Recent Forums Comments

ttnguy 01/05/10 14:34

A thesis question: My thesis is utilizing film to explore a specific topic in architecture. I have related the driving experience to the film experience in that both experiences to some degree immobilizes the participant to a specific means of seeing and being. As driving positions the image of place within flux and fluidity, the only means of understanding and grasping the true essence of place is acquired when one is able to stabilize these images of flux to become a concrete thought within the mind. Perhaps there must be an introduction of series of planes, folds, and architectural elements which will provide the experience for moments of punctuation and individuality. Within these moments of punctuation, the experience of driving will be forced into specific parts in which the singularity and individuality of these parts may arise from repetition. The problem is that we are put within the driving experience in which everything that is seen is place within repetition... a light post that is seen is not known as a single piece within a collective whole but rather the collective whole is understood to be a single piece. The individuality of the light post is omitted and instead assumes the role of the collective whole. These moments that are singular must surface amongst the consciousness and become recognized as something of its own. Similarly, our city and place becomes lost of our knowing and thus does not arise to build upon our sense of place, furthermore leading to our crisis of place. As the experience of driving is not exclusive to just me, I open the conversation to everyone who may have an opinion or thought about this... if there is any reply I will continue to discuss the thesis further. A am creating a film to explain and explore my thesis better, a snippet of it may be seen here. http://vimeo.com/8179171

RealLifeLEED 01/05/10 15:09

...and architects complain about the disconnect between our profession and the general public's understanding of what we do! Just watched the video, and I'm not sure how this helps to 'communicate architecture'. I don't know that I agree with the premise that our roadways vaporize our experience of everything between the departure and arrival points, and it's going to take more than odd perspective shots to convince me otherwise. Interestingly, once you primed me about the lamppost thing I noticed that they all tend to appear individually, and even though they also appear repetitively the rhythm had me going "lamppost... lamppost... lamppost" in my head. It seemed like the film accentuated, not diminished, their individuality. That being said*, your film to date is very compelling visually, and the fact you're using all still images is badass. I'm sure you're on a path to woo the pants off a jury. *anyone see the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode about people using "that being said" and what it really means?

ttnguy 01/05/10 16:52

you have a very valid point... the video does not communicate architeture nor does it (at least to the extent that i want it to) express the true problem I am trying to convey because for the most part the video just isn't done or even remotely close to where it needs to be. I also would say that road ways do not completely "vaporize our experience of everything between departure and arrival," but rather that the experience of being contained within an automobile, framed by its interior, being expose to the context that is immediately in front (the repitition of the light post and the never changing road), relying mainly on the perceptual senses, as well as being elevated from the immediate tangible grounds of place, works to only dilute and make the journey vague. The journey between travel is missing of the communication and participation of its participant to fully grasp the essence of place. I would think that if one would to walk the distance they drive everyday, they may grasp a better understanding of place. These experiences forces the engagement of all senses aside from what is simply perceived. The experiences are also grounded in the stability (in the sense that there environment is not in constant flux) rather than the fluid organic image seen in driving as city and objects drift by. you did bring up a good point about "lamppost... lamppost... lamppost" .... I enjoyed your comment. thank you.

ttnguy 01/05/10 17:00

this is perfect! wow thank you.... I have been looking for a compeititon to submit to for awhile ... and finally a competition that i don't find out a week prior to the deadline.

ttnguy 01/05/10 17:40

Just had another thought, in also replying to RealLifeLEED comment about "lamppost... lamppost... lamppost." The comment only further reaffirms the point that in driving because we are so used to seeing ""lamppost... lamppost... lamppost," whatever is unique about one individual lamp post is diminished by the shear repetitive nature of them all, our attention now is displaced, away from these lamp post as we assume there roles to never change and because they never change, our focus and attention is place on those things that do change. The individuality thus is lost in the transition of our attention. This occurs often in our city when we are displaced from the immediate grounds and elevated within vehicular infrastructures, the details of an architecture, of a city, is generalized.... after awhile one brick building begins to look like every other because we are not there, in that brick building, to decipher the difference, to understand the details. In such case the individuality of a city, the sense of place establish from these specific details, becomes lost. So the film is a goal to subjectively capture these specific objects by cropping everything else out, to give them a focus much like the eventual architectural implication aims to do to a city. And though these objects occur in repetition, there is yet still something specific about each one of these light post as they pass by.... possibly because the light post is singled out from its environment, leaving our attention to specifically notice it. An idea for an architectural implication is perhaps to single out everything so that what is left is the essence of place. The speed of a moving vehicle causes the environment to constantly shift outside the frame of our perception. Thus driving does not allow one to take notice of everything so what if we were made to only notice one thing.