New Designers...

I almost forgot to mention that on Thursday, myself and a group of fellow MA students went down to London for the day to visit the New Designers conference.

I was really impressed with the quality of work on show, especially after I seeing the work exhibited last year. I have to admit I was most impressed with the furniture pieces from a variety of universities, the standard of work was extremely hard - I was almost unable to believe that the designers had only just graduated.

After spending around 3 1/2 hours at New Designers, a small group of us decided to head to Hyde Park and the Serpentine's new summer pavilion. This years pavilion has been designed by Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA. If I am honest, I was a little disappointed with the pavilion as I purposely refrained from looking at any images of it prior to the visit. I felt that compared to previous pavilions this lacked something, it wasn't as architecturally pronounced as previous ones. Despite this I did appreciate the design of the pavilion and the use of light reflecting materials which helped to blend it with the surrounding park.

reading list for this module...

I have identified below all the articles and book that I have read and explored for inspiration for this design project.

• Kotnik, J. (2008) Container Architecture. Barcelona: Links International
• Vranckx, B. (2006) Exhibit Design: High Impact Solutions. New York: Collins Design; Publishers Group UK.
• Kronenburg, R. (2008) Portable Architecture: Design and Technology. Berlin: Birkhauser.
• Lowther, C. Nuijink, C. & Williams, M. (2008) Grand Stand 2: Design for Trade Fair Shows, More than 500m². Berlin: Gestalten.
• Mollerup, P. (2006) Collapsibles: A design album of space-saving objects. London: Thames & Hudson
• Siegal, J. (2002) Mobile: The art of portable architecture. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
• Lefteri, C. (2006) Materials for Inspirational Design. Switzerland: Rotovision.
• Spankie, R. (2009) Basics Interior Architecture 3: Drawing out the Interior. Switzerland: AVA Publishing.
• Project Orange. (2003) Catalogue: Project Orange Architecture & Design. London: Black Dog Publishing
• Richardson, L. D. Bishop, M. & Jones, E. (1992) Techniques of Investigation: An introduction to research methods. Cambridge: NEC Print.
• Klanten, R. & Feireiss, L. (2009) Space Craft 2: More fleeting architecture and hideouts. Berlin: Gestalten.
• Garcia, M. (2007) Architextiles. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd for Architectural Design.
• Braddock Clarke, S. E. & O'Mahony, M. (2007) Techno Textiles 2: Revolutionary fabrics for fashion and design. London: Thames & Hudson.
• Walton, R. (2000) Page Layout: Inspiration, Innovation, Information. Dusseldorf: Nippan.
• Architectural Design, Volumes 78 & 79.
• Design Week, Volume 23.
• Live Design, Volume 42.
• Blueprint, Number 271.
• Frame, Numbers 59 & 61.
• Dalsouple
• VitroHue
• Modern Bamboo
• Eco Fibres
• HP Touchsmart
• Dell

learning agreement goals...

As part of the module, I have to assess the goals I set myself at the the beginning of the term. After evaluating my goals, I believe I have managed to achieve one goal and partially achieved three others...

Goal One - I would like to develop my project and time management skills, as I also currently have a part-time job. By create a timetable of my free time so to make more effective use of it and ensuring I do not allow my part-time job to interfere with my studies.

Following a minor crisis last year towards the end of the term, where I really felt that my part-time job was affecting my work production, I feel that I have learnt from the experience and have ensured that I use all available time wisely. This has been aided with the use of a diary, where I keep track of events and deadlines, making sure I allow myself enough time to complete them. The diary has especially helped this term, as the other module (Applied Research & Enquiry) includes a heavily weighted group project which has required a vast amount of my time. I was very pleased with myself for meeting my printing deadline as I encountered problems meeting it last term.

Goal Two (Partially Fulfilled) - I would like to improve the delivery and content of my oral presentations. By asking for feedback following group and individual presentations so I can compare how I perform, by evaluating marks received for presentations. and by asking for advice from tutors and university staff.

I believe this to only be partially fulfilled, as despite gaining confidence with my oral presentations, I have not been pro-active in asking for advice. I believe my increased confidence has come from being more confident in my design proposal following several positive comments from my tutors and fellow students.

Goal Three (Partially fulfilled) - I want to improve my CAD skills. By learning a number of programs suitable for my studies, by ensuring I allocate adequate time to learn the program, and by keeping a record of work produced, I will be able to keep track of my progress.

