Johnathon

ARCHITECTURE II | WUNDERKAMMER Johnathon Tran

BEGINNING

CRÆFT

toothpaste and brush...

Craft is an obnoxiously broad word--Craft could mean how you design an object, or a synonym for creating, and perhaps a synonym with skill. What does it mean to be able to have Craft? Is Craft applicable to every single task? If I brush my teeth with precise skill is that a craft?

What does the word "Craft" mean?
The skill a person wields and uses to be creative with a task. How much craft a person does is determined if they are creative and use their own hands to make something. Every single career in the world contains a piece of craft, and it doesn't matter if it's a miniscule amount.

STEP 1: INVESTIGATION

CRAFT INVESTIGATION

Originally, when we were first introduced to craft, we had a basic definition of it. Most of us thought of things like a job or a profession; there is much more to that idea. A Craft can't occur in any job. IT must be a handcrafted functional thing that takes skill. You cannot replicate true skill very easily. With that in mind, we were told to "investigate" it. Students researched the topics and interpreted most of the things alone. Thus, creating their own handmade collage. All things were acceptable and were only left to the crafter to make it fit. Moving on, this collage is strictly about the culture and globalization of food. Food in itself is a craft. You must have experience and precise movements to create a "dish". You can't give a toddler a knife and expect them to cut it into perfect pieces. The precise interactions and ingredients you must handle is very important in this craft. Speaking about ingredients, the ingredients you obtain are very important. You must know the ingredients nearby you to be able to use them properly. Before the Columbian Exchange chefs were very familiar with what was around them and need true skill to utilize them. The creation of food is something that will always be needed and have many skilled craftsman/chefs in it.

CULINARY INVESTIGATION

All the things of culinary arts.

At the beginning of the semester, I and many others discussed three crafts that we thought would be important for a massive craftsman college. We ended up choosing Metalworking, Textiles and Culinary arts. These three crafts demonstrated expert and precise skill that need a specific work style. Moving to the collage, the collage is research about the work environment and skills in culinary arts. A chef has to deal with a stressful and fast-paced work environment. Constantly being pushed to create high-quality fast meals. Squeezing in as much time and organizing their messy workspaces. They also deal with critics and safety inspectors. Whilst dealing with this they also must have experience in their craft. You cannot go blind into cooking and expect the best. You must know the recipe from heart or at least the process. Chefs also deal with the problem of good presentation. If the food looks bad, it can turn away many potential customers. More customers equal more profit earned.

ARCHITECT INVESTIGATION

Students were assigned with random architects that have a general common theme. They were experts in using the environment around them to create "Craft". After being assigned the architect, students researched.
Thus, leading to the creation of many collages. For example, this collage on Australia's most famous architect. Known for receiving the Pritzker Architecture Prize and spreading ideas of environmental responsibility/sensibility. The architect's name is Glenn Murcutt. The collage shows three buildings Simpson-Lee House, Magney House, and the Marie Short House.
The collage shows how Glenn Murcutt's famous motto, "Touch the earth Lighty" is put into fruition. The buildings are characterized by a pavilion-like structure with a sense of openness. It also shows how Glenn Murcutt is able to adapt to multiple environments. The buildings are built in different locations. For example, The Simpson-Lee House is built in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. The Mountains are constantly attracting cold wind. To work around this, the architect builds on the mountain using it as a natural shield. This also shows the environmental cleverness Glenn Murcutt demonstrates. Glenn Murcutt is an architect who makes structures like a skeleton with only skin. Hollow on the inside but inevitably always detailed.

STEP 2: CABINET OF CURIOSITIY

WUNDERKAMMER DRAFTS

The Wunderkammers goal is to serve as a place that helps enhance the craftsman. Students in mind of this created their own unique "Wunderkammer" that must showcase and use "Craft". The drafts in this slideshow show the process of creating a studio for a chef. Chefs typically need some sort of cooking location/spot and a storage area for said raw materials/processed materials. Throughout these drafts separate ideas were created that were eventually combined together into a final product. For example, on #3 the idea of a farmhouse was implemented into the final drawing. Ideas like a walk-in freezer and pantry were quickly added on as their very essential to the needs of a chef. Generally, the first drafts were test runs that were just running through designs before an idea was conceived.

AUTOCAD FP & ELEVATION

The Final Floor Plan and Elevation of the model. The Idea of a building that shows the linear process of cooking is established. The Wunderkammer begins on the right and works itself towards the left. Starting at a seemingly basic farmhouse and ending at a weirdly designed dining room. The Wunderkammer is not only designed but is also useful. The farmhouse allows the client to throw way any defective dishes and raw materials to feed the animals. The client is also able to reuse animal feces to be used as fertilizer. The building could be described as its own moving creature that can sustain itself for an amount of time.

STEP 3: MODEL

WUNDERKAMMER MODEL: STEPS TO TAKE

The Model here is a representation of the "Wunderkammer" as a whole. The model is a staircase that represents the linear progression of cooking. How the raw materials start and end with four steps. Creating a model that looks like stairs make it feel even more inclined to be a process where you "move each step." This creates the illusion of progression that is enhanced by the context of each step. This model shows us the farm, the education, the craft, and the presentation of culinary arts.