Just wanted to post a few of photos of the site I may be incorporating into my presentation. Some of them will represent the site next to a perpective of a proposed view. 

 If you missed the art openings, here is my account.  3 galleries (4 if you include Chelsea’s) 2 were free, one was a $5 doantion and Chelsea’s was $12 by the time I got there.  Mostly 2d, ready to go with a price tag. Longshore gallery was the most welcoming and lively, complete with skytracker, live music of Mike Foster, libations, live art (2 latex coated women with nothing but the longshore logo painted on their bodies, eerily bordering on minstrel, like some of the paintings in the gallery) and the dq’s were dressed to kill, out glamouring and out femming most of the xy gender present. In stark contrast, the other side of perkins was much more bourgious, complete with junior leagers and children. There was one lonely little resin block of swiss cheese sitting on a light table/podium that was nice to touch and move around over the light, but the smug was killing me and I had to get out of there.

So I wandered around with my camera taking photos and enjoying the night and the music, watched people watch people and then met up with NicNat and proceeded to indulge my vices and stay well past my time limit.

The evening made me more confident that there is a small culture in Baton Rouge that potentially could thrive if there was a consolidated effort to push it and support art that invigorates the community and isn’t simply another product for sale. The best part of the evening was when a second line from Longshore came through the crowd outside of Chelsea’s and encouraged us to get up off the edge and live a little. Now that’s direct community outreach!

 Woodrow was asking about making these small exploratory models. I am still figuring things out as I go along, but after working with AutoCAD for several days, I got frustrated and I thought it might help to try to organize my thoughts about the space using diagrams. I started with the intention of making a diagram on illustrator to help generate a site plan. Once I printed it out on 81/2 x 11, I realized that it with it being so small that if I used heavy paper I could simply make a model out of the diagram. After making the first one I spent the time to clean up my illustrator file.  If you open your autoCad file the layers should be organized and then you just have to scale it. I have problems though if I start working on something and then want to put an autoCAD file into it. I think I have to paste or place it and both of those operations mess up the layers.

Now I go back and forth between Illustrator and AutoCAD, but mostly to make changes to  lines in AutoCAD after working with planes in illustrator.

I also like the fact that I can easily refer to it as I am working on sections, whether that is in CADGIS or at my house.

So, there it is. Speaking of sections, I better get back to work.

More streaming consciousness

 Imagining my roof garden brought to mind the poppy fields outside of the emerald city. So I googled poppys and found this endless colorfield in Cali., but can I work it into my design?

Today I am working on small  exploration models to figure out how to make the structures relate to one another, as if they were  actually engaged in a dialogue. Then I will create some sections and start perspectives based on the micromodel. I am first  for desk crit tomorrow and have a lot to accomplish so that I don’t get behind.

Also , I am formulating a plan so that I can manage my time and set daily goals for drawings and model. It would be great to be able to get everything to be printed proofed and test printed Monday. Wondering what the plan is for next week.  Do we get to work all day or what?

My kingdom for a cupholder!

 

These photos are of things in Paris that are working their way into my latest scheme. I have a fettish for objects created by the repetition and transformation of ordinary gestures of materials, including bodies. I was especially interested in the tapestry of discarded wrappers and tins and would like to apply this form recycling to create reflective textiles for the roads and pylons.

 Paris charged my batteries and provided a much needed exposure to a plethora of well used public space, and most importantly for me provided example after example of fabricated topography. It is truly liberating to see so many parks, gardens, & promenades that are not simply an ornately planted and organized part of the ground plane, but that exist on their own planes well above terra firma or even running perpendicular to it. And even those that were resting on the ground plane were obviously designed and constructed, highly engineered and well suited the heavily poplulated style savvy 21st century city.

Then there is our site with its elevated highway and viaduct, absolutely normal, trite conventions. It seems that to elevate greenspace is still unusual and extravagant proposal at this point in time. Why? Why not build entire housing developments on pylons up above the groundplane especially in flood zones and areas where we don’t have bedrock and are basically building on sponge anyway?  

Our site is plagued by traffic and the overbearing sound of it. As I was trying to sketch, these waves of sounds of the traffic kept  me on edge, and at one point 2 police cars came racing over the viaduct so fast that I was surprised no one was left dead in the road. Increasing the density of the area is going to further exacerbate traffic problems. The other thing that I could not ignore while sketching is that gawking and shouting at women seems to be quite normal behavior. Do I account for that in my design by providing voyueristic thrills for guys to cruise by in their trucks? That might be the only way to slow traffic down to a safe pace. Or do you build conduits around the thru traffic so that it is confined and unseen?

