tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68159532914556699792024-03-12T16:59:04.987-07:00Consciousness and ArchitectureArchitecture, Travel, Student tips, travel tips, history of architecture and spiritual interactions.
Consciousness, consciousness related phenomena effecting architecture and vice-versa, bioenergy, subtle energy, exo-architectureManori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-6158790495040871482013-01-12T00:31:00.000-08:002013-01-12T00:31:03.989-08:00Moving between projects<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went into this semester without fully disengaging from my project from last semester. Over the short winter break, I kept working on the project from my last studio and I felt and still feel like I didn't conclude it to my heart's content. And I was working on a deadline for Gateway Portfolio submission so I really could utilize the break to wrap it up.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The realization that I am not fully engaged in the current studio and mildly distracted over the previous studio, happened today. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wonder how it is in professional practice? How do professional practitioners dance between multiple projects? Do they all end up having similar qualities? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that my undergraduate education is drawing closer and closer to conclusion, I have been pondering various aspects of my future career path.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do I go to grad school right after? Do I go to work for a few year before I go to grad school? What do I want to study at grad school -- meaning what is going to be my narrower focus? If I decide to work for a few years, what kind of a firm do I want to work for? I want to have my own practice one day so I want to be exposed to as many aspects of a practice as possible. So do I work for a small firm or a large firm? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am told I will find out when I do internships and such. I hope to intern this summer so I guess I will get a better idea then....</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Coming back to the present moment, right here and now, I think I should get some rest and clear my head a bit so I can wake up early and work on that primitive object for my studio....</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But let me share another realization I had today. I have faced many situations and overcome challenges in life. Many years ago they were external factors, things I had to overcome so I can get a good footing. Today, all my struggles and challenges are internal. I don't have to struggle with traditions, social and family pressures, and other baggage from the past. I have already have a good footing. Now my struggles are intellectual and even the emotional struggles are more intellectual and philosophical. I think its a good place to be. It is what is called a "good problem".</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today for the first time, a deep realization that how I move forward from now on is to complement the intellectual development with a balanced physique (soma) and take control of my energies (energosoma). </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have to remind myself often never to forget all those who helped me get here, no matter how insignificant they may view it to be. I am a person who appreciate the little things in life, so I appreciate all those who helped me get here. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With that, let me sign off for today until I find the time and the right mindset to make another entry..</span></div>
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Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-26047514127379193062012-05-15T19:55:00.000-07:002012-07-22T20:05:57.244-07:00Los Angeles<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Since its the summer break, I've had a bit of time to Explore Los Angeles. Its an amazing city with a lot of beautiful places to visit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">According to the <a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/course.php?id=116&category2=0" target="_blank">Urban Systems</a> class I took in Fall 2011 Los Angeles is the first city in the US that was designed around the automobile. This meant that the city is very wide spread and a lot of people live in the suburbs. Also its a decentralized city, meaning contrary to most of the major cities in the world today, downtown LA is not as important for the city of LA. Most businesses are spread through-out the county and the public transportation system is not as dynamic as NYC or Chicago. Downtown LA is pretty small and is unglamorous than expected for the most part. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">LA depends on the existence of a large network of freeways. Infamous LA traffic is personally a huge turnoff for me but without them I would not be able to get anywhere. Thankfully, on a daily basis I don't have to deal with highway rush-hour traffic. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">LA also used to have quite an extensive trolley system owned by various private companies. You can still see the trolley rails in various places downtown. During the past 20 - 30 years, Downtown LA has experienced major clean up and growth. LA live project revitalized the area and today downtown LA is home to many luxuary hotels, condos and apartment complexes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you are visiting downtown LA, there are a few places you should definitely check out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://lalive.com/" target="_blank">LA Live</a> is a huge tourist attractions in downtown. I haven't gone to many of the restaurants, the Staples center, many clubs, etc there simply because I'm taking it for granted that I live practically a few blocks away from it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For art lovers there are a few awesome places one must visit. <a href="http://www.moca.org/" target="_blank">MOCA</a> (Museum of Contemporary Art) is probably the most important museum in Downtown LA. <a href="http://artsdistrictla.com/" target="_blank">LA Arts district</a> also has many artist studios, galleries and lots of wonderful street art. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Other museums in Los Angeles include <a href="http://www.wellsfargohistory.com/museums/museum_losAngeles.html" target="_blank">Wells Fargo History Museum</a>, <a href="http://www.grammymuseum.org/" target="_blank">The Garmmy Museum at LA Live</a>, and <a href="http://www.janm.org/" target="_blank">The Japanese American National Museum</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Also make sure to visit Little Tokyo and China town. You will be able to experience the Japanese and the Chinese culture, food, clothing and life-style in these areas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Unless if you want to see the largest stable population of homeless community in the US, I would strongly advise you to avoid <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skid_Row,_Los_Angeles" target="_blank">Skid Row</a> area. Its sad that in a wonderful city of wealth and lovely culture, there are so much poverty and homelessness only blocks away from the fancy neighborhoods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Moving away from Downtown LA, there are many wonderful places to visit such as the Getty Center, Getty Villa, Santa Monica Pier, The Griffith Observatory, LACMA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I will try to do an article about places of Architectural importance in LA as well as about other touristy places. Keep visiting the blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cheers!</span>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-60964507891021594222012-04-01T22:34:00.000-07:002012-03-31T14:45:27.434-07:00Thom Mayne Lecture: What's next?As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, <a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/lectures.php?id=2036" target="_blank">Thom Mayne lectured</a> at SCI-Arc on March 14, 2012.<br />
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This lecture was part of the wonderful series of lectures that happens every semester at SCI-arc. It was also a continuation of the dialog opened up after the Eisenman lecture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjQGZdA5aurCV3c4cu6qe_8_Cw_ysJle2WJmEg5bviIp_UZ0Fke1ma6mdJpV5jXOHle_deSsuuf5ANnb3guWHKWsifTH5NoTSDE_7TIVVP5t5-i9waxE0ipU2ybut1t9gCI4uT2OIF3gE/s1600/IMG_1046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjQGZdA5aurCV3c4cu6qe_8_Cw_ysJle2WJmEg5bviIp_UZ0Fke1ma6mdJpV5jXOHle_deSsuuf5ANnb3guWHKWsifTH5NoTSDE_7TIVVP5t5-i9waxE0ipU2ybut1t9gCI4uT2OIF3gE/s320/IMG_1046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thom Mayne<span><span style="font-style: italic;"> @ SCI-Arc. 03-14-2012. (c) Manori Sumanasinghe</span></span></span></i></div>
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Click on this link to watch the video:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1912605862"><br /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/sciarc_player.html?vid=http://www.sciarclive.com/Lectures/2012_03_14_ThomMayne.flv&title=Thom%20Mayne" target="_blank">http://www.sciarc.edu/sciarc_player.html?vid=http://www.sciarclive.com/Lectures/2012_03_14_ThomMayne.flv&title=Thom%20Mayne</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The videos is a part of the <a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/lectures_archive.php">SCI-Arc public lecture archive</a></i></span><br />
