ARCHITECTURE SITES THAT RELATE TO THE VIRTUAL WORLD

http://archvirtual.com/blog-2/

http://secondlifetutorials.blogspot.com

http://tetravol.com

BLOG'S FROM PREVIOUS YEAR

http://zphi002arch.blogspot.co.nz/2011_04_01_archive.html

http://carolineofficedesign.blogspot.co.nz/

http://yejinyoon.blogspot.co.nz/2011_06_01_archive.html

LIBRARY (FINAL) PICTURES

                                           

                                       The 5th Floor has been removed as it didn't fit with 

                                   our design and was surplus to requirements.

                                   Therefore we have moved the study area onto the 

                                   4th floor. 
Also vegetation has been added around 

                                   our library to liven its surroundings. 
Our library 

                                   has been designed to personify a human heart, 

                                   highlighted by the shells that imitates 
the actual 

                                   shape of a heart. The exterior is plain and simple 

                                   to show the simplicity of the physical 
heart but the 

                                   interior is very complex to convey the complex 

                                   personal feelings and emotions of the heart, 

                                   highlighted with the transparent floor on ground 

                                   level that acts like a dome for the sub-conscious 

                                   thoughts.

                                      "A book should not be judged by its cover, but by

                                   what it possesses internally".


                                                   FRONT VIEW OF LIBRARY

Shows the primary elements of the library.

TILTED VIEW OF THE 3RD AND 4TH FLOOR

 Shows the brown, bubinga texture of the 

                                         of the 
higher storeys.


ON THE SECOND FLOOR

                                    Shows the positioning of our blog walls, as well

                                    as the clear 
glass barriers that make up the first

                                    floor. Our elevator is also a main feature in this 

                                    level.


                                                      ON THE FIRST FLOOR

 

                                    The main highlight is the 9 journals(3 each) that 
                                    make up our library.



                                         BACK-PART OF THE SECOND FLOOR

    The lights on the upper levels have been manipulated

      through
 Scratch to move in and upwards/downwards  

direction as well as disappear. Also our glass wall
 

     window feature is interesting as it creates a distinctive

     shadow pattern that moves around 
library throughout

                                 the day.


THE ELEVATOR

 An elevator has been installed for easy access

                                     to the upper levels of the 
library. 


CLOSE UP ON THIRD FLOOR

                                         The wall texture on on the inner shells of our 

                                     library contain multiple
 linear patterns to give

                                     the occupants of the library an interesting place 

                                     to relax.


  THE BRIDGE

                                     The bridge links the 3rd and 4th floor together.
                                     It is simple with transparent glass 
barriers as 
                                     the bridge is visible from the front view and is 
                                     a critical element 
to the look of the library.



THE GLASS WALL

                                         The glass wall is aesthetically appealing as it

                                     creates different shadows throughout the 

                                     different times of day.

THE LATTER STAGES

                                    The main element of this stage of our construction  

                                 process was the addition of the 5th floor.


FRONT VIEW

                                     The library as a whole with the added 5th floor,
                                     personifies the brain from the "open heart" 
                                     
shells. 


CLOSE-UP VIEW

   Shows the connection between the floors from

     level 3 to level 5 with the brown bubinga 
texture

                                      linking the storeys together.


THE 5TH FLOOR

                                     This area is a book shelf and study area.

      Particles are used on the roofing to 
imitate stars 

                                     on the sky. The staircase almost acts as a tendon

                                     link from the "brain"(5th level)
 to the "heart"(Shells)



                                                   5TH FLOOR STUDY AREA

                                    The study area has been placed on the highest
                                    level possible to relax the occupants
 with the 
                                    beautiful surrounding scenery. Also the glass
                                    skylight on top of the roof gives the occupants
 
                                    natural light instead of artificial.



                                                    5TH FLOOR BOOK SHELF

                                     The bookshelf is situated on the top level so 
                                     that people visiting the library
would have to 
                                     visit all levels in order to get out books, 
                                     therefore personally experiencing the whole
                                     
building.


GETTING STARTED

 The main theme behind our library is to use two semi- spherical shells to create a heart-     like shape.
 Our library is situated on a hillside so we can challenge ourselves to adapt to 

  the surroundings.

FRONT-SIDE VIEW


FRONT VIEW

             SIDE VIEW                                                                                     BACK VIEW

FINAL DRAWINGS

Through experimentation of previous concepts and developments, we gathered all the elements that we liked and we came up with our final design.

SYMBOLISM: The two shells personify the human heart and as the exterior is very plain, it conveys the simplicity of the outer heart. However the building being black portrays mystery. The interior is sophisticated with numerous features showing the complexity of the inside of the heart, such as emotions and feelings. Our hidden feature, the transparent floor on the ground level, is a dome for the sub-conscious mind where deep thoughts are gathered.

