ARCH 1201 - Second Idea through model and drawings

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - First Idea through model and drawings

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Prelimary rough ideas

Drafting a few ideas in relation to the project. Different spaces that could be form to construct the idea and themes embedded within the painting. (click on image for more details)

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Research in regards to compact and bright space (Loft Cube)

The overall image of the Loftcube resembles the idea of the small comfined area which lights up and at night contrasts to the dark exterior. Almost seems as a desiration place if the outside was a cool winter night.

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Primary Ideas extracted from the painting

The Narrative

"A lonely man lost in the middle of a at night seeking for warmth and light"

The Site

A Tundra
(a large icy dark field with almost no vegetation and hardly any sunlight)

Some of the main ideas we could see from the painting are

- Comparison between the delusional world and reality with the isolation of the people in the diner and the narrator outside looking into the diner.

- Entrapment could be seen with the absence of entrance into the pub from the outside world showing that the people within the pub are trapped within the small yet visible space.

- This painting was painted during the War therefore it symbolises the general public of America at the time.

- Phillies Cigar builds on the idea of delusion and reality because people smoke in order to dwell within their imaginary world.

- Isolation with the narrator being in Manhattan there is no one around showing that outside the delusional world is a cold humanless and dark world.

- The yellow light from within the pub signifies the idea of cowardice with the outburst of the colour of yellow.

- Alcohol like the Cigar shows delusion

- The contrasting of space with the enclosed small diner with the dark tall towers with open windows showing the openness yet empty space contrasting with the small confined light and packed (compared to outside) space.

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Choosing Paintings

Nighthawks by Edward Hopper

"Nighthawks" may be Hopper's take on the term 'night owl' used to describe someone who stays up late. The scene was inspired by a diner(since demolished) in Greenwich Village, Hopper's home neighborhood in Manhattan. The now-vacant lot is known as Murly Square, at the intersection of Seventh Avenue South, Greenwich Avenue, and West 11th Street.

Hopper began painting it immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbour. After this event there was a widespread feeling of gloominess across the country, a feeling that is portrayed in the painting. The urban street is empty outside the diner, and inside none of the three patrons is apparently looking or talking to the others; all are lost in their own thoughts. Two are a couple, while the third is a man sitting alone, with his back to the viewer. The couple's noses resemble beaks, perhaps a reference to the title. The diner's sole attendant, looking up from his work, appears to be peering out the window past the customers. His age is indeterminate.

The corner of the diner is curved; curved glass connects the large expanse of glass on its two sides. Weather is understood to be warm, based on clothing worn by the patrons. No overcoats are in evidence; the woman's blouse is short-sleeved. Across the street are what appear to be open windows on the second story. The light from the restaurant floods out onto the street outside, and a sliver of light casts its way into one of the windows.

This portrayal of modern urban life as empty or lonely is a common theme throughout Hopper's work. It is sharply outlined by the fact that the man with his back to us appears more lonely because of the couple sitting next to him. If one looks closely, it becomes apparent that there is no way out of the bar area, as the three walls of the counter form a triangle that traps the attendant. It is also notable that the diner has no visible door leading to the outside, which illustrates the idea of confinement and entrapment. Hopper denied that he had intended to communicate this in Nighthawks, but he admitted that "unconsciously, probably, I was painting the loneliness of a large city." At the time of the painting, flourescent bulb had just been developed, perhaps contributing to why the diner is casting such an eerie glow upon the almost pitch black outside world. An advertisement for Phillies cigars is featured on top of the diner.

The conclusion can also be drawn that Hopper painted the emptiness pervading the city. This conclusion can be substantiated by the observation that three-quarters of the painting is empty and has no sign of human life in it.

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Final Model

Some Photos showing our final model. Thanks to Dominic which help made that happen and thanks to Sandra for her help in regards to this project.

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Final Drawings Parti and Poche

Final Drawings of my Parti and Poche

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Midway Stage of constructing the model

Assembling of Parts of the model

Front View of the Ground Level

Connection of the Roof and the First Floor

Connecting sections of the house

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Drafting out different posibilities with Parti and Poche

Experimentation on Poche Section and Parti Plans (circulation and geometry)

First atempt of drawing Enclosure Parti (walls and building to context)

Simple Presentation of Partis and simple axonometric attempt

Enclosure showing massing around the building trying to illustrate Le Corbusiers Idea of a floating mass.

Preliminary attempts on rendering with both poche and parti

Duncan Chang

ARCH 1201 - Early Stages of the Model

Ground Floor Part 1

Ground Floor Part 2

First Floor Part 1

First Floor Part 2

Construction of Roof

The team at work

Duncan Chang