Back in STL - Seoul Exhibition

Back in STL - Seoul Exhibition

Whew.

That's all i have to say to sum up that last few weeks. Even before school started, I was already in full gear, trying to finish up loose ends of the studio project from Seoul. I was instructed to rebuild my physical model (there was no way I was going to opt to ship it all the way from Korea... very unlikely foamcore would travel well). So, like a lemming, I convinced myself that I HAD to build a new one...so I did. Not quite sure if the labor was worth it, but it did come out decent.

Here are some photos of the exhibit that was in Givens Hall.

What a wonder korean characters do to a intro board

   

Dan pondering over Natasha's project

I'll have some model photos once I get my model back from administration.

From Bojagi to Model

From Bojagi to Model

Bojagi: wrapping cloth

I told myself I'd make more models in Grad school. As of yet, I never really gave myself the time to invest in a quality physical model. Which is why I told myself I couldn't wuss out on the 1/50 sectional model we were "required" to complete for our final review.

For those non-architecture, 1/50 means 1/2 centimeter = 1 meter. Which means, big model.

My project was inspired by the traditional korean dress, the hanbok, as well as the korean quiltwork, jogakbo. Themes included use of crease, seams, and folding to create an envelope that wraps the site. This wrapping was inspired by the bojagi, which koreans use as a utilitarian way to wrap objects for transport, storage, or gift wrapping (sometimes a jogakbo is the bojagi wrapper).

the traditional hanbok

jogakbo = jogak (pieces) + bo (cloth)

bojagi

Here are photos of some process...

folding / creasing a flat plane

 sewing fabric in different jogakbo seams

Older process model, made after midreview

Consulting the digital model

Roof Terrace

Final Review

Final Review

There are a few basic rules of studio I always try to tell myself to keep no matter what:

1) Always maintain a regular shower regimen. No one likes greasy hair (among other things)

2) Try to get sleep every day. Yes, naps (meaning 0-3 hrs of sleep) do count.

3) Always leave studio before the sun rises.

Well, at least I kept up with rules #1 & 3. The day of final review, I had been up for around 36 hours already, and running on adrenaline. I promised myself I'd finish that 1/50 scale model before I went home, which I did. I walked home a few hours before review to accomplish Rule #1, and eat. I had thoroughly impressed myself with how I had survived in the past three weeks with such lack of sleep, and I must admit, I was getting delirious towards the last night, especially when I was the only one left in studio.

I was third to present, and I presented without coffee coursing through my veins, which was surprising to me. My tactic to stay awake was not to wear a jacket. It was bloody freezing in the presentation space (Koreans, ever heard of proper insulation?!?). After taping (masking tape, classy) my boards to the wall, my brain went dead. I couldn't seem to mentally prepare my thoughts, so I said to myself, "I guess I'm winging this thing again."

Somehow I pulled it off because afterwards my professor said to me," I don't know how you pulled it off, but you did!" Comments from the jury were all positive; and I was glad I made that big model. It's good to finally get an overall good review after a blood-sweat-tears kind of semester.

Me trying to gather my thoughts

Showing my stitchwork, done with lack of sleep

One happy Seoul studio (afterwards of course)

Our last time at the Black Tent

After BBQ we walked to another place to have drinks. On the way, I walked beside Junsung and asked him if he was going to miss us American kids.

He replied: "Oh yes, or course. My body will not have the ability to NOT miss you all. You know, before you guys came, I was really discouraged with teaching the Korean students. They aren't easily self-inspired or self-motivated; it's really hard to teach them. After teaching you guys, I have more of a motivation and inspiration to keep teaching."

I was really moved by that. Junsung is usually a very dramatic person when it comes to expressing his feelings about architecture and whatnot, but I really felt that he was being really candid. I'm glad we could affect a professor just as much as they have affected us.

Korean Thanksgiving

Korean Thanksgiving

NOTE: I am horrendously behind on posts, so bear with me. Let's travel back to Thanksgiving....
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After classes, we hopped on the train to have dinner at our professor's apartment. His wife was so kind as to cook every single dish. I felt kind of bad because our one task was to find a turkey, and we failed on that account. We were counting on the service that Yongsan Military Base used to have, which was selling roasted turkeys at the base gate for outsiders to pick up. Well, apparently, they discontinued that service in 2009, and the other option of ordering from a hotel was too expensive and too short of notice.

