A change in direction...

My project over the past few months has changed direction several times. My initial aim was to investigate Architecture from natural forms however I found this too limited in that i couldn't include certain case studies i wanted to. However the title was also too vague in that i had no idea where to begin or what conclusion i might come to. I have also changed my mind about presenting a sketchbook as a final product. Although i still like the idea of drawing upon my own work i want to be able to use my existing sketchbooks to enhance my enquiry rather than forcing any drawing when an essay seems more suited to my current title. Following work experience in Cardiff over summer where i was beginning to investigate the role public art has in society I soon began discussing the 'form versus function' debate with my peers. Many of the themes were ones I have already touched upon in my natural forms research such as the pure functionality of a bird's wing and how its utilitarian structure is often referred to as being beautiful aesthetically. No human could design anything better. This inspired me to further my reading into this discussion where I came across Louis Sullivan's similar argument. He suggested that form ever follows function, this is law. in short, an objects form comes as a direct result of the pureness of its functionality.

On the other hand, there are many opposing arguments to this theory which draw upon the multi functionality of buildings meaning there can be no direct form as there is no direct function. Similarly, buildings have a cultural and symbolic significance too which suggests that its form itself becomes a function. This is reflected in Frank Gehry's dancing building in Prague which was built as an iconic structure of the city which functions as a symbol for post war freedom and optimism. if the building was designed around the office block it serves as then these significances would be lost.

Another interesting element which i chose to investigate is the role sustainability has in this debate. The current drive towards sustainable builds influences both the form and the function of a structure making each act harmoniously with the other for the most efficient outcome. In order to analyse the success of sustainable place making I have reviewed BDP's (a leading architectural practice which i worked with last summer) articles on the subject. these reflect how form is vital in ensuring social sustainability as this is the trigger in encouraging people to live, work and play in any situation. sustainable place making to them is about creating an environment which is flexible enough to adapt to its people- not belittle them. Therefore sustainability influenced the debate on a huge scale.

I have chosen to investigate manchester for my project for several reasons. practically, it is easily accessible to me and first hand research will be easy to obtain. Secondly, having worked in Manchester and know many people who have lived and helped develop the city, i have the contacts who i can interview and will offer their opinions on the redevelopment's success. Following the IRA which destroyed much of Manchester's inner city in 1996, the area has had the chance to reinvent itself; form a new identity. Therefore form and function would have been critical in recreating the city's image as a vibrant capital of culture. many of the building have symbolic status to Manchester such as the Beetham tower- which is the country's tallest building outside London and is an iconic structure which many Mancunians take pride in. contrastingly there has been some identity lost. For example Manchester's corn exchange has re-established itself as the 'triangle' shopping centre and food outlet separating itself from its cultural history as the centre for small traders. many would argue that it is time for the building's function to go full circle and reinvent itself once again. This raises the point that a building's function is constantly adapting and changing with each generation therefore purely utilitarian buildings are not flexible enough to be sustainable.

My project aims to assess whether form does indeed follow function in the redevelopment of Manchester following the bombing in 1996 and to evaluate the success of the area's sustainability 15 years on. One of the most exciting things about this project for me is that the city is still constantly thriving and adapting to establish itself at the forefront of sustainable place making and the world.

Visiting the University library in Manchester...

The most useful aspect of our trip to Manchester was learning how to use the facilities for ourselves. The resources of the library will become very useful when we begin to research for ourselves this summer. I learnt how to use the electronic software to find journals and books and then use the coding system to go and locate them in the library itself. The trip also helped me identify what it was i wanted to research. i came across many books with interesting titles ranging from the rise in conceptual architecture to how it has classical route and influence. this has helped me to reach the decision that i will be addressing the question: 'can a shelter be a sculpture.' In doing my project I need to remember to stay organised and produce a bibliography of the resources I have used. I also need to document what sculptures and research I make outside sketchbooks.

For me, the biggest challenge will be refining what I want to research into as my topic area is very rich in information and there is no clear cut answer. After reviewing my ideas with my supervisor (Mr KL) I should be more decided on what to do next.

Reviewing the presentation evening

After viewing last year’s EPQ presentations on the 17^th February I have learnt that in order to make a successful project- background reading is essential. The presentations that stood out for me were the ones where the student really understood the area and were able to go into detail and link ideas together whilst answering questions.  I found it helped to make the topic engaging also as some projects did not appeal to the audience and there seemed little point in presenting them. The audience has to want to know more about it.

