Architecture Portfolio 2016
Alec Ring c 647.947.9472 e alec.ring@gmail.com w alecring.ca
Table of Contents i table of contents iii biography iv curriculum vitae
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Indianapolis Transit Hub, Indianapolis
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Oleleshwa Primary School, Kenya
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Grange Conservation - AGO, Toronto
B.Arch.Sci Thesis
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Wood Feature Wall - R.B.S.S., Victoria Hughes Condon Marler Architects
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C.L.T. Shell Structure
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Irish Ghost Estates, Ireland
11 Whitchurch-Stouffville, Gormley E.R.A. Architects
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Centre for Media and Politics, Vancouver
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Sky-o-swale & Sports Court, Scarborough
Polyvalent Adaptations, Tonga
E.R.A. Architects
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Truth and Reconciliation Centre, U.B.C.
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List of Professional Projects
co-designed with Karl Sarkis
E.R.A. Architects
M.Arch Studio
M.Arch Studio
M.Arch Studio
M.Arch Thesis
M.Arch Studio, co-designed with Roy Cloutier
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Alec Ring - Intern Architect
Alec Ring is an Intern Architect with over five years of professional experience in architecture. He is a graduate of Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Architectural Science and the University of British Columbia with a Masters in Architecture. As an Intern Architect he is currently working towards licensure. Working at Adamson Associates, E.R.A. Architects, Hughes Condon Marler Architects and Lamoureux Architect, Alec has been involved in a wide variety of projects including commercial high-rise in New York, restoration and adaptive reuse in Toronto, community and faith buildings in Vancouver, community led design projects in Canada and Kenya, and small-scale freelance design-build projects. Alec brings valuable experience in all phases of the design process, from proposals through design to post construction. At the not-for-profit Harambee 4 Humanity Alec continues to volunteer his project management and design expertise towards the realization of Oleleshwa Primary School in the Maasai village of Ewaso Ngiro in Kenya.
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Alec Ring - Curriculum Vitae A devoted designer, architect in training and global citizen in the pursuit of enhancing the built environment and quality of life on every continent ·· experience with proposals, client relations, community engagement, contract documents, coordination, approvals, construction admin, field review, closeout ·· knowledge of new / traditional construction techniques and construction experience ·· fluent in English and Portuguese (Brazilian) ·· proficient in AutoCAD, Revit, Vectorworks, Sketchup, Form-z, Rhino, Grasshopper and Adobe CS with experience learning new programs quickly in a work environment ·· rendering with 3D Studio Max, Revit, V-ray, Corona, Maxwell and 360 virtual reality professional experience
additional experience
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2015 June to 2016 May
Intern Architect / Assistant Architect - Lamoureux Architect, West Vancouver Developed the design for a large 35,000 sf single family residence with twelve buildings from schematic design to permitting, including project standards, drawing organization for a twelve building drawing set, coordination of a large team of consultants due to extreme environmental, seismic and geotechnical concerns, and organizing work for two employees
2014
Assistant Architect - Hughes Condon Marler Architects, Vancouver Responsible for programming and schematic design of a church and a large fire hall, digital scripting for a wood feature wall, and construction drawings for an ice rink replacement
May to Dec
2009 Aug to 2013 Feb
Assistant Architect / Project Coordinator - E.R.A. Architects, Toronto Responsible for all aspects of the design and construction process for multiple simultaneous smaller projects while also being a team member and project lead for larger design projects. Project types included condition assessments, facade retentions, community-led design, building science investigations, new construction, additions and barrier free upgrades. Assistant Architect and then Project Coordinator for the Whitchurch-Stouffville museum from design through construction. Extensive on site and field review experience for multiple projects.
