Tentang Kearifan Lokal

Kearifan lokal adalah kata kunci yang mulai santer terdengar di masyarakat awam. Ada semacam 'kesadaran' untuk menggali kembali sesuatu dari masa lalu. Melihat artefak masa lampau dengan sudut pandang yang berbeda, bukan sekedar nostalgia atau eksotisme belaka

Design Is...

William Pena summed it up best : programming is problem seeking, design is problem solving. Thus, design is not merely a process to create something unique or avant garde. First and foremost, design must solve problem(s).
But, what is design according to the Internet?

One more reason to visit Paris this year

Wow, this seems like an exhibition tailor-made for me.
Architecture and comic books in one place! 
It turns out, there are other people besides me that thinks there is a connection between architecture and comic books beside the gigantic amount of caffeine comsumed by professionals in both fields, particularly when deadline beckons. And what city is more perfect to display that than Paris?

QOTD - Architecture Quotes

Quotes are great because they can distill ideas very efficiently.
Even though famous quotes are very popular, few people manage to create their own personal quote catalog. I am not a quote collector myself, but I always love reading quotes that I found from nearly every media: magazines, newspapers, or the Internet. My favorite popular science magazine has this tradition of ending every article with a more or less suitable quote relating to the article. I find several benefits in maintaining a personal collection of favorite quotes, famous or otherwise, at the very least they keep you entertained.
So here they are, several architecture quotes that I find both inspiring and amusing!

Architects and Animals

CAD monkey is a term to describe an architect hired by a firm not for his/her design ability but rather because of his/her computing skills, CAD-proficiency to be exact.
For long this practice has been a traditional breeding ground for design firms to 'forge' the fresh grads, but some thinks it's a waste of talent.
Don't want to argue about that, just wanna share something that perhaps in the days before the computer, the CAD monkeys are called 'drafting cows'.

Someone who I wished was the mayor in my town

“If we in the Third World measure our success or failure as a society in terms of income, we would have to classify ourselves as losers until the end of time,” declares Enrique Peñalosa, who served as mayor of Bogotá, Colombia. “So with our limited resources, we have to invent other ways to measure success. This might mean that all kids have access to sports facilities, libraries, parks, schools, nurseries.”

On Walls, Fences, Gates, Zombies, and Mutants

Whether we like it or not, whether we realize it or not, we humans are really territorial beings. We draw imaginary lines in our maps. We carve and slice the islands and continents that shaped our planet into tiny countries and sandwiched between these countries, we draw something called 'border'- a mark to emphasize what's "yours" and what's "mine".

On Pocket-Sized Things

We love miniaturize things. Good things come in small packages, they say. Our cell phones, computers both laptops and desktops are getting slimmer and smaller literally every six months and yet pack more power than ever before.

Shigeru Ban Paper Bridge Construction

Shigeru Ban is one of the most celebrated architect in Japan. According to some sources, he is one of the strong contender for the 2010 Pritzker Prize, one of the Holy Grail in architecture, along with Steven Holl and Toyo Ito.

Frank Gehry, before becoming THE Starchitect

Frank Gehry is one of those architects whose works can boldly divide people into two camps : those who adore him so much and those who loathe him with such a fiery passion.
In this video below, TED presents a video of Frank Gehry's speech recorded in 1990, when Gehry was "not-yet-legendary architect".

CAD cartoons!

The use of CAD or BIM in architecture/design field is nothing ordinary these days, especially for younger generations; but there were times when Computer Aided Design sounds like something that came out of 1950's sci-fi movies.


There is this one anecdote where one young architecture student presented his all-computer aided drawings to his professor. The professor observed the pencil-less drawings and said to the student, "If your computer did all of these things, where's your work?" (seriously, it's a true story!)


These days, the digital gap between younger and older generations may have been less wider than in the past, but that doesn't mean the gap isn't still there, as shown by the caricature below :





CAD/BIM can also present its own set of problems as well. There's no way in the past staffs of a design firm debating (or even fighting!) over pencil standard' or whatever. But, in today's world, it's a routine, especially for newly-bloomed firms with so many young designers with various CAD skill :





Another set of problem with CAD/BIM software is the classic 'layer' problem. What at first is a tool to ease to design/drafting process, now has become some sort of a monster by itself ; since layering a drawing-if not done wisely-can lead to literally a thousand mess :





Now this is a modern problem. Many design firms today have gradually left CAD software for BIM (Building Information Modeling). BIM offers a unique opportunity to integrate the whole process of designing into one single experience, which is more efficient design-wise (click here for more), which is more than can be said about its predecessor-CAD-which basically is nothing more than glorified drafting board.


