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Art Installation

mark (odom) studio is a design oriented office that takes an interest in the parallelism between art and architecture.  Believing that every project generates its own set of specifics, our approach must be free of preconceived ideas with every response reinforcing site, materials, movement, and existence.  The studio pursues any project willing to place a value on exploration beyond our standard moments.  We are continuously looking for a balanced orchestra between the controlled elegance of clean lines and the energy of chaos.

Wikipedia defines ART INSTALLATION as “an artistic genre of site-specific, three-dimensional works designed to transform the perception of a space”; my interest is to challenge space perception and create a general curiosity evolving around existence.  Our architectural work constantly strives for a parallelism between installation art and functionality of user by carefully balancing each element.  The south first bridge installation hinges on this fascination of built form, altering space, and posing the question of existence.

The south first bridge installation hinges on a CONCEPTUAL fascination and methodology behind the majority of our architectural and artistic moves; finding opportunity that balances the equilibrium between clean lines and chaos.  The existing bridge structure, with its rigid grey lines, of South 1st footbridge offers a perfect moment for intervention: an intervention that offers a disconnect from existing monotony where color, kinetics, and spatial perception are altered creating a moment of opportunity.

The CONSTRUCTION of the south first bridge install will be an exercise in simple tension, pivoting, and fixed connections; the structure will be sound and secure for the common public to experience   We will build a series of joined ribs (lumber of similar dimensions both found and store bought) connected by a plane of horizontal ½ inch rubber tubes.  The ribbed frame will be painted orange to create a 30 feet long rhythmic intervention in the direction of the bridge.  Each individual painted wood rib will be spaced from its counterpart every 18, 24, and/or 30 inch increments to allow the rhythm to take motion and to create density. Each painted rib will attach itself at the (west) railing-base of the foot bridge by means of a pinned thru-bolt connection and metal hurricane strap. The rib will then span over and across the footbridge by a hinged bolted connection and reattach itself to the street-level sidewalk railing by means of fixed metal hurricane straps.  The ½” rubber tubing will run horizontally along the length of the bridge piercing through each wood member referencing the motion of bridge and creating rhythmic pattern of shadows on the bridges surface.  The rubber tubes will span through each rib and will be grouped together in random order creating a horizontal plane of random order.

LOCATION of the installation is preferably on the lower foot-bridge section of the south 1st bridge.  The location would allow the most opportunity to experience the installation, both physically and visually, from all levels of the bridge with an added view from the shoreline.  The intension is to experience the installation by walking through the rhythmic ribs on the lower level while visually experiencing the installation from shore and street level. 

Through the assemblage of form, space, material, and light we hope to leave our user with an unexpected assemblage that excites the senses.  We appreciate the opportunity and are enthusiastic about making this proposed installation a reality.

/24

Hurd Loft

An interior loft finish-out in Dallas, Texas: this project was an exercise in furniture selection and layout, natural and artificial lighting, color, texture, and creating an open floor plan with moderate separation. The natural light from the large existing windows allowed us to create a darker color palate that worked well with the intimacy of each interior space.

/23

Bicycle Sport Shop

An exercise in interior design, the Bicycle Sport Shop’s project scope involved store planning, interior re-design, and a juice bar for the Bicycle Sport Shop on South Lamar. Keeping with the modernist approach of less is more, we used the bikes as the interior focus and created zones of common interest per product. The large store required a logical circulation plan and an economic means for displaying the multitude of bikes and equipment.

/21

Graffiti As Logo

Jett Butler writes for MarkOdomStudio.com about how FÖDA developed portions of Mark Odom Studio’s brand identity.

“Rarely do clients who deal in form and order ask us to study what most interpret as culturally defiant art forms or outright crime.

We love it when they do.

