Role of Computers in Architectural Design Process

Role of Computers in Architectural Design Process Introduction Outline Intentions The intention of my research is to investigate the role computers play as a visualization and representational tool in the architectural design process. The thesis proposes to ascertain an appropriate understanding of our experience of the emergent digital realms.This involves investigating the need to visualize a building before it is created in practice and the degree to which CAD programs are used as a design tool as a means of testing and evaluating architectural processes. As part of examining the benefits computers has in the field of architecture I assessed the degree to which they have distanced the practitioners in architecture from hand drawings and physical model making and how virtual architecture could be detrimental to the disciplinary field Involving the emergence of paper architecture showing theoretical proposals using visualizations. Many architects believe that the traditional hand renderings and conceptual sketches have now become a lost art to the cost of archit ectural design. The research examines how these digital technologies help architects to design and how visualizations act as a way of communication between client and designer. This involves researching into architectural graphics as a marketing tool and looking into the future of computational methods as a visual and development tool for building design. The question will therefore be proposed of whether architects and designers have maintained the hands on approach associated with the discipline, or whether this has been abandoned in favor of computer graphics as a visual tool. Are computers taking away from the traditional methods and if so what are their advantages to the discipline? Methodology To assess the degree to which CAD software helps architectural design firms, I looked at two firms which rely heavily on CAD software as a design tool and one firm, which not only believe in a traditional approach, but use predominantly models and hand drawings for conceptual stages. This involved assessing critics views, personal judgment and analyzing the pathways they took in relation to initial brief and concepts to construction stages. The three case studies selected are intended to show the varied use of computing software and its adaption to various styles of office organization and philosophies. A description of the three firms working methods is analyzed and comparisons drawn against these case studies focusing on the diverse working methods. The study then formed the basis of a conclusion in which a summary of the results is documented. Chapter 1:   Literature Review of Current Computation Trends What should be the exact scope of the computer involvement within the architectural discourse? This question has been present since the beginning of the use of computer aided architecture software. It is notable that many of the designs we see in todays architectural world could not have been achieved without use of computer visualizations and extensive 3D graphics, However the question of how much should computation techniques be used is always present. Will the age old two dimensional flattened image give way to the intelligent three dimensional digital models as a way of communication? As apparently simple as this question might be, the answers are considerably more complex. An architect throughout the ages has communicated via a pen or pencil and a piece of paper. They have quick ability to identify their projects functioning and particularities with a simple doodle.   This method of working has not changed.   However according to Vesselin Gueorguiev (2008, p.6) the architectural and design visualization industry is predicted to grow by 23% over the next 7 years'[2].   A new generation of structures and concepts is being created that recognizes the computer not only as a drafting and rendering tool, but also as a potentially powerful tool in the generation of designs themselves; in other words an intelligent drafting machine.   With the use of 3D modeling, renderings and visualizations, an architect has an excellent opportunity to play with your imaginations or thoughts, enabling the creation of pieces of architecture that could never have been rationalized with the use of pen and paper technique alone.   An increasing number of digital designs are now being published and praised by critics as meaningful and influential to the architectural field.   This emergence of paper and theoretical architecture is rapidly expanding with many architects adopting a research approach to practice, led dominantly by computers as a means of experimenting in forms, aesthetics and expressing the investigations achieved.   Helen Castle for instance describes how cities shapes might be grown in digital laboratories in order to aid evolved urban design (2009, p.4)'[3].   Evidence of this is shown in Figure 1 showing a digitally produced master-plan for a carbon-neutral resort and residential development on Zira Island in the Caspian Sea.   For a long time architecture was thought of as a solid reality and entity: buildings, objects, matter, place and a set of geometric relationships.   But recently, architects have begun to understand their products as liquid, animating their bodies, hyper-surfacing their walls, crossbreeding different locations, experimenting with new geometries.   And this is only the beginning (2005, p.22)[4]. It is undoubtedly evident that advanced rendering and 3D systems can help to envisage of what architecture might be, however the computer is not a human being and should not be treated as such.   Ultimately it is the architect who is controlling the ideas, programming and concepts and the computer merely facilitates instructions. Therefore the computer is just a way of copying, simulating or replacing manual methods of design, simply a tool to replace the pencil.   Kosta Terzidis concurs with the argument stating that unlike humans, computers are not aware of their environment (2006, p.37)[5].   In this computer age, architects are constantly striving to generate and introduce a new way of thinking about design.   The problem is that often neither the designer is aware of the possibilities that conceptual schemes can produce nor the software packages are able to predict the moves or personality of individual designers.   The result therefore is that the computer is used mor e as a medium of expression rather than a structural foundation for architectural experimentation.   Has the emergence of digital realms as a result of computer formulated design led to architecture being produced as a mass media image rather than a piece of beautifully crafted, functional and creative architecture? Architects such as Beatriz Colomina took the subject of media of architecture as an exhibition piece from the 1920s to the 1950s, therefore this fanciful image of architecture was not just brought to light by the digital age.   This notion of extremely visual 3D architecture has however been condemned by many critics, with many believing that the actual computer image is surpassing the reality of the building itself.   