The inner outdoor spaces I created offer some shelter from traffic and noise, but now I am rethinking the overall scale of my intervention. As Jim (from Sasaki) encouraged me to go ahead and use it all. He and Wes suggested that I find a geometry for my constructions that will be more interactive that the brutalist straight lines and sharp angles that I currently have. I concur. They were bang on it. I may finally have something that resembles more of an octopus than a building. Who knows at this point, but after spending another day on site looking for the key view of the media wall, I realized that what I had would melt into the site rather than interact or influence interaction, or alter patterns of perception of the space. Integrated art and technology emerge from the ground to create new public open space and communication platforms, so the building needs to be more of that and less blunt object.

Thinking about some of the experiments Brad has done and talked us through on Friday, has me considering what benfits we could gain from materials that are sensitive to the environment, thermosensitive glass, or automated sound or wind baffles. Reflectors and dowsers to manage light quality and focus throughout the daily and seasonal fluctuation. Even just having the ability to control a  domestic climate as easily as a car ’s climate would be an improvement. I would love to have automatic windows, built in sound system, and easy climate control thoughout my house. Even just a work station that was ergodynamic and had a cup holder would be nice. Why don’t houses look more like cars by now with sleek lines and reflective finishes, tinted windows and sun roofs. What would yours look like? We have to do a sketchup model of our dream house for Wes, so I will attempt an illustration of this hybrid for my next blog. I am not confident that sketchup is the right tool, but its all I’ve got.

disappearing building

 I’m beginning to see the light! Now that I have been working in 1″ = 10′-0″ I don’t want to go back to  the smaller scale. The hardest part for me tonight was of course getting my groundplan to print. Natalie saved my day, week, semester, by printing it from her computer after trying everything we could think of to get it to print from mine. I am really starting to believe that I have a very strong malicious, very evil voodoo curse.

When it did finally print, the color is much warmer than what I was looking at on my screen. So  maybe after break I have to figure out the printer problem, maybe get some demons exercised and then figure out the color shift. It also means that I am going to have to leave myself a day just for printing before the next pin-up.

The photos above are just raw shots taken to get a sense of perspective. The model is not much more than a sketch, but I like what my camera saw. For one thing at certain angle the building seems to disappear(but I absolutely have to get rid of ZeeZee’s),and the space between the building has a lot of potential for entanglement. I know it will be loud, but I like the open road, open source relationship. I realized today that the building is now the perfect billboard space and that could be a really powerful device. Like Jenny Holzer, or the artist herself could make a statement. What would you have to say if you had access from the internet to the interstate? Maybe you would contribute graffiti? Or on your birthday find out that you are running for President.

The otherside of this is that the area underneath the interstate has potential for installations, and to be an extension of the studios and galleries, as well as a place for metal sculptors and their materials and artworks to go.

Earlier today I was riding my bike around the block I took for the structure and how to blend it into the topography and I think that it is possible to make it proportional to the horizon line, which is the I-10  and gets taller as it gets nearer. I haven’t started any of the smaller scale models of that yet. I did print out some 8.5×11 plans, ( 1″-150′ ) and I think I can probably make those on the flight home from Paris.

You know I ‘m joking right?

When I get back to work on the model I want to represent some of the technology and lighting, but have not figured out how to approach that yet. I am leaning toward photoshop perspectives. I want to do one to show the roof park, and the view from the Perkins road overpass.

Have a nice break everybody!

Strategy-Compression 24/7

COMPRESSION 24/7

Electrically charge critical mass.  Bacteria.Virus.

Invisible media, visual arts, plasmatic sensation reception

Fabricate.

Reflect. Repeat. REVEAL

Internal landscape, external abode.

Liminal Space.

Negotiate/Circulate

Loiter

Organize/Observe/Participate

Icon………..CONUNDRUM

Having trouble uploading diagram, and have to work it out in 3D, but the most important idea I have is that there is open space, like open source share ware. The best solution is the most flexible so that there is no imposed program, but the infrustructure available to programmers and hackers alike, to create new community networks and interactions.

