#samweston (16063940)

[samweston-spatial-honours]

CAD Modelling my Site Location

To continue my development for this project, I sourced a series of plans, elevations and other documentation and imported these into the Archicad. Here, I am beginning to replicate the existing structure to the correct scale within this program. This will serve as a foundation within which I begin to implement aspects of my interior design intervention. This will also offer a point at which I can produce my own elevations and plans as part of a finalised design output. 

Below are images of my progress

[samwestonhonoursdesignproject]

Uncovering possible ritual moments within the existing building for intervention with the ‘alternative’ model for ritual

Here, I am uncovering and mapping a selection of current daily routines and whereabouts they occur within the confines of the dwelling’s interior. To accomplish this I analysed both plans and elevations and list possible ritual activities that occur within them. This will uncover both the dimensions of the rooms but also 

In terms of rooms within the home. There is both a relatively large open plan space which possesses both a ‘Snug, Lounge, and Dining Space’ A ‘Kitchen’ is also apart of this open plan design for the ground floor. Following this under the stairs to the secondary floor is ‘storage, laundry, and a toilet within a separate room. 

The secondary floor possesses three individual bedroom, with one of them functioning as the master bedroom, leading in a robe and en-suite. Accompanying these upstairs bedrooms are also a shared bathroom space and a study. 

[samweston-creative-ecologies]

DEVELOPMENT: Theory of Change Map

My first couple of attempts at a theory of change map resulted in some thinking and idea generation, however, this iteration of my theory of change is further refined. I’m going to go ahead and begin addressing more of my assumptions so I have a healthy collection of research. I have already done a reasonable amount of this research into electric vehicles and made some interesting discoveries.

[creativefutures-semester-2]

Video Production

We produced a total of three individual videos. These videos utilise snippets from the ‘Wellington City Councils’ Makara peak video. We removed the original audio and placed a series of public domain audio pieces into the composition to generate a soundscape. The purpose of this soundscape was to not only set the scene for our presentation but also pull the viewer into the scene and have them experience the beauty of Makara peak and what’s at stake.

We chose this video as it gives a good look at a day at Makara peak with all the extra prep-work and riding, from the start of the track to the end. 

The clip in the centre is a twinmotion scene, this was composed using Alpert’s model and a number of the twinmotion assets to make the scene. Blender was used to create the uneven terrain to make the scene appear more realistic.

[sam-matt-jared-scifi-design]

Sketches of Ships Based on 60′s 70′s Futurism Architecture

Here, are some ship designs based on feedback from Lyn. He proposed that we take the approach for the ship to perhaps embody the aspects of futurism or 60′s and 70′s architecture. I did a lot of studies analysing buildings and then trying to adapt their form into a ship design for Helva.  

[samweston-designing-scifi]

DEVELOPMENT

This week, we decided to get together as a group to determine what our next steps would be. We decided to pick four different things to go ahead and continue creating concept art for so we can determine our style. These four options can be seen in the two pages below. 

[westonspatial2018]

Here are some rendered interior shots of the OmiVista Room. A control panel is the first component which an individual will see upon entering the room. The controls allow the ceiling lighting to be adjusted as well as the scenario being projected through the Omi Vista to altered. The scenarios will revolve around planet surfaces and through further development a range of scenarios may be created. Surround sound speakers are also positioned within this space, this allows for the ambience of a certain location to be captured. 

[samwestontuakiri]

Rainwater Tank Supplier

When looking for a water tank supplier for my dwellings, I discovered thintanks.co.nz. They have the perfect tanks suitable for my design. These tanks are incredibly thin and may be slid underneath my stacked dwellings. With their slim form and seismic, wind, and U.V resistant properties the rainwater tanks are incredibly suitable for my dwellings. Depending on the configuration of my dwellings the placement of the tank can be modified easily, especially when positioned vertically.     

Alongside a fence.

Our Slimline Rainwater tanks can be placed against a house wall (1000L only 260mm wide / 2000L 480mm wide)

Use our Slimline Tanks to form an internal courtyard.

To screen off the back yard.

Our Slimline Rainwater Storage Tanks are New Zealand/Australian Made – manufactured from 100% U.V. stabilised, food grade polyethylene.

Seismic and Wind strength resistance tested – New Zealand Structural Engineers Producer Statements available.

