week2-2

02/17/2011

week2

02/16/2011
The wheat grass grows so fast, they come to near 2 inch in less than one week. I put my micro-landscape near the window in oder to get more sunshine for my wheat grass.

The color of the plant is very beautiful.

program progress-1

02/11/2011

The seeds were being soaked into water for 24 hours,  then they were planted into the soil.

I choose the coco nut as the container.

Final Design

Inspiration

wheat grass: a food prepared from the cotyledons of the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum. It is sold either as a juice or powderconcentrate. Wheatgrass differs from wheat malt in that it is served freeze-dried or fresh, while wheat malt is convectively dried. Wheatgrass is also allowed to grow longer than malt is. It provides chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. Claims about the health benefits of wheatgrass range from providing supplemental nutrition to having unique curative properties. Some consumers grow and juice wheatgrass in their homes. It is often available in juice bars, alone or in mixed fruit or vegetable drinks. It is also available in many health food stores as fresh produce, tablets, frozen juice and powder.( from wikipedia)

Lawrence Halprin

This is one of my favorite LA designers, I still remember how sad I am when I heard he is pass away in 2009.

I choose Sea Ranch as my history presentation topic in honor of Lawrence Halprin. During my field trip of west coast, I feel excited to visit lots of Halprin’s projects.

• Spanish steps at Burnker hill( @Los Angeles)

Haprin believed “Great cities are not made by automobiles, freeways, and high-rises,Basically they made by the people who use those open spaces”.

This design replaced an unsightly wall along 5th street. The steps at Bunker Hill are divided by a raised water channel whose watercourse suggests a natural rock-bedded stream.

The stairway is graced by an inviting water fountain and terraces with outdoor cafes and sitting areas.

• Los Angeles Central Library

In this design, Halprin recreated the original east-west axis of reflecting pools that traverse three levels of stairs, he also brought his signature mix of intimate, multi-leveled spaces, ornamented with sculpture, water features and seating to the redesign of the West Lawn.

proposal

The railroad, big slope, lacking of pathway seperate the site from the city. So the proposal aims to find the solution to reconnect the city with the river.

The Mississippi River serves as the key to solve the problem, because the site belongs to The Mississippi River Watershed. Pipe and sewers in the city are collecting the stormwater, they flow through the site and finally come into the river. We are thinking about make use of some water collecting systems to drain the water from the city.

The stormwater collection is integrated in the masterplan in such a way that it contributes to the experience of water by the inhabitants and it adds beauty and activities to the public space. Whenever possible the rainwater infiltrates in the gardens and green open spaces. The run off of the rainwater is made visible in public space by a system of open gutters that all lead to the canal. Here the rain is celebrated with rain pipes and gargoyles and gurgles into the canal.

Design with Nature

 It is in the morning at Point Lobos that I saw this beautiful image, a spiderweb with dewdrop attached on it. I stopped, keep quiet, in case not to disturb this peaceful mood. Nature is such a wonderful teacher that give designer lots of inspiration. I cherish this experience to enjoy myself with this morning.

site:007

Site : 0.006 {observe:diagram:sketch:annotate}

observe . diagram . sketch . annotate

• How does this micro-scale observation fit into possible larger macro-scale temporal change？

I choose this right point locates at the crossway on the North of our site. It is important because it is the place from where people come into the site and go directly  approach the river. So when I observe this micro-scale site, what happens here will effect the larger macro-scale change. For example, If  I see people pass by, it indicates that maybe he just visited the site and have a wonderful experience of fishing at the pond.Or he just left the trash near the pond, which will pollute the water here.

It means that when do the micro-scale observation, the elements we had observed can provide the proof for the potential change for the larger macro-scale site, because the elements in the site do not change, they still effect the whole site.

• When observing time in this manner how might the recording interval change the outcome?

With the overall time length being certain and determined, the time interval is in reverse proportion to the quantity of outcomes. For example, if you want to record the change every 5 minutes, the overall time is set to 2 hours, then you will get 24 outcomes. Another case, if you want to record the change every 10 minutes, the overall time is the same, you will get 12 outcomes.

How to decide the recording interval depends on how gradually you want see your recording changes.

• Why do you believe or not believe that micro or macro temporal changes are important in the understanding of sites?

 

I do believe that micro and macro temporal changes are important in understanding of the sites.Because we observe the site not only focus on the existed still things, but should mostly pay attention on the temporal changes, because the temporal changes will change the background of the  site.