in progress learning portfolio
DESCRIPTION
Current in progress learning portfolio for Arch 101 with Jerry Lum at CCSFTRANSCRIPT
This portfolio represents the class as a
whole, as well as the reflections I had while
being in the class.
Learning
Portfolio Architecture 101 – Professor
Jerry Lum
Juveriyah Salat
1
Table of Contents
Project 1 – What’s Your Sign? ......................................................................................................................... 2
Phase 1 – Concept Generalization ................................................................................................................ 2
Phase 2 – Build It ........................................................................................................................................... 3
8-31-2015 ................................................................................................................................................. 3
Project 3 - Perceiving, Experiencing, and Interpreting Spaces and Places: Documenting Our Journeys ..... 5
Project 3A ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Project 3B ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
Project 4 – Wall, Window, Wonder ...................................................................................................... 10
Iteration 1 ................................................................................................................................................... 10
Narrative ........................................................................................................................................ 11
Iteration 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 11
Reflections ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Iteration 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 12
Narrative ........................................................................................................................................ 12
Outline ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Storyboard ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Iteration 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 15
Narrative ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Feedback ........................................................................................................................................ 16
Iteration 5 ................................................................................................................................................... 17
Feedback ........................................................................................................................................ 18
Additions to Iteration 5 .................................................................................................................. 18
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Collage 1 Collage 2 Collage 3
Project 1: What’s your sign?
Week 1
Phase 1: Concept Generalization
As we start class and learn more about making our sign, it offers a little bit
of a challenge. What three adjectives describe me the most? Which ones are
representative of me as a person? And how exactly am I supposed to create a
sign using these?
To accomplish this task, I chose determined/ stubborn, knowledgeable/
loves books, and curious. To create the sign, I started looking for images on the
internet. I decided to choose a magnifying glass to symbolize curiosity, as that is
a big symbol of curiosity. The personification of books was obvious – the open
book I chose also represents an open mind, relating to curiosity. I had trouble
deciding on stubborn though. I looked online for images that related to
stubbornness; that was difficult as the only things that were coming up were
rocks and mules. As I had to take into account the visual aspect of the entire
design as well, mules and rocks made a terrible design. Looking further, I
searched up a variety of different images and words, which led me to choosing
my last picture – a flower coming out of gravel/a road. Creating the collage,
was a different matter altogether. I layered them on top of each other to create
a different aspect on what I decided was to be the more dominant personality
type. The symmetrical composition of the circles and the asymmetrical line of
the magnifying glass offset the symmetrical nature of the magnified area,
leading to a hierarchical system.
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Phase 2: Build It
For my first rendition, I started with my second collage. To do this
however, I had to think of a way to exemplify my collage into an actual sign. To
do this, I first had to think about what I wanted my sign to look like. I had never
made something before, so after we put up all our collages on the wall,
Professor Lum explained how to create a sign as well as the dimensions that it
was supposed to be. Through that, I got to thinking how I wanted to construct it.
For my first design, I did not take into account how much time it would take to
create the sign itself. I started to make it around 5 PM, but unfortunately, finished
around 3 AM. Because it was late, the unaccounted-for consequence was that
the construction of it wasn’t that great. Through this, I learned that it is necessary
to give yourself time to design, plan, and then
construct. Since I had never used spray paint
before either, that was another challenge to
overcome.
My second design, I feel, was much
better. The materials were the same; however,
I started much earlier and had a clear idea
where I wanted to go with the sign. The next few paragraphs will detail my
thoughts; I will also explain my design process behind it.
For the back resting against the wall, I chose a circle
backing, which made sense, as that connected with
the circular motion of the magnifying glass, as well as
the other two elements. I chose for the rest of the sign
to hang on a rectangular block as that connected with
the slab that connected the flower and the book, as
well as the handle itself. After the previous class, I had
learned how to use spray paint correctly, and it made a
very big difference in the overall presentation of the
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sign. The magnifying glass is hung from a string so that it dangles, showing
multiple sides. The way that the flower and the book are placed has two
separate hierarchical systems; the flower can be seen first from one side, but is
shown second on the other side.
08/31
Professor Lum gave us some questions, and I have done my best to
answer those. These are my answers as well as reflections for the class up to this
point.
In the past few weeks, we have learned that design is a language.
Thoughts and ideas are very intangible and are not accessible to everyone else.
Other times, it is hard to communicate what exactly we want other people to
see or believe. Design is a powerful tool that can help convey the message we
want others to receive. Even if there is a language barrier, or other obstacles,
images can convey our message. The difficulty is choosing the correct images
so that our message is the only one going through, and does not conflict with
other things happening.
