" To unlock is to reveal: To reveal is to emerge a new sense in space or the being" - Prof. Gamal El-Zoghby
A field condition can be described as having an infinite boundary within its own space and time. Similar properties all inter-related, a network of some matrix interacting. This investigation addresses the variations derived from this field of tectonics; the study of modular variations working together to form a single interface, but there is a secondary interface at a different scale as well. There is Tension within the field itself, a tension that will possibly release to unlock another region of space and time. (That which reveals the project). In my objective studies, it is through the variants (from the piano's vibrations and notational differentiations) that generated this field condition in a macro scale. It is now through the variables of the modules that generates the other surface within its field in its micro scale. There is a language between the two variant scales, a dialog in which only an unlocking (the revelator: that "thing") element can reveal its objective intent...
Vibrations leads to an echo, an echo through, space, an echo through time, an echo that amplifies the voice of our mind. This is where the human mind can resonate. To resonate is to unlock that which only the being itself can realize.
I continue by creating different variants from the single module derived from the piano keyboard. These configurations indicates the infinite possibilities of how positive and negative spaces (voids) can interact. This is done by altering the position of the black and white elements allowing a chain of possible integrations thus creating a variation surface.
1. In what way can one define what is positive and negative space? Thus leading to an investigation of a figure- ground.
Music as language:"Music is composed in such a way as to deny heirarchic structure and patterning resulting i a succession of events rather than a progression of events"
- Elizabeth Martin: Architecture as a Translation of Music
The beauty of the piano in its form and sound is through its variations. It is through this variations that music is spoken. From a module of interacting elements comes one sound. A piano however is not just this one module, and this is what creates the harmonious relationship from one dinstict sound to the next. It is a variation through its physical composition, a variation through the notes it can play, and the variation of the player's fingertips interacting with the object. These drawings are attempting to address these variations as a form. In an attempt to address the concept of a boundary/surface/field. This is a series of steps that will now attempt to take the instrument/tool ideas and translate them into an architectural language.
The Variation Theory: Form as language - language as form
There is a relationship between the internals of the piano system, and its external keyboard. All the keys aligned composes the keyboard. In this drawing, i saw a relationship between rhythm in music, and rhythm in its physical composition thus deriving what I hope to be an architectural language..
joint–noun
1.
the place at which two things, or separate parts of one thing, are joined or united, either rigidly or in such a way as to permit motion; juncture.
I took this idea of the joint as the relationship between the white keys and the black keys on the piano. Its variant combinations, arpeggios, octaves and so forth, determines the variation of these spatial organizations. Is it possible now that a field has been derived? These combinations of solid experimentations can be translated into a field, a surface or even structure. I have discovered an applied tectonics from the abstraction of the piano mechanics.
I begin with passion, a thirst for that unknown knowledge yet to be revealed, researched and discovered. It is through this culmination of training and discipline where it all comes together. The project in its final moment becomes a projection of a journey; a narrative, a poetry of experience from my own perceptions, realized into architectural form. This is what Thesis Architecture should be about.
The Instrument: The Piano -
"There is only an art when you play, and only then you will become a human" - anonymous The instrument, a composition of a sum of its parts leads the way to investigation. In this first stage I picked an instrument with personal meaning. A tool that I always found myself linked to. I chose the piano. A simple harmony of percussion movement that is a culmination of dynamics resulting into one bundled momentum. It begins with an interaction between object and human: that single touch - the primary impulse that triggers frenetic movement resulting into infinite resolution: music. It is through this music that the energy emerges from within its wooden encasement. the sound of a piano is very distinct. It mimicks the sound of the human soul. It projects the thought and emotions of the one who plays it, as if the piano becomes the tool that allows the player to speak without its tongue, and for the audience to hear without their ears. There is tension; between the fingertips and the wooden keys, there is strength and confidence with each strike, and there is power in the sound that it creates as if it solidifies and sculpts itself in space and time. This is why I love it so much. I am the player. I learned a language that speaks through my fingers, and sounds like a beautifully distorted heartbeat. It can mimick sadness it can mimick joy, it is an object that tells the story of the player, and therefore it is unique each time around.