But unfortunately, this glorified drafting board is still commonly used in the architect's partner-in-crime office : the construction firms. You can guess what happens next : different standard leads to different understanding and file-reading between the computers in both office...and chaos ensues :





Sadly, all of these progress in technology hasn't yet overcome the biggest monster of them all : the deadline!





Digital revolution, whether you like it or not, it's here to stay!

Powered by Zoundry Raven

Technorati : archi-text-ure

Del.icio.us : archi-text-ure

Zooomr : archi-text-ure

Flickr : archi-text-ure

Indonesian Pavillion in Shanghai World Expo 2010 - What I Love and What I Loathe

I always love the idea of a World Expo although I have never visited one. The idea of (almost) every country in the world tries to promote what's great about them and to out-awesome one another in terms of kicking-ass pavillion design fascinates me both as a culture lover (not just pop or geeky one, mind you) and as someone with architectural background. It's as if as a designer you could always go wild with this kind of project.




.


Sorry for those of you who can't speak Indonesian, but I can't find the English-dubbed version of this video.


Yes, this video is a CGI presentation about the title above, the Indonesian Pavillion in Shanghai World Expo 2010.


I really dig the design, very Corbusian approach with all the pilotis columns and an interesting interpretation of strip windows. Adds up a free-flow floor plan with tidbits of Indonesian cultural heritage here and there and I think you' d have a winner. But one thing about this video presentation really bugs me off. Slide your media player to 02:26 to 02:28 and listen to the narrator talks about the design style of the pavillion being "traditional, modern, contemporary". It always irks me when government-sponsored script writers for this kind of thing take their cues from real estate brochures. If you ever have read any Indonesian publications promoted by property industry, chances are you're going to find a lot of terms like "modern tropical", "traditional contemporary", "minimalistic design", and the likes.


In my opinion, this will only lead to more misunderstanding among the "muggles" (sorry for the Harry Potter reference there. This, after all, is a geek's blog.) that design is merely about styles. Call me old-school or conservative but I'm a firm believer in William Pena's school of thoughts that design is problem solving , not merely a "style". How you approach to solve a particular problem is what design is all about. But still, beside that annoying narrator, this, I think, is an awesome design

Powered by Zoundry Raven

Technorati : Archi-text-ure, Video Ga-ga

Del.icio.us : Archi-text-ure, Video Ga-ga

Zooomr : Archi-text-ure, Video Ga-ga

Flickr : Archi-text-ure, Video Ga-ga

Why BIM?

You may have been using ArchiCAD, or maybe Revit. Both applications are called Building Information Modeling alias BIM. Actually, BIM applications are not limited to just just those two. There are many existing BIM applications. But both are the most popular in Indonesia. Of course, there are major vendors : Bentley Architecture and Nemetschek VectorWorks just to name a few. Also there's a whole load of another software dedicated to modeling and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing).


So as the title says, why using BIM? Maybe you've heard that in BIM software you can create a 2D plan, and directly obtain its 3D model. Creating a section or elevation drawing is also easy : just define the line where the section and/or elevation should be, and the section will be obtained automatically. Or you can even get the schedule automatically. Or even get a quite excellent rendering How about that?


However, BIM did not stop there!






I often hear complains from established AutoCAD users. They assume difficulties if switching from their traditional CAD software to Revit or ArchiCAD. I do not mean to blame such assumptions. However, in most cases that I find, these complains come from reluctance (to substitute a much harsher word, "laziness") to learn new things. Something I find ironic considering the creative nature or architecture field (and what are creative people if not ones who are willing to do, to learn something new?). Although BIM applications could actually make draftings like the one they use to make, but BIM applications not only about draftng or images.


BIM is a digital model of a building, so it can study the building, without having to actually build it first. Model produced by BIM applications can be analyzed in detail. Drawing is just one part of the BIM.

It differs from " traditional CAD " (eg AutoCAD) in the parametric nature of it. Let's say you draw plans, elevations, and sections in AutoCAD, If there are any design changes, you have to goto each sheet and change MANUALLY. This could get very complicated and confusing, and errors are introduced this way.


