Experiential Section

Did I win?

Experiential Section

Section. Experiential.

Experiential Section

"Experimental" Experiential Section

Well obviously this is the first time we've all done one of these, so the idea of what exactly an experiential section is a little confusing... I've still trying to think of ideas to make the panels look like they can vary and change. Been experimenting with different opacities and motion blur..

Vince told me to post these

Finally Finished Experiential Form -

Now to add content....

Progress

Trying lights with my model

When the shop opens, I will cut holes in the base, so that it could be placed on the context model.

A Note on Experiential Sections

The experiential section is not to be taken lightly.  Though the term has been coined by Geoff Thun from the University of Michigan, the notions behind the illustration are not new.  The innovation behind it is the consolidation of many tangible and ephemeral architectural ideas in a single illustration.

As discussed earlier in studio, the experiential section is a single illustration that depicts the narrative experience through the major spaces of a building.  It may consist of multiple elements but it must adhere to some unifying component(s) beyond the grounding of a section cut.  Elements such as light, materiality, tectonics, scale, activity, etc. should all be conveyed if they are critical in making up the experience of progressing through the building.

An experiential section is NOT:

• A sectional perspective through the building
• A montage of perspectives

Should your work fall into either of these categories, it is highly recommended that you ask yourself if you understand what the experiential section is and what its intentions are.  This is an exercise in demonstrating your own sense of experiences within the building.  If you cannot articulate it in this illustration, how would any of your other imagery convey this?  More importantly, many of you have failed to identify what design and experiential elements are unique to your design.  One should be able to look at an experiential section and identify key characteristics/features elaborated upon in conventional design illustrations.

Conventions are not necessarily the mandate here however students should really be aware of what is legible and understood when examining an image.  Please use the medium/media that is most appropriate to representing the space as well as within your comfort range (i.e. do not decide that pastels represent your space well and use them despite never having used them previously). 

Gary likely shared this tumblr link with some of you already, however I have been asked to post it here for the sake of spurring the rest of the section to do well.  These are NOT necessarily experiential sections.  They do however offer stylistic and robust options for representation that you may consider as you develop your own project.  I would also deter students from solely emulating what has been done by students in the upper year that may be posted online as that would be derivative with a very different set of conditions (i.e. vertical vs. horizontal, urban vs. rural, multi-programmed vs. single-use, etc.).  You are to be better than what has preceded you.  You are also capable of greatness on your own. Think through what is unique to your design and you will find proceeding with the experiential section significantly easier.