LAR 5304G Digital Landscape Representation II: Static, Dynamic
Th 7:00-10:00 PM
Spring 2014
National Capital Region Master of Landscape Architecture Program
Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Instructor: Rob Holmes
Contact: rholmes@m.ammoth.us
Website: http://m.ammoth.us/representation/
Description
This seminar aims to introduce three- and four-dimensional modeling techniques for the representation of landscape, focusing on the use of two digital modeling programs, 3ds Max and Rhinoceros. Exercises will progress from advanced static representational conventions such as exploded axonometric and section-perspective toward basic dynamic representational products employing animation and atmospheric effects.
Course Objectives
1. Develop competency in intermediate-level digital modeling programs relevant to landscape architecture, specifically 3ds Max and Rhinoceros.
2. Develop competency in the use and understanding of advanced drawing conventions shared by the architectural design disciplines, specifically axonometric, section-perspective, and .
3. Explore basic methods for dynamically modeling movement through landscape (animation), atmospheric effects, and change over time in landscapes (animation combined with atmospheric effects).
4. Combine techniques of drawing, notation, and cartography to represent landscapes as both static objects and dynamic flows at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
5. Develop the capacity to think critically and self-reflectively about representation both as a component of the design process and as a privileged mode of discourse within the field of landscape architecture. This course will therefore emphasize not merely how to represent landscape digitally, but also why, where, and when various techniques and conventions are appropriate and inappropriate.
Format
Class meetings will split time between instructional skills workshops, supervised work sessions, lectures, discussions, and critiques.
Assignments
The primary assignments for this course will be five drawings, spread across the breadth of the semester. These drawings are divided between the four segments of the course: plan, model, systems, and animation & atmosphere. For all five drawings, we will work with selected landscapes in the Mississippi River Delta.
Assignment 1: Network Plan
Assignment 2: Axonometric
Assignment 3: Perspective Storyboard
Assignment 4: Systems Section-Perspective
Assignment 5: Animation & Atmosphere
Use animation and atmosphere techniques to represent motion and the passage of time.
Text
The assigned text for this course is Bradley Cantrell and Natalie Yates’ Modeling the Environment (John Wiley & Sons: 2012). This text covers introductory techniques for the dynamic representation of landscapes, focusing on the use of 3ds Max.
Additional readings shown on the syllabus will be disseminated to the class in PDF format or, in the case of online readings, can be found directly on the internet.
Readings
A mixture of skills-based and theoretical readings will be assigned during the semester. The skills-based readings will primarily be from the required textbook, Modeling the Environment. Where skills-based readings are assigned, students are expected to complete the exercises described in the readings prior to class. To help clarify which readings contain exercises to be completed, these readings are listed as “exercises” on the schedule. (Readings without exercises to be completed are simply listed as “readings”.)
Digital Structure
At the end of each assignment, all due work should be uploaded to the course Dropbox before presentation. No grades will be assigned to work that has not been uploaded. An appropriate folder will be provided within the Dropbox. Files should be named using the following convention: “DLR-II_[assignment number]_[last name]”. For instance, if I turned in assignment 1, it would be labeled “DLR-II_1_Holmes.pdf”. Files not properly named will be treated as late work and evaluated accordingly.
Grading
15% ASSIGNMENT 1
15% ASSIGNMENT 2
15% ASSIGNMENT 3
10% MIDTERM CRITIQUE
15% ASSIGNMENT 4
15% ASSIGNMENT 5
10% FINAL CRITIQUE
05% CLASS PARTICIPATION
Grades will be awarded using the following letter scale:
A exceeds expectations in every way, with distinguished mastery of material
B consistent and strong work that meets requirements and evidences moments of exceptional development with good mastery of material
C satisfactory work, meets basic requirements with basic mastery of material
D unsatisfactory work. does not meet all requirements
F failing or incomplete
Late Work
Assignments not completed on time will receive a grade penalty, varying in relation to the lateness of the work.
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory for the scheduled duration of each class session. Arriving late or leaving early, unless authorized by the instructor, will be considered an unexcused absence. Every unexcused absence will result in a grade penalty.
Computers
The use of computers to participate in class is obviously required; the use of computers to avoid participating in class is unacceptable and will result in a grade penalty.
Backups
Students are responsible for maintaining backups of their work. It is recommended that you spread your backups across at least two devices (for instance: a local hard drive on your personal computer and some kind of removable media like an external hard drive or flash drive). Storing information permanently on a flash drive is not recommended; flash drives are intended for information transfer and are easy both to physically damage and physically misplace.
As part of learning to work responsibly with digital media is implementing proper backup procedures, loss of digital files will not be treated as an acceptable excuse for late work.
