/ˌinspəˈr-A-shun/ ◦ As a kinesthetic learner, finding inspiration in designing a physically intensive project with minimal financial cost is a natural fit. The process of creating a unique workflow becomes a journey of tactile exploration and discovery. By repurposing materials that are obtained for free, (any decent ‘Craigslister’ knows that bricks frequent the ‘free’ section) I can engage in hands-on manipulation and experimentation, tapping into an innate need for physical movement and interaction. The act of transforming discarded materials into something meaningful and functional becomes a source of inspiration, igniting the creativity and problem-solving skills. The opportunity to construct a project from reclaimed materials nurtures a sense of environmental responsibility and sustainability, providing an additional layer of satisfaction and meaning to the endeavor. From sourcing and salvaging materials to the physical construction phase, every step in the process serves as a form of kinesthetic learning, fostering creativity, innovation, and a deep sense of personal accomplishment.
/founˈdāSH(ə)n/ ◦ They say a solid foundation is key to success. perhaps it’s here, in wall building that this language was born? A little about retaining walls: they have to retain. If the soil behind this wall ever became too much to hold, it would crack or move the wall in what is called ‘lateral translation’. amongst other forces, this is the mother of what we have to design against. The concrete footer is reinforced with steel and a “V” groove cut down its length to aid the resistance of the wall just sliding off its foundation. Additionally, the backfill is permeable beneath the topsoil and weep holes are added to the wall to allow drainage. If the soil accumulated water and was not able to drain the soils would become unstable and cause “hydrostatic pressure“. After the ground work was done and the footer was poured, all bricks were cleaned of mortar, sorted into categories of height - because even if two bricks had various lengths they could still be laid on the same course.
To stay true to our resourceful efforts even the broken pieces were kept. Here’s where my artist begins to play a role. At this juncture; i’d like to point out some clarifying thoughts as it pertains to referencing myself with titles (i.e. builder, designer, artist engineer etc.) It would be easy to see this as a boastful effort to credit myself with a title not deserved, and that maybe true in eyes of those who have adhered to societies hierarchical structure. I certainly do not see myself as a professional anything in terms of these titles. But I believe it would be equally (if not more so) sinful to neglect to realize that if life demand such a need, then to not be adaptable and oblige.
/kənˈsistənt/ ◦ As the wall progressed, I made iteration after iteration of order and process and by which to achieve a primary proficient use of material. Secondly, abiding by masons rules for structure. Tertiary, a consistency with each course that kept some sort of aesthetic. Quaternary, maintaining a proportion and scale that is considerate of each neighbors vantage point. (the neighbor down the hill should be able to see traffic coming down the hill as they back out of their drive) and so on down the list of priorities. The repetition coupled with the scale of time oscillating in and out with every bricklaying session and every day, the cyclical nature as it were, began to hammer my understanding into a correlated amalgamation between my project and life. Lets zoom out and I will explain.
This time in my life; My youngest daughter was about 6 months old and having naps every 2 hours (sleeping about 1 hour per). Some time after my efforts had begun on this wall, my wife was carrying her down the stairs and had the infamous ‘front-of-the-flipflop-fold’ causing her to stumble and in protective mother fashion ended up breaking her leg to save our child. So with mother healing and unable to go upstairs to put the baby down (or get the baby up) incorporated into my process was; baby monitor in the back pocket incase I was needed. Also the nap cycle and timing that contributed to what had eventually became one of my life’s most harmonic moments. I find it now necessary to insert here some additional developed personality traits that are at play. I had become habitually known not as a procrastinator but maybe something worse. I had consciously trained myself not to hesitate at the start of any desire for that was precisely where I had come to know most fail. Right there at the first step. So I made a commitment to take those first steps believing it would, at worst, generate a continuous stream of unfinished projects. But always learning. Which for a long period was the case. But I was now onto accomplishing this next hurdle - finishing projects. At this point I had began to understand this finishing language to at least speak it fluently. Probably a skill that most have mastered in grade school. For what skills I am behind the curve on I think I am ahead on others. So at least that equates to a sort of confidence. Now I was mixing my own mortar from a pile of sand, bag of cement and hydrated lime. This recipe was scaled to allow me 45 minutes of brick laying. After what felt like many many days of this in yet another form of repetition I began to realize the symbiotic relationship shared by consistency and inconsistency. If at times your perspective is myopic you may find a discomforting inconsistency. However, sometimes a sort of fractalization begins to emerge as factor of time or a factor of newfound perspective. It wasn’t until this experience of creating consistencies by repetitious inconsistencies and the two terms conflated.
/ˈfəNG(k)SH(ə)n/ ◦ Retaining walls serve the function of withholding a load. One of the ways we mitigate pressure is with tiebacks. A tieback is a tensile member that runs through the wall into the soil and terminates into a mass called a deadman to provide stability. One of my adopted design principles is evident in these tiebacks and that is; ornament or decoration is only afforded through function. The faces are laser cut steel and they are center-forged to rebar. Through the work of others, I have seen a better marriage of function and form. However, it’s the recipe I feel is right here in that what is ornamental is not topical but functional.