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<br />Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-33328749152784202912012-03-29T15:51:00.001-07:002012-03-29T15:51:06.458-07:00Student Tips: Model making with StyreneI used <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styrene" target="_blank">styrene</a> to make a 1/4" scale model for the first time.<br />
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<b>Pros: </b><br />
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<li>Very easy to use in terms of score it, fold it along the crease in the opposite direction and it snaps out. Compared to acrylic, this is super easy to cut. </li>
<li>Also gives you nice clean edges. </li>
<li>Also much easier to glue than acrylic. </li>
<li>Much cheaper than acrylic. I was able to purchase a 1/16" thick 4' x 6' (48" x 96") sheet for $ 30 tax included.</li>
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<b>Cons:</b><br />
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<li>Can't laser cut, it melts. Scoring is possible and snaps off pretty easily after scoring </li>
<li>I still haven't mastered the art of gluing it neat. I have to use gloves when I use the plastic welden and I leave smudge marks that catches dust so that makes it pretty undesirable. </li>
<li>If you were sensitive like me, all the glues I've tried so far that work with styrene gives allergies. </li>
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<b>Types of glue to use:</b> Plastic Weldene, Locktite.<br />
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<b>Tips:</b><br />
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<li>If you have access to a laser cutter, score all the line work. Use a mask when laser scoring styrene. The burn fumes are pretty toxic. </li>
<li>Make a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jig_%28tool%29" target="_blank">jig</a> (a contraption that helps you maintain consistency and control quality) </li>
<li>Use little glue</li>
<li>Definitely wear a mask (a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=respirator&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=respirator&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=WX4&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=peV0T4LoCbL02wWRw4W3DQ&ved=0CIoBEK0E&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=e8485073fa9c2fac&biw=1087&bih=708" target="_blank">respirator</a> recommended). Weather you use the toxic or the non-toxic glue types they all are very strong in smell and the vapor causes breathing trouble. </li>
<li>Work in a well ventilated area. </li>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Using a jig to make a floor plate using styrene - (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2012</span></i></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-22573238502446964112012-03-21T20:54:00.003-07:002012-03-29T15:16:49.997-07:00Jeff Kipnis Lecture @ SCI Arc<a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/lectures.php?id=2055">Jeff Kipnis </a>lectured at SCI-Arc the following day of the Eisenman Lecture. I loved Kipnis's lectures because they are engaging, its an on going conversation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_zjabJpm1PcTGvcEyTwJ6eklKHDAR6JdDEVLhZYfMMDk0B7zPG2FkHxtfeqAcTIpeMuE9UAPHJGXvw1j5hcBk1-5PCzcFdwDufyhhy9Tv5aFRF80OZx5s4Ui-BxiPTiBD6fpDaXs4ZuF/s1600/03-06-2012+_+Jeff+Kipnis+Lecture.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722569641262642386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_zjabJpm1PcTGvcEyTwJ6eklKHDAR6JdDEVLhZYfMMDk0B7zPG2FkHxtfeqAcTIpeMuE9UAPHJGXvw1j5hcBk1-5PCzcFdwDufyhhy9Tv5aFRF80OZx5s4Ui-BxiPTiBD6fpDaXs4ZuF/s320/03-06-2012+_+Jeff+Kipnis+Lecture.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Jeff Kipins Lecture @ SCI-Arc. 03-06-2012. (c) Manori Sumanasinghe</span></span></div>
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I still haven't figured out how to embed the archive videos in my blog post. Please bare with me until then and use the link below to watch the video.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/sciarc_player.html?vid=http://www.sciarclive.com/Lectures/2012_03_06_JeffKipnis.flv&title=Jeff%20Kipnis:%20%20Who%20is%20Moss?">http://www.sciarc.edu/sciarc_player.html?vid=http://www.sciarclive.com/Lectures/2012_03_06_JeffKipnis.flv&title=Jeff%20Kipnis:%20%20Who%20is%20Moss?</a><br />
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He like the way he defined the difference between the East Coast school of thought vs. West Coast school of thought, which in his theory was the reason why Eisenman made the statement about how architecture cannot respond to social, economical and political situations.<br />
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Enjoy the video and stay tuned for the Thom Mayne lecture. I will post it as soon as it becomes available on the SCI-Arc website.<br />
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The videos is a part of the <a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/lectures_archive.php">SCI-Arc public lecture archive</a>.Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-45031880718007055342012-03-18T20:13:00.001-07:002012-03-21T21:12:10.364-07:00Lecture by Peter Eisenman at SCI-ArcI have the urge to apologize to you for not posting frequently enough. But then again, if you study architecture or know anything about the education of an architect you will understand therefore, forgive me for my not-very-frequent presence in the blogosphere. I am sorry and I will try my best to post more.....<br /><br />We recently had Peter Eisenman Lecturing at SCI-Arc. I had the privilege to watch one of the reviews he took part, his lecture the same day evening and the Graduate Thesis Symposium the next day.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNXV16k1pRvAfW8SgGkQYA2GhZNs0fD_sKDD3K8kywfmgrdlrCXfr-__f_rCVk9c2wUlc2bqwUcT9MfONt9WTmg0tLNt1FU7TuG8-_84unlWVG4KfytXJm7XqqWeXyT5nvtZsvkrxswr7/s1600/03-05-2012+_+Peter+Eisenman+Lecture.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNXV16k1pRvAfW8SgGkQYA2GhZNs0fD_sKDD3K8kywfmgrdlrCXfr-__f_rCVk9c2wUlc2bqwUcT9MfONt9WTmg0tLNt1FU7TuG8-_84unlWVG4KfytXJm7XqqWeXyT5nvtZsvkrxswr7/s320/03-05-2012+_+Peter+Eisenman+Lecture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722568157248283762" border="0" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Eric Owen Moss Introducing Peter Eisenman @ SCI-Arc. 03-05-2012. (c) Manori Sumanasinghe</span></span><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlAF77n1DvaLlweQnMZ7jWmkiq70BeWYRQqn5eu92HKx4BPBr2GHE2alZ65Jn8kYpE7G7V-Sj68YUod0hR-7shoXoMZA1gfHHayiyEz5anCg7wTmwHmnKN333HpXygCdEx3gSHlyhhkrI/s1600/03-06-2012_Grad+thesis+symposium.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlAF77n1DvaLlweQnMZ7jWmkiq70BeWYRQqn5eu92HKx4BPBr2GHE2alZ65Jn8kYpE7G7V-Sj68YUod0hR-7shoXoMZA1gfHHayiyEz5anCg7wTmwHmnKN333HpXygCdEx3gSHlyhhkrI/s320/03-06-2012_Grad+thesis+symposium.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722568170791963346" border="0" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Graduate Thesis Symposium with (from left) Elena Manfredini, Hernan Alonso Diaz, Jeff Kipnis, Peter Eisenman, and Eric Owne Moss @ SCI-Arc. 03-06-2012. (c) Manori Sumanasinghe</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/lectures.php?date=2012-03-05">Peter Eisenman</a>, no doubt one of the most admired architects today, raised quite a debate during his lecture.<br /><br />You can watch the lecture here:<br /><a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/sciarc_player.html?vid=http://www.sciarclive.com/Lectures/2012_03_05_PeterEisenman.flv&title=Peter%20Eisenman">http://www.sciarc.edu/sciarc_player.html?vid=http://www.sciarclive.com/Lectures/2012_03_05_PeterEisenman.flv&title=Peter%20Eisenman</a><br /><br />He did confuse the audience quite a bit with the project vs. practice theory.<br /><br />To paraphrase him "Architecture does not respond to social or political situations"... What do you think? I want to side with Moss, Mayne and Kipnis on this issue. Not because I admire them or they are attached to our school, but because my personal conviction is that architecture do impact people and architecture has the ability to reach out to people. See, I think that solutions for most of the social, political, and economical issues that are present in the world today can be found by addressing the problems from many angles. We live in a world today that everything is interconnected. Nothing exists in its singularity, on its own. The problems of the society themselves are a result of failure of many things rather than just a singular incident. Therefore the solutions should also be comprehensive and integral. I feel that architecture provides and opportunity to address these problems and is one of the many aspects of society that should contribute to the improvement of the overall human development. This is a topic I would like to discuss further as I go along. I would like to invite you to start a conversation with me on this ....<br /><br />Following this lecture, the next day was the Graduate Thesis Symposium. The panel included Mr. Eisenman, Architecture critic Jeff Kipnis, SCI-Arc Director Eric Owen Moss, SCI-Arc Grad Director Hernan Diaz Alonso and Faculty Elena Manfredini. I hope SCI-Arc post that video as well because it was a great follow up to the debate and the topics discussed at the lecture the day before.<br /><br />We had Jeff Kipnis lecturing the next day so stay tuned to that video link because his lecture took the debate a bit further and next week's lecture is one of my favorite architects Thom Mayne and I will post the links when they become available.