Thursday, March 27, 2008

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Friday

First thing, (for all of us)---
Marc, I was hoping you could clarify again for us the performative techniques assignment. Although we have done one already, it's hard to say if most of us really understand the process we were exploring. If there's any way that you could explain it in a different way than before, I think it would help most of us create something more meaningful and is really pertinent to our project and investigations. This way, when it is incorporated into our research booklets, it will have a more cohesive relationship to the rest of the book's information. Or maybe, if it's still hard to explain, you could give some more examples? or suggestions? Just wondering...

Second,
I have been working on my diagrams for Friday and have been focusing on the interior space and proportional relationships of the building itself. Also, because my thesis explores architecture and design as a mediator between man and nature, I am trying to also do some site diagrams that relate the building to the city, it's occupants, and the natural surroundings (the river, the high line park, etc. etc.) so that hopefully this will lead to a clear connection between the three. Does this sound like it's going in the right direction?

this last part is for Lindsay--
I have in my notes that the person Marc recommended is Rachel Whiteread, not Rachel White. I'mnot sure that her name is spelled correctly here, but it's what I wrote so maybe that will help you figure things out until Marc write back and confirms this? hopefully :)

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

my drawings for friday

so I've been thinking and trying to decide what drawings I want to do.  I'm almost positive I've decided to go with the site just outside of SoHo with the large empty corner lot and the building is also on a corner.  I think it allows for a larger area and more visibility to the neighborhood and hopefully more impact.  So one drawing will be a more complete analysis of that building and adjacent lot.  Because of my program, my site has contextual parameters I think I should diagram... the relationship of the building to the lot, to the sidewalk and streets, to the neighborhood as a whole.  I am not quite sure how I would or should diagram these relationships.  I have been looking at some books, one being one of Paul Rudolph's works, with diagrams in it to get a better idea of what a good diagram includes or shows.  Any other suggestions on where to find good examples would be helpful, I am not the most experienced diagrammer.
In terms of a second drawin
g, I have no idea what I should do.  Should I do another drawing pertaining to my site/building.  Or could it be a drawing of some sort of precedent I have been looking at??  I was in Philadelphia briefly on Friday, detour on the way to DC just to get a Philly Cheesesteak from the Reading Terminal Market, and I loved the market!  It was horribly ugly but the concept behind it I thought was great.  It's been around since 1893 and is 78,000 sf with 800 vendors.  I loved how it combines so many types of markets into one, with vendors selling baked goods, produce, meats, seafood, jewelry, crafts, and restaurant vendors all in one indoor public space.  I'll attach a picture of the plan would I could produce a drawing to understand the circulation and use of space within the market. 



















Also Marc, you told me to look up Rachel White, but I am having a hard time finding information on her, tons of Rachel White's in the world.  Is there something more specific I could use to search for her?  Or the name of a gallery she's displayed at?

And any other advice or direction you think I should go or work on after looking over my book would be helpful.  I'm a little hazy on where to go with performative techniques and if concentrating so much on perception of materials is exactly where I want to stay with my investigation or if I need to look at other techniques I am interested in as well.  

Thanks!

Monday, March 17, 2008

virus?

Marc,
Can you try and set the blog to private or something so that only members of the blog can post?
Random people keep commenting on posts and when you click the comments it starts to download some strange executable file. Looks like a virus....

Friday, March 14, 2008

my thesis

Sorry i didn't elaborate before as I was so exhausted ...and still am..
the idea behind the department store hosting the space is that historically department stores have acted as a intermediary for fashion and the consumer to learn about fashion and to have educated employees service their customers.
I am thinking that a way for department stores to get back to their roots is to have them host a space in which they display not only the history of fashion but even more so the history of retail and the ways in which it has impacted our world and specifically New York City. giving a perspective on the importance of fashion as a means of design and of course relating to the architecture which houses it.
So as opposed to being just about the fashion designers it would be a museum of education about fashion and giving it a "real" meaning as an art and a driving force in our society whether we acknowledge it or not.
So many people disregard fashion as a commercial endeavor and don't realize the impact it has on us.. like all artistic endeavors.. just like painting or sculpture or architecture of course!
As this is about rebranding the department store, I also want to bring the customer service and education of fashion aspect through the use of personal shoppers who instead of using the department store as a mall.. it will be the use of Soho that the personal shoppers will bring clients - of all levels of income.
Thirdly, as part of the rebranding of the department store is to have a social aspect of the space, such as a restaurant that would bring in clientèle that might not think of entering the museum/concept space or contact the personal shopper. This idea has been done is almost every museum and department store in the country and i believe could act as an interesting way to blur the boundaries of the art of fashion with its practice on each individual everyday.
Overall it is about bringing the department store back to its roots and updating it for the modern retail experience which includes education and personal attention to consumers.
As department stores still regularly hold events this space would also have the ability to hold small scale events but is by no means about being an event space.. just another facet of the department store concept.

