Design a SketchUp Conceptual Course
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I remember a professor I had at the University of Kansas who talked about "savvy" being "savvy" is something you are born with. Creativity is a similar concept some people have a lot of it some not as much. but creativity and conceptual are not the same thing. this same professor had us do exercises in conceptual thinking. he would be the narrator and pose questions and the first person in the class who had an answer and felt compelled to raise their hand and expose their ideas to the class could do just that. So for example he would start out with the big picture and move to towards the smaller details.
here is a brief question and answer session.
Teacher "T" Student "Sx" x=student number I'll change it to simulate multiple students answering the questions
t-Ok class today lets design something together...
t-where is our site located?
s1-in the mountains of the Himalaya's
t- good so our site is severley sloped and cold...
t- what are we designing
s2- a ski lodge
t- great so we'll need a large room and many smaller rooms and maybe a kitchen and swimming pool how many floors will our lodge have?
s3 three floors
t- super than that can take advantage of the slope and have entrances on each level, is the roof flat or sloped and if it's sloped
s1 sloped with a steep pitch because of the snow.
t- great how big is the roof overhang
s-4 large to create an outdoor terrace for good weather and protection from snow.
.....yadda...yadda...yadda...as you can see the teacher is directing the conversation and asking specific questions that allow the students to answer with their own creative thoughts but those thoughts need to have limits based on where you are in the conversation. as you continue to narrow the questions down to what is the siding material and color and are there exposed beams or is there a fire place is the fireplace visible on the exterior etc.
so you as the teacher could act as the discussion facilitator to quickly poll your students about a particular design challenge say a 10 minute discussion and then you could spend the rest of the class modeling the results of the dynamic discussion. IE you would model a mountain and then randomly isolate a parcel on land on that mountain, then determine a random footprint of the building and stamp it into the site and then push pull a 3d box up from that foot print and draw a few lines and create a steep roof and push pull that roof out to create a large overhang and then add some exposed beams and an exposed fire place and paint on some siding or stone or what ever material was suggested and them add some windows ...etc...etc. you are going to model for the students what they created in their answers to your questions. each class will be different because each set of students will have different answers. one project may be located on an island or on the head of a stick pin or floating in outer space... the possibilities are endless but you will demonstrate to the students that Sketchup can be a tool for them to express their creativity and their conceptual ideas. by controlling the situation with specific targeted questions you can make sure that you have a plausible "site,and building type" to model.
you will find that there are students that just can't hold their ideas back and at times you can open it up for discussion and you'll hear "its vinyle siding from one student and another student will chime in NO its stone...and you can mediate...what kind of stone...limestone...limestone really there going to ship limestone all the way up to the mountain...when the surrounding area is chalk full of trees...
so you will be illustrating how sketchup will allow them to explore thier creativity and at the same time show them that sketchup is only as creative as they are.
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Guys:
Makes sense to me--assuming the class is composed completely of architects or urban designers. I'm not sure Susan's classes are so composed.
I'm still wrestling with the phrase "conceptual architecture." It seems to me to have multiple meanings, one of which occurred to me this morning: Architecture that can't be built but only thought about. Stuff that violates the laws of physics, or that is basically unusable, or that requires construction technologies that don't yet exist, but looks really good in renderings!
However, even if that is the definition in question, the solution to using SU to model it remains the same.
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Susan,
I've juried enough students to know there are quite a few students (and by extension there are probably professionals who fit this bill) who, when required to produce their projects on the computer they are limited to what they know. In other words, if the only way they were taught to create stairs was in a straight run, then that's all they do. They haven't figured out how to apply those same skills for a different drawing/modelling task. It's quite possible some of your students are doing the same - they aren't trying to figure out how to apply the skills you taught them for a new task, but want you to tell them how to do it. They might have a particular "conceptual design" in mind but haven't made that leap of figuring out how to model it themselves.
Daniel
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Daniel, I quite agree with you. I do believe that is what they want and that is where the failure to connect is. Some people are able to make these intuitive leaps and others need to be spoon fed. Being spoon fed is of no earthly use because it solves only an immediate problem and does not assure that they will be able build on what they have learned when they hit the next challenge. For someone who learns this way, the only way that they can be truly effective is either to learn a limited number of techniques that they can use over and over again because they are not required to do anymore, OR if they are required to do more, then they must be exposed to every conceivable problem solution and digest it. This would require many many hours of exposure. 3-1/2 hours cannot do that for such a learner.
Conceptual thinking lends itself to a "design" problem, as in Phil's example. Conceptual thinking does not apply itself to a "how to use a tool" problem.
