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microscope [perspective into the subtle].

September 30th, 2008 admin

As described in the proposal, this assignment allowed me to further explore the imperfections within the vinyl medium. With the week we had to prepare this visualization, I was able to extract the desired information through the analysis of the captured video feed. The data acquisition relied upon the blob-detection library (java). Modification of the library was necessary in order to cater to the specific needs of this visualization. Most significantly it was necessary to track a single ‘blob’ in order to correlate a fixed location on the vinyl cartridge (from the video data) in order to monitor its movement on the X and Y axis. Limitations within the blob-detection library prevented such localized tracking before the modifications were made.

Once the data was extracted, the average vertical and horizontal translations made by the cartridge were calculated. These average values were then subtracted from the cartridge position at each frame, leaving only those exceptional or abnormal movements of the cartridge to be highlighted. At this point, there are no empirical values representing the movement of the cartridge, however each un-expected movement is represented as a percentage of the total distance traveled by the cartridge for a given data set. The red crosshair marks the location of the cartridge every 50 frames allowing for a ’snap shot’ of the given deviation. The resulting visualization can be found here.

The image set below first illustrates the data acquisition process. Specifically one can observe the difference in the data quality between the modified, and unmodified blob-detection library. The remaining images are of the visualization in its most recent manifestation. Please note this project is still in progress.

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manifesto.

September 24th, 2008 admin

White fence, backyard, husband, wife, child A, manicured lawn, child B, car (with leather seats); all of which describe the collective dream of a population that is perpetuating a form of anti-architecture polluting the majority of North America. The culture of architects and urban planners who are generating spatial and structural masterpieces have no place in suburban space as can be seen through the endless spread of development projects and strip malls that define a suburban existence.

Architecture is a manifestation of conscious design challenged with the task of defining the physical spaces in which we exist. I must stress the use of the adjective ‘conscious’ in this description as an architect must carefully consider their site as an integral part of the design process leading to the creation of a dwelling or structure that stands in harmony within its immediate environment. The work of Douglas Cardinal is a tangible example this type of harmony. Urban centers, such as Mumbai, Seoul, Toronto and New York City do represent some of the most innovative and compelling architectural creations. However the urban center is no longer a heavily trafficked node in the day to day lives of overwhelming population that choose to reside in suburbia. Daniel Libeskind’s Crystal for example reshapes the urban center of Toronto. This controversial new structure pushes the imagination in terms of design and construction and in my opinion does represent an fine accomplishment from an architectural perspective. Within a few blocks of this overwhelming structure, Frank Gehry’s renovation of the the Art Gallery of Ontario provides yet another example of the bleeding edge in-terms of design and construction. Both buildings however are far from practical structures and spaces an individual living in Toronto might encounter in their daily lives. There is a unacceptably sharp contrast between the thought and planning that is invested into the design of city centers in comparison to the sprawl of cheap and repetitive housing that is being literally stamped out in the surrounding collection areas. Living in the sub-urban environment of South Korea I was able to experience the manifestation of this same juxtaposition of design principles. Suwon is located forty five minutes south of Seoul when traveling by commuter train (one of the primary tools that makes sub-urban existence possible). Within this dense suburban environment, the horizontal footprint of the cookie cutter house is replaced by row after row of identical residential towers that collectively create a forrest of housing units stacked efficiently atop each other. I am at a loss to understand how this type of massively thoughtless planning and implementation can be made possible. Furthermore I am at a loss as to how a constantly growing population accepts these housing options. Phase after phase of poorly constructed stenciled homes are generating more then a future of waste (as these dwellings are not designed or built to withstand the test of time), they are stripping communities, cities and nations of their individual identities.

We are in the age of the clone city. Corporate presence has overloaded our habitats to the point where I have difficulty identifying my immediate surrounding when in suburbia. Walmart has become the architect of our generation promoting the big-block-strip-mall culture. Efficient housing does not need to be so offensive, and it is our responsibility to demand an alternative. My thoughts are from the perspective of an individual coming from the suburban wastelands of Canada and I feel the best way to articulate what architecture means to me is to draw attention to the negative expression of all its values.

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creative networking – exercise 2

September 23rd, 2008 admin

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microscope [perspective into the subtle: proposal].

September 23rd, 2008 admin

providing a vivid perspective into the subtle nuances of our everyday life, i am looking forward to interpreting the output of a low powered digital microscope. after spending much time examining the cracks and crevices of my laptop, the movement of loud speakers, clothing, tables, cellular phones, monitors, vinyl records and fluorescent lighting, I was able to comit towards a target for this next visualization exercise. recently i have been fortunate enough to spend significant amounts of time listening to vinyl records. personally I find the process of handling physical artifacts of music, manipulating the player with bare hands, and the visual spectacle of following the needle slowly traverse the radius of the record to be an integral part of the listening experience. of the most striking elements of this process are the clear imperfections that are occasionally heard through the speakers as ‘clicks’ and ‘pops’ due to dust and expected wear and tear on the audio equipment. this visualization will however focus on the physical imperfections manifested through the vertical and lateral movements of the cartridge as it slowly scans the the vinyl surface of the record. this will allow me to explore and display both the physical tracks laid out on the record and the tool used to transcribe the topological information. again, there will be a specific focus on outlining the vertical and lateral movements of the cartridge as it travels through the less then perfect circular tracks that comprise the auditory information on the vinyl disks.

