Why I Chose Architecture (and other tidbits of news...)

I'm a bit behind in posting, mostly because of being super busy with school and holidays at the same time. But with the recent news I've shared with family, friends and neighbors, and now with you, that I've been accepted to the 5 year B.Arch program at NYIT; I've been asked this little question that's difficult to share with strangers thus, I wanted to put it out here where anyone can read.

What made me choose Architecture?

It started in high school after I switched schools, that I began to ask myself 'what makes me happy?' what do I enjoy doing?
At the time, my first answer was Comic Book Artist. After looking into I'd found that it's incredibly hard to break into the career. So I moved on to the next best thing: 3D Computer Artist and I'd begun learning how to use Blender, and tried modelling different things including myself. I'd learned a lot over the year, but then gave it up as I'd moved onto writing and story telling, my mother had even given me some Writers Digest magazines, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It involved tips on writing and how to create mysteries and intriguing dialogue. I was eating all of this up, but what didn't sit right were the words from my grandfather: "There's no money in that."

Apparently money is a big deal as you're growing up, and as I see it now it really is, but it's not the most important thing.

Because of this I started looking into lucrative careers, I was only 15 at the time. I knew I didn't want to be a doctor, it wasn't in my future. I liked math and I was doodling every day in school. So I wanted a job that allowed me to draw every day, help people, and possibly tell stories. It came down to two options: Engineer or Architect.

At this time, the internet had relatively little information to give about Architecture, what it is, and sometimes I look and see that it hasn't changed.

The description for 'Engineer' told me that I needed to learn all of the sciences including Chemistry. I HATE CHEMISTRY! That was the major turn off. Most of the information taught about chemistry is it's history, useless things for moving forward.

The description for 'Architecture' said I need I needed to be an expert at almost everything and be able to use technology. After I had given it some thought, I began researching shuls (synagogues) as my base point for understanding architecture.

I feel that until I'd decided to do that, the local library that hosted at the time maybe 4-5 books on synagogues was never touched. Now it has almost 20 books on synagogues and the books on architecture is growing in the library. Anyway, I was constantly researching and was sold on the idea. I even looked into schools within New York to apply to.

My main goal was to become an architect to builds shuls and homes in hopes to revive the old European designs that I found were the perfect places of spirituality and prayer.

But I think that covers why I chose Architecture...

Anyway, thanks for reading dear reader, and I hope to start posting more again-- I mean there is SO MUCH happening right now, and I know I promised pictures... They're coming. Just need to sort and edit them at some point.

~Architalmud

Final Presentation - Design II - The Fire Urn

Hey reader!

I've been busy, trying to get myself together for the summer. Got a lot to take care of like putting the portfolio together for the B.Arch application.
But I'm here to reminisce about the final presentation before I forget all about it.

The week of, the professor was really excited about my project and assured me that all I need to change were some drawings and little fixes for my 1/4" scale model. So I did. Most of Thursday I spent putting a quick animated walkthrough together for the powerpoint presentation. The powerpoint was supposed to be 5 minutes max, but at the rate I was giving it at home, it was taking 8-10 minutes to make it through.

So the morning of the final, I had went to sleep around one, packed a box and my garbage bag for the models, and had left my boards in my school locker on Wednesday. Everything was prepared, so I decided I would be once of the first three to present.

Up until the final moments before we officially began, I watched as guest critics walked by our projects and STOPPED BY MINE for long periods of time to examine my boards. It was flattering for the most part, but it made me nervous, 'What do they see that I missed?'
Of course the obvious piece missed was the little rendered figure of my professor hidden in my section render... When he saw that during the presentation, his face got all red and he started laughing. He looks to me and says, "Nooo! You didn't!" before pointing it out to the guest critics and saying I get and automatic A..

We had FOUR guests, I did not catch any of their names. Anyway, the first two presentations got picked apart because they were solely based on construction designs, while mine was a full concept.

