Twig Project Models

For this project, we were told to create a "box for twelve twigs." Using twelve twigs of our choosing and exactly one binding agent, we had to create a box, container, entrapment, etc. to hold our twigs.

After gathering my twigs, I began to separate them into groups: thin, thick, straight, curved. Within my groupings I noticed that the twigs looked as if they were progressing or evolving from one group to the next. Playing off of that idea, I created my first model to look like it was continually rising and moving in a circular motion.

I placed the bigger twigs towards the bottom of the model and the thinner ones at the top to juxtapose the obvious order in which to place the twigs.

The main problem that I ran into with this model was the support system. The supports that I had created to hold up the structure were not as sturdy as I had originally intended.

After trying numerous other ways to support my model, I decided to move away from the radial structure. The new model I created still conveys that idea of the progression of a twig, yet the support system was definitely improved upon.

The way in which I folded the paper allowed the structure to actually support itself rather than relying on separate parts.

Theory Hour: John Lynn

Today during theory hour, architect John Lynn came to talk to us about the 2030 challenge. The concept of the AIA 2030 challenge comes from a man named Ed Mazria who stands for energy conservation. He began his lecture by asking us what we would do if we were fish? If we were birds? What would we see? He made a point about sustainability and stated that it’s a transformation and a dynamic event, not one specific object. The goal of the AIA 2030 challenge is to incorporate the idea of sustainability into architecture by creating buildings with zero carbon. As a starting point for his ultimate goal, he set a timeline to illustrate how much carbon he wants to be cut out from architecture in the next few years. In 2010 he hopes to see 60 percent cut, in 2015, 70 percent, in 2020, 80 percent, and in 2025, 90 percent.

Issues: Twig Project

One of the main issues that we talked about in class today was variety reduction. Many of the projects we saw in critique today wanted to focus on one aspect of either their twigs or their structure. Taking away some of the excess material and simplifying the project would add much more focus to the main idea the designer is trying to convey. Another predominant issue that we discussed was color contrast. In many cases, the twigs got lost in the structure created for them, thus taking away from the main purpose of the project. Scale and proportion was another thing that needed to be improved upon in some projects. Just like the problem of color contrast, the twigs got lost in some of the projects when the amount of material overpowered the twigs. The last issue we discussed in class was craft. Although a lot of the projects were very well crafted, many of them can be easily improved with some simple touch-ups in craftsmanship.

Precedent

These two photographs are the precedents I chose to represent my twig project. Both of them incorporate the idea of spiraling and lifting in their architectural design, which is what I hope will be the outcome of my final project. Similarly to these two buildings, the structure of my project lifts up from the ground and is in the form of a complete radial.

hands

lettering

empty space drawings

blind contours

Final Leaf Projet Model

For this project, we were told to choose a leaf and create a "place for a leaf." The challenge was to create a place to put the leaf that incorporates some qualities of the leaf without the use of any type of binding agent. The entire project had to be made completely out of paper.

After finding my leaf, one of the first things I noticed about it was its texture. When rubbing the leaf in one direction it is somewhat rough, but when you rub it in the opposite direction, it is much more rough. Exploring this quality a little further, I came up with an idea to cut slits in paper so that if you rub your hand over it in one direction it is somewhat rough, but if you rub your hand on it in the other direction, you can feel the sharp spikes, just like my leaf.

3 Messes

5 things

Upside down man