mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

The Natural Way of Life

Betrand Larcher, a restauranteur, opened a ceramics store and adjoining Otonali eatery using only natural materials to build it. The store, named B-Raku, is located in Brittany, France and connects to a Japan-inspired restaurant next door. One half of the store houses the ceramics store, while the other half host a Japanese restaurant. Both spaces have interiors created by Guillaume Terver, who comes from the architecture studio, LeLad. His inspiration was to create a “low-tech” aesthetic that celebrates raw and natural materials. In the ceramics store, the majority of the surfaces are covered in clay, which covers a stone column left exposed. Blocks of granite are used to form a small basin as well as shelf dividers. Wooden door frames line the cabinetry that runs along peripheral walls. In front of the chef’s kitchen in the adjoining restaurant Otonali, sits a large oak table. The back up the room features a unfired clay wine rack to satisfy all the customers drink needs.

To me, this is both the most cost efficient and is least detrimental to the environment. I believe a big issue that architects have ignored for years is the effect that their building, or the materials they utilize has on the environment. A lot of times everybody, myself included, are amazed at the skyscrapers that are going up. It seems like with every skyscraper built, they fast forward ten years into the future to pick the next design. But, what we don’t consider is the amount of trees killed to clear out that space or the amount of natural resources used to create the monstrosity. Now I agree, we will always need new buildings and we won’t always be able to use natural resources. However, if we use natural resources to build the smaller buildings, think about how much more our bodies would reap the benefits of a “healthy” build building. There would be less asbestos cases, or buildings closing for mold. To me, I rather spend more money to use natural resources then spend next to nothing to kill my environment. We were only given one Earth, so I say let’s reap the benefits of her.

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/11/14/otonali-restaurant-lelad-guillaume-terver-brittany-b-raku-ceramics-store/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Dezeen&utm_content=Daily%20Dezeen+CID_bf30e25f097927f43b5ac6be6b89bc39&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Guillaume%20Terver%20uses%20natural%20materials%20for%20Brittany%20ceramics%20store%20and%20adjoining%20Otonali%20eatery

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

Spinning Circles

           Nendo, a Japanese studio, designed a mobile battery that users can charge by rotating it. The stick-like battery, called Denqul, was made for use in disasters to ensure people have a reliable power source. The battery can be charged from a plug-in dock but can also be charged via the cranking mechanism. Nendo originally considered using solar panels to power the device. The stick can be pulled out and extended to twice its length. Denqul consists of a generator unit that uses magnets and coils of wire to convert “rotation power” into power. The difference in this crank and an ordinary hand-crank is that an ordinary hand-crank requires a lot of muscle strain. It is available in three different colors.

           I think we can all agree that a constant struggle we all have is our phone’s always have low batteries. Now, most of the time, we don’t really need to be on our phone and it takes useless time. But, during times of need, natural disasters, we need our phone to be charged or plugged in to a charger. I can speak for myself in saying that the times I need my phone the most, is usually when it has the lowest battery. The Denqul provides a sleek design which I like. The powerbank chargers are ugly and are a big rectangle. The Denqul also requires human interaction, it gives the user a sense of achievement for working to charge their phone battery. To me, this is architectural ingenuity. They have also taken a hot market item and improved it significantly.

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/11/08/nendo-hand-charged-emergency-portable-battery-design-japan/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Dezeen&utm_content=Daily%20Dezeen+CID_e749ade60a4f029e74c2026e917e04f1&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Nendo%20designs%20emergency%20portable%20battery%20that%20can%20be%20charged%20by%20rotating

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

The Tiny Hit 

           Yves Behar has launched tiny homes that contrast to the rising house costs in California. The famous designer is based in San Francisco, and he intends to fill gaps on existing properties. The micro homes are primarily marketed to young families, elderly parents, and college students struggling to afford their own housing. Not only are these tiny homes affordable to many types of people, they allow for modern technology and customizable features. The YBI has a modular design that can be fully customized depending on site conditions. YBI is initially available in three options. Each contain different floor plans and roof styles to fit the buyers wants and needs. They even have flat roofs that can house solar panels or plants to make the home more energy efficient and friendlier to the environment. Pitched roof units are also available for the consumer to choose from. The YBI is priced at $280,000 but plans to release models that are as cheap as $100,000 in the future. While tiny homes are on the rise to popularity, this is not Behar’s first rodeo in the home industry. He previously worked on home security cameras and a robotic crib.

