Monica Diaz

ARCH 101 MIDTERM LEARNING PORTFOLIO

MONICA DIAZ

“Architecture of Dance” by Santiago Calatrava

Week 1

Iteration #1

Icebreaker

In this assignment we have to reinterpret into Tectonic Form one of the Kazimir Malevich’s paints called “Suprematist

Composition 2 “

When I first looked at the paint, it did not tell me anything, I just saw a group of geometric figures and the first thing I wanted

to do is reorganize these figures because for me they looked messy, so I chose just one of these figures for my first iteration. I

carefully crafted the shape of this figure and I made six pieces. Crafting was not a problem but the challenge was to think

how to put these pieces together and what I wanted to communicate whit it. After thinking for a while I came out with an

idea, I arranged the pieces in a line. My intention was to give some rhythm and repetition to my model, and also to create

some tension between each piece, but after the class’s critics it seemed that my model was not visually attractive, because

it was too predictable.

Week 2

Iteration #2

This week I had to improve the model of the previous week. Since last week my model was very obvious, this time I tried to

give it more contrast and I also tried to make my iteration visually attractive. The arrange of the pieces was basically the

same, but this time I changed the pattern and I integrated more geometric forms to my model to give it some contrast

and to create some movement. The class agreed that my design was visually appealing but overall was still being very

obvious as my first model. What I learned from this is that it's better not to anticipate what the outcome would be and start

thinking what others think and perceive when they look at my work.

Iteration # 3

The assignment was to continued reinterpreting one of the Malevich paints called "Suprematist Composition 2” into a

tectonic form, but this time we had to choose more than one element of this painting and turn them into a three

dimensional shape. As a main element for my model I chose a big rectangle, and as secondary elements I choose

small cubes and thinner rectangular shapes which I aligned perpendicularly and I attached them to the big

rectangle, my intention was to give different interesting views to my model, and also to create hierarchy between my

main element and the other elements which I used as subordinated elements. The result was that the patterns again

were too obvious and the model was too symmetrical. What I learned was that its ok to use patterns and logic to

anticipate something but sometimes it’s also ok to break this rule to not be very obvious

Week 3 Iteration #4

This time I tried to increased

the drama in my model by

opening certain parts of it . I

used the same patterns to

unify the inside to the outside

elements of my iteration, but

after the critics it was very

noticeable that while building

my model I was only focusing

on the openings instead of

bringing others aspect into

account like for example

increase the complexity and

add more elements to my

model, I have to take this into

consideration for my next

iterations.

Iteration # 5

The assignment for this class was that I had to create a new iteration and give it certain characteristics based in the

adjectives that the class used to describe my last iteration, then I had to write down the design process and instructions

and give them to a classmate, this person had to make a new iteration based on my instructions.

The adjective that the class used to describe my last model was “military”, I relate this adjective with “rigidity “ so I made

a model with this characteristic.

As a column for my design I used a “N” shape, and as other elements of my design I used eight squares which I attached

to the column creating a “zigzag” pattern to give my model the sense of rigidity.

Classmate’s iteration based on my instructions.

The result was that my instructions were no clear at all, because my classmate created a different model and It

came out that her model was much interesting than mine, it had more movement and very interesting views.

Mine was too symmetrical. From this I learned to avoid symmetry in my next models.

Week 4

Iteration #6

This week was basically the same as last week, I had to make a model and write down the instructions for a classmate, but

this time I had to include some drawings on my instructions. I tried to give more movement to my model in that way I can

avoid symmetry, but again the result was that my design was too symmetrical which made me feel frustrated, but at the

same time this encouraged me to learn more about it and I started to read about symmetry, and also by looking at the

work of my classmates has helped me to have a better idea of how can I avoid symmetry on my next iterations.

Monica’s iteration

Classmate’ iteration

Week 5 For this week, I had to choose an adjective, look for its meaning in the dictionary, select some image related with this word, and

then create some gestural drawings based on the qualities of this images and word. The adjective that I chose was “Flexible”

which means; according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary; “something capable of bending or being bent”. I was very happy

with the result of this exercise, because with my gestural drawings I could communicate successfully the qualities and the meaning

of this word and also it helped to have a general idea of what qualities my next iteration would have.

