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During the Fall Semester 2019, I took a course called Basic Design. Which is mandatory for my major. This class is supposed to teach students to understand the relation of shapes, the importance of negative space but it separated this philosophy from buildings. I was taught that my designs would be sculptures, NOT a structure. So needless to say it was confusing, In fact I still don't completely understand what my professor wanted. Regardless I tried.
My first task was to make an Asymmetrical and Symmetrical Design, I had to include a lot shapes overlapping each other till i get some sort of design. This exercise was supposed to prep my class for the absurdity of this course but it didn't.
Then for my second assignment i had to make a cube with missing sections, that should portray negative space. During the process of designing this, my professor repeatedly said to make purposeful changes. Although this advice didn't really apply for the assignment but it did for my future projects.
For my Final assignment, I had to design an Museum with a Radial Circulation. I remember thinking "Finally, a building". But to my excitement, my professor wanted us to think the opposite of that. My professor wanted an open concept, therefore no walls. ONLY elements. To be honest, i still don't know what exactly was the criteria was. I started using different square elements, then i would make them into irregular triangles. I would randomly put them together till i found a structure that i liked. From this assignment, i learnt how to use spatial and volumetric hierarchy, to influence circulation.
As i reflect on my work from this class, i realise how many decisions i made randomly because i had no idea how to start. Unlike my other projects, i have no improvements for this. This class was unusual and very frustrating at times. I never knew when i was at the right track or how to execute my thoughts and I think i would design the same thing now as then.