Render vs. Rendering

By: Megan Crider

I don’t know how it happened…  I don’t know where it came from…  Somewhere along the way in architecture school, RENDER has become a noun for many students.  I can’t count how many times I have sat in presentations hearing the words “Here’s a render of my building/design” or something of that nature.  NOPE.  That is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.

Render is a verb, not a noun.  Rendering is a noun, not a verb.  Someone can render an image, but the finished product of that process is a rendering.  

I applaud those instructors that correct students and point this difference out to them during presentations or critiques.  Thank you.  You have probably saved them from all kinds of embarrassment and correction when they assimilate into an office environment.  To those instructors that do not correct this grammatical infraction, shame on you.  I will however give you the benefit of the doubt – perhaps you are focusing more on the content and design of a presentation rather than the potential verbal struggles of the presenter.   I have no qualms with that…  However if we do not correct students when they make this error then they will continue to do so; the issue will not be fixed.

Perhaps the process of producing a rendering can be addressed differently earlier on in our education, during freshman or sophomore year.  Maybe formally addressing the difference at this level will assist in alleviating this issue later on in our education.  

Five elements of the City

By: Kristina Shrestha

In the design studio, we are designing a new city and we are given a rural site in Glenelg, Maryland and an urban site in Baltimore, Maryland. We are designing a master plan of the site in a group of three and chose an individual building to place in site. We have chosen a rural site and we are working on our master plan as well as our individual buildings. We were encouraged to make the city walkable therefore we have designed the city with the public spaces near the residence. The city consists of Offices, Retail, Senior living, Police station, Fire station, School, Community center, Garden apartments, Mid-rise, High rise apartments and Row homes. From the beginning of the semester, we have had group presentation on different types of buildings, case study presentation, and research presentation, presentation on theoretical books on urban design and planning, presentation on master plan and individual buildings, and so on.

Although we used to have many presentations, surprisingly last week we were given a task to make a diagram showing five elements of an urban design. The five elements of urban design was taken from the book “The Image of the City” written in year 1960 by Kevin Lynch. Kevin Lynch was an urban planning professor at MIT. He had worked with Frank Lloyd Wright and his works were inspired by the thinking of Frank Lloyd Wright. He was fascinated by the cities and how people perceive them. He wanted to find the relationship of successful cities with respect to the perception of people. He later realized that the elements like landmark helps to navigate people within the city. Also, people perceive cities with regard to the repeating elements like nodes, landmark, path, edge and district. One of the most important prospect of his book was the five elements of a city. The five elements are as follows:

Paths: Paths are the ways or channel where people occasionally move. It can be a road, railway tracks, canals or streets.

Edges: Edges are the boundary between two elements. It is the linear element other than paths. It also separated different views of a city.

Districts: Districts are larger part of city where people can go inside and it also have a distinct character.

Landmarks: Landmarks can be anything which are distinct like a statue, a gate, or any prominent element where people consider as a reference. 

Nodes: Nodes as the name suggests are the points or foci where two elements intersect or connects. It can be a cross-section of a path or an entire district. Nodes are the foci where people can enter.

These elements can be incorporated in many cities especially in new cities. These elements help people to navigate through the city and it also creates successful cities.

  

References:

1.      Lynch, Kevin, Image of the City (1960)

Parametric Programming in Architecture: Brief Considerations

By: Ken Howder

 The challenge of designing competent architecture through tectonic (structural) and aesthetic practice has always been a long enduring process for those involved. Splines, NURBS surfaces, parametric definitions, advanced manipulation of vertices, and algorithms have allowed designers to leap forward with the complexity and precision of their designs – so much so, that modern construction techniques have yet to catch up to allow some of the more complex designs to be reproducible in real time. In his article about the subject, Fabian Scheurer writes, “It quickly became apparent that these designs would pose completely new challenges once they had been sold to a sufficiently funded client and entered the construction design and building phase” (Scheurer, 89). This suggests that, for the tectonic framework of a building, two things must be accomplished to continue with the advancement of structural design. First and foremost, the architect or designer needs to be aware of the limitations set upon them by modern construction methods. Secondly, the construction industry needs a boost in building techniques through advancement in materials, technique, and equipment. For the second factor to happen would require much time and commitment that, despite the need, will take decades to achieve. However, the first factor of architects who are aware of construction limitations can be achieved at any time. It is sad to say that, partly responsible through academic curriculum, the encouragement of theoretical projects minus real world experience leaves many would-be architects left with an unrealistic idea of what can actually be achieved. Suffice to say that this may be considered merely a tangent to the main topic at hand of tectonic and aesthetic balance, but it does play an important role.

Programming architecture instead of drawing has become more of a phenomenon in recent years to produce visually pleasing entities with a surprising account for structural demand. However, one of the most important benefits produced by algorithmic aided design is the possibility to design with an innate comprehension of the surrounding site. Such a profound effect on the process allows the designer to produce natural designs that can enhance the surrounding area. When Frampton refers to Semper’s writings in his article, he mentions the need for both art and rhythm in the field of architecture, and it is clear that the advancements made within the past couple decades to the field have only encouraged this idea.

