Color and Shape

The posters done in class show how color and shape can represent moods and personalities. Every color sets a different mood and can give more meaning to a picture. One of the posters shows the split personality of an individual. This individual has a strong contrast between their life inside and outside of work. It also show their style of life and hobbies. This graph shows the meanings of some colors and the mood they create.

After the shapes and colors project I realized how I used forms of both in my everyday life. The color of my bedroom and the type of furniture throughout my house reflects on the kind of person that I am. When I walk in to my rec room there is a clash of tastes all around where everyone tried to put of piece of what they wanted in to the design. I fell most comfortable in my room than in any other place in the house because of the ambiance I have created. The deep blue that my walls are painted enclose all of the lighter tones to create a smooth crisp environment.

Effect of Color On an Individual

Color can set the mood for people and places. Some colors can make one feel happy or sad, for instance, at wedding the color of choice to decorate with is usually white. while on the contrary a funerals colors are usually black. After the group project last week I became a little more aware of colors and how they effect or can even resemble a persons mood or feelings. Even personality can be drawn from things like texture, color, and designs that are in someones room or place they live. Red is considered the most emotionally intense color. It stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It's the color of love. Blue causes the opposite reaction of red. Blue is considered to be peaceful, tranquil, and can even be used to describe things as cold and depressing. Green is calming, earthy, and refreshing. Yellow can be used to describe or illustrate cheer, optimism, even embarrassment and lies. At times purple resembles luxury, wealth, feminine and romantic. Although I already was aware that color has and effect on an individual and can characterise someone moods or feelings but after the project I really thought about it a lot more and attributed these facts to architecture.

The following is a representaion of the use of clustered forms. The varying levels of the squares and rectangles wrapped around a tall cylinder, in this case used for the stairs, helps to create and interesting building to look at.

a map of radial form

This map of campus shows two specific points where you can see radial form. The first one is where the buildings GEB, OCB, LIB, and SCI come together. The second example is the CC, NMOCA, RC, LIB, and OCB buildings. The hill is also centered in the middle of campus with buildings all around it. Another good example is the circular staircase in the GEB. The halls to the rest of the buildings around come together at the stairway.

Thoughts on Shape and Color

It's interesting to realize what we know already, (at least on a sub-conscious level). As as participant in last week's exercise I don't feel that I contributed all that much. Nonetheless, it was neat to see how the other groups put together their collages. I thought that the character my group was given, (the older, scotch drinking professional), did have a tragic bent, and liked how a fellow class-member pointed out that it appeared as if his life was sitting on pain. Last week also got me thinking about my own apartment, and what themes, if any, had been established there. Just like the earlier lessons concerning form and shape, if one is so inclined they may find a lot of compelling things to view in the world around...

Shape and Color Project Reflection

It's hard to translate a person's personality into simplistic shapes, figures, and shades; until you really think about what certain emotions are evoked by different hues. Whereas blue may make you feel soothed, black may make you feel loneliness. It is interpreted differently by different people but it evokes creativity and abstract thinking whether constructing the project or interpreting it. It was a great exercise because architecture is not always going to set in stone, whether trying to interpret what a client wants, or trying to convey your thoughts onto paper.

Iportance of Color and Shape

I've heard many times from many sources that color is important in resaurants and stores to evoke emotions that help sales. I know that there are certainly some places I prefer to eat as opposed to others just because of the atmosphere. Shape and color is very important when it comes to designing spaces for people to interact with. The in-class project that we did helped emphasize that since it showed that even a person or their personality can be described with an abstract art form such as collages. Just based on colors and shapes we choose where to eat or how much to buy. Hopefully, if we become architects we can all employ such tecniques to make our spaces more effective and enjoyable.

Shape And Color

Shapes and colors can really identify people. Especiall colors. People likely to believe white and black are sad colors. Also people believe white is pure and black is dark, gothy and now emotional and so on. There are cold colors and hot colors. Cool colors make people calm and hot colors sometime give people anxiety. If the appearance of the color can change people mind, i believe one can identify people with color. Sape...umm...I don't really know how to say, but a shape of symmetrical represents people who is neat and specific? I don't know just my though.

Shapes and Colors

Certain colors and shapes can help define someone. Like the project we did in class we were able to define someone’s personality and mood by colors and shapes. Red is a color that describes excitement, while black is a color of power and authority. Blue and Green are more peaceful colors. Shapes can also define someone. A rectangle or square is used to describe order and security. A circle is used to describe wholeness and community. And the triangle describes energy , power and balance.

Grid Form at JCCC

For my example of a grid form used on the JCCC campus is the parking garage. A grid was used when designing each pilar and each level of the garage. Every pilar is evenly aligned and spaced with one below it, above it, or beside it. The image I've provided is not our actually parking garage on campus but is very similar to it.

shapes + colors = mood?

