Building the 1:20 scale model

Building the 1:100 scale model with SITE

Building the 1:100 scale model

Sketches for final drawing organisation

Window Contemplation

I am considering which window designs I am going to use for the woman's private space. As the first space will be extremely light and open, the second will have only one or two small, refined windows. I thought it might be interesting to have the windows in this miniature space to only be at the womans 'sitting' eyeline,so that she can only see out into the beautiful exterior world when she is sitting down on the one oversized chair.



I am leaning toward the 2 sketches on the last line of drawings beginning from the left. I think these windows are small, but tall enough for the woman to be able to gaze out of them when sitting down and will cast beautiful shadows with the different number of timber panels within them.

Initial Sketches

I have decided on this general plan for the woman's shelter in order to most interestingly represent her personal narrative. I am going to exaggerate the initial entry space to represent the way the woman is always needed and in the families 'eye', however when she sneaks away through a small doorway (need to crawl through), she escapes into her own private and divine contemplation space. This space is miniature, with only 2 extremely refined windows, casting beautiful shadows for the woman to site near and observe and reflect on.

Initial Research

I have researched a little into ways in which windows can control the entry of light into spaces, as well as a possible 'site' in which I will place the woman's shelter.

Spatial Narrative

A shelter for a woman in need of intimate contemplation and privacy due to constantly being in demand by her family, subjects and lovers, achieved by escaping into various novels...

This womanly figure values her private sensibility as well as the surrounding subtle beauty. Her enclosed room is encased with deep shadows, glowing windows and a small man intruding upon her privacy, highlighting her need for personal contemplation. An open book lies beside her, revealing her refined and learned nature, whilst it is placed beside her due to the disturbance of her privacy. Initially a darkened room would initiate responses of strength and power; however, the subtly painted light makes the room glow with a delicacy reflective of the woman herself.

Room and Narrative Project - Painting Choice

I chose to base my project around the 17th Century painting by Nicolas Maes called "The Virtuous Woman"

The following words are what I believe most effectively reflect the emotive and phenomenal qualities of the painting.

Privacy
Contemplation
Refined
Divine

Shadow
Radiate
Enclosure
Rich Darkness

The following research outlines the meaning and narrative of the painting.

“Developed a forceful style in which colours emerge out of a haze of rich darkness and light glows upon fabrics and objects. Composition is especially interesting in Maes' works from this period, for it is arranged to make the most of the effects of chiaroscuro lighting. One of his works, in fact, was one of the earliest to represent light coming from an inner room to illuminate a foreground subject. His themes were typically domestic household incidents, moments of rest from chores, or studies of older people”

http://www.dropbears.com/a/art/biography/Nicolaes_Maes.html

“In his early years he concentrated on genre pictures, rather sentimental in approach, but distinguished by deep glowing colours he had learnt from his master. Old women sleeping, praying, or reading the Bible were subjects he particularly favoured” http://www.essentialvermeer.com/dutch-painters/masters/maesbase.html
By the 1650s he had developed a reputation for painting the intimate life of women and children; his finest pictures capture aspects of Rembrandt's tenderness and intimacy"

“use the compartmentalizing of the interior space to represent the division of functions which existed in Dutch homes of that date. Part of the appeal of Maes' work lies in the combination of humour and dignity which which he treats his subjects and in the relation of complicity that he establishes between the figures and the spectator through gestures such as a gaze or a raised finger indicating silence, devices borrowed from the theater. However, what makes Maes a key figure in the history of interior painting is his manner of representing space, which would influence both Vermeer and De Hooch. In Maes' work, the figures are subordinated to the space, which becomes the main vehicle for the story that is narrated”

Alejandro Vergara, Vermeer and the Dutch Interior, Madrid, 2003, p. 210. http://www.essentialvermeer.com/dutch-painters/masters/maesbase.html

Final Poche Drawings

These poche drawings were designed to powerfully exaggerate the interior light scheme of the house, predominantly based on the entry of sunshine. I highly exaggerated the darkness of corners and other areas so as to make the disipation of light obvious, also to create an atmospheric drawing of the house. Further, the fact that the house is designed by Loos in a very sculptural and cubic way, I thought that the strong pencil work would most effectively reflect this.
In the section poche, I also included some simple furniture and artwork that exists within the actual building so as to highlight the focus of the design, which is the living room on the second level.

Final Parti Drawings: STRUCTURE

In order to show the structure of the building, I used very thick and bold lines where there are retaining walls and interior posts.

Final Parti Drawings: GEOMETRY

The geometry of the Villa Muller is based around 2 main squares, with smaller squares and rectangles divided within this, which Loos designed the room planning around.

Final Parti Drawings: CIRCULATION

I decided to highlight the vertical walls of the various hallways within the plans so as to reveal the circulation throughout the building. Further, I doubled the lines where the entry to the building is on level 1 as well as thickening and darkening the lines around the central stairwell on level 2 due to this being key to the buildings circulation.

Final Parti Drawings: PROGRAM

For the parti "Program" drawings, I utilised a dynamic texture which varies in density depending on the function and importance of the rooms in the villa. Therefore, the texture is much more open on the first floor due to being mainly service rooms, whereas the living room is extremely dense and dynamic due to being central to the program of the house. In relation to this, I also draw a simplified section of the house so as to accentuate the prominence of the central stairwell to the houses program, as well as the placement of the centralised living room to the design.

Final Parti Drawings: ENCLOSURE

To most effectively portray the Villa Mullers "Enclosure", I employed a simple lined texture so as to accentuate the enclosure of rooms on the 3 main levels of the house and more clearly show the way the hallways move throughout often very enclosed plans. Further, I made the exterior wall of the building extremely bold and dark so as to reflect Adolf Loos' desire for the separation of 'public' and 'private' within his houses. So, this dark wall highlights the separation between public life and the owners of the houses private life.
Also, I drew the lined texture more dynamically for the living room on level 2 due to this being the most central and important room of the house.