2nd Year Thesis project

[Prince Elileth]

So it's that time of year again when uni terms are winding down. As it's now the end of my second year I'm required to submit a portfolio of work and reapply for admission into the second level of the architecture program here so at the end of 2nd year we're required to do one large scale and rather involved project. This year we were given $800 and a vacant lot to design a temporary installation for. After around 3 months of work and $1000 (we ended up slightly over budget) we finished our installation last Monday. The last week has been a whirl wind of presentations in front of our professors, a group of guest professors and architects flown in to see our work, various other members of the faculty at my school, and finally the local news media who picked up the story when people started to call in and report groups of college students putting things up in vacant lots all over town. As this place has been my home away from home for the last few months of late nights in studio both during the campaign and after I figured I'd share some pics here in case anyone is interested.





Our site was occupied by a highway until a few years ago. As a result of this somewhat interesting history we decided we wanted to create some sort of reference to the site's past history so we built 33 8' tall columns and arranged set them up where the old highway's columns were. At the same time we wanted to look towards possible futures for this site as it's currently a big vacant lot. The most likely future is that the whole thing will be paved over and turned into a parking lot so the orange lines you see on the ground are a grid of 10'x20' squares (the standard size for a parking spot) that we painted across the entire site as a way to try and get people to realize what a waste of space parking lots really are.

and finally a picture of me hauling columns that was printed in the paper here a few days ago.


More pictures can be found here: http://s369.photobucket.com/albums/oo13 ... tallation/
I'll be adding more to the album as I get and sift through the thousands of pictures we took during this process.

[Prince_Asuryan]

As this place has been my home away from home for the last few months of late nights in studio both during the campaign and after I figured I'd share some pics here in case anyone is interested.

"Do orders, gotta go home"

"Do orders, dashing to the studio"

"Fire alarm went off at studio, I'm at home. Do orders"

"I've dropped all my tacs..."

"Are glass slivers dangerous?"

Just some of the weird and wacky comments we saw while trying to plot world domination... Good times Boss.

Congrats with finishing the second year, and good luck in the third. Looks like you had a really interesting year, so I hope the next is as good, if not better.

[Eldacar]

That picture would explain the comment I seem to remember you making about a group of girls telling you where to move things, Elileth.

[Meif]

Wow, dude. Those are some pretty dude looking tubes and bushes you got there, dude .

[EricJ]

Ah, which reminds me -- once I become a wealthy and eccentric millionaire, I need someone to design my castle. Interested?

It'll be a modern castle of course, perhaps slightly smaller than the castles of old. I'll want heated floors in the bathrooms, elevators to the towers, dungeons where I can set up a machine hall or two, and plenty of secret passages.

More ideas on the perfect modern castle are welcome.

[Cyrannoc]

Interesting, I had no idea that there were other architecture students on this forum!

im a third year graduate doing my first year out in practice in England, and lemme tell ya its pretty stressful! - if you think 2nd year undergrad is tough, you aint seen nuthin yet!

just kiddin.

If you got the passion for it youre gonna be just fine.

Im just curious what those things are all about, I like the Guerilla tactics involved in thier sudden Bernard Schumi-esque appearance all over town in empty lots etc..., but what do they do?, what do they say? are the about sustainable development - I spotted that they kind of remind me of some form of polytunnel - type plant growing medium thingy - like a sun-tunnel which somehow funnels light and moisture down onto the plant beneath - which in turn drains down to under the tube? is this correct? and what happens when its windy? do they fall down or what?

the idea seems really interesting bravo

im currently working on a similar project called "communiversity' here in england and ive been looking at lots of abandoned pieces of land in slightly rundown areas of cities where employment and education are low priority parts of life - looking to involve people in the act of building as a way of reaffirming themselves and actively learning about things., so your project kinda struck a chord.

tell me more yeah?

[Paraicj]

Looks very nice, glad you're back on your feet after the thigh-stabbing.

[Madeline Merri]

I really like the columns, I want some in my house, illuminated! Those would be the best decor-lights ever! Congratulations on your successful installation, and I hope it keeps you moving forward. Because this isn't just architecture, it's art! If I had 800 bucks, I'd probably have just bought a big tent, and held a BBQ for as long as I could go with what money remained.

-Maddo

[Cenyu]

[DarkTyrany22]

Did you know that your shoes are lime green?

[assimilation]

[whisper]Shhh! He's not supposed to notice[/whisper]

[Squeak]

Looks cool. They'd be nice in a garden.

Did you know that your shoes are lime green?

First thing I noticed

[Prince Elileth]

Heh the shoes are great aren't they? Girls love them.

m just curious what those things are all about, I like the Guerilla tactics involved in thier sudden Bernard Schumi-esque appearance all over town in empty lots etc..., but what do they do?, what do they say? are the about sustainable development - I spotted that they kind of remind me of some form of polytunnel - type plant growing medium thingy - like a sun-tunnel which somehow funnels light and moisture down onto the plant beneath - which in turn drains down to under the tube? is this correct? and what happens when its windy? do they fall down or what?

They were originally designed as a representation of the highway columns that used to be on the site. We wrapped them in the plastic and used the skeletal frames since we wanted to make them seem as ghostly and ethereal as possible. When we added the planting layer we modified them slightly to allow more water in the top to keep the plants alive. The dirt doubled as some weight to keep them up during normal weather conditions, and the installation was only up for 4 days so we weren't terribly worried about them falling over. In fact the night before we took it down there was a storm here that knocked most of them over. The drunks from the local bars finished the rest of them off.

[Loki17]

And just think. In a few years, you can be one of the drunks from the local bar knocking stuff over.

[Prince Elileth]

One year actually. I turned 20 last week.

[Andruillius]

Funny joke, Loki. No, I didn't fall for it.