People, Places & Architecture

aast, International workshop Tokyo, 14-19 March 2011

2011-03-09T17:18:00.000-08:00

aast, Advanced Architecture Settimo Tokyo, is a series of events ideated by CASARTARC, an architectural association in Italy, (with Andrea Graziano and Davide Del Giudice) to link the host cities of the UIA InternationalCongress of Architecture in 2008 and 2011: Turin and Tokyo.As the joint event of ALGODE TOKYO 2011 (http://news-sv.aij.or.jp/algode/index.html) the international symposium on Algorithmic design held byAIJ (Architectural Institute of Japan), Casartarc is offering the aastinternational student workshop in Tokyo on the theme:Generative Space for Tokyo: innovative use of wood with algorithmic design.

Objectives

The aast workshop aims at offering a unique, hands-on experiencefor architectural students to research and experiment in the field ofGenerative Architectural Technology and Computational Design applied toDigital Fabrication.Participants will be able to explore new concepts for architecture andurban space by setting up adaptable design processes and seamlesslyconnect them to the real construction of a 1:1 scale prototype for a temporary space in Tokyo. Computational design techniques and realfabrication processes will be approached and explored at the same timethrough the use of the most traditional of the building materials in Japaneseculture: wood. In traditional construction, the Japanese carpentersemployed their knowledge (passed on from generation to generation) to usewood as a construction material, solving joint problems in a way to createlong lasting structures.Now algorithmic programs can help the designer to explore several designprocesses at once, to generate new environments and to create adaptivesolutions for a particular spatial concept.Digital fabrication processes, such as CNC cutting can deal with extremelycomplicated but algorithmically controlled work, making it possible to usethis sustainable and natural material in innovative ways. By joining smaller,machine-cut pieces, according to an assembly rule to generate a whole it isthus possible to innovate along the Japanese tradition of creating patternsas a space-defining interface. Tradition and innovation, digital design andreal fabrication will be the topics of this workshop, with the aim to advancetheoretical research as well as potential practical applications of algorithmicdesign in architecture and urban design.
http://aast09.wordpress.com/

for more info see the flyer or send a mail to:

lorenaATalessiostudio.com, cristina.edizioniATtucanoviaggi.com

Right Brain Design

2011-03-08T00:48:00.000-08:00

Right brain design method - Introduction

Right brain design method - Proposal 1

right brain design method - Proposal 2

Right brain design method - Proposal 3

by Azizulhakimmusa

The concept of the left and right brain only lately popped up in the late 1960′s, but since has become a well-known part of human psychology.

While we all use both sides of the brain, each of us has a dominant side, and this dominant side makes up for a huge part of our personalities.

Each individual thinks a certain way, has more interest in certain areas, and above and beyond all — is most effective in certain ways. An accurate understanding of the left and right brain can help one to become more productive, efficient, and creative.

This article will cover a basic understanding of what the left and right brains are, and each of their traits. We’ll also go into how we, as creative people, can harness this understanding of the left and right brain to be more creative, as well as succeed in other work-related tasks.

What They Are, and Their Difference

Some may have heard of this, others may have not. Before we get too into specific examples to aid in our benefit, let’s go over exactly what the left and right brain are, and their associated characteristics.

Our brain is divided into two halves, as most of us know: the left and right side. Each side processes information very differently than the other, and the biggest difference is the visual aspect.

The right side of the brain looks at visual reference as a whole, whether it be a landscape, object, or piece of artwork, and then works its way into noticing finer details.

The left side on the other hand, first sees the details and puts them together to form the bigger picture.

Our brains use both of these sides, mixing and matching each side’s abilities for a fully-functional human brain. However, each of us has a dominant side that leans more towards the behaviors of that respected side.

There are a number of characteristics, many of which could be considered personality traits, that a person with either type of dominate side has:

Right Brain

Those with a right-side dominant brain depend more on visual references for understanding and are often times visual learners.

They are more emotional, swayed by feelings, and are able to better understand and reflect on these feelings. Furthermore, right-brained thinkers are very intuitive and curious about the world.

Finally, as a down side, they tend to be disorganized, lacking in time-management, and unable to prioritize well.

Left Brain

The left brain is the side that handles organization and logic.

Because of this, those that have a dominant left side are also very organized; they prefer schedules and deadlines, and love rules and regulations. They are more auditory learners, and are better at using words to remember things rather than visual aids.

They process ideas in a step-by-step, algorithmic way, and are therefore less prone to error.

Their Relation to Art, Design, and Creativity

As one may have probably already guessed, those with dominance in the right brain may be more naturally creative.

It’s easy to assume this because for one, right-brained thinkers are less common than left, so it seems as though one would be seeing the world differently from everyone else.

