more drawings

Here are six of the drawings I was scrambling to finish over the past few weeks. I drew nine total, but didn't scan in the last three, which works out well because they would totally give away where I essentially grew up. I guess that statement is silly because I'm assuming I still have full anonymity here, but it's fun to pretend!

What else can I say? Three of these are schools, one is a park, and two are historically significant landmarks. The three I omitted are of yet another two schools, and a very special garden.

I had a lot of fun drawing these! I feel like I honed some skills on this exercise, but could further improve on values, texture, and not outlining too much/trying to include everything. My favorite trick was taking a break from architectural elements to focus on foliage and plant matter, and when I tired of that I would go back to the building with fresh eyes. I had many a night that I would groan in frustration every hour on the hour, but it's the good frustration, the one where you know you got yourself into this situation and it's all up to you to pull through and own up to your project and deliver it as powerfully as you can. Yes, it felt like undergrad studio again, which was 1000x more difficult/complex than this, so...by those standards, this project was no sweat.

a new environment

The new workplace is full of tools, plants, and kitties! The outside at least. Inside - computers, books, models, more tools. And the bathroom has a shower! Oh boy...

happiness is...

A soft warm kitty named Smokey curled up in your lap on your first day at work at an architecture firm (finally!). Tiny steps.

nelson atkins museum

The main reason for going to Kansas City was to see the Nelson Atkins Museum by Steven Holl! After 34 hours and 40 minutes on the Amtrak from Los Angeles to KC I was itching to walk around and do something, although going through five states and watching the scenery change was incredible.

The museum! See how during the day it's almost completely unobtrusive and seems to blend into the sky - and with plenty of light wells letting natural light into the gallery spaces below, the experience within was as rich as outside.

As for the art within, there were several pieces by Wayne Thiebaud that I really enjoyed! But I was too busy enjoying the architecture to focus on the art completely. Such a simple and elegant building. A great start to my first time in the Midwest!

working...

Stuff I'm working on in the office. Rhino on Parallels, yesss. I was having fun splitting geometries and deleting and separating all the layers into different files. Renderings are looking good too. Sounds boring but it's a lot more fun when you're being paid, unfortunately. I've realized that my 3D modeling skills are sooo rudimentary, especially when I go on 3D animation forums for troubleshooting! It's a whole different world, and NOW I'm finally wanting to understand and figure out EVERYTHING about it. Go figure. At least I still have a year to not be a screwball architecture student. Here's to productivity! Now off I go...

to be a master render-er

A quick thought - I spent a good half of yesterday reading through a V-Ray for Rhino tutorial, and just by familiarizing myself with the settings and all that, I could make renderings look like the photo above. CRAZY! Except, I'd want to do that for renderings of interiors and buildings and such. So my current goal is to be a better Rhino modeler, renderer, and designer. Whew!

work + play

Thursday was my first day of work! I arrived the same time as my boss (whom I had as a studio instructor two years ago) in the heart of K-town and we spent most of the time setting up network connections/etc. and I did research for prospective architecture competitions to enter. The space is shared with another professor/architect on the 9th floor of a big old building - there are tons of windows and therefore lots of natural light; to the north we can see the Hollywood sign and to the east big flashy billboards and advertisements, haha. There are about 1,000 books of architecture, philosophy and design in there too, and as long as I don't take any out of the office I am free to read and browse through any of them. So. cool. It's going to be a lot of work, and maybe not much pay but it beats sitting around stagnating.

realization

I've figured out why architecture has been such a struggle for me.

All my life drawing has been second nature to me. As soon as I could pick up a pencil, a crayon, a marker I've been drawing things from life, from imagination, always drawing. Architecture isn't so different from art, people say. In a way they're right but at the same time they are so, so wrong. Thinking spatially on a large scale is highly different from creating landscapes, figures and scenery from your head. Envisioning a three dimensional object that works programmatically, spatially, functionally and beautifully is a long, difficult process. For me, at least. Visual art and illustration come to me as readily as breathing. Architecture is more like craning my neck, turning my head and straining my eyes to see something far off into the distance. Not the best analogy, but it's something I really have to work hard on, and even so I am usually never satisfied with the results.

Maybe a part of me resents the fact that architecture ISN'T second nature to me. I don't feel like I've poured my soul into any of my works at school and I believe that is one of the roots of the problem. However, after having Thom Mayne of Morphosis sit on my jury for my final project this past semester, I had more hope for myself after listening to his critique. After pointing out a few key areas I could have developed more, he told me my project was simple, elegant, and beautiful. Which is one of the greatest compliments anyone can hope to receive in any field of design. To know I hadn't utterly failed in the eyes of someone whom I consider one of the finest contemporary architects of today, means something, means so much.

I'm always worried that because I possess a short attention span for things, (which comes more out of finding interest in other things & overlapping/overriding the previous interest - than being flighty/uncommitted) architecture is not for me. The profession of creating monuments, structures and master plans of cities requires a lifelong dedication and passion, and for someone who's more of a free spirit I feel so weighed down and doomed, yet also excited about this - because there definitely can be lightness and playfulness to architecture.

I hate giving up though. When something really matters to me I start what I finish regardless of what my personality compels me to do. I'm three and a half years into my education at USC for architecture, and there's no stopping me now. Whatever happens, whatever path I choose to take, I'm going to pour myself into what I do, mostly out of love for what it is I do and also because I will not let myself fail. In anything.

(architectural) highlights from Singapore

(apologies for the obvious lack of a wide-angle)

1. Illuma Shopping Centre
2. La Salle College of the Arts
3. The Durian(s)
4. Henderson Waves
5. Green Roof at Nanyang Technology University.

The parting shot of Singapore, which exists only in my mind now, is passing under a Calatrava bridge on the bus ride out...!

charrette starts...NOW

inspiration board.

Namibia desert | snakes | bird spikes | Air Force Academy Chapel | Corten steel | armadillo lizard | Sandra Backlund - Ink Blot Test | Frank Miller's Sin City | Lucy & Bart Exploded View

working on getting my semester-long studio project done. it's due May 1st, so less posting for now, unless I manage to squeeze in some quickie posts (which I usually end up doing).

FREEDOM(ish) in 7 days.

light study - fins

Some abstract (and rough) renderings of light and shadow studies for my studio project - a civic building in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. Skin system composed of pre-fabricated louvers of corten steel and glass. roof not yet resolved. yum?