Academic Conduct
Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the ruleset described in the Virginia Tech code of student conduct.
Course Registration
CRN 20315 LAR 5304G ADV Topics in Landscape Arch
Schedule
A: PLAN
01 M 1.20 MLK Day (no classes)
T 1.21 Classes Begin
Th 1.23 Network Plan 1
Lectures: Introduction to Digital Landscape Representation; Hybrid Plans
02 Th 1.30 Network Plan 2
Readings: Cantrell and Yates, Ch.1-5
Due:
+ Draft of Network Plan
B: MODEL
03 Th 2.6 Terrain Model
Readings: Cantrell and Yates, Ch. 16-18
Exercises: Complete “Getting Started” tutorials 1-11 from 3ds Max Learning Channel on Youtube. Note that the files used in the tutorials are linked under “Files Used” in the “About” section for each tutorial on Youtube.
01. Touring the User Interface
02. Working with Viewports
03. Navigating in the Scene
04. Using the ViewCube and the SteeringWheels
05. Creating Objects
06. Selecting Objects
07. Transforming Objects – Part 1
08. Transforming Objects – Part 2
09. Defining the Pivot Point
10. Duplicating and Cloning
11. Using Modifiers
Optional: Cantrell and Yates, Ch. 10-14 (primarily worth doing if you want explore using 3ds Max for object construction instead of Rhino)
Receive: Assignment 02: Axonometric
Lecture: Landscape Axonometrics
Due:
+ download DEM for study landscape (http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/)
+ merge DEMs if necessary
04 Th 2.13 Snow Day
05 Th 2.20 Objects
Exercises: “Basic” and “Intermediate” Rhino tutorials at digital toolbox (http://digitaltoolbox.info/), especially “Interface”, “Basic Commands”, “Basic Geometry”, “Editing Curves”, “Editing (Poly)Surfaces”, “Boolean …”, “Loft”, “Contour”
Other Rhino Tutorials:
Rhino to Illustrator http://www.arch.virginia.edu/mark/alar502/rhinonotes/tutorial.pdf
Nick Senske http://www.youtube.com/user/nsenske
Steven Janssen http://vimeo.com/9421512
Lecture: Composition
06 Th 2.27 Objects 2
Receive: Assignment 03: Storyboard
Due:
+ Build landscape object(s) in Rhino.
+ Import object(s) into 3ds Max and place in terrain model at scale.
07 Th 3.6 Cameras & Lighting
Readings: Cantrell and Yates, Ch. 6-7, Ch. 21; Katie Kingery-Page and Howard Hahn, The Aesthetics of Digital Representation, JoLA (PDF in shared server folder)
Exercises: Cantrell and Yates, Ch. 8, Ch. 22
Lecture: Z-Axis: Section, Elevation, and Perspective
Due:
+ Rough draft of storyboard for Assignment 03.
+ Set up camera and lighting system for axonometric.
xx 3.8-3.16 Spring Break
08 Th 3.20 Materials & Surfaces No Class Meeting
Thesis Midterms
Exercises: Cantrell and Yates, Ch. 15, Ch. 19-20
Due:
+ Add materials to model.
+ Re-draft Assignments 02 & 03 with materials.
09 Th 3.27 CRITIQUE
Studio Mid-terms
Due:
+ Assignments 01, 02, & 03 should be complete and printed for review.
C: SYSTEMS
10 Th 4.3 Work Session
Receive: Assignment 04: Section-Perspective
Readings: Stephanie Carlisle and Nicholas Pevzner, “The Performative Ground: Rediscovering the Deep Section”, Scenario Journal 02: Performance
11 Th 4.10 Work Session
Due:
+ Draft of Assignment 04
D: ANIMATION & ATMOSPHERE
12 Th 4.17 Animation
Lecture: Notation and Landscape
Readings: Waldheim, “Provisional Notes on Landscape Representation and Digital Media”, Landscape Vision Motion (eds. Girot and Truniger); Larsen, “Going to Measures–Cultivating and Appreciating the Contemporary Landscape”, Landscape Vision Motion (eds. Girot and Truniger)
Optional Readings: Rekittke & Paar, “Digital Botany”, JoLA
Exercises: Cantrell and Yates, Ch. 9, Ch. 26-28
Receive: Assignment 05: Animation & Atmosphere
Due:
+ Assignment 04
13 Th 4.24 Atmosphere
Exercises: Cantrell and Yates, Ch. 23-25
14 Th 5.1 FINAL CRITIQUE
Due:
+ Final printed versions of Assignments 01-04. Assignment 05 digitally projected. (Note: frames from Assignment 05 may replace the original frames used in Assignment 03.)
5.5- Studio Finals
5.12- Thesis Finals
Tu 5.13 FINAL REVISIONS DUE