Also, the natural heightened visual nature and curiosity tend to make the mind never stop thinking of the alternative — as well as how it can be applied visually.

Those with a dominant left brain are far more common, and far more analytical. They may feel at disadvantage for not having that ‘natural’ creativity. Realistically, though, left-brained people can be just as creative; they just come about it in a different way.

To better understand the artistic nature of both sides, let’s take a look at a few examples of artwork.

Abstraction = Right Brain

Right brained people may lean more towards abstract art, because of its lack of order and disorganization. Abstraction also gives no boundaries, so it can be considered more ‘outside-the-box’, or creative.

Abstract art is also known to portray emotion, even with no hard visual evidence. A right brained person may more easily be able to pick up on an abstract piece’s deeper meaning.

Orderly Art = Left Brain

In contrast to abstraction, left brained people may be more attracted to a more ‘orderly’ form of art — either photo-realistic, or otherwise. As long as it is artwork with guidelines, form, and sense, it works.

Below is a painting, with plenty of creativity — but also with little abstraction.

Find Your Dominant Side

Before discovering how to harness one’s own creativity, one must find which side of the brain is dominant. As we know ourselves best, we may already have a good guess based on the definitions above. However, for more accurate results, there are a number of quizzes one can take online:

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz for Artists
This quiz is targeted at artists, with the questions concerning painting. Even if you do not paint for your practice, you can relate them to similar practices. For example, if you are a web designer, apply the questions to your digital workspace, and your online tools to your painting supplies, etc.
Right Brain vs Left Brain Creativity Test
This is a more generalized test and may be more helpful to a wider audience. Furthermore, upon completion, this test gives you very detailed, highly accurate results, as well as further information.

Take the quizzes above and read through some more information. It may be surprising what you find, and you will probably already begin to brainstorm ways of making your work better based off of the results.

Benefit Your Work

Let’s now look into some further ideas of how we can specifically better our work by understanding our own psychology.

After taking the tests above, you may have found out that we are not either 100% right brained, or 100% left brained. We are a mix of them both, while some traits may lean far to the opposite side, and other may not.

Also, in certain traits, we may only be a certain percentage right/left brained, while the remainder of the percentage leads the opposite way.

We each have such unique characteristics, and an in-depth analysis of each (second test listed above) can help. Let’s now look over a few strategies that can help anyone with any combination of traits:

Understand Your Style

As shown above in this article, right brained people tend more towards abstraction while left-brained people tend more towards realism. If we have mixed characteristics, we may tend towards mixes in these forms of art as well.

Find your style, and your preferred mix of abstraction and realism. Adding more form may be for those with stronger left sides, but with hints of right-brained thinking.

Abstraction with a hint of form may be for those who lean right, but have a bit of left-brained thinking. It’s really a gentle balance, with an associated art/design style to go with that balance.

View a number of different types of art, and make note of which interest you the best. Save them in a collection, and review them later to find out their similarities, to test for their amount of abstraction, and to analyze how they relate to your own way of thinking. Then, reflect on that in your own work.

Abide by Your Brain

If you like organization, then use it in your art. Don’t feel the need to be more creative by being more quirky, different, or strange.

One can be just as original by using measurements, form, pattern, and rules. For left-brained people try this trick: create one rule to abide by for an entire design, and then come up with varying ways of altering that rule throughout the design to bring more variety.

For example, use only one shape and turn it into a large picture, use only one color in different shades, or try isometric artwork (below).

If you don’t like form, and would rather try out extreme abstraction, then go for it.

Don’t hold yourself to limits because you feel that artwork needs organization — it doesn’t. It can, but doesn’t have to. Right brained people should try experimenting with different colors, patterns, textures, and whatever else, all while keeping the big picture in mind.

Because right dominance means seeing the big picture and then the details, imagine the outcome first, and then detail along the way. (For right-brained web designers, this is one more reason as to why wireframing is so important.)

Work Around Your Faults

Because we can now better understand our positive traits, we can also better understand our faults. Identify them, and think of ways to build upon them.

Instead of fighting disorganization everyday (both in artwork and business/life), use tools and resources to make it easier, and try to make certain organization habitual.

If one has trouble finding creativity because they are overly analytical, like above, don’t fight your natural instinct of order. Instead explore new methods for harnessing creativity and practice new techniques.

Remember, nobody’s graphic design or artistic talents are perfect at first — no matter what their natural traits may be. Both sides must work at it, and must be better able to accept their faults and work on them to better themselves.

Wrapping Up

Understanding the right and left sides of the brain is a great way to better your work, and to obtain a better understanding of who you are as an individual. Often times, the path to better creativity lies in science and logic — in this case, psychology.