The module: Piano key - The action strike mechanism 1. How can a single action trigger multiple impulses to create a sound?
I chose the upright module because it is the type of piano that I play. It also in its form and composition allows for exploration within three axes. The thickness, the length, and also its height. I pulled off the concept of the single key - strike mechanism because there is a relationship within the interaction of its parts.
The action play mechanism begins with the single key. Once the player strikes, it triggers frenetic movements of dampers, hinges and springs. These make sure that the final strike of the piano is controlled, and they all tranfer down to the final hammer, attached to the steel string. The hammer is felt covered so that the string would vibrate consistently. One hit and the first note is played. This single module is repeated variedly in length of string and the angle of direct contact from the hammer. This is designed to allow for different frequencies and amplitudes of vibrations. These variatiants creates the different and distinct tonality only heard in a piano.
This drawing begins my investigation on what the action strike mechanism can do for me. Exploring its relationships, not as a piano but simply by its pure mechanics. The red lines indicates the angularity of each element from one angle to the next during their motion. The red dot indicates the location of the hinge mechanism, and the black indicates the areas of the module where compression (the chain of impulses) occurs, and a single juxtaposed movement is created.
2. Is it possible to isolate the dependent elements and allow it to become independent?
This is quite an abstract idea. To basically pull apart or simply "isolate" the pieces in its exact location to see if its connecting parts were to be missing, can it form new connections? In the drawing, the dashed forms are the independent members. As observed, no new connections are made, clearly the parts need to co-exist together in order for the interaction to take place.
3. Hinge and the derivation of Field: Can a field be derived through the intersections of its movement? This drawing begins to address the emergence of a field condition within the movement of the module. By extuding and projecting the angles of movement, and indicating the zones of interaction, a new field has actually been created through its intersections of the already existing field. This result yields into my next analysis, which will now focus on the idea of field...but what is it about the field that interests me in this interrogative assessment? I have to continue. My goal is to define this specific field, and how it can have a relationship between the field in its macro level (the sum) and the micro (its parts)
The greatest of events that we all remember in time are either the first and last. In Psychology, test results yield that the items most remembered are the first ones perceived, and yet when asked to remember them in order..the last of the items is the first one recognized. Well im assuming, theoretically, even though the day wasn't so special..this is one of those scenarios.
Of all the first days of schools that i've ever encountered in life. I feel this is the one that deserves the most attention. Believe it or not, its hard to realize that this "first day of school" is in fact, going to be the LAST one for me. I am graduating and scary as it sounds, and dorky as I may be, i want to cherish this last year of mine. The environment, the friends that i encounter, and have yet to meet, and everything that changed my life all in all. Campus was beautiful the first day back. It was sticky humid, but the trees and the smooth curvature of pratt's green landscape mediated between the wind and the stickiness. First class was Thesis selection. The presentation wasn't so great, and a lot of the curriculum changed. The new blood of architects are now infiltrating Higgins Hall. Surprisingly I got my first choice. In that room, i felt a feeling of relief. I was walking down campus earlier and i felt so estranged not by the environment but by the new faces, and old faces i haven't seen in a while. It seems like being in Rome for a whole semester really pulled you out of the loop of things. Almost like a piece of a puzzle that you need to shove back in place. The students all wrote down their selections after the presentations and we ended up crowding into a massive pigpen situation inside the hallway, as we wait for KUBUS to select the professors for us. [Here is KUBUS organizing all our selections, making sure that we get either our first or second choice professors..] and here is Steve..desperately hanging in there waiting for the results]
I think it was the wait that pulled everyone back together since we had no other choice but to face each other in the heat and socialize. Nonetheless it was a great day, and like i said The last will be remembered as the first...
1. In what way can one define what is positive and negative space? Thus leading to an investigation of a figure- ground.
