PPD4 - End of Year Show

The show is important to me because it is my final bit of work and it will also be showcased to the public. The difference between this and a normal end of project, is the work will be critiqued by at least 100 more people than it usually is, people who don’t already know my skills and weaknesses so this will be a first impression on them and they are going into it with a completely open mind not knowing what to expect. In some cases this can be the best way to find opinions out about your work because people don’t know who you are so they should be completely honest so you are then getting genuine feedback and also the size pool of the feedback is going to be much greater meaning again that you’ll get a better idea of where your strengths are and where you need to improve.

The end of year show is aimed at a variety of people. To begin with, there are the friends and family of the people showcasing their work. Then there will be people related to the college itself, whether that be other teachers, principals or governors, they all get invited. However most important are the people you want to impress and show your work off to. These people are usually the people from the places you want to go after the course, so it could be a future employer or another tutor from a university for the course you’re going to be going onto or it could just be a local architect you want to come and look at your work and get some professional feedback from. But the people you invite will always range from those closest to you to those you don’t know yet, however the end of year show is always a great way to meet people in certain professions which you’re interested in and establish a connection with them because you never know when its going to come in handy.

Used visual merchandising experience from work as opposed to exhibitions, in many ways the concept is the same, presenting the shop window and the artwork for exhibitions are very similar. Very inapt and are aimed at making people stop and look. Retail outlets want people to come in and buy, design students want people to stop, look and look closer at their work and enquire who the artist is.

Use of light in the exhibition or lack of it. No artificial lighting as there was a plentiful supply of natural light in the building which is cleaner and healthier for people in the building.

By mounting the work onto foam board, it makes the work look more professional than just mounting it onto the boards on the paper. Similar to how artists have a large frame or canvas on their work, giving it depth and making it stand out against the wall.

Annotations;

Although we went with a spot theme with a brief bio, there wasn’t any contact information attached to this which could have been disadvantage however on my design sheets, my email address is on them. The work itself could have had more information on to give the viewers a wider understanding of the work itself.

My exhibition was arranged so that the strongest selection of work was placed on my left board as this was the first board of mine people would see upon entering the exhibition. I can relate this to my experience merchandising at work as you want your strongest sellers to be in a prime location which will catch the customer’s eyes the most and draw the most attention which is what you want from your work, you want to catch the eye when they walk by which is why you lead with the stronger bit of work.

I used a model which I created using the laser cutter to enhance my exhibition. What this did is it allowed people to see my work in their 2D form through my CAD visuals and then get a more detailed look at it in the 3D model. I feel that giving them the option to see a 3D representation of the design helps them to visualise it themselves as opposed to just looking at the work produced on sketchup.

At the beginning of the year I created an architecture brand called Neoteric Architecture, and this will be shown on my work. It won’t be on all of my work but the biggest pieces will be on my border which will have my logo, name and contact details on. This is a good idea to be used in the end of year show because it gives you an identity other than just your name and by using brand identity throughout your work it will give people a sense of what you’re about through your brand identity.

The work I will select to go up will be the work which I feel is my strongest and what I feel most confident with. Looking over my work, I believe that this is my last two pieces of work, the shopping centre which I did for spatial design as it was my first large scale design and I feel like it was one of my most innovative design as opposed to them being more practical. The other work I will put up is my most recent design, which I did for contemporary and contextual design. All of my work selected will be mounted on foam board. What I like about this is the fact it’s such a simple and easy thing to do, yet when the work is displayed it makes it look far more professional than if it was just mounted on the paper.

I shall be dressed in smart casual attire. This is because I don’t think the theme we have gone with and the size of the even warrants a full suit for example, so by wearing jeans and a casual shirt with a blazer and shoes, it creates the perfect balance which is ideal for the end of year show. I shall try to position myself along the corridor so that if anybody that is viewing the show would like to ask any questions about my work or speak to me, then I shall be no more than a few meters away and therefore be ready to interact as much as possible with the guests that are at the show.

 

Zaha Hadid

When you mention Hadid's name and her work, what I think about is the elongated structures with powerful and curving forms throughout, definitely pushing a futuristic style. Much like the other architects I admire and blog about, what I like about Zaha Hadid's work is how cutting edge it looks, and that her designs are never simple geometric forms, they always have aspects of them which push the boundaries of architecture as we know it. This is something that I wish to practise in my work in the future, designing with nothing holding me back, allowing me to create something that will wow people for many years to come.