While Mark Odom is a very thoughtful and ordered designer, he is also particularly interested in exploiting forms and breaking with conventions. He appears to be very comfortable with challenging expectations of how a space can work, what material might be used, and how an object is defined.” - Jett Butler

FODA Studio built two identities for Mark Odom Studio: one, the m(ødm) concept, which remains conceptual, analytical, reductive and perhaps whimsical. The other is the aberration, the act of defiance, the graffiti system that only shows up in unexpected places and unexpected ways.

“We weren’t content with simply aping the graffiti form. We went around town photographing our own samples, and reviewing Mark’s images. Then we constructed a simple 3-d urban condition of our own. The point of departure is the inversion: rather than disrupting the surface of the urban condition (as graffiti does) we used the urban condition as a motif for the disruption itself. When viewed in plan, the “strip city,” is composed of letterforms that spell mark odom studio. This form was then extracted in a key view from the 3d model, used as a 2-d graphic, and supplemented with a motion move: a directional pull through the city that references the motion so common in graffiti tags and arrows. This flat illustration then became a metal plate, used to blind emboss Mark’s business cards. In sets of 4, they are disrupted at random, so any given person he meets only receives a portion of the ‘tag’.”

So, to recap: a 2 dimensional art motif (often considered vandalism) found in our cities becomes the plan of a stylized urban structure depicted in the third dimension, rendered as a two dimensional graphic which then becomes a three dimensional aberration by means of pressure in what is a traditional two dimensional context, a business card.

OR: The ‘flat’ logo is vandalized by the three dimensional secondary logo.

“Hopefully most people will simply see and feel the card and say “that’s cool” and enjoy it, all the fuss about how we got there doesn’t matter once it’s in their hands.”

/20

Active Shooter

An unfortunate series of real life occurrences (high school shooting incidents) has triggered a level of police protection training that has yet to be developed. 

Mark (Odom) Studio was contacted by a private organization to propose ideas of how high schools might be developed from a planning and massing standpoint in the near future. The final product, which was planned to be a 3-D virtual model, was to be developed further by programmers and used as a virtual training program for special agents. 

m(ødm) collaborated with FÖDA Studio in hopes of developing a strong idea of our spatial / architectural planning coupled with their solid presentation and 3-D graphics. Due to the like-mindedness of both studios, the collaboration of ideas proved to be successful.

This was an interesting exercise in that it had no real program or specific site. Ideas were based on past experiences, observations, and future anticipation. We developed a program which included the following; site plan, bus and vehicular entry to the site, parking, track & field stadium, detached buildings for alternative use, classrooms, offices, auditoriums, exterior / interior common space, and hallway connections. We also developed ideas of massing and how natural light might enter the building in various locations.

This was an interesting exercise that sparked the creative possibilities of future schools; however the reason for development is certainly not how we wish to generate work.

/19

Umlauf Sculpture Garden

In September of 2008 we were asked to give a lecture of choice for the Monthly Lecture Series at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum in Austin Texas. The lecture was titled “Finding Space”.

Process holds a weighted value within the studio; there must be a collective path from beginning to end which tells the entire story of thought. “Finding Space” encapsulated the story board of ideas and knowledge that we’ve developed over time thus shaping our design philosophy and our Process.

Deconstructing the process of finding space lead us to defining two definitive points of thought; Language and the Manipulation of Language. Language was defined as the timeless element(s) used in all phenomenal spaces throughout architectural history, no matter what its style of existence. Manipulation of Language is our personal expression within the category of language that helps us express our understanding of the basic order of architecture and design. As this methodology is practiced and used as a balancing force between the two elements, one element cannot exist without the other.

Arguably there are a handful of ordering systems within the design language that are timeless; we chose 3 that are most significant to our work:

RHYTHM
Movement or variation characterized by the regular recurrence or alternation of different quantities or conditions. Rhythm is generally used to keep other instruments in ‘time’. Rhythm can of course be found in music, but it also can act as an underlying theme in many of our surroundings. Rhythm can be found in the colonnade of a Roman church, the basic pattern of a window system, tree lined streets, or the sound of footsteps in a busy hall.

