Planning

What Did Le Corbusier mean when he said ‘the plan is the generator’? (Of architecture)

To make a plan is to determine and fix ideas. It is to have had ideas. It is to so order these ideas that they become intelligible, capable of execution and communicable. It is essential therefore to exhibit a precise intention, and to have had ideas in order to be able to furnish oneself with an intention. A plan is to some extent like an analytical contents table. In a form so condensed that it seems as clear as a crystal and like a geometrical figure, it contains an enormous quantity of ideas and the impulse of an intention.

The plan is the generator. Without a plan, you have lack of order, and willfulness. ...There is a new spirit: it is a spirit of construction and of synthesis guided by a clear conception.

Le Corbusier, Towards a New Architecture

Explain your groups strategic plan regarding creating an environment as good as or better than the half life 2 model?

Understanding that we have no experience with the UT3 I believed that we could achieve a model as good as the waterfall model. To plan a project not knowing your own potential you are faced with challenges, every time I use UT3 I learn something new and gain more knowledge and confidence that we can build an enjoyable virtual world, allowing the user to experience what it would be like walking around the unbuilt building. The plan is not so strategic and is a plan that evolves as we continue the work. With the pressure of the due date closing in we are now faced with challenges. That include have we done the right thing by not forecasting the work load, and the fact that can we produce something that challenges the half life model.

Draw a diagram showing the spatial planning of your chosen unbuilt project, and explain it your presentation.

The High Court designed as an integrated complex of buildings, gardens, landscaping, water features and architectural elements, which addresses Lake Burley Griffin and the land axis. The High Court is an imposing ceremonial building of significant design incorporated through the features of the ceremonial ramp, the forecourt. It is outstanding for its creative use of concrete and the quality of craftsmanship in all detailing The High Court reflects the early concept in the Walter Burley Griffin plan for Canberra, for Australia's highest judicial system to be in the Parliamentary Zone yet symbolically separate from Parliament. Along with the National Library, the Gallery and High Court contribute to the later phase in the development of the Parliamentary Zone, as the home for national institutions.[3]

Explain the principle roles/aims of statuary planning with regards to the built environment

Statutory planning, or otherwise known as town planning, development control or development management, refers to this part of the planning process that is concerned with the regulation and management of changes to land use and development. [1]

The design brief was to emphasise the visual impact of the Gallery and the High Court, their entrance podium and the lake beyond. The High Court and Gallery group were to become a single precinct in visual terms with the High Court the dominating feature [2]

Individually identify your educational plan, both in terms of this course, and the degree in general?

My educational plan initially was to complete this degree and continue my studies in architecture. The plan is still there, but may take longer than planned as I am unsure if I want to be an architect. I do enjoy the technical aspect of architecture, so my now amended plan is to get out of drafting and into something more challenging. The course has helped me realise that the industry is changing with new technologies emerging so as a tech guru I would like to make most of this degree and the new found knowledge and skills.

Planning is also a challenge in itself, with every planned step, is another step hidden and unknown, but we somehow find our way.

Reference:

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statutory_planning

[2] Pearson, M., Butler, G. and Marshall, D. (2000) National Gallery of Australia - Preliminary Heritage Report.

[3] http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings/act/Parkes/HighCourt-NationalGalleryPrecinct/2180

The Macquarie Dictionary

http://www.engagingcommunities2005.org/abstracts/S12-angharad-d.html

Le Corbusier, Towards a New Architecture

Remuneration

Remuneration

Show me the money! It’s usually the first thing on your mind when you refer to the word remuneration.

The definition found online. [1]

1.The act of remunerating.

2.Something, such as a payment, that remunerates.

The remunerations is payment of anything for the work done or the work intended, Which is argeed to by the parties involved. Considering this course we are not paid with money (which would be nice!) but we are rewarded with marks and knowledge as payment. The marks are deterimined by the organiser and we as students enrolled into the course agree to the terms of remuneration. The course marks are outlined as weekly presentation are 15% we do three over the whole course so 15 + 15 + 15% = 45% total, Fabrication Presentation 20%, Individual Blog weekly 35% [2]. And the knowledge acquired by attending the course lectures and meetings with tutors.

In the real working world people are generally paid with money as remuneration. A salary or wage is paid to the emplyee by the emplyer for the work they do. This form of payment is not the only way to be paid for work. If and when a contract is present the negotiation for an award or agreement can be offered as remuneration packages. The element that are not money such as superannuation, motor vehicles, school fees for children, salary sacrifice arrangements and the like, the primary objective is for the minimisation of income tax.[3]

The level or amount of remuneration is always considered by the knowledge and experience the employee possesses, this is also compaired to the standard of the industry. Therefore if you offer more and have the ablity to offer more skills then you will be paid accordingly, and with my remuneration its comes down to how much work I do and how well I’ve done it. To get the my remuneration.

