lesson 1: cuts and folds

intro

Space is a relation, such as a relation in mathematics 1:2 or 3:4, such as a physical relation as distance or weight, such as a relation of perception like light and dark, or even a material relation as polished opposed to rough.

A three dimensional space is a relation between forms, voids, materials, structures, openings and many elements os parts. A space is also a relation between qualities attributed to its elements and their relations such as permeability and interiority. Most of these qualities can be arranged in opposite pairs like transparency/opacity, interiority/exteriority, light/heavy, verticality/ horizontality, etc.

Space is a whole made of parts. Space is a relation of parts between themselves and a relation between the whole and its parts.

assignment

today's assignment is to build a three-dimensional space, a 3D model of a space, an idea of space, a possibility of space.

- build a 3D spatial model cutting and folding a paper sheet

constraints:

you can only make up to 5 (five) cuts and 5 (five) folds on a single sheet of paper. We should be able to recollect or recognize the original sheet of paper itself when the project is completed. What means you can't cut off any parts of the paper sheet or you can't add any extra pieces of paper to your work.

materials and tools

basic materials:

- cutting knife and scissors

- paper sheets of various sizes and weights

guidelines

your work must consider spatial concepts such as:

- proportion: relationship between parts, forms and voids

- structure: parts that sustain the project

- transparency/opacity

- interior/exterior

work in progress - what should you consider doing:

- Studies or 3D sketches: make various studies before choosing one tot work as a final project.

- Work on different scales, from small to big (let's say from a quart of a letter paper to an full A3 paper), consider using heavier, stronger paper the bigger is the model.

- You can present up to 2 final projects or final 3D models.

presentation and evaluation

presentation:

- collective presentation of all students projects with overall commentaries about final projects

- each student will have 5 minutes to present their projects

- plus 5 minutes of peers commentaries and questions.


what will be evaluated:

- the creative process: studies, sketches, and everything that shows your mind in movement towards your final work

- the 3D models: the way they were built: materials and qualities
proportions of the whole and its parts
material qualities

- individual presentations

after work

after presentation

- documentation: take pictures of your work for final course portfolio

- drawings: to be presented at the beginning of next class: three interpretative drawings of each project using only lines (don't make observation drawings or three-dimensional representations using perspective techniques)

work schedule

you have from now (let's say 10:30 A.M.) until 2 P.M. to finish your work.
Administer your time to gather your references, to build studies, and to finish projects
presentation starts at 2 P.M.
post work starts at 3 P.M.
Class ends at 4 P.M.

cuts and folds references

visit the library and the image archives to access selected sources and references:

http://www.amilcardecastro.com.br/inicio.asp
http://www.azmovielist.net/movies/sketches_of_frank_gehry_2006/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu9orvtStdY