Site Collage

Mapping Of Harvard Site

I chose not to do a drawdle for this project because I was skeptical in making one for the first time, even though I should be challenging myself, and every one was doing a drawdle, so I wanted to be different.  The drawing represents a perspective map (more of a perspective and less of a map..unfortunately) of my site at Harvard.  It resembles a connection between the buildings where the section is, which is where my site is, and the carpenter center, with the needed view where the red lines are.  My idea for my scheme is a building that has a connection to the carpenter center, not necessarily its form or appearance, but its significance of being a unique and striking component in relationship to its surrounding elements and buildings in Harvard.

Three Schemes - Mapping

For my third scheme, Im using my site and its surrounding elements and restrictions to create a plan, and then elevate the buildings through these ideas of layering of lines and space as seen in Harvard.  I looked at my site and its surroundings and extending all lines from buildings, ramps and paths witch overlap and intersect diagonally, horizontally and vertically.  I then connected lines which would fit into an area of my site where my building would be situated, paying attention to limits and boundaries.

 I feel that this scheme is not very successful, but when taking characteristics and ideas from each scheme and combining them, a practical scheme will come into effect that portrays crucial evidence and originality.

Three Schemes - Seeing

In my second scheme, I used both my machines for seeing and nothingness to create massing models and plans.  The scheme for the machine for seeing nothing developed into an unsuccessful plan, so scratch that.  The other machine, however, I feel holds alot of good ideas and designs.  I took the internal shape of the machine, and created a plan and elevation using the diagonal lines where the mirrors reflect of eachother.  These lines represent  sloped and diagonal circulation and programatic elements in my building.  I want the building to blend into the ground, and then shoot up into the air on the other side, with several other diagonal elements and structures jolting out from the core.

Three Schemes - Cubism

In trying to create a building scheme for the Harvard Film Archive by using a cubist painting, "Glasses, paper, and a bottle of wine", where in the world do you begin?   I figured since I have all these Cubist models, I would take a section of the painting where one of the glasses and the newspaper are connected.  This would more or less be the diagramatic layout of my plan.  Then, by using the 3 dimensional qualities of the models, parts that stand and stick out more would be parts of hierarchy and higher elevation in the building.
    
After creating this first scheme, Im not quite sure how successful I think it is, even though it is mostly massing.  I feel that taking a section of the cubist painting and turning into a plan is not very crucial, or is it going anywhere positive.  Although, the ideas of elevation and hierarchy portrayed through my cubist models seem to be having a better effect of figuring out a practical scheme.

Machine Seeing Nothing

The machine itself is composed of several pieces of camera and binocular lenses, layered and glued together, and structured into a rectangular base, with a translucent top wall to see how the machine was constructed.  A s simple as the machine looks, it was extremely difficult to keep the pieces together, since i had to glue lenses together which wouldn't stick.  When looking through the machine, all the viewer sees is a distorted view of colors and shapes, except one other thing....

One other problem I was having with the machine was keeping the lenses clean.  When I thought I had successfully finished the machine, I mistakenly left a fingerprint on one of the lenses.  Now, instead of seeing nothing, you see distortion and a fingerprint that manages to focus your attention to.  After viewing this, I feel that this mistake could be part of the design, and the fingerprint can be viewed as another element in this view of nothingness.  

Machines For Seeing

When we were assigned this project, I felt like lost, in not knowing what to do or even how I would ever begin.  When we were suggested to go out and find items that are similar to machines, I went and bought several old polaroid cameras, lenses, binoculars, hardware supplies, etc...   I started by disassembling the cameras and other tools, finding pieces such as mirrors, structure, lenses and what not, where I would use these pieces to design and construct my machines.

My first machine, the machine for seeing, is the inside of one of the polaroid cameras where the first mirror meets the viewers eye.  I then constructed another mirror which reflects off the first and then reflects off a transparent sheet of acetate.  I then created a box that covers these parts and acts a structure and base to the machine.  

The machine bounces off a plain mirror, which bounces off a mirror portraying the main vertical, horizontal and diagnol lines portayed in the cubist painting by Juan Gris, "Glasses, newspaper and a bottle of wine."  The second mirror reflects off the acetate, which portrays a translucent picture of the painting itself.  After passing through the acetate, the view would focus on my landscape model, bringing the vertical elements and natural landscape all together, and resulting in the steps of how i created my landscape model from a cubist painting.