間 MA’s obscure city of voids: Individual moodbox

Modular Structures

Allotment by Antony Gormley

Use of carefully measured units to represent human body

‘Modernism rejected the body, yet 90% of the populations of the western world live within the urban grid. Within this particular spatial system architecture protects and identifies us. To what extent do we form and to what extent do we conform to the dictates of its organized geometry? The body is our first habitation, the building our second. I wanted to use the form of this second body, architecture, to make concentrated volumes out of a personal space that carries the memory of an absent self, articulated through measurement.’ – Antony Gormley

Sound Analysis

The sound is  light-hearted and face paced. The egg shaker is the recurring base sound. The rhythm sticks set a fast pace. The tone bars is played once every  4 bars.

Tone bars (Sub-ordinate): Resonating and extended sound as seen by the long sound waves

Rhythm sticks (Sub-dominant): Solid sound as seen by the sharp and thin sound waves.

Egg shaker (Dominant): A constant and stable sound in constant intervals that is the most prominent sound.

Initial Moodbox

 

 

 

 

 

The initial moodbox was a non-literal representation of the sound. The clay base is solid and represents the sturdy egg shaker sound. The wire and strings are a representation of the rhythm sticks that is played thrice in a bar. The subordinate copper sheet portrays the resonating sound bar due to its metallic sound.

However this does not depict the sound well thus I changed the mood box to a more literal representation.

Final Moodbox

 

 

 

 

 

A representation of 1 bar.

Aluminium foil: Crumpled to depict the rough sound of the egg shaker. It has the largest surface area as the egg shaker is the dominant sound.

Rhythm sticks: The solid sound of the rhythm sticks is represented by the acrylic rods and there are 3 sticks as 1 bar contains 3 rhythm stick beats. It is pierced through the aluminium foil as the the egg shakers continues to play in the background when the rhythm sticks are played.

Copper sheet: Portrays the metallic sound of the resonating tone bar. It is suspended as the tone bar has an upward resonating sound.

Mnemosyne Assignment 3

Mnemosyne Scent

According to BBC, smell is the oldest sense that existed way before sight, hearing or touch. Having its origins in the rudimentary senses for chemicals in air and water, creatures evolved to respond to chemicals around them.

This could be why the slightest of scent can trigger forgotten memory, an instinct which time cannot dull.

Revisiting memories with scent 

 

 

 

 

Plastic Model

The curved branching top part of the sculpture represents the scent with a pleasant memory. It has a concentrated core which eventually branches out like the scent of shampoo, and has an enveloping effect which reminds me of the comfort of my grandparent’s house.

The bottom half of the sculpture represents the scent with an unpleasant memory. The smooth transparent part depicts the smooth smell of cream, while the pierced blue part portrays the piercing feeling of itch.

The 2 parts which represents pleasant and unpleasant memories of scent creates a simple composition when combined together. However, the bottom half does not seem to convey the feeling of itch as well and can perhaps be sanded to create texture.

Improved Model

The blue part was cut into a triangle shape for a sharp effect and made smaller to become more like an SO.

 

The part where the SO pierces the D was sanded to create texture and focus onto the pierced area.

3D Planes

Sketch Model 1 

     

Issues with this sketch model includes placing the D in the centre mark, and the placement of the SD being a little awkward.

Sketch Model 1 Revised

  

Improvements made from original sketch model – moving D away from 1/2 mark.

 

Sketch Model 2

D- Yellow, SD – Red, SO – Blue

Sketch Model 2 needed improvement in how the D,SD and SO interacts and it is very cluttered. The D is also not clear and needs to be larger.

Sketch Model 2 Revised

D – Yellow, SD – Red, SO – Blue

     

Interaction of D,SD and SO occurs around 1/3 mark of the base

The sketch model became more dynamic by extending the D and placing it in an ascending height. It contrasts nicely with the interaction of S, SD and SO.

 

Gaia’s Ikebana: Winter

Japanese Aesthetics and Ikebana

Practiced since the 7th century, Ikebana is an art form of arranging flowers. It incorporates design principles (line, shape, form) in its execution. The artist’s intention behind each arrangement is shown through a piece’s colour combinations, natural shapes, graceful lines, and the implied meaning of the arrangement.

Japanese aesthetics which is usually incorporated in Ikebana includes minimalism and “ma”, otherwise known as the void. By the employment of both techniques, emphasis can be placed within the composition which adds a point of interest.

Sketch Model 1

Front view
Side 1 View
Back view
SIde 2 view

 

Improvements to be made

The SD sphere was to huge and makes the dominant ambiguous, thus it needs to be of a smaller size. To make a more interesting composition, the connection between the D, SD and SO can be changed by wedging or piercing.

Sketch Model 2

Front view
Back View
Side View

 

Improvements to be made

To make the SD more obvious as an SD, the radius of the cylinder should be reduced to about 1/2 the size. This is also to avoid being of a similar diameter with the SO sphere.

Sketch Model 1 (Improved)

Front View
Back View
Side 1 View
Side 2 View

The D is pierced into about 1/3 of the SD.

Sketch Model 2 (Improved)

Front View
Side 1 View
Back View

Winter

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above are photos taken in Japan during winter. Personally my favourite part of winter is how the air is clear and crisp unlike summer air which makes it comfortable. The trees also become empty with no leaves on them. There is a sense of stillness and serenity in winter which I enjoy and would like to express in my final model.