Jessica- thanks for your input .. it helps as I try to develop this idea. i really appreciate it.

Although Andee and I are both doing fashion we have both been making an effort to not read or listen to each others ideas as not to influence our concepts. of course there will be some overlap but i think our ideas or different enough so that we each create our own unique ideas and space.

if anyone is going to be around over break let me know and we can help each other out
have a great weekend!

marc

I don't know if you've checked your pratt mail the last few days, but I e-mailed you yesterday to give you a heads up that I'll be at class today, with my book, but that I have to leave a little early.
Hope it's not a problem!

Andee, Fashion Event Space





Andee, I found this earlier in the week when I was exploring retail precedents for my mini-thesis in Jack Travis' class.

This was one of the venues for a recent Paris fashion week. I believe the space was used for shows by Chanel and YSL.

I thought it had an unusual similarity to your space in terms of the type of building being converted to a fashion event space..

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Tiffany...

I think it could be interesting. I understand why you're moving in this direction. I don't think it's too much like Andee's, especially because Andee is really pushing the event space aspect. Yours doesn't have to be an event space. In reality, there's really only so many ways you can go with a fashion project that's not obvious-not that it's a bad thing. In fact, it's almost more interesting to re-invent what has been done.

Now, I know you have already been writing all day, so I just have some thoughts, but they are just thoughts and you don't have to take them too seriously, but it's what I thought of when you said museum/concept space.
Perhaps if you are no longer doing a boutique hotel and you are really going to explore this museum space, you could do a Contemporary Museum for Fashion and Design. It could have all kinds of interesting exhibits that showcase the history of fashion in one wing, and then in another wing new exhibitions, and in another wing it could be great cultural influences in fashion whether they are environmental, or political, or architectural or music or literature or science--or ANYTHING!
It could be crazy to find where some of these inspirations are rooted and that they don't just come from mid-air, so that people can really begin to grasp what real fashion is about and that there's more to it than some rich designer with a lot of money who draws cartoons all day and makes costumes.

Such a place could be a great backdrop for galas and events but does not have to be designed as an event space. Like the MoMA or the Guggenheim, for instance. Besides, what better place than NYC to create such a space that could attract all kinds of people from all over the world and that could actually bring some cultural and artistic benefits to the community and NYC tourism?

Just some thoughts. Although I think the space for Bergdorf Goodman is an interesting idea, I think it has a very narrow clientele. And although it is meant to be exclusive, I'm not to sure that anyone without a Black Card would really relate to or understand your project...(exaggeration, but you know what I mean)

just thoughts, I can see the gears turning so I'd keep moving...

hmmm....

Tiffany this sounds really interesting, although it sounds just like Andee's?

Friday?

Anyone heard from Marc about Friday?

Tiffany's program

Well i have finally decided on a program: A Fashion Museum/Concept space presented by the high-end Bergdorf Goodman specialty store which includes a full size restaurant and availability for events including small scale fashion shows.
i have been writing all morning and think it is all finally coming together. My research includes : program, specific examples/precedents, history of department stores, Cast-iron architecture, Soho, the relationship of fashion to architecture (masking, cinematic, Theatre, structure, surface, material, illusion, etc.)

Marc, I was also wondering about tomorrow's class and what if anything we should have prepared.

Question about Friday

Marc-
I was wondering what the plan is for Friday?  Should we be prepared to present something or pin anything up?  Or are we just talking about the books and handing those in?


Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Marc, for friday..