[samwestonfeasta2018]

Table and Chairs Prototyping

For the table and chairs system within the bar, we created miniature scale models. Firstly, for the table tops, we laser cut an MDF piece which we then engraved a series of chemical structures involved in the process of making beer. Within this tabletop, we cut out a series of circles. Within these circles, we placed a series of domes, these were colored in the same manner as a lot of the microscopic beer images we had found early in the project. We are planning to illuminate these from beneath. The tables are being supported by a series of miniature kegs.     

[creativebreathers-blog]

Block 12, Presentation E, offers a perfect location for our immersive experience. The corner close to the window with a pre-existing curtain wall would allow us to seal our experience adequately and easily meaning we can dedicate more time to the other parts of our experience rather than building a free standing structure

- Sam Weston

[samweston-spatial-honours]

- Initial Mapping of Past Projects  - Thoughts - Initial Research

Reflection, Mapping, and Thoughts Regarding Past Projects

Above, is a collation of images from my third-year final spatial design project. With this particular project, I had a focus on designing sustainably and using techniques to allow for clean future proofed dwellings. However, one of the key aspects that I wish I had addressed further was human-centered and user experience design. Developing a deeper understanding of how people would respond to and use the space itself is something I am intrigued about and would certainly explore further. Critical thinking and analysis of well-being in relation to space is something that I touched upon when investigating the Wellington housing crisis for my third-year project, however, I am eager to gain a deeper understanding of the psychology behind space, atmosphere, and wellbeing.

Green space and how it may be used effectively in both the public and private environment is yet another strand that I have a particular enthusiasm toward. 

Above, Designing a mixed-reality learning space is a topic I attempted to interrogate during my third-year SWISS project. Through augmented reality, I created digital learning environments without the need for creating additional physical space. Due to creating a learning space, I did research into the psychology of green space. Its benefits were prevalent, I found a strong attachment to the theme of promoting curiosity through symbols but also attempted to generate a space that resonated a calm aura, which was promoted by the natural materiality.   

A hybrid-dining setting was created during my second-year rapid ideation paper. This class provided us with a plethora of briefs to choose from. Something appealed to me about intermingling two different activities when were asked to examine the cafe model and make changes where appropriate. Through research and development, I came to a point where mixing both nighttime dining and night sky observation created an interesting and unique hybrid space.    

Another brief which I adopted during rapid ideation was in regards to Wellington’s rubbish problem and how it could be solved. Instead of the complete disposal of litter, it could be dropped off at stations. At the stations, there would be some form of sorting and repurposing of litter to generate a new life for the material. Unuseable fragments would be disposed of appropriately. My approach to this brief was quite speculative.  

Festa 2018, this was an event held in Christchurch which aligns heavily with the Whanaungatanga cluster. It was all about bringing the people of Christchurch together in one place for an occasion they rarely get to experience. Festa, took advantage of empty building lots which were where pre-2011 earthquake buildings would have stood. The empty lots were disrupted with our presence, however, events such as FESTA certainly forms a stronger bond between both the people and the city. However, it also brings a stronger bond between people as families and communities went to the events together and experienced it as a collection of people.    

Strands for further investigation: 

- Experience Design

- Human-centred Design

- Wellbeing

- Green space

Initial Research

Article: More green space in a denser city: Critical relations between user experience and urban form - Alexander Ståhle

Text: Wellbeing and Place - Sarah Atkinson, Sara Fuller, and Joe Painter

[samwestonhonoursdesignproject]

‘Imperfect Information: The Prospect of Material Thinking’ by Nancy de Freitas

Freitas explores a number of theorists whose ideas closely link to the Paul Carter’s ideas regarding material thinking. Freitas identifies that, “material considerations” are of most importance in-regards to theorist Paul Carter’s ideas around “material thinking”. Freitas makes a number of intriguing and pivotal statements. The first being, “Designers aren’t necessarily attentive to the way they make and remake the material world in order to adapt it to living in the future” (Freitas 2). “Through creative attention to the material processes which shape our lives, they make material, new forms of and for living.” (Freitas 2). 

Section: Imperfect In-formation

Within the section ‘Imperfect In-formation’, Freitas draws parallels between ideas presented by Vilem Flusser and Paul Carter in-regard to materials. Flusser, proposes that, “

Section: Material Action

Section: Living Material

Freitas states, “Designers need to take account of how social and cultural relations are today, more than ever, mediated through material artefacts and further changed over the lifespan of artefacts. We adapt through our use of artefacts and we also adapt artefacts to our changing needs.”