References;

[1] http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/remuneration

[2] http://www.russelllowe.com/arch1392/course_info/course_outline.html

[3]http://www.workplaceinfo.com.au/nocookie/subjects/PayandConditions/remuneration/articles/remuneration.htm

Context

Context

The Definition of context found online [1]

1. The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.

2. The circumstances in which an event occurs; a setting.

The High Court is the highest court in the Australian judicial system. Harry Seilder’s competition entry for the building was not the winning design, but would have been a building that stands out in the context of its environment and in the context of the user. The functions of the High Court are to interpret and apply the law of Australia; to decide cases of special federal significance including challenges to the constitutional validity of laws and to hear appeals, by special leave, from Federal, State and Territory courts. [2]

Located at Canberra Australia’s capital city The High Court is bound within the grand plan of Walter Burley Griffin’s intended vision, placed on the waters edge of Lake Burley Griffin. The building design would have stood out in the intended site. The relation to its environment wouldn’t have sympathetic nor would it have been a natural transition from the surrounding buildings and the local landscape, but yet it would have been appropriate to the context of its use. Harry Seilder design of all concrete façade with low windows have a castle or fortress feel to it, being 4 to 5 stories high it can only be outrageously large in size. Similar building designs of Seilder have been adopted, The Trade Group Office in Canberra use the concrete beams that span the lengths of the building and are used across each level. The use of concrete canals carved out in the ceiling is used at the MLC building which is a design feature of the High Court. The building would have been a daunting journey to the concrete fortress to get the final judgement.

The context of the building to the user is the design intention of the building layout. When you enter the building you are placed in a large open gallery space, flooded with natural light through the large dome skylight. The feel would be that you have entered the place of powerful people. The rooms are split into one main room and 2 smaller rooms in with the triangular master plan of Canberra.

In my opinion Place, Power, People is the order of context. The High Court of Australia is located at the capital city opposite Parliament House, The Power as the highest court of Australian judicial system and the people that use this building.

Reference

[1] http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/context

[2] http://www.hcourt.gov.au/

Hierarchy

Hierarchy

Hierarchy is defined as, any system of persons or things in a graded order, or a series if successive terms of different rank. [1] Then how has hierarchy contributed to the collaboration project? And is it necessary for the hierarchy of persons or things?

At the beginning of the course we were given the task to split into groups of 5. My group only consisted of Simon, Marko, and Me. Once most groups formed their 5 person team, we were still left with 3 in our group. So Jezza decided to join us. Before we could continue we needed to elect a group supervisor. This process wasn’t too difficult as Simon who we all consider a natural leader would be a great candidate to hold us together to complete the tasks. Once we got organised each group had a tutor allocated, this tutor was to help us with general inquires to collaboration and to guide us with any problems we would encounter. Matt Day was appointed to our group and in a hierarchical sense he was group leader.

As follows is a hierarchical table that will illustrate the levels or grade within our group.


Hierarchy of things within our tasks are evident if you consider the Maslow approach to hierarchy. Maslow created a hierarchy of needs for the individual. He placed the needs in a hierarchy such that only after the needs of a layer are satisfied would an individual care about the needs in the next layer. [2] Taking Maslow’s approach to hierarchy and putting it in context to the model of our building in UT3 we have to address certain layer needed to be done first before the next layer. We have chosen to build the main building in 3ds Max, this is our starting point and our first layer. Then we can continue to add the other layers like the material required the textures that go with the material, sound elements internally and externally, this list goes on, with layers added and the levels of hierarchy change as well develop our skills and hone in on the required processes to accomplish the end model for our final presentation.

The large amounts of work needed to complete this project will need the efforts of each member of the group. To have a harmonious and professional project plan we would need to acknowledge the hierarchical values in collaboration. If this is lost our main focus on achieving our goals would be lost too. Having a level system between peers will allow smooth cooperation throughout the project. Assessing the hierarchical needs of each layer will benefit us learning, and recording the right information that will be valid to the tasks. Hierarchy is the stepping stone to planning a successful collaboration project.

Reference:

[1] The Macquarie Dictionary

[2] A Need Hierarchy for Teams, Anita Sarma and André van der Hoek, Oct, 2004

http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2006/07/human_hierarchy.html

http://www.isss.org/hierarchy.htm

Maslow, A.H., Motivation and Personality. 3rd edition ed. 1987: HarperCollins Publishers. 293.

Intent

To relate the word, intent or intention to my task, the need to understand the meaning of intent is important. The Macquarie Dictionary describes it in 3 simple words Meaning, Plan, and Will.

