The materials library was eye opening in the fact that there are so many materials out there that I might have never heard of. The materials library allows you to not only look at the different materials but touch and feel them to see how their surfaces and textures are different. I thought the way they organized the materials was very different, but great. It gets us as architecture students away from the manufacturers specs and more into the actual properties of an object. It allows us to think on a different basis and gets us out of our comfort zone when thinking about certain materials. Overall I think the materials library helped expand my perception of what materials can be classified as and the variety of materials that are out there for us as architects to use in our projects.

The Center Visit was interesting because I have been there before with past studio teachers, but I was never told about the original use of the theatre space. I never understood what the boxes were in the walls and now everything makes more sense after listening to the explanation. Now knowing what the space use to be and is currently leaves me a little disappointed. I feel that some of the ascetics are lost by this conformation of the space from its original intended use and its current use. On the other hand, the idea of the experiential path connecting the two sides of the building is interesting and I like the idea. I also really enjoyed the conference room space with the skylight above it allowing tons of natural light in.  

Materials play a major role in the message that a building conveys to the user. I feel that in my own personal projects, materials often get overlooked or generalized and the impression of my building is not as clear as it could have been. I think that having a collection of materials like the one in the Loeb Library is the perfect start to learning about and selecting building materials. It is easy to go online and research material properties and uses but you can only learn so much from that type of research. You can get a good feel from an aesthetic standpoint but it really narrows the way we use these materials.  Giving students physical access to the supplies opens up many more possibilities for different uses in the building. I think that there are many more opportunities for unique uses when the materials are physically obtainable. 

I thought the Carpenter Center was equally as intriguing as the materials library. The building was reserved in its design in order to more clearly display the art being shown inside. The simple, clean materials really controlled the natural light nicely. The conference room that we sat in was a beautiful display of this natural light. The glass made the building itself transparent so that all of the work can be shown through to the exterior. Although the lecture hall is no longer used as it was designed, I thought that the way Corbusier set it up would have worked quite nicely for a videography exhibit. The building was a great example of a nice display space and I think that a lot of the components used in it could be utilized for the presentation areas in the new NuVu studio. 

I found the materials library at Harvard to be very intriguing. I especially like how the materials are organized into categories based on composition and general properties instead of arranged by how the materials are expected to be used. People can search for materials for any purpose without being restricted to just looking at materials solely used for what they are doing. This allows students to think more creatively about how they are using materials and consider using them for functions that weren’t proposed by the manufacture. I also appreciate that they do their own research on the different materials in the library instead of taking the manufacturer’s word for it, because the company could be representing their product in a way that benefits them from a marketing standpoint. After looking through the samples of materials and thinking about my own studio project, I am considering using pink and green acrylic in some areas. These colors match NuVu’s current theme and the colored acrylic lets light into areas without allowing a view in, which can be beneficial in some of the interior spaces.

The tour of the Carpenter Center was also very interesting. I enjoyed seeing the interior spaces and how they are used. I really liked the skylight in the conference room. It provides a lot of natural light and makes a small room with no windows very pleasant to be in. I was disappointed with the current use of the theater room. It was designed for 5 projectors or cameras to run simultaneously from outside the room while people and movable chairs are inside the theater. The space has been transformed into a standard auditorium with fixed rows of seating pointed at one central screen with a fixed projector. I think some really cool projects could be created if they used the space as it was intended to be used all the time. They are probably getting more use out of the room now in its transformed state but there aren’t a lot of spaces set up like that so I think they should be taking advantage of its previous layout. I also like the exterior ramp that weaves through the building. It allows circulation to be performative and compliments the building.

            I feel that through many of the projects I’ve produced and seen here at Wentworth materiality always seemed to be an afterthought. I figured it was always due to a time standpoint or the fact that we just haven’t got to that point yet. However, after seeing the Loeb Materials Library at the GSD the other day I must say that I was mistaken. It’s not that they were all an afterthought, but that we don’t know much about many materials. We are stuck in the phase of going to Google and finding something that is designed for what we are looking for rather than coming up with something like the designers we are. The materials library collects all sorts of materials regardless of what the manufacturers say they are for and describes them in a way that limits them in no way of use. I feel that Wentworth could really benefit from having such a resource at their disposal, making us students that much more informed about what we can design with.

            Our trip to Le Corbusier’s Carpenter Center was also very interesting. He proves to us that you can always keep the same requirements in all of your buildings and not sacrifice originality from your other projects. The inclusion of his typical ramp and his bright colors that are always used in his spaces are done in such a way that adds liveliness to the building without detracting from the art it houses. The only disappointment is that of the auditorium and how it was changed without anybody’s permission. It would have been great to see it all, as it was initially intentioned. Yet, still a wonderful building nonetheless, however; it must be extraordinarily cold in the winter in New England. 

Our trip to the materials lab definitely started to broaden my scope about possible material choices. I was particularly interested in the gelatin-type material, which managed to be firm and flexible at the same time. While I can easily envision it as a bouncy and cushiony floor material, I’m curious as to how it would function as a wall material. If you leaned on it, would it remain stiff, would you sink into it, or would the whole thing flop over? I was also interested in the moss material, though I’m not sure how practical it would be given its organic nature. Would you have to water the walls every day in order to prevent them from dying? What type of structural backing would it require, and would that backing make the whole concept of an organic wall somewhat pointless, since it would still require a manmade material? The electronic database for the library seemed to be a very useful tool for considering nontraditional materials in the early phases of the design process.

