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Porreres Medical Center

Porreres Medical Center

Mallorca, Spain

MACA Estudio

Even though the color is bright and vibrant, the fact that all of the walls are painted the same, with no structural or textural break,  give the waiting room an institutional feeling.  

The lobby on the main floor is quite the opposite, using planes of yellow to break the otherwise white space.

While the centralized waiting room creates flexibility in function, the placement does not allow for views to the outside, except from the square tubular penetrations on the south side.  Sufficient natural light is let in through clerestory interior windows.

The pavilion area in the front of the building is a grand space, but seems overwhelmingly stark.

Thesis

Oops.  I forgot how tumblr worked.

When I tagged my previous posts as Thesis I was doing it for my own convenience to look back on things I write about projects that I may use as inspiration for my thesis. But tumblr tags get posted publicly, so I figure I should make it clear that the projects I write about are in no way mine.

Twitter Corrodes Language

I’m not that big into twitter.  I generally follow actors and artists whose work I respect.  Rarely do I post things myself, and alcohol consumption is usually a prerequisite.

Simon Pegg tweeted twice today on a subject that I found very interesting.

and

So while twitter can be commended for encouraging succinctness and efficiency when expressing ideas it is also guilty of training users to pick words that are not correct or precise in order to fit into the character limit.

Dental Workshop

Dental Workshop

Architects - Fernando Cué González, Mauricio García Cué

Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

This project uses concrete in a brutalist sense while trying to refine the interior with waiting room furniture that looks more at home in someone’s living room.  Leaving the concrete exposed as the interior finish is out of place, and ends up making the treatment rooms look more like an enhanced interrogation facility.

Placing a gravel and stone zen-garden-esque feature between the main building and detached conference/training room creates a situation that misses out on an opportunity to exploit the good weather and spectacular view, and embrace a philosophy of creating rejuvenating spaces for staff and visitors.  

Merlin Park Hosipital

Merlin Park Hospital

Architects - Moloney O’Beirne Architects

The purpose of this project was to create a new space that allows the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service to move out of their location in an established hospital.

The main goal of the treatment program is to work with children and adolescents and their parents to understand their problems in order to determine the proper treatment.  One of the goals is to seamlessly transition patients between community services, short visit procedures, and inpatient stays.

The exterior of the second floor is almost entirely windows, with vertical wood slats creating some privacy, shading, and visual interest.  Some interior corridors have window benches that look out over atria.  Some areas adjacent to treatment/observation rooms are furnished for outdoor treatment or consultation sessions.

Drive

On Tuesday mornings the interior design grad students get together for a half hour informal meeting to discuss whatever is on our minds.  If nothing comes to us Kotaro directs the discussion to whatever he feels like talking about.  This week he asked us all to talk about what our long term goals were.  Like 10-30 years down the line.  I couldn’t come up with anything.

At first I thought I was unable to take part in such an impractical exercise.  Why should I set a 30 year goal when I should be focusing all of my attention on getting a job period in the next six months?  So I thought about it in the abstract;  what would I do if I were independently wealthy?  Well I’d own the finest computer controlled woodshop that I could afford, and spend all day doing 3D models and making thing with a 3D printer or CNC machine.  But that seems to be more of a hobbyists dream rather than a career goal.

Then I started reading a book titled “Design Like You Give A Damn” about architectural solutions to humanitarian crises.  The projects all had noble goals, and accomplished them beautifully, but I had almost no emotional response to the problems they were addressing.

I came to realize that the only time I get excited about a project is when it helps, entertains, or in some other way affects the people around me.  I feel happiest when I’m solving problems, either for myself, or more importantly, for someone else.  But I never go out searching for problems to solve.

So now I’m supposed to write a personal statement detailing my professional dreams and aspirations which will probably read close to the following:
“I’d like to get a job, preferably in the architecture / design industry, which pays enough so I can pay off my student loans and keep my family fed and clothed.  Anything beyond that is icing on the cake.”

Jerk

“I often act like a jerk, but don’t feel bad about it” is one of the most honest things I’ve ever said.

Dammit Blizzard

So Blizzard has revealed that Diablo III will need an always-on internet connection to play.  Not just to log in and check DRM, not just for multi-player, but always.  And while the features available with online play are nifty indeed, in my opinion they do not make up for the imposition placed upon those who cannot or do not want to play online.

I had no intention of pirating the game.  I played Diablo II and I play World of Warcraft, and even though I’ve never gotten into the Warcraft/Starcraft games, I trust Blizzard to deliver a high quality game that I will enjoy.  I will buy it, probably even from a store rather than downloading a digital copy.  I know they believe they have to check DRM with an internet connection, and that doesn’t bother me very much.  I think it is a futile effort to combat piracy, but not bothersome.

I am a solo gamer, and I will not be playing multi-player.  I’m not a competitive person when it comes to gaming.  Being able to claim superiority over someone else is not fun for me, nor is having my own shortcomings pointed out during a leisure activity. 
I also don’t really like playing co-op.  Gaming is not a social activity for me.  I treat gaming like reading a book or watching a movie, the inclusion of another person detracts from my experience.
Therefore I am the perfect video game customer.  Once the game is finished and shipped there is no more action required from the producer.  I don’t need servers to be maintained, matching systems implemented, or any other continuing support.

I plan on cheating.  Seriously, when I get to a point in a game where I feel more aggravated than challenged I bust out the cheat codes.  I fully support server checks that prevent cheating when playing competitively, but what I do on my computer is my own business.

You Know You’re Getting Old When…

Yesterday I walked to school and back because it was a nice day and I hadn’t been outside in a few days.  The walk is about 9 miles round trip, I made it in about 3 hours.

Today my hips hurt so bad that I can’t walk straight.