For Friday, please critique a map or other graphic that represents one or more of the following:
- the surface and interior of a human-modified environment
- the complex shape of an object, building, or other 3D feature
- the functions, activities or emotive responses of a place
Citation:
Rosen Group Architectural Design. “on the boards” (renderings). no scale. Accessed on April 9, 2010.
URL: http://www.rosengroup.net/pages_folder/boards.htm
Key Words:
Thematic map, vista, tour, a snap shot, stationary object, slide in a presentation, unknown sources, pen and ink, graphics software, perspective, shape, area reference symbols, architectural sections
Discussion:
The Rosen Group is an architecture design firm based out of my hometown, Summit, New Jersey. Most of the work they do is in the area. Right now they have two projects still being designed including the Grace Episcopal Church in Madison and the Harding Township Library in Harding Township. I included all three of these perspective drawings for the two places because they have very different styles. The exterior drawing of the church looks like it was done by hand with watercolors and does not try to be extremely realist but just gives the viewer a sense of what the space will look like. The interior watercolor drawing of the church looks similar in style to the exterior drawing, but it includes people to show how people will interact with the large interior space and give a sense of scale. The rendering of the library is extremely realist and definitely done with graphics software (probably AutoCAD). It took me a second to realize that this was not a photograph, so this rendering was probably meant to feel like the project was already done. This range of renderings shows how different styles and degrees of realism can evoke different feelings about potential structures.
Citation: Oakmayne Plaza North Tower (3D Rendering). No scale. Accessed 9 April 8, 2010. Keywords: Perspective, oblique, rendering, snap shot, graphics software.
Discussion: The rendering of this planned skyscraper certainly fits the booster’s traditional use of birds eye views. Light is a main component of the rendering, contributing a realistic feel to the work as sunlight and shadow come through the buildings and onto the grass below. The use of texture is also important in its composition; the pavement and walls of the building look very realistic, despite the bizarre form that the building takes in some areas. The varied reflections on the windows are also important to the realistic view of the skyscraper, completing the image of a modern apartment complex.
The main appeal of the rendering, however, is the energy and life that the building will apparently bring to the area. A food cart place has conveniently been placed outside and one really gets the feeling of the human interaction and commerce of a city when looking at the pedestrian area. This may also appeal to a sense of community hoped for in constructing this new building; mutual green space within the complex itself also seems geared toward that role. Nearby trees also lend a garden city feel despite looking fairly two dimensional in some cases. All in all this rendering does an effective job of displaying a community-oriented skyscraper: the work is highly realistic, there’s enough green space present, and the plaza is full of busy, energetic pedestrians.
Citation: Nissan Corporation, “Nissan LEAF Performance Video” 2010 http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/details.jsp#/details – Click on “learn about Nissan LEAF’s performance” video link at top left of page
Key Words:
Discussion: Tour, 3D model, advertisement, image on a screen, video, realism
The video is a promotional description of the world’s first full production electric vehicle, the Nissan LEAF. The video blends 3D modeling of the car’s exterior and interior with illustrated descriptions of the products most attractive features. The modeling is simplistic, with clean lines and simplified textures, an attempt to convey the central emotional appeal of the LEAF: simplicity.
The intended use of the video, beside convincing consumers to purchase the car, is to allay specific concerns that many customers have about emerging technologies like electric vehicles. The presentation emphasizes the contrast between the calm design of an electric engine with animated, noisy representations of internal combustion engine components that the LEAF lacks (the car has no transmission, timing belts, and requires no motor oil). There are dozens of technical differences between the LEAF and traditional vehicles, but the video chooses to focus on these three notoriously problematic, annoying and expensive components, promising ease of use, low maintenance and again, simplicity of design. Drawing this contrast also answers one of the most common concerns voiced by consumers of hybrid and electric vehicle technology, which have to do with the maintenance costs of batteries and other computerized components. This video reminds consumers that traditional cars come with plenty of maintenance problems of their own.
The car is a full sized five passenger sedan, has no tailpipe, can travel 100 miles on a single charge, and will cost $23,000 dollars. A full charge takes 4 hours at a home charging station, or 20 minutes at a quick charging station (to be placed at gas stations around the country), and at current electricity rates would cost about $3.
Citations:
Tao Lei (2007). An Architecture Model. China.org.cn
Key Words:
Architectural model, vista, snap shot, image on a computer screen, primary sources, graphics software, shaded relief, perspective, architectural views.
Discussion:
This model attempts to show the complex shape of a structure with six perspective views. Each view pans to the side to show the different facades, but each one is also tipped slightly differently in order to show a little bit more of the internal structure of the building. What I like about this presentation is its simplicity: there is no texture, no color, no people, not even any hint at the material type. There are only planes and the forms that they create. It is definitely important to note that this would have to be one in a series of models for this building, with other models that showed the aspects mentioned above.
