Inspired by my surroundings

I didn't pick Architecture because of any one famous guy's pretty building or inspirational speech. I guess design is just in my genes. My mom is a practicing Architect and my sister is in her fifth and final year at the University of Georgia for Landscape Architecture. I think I have known since fifth grade that this was the career path I was going to take. Then last summer I took the "Inside Architecture and Design" summer camp. In one hour Bill Green got me so excited about Industrial Design that I decided to add that as my minor. Other than that, I am interested in learning about wood working (which I got from my dad) and ceramics (which I got from my High School ceramics class and work by Chris Gryder). I guess I'm inspired my my surroundings and the people I meet who are passionate about what they do.

Here's a link to some of Chris Gryder's work:

http://chrisgryder.com/newsite/index.html

And here's some of my work inspired by him:

For the love of making things...

Why do I want to be a designer? Because I am a maker. I always have been. As long as I can remember, I have been making things. For all I know, I came out of the womb with a pencil in one hand and blocks in the other. My favorite toy as a kid was, of course, legos. I could make anything I wanted to, whether it be a space ship, a castle, or a sports car. Frankly, it doesn't really matter what I make, its the process that I enjoy. Let's say I don't really like teapots. It doesn't matter, because I could make 20 different iterations of a teapot and enjoy every second of it.* Pursuing a career that I enjoy has always been one of my biggest life goals. Not everybody can say that they've found their calling. I'm glad that I can.

*subject to exaggeration

Industrial Design

After 4 years of drawing, design and drafting classes, I applied to Tech with the mindset that I belonged in either architecture or engineering. After reviewing my work and my senior projects, my teacher suggested I research other, more specific programs to major in. He refused to answer me when I asked what he thought I would be best suited for, instead stating "you'll know when you find it". After several hours on the Virginia Tech website, I ran across some information on industrial design. It seemed to fit my interests exactly. Several months and a summer introductory class later, I'm here ready to draw!

For any out there who need inspiration, below is a rendering of Luca Serefini's senior project. Luca is an Italian design student who graduated from the University of Parma in Italy in 2007 with a major in Industrial design.



















Lamborghini Embolado Concept

Why Architecture?

I decided to pursue a career in architecture after my freshman year in high school when I was switched into a technical drawing class because my schedule wouldn't allow for my first choice of class. At first I was unsure as to whether or not I would like the class but I had heard it was easy so I decided to stick with it. That ended up being a great decision as I really enjoyed the class and it proved to be more challenging than I had originally thought. Since then I have been really interested in architecture and design and I went on to take drafting classes for the rest of my time in high school. During my junior year we got to design and build models of beach houses which was by far my favorite project throughout high school. I had always loved Virginia Tech so once my drafting teacher started telling me more and more about Tech's architecture program and the tradition here, this was the only place that made since for me to come.

Making Architecture My Choice

In about my junior year of high school, I found out that I was a more math and design oriented person, i wanted to pursue a major that was built around my strengths. I did not want to go into something that was just math related so I chose architecture. I started taking classes that would give me some exposure to the design element of architecture, so my senior year I took an advanced computer graphics course that I ended up doing extremely well in and since I have been here at Tech in studio classes, I have experienced many similarities to my old computer graphics class. Then I applied for some architecture based scholarships and ended up receiving the one for the newly built Dr. King Memorial and as a bonus, the memorial managers allowed the recipients to delve into the world the construction workers and the architects of the site live in.

Why i took interest in interior design and architecture

I first took interest in interior design and architecture in middle school when we took a test to see if we were concidered "right or left brained." The test told me I was right brained, which meant that I would be more succesful in a career in the art or design field. This was a pretty accurate test becuase I have never been a math or science person, but have always enjoyed art. The test then gave some career options, one being interior design. I started looking at what interior designers and architects did, and instantly fell in love with their job. When my mom re-designed our house in Maryland, I was at the interior designer's side the whole way, always asking questions and helping her design each room. Interior design and architecture has been my intended major ever since seventh grade, and I have grown to love it even more over the years. This past year I interned with a local interior design company and it definately made me want to pursue a career in interior design.

Choosing Interior Design

I started becoming interested in interior design at a very young age actually just watching HGTV and inspiring shows such as Extreme Home Makeover in which they are able to make family's lives so much easier and efficient through innovative design. The first thing i notice upon walking into a space is how it is laid out and designed. Choices in interior design can be the primary influence on what kind of a setting the space creates and two summers ago I had to write a big paper on anything i was interested in so i chose interior design of retail spaces. I explored the different impact generic, regulated design versus free form, location specific design has on the retail location's image in the community, success, and portrayal of their product. This paper allowed me to examine the effects of different interior design decisions and here is an example of two spaces I compared...

