learning spaces slide show

this is a copy of the slideshow i presented in late january focusing on learning spaces and the work of my third year studio. all of the images represented herein are student work or were uploaded from the web through a search on 23 january 2012 with the search terms "learning spaces."

blurry boundaries for design

here's a quick squib from the NEW YORK TIMES about one designer's ability to stay fluid in pursuing work. food for thought for all of us in the design industry: DESIGN ACROSS BOUNDARIES.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/arts/16iht-design16.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

making history active

at the end of the second week of school.....and under the leadership of their teaching assistants...students in my history and theory class hit the streets to MAKE HISTORY ACTIVE. today, students searched for circles, groves, and stacks as basic design elements using the buildings on our campus.

design manifesto

in my third year studio, students have been reading stewart brand's HOW BUILDINGS LEARN, a brilliant design manifesto. having just finished the chapter on MAGAZINE ARCHITECTURE -- a passage skewering architects and designers who pander to the public in gimmicky and flashy buildings and spaces -- our conversation turned to the manifesto as a statement of intent by a designer. i asked students to borrow a quote from brand as a starting point...and to articulate a design manifesto for themselves.

so, i began nosing around online for a few examples....and here's what i found:

A TERRIFIC MANIFESTO ON DESIGN EDUCATION
http://designcrit.com/mfa/design-education-manifesto/

THE MANIFESTO OF THE FUTURISTS FROM 1914
http://www.unknown.nu/futurism/architecture.html

and ONE ON SUSTAINABILITY
http://www.core77.com/reactor/04.07_chochinov.asp

what's my design manifesto?
MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE ONE OBJECT, ONE SPACE, ONE BUILDING, ONE PLACE AT A TIME.

what's yours?

stewart brand : how buildings learn

my students in third year studio and i are greatly enjoying the writings of STEWART BRAND. with great illustrations and salient examples, brand's HOW BUILDINGS LEARN forms part of the intellectual backdrop for a studio about LEARNING SPACES : SPACES THAT LEARN. together, we're looking at two library spaces on campus, querying the image and content for libraries in the future.

board of governors teaching award

i received the university of north carolina 2011 board of governors teaching award. you can read about it online at the unc page or with this pr piece from uncg.

the folks from our campus photographic services department kindly made a movie of the presentation at graduation on 06 may 2011. if you'd like to see that...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN24l8UhaAI

monticello + fallingwater

each spring, first year students from our program travel to monticello + fallingwater on a single trip with often quite memorable experiences in dining:

[1] way too much fast food in a 48-hour time frame, balanced by the amish-style country breakfast at the castleman inn (grantsville, md);
[2] entertainments with the on-bus movies (avatar, 27 dresses, and some documentary that i couldn't follow with parrot feathers being withdrawn from live animals);
[3] overnight accommodations in a building that i am quite sure doesn't meet building code;
[4] a 9-hour bus ride back through pouring rain, driving winds, and poor bus brakes...


...but those moments don't eclipse the opportunity to see up close thomas jefferson's great amusement on the little mountain and frank lloyd wright's studies on geometries in the forest...

...a terrific time by all.



i've been experimenting with quick sketch grids for visiting historic sites as a means to capture many details, because there's not ample time for overall sketches. i post the one from monticello and three from fallingwater...both accomplished during the respective tours.