Branko Kolarevic points out the problem that; There seems to be a sense among the generation of school leavers that because they have mastered a software they are sufficient as architects, and they almost immediately seem to be leaving to set up their own practice, which usually turns into a graphics company for websites (2005, p.70).[6] The notion of using computers more as a marketing tool is very prominent in todays culture.   This is especially important in times of economic recession where every niche a practice has will be exploited to offer a more attractive service to the client.   Images sell buildings.   As a result, many architecture graduates are employed solely to use their skills of computer renderings rather than their knowledge of design; in effect turning into CAD monkeys and simply key based operators rather than architects.   The perception that computer graphics is enhancing buildings is viewed as a myth by many.   As [8] to simply draft the drawings required and preparing a project for construction and tender documentation.    For many designers, the computer is just an advanced tool running programs that enable them to produce sophisticated forms and to better control the realization of a design.   Critic Kosta Terzidis states that, whatever capabilities a computer may have it lacks any level of criticality and its visual effects are nothing but mindless connections to be interrupted by a human designer (2006, p.48).[9]   I agree with this point as to fully determine a solution; an architect should be intrinsically linked with their proposal via physical models, sketches and general hands on approaches.   A computer does not have the ability to reflect and respond to an environment set by the user; in other words the computer output is simply a response to the designers input.   Due to the nature of complexity in many 3D programs, architects can become lost in their designs with a loss of control over the fundamental solution to the problem.   Balakrishnan Chandrasekaran from Ohio State University states the very vagueness and ambiguity of sketches plays an important role in the early stages of design (2007, p.65),[10] see figure 2, which explains with the use of color to highlight the dominant architectural elements. It is vitally important that we do not loose this affinity with sketching that our architectural discourse has been built on.   In this digital age the benefits computers can bring to the design process is profound however, we must not let computers control architecture.   Let humans control architecture and allow a combination of sketches, CAD or virtual models and computation control our future worlds.  Ã‚  Ã‚   However the terms, concepts and processes that seem inconceivable, unpredictable and impossible by a designer can be explored, implemented and tested into new design strategies and solutions within the digital world.   This experimentation has given rise to new design processes and concepts such as genetic algorithms, parametric design and isomorphic surfaces.   Branko Kolarevic (2005) makes the argument that; Digitally driven processes, characterized by dynamic open-ended and unpredictable but consistent transformations of three dimensional structures, are giving rise to new architectonic possibilities (2005, p. 2).[11] CAD programs assist in helping an idea to be physically realizable creating a new dynamic solution.   Computers simply assist in reinforcing our creativity and making us capable of doing things, which would be considered impossible by traditional means.   This rise of algorithmic design as a result of digital design may be particularly beneficial to that of urban master planning for the future of our cities.   Michael Batty for example talks about algorithms stating: This new species has mutated the way man perceives architecture and his place within it.   It has allowed a different thought process to be applied to how we exist in this world, and how we build up the world around us, and how the world builds itself (2009, p. 47).[12] From this quote it can be said that 3D visual programs can help us understand and analyze our cities and enable the designers to navigate them in new ways and pave a better way for the future.   However this notion of a digital city is merely conceptual at this point with Planners being unaware of the possibilities of new interventions derived from 3D analysis.   Therefore the spatial development of a digital city at this point in time is still untried, considered unresolved and unaware if the digital mutations emerging from our computers actually work functionally. In conclusion this chapter has emphasized that;all that is digital need not be a Trojan horse of marketisation and all theoreticians and designers that have embraced computer based design and manufacturing need not be neo-capitalistic zealots; Anthony Vidler (2008, p.111).[13] The emergence of computer simulation programs can open up new possibilities of design and push architectural skills in a direction previously not possible via pen and paper.   It is enlightening to know that new CAD programs have implemented change in the design discourse in terms of freedom of experimentation.   The seemingly impossible is now very much realizable thanks to the computer.   However the worry by many critics is that architecture becomes more about novelty as a result.   It has become apparent that the image produced on screen can often be misleading and act as a misrepresentation of the actual materiality. To summarize Digital technologies act as almost organic rather than prosthetic and provide an extension to the hands of the maker, freeing up time for other important work to be done.   Problem solving is an action which we perceive in multiple modalities and so various methods should be encouraged to benefit the future of architecture.   However when and to what degree we should use CAD as a form developer, visual agent and general helper to the design process? The next chapters will use case studies to examine how three well known architect firms use CAD in their practices.   It will highlight the various positions and attitude towards the use of CAD software and determine the stages at which computer visualization software is used in the design process as a development tool. Chapter 2:   Caruso St. John Architects:   The attraction of tradition Since their inception in 1990 established by Adam Caruso and Peter St John, Caruso St. John architects have strove to maintain traditional qualities of architecture such as ornament and decoration, texture and color.   Caruso and St. John have learned from figures like the Smithson, Robert Venturi and Adolf Loos that architecture is good when it is enmeshed in the patterns of everyday reality and not virtual reality.   Over the last 20 years, the partnership has very much avoided the high tech, shiny newness associated with the modern world of architecture.   The trend of globalization and constant expansion is a route which this firm has not taken.   This non-heroic stance has involved rejecting new methods of technology engaging solely on the past as a generator for the future of the city.   As David Leatherbarrow states, originality is only genuine when it is unsought (2009)[14].   This rationality and belief in the architects hand, calling upon memory and feelings is what makes Caruso St Johns work remarkable in a modern way.   