Final Project!

The last day of the summer workshop finally came and went. Let me just tell you that I got a little taste of what it's like to "live in the studio" as all your artist friends like to say. It may sound fun, and at times, it can be, but for the most part, everyone has their iPods tucked in their ears and are working dubiously. Long hours or work, all building up to our final project- to design a balcony in the Pollack building at VCU inspired by a concept taken from our original "well designed object" that we brought in on the first day of class. Check out my other blog posts for more information! So, without further ado....my final project...


This first picture is my critique board including a watercolor I did, a couple of small concept models, words I was working with (adaptation was my concept), and some drafting- plan, longitudinal elevation, and transverse elevation.


Here are the drafts close up. This one is a transverse- that means if I were to stand in the room and look at one side of the balcony, this is what it would look like. Darker lines indicate things that are closer to you. The hatch marks indicate things that have been "sliced through."


This one is the longitudinal elevation, meaning if you were to stand in the courtyard (aka you would be floating two stories off the ground) in order to look into my balcony. The two tall, hatched line are columns. You can see the stairs on the left and a space for personal introspection (required in our program) to the right. Also, the transverse elevation would be looking at the left side of this.

This is what is called the plan- meaning if I were to look straight down on the space, this is how it is drawn. The space of introspection is to your right and the hallway is at the top of the picture and the courtyard is at the bottom.

So, if you aren't an architect, it may be difficult for you to envision the space as a real space. So, I've also included some pictures of my to-scale model made out of chipboard and museum board. I will walk you through the space. Before I do, here were some of the guidelines:

There must be 3 spaces-

Transition 80 square ft

Group Discussion 145 square feet

Introspection Space 60 square feet

The Group space must be visually separate from the hallway, and the introspective space must be acoustically and visually able to be cut off from the group space. The transition space must be able to access the introspective space and group space and balcony edge.

So, as you walk down the hallway inside the building, you would see this...

As you move past the wall and turn the corner into the space, you'll notice that the second wall is displaced into the space and the ledge from the hallway (the hallway is 4 inches taller than the balcony) has been extended into the space (that the white on the floor..)

Moving into the space you would be able to turn right and you would see this- a staircase leading to a platform and a seating height with table. Running along the balcony's edge, you will find a bar height ledge to lean on and talk to people in the group space. Above (on the ceiling) you will notice a dropped ceiling- more on that below.)

As you stand in the group space, your eye travels along the dropped ceiling to the introspective space.

Here's a ceiling shot for ya...

There is a door that slides in and out of the wall (pocket door) that can shut off the introspective space, but also gives some openings above eye level, so the space is not a completely shut off box.

Here is the final space looking down (just like the plan draft above)!

And looking in from the courtyard...(just like the longitudinal elevation above!)

All of this is why I haven't been able to post for a week- sorry for the delay. I have been sitting at my little table staring at pieces of cardboard for hours. But, I'm very proud of the space I've created and I'm really looking forward to my materials class so I can become a little more educated on how to choose what these spaces would really be made out of in real life!

Please post comments so I can get some feedback and know someone is reading my blog! haha