Portfolio Lilyana Halevacheva

ARCH 101

Inspiration I got inspired by looking at some random images on the Internet and also in books. I liked the idea of spiral movement often shows up in nature –hurricanes and tornados; in the pattern of seed in sunflower, in growing tips of ferns, in the pattern that leaves grow on a stern, in the shape of mautilus, shell, shape of DNA molecule. The spiral is simple journey of life.

Research on Built Environment and Natural Environment Both build environment and natural one have qualities that are extremely fundamental in our lives. For example, outside of Winchester mansion received nearly as much care and attention as the inside. The cast external facade is bursting with Queen Anne Victorian architecture feature like turrets, towers, curved walls, cupolas, cornices, and balconies, all outlined with finely detailed trim work. The natural environment I feel along the trail I am compelled to stop and become absorbed. This is sense that requires to be interacting with nature in a way that I am open and perceptive to surroundings. To be perceptive is matter of will, we have control over it. I find myself in this deeper state throughout the day. What magical means? Magic (illusion), the art of appearing to perform super natural feats using sleight of hand, escapology, or other methods Also: mystical, paranormal, or super natural activity;

Thinking of the Qualities of the Site! Specific gravity of materials tell us how many times is the material heavier than water. The higher the specific gravity is of the material the higher the density of concrete made with and the higher will be the force require to crush it and the higher will be the corresponding strength of the concrete. 1.We have to think of the visible site approaches+ develop concept; 2. Significant aspects; 3logical responses; 4.Design response beyond site; 5What will our effective collaboration;

Pictures from the courtyard

Exploring the courtyard sides and thinking of the qualities each side has. 1. Discussing our few proposals and their place in the courtyard 2. Thinking of the qualities each physical model has. 3. Thinking of how much we will satisfy the requirements if we build a physical

model in a certain side.

Iterations and Design Process

My first 3 iterations were just simple hand drawings. I really was inspired by Frank Gehry and I wanted to mimic some of his shapes into my design. I was fascinated by the movement of shapes and the created space between them.

Combining the Iterations Of Team Members

1.We did the conceptual design base on what we had discovered during the site analysis. Five of us came out with five different designs. 2. We tried to combine all five designs into one most of them had the vertical surface in their designs.

Refining the Final Model Using Auto CAD

We are refining very carefully before we start building our final physical model. We are capable with the help of software to precise every view of the real model, detail, complicating design and all the information that we need in order to build physical model.

1. Based on all Iterations decide what materials will use .

a)This may seem like an obvious point but we must know what you are building before we select our material. Our project requires durability and strength we thought wood will be the best option for our design.

2. Choose the right grade and doesn’t cost much. a)cost is a factor.

b)Not all wood is created equal

3. Going to the store (what we should get)

b)Wood is also the practical choice. It's a superb natural insulator. When finished properly and maintained, wood is extremely durable and resistant to time and the elements.

Lets think of materials…

4. Estimating materials 1. 13 pieces of 7/16 OSB( sheeting) 2. 19 of PVC pipes ( can be 1” (or) 1 ½” diameter 3. 2x2(pole)-10 pieces (4 pieces for stand at “spider

legs “) 4. 4x4(pole)-1 piece 5. 16 pieces of 1x4(10 pieces for “spider legs” of 6

pieces for gate) 6. 6. excluded the sitting bench and fog

Major Concepts and Intentions (Narrative) We can enter to our “Team X” installation down the stairs or from whatever drew the viewer toward it. If we consider as a first place that visitors encounter is the area beneath the “spider legs.” This is an open area to welcome larger groups of visitors. It is here that we see how the spider legs echo the columns and beams that form the breezeway of Batmale Hall. The sider leg intentionally points the Civic Center in San Francisco that contains many of the city's largest government and cultural institutions. The San Francisco Civic Center was designated a and listed in the National register of Historical places. The converging spider legs draw you towards the enclosure.

The second spatial experience is created by the walled enclosure that forms the heart of the installation. This small area is intended to provide individual visitors with an opportunity for a more private experience. Here, alone, looking up through the open enclosure, we sense our relationship with sky above. When we are at the center and looking at the sky- is a psycho-spiritual exercise for centering the consciousness. It’s doesn’t matter if it’s sunny, rainy, foggy, cloudy. We are fully responding to weather conditions. The most important is that these distinctions are categorically used in the organization of the square enclosure that emphasize and frame a visitor’s line of sight. The upward reaching spires surrounding us signify our aspirations and desire for greater things. Directly above us we notice a network of nearly transparent lines steadying the spires. They form geometric web of fleeting beauty. When sun enters the enclosure there is creating beautiful shadows on the walls. Although we are enclosed in the tight confines of the walls, the horizontal slots allow us look out on the outside world and remain connected.