I actually wasn’t that impressed with the Carpenter Center. While I appreciate the concept of an experiential path through the building, the shadows and reflections on the glass studios interfered with their transparency, making it difficult to see inside the building. Anyway, I’m not sure how comfortable the students would feel being on display to the general public. I felt that the art studios themselves were very gloomy and could have benefitted from more natural light; the concrete façade slants away from the windows in a way that block views to the exterior. The lecture hall was an interesting space and would have been more interesting had it followed the architect’s intention. I don’t know why the people in charge were able to negate Le Corbusier’s vision for the space, but they are still forced to purchase custom paints and glass from the Pentagon in order to preserve its historical content.

*NOTE: I accidentally deleted most of my photos from the Carpenter Center, so I had to resort to Google Images.

The material library was a very interesting experience; I was exposed to new materials that I have never seen before.  Materials have always been an after thought in my projects and I usually only ever choose one per project to focus on.  I only ever highlight the materials in the perspectives I make which gives makes them mostly black and white.  I really enjoyed the opportunity to go to the library and be able to see the different materials and combine them to see what are compatible.  I would like to think that the materials can accentuate the architecture but after visiting I feel the architecture can also enhance the materials.  I think the trip the material library has really opened my eyes to what is out there and the possibilities of materials in architecture.

The Carpenter center visit was one that we have all probably done before, however this time was a different perspective given.  The time I want before I didn’t have the privilege to be guided by a person who worked there.  The guided tour allows spaces that were originally closed to be opened for exploring.  I also appreciate the comments she had about the true intention of the design, which I was unaware about.  The first time I visited the theater our class was having trouble thinking what the windows were for but when the lady explained them it made sense.  You learn something new each time you visit. 

The GSD Material lab opened my eyes to the limitless potential of materials. Generally materials are broken down by what use or purpose they will serve within a building. The Material Lab however, uses a sorting system that breaks away from the conventional. This system allows the students to diverge from the typical use behind a material, allowing them to see it in different ways for different purposes. I think the relationship between the online database to the physical materials is something that should be adopted at Wentworth. It allows students not only get a feel for a material themselves but also be able to describe and display exactly what materials will be incorporated into the design.

This was my first actual visit into the Carpenter Center and I found it to be very inspirational. One of the most interested aspects of the building is how it has had to adapt and change overtime based on how filming has changed. The theater, more specifically, had stacked seating added along with a large front projection screen that was not originally meant for the space. One of the most prominent features of the building is the ramp that intersects along the upper floors. From an architectural perspective it seems to be a powerful approach that draws the public through the building. It was interesting to hear however that many of the artists within the building disliked the ramp because they felt like people were just staring at them as they worked. It was very useful to hear these ideas as we begin to create our NuVu designs because many of us are dealing with a similar challenge.

The materials we use to design can generate a wildly different response depending on their implementation. What I found most useful from this field trip to the Loeb Materials Library at Harvard's GSD is the fact that these seemingly unique materials are undefined when it comes to how to implement them. By seeing and feeling, we as designers can imagine where each might be used, and it is exciting to choose the unexpected. I found that I gravitated toward the fibrous materials, which had an underlying structure as well as pattern. Warm colors made metals and acrylics appear soft rather than hard. Descriptive words become important when searching for the right material here, which begins to suggest how one might experience a space designed with it. For NuVu, keeping an industrial aesthetic seems important to the studio-like setting of the curriculum, but finishes need to control issues like noise, mess, and discomfort. 

After playing with the array of new materials at the GSD, the Carpenter Center seemed like a clean slate with its concrete walls, paint, and glass. After meeting with the film maker, however, it sounds as though this simple palette is quite accomodating for the building's needs (minus the glass that keeps breaking and letting in the cold). What was most helpful was just learning the process of film making. As architects, a connection with artists of other fields is inherent. When the Carpenter Center was designed, the criteria was not much different than that of NuVu's school: learning, flexibility, collaborative and individual space, performance, and site context all needed to be considered then and now.  

The materials library gave me insight to all different types of materials, many of what I have never seen before.   For the ones that I have seen before I now see in differently because how the GSD presented all materials.  The manipulation of materials can transform a material.  A vinyl tile no longer has to be just for flooring, it can now be utilized in many other ways, because materials ask for creativity. I believe that the GSD’s intent with the materials library is  compelling because they also ask for innovation, thinking beyond the box, and beyond the standard materials of brick, wood,  and metal.

The Carpenter Center was interesting through what we learned about the interior and exterior. The way that the circulation is set up really allows the interaction with the public with the studios without interrupting the space.  My curiosity of the windows in the interior auditorium and wall projections was answered, however the current situation of the auditorium was a bit disappointing because the intent Corbusier is not utilized how it was intended for.  That being said the way that Corbu played with light, especially through that skylight in the classroom was very exciting.