Structure and Balustrades of my Stairs

The stairs leading to the above ground studio are unique in structure. The main materials of the stairs would consist of wood, concrete, glass and steel for structure and support. The stairs themselves would be made out of concrete and steel netting to create a strong and supportive structure as highlighted by the thickness in the pictures. The structure and design of the stairs can be broken up. The first component of the stairs is the base on the ground level. This consists of two entry points that meet on a landing. Underneath the landing is a large concrete and steel framed box like figure that creates the basis support for the stairs and even part of the roof. In the middle of the stairs there is another landing,used structurally and for ease to the people who want to walk to the top without it being too steep. At this Landing there are large concrete beams that join the roof to the stairs. The pressure is pushed down to the base of the stairs. the last component of the stairs is the stairs joining to the upstairs. All landings have wooden floorboards. For safety and support glass sheets will be acting as balustrades. These glass balustrades surround the balcony up top and join to the concrete walls. The balustrades are fixed in slots down the sides of the stairs and are re-fixed to the concrete beams in the mid landing creating extra support. the glass sheets also encompass the entry landing also for safety. The stairs were inspired by Gascoigne's artwork 'Rocky Road' as they are angular and protrude at different angles and each component is integral not only for the stairs to stand but for the building to stand.

Similarly to the stairs leading to the upstairs studio the main materials would consist of concrete, wood, glass and metal for multiple purposes. To create strong firm stairs to withhold the pressure of being underground they would be made of concrete and metal netting as highlighted by the thickness. The stairs leading to the underground studio are in an enclosed tunnel like structure that would also be made on concrete for support. The stairs are wide and descend slowly with multiple landings made with wooden floorboards on top. As the stairs are enclosed and descend slowly the walls act as the balustrades. Lastly as the entry point of the stairs is an open square to ensure safety there are glass sheets acting as balustrades. The slowly descending stairs are symbolic of life and death which is totally relevant to Hall's artwork 'Understory'. The stairs highlight the inevitable death of organic matter.

Chosen Textures

SHARP

SILK

FLUID

Studio Spaces + Textures

(Word: Cranium, Underground, Texture 'Rigid' applied to walls)

This is the type of studio that I would imagine Fiona Hall working in to create this sculpture called Understory from her exhibition Force Field. The room is cold and morgue like, which could have inspired her to create this morbid theme. The room gives the appeal of being clinical and sterilised. The colours are stark opposites being white and black. There is a black cross in the far wall as the backdrop for the artwork. The black symbolises death which coincides with the message of the cross. The black cross has reference to life and death, being another inspirational factor. There are multiple cylinders and curved objects throughout the studio that are all stark white, which relate to the most organic curved object; the skull. Interestingly Hall's studios is underground below the mountains. The room is long and thin with no windows. The room is symbolic of a coffin again representing death. The feeling that i have created for Hall's studio is rather dark and depressing symbolic of her artwork.

Sketchup: Integral, Cranium + Use of Textures

(Textures: SILK, RIGID and FLUID)

The three textures that i have chosen are 'Silk', 'Fluid' and 'Rigid'. The three textures are highlighted by these photos. I have applied the textures to both inside and outside rooms. Staring with the outside The textures used are 'Fluid' on the curved surfaces and 'Rigid' on the flat surfaces. In both studios upstairs and won I have used 'rigid'. In the Exhibition room and the tunnel down below ground to the studio the rooms have been painted with the 'silk' texture.

Studio spaces + textures

(Word: Integral, Upperlevel Studio, Textures applied: 'Rigid' to flat surfaces, 'Fluid' to curved surfaces)

I would imagine that Rosaline Gascoigne's studio would look something like the pictures I have taken. This is the top level and as you can see from the exterior the building has cube like structures that protrude from the surface, one could imagine this could have inspired Gascoigne's artwork Rocky Road II. The bay windows are large and as the rooms are up high they look down over the surrounding environment. I purposefully chose this as I would have imagined nature to have been a major influence as organic objects are ofter her subject matter. The windows over look the mountainous landscape highlighting the uneven jagged peaks. These natural elements would have inspired Gascoigne's artwork. In some ways the different lengths of wood protruding in different angles represent the mountains. When you look at the last two pictures one notices the artwork in one room and in the next room on the far wall there is another pattern of different shaped rectangles and squares with the face made out of wooden timber that protrude from the main wall. The floors are wooden and the colour scheme on the inside are rigid lines (Texture:Sharp). All these elements could have been inspirational for Gascoigne and her artwork.