It should become apparent in the following case study that computer digital aids can be used sparingly and effectively to produce emotional, human led architecture. It is unrealistic and utterly frivolous to reject computer aided software completely and Caruso St John is no exception to this.   It is however more about the way in which they embrace the computer as an architectural design tool and at precise working stages that is of particular interest.   The computer does not rule their practice, rather the architect controls the decisions via skills intrinsically and traditionally linked with the architect.   Adam Caruso in a conversation with Paul Vermeulen states, Foreign Office Architects say that new overlaid programmes and, more bizarrely, new ways of working with computers will allow you to have new spatial urban possibilities, and that architecture, rather than being resistant to the forces of global capitalism, should respond, should represent it.   I still believe that architecture should be resistant (2002, p. 88).[15] It is clear that Caruso St John follow a framework of refraining from the extensive use of technology in a rhetorical way.   In their approach to a project, the firm use a lot of large models to visualize the projects internally, however they tend not to do many presentation drawings using CAD renderings.   Rather they take photos of models (evident in Figure 3), use sketches and perform verbal presentations with their clients.   They avoid at all costs the shiny visualizations associated with computer visual programs. Even with the negative feelings towards computer led architecture, the firm use CAD software quite early as a design tool and as Adam Caruso in an Architects Journal article states, we dont think it changes the form of our architecture.   Our production drawings are much like what they were when we were hand drawing (2006).[16]   Inevitably the partnership still use the hand as a design tool in which the architect creates spaces to which they are emotionally linked, while a tangible connection is made in relation to the computer at the appropriate stage of the design. Rowan Moore an architectural critic states the point that where other architects give primacy to technology, or the image of modernity or abstract form making, the consistency of Caruso St Johns work is in the attitudes behind it (2002).[17]   Caruso St John has no predetermined attitudes towards modern or traditional design methods but choose to select the appropriate at a particular moment in time.   The firm has carefully embraced CAD as a design tool within the office without it superseding their principles and beliefs where a pen and paper should sit comfortably beside a computer running CAD software. CAD drawings, graphics and photos were translated into machine milling instructions, allowing positives to be cut from resin board and hard latex moulds then made to form the faà §ade of the building.   Without the ability to produce a 3D computer model this would never have been achieved.   Caruso St Johns approach is not simply about knowing how to apply CAD techniques, but when to apply them to achieve the best response.   Models and sketch drawings will always lead the way within this office, however CAD software is consistently used to aid with ideas, facilitate construction drawings and to rationalize themes and ideas.   Its all about moving between the two worlds of the real and the virtual to achieve a homogenous whole.   Caruso St John often remark on how little computer technology has affected the development of architectural form and in their essay Frameworks the duo state they are doubtful whether completely new forms can exist (1996, p.41)[18].   For them, it is cheating to muck around with algorithms and mapping programs to generate forms.   Adam Caruso in Tyranny of the New states his distaste for computers used in this way condemning how the forms: lack the complexities and ambiguities that are held within the tradition of architectural form, these shapes quickly lose their shiny novelty and achieve a condition of not new, but also not old or ordinary enough to become a part of the urban background (1998, p.25)[19].   Effectively the belief is that computer generated forms have no place in our current urban context and lack any particular sense of place.   In Contemporary Architecture and the Digital Design Process Andrew Kane remarks that there is an increased belief amongst experienced clients that digital representation of design proposals is essential to close the gap between their understanding of the conceptual ideas and the realized finished form (2005 p.vii)'[20].   This is not the case in Caruso St Johns practice.   A multitude of models and a close communicative relationship with their clients ensures complete understanding of the project on both without the need for extensive use of computer generated form.   Through a physical and verbal understanding of design elements, a computer can have no advantage over a close relationship developed with a client. To summarize, it must be noted that this affiliation with traditional values and qualities is an admirable approach in the face of modernity in a high tech world.   The formulation of design within Caruso St Johns office involves a multitude of mediums with CAD software being one of those.   However, their use of it doesnt restrict the design formalities but merely assists them in engaging with the project more intrinsically.   Computers are used frequently within the office like every other architects business; however they do not use its powers as a form, plan or aesthetic generator.   Caruso St John avoid the extensive use of the computer image generation path and the stardom associated with this archetype in favor of being linked with the physicality, a model or a pen and paper can bring, rather than the autonomous production of a drawing filtered via a software program with no sense of personal touch.   To conclude it can be stated that Caruso St John have avoided the nostalgia of digital realms of visualization but have embraced the use of CAD software programs as a communicative tool with contractors, as an aid in production design and as an aid in visualizing their initial sketch idea in its contextual environment. The next chapter is the second case study of a practice with a different approach to the use of CAD in their everyday work.   Chapter 3:   Zaha Hadid:   Towards a new realm This chapter will use the practice of Zaha Hadid to examine how they use CAD in their working methods and allow an examination of the effect it has had on their design philosophies and the work they produce. Zaha Hadid has defined a radically new approach to architecture by creating buildings with imaginative geometry to evoke the hectic nature of modern life.   She transcends the realm of paper architecture to the built form creating archetypes never envisaged before.   Her work is known widely for the dramatic images produced of seemingly impossible pieces of architecture yet many of these complex images have been realized and built contrary to many beliefs. All of this would not have been impossible without the advent of computer-aided software to allow architects almost infinite freedom to create any shape they wanted.   In particular the use of computer aided manufacturing (CAM) has become increasingly popular in Hadids practice.   