DF7A26 - thoughts, process, dynamic

A difficult task, we have been assigned. 

Our preliminary goals have been established after several discussions involving the [10x10] week long exercise in which we were all required to submit 10 "big ideas" in both two dimensional and three dimensional forms. Our group, DF7A26, coalesced in light of the fact that we all were interested in some form of bridge mechanism, a formal design that would connect lee street and the community with UNCG's campus with our Lee street site and the rail road tracks harboring the focal point of transition. 

The goals grew out of a diagramming charette initiated early on in assignment 2.1. A time limit of about an hour was given to complete as many context and goal oriented diagrams as possible. Afterwards we each discussed our ideas, sometimes sketching over each other's diagrams. There were three that stood out in my mind. 

1) The context of Greensboro's existing rail roads

2) The bridge/transition between community and education

3) The bridge/transition from ground level experiences to higher levels offering specific views

After achieving these and several others, we moved on to a conceptual sketching charette. As a group we each spent 5 minutes sketching out what we thought the building should look/feel like. After that time period we passed our drawings to the person on our right for another 15 minute sketching exercise. This continued until everyone had sketched on everyone else's initial idea. The results were fruitful. It was an enjoyable experience, as the previous goal charette had been. After the deliberation and discussion of what everyone thought the drawings represented, a decision was made on one that everyone could agree on. I feel this drawing's ability to be flexible visually was perhaps the strongest pull for most of the group. The sketch could be interpreted in plan, section, elevation, and maybe even in perspective to some extent.

Afterwards, we turned to the charette process again, this time in model form. Inspired by the above mentioned concept sketch, as a group we spent an hour constructing  parts that could be interchanged. The process was similar to the drawing exercise. Everyone had a chance to construct a model of the building out of the group of parts, taking pictures of things that sparked our minds and satisfied ideas in varying degrees. Several areas were discussed: exterior formal design, general floor plate design and placement, and the massing of programmatic areas. The creations were complex, at least in the sense that it would be difficult to translate them as a group in the limited amount of time available for this part of the project. Unfortunately, this continually challenged us throughout the rest of the project.

Moving on from the physical world and into the virtual, DF7A26 initiated another charette. Each of the group members chose a picture from the model charette and continued the modeling process in sketch-up. The collaboration process was amazing. Proving to be effective once again, we mixed and matched our 3-D models in the virtual world, establishing a gestural form we felt represented our goals.
Around this gesture we were able to complete several more diagrams including views and multiple iterations of general program placement in plan and section. With the Atlanta trip looming over us, we still have to complete a site diagram and model. Not much we can do except get done what we can in the time we have.