steven pratamafinal learning portfolio

arch 102-architecture design studio IIspring 2012

from tile to Fourfold Chapel 1.25

Assignment: create a 12”x12” tile made from corrugated card-board. Can’t be thicker than 12 layers or thinner than 2 layers. No visible glue stains are acceptable.

Learning Out-come: a set of strict require-ments made me explore the creativity or ideas

corrugated tile The Fourfold Chapel

beyond the limitation but still within the requirements.

Site Plan for The Four-Fold Chapel

1.30palm size gesture modelsAssignment: create 3 conceptual mod-els with different characters. Think of them as low resolution prototypes. No Glue, palm-size. Purely conceptual, abstract, do not think about building.

Intent: as I did my brainstorm about the Four Fold Chapel, I was drawn with the site and the idea of meditation. The idea of ten-sion & release, reflection, and being vulner-able & connected to God came to my mind. Thus, I was trying to communicate a mind full

of tension in my first model. Continuing with the idea of meditation as being vulnerable, connected to God, and a time when people do some reflections about their lives. And af-ter doing meditation, people will get a more structural mind. They know where they’re heading to.

Learning Outcomes: creating three mod-els in one class period really activate my brain to think more. Furthermore, the limitation also made my brain worked creatively to fulfil the requirements.

image research 2.1

Assignment: Create three 11”x17” pres-entations with images of interior, exterior, and site related architecture and lists the quality that each one has.

comfort. relaxing

sleek. modern

secretive

organicfuturistic

meditative

organic. natural

clean. minimalist

pure. pathway.

introvert

2.6another threeAssignment: three new different models, no glue, palm size.

Intent: looking back at my research earlier, I was really drawn into the qual-ity of some of the architectural pieces. The first model was inspired by the picture at the bottom right of the site related architecture. The way the trian-gular shaped building structured really drawn me. The second model was in-spired the Falling Water by Frank Lloyd Wright-Structure, positioning, geomet-ric. The third model was inspired by the Jewish Museum in Berlin. The way it exposed and revealed the building through the unusual shaped window re-ally intrigued me because they are try-ing to reveal something, but they are controlling how people can see it.

Learning Outcomes: Inspiration can come from everywhere. Thinking outside of the assignment is necessary in order to get new ideas. Start think-ing about quality over representation of something. Start connecting my model with the thinking process. I was starting to see the quality of the rock.

rocky model 2.8Assignment: one new model and relation with the body of work + image of something in the real world that evokes the quality of the model that you are making.

Intent: As I became clear that I was drawn to a sharp edge-rocky site quality, I was exploring the idea of the quality of the rocky site.

Learning Outcomes: The conversation happened between my model and my thinking process. It’s no longer thinking then making process for me. Both actually could happen either way.

2.13rocky + wavyAssignment: two models and list of things that driving me on this project

Intent: on my first model, I was still ex-ploring the quality of the rock, but I started to make a sharper edge. On the second model, I was trying to incorporate the waves with the quality of the rock that I had been exploring.

Learning Outcomes: moving towards a more 3D model. a good synergy after the intro-duction of the quality of the wave with the rock together. Starting to drawn with the combination of curvilinear and sharp edge.

Things That Interest Me about this Project 1. Site a)Isolated Location Perfect for meditation, but can also be a dangerous place if an emergency happens. b)Rocky Coast Line I really like the texture of the rock: sharp edge c)Wave-Tidal Wave The sounds of the wave can be a great natural soundtrack for meditation. 2. Purpose of the building : as a place for meditation

getting complex + dense . . . 2.15

Assignment: one model and list of clarified idea.

Intent: working with complexity and density. Con-necting the model with the idea of the waves hitting the rock=> meditation, tension and release by add-ing the wooden stick that opens up at the end point of the model and the wire that becoming less dense at the end of the model.

Learning outcomes: introducing new materials is one of many ways to add complexity. Specific goal and ideas added with an interaction with the model started to make the model looks compelling.