...local Virginia Beach Sunglass Hut v. Oliver People's Eyeglass shop (L.A.) designed by Ilan Dei Studio

Why landscape architecture?!

I'm one of those indecisive people who wanted to pursue a lot of different types of careers but I've always loved the idea of design, mostly because there is an unlimited amount of possibilities! For a while, I actually wanted todo graphic design but then I joined this construction mentoring program. I loved it! It got me familiarized with the field and the atmosphere. I met this architect who's name I've forgotten but the point is, he was so excited about his work! He said, "It's great to design but the best part is seeing it through and once it's done, it's like your own creation came to life. It's alive!!" [and he said it in the frankenstein voice which I could never forget]. I have a very practical mindset and architecture does a good job of fitting that description. I find landscapes more appealing because buildings and houses do not catch my eye like landscape does. I feel like I can be more creative or motivated to be creative with landscape areas than building structures. Creativity is good because it leads to innovation and from what I've learned these passed days at VTech, there is a need for innovation towards landscape design especially in the environmental aspect. Oh, during junior year I wanted to go into environmental science but it involved too much science so I changed my mind. I do value the environment a lot regardless and it'll be something I will incorporate in my designs in the future. So why landscape architecture? Because it'll lead me to creating awesome pieces like this!

My interest in architecture came mostly from growing up around my parent's construction company. I have spent a lot of time working for my dad and learning from him throughout my childhood. As I got older and learned more, I began to feel drawn towards construction and the design process.

Here is a link Welsh Construction's website if anyone wants to check it out:

http://welshconstruction.com/index.php

Inspired by Home

Design has always been a part of my life. I grew up in a magnificent and thoughtful piece of architecture. My house, located in the small town of Harvard, Massachusetts, was designed by my aunt, a design director at the Gensler, an architecture and design firm.

When designing my house, she took into consideration many aspects of my parents' life as well as the crucial elements of the structure's context. It became important to reflect my town's aspects of colonial New England while reflecting my parents' interest in contemporary style and love for entertaining. For years, I have realized the importance of the external factors that affect design. The original model of my house is something which truly inspires me. I love the progression from inception to the final product and am intrigued by the adaption and evolution each idea undergoes. My personal interest in design spans much further than simply architectural elements. I chose industrial design because it possesses such limitless and infinite qualities. Industrial design can range from the new, innovative electronic to the attractive and creative container in which products are packaged. Industrial design, as well as companies such as Inventables, makes me anticipate the creative and technological capabilities of design.

Falling Water

I became interested in architecture this year when I studied Frank Lloyd Wright's work and visited his masterpiece "Falling Water." Frank Lloyd Wright is known for incorporating natural surroundings into his houses. At the Falling Water's gift shop, I saw examples of Wright's original widnow designs, which I found to be absolutely inspiring. I would love to one day design unique windows to put in my houses. - Jill Jackson

For more information visit http://fallingwater.org/

(window designs- http://www.waitsel.com/reflections/Wright_windows-2.jpg )

In the 7th grade I became interested in interior design. My mom always said there is no demand for an interior designer so I started considering architecture. Later, in high school my art teacher had the biggest influence in encouraging me to actually pursue a path in architecture. He studied architecture Virginia Tech for a year before he decided it was not right for him, but he believed that I had the talent. Throughout high school he was a mentor, friend, and fatherly figure for me to look up to. He inspired me to go with this career choice and gave me the chance in school to explore the option first. Art, math, hands on activity, and design have always been enjoyable for me; Architecture can essentially give me the opportunity to do all these things. Also, I've always loved looking at layouts of home design. Virginia Tech was the right choice and I had a great teacher to help me make the difficult decision of what I wanted to do in the future.

First Post: Why Architecture?

During the summer of 2010, I decided to explore architecture through a process of elimination, considering other professional fields that I declined with thought. I took on an internship at Mark G. Anderson Consultants to acquire as much knowledge as I could about architecture. MGAC is an independent professional project manager that offers design and construction expertise. I chose to intern here rather than at an architecture firm because I wanted to learn about the non-design aspects of architecture.

There, I was mentored by the vice presidents of the company (who are both practicing and non-practicing architects). I was able to see how the law and the surrounding environment influence design, and also witnessed some of the path-altering obstacles that they, as architects, encounter when designing. Under the instruction of some of the executives of the company, I began looking at architectural publications to enhance my knowledge of the field. By gaining a greater knowledge of how architects approach certain projects, I decided that architecture suited my mind set, and focused on getting into this program.

