By: Alicia Luthy

Hello all! Here I am writing my last blog of graduate school. Graduation is now just a little over three weeks away. We just have one paper to finish and a presentation for this semester. So, for my last blog article I decided to write about my experience as a graduate student at SIU and to give advice to the new incoming graduate students.

Graduate school started out with summer semester. I had no idea what I was about to get myself into.  I do not recommend working two jobs and attending summer school. When I was not working, I am pretty sure that I spent every waking hour in studio. I got the brilliant idea to change my design halfway through the semester. I do not recommend that at all, but then again the hard work made me happier with the final design. I also spent long hours in the wood shop, but the outcome was rewarding. (NOTE: Do NOT remove the clamps from the woodshop).  Next, we had fall semester which was no cake walk either. Instead of just one class, you now have a few more to juggle. The semester project had both group and individual components. Working in a group is always a challenge. However, with hard work and dedication we pulled together a design we were all be proud of. The professors said we would probably not sleep until December; they were pretty well right about that.  This semester has seemed to become very stressful within the last month. With multiple assignments being due within the last month, it has been hard to focus on thesis. However, I still believe summer semester was the toughest one yet.

First and foremost, I would give the advice to not lose your mind over summer semester. The best advice in undergraduate was to not procrastinate. The rule still stands in graduate school however we all still choose to ignore it. I still haven’t gotten the hang of it but I still recommend not procrastinating. I am glad that I chose to do the 15 month Master’s program. A lot of my friends that went to other schools are wishing that they were also on the faster track to the degree.  So, my last advice is to not give up and to keep your eye on the prize. It is not easy, it will be time consuming, but it will definitely be worth it.  Good luck to my classmates and to the rest of the incoming graduate students! 

Modular Construction

By: Aaron Neal

In modern architecture, there are many methods of prefabrication.  Since it is still an evolving field of study, many firms experiment with different approaches and strategies.  Some assembly techniques work well for certain building types and in specific environments while others may differ in their benefits.  Most of these experiments in off-site fabrication occur in the housing market due to their little value.  Houses are cheaper to build, so if the new technique fails, it has little impact whereas it would be unethical to experiment on a large public building.  There have been many designers in the past decade that have chosen to specialize in prefabrication and see its potential.

            The ultimate form of prefabrication would be to complete the building in its entirety before arrival to the site.  Issues arise very quickly when trying to accomplish this task though.  Limitations in size appear to be the biggest issue with this approach.  The building can only be as big as the means of transportation that it takes to arrive on site.  For most cases, this means the size is determined by what fits on a truck.  Usually the width of the unit must be sixteen feet or under to fit within most transportation laws.  With the size limitation being such a strict constraint, these drop in place buildings are usually small retreat shelters or tiny homes.  Studio Aisslinger created one of these drop in place shelters in 2003 labeled as the LoftCube.  The firm began to sell these small cubic shelters to be used in all sorts of locations.  Structurally they were steel frame boxes skinned with fiberglass to create a futuristic look, while being easy to fabricate.  These boxes could be designed to serve multiple functions – retreat houses, viewing cabins, etc.

If dropped in place prefab had limitations with size what then would be the remedy?  Modular construction provides a pretty successful solution.  By splitting the building up into different modules that each fit within the transportation constraints, larger buildings can be constructed.  Many houses are currently being sold as modular units which usually are comprised a couple four to five modules.  These units are craned in place with everything complete except for the exterior façade.  This can drastically reduce the on-site construction time on a project which can be very desirable for housing developments.  There are multiple firms that specialize in modular construction such as Hive Modular, Square Root Architecture, and RES: 4 Architecture.  RES: 4 Architecture breaks down the programmatic spaces of a house into their basic shapes and then uses those building blocks to create custom houses using a modular approach.  This self-titled, “Modern Modular” process works well for the firm which has dozens of completed homes across the United States.  Their first project, the Dwell Home, was created using five modules to create an L shaped house.  The project not only was prefabricated, but it provided a well-designed, site specific home to the client.