SCALE
Scale is based on human proportion. Humans interact with their environments based on their physical dimensions, capabilities, and limits. Buildings scaled to human physical capabilities have steps, doorways, railings, work surfaces, seating, shelves, fixtures, walking distances, and other features that fit well to the average person. Humans also interact with their environments based on their sensory capabilities. Human scale in architecture can also describe buildings with sightlines, acoustic properties, lighting guidelines, and spatial grammar that balance human senses.

LIGHT
The balance of natural and artificial light is crucial. The proper or improper balance of light can make a space feel psychologically comfortable or uncomfortable. Openings allow the opportunity for two worlds (outside and inside) to merge as one, creating a natural light portal. Openings also develop a connection between living inside and out, framing views to the outside and in, and help make small spaces larger through visual extension. 

The proportional balance between the elements of the language above can be found in any great piece of architecture, regardless of style and are a constant rhythm throughout time.

Once the language (Rhythm, Scale, Light) is identified and understood, OUR individual process begins with the manipulation of language. Manipulation creates an opportunity for stylistic signature independent of the developed world and timeless language patterns mentioned above.

Layering the language with project specific elements has defined our process of the past years; the perfect balance of layering should celebrate individuality, yet create a unity that one cannot exist without the other. Layering specific elements within a given problem (each project being different from the next) should give the object or space its own identity with moments of connection between elements.

Through the development of process each project should offer a solution that engages the clients expectations, emotions, site, and hopefully poses questions to the subconscious mind. We welcome questions about the existence of solitude and chaos and constantly look for the perfect balance between the two worlds. A space that nourishes tranquil existence and comfort when looking for a moment of reflection—balanced with a layer of skewed idealism—continues to be our interest of Finding Space.

Last Breath—Please keep an open mind toward spatial perception. Know that well designed spaces have underlying elements that engage the user consciously and subconsciously using timeless moments that must be balanced perfectly to keep us coming back for more.

/18

Graffiti Studies

The intriguing qualities of graffiti art is that it is dynamic in form, it can be applied to all surfaces that fold / bend / break / textural / uneven, and most interestingly has a code of conduct within the graffiti class.

We’ve always been interested in blurring the lines between art and architecture. A passion for urban infill, unused urban land and the temporary nature of urban art created an unavoidable fate between m(odm) and local graffiti artist Nate Nordstrom (aka SLOKE).

Trying hard to establish a business identity with a small office we chose graffiti on the front face of our building to beckon attention from the masses—it worked. After a few meetings and BBQ sandwiches, Nate agreed to paint our wall and spent an afternoon and a few spontaneous gestures with the spray can to complete our buildings identity.

Our fascination of graffiti grew even further, making its way into the studio’s logo identity. FÖDA Studio took the undeveloped idea, researched, and came up with a strong argument that beautifully diagramed the parallelisms between graffiti art and the direction of our work. FÖDA went through several graphic examples of how this dynamic art could exist with the clean lines of modernism—ideas that closely relate to how we think about and approach design.

With the positive outcome from Nate’s work on the exterior of our building the opportunity to collaborate with Nate presented itself again on a local eastside residential project: Rosewood/Graffiti House. Located two miles east of downtown the site was an unused lot on a busy street front with years of trash scattered about. As a transitional neighborhood the practice of professional graffiti urban art was happening on every other block; there seemed to be a pattern language as you approached the site. The panel installation seemed appropriate with the 8 foot wide by 20 foot high graffiti install again helped solidify the identity of a place. There were numerous compliments of approval from neighbors and local pedestrians.

We hope that the collaboration between our studio and local artists continues forward creating new opportunities for design within the built world.

/22

Details

Detailing can be compared to a signature stroke of an artist’s paint brush; understanding how materials connect in a poetic and balanced manner will always be an attainable goal. We’re constantly researching the next low maintenance and affordable material that has minimal environmental impact in its production. Detailing connection(s) will continuously be a means of exploration during the studio’s process of design and construction which will eventually serve as our signature stroke.

