Friday, June 20, 2008

EXP3 SUBMISSION!

Please find below my 2 Drafts and Final submission

(edit for clarification)

Draft 1
DM-ARCH1101_Wilfred_Chung.ut2

Draft 2
DM-ARCH1101_EXP3_wilfred_2.ut2

Final
DM-ARCH1101_EXP3_wilfred_l.ut2

Final Submission

The light at the heart of Jobs' double helix has been brightened to give a people a greater sense of awe when approaching him in an almost diety-like fashion.


Here is a major piece of ornamentation for Zhang's lobby. It is Chinese, reading "Nine Dragons". This can be seen as a showing of power to people prior to even meeting her.



I didnt really like the way hand drawn textures looked next to CG textures from UT, so I implemented them as pieces of office artwork that Zhang has decorated with, suggesting more wealth.



The development on this is mainly embellishing with a few textures and chinese-style ornaments, and making the elevators more accessable...

Draft 2 pictures!





Here are some images with more development of the space.

The first draft was to turn the blocks into accessable spaces, linking them with stairs. This one now is a functional space. As you can see, I've added some basic essentials, such as a railings along all of the stairs (so much easier said than done), as well as meeting the requirements of the brief for the space by placing my table and chairs in there, as well as my elevators (and making them move, obviously.)

Changes from the first draft included making the multi-purpose Steve Jobs room have a higher ceiling, and various lighting was brightened to better compliment the forms.

Overall, the bulk of the work was the railing, particularly the double-helix Jobs stairs. After several failed attempts at importing, i finally managed to get it to work, and to get them moving (space in file naming, as well as 61700 faces for my Zhang elevator)

Through this, I decided to simplify the Zhang elevator by a bit, removing doors and the perimeter thrust devices for ease of importing. It is nice to note taht it is not blindingly obvious that something is lacking, since doors in the space remain cavities that one can walk through.

Next step, detailing...

Sketchup Models Uploaded

Sketchup models of my table, chairs and elevators have been uploaded!

They can be found in the below link or by searching my name in 3D Warehouse.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?uq=13024088041716938250

Monday, June 16, 2008

Major Development (draft 1) pt 3, Zhang's Space

Here are heaps of image captures of Zhang Yin's space. Unlike the Jobs space, Zhang's space is more narrow, but has many levels to denote a systematic buildup rather than innovation, as well as the support and delegation that is the family heirarchy. Also unlike Jobs' space with its multitude of stairs, this one only has one path that a person can walk on, (making a REALLY LONG STAIRCASE) symbolic of the traditional industry in which she works, as well as the company's namesake, the Dragon.

She has multiple layers, with spaces which may be used by other people who make her reign possible, such as a reception/lobby, a viewing/coffee space, one level for presentations and one for a boardroom. The bottom is the boarding platform for her Papervator, which will take her back to the meeting space, since walking down stairs is easy, but climbing up is impractical.

The main spaces are well illuminated, as it is chinese tradition to allow for plenty of light if good fortune is to be nurtured. Also, various chinese motifs such as the large gong-shaped window in the reception, and series of eight windows occur throughout.

I plan on having more of these oriental visual elements implemented when more detailing is done...

Starting the dragon stair walk... there is a level here that can be used for presentations or exhibitions.
A large, open space to be used as a reception. ("Ms Zhang will see you now...")
A Chinese motif presented as a window, the door on the right leads to a continuation of the staircase...
...to Zhang's Yin's office, where she can see anyone who walks in and out (Control: another element of power.)
Another space that can be detailed to accomodate for conferences she may need to hold..
A room with many views.... This is a more leisurely space that Zhang may wish to entertain clients in... A traditional tea ceramony pehaps?
The level below that is almost a tarmac where Zhang can wait for her elevator to take her to the meeting area.

Major Development (draft 1) pt 2, Meeting area


Here is the meeting space for the two clients. Being practical minded people, the space is designed with efficiency in mind. It is plain and open but still needs railings. The decor will strive to have elements of East meeting the West.

Major Development (draft 1) pt 1, Jobs' Space

Just walking into the office...

All these sets of stairs to choose from...
View from the top. Where Jobs' desk will be.
The Summoner in Diablo II can be found here. I thought about this when building the elevated platform that is Jobs' office. Occulus. Room that can be used for meetings or presentations...

I've found that the hardest part of developing spaces is to have spaces to develop in the first place, and that it was a LOT of work (like... 3 days straight) to turn blocks built around the bridge into various levels that can we walked around in.