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">All the videos are a part of the </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.sciarc.edu/lectures_archive.php">SCI-Arc public lecture archive</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span></span>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-10894927655197604562012-02-05T11:08:00.003-08:002012-03-22T00:35:36.860-07:00Some thoughts....The past 1/2 year has been very strange. I moved city, lived apart from my husband the longest, getting used to a new school and its culture, and I've learnt so much.<br /><br />SCI-Arc was intimidating at first. I must confess, it still scares me a bit. So much knowledge floating around, so much to learn, I feel inadequate sometimes. But this same sense of insecurity motivates me to learn more.<br /><br />The caliber of people at SCI-Arc, be it the faculty, students, staff or administration continues to amaze me though. I feel like I am at a unique place among unique people doing the strangest and most wonderful things. Its crazy and I love it!!<br /><br />Of course, I must confess yet again, I don't always love it. I hate it that I have to be away from my husband, I am not please I don't have time for pretty much anything else other than school, definitely not please we have poor indoor air quality at the school and that we don't have any plants. I miss that a lot - plants! I miss trees, plants, rivers and fish and the crazy colorful lizards and iguanas and beautiful birds... All that was amazing about the east coast. I think California has most of these things but I dislike that I have no time to see any of it. I miss having time to play with my cat!! But then again these sacrifices, I know are totally worth it...<br /><br />I still manage to find time to go volunteer a few hours every week. I sometimes wonder, do I manage time poorly? Other times I think we have wayyyyyy too much work. Maybe the reality is something in between.<br /><br />I disagree that while in school we should be all consumed by education and education only. I believe that college / university education should be in preparation to the real world out there. Not only give us the skills, horn in new skills but also prepare us to manage a balanced life. So far the way I've experienced architecture school is not that but then again, considering how much is there to be learnt in architecture its amazing that the B. Arch can be completed in 5 yrs...!!<br /><br />Cheers!Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-75125765978298455902011-10-04T12:55:00.000-07:002011-10-04T13:27:39.372-07:00Software<div style="text-align: justify;">One of the things I love about SCI-Arc is the exposure to technology and software. For the past 5 weeks I've been here I've learned Maya, Rhino, 3Ds Max, Adobe Illustrator and Indesign. I've also been using AutoDesk and Photoshop as well.<br /><br />Though I am still very new to Maya, I played around with it enough to be unafraid and I've been using it quite a bit in my design studio class. <a href="http://usa.autodesk.com/maya/">Maya</a>, according to my Visual Studies instructor, was originally used for designing ships. It is widely used now for animation and modeling. If you spend enough time understanding the logic behind the commands, it is not that difficult to figure it out. It must be mentioned that Maya is very different from AutoCADD and Rhino. I am taking Visual Studies 1 class now and we are using Maya. I made below using Maya in my summer transfer digital design class.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajhzWCj0pVN4cBj87DC0VAmTjVQtFt4Usf-bEqN6_h0fx24RqI9HzQF3j1Xiexm5yQhmzM42olO2PugDqaoBTHTAzyCLFNqOjnvKa4vUG1dnr6N6n9G2_gCnHQieB1ET7Io5gpfXAX0r5/s1600/Ducky+-+All+3+views.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajhzWCj0pVN4cBj87DC0VAmTjVQtFt4Usf-bEqN6_h0fx24RqI9HzQF3j1Xiexm5yQhmzM42olO2PugDqaoBTHTAzyCLFNqOjnvKa4vUG1dnr6N6n9G2_gCnHQieB1ET7Io5gpfXAX0r5/s320/Ducky+-+All+3+views.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659733484486275218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ducky by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2011</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I've been introduced to <a href="http://www.rhino3d.com/">Rhino</a> and everyone uses it much more than I do and I plan to polish up my Rhino skills as well. Rhino works pretty much like AutoCAD and the commands are pretty similar. Can do accurate and precise drawings unlike Maya which is great for free forming and can do pretty accurate as well.<br /><br /><a href="http://usa.autodesk.com/3ds-max/">3Ds Max </a>is a software that my current studio professor said he uses the most. He did a quick demo that really impressed us. It seems like a good balance between Maya and Rhino. I played around with a bit and I am still not using it for any classes but I plan on using it this semester for my studio classes as well.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think its quite important to learn different software to be able to have the freedom to use different tools when we research and experiment various design ideas. I don't think we should stop making physical models but I think its very important to try it out in a software for accuracy and precision.<br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-69805064525548481362011-10-02T13:30:00.000-07:002011-10-04T13:34:57.127-07:00Ambivalent Phenomena of Projectiology<div style="text-align: justify;">There is a great article that gives a good introduction to Projectiology that I want to share with you. This article is published in the IAC Blog.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ambivalent Phenomena of Projectiology</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><br />by Nanci Trivellato & Wagner Alegretti<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">There are many types of phenomena and paranormal activities, but some of them, like regression and clairvoyance, for example, are subjective phenomena. Thus, they cannot be seen and occur inside of the person’s own microuniverse. We have previously analyzed these intimate phenomena of the consciousness, so we will concentrate on the objective, or ambivalent phenomena, which can be seen or proven. We can cite several of them. For example:<br /><br />Materialization: This is a well known phenomenon in which a paranormal performs the materialization of objects which were before “non-existent,” and turns them totally visible. There are various registered cases studied on the topic of materialization. Some of the names that are better known in this field are: Rudy Schneider and Madam d’Esperance. To realize a phenomenon such as this one, the psychic should have control over a type of bioenergy called ectoplasm.<br /><br />Telekinesis: Telekinesis is a phenomenon in which the person is able to move objects and transform the structure of physical things without touching them, in other words, using only the strength of its bioenergies. Diverse laboratory experiments, primarily in Russia, have been performed in order to verify this phenomenon which is today accepted. One of the best known psychics in the field of telekinesis is Uri Gueler, seen often on television, bending spoons, moving the hands on a watch, etc. Nevertheless, there have been many others who perform telekinesis which have been studied with results greater than those of Uri Gueler.<br /><br />To read the full article, click <a href="http://iacblog-english.blogspot.com/2011/09/ambivalent-phenomena-of-projectiology.html">here </a><br /><br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-81191408127246424892011-09-14T13:35:00.000-07:002011-10-04T14:09:50.268-07:00Bioenergies: A Vital Component of Human Existence<div style="text-align: justify;">I haven't had much time to write for the blog lately but I want to share some cool articles. These weren't written by me but they are excellent for anyone interested in learning about the consciousness (ourselves) more and related phenomena. You can find more articles like this in the <a href="http://iacblog-english.blogspot.com/">IAC blog</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bioenergies: A Vital Component of Human Existence</span></span><br />by Sandie Gustus & Nanci Trivellato<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="font-weight: bold;">What is bioenergy?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bioenergy is one of many known terms used to describe the energy field that envelops every living being. A non-physical energy, it has nevertheless been identified and acknowledged throughout the ages by different cultures in different parts of the world. The yogis in India call it prana , Chinese acupuncturists know it as chi and modern day psychics refer to it as aura. Other expressions commonly used to describe this type of energy include immanent energy, subtle energy, vital energy, magnetic energy and universal energy.<br /><br />Many studies have already been undertaken and others are currently in progress to better understand bioenergy (prana, chi, subtle energy). Attempts have also been made to develop instruments and other means of registering it. Kirlian photography for example, a technique that was discovered by accident in 1939, shows that when a high-voltage electric field is applied to an object placed on a photographic plate, an image of the signals emitted by the object is generated. This image is said to be a physical representation of the object's aura.