Amy Greenberg SU11

According to Leonardo’s preview in the accompanying text, written in mirror writing, it was made as a study of the proportions of the (male) human body as described in Vitruvius:

Human body proportions

Human head proportions

• a palm is the width of four fingers
• a foot is the width of four palms
• a cubit is the width of six palms
• a pace is four cubits
• a man’s height is four cubits (and thus 24 palms)
• “erit eaque mensura ad manas pansas” (Literally: “It will be the same in measure to the spread out hands.”)
• the length of a man’s outspread arms (arm span) is equal to his height
• the distance from the hairline to the bottom of the chin is one-tenth of a man’s height
• the distance from the top of the head to the bottom of the chin is one-eighth of a man’s height
• the distance from the bottom of the neck to the hairline is one-sixth of a man’s height
• the maximum width of the shoulders is a quarter of a man’s height (one cubit)
• the distance from the middle of the chest to the top of the head is a quarter of a man’s height (one cubit)
• the distance from the elbow to the tip of the hand is a quarter of a man’s height (one cubit)
• the distance from the elbow to the armpit is one-eighth of a man’s height (half a cubit)
• the length of the hand is one-tenth of a man’s height
• the distance from the bottom of the chin to the nose is one-third of the length of the head
• the distance from the hairline to the eyebrows is one-third of the length of the face
• the length of the ear is one-third of the length of the face
• the length of a man’s foot is one-sixth of his height

I was correct in thinking that it was not a realistic goal to finish the paper last night. I made a lot of progress, but still have a lot to go.

The essay is moving along slowly….. but I am really pushing myself to pull through and finish by tonight.  I don’t know if that is a realistic goal, but I am going to try.

Working with legos and programming today made me appreciate the hand made crankable automotas even more.  I felt like the legos and computer standardizes the work, whereas using found objects gives a nice, organic, personal touch. I couldn’t help myself, I made two more.  I started both last night and finished them in class today.  I can really see myself going further with this medium long after the class ends.

My paper speaks about the beginnings of biomimicry in architecture and how Bucky Fuller paved the way for future architects such as Philip Beesley and David Benjamin to further investigate the potential influences of biological systems on their structural designs.

Today was really great to experience building our own automatas.  I’m happy I tried out one of Rob Ive’s projects.  I love working with paper, so his kit was perfect. I was able to learn about the necessity for sturdyness and how cams can work.  Although it was a great experience, I wish I had more time to build another mechanism from scratch. I thought the prototypes that everyone in class was making were great and am jealous I don’t have something similar.  I hope tomorrow there is time for me to create my second project so I get the experience of working with found objects and unfamiliar materials.

http://www.flying-pig.co.uk/content/impatience

I loved today! Seeing the different mechanisms was really inspiring and had me on the edge of my seat to get started designing my own.  While seeing Gina’s work, I could not stop thinking of all the loose parts I have collected over the years, such as mini figures, watch parts, miscellaneous buttons, and just random stuff that I’ve hidden in boxes so my mom wouldn’t throw them away.  I remember my first “mechanical invention” was a doll I made from K’nex.  I inserted a straw through her mouth that led to a baby diaper that I wrapped around her legs.  I thought it was genius.  You put water in the straw and she wets her diaper.  I called her Krissy Pissy. (I think I was about 8 years old.)

I’ve had a lot of exposure to different applications of engineering and mechanics from watching both my dad and little brother invent different objects.  My dad has been designing an underground wire system to detect whether tennis balls are in or out, and my brother invented a guitar that has a functioning keyboard on the back.

http://hawkeyesensors.com/how_sensors_work.cfm

http://dualityguitars.com/index.html

I absolutely fell in love with Rob Ives.  I love creating with paper and he brought that to a level I have never seen before.  I am so excited to try out some of the mechanisms he showed on his website.  The paper projects remind me of an architecture project I had where I was to make a blue print for salad tongs and then create them out of paper.

Thinking about processes is something that I have thoroughly enjoyed throughout college.  Another project assigned in my architecture class was to invent a tool as a way of seeing The Saint Louis Basilica in a new manner.  I created a reflective dodecahedron that would enable me to view the floor, walls and ceiling all at the same time.  I documented each view and turned that information into a chart of depths.  I then used that information to create a 3D documentation of what I “saw.”

http://www.thelivingnewyork.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0

Mission: Create new collaborations between synthetic biologists, designers, artists, and social scientists to explore shared and new territory between synthetic biology, art and design.

Synthetic Biology: a) the design and construction of new biological parts, devices and systems and b) the re-design of existing natural biological systems for useful purposes

Who: Fernan Federici and David Benjamin

Where: University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Stanford University, California

Goal: To explore new ways of using biological systems as design tools. In our collaboration, we are investigating several ways to combine synthetic biology and architecture with a focus on using cells as bio-processors.

Amy’s Definition: Exploring organic structures in a lab for design purposes and as a new technological material for engineering.

“While there are many examples of identifying and using the form of nature in design and architecture, there are few examples of identifying and using the logic of nature. We are experimenting methods of extracting complex behaviors of cells at the scale of microns and applying them to architecture at the scale of meters.”

Continuing Education Center. “Control Freaks.” Last modified  March 2010.http://continuingeducation.construction.com/article.php?L=5&C=653&P=3

Flickr. “Fernan Federici’s Photostream.” Last modified August 8, 2011.http://www.flickr.com/photos/anhedonias/

Geiger, J. (2010), The Living: Surface Tensions. Architectural Design, 80: 60–65. doi: 10.1002/ad.1076

Haseloff Lab. “Synthetic Biology and Tools for Engineering Plant Form.” http://www.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/Haseloff/

Life Without Buildings. “The Living Light Illuminates Air Quality in South Korea.” Last modified May 8, 2009. http://lifewithoutbuildings.net/2009/05/the-living-light-illuminates-air-quality-in-south-korea.html

Meyers, William. “Q&A: David Benjamin.” MetropolisMag.Com. April 14, 2011. Accessed August 10, 2011. http://www.metropolismag.com/pov/20110414/qa-david-benjamin

The Living. “News.” Last modified March 2011. http://www.thelivingnewyork.com/

The Living. “Lifecycles.” http://www.thelivingnewyork.com/lifecycles/lifecycles.htm

The Living. “Living Light.” http://www.thelivingnewyork.com/Publication/0909-C3.pdf

YouTube. “Powers of Ten.” Last modified August 8, 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0

Key Quotes Found Throughout the Article:

“They are closer to being things than to being representations of things.”

“Rather, we underscore the separateness of their visual compartments to keep alive the idea that diagrams de-naturalize things in order to open up spaces for creative misuse.”

“Although the plates are visual forms, they are suspended-like language-between the two great orders of experience and intelligibility.”

It is really interesting to think of a representational diagram on a piece of paper as a “thing” in itself.  It makes me more consider the page and how I can best utilize the space.