Assignments+and+Readings

Here's the opening 'assignment' for the spring studio:


 * Nov. 18th, 2006:**

Here's the In-Design template for you to use:

I'm not an InDesign pro, so it's not a particularly elegant template, but it has the basics of the thesis booklet requirements for type, pagination, etc. Once you unzip it, double-click the "Thesis_book.indd" file, which is the book file that references all the other files.

The idea is that this template will save you a bit of time and hassle, because it already has the font and other stuff correct. Here, incidentally, are the requirements handed down from on high (note that "all quotes shall have footnotes" and "all images shall have captions" -- that's pretty important!):

vertically. spacing using upper and lower case throughout. outline as specified above. shall include the following items in the center of the sheet, organized top down: “Name of the Investigation”, followed by “Student’s Name”, followed by “Pratt Institute School of Architecture”. In the lower right hand corner, organized top down, include the following: “Degree Project Booklet Submission”, followed by “Faculty Names”, followed by “Course will be in bold. Refer to Elements of Style by Strunk and White, and Rules for Writers by Diana Hacker for Standard English grammar, form, notes, etc.
 * The overall size of the booklet shall be 8 ½ “x11”.
 * The paper shall be standard white paper, printed on one side only.
 * All booklets shall be bound in black covers, and oriented
 * All text shall be black, Arial 11pt., left justified, 1½ line
 * Each ‘chapter’ shall be marked in bold and follow the prescribed
 * The title page (the first page as you open the cover of the book)
 * ”, followed by “Date”. The name of the investigation and the students name
 * All quotes shall have footnotes. All images shall have captions.


 * Individual and Group PunchList:

Assignment for Oct 10: _ Complete your individual assignment that was due on Oct. 3 [see below] _ Update your individual wiki page and finish all incomplete assignments _ Teams should create pages and list team members _ Come to class on Oct. 10 prepared to present your initial work in Processing/Netlogo, either as individual or group _ First team assignment [due Oct 17 in class pinup]:** [| ambient_assignment_2.doc]

On the concept of software and ambient machines: Kittler, There is No Software & The History of Communications Media [| Kittler_NoSoftware.rtf][| Kittler_Hist_Comm_Media.rtf]
 * READINGS**

On the city as a ‘computer’ or ‘codebase’: Kwinter, Urbanism, an Archivist’s Art? SocialFiction, Cracking the Urban Cheat Code [| Kwinter_CityArchive.pdf] [| Cracking_Urban_Cheat_Code.pdf]

Phase space definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_space

On Information theory [Shannon’s original paper, pretty dense mathematically] Shannon, A Mathematical Theory of Communication [| shannon1948.pdf]

Films on the thematic of code and ‘software’ construction in the real and virtual worlds: [See a couple that you have not yet seen] Crash, Existenz, Cronenberg Man with a Movie Camera, Vertov BlowUp, Antonioni Demonlover, Assayas The Game, Fincher Matrix Trilogy, Wachowskis Ghost in the Shell 1&2, Oshii

The assignment for code work/ambient machine software: [| ambient_assignment_1.doc] Excerpt from assignment:
 * Assignment due Oct 3:** [previously sent via email on Sept. 28]

1. Install Netlogo, Processing, and PD on your computer, following the instructions on our wiki’s tools/tech page: http://ambientmachines.wikispaces.com/Tools+and+Tech. All of these programs are free (though not all in the same way or to the same extent). 2. Try the specific examples we give on the Tools and Tech page. Experiment with the ranges of their behavior – what are the extreme conditions? What are the stable states? You do not need to limit yourself to the examples we list, but you must be familiar with those examples PLUS any others you might find on the net. 3. Which are the most complex of these examples and why? Choose at least three examples (from any of the programming environments) that you consider to be the most complex. Define ‘complex’ for yourself while you’re at it. As with the other assignments, post the following on the wiki by 9 pm Monday night: a. Your definition of “complex”. b. A paragraph (200+ words) for each of your three examples, explaining what makes it complex by your definition, and why you find this example most interesting.

(you must write a summary as per assignment):** Read them in the order listed (which is roughly the order of importance).
 * Readings to be discussed Sept. 26th & Oct 3

Pekka Himanen: [| pekka-himanen.pdf] Mitchell Resnick: [| resnick_pianos.doc] Mark C. Taylor: [| taylor_info.pdf] Seth Schiesel: [| schiesel-xbox.pdf] Gary Rivlin: [| rivlin-wired-linux.html]

The assignment itself as a word file: [| readingsfilmswk3.doc]

(you must write a summary as per assignment):**
 * Readings to be discussed Sept. 19th

Sanford Kwinter: [| kwinter-soft-systems.pdf] Johnson: [| johnson-emergence.pdf] Manuel Delanda: [| delanda-nonorganic.pdf] The assignment itself as a word file: [| readingsfilmswk2.doc]

MORE NOTES ON MOVIES: Ed Keller says:

"Playtime was out of print, the Criterion collection DVD is very nice but is very overpriced. I've seen it going for $100 or more. If you find it, however, for $30, it might be worth getting, As long as it's really the Criterion DVD and not a bad DVD rip from a VHS tape. Also, apparently Criterion has rereleased it, as a two disk set."

Places to rent videos: Netflix has almost anything and you never get hit with the late fee; Evergreen in the West Village was my main place for many years- they have a great art film collection The Movie Place on 105th street and Broadway, uptown Manhattan, if anyone lives up there- and they also deliver locally- and Kim's Video, which has many locations in Manhattan, usually has everything. "

Mark C. Taylor: [| taylor-networks1.pdf] Sanford Kwinter: [| Assemblage_36_African Genesis(A Presentation)_Sanford Kwinter.pdf] Stan Allen: [| allen-object_field.pdf]
 * Readings to be discussed Sept. 12th (you must write a summary as per assignment):**