 

The designs that I like the most from Hadid's work are Regium Waterfront, Pierres Vives building and the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre. Particularly the last one, what I like about it is how it looks like the outer shell of the building is just draped over the skeleton structure of it and how all the curves just flow into each other making it very aesthetically pleasing on the eye.

 

One of her buildings that I have been exposed to over the summer, was the Aquatics Centre for the London 2012 Olympics. This is typical of her work has it features the powerful curving forms many people relate to her, and it's a building which has helped leave a lasting legacy on East London. This is due to the timelessness of the design, for many many years to come it will look new and contemporary and I think with today's architects, this is something that they are all trying to aspire to, to create a design which will be held in the highest regards for several decades.

 

 

 

"It is insufficient for architecture today to directly implement an existing building typology; it instead requires architects to carefully examine the whole area with new interventions and programmatic typologies" 

3D Printing

Being a student with the design industry today, is probably one of the best times to be studying within this field, and in my eyes one of the most exciting pieces of techology is 3D Printing. This is completley changing what designers are doing assisting them in ways never done before, so it shouts out to me as something that I should talk about here on my blog.

 

So some might be asking what exactly is 3D Printing? Well what it is is this; it's the process where a 3D object is created from a digital image from the computer. It does this by building up the different layers of the object one at a time, applying the chosen material ontop of each layer, in some cases its a glue resin which is used.

 

From an Architects perspective, I believe that one of the most exciting uses for 3D Printing will be applying it into rapid prototyping. As when you go to show your client what your design may look like, instead of spending valuable time and creating a model, you can create the design on the computer, using software which they'll already be using and then get the printer to create an accurate 3D replica off the design. To me, I believe this is of great use for Archtiects around the world, as they'll be able to create a 3D representation of their design in less time than it would previously have taken, benefiting both the designer and the client.

 

Other benefits that 3D Printing has produced is due to the fact that we're now able to create rapid prototypes, it means that we're able to create mass products on a larger scale. Another benefit, is that because you'll have the design on the computer already, you can custom the designs on many different scales, changing them a little or a lot and the fact that you can print these designs into a solid object, will allow you to get an idea of what these customisations will look like.

 

You may also think that 3D Printing is something that is only accesable to companies with money behind them, however you can purchase a printer for last than a thousand pounds, which means given the right knowledge you could even have one in your house. As a student about to go to university and study Architecutre, if I had a 3D printer at home, it would make my work and portfolio signifacntly stronger than those around me. However, with the technology world ever developing, one of the developments of 3D Printing I would like to happen in the future, is the option to download parts from an online catalgoue. By this I mean, when an appliance breaks or you're missing a certain part to something, rather than having to go looking for this part at lots of different shops, you can simply go online and get the design and begin making yourself a 3D model that will be able to be used where it is needed. To me, this would be a great advantage to many people across the world, and is something that is a lot closer than other people think.

 

 

 

UCAS

So with my UCAS all now completed and sent off its now a case of waiting for the replies from the universities about my interview dates. I've applied for four courses, Architecture at Leeds Met and Huddersfield and also Architecture Technology at Leeds Met and Huddersfield. I've received emails back from the two courses at Huddersfield, for interviews on the 19th of next month, it's now time more me to start pulling my portfolio together and selecting the work which I think is the best and reflects me the most.

So the next month or so will be all hands to the pumps getting this most crucial stage of the whole application together! I shall continue blogging about my UCAS journey and the results of the Huddersfield interview and anything that happens with Leeds Met.

Final Reflection Piece

Overall the last few weeks, the purpose of this blog has been to help me look closely at my work myself and to see where my strengths and weaknesses lay and by doing this it means that I'll know areas which I feel I should focus strengthening.

Throughout the last couple of projects I have done, Spatial Design and Product Design, my strengths have lied with my CAD work, especially my SketchUp designs. This is because its a programme that I have used for several years now and the more that I use it, the more I increase my skills on it. And by doing this it has allowed me to explore more creative design that are a little more complex than what I would usually do and I feel that this is something I need to continue to do in order to push myself further, especially with university fast around the corner. I would however like to push my skills on adobe illustrator, I believe with a little more time spent using this it would also aid my work significantly, this is because at college we can use the laser cutter in accordance with illustrator so it would allow me to make 3D models of my designs.

Another area which I want to work on and improve is my drawings and hand rendering. At the moment I seem to spend less time with with a pencil in hand than I do with my mouse in hand and its something which I will aim to work on. To do this I will spend more time with the initial stages of my project and the development getting various sketches down of different designs that I can use. The more I do this the more it will allow me to create my own style when sketching and drawing and the greater those designs will become.