I sort of already knew that some colors and shapes can affect how you feel. My room is dark blue and white and I always feel calm when I'm in it, so I kind of knew that blue was calming. But I didn't realize the amount of thought that went into the choosing of McDonald's colors. Red makes you hungry and yellow makes you anxious that you want to get out of there fast; so you're hungry for their food but you want to leave ASAP. As for shapes, it makes more sense to me that people draw certain shapes when they're in a certain mood rather than shapes causing the mood, but I can still see how that happens.

Radial Form

I could not find many radial from among compus buildings, but I though the connection between COM, GEB, OCB, LIB, SCI buldings are explem of radial form.

Grid Form.

An example of grid form on campus would be the pillars located in the center and along the walls. The floor is an outstreched grid form.

Another example of grid architecture i was able to find, was of the Bauhaus in Germany. You can notice how the windows are all aligned symetrically and spread about the whole building.

centralized

One of the example of centralized form located on a corner site at 17th and Hope streets in downtown Los Angeles. It is an apartment with a circle moving create a circular form.

Linear Form

This is my picture of the Lib. from the side of the court yard, example of linear form.

Roundness

I find radial symmetry to be one of the most organic, pleasing formats for buildings and rooms. I have always thought it would be a good arrangement for a library, or somewhere that you wanted room for thought.
A building I found on campus that exhibits some kind of radial symmetry is an open area in the Student Center, where the Book Store is on the first floor. The base floor plane is round, and the walls center around a point, which is the axis of the stair case that winds up to the third floor.

(PICTURE TO COME LATER!!)

Here's a really cool radially symmetrical building:

Grid Form

The Exterior of the Nerman museum is an example of grid form in the instance of the interconnecting stone blocks which form parallel lines throughout the exterior of the building. Also if you peer into the background you will notice that the beams wrapping around the windows of the bridge structure also form a grid pattern.

Centralized Form On Campus @ JCCC

Centralized form is defined in Architecture: Form, Space, and Order, as a number of secondary forms clustered about a dominant, central parent-form. The GEB (General Education Building) on campus at JCCC is a prime example of centralized form. When walking through the building, and viewing floor plans online, it is evident that all elements are centralized around the middle stairs. Although the stairs do not appear to be a "dominant"form, it is a centralized point where the halls and classrooms (which are secondary forms) all stem from.

Clustered Forms at JCCC

As mentioned previously in class, an example of clustered form can be found on the JCCC campus where the commons building connects with the general education building. While the buildings are connected, there is no strong "geometric regularity." Nonetheless, the arrangement in and of itself is quite functional. The columns create a plane where students and/or staff may feel comfortable studying or socializing. Also this photograph could be considered an example of subtractive form

Linear Form

This is a picture of the library at JCCC. The part at the top of the building extends over the pathway below it and the columns extending out to the side creates the illusion of an enclosed space even though it is not. This is an example of linear form because it takes you in one straight direction.

example of linear form

This is a picture of the outside of the CLB building at JCCC. The columns along the side of the building help add to its linear form because it makes the architectural line easier to see. It distinguishes the edges separating the building from the walkway.

Centralized Form - GEB

Our General Education Building is an example of centralized form. The stairs in the middle of the building act as the centralized, dominant form and all of the classrooms built off in four directions (four hallways) act as secondary forms. The hallways of classrooms act as secondary forms since they are clustered around the central element (the stairs).

Architect? Suprised?

In the first chapter of Arhitect? I was actually pretty suprised at the earnings of an architect. I mean, I knew that it would fluctuate according to projects, style of work, and where they're doing their work at. What suprised me was that an average architect's wage is comparable to that of a school teacher, plumber, electrician, etc. I definitly would have thought a architect would earn more than those professions. Though I was pretty happy to find out that at the average income is solidly middle class for architect and that they can lead pretty comfortable lives. It didn't suprise me about the amount of dedication it takes to become an architect, i pretty much assume anything you want to be successful at takes a considerable amoung of dedication. It really sparked my interest when explaing the social higherachy of architects and the fact that they are well respected and admired by members of the social system who are considerably wealthy and think less of people they consider to be lacking in education. This was a big sigh of relief for me, not because I want to hang out with a bunch of rich people, but because I consider myself to be a people person and I have no problem getting along with others.

Art Video

After viewing the art video I was definitly most intrigued by Maya Lin's work of the "Ecliptic Ice Rink." I was most influenced by her work because of attributing art with architectur. Throughout my life and my interest I always loved art, but knew that I wanted to be an architect first. Maya Lin's work took both the art and architecture aspects and combined them to make something beautiful. The ice rink is not only something beautiful, but something functional. She took what was once a dull, borring park in Grand Rapids, Michigan and turned it into something so much more. I love how the idea was influenced by the motion that water makes when a stone is dropped into it from above. The fact that she added the lights beneathe the ice was really neat because it was like the stars were a reflection from above. I enjoy how she trys to incorporate earth, landscape, or "natural phenomena,"(as she called it) into her architecture. Maya Lin is a very unique artist/architect, and I hope that I will someday be able to do work similar to hers.