<br /><br />Among other experiments performed in this field, many noteworthy investigations into bioenergies have been led by the Russians. Results of their research showed that individuals can utilize their own bioenergies for self-healing or to heal another person, to move an object without touching it, or to engage in a telepathic or mental transmission of information.<br /><br />Other researchers into parapsychic phenomena have concluded that this type of energy is an essential component of a whole range of occurrences such as acupressure, acupuncture, the bending of metal at will, dematerializations and rematerializations, ectoplasmy, homeopathy, poltergeist activities, teleportation and psychic surgery.<br /><br />Despite some modest success in creating instruments capable of recording bioenergy (prana, chi), it remains largely too subtle to be measured with any precision by scientific equipment. The most efficient tool for this purpose is the sensitivity of the human being. Given that humans have the inherent capacity to detect and analyze the bioenergy fields (aura, energetic body, etheric double) generated by others, they are invaluable research tools in experiments of this nature.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />To read the full article click <a href="http://iacblog-english.blogspot.com/2011/09/bioenergies-vital-component-of-human.html">here </a></span><br /><br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-57797584986661634782011-08-04T23:41:00.000-07:002011-08-05T00:22:37.180-07:00Student Tips: Paying for school and student loans<div style="text-align: justify;">A few students who applied to SCI-Arc as transfer students, couldn't make it here even after they got accepted, because of finances. I thought of sharing some experiences that could help you organize yourself financially so you could receive a very good education.<br /><br />I can't stress enough how important it is to apply to multiple schools. My friends I spoke of above were all ready to move to LA. They were looking for car movers and places to rent. Then something unexpected happened. Their student loans got rejected. If SCI-Arc was the only school they applied to, today they would be without a school. Thankfully they had applied to UF and got admitted there as well so it worked out for them.<br /><br />The second thing I can't stress enough about is to have a <a href="http://consciousnessandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2011/02/student-tips-college-application-design.html">strong application</a> along with a very good <a href="http://consciousnessandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2011/03/student-tips-how-to-write-letter-of.html">letter of intent</a>, an excellent portfolio and very good recommendation letters. This will increase your chances of winning a scholarship from the school. If you are eligible for academic scholarships or any scholarships for that matter, you should apply. You should aim for a scholarship that will cover most, if not all, of your tuition.<br /><br />Next step would be to apply for <span style="font-weight: bold;">federal aid</span> - <a href="http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/">FAFSA</a>. One of the most important steps in applying to college is filing your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You will need your tax information from the previous year to file the FAFSA. All details about filing for FAFSA can be found in their website <a href="http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/">here</a>. If you want help filing your FAFSA usually the school financial aid office can help you with this. But trust me, you can fill it on your own online, just read the instructions carefully.<br /><br />Then you should apply for <span style="font-weight: bold;">financial aid with your school</span>. Usually, all schools have a set of documents they would require you to fill for financial aid. These documents can be found at the financial aid office of the school and there will be staff who can help you with this. You should talk to them and don't be afraid to ask questions until you have absolute clarity. Remember, when in doubt, and that you will be, ask for them. Financial aid applications and the process can be confusing. Take time to do it. Don't miss the deadlines because money gets allocated pretty fast.<br /><br />Between federal aid and financial aid with school, you should get a combination of grants, scholarships and loans. There are various grants like Pell Grant and grants from the school that you don't have to pay back. There are loans from the federal government such as the Stafford loans and PLUS loan. Based on if you are an independent student or a dependent student, you should get a combination of these options that should cover a good chunk of your tuition and other study expenses.<br /><br />I fit in the category of an independent student because I file taxes on my own and I'm married. Your financial aid from the government and the school will vary greatly upon your dependent status.<br /><br />Until I started at SCI-Arc, I didn't have any <span style="font-weight: bold;">student loans</span>. But, like any private school, SCI-Arc's high tuition required me to seek loans to pay the tuition. I'm taking all the Stafford loans they are offering me and I had to take out a private loan to pay the Summer tuition.<br /><br />As far as I know, there are 3 types of federal student loans. The subsidized Stafford loan, the unsubsidized Stafford loan and the PLUS loan. Click here to read more about the <a href="http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/studentloans.jsp">Stafford loans</a> & the <a href="http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/parentloans.jsp">PLUS loans</a>.<br /><br />Private loans are a bit tricky. Usually your school can provide you a list of approved or preferred lenders. This list will usually consist of a few banks and specialized student loan providers like <a href="https://www.salliemae.com/">Sallie Mae</a>. I went with Sallie Mae because they know the drill about student loans, that's their specialty so they know the kind of problems you face and they know how to find solutions faster. They are pretty quick in processing the loans too.<br /><br />The main thing to remember about student loans is that you have a good credit score and if you have a co-signer, that they have a good credit score and a good pay stub to show to the bank. I would check with the school before applying for the loan just to make sure that your chances of getting the loan approved is pretty good.<br /><br />You have also remember, you may have to chase the bank and the financial aid office to see through that the loan money gets dispensed on time. So be on top of them.<br /><br />As you can see, you have to be quite organized with the whole process. Do your research. Read on line, talk to people. Be careful not to apply for too much money in loans than you actually, absolutely need. You don't want to graduate and walk out with $ 150,000 in debt and not know how to pay it off. Loan Payment calculators such as <a href="http://www.finaid.org/calculators/loanpayments.phtml">this</a>, can help you figure out how much money you will be repaying over how long.<br /><br />Good luck and let me know if you have any questions :)<br /><br /><br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-80565464413951039122011-07-17T02:57:00.000-07:002011-07-17T03:18:49.054-07:00SCI-Arc experience: The move & week 1<div style="text-align: justify;">So I picked SCI-Arc to finish my degree. I moved to LA 19 days ago. A big change. Miami is a small place compared to LA. And moving was hectic. For about 3 weeks prior to the move was when I finally got all the info from SCI-Arc. Like I said in one of my previous posts, one of the things about SCI-Arc is that their decision making process is very slow and the wait is painfully long. But in the end it ended up being worth it. I got a very good scholarship and good financial aid. Everyone was very helpful in getting the documents processed.<br /><br />To give you an idea of how I planned the move and everything, this is the time-line. (**Note: I started from week minus seven working up to week zero being the week I actually moved**)<br /><br />Week -7:<br />Order packing kit. Think about drawing out an initial moving plan and do the math to see how much money I can spend on the move, etc. Start researching which areas in LA are good to living, read reviews, check prices, look for pet friendly places, etc. Craigslist.com & apartments.com was very helpful for this research.<br /><br />Week -6:<br />Schedule appointments for house hunting. Start initial packing & pre-packing sorting process<br /><br />Week -5:<br />Trip to LA for house hunting. I had short listed 16 places and actually visited 8 places. But I found a place I like the very 1st day and on the 4th day before I left I went back to this place and we put down the deposit, etc. Make sure to take checks with you for deposits.<br /><br />Week-4: Looked for movers, car shipping company. Read reviews online. Check with Better Business Bureau to see if they have any complains, etc and address the issues.<br /><br />Week -3: Decision from SCI-Arc, along with placement & scholarship information received. Time to pack, pack, pack<br /><br />Week -2: Finalize the movers and sign contracts, etc. Pack, pack, pack!!!