The ability to manufacture a physical model from a 3D computer model has allowed the firm to fabricate scale models using CAM technology and therefore allow an appreciation and review of what could be realized at full scale on site.   Subsequent ly full scale components are then created from the computer model.   It is through this extensive use of computers, that has enabled Zaha Hadid to minimize the need to dumb down her architectural wonders and requires contractors to build her works of complexity.   Her decision to virtually leave the drawing board in the 1980s in favor of graphic paintings to express her visions was a bold statement.   One of her paintings displayed in Figure 5 demonstrates the complexity of her ideas.  Ã‚   The emergence of computer visualizations simply begged Hadid to embrace it to express her bold, flowing spaces. The critic Aaron Betsky remarks how she does not invent forms of construction or technology; she shows us a world in new ways by representing it in a radical manner (2009, p6).[22] The influence of the computer in Hadids working method is clearly visible in the Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg, where the architects started the project at conceptual stages by deforming a hypothetical grid and depressing it at points using a 3D visualization program.   This push and pull of elements using CAD software is evident in Figure 6.   However often what happens in practice is that the more experienced architect such as Hadid will delegate the computer generative work to a younger colleague to visualize.   As Aaron Betsky remarks; she sketches and does all the precise lines that indicate her design objectives, her co-workers render the work at a larger scale and fill in the spaces between her gestures she now produces paintings that are only white lines on black paper, ghosts of a future city (2009, p.11).[23]   It is notable therefore that the perceived heroes of the architectural world such as Hadid still will connect with their spaces and concepts via a pen and paper before ever conceiving any manifestations on a computer.   The question that keeps coming back to us therefore is whether all architecture still stems from the simplicity of the hand?   Patrik Schumacher a partner in the office proclaims of the primacy of the computer, arguing that it is the technologies that rely on its power that are allowing us to create what we consider to be truly modern structures (2009, p.14).[26]   As her paintings and sketches disappear into computer renderings and forms, their imaginative qualities begin to disappear too as a flattened, sterile computer visual image can never be a substitute for the emotion a hand drawing can bring.   The digitally produced image can often be a misrepresentation of the actual building product The use of computer visualization programs in Hadids office however has enabled the emergence of reweaving reality.   Joseph Giovannini states that, In Hadids laboratory, the mediums of design were not tethered to representation but instead encouraged ways of seeing released from convention.(2006, p.23)[27]   Computers allowed Hadids office to break away from conventional architectural expression in favor of shifting simulations of representation.   The pedestrian bridge at Zaragoza, Spain is based on a computer procedure called lofting, a term used in the computer program Rhino.   It involves the continuous morphing of one architectural section into another as the initial shape transforms through the ends of its trajectory.   Figure 8 demonstrates this morphing shape achieved via this CAD process.   Something never possible via traditional means.   As Aaron Betsky states, The latest software allows her to take the existing landscape and unfold it, to pan, swoop, swerve, cut, slow down and speed up (2009, p.12).[28]   The software allows her to intertwine elements and shift forms too complicated to model quickly via conventional methods.   Therefore I would argue that the use of computational tools actually allows for speed of manipulation and not creation itself. Zaha Hadid has an extraordinary ability to transform perceptions and dream like paintings and drawings into representations.   The firm quite clearly relies on computer software to create fully integrated, large scale buildings and manage the process from conceptual stage to practical completion however, whether or not she can pull off many of these virtual worlds as realized functional buildings remains to be seen.   Zaha Hadid has an enormous catalogue of conceptual designs but surprisingly a small number of developed projects. Therefore this tendency towards graphic representation in the conceptual stage via computer has yet to be truly tested at construction stage.   This pastiche of virtual worlds created in Hadids studios is very much intriguing to the architectural world however pursuing the elusive commissions remains another matter.   In Hadids office, the computer acts as an enabler to model on screen, pushing and pulling objects similar to a hands on approach and a s Joseph Giovannini states, like all tools she has used, the computer helps Hadid become more Hadid (2006, p.32).[29] To summarize this chapter has shown that to create complex forms and shapes such as that of the work of Zaha Hadid, CAD modeling used in conjunction with CAM offers extraordinary benefits and acts as a communication tool to reassure clients and contractors that the design is possible.   It has emerged that computer software is more of a business tool, with the birth of a concept and design still stemming from the hands of the maker via a sketch or painting.   The problem identified is that the final computer images do not accurately reflect the finished product as the shiny, reflective and vibrant colors and textures viewed on the computer screen does not follow through in the finished building. The next chapter is the third case study of a practice with another different approach to the use of CAD in their everyday work, where working methods, beliefs and outcomes in relation to computers will be assessed.   Chapter 4:   Greg Lynn:   Architectural animation and the paperless office The majority of architectural practices produce paper drawings, then use design visualization software to assess the form and produce a full repertoire of working drawings, however Greg Lynns paperless practice located in California brings computers into the design mix from the start.   He is considered one of the most influential figures in computer generated architecture and has been named in Times magazine 100 innovators of the next century.   Considering he is the pioneer of computer designed architecture using biomorphic shapes and the creator of blob architecture, the architectural critics of CAD software can undoubtedly be impressed with his merging of science, calculus, art, photography, film, organisms and architecture all into one futuristic idea.   He envisages ideas of science fiction as Mark Rappolt states: Gregs work has become a form of porn pored over, leered at, and more or less successfully emulated thats resolutely hardcore in its use of the new digital technologies and pioneering exploration of new (architectural) positions in the latest special effects (2008, p.6).