Integrated Technology

By Anthony Michael

This week I will be discussing a journal article that I read the other day.  This journal article discusses how technology in the classroom can cultivate the abilities of students and completely change the way that they work and think. The authors Kyle Peck and Denise Dorricott compare the educational setting to that of the real business world.  They ask the question; what would happen if we removed all the computers in the business world tomorrow?  How would this change the work environment?   They go on to describe how the world would cease to function almost entirely.  So why is it that the school’s educators are stuck in this pre-technology world?  Is it because they are afraid of change or because they don’t know the proper ways in which to utilize technology properly to influence the students? 

The authors then go on to describe the various stages that technology implementation goes through.  Educators are stuck in the second phase or the “creating puzzles” stage.  Using them only to grade or deliver their lectures.  To actually benefit students to the fullest potential that technology can educators need to move on the third stage, how technology can actually contribute to a compelling educational experience.

                   Technology can help many different types of students.  Some learn fast, some learn slowly, and every one of them has a unique way in which they gather information.  Technology can help individualize the learning process, by allowing each student to move at his or her own pace in safe, non-threatening environments of their choosing. 

Studies have shown that one of the most influential ways that computers have helped improve students thinking is in writing.  Computers allow for a “temporary” feel to what they are writing.  Changing the thought process to allow them to believe it is ok to make mistakes.  It can easily be changed and corrected at a later date.  Computers also allow for a more artistic expression through the use of video production, photography, etc.  This also allows for students who are not able to easily communicate verbally to transmit their ideas to the rest of the class and to the educator as well. 

                  This use of technology has the potential to free up the educator allowing them to access the student on a more frequent basis, providing them with a higher level of actual education instead of information conveyance.  It also allows the educator to provide a more per student based instruction towards each student and the particular needs that they need.  

Peck, K., & Dorricott, D. (1994). Educational Leadership, 51(7), 11-14. Retrieved November 9, 2014 from http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.45

Thesis: Construction Process of Modular Design with the Aid of Technology

By Robert Musial

Architects have been using modular design to construct buildings in a more efficient way by reducing the cost, shortening the time of built, and improving the quality of design. Most of modular design construction is off-site, this allows for much of the construction to be done inside a warehouse. This way the weather does not delayed the time of construction. By shorting the schedule there is a reduction in cost by not having to manage the site of the project. Designing a modular building requires a lot of mock ups and prototypes but, this ensure that workers can easily construct the design of the building which also overall improves the quality of construction. By building mock ups to for see problematic design and to build in a modular dimensions this will result in less waste on materials. Modular design is dynamic and economical for everyone that is involved in the project from the architect to the people using the building.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is one of the most powerful tools used today by providing two and three dimensional drawings, energy analysis, and even adding the four dimensions of time all with in a click of your fingertips. BIM allows for the user to create floor plans, sections, elevations, isometrics, and perspectives more economically and faster. Next, implementing energy analysis will produce an efficient and sustainable project by seeing real time analysis of building material and design layout. Lastly, the fourth dimensions of time is created by being able to demonstrate visualize graphics of construction that prevents errors during the construction process.  By including all the project’s graphics of construction it gives a valid time schedule for construction.  With using BIM in a project it will make the user a master builder by providing real time changes and fore seeing mistakes in the construction process. 

This thesis focuses on the construction process of modular design with the aid of technology for a potential infill building in Chicago, Illinois. BIM will be used throughout the thesis to provide architectural drawings, cost analysis, and energy saving to assistance on the choices of material, construction process, and design. With the aid of BIM multiple real time analysis will be documented to show the innovation of design to the infill building. This thesis shows how to the use of BIM improves modular design when implemented properly.

What's Next?

By Stephen Tutka

What is the next step? I find myself asking this question often. Whether this question arises in regard to architecture or life I feel that many students are asking this.

I will start with architecture as a professional goal of mine. What is next? Well, where am I now? I am a graduate student in an accredited program here at SIU. That is a good start. I would like to work toward being a licensed architect so, for those that don’t know, I will need to have a professional degree (which my accredited Masters of Architecture will be), complete IDP hours, and take the ARE. So, what is next? I am earning my professional degree.

What is next in my degree? Currently, I am developing my thesis and working on a project for my studio. This is where I find myself asking, “what is next?” the most often. I am constantly trying to work closer to completing these projects. I am going to be working on my thesis until I graduate next summer so I am slowly progressing through it. However, my studio project is another matter. For studio I find that iterations and evolution of ideas is very important. At this point in semester there is not much time left for exploration and more time needs to be focused on decisions and development. A “Just Do It” kind of attitude needs to be taken on. This is where “what is next?” becomes important. Every time I complete a task I must move on to the next one. Every piece needs to be refined to details. How does the structure connect? What is the wall section like? How do people move through the space? Does it meet building code? What do you do next to complete the project?

