Project Development: Program

The graphic displays a sequence of walking towards De Dam in Amsterdam. The void grows in scale as proximity to the square's center gets closer. The emptiness of the space makes an individual more aware of themselves and their surroundings. By manipulating and tweaking this hotspot of local culture, it is possible to amplify the effects it has on the city and its inhabitants.

Idea Mapping|Visual Abstract Commentary

General Comments


•Is architecture a reflection of the surrounding context or is it a cultural artifact/symbol of the ruling elites?


•Is architecture reflexive or transformative?


•"I take from this that architecture is shaped by the social surroundings, example?"


Recommended Resources


•Conscious of the Eye, Richard Sennet

Image Collection

Visual Abstract

Idea Mapping

Idea Mapping

Idea Mapping
Throughout my undergraduate education, I have become increasingly interested in historic cities and how they came into being. More specifically, I find that cities enveloped or mostly surrounded by water have a significantly more vibrant, creative and eclectic cultures. This is mainly due to the fact that they were major ports or centers of trade at some point. Cities like Amsterdam and Venice stand out more than most in this category. Yet, I am even more curious about how this urban concept can relate to a single building. Can a single building become a metaphorical and literal reflection of its environment? Can a single building become a contextual microcosm?

How do urban areas develop & gain identity?

Collage

Enclosure

I don't believe you can ever really be entirely enclosed within a space. There was a way for you to enter that space; therefore, there is a way out. For me, enclosure is a mental perception of space rather than physical. We create our own boundaries.

Color

This phenomena is another mentally perceived concept. Because color relates so intensely to our visual memory and everyday experience, it inevitably becomes intimate and personal.

Things I Cannot Live Without

Change

It is occurring constantly. The world around us continually changes without rest.  From year to year, day to day, and even hour to hour, things are always in motion. Personally, I find the atmosphere and environment to be the most intriguing. In nature, there are never two instances that are identical. Each moment and each place has its own distinctive characteristics.

Water

The most essential building block of all life. Its often overlooked  maybe because of its constant use. We need it to sustain ourselves, to clean, et cetera. I find it to be one of the most beautiful things on earth. It must be the ambiguity of the material that makes it so tantalizing. Its nearly impossible to contain or control it; yet, it is one of the most abundant substances on earth.

Shock & Awe

I am always fascinated with discovering new points of view on a certain topic. While in high school, my chemistry teacher turned me onto a book called The Elegant Universe. In a nutshell, it is an overview of quantum physics and superstring theory. Ever since, I have been blown away by this new branch of physics. Even though I'm not interested in the mathematics of the field, the literal implications of what the theory means are staggering. It assumes that all matter at an infinitesimally scale is made up of vibrating bands of energy, strings. The frequency and amplitude at which these strings vibrate determine their physical characteristics.  Essentially, all matter is made of the same material manifesting itself in different forms.

Fractals have been some interest of mine for the past few years as well. I feel as though this subject matter has extremely close parallels with quantum physics. The main similarity I find is that both of these ideas revolve around the concept that all of nature is built up of smaller, self-similar parts. The universe is one giant modular system.

Information

Where are we from? Who are we? Where are we going? Information is a tool that we use everyday to untangle and decipher the world around us. From the amount of calories in the food you eat to the global repercussions of gasoline usage, data can help change how we interact with our surroundings. The following two images, courtesy of informationisbeautiful.net, are intriguing insights into the zeitgeist of our era.

Sight

Vision is the most powerful of all our senses, and I believe it to be the most compelling of all. As a designer, I cannot imagine my life without sight. It is the one sense that I feel binds all of humanity. It is the foundation of our communication with one another. Visual symbols have played a part in human affairs for thousands of years. Seeing is believing.

People

Without life, the world would be empty. For thousands of years, the built environment has been made by humans, for humans. We sculpt our surroundings to fit our needs. Ultimately and sometimes unintentionally, we create a reflective manifestation of our collective inner desires. In today's global society, human interaction is becoming more prevalent and more necessary than ever. How can we better foster environments where humans interact? At the end of the day, everyone want to have a feeling of peace, happiness and fulfillment.

Goedemorgen & Welcome...

This is a blog dedicated to all things design and cultural.  I am currently an architectural graduate student at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and the intent of goedemorgen is to portray my life to others throughout this time period.  I will periodically be updating goedemorgen with personal work as well as things that generally intrigue me.

enjoy

-Sam-