Hopefully by applying these to my work in the coming weeks, it will bring my work on leaps and bounds and there will be a noticeable change within the work.

UCAS - Personal Statement

 

When applying for University, we have to produce a personal statement, which give the university their first glance at what sort of person you are. Here is what I wrote for mine..

 

For several years now I have had a keen interest in going into the Architecture profession especially involving more contemporary designs. I particularly like these sorts of designs as they are pushing the boundaries of physics, yet continue to be completely innovative and original. Like the majority of today’s society, social networking is an important aspect of my day to day life, and this is something I use to my benefit, keeping updated on contemporary designs. I have gained great inspiration and enthusiasm from contemporary architecture and interior design related pages I have 'liked' on Facebook which regularly post photos of architecture from around the world, also allowing me to keep up to date with current trends within the design world. Using social networks in this way has helped me to expand on my knowledge and as it is now integrated within my personal life I’m always analysing and looking at contemporary designs from around the world. Zaha Hadid’s work particularly stands out to me and I love how every design is different and creative; constantly pushing the boundaries of architecture as we know it, with an example being one of her most recent designs, the London Aquatics Centre.

During the second year of my Foundation Degree, I worked on a live project for a local primary school in which I had to redesign part of the school for the new headteacher. This project allowed me to experience working face to face with a client and enabled me to develop key skills and practices including client presentation, conducting site visits and the importance of accurate measurement. While studying for my Foundation Degree I also successfully completed a number of briefs based on Design & Art Directors student design competitions. This experience has given me invaluable experience as to what architecture/interior design will be like in the real world, working with clients and meeting demands and deadlines.

I believe I will bring an array of relevant skills to the course including creativity, confidence and design flair which along with my transferable skills, will stand me in good stead for university life, and subsequently in the professional world. I am currently the course representative; a leadership role in which I take responsibility for chairing meetings with the student group who communicate their concerns about the course, and through discussion a solution is reached, highlighting my problem solving skills. I have continued to improve these skills along with reliability, punctuality and communication, working at Next as a sales assistant where I’m interacting with members of the public and acting in a professional manner. Furthermore I have a great passion for sports; during my early years as a teenager I played for a local football team, which developed my cooperation and team work skills. I am also enthusiastic about a variety of sports including rugby league, cricket, tennis, F1 and more recently golf.

My goal of attending university is to become a qualified architect. Between starting my degree and being RIBA certified I am confident I will develop a variety of skills that will help improve my work and give me a more refined understanding and greater knowledge when creating a design. After completing my degree my aim is to find work in a professional practice either in the UK or Australia and following this, to have my own Architecture practice and also to build my own home, which is an ambition I have held for a long time and one I am keen to fulfil. 

UCAS

So now, I reach my final steps of applying and going to University and for my course, the most important stage! The interview. Yes, you may have an amazing personal statement, but if you can't draw or you aren't what the tutors are after because of your portfolio, then it doesn't matter, so to me your portfolio is make or break.

 

During the next couple of months before attending my interviews, I'll be preparing my portfolio for interview. At this stage I haven't really constructed one and all my work is just dotted around, but I'll be choosing the best of my college work, and making slight changes to them, to be in my portfolio, along with designs I've done in my free time. I feel that I'm at a better stage this time than when I was in 6th form for going to interviews, and this is for two reasons. Firstly, my work is a much better standard than it was two years ago, but secondly and most importantly, I know what the tutors are looking for! Because I've been in contact with them both through the UCAS fair in Manchester, and when talking to them about entry onto the second year, which wasn't successful unfortunately. The people that I spoke to both told me the same thing in what they're looking for, 'Design Cycle'. They want to see where your ideas come from, and the process involved from taking it from just an idea, into development stages and then you're final design. Knowing what I need to have in my portfolio is a great difference to where I was two years ago, not knowing and just taking my school work and some drawings of buildings. But now I have a much better opportunity to further my education and get closer to becoming an Architect.

 

I've used 4 of my 5 available choices, apply for Architecture at Leeds Met and Huddersifield, and Architecture Technology at again, Leeds Met and Huddersfield. Which ever course I attend, I'll be living at home, so in a way Leeds Met would be first choice, as it'd be more convienent to commute to each day, however commuting isn't that much of an issue, as shown over the last two years, going from Pudsey to Halifax!

 

I shall blog in the not so long future, about what happens with my interviews and how I feel they go.