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aly

rodgers

design portfolio
fall 2009
freeby
cal poly state university
san luis obispo

aly

rodgers

aly rodgers grew up in a mili-

tary family, moving every couple of years, within the country

as well as abroad. she attended
coronado high school in san
diego, devoted much of her
time to ap classes and the
varsity water polo team, and
graduated in 2008.

after her senior year, she did a

year-long exchange in frenchspeaking lige, belgium. she
lived with three different host
families and had many opportunities to travel. through her
travels, her appreciation for
culture and architecture grew
exponentially.

she is interested in design and

architecture studies at cal poly
as a means to further her understanding of space and how
it affects us in our daily lives.
she hopes to use her language
and architecture skills to help
preserve culture by reconciling old architecture with the

new; valuing the original intention, while introducing modern

ideas and designs.
hometown: coronado, ca
high school: coronado high
interests: travelling, sketching,

water color
major: architecture
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the start of design. the beginning of how to turn an idea into a coherent composition. it takes practice and time to develop the skill to create.
here, the search for design elements in our everyday lives began with
inspiring and meaningful words in mind. these photos and sketches were
destined for something unknown to the author.
first one must concentrate on how to take a photo so that it can stand
on its own. whether others understand the subject matter is a different
story. one must start by seeing to help others see.

seeing points and lines, positive and negative space, repetition, order, edges

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there is always something outside of what is seen.

photos were expanded, sliced, joined, contrasted, and
much more to create compositions that allowed for
elaboration on a closed set of information.

compostitions created from photos: single photo, two-photo analog, two-photo digital

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photo-based models, developed from seeing through design elements

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volume. three dimensions. more is

added to the photo compositions
in order to expand the imagination.
the concept of designing space
starts to form when the 3-d models are connected.

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design model based on two single-photo models, model sketches

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light is a tool, as is the absence of light. working with shadows can inspire
designs that would otherwise be near impossible to develop. the elements
which make up this piece are the culmination of a mixture of the abstractions
preceding it, coming together to form something concrete.

study shadow model, based on shadow of photo model

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final basswood shadow model

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there is no specific time for design. it

is a way of being. a way of looking at
the world. inspiration to create may be
stronger at some times more than others, but there is a constant intrinsic passion for design that is acquired by practice and necessary to truly fulfill the
life of an architect, or any designer. that
passion is what i have begun to find.

fifth year shadow

allison wasilewski

the first time i met allison and talked

to her about her thesis project, i was
happily surprised to find out that her
main focus was about rhythm. shes
studying and creating a design for a
terminal in the dallas airport. i never
would have associated an airport
with rhythm, but allisons clear insight
describes how an airport terminal,
with its long corridors and constant movement, provide a perfect
environment for a study of rhythm.
there is a rhythm of transition for
all different types of people. families,
businessmen, people travelling just
to see the world...they all have a different stride but move in the same
space, affecting thier environment, or
rather moving with the environment
that has been designed to serve this
need. a need for rhythm and consistency in a period or mentality of
constant change.

40
a dynamic composition
encourages the eye to explore

68

design in section

85
gently suggest material
qualities rather than draw them in a
literal manner

people need to be able
to understand your project without
you being there

theres nothing wrong
with simple
100
72

give it a name

design with models!

-allison wasilewski
101 things i learned in architecture
school

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allison pulls inspiration from the works of

santiago calatrava, richard rogers, fentress bradburn architects, eero saarinen, and maya lin

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encountering harford pier: the beginning of expansion

photos. rubbings. sketches. water colors. charcoal

harford pier offered its character, its textures, its looks,

its feeling to be grasped and
experienced. the site provided a take off point for
expansion. this expansion
would be to amplify the underlying emotion of the pier
itself.
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photos. rubbings. sketches. water colors

movement into drafting

to see, to hear, to taste, to

touch, to smell. to sense. we
gather, express and translate
experience through these
means.
tactile experience becomes
organized. all details put into
an order. order that must
encompass and communicate the pier as something
to be built.

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first plan

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projection of site

base study model

there is a certain rhythm to the pier:

the rising and setting sun that has such
a strong impact on its nature, the lapping of water beneath, the planks that
make up the deck. all of these factors
and more spark a certain flow and tempo for the pier. my goal was to continue
that rhythm based on my own experience there
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personal pier addition:

first and second iterations

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personal pier addition: third iteration

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final model

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the motions are so nicely adjusted that one seems to give rise to
the next without conscious effort, like the swinging to and fro of a pendulum...like the tones of the organ, they carry on and on and it is only in their
rhythmic relation to each other that they obtain meaning.

-s.e.rasmussen
experiencing architecture

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final model

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final model

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final draft: personal addition

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the abstract became

concrete, the emotion became material.
can it actual be built?
an order is once again
created on vellum. an
order to the progression from abstract to
conceivable design.