And more...i think i got everyones pieces

More pics from critique

Pics from critique

Inca article and 2nd project

Ok I am going to play the devils' advocate here and say that the long winded article (on Inca's use of natural outcroppings integrated into building) is a whole lot of religiosity and romanticizing about what most likely started out as being a brilliant move on the part of the very first and earliest " builders"; i.e. they saved lots of time and effort by using a wall already half built! Then of course, as the human species is prone to, they made up stories about their origins, (creation myths ) snowballing until they became divine/ sacred thus providing impetus for incorporation of more and more religious notions into further developments. Man also has a tendency to make himself "more special" than all others - as the Inca did when making the assertion that theirs was of "unique relationship" with Mother Earth and their "two extremely handsome babies" born of the union of that special relationship.

Now apart from all that, I found the masonry and natural integration absolutely beautiful!! Not being a patient person, I have tremendous respect for the tedious intensive work of "nibbling" and the ingenious work or uncoursed masonry reflected in Figures 15 and 16.

Thoughts about Space altering construction Project #2:
I WAS considering doing a garden wall construction with found rocks and ceramic tiles....but after reading this article I might abandon that idea---for surely I could not live up to their masonry. Sheesh forget all that nibbling and chiseling, I'd use cement/mortar/epoxies.
Another idea for project #2, is continuing my work with driftwood constructions, perhaps incorporating my collection of spent Orton Cones.
While thinking about this project, I realized that I already have made many space altering contructs in various parts of my yard; one uses a collection of old fashioned window sash weights, another a set of iron cast bathtub feet and yet another is an old catamaran hull that I cut, reconfigured and painted. Since I have done that already, and this IS a ceramics class, I really should be pushing myself to construct with clay..... what to do , what to do......

Alison's Response/Project Ideas

I found the article "The Inca Married the Earth" to be interesting at times but overall a bit dull. I do admire the Incan culture's appreciation for nature. The way in which the Incans worked around the land and incorporated it into their architecture really shows their respect for mother earth. They felt it should not be changed. While rock outcrops may be considered obstacles, Incan architecture was actually enhanced due to their presence. The structures created within this culture are far more interesting than almost all structures created today. Since the Incans worked with the land, there is a lack of uniformity among the structures which appeals to me.
For the second project concerning systems and architecture, i have come up with some general ideas. They are more physically developed than they are conceptually at this point. I would like to make many small indentical units and put them together to create something larger. I will play with the idea of repetition and multiples. The point of this idea is for one form to be repeated over and over again to form something entirely new and different. I am considering using the extruder to make the small units as circular shapes. I am unsure how I will choose to attach them yet. I plan to develop this idea a great deal further as i continue to research.

Ben Lenoir

Response to Inka Article:

I found the article to be excruciatingly boring. Getting past the verbose and repetitive parts of the article, it became mildly interesting. I think it was a very important point to raise that the Inka used these structures almost as a marriage to the mother earth, because it was their form of altering her natural beauty into something orderly in which to live. I also found it nice that it was only shaped stone that went into the structures and they used no mortar to seal the gaps. The pictures of the outcrops were themselves very pretty but I believe to see this in real life would be overwhelming. The stories that were part of their oral culture of man being wild before there was an order to living was intriguing, because they saw no separation between man and animal without some ordered structure to call home. I wish the article had not turned me off to the subject because it is really interesting to reveal how a culture converts their land to make it their own but also to make it a system that interacts with the earth instead of overtaking it.


System/Architecture Project:

My initial idea for the project was at the atomic level and how atoms interact together. Mostly their interaction to form stable bonds is open space. I find it very interesting that something that is so loose and open can create such a stable structure like clay, rock, or metal. I dont know if I can illustrate that point witout being too obvious or science project-esque. My second idea which I like better is illustrating the way parents absurdly explain sex to their children through the use of silly anecdotes. I also do not know if I can achieve this without making a piece that is taken at face value because it is humorous. I have too many broad ideas right now to give a good description of what I would like to do and a lot of kinks must be worked out before I can begin.

article & second project

I thought it was interesting that the Inka used the integrated rock outcrops to articulate the coming together of natural and built environments. The Inka had a great appreciation for Mother Earth and took full advantage of its useful materials. These outcrops that were bonded to the Earth tell the story of the place where Panchamama and Inka met. Structures that grew out from the outcrops were considered the "extremely handsome babies" of the union between Inka and the earth which makes this not only naturally important but culturally as well. I think this article gives a whole new appreciation for the way the Inka's cared for their land and made use of ready-made materials. The pictures that go along with the article help to give a better view and perspective of what the article is about. I feel that without them I wouldn't really understand what exactly an outcrop was.



As far as my second project goes, as creepy as it sounds I'm really fascinated with the aspect of voyeurism. So I was thinking of doing something along the lines of setting up a surveillance system. I haven't worked out any of the logistics yet but I want to try and incorporate ceramics and maybe video feeds or projections into the project. Hopefully I will be able to stick with this idea, but it might change a little bit. We'll see!

