EDES 101 PrimerAlexander Gama

Fall 2014

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ama, Tijuana. MX. M

ahi Mahi Fish, Soccer, Piano, Guitar, Harmonica

, Sho

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ueen, Poetry,

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ssion, Cello

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r, Bass, Travel, Ten

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Alex started his life with a gasp, due to him almost asphyxiating while being born. He remembers vividly his child-hood in Tijuana and San Diego, spend-ing most of his day with his grandpa, who was a pivotal part in his develop-ment to the person he is now. Poetry, writing, design, and especially music, were all hobbies his grandpa enjoyed which he inherited. Through high school, his background made him one of the best musicians in the school’s SCPA. Currently, Alex is pursuing his childhood dream of becoming an architect at Cal Poly SLO but continues with music, singing, and composition.

My current special place in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is the piano in Sequoia’s TV lounge. I have met some really amazing people whom I have bonded through our love of music. I also am here when I feel frustrated mostly because music really relaxes me and helps me plan out my approach towards anything.

Alex GamaTeam Members: Gabriella, Eleanor, Kord

Trek to the ArchitectsDiscordant Space

We felt that this space was discordant due to the lack of harmony and competition that fills this room. Here, everyone is on their own sched-ule, and those who are together are compet-ing against each other over the pool table or rooting for different teams when the game is on. Whenever someone steps in here they can see a person making a quiet cup of tea, watching the game, getting serious over table tennis, or doing last minute homework.

A

Prospective Space

This space is a proper representation of prospecting because there is no limit to what is created in this space. It is here that ideas are shared and expanded and people realize how much they can create. This space changes molds our view of the world and changes the way that we think.

B

Intimate SpaceThis space is intimate since it is only meant to accommo-date two people. Here stories are shared between friends, days are reminisced, and it seems that there are always new things to learn about the people you thought you knew most about.

C

Small Gathering

We felt that this space was a great example of a small gather-ing space since it’s a place where people who do not always know each other gather for the same purpose. It’s amazing how we all can have our own schedules and yet there is a time where our plans and the plans of others overlap.

Team Members: Alex Gama, Chelzea Furtado, Hailey Rose, Jennifer Li, Tanya Wohlfarth

AB CD

D

PROJECT  FIVE-­‐  THINK:  CAMPUS  THE  TEAM:  FERNANDO  ASTIAZARAN,  ALEX  GAMA,  TYLER  HALL,  KORD  MCKINNEY,  and  JAMES  BLANCHARD  

 OUR  SITE:  THE  CEMENT  YARD  

           

                     

A.  Considering  the  fact  that  this  space  is  already  being  used  as  a  major  site  for  all  structural  studio  work  and  as  a  demonstration  area,  it  isn’t  too  far-­‐fetched  to  imagine  this  space  as  its  own  studio.  The  best  way  to  go  about  turning  this  space  into  a  

studio  would  be  to  first  close  off  the  area  a  little  more,  turning  it  into  a  two-­‐story  structure  connected  to  the  ARCE  building.  From  there,  I  think  it  would  be  interesting  to  make  this  the  largest  and  most  open  studio.  I  imagine  this  space  to  have  many  windows  to  let  as  much  light  in  as  possible.  I  also  imagine  this  space  to  be  used  by  all  ARCE  majors  as  they  learn  about  the  properties  of  structure  and  the  principles  of  design.      B.  This  space  is  already  connected  to  the  shop  and  is  run  by  many  of  the  same  people  who  operate  the  woodshop.  However,  I  think  that  this  space  could  still  use  a  complete  overhaul  and  could  be  a  wonderful  collaborative  space  focused  on  learning  by  doing.  I  also  believe  that  the  addition  of  a  small  medical  center  would  be  extremely  beneficial  to  all  involved  in  the  concrete  yard.  To  expand  the  shop,  many  woodworking  tools  would  be  installed  in  the  area  such  as  table  saws  and  sanders.  However,  this  space  would  still  be  used  to  teach  students  how  to  work  with  concrete.  I  would  also  implement  more  convenient  road  travel  in  the  occurrence  that  an  ambulance  needs  to  reach  this  site.                

