Theoremas

Material Composites Tests. Surface/Strands

2012-01-25T15:59:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. College of Architecture.
Mitchell Lab 2012. House of the Future. Roland Snooks. Kokkugia.
First surface studies using fiberglass.
Material Consultant Chris Moore. Texas Customz.
Built at "The Ranch" Bryan, Texas.

Catedra Barragan. Tec of Monterrey. Blurring Limits

2012-01-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

Mike Szivos from softLab

Catedra Luis Barragan. Tecnologico De Monterrey. Mexico City. October 28th, 2011.

Blurring Limits. Architecture, Digital Fabrication and Industrial Design. Metropolitan Theater.

Photos: Carmina Salcedo.

Car Showroom 1 and Public Space, Houston, TX

2011-12-27T22:46:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. First Year Graduate Studio. Fall 2011. Student: Jing Zhang

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Ferrari Showroom. Downtown Houston, TX.

The idea behind this project was to equate the social status of car culture with the culture of architecture, which unfortunately is not considered as a prominent culture anymore. At the same to negotiate with the city in the creation of public, extremely necessary in cities like Houston. Another important part of the project was the relationship between infrastructure and architecture, not a new topic, however we tend to forget this relationship. The project was interesting in the production of spectacle as an essential retail aspect in the car culture.

One site was the area of the Houston Galleria in the corner of Westheimer and 610, the corner site could operate as a gateway to the shopping area as well as a connector to the different shopping sites including the Galleria itself, by the way, this area has no public space.

The other site was in the Downtown area the selected site was directly under I-45, currently misused an this are is desperate need for the creation of public space. This site is socially complex, it is basically a leftover space, mainly occupied by the homeless. This area includes programs like a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter, a church, a hospital an a car dealership. The idea was that the showroom with ignite a negotiation with the city in the production of public space, the integration of infrastructure and program diversity.

Maybe a bit hopeful or naive but we must find ways to reinstate architecture's social and cultural status.

Car Showroom 2

2011-12-27T22:12:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. First Year Graduate Studio. Fall 2011. Student: Lei Shao

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Lamborghini Showroom. Westheimer Galleria. Westheimer Ave. and I-610.

Houston, TX.

Car Showroom 3

2011-12-27T22:02:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. First Year Graduate Studio. Fall 2011. Student: Chao Sun

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Bugatti Showroom. Westheimer Galleria. Westheimer Ave. and I-610.

Houston, TX.

Car Showroom 4

2011-12-27T21:53:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. First Year Graduate Studio. Fall 2011. Student: Jason Minter

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Lamborghini Showroom. Downtown Houston, TX.

Car Showroom 5

2011-12-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. First Year Graduate Studio. Fall 2011. Student: Patrick Hurst

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Saab Showroom. Downtown Houston, TX.

Car Showroom 6

2011-12-27T21:25:00.001-08:00

Texas A&M University. First Year Graduate Studio. Fall 2011. Student: Eric Winkelmann

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Land Rover Showroom. Houston Galleria. Westheimer Ave. and I-610.

Houston, TX.

Car Showroom 7

2011-12-27T21:14:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. First Year Graduate Studio. Fall 2011. Student: Shane Bearrow

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Audi Showroom. Downtown Houston, TX.

Car Showroom 8

2011-12-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. First Year Graduate Studio. Fall 2011. Student: Nanven Dogun

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Mercedes Benz Showroom. Westheimer Galleria. Westheimer Ave. and I-610.

Houston, TX.

Black Narcissus

2011-12-26T21:56:00.000-08:00

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/18234/gabriel-esquivel-david-hernandez-m-black-narcissus.html

http://www.evolo.us/architecture/black-narcissus-is-parametric-designed-installation-based-on-contemporary-fashion/

http://www.suckerpunchdaily.com/2011/12/23/black-narcissus/#more-17313

http://www.sztuka-wnetrza.pl/515/artykul/parametryczny-narcyz

Mugler Pavilion

2011-12-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio 205. College of Architecture. Student: Zack Hoffmann.

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Mugler Pavilion, New York City.

The studio was not only an homage to the creativity and influence of the Mugler house today and in the past within the premise of the reinvention not only of fashion but the body itself, attitude that we were interested in exploring. If we understand the socio-political culture of fashion we must make every effort to incorporate architecture to be a crucial part of this culture of negotiations, recognitions and aesthetics.