Second Project

For my second project, I am actually interested in exploring some of the concepts found in the architecture of the Inka people. I really liked the idea of making changes to structure and design in order for something to exist in its environment. I’d like to create something similar to what I made for the first assignment (creation, destruction, and reassembling of thrown vessels) however I would like to force it to be placed into an unexpected and possibly unpractical environment. As a result I want to be forced to make changes so it can exist in this environment, rather than constructing or changing a place that can accommodate the piece.

Dan Rucker- Inka Article Response

Even before reading this article, I was familiar with the Inka's techniques of cut stone and structure relationships. I like to think of the Inka as primitive "Frank Lloyd Wright'ish" architects. The Inka believed in relating the structure to the surrounding landscape and in some cases, literally attached the structure to large rock formations or cliff overhangs. Their idea of implied lines and joint connections enhance the theory that even in ancient times, people were conscious of what is architecturally good and what isn't. The layout of the communities were much like the current studies that urban planners practice today. I found it very interesting when they discussed how the construction of dwellings is ceremonial and that an offering of alcohol or oil is poured out beneath the footing for a new construction. I also was impressed with the Inka's ability to product views from inside the structures, using window spaces, outdoor areas, and multiple level architecture.

My idea for the second project is closely related to the Inka's architecture. With the use of multiple layers of material to construct a "dwelling" and the symbiont relationship between the structure and its surroundings, I hope to represent that in my project. The same way the Inka used underlying structural elements to enhance the exterior, I am also going to use a material that I can fasten or build up an exterior facade around. Ultimately I want my next project to be a function structure with an interior and exterior, so that the viewer can experience the piece inside and out.

Kat Riley

In the article “The Inka Married the Earth” the Inkas craft with stone and the earths elements were discussed. I really like all the work with the stone and the joints that they some how created seamless joints. I am also really surprised and amazed how long the buildings have survived and are still amazing as they are with all the technology that is out in the world today. The peaceful location of the inkas city is something to admire, the over view of Machu Picchu is makes the viewer breathless. When looking at the blocks that make up the buildings the stones almost look like they were made that way. The inkas were in touch with nature and almost seem to be able to create it. Even the caring of the rocks is extremely detailed and intricate.

This article has inspired me form my next project to create a system in the back of an elongated head. The head will have a hotel like structure in the back and a full face on front. I also want to have nature elements around the base of the head. Or I want to create a weird DNA system that life and multiple parts that repeat that normally wouldn’t.

For the Love of Land! and neurons....

Catherine Hendrickson

Inca Article- The article made me appreciate how the Inca's saw the land they lived on and made me wish we had that same kind of respect for land. The article spoke about the high quality of stonework which enhanced and reflects the value of their land. I thought it was interesting also how in a part of the article, it was said that the Spaniards didnt show much interest in the masonry techniques of the Incas because it was far too hard and complex to replicate. That's a very interesting reason to hate something. They should have embraced the work, not shunned it! Another thing in the article that caught my attention was the fact that the Inca's were around AFTER the Pikillacta, and of course BEFORE us. The funny thing is, unlike much of today's society and the Pikillacta who chose a grid style on which to construct dwellings, the Inca chose their own distinctive style of architecture in which no land was compromised and no grids were laid out to disrupt nature.

My idea for the 2nd project stems from my love of the field of psychology. I thought about many types of systems that interested me (music systems such as speakers, social systems, systems dealing wth physics such as pulleys, etc, etc and after much thought and several sketches, I finally decided on the nervous system of the human body. I want to incorporate my interest in psychology in with my work and thought this would be perfect. In terms of architecture and how things make use of space, I thought maybe the way in which I connect the neurons will have portray an interesting form of architecture that can be interpreted differently to many people. We'll see how it goes, I seem to make adjustments as the projects unfold.

Inca Article Response--Rebecca

The Inca article, although long, gave me new perspectives on how people relate and work with their surroundings. The Inca civilization was very advanced for its time, and easily could have built large monuments or dwellings, however they chose to work with nature instead of against it. When they needed to build something, the Inca, went with the flow of the land--if there was a cliff, or even a large rock in the way, they tended to either move around it or just end what they were doing in order not to disturb nature. They were built from the outcrop, which was a bond between mother earth, and the culture living there. They used organic materials (ex rocks) to construct their buildings in an effort to blend in with nature rather than stand out from it. Most likely because of the Incas carefully constructed dwellings, they are now protected and revered world wide. The best example of the Incas buildings flowing with nature is Machu Picchu. It is way up in the Andes (as were the other Inca dwellings), and when you look down on the site, you can still see the sloping hills and protruding rocks, and the buildings built into the cliffs. Their devotion to nature while constructing places was also a work of art. Their dwellings are a model of what we should be doing today--in our effort to go green. How they lived and worked is truely inspirational.