It is necessary to say look at our past works, and compare them to our
future. As with my work, my second edition was much better than my first. One
thing that I can improve on is creating the correct balance for my projects. One
thing I noticed was that my handle was much lower than I intended it to be.
Weight is a big factor in design as well.
The others in my class helped me realize how I could use better materials
and tools to create my sign. For example, I could have used hot glue instead of
rubber cement.
For my craft, I learned that rubber cement does not keep cardboard
sticking together. It is also a very messy and unreliable method of sticking
materials together. It is necessary to be careful as well, as I burned myself using
hot glue. Box cutters are good for straight lines, but scissors are much better for
cutting round objects as well as finishing edges. Another thing that was
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mentioned in my feedback, that I corrected with my second iteration, was that
all things need to go together seamlessly and combine. Shapes cannot be used
arbitrarily but must coincide with something else in the design.
Overall, I believe that the second time was much better, but asking
questions and participating in class helped me realize what I could have done
to make my first sign better and how I could have used my materials better.
Project 3: - Perceiving, Experiencing, and
Interpreting Spaces and Places:
Documenting Our Journeys
Week 3
Project 3A:
As we started Project 3A, I quickly began to brainstorm some places I
would be able to go to. I don’t live in San Francisco – in fact, I live so far, I have
to take one of the furthest Bart stations to get there (Fremont). I also had some
limitations further placed on me for personal reasons. Therefore, I had to choose
a place that had significant value but was also very unique and could provoke
a multitude of experiences in me. In the end, I chose Lake Elizabeth, a local park
in Fremont. While I had been there previously, I had never been on the far side
of the 2 – mile walk path. Walking there was a serene experience. My pictures
and reflections follow, and are noted here.
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Lake Elizabeth, at 1 PM was gorgeous. It was a beautiful day and the sun was
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Lake Elizabeth, at 1 PM was gorgeous.
It was a beautiful day and the sun was
hitting the water perfectly. Overall,
there was a sense of adventure as well
as a sense of awe and wonder, as I
pondered what I would see and what
I would feel during my trip. I had never
been in nature for that specific
purpose, just to capture light and
certain emotions, and it was a new
experience. I had such a great time; I
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think I’m going to reflect more outside and just think about nature, and ponder. I
believe that this experience helped me become more in touch with myself, and
learn other ways in which to expand how I see the world, as well as myself.
I believe that this experience was the result of us learning that we could
broaden our horizons and show, through this medium of photography, that we
have learned how to expand our world view as well as our senses
I had never been to that specific area of the park (labeled above) so it
was an entirely new experience. I tried not to let my preconceived notions of
what it would look like and just experience how it was itself. Through this process,
I noticed the intricate details of the park, and I took in several aspects I had
never acknowledged before.
As this project progressed, I started taking pictures of specific areas that
identified with certain emotions rather than ones that just looked interesting.
There had to be something more to that, and I wanted to capture that essence
in my photographs.
I believe that the camera did highlight my experience as it created a
small window to look through so that my focus wouldn’t be one a random series
of objects, but what was right in front of me.
My most memorable moment was seeing all the bright yet dark aspects
that nature and lighting have to offer. It created a perplexing yet pleasing
experience to the eye, and that very much agreed with me. I would not have
been able to see this aspect without this assignment. It certainly helped me.
The only thing I think was the problem was that I took pictures of nature
rather than buildings, which is what most people did. However, I think this was a
very beneficial project for me.
Project 3B:
For the second aspect of the project, we were required to create a
collage from our pictures that we had created. Our objective, as has been for
the entire semester, was to evoke wonder. I had been wondering how I could
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have done that with my collage. I came up
with the collage above. When I took it to class,
I got some interesting feedback. One thing
that was said was that there was way too
much going on at once. Instead of adding
layers upon layers, was that I could have
subtracted images, or add different elements
of each image on one image. With that
image, I took the initiative to create another
collage just for my sake to learn from my
experiences (to the left). I really like this one, as
it has multiple aspects to it, and there is not too
much going on. While it seems as if it is multiple
objects, in reality, it is one flower, and the idea
of it being just one plant, evokes awe in me.
