Week 3: Experimenting with spaces within the prisms

GUIDE:

Red = Master bedroom

Orange = Garage

Yellow = Living Room

Green = Kitchen

Blue = Bedroom 2

Pink = Bedroom 3

Purple = Study / Guest Room

Grey = Dining

Black = Children's bathroom

White = Guest bathroom

Turquoise = Laundry

First attempt at arranging: Not a huge success, but gained a bit more of an insight into the assignment and what's required. I think for my next attempt I'll either work within a smaller space (as I didn't fill even 2/3 of the envelope), or just think outside the stair pattern and create a more interesting creation. I think if the space were in fact more constrained, the latter will hopefully happen naturally.

Week 2 Exercise and Reflection

The dimensions for each of my spaces are as follows: Based on Stephen Peter's guidelines. It was extremely helpful in guiding me to create the basic spaces. Although I may not use them in my final project, I thought it would be appropriate in familiarising myself with the spaces. Ultimately I will end up changing the respective dimensions to fit into my geometric envelope.

3 bedrooms: 8x4 + 2x3, 3x4, 3x4


Study / guest room: 3x4


Kitchen: 4.5x4


Living Room: 6x4


Separate dining room: 3x4


Childrens bathroom: 2x3

Guest toilet: 2x3


Laundry: 2x3


Parking for 2 cars: 6.1x6.2


Arrangement of spaces: I thought that this arrangement would be appropriate in recreating Piranesi's Prison Etchings. They feature stair-like patterns, however I will have to try and figure out a way of incorporating something arch-y. I haven't yet considered public and private spaces, but rather composed the spaces in a way I deemed appropriate (for example, the children's bedrooms separated by the shared bathroom).

Prism "Envelope": SketchUp didn't really work out for me regarding the movement and rotation of the prisms. I coloured them differently to make the orientation clearer. It is based upon the organisation above. Box (red), Pyramid (blue), and cone (yellow). The pyramid on the top should really be much larger in order to engulf the private rooms shown in the arrangement above. The cone should also be rotated much further so when facing the house, all that will be seen is its circle base. 

I can't say I'm too happy with my prisms. I think I was focusing too much on Piranesi's spaces and the arrangement of spaces I had previously constructed. For my assignment, I think by focusing on different prisms (to the ones I have already used) and spaces I can increase my envelopes volume to work within and, in doing so, construct a far more interesting house.

Based on Cone, Box and Pyramid (from main course blog) below

Complete Collection of The Prisons (Carceri) by Piranesi

I Title Plate

II The Man on the Rack

III The Round Tower

IV The Grand Piazza

V The Lion Bas-Reliefs

VI The Smoking Fire

VII The Drawbridge

VIII The Staircase with Trophies

IX The Giant Wheel

X Prisoners on Projecting Platform 

XI The Arch with a Shell Ornament

XII The Sawhorse

XIII The Well

XIV The Gothic Arch

XV The Pier with a Lamp

XVI The Pier with Chains

Research Exercise 2

General info:

• Published 1750-1760
• Inspired by an opera set
• No people in majority of scenes
• Used monumental scale as a means of creating large gothic atmospheres
• Huge emphasis on light vs. dark
• Each print feels trapped thanks to intricacy and attention to space/proportions

Prevalent in every etching: Steps, Archways, Pillars

This influenced both folded sheets. I attempted to incorporate all 3 architectural implements, while providing unique shapes and ideas in each respective creation. I hoped the 2 folded formations would be different in order to easier construct a house within the envelope of opposing geometrical prisms. I therefore approached the first sheet in a more rigid mindset, and the second (although not a key feature in Piranesi's work) in a rather spherical fashion.

As a part of my research, I thought I'd look at other examples of Origami Architecture, and if only I had a utility knife! They all happen to represent exactly the same qualities I pathetically attempted to in my Piranesi foldings.

http://www.neatorama.com/2008/02/24/origamic-architecture-stunning-sculptures-cut-out-of-paper/

References
Art History Blogger, "The Imaginary Prisons of Piranesi", Accessed Aug 9 2013, http://arthistoryblogger.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/imaginary-prisons-of-piranesi.html

Folding Exercise

1. Based on XI The Arch with a Shell Ornament

2. Based on XV The Pier with a Lamp
  



3. Based on X Prisoners on Projecting Platform

References

Takaaki Kihara, "Stairs: Origamic Architecture using Scissors", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hrUWHKro1c

Elod Beregszaszi, "Origami Architecture", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLAjkS7ysk8

Recommended videos on Vimeo, from Lawrence King Publishing: http://vimeo.com/23804390; http://vimeo.com/41072878; http://vimeo.com/23792529

Research Exercise 1: Design Influence

Piranesi, the Prison Etchings

References
All Images: Mortensen C, "Piranesi's Carceri as Inconsistent," University of Adelaide, November 2007, Accessed August 2 2013. http://www.hss.adelaide.edu.au/philosophy/inconsistent-images/piranesi/