BIM software tries to solve this problem by making user(s) draw OBJECTS (instead of just symbolic 2D lines) eg. walls. By doing so, the building is 'virtually constructed', (in 3D with material information and sometimes even cost of material built in) The software do all the relevent revision for you. So if say, you change the position of the window in a wall, all the plans, section, elevations, are changed accordingly and automatically by the software.


That's in the simplest level.


In a more complicated scenario, a user could group a set of design, and change one single design and have the BIM software do all the relevent changes in every level according to the "rules" setup by the user. It is the power of that "parametric-ness" (is that even a word?) that makes BIM so powerful.







So you see, compared with applications such as AutoCAD drafting ... not fair, not really an apple-to-apple comparison. For individuals, BIM is probably not an attractive thing (certainly not for me, though). Especially those already entered into the comfort zone with CAD applications used today (Come on! Do not stay too long in the comfort zone! We're supposed to be creative people here!) But for the engineering company who handle the multi-disciplinary design, BIM is very important.

BIM may also help you analyze the structure of the building. In the past, analysis of building structures should be modeled on the re-analysis applications such as SAP, STAAD, ETABS, or others. I've tried using Revit Structure is connected with the Robot Millennium. Very impressive. The model, including structural properties such as columns, beams, etc., directly analyzed by Robot Millennium. If there is property that must be changed, such as the size of the column is not big enough, a change in the model structure will also change the model. What else can be done with BIM software? Solar study is one them. We can see how the influence of sunlight on the interior or exterior of the building.


Furthermore, you can make green building analysis with software like Autodesk Ecotect, Green Building Studio or a special add-on for ArchiCAD called EcoDesigner.

Other? Facilities management, visual time schedule, high-end rendering, building cost calculation, and probably other things I'd never find.


BIM applications continues to develop the exchange of data with the format of the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes). It is not perfect yet. Then again, what is in this world? As long as the format continues to be made better and gains worldwide support, all will be well. At some point you will even perhaps be able to open the Revit model in ArchiCAD or vice versa. And I can guarantee there will be more software for the analysis of building models (quake analysis anyone?). The development will be more aggressive because it is not intended to be for one specific software. In Indonesia, sadly, BIM is not too popular yet, but it does not mean not going to develop in Indonesia. With people show more appreciation for original software instad of pirated copies, the days of expensive CAD software which only is capable of doing single task will soon be over. Why waste millions of rupiahs for CAD software and another millions for 3d modelling software when with something like ArchiCAD you can achieve both?

The future is already here, it's just that not everyone knows!

Powered by Zoundry Raven

Technorati : Archi-text-ure

Del.icio.us : Archi-text-ure

Zooomr : Archi-text-ure

Flickr : Archi-text-ure

Archi-text-ure - It's too good to be true!

Found these images below somewhere on the net, and I think it is a hoax. So what do you guys out there think? Architecture models by Tamiya? Personally I think this is a good idea. But, the market for demands like these are virtually non-existence, I think. Well, except for a geeky fanboy type like me I guess.


But seriously, how many architecture students would want to buy it? Or architects who would buy this for his/her kids? Or...secretly for him/herself. Again, I don't know if there is a real market for these. So let me ask once again, what do you guys think?


Nevertheless if it's true, I'd think there'd be issues regarding privacy and security. Would the owner of the house or the building want the whole world to know the overall layout of the house? ("Here's where the magic happens.", said the owner while pointing to his/her master bedroom a la MTV Crib)


It is too good to be true.


Still, fingers crossed.

Powered by Zoundry Raven

Technorati : Archi-text-ure

Del.icio.us : Archi-text-ure

Zooomr : Archi-text-ure

Flickr : Archi-text-ure

Architecture Is The Weirdest Thing

Architecture is the weirdest thing. its like a science – calculated and physical, and like an art – creative and thoughtful. and in this, it is in constant strife with both itself and everything around it. architecture can only progress through conflict: conflicting its contrary concerns and conflict with everything around it.
There is only war with architecture and the world. the battle is massive, but the gains are relatively minimal. but architecture prevails in its comparative chaos because it understands people, the people just fail to understand it. so we wage on in this war unaware of how it erodes our souls and builds our bodies.
Architecture is the work of angry gods. chipping away at physicality, until everything reaches perfection.
So ends this first post.