<br /><br />Week -1: Finish packing. Ship the car & the household items<br /><br />Week 0: Move<br /><br />Week 1: First week in LA<br />Took time to adjust - the time change and all. But everything went well. Car movers were ok, household movers were splendid. <span style="font-size:78%;">(if you want references, email me)</span><br /><br />Week2: SCI-Arc Summer transfer session started<br />So the first week at school has been great. I love the instructors we have. I was recommended to take only 1 class out of 4 classes by the application review committee. So my load has been pretty easy. I'm already learning Maya & Rhino. It's very exciting.<br /><br />keep checking back for more updates... I promise to post more regularly...... :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-81682902746371281592011-06-17T02:23:00.000-07:002011-07-17T02:56:48.554-07:00Student Tips: Picking the right schoolAfter submitting all applications and fulfilling the application requirements, then came the time for waiting.... Finally when I've heard back from all the schools I had to make a decision. I'm sharing a few things about that process.<br /><ul><li>Always apply to more than one college. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. I know a few people who applied to only one school and they got turned down/ rejected and then they have to wait a whole year to apply again.</li></ul><ul><li>Even if you apply to just one school and get accepted, having a few options to choose from works better because you may get more scholarships or financial aid from different schools.</li></ul><ul><li>You should visit the schools you are applying to. You have to see if you like the place. Also speak to an academic adviser to see if there are any classes you can or should take before you transfer into the upper division school. </li></ul><ul><li>Get your parents and family involved in making the decision.<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Needless to say, financial aid & scholarship money play a big role in the decision.</li></ul><ul><li>You should research the living expenses in the city your school is at. Consider rent, food expenses, distance to school that affects the gas money, etc.<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Placement: most private schools evaluate to see which studio class they are going to place you in. You should make a case to them that you don't want to repeat a class you've taken already. This will save you time and money.<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Before you make definitive plans, check to see if your scholarships and financial aid from school/ federal government fills the tuition, fees, books & materials, room & board & other expenses. If it doesn't, then you may have to get private loans. Check to see if you qualify for a loan and if you would get approved.<br /></li></ul><ul><li>Research the city you are moving to. It should be safe and you should like living there. Being in a new city, without family and friends, starting at 3rd yr can be really tough. So you have to be mentally prepared to handle all of these.<br /></li></ul>Last 3 yrs of the Bachelors of Architecture program can be very challenging. So make the decision carefully. After all, you are chasing your dream and you should be able to enjoy the ride...Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-73461760115226847202011-05-06T05:33:00.000-07:002011-05-23T04:36:26.325-07:00College Review: A student perspective - University of Miami<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">University of Miami (UM)</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">**Please note this review is mainly from a transfer student's perspective. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Location:</span> Coral Gables, Miami<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Degrees offered:</span> B. Arch & M. Arch<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"># of Faculty:</span> 75 full-time and part-time faculty and 7 associated faculty, collaborative associations among faculty and students are the norm. Of the 33 full-time faculty, 72% are involved in professional practice, 75% have terminal degrees in the discipline and the remaining 25% have terminal degrees in related fields, including fine art, art history or planning.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"># of Students: </span>nearly 400 students<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Class size:</span> small class sizes - around 10 students per studio<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cost:</span> undergrad 2010/2011 Academic year<br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Tuition - $ 38440 / yr<br /></li><li>Fees - $ 1214 / yr<br /></li><li>Books & Material - $ 4000 a semester ( from my experience this is actually like $ 6000 a yr but could be more)</li></ul>Click <a href="http://www.miami.edu/index.php/office_of_financial_assistance/ug/ug_coa/ug_coa_1112/">here</a> for all price details<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Financial Aid & Scholarships:</span> Available. Click <a href="http://www.miami.edu/index.php/ug/scholarships/"></a><a href="http://www.miami.edu/index.php/office_of_financial_assistance/ug/">here</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Application Requirements:</span> Application to UM (Common Application), Application to School of Architecture, Application fee, 3 academic recommendation letters, Letter of intent, resume, Portfolio, Letter from the dean of student services, transcripts. Click <a href="http://www.miami.edu/index.php/ug/applying/transfer_application_documents/">here </a>for detailed description of transfer applicant requirements<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Deadlines: </span>Undergrad transfer<a href="http://www.miami.edu/index.php/ug/applying/transfer_application_documents/transfer_application_deadlines/"> </a><a href="http://www.miami.edu/index.php/ug/applying/transfer_application_documents/transfer_application_deadlines/">Click here</a> , Undergrad freshman <a href="http://www.miami.edu/index.php/ug/applying/freshmen_application_documents/freshmen_application_options/">click here</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros:</span> Small class sizes, professional degree, aimed at professional practicing. Very convenient and beautiful location, the real college experience, experienced professional faculty<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons:</span> I loved the school setting so I am going to be bias. The biggest drawback would be the high cost.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Notes: </span>Set in beautiful Coral Gables, a wonderful and a convenient location, UM is a school that offers small class sizes and probably the best Architecture undergraduate experience in Miami. A good place to study if you are planning to become a practitioner. Make sure to meet the dean of student affairs and find out what classes they will accept and what classes you can take before you transfer there. Their staff is very, very helpful.Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-72495828746607963542011-04-13T06:31:00.000-07:002011-04-13T06:36:26.437-07:00Thought of the day<div style="text-align: justify;">It is important to be informed so you can make up your own mind and form an opinion. Not just any opinion, an educated opinion that YOU made and not an opinion made FOR you by someone else. It is also important to be open to new possibilities. All around us we see there are infinite possibilities in life. So your opinions could change over time. It is OK. We are all evolving all the time.</div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-41838140554846597692011-04-12T09:08:00.000-07:002011-04-13T05:58:43.069-07:00College Review: A student perspective - SCI-Arc<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm in California right now with a group from my school. We visited SCI-Arc (<a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/">Southern California Institute of Architecture</a>) yesterday. After the visit, I got an idea to review a bunch of schools I've visited. So let me start with SciARC<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">SCI-Arc</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Location:</span> Downtown Los Angeles, California<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Degrees offered:</span> B. Arch & M. Arch<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"># of Faculty:</span> 85<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"># of Students: </span>500 (50% B. Arch 50% M. Arch)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Class size:</span> 15 - 18 students undergrad<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cost:</span> undergrad 2010/2011 Academic year<br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Tuition - $ 15,125 per semester ($ 3o,250 / yr)</li><li>Fees - $ 200 ($ 400 / yr)</li><li>Books & Material - $ 4000 a semester ( from my experience this is actually like $ 6000 a yr but could be more)</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">Click <a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/portal/admissions/tuition/index.html">here</a> for all price details<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Financial Aid & Scholarships:</span> Available<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Application Requirements:</span> Application, Application fee, 3 recommendation letters, Letter of intent, resume, Portfolio, transcripts<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Deadlines:</span> <a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/portal/admissions/dates_and_deadlines/index.html">Click here</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros:</span> Small & close knit architecture community, latest technology - equipment and software, lots of visiting lectures, All the professors are practitioners so you can land on internships and actual projects easily. Did I mention latest technology? You can bring your pets to school. They bring in the big guns to do the final thesis reviews like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thom_Mayne">Thom Mayne</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons:</span> Hmm... this is a tough one because I loved it there. But not everyone may like the warehouse-look of the building. It's a quarter mile long old warehouse building, nothing fancy on the outside. I would say looks definitely are deceiving - its like a nerd's dream school :) One more thing is that it's located in the warehouse district so not your fancy-neighborhood school. But most architecture students care less about stuff like these - I didn't find this a reason why I wouldn't go there. It's a private university. So it is a bit expensive. This is a bit of a draw back considering the high cost of living in LA. But it would be an investment in your future.