Hi Marc,

I just wanted to let you know in advance that I will have to leave early on friday. As I had mentioned a few weeks ago, there will be a trip to Falling Water organized by AIA Club of Faculty of Architecture and we leave at 2:45 pm on friday. I hope it won't be a problem since it's a school trip. We can meet at 1:30 or earlier, too, if you wish, so please let me know.
See you on friday!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Is this your bank?


Hey Andee,
I found this image while researching libraries for studio. If this is your bank, I couldn't remember the exact name, I thought it's a cool image, minus the weird pink background. If not, oh well! See you all tomorrow!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

ORGANIZING

this may or may not be helpful to you guys...I think I was talking to Kelly and Andy about an orgainzation format for ideas:
  • what have i done? - charts,images, words

where am i at?

  1. what do i already know
  2. what more do i need to know
  3. how do i find out more info
what is my purose?
create a chart or diagram addressing what these chategories have to do with your idea>
  • education
  • marketing/branding
  • technology
  • economics
  • psychology
  • sociology
  • context
  • culture

Marc


Is this the book you want me to read?


Thursday, March 6, 2008

Sustainable winery.......


Hey all,
I know time is pressing to not still be working this sort of thing out, but I'm starting to get on a roll and just wanted to know what your thoughts are before I go too far...

I have been talking to more people and exploring my pre-sis as well as the meatpacking district some more and I am changing buildings. As interesting as the building I found was (the one with the bridge to the Chelsea market), the only reasons I have had for my project so far were related to the trendy tenants of the neighborhood, and the relation to the market and restaurants nearby. Because I hadn't been looking beyond this until this point, I was relatively uninspired and wasn't convinced about my own ideas for the project, and was afraid it was a little 'empty'.

But my train of thoughts are bringing me to a point where I am developing a more meaningful project. So, I have decided to explore the potential for creating an experience that takes the city back to it's agrarian roots (thanks for some of those related ideas, Lindsey and Guinevere!). I wanted it to be a place that not only ties the industrial to the agricultural, but more importantly nature to man via architecture. But to do this in a meaningful way, I want the place to have a positive impact on the neighborhood and on the city, so it can be a place where people not only experience the process of wine-making--an experience not typically found in an urban environment--but also where people young and old, can be educated about sustainability, agriculture, and New York as it used to be when it was divided into farmland and not densely packed with urban architecture...

I would like to try and develop a LEED gold, or even platinum building, that it would be placed on the high line, in a building where ties to nature via the views to the river as well as the new high-line park become more than a scenic backdrop for the restaurant/bar, but also an interactive experience with what's left of nature in the city. Adaptive re-use of a historical building, green roofs, and a potential for actually growing vines---either in a plot in the new park, or on the roofs, are also other ideas. And sustainable materials again would bring that connection between nature-architecture-man. And although I wouldn't literally place a whole vineyard on the high-line, growing some vines at the site would allow me to demonstrate the process from beginning to end, further enhancing the winery experience. sorry for any run-on sentences/ thoughts--it's just what happens to be flowing from my brain at the moment.......

What do you all think? any thoughts?
Also, anyone want to recommend a specific building? I have some in mind for tomorrow already but that is of course able to change....

Shibboleth



I found this during my explorations. It was at the Tate Modern, and it called Shibboleth and is by Doris Salcedo....

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Marc..

Marc,

I wanted to let you know that I just sent you an e-mail, assuming you might check here. I would really appreciate it if you take a look at it and reply. Thanks!!

Sorry to disturb everyone else.
Good luck for the reviews on friday!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Thesis

I have been working on my statement a bit.. i think i am getting closer but still need to work on it. Please let me know your opinions and comments.
Marc- can you let me know if i am on the right track with this?


As we move through the urban landscape we are constantly experiencing a cinematic sequence through varying degrees of illusion totally fabricated by man in his quest to live inside the urban fantasy. The illusion of Manhattan’s idealist desires are constantly in flux, as a “theatre” of progress, recreating itself both through its architecture and fashion. Both architecture and fashion in New York City create theatrical illusions that mask and change perceptions. Fashion and architecture in the urban landscape constantly exist in movement representing and changing with time. They both exist through the manipulation/displacement of material to create a new surface consisting of both an exterior and interior quality which hides the natural condition of either the material and/or body which exists inside it.

Daniel Buren at the Guggenheim Museum


Anish Kapoor

Robert Smithson Mirror installation