This model addresses the question “is more realism worth it?” by stripping away all other variables in order to display form and space. If the model’s purpose is to only show these things, then it was successful. The side walls on the first façade are left out to show some of the interior space, allowing the viewer to imagine themselves inside of the building. On the other hand, the matte gray against a black background makes the model look like an alien landscape, which is not the most inviting for people. Also, the models were probably created in a software similar to sketchup, and they are in two-point perspective view. This makes them easier to look at than paraline representations, but also preserves fewer variables. I would guess that this sequence was constructed by the architect for his client as an initial mock-up, as the views do not seem to be conducive for actual architectural planning.
Toyota (2010). Solar Roof and Remote A/C system for the 2010 Prius (animated demonstration). Accessed 9 April 2010 at http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/demos.html.
Key words: Demonstration of a feature, animation, image on a computer screen, graphics software, perspective.
This video demonstrates the optional solar powered ventilation and the remote A/C systems available with the 2010 Toyota Prius. The demonstration is easy to understand and does not require any sound, which is helpful. It begins by demonstrating the main problem that these features solve: cars getting very hot while they are parked in the sun. It then illustrates how a solar roof (surface) powers an internal fan (interior) that ventilates the car while it is parked and turned off, so that when you come back to it, the temperature within the car has not exceeded the outside air temperature. They also demonstrate how with a remote control, the driver can turn on the air conditioning before even entering the car so that the car is sufficiently cool when the driver gets in. In order to show the ventilation and cooling taking place, Toyota uses a simplified mechanical schematic consisting of different colored arrows (orange for hot air and blue for cool air) and simple animated symbols representing the sun, the fan, and the air conditioner. They show only the exterior of the vehicle when explaining the problem, and then when explaining the solution, they make one side of the car invisible to show how the features are improving the air in the interior. Overall, this is a very well done demo video that will no doubt cause buyers to swoon and spend a few extra thousand dollars for these highly modern features.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/things-to-do/sites/goldenrod.vam.ac.uk.things-to-do/files/Westfield%20plan.jpg
Design rendering, tour, long exposure, portbel object, poster, graphics software, planimetric, all to scale (horizontal plane), toponyms, point/area/line symbols, bona fida boundaries
I found this architectural plan for a British shopping center on the blog of an architecture professor at the Royal College of Art in London. The blog post discusses the history of shopping malls around the world and this example focuses on the design employed to keep shoppers in the mall. What I find interesting is that the plan itself is quite hard to deciper, but like any architectural plan was accomplished for an audience with specific skills (designers, architects, builders…) who would be able to understand and use this rendering of the space most effectively. The professor juxtaposed this plan with other 3d renderings, illustrations and photos of the mall in order to make the space more clear to a novice audience. The complexity of the illustration and the difficulty it may pose to some viewers the importance of good design decisions. While the map is clearly a tool for some is informative to the extent that it preserves scale, distance, and direction (in a horizontal plane), it can also be quite mystifying.
Citation:
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid – Solar Decathlon (2009). “The B&W House – Market Viability.” http://www.solardecathlon.upm.es/en/bwmarket.php. Accessed on April 8, 2010.
Key Words:
Reference map, vista, a snapshot, stationary object, image on a computer screen, unknown sources, graphics software, planimetric, preserves shape, scale, area, and distance.
Description:
This image in not necessarily a “map”, but it can be used as one. It is essentially the floor-plan of a house viewed from straight above the 3rd floor. The viewer knows that this is the 3rd floor because in the middle of the house, 2 different staircases can be seen, as well as the floor directly below the one being viewed. Although this is clearly a digitally-generated picture of this house, it is also very realistic in several ways. First, there are shadows being cast from the different parts/aspects of the floor plan; the walls are casting shadows, as well as a lot of the furniture. This is because of the light source that seems to be coming from the bottom of the image. The light source is strategically placed above the height of the walls (i.e. NOT directly behind the windows) because this allows for the parts of the floor plan towards the back to cast shadows as well. What also makes this image realistic is that some of the furniture has clearly been moved. For example: in the middle room on the right, one of the 3 chairs appears to be pulled out a little from the table. This gives the viewer a sense that this is not just a house, but also one in which people live.
An interesting aspect of this image is the point on which it is centered. The viewer can clearly see the walls facing him/her in the rooms towards the back of the image, and he/she can see the walls facing away from him/her in the rooms towards the front of the image. Therefore, the center point of the image must be somewhere in the middle green area (which appears to be a view of the grass). Interestingly, the viewer can see the walls of 3 sides; therefore, the center point must be somewhere along the right side-wall.
