Sculpting Biosynergies 2011

Food as Education
Looking at food production as a means of instilling an understanding of food nutrition and sustainability that is currently missing in our urban communities. The heart of the building focuses on the awareness of the many stages of food production, growing, harvesting, and preparation through a central food hall that illustrates food preparation and provides a visual connection to the gardens, greenhouse and orchard.

Food as Community
Situated between the industrial and residential districts of Southeast Portland, the arms of the market halls draw in visitors from opposing districts into the center food hall, a community space bridging the gap between the industrial and public aspects of food while also bridging the gap between an industrial and residential neighborhood.

Food as Sustainability
Food production on rooftops provide a thermal barrier for the building as well as reduce stormwater management, not to mention provide a product that requires no transport to be sold. The double courtyard scheme that steps down toward the South edge allows for natural ventilation and daylighting in the food and market halls as well as the residential unites that frame the courtyars and add a layer of continuous activity for the building.

final board

Final review!

It’s been a long road up to this point, the final review of my project. I was able to manage my time so that I accomplished everything I set out to do for my final boards– a fact that was not missed by my reviewers. My graphics received high praise from reviewers and passers-by alike, and I must say that I am myself very pleased with the final result.

It is nerve-wracking to stand up for the final time to explain my project, nine months in the making, to a group of reviewers. But as the last review of the day, I had plenty of time to stare at my boards and think about how I was going to present. That time served me well, as I was able to walk reviewers through my project logically and thoroughly– another point that was appreciated by my reviewers.

Overall, my thesis, my focus, and my scheme was well received, as they have been from the beginning. The major criticisms of my project came about the fairly architecturally conventional forms I used for much of my building. As my intention is to find a new way to experience the built form-landscape connection, perhaps a new architectural form would be more appropriate. Additionally, investigation into architectural interpretations of gateways or doorways (as they relate to my “trailhead” organizing metaphor) may be useful.

Overall, I am pleased with my final effort. While I now see ways I could have pushed my design further, I also know that I have taken this project further than I ever have before. As school is really just the beginning of my training as an architect, I look forward to bringing these lessons to the next step in my professional journey.

Graduation send-off

Students setup at the Yale Union Contemporary Art Center

Brian Schmidt presents to Mark Perepelitza, Lin Sealy, Craig Davis & Tobin Weaver.

Audrey Snyder presents to Robert Liberty, William Robert Taylor in foreground.

Univ. of Oregon students setup final presentations at the Yale Union Contemporary Art Center. Brian Schmidt presents to Mark Perepelitza, Lin Sealy, Craig Davis & Tobin Weaver. Audrey Snyder presents to Robert Liberty, William Robert Taylor in foreground. Photos by Suenn Ho

Today, I gave a brief tribute to our graduating M.Arch. and B.Arch. students. Teachers and students alike are relieved to see the great results of their efforts. (Final projects will be posted on my studio’s blog , lighting projects are buried in the online spool.) Here is my advice for the students…

Starting a new project mean facing a blank sheet of paper. Placing the first mark sets up what else can happen, as every mark drawn changes what the designer sees. Through building up these marks, the designer creates a world of possibilities.

In school, teachers guide this mark-making through design challenges of increasing complexity. By the final year, our architecture students help define the inquiry. They decide what matters, where the first mark goes. Upstairs, we can see you did a great job in filling those blank sheets of paper.

At graduation, you are given a big new sheet of paper, the mother of all blank pieces of paper.

To fill this paper, look around you. Paul Polak, who Designs for the Other 90%, says architects and designers just need to Ask. Every community knows its problems. By asking, he found the need for water in third world countries and invented by low-cost irrigation and filtration systems. If you can find a problem and a means to address it, then you can create yourself a job. Even better, a meaningful question can drive a series of projects in which you build expertise to share.

So to fill the new sheet of paper, look to your community. This circle of family and friends can be a well-spring for creative challenges. AND they can provide a wealth of collaborative expertise. Your ideal partner loves to do what you hate to do. Through partnering, you can leverage your vision.

In this networked world, your success depends on the success of others. A friend of mine says, you succeed by making your boss look good. So today, you have succeeded by making your teachers and your parents look good. We are basking in the reflected glory of your success.

Final Boards

Final Thesis Boards

For now I’m having some jpeg uploading issues so please click through to see final boards!Final Thesis Boards

Thesis Document (Pre-Presentation!)

Tomorrow is the presentation. Wish me luck.

I just thought I’d post this while I was working on it. It is certain that this will change post-presentation. I’ll be posting drafts occasionally on my issuu.com profile during that time and if any of those reading have (future) constructive comments, I’d LOVE to hear them. I’ll most likely be revising the project in order to transform it from a ‘terminal project’ into more of a theoretical thesis.

CartPropDraft