Back to school kiddies!

Ah, summer went so fast. It was busy, and I'll get you up to speed quickly.

Moved back to my parents house (Grand Rapids, Mi), got married (best part of summer), went to Cozumel, Mexico, moved to Ann Arbor with my new wife (Kara Mia!), worked full time at bike shop, started school today. It was a great, busy summer. I'm not sure if I want it to end!

But either way, it's back to school! Design!

I've had one class so far, More w/ Less. It's a sustainable design course with Jan Hendrick, one of my profs from last semester. I'm quite excited about it.

My courses are

More w/ Less Jan Hendrick-Anderson

This course focuses on developing a sustainable material future; how material use and form are integral to designing objects, and how to design with a keen eye on resources, energy and environmental impact. The visual/physical form language of sustainability is an important component. The focus is hands-on with direct approaches to reducing the carbon footprint of objects by way of planning, fabricating, testing and evaluating functional prototypes. This practical approach is supported by readings and course literature, discussions and demonstrations.

Smart Surfaces (I am super excited / nervous about this course) John Marshall

Smartsurfaces offers a collaborative, project-based learning experience in which artists, designers, architects and engineers come together to build physical systems and structural surfaces that have the capability to adapt to information and environmental conditions. The course operates as a multidisciplinary, hands-on think-tank where participants pool their knowledge and skill sets to work together to produce environmentally sound and socially responsible projects. Public exhibition of these funded projects provides an opportunity for participants to present their work to a wider audience and to review their achievements. Projects make use of the resources available to all participating university units, such as: parametric modeling, digital fabrication, networked sensors, micro-controller programming, and energy harvesting using solar cells and nano-structured materials. This course is a collaborative endeavor led by three professors who will advise and contribute to all team projects. Teams will make use of visiting lecturers, specialists, site visits, and relevant stakeholder organizations.

Making Furniture John Baird

Students carry on the tradition of propping up our skeletons by considering ergonomic, economic, esthetic and engineering aspects of making furniture -- as preparation to designing and building well-crafted chairs, tables, or other furnishings that entice the eye, tease the mind, and cradle the body. Students with skills in 3-D computer modeling may use 3-D models for visualization and for cutting out parts on a computer-controlled 4-axis mill. A refresher on joinery and characteristics of wood provided. Some "sketching" in 3-D materials to aid invention of furniture ideas used. The final project is one or more pieces of furniture that manifest a vigorous conceptual and formal synergy.

ADP 3 Tech/Environment Joe Trumpey

This is the last of the A(rt)D(esign)P(erspectives) courses that I'm required to take. I've heard good and bad about this course, it is either amazing, or a total waste of time. Tales of making friends with trees have reached my ears. We'll see.

Thanks for reading.

Mapping What Is Already Mapped

Our latest project for digital studio was a map, well no not really it's not the latest, we did it a few weeks ago, I'm just behind the ball on updating! (I'm trying to get better, really)

We all had to map greater Ann Arbor and get a few specific roads (the main ones pretty much), University Campuses, the Botanical Gardens, the Huron River and such. I came into this project pretty skeptical, I mean, 20 students all mapping the same area? I assumed we were all going to have similar projects. I was wrong. Of course, we all mapped the same areas, but all had very different ways of going about it. Glad I was wrong, the end results were very interesting and varied.

Ann Arbor Map (click map for full view)

London Underground Map
I decided to base mine on the London Underground subway system maps. For all the information that they convey, they are deceptively simple, and iconic because of it. I really liked how all they used is color and circles to convey where the tubes go.
I decided to borrow/rip off this idea for my Ann Arbor map. At the beginning and end of every road is a colored circle. Each road has it's own color so you can follow it from it's start to end easily with your eyes. The highways surrounding Ann Arbor (M-14, US- 23, I-94) are thicker lines and bolder, two tone roads to give hierarchical importance. The key clearly explains what the colored areas represent along with the text over the specific areas to specify say, which garden is which.The compass is incorporated into the red and blue Underground logo, which now says Ann Arbor of course.

My map is obviously not intended as a replacement for an actual map of Ann Arbor, mine is way to simple and stylized as a graphic to work in that capacity.

I'm pretty happy with the end result, although it could use a bit of reworking layout wise to incorporate the logo and key overall. They seem to float a bit. Otherwise, I'm very happy with my map.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep posting!

My Photography

I love to shoot photos. To help all of you acquaint yourselves with my art styles, I've posted a smattering of some of my favorite shots. I use a Nikon D-40 with an assortment of different Nikon lenses. If you'd like to see more, you can also check out my photo/rambling musings blog, UMpetehall. Enjoy and please feel free to leave comments.
Thanks!

Kara, my finance.


Rebekah, my sister.

One of my favorite photos I've ever taken, the reflection in the window is great. Also, how it frames itself several times is ascetically pleasing to me.

My Dad, Martin. Dad. Dad Hall.

The saddest looking kid on the Michigan Diag.


Downtown A2 (Ann Arbor for all you out of towners.)

Thanks for looking!