Ohio University
Interior Architecture
HCIA 202, Spring 2010
Grover Center W327
MW 1:10-5:00
Matthew Ziff, Associate Professor
Office: W 353 Grover Center
Telephone: 740. 593. 2869
E-mail: ziff@ohio.edu
Office Hours: m : 11-12, t: 12 -2, th: 1-2, f: 11-12
Daily Class Schedule and Related Thoughts and Ideas
Monday, March 29
Introduction to course & beginning of Geometry Project
I am NOT a 'Permission ' Giver
Implicit in all requirements and charges that I give to you is the fundamental idea that your intelligent, thoughtful, and well considered interpretation is a necessary ingredient in producing anything.
That said, I will absolutely insist that you not make me into a 'permission giver'. I am not here to give you permission to do this, or that. If you think you need to make something that is different from what I describe in the project requirements, either in writing, or orally, it is incumbent upon you to make a proposal to me about what you think might be good, or interesting, to do. Do not to ask me for permission to do something within your design work.
This is a very important step for you to take. Do not ask me if you are "allowed to ...."
You must formulate your idea into a positive proposal: "Matthew, I would like to propose that I make a model using wire mesh and plaster..."
Your proposal is now the subject of a good, and meaningful, design discussion. This is where learning takes place, and where you can begin to see how I (as an experienced designing person) think about such issues. This is valuable. Simply asking me permission to do something is not interesting, or valuable for you as an educational experience.
Wednesday, March 31
Work on Geometry Project
Monday, April 5
Project alteration: Each wall must contain at least one of the materials on the list I provided, and all of the provided materials must be used somewhere in this set of 30 walls. The requirement to use five (5) materials in each wall is being removed.
The Geometry project is due next Monday, 1:10 pm.
Your charge is this: use geometry to produce a set of thirty walls. The first step is to generate geometric patterns that will be transformed into drawings of physical, buidable, walls. The patterns must be geometric in character, NOT just geometric shapes placed on a piece of paper. The way the shapes have come to be located, sized, and related to each other, must be through the use of geometric actions, NOT just your deciding to 'put it here, or there'.
These drawings; plans, sections, and elevations, must be interesting, must be buildable as walls, and must be geometric in character. By doing these you should end up being able to say "Yes, I can use geometry to generate the visual and constructional design of interior walls." By using geometry, you are taking the burden of 'coming up with an idea' off of your own shoulders. In place, you are using a 'system' that exists outside of you, independent of you. This is a very useful thing for designers to be able to do.
Wednesday, April 7
The first image in your digital presentation, and in your bound paper sheets, of the geometry project (on Monday) must be a 'cover' page that contains your name, the name of the project (you can give it any appropriate name you like, but it must contain the words 'geometry', 'walls', and 'design'.
This cover page is to be well designed: visual organization, font, type size, color, graphic elements.
This digital cover page may be printed out and used as the cover for your bound, paper sheets of drawings, or you may do a different cover sheet for the bound, paper sheets of drawings than for the digital presentation.
Friday, April 9
1. The Geometry Project is most importantly YOUR project. You want to put this whole exploration together in such a way that it says
"I spent some time exploring geometry and how it can be used to generate visual form, in particular, as might be applied to the design and construction of interior walls, and this is my presentation of that."
2. You must think about, and potentially respond to, the comments I make while talking with you about your work. If I make a strong suggestion, about what you are doing, or how you are working, it is generally going to be good for you, as a developing professional, to test out what I am saying. Remember, I have been involved in design, and design education, for a long time, and I often know what works well, what works better, and how things will turn out given certain approaches.
3. Very few of us, our studio colleagues, seem to have a good grasp of the concept of 'sketch drafting'. 'Sketch' is mostly a description of the speed with which something is done; sort of quickly. 'Drafting' is mostly a description of the tools used to do something. There is absolutely no conflict of meaning in the term 'sketch drafting'. Try to buy into this thought, and then put it into action. That a drawing is 'sketchy' does not mean it is ugly, unfinished, sloppy, or uninformative. Sketches, and sketch drafting, can be 'beautiful' in their own way, informative, complete, and elegant.
4. Design, like so many other things in life, is terribly 'unfair'. One person may create a really interesting and beautiful thing is thirty minutes, while another person may work for five hours and come up with nothing they like. Such is life. The only meaningful question about this is "What are you prepared to do about it?" Rmember, "It takes an UNREASONABLE effort to get good at difficult things."
Wednesday, April 14
Continue on Geometry Project
Friday, April 16
Present Geometry project and introduce Nature Project.
Monday, April 19
You should be drawing your selected natural objects using Form z.
You should also be thinking about, which in the world of design means sketching or some other image making activity, the ten (10) pieces that you are going to design based upon these natural objects.
Your presentation of the designed pieces that you create must include appropriate written supplemental, descriptive, information, and a human figure next to the piece to communicate a sense of scale.
Wednesday, April 21
Work on Nature Project components.
Monday, April 26
Present Nature Project and introduce Fabrication Project.
Monday May 17
Work on Universal Design Project. If you did not produce these items last week, do so today.