Assignment 1.4: Sketches……..………………….……...…............70

Figure 55: PERMAEBILITY HOUSED, MALAYSIA | Architect: Tangu Architects Year designed: 2020 | Year completed: 2021

Assignment 2 Model, Art Tower Mito

Iconic buildings

With Ain, Alvin and Daniel

Our group has chosen ‘’Iconic buildings’’ from the historicism lineage as our field of study.

Historicism started from ‘’neo-liberty’’; a sort of revisionism in architecture where academically revered classical styles is being replicated. It has very blurred boundaries with revivalism where both strains echo previous architecture styles.

Interestingly, the penchant to replicate previous architecture eras evolved into ‘’symbolic architecture’’. It is as if the ideology has gained some independence design-wise and departed from previously emblematic styles to cement their own brand of symbolism.

Thus finally, we arrive at ‘’Iconic buildings’’, driven by the same intent. The older revered styles were replicated to communicate a sense distinguished grandiosity, a symbol of recognized merit. The shift into ‘’Iconic buildings’’ reveal a graduation from copying previously revered styles into establishing new, iconic and distinguished buildings. In spirit, this lineage is about creating cultural monuments.

Art Tower Mito (ATM), designed by Arata Isozaki is an iconic piece of a viewing observatory that stands 100 m tall. It is accompanied by a plaza with 3 separate units; a concert hall, auditorium and art gallery. Opened in 1990 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mito’s designation as an official city, it is a feat of titanium construction.

The structure is made up of 28 tetrahedra, measuring 9.6 m on each side, that are stacked upon one another. The edge lines of the stacked tetrahedra are automatically twisted with steel pipes measuring 500 mm and 21-60 mm in thickness along the ridges. Supporting pillars known as rakers or raking shores have been installed along the lowest part of the regular tetrahedra. The structure of the basement of the tower does into the ground level, and is supported by the bedrock.

Art Tower Mito has pioneered and kickstarted the usage of titanium on large scale in Japan as well as pushing the limits of titanium as structural and expressionist materiality. Placed in a midst of low, concrete buildings, the tall steel tower elevates itself even further as the iconic building etched in the middle of Mito city. Recognizable, monumental and a revelation of the prowess of titanium in architecture.

Figure 59: The planning of modelling. (http://kenchikukeikaku2009.seesaa.net/article/121884548.html, accessed 1st November 2021: )

The orange square should represent the A3 base with 100mm height as a whole, with the highlighted components being the buildings that will be modeled which will covered around 75-80% of the base. On the A3 based model, the tower will be 500mm.

The triangle tower will be built to express its skeletal form. It will be modelled in a computer software. After printing it out in its 3D form, the group will come together to attach around 75% coverage of plastic transparent triangle panels onto the skeleton to show the PLA panel of the top floor and show the windows of the buildings. This is to imply the existence of a covering without compromising the visibility of the structure and show the details of the steel and concrete.

Figure 60: The material that will be used for the model is the Polylactic Acid (PLA). (https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/learn-about-polylactic-acid-pla-prototypes, accessed 1st November 2021: )

Information on the working drawings, context and structural details of Art Tower Mito will be collected online through multiple websites featuring the tower itself. Modelling will then be done digitally using computer aided graphics on SketchUp. After the digital modelling is completed, the model will then be 3D printed out.

Figure 61: The planning of modelling. (http://kenchikukeikaku2009.seesaa.net/article/121884548.html, accessed 1st November 2021: )

Figure 64: Finished model closeup.

Figure 65: Finished model closeup 2.

Caption on model:

Art Tower Mito is an iconic piece of a viewing observatory that stands 100m tall and accompanied by a plaza with 3 separate units; a concert hall, auditorium and art gallery. Arata Isozaki developed a style which reflected both Japanese traditions and Western post-modern and mannerist influences. As a young architect, he was identified with Metabolism, a movement founded in Japan in 1960. Art Tower Mito has pioneered and kickstarted the usage of titanium on a large scale in Japan as well as pushing the limits of titanium as structural and expressionist materiality. Placed in a midst of low, concrete buildings, the tall steel tower elevates itself even further as the iconic building etched in the middle of Mito city. Recognizable, monumental and a revelation of the prowess of titanium in architecture.

Assignment 3 Portrait painting, Liminal

Artistic self-reflection