Citation: “The Bungalows at Sandy Bank Bay” Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts. Web. 9 Apr 2010. http://www.christopheharbour.com/real_estate/bungalows/
Keywords: St. Kitts, Christophe Harbour, photograph, realism, computer rendered, view, real estate, rendering, interior space
This image is part of a real estate marketing scheme for a new development in St. Kitts, West Indies. I worked construction there over the summer. The development company is trying to convince people to buy overly priced bungalows based on the view and luxuriousness of their construction. These images are interesting because they are combination of photographs and computer rendered images. The interior space appears to be a photograph of a model of the Bungalow that is constructed elsewhere on the island, but that doesn’t have the same view. A rendering of the view has seamlessly integrated, and the lighting between the inside and outside is convincing. The view that is rendered is also fairly accurate in terms of what you would actually be seeing. There is a very high degree of realism that is intended to give the potential buyer certainty that they know exactly what product they are going to get, yet the beauty of the image comes from taking the interior photograph and tweaking it so that it is more similar in aesthetic to the exterior rendered view. By using a photograph for the majority of the image, the company most likely also saved time and money.
Bodies video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg7FuKqKY4E&feature=related
The Weather Channel (2010). “Step Inside a Tornado (video). http://intothetornado.com/ Accessed on April 9, 2010.
Key Words: Animation, Modeling Software, Graphic Software, tour, Internet Use, interactive object.
For Tornado Week on the Weather Channel the website currently features a scenario creator where one can create their own tornado, and chose a perspective to experience the tornado. The model is classified as a tour, created on modeling software that allows for the recording of view-fly. This is obviously intended for Internet users interested in learning more about tornado, or weather buffs who spend too much time thinking about the weather. Once the perspective and the intensity of the tornado have been selected, a video modeling a scenario begins to play. The scene is a rural landscape with only a few detailed components. The objects in the rendered landscape could have easily been made using a program such as SketchUp. The interaction with the model is limited to a series of recorded videos based on the perspective of the object. For the purpose of this animation, I think minimal detail works. The goal of the model is to show users how powerful a tornado can be. Viewing tornado from the perspective of a car relieves that a powerful tornado can throw a car hundreds of feet. The texture in the landscape includes some varied topography, 3D trees, weeds and grass, and spring new grass coloring seen from the bird’s eye perspective. The dynamic aspect of this model is that there are multiple perspectives.
Citation:
Vimeo. “The Black Hole” (virtual model). No scale. http://vimeo.com/2146061. Accessed on 9 April 2010.
Vimeo. “Case Study House 22.1 – “The tectonics of reciprocal integration and the new domestic image of luxury”” (virtual model). No scale. http://vimeo.com/2052780. Accessed 9 April 2010.
“Mathew Knight Arena Fly Through” (virtual model). No scale. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_r8GnptqHg. Accessed on 9 April 2010.
Key Words: model, geographic, a snap shot, stationary object, video on a computer, unknown sources, modeling software, perspective, shape, area, maybe scale, cross sections, architectural sections
Discussion: I first saw virtual models in a presentation during J-term. It was a really sweet virtual walk-through model of a college basketball stadium that is going to be built in Lexington, KY. I couldn’t find it though so here are some that are similar.
These virtual model are all really cool and for different reasons. My favorite is “The Black Hole” model because it incorporates many of the concepts we have been talking about in class this week. Albeit a bit bizarre and Mars-like at times, the model allows the audience to begin by moving through the landscape surrounding the Raiders’ stadium itself via car and also from an elevated perspective view from many different angles in order to show the complexity of the structure from the outside. Then you are taken inside the stadium and toured through what it would look like as both a spectator and a football player. This model is highly realistic and not only capture the physical dimension of the space, but also illustrates activity of people within the space and creates a definite mood through music and virtual people’s actions.
The second video is almost as realistic, but it lacks as strong an emotional response and does not clearly convey the functionality of the space in terms of people and the activities they would perform there. What is interesting about this model is the way in which they show you the interior design of the structure before filling it in and making it look realistic. They also show the space from every angle, even the bottom, quite fluidly which is nearly impossible with a static map.
I included the last model because it is an interesting to compare the first one and this one because they both represent stadiums, but do so in very different ways stylistically. Although this one is not as realistic and fails to evoke any sort of emotional response, I liked the softer, more sketched-out representation of the stadium. It feels a bit less intimidating and sterile than the others and is definitely more aesthetically pleasing.
