FAR to go

We had our mid-review presentations last Friday. It was an embarrassment. I would say that the work I presented would be marginally passable for my studio two semesters ago. I'm on a creek and I didn't address flooding. I mean, inexcusably bad. The design is uninspiring, uninteresting, totalitarian, and bland.

FAR, or Floor/Area Ratio, is the ratio of the usable lot size to the floor area. So if you have 1000 square foot site, and you build a 500 square foot, one story building on it, you have an FAR of 0.5. If you built two stories, you would have an FAR of 1. We are trying to attain an FAR around 6, and have justification for not having a high FAR. If developers took over the site, they would in point towers, and generally reach an FAR of about 8. That's pretty tall/dense.

The FAR of the building I presented at midreview had an FAR of slightly more than 1.5. I'm not even sure how its possible to get that low of an FAR.

So: to recap, my project this far this semester, per my own evaluation.

• Not an interesting form
• Not an interesting concept
• Not really engaging the creek or the landscape in a passable way
• Not contributing to defining the skyline of Shanghai
• About as dense as a suburban subdivision in the most prime real-estate of Shanghai.

So, unfortunately, when I am struck, repeatedly, by how bad my studio project is this semester, it is not an momentary thing. This is, fundamentally, undergraduate level work. So let's just say that I was not exactly traipsing downstairs for our one-on-one midterm evaluation. 

"Alec," my professor said earnestly "I believe you have talent. No question. But I'm not seeing that level brought to studio. Your ideas and concepts are interesting and compelling. But there's a disconnect that I'm seeing between what you say and what you show me."

Actually, it's all true, except for my compelling ideas and talent. It's beside the point as we're role playing the oldest conversation in education.

"How have you done in your other classes?"

I tell him about my high marks in other studios.

"I see your dedication, and I know you're an A student. This is where you should be:" (indicates with his hands up in the air) 

"and here is where you are." (with other hand, much lower.)

"I believe you are capable of so much more than what you have demonstrated so far."

 He slides a piece of paper over to me: my evaluation: "It seems to me your talent far exceeds what you are giving to this studio." Low marks in every category. Well not low, but ranging from above average to below average. In other words, low. I nod and agree with everything he's saying and fold up my evaluation to slip into my pocket.

I trudge back upstairs. It's late, I'm the second last person to get reviewed. Back over to my desk and plop into my chair. Dew points at me and says:

"Alec! I believe you have talent! You really do have talent!" 

And I can't help cracking a grin because it quickly dawns on me that we've been largely getting the same spiel. Everyone, it seems, has talent. Talent he believes in. But he's just not seeing it.

We are all 'A' students not bringing that talent to bear in studio.

It's actually a huge relief. I'm not designing anything of any real value or purpose. This is an exploratory project for my interest, and my enjoyment. Why have I taken myself so seriously for so long and done such mediocre work?