VOICES.

Voices...(Dialog).

Metric.Precedent.Presence.Moments.Duality.

These are my dialog graphics from a project from first semester. They depict different forms of dialog and communication with one anther that is key to creating a voice.

Voices are all around us. We have voices, people around us have voices, and the man made structures created have voices in a non-literal sense that creates a dialog. Structures and design are parallel to form a main dialog, to what is around us, what place we are in, and its purpose of existing. We use the metric system, precedents, presence, capturing moments of the space, and duality to create a voice for a a piece of architecture. 

Metric

The word metric refers to a measuring system to define how small or large a space is. Therefore, space also deals with scale. Based upon the measurements of something actually determines its scale. The Baths of the Diocletian, do a great job of  depicting a measuring system. It does this so well, simply because there are so many rooms of large scale, however, some smaller than others. Therefore, it is nice because you have good range. The Baths of Diocletian would be similar to a modern day shopping mall comparatively to the measurements. Being that the measurements defined the spaces and what their function was, ties well the the shopping mall. " In 305, Diocletian abdicated and retired to the fortress-palace he had built for himself at Spalato,on the Yugoslavian coast, forcing Maximian to step down as well. "(Rothe, pg. 277) So as you can see this is a place for retreat due to its great measurements from the metric measuring system. 

This is my first passageway model from studio. We had to use black and white material to create some form of a passageway. And my precedent, the tunnel, really allowed my mind to play with the concept of a tunnel. 
This tunnel was also a precedent for my first passageway model. 

This is our portal groups precedent for the project in studio. It became our inspiration because our historical context behind the project was stonehenge. 

Precedent

A precedent acts as a guide or a set of certain circumstances that allow inspiration to occur. In order to create a piece of work that is original but inspired from another piece of work. For example, people of the medieval time, were inspired from the Roman stool that was used for only important peoples'. They created more of simple format of the stool without the double curve. However, they were inspired, and thus the Roman stool became a precedent for the people of the medieval times. A lot of the times we have precedents for our ideas and do not even know it. Precedents are guidelines that we all use for all aspects of design. 

This is the Cathedral of Notre Dame- Ameins.  This altar greatly displays a sense of presence. You really feel comparatively smaller in regard to the altar. The altar really displays deity, thus giving portraying to you that there is greater than you. The altar of this cathedral really speaks for itself.  Therefore, this building creates presence within its purpose. 

This is the Moore Building of the UNCG campus. To me this building has presence due to interesting structural detail. Without the curved linear facade this building would be considered ordinary. However, due to its great detail and unordinary entrance way it gives the Moore Building a special presence over others. I believe that the building would not be as noticed if it did not have the curved linear aspect. It would just become apart the vast field of buildings that are just so typical. Although, that is the factor that sets the Moore Building apart from most buildings.  

Presence

Having a presence, is the state of existing or being known.  Presence can be determined by many factors such as, light, color, structural detail, materials, and purpose. To me material and decorative details are key when creating a presence. " Wood, ceramics, stone, and plaster were the materials that provided the base for the decorative techniques employed in the medieval period. These correlated with the status of the household. Prominent decorative techniques included painting and carving."(Blakemore, pg. 67) So as I convey presence, it runs a parallel with status. To me the materials and decorative elements play a major role in creating status. They are what truly show how wealthy and important the person or peoples' is. Also the details are really important to emphasize the facade of a building so that it is noticeable and memorable. Presence is also the feeling that you get when you are looking at or within a building. You get this sudden aura of an important atmosphere. Buildings create presence around us.  

This is a graphic that I did for my studio class in first semester. I used this graphic to capture the essence of my twig project. It also captures a moment from my project because it is the display of my twigs. You begin to see and understand the language that the twigs are portraying and their dialog. 

There are many moments all around us. 

Moments

Moments consist of many dialogs coexisting. Moments can be what the space was used for and how that expresses a particular part of the building or cathedral. In cathedrals, the people of the Medieval ages created many moments. For example, you have the choir, the congregation area, the pulpit, and the entranceway. One of my favorite moments is the choir. "The wooden truss roof over the nave and "choir rests on marble-veneered walls carried by arcades of near-correct Classical Corinthian columns." (Rothe, pg. 320) This really displays how important the choir was to the people of that time. They really made they area where the choir was really embellished. Truly they created an important moment for the choir. First of all, they have their own area and they are doing something separate from the priest. Moments are everywhere then and now. 

This is an Eastern architectural structure. It does a remarkable job of displaying duality. Observing this structure you notice how visually strong it is. However, then you began to think would it make as strong of a statement without the other rock. And to me it would not be. The concept of duality really works for this piece. One without the other would not convey the same message of strength and ever revolutionary journey. Also this deals with the duality of solid and void.  
This is my dialog project from studio. It is two piece to show that their are these two voices of sorts collaborating to form one. Within, these two pieces I wanted to recreate the dialog of an old couple still in love. Each piece of the project is representative of one participant in the relationship. Then when the two pieces come together they form this strong bond that is indicative of and old couple in love. 

Duality

Duality can be defined as a concept with two parts, or two aspects being compared or contrasted. However, how duality is defined really is dependent upon the context it is used. For example, Blakemore, states that in the Middle Ages, " At first the hall might have been separate from the building, but later it had standard relationships to the kitchen, buttery, and pantry, the screens passage, and private spaces as they emerged." (Blakemore, pg. 62) I feel this quote shows very well, the importance of duality in the Middle Ages. However, this quote shows duality as multitude of pairings not just one pair. Therefore, it allows us to see how the evolution of floor spaces has done more than just added space. The kitchen and the buttery are a prime example of duality in a comparative sense. It makes sense that they would conjoin the kitchen and the buttery because they correlate and they create a dialog with one another, "FOOD." Another example, would be the dais within the dining space. " At the upper end of the hall was the dias, a raised platform reserved for the lord to oversee his subjects; with the lord seated in the center of the great high table, family and important guests were seated on each side of him." (Blakemore, pg.62) This shows duality with a focal point of the dias and the decorative enhancement of that part of the hall. These to concepts work hand in hand to really draw attention to the dias. Withouth these two things the room would not seem to have direction or purpose. To me duality's main goals is to create a direction, a flow, and to show there is a purpose of the room. Which is the same context that we use duality in today. For example, the twin towers were two buildings that were interconnected and had devised of form of language together to create flow, direction, and a purpose. Duality is everywhere. We even as humans were created with a dual pattern. We have two eyes, two hands, two feet, and so on. So you see there really is power within the number two.