Flip-Flopping

An Introduction to Flip Flop House:

Our second obstruction is to reverse certain aspects of our Le Corbusier houses and create a house that is significantly different, yet still just as functional. The example our professor gave was to dig an above-ground structure underground. 

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The changes I chose were separating the service and served spaces, changing the shape of the windows, changing window location, digging underground, and switching which side the ramp is on. Models 1-5 showed a process of changes going in this same sequence. Models 6-10 used the same variations, but in reverse order. 

Going ahead, I need to start making plans and sections. However, I first would like to experiment with some changes I hadn't considered before.

Obstruction One - Slim(Fast) House

Final Presentation Drawings:

Reflection On the Crit:

I do agree with some of the comments made about my project. One comment was that I could have thought about slenderness as more of a feeling that you get when inside of a structure rather than actual dimensions. Another comment was that I could have made the living and dining area even thinner, and that I could have put more thought into how the space would be used.

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Reflection on the Project:

The project helped me practice designing compact spaces. It also taught me a thing or two about taking chances and making design changes that you might think of as risky. Sometimes, certain changes will seem scary but then they end up being more of a pleasant surprise than a disaster. The drawing process taught me how to make a presentation layout in ways that I had never considered before and I got hand-drawing practice.

Final Drawings in the Process

Drawings on pages 1 and 2 are completed, an axon and an additional elevation on sheet 3 are still missing. I am finding that my light line weight is a bit difficult to make out when one stands far away from the drawings. However, that particular lead does not draw any darker. I also am noticing that despite the issue with visibility, the drawings completed so far at least have consistency, and look like they could easily belong to a set, which of course is what I was going for, so that I am pleased with.

Once the drawing stage is complete, a model will be made as well as some picture collages. 

And the Drawings Accumulate...

Finalized plans, sections, elevations and detail drawings are now complete.

The next step will be to create a layout and to start putting drawings on final paper.

Thinking About Interiors

The most recent progress done on the design has been on a micro level, focusing on the interior architecture for the first time so far. Work was done with laying out the circulation, figuring out a column system, and recreating the axis separating the service and served spaces. A new roof was designed and I started thinking about window heights. I've decided to keep the original site.

My goal moving forward is to rework the roof, start drawing in elevation so that I can finish designing window placement, eliminate some of the columns, and redesign the staircases because I incorrectly calculated how many risers and runs were needed. I may consider making the building even more slender or lofting part of the living room. The rooftop garden has to become inaccessible due to the fact that it wasn't in the original design.

What is the Best Diet Plan for a House?

First Obstruction - Slim(Fast) House

The first obstruction is to take Maison Errazuriz and make it as slender as possible while keeping the square footage and original programs. Push the boundaries. Push yourself and question everything. Take inspiration from other slender buildings and consider the building room by room - think of how you can make each individual room slender, not just the building in general.

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Some Questions to Consider:

• What would happen if I changed the shape of the roof - either dramatically or slightly?
• What if the ramp was a staircase? What is it was a residential elevator? What if it was even a ladder?
• What if the pillars were some other kind of structural element instead? Is structure still as needed with the building being so slender?
• What if the building didn't take into account the slope?
• What if the site was changed?
• Should the maids' side stay sticking out or should it be pushed in?

Currently, I am attempting both to build up and to build it out longer while squishing it in and making it thin.

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Most Recent Experiments:

Some Older Experiments:

My next step will be to start designing on a more micro than macro level.

Updating Drawings

Last class we had a critique of our latest work, which included updated plans and sections. We also made booklets for the crit that summed up our building. It was very interesting seeing all of the other booklets and seeing how creative some people got.

This is my work thus far:

This is how to make my booklet: