I let a few weeks slip by on this website without a post but it hasn’t been for nothing. I have been hard at work on many things behind the scenes, one of them being working with Blurb to re-release Portfolio Vol 3 at a new lower price. I have also been spending time designing and modeling up a project that will give me some new geometry to create illustrations with. This project was chosen to allow me to experiment with certain ideas that I haven’t covered in depth in the past. Specifically, I want to look at diagrams and how to generate them quickly and easily. This project is also located in an urban environment. I have worked on a few urban renderings in the past, but this one is a little different and sits on the waterfront. This means more opportunities to experiment with illustrating water, water reflections, and how the architecture meets the water.

On_the_boards_p2_alexhogrefe

 

 

The plan for this project is to redesign Long Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. I visit this area often and it is one of my favorite places to go in the city. It is a busy hub for many of the city’s ferries, harbor cruises, and whale watching tours. In the summer months, this area can attract many tourists due to its mix of water traffic, views of the harbor, historical context, and nearby aquarium. I am interested in rethinking the use of this wharf and how people inhabit the many different spaces.  Without getting too deep into the specifics, the complexity of the context offers up many different avenues to explore architectural visualization.

On_the_boards_p3_alexhogrefe

 

 

The design is in its final stages but still needs much refinement. I have plans to start with some macro site analysis diagrams but then move into diagramming the design of the wharf itself. The other opportunity with this project is the use of texture and the crucial role texture will play in the proper reading of the design.  Finally, I want to make it a point to be more explorative with graphics therefore expect some not-so-mainstream styles. So, those are my plans, but let me know your thoughts and what you would like to see graphically. If I receive a lot of feedback for a specific type of visualization then I can try to incorporate it into a future post.

On_the_boards_p1_alexhogrefe