5 movie trailers

Day After Tomorrow
Depicts a massive and devastating environmental event that would precipitate a similar scenario to the abandonment of buildings for a long period of time.

I Am Legend
Last man on earth after strange plague survives in decaying urban landscape which is dramatically portrayed visually.

The Day After
A film about the extreme effects of nuclear devastation in which buildings are completely destroyed in contrast to the slow decay of abandonment.

Life After People
TV series which directly addresses the subject of abandonment with historical example and computer aided imagery.

Book Of Eli
Another post nuclear scenario, with stark cinematography that depicts buildings and structures in states of decay and abandonment.

3 images of blend layer technique

Reflection on week 10 lecture

The lecture was on ''abandonment'', in other words, buildings whose occupants no longer maintain and use the building. We were introduced to a plug-in for 3ds Max called "rayfire" which can assist in breaking up an object in various ways. We were also shown slides of the Hurricane Katrina's devastation and the way it left buildings in New Orleans. One particular slide which intrigued me was of a house which had a clear flood level line showing just how far underwater it had been.

Images of progress

Statement of direction
Overall, I'm trying to simulate the general structural failings of the building over a long period of non-human habitation (100 years). Cracks will appear in the concrete and stone through the upward pressures of plants and trees, earth movement and water inundation. Steel columns supporting the roof warp under pressure and glass may crack or break into pieces through these same pressures and long term weathering.

3 sketches of failing structural systems and reference images

Vegetation overtaking built environment.

 Vegetation and structural decay on brick and concrete structure.

 Street in Pompei after almost 2000 years.

 Sketch of roof and how it might crack with supporting steel columns warping.

 Vegetation and falling trees attacking structure.

Concrete and glass cracking.

Reflection on week 9 lecture

This weeks lecture was titled "forensic architecture" and looked into the uses of different materials and construction systems and how they might fail over time. The lecture included some short videos showing the step by step process of a building being made using pre-cast panels and steel frames stacked on top of each other (Hemeroscopium house). Another one was a time lapse video of the new world trade centre being built. Slides of the devastation caused by the Christchurch earthquake were shown.

Image of progress