Task - 1 Homing

project 1. homing: Vitruvius’s weapon


A residence has adopted you. You have adapted to a given logic of habitation, constantly negotiating with familiar factors you like or dislike. The residence is the very site of home which still requires your definition. To specify the notion of home, you are choosing a space (e.g. the east-south corner of your room, a space between a kitchen door and a fridge) in relation to a particular action you habitually perform before, while or after working. You are analysing your activities of eating, bathing, sleeping or working in the space through a series of drawings and designing a device to use the space better; better in that it could help you perform/work more effectively.


term: 3 weeks
design: a kinetic-spatial machine
definition: home. v.
- to be guided to a destination by radio signals of missiles, aircraft (1920)
- used earlier in reference to homing pigeons (1875)
site: each student’s residence
options:function - to facilitate the spatial engagement or bring up a new activity
refs: Michel de Certeau, 1988, The practice of everyday life
C. J. Lim, 2006, Devices: a manual of architectural + spatial machines
Ted Vancleave, 2003, Totally Absurd Inventions: America's Goofiest Patents
Celia Lury, 1998, Prosthetic culture: photography, memory and identity

tasks:
week 2. hand sketches identifying your habitual action/space:

sketch #1 : relation between a space and you (your body part, habit)
- sketch your (favourite) habitual action
- sketch the spatial context in relation to your body part (specific, detailed)
- sketch the ambience of the habitual space
- sketch #2:a device/machine which can enhance the relation
(i.e. - to use the space better)

week 3. drawings of the device/machine + site elevation drawing (sketch/photomontage):

model: study model of your device in proper scale
drawing #1: unfolded plan of every elements of a device in proper scale
- how to manufacture – cad drawings for 3D laser printing
- see the attached image
drawing #2: composite drawing
- cut-outs of picture images in combination with line drawings (+ colouring)
to capture a specific scene/atmosphere in which you use your device in
the space you chose

week 4. laser cutting + drawings of the device/machine:

model: scaled or full size model of a device
materials: cardboard etc.
drawing #4:plan and section, each describing the detailed mechanism and materials of a device in proper scale

week 5. model installation/performance @internal crit:

model: full size functional device
drawing #3: partial site elevation drawing as a setting
drawing #5:3-dimensional perspective describing the effect of a device application on the space

internal crit (20Oct) week 5 task needs to be completed and pinned up together with
previous tasks for the internal crit.