Johnson, Sarah

ARIZONA LIGHT STUDY

this study was about mapping arizona light in various ways.

1. the chase tower. as the sun rose, i was expecting to see reflections of the sky and surrounding city in the windows of the tower, but to my surprise, something completely different happened. the mullions between the glass lit up instead. they turned an orange color as the sun hit them and they created this colorful grid among the sea of blue windows.

2. the library. this study was a very simple test of time. i wanted to see how the shadows of the surrounding buildings covered the library as the sun set. i found that the shadow creeps across the front of the building in a way that was very regular and happens to everything as the sun goes down, but photographing it made it that much more beautiful.

3. the bridge. bridges over tempe town lake are lined up in such a way that the shadows from the bridges are cast on the next bridge over. this study showed how the shadow from the southbound bridge lines up with the northbound bridge of mill ave. the southbound shadow takes over the northbound bridge in a very poetic way and very much corresponds to the creeping shadow that took over the library.

CONCRETE BLOCKS

this exercise taught me a lot through the failed attempts at making concrete. naming the light phenomena that happen in the blocks was the most challenging part of this assignment. each block has something different happening in it and plays with the light in different ways.

exercise 3: light galleries

exercise 4: concept model

diffusion.

site anaylsis.

first floor plan.

second iteration.

third iteration.

midterm board.

final boards.

final review notes and reflection.

NOTES:

• the biggest comment the panel had was that I should study the Thermal Baths by Zumthor. The movement from room to room would help me to further my project.
• manipulate the ground plane. diffuse up and down as well as from room to room.
• in the bookshop, I had placed the shelves by the window, and they said that would fade the books faster.
• the plan is disassociated with the landscape. I should diffuse the plan out into the landscape as well.
• the expansion and contraction is good, but that also needs to be shown in plan.
• I need to manipulate the materiality a lot more.
• the rectilinear plan is a result of being given square footage first.

REFLECTION:

I love the idea of manipulating the ground plane. Maybe compressing the entrance down as a ramp and the roof blends with the ground plane and expanding back out with the exhibit space ramping back up. Expansion and compression in plan is also a fantastic idea. Really pushing the idea of expansion in the gallery- diffuse down, pull up the roof plane, expand outward (grow wider) at the east end. Element of surprise and discovery is something I’ve played with all semester. Creating a colored diffusion at the east end like I did on the west end of the exhibit space would make the space more exciting to be in. Overall, I feel like the final review was very productive. It was a great discussion and gave me a lot of ideas to push my project further in the future.