Mugler Pavilion 1

2011-12-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Jacob Patapoff

Mugler Pavilion 2

2011-12-20T10:40:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Stephen Renard.

Mugler Pavilion 3

2011-12-20T10:26:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Yuliana Hernandez.

Mugler Pavilion 4

2011-12-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Jose Padilla.

Mugler Pavilion 5

2011-12-20T10:06:00.001-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Adrian Martinez.

Mugler Pavilion 6

2011-12-20T10:05:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Jose Vazquez.

Mugler Pavilion 7

2011-12-17T17:07:00.001-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Kindall Stephens.

Mugler Pavilion 8

2011-12-17T17:03:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Jason Sanchez.

Mugler Pavilion 9

2011-12-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Carolina Cuadra.

Mugler Pavilion 10

2011-12-17T16:47:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Cody May

Mugler Pavilion 11

2011-12-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Emily Knapp

Mugler Pavilion 13

2011-12-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

Texas A&M University. Sophomore Studio. Fall 2011. Melissa Evans.

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Black Narcissus

2011-11-22T21:45:00.000-08:00

La Riviera Restaurant. College Station, TX.

Team:

Gabriel Esquivel

David Hernandez M.

Project Manager: Erin Templeton

Dylan Weiser

Arnold Ghil

Miaomiao Xiao

Catlan Fearon

Hugo Ochoa

Megan Arrington

Le Phuc

Black Narcissus Fabrication

2011-11-22T21:21:00.001-08:00

Black Narcissus. Fabrication at "The Ranch" Bryan, TX. November 2011

Fabrication Advance

2011-11-04T19:29:00.001-07:00

November 2011. Location: La Riviera Restaurant, Private Dining Room. College Station, TX.

Michel Rojkind's Lecture at Texas A&M University

2011-11-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

Texas A&M University. Fall Lecture Series.

Michel Rojkind.

Monday November 7, 2011. Geren Auditorium 5: 30 p.m.

Studio Preview 6

2011-10-25T21:42:00.000-07:00

Texas A&M University. Graduate Studio. Analog Studies. Fall 2011.

Chao Sun.

Studio Preview 5

2011-10-25T21:07:00.001-07:00

Texas A&M University. Graduate Studio. Analog Studies. Fall 2011.

Jason Minter

Studio Preview 4

2011-10-25T18:26:00.001-07:00

Texas A&M University. Graduate Studio. Analog Studies. Fall 2011.

Jing Zhang.

Studio Preview 3

2011-10-25T18:23:00.001-07:00

Texas A&M University. Graduate Studio. Analog Studies. Fall 2011.

Lei Shao.

Studio Preview 2

2011-10-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Texas A&M University. Graduate Studio. Analog Studies. Fall 2011;

Shane Bearrow

Studio Preview 1

2011-10-24T22:18:00.001-07:00

Texas A&M University. Graduate Studio. Analog Studies. Fall 2011.

Eric Winkelmann

Studio Preview

2011-10-24T22:11:00.001-07:00

Texas A&M University. Graduate Studio. Analog Studies. Fall 2011.

Maryam Rezafar

Studio Advance

2011-10-20T22:18:00.000-07:00

Texas A&M University. Department of Architecture. Fall 2011. Second Year Studio.

Protoypes.

Blurring Limits, Architecture and Design

2011-10-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

Tecnológico of Monterrey Mexico City and Gabriel Esquivel would like to invite you to the Conference under the Cátedra Luis Barragán “Blurring Architecture and Design”

Date: October 28^th, 2011

Place: Teatro Metropolitan. Independencia 90. Downtown.

9:00 Opening Ceremony

9:20 Michael Szivos. Customization and Design. SofLab. USA.