Clarified Idea: Using the idea of the waves hitting the rock as the metaphor for meditation where all the ten-sion are releseased after the waves hitting the rock or after someone doing meditation.

2.22trinity modelAssignment: 3 questions & answers, 3 models

Intent: adding more density by adding more wooden stick. adding more complexity by introducing a thin golden wire on the first model and PVC sheet on the third model.

Learning outcomes: starting to have a direction or a center. High level of com-plexity and density.

What are the relationship between the site—the wave hitting the rock—and the action of medita-tion?The wave hitting the rock is the metaphor for the act of meditation. When the wave hits the rock, the ten-sions that have been holding the wave are released. Therefore, the wave crashes and goes back to the ocean. Similarly, when people meditate, they came into the meditation place with a lot of tensions. How-ever, once they finish meditating, all the tensions and stress are released. These are the relationship be-tween the actions that happens on the site with the action that happens on the building—meditation.

How to embrace the act of meditation and the relaxing atmosphere from a chapel in an isolated and extreme site?The building should provide a vision of a shelter. In order to become a chapel and a place for meditation, people need an isolated place. They need to be con-nected with nature; therefore, they can empty their minds and focus on the connection to the divinities. However, if a place is really isolated and quite danger-ous like our site, people might start to feel afraid. As a result, a building with a shelter feeling is required, but also with a little bit of transparency into that so, they don’t feel too isolated.

How to deal with a high and low tide?The building itself should be high enough so people can survive on the high tide, or it could be like a tun-nel. So, when it is a low tide, it will act like a circular path where when the high tide is coming, it could be a tunnel like what we see in an aquarium.

go copper 2.27

Assignment: two models-> 50% bigger, dense and com-plex.

Intent: on the first model, I introduced the new material: bronze mesh wire to add more complexity and responding to the idea of shelter. On the second model, I was experi-menting by reducing the com-plexity and density by adding a planar surface since on my previous assignments all the three models looks monotone.

Learning outcomes: the introduction of a planar surface on the experimentation model was good. Overall, the intro-duction of copper wire really enhance the quality of model especially in terms of complex-ity and density.

2.29absolute dense and complex

Assignment: one new model

Intent: start looking at my model from top and bottom in-stead of looking at the top view only. Combining the successes on previous models-> planar element and complex & dense model

Learning outcomes: by going bigger and looking from both top and bottom perspective, it really pushed me to be creative in maximizing the material usage. Moreover, it also pushed me to a higher level of density and complexity model making.

a breakthrough . . . 3.5

Assignments: create 2 new models

Intent: After several models, I felt stuck. So, I got some feedbacks: change the biggest element of my model which is the silver mesh wire, try to construct it instead of using it the way it is. Therefore, I was trying to create a framework from the galvanized wire instead of the mesh wire. On the next model, the idea of using construction made from wood that I introduced on the beginning of semesters came to my mind. Moreover, the curvilinear rattan is a respond to a shelter that I had been exploring through the bronze wire so far.

Learning outcome: After being stuck for a couple of iterations, I finally got my big jump on my gesture model’s exploration. The model is now expandable. The use of rattan as a exploration of a shelter was a good move.

3.7connecting to the past

Assignments: create 1 new model

Intent: creating a stronger connection between my previous mesh-y wire models with my wooden structured +wire model. Introducing the mesh-y wire inside the construction and on the planar sur-face.

Learning outcome: a connection starting to be build between the new and old models. Itera-tions means keep exploring but keeps using the same language. Thus, a deeper integration of the mesh-y wire to the wooden frame is needed.

going to site 3.14

Assignments: create a site model from the site plan given with one model.

Intent: the general idea is to connect the main-land with the island since both are the representa-tion of meditation=> being isolated as well as be-ing dwelled in order to connect with the fourfold. Isolated -> Isola-> Island. Dwell -> to spare and to preserve -> home -> mainland.

