Going Mad While Making Models

For starters, I am horrible at making models. Like, really, truly horrible. It's very inconvenient because I'm not a very bad student as such. I'm getting tired of my teachers telling me that my models aren't even a fraction of the quality the rest of my work is. But my problem has made me wonder multiple times how important model making skills are when it comes to becoming an architect.

The model I made in second year, first semester for my design submission.

First of all, model making skills are definitely useful. There's no denying that. It's much easier to express your design with a model than with a plan and elevation, especially when trying to create new kinds of spaces. In fact, the ability to make rough models can be just as useful as making finished models.

In second year, second semester, our teacher asked us to design a 'good' space. We had to express the space by means of rough models, so we mostly used the thick, corrugated sheets that comes in packing boxes. I must say that I recommend this material for everyone. Use the paper in it's entirety if making plain surfaces and remove the top cover of thin plain paper and use just the corrugated sheets when making curved surfaces.

The 'space' assignment, with photographs of the space designed as well as
of the rough models used to express the space. All the models were made using
the corrugated sheets that packing boxes are made of.

I must say I got better at making rough models, but the model I made during my final submission was not particularly good. I guess what I'm trying to say is I understood how to express spaces using models, but when it came to finishing, I still lacked the skill and patience. Also, making the final model was hopelessly hard for me.

The final model I made

In the age of computers, a lot of students decide to take on architecture in spite of having average model making and drawing skills. But student life is much easier for those who are good at this stuff. During the final thesis, a lot of students seek help from juniors who are very good at making models or employ professional model makers.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds it difficult to finish models in the limited amount of time available to me. Share your experiences in the comments section.

Fence in Salzburg

I have been traveling across Europe for the past few weeks and am tryithe e block to gathenough information aboutugh the architecfenceal pratoppling overs in each of the places I visit.

Here is the kind of fencing I saw in many parts of Austria.

The fences are of standard size and prefabricated. And here is how they are secured to the ground:

The prefab concrete blocks have holes deep enough for bottom of fences's post to go in and the block is heavy enough to keep the fence from toppling over.

Training Troubles

In architecture, one of the most exciting parts of student life is training. I mean, it's exciting when you really think about it. We spend months looking for someone who will be kind enough to take us on as an intern. We beg teachers for recommendations. We can't contain our excitement (and relief) when we finally get a spot as an intern. And then we start wishing for the semester to be over just so we can start with something new. Maybe it's not like this for everyone, but it is definitely like that for e, although it may have something to do with the fact that college gets incredibly boring by third year, second semester.

Applying for internships is an experience in and of itself. It can be frustrating, confusing and also very new. Obviously, we all have some stories about the process and that is what this post is all about.

For me, the funniest experience was when I applied to an internship in the UK. It was a long shot and I knew I wouldn't get it, so it was basically something I did for fun. I was surprised when the very next day I spotted a reply in my inbox. While the mail loaded, I didn't know what to think. Was someone actually going to accept me? Or was it a form rejection?

As it turns out, it was neither. Following is the reply I received from the firm:

Dear Shreyonti,

Thank you for your email. If I could offer a small word of advice. When pitching for a job by email and promising attachments of your work, it does look better if you actually attach something.

best wishes

Gordon

Gordon Clarke  DipArch, RIBA, CA

Director

I sent my portfolio again, along with profuse apologies, but needless to say, I didn't get in.

Today, in the comments section, I request you to post any stories you might have regarding application for internships. All kinds of stories will be appreciated, from funny to sad to just plain frustrating.

The Theory of Thesis

When I first became an architecture student, back in first year, any thesis was good enough to leave me in a state of awe and admiration. I couldn't believe that people barely four odd years older than me could design built environments that I had never even seen in real life. Living in a developing country sometimes implies living in an R.C.C. jungle full of short, ugly, un-inspired buildings. In fact, as Indians, we are so insensitive to the wonders of architecture that we would probably be yawning and tapping our foot impatiently on a trip to Falling Waters. We sometimes don't understand good architecture when we see it and to us, the word 'architecture' basically means historical buildings. All this seems funny now, but back when we were laymen, we were, well, just like everyone else.

But then, you start studying architecture and witness your first round of thesis reviews. A class full of people design museums and monasteries and low-cost housings, and looking at their work makes architecture feel like it's full of possibilities.To us newbies, every thesis is fantastic and we're dying to learn more in order to design just as well as our fifth-year seniors. Suddenly, we are gripped by a desire to learn Photoshop and Revit and God-knows-what-else just so we can do thesis-worthy work. It's almost as if we believe that the theses are the pinnacle of creativity.

And then....we grow up.

In second year, some realities start surfacing. Now that we already know the basic softwares, helping out the seniors becomes less exciting than before. We can see that not all the projects chosen are out-of-the-box design innovations. In fact, most of them are live projects and the emphasis is on having a 'good' design and not an 'innovative' design. I don't know about you all, but I was a little bit disappointed upon discovering these simple facts about final-year thesis.

Then there's the matter of selecting a topic. In the 2014 NASA Panel discussion, I had the good fortune of acting as moderator at the academic discussion related to selection of topics for theses. The fact that the discussion was held in the first place shows that we still have no idea how to select an interesting topic for our thesis.

Today, let's just forget that we are bound by any limitations for our thesis and believe, just for one second, that we can design whatever we feel like. This abandonment of limitations is the point of my first blog post.

Over the past two years, I have thought of some things I would like to design if I had all the freedom. Some of my ideas include:

1. A housing complex just for joint families, because that's a tradition I don't want to have to forget just because of generic housing.
2. A village in a beautiful location, where both natives and tourists can stay, so that tourists can get a more authentic idea of the place they are visiting.
3. Low-cost earthquake resistance in hilly areas. This was inspired by an article in National Geographic and I don't think I'll ever actually be able to make this because of my own limitations.

So, my question for today's discussion is that if you had full freedom, what would you choose as your thesis project?

Would you go for something completely new and innovative, something that has never been seen before?

Or would you pick something small and delve deep, like doing an entire thesis of decorative windows throughout the country or types of bricks?

Or maybe you'd select a topic which is close to your heart, like a stadium if you are into sports or a children's park if you think you din't get a proper space to play growing up?

Or maybe something else....

The possibilities are limitless.

Let me know in the comments section.