Ok, I'm still a bit confused. Am I conceiving a detail or am I conceiving a stair? I don't believe the two are one in the same. I believe a stair is a level above detail.

stair:detail
molecule:atom

My understanding of this project as it was explained by Marco is that we are to conceive an architectural thesis at the smallest possible scale... the architectural detail... and then expand from that detail to further conceive a museum... a museum perhaps including a stair or column or doorway or floor. If there's conversation to be had at symposium, why does it have to be over a stair? I do not want to have a conversation with someone over the experiential potential of a stair. That's not what I understood we were investigating. I thought the "element" category was just something to give you inspiration towards conceiving a detail?

I feel that I/we have gotten caught up in the architectural urge to build "stuff" and lost sight of the objective, which was to design a detail. I feel as though I am being pushed to make something... anything... for the sake of putting on a good show at symposium. Problem is, I'm like a dog performing someone else's trick. I'm trying to conceive a project that I would like to talk to someone about... but I don't want to talk to anyone about stairs. Isn't Symposium supposed to be for the sake of helping us towards defining our thesis proposal? What are we setting ourselves up for in symposium? Are we going to have 2 days of talking about the experience of a stair or a column? What is to be gained from that? What are we seeking to gain from Symposium? How will we measure its success or failure? What can we look forward to?

I'm not complaining... just musing aloud. Anyone have thoughts on this? Student or prof, alike? Well, I know I'll hear from profs on this... but I really hope I hear from students, too.

Please don't be angry because I'm frank.

Besides, I'm Michael.

Back to designing my stair...