 C.   The   new   office   for  sustainability  juts  out  of  the  concrete   yard   by   three  stories.   The   main   entrance  welcoming  students  through  the  transparent   windowpanes.   The  light   shines   bright   through  the   many   solar   panels   of   the  new  offices.  The  steel  frames  holding  the  structure,  covered  in   early   morning   fog   and  glistening   in   the   afternoon  sun   with   the   window   frames.  The  small  hum  of  the  fans  can  

be   heard,   echoing   throughout   the   main   desk’s   vents.  Aluminum   stairs   spiral   upward   clinging   from   the   clear  elevator   shaft   while   the   hand   railing   is   sustained   by  strings.   The   twisted   rectangular   prism   design   of   the  building   being   supplied   with   solar   energy,   and   the  ceiling’s   gardens   purifying   the   air   in   the   building  attracts   those   interested   in   sustainability.   Students  rush   in,   telephones   ringing   with   conversations  overlapping  each  other.        D.  The  concrete  yard  can  hold  many  new  majors,  but  one  possibility  is  “Construction  Methods  and  Materials”.  This  major  combines  architectural  engineering,  construction  management,  and  materials  engineering.  This  new  major  will  draw  in  students  who  want  to  work  with  the  materials  and  methods  that  go  into  building  structures  along  with  the  design  of  these  materials.  This  new  department  will  be  housed  in  the  buildings  surrounding  the  concrete  yard  and  will  be  beautiful  to  look  at.  This  view  will  draw  in  pedestrians,  thus  peaking  their  curiosity.  As  a  result,  they  will  come  in  and  view  the  projects  that  students  are  working  on.    

E.  Faculty  Office  In  regard  to  placement,  this  would  work  well  for  faculty  offices.  It  is  surrounded  by  the  CAED  building,  the  CE  building  and  the  Business  building,  which  each  have  classrooms.  Teachers  could  have  offices  close  to  their  classrooms,  and  students  would  be  able  to  stop  by  their  teachers’  offices  for  office  hours  after  class.  In  terms  of  the  space,  I  think  the  space  could  be  turned  into  offices,  with  some  in  the  building  on  the  side,  and  then  additional  units  could  be  constructed  in  the  space,  with  an  area  in  the  corner  quarter  circle  platform  for  chairs  and  tables  for  students  to  study.      

 

 F.  This  spot  is  ideally  placed  for  the  office  of  the  Dean  of  the  College  of  Engineering.  It  is  in  the  back  of  all  the  engineering  classrooms.  I  don’t  it  work  as  any  other  Dean’s  office.  The  quarter  circle  platform  could  serve  as  a  spot  for  a  secretary,  while  the  upper  right  section  could  be  built  into  the  actual  office,  with  chairs  to  sit  in  while  waiting  in  a  line  outside  the  door.  People  could  also  walk  through  to  go  up  the  stairs  or  into  the  rooms  on  the  left  wall  (in  the  diagram).  

H.  A  coffee  shop  is  a  phenomenal  idea  to  assist  those  in  the  College  of  Architecture  and  Design.  The  concrete  yard  is  close  to  the  Construction  Innovations  Center,  but  relatively  far  from  the  architecture  building.  This  location  also  seems  to  have  a  fairly  large  size  for  a  ‘normal’  coffee  shop  [not  a  bad  thing].  A  coffee  shop  with  no  roof  is  a  unique  idea,  but  its  size  and  proximity  to  the  arch.  building  are  the  two  aspects  that  are  in  great  need  of  consideration.                              G.  The  space  itself  is  a  great  is  a  great  place  for  a  gallery.  It  is  spacious,  and  if  the  weather  is  cool  in  the  day/evening,  it  makes  for  a  marvelous  setting.  However,  the  pavement  is  uneven  in  some  areas.  Another  feature  of  the  concrete  yard  that  makes  it  a  great  destination  for  a  gallery  is  the  staircase.  If  one  walks  to  the  top  of  the  stairs  and  examines  the  ‘gallery,’  he/she  would  have  a  perfect  view  of  all  the  presentations/pieces.  The  location  is  not  at  its  utmost,  nevertheless;  great  proximity  to  the  architecture  building  and  renovation  would  increase  its  chances  of  being  an  optimal  location  for  a  gallery.    

                       

THINK:FUNCTIONTeam: Tyler Hall [not pictured], James Blanchard, Alex Gama, Kord McKinney, Fernando AstiazaranMentor: Alex Buckthal

Tyler - ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO Fernando - LE LOUVRE James - ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO Alex - SAN FRANCISCO MUSEM OF MODERN ART Kord - THE GETTY

http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/art_gallery_of_ontario.html

This building is eye catching and large, with excellent lighting at night, which invites people in. It works well as a space to present art, and it’s large and open which makes you feel more comfortable when walking through. It functions very well as a gallery.

