Saturday's Writing Seminar: Formal Beginnings

Note: This entry addresses two questions. Of which we were told to do some free- writing. In other words, we will write without removing the pen from the paper, it is probably not grammar efficient but it does empty our thoughts down into a sheet of paper. What i am about to write is an introductory about my project, known as the "Precis" or the "abstract". Once again, it is a form of free writing. Once I take a look at this again, I am sure i'll have it up grammatically correct and more formally explained. For now its just what I can rapid typing.

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I have always thought about balance. Balance in everything. To be balanced requires a heavy discipline and process. In yoga I learned that balance is harmony with oneself and harmony with nature. The unity between the mind (your consciousness) body (the objective physical entity) and the soul (subjective inner being). Of course this is such a complicated idea but I am just writing this down as a warm up. Now, if we are to take it further down, to break down the specifics, the inspiration really came from the Yin and Yang. In visual graphics, it is the relationship between the black and the white, the spatial representation of positive and negative space. But of course, being highly optimistic and this yearning to be critical and radical, I want to focus on the negative space, that is what I will start to address as the “void” concept. This emptiness that not only is expressed in architecture but in every field possible. For me, it is that void, that feeling of emptiness, that longing for something to happen or something to be seen that instigates the actions, almost like dropping a question and trying to formulate the ideas for its solution. In the creation painting by Michaelangelo, the hand that touches Adam’s finger is the power of that void concept. Notice that they aren’t touching yet there is a sence of tension, being that there are two conflicting forms. There is a sense of liberation because they aren’t touching yet also restricting because the two hands are so close in proximity, you would assume they would touch. It isn’t just about the void, it is the tension that created that void that sparks my interest for this thesis project. Everyone loves to formulate on the “something” the positive and solid forms, but almost the general society wants to right away accept or attempt to formulate on the “nothing”. Just like every scientist and philosopher out there, I am going to be an architect to go after the “nothing”.

The power of question is very important. To question something basically means you care about something that you want to know more or you want to rip it into pieces to really discover what it really is inside and out. When you want to share that to the public it means you expect them to have a reaction to it.

Everyone loves to formulate on the something but people are more skeptical when the “nothing” is proposed. People are more willing to go with what they are familiar with than venturing into the unknown. Only a certain few has the guts to do so. My topic, that tension, and void is all about that attempt to venture into an unknown realm in architecture. Really who knows what there is to find, or more like I feel like there is an opportunity waiting to be uncovered. If positive space is so crucial in life, theory and space, how come the negativeness, that emptiness isn’t getting just the same attention? Where is that sense of balance in the world? I feel this is a powerful idea to express: what if the roles reverse each other? Positive v. Negative, black becomes white and white