[30]  Ã‚   His use of computers and other advanced digital technologies as a design tool has paved the way for the future of the architectural discourse.   Undoubtedly graphic content in architecture has opened up the discourse to popular media; however Gregs use of visualization software goes beyond the mere formulated, repetitive and regular approaches to expand the possibilities of the building world.   For example in the design for Cabrini Green Urban Design Competition in 1993, Greg used adjustable triangles, a computer spreadsheet for dimensions, a ruler and a parallel bar.   Existing buildings in the Cabrini Green neighborhood were measured and drawn along a linear bar and then their shape and size averaged from one to another.   A technique subsequently adopted and used in new computer programs Alias and Maya 5 years later as blend shape tools.   The harmonious scales are shown in figure 9. This project was also one of the last achieved in his office by hand initially on a drawing board and simply extruded by the computer.   Everything is now done digitally.   His approach to projects involves the use of computers from the initial brief and one method adopted is testing the boundary of animation software called editing spline functions.   As Greg Lynn points out, the very first projects designed using animation software did operate through happy accidents:   the port authority competition and citron house, specifically (2008, p.280).[31]   Basically trial and error methods were used using basic CAD packages until a satisfactory outcome emerged from the screen.   In the port authority triple bridge gateway competition (1995) animation tools and splines were used as a design medium for the first time by any architect and was more a computer analysis outcome than a design project.   The project was produced in less than a week using dynamics and the pseudo-quantitative indexing of statistical data.   The outcome is shown in Figure 10. This then became a primary technique for Gregs future projects using blebs'[34]   It must be stated that in Gregs office computer design software is never simply used as a representative medium but more as an architectural tool to expand the possibilities and boundaries of architecture.   For example prototypes of concepts are built at Lynns office during the design phases using his own computer controlled 3D cutter known as Computer Numerical Control.   The intent as a result is to really focus on how these amorphical forms are created to achieve the maximum potential of a computer, as well as actual build-ability using CAM.   Full scale models are built of sections of buildings to allow a person to physically walk through and engage with a product not yet reality.  

“3 idiots” Reaction Paper Essay

Phunsuk Wangdu. This was a main character played by Aamir Khan in the movie 3 idiots, a famous Indian movie directed by Rajkumar Hirani. The story was basically about three engineering students who faced everyday life challenges together for their whole stay in college. They stayed in one room causing them to treat each other like a real family. Unfortunately, their institution was ruled by a heartless genius man who always believed in the thought that life is a race, one must compete to survive and also, he never cared about his students dying out of pressure through committing suicide. This ruler was a total perfectionist and had very high standards on everything, he wants everything to be under his control. While everyone was terrified following his authority, Phunsuk Wangdu dared to be different, well, he stayed as who he really was. His perspective in life was completely different from that of their institution’s director. He was a very simple student and a total definite genius who applied the things he studied in the real world. And as the years went by, he showed that undeniably impossible things could possibly happen. His character had enlightened me so much and watching the whole movie for more than 2 hours gave me goosebumps. Putting your whole trust in God, sharing,helping and inspiring others, doing your best at all times and bringing positivity to everything – things we need to survive and enjoy life. He once said that putting your trust to God won’t be the solution to your problem but it will give you enough courage to face it. These are very simple lessons to keep in mind yet the most important ones to keep our life meaningful. Now i want myself to be like him in my own simple ways and prove people that happiness is the key to success. To sum it up, we’ll have everything we need and want if we have God. And as he commonly said, ALL IS WELL. 3 Idiots Reaction Paper Essay INTRODUCTION The movie â€Å"3 Idiots† is an Indian film about the life of three engineering students who went to study at one of the best colleges in India, the Imperial College of Engineering. Coming from different walks of life, the three â€Å"idiots†, Farhan Qureshi, Raju Rastogi , and Rancchoddas â€Å"Rancho† Shyamaldas Chanchad, will become best of friends. But the movie will circle on how the wisdom and ideals of Rancho will influence the life of his two friends and other characters in the story. At first, Rancho’s giftedness seemed entertaining to his friends and classmates. But his free spirit and wit will irritate his lecturers including the college director, Professor Viru Sahastrabudhhe (ViruS). Standing by their new beliefs as inspired by Rancho, the three friends will face obstacles that will test their loyalty and determination. Valuable lessons can be learned from the characters portrayed in this film, even from the antagonists. The movie all throughout illustrated how the elder people of India (in the story) make themselves prisoner to the expectations and high regard of others. They pass on this burden to their children who had to sacrifice their passions, happiness, and future. The movie also seemed to point out how important open and honest communication is within the family. Communication is so important that failing to be understood or to understand may lead to serious heartbreaks and depression among family members. I have also observed that verbal wit is entertaining. But in the long run, our actions are what will win the respect and the hearts of people. BODY Farhan Qureshi is studying engineering to pursue his father’s wishes. But his one real passion though is wildlife photography. As said by his father to Rancho during a confrontation, they have invested all their money in Farhan’s studies. They didn’t buy a car or an extra air conditioner (only Farhan’s room had AC) because they prioritized Farhan’s study needs. Coming from a struggling middle class family, Farhan is pressured to finish engineering to compensate the sacrifice of his family. But in the course of the story, Farhan adopts the outlook of Rancho to pursue one’s true passion. He gathers the courage to take a stand and convinces his father to believe in his dream of becoming a photographer. Farhan demonstrates the lesson of courage to believe in your passion and follow your happiness, and not just to live for the approval of others, as seen in the words of his father when they argued over his career change, â€Å"The world will laugh. They will say that you reached the final year and quit.