Pattern, Iteration, Material Evolution:

In case anyone is wondering what I've been doing at school, appologies for not being able to explain over the phone.

My studio this term is methodologically based in the development and manipulation of pattern that manifests itself, day to day, in laser-cut paper models... a fact that has lead my studio-mates to afectionately call our section the laZer facTory.

Pattern as surface, like the skin of lizard has the potential to develop variable performances based on subtle manipulation. At key points, transiton from one state to another allows the pattern to develop moments of singluarity or uniqueness within its regular structure. These moments and their effects are highly suggestive to an architectural practice interested in, not essential or ideal form but "an-exact" (read: intentional) instantiation of a system within the material field... a field characterized by constant variation.

Ok... so in paper this might look like this:



I thought this pattern was particularly productive because it formed a field of flowers



and a flexible spine



which could be manipulated to form volumetric shapes like in the first picture. These expericments showed the pattern to have a poor relationship between module and latice, the module can either isloate iteslf as in the field of flowers, or interact with one another in a singular closed fasion, as in the spine formation. These trates are undesierable in terms of wanting to illustrate the projection of pattern on a variable field.

So on to pattern two, "the african necklace pattern," so called by professor Perry in friendly ribbing of the pattern in a freer state. Minimizing the lattice aspect of this pattern and adding a small slot allowed it to be woven together not unlike the crochette of a hat!



but you can't wear it on your head



because the paper resists folding on itself, unlike yarn, expansion forms ridges rather than circles



these ridges can increse, decrease, divide, and be mirrored into infinity



to produce... a spaceship?



Ok reality check: one of these is a model for a water taxi station... believable or no?

Oh, and this is the view from my studio: 5th floor Higgins Hall looking North onto Manhattan:

Rains came in strong on Saturday in Manhattan as Adrien and I escaped to the Amish country. It was still a bit rainy when we got there, but we were welcomed with a warm greeting from the family who ran the bed and breakfast where we stayed in Pennsylvania.





Good recommendations led us to dinner at a local brew pub- “the catacombs”, and then to bed early.

Sunday breakfast greeted the day bright and early- 8am- and was served at one long table complete with pumpkin pancakes, potatoes, chocolate coffee cake, tomatoes and eggs straight from the farm. The meal also included a few riddles- “what is one thing god gives you twice for free, and the third thing you must pay for?” After breakfast we spent most of the day at Hershey (of chocolate fame - http://www.hersheypa.com/). We visited Hershey World, Hershey Museum, and the Hershey Theme Park- where we rode scary rides and had a blast. Other highlights of the day included playing with kittens at the bed and breakfast. Like many of the bed and breakfast places in the area, this one included a small working farm- with kittens.



After another wonderful breakfast on Monday we helped out with the farm chores- which included feeding the goats and collecting eggs. We tried milking some of the goats- but they were all dried up for the season. Instead I took pleasure in picking up the cute baby goats.



As Adrien went after the chickens.



After all the excitement we headed off to the Amish country- specifically the town of Intercourse. We spent the day sampling and appreciating the wares at various Amish shops including an Amish/ Mennonite canning shop and Amish furniture shop- we got a nice plain-pine bench- and had an Amish buggy ride through the farms.



At this point it was time to head home, and after getting lost a few times -making it almost to Phili- we got back to our home in Brooklyn.