2008
May to Aug
Architectural Technologist - Adamson Associates Architects Inc., Toronto Member of a team of fifteen people who as the architects of record took the construction documents for World Trade Centre: Tower Three by Richard Rogers from 80-100% CD
2009 to present
Lead Designer and Project Manager - Harambee 4 Humanity, Orillia Responsible for research, design and construction of Oleleshwa Primary School in Kenya
2009 to present
Freelance Designer - alecring.ca Design, construction documents and construction of small buildings, additions and furniture
2015
Teaching Assistant - University of British Columbia, Vancouver Arch 577: Introduction to Autodesk Revit
2013
Teaching Assistant - OCAD University, Toronto ENVR 4B04: Professional Practice
2010 and 2012
Guest Lecturer / Critic - Ryerson University, Toronto
education / qualifications
2016
Intern Architect - Ontario Association of Architects Currently accumulating required experience as an Intern Architect
2013 to 2015
Masters of Architecture (M.Arch) - University of British Columbia Advanced placement due to years of work experience
2011 to 2012
Historic Brickwork Classes - The Red Mason (Gerard Lynch), Toronto Overview of Historic and Modern Bricks and Brickwork Lime Mortars for Traditionally Constructed Brickwork Bachelor of Architectural Science (B.Arch.Sci) - Ryerson University, Toronto Dean’s List
2005 to 2009
awards / recognition
2016
Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence - Nomination Graduating Design Thesis was nominated by the University of British Columbia to represent the graduating M.Arch class.
2015
Aga Khan Award for Architecture - Nomination Oleleshwa Primary School was anonymously nominated to receive this award.
2014 to 2015
University of British Columbia Scholarships Frank Stanzl Memorial Scholarship, Ray Cole Architecture Scholarship Arthur Hullah and Dorothy Cleveland Memorial Scholarship
2014
Architecture Association of Kenya Awards of Excellence in Architecture - Finalist Oleleshwa Primary School was a finalist in the “Best Educational Project” category.
2014
Kenyan Energy Management Awards - Second Runner Up Oleleshwa Primary School was the second runner up in the “Green Building” category.
2009
World House Costa Rica Design Charrette - Winning Design Team
2007
Rawlinson Public School Courtyard Design Charrette - Winning Design
interests
·· humanitarian design, photography, travel, woodworking and culinary arts ·· basketball, soccer, volleyball, biking, hiking, and swimming ·· involvement in: Movember, Ride to Conquer Cancer, Youth Service Project Bolivia, humanitarian fundraising and labour, East Scarborough Storefront, Rotary International exchange student in Brazil
references
available upon request
for additional information see professional project roles below v
Track Level Floor Plan
Concourse Floor Plan
Proposed Legend 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
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war museum exhibition boutique and gift shops bike lockers shower facilities retail café restaurant subway platform custodian room washroom mech./elec. room elevator open to below natural landscape
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war museum exhibition artifact storage custodian room washroom fountain pump room elevator up to tower
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Indianapolis is growing as a destination city, its downtown population is increasing, and it is home to an aging demographic. A study of Monument Circle, Alexander Ralston’s Mile Square plan, and the freeway system suggests a design for a downtown mass transit system with Monument Circle as its main hub. In keeping with the city’s recent commitment to the public realm, Monument Circle would become part of residents’ daily routine, reinvigorating its place within the city. Expansion of the already-free on-site Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum into the hub’s public space would connect the lives of citizens with the past lives of soldiers. In addition to freeing up space, a large infrastructure project allows for sustainable services such as geothermal energy and grey water treatment to be constructed and provided to the city core.
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Indianapolis Inter-Transit Hub B.Arch.Sci Thesis Year: Location: Committee:
2008 to 2009 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN Masha Etkind, Edwin Rowse, Michael Miller, Daniel Gaito
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In North America, transportation systems, built form, and nature struggle for space within the cores of our cities. Typically in excess of one third of the surface area is used solely for vehicular transportation. By locating transportation and other suitably-programmed spaces below our cities, we can more productively use space.
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Section at Breezeway
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Oleleshwa Primary School
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Freelance Design Year: Location: Co-designer: Funding: Role:
The Maasai people of Kenya have traditionally lived in communities of less than 100 people living a nomadic lifestyle based on transhumanance. With the distribution of land to individual families in the mid-nineties, the Maasai have been forced to live a more permanent life in growing towns and on permanent farms. Thirty families in the village of Ewaso Ngiro chose to combine one acre each of their properties on the outskirts of the village in a trust for Oleleshwa Primary School. Harambee 4 Humanity is working collaboratively with the Ewaso Ngiro community to design and build a school and community hub to assist in redefining its way of life. The classroom design tackles issues related to durability of Maasai nomadic construction, integration of available modern materials to improve rather than hinder functionality, and a focus on natural lighting, natural ventilation, and occupant safety, while respecting the aesthetic of traditional Maasai architecture. To ensure access to education for children of both genders, features such as rainwater collection allow girls to attend school and take water home from the cistern instead of walking all day to obtain the family’s water.