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Notes: </span>Like I said, I loved it. Los Angeles is full of architecture and SCI-Arc is definitely the place to be. I was there at SCI-Arc when the finals were going on, so it was intense. You can feel the intellectual intensity in the air. They have a bunch of installations inside the school and in the parking lot - made by students with faculty's help. They have a gallery with exhibits. They have their own library, supply store, print shop, workshop with industrial grade wood and metal tools, many 3D printers, etc. (Read more about the full list of resources <a href="http://www.sciarc.edu/portal/about/resources/index.html">here</a>). They are bringing in 6 or 7 robotic arms that will be installed in May 2011. So latest technology ! You get to work with software like Rhino, Maya, 3D Max, Grasshopper and more. Very computer intensive environment. Students work hard - almost every single one I met and I like that about SCI-Arc. If you are serious about architecture, you want an experimental design experience, and a non conventional educational institute then you should check them out.<br /><br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-49080709254589627962011-03-23T08:52:00.000-07:002011-03-23T05:49:42.303-07:00Student Tips - How to write a letter of intent<div style="text-align: justify;">Blogger has a very useful tool that shows me what keywords people are searching for and other useful statistics. So I saw someone searched how to write a letter of intent and I thought what a great idea, let me write about that !!<br /><br />Writing doesn't come naturally to me but I am somewhat articulate in my verbal communication. So I'm using that strong trait and I'm writing as if I'm speaking. Writing this blog definitely helped me get comfortable with the whole idea of writing. I sometimes have my husband or my friends read over and give me feedback so I'm becoming more and more confident on my style. I suggest everyone take up at least writing a journal so you get used to expressing yourself well.<br /><br />Getting back to the point, a letter of intent (or a statement of purpose) is something most schools require you to do as a part of the application documentation. They want to hear what you have to say, why are you studying what you are studying, what makes you unique and what should they take you.<br /><br />When SciARC visited our school in February, they said don't be afraid to show who you really are; it's better to go on the bragging side. Show why and how you are unique. One of the most common "cheesy" reasons student give as what got them into architecture was playing with Lego as a kid and SciARC said, stay away from that.<br /><br />I had trouble writing down all the accomplishments without sounding like bragging. I like to be modest and that totally felt wrong. So one day I got an inspiration to write it from the third person's perspective - meaning referring to myself as she and her. In the end, I produced a pretty cool letter of intent. Some people felt it was a bit flamboyant - some loved it. Most importantly, I found a way to express everything i wanted to say and who I am in a single piece of paper and I love how it came out.<br /><br />The thing about writing is, from the little bit I know, you have to find your own voice. I guess this is true about many things. We, as architecture students, constantly look to find our own unique style. Creativity has a lot to do with the unique language / voice / style.<br /><br />Take time to write the letter of intent. Don't try to wing it or come out with it in 2 hours. Some people naturally have this ability - but I think most architects do not. So ponder on what you want to say (you can't tell your entire life story in it) and how you want to say it.<br /><br />Here's a link on some general tips: <a href="http://www.ehow.com/about_5068239_letter-intent-college.html">http://www.ehow.com/about_5068239_letter-intent-college.html</a><br /><br />Good luck..!!!<br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-54413736382857268602011-03-02T18:12:00.000-08:002011-03-07T18:39:54.601-08:00Student tips - What is a good resume & why is it important to have a good resume?<div style="text-align: justify;">A resume shows who you are at a glance to a potential school or an employer. A resume is useful not only when you are applying to schools or for a job but also you need a resume when you apply for scholarships, awards, when you want to submit an article to a journal, if you want to have a book published, if you want to get an interview with the media or simply to impress an important contact.<br /><br />A resume should capture your qualifications, your strengths and your character. It should display your skills, your abilities and should give an idea of the person who you are. I have realized over the years that resume formats differ from country to country. So you may want to do a search on the web or buy a resume writing book to pick the best format you like.<br /><br />At the top of your resume, basic information such as your name and your contact information should be listed. When you put your email, make sure to put a formal or a professional email address. I have seen some people have email addresses like <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">lovebug@email.com**</span></span>, etc. While this may seem funny, it doesn't reflect professionalism. In my opinion its always better to give an impression of professionalism and maturity and then expose the fun / funky side of you at the interview, etc.<br /><br />If you are applying to a school, for a scholarship, award or anything academic:<br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Make sure to include your educational qualifications, starting from the most recent at the very top. </li><li>List your work experience, even the part time jobs - mention the post / title, duration you were employed there, duties performed (short and sweet), and how many hours you put in a week, if part time.<br /></li><li>List all your awards, recognitions, honors you have received in and out of school.</li><li>If you have done any community work, make sure to list them too<br /></li><li>List your skills, interests</li><li>Since you are an architecture student, add some graphic work to it to impress the reader. Don't over crowd it, don't make the graphic standout more than content itself. But make it "you".<br /></li></ul>Good luck on putting together a fantastic resume !!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">** Fictional email address. Did not intend to make fun of anyone and used just as an example. </span></span>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-87259928614779977802011-02-25T19:11:00.000-08:002011-03-07T18:40:43.839-08:00Student tips - College applications & Design Portfolio<div style="text-align: justify;">I spoke about selecting the right college in a <a href="http://consciousnessandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2011/01/education-in-architecture.html">previous post</a>. Find out which schools are the best architecture schools in the USA in 2011 <a href="http://archrecord.construction.com/features/Americas_Best_Architecture_Schools/2011/schools-2.asp">here</a>.<br /></div><br />The next step I went through was to apply for colleges. Some things to bare in mind:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">1) Submitting the <span style="font-weight: bold;">application</span> well ahead without waiting till the last minute. Some schools require an essay. Make sure you have someone else proof read it and revise before submitting.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Ask for <span style="font-weight: bold;">recommendation letters</span> wayyyy ahead. I would say, at least 2 - 3 months before the deadline. When asking for a recommendation letter:</div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>first politely mention to the professor that you are thinking about asking for a recommendation letter from him / her and if they can write one? Most of the time, almost of them will say yes.<br /></li><li>Then make sure to print out the recommendation letter format from the school, fill in your information</li><li>Make sure to waive your rights to access the letter of recommendation. This will give the professor more confidence in saying the truthful academic and other assessments about you. Also this shows you trust them.</li><li>Give the signed & filled format, along with an addressed envelope (or a label) and a stamp to the professor you are requesting the letter of recommendation.