Dimension, Depth, Space, Scale

Nendo. Think Black Lines, chair by Phillips de Pury & Company

The "Think Black Lines" exhibit plays with the idea of perspective and space. By distilling common designs down to simple line forms similar to those found in sketches they blend between 2D and 3D forms. When the chair is viewed from certain angles it appears almost as if it is merely an optical illusion. From other angles, however, the construction of the chair is more apparent and the structure becomes clear. While viewing the chair directly along the diagonals (top left image) the chair appears to be a flat, two dimensional similar to a drawing. By viewing the chair from the front right side (bottom center image) the different planes and depth cues of the chair become visible. As you move around the chair you are always viewing the object from a different perspective and you see a unique image that is distorted by the angle of view and the angles of the chair. You must view the chair from multiple angles to get a correct idea of the chairs correct shape in 3 dimensions. To quote the artist "The designs gently break the relationship of before and behind, and traverse at times the space between two and three dimensions. Multi-faceted and constantly morphing, they move alternately between the becoming and collapse of form."

Tone and Color

The Daeyang Gallery and House, by Steven Holl

How TONE is operating: Tone is defining the spaces of the building in this case. The interiors of the building are lighter in tone and more inviting while the exteriors of the building is darker and defines the boundaries of the spaces. The darkest parts with the heaviest tone is where the roof sits on the building defining the vertical boundaries, separating it from the sky.

The Daeyang Gallery and House, by Steven Holl

How Tone is interacting: Tone and shape are the two primary forces in these images. From the perspective of the viewer in the image to the right triangular shapes can be seen as the combination of reflection and vanishing points on the horizon creates the perception of convergence. The light interior spaces are clearly defined against the dark separating angles of the roof, reflected also in the pool. The patterns of the material of the interior along with the light on the ceiling creates a mosaic, tile like pattern of tone on the interior.

How Color is Operating: Color or Hue is one of the most defining visual elements in this design. Color clearly separates the  different spaces in the design. Warm light wood hues define the interior spaces, while blues and greens define the pool and outdoor areas depending on time or viewing angle. Redish copper Hues separate the exterior and roof elements.

More Information at:

http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=114&award=true

http://www.designboom.com/architecture/steven-holl-daeyang-gallery-and-house/

Architecture

Line

Frank Gehry Concept Sketch

Final Drawing of Walt Disney Concert Hall

Line is the primary tool of architects when they begin the process of design. They use these drawing to quickly get their ideas from the imagined and thought stagers into a palpable and representative idea for others to see. At the beginning stages these ideas can be extremely rough and hard to interpret, Frank Gehry is famous for his erratic and sometimes childlike sketches. Yet even his simple beginning sketches translate to his final products. Arching lines and sumptuous curves are the dominant factor in both his sketches and final works. Instead of focusing on the details or textures of the building Gehry uses the lines of his sketches to translate the most basic ideas; shapes, contours, scale, layout. Line in this case is simplified to its most basic elements. Lines for final drawings on the other hand are used to provide detailed and extact information on shape, texture, materials, objects, and other information in a concrete manner.

Shape

Le Corbusier's Villa Savoie

Le Corbusier Chaise Lounge

Le Corbusier was famous for designing with the simple shapes in mind, circles, squares and triangles. As he believed these were the basic builing blocks of architecture and design. you can see in his designs that they are very representative of those basic shapes. By taking elements of each and combining them in a new and innovative way. Unlike Gehry who designs from the abstract Le Corbusier used the basic elements to build structure and order, Curves and abrupt angles were used with restraint while squares and rectangles were used to build scale and pattern. The use of these basic elements as building blocks lends itself to a more subdued and "modern" "minimalist" feel. His designs utilize the most simple elements to their maximum potential and shed superfluous elements.

The Dot

House with Crest, by Anna Nakamura

House with Crest by Anna Nakamura

Ellipse Sky by Keiko Mana

The Humble dot has found its way into modern architecture via poured concrete. While building the forms in which to pour concrete metal bars are strung across the mold to support the massive pressure inside. These "dots" are a result of the framing and pouring process. Once these molds are removed you are left with small circular voids along the surface. These dots themselves can be very boring and utilitarian on large massive industrial buildings. But, when used purposefully with the characteristics of the material they can be quite beautiful and expressive. The different patterns that form as they are used in different ways and shapes can depict motion and define different surfaces. In the Ellipse Sky building you can see that these dots ascend and compress as they go up and around the turn of the staircase, implying motion and serving as a visual representation of the surface, much like the dots on a vector based drawing convey the intricacies of what is being represented. In this case these dots provide you with a layered view of the building with different patterns defined by shape and angle.

Blog Exercise: Visual Thinking Research

	Can you draw three squares in such a way that each of the nine dots shown in the illustration is enclosed in only one region?

Can you draw three squares in such a way that each of the nine dots shown in the illustration is enclosed in only one region?

Draw this three crossing square pattern with pencil in one continuous line so that you don't take the pencil point off the paper. You aren't allowed to go over any part of the line twice, or even cross it.

Draw this three crossing square pattern with pencil in one continuous line so that you don't take the pencil point off the paper. You aren't allowed to go over any part of the line twice, or even cross it.

To solve these two puzzles there were several mental operations of visual thinking employed. The ones that were utilized were; finding, pattern completion, visual memory, visual reasoning. As we started the puzzles we had to map the pattern in our minds as well as visualize different possible patterns and remember the lines that we had mapped out in our minds. While finding the different paths we had to retain the visual memory of the parts we had solved as well as comparing them to the rules of the puzzles. We also implied visual logic to try and figure out the best starting points and possible paths, given the rules of the second puzzle it was important to start the pattern from the right point in order to complete the puzzle. It was a combination of logic and a visual patern development that helped solve these puzzles