Citation: Superstudio (Italian, est. 1966-1982)
http://www.landliving.com/articles/0000001336.aspx
Key words: shape, scale, volume, site-specific, emotive, experiential, architectural drawing, art, color pencil, photo, collage
The image suggests human interventions on the natural landscape, and more. I find it awe-inspiring in that it connects the familiar with the unfamiliar, the concrete with the abstract and, the complexity with the simplicity. The drawing might not portray a real building; rather, it evokes the experience. Imagine standing in the building and listening to the sound of the tides, watching them break into little drops and disappear. Imagine the sun going from one angle to another, casting shadows on the illuminated water at different angles. The architects convey the experience that the building might bring by contrasting the sharp, glossy, glass-like texture with the rugged, humble one of rocks. The reflection of the rocks and waves are carefully rendered on the flat surface, which is also reflected in the water itself. The volume of space is simply an aggregation of cubes, which serve the purpose well. Something complicated and illustrated in details would be superfluous. The unmeasurable qualities of waves, wind and the intrinsic natural circle do not merely manifest themselves in these defined lines. They unfold fully when such lines embed themselves with a specific site, and therefore, carry on meanings. One of the intents of the image is to acknowledge the human gestures rather than to hide it, thus, the choice of using color pencil is deliberate and essential. There is something in between the hundred blue lines – soft and steady – that can only be brought out by hand. A hyper-realistic portrait (say, a computer-rendered 3-D model) would not have evoked the same degree of imagination because it would have had killed it in the first place. Rendering is not so much about giving the reader what they want or what they expect to see, but rather what would speak to them.
Zebra Imaging. Concept Video. Zebra Imaging, Inc.: Austin , TX. 2008.
http://www.zebraimaging.com/html/gallery.html
Keywords: Data exploration, tour, snap shot, interactive object, context: flat surface, unknown sources, graphics software, 3D perspective
This site is for a company that claim to make holographic visualizations for architecture companies, industrial designers, medical technicians, and so on. Their concept videos show the fairly amazing possibilities of holographic technology. It seems to mostly be a useful way to explore a plan or design. With regards to a plan for a city block or structure, it provides an easy way to manipulate 3-dimensional model that can be either realistic or abstract. It is hard to know if this replaces the utility of actual physical models, or 3D models on a computer screen. This is limited to a straight-on or straight-down view. They highlight that no special goggles or viewer is needed, which would allow for an easy presentation to an audience.
This seems to fall into the trap of a lot of other 3-Dimensional visualizations. It can have a big “wow” factor, but is it really the most effective visualization tool? It is a static object and not a screen on which layers can be manipulated. However, as with architectural plans or presentations, multiple holograms could be used to show different sections, plans, or views. The technology is there – it still comes down to good use of and design for the medium.
BERG (2009). “Here & There: a horizonless projection in Manhattan looking uptown from 3rd and 7th.” No scale. http://berglondon.com/projects/hat/. Accessed on 9 April 2010.
Keywords: tour, snapshot, poster on a wall, 3D, plan oblique, perspective, GIS and graphics software
This model combines a low-elevation, highly oblique, close-range perspective view of and a a high-elevation, plan oblique view to map Manhattan. This combined projection gives an intuitive, 2.5 D view of areas near the perspective point, while a larger extent is produced by the curvature of the projection and resulting plan oblique view of more distant areas of Manhattan.
The authors use visual variables very simply. Buildings are colored solid gray, with dark gray touches used to indicate windows and basic architectural detail. The map uses color to draw out prominent features, such as the street grid, tourist attractions, and public parks. Coloring the roads yellow makes visible a yellow ‘grid’ covering the surface of the projection, which helps the reader visualize the projections’ curvature as the look at the more ‘distant’ portions of the map.
The authors explain their reason for creating the map as: “Because the ability to be in a city and to see through it is a superpower, and it’s how maps should work.” This premise is intriguing–combining elements of different map projections so as to include the projections’ respective strengths in a single graphic. However, I suspect this graphic’s greatest strength is simply being aesthetically pleasing (the text directly above this graphic states: “The map deserves to be examined at full scale. Prints from a limited run are available for purchase,”). This map definitely wouldn’t be useful for navigating a city, especially as combining projections distorts the size of Manhattan, and distance between objects, more than would occur by using these maps separately.
Adjaye, David. “A Design for the National Museum of African American History and Culture”. 4/9/10 date accessed. http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/04/15/arts/design/20090415-smithsonian-slideshow_index.html
Keywords: Design rendering, snapshot, image on a computer screen, perspective, scale unknown.
