Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Look what I made...
I am taking a 3D Rhino rendering class (a software class that teaches you how to build small objects on the computer). And here is the first item I choose to try - a spool of ribbon. Yay!
Saturday, September 05, 2009
What I said...
To my studio professor and classmates last week....
After saying my name and undergraduate background I spoke about my experience with architecture. Since I can't remember my exact words I'll summarize:
In the four years I worked as an interior architect, I found that 80% was about details such as roofing, water protection, structural connections, stud wall construction, and hours upon hours of drawing tiny details. I hated it because it was so boring. The 20% I loved was about design - how people interact with space, concept development, programming - understanding human needs... In four years I decided that the 80% I hated wasn't worth enduring for the 20% I loved. I longed for a job where the ratios were flipped and wasn't ready to give up searching for it. I had taken product design classes in undergrad and really enjoyed them. I decided to invest in developing that interest to see where it leads. I am in grad school, not necessarily to be torn down and rebuilt, but to find my life's questions in the pursuit of industrial design. I am going to CCA to help uncover these questions - these questions that I will spend the rest of my life working out. (At this point I referenced the reading he had asked us to do this summer - Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees - a book about the artist Robert Irwin. I LOVED the book so I couldn't help but bring it up. I looked like a total suck up... be seriously I just loved the book.)
My professor asked me, "How will you know when you've found them?"
I replied, "You just know. It's the thing you keep coming back to. You know when you've found something worth living for. Something worth waking up for. Something that energizes you - that compels you - that makes your heart beat. You just know."
Upon further reflection, I wish I would have added that, as Robert Irwin said, it is about a combination of logic and intuition. Logic evaluates measurable data, the science. Intuition is linked to a sense of spirit, of being, of understanding beyond words. You can limit yourself to just logic - but still be wrong because life doesn't always work in logical ways. The unexpected happens, people change their minds, emotions shift. That is where intuition is key... the key to discerning the stuff not measured by logic or science. The combination of the two is where confidence and faith are found.
That is how "you just know." And now you all know why I think I am in grad school :)
After saying my name and undergraduate background I spoke about my experience with architecture. Since I can't remember my exact words I'll summarize:
In the four years I worked as an interior architect, I found that 80% was about details such as roofing, water protection, structural connections, stud wall construction, and hours upon hours of drawing tiny details. I hated it because it was so boring. The 20% I loved was about design - how people interact with space, concept development, programming - understanding human needs... In four years I decided that the 80% I hated wasn't worth enduring for the 20% I loved. I longed for a job where the ratios were flipped and wasn't ready to give up searching for it. I had taken product design classes in undergrad and really enjoyed them. I decided to invest in developing that interest to see where it leads. I am in grad school, not necessarily to be torn down and rebuilt, but to find my life's questions in the pursuit of industrial design. I am going to CCA to help uncover these questions - these questions that I will spend the rest of my life working out. (At this point I referenced the reading he had asked us to do this summer - Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees - a book about the artist Robert Irwin. I LOVED the book so I couldn't help but bring it up. I looked like a total suck up... be seriously I just loved the book.)
My professor asked me, "How will you know when you've found them?"
I replied, "You just know. It's the thing you keep coming back to. You know when you've found something worth living for. Something worth waking up for. Something that energizes you - that compels you - that makes your heart beat. You just know."
Upon further reflection, I wish I would have added that, as Robert Irwin said, it is about a combination of logic and intuition. Logic evaluates measurable data, the science. Intuition is linked to a sense of spirit, of being, of understanding beyond words. You can limit yourself to just logic - but still be wrong because life doesn't always work in logical ways. The unexpected happens, people change their minds, emotions shift. That is where intuition is key... the key to discerning the stuff not measured by logic or science. The combination of the two is where confidence and faith are found.
That is how "you just know." And now you all know why I think I am in grad school :)
You are quite eloquent.
Last week, upon introducing myself to my studio professor and explaining why I am here in grad school... he simply raised his eyebrows, looked down at his notebook, and said "You are quite eloquent."
Today, I looked up the word in the dictionary - though I know exactly what it means I was looking for some hidden meaning...
Here is a little blurb from dictionary.com:
Eloquent, fluent, articulate, expressive are adjectives that characterize speech or speakers notable for their effectiveness. Eloquent suggests clarity and power.
Clarity and power.
Love it.
Unfortunately, it took four years of thought to express those four sentences to my professor. If only I could be eloquent with less time!
Today, I looked up the word in the dictionary - though I know exactly what it means I was looking for some hidden meaning...
Here is a little blurb from dictionary.com:
Eloquent, fluent, articulate, expressive are adjectives that characterize speech or speakers notable for their effectiveness. Eloquent suggests clarity and power.
Clarity and power.
Love it.
Unfortunately, it took four years of thought to express those four sentences to my professor. If only I could be eloquent with less time!
Friday, September 04, 2009
Even more construction...
Photos from the latest construction site visit... occupancy is still set for January but it looks like it is coming together quite quickly. I regret not being able to be there during completion - but know grad school is an opportunity I couldn't afford to wait on. Thankfully, my ex co-workers are pretty great about keeping me in the loop!
The waiting room... the ceiling grid is up and the panels about to be installed!
A view down on of the corridors. I put color changing LED lights in the soffits - right now the hospital is trying to decide how to use them. I really focused on the lighting fixtures in the design due to the fact that this space has no access to daylight at all (it's in the basement of the hospital like all xray departments typically are).
And the "special feature" aka. light display at the end of the corridor is ready to be set up!
The waiting room... the ceiling grid is up and the panels about to be installed!
A view down on of the corridors. I put color changing LED lights in the soffits - right now the hospital is trying to decide how to use them. I really focused on the lighting fixtures in the design due to the fact that this space has no access to daylight at all (it's in the basement of the hospital like all xray departments typically are).
And the "special feature" aka. light display at the end of the corridor is ready to be set up!
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