Idea Sketches

The sketches below in my previous post are just quick idea sketches. I'm still exploring, and trying to figure things out. I think through these sketches, I wanted my site off a cliff? I feel a cliff can give a dramatic effect to my design.

Idea Sketches

Above is a quick sketch. An idea of a twisted corridor raised above ground, to show complete isolation, leading to a cave.

Above is a sketch of a long dark corridor....


This next image, I was thinking about isolation. The thought of being secluded, and so many corridors to lead you out, or pathways, yet you don't know which to take. A sense of loneliness?

This next image above, I got inspiration from a lamp. Although a corridor is not yet incorporated, I like the idea, of hanging off a cliff. I place of being alone, and no body out there but yourself, and no way of getting back. A big distance to reach between you and land.



The next sketch is an idea of a corridor, raised on a cliff.


This last image is a sketch of a view into a long corridor. I've rotated it 4 ways, as each way can be seen differently, and give a different sense of feeling with each.

Draft Narrative

´The beginning of the end leads to the corridor of loneliness... the corridor of her longing, aching mind, where the emptiness of her heart carries with it a vision. But there is nothing! Nothing but silence surrounding her.´

This is only a draft of my narrative, and I would definetly like to try and improve it, and perhaps add in a site. I´ve chosen to take this approach, because I feel in this painting, the woman is quite lonely, she seems like she is by herself, and is longing for someone to fill the empty chair in the painting. However, as much as she longs for this, there is still nothing, just the distance of her and her lover, and the only thing holding them together is this letter. I´ve chosen these feelings as the colours in the painting brings about it a calmness and a dreamlike place. Because of this, I havent chosen angry feelings, as I feel that when your lonely, you are quite calm, there is just a sadness to you, something missing. With this, I wanted to use a corridor as a setting, as a corridor can bring with it a lot of elements can carry these feelings.

Brainstorming for Narrative

Looking at the painting, I´ve thought about a list of words that come to mind, which may help me with my narrative.

Lookout
Journey
Exploration
Tunnel
Corridor
Quiet
Storm
Virginal
Resurrection
Shock
Calm
Loneliness
Starting a new life
excitement
longing
aisle
passageway
hallway
vision
rebirth
restoration
longing
ache
yearn
want
sorrow
moving
bad news
lonely
alone
apart
down
empty
isolated
private
removed
secluded
secret
calm
peaceful
harmony
collected
gentle
silence
excited

Background Research and Notes

Jan Vermeer



Some background information

- Vermeer was a Dutch painter, and as a highly regarded during his time. He was elected as Dean, and had 11 children with his wife. Vemeer´s paintings were normally of contemporary subjects, with a cool colour palette generally dominated by tones of blue, yellow and greys. In many of Vermeer´s paintings, there is usually a window on the left lighting up the painting. The paintings are generally of domestic interiors and normally have one or two figures in the painting.





Painting - Woman Reading a Letter

also known as Woman in Blue Reading a Letter



Year - 1662-1663



Observations of the Painting

- The general palette of the painting, are tones and shades of blue, which can be noticed on the womans attire, and the surrounding furniture. The blue colours create a sense and mood of calmness. There are a few representations for the colour of blue. It may stand for distance, the divine and spiritual, dreamlike.

- The woman within the painting, seems pregnant. However with research, Dutch paintings during that time, did not depict many pregnant woman, as it was not seen as attractive. Therefore it leaves us to question wheather or not the woman in this painting is pregnant or not. There is also a possibly that that is just the fashion of that time.

- It is hard to determine much about this painting. It is obvious that the painting, is about the woman reading a letter, however her emotion and what the letter is about is left unceratin. I think Vermeer has done this on purpose, to allow us to determine our own thoughts about this painting.

- The painting is all about the woman, and she is the main focus. This can be seen through certain elements of the painting, such as the framing of the furniture around her body.

- Most Dutch paintings with a letter involved, normally alludes to a love letter. In this painting, I imagine this letter to be from a lover. She has just received this letter, and she is very focused and consumed in this letter, as you can tell by her clutching hand onto the letter. This is further noticeable by the edge of the map in the background, as the horizontal line is interrupted by her hand. Her face fives me mixed emotions on what she is feeling. Her face seems somewhat sad, but also a little excited, like she is taking in a breath.

- The lighting within the painting is quite even throughout the entire painting. Which makes me believe that this painting is quite of a happier and more calm feeling. Perhaps, the woman is reading a letter from her husband or lover who has gone away, and is writing about his experiences and she is thinking about it and dreaming and imagining what he is saying as she reads the letter.

- As you look onto the table, there is an open suitcase, and a half open jewellery box which makes me think perhaps, she is packing to leave somewhere, when she has just received this letter.

Project 2 - Room and Narrative

The painting that I´ve chosen is by Johannes Vermeer, called ´The Woman in Blue reading a letter´.

Final Submission - More Model Images

Photos taken by Phil Nguyen

Villa Savoye - Section

As a group, we decided to cut the section through the Villa Savoye next to the ramp, which is the center of the villa. We chose to cut the section here because we felt that the ramp is one of the most important aspect in this building. It not only links level to level, but it also links interior to exterior, and dark to light. Although this Villa also has a spiraling stair case, the ramp is of more significance. As Le Corbusiers says ' the stairs separate floor levels, the ramp links them'. The movement and visual perception of a building was always important to Le Corbusier, and we felt that this was best expressed and thought through the ramp.

As you walk through the entrance the ramp is right in front of you, and its ascending pathway draws you to want to take a free flowing journey to the upper levels. It brings about it a place to go to, a destination to be arrived. Because the ramp is located in the centre, it allows the person the person to slowly walk, gliding through whilst exploring either sides of the outside space, such as the terrace, and the interior living spaces. We feel that this ramp does this more than a stair, because a staircase, especially a spiral stair does not allow you to explore or look out as much, as you are most probably concentrating on the steps and not falling.

This Villa is also about light and the free flowing design. The section which we cut allows you to see how the design is quite open, and allows a lot of sunlight through the windows, and this can further be seen through the window panels of the ramp, and the open terrace which would bring a range of lighting through the living quarters of the building, via the ramp.

We also choose to cut the section here, to show the seperation of the design of private space and open public space.

Final Submission - Model

Photos taken by Linh Nguyen

Final Submission - Parti Diagrams

Final Submission - Poche Drawings

Week 3 - Poche Drawings

Week 3 - Parti Diagrams

Week 3 - Model Progress

Week 2 - Parti Diagrams

Week 2 - Model Progress

Week 1 - Poche Drawings

My first attempt at Poche Drawings of the Villa Savoye.

Week 1 - Parti Diagrams

These are my Parti Diagrams. I was a bit unsure on the term 'parti', so this is just my first attempt at unraveling the villa.

Villa Savoye - Plans

Ground Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Roof Floor Plan