During the course of this project, I have been able to develop my Photoshop skills and establish a better knowledge of AutoCad. I am particularly pleased with my progress on AutoCad, as it was a program where I had limited knowledge, however I have been able to produced detailed plans and sections of my design and print them to a designated scale. Despite this I am still hopeful to learn 3D Studio Max, as I believe adding this drawing program to my skills base will make me more attractive to future employees.

Goal Four (Partially fulfilled) - In a year’s time I hope to gain employment with a design agency focused around sustainability and environmentally friendly centred design. By completing my MA, by researching and completing a project based around an area within environmentally friendly design, and establishing contacts with related companies throughout my MA course.

I believe that the design project this term has helped me to focus my design interests, and narrow down potential options to explore within my thesis. I hope that by establishing myself with a speciality on temporary structures will help to maximise my ideal employment potential without narrowing down any design fields.

Thesis Proposal

For my thesis I intend to expand my current knowledge of temporary structures, however I would like to look at the carbon footprint of temporary structure used for different events such as music festivals, retail stores, exhibitions, and installations and compare them to their permanent counterparts to determine how eco-friendly they are and if not, what measure need to be taken to ensure that they are.

finally the project is complete...

Wooooooo

I have finally managed to complete my design sheets ready for the presentation tomorrow. I am really pleased with the outcome, as I feel I have successfully managed to explain the design concept.

I chose to stick with a narrative theme...and each individual sheets connects to the next. Within the sheets, I have used simple sketch visuals taken from my 3D sketchup model to create the interior views. I chose not to render my 3D model, as I felt that the final effect would appear to be too heavy and bulky within the designated location. I felt it was key that the pavilions appeared to blend to an extent with their surroundings.

I decided to name the installation 'It's Time to Act' as a play on words with the client 'Act on CO2' and to indicate the nature of the installation and the message it is portraying to the public. I am also intending to email a copy of my presentation sheets to Lord Adonis, the Minister for Transport, to gage his opinion on the project and whether it could be developed for real.

I believe that the ‘It’s Time to Act’ installation as a developed temporary structure has fulfilled the aims of the brief. The installation has provided the ‘Act on CO2’ campaign with a vehicle to market the initiative to a wider audience by establishing the installation within town and city squares across the country. This allows the general public to interact and gain knowledge of the campaign in a comfortable and designated environment.

By using a shipping container, already compatible with many transportation devices, the installation can be transported with ease from each location.

The shipping container also provides a solid free standing structure for the interior installation pieces whilst being a highly recyclable and reusable material; providing low waste and noise pollution, and limited construction costs. I was also keen to use the shipping container again after a brief spell designing with one during my BA course. I believe that the versatility and the strong structural presence of the shipping container has enabled me to develop the shapes and materials used within the design.

The materials specified for use within the ‘It’s Time to Act’ installation were chosen for their recyclable or reusable qualities, post installation. Where possible, each material used within the installation has been constructed from recycled products. Where this option has not be available, such for the projector and touch screens, every effort has been made to ensure the technology has been built to incorporate environmentally friendly components.

In addition to my final presentation sheets, I have also prepared a small fold out version containing just the images from the sheets. I envisage this to be used as a leaflet explaining the project to fellow designers or as a leaflet for use within the installation, acting as a publicity for the impending arrival of the installation into a town or city. I have also written a project report documenting the process and material choices. I found this really helpful in determining the status of my design and I also identified by writing it, how much I had achieved this term. I am really happy with my final design and presentation, and I feel fairly confident in anticipation of my presentation tomorrow. Lets just hope my tutors are as enthusiastic as I am about this project.

electricity for my project...

I had been having some serious thoughts about how I am going to generate electricity for my design proposal. I had already identified that the energy source had to from a renewable resource, so I decided that using solar panels would be the preferred option.