Believing is seeing

I took a run through the area around noon yesterday and found traffic to be confused especially at the ZeeZee Gardens stop sign.  I started looking at the drivers and many of them were ancient at least in appearance and headed in the direction of BetR or into the neighborhood. Between the exhaust fumes and the questionable abilities of the drivers in the mix, I decided to keep my visit there brief and on my way home I chose to take the Overpass and definitely want to exploit that viewshed. To me its the best thing about the area, but the pedestrian paths are too narrow and close to traffic.

As I ran though the shady and fragrant streets of garden district, where I didn’t have to worry about getting run down and could focus on other things, I started to think about what cars mean to people and realized that in Baton Rouge people spend so much time in their cars that they provide status, security, and even identity. So, perhaps its more important to be able to drive to the door, than park it in a lot and walk a block. So perhaps the parking lot needs to be kind of special and centrally located as much of it already is. I more seriously consider blurring the line between parking and social space, like at a beach or tailgate party. And  the big idea that has been floating around in my brain for weeks is…what if you could take your i-pod and movies and  while still in your car actually plug into the mains and share your stuff with the public on a Times Square or NBA style jumbotron. I think it would be a way of finding out more than we want to know about our community, while at the same time it may fuel creative competition, and that fuels exploration. This idea actually falls right into line with my previous thoughts about the infrustructure. What’s the worst that could happen? Local pornstars? A snuff film? W flipping us all off?NO, the worst would be that we would find out tht there is no truly subversive culture in Baton Rouge and we would be inundated with pop music and images of cute people or cool people. I am willing to risk that in a the hope of finding out what people do here besides watch TV and flip houses.

Maybe one of the new businesses on Perkins would be a film studio, another one a recording studio with rehearsal space, and another that was rehearsal spaces for performing arts with sprung floors and floor to ceiling mirrors. Then you would have a convergence of creative people hanging out all day and night. This would be more similar to Oak Street or the Bywater in New Orleans than to Magazine Street. All three have dance studio space, galleries and resident visual and recording artists and the of course great food and drink. The bywater has an artwalk coming soon. It would be really great to check it out. http://www.openstudioartists.org/

As to the Buildings……..I have heard the testimonials from people who claim that they drive across town to go to the businesses there, and I don’t doubt that, but its to get a book,  or pick up a perscription,  not to spend the day, much less their life.  If the business moved, would the client follow? I think they would in most cases. Until people are compelled to spend their life in the neighborhood,  I don’t believe there is anything sacred about it.  Not that I would tear it all down, but I could in order to fit more housing and studio space into the mix.  There is not in my opinion building or structure that can’t be replaced as I focus on increasing density and diversity. Add to the list integration, flexibility and technology which currently seem antithetical to the status quo. So many of the buildings seem to have never been intended to be around this long. That in itself is the most striking thing about them. Most of the time when you look at an old building you can see obvious aesthetic that has warranted its tlc. But, when I look at the buildings on the site I can’t believe this is considered worth preserving and want to know what happened that made building progress come to a standstill. The I-10 wasn’t a proscription on new construction in the area was it? Anyway, there is a point when a building becomes a parody of itself, and I think that happened about 20 -30 years ago and the humor and polish has long since worn off. Its time to experiment.

Lighting…….I started designing some pendant lighting  for underneath the I-10 and Perkins and also have some sketches of street lights street lights  that resemble more of a bow or fishing rod than a light pole. I would scan those in, but alas, I am at home and my scanner is at school. I would like to suspend a lighting grid with circuits every 4 feet under the I-10 so that you can hang whatever you what under there and plug it in and light it, just like a black box theatre. I thought about hanging a million chimes under the I-10 to light, or hundreds of bug zappers and still think it would be kind of fun in a community artwork  event.

So much for keeping it short. This reeks of talkitechture, so I better get going on the deliverables. I just want to say one more thing. In my brief existence I have watched the transformation of Pottsdamer Platz and Times Square and been both turned on and off by it as it went from gritty to swank in a very Disney-Sony-TimeWarner way and eradicated the vice to make it safe for school children and holy rollers. So, I will be doing my best to offend and eradicate children and holy rollers, and I just want to be clear about that. I mean I have no problem with kids hanging out with their parent/s in a bar, but there really needs to be a place where artists can be artists and not worry about censorship.

 Incidentally, this is an article regarding the hardware store fire. http://www.businessreport.com/newsDetail.cfm?aid=10698

The state of things….

