First Sculpties

Judy asked us to create sculpties using 3dsMax. So I did. I downloaded and installed PrimCOmposer, and used software I wrote to take screenshots ( screen pluck - you cna find it on sourceforge ). I didnt find anything too difficult, except I couldnt remember how to recreate a sculptie in 3ds max. So after trying to figure this out for a while I just downloaded an opensim server and ran that locally to test things out. Here are a few of the screenshots from that:

Gifting Research

I was asked to find my own reading/video material for discussion tomorrow. So I found this interesting video from ted.com which raises questions about Artificial Intelligence in and independent self controlled machine construction and how this may relate or become part of design and construction. Certainly raises interesting questions about the direction of design and our lack of efficiency with current models. Perhaps we still have more to learn from nature than we realise. But how does this relate to gifting? Well, if we can give gifts that build themselves then we are creating the possibility of gifts that never stop giving. We are giving both life and intelligence to our creations and a gift that develops and grows with the recipient.

My A1 Drawing and Video file are complete. The address for the video is : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va2YN5xPTvk

De Blas House Research

The matrix I was provided with earlier in the Semester was a reference to the De Blas House: a home designed by the Architect Alberto Campo Baeza for the Professor of Literature Francisco de Blas.

From my research I discovered the following about the home and its inspiration. This is a summary I wrote of what I understood from http://storiesofhouses.blogspot.com/2008/10/casa-de-blas-in-sevilla-la-nueva-madrid.html.


De Blas gave Architect Alberto Campo Baeza the complete collection of poems by Spanish poet Luis Cernuda (1902- 1963). This poetry was to be the inpirational material of a home where De Blas and his family could 'listen to music'.

The location was a steep site rising 15 metres. At the top it overlooked a flatter plane and was emphasised by an elevated advantage of natural light reaching it.

The basis of design was in its duality: a juxtaposition of solidity versus invisibility. It looked simply like a glass box placed on top of a concrete one, but which created a strong emotive response, especially in the poetic feeling of being inside while at the same time engulfed inthe 'music' of the environment. The impenetrable concrete contrasted with the almost non-existent faceade of glass.

This architecture created a deeply personal experience. One sits in silence and listens to the music of the place.

How will this relate to my design? At this stage I am unsure. The aesthetic created by such contrast in materials and the resultant atmosphere is surely a highlight of the design and is impressive. Perhaps I will use such a contrast to create a duality of space for the occupants of my design.

Further photos that I thought were very valuable are found at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/campobaeza/sets/72157600038837061/

First Video Attempt

This week we are beginning the creation of a stop motion video tracking our design process. So because this is core to the activities we are doing I thought that I would attempt to create a video with the images I already have. This is to see whether the video creation techniques may influence how I record my design process... I thought it was rather successful - even though it has a rather abrupt ending.

Gathering

For the final week of this Semester we have been given a very long and detailed brief. My four colleagues are as follows:

• Computer Programmer
• Fine arts graduate
• Graphic Designer
• Personal Trainer ( may change this to a psychologist ).

I am adopting some of my previous ideas into this: especially my last one with the laser cutting where I felt that I was not able to develop that idea to a satisfactory level.

I have been using Blender to make the movie clip - it is such an amazing all round piece of software!

Matrix

Spent hours creating this matrix.