After some time alone in the enclosure, the visitor may exit and recline on the seat. Here they have an opportunity to relax, reflect, and enjoy the view framed by the canopy and its vertical supports. The design created by my team is building a chair a number one concern is the comfort. The canopy gives us the chance to view from a different perspective. The slot in the canopy above directs our line of sight to the east where we see the variety of elements comprise our city: hills, homes, streets. A final spatial experience can be had beneath the fog shrouded canopy behind the seat. We choose fog in our design because it is unique true experience for San Francisca s. Fog sometimes occurs without our expectations. But we are happy. More than happy to incorporate the fog as something real that it is in our everyday life. Here, visitors may pause or follow the fog around the edge the enclosure where they will encounter the first of the neighboring installations.

Tectonic Language Elements: our design is composed mainly of two types of elements:

1.The first type is the planar elements. a)Four vertical planes of plywood have been used to define an enclosed space at the core of the structure. Since we want visitors to be able enter the space, we’ve controlled the degree of enclosure created by the planes by allowing them to meet only at three corners. One plane stops short of the corner and the other bypasses it. By not allowing these two planes to meet, we've created an entrance to the interior space. The opening between these two planes has the effect of isolating the individuality

b)The degree of enclosure we've created is also affected by the absence of an overhead plane inside the structure. This was our choice because one of our intents was to create a space that would encourage the visitor to look up at the sky above them. c)Planes are used again to form a canopy on one side of the structure. Again the degree of enclosure created by the planes has been controlled, this time by creating a slot in the planes that allows one to see through them to the sky above.

2.The second type is linear elements. a)Linear elements of dimensional lumber

have been used to create the long extensions that we're nicknamed the "spider legs." Their forms were meant to mimic the columns and beams of the breezeway here on the backside of Batmale Hall. The linear elements were an efficient way of extending the overall footprint of our installation without requiring a great amount of additional material. Another advantage of using linear elements is that they are excellent for directing a viewer's line of sight. This is important because besides mimicking some of the forms of Batmale Hall, our spider legs are meant to point in two very specific directions, one to the east, and the other towards the symbolic center of San Francisco.

b)The converging angle of the spider legs also has the effect of drawing the attention of approaching visitors towards the entrance of the central enclosure. c)Linear elements also figure prominently inside the main enclosure. Here we have series of vertical PVC pipes arranged in a spiral configuration. By their close proximity to each other, the pipes form another enclosure within the enclosure created by the wall planes, but the spacing between the pipes is loose enough that the sense of enclosure is not claustrophobic.

3. Important decision that we have made: One important decision we made when planning the construction of our installation was regarding the treatment of connections—whether to minimize their number and their visibility or to make them a prominent feature in the design. We decided to not hide them. We realized that the connectors were not simply something that was necessary to hold the structure together, but they were also an opportunity to add complexity and layering to the design. With that in mind, we were mindful about the placement of connections, positioning them at regular intervals and in consistent orientation. There were instances where, for structural reasons, we had to add additional elements to our design. We treated those as more opportunities to add to the complexity and layering of our design. For instance, when we saw that our vertical plywood walls were bowing and would require some sort of bracing to keep them flat, instead of bracing them internally, we braced them on the outside using boards that were sized and positioned as a visual response to the diagonal slot openings in the walls, in that way, they contributed to the design rather than simply being functional.

Building Process We made good decisions to use wood in our project. After we refined the model we had different experience out in the courtyard. It is totally different journey to build physical model. There are other issues that we met: 1. Small to full size is more demanding; 2 issues become real; 3. Structural issues is it doable?); 4. Safety;

Critiques from Jurors 1. The jurors didn’t interrupt us during team X presentation; 1. The jurors commented on our board presentation and said that is very well organized. 2. Model designed with intent 3. Multilayered and complex 5. The was a question why we used PVC pipes. There are in close relationship with all other materials that we used. Also they cost less than metal, for example. 6. Appreciated that we have combined all of iterations (ideas) in one but this is not always necessary to be good. We had to avoid some elements: 6.1 avoid –fog in the design 6.2 exclude the black cracks on the ground reminding earthquake. They said it is the weakest part of our design. 7.It doesn’t seem that the hearth of the work is the walled enclosure but the point where spider leg join in one pint.

Strength and Weaknesses of Our Design

Strengths: We had the opportunity to work as a whole group. We had

really helpful schedule that gave us a chance to be on time and work on our project. All of the people in the group were always on time . We always finished what we were up to for the day. 1.We had a rationale from which were drew qualities and developing design language. 2.We had a meaning and values ;density and complexity for our design; In general we had principles and strategies that we employed to unify our forms into beautiful whole. We had planes in proportion, that is harmonic because correspondents in relationship with each plane. It is created to move viewer’s eye around the model;

Weaknesses: Although we put a lot of effort to create a design when keeping

our objective on sculpture biography(our experiences; how we evoke experiences to help others feel) we did not quite responded to the pine tree and it looks that it is part of our design.

To Succeed in ARCH 101 Jerry is a great professor that every student will learn from. But learning has to be persistent. Students should keep up with their work because this is design studio and requires lots of time. To succeed it is import to manage time and I am encouraging every student to be very thoughtful when taking design studio class. Will be challenging at the begging just like every beginning. But at the end of the semester everything will make sense and you will perceive the world in different way. Jerry played important role in my education and I am more than thankful to be a student in the arch department !Thank you Jerry!