Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Programmatic Relationships

The program offers various conditions that change the spatial qualities and temporal state of the space. The program is studied in its relationship to public and private space, size, temporary/fixed state, and flexibility.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Defining a Program

In Relation to Site:
The temporality of the site in Bur Dubai gives a preconceived definition of transitional program, a mixed use development that adapts to the context and use of its occupants. This constant change of both site and building use never establishes the traditional sense of community where residents are familiar with one another and their surroundings. The lack of personalization of one's space never allows an individual to make their hotel or long stay apartment a home. The transitional qualities in terms of time only allow for the activation of these buildings either in the morning/evening if defined as a hotel, or during the day if defined as a mall. These temporal qualities never overlap either in the physical sense of program, or in the existential sense of time. These contextual qualities help define the program.

In Relation to Use:
A mixed use development establishes a program that is activated throughout different times by varying groups of occupants. The current use of buildings in Bur Dubai creates wasted space that is rarely used and has the opportunity to become a community space. Such areas as the kitchen, dining, and laundry room can become social activities that are used more frequently throughout the day. Establishing uses such as, apartments, offices, retail, fitness studio, and possibly an educational community space allows for constant activation of the site.

In Relation to Spatial Qualities:
The ever changing use of the site allows for the overlap of occupants that defines the public community space, or the method in which the space between programs is used. The development creates a language between the existing high rises in Bur Dubai and the space that is directly neighboring the site. The interstitial space is defined by the current temporary use of this area and redefined through the constant use of a mixed use development. The spatial conditions are redefined through the elements of the temporary. Movable features and multi-functional spaces allow for the personalization of these apartments, the space of the built and its surrounding void space is constantly being redefined by the occupant.

Potential Site: Bur Dubai

Bur Dubai is composed of generic skyscrapers and vacant lots that house hotels, apartments, and malls. This area is in a constant transitional state, accommodating different tourists through various lengths of stay. This site lacks a sense of community and offers various spatial conditions in terms of existing buildings and the voids created through these open lots, making it the an interesting area to place a mixed use development.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Methodology 2

Proposal 2

The methods in which inhabitants utilize interstitial space

Architecture, specifically housing today has become a measure of wealth and power, completely disregarding the surrounding context and most importantly the occupant. With the current urban development plans and construction, architecture has destroyed our environment and the method in which humans relate to each other, creating a new lifestyle. This type of life is revolving around the object, changing how humans inhabit architecture and the city.

The phenomenal expansion of cities in the Middle East has made the current housing typology irrelevant to today's adapting society. The placement of villas and compounds within cities like Dubai and Doha promote the use of the car and therefore add to urban sprawl; dividing the way in which a city functions. This reliance on the car as well as current city planning schemes, and real estate laws has redesigned the relationship of the built environment to its surroundings; subtracting opportunities for open public space between buildings. This change in the method in which interstitial space is utilized no longer promotes an open social environment. The relationship of these spaces can be established at various scales, from a home to a neighboring home, to the scale of a plaza to the surrounding block. The current housing has become an object surrounded by the perimeter wall, completely disregarding culture and climate, and segregating housing from one another. The relationship of public and private space existing in both interior and exterior space is overlooked. I propose to design a housing development in which the relationship between units promotes a social environment that can be utilized in the harsh desert climate. Designing both the positive and negative space between buildings can change the method in which interstitial space is used.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Methodology to Defining a Thesis

The methodology of arriving at an answer is never a linear process, although this diagrams it as such,  processes repeat within different scales, details, and focuses to find the ultimate conclusion.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

A Proposal

An Architecture for the Human Environment

Architecture, specifically housing today has become a measure of wealth and power, completely disregarding the surrounding context and most importantly the occupant. Architecture is no longer helping society develop, instead it has destroyed our environment and the method in which humans relate to each other, creating a new lifestyle. This type of life is revolving around the object, changing how humans inhabit architecture and the city.

The phenomenal expansion of cities in the Middle East has made the current housing typology irrelevant to today's adapting society. The placement of villas and compounds within cities like Dubai and Doha have added to urban sprawl, dividing the way in which a city functions and promoting the car as the main method of transportation. This reliance on the car has redesigned the method in which interstitial space between buildings is being used, subtracting opportunities for open public space and a social environment. Housing has become an object surrounded by the perimeter wall, completely disregarding culture and climate, and segregating housing from one another. Both the typology of the home and its relationship within the city need to be re-examined, studying the ways in which the void space of the built environment is being used. These unforeseen spaces have great opportunity in redefining the human element, in a variety of scales from the home to the city. I propose to examine these relationships of interstitial space of the existing housing typologies and their relationship to the city; creating housing for the inhabitant. This manipulation of space between the interior and exterior can promote a housing environment and lifestyle that utilizes the harsh climate of the Middle East and expands the limits of ones home. Making the city a more live able and social environment.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Student Forum-GSD

Hilarious ways in which to deal with criticism....
http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/people/students/student_forum/blowfish.html#

Architecture Is....

Architecture is the physical measure of time, history, and culture. It is constantly transforming to human needs and therefore has no definitive state. It is a spatial condition one experiences through the built environment through various scales. It is a story. It is selfish. It is the manifestation of one's ideas in a physical reality. It can manipulate the surrounding context and the state in which a city exists as a whole.