To be or Not to be...an Architect?

The Architect? book didn't surprise me much. May be becuse since I decided to study architecture, I got more discourage than courage from people. I heard many things like architecture students dropping out, changing carrer, and having too depress and having to give too many time on studying which the author also mentioned at the book. The author said people think architect are educated, and artistically sensitive and technically knowledgeable. I believe there are gonna be reasons why society assumed like that. right? Moreover I like that the author said "Only architecture seemed to provide the opportunity to create something lasting and immortal." this is one of the reasons I like about Architect.

Maya Lin

Among all the projects of Architects we saw on Monday, I am the most impressed by Maya Lin. I like the fact that she intends to create art pieces which are also useful, playful, and people can actually apply on it. Moreover, the “Ecliptic” ice rink is very beautiful, and outstanding. With the ice rink she also pointed out the idea that people can enjoy and play with a piece of art. What I inspire the most is her being artist and architect because I always think architects are artists who use their idea of art in designing building or other living material more than creating something just to look at it. I love art and I respect artists. I always wanted to be an artist, but I choose to be an architect because I like the idea of doing something useful with the idea of art. She proofs that architect can also be an artist. That why I inspire her the most.

Architect?

The most shocking thing that I found about the reading in Architect? was that the author was hinting that being an architect is more of a social hierarchy rather than a mega million dollar income profession. I never really thought of how stereotypically people think that all architects are super wealthy and living in eccentric houses on a hillside. It's surprising to think the public does not realize how diverse the field of architecture really is.

To be or not to be...Architect?

I can't say that I was especially shocked by any of the information contained in the first two chapters of Architect?. In fact I found the information to be quite informative and refreshingly blunt. While chapter two was slightly negative it also broke down some of the harsh realities that many architectural students and graduates have probably endured. I would rather be told the whole picture, not just what I might like to hear. I did find the suggestion that some architects must become fairly acquainted with legal matters interesting.

On the more positive side, in chapter one I found many character attributes that I possess. I also saw traits that I could probably use some work on. It was kinda of funny that the author mentions the fact that many working architects feel underpaid. Who doesn't? But as was noted in the last session of class, pay often times can equal effort.

Shocked

The most shocking part of the reading was about the danger of disillusioment. I wasn't very fond of the paragraph talking about how many architects after all the hard stuff is said and done, end up feeling like cheap whores thinking that they're designs are never appreciated and they just used day in and day out. I don't think I could feel the same way, but what do I know? I'm not an architect yet.

Maya as an Architect

Of all the artist/architects I like Maya Lin the most. Her experimentation with broken pieces of glass and all sorts of other material was very interesting. Her eccentricities are apparent after she has completed something, like the Ice Skating Rink, and during the build process. She has an ability to draw inspiration from the ordinary to the extraordinary and come up with something new.

Maya Lin: Better Than the Rest

Of the three artist profiles our class was shown I found the work of Maya Li the most compelling. It was her work that while aesthetically pleasing seemed to be the most functional. The pieces by Richard Serra appeared to exist for their own sake. James Turrell's church was nice, but overall his work also felt somewhat indulgent.

I liked how Lin's ice skating rink is both usable yet simultaneously just nice to look at. I found it interesting that she differentiated between what she considered to be two trades: one being an artist, the other architect.

Maya Lin

The Architect that I was most impressed by was Maya Lin. I feel that if Iwere ever able to build something of great importance, like Maya Lin's work it would be very creative and artistic. The ice skating rink, is the best example of her imagination and use of nature to create a piece of art, also used as entertainment. It's amazing how the stars in the rink are an exact replica of a small fragment of in the universe. Maya Lin even added artificial gases and water to add a better effect to the overall purpose.

Architect????

In the first two chapters of the book Architect? you will find more negative comments than positive. The first chapter titled, Why be an Architect? , starts off by sayings why not to be one, which makes you think you're reading chapter two. What I found most surprizing was the salary and the amount of effort and time put into the job. Most people seem to think Architects get good salaries, because of how expensive their services are. Chapter two of this book talks about the stress, status and lack of power that all lead to anxiety and depression. I never thought it could be hard in those kinds of aspects, I was more afraid of the Math, which everyone seems to think is a great part of it.

architect?