† But in the end of their quarrel, the final response of Farhan’s father demonstrated and taught us humility, open-mindedness, the willingness to understand, and the untiring love of a parent. Raju Rastogi comes from a poor family. Raju’s father is a retired post master who had become a paralytic. His mother is a retired school teacher. Most of their income went to his father’s medication. The scene in Raju’s house depicted a poverty stricken family with a paralytic father who â€Å"lay on a small bed†, a coughing mother, a sofa with springs coming out, a dripping roof, and â€Å"a sister waiting to get married† (because they had no dowry to give for her marriage). Raju was always afraid and so relied on lucky charms for a less scary future. Later, Raju will face a possible expulsion from college which can only be revoked if he witnessed for Mr. ViruS, the college director, for the expulsion of his friend, Rancho. Not wanting to betray his friend nor face his parents’ heartbreak with his getting expelled, Raju attempts suicide and ends up in a comma. But with the constant care and support of his mother and friends, Raju recovers and gains new-found confidence as influenced in him by Rancho. With this, he will impress corporate agents in one job interview and get hired. In the story, Raju gets a chance to cheat to pass a difficult exam but re fuses to, and chooses to make it with â€Å"his own ability†. Raju’s character demonstrated valuing genuine friendships, courageous honesty, and earning your way fairly. And there was Rancchoddas Shyamaldas Chanchad, or Rancho, who came to ICE for the pure passion of learning. He was introduced as a gifted student with a practical mind, a noble character, and an outlook that didn’t agree with the school system and the family traditions in the story. Rancho didn’t bother to compete for grades or adopt to the college’s dog-eat-dog system. Professor ViruS despised Rancho and how Rancho outwitted him in most of their arguments. Professor ViruS thought that grades and the favor of his teachers didn’t bother Rancho because he was a rich man’s son. If he doesn’t graduate on time, he could afford to come back the following year. Rancho, Raju and Farhan will become best of friends. In the movie, we see how the attitudes and outlook of Raju and Farhan are reformed by Rancho’s friendship and by the excellence he exhibited in his studies andprojects. Rancho would also later win the respect of Professor ViruS. This is after the professor experiences for himself Rancho’s nobility and witness Rancho’s gift with machines when his daughter would give birth in a table-tennis room. This incident will change the way the director perceived Rancho. Despite the hurdles Rancho faced at ICE, he earns the engineering degree and graduates as the top student. He then vanishes, to be sought after by his friends 10 years later. As they searched for Rancho, they are surprised to discover Rancho’s true identity. Rancho is really the son, not of a rich man, but of a rich man’s gardener. Since childhood, Rancho already displayed so much desire to learn. Because his father’s boss wanted a good reputation for his son—the real Rancchoddas Chanchad—the rich man proposed to send Rancho to school to earn an engineering degree using his son’s name. Finally finding Rancho, his friends learn his real name, Phunsukh Wangdu, now a renowned scientist who is sought all over the world. We learn a lot from Rancho’s free spirit. He refused to imprison himself in competition and expectation. He was excellent but his purpose is not for recognition or just to impress others. He lived the desires of his heart, which are machines and great friendships. His mantra, â€Å"All is well. All is well†, reminds us that we cannot control situations, but we can control our attitude and perspective. Rancho also talks a lot. He does a lot of explaining and convincing to his friends. But he backed up his words with weightier deeds of love, kindness, and sacrifice. And I think that is what the writer intended to convey—that his deeds more than his words are what really won the people around him. In real life, I believe that the qualities of Rancho—nobility and excellence without conceit—are attainable through passion combined with faith in God. Going back to Professor Viru Sahastrabudhhe (ViruS), director of ICE, he is the â€Å"adversary† of Rancho and the one who sets the â€Å"compete or die† system at ICE. By excellence he meant being ahead of everyone else. He despised Rancho who opposed these beliefs, However, Rancho alwa ys outsmarted him. In the story, Professor ViruS is the figurative â€Å"murderer†. His extreme conviction to always push oneself to the limit provoked three suicide incidents in the story—that of Raju, of another student named Joy, and of his own son (as a backstory). At first, Mr. ViruS thought his son’s death was just an accident. Later, he will learn that his son committed suicide because he wanted to quit engineering and become a writer instead. After learning this, and after Rancho performs the emergency birth delivery of Prof. ViruS’ daughter (as mentioned earlier), Prof. ViruS outlook changes as well as his perception of Rancho. Here, we learn that the best way to a man’s heart is through â€Å"junior† (or daughter). Also, we are reminded again of the importance of communication. Prof. ViruS didn’t know that his son detested engineering so much that he preferred to commit suicide. One character who shared and followed after Prof. ViruS’ morals is Chatur Ramalingam, who was known in ICE as â€Å"Silencer†. He was called as such because he drank pills that would make him pass gas. He would take these pills nearing the exams so when he passes gas, the unpleasant odor would distract his roommates from studying well. He thought this would give him a better chance of topping the exams. Chatur was also excellent. In fact, he was second in score rank to Rancho. But Chatur was always miserable, because like Prof. ViruS, getting ahead of everyone was his ultimate goal. Chatur reminds me of the story of a frog who wanted to be the highest â€Å"jumper† in his pack so he cut the hind legs of the other frogs. From Chatur’s bad example, we are reminded of a good lesson that says, the only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday. Towards the end of the story, Chatur, along with Raju and Farhan, finds Rancho 10 years later. Thinking that Rancho became a primary school teacher, Chatur mocks Rancho’s work and salary. Another good lesson here is to not be quick to speak, judge, or boast as Chatur did who belittled Rancho just before finding out who Rancho had actually become. Rancho, who is actually the renowned scientist, Phunsukh Wangdu, and who had 400 patents to his name, is the same man he’s looking for to woo and get to sign a multi-million dollar deal with his company. CONCLUSION Overall, 3idiots is a truly engaging film. The story is brilliant and the lessons to be learned are immense. We see the importance of extending a little understanding and consideration and the danger of holding it back. A little understanding could mean a lifetime of happiness; and depriving it could lead to serious depressions, miseries, and even death. I believe that the life stories of the characters in this movie are very relatable—peer pressure, poverty, and family’s expectations. But the story is also very liberating— don’t be a prisoner of expectations and competitions. Be free to live your dream!