INTERIOR: Our library consists of numerous levels, where occupants can explore each floor almost like a journey. The ground floor will have our 9 journals placed on bookshelves. The 2nd floor will contain the 3 blog screens. This floor will have internationally known architecture websites, and our 3 blog addresses. A circular elevator takes the occupant to the 3rd Floor. Here we will have some chairs and a table where people can sit and read. Going up the ramp will be the study area. We will have a lot of tables and chairs for users to sit down and have some quiet study.

EXTERIOR: The outer walls are very smooth and simple. The circular form with straight lines were too direct and corners were distracting, as opposed to the sphere, there is a
feeling of rotation and forever spinning.

LANDSCAPE: A site should be located where there are some geographical structures as it could provide scale and show some sense of reality.

MATERIALS: Possibly low cost, standard construction where walls will be made of wood and beams and cantilevers will be made of steel.


FURNITURE: We will be modelling some chairs and tables ourselves but some furniture will need to be bought at the Second Life Marketplace.

TEXTURES

TEXTURE 1

                                     This texture will be applied onto the interior walls
                                     of our library to apply a futuristic look. The rounded
                                     linear patterns will help with this effect.



                   
                                                                 TEXTURE 2

                                      This texture is used for furniture, creating a 
                                      sense of a shiny, clean satin like leather.
                                      We used the Curves and Level in Photoshop 
                                      to heighten the individual lines. We then used 
                                      the spotlight tool (omniscient light) to focus on
                                      the centre, brightening up the inside and slowly 
                                      darkening the outside.

EFFECTS

ALPHA CHANNELS

  

  

This is a portion of each pixel's data that is 

saved for transparency information. A 32 - bit 

graphics systems contain four channels;red, 

green, and blue (RGB) and one alpha channel. 

The alpha channel is in fact only a maskand it 

specifies how the pixel's colours should be 

merged with another pixel when the two are 

overlaid, one on top of the other.

OFFSET

 

 A horizontal or sloping surface formed

 where a wall is reduced in thickness towards the top.

 

LIGHTING EFFECT

 

The distribution of lighting on an object .

Our group incorporated the use of spotlight 

and omni light to cast onto the images.

JOURNAL 3 - ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY

Architecture, metaphor and the mind

By John Onians

-Making and experiencing of buildings are are both associated with distinctive mental    operations and this association is apparent in our use of language.

-Metaphors are used in architecture to articulate our thoughts because the processes of design relate to basic mental operations and basic psychological needs.

- Architectural metaphors are used to make us feel better in our bodies where operating through our mind. Architectural metaphors satisfy us mentally because they recall the unique way architecture satisfies us physically.

- There is a direct parallel between between the naming of a concept and the making of a physical mark on the ground is that is that the name and mark both permit the concept to be shared.

- There may be a precise correlation between man's ability to handle a growing body of knowledge and his need to build more and more complex buildings.

- The sympathy between architecture and the mind is biological.

- The most abiding architectural metaphors were those which saw knowledge and society as both requiring an architectural solidity.

JOURNAL 2 - LANDSCAPE NEW ZEALAND

WANAKA IN HER VIEW

WORDS Philippa Jones

PHOTOGRAPHS Martin Hill

Wanaka come with landscapes both natural and man-made. Migrating from Urban Auckland to a rural hillside, I have a whole new challenge ahead of me. Shaped long ago by a glacial movement into low rolling hills and plains set against distant mountains, the rugged ridge lines contrast with the ruler- straight horizontal of river terraces. The climate is extreme with frost prone with scorching dry summers, therefore planting is limited. The wind is a prevailing north westerly and the importance of views are they two key factors o consider whens designing a landscape in Wanaka.

"THE WIND IS A FACT OF LIFE HERE THAT YOU HAVE TO ALLOW FOR. YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE OUTDOOR FURNITURE THAT DOESN'T BLOW AWAY AND AVOID THINGS LIKE UMBRELLAS THAT FLAP".

Wanaka's existing established trees cape i mostly of exotic species. The huge historic poplars of Albert Town at roughly 100 years old are nearing the end of their lives and need to be replanted. Wanaka is a clean slate in terms of expressing its own individual character and it's important that council regulations get it right. While Wanaka's District Plan is ideally designed to preserve its character, anomalies happen such as surrounding a house so that it appears stranded in the centre as if its inside a moat. Most clients are seeking low maintenance landscaping, partly because so many houses are holiday homes and therefore are empty a lot of the time, and in their spare time they do not wish to work on the garden,  but prefer to be out enjoying the outdoor life. However managing low maintenance gardening is not easy as geologically, the soil is very silty and gravelly.