Sections of Cantilevered stairs

I find cantilevered stairs to be the most interesting of stairs. I like the fact that these stairs break boundaries as they are not supported by both ends. Normally with these cantilevered stairs two thirds are stabilised in the building while one third sticks out. I therefore chose this unique stair case as it looked contemporary and really cool. I like the use of metal concrete and glass; all these elements help to pull off this futuristic stairs. I have used these materials, elements and ideas to come up with my own unique designs. This is evident in my stairs as the base material is concrete, the balustrades are glass ad they protrude out of the building. I have slightly altered and changed ideas to coincide the with atmosphere of my sketchup model.

Stairs (Halo 3 Machinima)

I decided to use this video as I found it was highly appropriate after last weeks lecture. This video is simple but yet still humorous which I why I chose it.

My Sketches

The sketches of stairs for Fabricate and Cranium

Sketches of stairs for Integral, Cranium

With all my sketches of stairs I liked them to took relatively realistic and plausible. This is due to the fact that I think the most interesting thing about stairs are the configuration of angles which I have tried to highlight in my sketches; whether be in tunnels, a steep set of stairs or even the density of the stair case. The main materials would consist of stainless steel, wood, concrete and glass.

The inspiration Fabricate, Crainum

Fabricate, Cranium

Fabricate, Cranium

This is a section of my second building inspired by Fabricate for the top and Cranium for the bottom. This building would be constructed mainly out of concrete, wood, steel and glass. This building has two sets of stairs the first going under ground on the left-hand side. With these stairs they go down a level then make a U shape which then goes down another flight of stairs where one would find themselves on the first level under ground. On the right the stairs are heavy and very wide.

Integral, Cranium

Integral, Cranium

This image is a remake of my original design inspired by Integral on the top and Cranium for the bottom. This structure’s materials would consist mainly of concrete, steel, glass, metal and wood. This image has stairs added both to the left hand-side going upstairs and on the right going beneath the ground to the lower level. The stairs going up on the left are important as they help support the standing structure. The stairs going underground on the other hand are incorporated in a low descent through an underground tunnel.

The inspiration: Integral/Cranium

Integral Cranium picture two (practice run)

Integral/Cranium (practice run)

The building that I have constructed would require multiple materials. The main Materials would be glass, concrete and steel for structure and walls. The building also consists of wooden interior floors and stoned pathways outside.

Up in the Sky

MOFFAT: Salvation, Nurture, Spiritual

Rocky Road II

GASCOIGNE: Timber, Fabricate, Integral

The artwork described is ‘Rocky Road II’ by Rosaline Gascoigne created in 1996. This contemporary art piece is a sculpture with the dimensions of: h: 45 x w: 43 cm / h: 17.7 x w: 16.9 in. In order for Gascoigne to create this installation with such success, the unique sculpture had to be created out of swan soft drink crates on plywood. The installation is created to be viewed from all axes. As a whole the structure looks quite simple it’s only when viewed from close proximity that one can visualise the complexity of this artwork. The sculpture projects a powerful meaning, in that each piece is integral as if to say if a piece were to be removed it looks as if it would collapse. However when the pieces are comprised together the blocks of the sculpture can endure the tests of time. This is an interesting work as it highlights the contemporary period, breaking the boundaries of what art is considered to be. This abstract piece is so simple yet so complex, with precise configuration examplifying the fact that art can be anything.

Force Field, Understory

HALL: Cranium, Unearth, Deathly

The artwork described is apart of the exhibition called 'Force Field" and the individual piece is named ‘Understory’ by Fiona Hall created between the years of 1999-2004. This interesting sculpture is made out of Glass beads, silver wire, rubber and boar's teeth. This sculpture is fascinating as Field interestingly has used ordinary man made objects to create such an organic figure, the skull. Looking further into the meaning of the artwork both the materials and the sculpture itself symbolise and are a metaphor for aspects of consuming whether being the consumer or typical consumer products. The materials that the sculpture is created from are typical consumer products easily made and easily accessed. The significance of this configuration of the sculpture with these materials is to highlight how today society has moved into a consumer world. This effectively portrays the death of anything organic as soon everything even body parts will be man made and this could eventually lead to the extinction of the human race.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a small island off the coast of Tanzania with an amazing history. The photo that I have taken is of the most beautiful beach that I have seen called Pajé on the east coast of the island. I visited this island during my gap year in 2008 and this expedition was part of my community service program. The scenery was amazingly beautiful, the water was warm and had the most stunning marine life. The history of Zanzibar itself is very interesting; Zanzibar was believed to be the capital of Persia between the 12th and 15th century and acted as a trading post supplying slaves, gold, ivory and wood between Africa and the Middle East. Eventually the Portuguese took control in the early 16th century until it became part of the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964. Today Zanzibar is a small fishing island that attracts thousands of tourists due to the pure beauty and serenity of its coastline, as highlighted in my photo.