This past week has been the usual whirlwind of final review activity that accompanies mid-April. I particularly enjoyed this year’s reviews for the creative drawings I saw in a few architecture thesis reviews and a few particularly strong landscape thesis projects. I attended around half of the Masters of Landscape Architecture thesis presentations, and a handful of the Architecture ones. The Landscape Architecture reviews were at times impressive and others underwhelming. While thesis is never an easy time to get through, I am sure all of the students experienced an immense amount of growth and discovery in their paths this semester, and I would like to congratulate everyone who is graduating, and also those who just finished their second or third review! Attending reviews is always tough, as everybody has their own ongoing deadlines. But it is always SO worth it. I think I have been subconsciously preparing for my design thesis since I saw my first presentation two years ago. I am very excited to do it next year, after watching all the great presentations and the motion of the well-oiled machine that is a cohort of classmates helping their peers pin up. I would like to add some notes to the Landscape Architecture reviews. Of course there were the usual offering of projects that tended to urban design, urban planning, or extremely small scale study of path widths. Namely, of the presentations I attended, I felt I noticed some interesting recurring themes: Topically:
- Unique coupling of advantageous productive program with human experience (for example, farming/mining/geothermal)
- A series of sensitive small scale interventions (walkways, borders, levels) in a strategically chosen and immensely large, beautiful, and almost incomprehensible landscape
- An interest in systems design, specifically relating to waterfronts (water is of course a common theme, but one project related to an escape plan for 200 islands; another, garbage management for one of the world’s largest cities)
Graphically:
- A not so shocking lack of models
- Similar typefaces.. you’ll see..
- Desaturated and highly detailed vegetative textures
- The section perspective made a successful appearance. Let’s hope it stays and maintains quality without forgetting it is not a perfect substitute for an eye level rendering.
- Delicate line drawings in plan that are arguably difficult to read but print nicely
- Giant context plans………. I hope that when your project starts with a world map that it was worth making that drawing compared to the amount of time you spent on it!
Trend or result of pedagogy? You decide… I wonder what will be in vogue next year! Here are some photos of this week’s thesis reviews.
Anita in first year second studio with a food forest proposal for High Park in Toronto
Rui and Logan of second year MLA, second studio, with a sediment harvesting landscape based urban design catalyst project for the new proposed East of East Bayfront project by the Keating Channel in Toronto.
Jeremy and partner, in comprehensive studio of second year M.Arch with the most perspectives of the class; design for community centre of Dufferin Park.
Kelsey and partner, second year M.Arch in comprehensive studio. A 1 to 1 solid wood joinery detail as part of their structural exploration (see: Kengo Kuma). Doubles as table stand. And possibly for sale.
Kelsey and partner, second year M.Arch in comprehensive studio. A Ceiling/envelope/structure detail model (see: Kengo Kuma).
Eli, MLA Thesis candidate. Very interesting and creative project on parametric landscape generation via “app/game/point accumulation” of elements such as grass, trees, benches, on 1x1m grid at TD centre in Toronto. Extension of Mies’ all encompassing grid… Allusions to minecraft… Related to climate… in an app store near you??
Triptych architecture. M.Arch thesis candidate, to the soundtrack of David Lieberman’s prose.
M.Arch thesis reviews
M.Arch thesis reviews
M.Arch thesis reviews
Megan, MLA thesis candidate. Landform building and export via coral farming as a new escape plan for the Maldive islands.
Mary, MLA thesis candidate. Three access points into the Georgian Bay as datum to changing water levels.
Doug, MLA thesis candidate. Copulation of natural power via terra firma and optimistic design for layover tourism in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Conceptual collage. Doug, MLA thesis candidate. Copulation of natural power via terra firma and optimistic design for layover tourism in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Geologic section perspectives of the data centre x greenhouse. Doug, MLA thesis candidate. Copulation of natural power via terra firma and optimistic design for layover tourism in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Doug is excited about finishing his thesis.
Doug, MLA thesis candidate. Copulation of natural power via terra firma and optimistic design for layover tourism in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Volcanic Rock samples. Doug, MLA thesis candidate. Copulation of natural power via terra firma and optimistic design for layover tourism in Reykjavik, Iceland.
I didn’t see this presentation, but the layout was intriguing. From the posted drawings, I deduct this had something to do with poppy farming and opium production in Columbia.
M.Arch thesis. I didn’t see this presentation either, but heard it was great. This is a frontal view of the forced perspective section model of the travelling circus.
Detail view
Side view
M.Arch thesis. I like the unconventional presentation of panels in this wall-less thesis, but wonder what the significance was..
M.Arch thesis. Material compilation across from the panels.
Vinh, MLA thesis candidate. Three interpretive outposts along the Athabasca River.
Emilia, MLA thesis candidate. I’m choked this picture is blurry. But Emilia’s thesis was on the post-zoo possibilities of the wild/manufactured landscape conservation Toronto Zoo should it be integrated into Rouge National Park.
Emilia, MLA thesis candidate. Synchro in the former polar bear tank?
