Next Thursday (11 November) your thesis document submission is due. It must serve as a record of all your efforts to date, but at the same time be presented as a coherent narrative. It must include the following:
1. POSITION
A. A thesis abstract. This should be simple, clear and addressing an architectural question.
B. A proposal. Expand upon your first statement
2. METHOD
A. Describe your approach (visually/verbally), with a schedule that take you through final presentation
B. An annotated bibliography
3. PLACE (OR PROGRAM)
A. Deep, and thorough analysis of place or program;
B. Some notion of the other
4. ETC
A. Show all your research that does not appear elsewhere (you have learned a great deal about your subject)
B. Show all your process work and make somethings
You must submit your document:
1. At the Solar D house
2. By 6 pm on Thursday 11 November
3. Two printed and bound copies (at least stapled or clasped together)
4. One digital copy (via downloadable link, jump drive, dvd -- DO NOT EMAIL)
This document will serve as the basis for determining your successful completion of this course, and your ability to continue to the thesis studio in the spring semester.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Thesis Draft Documents
Draft documents were due 3 October
Your draft documents should include:
1. Revised position statement
2. Revised methodology
3. Revised "make something"
4. An annotated bibliography, to include things read to date, as well as things you intend to read (please differentiate between the two), grouped by topic or theme.
It is recommended that you post these to your blog, so a public record exists, and so that your peers might comment.
(posted a week after the event)
Your draft documents should include:
1. Revised position statement
2. Revised methodology
3. Revised "make something"
4. An annotated bibliography, to include things read to date, as well as things you intend to read (please differentiate between the two), grouped by topic or theme.
It is recommended that you post these to your blog, so a public record exists, and so that your peers might comment.
(posted a week after the event)
Mid-Presentation Requirements
For next week we are asking you to have the following:
1. Refine your position statement.
If the 1+3+9 is useful, you may continue to use it; if not, don't.
2. Refine your methodology
Take another pass at the methodology you wrote/drew/laid out for this week.
Reflect on what was said during your discussions with Art and me.
3. Make something.
Anything, use this design investigation as an opportunity to explore an aspect of your project.
This can be a model, a drawing, a graphic, a movie, etc. Think carefully about the content, but also the craft of the artifact.
This is purposefully open-ended and intended to provide an opportunity for some reflection about the questions you are asking in your thesis.
4. Feel free to bring any additional supporting documentation you might have and think is relevant and want us to discuss
(posted weeks after the event, but thought it worthwhile to post it nonetheless)
1. Refine your position statement.
If the 1+3+9 is useful, you may continue to use it; if not, don't.
2. Refine your methodology
Take another pass at the methodology you wrote/drew/laid out for this week.
Reflect on what was said during your discussions with Art and me.
3. Make something.
Anything, use this design investigation as an opportunity to explore an aspect of your project.
This can be a model, a drawing, a graphic, a movie, etc. Think carefully about the content, but also the craft of the artifact.
This is purposefully open-ended and intended to provide an opportunity for some reflection about the questions you are asking in your thesis.
4. Feel free to bring any additional supporting documentation you might have and think is relevant and want us to discuss
(posted weeks after the event, but thought it worthwhile to post it nonetheless)
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Method
Last week, Omer asked each of you to comment on a peer's thesis statement with the following questions:
1) What was being proposed?
2) Why was it being proposed?
3) Can it be done in two semesters? And how?
This week, you are being asked to elucidate on the how. In a format of your choosing (text, drawing, graphic, etc, etc, etc), describe your plan of attack for the next two semesters. What are the steps required in the next eight months that will allow you to complete the project to (your and our) satisfaction? How will you test your questions? What is your schedule? Where will you begin? Where will you end?
We know that this will all change as you move forward, in all likelihood several times. This assignment is intended to prod you to think systematically about the project, and to devise ways to begin.
1) What was being proposed?
2) Why was it being proposed?
3) Can it be done in two semesters? And how?
This week, you are being asked to elucidate on the how. In a format of your choosing (text, drawing, graphic, etc, etc, etc), describe your plan of attack for the next two semesters. What are the steps required in the next eight months that will allow you to complete the project to (your and our) satisfaction? How will you test your questions? What is your schedule? Where will you begin? Where will you end?
We know that this will all change as you move forward, in all likelihood several times. This assignment is intended to prod you to think systematically about the project, and to devise ways to begin.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Second Assignment
1 + 3 + 9 = (Position Paper v.1.1)
The rules of the game are fairly straightforward:
~ 1 (one line that serves as your thesis statement)
+ 3 (three sentences that expand upon -- without repeating -- the original line)
+ 9 (sentences that flesh out the idea).
All three parts should build one argument, but should not repeat (or be merely restatements of the same thing). It may help to think of the first part as your title, the second as the subtitle, and the third as an executive summary, or brief description you might find on the back of a book.
This assignment is intended to provide you with a clear structure that should encourage you to articulate clearly your thoughts on thesis thus far. It is merely the first pass through this exercise; we expect that you will get better at it each time you are asked to do it.
