Author: vanamu

Phase 2 – 15 Marks in total (10- Presentation, 5 – Review)

In addition to the course booklet, this year, I have added a few more rules, here they go.

1. Develop a critique using your personal lens, well informed of other critiques about the project you have selected.
2. It is highly recommended that you find several books / critiques on your project. Online sources are shallow. Written critique is enriching. Name your sources on the last slide.
3. Develop a pdf that will contain 20 slides, 20 seconds each. The pdf itself will mainly be images / info graphics with little / no text.
4. You have to present in English.
5. You cannot read from the screen.. so you will / can hand handheld notes for each slide, study cards are highly recommended.
6. 5 days prior to the actual presentation, you will review your critique / take on the project with a one on one meeting with your instructor. (5 marks)
7. Set a personal time – about 20 minutes to discuss with your instructor, at a mutually agreed time – Whatsapp 442 461 9551
8. Please post your presentations here in this folder

Rem Koolhaas – Dutch House

• Mention deconstruvist movement and research it.
• Very well presented, of lenses slected.
• Go deeper in the theories of Rem
• Use bibliography from the Library / books

Paul Rudolph – Yale school of Art

• Very good presentation, well researched concepts of Rudolph
• Add bibliography
• Use references and state his themes clearly
• is there a master and slave relationship?

Toyo Ito – Tama Art museum

• Look at Kochuu the movie for getting Ito`s Concepts
• There is no grid, forced asymetry
• Engawa – from Japanese architecture- Is that concept here?
• What other traditional Japanese architecture principles are used here? where does he diverge?
• What is the poetry of light here?

Tatiana Bilbao – Funeraria Tangassi

• Look at similarity with Brion tomb
• Regionalizing this idea of a tomb
• Whats the significance of a pink gemstone?

Primary research

Based on our primary research, we have established our research interests and primary questions. We shall develop groups based on our common interests. (Maximum size 3)

Our main objective as groups is to develop a well directed, focused research paper.*  We have the following meetings with the families at Santiago mexquititlán.

*if a research paper is not feasible due to time / data constraints, a detailed blog citing aim, methodology, evidences, graphic information and directions of research shall be accepted.

Our Schedule

1. 3rd March, 2018: First meeting with families
2. 9th March 2018: Deadline for draft submission of written abstract and methodology.
3. 10th March, 2018: Optional voluntary second visit with families, carrying out methodologies
4. 12th March, 2018: Compilation of data, class discussion and critique. 
5. 17th March, 2018: Optional voluntary site visit to gather further information / Validate research.  
6. 19th March, 2018: First draft of paper, online submission
7. 26th March, 2018: Final paper submission, class discussion on third part of program. 

Here are the rules.

1. You shall start using the document, sign in and strictly work on the space allotted to your group. Do not worry about formatting as multiple editors will be working at the same time. The moderator (varun) will intervene if a clash exists.
2. You should cite any secondary research material: research papers, conferences, articles, music, documents, movies, books, magazines, stories, historic documents.. etc. 
3. You are not to edit others words (all edits are saved in google docs). However you can comment or suggest edits.
4. You are to read/ browse the research material of each of your colleagues and to comment on each.

Reading

You are strongly advised to read through research methods on anthropology, before making your second visit.

Bernard, H. Russell. Research methods in anthropology: qualitative and quantitative approaches. Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.

https://books.google.com.mx/books?id=LvF-afWmvlkC&lpg=PR3&pg=PR5#v=onepage&q&f=false

Your grading breakup

Grading – 50% of the terms grade is dependent on the results of this objective.

1. 10% on commentaries on written work of your colleagues.
2. 10% on written abstract and methodology.
3. 10% on the compilation of data.
4. 20% Final paper

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jFdA2-0GmBfb-zfqsXmyRD554m_DGZRVO9EWnzRzfgU/edit?usp=sharing

Gathering research perspectives

Based on the secondary research, you will with your group prepare to have the first contact with the families in Santiago Mezquititlan.

Introduction:

Last year, we were working with a family: Araceli and her father Don Jose. They are both still learning the traditional methods of agriculture. They are both open to sharing their know-how and their experience. Based on our personal experience in Santiago we believe that it its their family that most holds a grip on indigenous thought and traditional processes.  However we understand that the source of all knowledge in the family lies with Araceli´s Mom. She is quite reserved, and talks sparingly. Our main mission would be to gain the humble confidence of this family to share their experiences.

Then we shall move on to have lunch with Doña Vicky and her family. They too store maize and have their own Milpa. Vicky is rather modern in her thought process, but her mother is quite traditional.

This is our one chance to get to know our community in study.

Our preparation

We shall on the first site visit, focus on anthropological research: listening, observing, documenting. While we already have our groups, our research questions and our methodologies in mind. We shall not impose the methodology on them on the first visit. This visit is a chance to tune our understanding, refine our questions and rethink our methodologies.