Lastly, what is next in the profession in general? This is an important question that is answered by staying involved in the architecture culture. Keeping up with friends and colleagues, reading periodicals, and being involved in professional organizations. I find that I learn a lot from these three sources. The people I have class with are often a great source for things happening in the architecture world. We all research different things for our projects and when we come across something interesting we often share with each other. Architecture Record is also a great source for what is going on. The down side of Arch Record is that it comes out once a month, but don’t worry because you will get daily emails. Also, there are many blogs and things you can find on the internet… like this one. And lastly, the AIA and the AIAS are fantastic professional networks that are constantly working to advance the profession and the connections within it. I would try to explain it but I think it is just something you need to experience. Try going to a local meeting. Or better, go to national convention in the summer.

Detroit, A New Set of Challenges

By Drew Baldwin

This week I think I will take a little bit more time to talk about my thesis and where it is headed and what new challenges I am discovering that will affect my overall outcome. If you did not read any of my previous blog posts about my thesis and abstract, in short, I am proposing a master plan of green spaces in downtown Detroit around the area of Comerica Park, a more attractive area as well as a more tourist friendly area. In doing this master plan, though I am in the very early stages of thinking at this point, I plan on carrying these spaces from the south side of the Fisher highway, which runs just north of the stadium, to the north side as often times you find highways create really nice barriers separating parts of cities into districts if you will. This was one of the first major challenges I began to recognize, how to carry these new green spaces from a more populated, nicer part of Detroit, to its outskirts and what some may call run down and dangerous.

Another challenge of my thesis, is proposing a design that will be relatively low cost, both in the short and long term. One of the major reasons for this is Detroit’s economy is in bad shape these days and the city is actually having to close down 50 parks this year, either because they can’t maintain them or they’re too run down to even try and salvage. Finding a way to provide cheap plantings and finishes for the green spaces as well as reducing construction costs will be key. The use of recyclable materials will be something I really need to look into if I want to achieve this goal.

The biggest challenge, at least in my opinion, is social sustainability; being able to make these parks and green spaces attractive enough to get past the initial excitement of a new park and keeping the inhabitants interest in them so they keep wanting to come back and use the spaces. With the crime rate so high and the economy so low, this will pose a huge challenge because these parks could turn into dangerous places, if no measures are taken to provide safer areas, ones that tourists and city dwellers will want to spend time in. One way to possibly get people to want to use these spaces, is having them participate in both the building and upkeep of these various parks. One would be more likely to visit and use a space of they knew they had a hand in creating it as well as being able to see the result of their hard work. Another benefit of having the community participate in the building of these spaces is a reduction in construction costs as mentioned before.

Just talking to my committee over the past week has actually gotten me more interested in this thesis topic, for several reasons, but mostly how challenging it will be; but I chose Detroit for a reason and look forward to trying to formulate a cohesive design that addresses the challenges I’m finding and what challenges I still may come across.

Thesis Beginnings

By Meghan Shanahan

Happy November Everybody and Welcome Back! We are now two weeks away from thanksgiving and I cannot wait to go home and see my family! Plus my mom, sister, and I have a tradition to Black Friday shopping every year! I miss Chicago so much so it will be nice to finally be home again! My grandmother turned 93 this week, so I just wanted to give a small shootout to her wishing her happy 93^rd birthday!

             Last Friday we turned in our chair and member information for our thesis. I am happy and very excited about the teachers I have chosen to help and advise me through my thesis project. My chair I have chosen Professor Turnipseed, and for my two members I have chosen Professor Gonzales, and Professor Dobbins. I am defiantly very lucky to have such a great group to help me to succeed. For my thesis, I do plan on making some minor changes to what I am going to work on. I was originally going to create a Pediatric Urgent Care Center in Chicago. I am planning to stick with Pediatric Healthcare, but instead I am looking to create a Pediatric Emergency Room that is connected to an existing hospital and Emergency Room. I was looking at different hospitals in the Chicago land area, as of now I think I have chosen Loyola University Medical Center, but once I do a little more research I will know for sure.

            In Studio we have been working on our individual building and there is have not been a lot of major changes. Everything is small detail work that is just slowly making the project come together. But it is coming along great and I am very excited to about the future of the project, hopefully I will have more information for you next time.

Till then thanks for reading!