Learning outcome: a specific idea is needed in order to respond fully to the site.

end of midterm . . .

tunnel 3.19Transformation: In this site-based gesture model, a big idea came up => TUNNEL. I was inspired by one of Maya Lin’s projects. She said that she used the tunnel to create “a sense of arrival”. I was very intrigued by her statement because it was closely related to my idea of tension and release. The point of using the tunnel in my project was to create “a sense of arrival” and also to build up the tensions among the people who will walk through this tunnel. So, once they move to a bigger space, they will celebrate the act of release even more. Moreover, I also removed the wooden dowel since it was not part of the de-

sign. It was just part of the model making element in the previous model. At this model, I was starting to anchor my model into the site which was a good move.

Issue: need to clarify the idea of wrapping the island.

cove = protected area 3.21Transformation: As a respond for the previous issue. I came out of the idea of using a meeting point between the chapel and the top of the island. When I was looking at the site plan, I started asking a question that I asked earlier in this semester: “How could one feel secure while doing meditation in such an extreme

and isolate area?” Then, the idea of using the cove came to my mind. I started to see the cove as the protected area-> protected by the island. Therefore, the idea of this meeting point was to let the people meet the protector(the island). It was related to the idea of people reaching toward the divinity where people would eventually meet the

Issue: need to generate a conversa-tion with the site, a synergy with the site is needed.

divinity; the one who has protected them, and the one who has been a focal point in all of their living experiences.

the tension point was found 4.9Transformation: realizing that my previous attempt to create a dialogue with the site was pretty weak, I decided to explore my main idea about the tension and release. After analyzing the site plan, I found the tension point in the site which was the cove area. When I looked at the plan, I realized that the surface circulation that was formed by the contour of the earth were pointing towards the cove area. Therefore, I came up with an idea of exploding the chapel starting from the point of tension area. I decided to spread all the program-matic elements.

Issue: need to work on the connec-tion between each piece. Moreover, there was a lack of exploration in my architecture language.

charcoal drawings

Intent: exploring the gesture of tension and release, exploring my architectural languageLearning Outcomes: throughout several gestural charcoal drawings, I was starting to realize that it was possible to capture the mo-tion of tension and realize without separating the programmatic elements.

big move 4.11Transformation: as a respond to the issue from the previous model, I decided to shift my mate-rial from wire to wood. This decision was also influenced by the series of charcoal drawings that I did earlier. After I looked back at my charcoal drawings, I realized that my drawings had some qualities that my models did not have. One of them was the order-->constructive quality. Therefore, I decid-ed to use wood since it had the constructive quality that I was looking for. Moreover, after a series of charcoal drawings, I realized that I need planar surfaces for my model; otherwise, people won’t be able to dwell in my model. Therefore, since it easier to add planar surface to woods, I decided to use wood. In my visualization, I visualized the big planar surface at the tip of the model to be the space

for 40 people (the pic at the right bottom corner).

Issue: intregation with the site. The model was still sitting on top of the site.

4.16Transformation: since we were moving to the in scale-site, I realized that my model would not look as complex as it was. Therefore, I decided to work with complexity in this model. While work-ing with the complexity, I was starting to visualize the end of the tunnel that would come out from the earth. Thus, I started to create a frame near that area (pic at the bottom right corner). Moreover, the in scale-site actually convinced me to use the cove area since it felt really protected by the island. Be-fore, it was still unclear. but now, it was really clear that the cove area was being protected by the is-land.

Issue: integration with site--again. The space for 40 peo-ple seems to be struturally impossible, unless if I added some structures to support it which could affect my gestural lan-guage.

seeing space 4.18Transformation: as a respond for both the intregation with the site and the space for 40 people issues, I decided to move the 40 people space close to the rocky coast. Moreover, it enabled me to response to the rocky coast side which I had not response to so far. I also found one of the biggest realization in this project. When I was looking at my model from different angel, I was starting to see SPACE! especially from the pic at the bottom right corner, I was starting to see the space for 40 peo-ple. Moreover, the space also moved from a smaller space to a bigger space which co relate to my main idea of this project: tension->release. Furthermore, I decided to put the space for 10 people at the end

point of the projects.