We shall be documenting all our research, as a continuous document . Images shall be uploaded on this folder. You shall upload your written experience and images by 9:00 am on 6th March 2018.

Schedule

9:45: Briefing and Meeting at Hotel Escuela, Amealco: with Eugenio

10:00: Driving to Santiago Mezquititlan

10:30: Arrival at Home of Don Jose

2:00: Lunch with Doña Viky

3:00: Visit to home of Doña Vickys moms house.

4:00: Departure from Santiago Mezquititlan

Rules

1. Introduce yourself, your motive with love.
2. Be humble, as much as possible.
3. Do not have a preconceived notion of anything.
4. Do not take anything for granted.
5. Keep a notebook and a pen handy all the time.
6. Bring cameras: Take photos, with permission.

Secondary research methods (Deadlines: 19th Feb, 26th Feb,  28th Feb)

Here we shall explore a collaborative research method towards our first objective.

You are to work individually, depending on your specific interests in our main objective. 

Here are the rules.

1. You shall start using the document, sign in and strictly work on the space allotted to you. Do not worry about formatting as multiple editors will be working at the same time. The moderator (varun) will intervene if a clash exists.
2. You are allowed to use and cite any secondary research material: research papers, conferences, articles, music, documents, movies, books, magazines, stories, historic documents.. etc. 
3. You are not to edit others words (all edits are saved in google docs). However you can comment or suggest edits.
4. You are to read/ browse the research material of each of your colleagues and to comment on each.

Your grading breakup

Grading – 25% of the terms grade is dependent on the results of this objective.

1. 10% on the appropriateness of the citations and your own comments.
2. 10% on the commentaries on material cited by others.
3. 5% on the quality of the research questions asked individually

We shall use this document for collaborative research

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mvoK1DCK8wA7wC2_d_5XDz7WRivvnBxL_KTJ-FMK558/edit?usp=sharing

Introduction

Santiago Mezquititlan, Amealco, is a small town of 6 barrios where the circle of life seems intact in certain pockets.

The objective of this semester will be in the direction of

“Traditional methods  of food storage, Amealco, Queretaro”

The Phases of this Semester

Part 1: Secondary Research (week 3-4)

Part 2: Primary Research (week 5-9)

Part 3: Design and Implementation of leanings (week 10-12)

The Outcomes of this semester

Outcome 1: A document based on seconday research (25% of the grade)

Outcome 2: A research Paper based on primary research (50% of the grade)

Outcome 3: Design and implementation of a construction and the collaborative documentation of it (25% of the grade)

Guidance:

1. Work individually for objective 1. You are to keep research directions based on your interest and experience. Keep it realistic yet sufficiently ambitious. A research is never an end, there is always a continuity. Raise questions, answer a question and leave further questions unanswered.
2. You are to approach your research subjects, for outcome 2, with humiliy and considerable amount of sensitivity. The connection as ethnographers we have with this indigenous community is extremely valuable. All actions will be thoughful and shall not jeopardize the human connection.
3. You are to approach outcome 3 with sufficient passion and time, you will have to self organize to participate actively in the construction process.

Primary contacts

Your primary contact of Santiago mezquititlan, shall be through previous work use them to gain access to the community.

It is highly recommended that you participate in the workshops and tours they organize to understand the previous expereince with the community. https://www.facebook.com/ExperienciaLabor/

https://www.experiencialabor.org/

Wishing you a very successful learning experience with love,

Varun Thautam

+52 442 461 9551

varun.thautam@gmail.com

www.varunthautam.com

Image; Varun thautam, http://www.varunthautam.com/index.php/2017/03/25/houses-of-the-indegenous-people-san-miguel-tlaxcaltepec-amealco/

The main design philosophy can be summarized with the following points

1. Use of local materials, techniques, resources and local skills.
2. Integrating your building with the land, site and surroundings.
3. Thinking about building processes as a cycle and not a straight line.
4. Design considering the fact that everything is connected to everything else.

Presentations

1. Presentation on the above design principles – Varun Thautam
2. Images of current research on Bovedas – Varun Thautam
3. Projects and works – Varun Thautam

Readings suggested

1. Ianto Evans – Natural building Chapter 1

Location: Livelihood College, Adawal

Hot to get there: Take a train to Raipur and then a bus/ taxi to Adawal

Date: 5th to 9th January 2018

Content: Vaults and Domes, Natural plasters

We shall be building a brick dome with mud mortar, on a 3m x 3m room in 2 days. The vault will be built on 4 corner squinches.

• Design and detailing of vaults and domes
• Mud and lime based traditional mortars
• Construction of a dome without guides or tools
• Finishing a dome
• Traditional lime based waterproofing of a dome

Lets work with local artisans and masons to exchange valuable skills of natural building. Local brickmakers and the PWD department comes together to organize this exciting workshop!

Only pay for your food and stay. Open to all, even children above age 14 can participate!

Contact:

Ritesh Agarwal, IAS

0778 222 2428

Email: zp-bastar.cg@gov.in