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Project 4: Window, Wall, Wonder
Iteration 1:
I got the idea by doing some
preliminary research on what reading
nooks were, and spending some time
looking at why I liked them. As I wanted
to create something new, I had to
come up with something new. That’s
where I came up with the idea of
having stairs leading up to the seat. The
first picture is my original sketches of
what I wanted to create. The second is my schematic design, along with all the
dimensions as wells as the conversions. This is usually how I tackle a project,
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starting with rough sketched, then with detailed dimensions of the model, in this
case, the wall.
First Narrative:
Entranced by curves & curvilinear walls, I started sketching. I sketched,
eggs, waves, and anything I believed would result in the desired outcome.
Given the problem, as well as options that I wished to choose, I started
researching a specific type of window/ interior I had envisioned in my head.
Creating just a wall was the initial challenge. Once I had finished the preliminary
research, I started sketching what exactly I wanted my design to look like, as
well as adding dimensions to it. The model shows a ¼” = 1’- 0” to scale model;
the base is 14 feet wide, and it is 17’ feet hide, along with being 1’ – 6” deep. My
vision was to create a unique reading nook, as I believed that that replicated
my personality clearly. My position was “The wall is an augmented extension of
me – a magnified hyperbolic extension of me”. To fully bring this to life, I had
steps to reach the window, as high windows are a source of wonder. This was
inspired by various designs of houses I have seen that implement a nook. It is also
shaped to mimic a person’s back resting against the wall. There is an added
element of danger as the seat for the reading “seat” extends past the window,
allowing a sense of danger, but within reason. Since there is a window that
allows you to go back into relative safety, the two conflicting natures balance
each other out, allowing an added sense of wonder to the wall.
Iteration 2
Reflection:
With the second wall of wonder, our objective was to build upon the
feedback we had gotten on the first wall. Therefore, I changed up my design a
little bit, and added more elements to add more of a cohesive design to it.
Some drawbacks were that the intricacies of the so-called wall did not show up
in the final shadow, which was a bit disappointing. I was looking forward to what
it would look like. This was a developing portion of what my completed space
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would look like, as that was the main goal
we were going for. As such, it showed
developing progress, as well as a
heightened sense of what exactly I was
doing. I wanted to reach a point that was
clearer to my objective as well as a clearer
design.
Iteration 3:
Third Narrative:
As you enter into the tower, the
essence of being in a fairytale suddenly
comes to life. Walking up twirling stairs,
such that you cannot see the top, leads to
an ethereal sense of wonder.
Shadows and hints of light come
through, from small windows
peeking out into the sunshine.
Trailing a hand along the smooth,
stone wall, a fairytale springs to life.
You can just imagine Rapunzel
throwing down her hair, or hear the
echo of a dragon roar, maybe
even the sounds of Snow White
singing. As you slowly walk up the stairs, you reach a landing, leading to a
window in which you can look out to the beautiful view outside. The stairs are at
a comfortable level, leading to a feeling of ease walking around. The spots that
the light shines through makes you walk around all the time, leading to a sense
of mystique. Slowly going to the top leads to new views, looking in all directions,
and leading to places that capture just the right moment to look outside. As we
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get nearer and nearer to the
top, we realize that the spaces
in which the windows are
spaced is getting larger, giving
a sense of expectation, in
which we want to see what is
at the top. At the top, there is a
blast of light as there is a huge
window. Leading out from the
window is a balcony in which
you can go out to
and see the sun. The
window and the
balcony are the south
facing portion of the
wall. The tower is
cylindrical in nature,
and has a pointed
cone roof, also
lending aspects to the
fairy tale aspect of the
tower. The roof is also
made out of shingles, which look like stone. The whole effect is to make it look
like a safe spot to those who may want to have some time for themselves and
reflect. On the top floor, there will be furniture which will reflect what the person
wants to do, and will reflect the aspect. The outside will have an elegance of its
own, and so will the inside. The windows are spaced at approximately 4.5 feet
apart, but will exponentially increase as it nears to the top. They will be in a
circular pattern, reflecting the stars inside.
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Outline:
Walk into doors, bigger than the average person – 8 feet tall
Look to your right, see stairs
Before you get onto stairs, look to your right, this will be the first window
As you walk up the stairs, you will get to the first a window in 9 steps,
leading to a distance of 4.5’
The first landing you will reach will have a window looking outside at
approximately 6’.
This will be a place to rest your feet, as there will be a seat, and there will
most likely be an option to sit with your feet dangling off the edge.
The intended path will then repeat 3 times, each leading to a different
view outside.
As you get to the top floor, you will be drawn to go outside as soon as
possible. The balcony allows that option.
The window will be able to be opened, and the elegance of the window
door will lead an extra experience of wonder to the experience.