The conceptual part is in answering the sorts of questions that Phil cited in determining what sort of structure to build and what sort of terrain is likely to result. Once that is determined what remains is how to use the tools in SketchUp to build what it is that has been determined to be required for said concept. I am not attempting to teach a University Architectural Design course. That is out of the scope of the little 3-1/2 hour classes I teach. I am teaching a course on how to use a specifc sorgware applicaton to represent the design. There are 4 courses of 3-1/2 hours each. By the Advanced courses we are indeed doing excercises where we are building complete objects. For instance,we do one where we make a sink. This excercise allows the introduction of several tools in the process. I sometimes get Landscape Architects who express that they would have wished for a Landscape Example. Accordingly at one part of the class we "lathe" ( using follow-me) a shape. I say out loud in the class that , for the Architects we are making a Cap for a Bannister and, for the Landscape Architects, this is Fence Post Cap. The point I am trying to make people understand is that all designers use the same shapes and the same tools and whether you are making a sink or a water cistern or bicycle helmet the principles are the same.From a pure business standpoint it is impossible to advertise and sell a class that is basically going to be a call to "show up" and we will shoot the breeze and explore your particular problems together. That isn't going to work. There is a written manual and a curriculum. People want and need to see what will be specifically oovered in a class before they can determine if they want to shell out the money to take it. This is not a college course where we have weeks to explore everyone's issues.
These courses are intended for busy professionals who want a directed and concentrated course to quickly learn how to use SketchUp from simple tools to more complex problems. They are expected to know how to extrapolate further from what they have learned, as I would expect any employee of mine to exptrapolate. -
Daniel...spot on.
I remember once at a job I had one of the interns came to me and asked how to divide a line into 13 equal parts in AutoCAD....I ask that person well how would you do it in the real world...no response...
Yes I know there is the divide command and it will do the work for you but there is no excuse not to know how to do it in the real world.
Knowledge is power and what you want to happen is to exert your power (knowledge) into the computer. If you are continually searching for the button to press that does something for you than you are at the mercy of the computer.
I remember the good old days of SU when it was a very basic but powerful 3d modeling software. It still is but I'm afraid the added bells and whistles may blur the simplistic approach to modeling.
Oh and my discussion above would work for any group..."OK class today lets design a desk, a shopping cart, a coat, a thingamajig...anything. The important part is the trip down discovery lane questions and answers getting more knowledge about what the "thing" is and what it should look like, how it should function etc. Once the conceptual discovery process is complete than the conceptual modeling can begin. its not a straight path during the modeling phase you will continually refine your concept as the visual aid of the model helps to confirm or reject the validity of the concept.
So Susan if you can just get your students to remember to use their brain when they model and not to become too reliant on the software.
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@unknownuser said:
Daniel...spot on.
I remember once at a job I had one of the interns came to me and asked how to divide a line into 13 equal parts in AutoCAD....I ask that person well how would you do it in the real world...no response...
Yes I know there is the divide command and it will do the work for you but there is no excuse not to know how to do it in the real world.
Knowledge is power and what you want to happen is to exert your power (knowledge) into the computer. If you are continually searching for the button to press that does something for you than you are at the mercy of the computer.
I remember the good old days of SU when it was a very basic but powerful 3d modeling software. It still is but I'm afraid the added bells and whistles may blur the simplistic approach to modeling.
So Susan if you can just get your students to remember to use their brain when they model and not to become too reliant on the software.
Phil:
Three thoughts:
Would you agree that because so many users have become so proficient at modeling, we've lost the "sketch" part of what the software was really intended to do?Would you also agree that unless an individual considers the process of learning itself to be its own form of fun (and thus its own reward), he or she will not find much joy in exploring and discovering what a wonderful toy like SU will allow you to do?
Finally, would you agree that the design process is its own form of play?
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Bruce, the waterslide tutorial was not posted here but the problem was posted and many people gave input on how to best approach the problem. The tutorial was not for my class but for an individual who took the class and couldn't figure out how to do it. I started the tutorial for her but ran into a glitch becuse I was expecting the ACAD files to be correct and spot on and they were not. I'm glad I posted because it was a lot of fun seeing all the various approaches.
As to the good ideas, that were suggested here, such as including examples of many different types of structures designed is SketchUp: check, I already have that, as I said.
The suggestion to construct something and thereby learn many tools in the process rather than just teach the function of a tool: checkl, I already have that.For the most part, what I read here was a general agreement that conceptual architectural application is not something that has a place in a "how to class".
Finally, to Phil, I would have lots of fun teaching a class where we can "make a chair" one day and "make a lamp" the next day but I would be concerned that any one specific project may not require the coverage of certain tools that I promised to cover in the class. It took me literally weeks to come up with very directed excercises that covered a maximum of useful tools and techniques and then putting that into a manual with each step explained fully was a huge undertaking.
