John Baxter Taylor Smith

Process Book Fall 2012

Critics: Jane Kim, Babak Bryan, Thomas de Monchaux, Eduardo Rega

Columbia University GSAPPShape of Two Cities: New York/ParisFall 2012

The New York/Paris program is a yearlong architecture program run by the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. The first semester takes place on the Columbia University campus in New York. The second half of the program is spent at Reid Hall, Columbia’s affiliate campus in Paris. The program is focused around the design studio, which in itself is focused on fashion and blending a physical New York site with a conceptual Paris site. Each project gradually increased in scale, moving from the body to a fashion atelier. Each studio group rotated through the four critics, with each group having two of the critics twice.

(far left) Elevation of device. (above) Prosthesis on site.

Site: Orchard St between Delancy and Broome, New York CityCritic: Jane KimThe analysis of the site focused on the relationship between one’s head movement and the direction travelled. A prosthetic device was created to align this relationship as one entity.

(left) Sightlines and movement through the site.

(right) Plan and elevation of constructed model.(bottom left, right) Effect of window screen on the display window.

Site: Flatiron Building, Display WindowCritic: Babak BryanThe panel’s ability to move independently of one another is directly related to the analysis of one’s feet in relation to one’s shoulders while moving through a site.

(above) Relationship of feet and shoulders.

Site: Fashion DistrictCritic: Thomas de MonchauxI became obsessed with the ideas of space invader and space suit, both derived from George Perec’s Species of Spaces, which became the two focus points of this design for a changing room.

(above) Space invader.(above right) Using the structure.(right) Space suit.

(above, left) Space invader and space suit woven into previous model.

(above) Plan and elevation.(above right) Using the bleachers.(right) Effect of the structure on the site.

Site: Bryant Park and the Pompidou CenterCritic: Eduardo RegaOne’s path of movement is dictated by the end destination. Comparing the paths of someone looking for an acceptable spot to read and another person running back to work lead to the creation of bleachers that inhibit and enhance movement.

(above) Speed and focus.

(left) Atelier open to the public.(above, left) Site plan.(above) Atelier during a fashion show.

Site: Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln CenterCritic: Eduardo RegaAfter studying a security guard while being studied by the same security guard I latched on to the idea of seeing and being seen. I created a fashion atelier that represented this idea inside the architecture and on the site.

(above) See and seen.

(below) Elevations.(right) Plan.

(left) Impact of architecture on the Lincoln Center Opera House.

(above) Effect of the atelier in the Atrium.(right, above) Collapsing and enlarging space(right) Compressing and expanding views.

Site: Paris Opera HouseCritic: Jane KimCompressing and expanding views and collapsing and enlarging space was the focal point of the fashion atelier designed for the Paris Opera House Atrium.

(left) Impact of existing structure on views and movement.

(right) Axonometric representation of the atelier in the Atrium.

(left) Conceptual collage demonstrating effect of model on the Paris Opera House.

John Baxter Taylor Smith554 Fowler Ave Pelham, NY 10803

914-374-2589jbsmith53@gmail.com