           This article intrigued me greatly. I have watched shows such as “Tiny House”, on TLC and Travel Channel. These shows display the same context, a tiny house, but I noticed one thing in all of these shows, it is always the interior designer who creates the design, not the owner. I can see this new revelation is significantly boosting the Tiny House industry. The houses attract millennials and young couples who don’t care about size and a luxurious lifestyle. The homes are perfect for people who value minimalism and simplicity. California is a booming place for these homes to flourish because of the laid-back lifestyle the majority of the state expels. Below are examples of the tiny house. As you can see, each home is very customizable, and no home looks the same. The designer and consumer can collaborate together to create a one of a kind forever home.

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/11/01/yves-behar-fully-customisable-tiny-homes-accessory-dwelling-units-plant-prefab/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Dezeen&utm_content=Daily%20Dezeen+CID_39bd241a7c661eaa5dd648ca805c9e1c&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Yves%20Behar%20debuts%20fully%20customisable%20tiny%20homes

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

The alarm that doesn’t frustrate you

A handful of students from Sweden’s Umea Institute of Design have created a cost efficient earthquake alarm that also acts as a source of calm. The students created Terra for people living inside the Ring of Fire where earthquakes are a constant threat. Nearly 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur inside the Ring of Fire. The group urged to create an alarm that would not stick out like a sore thumb in people’s homes and also be affordable enough for the poor communities to have access to it. The project was named runner up in the Sweden James Dyson Award, which recognizes the best new inventions. Terra responds to an earthquake’s non-destructive primary waves, which travel at a higher rate of speed, to alert those affected faster.

           This is interesting to me because this invention could actually save a person’s life. I know all architecture items have a purpose, however some I look at more as for show then actually serving a purpose. This invention and design both serves a purpose and also displays a modern design. As an architecture, this is what you want to strive for. When I consider alert devices in homes, I think of smoke alarms and natural gas alarms. What comes to mind when I think about the image of these two is ugly. Both serve a very important purpose, however both items are very hard to look at. Not only does the Terra serve an important purpose, but it is also not an eyesore.

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/23/terra-earthquake-alarm-umea-institute-of-design-technology/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Dezeen&utm_content=Daily%20Dezeen+CID_2de75195684d2621778d98b7c2c2e146&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Terra%20alarm%20alerts%20people%20before%20an%20earthquake%20hits

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

Puzzle Pieces

A graduate of the Riga School of Design and Art, Paula Lorence created objects to aide children with autism in their sensory development. Her Taktil collection has 12 objects made from 8 different types of materials. Each objects is designed to help produce different tactile sensations when touched by the children. These objects are used during therapy sessions by therapists working with autistic children. Tactile sensation activates the sensations of touch and texture. This sense is used primarily to sooth anxiety. Lorence separated the objects into three categories, the first for children who are particularly sensitive, the second for children who are more developed and the third for children who have anxiety or panic attacks.The projects goal is to help autistic children achieve higher levels of concentration and reduce their stress. The reason behind this design was that one in every 58 people are affected by autism. Architect has long been a vital resource in the medical field and this is just yet another success in the realm of that. When I think about architecture and medical items, my mind tends to stray toward the cardiac or heart side of things. Many architects design artificial heart and defibrillators to aide your body in performing the daily functions it needs to survive. I also think of artificial knees, plates on a person bones and other things. However, I do also think of braces and such that a person wears outside their skin, as an architects creation. These items include knee braces, splints, ankle braces and even braces for your teeth. One body part that I cannot think of a lot of artificial items to aide it in working is the brain, and these 12 objects do just that. The brain is very unknown to people in the medical field and they learn more new stuff about it each and every day. The creation of these objects to help autistic people with their cognitive abilities shows me there is progress being taken relating architecture to the brain. Though doctors may not physically put the splint or item on your brain, like they would an artificial knee or hip, they are thinking outside the box and using kinetic movements to in turn strengthen your brain.