this visualization will highlight both the imperfections within the medium and the physical compensations made by the interpreting equipment. given a fixed viewing position, the visualization will represent the movement of the components in comprehensible units allowing for the subtle nature of this space to be better understood. from an esthetic perspective i intend to generate a highly technical overlay that will tediously analyze the previously discussed nuances of the medium.

the image set below provides a few sample perspectives into the space I intend to describe through this assignment. although the camera was not secured by a tripod while these images were captured, one can get a feel for the movement of the cartridge as it traverses the imperfect path of the record used in this shoot.

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spectrum analyzer [part 2]

September 18th, 2008 admin

Building upon the extremely minimal spectrum analysis from the previous week, I decided to expand the application through the addition some GUI elements allowing for a more precise understanding of the analysis. Specifically, the addition of two slide controllers that permit the user to define two key components within the FFT analysis. The controls in question include the ability to distinguish the minimum octave width (measured in Hz) and the number of divisions that each octave should be subdivided. The application is initialized to create 30 frequency bands (minimum octave width 22Hz, with each octave divided into 3 bands). By increasing the minimum octave width one is essentially reducing the resolution of the analysis. At a maximum octave width of 6000 hz, the number of frequency bands is reduced to 5. At this point, only the left-most of the frequency bands is stimulated as the majority audible range is found within this now augmented frequency band. Conversly one can increase the resolution of the analysis by increasing the amount of divisions per octave. The image set below provides a general overview of the various manifestations this analysis can represent.

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home delivery: fabricating the modern dwelling. [MoMA 2008]

September 12th, 2008 admin

occupying the parking lot of the MoMA, one can’t help but notice the 5 distinct structures that comprise the outdoor section of the ‘home delivery’ exhibit. complementing the survey of prefabricated housing displayed within the museum walls, 5 contemporary prefab housing designs are open to the public to explore, allowing one to weave through a cross section of some of the most innovative and forward housing concepts.

burst*008. [Jeremy Edmiston / Douglas Gauthier]

analogue parametrics: given a set of parameters related to the inteded location of this unit, an algorithm is responsible and trusted in defining the final design and configuration of this dwelling. this model was the least insipring of the colletion of homes in my opinion. elements of the project did stand out,specifically the design of the interior, however the i did not agree with the general esthetic of the exterior. the strongest point was the transition between the facade of floor to ceiling windows leading into the open kitchen and seating area. a spectacular view of the exhibit could be seen from the main balcony that spanned the length of the unit.

system3. [Oskar Leo Kaufmann / Albert Rüf]

modular, stack-able, and can fit inside of standard cargo containers. This unit was quite impressive from both a functional and esthetic perspective. The juxtapositoin of wood and stainless steel within the interior allowed for the internal space to express a modern look and feel while maintaining the warm qualities most seek for residential spaces. The matrix of small circular windows was another impressive feature, allowing for an abundance of natural light to flood the inner space while also contributing towards the contemporary design elements of this piece.

micro compact home. [Richard Horden]

work, eat, sleep, cook, clean, and live within 76 squre feet. all your required ammenities are intelligently packed into to a aerospace inspired ‘cacoon’ that is commercially available. the photovoltaic pannels atop the unit add to the futureistic exterior, while contributing towards the sustainable ideals this project adheres to. the inner space while being extremly condesed successfully bears the essential qualities of a livable home. i want one.

housing for new orleans. [Lary Saas]

digital fabrication and 3D modelling in order to generate affordable ‘kit’ homes that can be rapidly constructed with the simplest of tools (rubber mallet). this project was refined to meet the demands of the rebuilding effort in new orleans post hurricane katrina.

cellophane house. [KieranTimberlake Associate]

the most stricking and visually impressive of the installed pieces. this 4 story structure is built from off the shelf materials that allow for a graceful disassembly of the entire unit allowing for the re-use of the materials. translucent floors, telescopic windows, and stacked open backed stair wells are among the most stricking elements of this prefabricated unit. the top floor boasts a large roof deck providing a panoramic view of the immediate surrounding.

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metaforms photo essay

September 10th, 2008 admin

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spectrum analyzer [part 1]

September 9th, 2008 admin

a fast fourier transfrom is used to separate the audio signal into 30 distinct frequency bands. the amplitude of each frequency band is calculated and directly mapped to the RGB color values of its associated bar within the visualization. as the amplitude of a given frequency band increases its associated bar color is proportionally modified. highly active frequency bands will appear white in color, while less active frequencies will remain black or gray. as the amplitude of a given frequency band changes, color modifications are layered atop the existing representation with an opacity of 5%. this generates a gradual change in regards to the coloring of the individual bars. the color pallete in the sample images below are not final, and are being used simply for testing in the early stages of this project. the represented spectrum ranges from 0 Hz on the left most extreme of the visualization to 22000 Hz on the far right.