Gestural drawings

BLIND CONTOUR DRAWING

This week we did some blind drawings of the Kyoto Train Station in Japan. r. The aim of this exercise was not to produce a realistic

artwork, but rather to strengthen the connection between eyes, hand and brain. This forced me to study the Kyoto Train Station

image carefully, observing every shape and edge with my eyes, as my hand mimics these on paper. I really enjoyed this exercise it

was in some way relaxing and stress-free.

Week 7

Iteration # 7

This week we have to make a three- dimensional model design using the qualities of the adjectives that we chose to do the

gestural drawings. My adjective was “flexible”, I started my design process by looking for more images that have this quality

and while building my model I tried to capture the essence of this word. I used four parts in my model and arranged them in

a parallel way. I emphasis the proportion of the one in the middle, because I wanted my audience to see this as the main

element of my design, and to give it more flexibility I used corrugated paper on top . To join each element of my design I

used a kind of triangular joins.

I felt great after the criticism of the class, they agreed with me on what I had tried to evoke and transmit through my model. I

was glad to realize that even those ideas that I initially thought would be not good to use in my model ended up being

valuable in the developing process of my design.

Week 8

Iteration #8

Narrative

With this iteration I want to show how time flexibility has changed since I moved to the US

I used three elements in my model, each of them represents time in my life, the one in the front represent my past, the one in

the middle represent my present and the last one represent my future. I used an old clock engine shape to represent time

and also because of the sense of flexibility that it has.

In my first element I emphasis the flexibility because this represents my past when I lived in my country where I used to be

more flexible about time. In fact, among other things that I had to change since I came here was my conception of time. I

have never thought about it when I lived in my country because most of the people in my country are not use to live with

schedules, in Peru we don’t usually make plans in advance or worry about time, no because we don’t care about it, but

because we live our life in a different way than Americans, I think that we tend to be more spontaneous and flexible with

time.

In my second element of my iteration I tried to minimize the flexibility by using a solid shape. This represents my present and

my life here in the US where people are very conscious and respectful of time and inflexible with their schedules and most of

them can’t live without schedules and because of this now I get used to planning and scheduling my days and even my

whole week in advance.

In the third element I used a combination of shapes of the first two elements. This represents my future when I get back to my

country. I’m sure that I will be in a way flexible with my time living there but at the same I think I will be a little inflexible

because planning my time in advance and have an established schedule has helped me to manage my time, be more

productive. I connected the three elements of my model because the past, present and future of a person will always be

connected.

My classmates and my instructor agreed that my iteration had all the qualities I described in my narrative, but they also

agreed that I could develop my model in others ways, such as for example trying to emphasize at least one part of my

design, to give my audience some clues on what is the beginning and the end of my iteration.

I have to say that the use of narrative during the design process has helped me to better articulate all my ideas, put them

together and be able to transform this ideas in something real which is my iteration. Also, it has helped me to be able to

communicate my ideas to my audience in an accurate way and not to do things in an arbitrary manner.

Iteration # 9

The assignment this time was to create a frame of the last iteration. The first question that came to my mind was what

material to use. I tried cardboard and balsa wood but none of them worked so I decided to use wire because it was easy to

bend and I can get the the flexible forms that I wanted for my model. The elements that integrate my model are three

pieces with the same shape but with different sizes, the reason what I did this was because I wanted to create some

repetition and hierarchy in my model. I used thinner wire to join all the three pieces together .

The result was that my model looks messy and flat and it does not have the frame and flexible qualities that it supposed

would have. What I learned from this is that I have to explore the use of new materials, and use other forms to better

communicate the qualities of my model.

Conclusion I really enjoy being in this class, I have to confess that at the beginning of the semester I felt lost with all the new

vocabulary and frustrated because I did not Know how to communicate my ideas in my models, but I didn’t give

up and with patience and dedication I am learning to overcome all these obstacles. Each one of my iterations

represent something to me, some of them represent my success in this class and some of them represent my

frustration with this class, but I take this as a challenge to keep going and learning I am pretty sure that at the end

of the semester I will be very proud of myself for everything I have been able to accomplish in this class.