I have put in a lot of thought and research into project 2, and have narrowed down my options. Originally I was thinking of very basic, obvious things (ex an unusual tea set, stained glass window plaque, or 3D puzzle). The more I thought about it though, I knew I could come up with something not only more complex, but more interesting and unusual. I have done ceramics for years, and all of my first ideas were similar to things I did in high school. While not bad ideas, I wanted to do something more advanced, where I might/should push myself past my normal boundaries. One of the options I have is a large vase with holes through out the entire thing. It would work with the idea of a system, because the holes work together throughout the whole thing, and these holes cause negative space therefore the architecture. My other option, which I am leaning a little more towards, is based on a picture I saw on the cover of The Penland Book of Ceramics: Masterclasses in Ceramic Techniques (check out pic at: http://www.amazon.com/Penland-Book-Ceramics-Masterclasses-Techniques/dp/157990338X). That cover had interlocking shapes (that looked a lot like bananas) form yet another shape. I would like to do something like that, but with a more organic shape that overall forms the shape of a wave, or some other cool, yet definable shape. This is both system--because the shapes interlock and have to work together, and architecture because it creates something else, which alters space.

The Inka Married the Earth

I felt that this reading was very interesting and refreshing. Looking into a culture that conforms to nature instead of destroying it is somewhat of a foreign idea, yet makes perfect sense. The Inka practice of grafting structures formed to the land allowed them to "become one" with their natural surroundings. Keeping in mind the Inka beliefs, it is quite easy to see and understand why this type of building system was important to the people. The ending results were not stagnant perfectly dimensioned buildings, but instead organic structurs that seemed to flow with the surrounding land.
The Inka architecture is very inspiring and has given me a ground to base my project upon. What is the purpose of architecture? Business? Shelter? Asthetics? This is a question I plan to investigate while planning my piece as I hope to create something that is both purposeful and intertwined with its surroundings, much like the Inka people.

Student name: Ashley Hamilton

The Inka article was very interesting in my opinion. I really enjoyed reading about the ways in which the Inca people took such care to preserve the natural “feeling” of the earth. They completed this task by building structures from natural elements (rock) found occurring naturally near the site. The structures, while far from perfect, had well-made, sturdy walls while still blending quite well with the surrounding environment. Of more importance, the Inka people put a huge amount of thought into “integrating” their architecture into the landscape. This was accomplished by making an area of rock that was textured like the ground but elevated against the side of the building. A quote which explains it well, on page 503 of the article, states, “The integrated rock outcrop occupies the boundary, the threshold, between what the Inka perceived as ordered and unordered spaces, a fact that has heretofore remained unexplored in the scholarship on Inka visual culture.” This quote says that the Inka people divided their surroundings into “ordered” and “unordered” areas. Obviously, the ordered area would be the architecture, the part that needed human assistance in order to be formed into the order in which it stands. On the other hand, unordered things would be those that occur naturally and have not had human intervention in their location or placement. I really like the idea of this combination which the Inka have established. I would like to integrate the idea of “a natural system” into my next project… so we’ll see how that turns out!

Working with the textures of animal skin has actually given me a lot of new thoughts about systems for the next project. I would like to create a piece that alters space alone (once installed) without needing any extra supporting objects (such as pedestals or shelves). I have been trying to work on a smaller scale simply because of the medium, but I think an installation piece would be a great option for this project since it would in essence BE architecture. I haven’t exactly decided on anything yet, but I have been considering the idea of enlarging animal print so that it would take up a 4’ by 4’ area of space (approximately?) in the crit space… probably in a corner. I think I would have the print thin around the edges to look like it is growing out of the floor, possibly even moving up onto the walls. I’m not sure how I’d go about keeping the pieces flat during firing because of warping and shrinkage, but overall this is my idea so far! Let me know what you think!!

In response to the article about the Incas. I find it not surprising that they would think about architecture and the earth in the way that they did. However to the extent that they did is quite fascinating. It stated that they described people who were married to be orderly and singles were wild. This is an example to the thought process that went on when they were creating their architecture. For this they would use the "marriage" of the natural rock forms and the man made rock forms for their structures. In this they were showing that you could live among nature without changing it, they used the land rather than alter it. They would also compliment nature by using the architecture, for example they would frame a mountain scene with the doorway or the window. Here again complimenting nature rather then block it out. I have yet to think about what my project will become exactly but this article has given me some insight on what it will become. To accompany nature into architecture is what their goal was. It seems that in today we have neglected this so much that our structures block out all of nature and move what was left of nature out of the way for our man made creations.

The fact that Inka architecture wasn’t afraid to intertwine itself with its natural environment makes a bold statement about their culture. The connection between man and environment was an integral part of Inka beliefs. Compared to our culture, the connection between the Inka and the earth focused on the Inka peacefully coexisting in their environment. To me, this means that they changed their environment to suit their culture without needing to cause destruction to the land. The fact that they incorporated large boulders, and rocky outcrops into their building designs, shows not only a dependence on the earth, but a respect for it by catering their building designs to the landscape, and not vice versa. When considering the ways in which we treat the environment to erect buildings, it is quite a different than the approach the Inka’s used. We seem to feel that it is more important to try and control the environment, by changing it to fit the designs of our buildings and structures. This reflects the fact that we as a people seem far less concerned with the connection between us and the earth, because we feel as if we are entitled to change our environment to cater to our needs and desires.