PATTERN: PROXIMITY TO RECREATIONAL EATING/SHOPPING

Galleries need to be more in the thick of things, they don’t work well when they’re off by them-selves. They function best on relatively busy streets adjacent to restaurants, coffee shops, and small non-chain stores (espe-cially artsy ones). Also, smaller galleries work well when they are next to other smaller galler-ies.

http://www.artic.edu/learn/families

My hope for the concrete yard gallery is to give students a place to appreciate professional work. The concrete yard gallery is a space that will attract pro-fessional artists from all walks of life, welcoming their exhibitions with open arms. These exhibitions will inspire all students in the CAED program to explore new possibilities and will give all other students a place to expand their mind. I know that whenever my mother took me to the Art Institute of Chicago, I left feeling very intellectual and sophisticated. The concrete yard gallery will be a fresh breath of air for students that spend their days in dark architecture studios.

PATTERN: CONCRETE YARD PROFESSIONAL GALLERY

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/museum-gal-

The building itself is a ‘work of art,’ perfect for a gallery. The program that this structure serves is closer to a museum [with galleries inside]. Indubitably, this is an ‘imageable’ space; its aesthetic appeal draws in tourists and local resi-dents. Also, its unique form also helps it stand out from local

PATTERN: DISPLAY VIA LIGHTING PATTERN: INDOOR/OUTDOOR FEATURESPATTERN: OUTSIDE LIVING AND WORK SPACE

The principles of design needed to establish a pattern, especially the pattern of a gallery, are light, blank space, peaceful atmosphere, and room for people to move freely. The light in a gallery is primarily used to highlight the work being pre-sented, immediately creating several focal points for the observer. These focal points take away from all other distractions of the world, leaving only the observ-er and the work. The blank space in a gallery is pivotal for the work to be pre-sented, as the space in-between the work gives the observer a chance to reflect and isolate their focus. The peaceful atmosphere of galleries also assist in creating a sense of isolated focus and introspection. The room for people to move freely gives the observer a chance to find what they appreciate the most and flock to it. If a gallery is missing any of these aspects, the atmosphere will fall apart and the work displayed will not be featured properly.

Being adjacent to ‘imageable’ spaces is one key factor for a successful and memorable gal-lery location. However, a vital aspect of galleries themselves is the inclusion of both indoor and outdoor features [or more than one area for one gallery]. During Parents Weekend at Cal Poly, the architecture department hosted a display of students’ work in the Architec-ture Building. The ‘main’ event was in the Berg gallery, but some students’ work was hung on a piece of thick twine that connected two walls within the building. There were also pieces of fabric hanging from a ceiling for the parents and spectators to see.

http://www.getty.edu

The Getty Museum provides a place for the public to come and enjoy the fine art that has been provided to them by fellow citizens. It gives them a chance to view and appreciate the different forms of art ranging from classical to modern. Along with having great sculptures and painting, the Getty provides architects and landscape architects the chance to showcase their work to the public. This wide variety of art provides the people with serenity and the appreciation of the skill and time put into each individual piece.

Outdoor living and working spaces intertwine the protection of the indoors with the comfort of nature. By providing an escape to the outdoors, you give people the chance to take a moment and appreciate the environment and nature that surrounds the building that they are in. You also give them an area to focus on different studies and provide them a chance to have a quiet, individual, learning experience. Outdoor living spaces should always be added into any given architectural design because people need and want the freedom of the outdoors just feet away from them.

SUMMARY:

At first, we concluded that the concrete yard was an optimal space for a gallery, but its location was not its best. We believed the it would serve best as a gallery if it were closer to the architecture building. However, there are several galleries [Berg and KGTY, along with galler-ies in the library] near Building 05, so one closer to the Construction Innovations Center is a perfect location. The stairwell in this yard makes for a great view of the whole area, and its open roof contributes to an atmosphere ideal for a gallery. On the contrary, it has uneven pavement in some areas, which could cause difficulties regarding dis-play.

Something that inspires me from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is that it is very spacious and the natural lighting let you focus on what is being exhibited. The museum is very aesthetic and plain which make the sculptures, paintings, designs, and other exhibits stand out. Also, the patterns shown throughout the museum are the same ones shown in others and the fact that the overall theme is dictated by the expo-sition creates a fluid and smooth transition in the gallery.

sfmoma.org

The bustling gallery with many dialogues being interchanged, create chaotic environment that take away from the immersing experience. I think a more quiet setting for the gallery would create a more peace-ful surrounding allowing you to analyze and appreciate what is being shown in the exposition. The lights are also not focused on making the exposition stand out but more focused on lighting the room as a whole.