Although, stated on materialthinking.org that ‘material thinking’, “is an awkward term that resists simple definition” (Materialthinking.org). A number os practitioners have formed their own interpretations of the term. Freitas refers to a number of theorists and practitioners whose ideas draw similarity to the core value of ‘materials’ and ‘material thinking’. Similarly to theorist Braudel, I may could consider the everyday moments of interaction between both the person and the material and the take this further by identifying the sort of relationship this may generate. 

“Designers need to take account of how social and cultural relations are today, more than ever, mediated through material artefacts and further changed over the lifespan of artefacts.” (Freitas 9). 

After reading these articles, consider how they inform your project’s current approach to materials and material thinking. Come with a collection of ways to really push that aspect of your project further.

[samweston-creative-ecologies]

Final logo output for the ‘Modular Green’ organisation

I have taken a really straight forward and simple approach to this logo. I am also not a VCD student so not something I am very experienced with. None-the-less, there are two things I wanted to portray with this logo, the experience and feeling of natural settings as well as the modular nature of the structures themselves. The way they stack, interlock, and are positioned. 

[creativefutures-semester-2]

Statistics - Diddymo New Zealand

Diddymo is one of our exemplary Bio-security breaches that we will discuss during our pitch session. It is important for us to present the scale and significant effect on local ecologies that these bio-security breaches present. These breaches also have preventative measures implemented such as the ‘Check, clean, dry’ campaign, making them relevant to the project. 

The government offers some of the most important details about the Diddymo breach, in particular, the statistics around such a key issue. 

According to the ‘Department of Conservation’, there are around 70 major water systems present throughout New Zealand. 40 of which are located in the South Island. All of these major river systems lead to smaller water systems, however, there are also many micro river systems as well. According to the ‘Ministry of the Environment’ and ‘Stats NZ’ Diddymo is not found in any North Island bodies of water, however, it is found within over 150 South Island rivers. 

Traces of Diddymo were uncovered in 2004, however, this has increased drastically and continues to do so during the present day. 

http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/environment/environmental-reporting-series/environmental-indicators/Home/Fresh%20water/fresh-water-pests.aspx 

https://www.doc.govt.nz/about-us/statutory-and-advisory-bodies/nz-conservation-authority/publications/protecting-new-zealands-rivers/02-state-of-our-rivers/overview-of-new-zealand-rivers/

[sam-matt-jared-scifi-design]

Halo - ‘Synthetic’ and ‘Human’ Relationship Research

Halo is a science fiction based videogame that had its first release of the series arrive in 2001 on the original Xbox. Although, the story is more or less about great wars that occur within the universe among alien species. There is a greater narrative beneath the surface that explores the relationship between both main character, ‘Master Chief’ and artificially intelligent companion ‘Cortana’. Cortana is partially embedded within a chip which ‘Master Chief’ inserts into his helmet.   

A repetitive element of Halo 3, is the consistent visions that ‘Chief’ has of ‘Cortana’, these are fragmented throughout the game and add another layer of depth to the relationship between both ‘Cyborg/Human’ and ‘AI’. The game directors have taken a similar approach to that of Honeymoon by Anne McCaffrey in the sense that ‘Master Chief’ seems to symbolise brawn, whereas ‘Cortana’ symbolises brain. 

Cortana is highly knowledgeable and tends to inform ‘Chief’ throughout the games of things he is unaware of and various tactics he can take, whereas, ‘Chief’ chooses to fight as that is what he designed to do. 

(Bungie’s Halo 3) Screenshot Source:

http://blog.ascendantjustice.com/halo-3/hindsight-halo-3/cortana/

[samweston-designing-scifi]

Sketches regarding the party scene - Page 278

The party scene appealed to us as a group because it plays out between a whole host of characters. We get a range of interactions between the individuals attending the party but we are also provided with a reasonable understanding of what the environments are like through descriptive language. 

It could be beneficial for us to take advantage of this particular scenario as we were given a lot of information to work with.  

Below, are a series of sketches which I produced to replicate different points of the scene, it is similar essentially a storyboard as to how the party plays out, however, we aren’t following one particular character we are following multiple. 

(Passageways are full of people)

(Party guests spend time talking and introducing themselves to Helva)