Journal One: Blueprint Magazine Reference: NBK, Architectural Terracotta (2013). Progressive Media International, 323, 80-81

Article Review: NBK – Architectural Terracotta

The layout and design of Blueprint Magazine captured my interest at first glance with its sharp imagery and its in-depth commentary. NBK: Architectural Terracotta is an article in Blueprint which discusses Terracotta, as a primary material used to create the exterior design for The University of Vilnius. Originally located in the “middle of an historic city centre”’ near the Presidential Palace, we come to learn that the needs of staff and students at the university begin to outgrow the existing buildings. This in effect resulted in the decision to relocate to an area which would meet these newly found needs.

Based on a piece of land near the woods, this new campus would be built with the intention of making the university surroundings at one with nature. Architect Rolandas Palekas had the intention of creating an ideal environment for students where “scientific endeavour” and “exchanges in ideas” could take place.

NBK Terracotta or TERRART was the primary material used in the construction of these uniquely shaped buildings.  Its light grey colour tone gives the University a natural finish, one that is in harmony with its natural surroundings. Even with the building’s angled design, the Terracotta panels were placed in such a way that they ran “perfectly horizontal,” allowing all the gaps and joints of the architecture to run parallel to the building.

NBK Terracotta’s state of the art characteristics can be seen as the main reason for the successful finish of the design which really lived up to Palekas’ vision for harmony between this man-made structure and nature.

Contents: 2013 February Issue:

14:          Opening Shot

17:          View

34:          Lens-Louvre in focus

42:          Droog at 20

50:          Kurt Schwitters in Britain

63:          Review

82:          Products

87:          Archive

Stop Animaton

This is our group’s final Stop Animation Video. The concept behind this video is to put immerse ourselves into the eyes of an everyday person through a ‘point-of-view’ shot. The beginning sequence starts off in an imaginary black and white world. This person then makes the transition from their bedroom, to their car and then travels down the road of a city with tall buildings and sky-scrapers. At the end of the road, the person drives into a large television which transports him from the imaginary monotone world into the real world. This is emphasised through the transition we create when our animation turns from black and white, to real life colour. We get transported in front of the Fale at the University of Auckland and are exploring the intriguing architectural characteristics of the building. The closing sequence turns into a plan drawing of the Fale and then is folded in half and closed like the end of a story book.