Henry Chapman Mercer

In my hometown in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a man called Henry Chapman Mercer left his mark. He built his home, Fonthill, a museum (the Mercer Museum) and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works factory where he once produced handmade tiles.

Today, the three structures are popular places to visit as they display Mercer's works and collections. The tile works factory still even makes beautiful tiles the same way Mercer did. This past year, when my Ceramics class visited for a field-trip to learn about tile making, I was struck by Henry Mercer's style of design. He was not afraid to build in his own unique style and express his dreams, resulting in his house with 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, 32 stairwells and more than 200 windows. Looking at his creations inspired me to try to not be afraid to express my own ideas and thoughts in my designs and to turn my dreams into reality.

Here's a link if you want to read more about Henry Mercer and his 3 structures: http://www.tiles.org/pages/mptw/mercer.htm#fonthill

Something about me- Ray C

My name's Ray and I'm majoring in Landscape Architecture at Virginia Tech. I think I've always wanted to subconciously wanted to do something with design since I was little. I would draw for fun, mostly animals and future houses. Even my own room became a designing experiment. I would adjust my furniture in my room every few weeks to try and find the most efficient layout. So, when choosing a major, Architecture was right away always a choice. But, I wasalso concerned with the environment. The lack of sustainability of our present day structures, along with the inability to find a replacement to oil. I want to be able to make a difference in the environment, while doing something I enjoy, which is why Landscape Architecture is such a suitable major. I was inspired to do Architecture through my 9th and 10th grade drafting teacher, Rhaba Sbtani, who is Alumni at Virgnia Tech. I think the news along with a book I read by, I think it was Al Gore about the drilling in Alaska. Seeing things on the news about oil drillings, global warming, and so on, really sparked an iinterest. Some more things about me, I love to play any sport, but extreme sports are more fun. I like to snowboard, and lastly I'm addictedd to Fifa, so feel free to come challenge me. GO HOKIES -Ray C.

Michael Young

Young was one of the main reasons I decided to study industrial design. His main focus is making quality products and building a brand rather than using the cheapest material. He has great insight to the business side of design which has always interested me. Below is a short clip from an interview he did for Ovation TV.

In psychclass, we each took a quiz to see whether we’re predominantly left or right-brained. Left brain thinkers are rational, objective, and analytical. Right brain thinkers are random, intuitive, and creative. There were points distributed between right and left brain; I scored 6 and 6. Architect Peter Zumthor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Zumthor) said, "Associative, wild, free, ordered, and systematic thinking in images, in architectural, spatial, colorful, and sensuous pictures—this is my favorite definition of design." Architecture is the perfect balance between reason and creativity, the perfect mix of math and science with art. It presents challenges and the chance to impact people, which is exactly what I want out of my carreer.

Here's a similar quiz, if anyone wants to try it out: http://www.testcafe.com/lbrb/?affil=

Daniel Libeskind

I had always thought that architects built buildings.

Any kind of building = architecture.

That is, before I came across Daniel Libeskind's lecture.

Hi, I'm the link to Daniel Libeskind's Lecture at Cornell University.

In the lecture, he explains how architects communicate through their work, through design, and through every detail.  He suggests that architecture should have an emotion that conveys its purpose.  I was very impressed and inspired by his lecture.

Yes, this video is very long.

Yes, it's a video of him lecturing for an hour.

But it's worth it.

I suggest leaving the video streaming while you clean your room, or eat some snacks.

Also, this is the link to his homepage for anyone that may be interested.

http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/

His works are very interesting- Look them up!

The Architecture of Happiness

The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton is one of the reasons I chose to devote my life to design. Alain de Botton focuses on how our surroundings provide us with not only physical, but psychological sanctuaries in our hectic day to day lives. He points out why many have a lack of interest in architecture and design: the fear of impermanence. For better or worse, we are different people in different environments. After reading this book, I discovered my aim as a designer: to design atmospheres that offer the best sides of us the opportunity to flourish.

http://www.alaindebotton.com/

Material Connexion's Green Construction Material of The Year 2011.

I have always been interested in the "green movement". Eventually, I hope to make environmentally efficient buildings my concentration. Here is a link talking about the "green material of the year". New materials and technologies are constantly being created to make the over-all building/construction/design process not only more efficient but also more eco-friendly. I think it's important for us to keep up with these innovative materials and to keep them in mind when working on our current projects.

Committing to a Line

Danny Macaskill in Industrial Revolutions



When you watch this video consider Danny's commitment to his line. He doesn't just look for it, he sees it, he makes it. The path to your career is no less ambiguous, challenging, or exhilarating. Give yourself fully to the development of your design skills, be present for the making of your future.