OUR TOWN TODATE

THE STUDENTS HAVE DEVELOPED ¼ SCALE HOUSE BOXES. THESE DERIVE FROM FLOOR PLANS WHICH WERE FIRST DRAWN, AND THEN DEVELOPED ON SKETCH UP. PRIOR TO THAT THEY HAD HAD TO CONCEIVE OF THE CLIENT FAMILY FOR WHOM THEY WERE DESIGNING. SINCE THEN, THE ORIGINAL FAMILY CONCEPT HAS BEEN EXPANDED IN AN ESSAY. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, EACH STUDENT WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN HOW THE HOUSE STILL SERVES THE FAMILY. IT IS A CERTAINTY THAT THE HOUSES WILL CHANGE, BECAUSE I AM INTRODUCING CONSTRAINTS AS WE GO, SUCH AS SET BACKS. THE STUDENTS WILL ALSO HAVE TO ADD IN THEIR WINDOWS, AND DOORS, TERRACES, AND STAIRS. FURTHERMORE, THERE ARE INCENTIVES FOR CHANGE. AS IN THE CITY THERE ARE TAX KICK BACKS FOR SUCH AS CONTRIBUTING AMENTITIES TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, THE PORTION OF THE GRADE OVER JUST PASSING IS MADE UP OF COMMERCIAL CONSIDERATIONS, PUBLIC SPACES, AND SUSTAINABILITY CONCERNS… THESE CONSIDERATIONS ULTIMATELY LEED TO JUDGEMENTS. TO DEAL WITH THOSE SITUATIONS, THE CLASS ON MARYLAND HISTORY WILL ACT AS THE PLANNING BOARD. THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO DRAW THE STUDENTS INTO PRO-ACTIVITY WITH RESPECT TO OPNIONS ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR CITY… THROUGHOUT, THERE IS THEME CREATION. WE ARE ACTIVELY IMAGINING THE VITAL BALTIMORE. IN THIS VEIN, THE THEORATICAL DISPOSITION AT THE ROOT IS VICTOR FRANKIL’S LOGO THERAPY... THE MIDDLE LANE MIGHT BE CALLED JANE JACOBS WAY. OVER IT IS TO BE OUR ELEVATED.

DETAILS !

AS IS TO BE EXPECTED, SOME STUDENTS PARTED FROM THE BASIC SHOE BOX HOUSE. I DID A LITTLE CLASS ON THIS, EXTOLLING IT… THE CRAFTSMANSHIP CLEARLY NEEDS MORE LOVE. BUT THIS COURSE IS, ULTIMATELY, ABOUT PROCESS MORE THAN ITS IS ABOUT ARCHITECTURE, THOUGH STUDENTS WITH THE DESIGN GENE ARE AVAILED OF VENT HERE…. THERE ARE SOON TO BE INFORMATION PACKETS RELATED TO SUSTAINABILITY. SO THE WINDMILLS AND SOLAR COLLECTORS AND SITE COLLECTION OF WATER WILL START TO SPROUT… THE INCENTIVES MENTIONED ABOVE ALSO TOUCH UPON INDUCEMENTS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF COMMERCIAL EVENTS. THE FIRST IMPULSE IS TO THINK OF FIXED SITE, SUCH AS LEMONADE STANDS. HOWEVER, SERVICES, SUCH AS FOR RECYLCING, WILL BE ENCOURAGED. (WHAT IRONY: AFTER 40 YEARS, WE MIGHT GO BACK TO KIDS COLLECTING SODA POP BOTTLES FOR REDEMPTION.)

PLANT- ERS.

IN SCALE, THESE PLANTERS ARE 8’ HIGH. WE WILL PUT ACTUAL PLANTS IN THEM. THIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO ARCHITECTURAL WEEDS FROM THE ROADSIDE. THIS AFFORDS A SEGUE TO CONSIDERATION OF PRECAST PROCESS, AND THERE WILL BE SOME HANDOUTS ON IT, JUST AS THERE WILL BE HANDOUTS ON PANELIZED CONSTRUCTION AS A TAKE OFF FROM THE MATBOARD WALLS OF THE HOUSE BOXES. THEORETICALLY, THESE MAMMOTH PLANTERS CAN BE MOVED WITH FORK LIFTS, A LA REARRANGING THE “FURNITURE.”.. GIVEN THAT FAMILY STRUCTURE IS SO OFTEN AN ISSUE, WE ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH THE PLANTERS. IN THE VEIN OF THE WAILING WALL IN JERUSALEM, WE WILL HAVE THE STUDENTS WRITE NOTES TO THEIR PARENTS IN ADVANCE OF MOTHERS’ AND FATHERS’ DAYS. THESE NOTES WILL BE TUCKED INTO THE PLANTERS, WHICH BY THEN WILL HAVE FLOWERING PLANTS. AS PARENTS COME FOR THE FINAL PRESENTATION, THEY WILL BE INVITED TO TAKE ONE OF THE NOTES.