Conceptual Design Review

This afternoon we will be holding a review of seven conceptual designs for this semester’s GAP Shed project. Each student in Studio V has been working independently for the past week cultivating their thoughts into a coherent scheme. From this presentation of ideas we will compare and contrast the different concepts and choose to pursue two or three ideas from the bunch in small groups. This may be achieved by grouping similar projects together to strengthen their current design direction, or it can also be achieved by grouping projects with different strengths that a combined hybrid would be a stronger concept. It is important for the students to understand that none of the concepts presented today will end up looking quite like the final product, but the core concept will be traceable to this afternoon’s presentations. This is my favorite review of the semester because the limitless options of how to crack this nut begins to narrow and take shape. Also, the loose presentation style of a conceptual review is much more engaging for conversation since the ideas are fresh and less fragile to criticism.

I have included a project by Allied Works Architecture above that shows the evolution of a concept to a finished build project. The guest house above is by the same architect, Brad Cloepfil, who is also the lead architect for the new Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston. I have had the pleasure of sitting in on many meetings to discuss the future home of our program, and one thing that Brad has always impressed me with is his ability to often reflect back to the early concepts of the design to better explain current decisions and directions as the design evolves.

Today will be the first time we see a glimmer of what the GAP Shed will be when it’s all said and done, and that is very exciting.