Monday, December 27, 2010

My Main Project post...

It's been a while since my last post of my degree project and finally a new update of what I've done so far. Just to remind; my project is to design a bridal retail store and the building I've chose is Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo.  



 
This board illustrate my concept of design. The concept is diamond which symbolize the love and everlasting of a marriage. This sketch shows a structure like a piece of fabric with the shape of diamond. 


Below are my concept model
 



















This is a 3D model of existing building rendered by 3D Max




Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Genius of Design – Episode 4:”Better Design for Living through Chemistry”

In this episode it tells us about the design in use for functional and practical. New design lead to a new manufacture after the war and it was based on the observation of people’s purposes. When new motorway constructions started in 1956 in England, motorway signage became more graphical. Margaret Calvert, the graphic designer behind these signage, took the point of view of driver. The signage transformed to modern and simple as well as informatics and readable for drivers. 

Another new design occured during the 60’s was plastic design which inspired many young designers at that time.
Italian designs considered to be right after the war, became quite popular because of its artistic designs. Joe Colombo was one of Italy’s most influential product designers and everything Colombo created was intended for “the environment of the future” which became pop icon for many designers. 

Plastic design considered to be practical, cheap and mass product. It is simple design that fit for all purposes, especially keen to youngsters. At that time new plastic design took the attention nationally by its s-form and strong enough to support a human body without legs, it is the S Chair designed by Verner Panton from Denmark.
In Japan, the modernism of technology in design has developed rapidly after the post-war. The Japanese design became a new life design in electronic which is small and handy, detail and graphic. 
For example the Sony, Walkman. Although plastic has its disadvantage when ages, but is still the best product for remanufacture and recycle.


Episode: 5 – “Object to desire”.

How design goes personal? This episode tells us that mass product intend to create objects that we may not need it, but have the desire to own it because of its unique and icon design.
Designer, Michael Graves once said; “create desire to own it”. 

But is it the desire that make us to want that creation or the creations make us to desire them? 

Monday, December 6, 2010

The Genius of Design - episode 2: "Design for living"

After the industrial revolution, machines have been a principle of manufactured new creations. Between 1919 to the 30's, a design school which looked far more like an industrial than original school called Bauhaus was founded by Walter Gropius. The center focused on new thinking and creation. The school content all kind of designs. The idea was constructors, pain artists and designer should learing from each other. The Bauhaus stood for the modernism and revolute to Art Nouveau.

Le Corbusier from Bauhaus went one step further as functionalism and designed buildings with flexibility and functional of habitat. His idea was open space planning and changeable to fit the users. However, some meant that his buildings were too open and communicated which lack of privacy for a living space.

Modernism defined as reflection of modern age and set down the barriers of creating principles. For instance a modern chair or furniture might not be the most comfortable or functional, but it is well-known because it was created in a different way. 

In 1932, the Bauhaus closed down, and Le Corbusier tried to bring in the modernism to America, it was too late because the American designs were more centered in capitalism and consumerism. A good example of machine for living and design was the recreational vehicle, Airstream Trailer, created by Hawley Bowlus in 1933. It was well received from the marketing and living. 

What designers had created earlier gave good results to present designs for living, and appeals to the habitation standard. 



The Genius of Design - episode 1: "Industrial Revolution - Ghost in the machine"

In this short documentary movie, it gave us an explanation of what is the meaning to be a designer and to design. The movie summarized the historic of design industry from the 18th century and up to present. Before the revolution, most of the design was hand-made and crafted by craftsmen compare to present design which most of them are manufactured by machines. 

Some designers say that human acted like machine before the revolution, but now the machine acts like human and mass product into quality. Although the technical manufacturing became widely, the ideology of design still remain as it is; good design should be honest, useful, innovative, and long-lived.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Vitruvius Roman Order

Vitruvius (Marcus Vitruvius Pollio), born around 84 B.C. and died after 27 A.D. Marcus Vitruvius Pollio was an architect, engineer and writer. He is most famous for his writings of the book De Architura otherwise known as the ten books of architecture.

De Architectura
First (edited) publication in 1486 and is divided into 10 books about;
·        Book I: City planning and Architecture in general
·        Book II: Building materials and constructions
·        Book III: Temple construction
·        Book IV: Temple proportions of columns
·        Book V: Public buildings (theatres and baths)
·        Book VI: Private and agricultural buildings
·        Book VII: Floors and stucco decorations
·        Book VIII: Water installations
·        Book IX: Astronomy
·        Book X: Civil and military engines

According to book 1, Chaer 3, “The Department of Architecture” of Vitruvius’s writings, all
architecture must exhibit certain qualities. These qualities are firmitas, utilitas and
venustas.
Firmitas: meaning strength and endurance which refers to the structural stability of the building and also the buildings longevity. This would be achieved by the building of solid foundations and the use of good materials.
Utilitas: meaning utility and usefulness. This is achieved by the spaces being situated correctly to ensure the functionality of the building and to efficiently facilitate the buildings purpose.
Venustas: meaning beauty and aesthetics. This is achieved by creating a pleasant appearance to the building and in the creation of proportionate spaces within that obey the laws of symmetry. 
The Panthen, Rome
Even though the Pantheon was built after Vitruvius’s death it is a good example of roman architecture that displays the three qualities discussed above.


Exterior view of the Panteon, Rome



Interior view of the Panteon, Rome



Drawings of the Panteon, Rome