REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

EASTERN VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

TACLOBAN CITY

DES 112 MIDTERM REQUIREMENT

Submitted by:

Gil aaron B. Pabilona

Bsar 1-c

Submitted to:

Ar. Edison T. Longcop, uap, nampap, piep

Instructor – 1
Visual Thinking and Graphic Ideas

What is Visual Thinking? Architects are uniquely trained to turn conceptual ideas into concrete built
spaces. Visual thinking is an immensely powerful skill that can be used to transform not only
buildings, but business and life. With half of the human brain devoted directly or indirectly to vision,
tapping into visual thinking can unleash unused potential.

What is Graphic Ideas in Architecture? Graphic design is a communication tool that is crucial in
architectural design. Graphic design, at its most basic, visually communicates information through
typography, color, and form. It also influences our interaction with, and the identity of, place and
space, which is perhaps more important. Learning in practicing your Visual Thinking Skills:

Some people have innate skills and sketching isn’t too hard to start. But many don’t have those skills
and feel like they can’t do it. But they can. A key point is to feel comfortable sketching. Remember,
this isn’t about becoming a graphics design professional. You want to get a feel for the flow of drawing
with your pen, then develop some fluency and clarity.

 Learn to capture concepts using Roam’s visual grammar or Gray’s approach to visualizing
ideas.
 Become fluent with your visual alphabet and the basic shapes used as building blocks. This
helps you see the basic shapes in the objects you want to create.
 Practice using the basic shapes to create specific objects. The more you practice the better
you’ll become at seeing the shapes and sketching something that looks like what it’s
supposed to be.

Other Activities to try in improving your Visual Thinking Skills

Activity 1: Create basic shapes over and over again.

Work on getting lines straight and completing the desired shape in less strokes. Can you create
the shape in one movement and still have it look like it’s supposed to? The goal is to get
straighter lines at a faster speed. A circle should like a circle and not a blob.

Activity 2: Creating common objects.

Identify 10 random objects. Break them down by the basic shapes and then create them a few
times. Another thing is to recognize what makes the shape unique and identifiable. For example,
an elephant stands out because of the trunk and large ears. By focusing on the essential shapes
you can convey the idea of an elephant without having to create the entire thing.

Activity 3: Convey concepts with your objects.

Start to practice sketching whole ideas and watch videos to improve your sketching.

Activity 4: Improve your penmanship.

it is still a necessary part of the job, and I have been unsatisfied with my architectural lettering on my
designs since I started. Bad handwriting tends to make any design look amateur. All handwriting
should match the quality of the design.

Graphic Ideas in Architecture

The truth is that Architecture is a complex combination of design, functionality, aesthetics, macro and
microclimate, geometry, services, civil acumen, etc. Once the Artist, in this context, the Architect
thinks of a design, in accordance with the client’s requirements, a long journey begins for the said
design, which first gets drafted onto paper and then constructed on-site.

Architecture and Graphic Design together have a far more literal presence and effect upon our
everyday lives than probably most people are aware of. Like the written word, they provoke and
communicate information that challenges a response and reaction. Different forms and functions will
inevitably create various reactions from the user, observer or passersby.

Design Metamorphosis, Similes and Analogies

Design Metamorphosis uses architecture to convey a message by structural elements. It is

characterized by combining ideas and concepts from outside the architecture field to expand the
architectural discipline.

Metamorphosis in Design: The Elephant and The Excavator

You can see similarity in the forms of an elephant and an excavator. Both had bulky, heavy bodies
and assisted in manual labor. Through the course of this exercise, form sensitivity was heightened
and every detail had to be clear and controlled.

Metamorphosis continually adapts and changes, like life itself. Different choices are given to the user;
ranging from the door and panel design to the shape and organization of the partitions. It allows an
artist to transform a shape representing one item into a similar shape representing something else.
Metaphor and Simile while both similes and metaphors are used to make comparisons, the
difference between similes and metaphors comes down to a word. The only distinction between
analogies and metaphors is that analogies can determine literal relationships, whereas
metaphors/similes may recognize parallel or abstract relations.

