VS 2891
Second Nature
Southern California Institute of Architecture
Fall 2025
Room 225
Tuesday 4:00 - 6:50 PM
Instructor: Breanna Browning
Office Hrs: By appointment
Email: breanna_browning@sciarc.edu
Email: studio@breannabrowning.com
VS 2891
Second Nature
Southern California Institute of Architecture
Fall 2025
Room 225
Tuesday 4:00 - 6:50 PM
Instructor: Breanna Browning
Office Hrs: By appointment
Email: breanna_browning@sciarc.edu
Email: studio@breannabrowning.com
Arranged new -> old. Homework assignments always due the next class period unless noted otherwise.
November 25, 2025
Continue working on your final projects. You should submit your individual video clips with the following specifications:
- 16:9 aspect ratio, ideally 2k or 4k
- h.264 mp4 export
- voiceover added (using the voice decided upon with your “group” from last week - see Miro)
- subtitles added (referencing the example formatting and placement provided by Yvonne - see Miro)
- in-scene sounds added as desired
Submit your files to this Google Drive Folder.
Please arrive at 4:00 pm sharp for our review next week.
November 18, 2025
Continue working on your final projects.
We will have a final check-in next week 11/25 (VIA ZOOM) before our review on 12/2.
- Choose a time slot here: Zoom meeting signup sheet.
- If you cannot make it to a session on this day, please reach out to me via teams or email to schedule a different time to check in.
***REMINDER: FINAL PROJECT DEADLINE IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 1 @ 9:00 AM***
November 11, 2025
Next week we will have our class discussion about editing/composing the final film. To prepare for this, please have the following for class next week:
-
A rough cut of your film (can have placeholders/test renders as needed)
-
Timed/refined script
- Ideas about the direction of the final film
Upload your files to this Google Drive Folder.
***REMINDER: FINAL PROJECT DEADLINE IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 1 @ 9:00 AM***
November 4, 2025
Continue working on your Umwelts in Unreal.
Upload progress to the class Miro board.
October 29, 2025
Continue working on your Umwelts in Unreal.
Upload all materials to the class Miro board.
October 21, 2025
Continue working on your Umwelts in Unreal.
Upload all materials to the class Miro board.
October 14, 2025
Continue working on your Umwelts in Unreal. Upload current progress to Miro.
Part 2: Project Road Map
Based on our conversation today, create a brief road map outlining what you’ll need to do to complete your Umwelt project. Include the following:
- Technical skills/workflows you’ll need to learn or refine (refer to the course schedule if you’re unsure what we’ll cover in class).
- Conceptual or narrative decisions you still need to make, or outstanding questions about your Umwelt.
- Models you still need to make, collect, or kitbash.
- Any other project elements or next steps you can think of.
Upload all materials to the class Miro board.
October 7, 2025
- Work on importing more content, setting up some basic materials/textures, and experimenting with cinematics in Unreal.
- Make at least one cinematic/animation (5-15 seconds long minimum) and render it out. Low quality is fine.
Part 2: Project Check-in
Next week we will have a group check-in (not a formal midterm, but we will share with everyone in the class and/or in small groups). To prepare for this:
- Revise your project description for your Umwelt. Give a 1-3 sentence overview.
- Write a short documentary-style narration (1–2 paragraphs) from the perspective of your chosen being, system, or entity. Use the tone and structure of a nature documentary voiceover — as if you’re observing and describing this world and its behaviors for an audience.
- Collect any other supporting materials you might need to talk about your work/direction.
Updload all materials to the class Miro board.
September 30, 2025
- Read the Introduction and Chapter 1 of Staying with the Trouble by Donna Haraway (pg 1-29).
- Read What is it Like to Be a Bat? by Thomas Nagel.
- Full PDFs of both readings can be downloaded on the Resources page.
- Write a short response to the readings. Answer the following question: Nagel’s thought experiment highlights the gap between human imagination and other species. Haraway offers a practice: speculative fabulation, kin-making, staying with the trouble. Reflect on how these perspectives have(or may) inform your approach to representing the unwelts of “others.”
Part 2: 3D Progress
- Continue experimenting in Blender using the advanced tools we covered the past two weeks (Geometry Nodes, Add-Ons, MCP, etc).
- Test importing at least 2 models into Unreal Engine. Test scale, materials, and placement in a simple scene.
- Capture screenshots/renders of both your Blender experiments and your Unreal imports.
Upload screenshots and reading response to the class Miro board.
September 23, 2025
- Generate 6 images that extend your Umwelt research (visual style, textures, backgrounds, etc.) using ComfyUI
- Create 1–5 3D objects using advanced Blender tools for your Umwelts (Geometry Nodes, MCP, add-ons etc.)
Part 2: Narrative development
- Write 1 short paragraph that articulate your Umwelt research. Focus on how this being/system/entity/etc perceives the world. This should synthesize your positioning so far.
Upload your homework to the class Miro board.
September 16, 2025
- Continue generating reference content for your Umwelts. These could be images continuing to explore concepts/visual styles, texture maps, backgrounds, etc.
- Create 10 generated images relevent to your Umwelt.
Part 2: 3D Assets
- Explore the advanced modeling tools we learned in Blender (Geometry nodes, scripting, texturing, etc) and create 1-5 objects inspired by your concept images and research about your chosen Umwelt.
- Upload rendered images of your assets.
September 9, 2025
- Continue research on your Umwelt(s) based on the class discussion.
- By next week, bring in specific references (found images) and AI generated images that you’ll use for inspiration in your digital modeling. Your generative concept images should exhibit evidence of experimentation with the tools (ie - process images multiple times/across different tools/with workflows you already know, etc).
- Experiment with generative video tools to explore your Umwelt.
- You should have at least 10 images and 1 video.
Part 2: Technical (Blender)
- Familiarize yourself with operating in Blender. Review the tutorial from class. Post one Blender screenshot showing evidence of your practice with the basic tools.
Upload your homework to the class Miro board. Deliverables: 10 images, 1 video, 1 screenshot.
September 2, 2025
- Read the Introduction to Immense World by Ed Yong (pdf provided on Resources page)
- Browse through the diagrams and drawings in "A Stroll Through the Worlds of Animals and Men" by Jakob von Uexkull (pdf provided on Resources page)
Part 2: Research
- Start brainstorming about what Umwelt(s) you'd like to look into and begin your research on these perspectives. We'll continue working on this research in the coming week - no need to have a comprehensive understanding just yet. It's also fine if you have a few Umwelts you're interested in - we can narrow it down as needed. Follow your interests, and find some perspectives that you want to learn more about. Be ready to share a little bit about your chosen Umwelt(s) next Tuesday.
Upload your homework to the class Miro board (you were all added - log in with your Sciarc emails).