Works Cited

Frampton, Kenneth. "Rappel A L’orde, The Case for the Tectonic" (1983): Book. 16 June 2015.

Scheurer, Fabian. "Materialising Complexity." Architectural Design 10 July 2010: 86-93.

Tectonics : Core Form and Art Form

By: Josh West

Tectonics reveal the basic knowledge of the art and science of building construction. All things are built in certain ways and have a unique art of assembling the materials used during the construction phases. Frampton talks a lot about art form and the way it is expressed differently throughout architecture. He describes the tectonics of construction with two key elements: Core Form and Art Form. Frampton wrote, “’the art form “is only a covering and symbolic attribute of the part or building’” (Frampton, 139).  By viewing a building with these two elements, any architect can begin to describe and understand the construction phase. For me these two elements have helped me focus more on all of my projects and helped me understand the tectonics and understandings of buildings. With all of the buildings being built, there is more than what the eye can see. “Core form is mechanically necessary and statically functional structure as art form, on the other hand, is only the characterization by which the mechanical-statically function is made apparent” (Frampton, 139). These forms must always be recognized to always try and distinguish the difference between the constructional form and ornament or appearance. Another phrase which caught my attention was from Semper, “the most significant basic tectonic element was the joint or the knot” (Semper, 145). This to me explains tectonics as a whole and emphasizes the meaning of the knot. The knot, which we have been using for centuries, is a true meaning of tectonics. Like any other knot, we use it to tie two pieces together or to create a loop to hang something or tie something down and to make sure it never comes loose or slips. As we look at in a way of construction, we have to recognize everything that goes into these buildings. We have to tie every piece of the building together and make sure it is structurally sound. So as I progressed through my entire time through architecture school, I am designing buildings at multiple sizes and learning how they are structurally put up and working with their surrounding areas. I will always remember two things: always remember the two elements of core and art form and to always remember to tie the knot.

Frampton, Kenneth. “Botticher, Semper and the Tectonic: Core Form and Art Form.” In What is Architecture?. Edited by Andrew Ballantyne, 138-152. New York:Routledge, 2002.

What do people want?

By: Jeremy Clow

A small town, Glenelg located in a rural part of Maryland sits thirty minutes away from multiple metropolitan areas. This new development poses many challenges, bringing a metropolitan landscape to a lush one hundred acres. Implementation of a new road with direct access to the main highway will allow for direct transport to and from the site. Two forms of entry will provide north east access from the existing road that runs along the edge of the site. The site being disconnected from major forms of existing transportation requires implementation for success. The rail line proposed to run adjacent to the south east side of the site would allow for multiple opportunities of transport daily to and from the site. The site is designed to hold two thousand living units, all of which are apartments on the site. These units provide a maximum occupancy of six thousand persons. The six thousand people on the site will be using the public facilities as well as surrounding neighborhoods. Commuters using the train to come to the site may also use facilities near the station and office district. The train station is directly connected to the office district, an affordable hotel complex, and my five star hotel design. To the north of the five star hotel, a tunnel provides direct access to the hotel for parking and service trucks. The tunnels top of road elevation is thirty-five feet below grade. The vehicular portion of the tunnel has a twenty foot clearance adjacent to a two level parking garage below the hotel. Above this is a protected pedestrian tunnel from the train station to the hotel. With the train platform, station, shopping center, and five star hotel all connected underground. Above this passageway is a porte cochere for vehicular traffic above ground to drop off passengers from taxis, busses, and personal vehicles. This drop off zone serves the hotels on both sides of it. The covering is a green roof community space for both hotels to use. The smaller hotel to the north only provides basic amenities and is designed for the traveler or commuter on a budget. The five star connected hotel houses many services, amenities, as well as a conference center. Locals, commuters, and persons staying within either hotel have easy access to and from all parts of the major complex without crossing a street or being exposed to the natural elements. Due to the location shops and services will provide amenities usually accessible only in an urban setting. This provides a convenience for commuters and persons living in the new development. The conference center within the hotel accommodating a few thousand people seemed unreasonable however. In the event of a major conference used by the office district accommodations for visitors would be in lack thereof. The hotel program was to contain three hundred units having a maximum comfortable occupancy of 1200 persons. With the majority of commerce anticipated for a larger conference based on commuting traffic the establishment wouldn’t accommodate the needs. The addition of a hotel above the train station created not only more rooms but more affordable accommodations as well. With the hotels and station all in connection the circulation between them is protected. The site provides two thousand residential units along with the thousands of residents within a fifteen minute radius. The hotel will allow for almost 2000 additional people to be able to stay on the site and participate in larger events and conferences. 

Music and Architecture

By: Hunter Wilson

I am Hunter Wilson, a student currently studying in the Southern Illinois University Masters of Architecture program.  I began my education at Vincennes University located in my hometown of Vincennes, Indiana.  After receiving an Associate’s Degree in Architectural studies, I transferred to SIU where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree and still study today.

