Day 20: Project development

We went around the studio, speaking with each student, and in each case trying to clarify the master plan of the project and at the same time define its essential qualities—in form, in materials and in structure. The sectional drawings that we derived for each scheme was a great help in allowing the students to focus on the unique qualities of each scheme. We encouraged the students to re-engage with their overall plan as a way to refine the project and bring it to a point of clarity. For most that involved a combination of working in drawing--many doing this with hand drawing--and doing some small-scaled study models of components. With most of the projects their main qualities have emerged and it is a matter of balancing the overall form with structural and material considerations. Although it is a studio themed about structure (and infrastructure), due to the scale and complexity of the project and its urban situation we have chosen to not impose the most detailed technical considerations. Instead, it is a balancing act in a middle ground where design considerations meet technique.