As we entered the apartment, we were welcomed with the wafting smells of bulgogi. We had tons of other great korean food, including japchae, kimbap, fried seaweed, chicken skewers, among other things. The professors were bringing out the big guns -- Junsung with delicious french wine, and Mark with a spanish (read: molotov) cocktail.

Cheers to the cook, Junsung's wife!

The Three Stooges

Marc's Spanish drink: 2 bottles of rum + lemon peel, cinnamon stick, coffee beans. Lit on FIRE!

The bowl cracked under the heat... so we salvage the liquor by siphoning it through a cheescloth

...and then used a cooking pan instead. architects are dumb.

full from korean goodness + french wine + spanish liquor concoction

massage train! Our goofy professors in the front

This meal was exaclt what I needed to get through the rest of the semester. At one part of the meal I was chatting with Junsung, our korean professor, and he was reminiscing about his time with Alvaro Siza. He said that Siza was asked, "Do you love architecture?", to which he responded with a reaction like "Love? Love is a strong word. I don't Love architecture. I like architecture sometimes...Man doesn't exist for architecture. Architecture exists for man."

Junsung said it meant that architecture shouldn't be your life -- it shouldn't be the all-consuming, end-all THING that is the only thing that matters. How then can we even enjoy what we are pouring our efforts in for our entire lives? How can we enjoy our life? So, in order to enjoy architecture (or anything you have a passion for really) you need to not have it be your LIFE.

This is expecially true now that I am in Seoul; it's been clearer to be since I am geographically away from St. Louis. If I constantly remind myself this everyday, I think it would be a great, constantly humbling thing that brings be back to earth. I think we all get caught up in this academic bubble of working nonstop for some convoluted goal of "finishing" a project without even enjoying the process itself.

Tokyo: Architecture Role Call

Tokyo: Architecture Role Call

In wrapping up my posts for Japan, Tokyo was by far the finale. First, I eat what may be the best sushi of my life, and then in the course of two days, I see so much architecture by so many designers that I look up to, it's so crazy. I must admit, I was architectured out. I guess it's always the case with too much of a good thing.

It's too bad a lot of these buildings' charm lies on the inside, which we didn't not get to experience in most of them. We went to a lot of the big fashion streets; it seemed like we were doing the ultimate window shopping, but hunting for buildings, not necessarily clothes (not that we could afford anything there anyway, seeing as Omotesando Street is like Fifth Avenue compacted together).

Nakagin Capsule Tower (Kisho Kurokawa)

This was the first capsule tower that was designed, built, and still in use today as an apartment. The capsules were made to be moveable and restackable, but they never were reconfigured from their initial placement.

Next, we headed to the shopping streets, Ginza.

Small pictures, clockwise from left: 1) Hermes (Renzo Piano), 2) Mikimoto (Toyo Ito), 3) Burberry (?), 4) Tiffany & Co. (Kengo Kuma)

National Museum of Western Art. My first Le Corbusier building!!

 The last of the Ando projects: (Left) International Library of Children's Literature; addition to old library from 1929; (right) Omotesando Hills Shopping Mall.

What was a furniture store is now a classy underwear store (Tadao Ando)

Trust me, there's some architecture under there. Don't let Hello Kitty fool you. (Kazuyo Sejima)

My favorite: Tod's (SANAA)

Last, but not least, the Prada Aoyama Store (Herzog & Demeuron).

We were greeted by a suited doorman, walked around on their white plush carpets (in squishy wet shoes from the rain), took some illegal photos, and rolled out. They hated us.

 

 

 

...and yes, of course I used the bathroom. They even have diamond-shaped trashcans...

The Japan Chronicles: Yokohama

The Japan Chronicles: Yokohama

[disclaimer: sorry for all of the delays of posts! It's been a busy week getting back in gear with school and studio, but I've found some time to get a couple more posts out. Thanks for being patient!]


[October 20, 2011] Enroute to Tokyo, we stopped at Yokohama to see a few sites.

Mt. Fuji from the train

We went to see the Yokohama Ferry Terminal by FOA, built in 2002. What's interesting about this project is that it seems to want to be an extension of the land rather than an object that was pier-like. Some things that failed in my mind were the handrails on the roof deck that were truly eyesores that interrupted the flowing wooden surfaces.

Aerial view

View of Yokohama by the terminal