Writing, theory, and discourse about architecture.
James Wines
My current studio is the design of a public square for the Slabtown Redevelopment on a 200’x200’ site in NW Portland. The focus of this program has been to design the void before the mass (the square before the buildings). We are allowed to approach this project with minimal direction. I’ve found most of the class, including myself, has used this opportunity to explore shape, form, orientation, and significance. While I can confidently say we are all incorporating some forms of ecologically sustainable design, form and function without ecological regard are the dominating factors. This clearly reiterates the points of Mr. Wines. Despite being the #1 Sustainable Architectural program in the nation, we are getting a handle on our design skills in an exploratory setting without deep regard to sustainable design. One positive note that is making me analyze the orientation of my building is the input from my current environmental control systems class. I’ve made strides in increase southern glazing and having thermal mass in my floor that functions as a passive heat source. I am motivated by Wines’ efforts to seriously address climate change and the responsibilities of architects to address this issue through a radical shift in design practices. I am looking forward to using sustainable methods as the driving design force for my feature studio projects.