This is a digital rendering by the team who won the design contest for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, set to open in 2015 on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The strength of this rendering is its ability to situate this building in the context of the National Mall and in reference to the Washington Monument (2nd rendering). The choice of placing this building in a spring setting evokes a sense of renewal and awakening, a subtle quality that speaks to more than the aesthetic of the building itself. Situating the camera at three different perspectives really gives the viewer an idea of not only the position of the museum but the texture of the exterior, light of the interior, approximate size, and overall aesthetic of the building. The interior view, though last in the sequence, gives a depth to this overall rendering showing that the design itself is not “hollow”, or without thought being put into the actual inner workings and functionality of the building. This rendering leans completely toward realism with little abstraction. Texture enhances each rendering, especially the panels inserted in the interior view. The fact that the light, texture, light, and people are all created with such precision gives the rendering a polished, finished quality that allows the viewer to imagine they are present in the scene.
Citation:
Christopher Millard (1964). Analysis of needs for pedestrian movement and rest along a path system. With Man in Mind. Cambridge Mass: The MIT Press. Page 94-95.
Keywords: Drawing, design, sketch, black and white, behavior, activity, tour, print
What kind of movement does a path of a particular composition afford? In what kind of outdoor space would one feel most comfortable sleeping, talking intimately with a friend or reading? This is a series of graphics that go after these questions by illustrating three elements of a behavior and providing a brief description of the behavior.
The first combination of four illustrates “brisk walk to get from A to B”. Right below this description s a simple sketch of a man who appears to be walking quickly with a dog. Below is a line and arrow graphic depicting the flow of this pedestrian. The flow is represented as a straight solid line. The last element of this sequence is a gently curved solid line, a representation of the ideal path for this user.
The graphic has 20 combinations of user groups and design principles connected to them. Each combination is in black and white. They are very simple, but their meanings are clear. The meaning of a group of children leaning towards (chasing) a dog that also appears to be running is obvious. This is not a realistic rendition of what the scene would actually look like but I get sufficient information from what is provided. I can fill in the rest of the scene. With this in mind, “a maze of flowing paths and areas large and small to play in” makes a lot of sense for this user group.
This graphic is very affective at conveying design principles for types of behavior. It does so using very few visual elements with a purposeful lack of realism, but it works. The message of each sketch is simple. So instead of spending my time trying to figure out what elements of the graphic mean, my mind is able to construct the scene the way that I see it.
Downtown Rising (2010). City Creek (virtual tour). Salt Lake City: Downtown Rising. .
Keywords: design rendering, tour, sequence, interactive object, image on a computer screen, unknown sources, graphic software, perspective, toponyms, architectural sections, realism.
The Downtown Rising website provides a number of images, maps and virtual tours to describe the massive development they promote for downtown Salt Lake City. The virtual tour I chose is of City Creek, a mixed-use development, paid for by the LDS Church, spread across three downtown blocks. The virtual tour flies through the new development, and the graphics show realism through moving people and cars, trees, color and texture, and even water flowing through the middle of the development and timed fountains. It flies through the exterior shopping district as well as a bit of the interior architecture. The video incorporates existing buildings that appear outside the development, adding to the realism by adding context. The tour takes place throughout the course of a day, with the streetlamps and car headlights turning on once the sun sets. The tour ends with a bird’s eye view of the entire complex.
The booklet attached to the Downtown Rising project (http://www.downtownrising.com/downloads/DTRbookletFIN3-11.pdf), tries to evoke emotion through written descriptions of street character (as either “boulevards,” “transit corridors,” or “promenades”), character districts (for the arts, commerce, conventions, religion (Temple Square), and shopping) and green spaces. The booklet uses watercolor drawings to show the architectural renderings of the districts and streets and a few digital renderings of buildings, like the Global Exchange Place and the Performing Arts Center.
Oops, having a bit trouble with the link:
http://www.archicentral.com/bolleswilson-win-korca-masterplan-competition-in-albania-23374/
“Korça City Center Masterplan” BOLLES + WILSON (Architectural Drawings).
Keywords: Scenographic Urbanism, Design Rendering, Tour, Sequence, Computer Program, hand-drawn, 3-dimensional, urban planning, conceptual architecture, perspective drawings
The architects based their winning masterplan proposal of Korça, Albania on the concept of scenographic urbanism which balances new buildings and public spaces, while simultaneously recognizing and exemplifying the historical importance of each city sector. The plan identifies five zones of revitalization which all have unique characteristics yet work together to create a functional city. Both artistic hand-drawn renderings as well as computer generated proposals are included which helps show the technical aspects to the design while simultaneously speculating the emotions and patterns of human interaction that they hope the new city sectors will stir up. The proposals are drawn in various perspectives (streetview, planimetric, + oblique) which each serve a function to highlight the functionality and aesthetic appeal of the new city. The oblique renderings of new sectors depict 3-dimensional perspective drawings of buildings and serve to highlight the architectural diversity and street layout of the area. The planimetric views serves a technical purpose as it tries to show more abstract ideas (increased functionality of the layout, streets serving as connecting axes) that will arise out of the plan, while the street-view rendering is a highly abstract prediction of the emotional and sensory experiences that a human will have when walking the new streets.
