Michael Lu's Blog

The mid review last week questioned several aspects of my proposal which I feel need addressed. The thesis is complex and quite loaded which for me is difficult to explain in short ‘blurbs’. The story is multi-facited. How does one design an off-grid desert-based subdivision put forth by a government agency in times of disaster? (This is a short-term question.) In terms of representation, how do I frame the project in such a manner in which the subdivision has a history? That is, beyond a generic context rendering, how can we interpret the life behind the buildings or their historical contexts as they change through time? Do their functions change as time passes? This addresses Darren’s comment on the “premanence of architecture” whereby I am seeking to design an enduring landmark meant to withstand centuries. Finally, along similar lines, why can residential architecture not have functions similar to those of cerimonial/religious architecture of the past as celestial clocks or charts intended to disseminate knowledge into the future. (These are long-term questions.) These are the questions I am wrapping my head around….