Some developments in the last ten days.

We were intending on using Eurban to create a cellular inhabited roof-scape but it was not working with John’s model. I was slow to admit as much, and slow to feel the love for our new structure which is cool. It is inspired from the front cover of a book that John happened upon in another studio. It shows a model by Peter Eisenman for the Center for the Arts, Emory University, Atlanta:

After some discussion as to how we get this to work, both architecturally and structurally, we had to make models as it was all quite confusing. Here is Tom Ibbitson’s:

And my first model with the roof over the main exhibition space intending to be a continuation of the inhabited roof-scape. As the roof-scape was made up of a series of picture frames it was hard to get it to work structurally. I also now think the change in scale of the the two is too great:

We have been working some late nights:

Trying to get the portal frame like roof-scape working with the circulation, ingots, roof, structural and constructional needs was hard. We were creating sketchup models to resolve everything but we then hit upon a 1:50 working model which could be developed and edited by all of us. Whether or not the working model is quicker is questionable but it is much more fun than sketchup and allows for regular discussion.

video coming

What with 27 other groups there is a shortage of balsa wood in the Student Union shop so we figured we could use extra long matches to make some of our portal frames. Sadly they would not be super glued together. Having invested in hundreds of matches I set about making our own Catherine Wheel. This was to make up for the many fireworks we could hear over the last few days but not enjoy.

And still working late nights. Here are the five of us at 2am this morning working in the studio. I was home and asleep at 3 and up at 7.30am:

We have nine days left till the big crit. Will we ever decide on a layout? We we get the final 1:100 model made? What detail will the structural calculations be? We will make our A3 booklets? This is so incredibly stressful.