annotation…………SITE OBSERVATION 8
This is not a Swatch Watch from the “Beautiful Mind” Collection.
Using the site detail below (site observation 7), I returned to the same spot to record specific details about the drawing and the space. I also noted temporal references that occurred over a few hours time. I started this Friday but quit when the rain started. I went back out Saturday morning. For those of you who are not from Baton Rouge: St. Patricks day is sort of a big deal around here…..and the parade was on Saturday. The Parade route is over my little area of detail on the Perkins Rd. Overpass (soon to be dismantled). Keeping this in mind I set out early in the A.M. hoping to beat the crowds. It turned out to be very interesting. The momentum definitely shifted the closer we got to parade time. I honestly do not think people would have made their way into my annotations, however they seemed to make up a sizable chunk this day. My area of observation was (this is no exaggeration) directly in the desire path that pedestrians took from the neighborhood above the overpass to the business area below the overpass. It is along the foot trail that crosses over the tracks and up the hill toward the neighborhood (sort of behind the drilling and tree companies at the end of Kalurah. I got in made my observations and got out before all hell and the rain broke loose.
Below is site detail drawing annotated. I put a clock face around the outer border and grouped my annotations using symbology to represent the various temporal events I witnessed. The temporal annotations (graphic symbols) are arranged along the clock face about what time I witnessed them. This gives the viewer a visual cue as to when the events occurred. The arrows show direction of flight (birds) and direction of travel behind the trailer (people coming and going). The site details and drawing details are annotated textually in a relevant location on the drawing
link to printable full size pdf
Technology Case Studies for Project 2.001
We were assigned (somewhat randomly) three case study technology groups:
1. Process(ing) Technologies
2. Input Technologies
3. Output Technologies
I was to research: Java source code [ as the Processing technology], Speedometers, Odometers, Tachometers, and RADAR [as the input Technologies], and SMS, MMS, and Email [as the output technologies].
Listed below is a synopsis of my findings:
sketch:robot??……..SITE OBSERVATION 7
This visit we were no longer teamed up into groups. The class attacked this project individually. Tasked with documeting a detail of the site, and then rendering it in AutoCAD, I set out. I remembered an old trailer that was close to the railroad tracks. It had been a favorite photographic model for me in the past. I chose to pay it another visit. I photographed the one of the wheels and the way it connected the trailer to the ground plane. I chose this part of the trailer because it offered different textures, planes, and line weights. I also did a couple of perspective panorama shots and merged the images in Photo Shop.
Below you will find the initial image followed by the AutoCAD drawing.
site detail image used for drawing
site detail under overpass
link to sitedetail PDF (printable 11″x17″)
I took some panoramas as I mentioned earlier here they are……………
pano 1
pano2
PhotoSynth…Site Observation 6
Our site installation involved placing facades in front of the certain existing buildings along Perkins Road in the overpass area. To synth the area together we took additional pictures to try and link the existing panoramas together into one contiguous ”walk thorough”. This did not really work when I tried it in PhotoSynth.
There I tried to include “keystone” images that I figured photo synth could use to tie the various groups together but this did not work.
I just went ahead and divided the several hundred images up into four main groups to represent the four parts of our installation. Essentially we had to make up a system of nodes that you travel through to represent the installation site through PhotoSynth. This ended up agreeing well with the documentation that we already have prepared to render our installation.
Below you will see a a panorama of each site with and without the installation followed by a link to the PhotoSynth model of the same site.
I like the way the PhotoSynths came out. I would have preferred that they were a little more seamless but you can “click” around and move within them. I think all 4 of the “Synths” have multiple view points so do not be afraid to “click” around in there and explore the views a little.
The Cottonwood Books, Penetta’s, Bella Bella shopping area/corner:
Before Facade
Proposed Facade Installed
Link to PhotoSynth of this installation site.
Old Ace Hardware/Healthfood store. (site undergoing a remodeling construction):
Before Facade
Proposed facade is installed
Link to PhotoSynth of this installation site.
Bolton Pharmacy Corner:
Before Facade
Proposed facade installed
Link to PhotoSynth of this installation site.
Freedom Fuel:
This area does not have a Panorama to go with it. This little gas station does bridge the gap between The Pharmacy, and Cottonwood Books. It is also across the street from the former hardware store. I thought it would be nice to use it to bridge the other PhotoSynths but it did not work.
Link to PhotoSynth of this installation site.
