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Shotton, Elizabeth
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Shotton, Elizabeth
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Shotton, Elizabeth
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Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
- PublicationInternal Consistencies: Regarding Weights and MeasuresRather than seeing a distinction between theoretical discourse and the science of building Vitruvius, a Roman architect and engineer active in the 1st century BC, argued convincingly for the breadth of knowledge necessary to practice architecture with authority, that 'knowledge is the child of practice and theory'. The crux of his argument is that a sufficient breadth of training is necessary to appreciate both the theoretical and practical sciences, to lend authority to creative vision and enable discourse 'for it is by [t]his judgement that all work done by the other arts is put to test'. In like spirit, a series of workshops in Architecture at UCD has sought to challenge the contemporary lack of sympathy between theoretical discourse and the science of building. Embedded within each workshop are variations regarding intent, from the social/political discourse of the North Atlantic Rim project, to the theoretical concerns of the Ateliers Series or the environmental bias of the Irish Timber course, each drawing upon discourses external to architecture and measuring them against the weight of material and its inherent logic. The resulting evolution in attitudes regarding design process, linking both technological imperatives and conceptual intentions to the creative act, shatters the prevailing distinctions between theoretical concerns and technological explorations in the discipline of architecture.
230 - PublicationTechnical Intuition: The Role Of Reason And Intuition In The Design ProcessThere was some discussion, formal and otherwise, at the recent EAAE conference regarding the relationship between the teaching of technology and the traditional design studio. Some very positive experiences were related but there was some hesitation voiced regarding the influence and role of design studios in developing a student’s attitude toward technology as well. Now it is an interesting thing to hear this hesitation voiced from the other side as it were. Speaking from the vantage point of the design studio, there is often a similar hesitation on the part of design instructors as to the role that technology should or does play within the territory of design. Yet design instructors are not opposed to material and technological sophistication being exhibited in their students work. Quite the contrary. Despite the reputation we may have among technology staff the vast majority of us desire the fullest realization of a design project possible.
150 - PublicationPort Oriel: God's Own Dock or Abomination? The Shifting Value Systems of Civil Engineers(2017-04-09)The history of maritime engineering typically concentrates on the development of significant ports, the evolution of technological advances, or the contribution of a singular individual. Rarely are small harbours, so prevalent on Irish and British coasts, studied seriously beyond the work of local historians, whose focus resides on the communities of these harbours.
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