So anyways, here is my Steve Jobs space. It has a very high ceiling and only one storey (one and a half, really) high to show Jobs' rise to power as an almost solo effort (internal struggles etc, he was at one stage fired from his own company) and the fact that his company became successful by appealing to the individual consumer (iProduct).

As his clients seek him, they are greeted by a long, seemingly very structured hallway, but forced to pick between a variety of paths to get to him, and finally they are to reach him at his office at the end of the hall (hollowed bride). The variety of pathways, as well as a single general purpose room that can serve as either a conferance room or an exhibition/presentation room, represent Apple product's ability to perform multiple paths.

Jobs' office is a small platform high up off the ground, reached by helixed stairs wide enough only for one person. His power is further emphasized by a bright white light that illuminates the IT idol at the end of the hall. Visually, it is reminiscant of The Summoner's hideout in Diablo II, with two thin stairs leading to a floaing platform. Continuing with this theme, as some kind of wizard of the industry, I felt it appropriate that Mr Jobs had an occulus to look upon...

Friday, June 13, 2008

Table Complete! (with chairs)

Clash of the Titans.


Mechanism on the underside illustrating the not-so-obvious
dependence that the IT industry may have on the cardboard industry.

Although from the surface Jobs' side of the table is on top of Zhang's as well as seemingly consuming it, Zhang's in fact is supporting it, and is unexpectedly 'higher' than Jobs' side. The bottom of the legs attatching to the base of Zhang's chair also shows that the chair and table are not made to move, representing the strong cardboard/paper company's stability.

What the two clients will see when they sit down for lunch...

Well what can I say about the table that hasn't been noted in the previous posting of the plans/ in the above captions except, 'Sweet! I'm done! ...now to work on the actual space.... :/ '.

I guess also noteworthy here is that the Jobs table is supposed to represent a seeming expansion, with his company exploding away from the traditional, shown by the expansion in width. I also noticed after I drew the plans for it that the curve resembled the "bite" in Apple's logo... a bit of company pride for Mr Jobs perhaps...


Edit: I've since softened the edges on the Jobs end of the table a bit to make it a bit more... Apple-like... no major changes.

Table sketches/ideas





Here are more of my ideas for the table. The concept is one of dependance, domination and facades. Both tables carry visual themes of their respective users which have been explained in earlier posts.

The connection is the area of interest. From the surface, it is apparant that the Jobs side of the table (innovation, new technology-based industry) is engulfing Zhang's side (more traditional industry, the article describes how she attributes her success to possession of latest technology) of the table. However, whilst the Jobs side seemingly dominates the Zhang side, we can in fact see that her side of the table wraps around again, to show a dependance from Jobs on paper and cardboard products in order to sell his, as shipping and packaging of all products inevitably will rely on Zhang's products to succeed.

Furthermore, whilst Jobs' side of the table seemingly holds the higher ground, much of the support for his table is supported by the other side's stability. Also, the end at which Zhang sits is actually raised higher because of the tiers, symbolic of the fact that her company will be relied on for a long time yet...

Dragons' Head






Shown here is my Zhang Yin chair. The idea behind it was that it was a very straightforward, geometric form, just as her business is a practical and traditional necessity. The tier motif has been carried out here, symbolic of heirarchy and progress. The 'frame' around the outside of hte chair is a reference to her company's products, and the distinction that it gives her (as it isolates/notes her significance).

As with the thrones in my research, the chair is quite tall and widened, to give a sense of authority; however, as dependant equals with Jobs, both chairs are of the same back height and seat height.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

The iThrone is here.




The iThrone is complete. Visually it is inspired by the older (but more distinctive) version of the iMac screens. (Yes, i know it looks like a toilet + urinal as well.)

As mentioned in previous posts, I gave the chair more height to resemble some kind of throne; metaphoric of a kind of empirical power that he (and Zhang) holds. At the same time, as a Silicon Valley heavyweight, I incorporated a Macbook screen into his chair since I imagined that he would want one handy at all times.

On reflection, I'm thankful that sticking to the plan made for a more unique chair (eat that, Egg Chair O_o) whilst experimentation still meant that there was some degree of development from paper to sketchup.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Doh! KNEW I had seen that before...



After NOT following the plan in my moleskine and doing a lot of smoothening and playing around until the only resemblance was the base of the chair, I realized that I hadn't designed a unique chair specially for Mr Jobs, but instead a very accurate replica of the "egg chair"s seen in the movie Men In Black, inspired by Thor Larsen's Olivier Chair (the red one seen above).

Aw well... good experimental fun...


On that note too, the base of the chair will probably be changed anyway... I'm thinking to resemble the base of the iMac monitors...