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/15/paula-lorence-tactile-objects-children-autism-london-design-festival/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Dezeen&utm_content=Daily%20Dezeen+CID_7c23e5a1aa4f2be1e6647fd509e99846&utm_source=Dezeen%20Mail&utm_term=Paula%20Lorence%20designs%20Taktil%20objects%20for%20children%20with%20autism

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

Not your average Starbucks

A Japan architect, Kengo Kuma, stacked 29 shipping containers to make the most unusual Starbucks I have ever seen. The structure has windows and skylights in its 320-square-metre café. The shipping containers are stacked four high at right angles to each other. The inspiration behind Kuma’s design was coffee trees and traditional Chinese bucket arches. You might be wandering, “Where is the drive thru at?” but they have a window on a first floor container that houses the drive thru as well. The brand owns over 45 container coffee shops, which is interesting for me because I have never seen such a thing. This is the first time Kuma has used shipping containers for his work though he designed a Starbucks using 2000 thin wood batons previously. Shipping containers have been used by architects for years. This article was intriguing to me because I didn’t know shipping containers could have that many purposes. I have noticed the late fad trend where people live out of shipping containers in “tiny houses”, but I haven’t seen or heard of a commercial business moving into the shipping containers until after this article. Hopefully this will be a Segway for more companies to start doing the same. Chain companies like Mcdonalds, Chic Fil A, Krispy Kreme, and Dunkin Donuts could see the success Starbucks is having working out of a shipping container and try to imitate their success. This move is very risky as a business but also offers high reward.

https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/15/kengo-kuma-shipping-container-starbucks-coffee-shop-taiwan-architecture/

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

Reindeer Games

 Cycle #1 (8/28)

 Mountain, house, train, sky, bison, grass, valley, rock, clouds, snow, wood, building, fire, sun, wind, day, night.

 Cycle #2 (9/6)

 Clouds, hazy, wild animal, wooden, snow caps, fire, crinkle, glass, marble, crystal clear

Cycle #3 (9/13)

 Mountain, house, prairie, savannah, animals, ecosystem, sky, day, bison, snow, cold, log cabin, fire, sun, valleys, night, box, warmth, rocks, plants, hikers, moon, nature, clouds.

 Cycle #4 (9/18)

 Orange train, brown desert, clear glass, blue skies, brown wood, yellow-orange fire, grey clouds, white snow

Cycle #5 (9/25)

 Old house, new train, vast countryside, wide prairies, large bison, green pastures, unique house, welcoming fire, changing sky, rotating seasons, changing stars, cold mountains, warm summers, cold winters.

 Cycle #6 (10/2)

 - The fireplace crackling in the building on a dark night

- It provides warmth on a seemingly cold day

- It provides comfort, relaxation, refuge, and shelter

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

A Day Always remembered

The lecturer, Julie Beckman, designed the Pentagon Memorial after graduating in May of 2001. She actually was meeting her boss at the 14th street stop on the New York subway and saw the south plane hit the south building. She thought the building did not look structurely sound from a far. The Pentagon Memorial, which she designed, was the first to hold a competition for a memorial. It intrigued me how they picked a purple board in hopes that the judges would notice. This, to me was very risky and could’ve backfired because the judges thought it was tacky. But, it paid off and indeed did stick out to the judges. The primary thought in her mind when designing this memorial was, “what kind of place can we create for someone who lost a family member?” Julie did just that, it is subtle but allows for a family member to mourn while a member of the same family can celebrate the lost family member. The issues the lecturer raised went hand in hand with those we discussed in class, architecture effects all five senses of the human body. Not only can you touch and see and sometimes hear the monuments, but they can also effect the way you think. This psychological aspect of thinking adds a whole different dimension to the monument. The fact that two people can go to the same memorial on the same day and see two totally different things blows my mind and intrigues me. The lecturer brought in copies of her blueprint and displayed several pictures of the Pentagon Memorial that really helped put a picture to what she was discussing. The coolest thing to me about the memorial is that it was shown in the beginning of the movie, Independence Day. In my opinion, that would be the ultimate satisfaction to have my work featured in a movie.

