Lecture 09 - Guest Lecture

I felt this lecture was a really create re-enforcement about knowing your site, subject and requirements intimately before starting a project. To be honest, when the Alexis was going through the examples of data they had collected and prototype model they had created, I though it was a waste of time until we where shown the final result, particularly in the case of the winery.

Taking  photos of berries, old barrels and old doors seems to be quite basic, but the result of this research was amazing. The building implied that it was a winery although it did not take the form of a traditional winery. Every thing from the shape of the forms to the color in the materials gave it an unmistakable sense of place. Even in an area that did not seem the be the correct place for a winery, with the use of correct site and context analysis the architecture can create a place of it's own. I feel that getting to actually see the process of looking at the finer details that express the spirit of the buildings can translate very powerfully into the built form.

The installation in Sydney was also very interesting, again, I initially thought that the material analysis and prototyping could be seen as a bit of a waste of time in a busy office. It all contributed to an very successful installation. I also didn't realize how these type of architectural installations can economically active a space as well as socially. An that they area very important to the fabric of the city.