As we can better understand ourselves at this deeper level, we can better understand what we are naturally good at and what we should put our focus on.

In contrast, we can also better identify where we’re lacking, and think of smarter solutions for combating our faults.

Written exclusively for WDD by Kayla Knight.

Feel free to share your thoughts on this matter, as well as any recommendations to fulfill our natural faults, or strive in our natural talents.

Port Arthur - Historic sites

2011-03-05T16:09:00.000-08:00

"Port Arthur and Coal Mines Historic Sites are two of eleven historic places that together form the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property"
Few pictures of Port Arthur buildings. To read more about Port Arthur history and its offered activities, click here.

Port Arthur Historic Sites

We spent just few hours at the site before heading back to Hobart. They journey from Hobart to this historical sites took 90 minutes driving, even with our "Baby Lambo". But, we were a bit frustrated to give up for the Ghost Tour which only offered at night. Indeed, its a scary, mysterious, spooky place, even during the day. Read more about the Ghost Tour

by Azizulhakimmusa (Ibnu Musa)

Architecture Melbourne

2011-03-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

Shrine of Rememberance, Melbourne :

"In remembrance of those who served and those who died in the Great War of 1914-1918 and armed conflicts and peacekeeping duties since.

The Shrine of Remembrance is Victoria’s largest and most visited war memorial and is probably Melbourne’s most recognised landmark.

It is a permanent and lasting memorial to the ANZAC spirit which is confirmed by the number of visitors to the Shrine throughout the year and the many people who attend the more than 120 ceremonies that are held at the Shrine annually.

The Shrine is located on Melbourne’s most recognised boulevard, St Kilda Road, just south of the Melbourne central business district."

More info of this Building : http://www.shrine.org.au/content.asp?Document_ID=1

Melbourne Recital Hall

Melbourne Recital Center :

"Melbourne's Recital Hall will be ranked amongst the world's great halls for its uncompromised acoustic, architecture and artistic program." Excerpt from The Recital Hall Brief; December 2003.

Already, in the architectural world, there are explorations into the new music space. Most of these new buildings have been concert halls - a type less restricted than the Recital Hall. Frank Gehry in Los Angeles and Rem Koolhaas in Porto have attempted such reinventions. We too searched for a meaningful architectural response to classical and acoustic music performance in the 21st century.

Surprisingly we began with the shoe-box - the shape that the experts say guarantees/predicts acoustic perfection. Once adopted, the formal issue becomes a non-battle. We escape the desperate attempt to deny the box. Instead, the resolution of the Hall becomes one of the creation of room-ness, a remarkable room of spectacle, surface and sound.

Source : https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/aboutus/the_building

The building in front of Melbourne Museum.It was closed at that time but, still mesmerized me of its details and shadow effects. Pretty good relieve and recess plays on the facade.

Federation Square : Melbourne Meeting Place

The place that i spent most of my time while in Melbourne. "Fed Sq, Fed Sq, n again Fed Sq."

"Meet at Federation Square. Everyone else does. Ever since this landmark cultural and entertainment destination was opened to the public, Melburnians and visitors have been gathering here. Locals have embraced Fed Square as a true reflection of their city, with rich cultural experiences, a diversity of places to eat and drink, unique shopping and a wealth of information to welcome visitors. Fed Square is where cultures meet, friends meet, minds meet and worlds meet. No wonder all of Melbourne is saying, 'Meet you at Fed Square!'' (quote from Fed Sq website : http://www.fedsquare.com/)

Mineral Research and Tourist Hub, Badwater, CA

2011-03-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

Biomimicry Parametric Architecture in Death Valley, CA

Project :Biomic Architecture
Mineral Research and Tourist Hub, Badwater, Death Valley, CA
Group : Azizul Hakim Musa, Abdul Azim Marzuki & Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Din

Design Exergesis
The origin of this prototype is the will to answer with an innovative architectural proposal (Biomic Architecture) in very extreme climate of Death Valley, California, United States of America. To create the fluid language towards a building as the environment machine, three flow conditions have been put into consideration including human flow, sunlight, and air movement. The proposal has been driven by strong principles of environmental and sustainable design. The idea of the design is to bring new attention to biomemetic solutions, creative answers to design problems based on the natural functionality of biological adaptations and eventually enhance sustainable building practices as well as find organic solutions to whole building system. The systems used are numerous, integral and across all levels of the design. Moreover, the development also aims to be the tourist and research hotbed for the minerals.
Dealing with hot and arid climate gives advantage to use different design approaches and strategies. Abundant sunlight, salty water bodies and vast salt plateau are the key for producing green energy electricity by using solar molten salt technology. The use of hybrid tri-generation plan reduces carbon footprint by optimizing heat waste generated by the plant to be incorporated in cooling and heating system.