Five Similes:

1. Architectural ideas: concepts that have been reduced to a formal architectonic concern like
daylight, space, sequences of spaces, integration of structure and form, and sitting in the landscape.

2. Theme: specific pattern or idea that recurs throughout the design of a project.

3. Super organizing ideas: refer to the general geometric configurations or hierarchies that the parts
of a project should respect.

4. Parti and esquisse: parti (scheme) and esquisse (sketch) are the conceptual and graphic products
of a particular method of instruction

5. Literal translation: is a phrase used by Edward Larrabee Barnes to describe the goal of
developing a concept and diagram that can become the simplified plan for the project.

The "Metaphoric Process" refers to the process of transforming intangible or abstract characteristics
into physical or visual images. The most effective metaphoric approach is undoubtedly Le Corbusier's
Notre Dame du Haute - Ron con Chapel in France, which was completed in 1955. The chapel's
architectural design evokes the image of a ship, although viewers could see it as hands, a crab, a hat,
or a bird. Santiago Calatravas building looks like an eye.

Analogies the process of association of situations

from one domain (source) to another (target) made possible through the development of relations or
representations (Gentner, 1983).

A design is considered analogous if it shares at least one purpose or behavior with another design,
but it does not need to have the same structural characteristics (Qian & Gero, 1996; Visser, 1996)
An example of the use of visual analogy in design by Santiago Calatrava. Top: Alamillo Bridge;
Bottom: Milwaukee Art Museum. (Images from: Top left Blaser, 1989: 157; the rest Tzonis, 2004: 147,
294, 291)

Design Thinking Process is a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users,
challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and test.
Involving five phases—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test—it is most useful to tackle
problems that are ill-defined or unknown.

The Five Phases of Design Thinking Process:

1.Empathize - the proper way to answer and solve a problem is for you to have a deep grasp of
understanding with regards to the problem.

2.Define - Define or state what the problem is in order to come up with its solutions.

3.Ideate - Come up with ideas that can help you deal with the problem.
4.Prototype - An experimental process where design teams implement ideas into tangible forms from
paper or digital.

5.Test - Generating user feedback as related to the prototypes that have been developed.

For several centuries, architects have been trained to think and develop solutions using the design
process steps. Design thinking is a process for solving problems by prioritizing the consumer’s needs
above all else. It relies on observing, with empathy, how people interact with their environments and
employs an iterative, hands-on approach to creating innovative solutions.

The idea behind design thinking is to apply the problem-solving methods and techniques commonly
found in design to problems and questions outside of the regular design scope.

In Architecture, these three topics are essential when you’re still learning about broad branches of
architecture, these topics play roles in one’s architecture career. Visual Thinking an important
process on how an individual’s critical thinking allows information and ideas to be organized,
decisions to be made, situations to be improved and knowledge to be gained. When people use visual
thinking skills, it helps them learn about complex systems and help people problem-solve. When it
comes to Graphic Ideas It’s inclusion creates a strong sense of place, meets human needs, assists
users in finding their way, and communicates a building's narrative, fostering a strong conversation
between person and place as it visually communicates & reinforces the sense of identity for
architectural projects, including new design, renovation, & planning projects. Design
Metamorphosis, Similes and Analogies application makes us understand their relationships of
everything around us or how they help us see more designs in our everyday life. Like how a simple
lotus can be think of as a building design and that is is called “metaphor processing”. Design
Thinking Process has its foundation in the concept of analysis and synthesis. Analysis teaches a
thinker how to break down the big problem statement into smaller parts and problem statements.
Each elementary problem statement is then studied and attempted for solution. It aids in overcoming
creative challenges: Design Thinking allows you to examine problems from multiple perspectives. It
takes a lot of thinking to come up with the best ideas, which helps to broaden the learner's knowledge.