-- RENDERING PROJECT --

REALISTIC RENDERING -->

So, I have been learning about new rendering techniques and programs which will help in making the final proposed design look realistic and convey my thoughts into a computer rendered model, thus taking the 2D thoughts and sketches and putting them into a 3D representation. 

So, the brief of the project was to find an interior space on the internet or in a magazine in order to try and replicate it as best as possible in the different rendering programs. This would allow us to see the difference in quality, rendering style and learn how to use the programs. 

The model was drawn up in 3D CAD and used for all the different rendering programs to access the different material databases and lighting sources offered by each individual program. This first picture was done with 3D CAD as the rendering medium. 

The next picture uses the same model from 3D CAD, which has been imported into 3DS MAX. I found the quality of the materials and the lighting to be a lot more realistic in this program, and its easier to use! The lighting component is also more accurate and more realistic in MAX than in 3D CAD.

Last but not least, my Lumion rendering... I found that Lumion's light quality for interiors is really not up to scratch compared to the other two programs and I find it very frustrating to use because of this reason. Its amazing for building exteriors or if you want to do a quick render of a space and hand render over it - otherwise personally if you are looking for a realistic render, 3D MAX is definitely the way to go :) 

-- NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON THE HORIZON --

The E-ELT: European Extremely Large Telescope

What you are looking at in the picture below is a representation of what is soon to be the European Extremely Large Telescope, which is to be ten times bigger than any other telescope on the earth's surface, as well as sensitive enough to be able to spot life outside our own solar system. 

The location of this massive project is on the Cerro Armazones, a remote mountain in Chile. In order to prep the site for construction, the construction team will blast about 24m of rock and dirt off the top of the mountain in order to create a plateau. The reason for this location is the incredibly dry air, which reduces the obscurity of the pictures taken by the telescope due to water droplets in the air. 

The main mirror of the telescope will be 39m in diameter, which is far too big to install it in one piece; therefore the mirror will be made up of 800 segmentswhich will each be 1,4m in diameter. Due to its size, the E-ELT will be able to collect light 10x faster than existing telescopes, which will resolve issues associated with the current telescopes not being sensitive enough to achieve what this monstrosity will...

A computer rendering of the E-ELT. 

The project is expected to take about 10 years to complete, after which astronomers will first target Earth-like exoplanets in their host star's habitable zones in search of the first glimpses of alien life. They will also observe some of the oldest stars and galaxies in the universe in order to study dark matter and dark energy.  

If they actually pull this off, this will change the way we know the universe forever! 

For more information, click on http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/e-elt/e-elt_fir/the link. 

-- SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT --

These were the posters I submitted for our third brief hand-in... They show the process of my space planning and how I went about resolving (or attempting to resolve) and manipulating this very uninteresting, rectangular shaped building.

The posters show the steps I took, the process of development and some extra information of how my theories were incorporated into the space and how the influenced the manipulation of it. Have a look and leave some comments :) (Keep in mind that this hand-in is from a good couple of weeks ago so my floor plan and initial ideas around my interior have changed).  

-- CHOSEN THEORY 3: EXPERIENCE DESIGN --

Experience design consists out of three different divisions, namely user-interface design (the design of the product and how it works), user experience design (the reaction of the user and ease of use they have when using the product) and interaction design (the interaction between the user and the product). The combination of the three result in an experience. Successful experience design will always leave a lasting impression and memory in the user/visitor's minds... This theory is exactly what I am aiming to achieve with my space - to leave a mark on the visitors to the extent where they start marketing my space to their friends and families because of the interesting and new experience they had. 

The precedent studies accompanying this theory are:

The Google Web Lab in America, designed and created by a collaboration of MAP industrial design consultants, Universal Design Studio architectural interior designers, Tellart interactive design and engineering group, B-Reel digital agency and Biblioteque graphic designers. 

The whole Creative lab is an interaction between the users and computers and how they can manipulate and control the machines to perform certain actions to produce certain results... The difference with this lab is that the users who aren't able to visit, due to them being in another country, can still use the exhibits and control them THROUGH THE INTERNET!! So cool... 

The Mind Museum in the city centre of Taguig, Philippines. The Mind Museum is a museum which integrates all things science, maths, astronomy, biological and technological together in one museum! Most of their exhibits are interactive and they have a lot of different activities to do while you are at the museum. The spaces are all interlinked with different "bridges" which bridge the one space to another in a way relevant to both spaces - thus linking them in the way they are linked in life.