copy of Stephane Malarme's A Throw of the Dice. We were tasked to recreate our interpretation of the 10 page poem under the time constraint of 1 hr and 30 min. This was similar to our Assignment 01: Book carving project but without the restrictions and limits on the carving process. 

After having read through the poem a couple of times, I find it intriguing the Malarme had produced her poem. It was not presented as a regular poem, in which the reader would read line by line. Instead, Malarme took a step further and randomly placed the words as well as typed in different typefaces. Also, there is no true way to interpret this poem, which gives it a sense of ambiguity. 

For my exercise, I have taken all the bold lettering and "slipped" it through to the title page that reads, " A Throw Of The Dice". On the left of the page, I took words and recreated my version of the poem and equally, "slipped" it through to the title page. Lastly, I folded the bottom left corner as well as the opposite top right corner of the paper to give the impression of a recurring cycle.   

~ First Day Back ~

Today was the start of our first day of spring semester 2012 as well as my first architectural advance studio. For our studio, we're required to keep an up to date blog on our thoughts, process work, as well as our final work done. This would be my first time blogging. Let's see how it goes from here...