The designers’ use of color is highly effective in the plans. The oblique depictions of the city sectors use vibrant colors to highlight the area affected by the city restructuring (forming the foreground) while subdued pastel colors are used modestly in the surrounding area not affected by the plan. This technique replaces the need to include bona fide boundaries in the rendering and suggests that the sectors will grow organically from pre-existing neighborhoods.
1. Citation
City University, London. “University Building.” http://www.city.ac.uk/maps/buildings/university.html. Accessed 9 April 2010.
2. Keywords
Reference, tour, snap shot, internet use, planimetric, neighborliness, building map, Sketch Up-like program
3. Discussion
This little map shows the location of the University Building in City University, London. It was created using a program very similar to Sketch Up. The mapmaker color-highlighted all the buildings that are part of the university within this view, and placed a red dot on the building that is the main focus. This 3D rendering is effective for several reasons. It highly simplifies the city scene it is rendering while still maintaining high level of detail for the buildings that are part of the University. The detail plus the highly visible color makes locating University buildings very easy, and avoids extra clutter of other unimportant buildings (whose neighborliness and shape is maintained, which provides enough for the reader without overwhelming). Further, the roads are highly simplified for easy travel with the eyes across the map. I think this map demonstrates the effectiveness of finding a balance between reality and simplicity that can be achieved when you have a good idea of the intended use of the map.
Lilly, Alan (2008). “3D Visualization of Broken Arm” (video). http://panofish.net/3d-visualization-of-broken-arm/. Accessed on 9 April 2010.
Keywords: manipulable object, snap shot, interactive object, video, SketchUp, primary sources, 3D
This blog post shows one man’s DIY method of visualizing his healing broken arm using SketchUp. He was unsatisfied with x-rays and a CT scan representations of his bones, which are highly complex 3D objects to visualize in 2D (particularly to examine fracture repair). So he vectorized the CT scan, which gave him a series of cross sections of his arm, and then used these in SketchUp to create a 3D model of the bones in his arm. The 3D model turned the CT scan, which would be hard for most non-medical professionals to make sense of, into a manipulable 3D object
I found it most interesting that Alan decided to make this visualization on his own. I know that the technology to make highly advanced 3D models from CT scans is out there (e.g. http://www.flickr.com/photos/roentgenator/show/with/2062761584/), but I would assume it is only used in some places and when absolutely necessary because of cost/access issues. So it is quite intriguing to see someone attempt to replicate these 3D models in a DIY fashion using a program that certainly wasn’t intended for medical uses.
The challenge with the visualization is the number of cross sections of the arm that he actually has from the CT scan, which makes the model still slightly hard to read. Although Alan’s model is made up with an impressive number of slices, with a slower/more detailed CT scan, a more detailed model could be produced. I would be interested to know many snapshots a highly advanced scan would need to take per inch to create the more advanced 3D models. I’m also curious about how much time it took him to create his model, and whether or not it could it could be smoothed out easily or represented semi-transparently to show more of the inner structure.
Drie, C. “Bird’s eye view of the city of Columbia, South Carolina 1872.”
Key Words:
vista, historical map, pen and ink, image on a screen, street names
Discussion:
This map was made a cartographer, C. Drie, who apparently made similar bird’s eye views of a number of other southern cities, including Raleigh and Charleston. Like other, similar maps of this genre, it provides an elegant, generalized, but still useful and easy to read, map of Columbia, South Carolina from 1872—already an interesting time to do a map of Columbia, as it was just recovering from its burning during the Civil War, which devastated everything from the State House to the river. This map certainly does not indicate that any such destruction occurred recently; the city looks tidy and simple, its careful grid system showing through nice and clear. The most ostentatious structure—in fact, the only ostentatious structure—is the State House, which is still rather subdued because its distinctive copper dome had not yet been raised. It’s interesting from a native’s perspective, simply because some of the most widely used roads don’t have the same name: yesteryear’s Richardson Street is now Main Street, for example. It is also interesting to see what part of the city is most the same: the Horseshoe, or the heart of USC’s campus, though that’s easy to recognize because all of the buildings lining the Horseshoe then are still standing now. It’s also funny to see the old Gervais Street Bridge and to compare it to the more elegant structure that it is today.
http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/intro.html
accessed 8 April, 2010
Keywords: preserves shape, sequence, tour, primary sources, scale
The Bodies exhibit was designed in order to help visitors see what the body looks like inside.
