Thursday,October9,2014

ARCHITECTURE 510: GRADUATE PROJECT SEMINAR

University of Idaho Urban Design Center Fall 2014

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT 5A
Due Thursday 10.16.2014

''If you think of Brick, you say to Brick, What do you want, Brick? And Brick says to you, I
like an Arch. And if you say to Brick, Look, arches are expensive, and I can use a concrete
lintel over you. What do you think of that, Brick? Brick says, I like an Arch. And its
important, you see, that you honor the material that you use. [..] You can only do it if you honor
the brick and glorify the brick instead of shortchanging it.'' LouisKahn
Quote source: http://www.yatzer.com/louis-kahn-the-power-of-architecture

Image source: http://allenministries.com/store/buyabrick

DESIGN PROBLEM:
As Louis Kahn famously pointed out these many years ago, materials have a voice and it is the job of the architect to
hear it. Materials have different qualities and characteristics that suit them for service in some cases and prohibit them
in others. Hence materials are chosen for many different reasons which might include considerations such as structural
integrity, aesthetics, material properties and performance to name just a few.
For this research assignment each student must choose one material be it raw, produced, or even re-purposed. When
conversing with the material, students will be analyzing the materials qualities and properties to determine what
purposes it may be best suited to. After the conversation each student will create a highly crafted, useful object that
accentuates the materials distinct properties that led to its creation.


ARCH-510 RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT 5
Matt Garner
Garn5774@vandals.uidaho.edu