Issue: as I started to visualize the space for 40 people, the is-sue related to SCALE arose. It seems like my space for 40 people were too small. Moreover, it looked smaller than the 10 people space. Thus, I realized that I needed to work on the scale. The next issue was the abandoned space between my model and the island side. There was a huge space that I could use for pro-grammatic elements or space for something else.

introduction of auditorium 4.23Transformation: Answering the scale issue, I was creating a bigger space for the 40 people. Not only it helped me dealing with the scale issue, it also made my model starting to response to the site even more by expanding the 40 people space towards the rocky coast. The other big transformation happened in the “abandoned space” from the previous model. Since that space were really close to the island, it somehow interacted with the island. Therefore, the idea of creating an auditorium came up to my mind. This auditorium was meant as a space for the people to appreciate the Island; to praise the one who acted as the protector of the chapel. It actually related to the idea of the connection between mortal and divinity. Moreover, I finally dug into the earth this time in order to connect my tunnel with the other programmatic elements. The other transformation was the introduction of the entrance and the tunnel which I had introduced earlier with my wire form models.

ando’s gallery-pathway

Idea: When I was looking at my 40 people space, I was reminded by the Tadao An-do’s Gallery that I saw at the Art Insittue of Chicago during the spring break. When I was walking through the columns by myself, I felt something beyond physicality. I felt a sense of calm and tranquility. It just felt so peaceful there. However, when I walked throught he same space one more time together with my friends, I did not feel anything, and so did my friends. I was so distracted by people walking to other direction, instead of walking straight throught the columns. Therefore, I envisioned an INDIVIDUAL PATH-WAY in my model. If people could walk individually, they would definitely feel the act RELEASE even more. so, each meditative space has its own Tension and Release PATH.

covering 4.30Transformation: as a respond to my struggle throughout several models-site response, I started to modify my 40 people space by matching the edge with the contour of the rocky coast. Moreover, I also did the same thing with my auditorium. I started to follow the contour of the island. One of the trans-formations that happened in this model was the planar surface at the 40 people space. I actually incor-porate the idea of using the pathway by covering only the outer side of the space since I will use the middle part for the pathway. The other transformation was some structural elements that were added

to this model. For in-stance, the introduc-tion of several columns to support the 40 peo-ple spaces

Issue: need to bring a full move model

pathway defined 5.2Transformation: as a respond for the production issue, I decided to in-crease my model making process. In this model, the pathway for the 40 peo-ple were starting to develop. Moreover, I also added the planar surface for the 10 people space. Furthermore, I also added a tracing paper at part of the auditorium to create a sense of transparency, trying to capture the quality of glass wall.

Issue: I was still struggling with my model making process. The entrance and tunnel were remained un-develop.

getting there 5.11Transformation: the deadline really pushed me to work and think faster. At this moment, I was finally able to figure out the circulation of the programmatic elements. Moreover, I was using the brown color to define the individual pathway for each medi-tational spaces, and the gray color was used to define the floor and wall. The other trans-formation that happened was the shift from tracing paper to a gray plastic. The gray plastic enabled me to create a transparent looking without conflicting the other colors.

guest speaker space

40 people space

10 people space

auditorium

individual spaces

entrance

two individual spaces below the 40 people space

a close up of the 40 people space with the path-way defined with the brown surface. The space between each gray and brown color was meant to create an outdoor feeling to the space. In my visu-alization, I imagined a glass coverings to be used on that space.

a close up of the 10 people space followed by the individual pathway. Related to the “outdoor feeling” that I was trying to achieve at the 40 people space, I decided to add that outdoor feel-ing to the 10 people space, too. The reason for the outdoor feeling was to evoke the idea of the waves hitting the rock that I used as a metaphor for the act of meditation-tension and release.

a close up picture of the two individual spaces. The intention of the location was to evoke the idea of privacy and isolate from other

Issue: despite of the success in the circulation of the programmatic elements, the entrance and tunnel were still un-developed. Moreover, the roof was not there yet. . . . and the restroom

making the roof 5.11

Intent: exploring the gesture of tension and release in a sectional view for the purpose of helping me designing the roof.

when I was thinking about roof, I did not see it as a covering. Instead, I viewed it as one of the essential elements that unify the whole space together. This idea was referring to the idea of the FOURFOLD where everything should be seen as a whole instead of as a separate piece. my first approach in making the roof was to draw!