Zee Zee’s Garden Bar and Restaurant:
Before facade
Proposed facade installed
Measuring The site…….Observation 5
Our group (Toenjes, Seemann, Booth) was charged with identifying and plotting the utilities in within the Overpass area of study. We observed the locations of various sinage, utility poles, utility access points (junction boxes, curbstocks, manhole cover, etc.), storm drainage and basically any other type of public or private utility.
The locations of the observed utilities were annotated on a map in the field and later converted to a CAD Drawing to share with the rest of the class. There were 3 people in our group so we each did a third of the site and posted our results in our “00_working” folders on the server.
I have posted here on the blog an example of the CAD image I did for my third of the site along with the legend I made to describe the symbology.
The shapes are drawn to scale with the exception of the street lights. So everything is quite small and you will have to zoom in on the CAD file once you open it up.
I did not change the units so it is still in decimal and ready to be put into what ever scale/unit system you are using.
Anytime you see signage and or a street light next to a utility pole–assume they are pinned to the pole.
zoom of UTILITIES_RLS.dwg on the student server (my 00 folder)
Legend is drawn into CAD file, but is a seperate layer so you may turn it off
Below are some pictures (taken by Paul Toenjes during our site obs.) of the types of utilities we were observing and recording.
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- zoom of UTILITIES_RLS.dwg on the student server (my 00 folder)
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- Legend is drawn into CAD file, but is a seperate layer so you may turn it off
Observations and measurements Site visit#4
The class divided the area up into sections so teams could cover more ground quicker while measuring/recording the architecture of the site. Devlin and I took care of the businesses between Christian St. and Hollydale St. We measured the details of the frontages and we measured the footprints of the buildings. On my blog I have posted a PDF with the frontage sketches/measurements accompanied by a photo of each frontage. I do not know how we will be sharing the info so can be printed up if need be. It should print pretty clearly up to 11″*17″
PDF: draft-facade-observations1
Note: a couple of photos are missing due to photoshop/merging issues. This pdf will be updated. I will also post the footprint data on this blog when I get it from Devlin.
Musings On Resistance to Mass Marketed Commercialization
My Phenomena is the overpass area’s resistance to commercialization. Commercialization in the sense that an area is altered or spoiled, ruining it’s natural charm (character or identity), purely in the spirit of attracting a broader market base and consequently increasing profit margins. To get a huge share of any market you must appeal to a huge share of the consumers. A business model that attracts customers from the lower middle class, the middle class, and the upper middle class will enjoy more customer traffic than a business that is marketed toward the upper middle class customers per se.
Dr.Darius Spieth wrote an insightful essay in which he studied the colorful history of the perkins overpass area. Spieth noted that the overpass area had not given in to “faceless commercialization”. Here is a link to his powerpoint outlining the history of the overpass. This power point is also available on the server for those who have access to our class folders (LA7002spring2009/Resources/Docs). I have the actual PDF essay that the power point is based on. Dr. Spieth has given me permission to share it with anyone in this class. If you would like a copy just come by and see me. I do not feel comfortable posting it on this web log because it appears to be a draft copy. Speith notes the varried past and diverse nature that have always defined this area.
The community that exists there today started to sprout in the early 20th century. This area was outside of Baton Rouge City limits. It enjoyed liberties on industrial as well as social zoning. After the railroad overpass was completed in the late 1930′s The area was incorporated (successfully, Jan. 01, 1949) to stymie the rampant industrialization commercial development along Perkins Rd. (could this be early resistance?). Several neighborhoods and suburbs had also developed in the area around the overpass area during these years. According to Spieth, the lion’s share of the community that is evidenced in and around the overpass today was primarily developed during and between the 1930′s and 1950′s .
MORE TO COME!!
Basic Program
For this site location, I grouped the land and structures into basic categories and forms to get an idea of the spatial arrangement and any possible relationships or patterns existing in the site. I am attempting to demonstrate that this overpass and viaduct area is resistant to mass commercialization. I know that there are a number of logistical reasons why, I am exploring the cultural overtones right now, however. I grouped the community into 4 very basic groups: residential, industrial, entertainment, and retail/service. I know that these are very broad in their scope, I feel this is a good starting point for study.
Notes:
This is just a broadly defined program of the site. Everything is spatially relative. Perkins Rd. side streets, the I-10 viaduct, R.R. Tracks are rendered in yellow, grey, and blue respectively.