Today Frank had class outside on the city park golf course. After lugging 10 punds of clay landform sculpture around, I did some sketching, a rough, very rough perspective of my landform placed into the cite context and then started working on some of the contours of the clay model. We looked up and Frank was gone. He slipped out on us.  As we were walking back into the classroom I realized that I wasn’t aching anymore and actually had some good energy. Was it the sketching and sculpting outside that cured me? hmmmmmmm.

So, finally after having the usual technical problems…. Here are a couple of the things I worked on and want to talk about.  The diagram shows a lot of changes to the area. I widened the road by the bookstore on the south side instead of moving the buildings to the street. I thought that might create some on-street parking and leave an opening outdoors for an art market, or flea market ……On the north side I reconfigured some of the roads and closed others as discussed at desk crit. I added new buildings to both sides and am playing with lighting and  electrical infrustructure. I want to run all the power through conduit along the sidewalk. Maybe above ground in a burm between pedestrian and vehical. On Perkins to slow vehicals down and unify the commercial district I am proposing a colorful surface, that I have drawn in autoCAD, but is going to show up in the next perspective I work on. Its composed of reflectors and maybe even some LEDs. The perspective above shows a couple experiments with lightting from my earlier investigation, but not happy with it.  I think its too much, but I know I will figure it out if I keep obsessing.

I liked the idea of getting rid of the Perkins overpass and I think over the weekend I want to spend some time in the area sketching. I go and get photos, but its not the same as working in the space. I had thought about making a pedestrian deck up there at one point because it is a great place to survey the area.

Yesterday I got to school and realized that I left my cable to my external drive at my house and thus could not access any of my files. I think I better invest in an extra to leave here at studio.  Today we had rep class featuring all the great things you can accomplish with illustrator. So, maybe my boards will improve, but I think its going to take a while. 

Most recent brainstorming…..

 Something in my brain becomes more supple with physical engagement. If only I could move around while typing my commands…..When I am sitting at the computer I get rigid and balled up. There must be some kind of study about that. I wonder if that is something I can work into the design. I think an art union would be kind of cool and maybe could be a way to work the materials on the site into the design, or generate work for exhibitions. I am recalling old buildings on the Lowere East Side and  in East Berlin that the artist took over.

Already its 11:30pm and I must stop this blogging and get back to work.

Sick!

I want to live in this room. Maybe I can build one somewhere in the design building…….

Ok so I am starting to feel better finally and plan on attending class tomorrow as well as continuing to work on my model. I had planned to spend this morning fitting and altering my plans to the model and deciding how tall to make the new additions. I suspect a bad oyster might be behind this act of mortal sabotage.

Just wondering what happened today at pin-up. I feel like I am missing out on some cool stuff, especially Nat’s. I just checked out her blog and can’t wait to see more. Seriously. I can’t seem to get the server to work at my house. I must be doing something wrong, but I have downloaded the vpn a few times now both at school and at home. If there are more steps to take, please advise.

In search of levity today I found this site which reminded me of the Yugo exhibit  I saw in Montreal. http://thrillingwonder.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-can-be-done-with-vw-beetle.html

Juice Boxes

   Thinking about the Organizing Space article we read by Keller Easterling. What are the alternative solutions to the power infrustructure and how to make it empower the space rather than degrade it as it does in its current state. As it is, you can see it everywhere and yet it is inaccessable. But what I want is invisable, but pervasive and highly tappable. Beyond electrical power, I also am thinking of cameras, monitors and sound systems that could be used for entertainment and security for events, markets, and worst case scenarios like disasters. What began as an exploration of lighting is moving into a quest for state of the art technology as a way of reviving a historic district which has survives despite the I-10, because, like Magazine Street, it caters primarily to the insatiable human need of diversion. Somehow, I want everything to tie together cohesively from footpath to to lightwave, coexisting, in a state of mutual symbiosis of old and new in such a way that it seems to have evolved a bit. Barbershops and Salons are like bars and book stores as they are places of social information, like channels on a network. The next step is to enhance this network. democratically, not as an imposition on the current culturally expressive casualness of the area that makes it a neighborhood ( rather than a “historic shopping district”, which implies to me a touch of the hyperreal “ye olde shoppe” of new old fashioned junk for new old fashioned houses and townhouses that are now defacing the view along the lake.)