The part of the first couple chapters that I found the most surprising was how psychologically and emotionally draining the job could be. Obviously, all jobs involve some sort of challenge in regards to that, but I wouldn't have expected it to be so involved and prominent in architecture. It just doesn't seem like the kind of job that would involve a lot of stress and self-esteem lowering. Perhaps I should also go for a degree in human psychologically to make sure I can help myself when trying to fulfill my dreams.

Being architect

Although i might not make a lot of money being an architect, i will still do it. For me, as long as i enjoy it and feel happy doing it. That is enough. Everybody thinks that architecture is hard to learn, take a long time to build a career, but if we have passion on it. Everything is worth it.  architecture is not just include art, but also with a consideration of function.

I like this sculpture at Chicago Millenium park. unique and creative

Architecture?

I think the most interesting thing I took from reading the book was that the American Institute of Architects reports that millions of both adults and college students express interest in architecture. I never realized it was such a popular program. I've always assumed the competition for an architect wasn't that great. Maybe it came from the public’s opinion that all architects are rich, and that not very many people went into the program because it's so challenging. I was also glad to hear in class that the highest math was college algebra. Looks like I’m a step ahead now that I’m taking calculus.

Architecture? (Chap 1-2)

The part of the reading that I found most interesting/uplifting was the fact that Architects have more "fun" in their profession than most others do. The salary aspect mentioned by the author is somewhat discouraging, but if there's one thing I've learned already by having my undergrad degree and working the jobs that I have over the past 3-4 years - if you're not happy doing what you're doing, and you have no passion for it, what is the point? Sure, making great money is ideal, but life is way too short to waste it on working a job that you get up dreading to go to work every day. Give me a pay cut and the "fun" job any day of the week. I sure don't want to be like these guys, or work in an environment like this:

Movie for Monday

Of the architects/artists, Maya Lin was clearly the most influential. I like how the idea of the ice rink came from the fact that the rapids were overflowing, and she organically came up with the idea to turn it into something functional. She was inspired to do the rings around the rink, after seeing the rings that water droplets made as they hit the water. Finally, I like the reference to astrology, in the sense that the rink mirrors the stars and constellations. Overall Maya Lin did a very good job of relating her art to nature.

Architect?

The thing that caught my attention the most from the book was the salary of an architect. The author states that most architects make an average salary being compared to school teachers, plumbers, and electricians. When ever I thought of an architect I always assumed that they were making a lot of money, but instead it is just average. What also surprised me was that there is not that much math required for the field of architecture. I always thought they math was an essential part of the job, and architects needed to know a lot of math.

Not What I Thought...

Whenever I mentioned the word "architecture" to someone as a kid, their response was always "oh, that's a lot of math." I can get by in math classes, but it's always been my least favorite subject. I assumed that a career stemming out of that subject would also suck... So I was absolutely shocked when Mr. Schutzler told us that he took College Algebra for his math credit and THAT WAS IT! I'm actually majoring in interior design (for which I have to take Calculus by the way - WTF?) but I might have gone down a different career path had I known that the "math stigma" of architecture is incorrect.

What I thought a School of Architecture would be like.

Something else that concerns me about architecture as a profession is that it may be limiting artistically. As this interesting article points out ( An Architect Unshackled by the Limits of the Real World) architects who are very creative don't usually make too much money. I wouldn't really want to design strip malls, you know? However, Frank Gehry disproves this theory, since he obviously makes a lot of money - and look at his work:

Disney Music Hall, CA

Maya Lin

I love that Maya Lin designed an ice skating rink. She took something playful and human and entwined it with something beyond (yet a part of) this Earth: the cosmos. She said as she looked at the stars twinkling beneath the ice that she had "frozen a point in time" (or something to that effect). The particular set of constellations that she replicated under the ice skating rink only occurred once, and could only be seen from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She created something functional and beautiful that literally froze a point in time. I think that architects, as artists, have a responsibility to mark their time in some way. Their creations should reflect the personality and values of their era because they'll be around long after we're gone. Maya Lin is doing that for us.

I found some images of a few office buildings/residences that she has created:

This is a duplex apartment building that she designed in New York, I think it's interesting to relate these designs to her sculptural work, there are many similarities.

This is an American Express office building that Lin designed. The "raised plane" floor (how do you describe that?) next to the trees reminds me of the Vietnam memorial wall, it looks like it was sliced out of the ground, not built.

This was just called a "financial building"... I like how she melded that organic line into such an angular space.

Be Unique

Something I'm surprised or shocked by in the first two chapters of Architecture? is how little it emphasizes that, despite the over abundance of architects out there, your degree is what you make of it. That goes for any degree... whatever your aim may be, if you want to make big money with your education you have to do one thing exceptionally well, branch out and do other things (such as starting a business), and/or do what is in demand that your degree provides the skills for (which may not have been your initial thought for a profession). Regardless of how great we do in school or how amazing our degrees are, our success is based mainly on how we make ourselves unique.