Week 1

Learning Revit the Studio 21 way

Modeling Langford Architecture Center Building A is a good way to learn to use Revit as an architect.

Massing model. Screen capture and notes explain the first steps.

https://goo.gl/photos/B7B1B2XuZiWo7tCS9

Enclosure model

https://goo.gl/photos/zFihfSj7cktsYJFp8

Space model

https://goo.gl/photos/5tuaCNYtGV1Ym5p47

The Plantation House is an example of a parametric house type.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iT4tbcabCA49aRWG9

Readings

Theory of architecture, cities and houses

Bruno Zevi's Modern Language of Architecture is, in my view, the most clear statement of what makes a work of architecture modern, both in terms of technique and in values. The book is not without faults, but it gives one an alternative to rote imitation of past architectural motifs.

New Urbanism has been around for a long time but remains a vibrant and powerful idea about designing communities using ideas that contrast with mainstream approaches. it undergirds the ideas of Chris Mulder in Crossways and Phill Tabb in Serenbe. Read about the basic tenets at

http://newurbanism.org/newurbanism.html

Original innovators in New Urbanism, Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk founded architecture and planning firm Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company.

Serenbe is a community in Georgia. It actually is not an independent town, but is part of Chattahoochee Hills, a town southwest of Atlanta. Former Texas A&M Department of Architecture faculty member Dr. Phill Tabb contributed to the design.

Pamphlet Architecture No. 9. This short book by noted architect Steven Holl is title Urban and Rural House Types in North America. It catalogs traditional house forms. These could be a basis for form-based codes or parametric models.

Between Pamphlet Architecture and New Urbanism, you can largely figure out Crossways, Thesen Island, and Serenbe.

Theory of architectural computing

My book article on Modeling Architectural Meaning sets out some basic ideas about using BIM to represent some standards concepts in architectural theory. The article on Signature Architecture Franchising suggests a radical approach to architectural design using parametric modeling to model architectural design languages of "signature" architects. It sets the theoretical grounding and practical implications of Dr. Alassaf's subsequent work.

Dissertation of Nancy Alassaf explains the Richard Meier architectural language and her parametric model. It is a long document, but I suggest that you look over at least Chapters 1 and 4. Representing the Aesthetics of Richard Meier is provides a short overview of her ideas. A much longer analysis of Richard Meier is found in her master thesis. Look over the examples of student work produced with her methods:

• Pseudo-Meier houses designed by students. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1c92tNVq_wPKhlgp_yGTBWDxNJehG1D4l
• Post-Meier houses using a new language designed by students. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DMRfoFEHQRaaxOKYt3mnysTOwwXkyAKN

Dissertation of Ozan Ozener spells out the Studio 21 approach to design that I want to use in this class. The baisc idea is that at the earliest stage of a project, one sets up a modeling and simulation environment (using BIM) and that this allows one to design very fast and test designs through multiple cycles until a good solution is found. In general, read the first chapter of a dissertation and the last chapter. If these two chapters interest you, read the rest.

The two articles on QNV provide a framework for thinking about "deep" sustainability -- a project must succeed from standpoints of economics, environmental stewardship, social equality, and aesthetics (or sensory appeal).

In the class Shared Drive, see the folder for 1 Parametric modeling.

Assignment

At this point, I want us to find our common language and how to discuss topics in architecture. Dive deep into these readings. Study them; don't just read them. You need to understand modern language of architecture, form-based codes, parametricism. This will take a few weeks, but set aside some time each day to plow through these books and articles.

Readings