</li><li>These should be with the professor at least 1 - 1.5 months ahead of the deadline.<br /></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">3) Submit <span style="font-weight: bold;">transcript</span> requests at least 3 weeks before the deadline. Some schools do overnight electronic transcript transmission but some schools only do it the old fashioned way.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">4) Make a nice <span style="font-weight: bold;">resume</span>. Sometimes you can submit it with the application. If not, submit it along with your supporting documents.<br /><br />5) Most important part of an Architecture student's application is the <span style="font-weight: bold;">portfolio</span>. Portfolio requirements from school to school differs. However, there are certain guidelines one should follow. Here are some the general guidelines + some tips to create an excellent portfolio.<br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Take a portfolio making / presentations class if you must. Polish up your graphic design skills much ahead of time. </li><li>Start working on the portfolio months ahead</li><li>Document your work - take photographs of your models, scan your drawings. make a database of your work. From experience I found out, no matter how many photos you think you may have, you will find yourself wishing for that specific shot from a specific angle. So take many, many photos from different angles, different light settings, different distances. Keep your models as safe as possible at least until you have a great portfolio. Take high resolution photos.</li><li>When scanning drawings, make sure to scan them at a 300dpi or higher resolution.<br /></li><li>Make it personal. Add a lot of your personal work. Add sketches and anything that will make you stand out - in a positive way - among the other applicants. </li><li>Show process of how you arrived at a final design. The best way to do this is to show progression using a combination of sketches, drawings, process models, graphics, etc.<br /></li><li>One of the comments I got when a professor from SciARC reviewed my portfolio is that they want to see details. So put photos of different scales of your models, photos that show details.<br /></li><li>Most schools don't want you to spend a lot of time/money on fancy covers and packaging. Keep it simple, professional and original.</li><li>Have a strong letter of intent or a statement of purpose. One of my professors always say that we architects are no great readers or writers. So always have someone else proof read.<br /></li><li>Depending on your choice, you could also include your resume in the portfolio.<br /></li><li>Personal work - you can add photography, travel, artwork, poetry and anything that shows that you have additional skills you bring in to help succeed in your career. </li><li>Some schools give a limit of how many pages they want you to submit in your portfolio. When they don't, its ok to call them up or better yet go and visit the school and ask how many pages they think is OK to have in the portfolio. Most schools will say, bring everything you have and more the merrier. So include all your work - as much as possible. </li><li>Make sure you leave enough time to get it from the printer and have it checked. You will see small details that need to be adjusted. Show the portfolio to your design and or presentations professor before printing. Show the portfolio to at least 3 professors / professionals before turning the final version into the school. The portfolio - most of the time - decided if you get into the school and if you get any scholarship money. Put your best effort into it.<br /></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">6) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Supplemental documents</span> - Some schools require extra paperwork other than the above list. For example, University of Miami won't even open the file until they have received the form from the dean of student services. Make sure to check with the schools you are applying to. Ask them for a checklist.<br /><br />7) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Financial Aid</span> - again, different schools have different requirements but all schools will require you to fill the <a href="http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/#">FAFSA</a>. Ask your schools for their FAFSA Codes, take your Tax documents and file the FAFSA as soon as possible.<br /><br />8) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Scholarships</span> - Most schools have some scholarship opportunities for both 1st year (Freshman) students and transfer students. Be sure to check with the respective financial aid offices / scholarship offices in the schools you are applying to. Put your name down for scholarships. Don't be shy to ask for the money that is available out there. Every year so much money in scholarships go unused.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>I'm still in the process of applying to schools myself. So I will keep you posted about the many exciting opportunities and challenges up ahead.Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-33828005842653351792011-01-06T06:38:00.000-08:002011-01-07T06:43:39.277-08:00Exhibit: Atelier - An Education of an Architect<div style="text-align: justify;">My design professor Mario Ortega put together an exhibit with student work that opens tomorrow at the Coral Gables Museum. Student work from Design studios 1 - 4 will be on display.<br /><br />If you are in the area please come by the museum. I have some of my studio work there as well...<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ptMJwymDLKhozuY1a-OR8w6uuA1qC71v-6cyIDsvd5_zhlx0xdExQalFkOxKMJuC1HsOgsWoTjXFJeJMXzyOIrktxLbtUyAm1lOWX7NrlS8oZlan_v8XiQoWTmH3R0pXe0njvHI3hmoh/s1600/mfo+mosquito+front+copy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ptMJwymDLKhozuY1a-OR8w6uuA1qC71v-6cyIDsvd5_zhlx0xdExQalFkOxKMJuC1HsOgsWoTjXFJeJMXzyOIrktxLbtUyAm1lOWX7NrlS8oZlan_v8XiQoWTmH3R0pXe0njvHI3hmoh/s400/mfo+mosquito+front+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559453612005415858" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_7Orgm28jhdRUgejWClHlfMPACBvgihmC_W0CyczMg_2ACCKcAXTQYE7K0juS-7bdyVP_NH994gHepLyF2w8xStQwkqfGk-sBIzynhDGf3_iykXa09wqcS302YdIOzxrmS4oOi-lr4Xe/s1600/mfo+mosquito+back+copy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_7Orgm28jhdRUgejWClHlfMPACBvgihmC_W0CyczMg_2ACCKcAXTQYE7K0juS-7bdyVP_NH994gHepLyF2w8xStQwkqfGk-sBIzynhDGf3_iykXa09wqcS302YdIOzxrmS4oOi-lr4Xe/s400/mfo+mosquito+back+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559453479848396946" border="0" /></a>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-67353441836922297552011-01-03T07:31:00.000-08:002011-01-09T08:11:20.981-08:00Education in Architecture<div style="text-align: justify;">It is that time of the year when lower division architecture students start applying to upper division schools for transferring out.<br /><br />Finding the correct school can be challenging and time consuming, also many factors should be considered while doing so.<br /><br />Some schools such as the one I am in right now, has 2 year lower division programs. They offer an Associate in arts or architecture degrees. Then there are 5 year schools. They have both lower and upper division programs. They typically offer B. Arch degrees that are accredited by the NAAB (<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">To find an accredited program click </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.naab.org/architecture_programs/">here</a></span>) . Then there are 4 yr architecture schools that offer Bachelors in Science or Arts of technology degrees. These are not accredited meaning you will not be able to get your Architecture license registration with this degree but with an accredited Masters degree for additional 2 years you will be able to solve this problem. If you are in a 2 yr degree program like me, then you have to search for an upper division school to complete the rest of your education.<br /><br />The most important factor as I see it, when trying to decide which school I want to go to, is to find out what is it that I want to do with my career - what are my professional goals, where do I plan to end up in 15 yrs?<br /><br />In my case I want to pursue a career in design research. I do want to be a practicing architect but I also want to be an educator and I think I will be able to continue my research work at an academic background better. One thing about knowing what to do is accepting the fact that what you think what needs to be done changes over time. My idea of what I must do with my life has evolved, but I the basic idea still remains since I was 16. So I am open to the idea that this idea of what I want to do with my career will evolve and transform as I go along.<br /><br />Once you have the answer to this question, it would be wise to look at programs that suits your career goals - a program that is likely to support you achieving your goals. Of course, the majority of the responsibility is in the student's hands. It is up to the student to work hard and take themselves there. Even though the school you attend may play only a small role in your career, things such as the direction of the program and the focus of the program could be important in giving you the exposure you need to get to where you want. For example, if the school you pick has a program that focuses on historical architecture and you want to study experimental design research, that school may not be the right fit for your career choice. So do a bit of research, look at student work and see if you would like what the school does.