I learnt that the most successful presentations were ones which used a range of resources- not just the internet and books. One presentation titled ‘is time the best cure for head trauma in horses?’  was very insightful as it used interview with a leading expert who lectured at Liverpool college.  Practical elements will also be very useful- carrying out questionnaires and investigations will be very interesting for an audience, and offers alternative opinions.

Above all, it is essential to stay organised- collating information is difficult enough but in order to present it in a manageable and entertaining way keeping up to date is very important. It is also alright to evaluate in the presentation. Explaining the reasons why information is one sided or limited is useful for the project.

When writing an essay it will be very important to make it direct and towards a point and a goal. As my project stands it has no direction and the most successful presentations finished with a definite conclusion.

The students said that the most useful skills they developed were learning independently and going through the processes of creating a project and a presentation.

Watching these presentations has helped me as it has made me understand that I need to refine my project and outline a strategy I need to follow to achieve its goal. It is clear that I need to read around my topic area thoroughly so as to answer questions successfully.  

Disadvantages of content analysis

Content analysis suffers from several disadvantages, both theoretical and procedural. In particular, content analysis:

• can be extremely time consuming
• is subject to increased error, particularly when relational analysis is used to attain a higher level of interpretation
• attempts too liberally to draw meaningful inferences about the relationships and impacts implied in a study which become irrelevant.
• is inherently reductive, particularly when dealing with complex texts
• often disregards the context that produced the text, as well as the state of things after the text is produced, in this case tries to find meaning beyond the obvious practicality.

I must be careful not to fall into the trap of these disadvantages as it is all too easy to read too much into and waffle on about a project whilst overlooking the obvious. I will suggest possible relationships and themes without going into too much detail. My content analysis will be used primarily for organisation and presenting my findings.

Methods of research...

In our last session we discussed the possible methods of research we could use. For my project I intend to use a wide range of resources, including interview and secondary research into architectural projects. However most of my work will be my own personal development of a project inspired from the natural forms I come across in my research.

Content analysis:

"The process of organising written, audio, or visual information into categories and themes related to the central questions of the study. This approach is especially useful in product analysis and document analysis."
www.utexas.edu/academic/diia/assessment/iar/glossary.php

This shall be particularly useful for me since I am looking into several categories, such as the process of design, inspiration from natural structures, and to what extent this is used in architecture. I can use this method to separate these findings and use it to analyse my own project. I can also use this analytical technique to infer meaning beyond text and interviews. 

Using conceptual analysis I will be able to identify whether there a certain theme or root of inspiration for my chosen projects- for example, arches.
Using relational analysis begins with identifying a theme but then seeks to go beyond by exploring the relationships between the themes and assessing to what extent and how these themes interact. Relational analysis on arches will look into why an arch was used and what aesthetic and practical qualities make it work and whether there any links between this arch and other arches used in both architecture and nature.

http://www.iep.utm.edu/kantaest/#SH2d

I found this website which summarises Kant's theories on fine art and aesthetics relating them back to nature, which may be worth drawing comparisons with.

And so, it begins...

What are you planning on researching?


I would like to research cases in which architecture has been influenced by natural forms and how these structures are applied in a practical way. In a broader sense I will be researching how inspiration can lead to creativity and eventually become something useful using architecture as my proxy. I will aim to produce my own series of sculpture designed from shapes I have observed from the natural environment and look into the process and roots of designing and construction.

Why am I interested in this?

I have always been interested in studying Architecture as it combines art and practicality and links them into our society. I want to know how this design process is inspired and how this relates to natural forms we see every day and if possible whether there is any possibility of more sustainable and ecological living for the future. I wanted to study a project that would eventually lead to a creative product- in this case, a series of my own sculpture.

What am I aiming to find out?

The extent to which architecture is inspired by natural structures and how the process of design takes place.

What am i planning to produce?

i am going to eventually produce a series of sculpture which have been inspired by natural forms documenting my thought process and principles of design referring to the work of several architects and their inspirations.

The Golden Rules

It is important that the Dos and Don'ts of EPQ are set out:

• Don't let it get in the way of other subjects- it must not take priority
• Always get help if needed
• Keep organised and on top of work
• Make sure a broad research base is used
• Conglommeraberate ideas with others on progress
• DON'T PANIC!

Introduction to my project

Over the course of this next year I will be using this online space as a form of "sketchbook" to document the progression of my project for the Extended Project Qualification. The research will truly kick in after my exams before summer so up until then this space will just be used to bounce ideas around- hurrah. This project starts life as a vague accumulation of ideas that seem to point in the general direction of looking into how architecture can be influenced by natural structures we see every day, for example using structures such as the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing. I also hope to produce a series of sculpture over the summer but we'll see how that ties in.