11:00 Sigga Heimis. Design for a Global Market: IKEA. LabLand. Finland/Sweden

13:00 Miguel Angel del Val. Duality, Colonization and Heterodoxy. AH Asociados. Spain

SMI2012 Shape Modeling International 2012

2011-10-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

Shape Modeling International 2012 (SMI’12) will be organized in College Station Texas from May 22nd 2011 to May 25th 2012. The conference will be held using the computer science and visualization interdisciplinary space in Emerging Technologies and Economic Development Interdisciplinary (ETED) Building and/or the classroom and auditorium spaces of Langford Center of College of Architecture at Texas A&M University. Conference will have four types of activities including technical papers, practical papers, courses & tutorials and sculpture exhibition. The conference will be 4 days. The first two days, we will have courses and tutorials. Presentations of technical and practical papers will start the second day of the conference. Art exhibition will be open during the conference. The following list is detailed explanation of the activities.

http://smi2012.viz.tamu.edu/00.shtml

Artery Bridge

2011-10-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Texas A&M University. College of Architecture. Graduate Thesis.

Heather Davis.

Adviser: Gabriel Esquivel

Architecture frequently looks to the natural world for concepts, metaphors and analogies

for the generation of form. This relationship between architecture and nature generally

reaches only the superficial level, resulting in a normative architectural system “dressed

up” with a biomorphic skin. The new science of emergence demands that architecture take the biological paradigm to a much more complex level, simultaneously considering

the components of environment, behavior, form, structure and materiality to achieve complete integration. Specific biological precedents also exist within each of these components, providing the opportunity for multiple layers of biological influence.

Advances in analytical computation provide the means to achieve this complex

organization of multiple mutually-dependent parts. This project will produce a bridge

design based on the biological paradigm, exploiting the bridge’s natural connection with

the environment. The bridge will become an artery of the city; a metabolic life-source

that generates energy for itself and the system it belongs to. The bridge’s form,

structure and materiality will be dependent upon this metabolic behavior and

environmental relationship, moving toward complete biomimic integration.

Technology and Management for Architecture, Design and Engineering Conference

2011-10-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

Mexico City October 5, 6 and 7. Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapozalco.

Thanks for your Hospitality! My conference went really well. http://administracionytecnologiaparaeldiseno.azc.uam.mx/inicio.html

suckerPunch Competition

2011-09-26T21:57:00.001-07:00

http://www.suckerpunchdaily.com/2011/09/21/lunar-crater-cultural-center/#more-15867

LUNAR CRATER CULTURAL CENTER

MOON

registration begins 7.21.11

submissions due 12.19.11

awards: US $2500 total and publication jury/AWARDS

JURY

abigail COOVER

gabriel ESQUIVEL

nathan HUME

jimenez LAI

florencia PITA

david RUY

jesse SEPPI

mike SZIVOS

john SZOT

Workshop Payment

2011-09-11T22:50:00.000-07:00

Bi Polar. Two affects.

2011-09-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Texas A&M University. College of Architecture. Fabrication Studio. Spring 2011.

Critic: Gabriel Esquivel

Team:

Matthew Miller

Dale Fenton

Emau Vega

Aubrie Damron

Adrian Cortez

This project discusses two attitudes concerning digital design, one about performance whose skin is resolved parametrically, the exterior as a rain water collecting instrument, that takes the water into water vessels integrated into skin, they also serve as heating and cooling devices producing light and temperature affects. The interior skin is more interested in sensation with a smooth sensibility on a pleated skin like silk and/or leather. The idea was to emphasize this distinction to embrace the discussion.

Nate Hume from suckerPunch commented on the piece:

Bi Polar is AMAZING! love the colors, love the overlap of differing geometric logics. fantastic to see the progress installation to installation. it's wild that in such a short time you've taken them from not having a grasp on contemporary design culture or current fabrication methods to producing some of the most provocative student pieces out there. I'm really interested right now in rethinking collage and difference in a contemporary way. Projects with competing geometric logics that don't rely on gradient or clashing of kitschy shapes/form. super exciting attitude towards form. i also like the two-face, dead ringers qualities, like a demented wall house. serious parametric vs fast and loose mutant.

Computational Workshop at Texas A&M University.