            The argument that music and architecture are related is hardly even an argument anymore.  Terms such as rhythm, movement, proportion and repetition are all synonymous with music and architecture.  As Walter Pater said in 1877, “all art constantly aspires toward the condition of music”. 

            Music can be far more straightforward in its message as compared to architecture.  Lyrics help define a message while the music may help define the mood.  Music may also be quite vague.  It is up to the listener to determine the message based on their experience with the music.  The same can happen when experiencing architecture.  An architect can make their message felt by the spaces they create. 

            When someone listens to music, it is easy to instantly connect or disconnect with the music.  The same experience happens when entering a piece of architecture.  A case of extreme expression in architecture is the Jewish Museum in Berlin by Daniel Libeskind.  Libeskind uses sharp edges and expressive angles.  The subject matter of historical Jewish hardship helps elevate the forms used to create an unnerving experience.  Much like these sharp angles create an unnerving experience, the same can be translated to music.  The intense angles and sharp corners can be translated to something such as an intense symphony chord strike or the cutting strike on a violin similar to that heard in a horror movie.  These intense chords express a similar feeling of uneasiness.

            http://static.thousandwonders.net/Jewish.Museum,.Berlin.original.21813.jpg

            Another example is the Brandhorst Museum in Munich by Sauerbruch Hutton.  The exterior of the building uses techniques such as rhythm and repetition.  Horizontal and vertical layers blend with joyful colors that create a ‘visual chord’.  This use of material and color is highly contrasted with Libeskind’s Jewish Museum.  While the Jewish Museum uses little color and raw material, the Brandhorst Museum uses much vibrancy.  The use of many tones of color can be represented as a sort of jazz piece.  Many layers, both horizontal and vertical, blended with many colors to create a visual called chromaticism.  The color on the exterior also changes as you approach and retreat from the structure.  So the building has a different façade from every vantage point that you view it.  This is also synonymous with jazz music because it is believed that true jazz music is not supposed to be performed the same way for each performance.  Each performance has subtleties and nuances that each performer expresses themselves.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Museum_Brandhorst_Muenchen_2008-12-28-2.jpg

            Next time you plan to enter an impressive piece of architecture, stop and think of a song that you think fits with the structure.  Think of what the piece is trying to express.  It makes the experience of walking through a building much more pleasurable rather than thinking of the building as just a functioning structure.

CPTED

By: Hanan Rawashdah

Architecture, the linking space that connects us to our surrounding, affecting us consciously and subconsciously through our senses, creating feelings of comfort, sometimes, displeasure, nervous, a feeling of being watched, intimacy and many more. But can that effect go beyond just internal feelings? Can it grow stronger to reach a point in guiding behaviour? Perhaps even stopping and preventing certain unwanted behaviors?  Can architecture play a role in stopping crime? Violent actions and other actions looked poorly upon in a society?

 When one sees a hidden from view door at the end of a narrow corridor, to stop and question whether it is allowable for the use of anyone is instinctively felt. One doesn’t sense the same hesitation when walking through wide, welcoming, glazed doors. In this scenario case architecture was used to send subliminal signals on how to use certain spaces. A sign of welcome by the use of, glazed forms and width in space, A sign of a private zone by the use of a narrow corridor and hidden from view destination.

 With a relevant and relatable concept in mind architects strived to explore the potential of playing and forming space in guiding human behaviors. The term CPTED, Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, was presented in the book "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design" in 1971 by architect Oscar Newman. The book suggested guidelines on how to make public space more safe and prevent crimes and other ill-city viewed happenings. Nowadays the approach in designing Safe buildings adapts and incorporates the  three fundamental concepts of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED): (1) natural surveillance (the ability to see what’s going on), (2) natural access control (the ability to control who gets in or out of a facility) and (3) territoriality/maintenance 

The first principle, Natural Surveillance, means by creating spaces where people can spontaneously appear and naturally be. A high level of security is achieved this way as it is more likely that crimes against people and property are less likely to occur if other people are around. Because The presence of other people, for example, provides them with an opportunity to: • prevent a crime • intervene in a crime that has started and limit its extent • help apprehend the criminal • summon help from others, and • report the crime and act as a subsequent witness.

Natural access, meaning it  is important to give people safe clear choices about where to be and what to anticipate ahead. Legibility with varying options of allows a sense of freedom, confidence and less stressful experience for the user.

Territorial, the third concept of designing safe spaces, means to give a sense of ownership, draw boundaries of a space. Research suggests that it is significant for people’s sense of control that others not transgress or trespass on “their territory” without invitation. This creates a sense of belonging for the owners of the place and creates a need for taking care of the space more, whether it’s physical condition, cleanliness and even the safety of the space becomes a personal mission.

   To expand and let architecture cross as an object of shelter and become a tool used to control users, once again proves how architecture weaves and intertwines our daily lives . Although one must be careful in designing safer spaces to keep the balance of creating human friendly spaces and not creating strict almost military forcing designs.