I experimented with many different options for the positioning of the solar panels, these all revolved around the panels being attached to the roof of the project. This was until I was researching different types of solar panels to determine the specification for mine. I was reading about photovoltaic array systems when some art created by Thomas Lindsey inspired me.
I really liked the use of a cone as a power source for my project, and it was also identified within a recent tutorial that perhaps I needed a fourth component to my design. I decided to implement this design component into my design, and I feel it has really changed the dynamic of the installation, and has provided a new discussion point for the scheme.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems take energy from the sun and convert it to zero carbon electricity. The majority of Ecofirst solar PV systems consist of two main components:
Solar PV Panels - also know as PV modules, these are the principle building blocks of a solar PV system. Panels contain a series of photovoltaic cells made from a semi-conductor material (usually silicon) and these convert light into electricity. To give a desired electrical power output (measured in Watts) a number of panels are connected together to form a PV array. Normally, as the electricity created is DC it needs to be converted to AC, however the technological devices using this electricity use DC there is no need for DC/AC Inverter.

I really feel that my design project can be finalised now, as the issue of electricity was beginning to worry me.

Architects of Air...

Last weekend, I visited 'Levity II Luminarium' designed and built by Architects of Air. The inflatable structure was visiting my local town as part of it's festival weekend.

The structure itself is made up of connecting tunnels which guide you between several small domes. Levity II plays with light, sound and colour and the effects are amazing. As a temporary structure it is not small, at 800 square meters it allows the viewer to become immersed within. The colours produced inside are purely dependent upon natural daylight shining on to the coloured plastic.

I was really impressed and in awe of this structure. The composition of the tunnels guide you round the structure similar to the walkways in my own design project. Also similar are the areas to sit and soak up the atmosphere and absorb the ambience of the surroundings. I think it is important in any temporary structure that there is a place to sit and think about what message a being portrayed.

I enjoyed visiting this temporary public structure as I this is the type of structure I would like to research further into as part of my final thesis project.

containers in use...

Here are several uses for the container that I have come across over the last few weeks:

http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/06/26/froebe-gold-plated-shipping-container-bling-bar The container is used as a cafe/bar for use in public areas. I like the sense of mystery created by this design as from the outside it is unclear as to it purpose.

http://www.bbspy.co.uk/news/new-official-house-pics-revealed.html The Big Brother house 2009 uses a shipping container as a space for the bathroom.

http://zerocabin.com/ A selection of different uses for the shipping container.

http://www.containerart.org/eng/ A website detailing shipping containers used as art installations that travel between cities.

I am slightly disappointed that I only discovered this use for the container whilst reading a book called 'Space Craft 2', as I think that having had access to this project earlier my have influenced the scope of my design.

treehugger...

I have just stumbled across a website called TreeHugger

'TreeHugger is the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream. Partial to a modern aesthetic, we strive to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information.'

It also features a dedicated design and architecture area which includes some interesting articles about sustainable and recycled products.

In fact whilst reading some of the articles I found one regarding a 100% recyclable house, currently in concept stage. It has some interesting features which are similar to my own design: the exterior shell is constructed from steel sheets and it uses solar panels to generate electricity.

tutors...

We were delivered some sad news last week...following the end of our current module 'Critical Practice' Rod will be leaving to take a new job. This is following the news earlier in the term that Rob will be retiring in the summer.

As a whole I do not think it will have huge impact on the delivery of the Spatial MA, as there are other tutors available, however I think it will affect me personally. Over the last few months, Rod in particular has been really good at nurturing my design and encouraging me to research into other areas and is always a great source of knowledge. I will be sad to see them go, however I think I will be able to develop the knowledge gained from them and take it into my final project/thesis.

apologies...

Apologies, apologies...I have been very busy recently with various items of work over the last few weeks so haven't had chance to fill you in on my recent events.

So in terms of my design, it has developed a lot over the last few weeks - as already stated in a previous post I have been looking a introducing angles into the design of my container. I have managed to do this by incorporating angled ribbons of glass round the outer edge of the design. I developed the idea for the roof from some small 1:50 models that I finally managed to construct.

Following a presentation from the textile students, two weeks ago, I was inspired to experiment with overlapping fabrics and using tensile fabric to create a design for the interior elements of my designs. By looking at overlapping layers of tensile fabric for the inner walls which will allow light to penetrate the interior space, so the structure takes on a light and airy atmosphere. I was really pleased with the results from the photographs of the models.

I have also been working quite intensely on how my project will be presented as I only have two weeks until I am due to present it to my fellow students and tutors. Currently the idea for the presentation revolves around the shape of the shipping container, and creating banner style sheets which will contain visuals and information in a narrative form. I have decided to use a narrative style to explain the nature of project as the design is for a temporary structure which moves from town to town. I will use time frames to explain how the exhibition works and how it interacts with its surroundings and the public.