Communicating my intention will mean I will need too;

• Describe the purpose of the task.
• Why the task needs to be done.
• What the end point of the task is.
• The time it takes to complete the task.

John F. Kennedy provides a good example. In his now famous ‘man on the moon’ speech;

“First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.”

This statement of intent is concrete [landing a man on the moon], active [landing, returning, achieving], simple, time bound [before this decade is out], and is in the form of a mini story [land the man and get him home safely]. [1]

My task is to showcase an important, architecturally designed building, that has not been physically built, and to build it in a 3D environment, then be able to explore The High Court of Australia, by Harry Seidler. The use of UT3 will allow the users to get a sense of scale and volume. The reason this task needs to be done is because of the course arch1392, the course allows the students be part of the growing industry which involved developing and modeling in a gaming environment. At the end of this course I would like to have the ability to create or recreate designs in a UT3, possess the ability to collaborate with others to reach the desired outcome. The time it will take is unknown, but there is a due date.

My intention are achievable in the time frame given, the course will teach me more than intended. This is not a detailed plan, but a point of direction of where I need to end up.

Reference:
[1] http://www.anecdote.com.au/archives/2007/07/communicating_i_1.html - By Shawn

Knowledge

The Macquarie dictionary defines knowledge as. (1) To perceive or understand as fact or truth, or apprehend with clearness and certainty. (2) To have fixed in the mind or memory. Then what is knowledge in context to collaboration?

In an article “collaboration tools are anti knowledge sharing?” by James Robertson. He writes “collaboration tools can work against knowledge sharing. While collaboration tools work extremely well for the staff using them, they can lead to hundreds (or thousands) of information ‘silos’, making it harder for other staff to find required information.” Can Knowledge be shared?

In our own team we have divided work amongst the group depending on their knowledge. Each person has the knowledge or ability to do their desired tasks, but to access that knowledge of someone else, how does he/she access that information? The fact is, you can never access the needed knowledge from the “knowledge” holder with asking them to teach you or another way to attain that knowledge is to learn it yourself.

As a group we have a task to build an unbuilt building in a game environment. Most of us didn’t know this was possible. The task involves us using the UT3 modelling engine. The members of the group have individual tasks, that either involve using the UT3 editor or not. But does the person not using UT3 lose out in terms of they will not get the chance to learn and to expand their knowledge? Or does the person learning UT3 lose out in terms that they will spend more time learning a new tool while the other person refines their knowledge through more experience?

Sharing knowledge is not an easy task as members of the group will become “information silo” that others will not be able to access at any given time.

Collaborated knowledge has become more and more important. For example, architectural firms have a design brief that involves more than what they can handle so if a firm’s expertise is master planning, but the brief includes a nursing home and a hospital, you would need the knowledge of others to complete the plan. Sharing knowledge is important in our group task and will be closely managed to make sure we don’t became “information silo’s”

Record

Records are information, data or documents which carry with them sufficient information about the context of their creation and their structural properties, and are embedded within the accountability framework of an organisation so as to ensure their integrity and authenticity for the period for which they are designated as accountable documents.[1]

Keeping records have become essential in any situation. By acknowledging that people keep records of their lives for example, photograph have been around for many years and have become a great tool for recording events. Keeping a record is important, and useful to the person that accesses these records whenever they like. But how do we know if record keeping will do its purpose, will it last the distance intended? And what are the best means of keeping a record in our collaborative tasks.

First we need to establish a documentary base which is reliable, trustworthy and which ensures that evidence of action is available for as long as it is needed [1]. A cost effective (free), reliable, and accessible by all members. Brainstorming and producing a list of alternate record keeping methods was evident that there are many ways to record information, which one of those is most useful to us as a group was an emailing system. Emails are not necessary a document management system, but have been a source of communication between members of the group. As our main source of interaction we decided email systems our medium to keep track and record the progress of the group tasks.

It’s safe to say that all members have access to an email system, and are able to use it without any training. The cost effectiveness of email system is some what free via www.hotmail.com. We are also confident that this system is going to last the duration of this subject and that we are not going to lose information over the next 8 to 10 weeks. Other forms of record keeping maybe conducted through a forum set up within our Wiki (www.arch1392group2.wiki.com). This is a great place to converse and collaborate in our group task. I have attached a screen shot of my emails, keeping track of all communication by sorting emails into one folder for easy access. And a screen shot of our forum for another source of communication that is keeping record of our posts.

Reference:
[1] Recordkeeping Systems - Publications http://www.recordkeeping.com.au/pub_docmgt3.html
12/04/2008 10:37 AM