Archgirl's Blog

Structures

archgirl — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:43:29 +0000

Structure is very important when designing buildings. When designing, structure should be remembered, but it shouldn’t rule your design. Don’t make a box because structurally it’s easy and safe. Think outside the box, because that’s why the box is there!

A really good book to learn some stuff about structures is STRUCTURES, OR WHY THINGS DON’T FALL DOWN by J.E. GORDON. Borrow it, buy it, somehow get it and read it. It’s pretty amazing

A building is like a person, structure is the skeleton…

More on how a building is like a person tomorrow, because it’s important!

Have a wonderful day/night (sometimes I forget what time it is…I really need to wear my watch)

~Morty

Architecture

archgirl — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:56:07 +0000

It was after my second day of class that I read the following (where I don’t remember):

“An engineer knows everything about one thing. An architect knows something about everything.”

I remember thinking “What have I got myself into?” And I haven’t stopped asking that question.

Architecture can be defined in too many ways, I have looked it up in every dictionary I found, I have asked my professors what it means, I have searched the net for a good solid definition. I am still searching… The closest I have come is that architecture is designing habitable experiences for people.

To be able to design such experiences/spaces an architect needs to know a lot, the more the better (well more about stuff that pertains to building, not stuff like on Survivor Man, although it might one day come in handy) Architects should know about: design, structures, materials, history, physics, anthropology, psychology, acoustics, biology, green technology, astronomy, music, cooking/baking, plumbing+other building systems, computer programs (Photoshop, autocad, rivet, sketchup, among many others), art/drawing, geography, geology, politics, sociology, and even golf. By no means is this a complete list, and they aren’t listed in any order of importance. But every one of these things are used when designing a space. This explains the sudden increase of caffeine, alcohol, junk food and/or Tylenol in an architect student’s diet…very healthy…esp. with the all-nighters and occasional drama of friends who wonder if you are angry at them because you haven’t returned their calls and have been “avoiding them”…ha!

Oh yes and on top of everything we have to know something about (more is better) we have to use what we know to design a “perfect” building, which we are told is an impossible to do. What ever we design, there will always be something wrong with it (someone will hate the wood floor, or the window shape, or how the door opens…some people just cannot be satisfied…and sometimes cookies don’t make a substitute)

But if you love it, and can survive studio and still be somewhat sane, it’ll be worth it (someday…Ihope…lol)

And cookies do make studio better but bring some for everyone, or it’ll make the boys cry!

Cookie, I mean Design time….

~Morty

An Introduction

archgirl — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:05:20 +0000

Hello, my name is Mortimer and I am an architecture student. (Now you say “Welcome Mortimer” in a creepy monotone voice and rock back and forth in your metal folding chair like a good member of group therapy) {couldn’t resist , no offense for those who participate in group therapy!}

Yes I know Mortimer is a guy’s name, it’s a nickname so chillax; I am a 100% straight female. I have selflessly emerged from the depths of my studio space to blog. Needless to say Arch students don’t have much spare time, most of our days are spent hunched over our drafting tables trying to design strong spaces (and build models) that will stand against the brutal critic by our perfectionist professors. (some who just like to make people cry) With our eyeballs bulging, our fingers cramped and distorted, graphite smudges and glue all over our arms and faces, we limp out into the world with no idea what time it actually is, cringing in the daylight, or streetlight. And yes people sometimes mistake us for escaped psychward patients or Zombies.

But for those of us who survive, and even succeed, the hours of mentally exhausting work is worth it. Architecture is so much more than fancy suits, big egos, and giant buildings. Architecture influences peoples lives, often without them realizing it. So I could be an evil architecture and design a space that will make you want to crawl in a corner and cry, and not understand why (*evil laugh). But even though I am a bit of an evil mastermind (or overlord, you need to check out the list if you haven’t, it’s amazing!) I chose the path of good, of helping people (because angry people do not make the world a safer/better place)

Time’s up, my drafting table beckons!

~Morty