ArchStar

I really should keep up with this more! It shows how crazy my life is at the moment.

Architecture - At this rate, I'm going to have a B- in Construction and that is frustrating. Luckily, my TA is a very nice guy so it's time for some schmoozing (as much as I regret it) but I'd very much like a straight B. In approximately 8 hours I'll have a building review for Design, which I think will go well enough. I'm not worried about it, I just need to have things to show so it should be fine. It brings up a good point - in working with computers and drawings the best work is done through a hybrid approach. It's silly to think in scientific terms such as "hybrid vigor," but it fact it is actually true! It gives you the feel of work that has been done by hand with the accuracy of a computer. That and I hate drawing scale figures and trees (always get flack for them).

This is the song for today as I am trying to figure out my own heartbeat song. What exactly is the situation I should be in at the moment? That and this song is amazing! Ugh, sometimes I think I just need to be pointed in the right direction. Though if there wasn't that much of a challenge, would it be that fun? I'm not sure. Risk = reward is my thought process now. Let's go with that.

Let's start with this 1st year who goes to the same school as I do, just found his blog and it's really interesting so I think you guys should check it out. http://tristan-architecture.blogspot.com/

Well the boy I liked dropped his bf three days after the post. He said he isn't ready for a relationship (which I was aware of - time commitment) so I can put him back in the summer pocket (for lack of a nicer term).

Did you know the Day of Silence is this Friday? I had never heard about this national event, but for it you duct tape your mouth in observance of all the people who have been silenced because of who they are and against anti-LGBT slurs. The guy (we'll calm him Film Buff from now on) is really pushing me to participate, so I decided, why not? The caveat is we're going to the gay club that night (funnnnn. kind of.) so at midnight we'll rip it off. And then we will dance and he will hit on someone else and I'll probably end up watching him make out with said guy. So I'm bringing my friend (a girl) along so I have a bit of back up.

Design is going excellently! It's very odd I think I'm only allowed to have a good social life or academic life. Anyway, my building is coming together nicely and I think it''ll be an excellent addition to the revival of San Antonio's northern downtown area (in case you weren't aware of the project). I plan to combine a layer of commerce w/ a food market that serves the community around. Placed on top of this will be three floors of apartments that are then topped by a 6 floor condo community. Overall, lots of people and lots of room for interactions. I'll try and post some sketchy stuff once I get it all down. Some of my inspiration is Spanish, French and German streets so if you see these:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2626/3906277917_7660b112a0.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2693/4283789327_a0c57dd19f_m.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2410/2195164456_0830cc5514_m.jpg

that's basically it.

Construction is pretty interesting - we've been doing lots of work with embodied energy, so that we are researching the cost of not only the energy used to run all the functions of a building but the energy spent in creating it. It's a way to reduce environmental impact (and get LEED certified!) so the buildings are more sustainable. Right now we're taking existing buildings and looking at ways to change materials and rework the building in such a way as to reduce the load without losing the spirit of the original intent. Pretty tedious.

Site Design I'm reallly loving, we now have discussions on different topics related to the lecture readings and it's a very good way to think about the issues facing architecture today while not working through design process. Our last question was concerning landscape and what are different definitions that a "maker" would give to it. Quite fascinating.

Italian is great - test tomorrow and always a class that I don't like going to but enjoy being in. Does that make sense? haha

Now the weekend. Yesterday Girl Talk played at our school festival (b/c we are amazing) and I went to the Beaux Arts formal and realized that I might be single for a while and I really hate that. Though I think I wait a bit and post later a more descriptive version of last night b/c I am tired and there is studio work to be done! It's just another day.

Chipmunk ft. Esmée Denters - Until You Were Gone

Another love interest had been, found and now they are gone. Found a boyfriend (2 weeks after meeting them, which was 2 weeks after I had met my love interest). Oh well.

I feel much more at ease about school overall. Our final project will include our building and have all the big drawings that are needed in a presentations: a perspective, elevations, plans, sections, roof plan, all the good stuff :)

Overall I'm very happy with the way design seems to be going, I think I could actually finish the entire project 2 weeks BEFORE it's due. Do you know how crazy that is??? Truly that would mean I get 2 weeks to fix all the other stuff I made before that. Nevertheless, still big.

Let's hope for the best!

Also Easter was good.

Sunday Girl - Four Floors

Rule #1 of architecture school: don't miss design class. EVER.

Unfortunately for me, I tend to break this rule, such as today. It doesn't help my case that I stayed up nearly the entire night working on a project. The assumption is always that whatever you did do could have been done in less time and probably in a much better way. *sigh* Nevertheless I trudge on. The "plan" for this week to Friday is as follows (and I say plan b/c this is what is intended and not necessarily the final result):

Tonight - finish FAFSA, then practice for acapella group until 11, then study for Construction until 3am, then work on Design until 6, then study for Construction another 3 1/2 hours until the exam.

Thursday - Construction Exam (understanding bricks and concrete basically), then lunch, then Site Design, then Italian Conversation, then head home to change for the gym, fill dishwasher and eat/throw up (whichever happens), then gym for vb at 5, then Japanese Association meeting at 7, then studio for design allnighter w/ possible coffee break.

Friday - Design class at 9am, City Forum at noon, mom visits around 5pm, I crash after she leaves.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Intermittently I'm designing my building, which is composed of a tower, plus four floors.

(Kate Nash - Do Wah Do)

Well if they all are into someone else, I'll just work on my own things.

Overall school hasn't been quite nearly as taxing as other semesters, though I should really be posting here like I told myself I would. I'm thinking back on the last month and a lot of things have happened. Classes are moving towards Bs, which is alright, but I really need As in order to improve my grades. Site Design is insane, all we have talked about is grading and grading and water runoff and swales and berms and omg I can't look at a hill without seeing lines. Design has been really nice I feel I am improving my knowledge of urban forms so I can make great places that people will want to use. I just think that the amount of work we are doing, though, is not nearly as much as some of the other studios. But I can change that for myself and I probably will. Construction has been annoying. I shouldn't be learning about some of these issues that we cover because the level of difficulty is so high and this is something you learn on the job. I guess that gives more prestige to the school - the level of difficulty in our tasks - but I'd rather not spend my nights calculating the amount of concrete in a building and how much it weighs. Italian - va bene. Socially I think I've gotten to a new level. I get more looks, which is nice, and I've met a lot more people. The problem with this is being able to keep all of my affairs in order. That and there is a part of me that wants something a bit more than a love interest though I know I'm in no way ready for that. I figured that out last night when I went to a gay club for the first time ever. But that is a story for another time.