The rules of the game are fairly straightforward:
~ 1 (one line that serves as your thesis statement)
+ 3 (three sentences that expand upon -- without repeating -- the original line)
+ 9 (sentences that flesh out the idea).
All three parts should build one argument, but should not repeat (or be merely restatements of the same thing). It may help to think of the first part as your title, the second as the subtitle, and the third as an executive summary, or brief description you might find on the back of a book.
This assignment is intended to provide you with a clear structure that should encourage you to articulate clearly your thoughts on thesis thus far. It is merely the first pass through this exercise; we expect that you will get better at it each time you are asked to do it.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
First Readings, First Assignments
Two documents as you get started. The first is from Pablo Garcia's syllabus for Thesis Prep two years ago:
What Isn’t a Thesis? (It's sometimes easier to define what something isn’t.)
An Architecture thesis is not:
... A Written Paper. The Architecture Thesis is a project executed in analog or digital drawings, models, constructions, diagrams, with all the accompanying process work.
... A Device. You cannot say “My thesis is about light”. Light is a device through which architecture is manifest and perceived. It is not a thesis.
... A Question: You cannot ask “Why is architecture so cool?”
... An Announcement: “I will use architectural concrete in a new way”
... Vague Statements: “Modernism is bad”
... A Limited Subject: “Housing” “Libraries” “Hospitals”
... A List: “Light, Space, Form, Structure, Environment, and Architecture”
... An Autobiography: “A House for an Architecture Thesis Student’s Parents”
So what’s left?
A THESIS IS A POSITION. It is a claim or a speculation you make about architecture and its relationship to the world. You should be able to say: “Architecture is _____”, Architecture can ______” or “What if Architecture ______”.
This is your chance to do more than demonstrate your accumulated skills—you are positing a direction for architecture, speculating on an aspect of the discipline, taking a stand on an architectural issue.
The second piece was sent to me by Luis Carranza, a good friend and mentor who teaches at RWU (actually, we stole the idea of this blog, and many other good ideas, from him). Written by Jose Luis Mateo of MAP, the article is entitled "How to Draw Up A Project." It's a good read, intended to provoke. I highly recommend that you read it, because responding to it is part of your first graded assignment. Let this piece provoke you into a verbal response an essay that begins, "Architecture is ______ ."
Let it also inspire you to make your first visual piece as well. As we have mentioned this must be a creative engagement with a visual medium that expresses something that is relevant to your thoughts thus far on architecture: theory, practice education or otherwise.
Please post your written and visual responses to your blog by noon 31 August.
What Isn’t a Thesis? (It's sometimes easier to define what something isn’t.)
An Architecture thesis is not:
... A Written Paper. The Architecture Thesis is a project executed in analog or digital drawings, models, constructions, diagrams, with all the accompanying process work.
... A Device. You cannot say “My thesis is about light”. Light is a device through which architecture is manifest and perceived. It is not a thesis.
... A Question: You cannot ask “Why is architecture so cool?”
... An Announcement: “I will use architectural concrete in a new way”
... Vague Statements: “Modernism is bad”
... A Limited Subject: “Housing” “Libraries” “Hospitals”
... A List: “Light, Space, Form, Structure, Environment, and Architecture”
... An Autobiography: “A House for an Architecture Thesis Student’s Parents”
So what’s left?
A THESIS IS A POSITION. It is a claim or a speculation you make about architecture and its relationship to the world. You should be able to say: “Architecture is _____”, Architecture can ______” or “What if Architecture ______”.
This is your chance to do more than demonstrate your accumulated skills—you are positing a direction for architecture, speculating on an aspect of the discipline, taking a stand on an architectural issue.
The second piece was sent to me by Luis Carranza, a good friend and mentor who teaches at RWU (actually, we stole the idea of this blog, and many other good ideas, from him). Written by Jose Luis Mateo of MAP, the article is entitled "How to Draw Up A Project." It's a good read, intended to provoke. I highly recommend that you read it, because responding to it is part of your first graded assignment. Let this piece provoke you into a verbal response an essay that begins, "Architecture is ______ ."
Let it also inspire you to make your first visual piece as well. As we have mentioned this must be a creative engagement with a visual medium that expresses something that is relevant to your thoughts thus far on architecture: theory, practice education or otherwise.
Please post your written and visual responses to your blog by noon 31 August.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Beginnings
This is a public document intended to help you organize and share your thoughts about thesis as you move forward. The public aspect helps keep all of us on our toes, but should also help foster dialogue and discussion, both virtual and physical.
Your input is not optional; it is a mandatory part of the way in which you will participate in your education. You are required to post to your own blog, as well as comment on at least two of your peer's blogs each week. We will be reading (and grading) both your blogs and your comments.
So set up a thesis-specific blog with the following nomenclature: archthesis2011_yourlastname
Send us the url when you are up so we can link to it.
Your input is not optional; it is a mandatory part of the way in which you will participate in your education. You are required to post to your own blog, as well as comment on at least two of your peer's blogs each week. We will be reading (and grading) both your blogs and your comments.
So set up a thesis-specific blog with the following nomenclature: archthesis2011_yourlastname
Send us the url when you are up so we can link to it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)