JOURNAL 1 - AREA

CAFFE VERGNANO

LOCATION: Santena (TO)

PROJECT: Caffe Vergnano Warehouse and production facility

CLIENT: Casa del Caffe Vergnano Spa

ARCHITECT AND SUPERVISOR OF WORKS: Arch Robert Ferroro

BUILDER: Magnetti Building

TOTAL SURFACE AREA: 15,700 m^2

BUILT SURFACE AREA: 5305m^2

Caffe Vergnano plant has been devised with the focus on the environment typical of the corporate policy of the Piedmont based company.The new building is divided into two seperate but connected blocks: the first for a semi-products and packaging warehouse, and the second for production. The walls of the new plant are covered on the front and side by green climbing plants which provide the background for the caffe vergnano 1882 sign, testifying to the company's focus on eco-sustainability in its projects. The skin of the building is made of exposed cement in square panels, while the central block in black, the company's corporate colour, recalling the strict geometric design associated with caffe Vergnano's image.This "green philosophy" is further reinforced by treatment of the water used in production processes and reduction of waste and emissions.

ROVERE COLLI TREVEGIANI ITLAS

PROGETTO: abitazione privata e studio

LUOGO: Corvara

PROGETTO ARCHITETTIONICO: Emanuel Kostner

ANNO DI REALIZZAZIONE: 2011

Nature and light, wood and design. these are key elements in the design for a home and a private studio in Corvara, in the heart of the Val Badia. Colli Trevigiani Oak wood from Itlas has been chosen for the home and studio, using two different solutions with the same finish to infuse the home with an elegant, warm, exclusive atmosphere.
The studio alternates the vast perspective of large wooden floorboards in response to the need for beautiful but practical flooring.

METAL FOUNDATION (sLAB)                                

                                                                            

      

 

METAL FOUNDATION (sLAB)

PROJECT: Metal Foundation (sLAB)

SITUTATION: Aviles, Principado de Asturias, Spain

ARCHITECTS: [baragano], Impulso

TEAM: Ines Suarez, Veronica Carreno

COLABORATORS: Impulso, Tectum

BUILDER: Comsa, Esdehor, Tamargo, Contratas Iglesias

INSTALLATIONS: Cobra

DEVELOPERS: Fundacion Metal Asturias

BUILT SURFACE: 1.482 sqm

BUDGET: 4,000,000 Euros

COMPLETION DATE: 2011

The concept of the structure was first conceived in the first visit and from the memory of the place. The slab parks of the factory of ArcelorMittal, where placed just by the site and the idea of staring to play with this big pieces of steel is present from the first drawings and working models. It's important to get an alive building, a building to be lived, with walking roofs...a building that can be used much more than only the timetable of the industrial parkwhere is placed, a new space for Aviles. The steel structure and the installations are naked, in order to be shown in the different course that the Foundation Metal will teach in. Steel is the chosen material and main character on site because the building is for Metal Foundation but also in the memory of the place and of Aviles.

DRAMATIC LIGHTING

R:255 G:0 B:0 H:0 S:100 L:50

R:0 G:0 B:255 H:240 S:100 L:50

R:0 G:255 B:0 H:120 S:100 L:50

ARCHICAD

We are required to design our own treehut using the ArchiCAD 15 modelling program. As the task was about being efficient with time, the model was expected to be completed by the end of our lab session, which is two hours. Although difficult to navigate at first, I found the program a mixture between Rhino and Photoshop and step-by-step, I was able to create my first CAD model. 

The treehut itself is very simple and plain as the main objective was to be time efficient. I had decided to incorporate the tree inside the building as it gives the hut a natural approach. On top of the left side of the building is a balcony area to relax and the presence of the tree gives the hut itself a more environmental approach.

IMAGE AND RENDERING

VECTOR IMAGE: Vector graphics is the applications of geometrical primitives such as , lines, shapes, curves, and points or polygons, which are all influenced derived from mathematical equations, to represent images in computer graphics.

RASTER IMAGE: In computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap is a data structure representing a  rectangular grid of pixels, or points of colour, viewable through a monitor or other display mediums.

DIAGRAM: A two-dimensional representation of information 
through visualization  techniques.

DIGITAL RENDERING: A process where a scene containing all the information regarding geometry, texture, lighting and shading as a description of the virtual scene and is outputted to a digital image or raster image file.

DRAWN RENDERING: This occurs mainly in visual arts and is regarding the process of creating shading and texture of a drawing.

ADDITIVE AND SUBTRACTIVE COLOUR

ADDITIVE COLOUR: An additive color model involves light emitted from a source or illuminant. The additive reproduction process usually uses red, green, and blue (RGB) light to produce other colors. Combining one of these additive primary colours with another in equal amounts produces the additive secondary colours cyan, magenta and yellow, combining all three primary lights.

SUBTRACTIVE COLOUR: A subtractive color model explains the mixture of paints, dyes, inks and natural colorants to create a full range of colours, each caused by subtracting (that is, absorbing) some wavelengths of light and reflecting the others. The color that a surface displays depends on which colors of the electromagnetic spectrum are reflected by it and therefore made visible.

MEDIA EXHIBITION

These are my media works from the first half of the semester