As I sat down before the laptop to begin the powerpoint, I looked at the female guest, smiled widely and said HI! She smiled back and asked if I would begin. At this point, with all the practice I had put into the the previous day repeating my shpeil, I started rambling quickly about the context, the process, my concept, the design phases and the Louis Kahn inspirations.
They stopped me when I reached the concept image of a greek urn. They were curious because my project actually used the negative space to define the urn mostly.
Soon the 5 minutes were up, and everyone was together by my boards as the guests picked the idea apart.

I was eating up their critique, because I've learned to take note and try to understand what would make the project better. For some reason, during critiques, my face probably looks depressed as I'm learning from what they're saying so from Greta to Diamond the these new guest critics, they had to reassure me that what they were saying wasn't bad. Which I knew! But my face read otherwise.

To quote, "We aren't saying all these things because we don't like it. On the contrary, we like it very much and that's why we're saying all these things!" ~Female Critic

Each critic tried to take a turn because they had so much to say. One drew on the boards, others tried to illustrate with their hands. One related it to a prison.
The most important line was from the female critic, she said,
"We see that you have pulled all of these individual moments from your inspiration and put them all together, but which part of this project is YOU?"

The critique soon finished after that, and I was really happy with how it went. Like SUPER HAPPY! There were applause from the class, there had been some laughter in the middle. The professor had blushed. It was an amazing 10-15 minutes.

And I know I promised photos. I will put them up eventually... Probably after I finish the portfolio...

Thanks for reading, dear reader :)
~ArchiTalmud

Never Start A Desk Crit With A Joke

As the title states, today we sat down for our first crit for Project 3 - EMS/FDNY station.
The professor asks, "So what's your concept?"
I jokingly answer, while flipping to a sketch of...

"A Farmhouse on Fire"

He was not entirely satisfied with the answer I gave, so I then had to make up for it by showing other concept sketches and other answers... he still wasn't going for it.

He liked the organization, but the the separate volumes (Which I've previously tried in another project) either needed to be blended into one unique volume, or they would have to take on separate identities, or take from the context of the neighborhood.

The other choice was to scrap the entire idea.


Later, during the class wrap-up, the professor had quoted my "Farmhouse on Fire" to the class, while smiling at me to remind the class about poetics, but to also try to contain ourselves and not make the poetics sarcastic.

So it seems once again, that I have to look back to Louis Kahn for some inspiration on how to handle such a project.

And I know I said I'd post pictures, don't worry they'll be up eventually...

thanks for reading, dear reader. :)
~ArchiTalmud

Project 1 and 2 Updates - Past Finals

I haven't written in a long while. It's been a busy, hectic, crazy time.
Project 1 ended well, the jurors enjoyed the project, it was a simple, geometric, grand design. And I accidentally printed 6 identical model shots for the final... didn't notice until Hana pointed it out during my presentation.
Currently holding a B grade for Design II.

Yes, everyone, I'm not a perfect student. But design-wise, my designing process was much smoother without drama or any depression-causing humans to distract me from my goal.

Another interesting thing is that post-midterm the Dean and David Diamond, plus other faculty, came down to the studio to tell us about the Summer programs.
But that's not the important part, the dean was passing by my drawings with the chairperson Altwicker, and offered a compliment. I hadn't heard the first time so I asked if she could repeat it, this led to her offering model advice, as she'd enjoyed the plans but hated the model. Diamond had pointed out that part of my project seemed Le-Corbusier-esque.
It was nice receiving a compliment from someone I both hate and respect simultaneously.
Eventually I will muster the courage to ask if he would mentor me as our designing processes seem to have clashed in the past.

Anyway, Project 2 we had the Zaha Hadid - Vitra Fire Station as our Precedent Study. This project was a 7 day project, although my partner and I only spent a mere 5 days working on drawings and a model. He was in charge of the model, but we both pitched in where we could with the others work.

During our final presentation today, we were the only group to offer a plethora of knowledge about our project. Sadly our axonometric drawings weren't up to par.
The previous post that shows a joke render was almost used at the final, but superman was removed. Professor Kropac still enjoyed the elevation drawing regardless.


After Spring Break (March 14-21) we're going straight into Project 3 for 6 weeks until the end of the semester.

Drawings and pictures will be posted later.

Project 2 - Pre-final Edits.

It's a bird!
It's a plane!
It's...

Coffee break time.