3D Printed Architecture

By: Stephen Lauer

            One of the leading firms in the world right now in 3D printing architecture is WinSun Global. They currently have been focusing on housing projects such as homes and apartment buildings that are built using printing methods. Their current methods use all recycled materials from construction wastes and other industry waste.[1] By using wastes it allows for them to mostly have a nearly endless supply of material due to current construction methods. The primary material used by WinSun Global’s design is concrete due to the availability of waste material produced. The 3D printer uses a traditional additive printing method which is when one layer of material is added at a time to produce the finished model. This method works extremely well with concrete due to the availability of it and the thicker viscosity of concrete allows the walls or floors to setup quick enough to hold the shape but still allows for some manipulation if needed. The other advantage of concrete is the strength of concrete is very high and allows for a large amount of load to be placed on it and still retain its properties. A disadvantage of concrete is the weight of it is very high and requires additional machinery and laborers to install the components. WinSun Global gets around needing to assemble these pieces in some of their designs by printing the structure as one piece and then shipping it to its location or simply printing on site with their large printer. WinSun Global has done research and testing and now uses a special concrete material that in the end is roughly 50 percent lighter than average construction material.[2] One of their current projects is to print a series of office buildings. The printer will not only print the entire shell and structure but also will print all interior finishes along with the furniture to be used. WinSun Global is taking their printer to the site to print these buildings where they will be used at and the printer will print all the finishes and furniture in place as the building is being built.[3] By creating a building and its furnishings to be entirely 3D printed it allows for everything to be done at once and basically completely cut out all laborers needed on a construction site. This also means that there is no need for companies to manufacture furniture or finishes if they can be printed along with the building or printed and installed in the building later.

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150118-winsun-builds-world-first-3d-printed-villa-and-tallest-3d-printed-building-in-china.html

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[1]盈创-3D打印 建筑未来. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2015, from http://www.yhbm.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=lists&catid=67

[2]盈创-3D打印 建筑未来. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2015, from http://www.yhbm.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=lists&catid=67

[3] World’s First 3D Printed Office Building, Complete With 3D Printed Furniture & Interior To Be Built in Dubai. (2015, June 30). Retrieved December 17, 2015, from http://3dprint.com/77550/dubai-3d-printed-office/

Mosques

By: Patrick Szczecina

            Recently we got an assignment to research and to design a mosque that would be located in Luxor, Egypt. We started off by breaking up into groups to research climate, culture, materials, building techniques and whatever we could find for the location. After researching we found that many mosques have a Mihrab, Minaret, Male and female prayer areas, ablution rooms, shoe storage areas, Sahn, Minbar. I will describe all of these and what they are meant for. I am not an expert on the religion or mosques but this is what I understood from what I have learned.

            Starting off many mosques have what is called a Sahn, and it is a very important piece in a mosque as are the other areas. The reasons for a courtyard is that it can hold more people if needed if a room of prayer is full. Usually a fountain is found in the courtyard that acts as cooling in the hot area. The following areas can be separated into Male and Female portions. The next portion could be shoe storage, where people who come to pray take them off and store them and collect after they are finished. This area is usually before a Ablution room, which is a cleansing area. As a cleansing area shoes aren’t needed, and in this area people wash themselves before prayer in order to clean themselves. After the Ablution room comes a prayer room which is divided Male and Female. In these prayer rooms Minbar would be located which is a location above the people praying where a Imam (service leader) leads the sermon. An Imam is a prayer leader who lectures and performs sermons for the people. The Mihrab is a niche in a wall of the mosque that points the way towards Mecca, which is the way that Muslims face to pray. The Minaret is a tower where it symbolizes the mosque to the community as well as an area where a call to prayer can be performed.

            These areas are the main focus of a mosque where people come and pray. Like other religious holy areas they all have an area to pray, however it seems that mosques are more separated for male and female. They also allow for more cleansing and more private interaction for individuals by ablution rooms.

Busy Busy Busy!

By: Megan Crider

I am so ready to graduate… Between school, work, and wedding planning I am ready for a break and maybe perhaps a little bit of free time.  I will say that staying busy helps the time go by fast, so that is good I suppose?

            Tonight I need to finish my charrette design for an Egyptian mosque for Global Traditions, and start to plan our refreshments and games for my bridal shower.  Before the weekend hits, I need to go to a fabric store to pick up sash material for my bridesmaids dresses.  This weekend I really need to finish assembling my structural project and presentation, also for Global Traditions…. (As a side-bar conversation, this structural project is another frustrating example of model-making for me.  I personally have never been a fan of making models for classes.  For one I feel that I am just not that good at it and something always seems to go wrong for me.  So far this current project is turning out alright except for a tiny but ever-present detail.  Laser cutting materials for models and projects is a God send…. However, for this structures project I am using craft plywood and not all of the pieces line up and fit 100% - ahhhhh the joys of working with precise and perfect softwares and technology and imperfect natural materials…. Anyway, enough about that.)  Oh I should probably finish my portion of our Professional Practice Business Plan, just to get that one out of the way.  Oh and I need to start really cranking on the research paper, again for Global Traditions.  And working on my thesis project would be helpful too!

