the interim post-mortem

What I emptied out from my brain post-crit while I was still reeling with adrenaline:

"What can you do with Maya that you can't do with the physical model?" - Julie Eizenberg

For starters, we can first try simulating the deformation without the stitching of the cloth to a boundary.

One of the constraints that was problematic for us in the making of the physical model was that we felt the need to stitch it's edges to a frame. We were striving to break away from a conventional minimal surface model, and yet we ended up settling for and conforming with the "traditional" set-up.

Now that we can use Maya to further our investigations, perhaps it would be worthwhile to explore the possibilities of a tension net structure:-

1) with or without a perimeter framing
2) types of frames; and,
3) comparing the results regardless of whether we get to an eventual result that we can predict will be useful to us or not.

Better to have a tested experiment that has failed us than a neglected unexperimented hypothesis, no matter what it is still will be a worthy outcome.

one.

From tehrani's video today, it got me thinking about many things. In order for this project to be a success, we have to keep our minds on the issue of fever. I think in the process of being rigourous about our process we may lose the view of the bigger picture..and get stuck in the technicality of things. I think we need to address the issue o fashion every week in our presentation. We will always need to mention from where we're coming from (departure point: the kawakubo dress) we are addressing the issues, but not making it obvious enough with every presentation - pleats were incorporated into the 'pinching' of the tension model that we made. We should start writing, too. I really want this to be something that melbourne uni hasn't seen for a long while, I want this project to be a whore. (In a good way, of course)
That kinetic model that we made already has the possibility of informing the program - level of activity will determine total energy, and determines form, which we then decide what form's most suited for what. And like steve mentioned, we do have to make clear our process and methodology. And writing things down even as daily jottings will help in direction.

I'm just so pumped by that presentation speech now. We'll do a sparse first slide and capture the attention towards the issue of fever- that by answering the brief (clothes are for comfort, thermal control, looking good, giving an identity etc, and architecture is parellel in terms of its intent) and answering the theme. That's what this semester's is all about. I'd really want to make a stand during the presentation to jury for the student prize award, it'll give other established academician-taught students a bloody run for their money.

-chern.