This exhibit is a 3D rendering of the human system, reconstructed using cadavers, bringing realism to a new level. As far as construction goes, each form began as a dissected specimen, immersed in acetone, which eliminates the body in open water. Specimens were then placed in a bath of silicone or polymer and sealed in a vacuum chamber. Under a vacuum, acetone leaves the body in the form of gas and a polymer replaces it, entering each cell and body tissue. A catalyst was then applied in order to harden the preserved elements. In this way, not only is the information provided by each model extremely practical, but the forms themselves are displayed in a functional and artistically compelling way.
Most people have to idea how complex and remarkable the internal structure of our bodies really is. “Bodies” is cool because it functions as a teaching tool, allowing the reader to understand the complexity of shape as well as both the external and internal functions associated with those shapes.
Citation: “Living Room House in Gelnhause, Germany.” FreshHome, Interior Design and Architecture. Web. 8 Apr 2010. http://freshome.com/2008/07/01/%E2%80%9Cliving-room%E2%80%9D-house-in-gelnhause-germany/
Keywords: image, manipulable object, a sequence, portable object, image on a computer screen, graphics software, preserves shape
These pictures represent the surface and interior of a human-modified environment (not necessarily in actuality as this appears to just be a computer imaged idea and nothing that has been created in the real world) as well as a complex shape of the building that makes it so original, if not purely strange. The excessive number or windows in this tightly packed of a neighborhood I doubt would be appealing to many people, yet the images of the inside of the house show the odd functionality or un-functionality of place. How many people would really want their bedroom to slide out of the house like a drawer? Also, while the windows let lots of light in, do we not also rely on windows being at a height that we can access them? To enjoy the landscape outside as well as get more light? I think that while complex and new architectural designs can be innovative this one might have missed by trying too hard to be different and not enough to be functional. My emotional response is simply: why?
Bjarke Ingles Group (BIG). “8 tallet.” As featured in Yes is More: An Archicomic on Architectural Evolution. BIG Asp. Copenhagen, Denmark. 2009. p122
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6139589717404806998# Accessed on April 8th 2010.
Keywords: A Sequence, Animation, Images on a computer screen, Graphic Software, Modeling Software, Perspective,
I first saw this video at the Danish Architecture Center (DAC) in Copenhagen at the “Yes is More” exhibition in 2009. The DAC was filled with many of BIG’s glowing foam core and lego models, hundred of delightfully simple and accessible diagrams and a series of animations describing design choices. This video struck me as the most compelling representation of 3D objects and space in the entire exhibition. The film is a little long but clearly walks the viewer through the design decisions (starting and 5:50 in the video linked above) and then how the building will be experienced at a human scale (starting at 9:50).
The design decisions that dictate the general form of the building are visually articulated through an extremely abstracted massing animation. The only visual variable used to distinguished use of different areas is color. This is very effective because the abstracted forms with a single visual variable are very easy to follow. The animation of the manipulation of forms also helps the viewer understand the fluidity of the interventions / architectural decisions.
The animation of the building experienced at “human scale” consists of an animated human form running around an abstracted physical model. The human being is simplified and red and the physical model is adorned with absurd textures and color. These abstracting visual decisions force the model and animation to be received as a diagram as opposed to a rendering. In this way they illustrate ideas, but do not try to imitate or construct a realistic visuals as a rendering does.
This animation and physical model were created to show to the client of the project and other potential clients. They successfully justify to the client of the project all of BIG’s design decisions. In doing so, they also serves as an advertisement to potential clients because they clearly articulates how BIG designs and what characteristics the outcome will be comprised of. I think this video is a necessary follow up to my post last week because it illustrates just how effective abstraction can be at articulating space and 3D form.
Citation: Muhlenberg Floor Plan <> (no year, scale, etc. were given)
Keywords: Floor plan, tour, image on a screen, primary sources, toponyms, graphic soft wear
Discussion: This floor plan shows two floors of a hospital. The way that the two floors are arranged as separate but still overlapping is interesting. I can’t decide whether I like it or not. While it makes it clear which areas of the hospital are directly above or below other, the top floor is situated such that it obscures a large section of the bottom floor. Presumably this means that the obscured section of the bottom floor is unimportant to the audience of the map, but I find it frustrating that there is not even a written explanation of what is in that section of the building. Beyond that, I think that the map effectively achieves the goal of showing the user (I believe the user is intended to be the general public) where in the hospital they would need to go to find a particular center. It is also effective that the makers of the map did not try to use too much realism. The map would have been too cluttered and confusing if they had tried to make it realistic. Additionally, it probably would have been strange to have a realistic looking building separated so unrealistically into the layers allowing both floor plans to be seen.
