Post 8: A Taste of What is to Come

Most Aloha students will walk down the center aisle to Johan Pachelbel in June, but we can never truly anticipate that feeling before it happens. We know High School graduation will forever stay in our shoe-box memories with baby's firsts, love and marriage, children, and our closest friends and family. We never truly understand this event, however, before personal experience; the things we see and feel are entirely indescribable to the naive viewer. It is a landmark in life, a right of passage, an initiation into adulthood. Our parents cry for the last time as one end becomes many beginnings, and as we walk down that aisle we consider for the first time, how will we be remembered?

Read the rest of my idea.

Image from here.

Post 7: 3D Google Earth

The area we observed remains a flat terrain in suburbia. It is surrounded by low, one level homes in a modest neighborhood. To the east is a small Christian church and parking lot. The lot itself is relatively although somewhat overgrown. Across the street is a large, public high school (i.e., Aloha High School). The school looms somewhat over the property because of its height. Next to the site is a frequently used bus stop that would likely draw people of interest and make the memorial more easily acessable. The overall setting is somewhat dim and pale; the buildings are typically creamy off-white colors and, against the dying greenery, seem to blend together into one smear of dull color.

Post 6: Site Analysis

"I love days like today. They have such potential," I told Katrian as we sipped coffee at Ava friday night. The grey skies loomed preceding the soft fog that had already begun to form around us. The windows had already begun to mist over from the brisk air outside. This was Oregon, what every student experienced almost year round. Days with potential turned into people with potential. The students who have potential to say or pass on something amazing, but would never show it on the outside.
This is the feeling I want to capture at the lot across from Aloha. The earth green of the field and pale faced buildings create an almost cliche view of suburbia and its inhabitants. I want to create a plain, square white building, leaving most of the field intact around it. The nature creates a sense of "Oregon" around the planned structure.
Inside the structure, however, will represent the students of Aloha and what they want to share with the community. The building itself represents each student. "Don't judge a book by its cover" - it is a phrase we are taught since we are small. The building i plan on designing will be simple on the outside while abstract and creative on the inside to represent how we truly are.

Post 5: How will you be remembered?

How will we be remembered when we are old? Will we be remembered? Will people look back and think about the masterpieces we left or the ways we changed the world? Will we be remembered for the things we say or the things we don't? Will our passing be looked upon by the world as the death of a generation, a movement unlike any other? My picture portrays these questions; it questions our livelihood and our purpose. My picture represents the things that we fail to say or do that we have always wanted to but never did. It is meant to inspire someone to speak and to ask and to listen.

Post 4: Eyes and Words

GoogleDocs was easy and simple to use. I like the ability to work with others over an essay, poem, or other form of literature and writing. I felt like I could use it like any other word processing document. Although some of the modifiers are more difficult to find, the program is easy to adapt to in comparison to other programs I have used. Overall, I really liked GoogleDocs. I began by writing a sample project regarding the structure I plan to build for the Architecture 2 class I am taking. Here is a brief preview on my idea for Architecture 2.

Blog 3: That's What She Said

I believe that everyone has something to say. For my project I am considering a design reflecting greenspace or the 2009 Seniors at Aloha.

For the greenspace project, I am hoping to create the top section of a head, from about the nose up, open at the brain. Inside will be a small park. Along the outside the face with be sculpted as well as empowering quotes. To create this I have researched other outdoor forms of public architecture such as art in the Millenium Park and works by Juame Plensa. Plensa's work is displayed in one of the most prestigious art and music theaters in Chicago. Weather conditions are a strong factor I need to consider for a project like this. I want to design the structure to be largely self sufficient (i.e., fully irrigated, etc.). For this, I am studying other bildings designed with the idea of Green space and other environmental ideas.

My second idea for a project would be a memorial to the 2009 Seniors (i.e., me :) ). For this i plan to construct a building that appears plain white on the outside but along inside walls are either quotes or handprints of all Aloha High School 2009 Seniors. This concept requires more researched based on materials and modern art design. Companies such as MoCo Loco have provided more smooth, rounded techniques I want to use in my structure. I plan on avoiding bold in the structure itself and instead incorporate them into the works of the students by making their quotes or handprints colorful against a solid background. I am researching color palettes and typography to explore contrasting styles that may emphasize individuality and rememberance.

Post 2: Class Description (in my own words)

Schedule for: Whitney K. Hopple
Class: Architecture 2
Period: 5

Class Description: Students will create a memorial based on a given plot outside of the Aloha High School campus. They will need to utilize their creativity and computer skills to develop their structure and present it for the final exam. Both hand drawings and computerized diagrams will be created in class. Chronological documentation is required to monitor student progress through blogging and "Skrbl" programming. Access to games, music, and other distractions are not allowed in class. Punishments include being sent to a non-internet computer or being removed from the class completely. Attendance, punctuality, and attention to detail will all be considered in the final grade.

Post 1: Blogging and Architecture

"Blah blah blah.. Architecture," said Mr. Runberg while instructing the class about blogging for the first time. No, really, that's what he said, "Blah blah blah.. One hundred words." Shockingly enough, his entire set of instruction ecompased blogging in its entirety. "Blah blah blah." - blogging is communication. People world-wide can express their views to anyone anywhere. In that communication, we find ways to indirectly and artisitically portray ourself. The words we don't say can reveal more than what we do say.
Architecture is a second way to artistically express both the means of the architect and the structure's purpose. Architecture is like a blog in itself; it helps us communicate. For example, if we saw a building in the shape of a boat, we can easily assume its contents include something relative to ships, not cheese or toothpaste or other various things. Both blogging and architecture revolve around not exactly what is said but how it is said. It is a matter of expressing our own form of creativity. So, Mr. Runberg, you may say "Blah blah blah" but I say "Blah BLAH blah."


Image from epure.