Degree Project Class notes December 5,2006

Pratt Institute
Degree Project Class notes December 5,2006

To All:

Marc and Dan thought it would be a good idea to restate
the rules of the game for the final review. The single purpose is to enable the critics to comment on (1) the kind of degree project you are proposing and (2) the quality of research and thinking you have done to date.

1. You should pin up the work you have done the WHOLE semester.
What does that mean? You should represent it “all”, but not everything without editing it! Select the most relevant stuff to your idea of a thesis project as you are presenting NOW. Show us that next Sunday!

1.1 Select the most important objects (your wonderful build objects in the 1st three weeks of the term), one drawing of it, and a short text
describing and explaining it-one paragraph, not more.
Don’t start there! This is not necessarily how you should start.
Use that work as if it helps explain your “performative technique”.
If not, just let it be there on the wall for critics to dig in to it as they
see it as useful.

2. You should start by giving the “facts” of your proposed degree project:
That would allow the critics to quickly grasp what you are proposing as a project. What facts? Site plan- tell where and what is around it, show photos and describe it in SHORT. If an old bldg describe past use again briefly. Focus on what attributes of the existing bldg make it desirable for the new use! (location. Need, internal structure etc.

After describing the program, the site very briefly, explain (briefly) why you chose that program and site as vehicles for your:

2.1 Theoretical/philosophical
2.2 Personal/emotional
2.3 Artistic/desires

These are the intentions you have as the architect for your project. These should come at the end of your presentation not at the beginning! This is what was described previously as:

(A) A well formed “theoretical framework”
(based on synaesthesia research)
Than, and only than, you should begin to tell the how your
“Synaesthesia” theoretical research and” cross modal” architectural
experiences you envision would be applied in your future design.
Here you can give specific examples from researched articles and
precedents (genealogies) . It is here you can be most personal.

and

(B) “ material practice” (or performance technique) how research becomes operational in your project – and how the design activates cross modal associations !!!!! Refer to examples from Scarpa and others (how did they do it) and any other sources from your research that can translate into actionable design strategies.

Show diagrams of how all five senses (including memory, linguistic theory, etc.) are participating in your approach to making architecture.
Here include what sense data you find on the site as well as what synaesthetic experiences you will be adding to the existing through your design….!!!!


Final presentation note:

Please give special attention to “How the work you show appears on the wall ?”
(or on data projections and sound) Give consideration to the aesthetics of the staff you are hanging on the wall in terms of visual coherence, organization, clarity of information. Please use the last pin-up (next Sunday) as a ‘dress rehearsal’: that would allow us to see what you will present on December 12.



Anyone without these items well developed will not be allowed to present on December 12