2011-09-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

http://bioarchitecturestudio.wordpress.com/

RE_generative DIG_FABWorkshopTAMU.webm

www.youtube.com

Academics and Architecture

2011-08-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

By Ron Eckels

Who is truly critical of architecture in our present times? Theory and criticism are not the going trends amidst an assortment of ‘objects’, which mark the various extremes of architectural destitution today as determined by programs and relative skill. In our schools we are taught to make things look good or cool with not true understanding of what either of these words ever mean and of course we in no way delve into the actual being of cool or good. Why should we? In a period dominated by shallow understandings of sensation, affect, atmosphere, ornament and form any one of those things could be used as a suitable fallback for a destitute project that twists and swirls and swallows itself into an infitismally haphazard complexity that leaves both producer and critic without a clue as to what, how or more importantly, why it should be. We are wholly preoccupied by perception and, more indiscreetly and unabashedly, deception. The process of looking cool or good bears little to no meaning in an environment manifested out of true and rich informational matter; this matter being tangible or otherwise (yes, I don't even wish to insult our imaginations by acquitting to it the anemic 'architecture' that marks our times, or rather the walls of architectures of another time) and this environment being of course our universe

We lack crucial amounts and conditions of substance in today's architecture and focus solely on 'form', in the philosophical sense of the word, an arbitrary marker which ironically or coincidentally, probably both, is displayed through current architectural forms. and most of these forms lack any subset of formal substance. Its anemic straight to the bone marrow. As students of architecture (here I’m talking from my generation) are we called to anything or are we left devoid of vocation and PURPOSE. We long for a reality to possess and guide, so much really that we throw ourselves into a false truth that is not even suitable for the real of virtual environments.

I went into an analogy that stemmed from my experiences this week at the sciarc intro class which basically was a frenzied death race to one up everyone around us that we simply all went for the biggest bang we could becoming so engrossed in the programs we lost all other interest in reasons for why a flower plan does not need technical lines, that a flower a should be treated as such and drawn as such. We will be lost all semester possibly because we just brainwashed with maya. Basically though what this leads to in all generations and beyond just the maya frenzy is an irreverence which isn't fit for a revolutionary field, take Hernan for example, while his work looks interesting and has all this thought behind it, his philosophy and attitude about oh I don't need to build shit or do anything with my architecture is flat out BULLSHIT. I compare him to non-conformists when they stopped actually being non-conformists, like when the crazy Goth kid at school stops not fitting in so his bad attitude and Emo dramatics are just annoying and best ignored.

Summed it up as:

We lack purpose

We lack an understanding of architecture as a verb, not a noun, as discernment which produces other nouns and verbs, called acts of architecture, buildings or the activities of the world, etc

We are not taught anything in school

We are not worldly, impassioned or critical of ourselves

We must begin by being critical of our education

We must then be critical of our profession

We then must finally turn a critical eye to the world, recognizing the possibilities of all things (Deleuze) and recognize architecture as discernment of this infinite multiplicity to be executed with care, precision and judgment (sound or otherwise, intelligent erratcism is essential to our progression--look at archigram and jimenez)

Architecture requires purpose beyond itself,

Old School Cool. Indexicality.

2011-08-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

CHECK THE 19 FRESHMEN STUDIO PROJECTS IN THE PREVIOUS POSTS

Old School Cool. Indexicality.

2011-08-21T23:22:00.001-07:00

Current architectural discourse has relied heavily on the indexical processes to help clarify and qualify architecture. However, the diagram, as used today, significantly differs from its origin. Today, the diagram is used in critical response to the basis of modernism. In order to understand continuity, the role of the indexical diagram, as an instrument of operations in coding Architecture, must be reconsidered. The fact that the diagram opened a critical gap, allowing us to penetrate the structure of certain architectural works, ultimately influenced our desire for precedent.

Indexicality has evolved through variants of semantic rules (via process) and tools (like the diagram), which were given to us through groups such as the New York Five, and continues to develop even today. Though significant, there is a need to go beyond the precedent founded in the American academic indexical process, whose legacy still prevails in different degrees.

Through indexicality originally presented a way to use architecture basically as a secondary text and organization strategy, educators now view such methods as a disconnection between architecture as a discipline and architectural history and theory. However, such methodologies as a reflection prove the importance to be closer to architecture. How then, does architectural discourse leave the post-structural position in favor of something closer to architecture as we have always known it?

Each student researched the organizational principles and design strategies found in a selection of houses designed by Richard Neutra and the Case Study Program. This exercise was based upon the premise that freshmen students have a limited knowledge of architecture and design. A more in-depth understanding of the ideas behind a particular piece of architecture and/or the motivating factors influencing the architect’s body of work would greatly enhance the quality of their design work and decision making process.