Today after work I am going with my friend (co worker, neighbor, former classmate, SOON TO BE DAD) Troy to check out the thesis presentation gallery at our school. Those kids are GRADUATING tomorrow. You know what that means? I graduated a year ago. Where did that year go, I ask? Anyways, here is another view of what I spent that year working on. The thesis (Living Systems; Complex Natural Systems as a Model for Architectural and Social Development) was all about systems and holism, the interdependency of the planet and all that. It was a study in using the principles that govern complex natural systems of nature* as a guiding model for architecture, by applying the principles to both architectural systems and the social living systems that the built environment supports. Mostly it was a great reason to make a lot of diagrams. (Okay, I also think it is a highly important pursuit.) More here, here, and here.

Hey look. There are some fine quotes in this presentation, in case you are interested:

"Not everything which can be counted counts, but there are many things that cannot be counted, which count." Frank Egler

"The great conceit of the industrial world is the belief that we are exempt from the laws that govern the rest of creation." David Orr

"The traditional Indian stood in the center of a circle and brought everything together in that circle. Today we stand at the end of a line and work our way along that line, discarding or avoiding everything on either side of us." Vine Deloria

I had been kind of dreading the year long project that was research as much as design, but when it came down to it, I loved the research. (and the diagrams.)

*nestedness, networks, feedback, emergence, mutualism, diversity, you know. Complexity and all that.

{my thesis, the second one down from Mr. Harper}

I nearly forgot what I was doing last year over Thanksgiving.

I spent the entire holiday weekend holed up in my Mother in law's bedroom. Writing. Writing. Writing. Thanksgiving day even, I was careful not to drink too much, so that I could spend the evening writing.

Here are some peeks of my finished thesis book.

Thank god that's done.

In the continuation of cleaning out the "guest" room, no it's still not done, I have had to make some hard decisions about tossing some of my school projects. Only a few things made the keep cut. This is one of my favorite things I made in school. It's kind of a conceptual, almost 3d diagram attempting to communicate the function of the thesis project I designed. [That would be the uh, integrated holistic nature of social, architectural, and natural systems...]

The background grid is the site of the project [rotated to be axonometric], under a very thick layer of acrylic. Like, 1/2 an inch. Sucker is heavy. The top is various layers cut into museum board. [Medium of my choice.] The detail on the right is one of my favorites, showing the importance of a community space. See the heart? That is for community.

Part of the requirements for the school I graduated from is that in our 5th year [yeah, a bachelor of architecture is a 5 year degree] we conduct a design project over the entire year, while concurrently writing a supporting thesis. Twice the fun, right?. I remember in earlier years wishing I could have just done a project, no thesis, but in the end I loved conducting research and translating it into meaning for architecture. I could have done nothing but that all year and been totally happy.

The top left is where I left off with my thesis books, I printed them all myself, some 16 hours of printing. That was the week before graduation. On the right is where they were when I visited them last week at the binder. Almost done! Can't wait to see the finished product.

The cover stamp. Not the title. I'm wacky like that.

Did I say something about a party? Turns out, it's hard to find documentation of a good party.

Oh well. There were moscow mules, champagne, peonies, friends, family, kiddies. At the end of the night there was a sister asleep in the guest bed, a mom asleep in the main bed, a husband [sitting up] asleep on the couch, and five best friends of one girl from different states, different eras of a life, all together. Giving um, drunk piggy back rides in the yard.

Scott Caligure

So, better late than never? Gradation was, of course, a whirlwind.  I should have known.   The friday before was a gallery exhibit of our thesis work. Afterward we went out for a late dinner. Then we all woke early and trekked to the Salk. Because of things beyond our control, neither my mom or my dad were able to come to the gradation.  Pretty crazy, but I was surrounded by many well loved non parental friends and family type.

 

me or ben?

bff's

This girl on the left? I have known her longest of all.  She was planning on coming down from Portland for the graduation weekend, but waited too long, and plane tickets got too expensive. 