Amazon s Effect On The Internet - 2762 Words

Background Due to the recent technology changes and rise of the internet thereafter, the book industry has drastically changed in the past decade shifting from hardcover books to electronically available journals, articles, encyclopedias, eBooks etc. Items that used to be available at book stores and libraries only, are now readily available on the internet. With the shift towards the internet also came devices such as smartphones and tablets that consumers can now use to display any information that used to be only available on computers and books before then. This new technology allowed for the publishing, releasing, and selling of electronically available eBooks via devices such as the Kindle or the Nook created by Amazon. Due eBooks being drastically cheaper to produce and rapidly increasing markets and interests among consumers, Amazon created a marketing strategy that significantly lowered the price of eBooks to $9.99 (Case 1:12-cv-02826-UA, 2011). With Amazon controlling the majority mar ket i.e. having a monopoly in the e-reader and eBook industry, publishers were upset that they were no longer controlling the market themselves and were afraid that the low prices would become an industry standard. Therefore, five of the top 6 publishers in the United States (Hachette Book Group, Inc., HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group, Inc., and Simon Schuster, Inc.) decided to do something about it; they decided to create a price fixing scheme with theShow MoreRelatedAmazon : A New Horizon Of Business Opportunities1135 Words   |  5 Pagesbecome popular since the late 90’s. Internet has exposed Amazon a new horizon of business opportunities. However, online business is also risky. This paper analyzes the external opportunities and threats of Amazon in conducting business over the Internet. Keywords: Amazon, strategy, online business, opportunities, threats Amazon Started as an online bookstore, Amazon.com Inc. had been extending its product line since it was founded. Adding CDs, videos, and DVDs, Amazon first expanded its merchandiseRead MoreBackground. Today, People Are Engaging In E-Commerce More1742 Words   |  7 Pagesbusinesses occupy several areas of business including retail, services, wholesaling and manufacturing. The growing acceptance of the Internet and e-commerce in the early 1990’s changed the way people shopped, shifting consumer preference from traditional to online shopping. With the introduction of personal electronic devices and more readily available wireless internet, Amazon’s customer membership continues to grow. 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While in many cases, they are knowledgeable online users, children are still at risk when using the Internet. Their right to privacy online is endangered, especially when online businesses target children as consumers. Thus, an increased threat of children’s personal data collectionRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Digital Books999 Words   |  4 Pagesbefore has a problematic effect on distributed. The Internet, imprinting on-interest and the digital book are the principle drivers of progress, affecting all parts of the distributed quality chain—from the way books are distributed. writers can be found easy by the customers without needing to a third party, conveyed (electronic commercial centers), sold e-tailers and read (digital books). The walk toward computerized books didn t begin with digital books customers. the Internet, which i s the basicRead MoreE Commerce : A Small On Line Business1317 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION How much did U.S. consumers spend on-line in 2014? According to the website Internet Retailers, consumers spent almost $300 billion in 2014. That was an increase in 15.4% over 2013 sales. 2013 sales totaled close to $265 billion (internetretailer.com). Today technology is business. E-commerce is big business. In the discussion I will state how e-commerce impacts consumers in many areas. First, I will define e-commerce. Then, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantage of e-commerceRead MoreLeadership in the Organization: Jeff Bezos and Amazon Essay1701 Words   |  7 PagesAmazon the Beginning Jeff Bezo’s began Amazon in his garage in July 1995 with three Sun workstations setting on wooden doors for tables and extension cords running from everywhere (Academy of Achievement, 2010). Right from the beginning he was a visionary leaving his well paying job as a senior vice president with D. E. Shaw to begin Amazon.com (Academy of Achievement, 2010). 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The Magical Bean Coffee - 558 Words

Coffee has been part of our everyday life for centuries. It is said that Kaldi, a habitant and goatherd of the Ethiopian highlands, centuries ago, noticed that his goats, upon eating the fruits from a certain tree, became so energetic that they did not sleep that night. After this, Kaldi reported his discovery to the abbot of the local monastery. They then decided to make a drink using that â€Å"fruit† (coffee beans) and discovered that it enabled them to stay alert for long hours. What they did not know was that this â€Å"juice† would later be called coffee and that it would be drunk worldwide for the upcoming centuries due to its energy boosting effect. But why is it that coffee has this effect? Coffee is made up of many constituents, these being: caffeine, trigonelline, carbohydrates, chlorogenic acids, lipids, amino acids, organic acids, melanoidins, volatile aroma, ash and others that are unknown. Only one of these components is the reason to why coffee contains the energetic effect that so many people seek. This component is caffeine. Caffeine’s molecular formula is, C8H10N4O2, and therefore it has eight carbon atoms, ten hydrogen atoms, four nitrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms. It is formed by covalent bonds and double bonds (when atoms share