EXno.10.2 : Precedent Planimetrics

The process of analysis involves viewing the work from many different angles; "...in this way the complexities and overlays of architectural thought and fact are revealed. The student begins to understand and realize how much really goes into the making of a significant piece of architecture. She dissects the work and re-assembles it; she begins to discover the differences and similarities among the major works. In the search, things are rediscovered that perhaps the creator of the work had not intended.

Through the investigation, the student reveals her own architectural thought to herself on a more critical plane; she even invents within the analysis. At first the ego is overwhelmed by a thorough analysis of another's world - a period of adjustment becomes necessary before the start of one's own creative work - but once the impact is received and absorbed, one's new work becomes filled on many levels. The analysis problem is one of recreation.

John Hejduk on Analysis

You are to construct a set of planimetric projections of your precedent building in a single file. Build this drawing set by creating and revealing relationships in the geometries and concepts of the house. The sample precedent drawings offered do not show this process, they only show the final product of the drawing's construction. You are going to make the construction of the drawing the drawing, not the emerging image. That will just be one part of your drawing.

This set of projection drawings will include:
2 plans
2 sections

In the drawing you will have:
3 clearly delineated line weights
2 clearly delineated line types
-notational sets such as section cuts, fixtures & directional arrows
-a graphical scale and a north arrow
-notational text as needed in a small Arial or Helvetica font

Architecture operates on reality from a distance, and through the mediation of abstract systems such as notation, projection, or calculation…Architecture works simultaneously with abstract images and with material realities, in complex interplay. It is a material practice.

Stan Allen

You should leave all lines in the construction of the drawing. You are constructing a diagram of how you thought through this planimetric study in drawing not just making an image of the layout of the building. Print out small portions of these drawings often during their construction, keep this record in a binder, and make a large printout at least once before the final due date.

Explore the house in these drawings and make those explorations clear in the drawings. Pinning up at the interim reviews will be checked and part of the final grade.

Thursday March 12th:
Build the general geometry of the sheet by blocking out the general location of the views and their relationships. Start relating the views with notational systems. Start laying out and projecting the individual views. Make a 8.5 by 14 (legal) printout, fit to print, of your overall layout and bring it for review. These are the review dates and what should be done for each date.

Thursday March 26th:
Finish out the lineweights and line types in each view. Finish relating the views through simple and refined notational systems and text sets. Printout the overall drawing, fit to print on a "doublewide" 2 times 8.5 by 14 (make it 14 by 14) sheet.Printout a screen captured view fo your layers pallette on a single sheet of paper.

Tuesday March 31st:
Final Submissions in two formats:
a) Digitally as a .fmz file with good layers and lineweights and as a vector .pdf file.
b) In Print as a 20 inch by 20 inch bond matte greyscale printout.

Precedent Examples

These examples show only the two darkest line weights and do not show line type. All of these examples are done by students at your level of development while here at TTU.

EXno.16 ; Mini-Me-Thickened-Me or the model of the model of the model

Make a new small model in foam of your project that is 50% solid and 50% void in the buildable volumes. Think of Solid and Void as equal but different, variations of the same thing rather than in an opposition where one simply holds or surrounds the other.

Make it simple and figure it out while making it.

Images from Fall 2003

The Project Cart (la Charette)
Lorelei Martin
Josh Nason