Biomimicry | Parametric | Architecture - a living organism in Death Valley, California

The high evaporative rate and the aids of prevailing south-west wind give advantage to a passive desalination system to evaporate water at the site. The fresh water will be supplied to internal courtyard and provide passive cooling from channelled air. Active water desalination system uses sunlight to produce pure salt, and water which will be feed the turbine and daily consumptions.
Evaporative Cooling is the main indoor climatic cooling features. The air moves from lower ground to the upper floor due to negative pressure created from thermal chimney, will be cooled and freshened by wet mesh and internal garden at ground floor before being supplied to the entire building spaces. This cooling strategy will continue at night with the use of thermal mass in that chimney, and at the same time the upper accommodation area will have evaporative cooling directly from the air that cross ventilated as the skins open.
The design and layout of the building reduces energy consumption by maximising access of natural ventilation and provide excellent penetration of natural light to living spaces. A large area is given over to full height atrium allowing natural stack cooling to occur through all the spaces including accommodation area. Furthermore, it enhances the internal view while providing fresh air to the spaces. To achieve that, mechanical systems are aided to utilise a complex building system that allows individual spaces within the building to be heated and cooled as integrated hybrid system.
Double skin facades are used to reduce heat gain inside the building. The outer glass skin is separated by a large ventilated cavity from an inner double glazed skin. This cavity contained adjustable and retractable automatic mechanism fabric which response to the sunlight and shaded the internal skin and aesthetically creates patterns. Besides, the North skin designed from the flow of human in the building from scattered condition to more focus and organized as it goes higher, where users’ circulation is kept near to the edges that offer views.

In brief, should the building succeed in what it aims to achieve. The Death Valley development will be the example of a new era of sustainable architecture in the desert. The program created within the parameters will be the option for the conventional fuel as source of energy to a renewable energy generation of hybrid system.

Explorable Services Area - Building for Educating

by azizulhakimmusa (Ibnu Musa)

Black and White Collections

2011-03-04T14:47:00.000-08:00

Hanis Abd Razak

Harith Mikhail Zikril Hakim - Light ray on Little boy

Harith Mikhail - Black and white

Shahril Hizan - Smoker

It is worth exploring Black and White editing. Just be reminded that not all of the picture, work well in Black and White. There's certain rules you have to obey when turning your collections into Black and White. Mine might not be the best example for you guys. You better check out for Wazari Wazir who has deep passion in Photography. My sifoo!

by Azizulhakimmusa (Ibnu Musa)

Heritage Studies, Pariangan, Padang Indonesia

2011-03-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

It was indeed a memorable trip for us. Pariangan, Padang, Indonesia is not an ordinary living place. It is a place of the 'Other'.There's no direct water supply to houses. Some managed to tab fresh water from the hill, but most of them have to walk approximately a kilometer to reach the bath area, and toilet at one of the river bank. Hey, don't too underestimate this place. They got 24/7 hot water supply for free, and its a bounty of God to the people there.. We spent almost 2 weeks time settling our BIG task; measuring, documenting, analyzing one of the thousand wonders in the World, Gadang House (Rumah Gadang) of Minangkabau people.

video montage by Hanis, Reza Afandy and with few pics by me and Azim.

by Azizulhakimmusa (Ibnu Musa)

Animation Project) One heart – Orientation week

2011-03-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

This video was created by multimedia committee : Me, Azim, Omar with co operation of our Ze9th batch members.. Thanks a bunch to all of you guys for your support!

Its the video we produced and presented during the Opening of Ukhwah Bonding Week organized by Ze9th members for juniors of Kulliyyah of Architecture and Built Environment, known as Architex.

Title : Break the Wall between Us!
Song title : Black and White

DE' ANCHOR SHOPPING COMPLEX

2011-03-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

Considering all aspects that will influence the fluidity of building programme, this eye catching buidling is designed to meet the regional needs as to rebuild the dead city of Johor bahru. As the site is located on a very high value land, DE' ANCHOR therefore, is designed to maximize the use of this precious land with high end concept, as to attract different level of target users and not to contribute any decrement of other existing market of nearby shopping complex.

Anchor is chosen as it suits well with the objective of re-anchoring the tourist especially from two main sources, which are Singapore and Malaysia. Wing type floor plan is applied as it incorporates balance to both needs and wants of users, which then contribute to a sustainable building design with less energy consumption.

Special putting green and gymnasium are placed on a very private leisure zone, at the very top floor to anchor permanent customers and users of the future apartment due to very limited site area. De' Anchor is expected to become a meeting point of various people which has the same worldly objective, 'MONEY' (sigh~~)..

by Azizulhakimmusa (Ibnu Musa)