With my storycube, I wanted to examine proportion and repetition, often seen in subtle, mundane ways, and in turn exploring their connection to the UW campus. Medieval cathedrals were built by architects whose designs conformed to the proportional system of musical harmony, “There must be no decorations, only proportion”.

And although there are no choirs performed at most buildings located on the main campus, that idea of proportion, minus the musical harmony, is still evident throughout modern architecture. To make it simple with the breakdown of my pictures, I used the Arts Lecture Hall, Biology 1, Davis Center, Physics, and 2 from Math and Computers. Each one looks at repetition, proportion, and symmetry in those building while also lacking the essential human element.

The assignment offers several tempting directions. The physicality of the paper cube itself establishes a resonance with the physicality of the geometrically squared room within which the cube assignment was given. In winter, in Canada, the physicality of space is an interior one. Taking pictures selectively of the room’s interior discovers a variety of flat surfaces which suggest the creation a cube which mirrors the surfaces of the room; turning into external faces the textures that internally line the cubic space of the physical room. Yet leaving that space, its immediate hallways draw the viewer outward into infinitely receding cubic forms. Placed onto the surfaces of a story cube, those receding geometries of the halls would violate the planar sanctity of the paper surface, drawing upon it depths into the flat surfaces that purport to describe our spatial reality.

While photographing the campus, I found the architecture to be very static, repetitive and dismissal. This caused me to reflect on the social atmosphere I felt that I had experienced, over my years at UW. Although the university is intended to be a place of growth, innovation and inspiration, it has actually felt almost like an obstacle that was to be overcome. The university as a campus, is very segregated and unified, however it does so in an almost monotonous way. The campus seems void of organic, inspirational elements and there appears to be no planned flow to the constantly expanding layout of the campus.
After experiencing the space of the campus, I was inspired to create two story cubes, one that functioned simply as a narrative of the patterns and repetitive elements on campus. The other was more reflective of my own reaction to the social atmosphere within the university as a whole. I use the outer surfaces of the cube to depict the university itself, as an enclosure, by using photographs of the actual walls I found on the campus. These walls also carry on the idea of repetitive patterns on the campus. The top of the cube instructs the viewer to open the cube. Inside the cube is filled with words and phrases, expressing my reaction to the confining feeling created within the university.
My cube is intended to lead the viewer in experience the confining feeling that is a common student experience on the UW campus.

by Jillian Louise Scout

My story cube demonstrates one of the various paths that i take when i am walking to or from my classes.  It is a series of pictures of the buildings that i see on the way home from Tuesday and Thursday morning class.  Each picture also demonstrates the different options for paths there are to take  to and from the school.  Moving the cube around you can make a combination of different paths that you could take while you are on campus.  Some of the combinations of paths being longer and other being much shorter.  This story cube is a small demonstration that you could take a different path to school each day seeing a different sequence of buildings depending on what path you choose to take.

This cube contains spaces which in my opinion have been underutilized, neglected or simply abused by insensitive use of materials (asphalt in particular). To me the campus is in many ways a city or at least functions like a city. Production, reproduction, proximity, form of government, capitalization, and place are all fundamental properties of a city and too of the university – most of which seem to be adequate. UW produces the great minds of the future as it were. Each year a new and sometimes larger influx of students maintain a sense of reproduction. The campus is in close proximity to the major metropolis of the area, Toronto, and is conveniently located within the Canadian Technology Triangle. The entire university system is governed by a strong and intellectual governing body. Investment is carefully determined about how the built environment is constructed and distributed upon the finite area of campus. Finally we have place, the one property of the University of Waterloo which is revealing a certain lack of interest or perhaps a struggle. I intend to investigate UW as a ‘place’ and how this place is affecting us today. With this we may be able to previsualize how the planning of campus could be directed to better affect us tomorrow.

CubeOriginally uploaded by waiming1My impression towards the university environment, architecture, and open spaces is uninspiring and fragmented, as shown in the patchwork execution of the photos on the Cube. Given the haphazard layout of different functionalist buildings and public spaces, the built environment on campus is in lack of a sense of unity, nor is it intended to create spaces to foster spontaneous interactions among its users (students, faculty and staff). This results in a lifeless environment that jeopardizes student’s campus life and even their inspirations. Nevertheless, there are a few places that are frequented by its users but lack the quality for them to further congregate. As such, my cube evolves around the idea of the potential that these spaces, if redesigned, could be enjoyed by all of its users.# 1 – The parking lots between the ECH and DC serves as an ideal site for a new mixed-use building that offers purposeful visits to the now segregated East Campus.#2 – Currently used as a shortcut for commuting purposes, a landscaped courtyard/garden could be built in the lawn surrounded by DC, Biology and MC Building.#3 – The public realm in the Dana Porter Library and the building group in its vicinity is harmed by its under-utilized open area outside its main entrance, which could be transformed into a gathering space.#4 – The courtyard outside Modern Languages, with its high pedestrian traffic, could be further expanded to create spill-over onto the ES building and Arts Lecture Hall.#5 – The school could take advantage of the picturesque view of the Laurel Lake by introducing some sorts of architectonic structures such as a pavilion along the bank in West campus.#6 – The claustrophobic MC corridor could be decorated with murals to improve the building orientation to its usersWai Ming LO (Cris)

cube 1

Originally uploaded by secondk28

My cube is focusing on student’s reaction and characteristic. Instead of the buildings, streets, or lights, I see people stress out for studying and having coffee. My cube explores the evidence of stresses and worries from the students on campus. On the other side of my cube explores the rules or the tool that student should follow and use on campus.We can think that rules are limitation for student, but on the other hand, the Microsoft windows is a helpful tool to support students.

Story Cube

Originally uploaded by andrewguaglio

My story cube focuses on the variety of weathering processes that affect the buildings on campus. Each side depicts the results of a different type of weathering on the materials that make up the buildings and walkways. Some examples include the chemical weathering of concrete due the leaching of oxidized metal, the shattering of paving stones due to frost action, and the cracking of concrete due to thermal contraction. In highlighting the results of these natural processes, I hope to counter the notion that the campus is a sterile, artificial environment from which nature has been evicted.