            Sometime soon I need to finish making my bouquets and centerpieces for my wedding and finding or making any other décor.  Oh and figuring out what do to for hair and make-up might not be a bad idea…. Also jewelry would be nice…. Haha!  But hey, I have the dresses and the shoes are ordered! Hooray!  What a relief.  Almost there!!

Patan Durbar Square: A memorable gift from our ancestors

By: Kristina Shrestha

The life comprises of moments which are ephemeral or the ones which last forever. While looking back into my memories, I stumbled upon one of the beautiful days in my life. I remembered the days we spent at “Patan Durbar Square”, one of the world heritage sites in Nepal. Within 20 miles radius, three world heritage sites are located including “Bhaktapur Durbar Square” and “Kathmandu Durbar Square”. Patan Durbar Square is near the center of Kathmandu and is also within 3 miles of radius from my campus where I earned my undergraduate degree in Architecture. Being an Architect student makes me special for getting an opportunity to visit Patan Durbar Square daily and feel proud what our ancestors have left for us.    

Today, I am going to cite my memories related to Patan Durbar Square. It is a public square which is designed in an axial pattern. The street which is elongated in North and South divides the square also known as “Chowk” in our native terms. The eastern side consists of palaces whereas western side consists of temples. The temples have square floor plan while the palaces have rectangular floor plan. According to Vastu shastra, the house of god should have a perfect shape like a square where as houses should have different forms derived from temples.

The temples which are present in Patan Durbar Squares are:

1.      Bhimsen Temple

2.      Vishwonath Temple

3.      Garud Statue

4.      Krishna Temple

5.      Jagannarayan Temple

6.      Yogendra Malla Statue

7.      Vishnu Temple

8.      Hari Shankar Temple

9.      Big Bell

10.  Radha Krishna Temple

11.  Bhal Dega Temple

The palaces which are in Patan Durbar Squares are:

1.      Mani Keshar Chowk

2.      Taleju Mandir

3.      Degutale Temple

4.      Mul Chowk

5.      Sundari Chowk

The buildings are constructed with stones, adobe brick and timber. Adobe brick is the predominant materials for the construction of building. As I previously mentioned that this square is listed in WHO World Heritage Site. It is the place which serve as a playground for the children, tourist site, gathering space for youths, hang out space for the elderly, recreational area, space for the people to pray and a space to learn about the history, art and architecture. For me, this place is a space for hanging out with friends, a space to learn the history, art and architecture, and this is the place which reminds me of my adulthood.

It taught me Nepalese (especially Newari) architectural style via temples and palaces. It is an outstanding example of intermingling of arts and culture with many buildings which have magnificent handcrafted decorated windows, beams, columns and door.

I still remember those days where I used to go to this place with my loved ones, sit in the plinth of temples, feel the soft cold breeze, listen to the music composed by the wind and the traditional wind chimes and enjoy the beautiful architecture. The place is vibrant and lively not only because of the art, history and architecture it holds, but also because of the diversity of people that visit the place. There are different types of people including those who wants to enjoy the nature, one who wants to learn, one who wants to spend time, and the ones who come there to feed pigeons and sparrows. The temples serve as are their homes and we humans serve as their food suppliers. No doubt, they are living with us maintaining a harmonious relationship between humans and nature. That is one of the reasons why I appreciate this place as a gift from our ancestors and always will be in my good memories.

References:

1. http://travelogue.ivanhurst.me.uk/00_main_content/continents/asia/trans-asia1975/the_trip/nepal.html

2. http://trekkersinn.com/City_Tour.php

Case Study: Seaside, Florida

By: Josh West

Seaside is an unincorporated master-planned community on the Florida panhandle in Walton County, between Panama City Beach and Destin. As Seaside is privately owned, the municipal government does not have jurisdiction over Seaside, and therefore the developers were able to write their own zoning codes. Built on 80 acres on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Seaside was acclaimed world-wide as one of the iconic examples of New Urbanism. The town offers a thriving town center, all within a walkable district to all of the homes and cottages and office spaces. Seaside consists of over 300 homes, 12 restaurants and 41 shops. One of the biggest things Seaside developed was maximizing waterfront area for all of the residents. Seaside’s high visibility and innovative planning concepts have already helped to spark a broad rethinking of the design of America’s new communities. Seaside’s commercial hub is located at the town center. The streets are designed in a radiating street pattern with pedestrian alleys and open spaces located throughout the town. Individual housing units in Seaside are required to be different from other buildings. All of the buildings range with different styles including; Victorian, Neoclassical, Modern, and Postmodern. Seaside has no private front lawns, and only native plants. The town rose to global fame as being the main filming location of the movie, The Truman Show. On April 18, 2012, the Architects’ Florida Chapter placed the community on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places as the Seaside - New Urbanism Township.