Design blahs...

My 5th year thesis architecture project [Rest Area Reformation on I-40/Route 66 in Yucca, Arizona] is supposedly formulated into 3 quarters: fall-research and develop thesis statement. Winter-design, and Spring-build model and final presentation. So today was my last day of winter quarter, so ideally I should be nearing completion of the design phase (at least have something concrete). I am rather frustrated because after weeks of work I feel like I am right when I began. I have my basic concepts down, but my design is still fuzzy. I think I am finally getting somewhere and then I either have a critique or see the design in 3D and then idea just bombs! So to any frustrated artist or fellow architecture student out there experiencing at brain drain road block you are not alone.

Pics of a few failed ideas, actually I should say design in progress.