[mbrooks-arch111-f2018-swall-blog]

Symmetrical Paradise

When Zuthmor writes, “Now I feel like going on and talking about the door handles which came after the handle on my aunt’s garden gate, about the ground and the floors, about the soft asphalt warmed by the sun, about the paving stones covered with chesnut leaves in the autumn, and about all the doors which closed in such different ways, one replete and dignified, another with a thin, cheap clatter, others hard, implacable and intimidating”(P. 10), what comes to my mind or sticks out to me are the sensory words the author uses such as touch, soft and intimidating clatter. This is a great use of words that provides an extraordinary visual of exactly what the author experienced the day at their grandmothers house. I picked this piece because I was intrigued that of all things, the author picks the door handles to write about. I can only imagine what those door handles must’ve looked like. To me, that is what you strive for as an author, to leave the reader wandering what this really looked like or how that really happened. The author has excelled at captivating the audience’s imagination.

The one architectural experience as I child that I can recall caused me to have an uncanny love for the city in which this hotel lies. We traveled a lot in my younger years and I always wanted to stay in the biggest hotels. As a 8-9 year old kid, I vividly remember looking up as far as I can see and their being hotel rooms, it was almost as if the roof was in the clouds. Next, I went to the 49th floor and looked down upon the lobby. I recall it being so symmetrical and for some odd reason this caused me to appreciate the city of Atlanta. I remember thinking of this hotel as a miniature city. I have since stayed at the one in New York City and it too is impeccable. This hotel that I talk so fondly of is the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta.

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This photograph does not quite do the Tahj Mahal justice. The Tahj Mahal is one of the seven great wonders of the world but I feel this photo does not capture the correct angle. Yes, the domes and columns look intricate, however I believe an overhead photo would show off the architects skills much more! Though I do not appreciate this photograph fully, they are trying to capture the symmetry of this building and the photographer has done an exceptional job of this. The horizon line is shown off tremendously in this photo.

Although this picture is of the exact same building, I appreciate this photograph a lot more. This Photograph shows the sheer size of the Tahj Mahal, while still incorporating its symmetry. I love how this photograph shows a close up of what the columns look like rather than just their outline the other photograph had. This also gives a nod to how advanced architects were when this was constructed in early years. That columns appears to be well above the ground and it would have taken serious planning to get the materials that high. I also enjoy the skyline in the background. This shows the Tahj Mahal is situated on a hill, which we couldn’t see in the other photograph.

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When I think of buildings on the prestigious University of Tennessee campus, Neyland Stadium and Ayres Hall are two that immediately come to mind. Both Neyland and Ayres Hall have been a staple on UT’s campus for multiple years. They have been through multiple winning seasons, during the helm of Johnny Majors, and many lackluster seasons, such as the all to familiar Butch Jones. The two buildings serve two different purposes, but both bring people together who strive for a common goal. Neyland obviously houses The University of Tennessee football team and for seven Saturday’s in the fall, becomes the states’ sixth largest city. Neyland Stadium brings fans together to root on the team in hopes that we will win the SEC East. Ayres Hall, although dedicated to classrooms, also brings people together with the common bond of higher education. I would argue that Neyland is more complex a building than Ayres, because like Ayres, it also houses classrooms and offices. Nearly every student has experienced both Ayres Hall and Neyland Stadium during their time at UT and I believe all would argue the campus would not be the same without these buildings. Architectures did a marvelous job of creating buildings that would serve the University for many years, and also change little from their original designs. To me, this speaks volumes at the expertise of the Architects who built these magnificent structures.