The design of the roof was still us-ing the idea of tension-release. It is started by creating an opening at the entrance, then it is starting to narrow down once it reaches the tunnel. More-over, when people come out from the tunnel, the roof seems to embrace and evoke the idea of release. when I was designing the roof, I kept remember-ing these two gesture models (shown at the right). Moreover, the roof also reacts to each programmatic elements. The roof was meant to keep the people focus to reach the meditation space while they are walking on the indi-vidual pathway. The roofs were meant to exaggerate the idea of tension-release.the roof for the individual

space was designed to get big-ger once it gets closer to the meditation space.

the roof at the 40 people space is starting to nar-row down when it reaches the end of the space. This was intended to evoke the keep the people focus to this direc-tion, toward the end.

the same design happens in the 10 people space.

final model 5.13Transformation: In this model, I was re-sponding to the previous issues: entrance, roof, tunnel, and restroom. Not only adding them to the model, but also integrating them with the language that I’ve been developing throughout the semester.

restroom

tunnel

entrance. The design of the entrance was meant to invite people to come to the chapel and to evoke the act of release when people exit the chapel.

restroom. even though the program was asking for a separated bathroom, I decided not to. The reason was because it was against the idea of a FOURFOLD. The client himself told that we should see the fourfold as a whole not as individual pieces. and of course, restroom is part of the FOURFOLD chapel. So, it should not be separated from the chapel.

entrance for the individual spaces. the positioning of the en-trance was intended to be hidden from the circulation when people walking out from the tunnel. Moreover, there was a pathway that would divided into two pathways for the two individual spaces in-side.

auditorium. a place where people would experience the first act of RELEASE which was after the went throught the tunnel. (The second act of tension and release would happen in each meditation space since each meditation space has its own tension and release path)

circulationthe circulation was part of my responses to the FOURFOLD idea. Based on my understanding of a FOURFOLD, the four elements at the fourfold are working together in balance. Therefore, I am using this BALANCE idea in my project. The idea is to keep the circulation between each floor in balance.

amount of people: 30-40

amount of people: 51

amount of people: 54

Learning reflection: Throughout the semester, I become falling in love to architecture even more. I never thought I would ended up having a project like this at the begining of the semester. One of the important lesson that I’ve learned from this class is design process is not linear. It happens throught the conversation between the thinking and making process.

One of the turning point in my architecture process happened at the beginning of this semes-ter. I remember the word that our instructor used to say, it is about the quailty of the work that matters, not the representation of something else because others would never see a building and ask “what does this space or beam represents?” Instead, others would see our works and admire it based on the quality evoked by our designs.

Moreover, I’ve learned that the amount of works that we put in our works would determine the quality of our works and our understanding of our works. Furthermore, an approach to the never ending design process really influence my approach to my design. I always think about how to improve my design in every single time.

Throughout this semester, I am starting to develop my architecture language. I am falling in love with an innovative and experimental work. I am so intrigued to bring architecture to an-other level.

Project reflection: the integration of the earlier gesture models can be seen at the final model. based on my instructor’s comments, I succeed in keeping my architectural language throughout the semester. Moreover, the final model shows a really agressive approach to the site. The way I challenge the program (auditorium and restroom) was also inspiring. In the end, I was able to achiece the more architectural looking model that is experimental and inno-vative.

“It’s not a problem to be solved, but it is a vision to be presented”

Andrew Chandler