two electrons among them) between non-metals (Figure 1). Hydrogen’s electronic configuration is 1s1, Carbon’s electronic configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p2, Nitrogen’s electronic configuration is 1s2 2s2 3p3 and Oxygen’s electronicShow MoreRelatedHistory of Starbucks991 Words   |  4 Pagesstore called Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice in Pike Place Market in Seattle. The three academics, writer Gordon Bowker, English teacher Jerry Baldwin, and History teacher Zev Siegel, shared a passion of exotic teas and fine coffees and believed that in Seattle, they would be able to build a clientele. Each academic invested $1,350 and borrowed $5,000 from a bank to open the original Starbucks. Baldwin, Siegel and Bowker chose the name Starbucks in honor of Starbuck—the coffee-loving first mate inRead MoreBecoming A Coffee Connoisseur, Chemistry 11203708 Words   |  15 Pages â€Å"Becoming a Coffee Connoisseur† Chemistry 1120 Mary Alvarez Brittany Monte Becoming a Coffee Connoisseur It’s our daily routine, and it’s what motivates us to rise in the morning. There is something about the smell and feel of the ceramic mug; something about the magical way it has the ability to bring different groups of people together. When it’s warm it’s the perfect companion to a rainy morning; when it’s cold it’s the perfect companion to a sunny afternoon. If you are like me, I don’tRead MoreTo Build or Buy Bus 402 Essay2095 Words   |  9 PagesTo Build or Buy Strayer University Course: BUS 402 January 29, 2012 My business strategy is to purchase an existing tea and coffee shop which is located a mile away from where I work in Ashburn, Virginia, the business is call Sakasa tea and coffee. Sakasa is located next door to George Washington University and directly across is a chick fil a and a small hotel also it is right off a major highway so it has a great location. The reason the owner is selling is because of health issue and asRead More21 Fun Facts About Coffee Essay1496 Words   |  6 PagesTitle: 21 Fun Facts about Coffee (1600 words) Coffee is one of the most popular beverages on the planet. According to a rough estimate, nearly 400 to 500 billion coffee cups are consumed each year. Astonished? Well, it’s only one of many truly amazing coffee facts. So sit back and enjoy the following list of crazy coffee facts. Crazy Fact 1. Coffee was discovered with the help of crazy goats Like various other discoveries, the magical powers of coffee was discovered with the help of crazy goatsRead MoreThe Consumption Of Caffeine Has Grown All Over The World1751 Words   |  8 Pagesbecome a norm for many individuals to consume coffee throughout the day. In many occasions individuals may not know that they may be consuming coffee through various products that may not necessarily be types of coffee drinks. The coffee trend has become one phenomenon that that has become into a multi million-dollar industry that continues to grow at an astonish fast rate throughout the world. The traditional individuals that were thought to consumed coffee were adults that were going to work in theRead MoreChocolate And Its Effect On The Brain1243 Words   |  5 Pagesthe brain. The three primary chemicals are caffeine, theobromine, and tryptophan. 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine or caffeine (C8H10N4O2) is a stimulant that is near and dear to us all. It is the chemical that gives us a boost after consuming our morning coffee or drinking a soda. It excites our central nervous system which increases heart rate and contracts muscles. Caffeine affects dopamine and adenosine receptors in the brain which release pleasure producing chemicals. Theobromine (C7H8N4O2) is a bitterRead MoreHow Coffee Affects The Environmental Ethics Of The Bean2202 Words   |  9 Pagesof coffee. Weather this coffee is brewed at home, picked up on the way to work or slowly enjoyed at a cafà ©, coffee is a common ground between millions of people. Coffee is estimated to be a $20 billion industry, its impacts reaching almost every corner of the earth. As coffee spread around the world and demand for the bean grew, an industry popped up that led to current day unethical and unsustainable practices surrounding the production and marketing of the bean. Vast consumption of coffee is whatRead MoreThe International Fair Trade Market1921 Words   |  8 Pagesresearch and findings, when helping the fair trade coffee bean producers it untimely comes down to the long-term goal of these companies, if it is to simply increase their market and gain consumers or to actually transform the international fair trade market. An example of the northern power Jaffee gave was in a case where they pushed the mass production of a low-grade level of coffee but ended up failing against the organic fair trade coffee beans, which lead to the farmers of these low-grade coffeesRead MoreEssay about Build or Buy2008 Words   |  9 Pageslocation most of th e advertising came from word to mouth, which is a good thing. Island Style serves a variety of hot and cold tea and coffee, they use only 100% organic fair trade coffee and espresso beans (Island Style Bagel and Tea, 2010). They also freshly roast all coffee beans locally. So you get the true magical flavor of every bean. It is truly amazing. Also Island Bagel feature a huge selection of loose leaf teas, they also has a variety of savory tea and Bagel, assortedRead MoreDifference Between Personal Troubles And Social Issues2609 Words   |  11 PagesSeeing someone holding a cup of coffee on the street is not unusual at all nowadays. In fact, they are starting to get more common. There are now different varieties to choose from. Shops or cafes also provide a lot of different choices or products to consumers. Prices could range from low to high, depending on what type of coffee beans you have chosen to make the coffee. By adopting the sociological imagination to coffee, it gives us a better understanding of what coffee represents in a social context