<br /><br />Then I would consider the other factors such as location, tuition fees and scholarship opportunities. Some cities are a lot more expensive than the others. Some colleges offer full scholarships to deserving students. In state colleges are cheaper than the out of state colleges in some occasions. Some private universities have scholarship opportunities that is not known much.<br /><br />Often architecture is perceived as just designing a beautiful building. This has been my experience with my friends and family who cannot be blamed for thinking as such because even most people who go into studying Architecture start out this way. I must confess, even though I knew to a certain degree my architecture education will involve addressing issues like structural stability and addressing various issues in the environment, until I started taking design studios I didn't know how much critical thinking, design intellect, how much communication skills, how much patience and maturity will be required of me to become an architect. I now know the profession requires me to be a scientist, a philosopher, a designer, a critic, a team worker, show leadership, be innovative. I am glad I picked this profession. But there is a long way to go for me to become an Architect. The next step is for me to find that right school.<br /><br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-29355230578985787452010-11-02T18:43:00.000-07:002010-11-07T18:47:53.928-08:00Interview with Dr. Pim van Lommel - Consciousness Beyond LifeExcellent interview for consciousness researchers out there....<br /><br /><br /><object width="400" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YOeLJCdHojU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YOeLJCdHojU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="400" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N1k4fwWZMwI?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N1k4fwWZMwI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="385"></embed></object>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-13306541137662008262010-10-17T19:35:00.000-07:002010-10-17T20:36:15.523-07:00Student Tips: Working with chemicals (Glues & Paints) for model making<div style="text-align: justify;">There are various types of glues and paints out there in the market. You will have to use these and other materials that have chemicals in them at one point or another during your architecture student career.<br /><br />During my first studio class, I noticed I started developing bad reactions to glues such as Loctite, Zap-a-gap, EZ bond, Super Glue, Crazy Glue, Weldon, etc. I tried the liquid glues, the gel types and I tried wearing a mask & goggles but I was showing signs of allergies to these chemicals. I think the chemical that I react badly towards mostly is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanoacrylate">Cyanoacrylate</a>. Over the past 3 semesters it has gotten worse and now I can't even go near an open container of glue for a few seconds. I also realized, the hard way, that my body reacts the same way for certain types of spray paint and last time I ended up at the doctor's office having to take an adrenaline shot and Asthma medication.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are like me and can't use these materials anymore, don't give up Architecture just yet. I would like to share some work-around methods I've figured out that might help you as well.<br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use natural rubber based glues</span> with wood and paper: there are so many brands out there in the market such as Tacky Glue, Sobo, Elmer's, etc. They work well with wooden elements and paper material such as museum board, chip board, etc. They do take slightly longer to dry than gel based chemical glues (maybe 1 - 2 minutes max). But it does the trick. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cut grooves & make joints:</span> When using even small wooden elements, you can cut small grooves or make small joints so it gives extra strength to the bonds you make with the rubber glue. Some of the types of joints I do are: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butt_joint">Butt Joints</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lap_joint">Lap Joints</a><br /></li></ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plexi glass:</span> Plexi glass is hard to use. Cutting it is difficult, scoring it is difficult, handling it is difficult. The last thing you want is restriction with the types of glues you can work with. This is the biggest challenge I am facing right now with not being able to use chemical bonding glues. I have come up with 2 solutions for this. I use linear elements to secure the plexi glass. One of the methods is to drill small holes at the corners or identified places and use wooden linear element running through the plexi that will be glued to the main structure. The other method is to frame the plexi with linear elements. I am also going to try a new glue I found that doesn't have that chemical, I will use it later tonight or tomorrow for the first time and I will keep you posted about that.<br /></li></ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use a <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.safetyzone.com.au/images/prods/1272015308_l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.safetyzone.com.au/RESPK-Painters-Mask-Respirator-Kit.html&usg=__laVJF757V2wSGzKiGxFL4alsIsw=&h=689&w=571&sz=39&hl=en&start=0&sig2=IaDmPxUrPWkC5eWo1eF6Tg&zoom=1&tbnid=Bo4-kR7n487ENM:&tbnh=160&tbnw=118&ei=h7e7TPTgJ8KC8gbYquHaBA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpainter%2527s%2Bmask%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1425%26bih%3D762%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1074&vpy=369&dur=1198&hovh=247&hovw=204&tx=69&ty=141&oei=h7e7TPTgJ8KC8gbYquHaBA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:0">painter's mask</a>, goggles and gloves:</span> Don't use a surgical mask, take my word for it, it doesn't stop giving you the allergies. You can buy a painter's mask at any Home Depot or similar store. </li></ul>Good luck and I will share with you if I have any new info about these....Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-65929149343558253162010-09-09T12:06:00.000-07:002010-09-19T12:14:52.424-07:00Retrocognitions - Interview with Wagner Alegretti<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><br />I found this video on YouTube. It is an interview with Wagner Alegretti, the author of the book <a href="http://iacworld.org/english/publications/retrocognitions">Retrocognitions: An investigation into memories of past lives and the periods between lives. </a></span><br /></div><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The video is in Portuguese but you can see English subtitles.</span><br /><br /><object height="385" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ozr56hrs0WE?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ozr56hrs0WE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;font-family:Times;font-size:medium;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-align: left;font-family:Georgia,serif;font-size:16px;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(57, 45, 28);font-family:verdana;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;font-size:small;" ><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >If you are interested in </span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">watching the whole video, click </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://iacblog-english.blogspot.com/2010/08/retrocognitions-interview-with-iac.html">here</a><br /><br /></span><br /></span></span></span></span>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6815953291455669979.post-54990682866603627002010-08-29T10:45:00.000-07:002010-09-19T11:49:50.923-07:00Student Tips - Understanding Architectural Principles<div style="text-align: justify;">Understanding fundamental principles in architecture helped me when I started my design classes. It helped me work on a concept and design based on the concept that I selected.<br /><br />Some of the important elements I got started with and still working on today are:<br /></div><ul><li>Symmetry</li><li>Axis</li><li>Proportion</li><li>Modular</li><li>Scale</li><li>Golden Section</li><li>Hierarchy<br /></li><li>Limits, Boundaries & Edges</li><li>Path<br /></li><li>Transition</li><li>Transformation</li><li>Order & Organization</li><li>Epicenter</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the best books that I referenced to understand these concepts were <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=GryqqV58cXcC&dq=Architecture:+Form,+Space,+and+Order&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=LU6WTPz6OoXGlQfwsPyjCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false">Francis DK Ching's Architecture: Form, Space & Order.</a> If you are an architecture student, I would highly recommend for your personal library.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">On the internet you can find many valuable resources too. I found <a href="http://library.thinkquest.org/22866/English/Architecture/fundament.html">this article</a> on Vitruvius's Fundamentals of Architecture.<br /><br />My design professor keeps urging how important it is to work on a concept and design based on that. Also that we should able to present and justify why we decided to design a certain element in a specific way and why it is in alignment with our concept.<br /></div>Manori Sumanasinghehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159988160792343977noreply@blogger.com0