Imagine my surprise when I am standing outside the packed gallery at my school, talking to the door guy [student volunteer] when I see her shining face hanging out of a beat up old volvo wagon not ten feet from me.  I looked and though, "oh, there's scarlett" then "no, scarlett is in portland" and so on and so forth until I thought, during the subsequent squealing and shreiking coming from both sides "what?!? did she hitchhike a ride down with some crazy hippie?" [she didn't...] turns out after our last phone convo she was especially bummed not to make it down.  we were both going so some pretty hard stuff, and she figured we needed this especially for it, so she surprised me! It was just too much.  [The one on the right, she is the equally devoted local bff]

Scott Caligure

My [partial] entourage.

Scott Caligure

Don't worry. Parents were represented. Ben Left's mom & my dad's girl.  [Think they planned their matching colors?]

Scott Caligure

Me & my sweetie.  [ps bangs+grad cap+ humidity=bad news]

Scott Caligure

headband in action.

Scott Caligure

sweetie snapping pics.

Me

the second friend who came all the way from Portland!

Ben Left

Sister, bored as per usual.  [really, can't blame her]

Scott Caligure

Scott Caligure

And of course, the architecture.  

Next, the party.

Photo by Scott Caligure

Well. I did it. It's done. I did a whole bunch of other things, too. And now am looking forward to a summer full of even fun-er things, and some projects up my sleeve that I have been scheming about and I look forward to sharing when the time is right.

For now though, Ben Left and I are checking out for a week. 4 nights camping near Yosemite, 2 nights in the bay area to visit our new baby niece. Er, we might also be seeing Wilco while we are there. Oops.

See you very soon!

Well it is officially official. Second week into the quarter and I am getting my ass kicked. Expect this blog to be silent till summer. Sad, I know. I even had a few new readers who I am sure to lose. Hi there! Bye!

I leave you with this diagram I made yesterday to communicate the network of goals & objectives for my thesis. Yep, told you I was a dork.

I guess I could just post my school work. A few of you might appreciate it, but I would be sure to lose any lingering brides out there.

So, for now.

XO

My friends, everything [and by everything I pretty much only mean school] is fighting me every step of the way. This does not leave time for things like blogging. Must go and think about how to end this war.

Miss you dearly for now.

[images from serra at lacma here]

{the nose}

See this? This is the view that will be enjoyed when I graduate in June. That's right. No stuffy auditorium for us.  

My school is small enough and lucky enough to hold its graduation every year at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, part of UCSD.  It is San Diego's architectural treasure, designed by Louis Khan.  

Sigh.  

June.

stuff i do besides post to an ex-wedding blog

Kind of anti-climatic for a 100th post, huh? I will have to add a cute image to make it worth while. This is a solicitation. A classmate of mine is looking for people who grew up in a culture other than "American" or a country other than the United States. He needs people to fill out a survey for the research he is conducting for his undergraduate architecture thesis.

It is brief, about 5 questions. Relating to residential family life- and the use of spaces in the home, I think.

If you have a minute and fit the qualifications drop me a line at desertfete@gmail.com and I will email you the survey. Thanks!

And now for the cute image, manray & emmylou. he [the cat] is hopelessly in love with her. [the dog.] She tolerates him:

Lots of stuff about ecology, systems theory, Descartes.  This is why I love studying architecture. It can be about so much more than buildings.  Currently loving the Omnivore's Dilemma, Cradle to Cradle, and The Myth of Progress the most.

Also; need recommendations on places for awesome kids stuff.  I am going to be an aunt! [My brother in law who married us and his wife are expecting in March.] woop woop! I need modern, not too cute-sy, stylish clothes with which to shower my neice.... Without breaking the bank of course.  Suggestions? 

So far loving this bloomers/chemise set from here.

A little bit of silence around here.

School has me on the ropes in a big way.  My extra attention is focused on the election.  Ben Left's birthday is Wednesday.   I don't even know what I am getting him. Terrible wife!!!! [We already bought him a new westsuit for his real present, but when the present isn't a surprise I half to get a little something else...] Sigh.  I will be back in a few days. I hope.