Fudge Bombed

Happy New Year Everyone!

I’ve been on massive holiday. And I pretty much still am.

In the meantime, here’s proof that three and half years of architecture schooling have done nothing:

(also, new post up on the scripting site.)

Filed under: architecture , architecture

Snowed But Not Plowed

(photo taken from Bryan. I neglected to take any myself.)

I’m finally finished with my thesis. The review was entertaining, which I think means it was kinda successful. Meejin summed it up by asking why this project could “still make architects uncomfortable”. She was an awesome advisor. When I thanked her for guidance she said flat out that “no one else would have let me do this thesis”. And that’s true. Bryan has a take from the perspective of an informed audience. His will be a thesis to watch.

Mostly, it’s over and I’m happy.

Next up: Book reviews of “The Story of O” and the “Ghost in the Shell” sequels. Together at last.

Filed under: architecture, thesis , thesis

Game Over, Man

Today was my penultimate review. It was sort of strange. I wasn’t quite ready to present. I was missing large pieces of production (the plans mostly) that made it more difficult to explain the project than if I had done this last minute check next week. I had four reviewers: Yung Ho Chang, Andrew Scott, John Fernandez, and Simi Hoque. Meejin was away…

The major feeling was that I wasn’t being crazy enough. A failing that I’m ready to admit. I suspect that if I were too crazy the review would be the opposite. Two reviewers thought I could have a beautiful building and two didn’t see much in the project. Unfortunately, the two that didn’t see much in the project have to sign off on my thesis. But maybe in two weeks they’ll warm up to it.

Last night I wrote up another statement, it’s very short, not very well written, but is pretty much the point.

This thesis investigates the potential of opportunistic borrowing and blatant reference—a postmodern approach pioneered by architects like Michael Graves, Robert Venturi and Charles Jencks—through a renovation that reinstates a movie palace into a 99 cent store in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Instead of concentrating on the facade like postmodern architecture of the past, however, this thesis turns these techniques inward, as a way of designing the interior of the building; using an aesthetic which encourages nostalgia, that, through historical reference, can endear a design to a community, mitigate programmatic dischord, and provide unusual formal qualities. To find this nostalgic beauty, this thesis will revisit antique typologies like that of the movie palace and nickelodeon, out-dated architectural techniques like poche and pastiche, and forgotten forms of ornament. Iconography and ornamentation, rather than being mere decoration, form a membrane which acts as a cultural interface to site the building in a strong, diverse, and ultimately stubborn community.

I love the last sentence (for which I owe Bryan many thank-you’s), but my thesis doesn’t accomplish this.

Yet.

See you all in 13 days.

Filed under: architecture, thesis