INSIGHT:

Galleries should be very open spaces. The open atmosphere of a gal-lery should inspire intelligent conversation and breed creativity. Galleries should also be a space to present work. Many galleries, however, do not complement the work being presented. In this sense, the lighting in galleries needs to be very adaptable and malleable so that the work presented is the focus no matter what. Also, for whatever reason, light hardwood floors seem to be standard for gal-leries.

Alexander Gama//Buckthall//Week 7// Page 1//

This piece caught my eye at the gallery because although it seems very bulky, it is a very porta(l)ble piece of furniture. It folds into something small that can fit in the sliver between a wall and a chiffonier. The main material used in this exposition is wood, connected with a lot of hing-es and a piece of cloth making the chair very comfrotable while sitting down. The circular cuts into the design made the wood stand out mostly because it gained some aerodynamic as well as emphasis on the project as a whole. The way the chair carried my weight was fine the only complain I would have would be that in order to actually sit, I would have to crouch a good 3/4 of the way before I actually hit the seat so my legs felt a bit off until I could stretch them out.

Alexander Gama//Porcelain Steel//www.architecturalmaterials.com//Porcelain Industries//

Porcelain Steel is very sturdy and it’s nice finishing touch for the edges of the sturctures introducing the theme of art is very polished until the desired tecture is reached. The manu-facturer says “Porcelain enamel on steel is a cost-effective way to create long-lasting surfaces that will not oxidize or fade under high temperature or harsh weather conditions. Porcelain is often used to enhance the mechanical properties of steel substrates, especially low carbon steel, often exceeding the performance of more expensive metal substrates.” This would give the gallery a nice finish round the areas where the sun would be hitting the most to avoid sun ray damage to the building and keep the aesthetic for a long lasting period.

Alexander Gama//Milled Aluminum//www.architecturalmaterials.com//Pendarvis Manufacturing//

Milled Aluminum has a nice finihed texture to it and it’s very aesthetic to the eye so that’s something that would look nice as an outside design or skin. The manufactor says “Mill Finish” is the natural appearance of the aluminum as it comes from the rolling mill (Alcoa, Reynolds, Kaiser, or Alcan) or the extrusion mill. It is “as is” with no external mechanical or chemical finishing. Extruded metal is considered mill finish.” The rough exterior would pro-vide a sense of authenticity to the gallery and a theme of what it’s about (as in authertic art, made rough in the concrete yard.

Alexander Gama//Anodized Aluminum//www.architecturalmaterials.com//Sierra Aluminum//

Anodized aluminum attracts me as a great bone material because it is very aerodynamic as well as sturdy. The manufacturer says “Anodized aluminum can replace expensive stainless steel in many applications, offering immediate savings in material and transportation costs, as well as in the future, due to the long-lasting durability, reduced weight, and additional properties unique to anodized products.” I think this would benefit our site nicely when building the structure since a gallery is constantly being reorganized it would allow for the structure to sustain for a long period of time.

EDES WEEK 8 :. PLAY IT IN DOUBLE TIME

PORCELAIN STEELAlexander Gama

MATERIALS: - Porcelain enamel - SteelCOST: - $ 98.86 per 1 tileTile Size: - 60 x 60 cm = 24’’ x 24’’Process: - To make, powdered glass is fused to a substrate or metal usually between 1,380 and 1,560 degrees fahrenherit. The powder melts, flows, and then hardens to a smooth, durable vit-reous coating on the metal, in case, steel.Installing: - Same type of install as tile or any other stone flooring.Weight/Thinkness/Amount in Pack - 24kg = 52.9lbs - 8mm = 5/16’’ - 3 slates per pack

This last quarter has been an interesting and quite eye opening with starting college, living on-campus, and beginning to experience studio and thes rest of

my major classes. I think throughout the progression of each project, I’ve understood what I need to

be doing and what I was going to get out it. I also think I learned alot from my mistakes in studio and used those learning experiences on some of these

projects. I really hope to accomplish more in the next quarters to come even if it is grueling work. Before, I used to be interested in architecture, but now, I’m

really becoming involved and way more excited about the future projects to come.

Final Statement of the Quarter