Karava of Sri Lanka. “Lankatilleke” (Architectural drawing). No scale. http://karava.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Lankatilleke_cross_section.16852430.JPG Accessed on 8 April 2010.
Keywords: vista, sequence, portable object, unknown sources, perspective, pen and ink, preserves distance/area/shape/scale, Lankatilleke
This is a fascinating image that shows modifications to the Lankatilleke Vihara temple in Sri Lanka. It is a simple perspective view that shows only one side of the building, but it is easy to visualize the building as a whole as it looks much the same on all sides. The building was originally designed with South Indian architectural features, seen in the left half of the drawing. It was later covered up with a modern kandyan roof and other changes to the outside of the structure, seen on the right. What is remarkable about this image is that it shows two different time periods in a single rendering of a building, effectively communicating the passage of time in a single image, but the concept and the structural changes can still be easily understood by the viewer. It is helpful to reference the sketch to photographs of the temple as it appears today, as it is difficult to visualize the full 3-D appearance of the building for someone unfamiliar with South Asian architecture. It would also be useful to see some sort of section of the building to get a feel for the interior changes that may have taken place. However, the existing drawing communicates a large amount of information given its simplicity.
Flagstaff, AZ New Urbanism Development
Granite Capital Investments (2009). Aspen Place Development. Flagstaff, AZ. http://www.graniteci.com/Portfolio/Development/Aspen%20Place/AspenPlace.htm
Keywords:
Design rendering, tour, snap shot, portable object, image on a computer screen, primary sources, graphics software, preserves shape and topological relations, land use map, shaded relief, architectural sections, fiat boundaries, fuzzy boundaries, realism.
Discussion:
One common use of bird’s eye view and street-level renderings by architects and developers is to sell the development’s ability to facilitate particular patterns of use. This sort of top-down social planning is characteristic of the new urbanist trend in urban planning. The new urbanist planner uses renderings to sell a proposed development as facilitating a much different activity pattern than that of suburban sprawl, with people living, working, and shopping in close proximity.
This series of renderings prepared for a new urbanist development project in Flagstaff, Arizona is a prime example of using such graphics for boosterism. Within the two street level renderings, realism is used to convey the activities of the space, with people seen leisurely strolling the sidewalk, crossing the street without worry of traffic, and dining at any of the several sidewalk cafés. To give the otherwise realistic rendering a more casual, “dreamlike” appearance, the graphics were vectorized, making look hand painted. I find this depiction interesting, because most developments of this new urbanist style share little of the carefree leisure depicted in these images. Instead, they seem like (and function as) alternative iterations of the strip mall. This more likely activity pattern of the design is visible in the bird’s eye view, in which a huge portion of the visible landscape is devoted to parking. While the principles of new urbanism seem well intentioned, I think its important to be skeptical of the patterns of use implied by renderings such as these for the Aspen Place development.
Citation: Nold, Christian (2008). “East Paris Emotion Map” (Map). No Scale Given.
http://www.paris.emotionmap.net/. Accessed on 08 April 2010.
(Part of a larger collection/free book.
Nold, Christian. Emotional Cartography: Technologies of the Self. Creative Commons
License. 2008. http://www.emotionalcartography.net. )
Key Words: Planimetric, tour, snap shot, book, computer screen, primary sources, toponyms, point reference systems, emotions, dot density, flow
Discussion: This map, as the title suggests, maps people’s emotional responses at different places around Paris, specifically around the XIe arrondissement. The blow paths show the routes participants took with an origin at the center of the map. The red shows where people had some sort of emotional response, be it positive or negative, and the size of each circle seem to be related to the number of emotional responses by participants there (though there is no legend for the size of the circles). To mark the emotional responses, Nold used “a simple biometric sensor measuring Galvanic Skin Response and a Global Positioning System (GPS)” (p3). The white marks textual notations participants made. This map is minimal in that it does not portray the underlying road network or buildings, only the participant responses, the routes, and some major roads or monuments marked in text, but one can get an idea of the area. Also, since it is mapping emotional responses to a place, the areas the participants did not visit are unimportant and could clutter the map should they be included.
This map is interesting because you can see that there are common areas in this area of Paris that elicit emotional responses, such as the starting point, the site of protests, areas that make them feel uneasy, and common meeting points, to name a few. It’s also interesting because you can see where parts of the city become more individual and evoke responses in only one respondent, such as one’s home, friends’ homes. Moreover, I found the locations where people noted things but did not register an emotional response interesting, showing how there is a disconnect between conscious and subconscious responses to places. Finally, some areas of the map seem cluttered with responses and symbols, but I think that adds to the goal of mapping emotional responses to an area since emotions are rarely isolated from other emotions or responses.