Meghan

Skate Break: Stay Creative, Always Design

By Ryan Northcutt

I want to take a minute to take a break from architecture. This post will be more about design and business. Both of those topics alone are what architecture really is when it comes to the main key points of how architecture is today, but today it’s going to be about a hobby that I partake in outside of school. Most of my time goes to architecture, eating, and sleep. But I do spend my little free time I have working on skateboards. I have done a lot of research on the topic of skateboarding, mostly the history of it, and I would say I have a good understanding of why skateboarding is the way it is. Skateboarding is something that I am also passionate about, and I have been for almost all of my life.

            After bearing through a couple years of architecture school, I learned skills that others don’t learn. A lot of them are design skills, and the rest are craftsmanship. Prior to architecture school I had a bit of experience designing and crafting long board skateboards. It was something my dad taught me. But what I had begun to appreciate was the nature of wood. There are many features of wood that are just plain beautiful. I use wood in most of my designs because I find it so wonderful and appealing. So since those first encounters of crafting with wood and learning a design process, I have taken that into a different application.

            With much of my research, skateboards made in the early 1960’s and early 1970’s are made of solid wood. Most of which were DIY skateboards. But with all the products out in the world today, I thought to myself, why not recreate those first skateboards that really got the scene going. I used my design process I learned from architecture school to design skateboard shapes that are historically contextual, but elegant and beautiful. After a few pushes this became something more than just a few experiment skateboards. It is now a business, not a thriving one, but it’s an infant skateboard business that someday may be somewhat success, that’s if the cards are played right.

            It is not my intention to just talk about skateboarding the whole time. I have used this skateboard crafting hobby to fuel my design in architecture school. When we, as students, go through school, we spend much of our time designing and thinking extremely hard about one singular thing. After a while we get designers block and are on pause for longer than we have time for. It’s very unfortunate. But there is a way around that. First it’s taking a break from architecture. But second it’s still thinking about design. This second rule is the most important due to the fact that as soon as we turn our creative thinking off, it is hard to get back into the groove. So what I am saying is that I use this skateboard crafting hobby to keep my brain going, I transfer from one line of design to the next. It’s a process that I have found successful in helping me with studio design work, and also designing my hobby.

            So to say the least, take a break, but keep thinking about design. Be Creative.

A Short History of My Passion for Architecture [Part 1]

By Nicholas Ouellette

Once upon a time, in a land far, far way there lived a man by the name of Nicholas Ouellette. He was an average high school kid, at this time of his life and had no idea what was in store for him after he walked across that stage and was handed a small piece of paper stating the next chapter of his life was about to begin. Well, actually he kind of had an idea of what was in store for him, he would continue to work for the take and bake pizza company of which he acquired a job one year back and in the fall he would continue his journey and move to a small town in southern Illinois to begin his college career. Hold on though, let’s take a step back and understand how he got to this point and why he chose that small school in southern Illinois to further pursue his newly found passion for architecture. Oh, and can we please loose the third person point of view? It’s driving me crazy.

As most children now a day, Lego’s were always a major role in this man young life. He would always be playing with them, letting his imagination run free and constructing buildings, cars, spaceships, anything his young mind could come up with. Although, at this point in his life he had no idea how much of an impact [and still do] they would have on his choices for a career later in life. Alright, hold on I need to stop you for a minute. I told you to stop with the third person already! Oh, did I not do that? I could have sworn that I was getting away from it. NO, YOU HAVEN’T! Are you sure? YES YOU SMALL MINDED PERSON, READ THE LAST FOUR SENTENCES! Alright well there’s no need to get angry and name call, hold on. [Scanning the last few sentences of the paragraph] Oh, would you look at that, I see what you mean, my apologies sir, I’ll be sure to stop that at once. It’s alright, I’m sorry I got a little angry, please carry on with the story.

Right, so back to the Lego’s. Even today he still owns all of the Lego’s that he has had from his childhood and continues to get more every year. While he might not be spending hours upon hours building and setting up stories that play out in his mind, he still keeps a few select sets close to him and continues to get more from time to time such as on the holidays. Lego’s were just the first step [and a very early one at that] to how he got to where he is today and what made him so involved and passionate about architecture. Do you hear a word that I am saying to you?! What did I do this time?  YOU DIDN’T EVEN LISTEN TO WHAT I SAID LAST TIME, YOU’RE BACK IN THIRD PERSON AGAIN! Am I really? I didn’t even notice it. I can’t handle this anymore, I’m taking a break until you get your head together and stop telling me to type this ridiculous blog entry all in third person that no one is going to want to read. Well, that’s not very nice. I guess we can take a five minute break. Thank you.