Final Model

Branch (Cone) : SO, Clear plastic (cylinder): SD, Stone (Sphere): D.

*Note: This model is an adaptation of Sketch Model 1. The sphere was initially meant to be the SD however I did not like the overall look when I used a smaller SD rock, hence I chose to change the sphere into the D with a larger rock.

I chose to use a small branch as the SO to express the impending potential of growth of nature in winter season. The SD cylinder is a void essential to Japanese aesthetics, and depicts the emptiness of winter when the earth becomes voided of life. Personally, I like the crisp and clear air quality of winter season (in contrast to the humid air of summer) which I thought is expressed through the plastic material as well. The stone contrast the SO in its mass and contrasts the SD with its colour. The overall monotone colour palette of the model adheres to the colour of winter. The blue base is a reflection of the clear winter sky shown in the picture.

Revised Model

In this improved version, the base is extended to give more breathing space for the model.

3D Project 1 Final

Discordance

Discordance is unconformity, disagreement and dissimilarity.

With this theme in mind, I made sketch models that abide to aesthetic rules, but I disregarded the rule of having to put the principle axis perpendicular to each other. This is due to a personal opinion that having right angles in the sketch model would contradict the theme of discordance.

Sketch Model 1 

SD is pierced at 1/3 the height of D – Rule of Thirds

Piercing the SD through the D shows clashing commodities which expresses the idea of discordance. However, to create a sketch model that has aesthetics despite the theme, I incorporated a tad of the rule of thirds.

Sketch Model 2

The principle axis are all at clashing angles. In addition, the SD is positioned using the rule of thirds as well. I like this model because of how the SO supports the whole structure. The smallest component is what causes the sketch model to rest at an angle which is interesting.

Choice of Materials

I decided to use materials that are prominent in houses in Japan because I like the warmth it creates. This includes organic materials like wood, paper, bamboo straw mats. However, to follow the theme of discordance, I chose to include a contrasting material not usually used in Japanese architecture.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b8/14/a3/b814a3f333bea82be39044c5eb1fe5af–japanese-style-house-traditional-japanese-house.jpg

Final Model

Front View
SIde 1 View
Side 2 View
Back View
Bottom View
Top View

The dominant and sub-dominant are made with organic materials as previously mentioned, while the sub-ordinate is made using a contrasting man-made material – metal. This choice is made to portray discordance with the clashing materials. The sub-ordinate component was made such that it can look solid or fragile depending on the angle where you look at the model.

Applications

Lantern

The final model can be used as an ornamental lantern especially due to the translucent paper used where light can pass through.

House

The organic materials would create a great contrast to surrounding buildings, hence it will be in discord to other concrete solid architecture. However the materials makes this impractical.

3D Project 1: Pandora’s Box Process

Foundation 3D: Pandora’s Box

The word i received for this project is discordance. Defined as a lack of harmony, I approached the project keeping in mind the idea of chaos.

3D Sketch Model Draft 1

 

Sketch Model 1

My first concept for the theme of discordance is that the boxes are placed in a way where the model doesn’t lie flat on the ground from all angles. This portrayed discordance to me as having a lack of harmony meant there is no cooperation and stability.

Sketch Model 2

The boxes were supposed to be placed perpendicular to one another, however I opted to place them at a slight angle because I found it challenging to portray discordance purely by 3 boxes at a right angle. Having boxes with only straight lines and a static structure and restricted arrangement  contradicted the theme of discordance.

Improvements from first draft:

For sketch model 2, the D, SD and SO was ambiguous. It looked like 2 D’s and 1 SO. The boxes also had similar dimensions. The image above shows how improvements can be made, by having a much smaller SD and SO.

 

3D Sketch Model Draft 2

Sketch Model 1

The changes made was in the position of the SO. Having such a small SO support the whole structure was interesting. I also like how the SO, despite being placed perpendicular to the D, causes the structure to stand tilted.

Sketch Model 2

The SO in this model had similar dimensions to the SD which is an improvement which needs to be made. The principle axis for SO is also not perpendicular to D. To show discordance, an idea given was to pierce the SD through the D to show clashing objects.

3D: Object sketch Analysis

Form Analysis: Face Soap Bottle

The item which form I found interesting is this face soap bottle. I personally like its form which consists mainly of curves and circles only. It makes the bottle appealing to be held in the hand.

D: Dominant, SD: Sub-dominant, SO: Sub-ordinate

Blue line: Principle axis

The red colour of the bottle is balanced with the text, such that the red is not over-done. The  cap contrasts the red bottle in colour and size as well.

From the top view, the relationship of the cap and the bottle changes. The cap becomes the dominant item and the bottle is the sub-ordinate item.

The height of the bottle cap is approximately 1/6 of the entire height of the bottle, which abides by the rule of thirds, making an item have aesthetic proportion as well.

http://www.looklive.com/products/urban-outfitters-champion-uo-logo-long-sleeve-tee-worn-by-perrie-edwards/

Similar to the face soap bottle, the shirt’s design is aesthetically pleasing to me due to the harmony of the different components in the design. The dominant colour, white, is balanced with the logo which consists of the blue sub-dominant area and the sub-ordinate red colour. The area of each colour is just right in proportion and interact with each other well.