updated STUDIO SCOPE OF WORK for the SECOND HALF

Dear All:

I am happy to see that you are, as Mark reminded you all, begining to post
notes from the class crit. I thought that the review was very useful to all and thatv the guest critics made very valuable comments again.

Now we have to turn our attention immidiately to the work left in front of us until the final review on December 11.

Regardless how clear or set you may or maynot be at this point in zooming in on a program for your degree project I hope that you all will choose one for now. The reason for this request is that while you are looking for a site you must have some schematic idea of what kind of construction , what size and for what purpose you
are choosing the site for. You must do this this week and video tape it as
requested.

Bellow is a updated project schedule for your use.




UPDATED Nov 7, 2007

Pratt Institute School of Architecture
Undergraduate Architecture Program
Course Syllabus

Arch 484P Degree Project Research
Fall 2007

Marc Schaut / Dan Bucsescu

STUDIO SCOPE OF WORK for the SECOND HALF of the semester
Application of the studio "material practice" or in other words, "how do students go about in starting the project.

The studio directed research has established the following:

(1) a theoretical frame : that is an approach to the question of “form and meaning” and the notion of
“ Interiority” under theme of "the metaphors we live by” and “synaestesia”
(2) a material practice : that is a skill, a tool, a method, that is to make a film, edit and draw in it an installation
(3) a start in developing a program.

As part of our studio’s approach to material practice and in the service of the theoretical frame we have in the first half of the research seminar used analysis of art installations and films. We also learned how to shoot and edit a short film. These tools will be used again to start the design process of the degree project in the sedcond half of the fall semester. We will begin by making a film about the chosen/found or given real world site.


Nov 6- Nov 13

A The students should refine their program in three ways:

1: A statement of the social and cultural vision/mission of their program.
This is a statement of its values and purpose in a larger sense (half a page)

2. A qualitative "description" of certain architectural spatial/tactile/sound etc. that they feel would support (metaphorically) the mission of the program. This should be related to their first film.

3. The student must also in addition, develop a quantitative program: What functions/activities are included in the program to fulfill its mission: how may people and what they do there and physical requirements.

Date Due : Nov 6

B. During the same week they must choose a site in New York and it's vicinity.





Nov 13 - Nov 20

MAKE A FILM OF THE SITE AND DRAW INTO IT

Once a site is selected and documented (palns, sections,history etc) the students proceed to MAKE A FILM OF THE SITEB AND DRAW IN IT. These sketches are for the purpose of asking themselves such questions as:

1. How do I enter and move through the site? Jour nay on the land.
2. What are the sensorial attributes of the site (views,smells, sounds, light etc)
3. Where would I build my program?
4. Select important stills and collage into them . Wrte a short paragraph about each
5. The film should also have plans and sections inserted in the film

These are to my mind part of site analysis and will establish the signature material practice of our studio.


Nov 20 – Nov 27

EDIT FILM AND DRAW IN IT. SKETCH ON STILLS. DEVELOP A SIT STRATEGY FOR YOUR PRELIMINARY DESIGN GESTURE

Nov 27 – Dec 11

PRELIMINARY “GESTURAL” DESIGN PROPOSAL

BOOKLET DUE NOVEMBER 27

In the remaining time they should make a very preliminary “gestural” design proposal for the final review. In other words a method of starting the design which is not conventional in the sense of starting in 2 D site analysis or plan geometry or any other method they have learned in the past.. It also does not start with a functional program although that must be in the student’s mind as they work on the film. The film offers us an almost "synaesthetic” approach with interiority, movement and sound.

All students are REQUIRED TO START the design THIS WAY !!