Storyboard:
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Iteration 4:
Narrative:
Walking inside you
initially look to the front. It is
difficult to see the room
beyond. Intrigued, you walk
closer to see what is on the
other side. Trailing your hand
past the walls, the webs add an
interesting feature when the sun
is reflected through them. You
look back, all you see is a huge
window, inferring not the light.
When you look forward it is so
dark. The idea of going further
trades your mind, compelling
you to go further and further in.
You take one of the pair of stairs
going to the other side of the
room. This side of the room has
an obvious depression in the
roof, compared to the other
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side of the building. There are two small
shafts of light coming from the roof,
sometimes intercepting but not always. As
we walk to the other side, we see that it
has the same continuous theme of the
webbing in the other room. However, that
is where the similarities end. The windows
on this side are much curvier, relating to
the curved nature of the walls. As we walk
in, we can immediately see that it is much
narrower at this end, rather than the
opposite end. This creates a sense of
intimacy and closeness, contrasting with
the large space at the other end.
Feedback:
I got some crucial feedback on this
iteration. One thing said that the
excessive glue made it look entirely messy; that I could have done something
else instead to make it look better. There were come issues that I could have
resolved fairly easily, which I did in the next iteration. These issues included: small
windows, making it seem as if it is a result of poor craftsmanship; the front “door”
or entrance’s threshold was too high, as it coincided with other windows as well,
making it seem as if you could get in through every window, which was not my
intention; the sloped floor was also very low, leading to the idea of the “reading
nook” not being promoted. Overall, I learned a lot from the feedback that was
given by both my classmates, as well as Professor Lum. What I learned, I used in
the next iteration for my space of wonder.
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Iteration 5:
For this iteration, I started with the feedback I
had gotten from the previous iteration. The first
thing I did was create a highly sloped floor,
which plays back to my original idea of a high
reaching place. What I then did was cut out
windows in the walls that matched the curve of
the floor as well as the wall; this lead to a pattern
emerging, as I did the same for both sides of the
space. I then added stairs to that floor, leading
up. The stairs are positioned with risers leading up
to the top of the area. There is a “reading nook”
type ledge which the stairs lead to. As
mentioned previously, I did take suggestions
from the comments and one thing was the
entrance to the space. For this, I created an
entrance that followed the shape and curve of
the walls. The light-heartedness from the light-
filled area leads to the darkness coming from the
floor, as there is no direct sunlight that reaches it immediately. The entrance is
the South-facing wall, and will receive the most sun throughout the day. This
way, the idea of the light slowly going into dark and then becoming light again
will show through most of the day. However, the
shadows from the sun going to the other side of the
space and meeting the other windows will happen
only at one point in time; each set of windows will
have their own period of time that this will occur.
This creates the one-time wonder effect, and allows
for multiple experiences to be had.
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Feedback:
When we got back to class, I got
some essential feedback. I had to figure
out a way to make it stand up on its
own. I had no idea so I asked my
classmates for some help, and they
gave me the idea of creating trusses
that will help support the room so that it
will not fall down.
Another piece of feedback I got
was that the design of the stairs could be
more cohesive and work with the overall
design and layout of the space. He gave me
some ideas on that as well; creating a zigzag
layout on the stairs or create a set of stairs that
have a stadium-like appearance.
Additions to Iteration 5:
When I searched up trusses, the first ones I
saw were bridges.
Once I looked further, I
realized there were
some for bridges. As there were none that
had the exact shape I was going for, I
started sketching.
Professor Lum had given
me some ideas on what
it should look like, and I
started from there. I had
tried to use chipboard to
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make it but it proved not be a completely flexible
way of making the trusses. So then I migrated
toward using toothpicks. They were very easy to use,
and were the perfect shape to make trusses. Most of
the trusses online were triangle based as triangles
are widely known as the strongest shape. Therefore, I
went with that idea, and glued multiple pieces
together. As I based it off the original design, the
pictures off to the side and above show the final
product. It works very well and helped the structure
stay up, which was my initial intention, and it looked
cool as well.
I created two quick study models based on
another portion of my feedback, and I definitely like
the zigzag style much better, mostly because of the
fact that I wanted to keep the stairs confined to only
the raised, sloped floor, not extending onto the flat
are of the floor. Therefore, I decided to go with that. With that, I am planning on
creating windows at every node, in which there will be a window at every
landing, creating a one-chance moment. The reading nook will once again be
in the center. I’m excited to see what it will look like by the end with all the
components put together.