Leaving that to chance and running into unforseen glitches in class, while a great learning experience, is usually time consuming and again robs the opportunity to cover the required materials. I assure you people taking a class such this are not very patient when something doesn't work quite as expected and you need to re-think it as you go. They get the impression you aren't prepared and aren't knowledgeable. Actually that goes hand in had with expecting an immediate answwer or "button" for how to do this or how to do that. Perhaps what I need to stress over and over in the class, which I don't believe I have ever done, is to verbalize that the answer to how to approach a modelling problem isn't always obvious or instantanesous. That one needs to stop and consider the capabilities of all the tools, make decisions about which may be the best way to go, and be prepared for some false starts and to consider other more efficient alternatives.Okay, that thought process really helped. Thanks guys.
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Perhaps what I need to stress over and over in the class, which I don't believe I have ever done, is to verbalize that the answer to how to approach a modelling problem isn't always obvious or instantanesous. That one needs to stop and consider the capabilities of all the tools, make decisions about which may be the best way to go, and be prepared for some false starts and to consider other more efficient alternatives.
quote]You know, most of us have done a lot of trial and error, and no small amount of swearing, as we discovered the best, fastest, easiest to manage ways to do things. It's part of the process, and part of the fun of feeling as if there is some small measure of increasing mastery involved.
Maybe the majority of your students just can't see that, but I think you're right: explaining to them up front that it's the next step of the process--really, in anything: cooking, golf, design--might take some of the stress off you. You can give them the fundamentals, and the rest is up to them.
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How many of us have removed a bolt with a pair of vise grips...
my father told me if it does not work get a bigger hammer...
Ray is right there are a multitude of ways to do any one specific task.
Dan I'm only here for a minute so I'll answer you post after the kids are asleep when I have more time.
Susan you are right students interest level will wain if you run into glitches during the lesson. But heck the resolving the glitches is part of the learning process and part of the fun...for me at least.
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Hmmmm,
How I see......."it" (Conceptual Architeture) or any other art form.Fresh Fallen Snow.....Mittens/Gloves.......Create your........
Slab of Marble......Hammer & Chisel..........Create Your........
Blank Canvass.......Oil/Water..........Create Your.......
Google SU..........Susan Intro.......Create Your.........
Susan, Teach them how to not hit the "wrong" nail.....and let em go!
Charlie
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From Ray
Would you agree that because so many users have become so proficient at modeling, we've lost the "sketch" part of what the software was really intended to do?<<<
No it's still there it's just getting hidden by all the other features.
Would you also agree that unless an individual considers the process of learning itself to be its own form of fun (and thus its own reward), he or she will not find much joy in exploring and discovering what a wonderful toy like SU will allow you to do?<<<
Yes. The trip is as important as the destination. Too often in todays day and age people want instant gratification. The world is full or remorse because we satisfy all of or needs and desires is such a short time. I think we should have people do a drawing with a ruling pen
then they will understand the importance of patience.
Finally, would you agree that the design process is its own form of play?<<
The quality of the design process will show through in the quality of the design. They are one and the same.
On a side note I remember reading a book in college about creativity by David Bohm. It's been a long time now but essential one of the points I remember was that human beings have an inherited need to be secure. To express your own creativity is in one way a risk. you are exposing an inner part of yourself for public viewing. in order to maintain our security people will hold on to their thoughts and inner creative side out of fear that their ideas will be rejected. so its safer to just go along with someone else's idea.
Essentially the risk takers are the ones that become the new paradigm that those that keep their own creative ideas inside will follow...until a new person steps out of their safe zone and expresses a new idea that becomes adopted as the new way.
anyway your use of the word "PLAY" reminded me of this book because if I remember correctly Bohm states that ONLY if we allow ourselves to PLAY will we allow our creative side to take risks and create something that is better and more pleasing than if we restrict ourselves to socially acceptable "business" behavior.
think about how happy children are to run through a room with a plastic airplane imagining all the twists and turns and zooming over things and landing an performing maneuvers that a real plane is incapable of doing. In this state of PLAY anything is possible.
At some point though we (society) discourages PLAY and tries to beat it out of you...
"bobby STOP playing with your food...Bobby Stop playing with your shirt...Bobby Stop playing arround...Bobby you will need to learn to sit still if you ever want to get a job.Etc. Etc. We all smile in total amazement when a 2 year old is playing but by the time they are teenager we discourag play and want them to become worker drones.
GET SERIOUS...This is Serious ...yadda yadda yadda
I wish as a society we could hold on to the importance and wonderful new ideas that can come from playing arround.
OK Now I better get serious and get back to work...hehe.
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Hi Susan,
Have a look at this link, http://www.thecadacademy.com/arch_solutions.asp I think it covers the information you are after.
Mike
PS: Thanks for the Card
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