/15

Kitchens

The “kitchen” has repeatedly served as the center point of residential design in the modern house. It can be rendered in many different fashions, materials, or styles but continuously serves as the gathering place during private and social functions. The kitchen creates an expression for the individual associated with his or her social dynamics. This will continue to be an area of exploration and balance of function and aesthetics for the studio.

/2

South Second

A modern duplex in south central Austin that creates a relationship between interior and exterior. With an open floor plan, each room offers a view of an inner courtyard or tree canopy beyond.

/12

Marble Falls Lake House

We call this the “telescope house” because it lifts the dwelling up beyond the treeline and perfectly frames the views of Lake Marble Falls. With a budget conscious mindset, the building form and materials were kept simple. Boat storage and Murphy beds are on the ground level with a private one-bed studio on the second level.

/11

Lone Star Brewery

Begun as a design competition in 2008, the Lone Star Brewery in San Antonio is by far the largest commission the studio has undertaken, and includes over 450,000 square feet of adaptive reuse space for residential, office, retail, and restaurant. 

The Lone Star project has unfortunately been place on Hold; the images you’re viewing on this page are preliminary sketch ideas about the possibilities of reusing existing space.  This project has unbelievable potential on many different levels and we do hope that it gets back on track soon!

/9

Underground Games

As a new business venture, Underground Games wanted to create a dynamic gaming environment with options for public gaming competitions as well as secluded gaming spaces.

/7

RiverMills Condo, New Braunfels

A 42-unit condo that takes advantage of the natural environment and landscape. Tucked in the hillside adjacent to the Guadalupe River, each unit has a picturesque river view.

/1

Duval

An urban infill duplex in central Austin that explores connection, cost efficient materials, and efficiency of space. Each unit is unique in floor, section, and elevation creating a different experience with space, light and environment.

/6

Rosewood

A single-family urban infill home inspired by the energy and aesthetics of its surroundings. The building’s function and atypical site parameters helped to generate the building form. This five-star rated green building home features a commissioned graffiti wall by Nate Nordstrom (aka Sloke).

/5

Swanee 21 Condo

A condo in north Austin with 21 individual floor plans. The unique opportunity was developing the second level open-air interior courtyard. The building form skews 7 degrees to create an undulating third level rotation that references the dense cityscape of Florence, Italy.

/4

Lewis Lane

A higher-end urban infill in central Austin that allowed us to utilize three adjacent lots. The exploration focused on the relationship of building structure, continuation of materials, and the private courtyard. The building forms create a comfortable environment, allowing social interaction and privacy, where appropriate.

/3

Ellis County Children’s Advocacy Center

This counseling center for abused children was a pro-bono project for the city of Waxahachie, Texas (Mark’s home town). Stylistically, this was an atypical project for the studio, but the experience of working with the Ellis County community, coupled with the tremendous need for the center, greatly outweighed all individual ambitions.

/14

Heather

business in front and party in back.  Heather Street was an infill duplex conversion and an exercise in mixing old with new. The existing house on Heather Street, 1945 cottage home, (now unit A) had been recently updated and was not included in our scope of work. Our task was to attach a 1800 SF modern duplex addition in the back given a limited building area/budget. The site dictated a small ground floor footprint with the majority of living on the second level. The city of Austin had a seemingly unfortunate angulated drainage easement that provided a bit of opportunity with the floor plan; a skewed box with a cantilevered kitchen over the carport gave the exterior form the identity needed to separate it from the modulated street front; luckily the second level living views were among the existing tree canopy which created a calming environment.

/10

Stacy Lane DU-PLX

Our first venture into residential development. Although the City of Austin has tried to curtail the creation of new duplex development, the Stacy Lane DU-PLX creates a very dynamic, site appropriate, and green solution to the city’s new moratorium residential code.