Kenya
traditional Maasai enkaji (house)
western-influenced Maasai house
2009 to 2013 Ewaso Ngiro, Narok, Kenya Karl Sarkis Harambee 4 Humanity Lead Designer / Project Manager
school parti
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Oleleshwa Primary School Freelance Design corrugated metal roofing 51 x 101mm blue gum blocking 51 x 101mm tie beam metal mesh and insect screening treated blue gum truss beyond 51 x 101mm blue gum blocking 13mm plywood adobe finish bagged earth & cement compound barbed-wire ties
25 x 140mm blue gum ceiling boards 51 x 101mm blue gum stepped truss 51 x 101mm blue gum sill plate threaded-rod cast into concrete beam reinforced cast-in-place concrete beam pre-cast reinforced concrete beam wood window frame fixed wood louvres
drip edge adobe finish extended to underside of beam operable awning window unit
operable bi-fold window unit
blue gum trim pre-cast concrete window sill exposed structural building stone cement-based mortar
Year: Location: Co-designer: Funding: Photography: Role:
2009 to 2013 Ewaso Ngiro, Narok, Kenya Karl Sarkis Harambee 4 Humanity Harambee 4 Humanity Lead Designer / Project Manager
In April of 2010, a team of seven Harambee 4 Humanity volunteers travelled to Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya, to procure building materials, hire a contractor (fundi), promote volunteer labour from the village, and provide construction labour for the first classroom. Karl and I collaborated with the contractor throughout the construction process completing minor design adjustments based on material availability and vernacular construction techniques. The second classroom was constructed by the community with Harambee 4 Humanity providing remote assistance from Canada. Weekly field reports and photos were received from the contractor throughout construction of the second classroom.
drip edge 51 x 101mm blue gum bench
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steel bolts thru bench & angle 51 x 101mm blue gum blocking steel angle bolted to concrete column beyond
Kenya
cast-in-place concrete floor slab 45° chamfer expansion joint crushed stone
Narok
line of grade soil crushed stone cast-in-place concrete foundation wall 51 x 101mm key in concrete footing cast-in-place concrete footing crushed stone
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Oleleshwa Primary School Freelance Design Year: Location: Co-designer: Funding: Photography: Role:
Project Site
Road To Maasai Mar a
Village of Ewaso Ngiro
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2009 to 2013 Ewaso Ngiro, Narok, Kenya Karl Sarkis Harambee 4 Humanity Axel Fassio Lead Designer / Project Manager
The success and impact of Oleleshwa Primary School has spread beyond Ewaso Ngiro and is now attracting students from as far as several hours away in the Maasai Mara region. Following the completion of the first classroom, the community handed over the educational programming to the Kenyan government. This ensures that the school will have qualified teaching staff funded by the government, will be free to students, and that some Ministry funding will be available, such as that already received to build pit latrines. The two constructed classrooms and two smaller existing buildings have the capacity to hold 180 students, however, there are over three hundred students from pre-primary to class six, creating an urgent need for additional classrooms.
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Grange Conservation - AGO E.R.A. Architects Year: Location: Contractor: My Role: as St.
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Art Gallery of Ontario
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2010 Dundas St. West., Toronto, ON Heritage Restoration Inc. Assistant Architect
The Grange building was the first home of the Art Museum of Toronto in 1910, later renamed the Art Gallery of Ontario, and currently houses the members’ lounge. The historic Georgian manor house was constructed in 1817 and is the oldest brick masonry house still standing in Toronto. The conservation work included: repointing and reconstruction of the four chimneys; removal of destructive ivy from the masonry and stonework; repointing of large portions of the facade; cleaning of the limestone porch; dismantling the stone steps and installing new structure to stop settlement; and reconstructing the stone steps. The historic nature of the building, deemed an archeological site, required oversight by archeologists during all excavations.
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Ground Floor Plan
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research room temporary exhibition upper foyer hands-on/discovery room multi-purpose hall storage/warm-up kitchen kitchen interior walkway office administration reception gift shop
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exhibition storage climate-controlled storage community room lower foyer men’s washroom women’s washroom av closet entrance vestibule mech./elec. room elevator room elevator custodian closet
basement plan
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BOGARTTOWN SCHOOL HOUSE
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Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum E.R.A. Architects Year: Location: Consultants: My Role: Project Site
2009 to 2012 Woodbine Ave., Gormley, ON Blackwell Bowick, Smith + Andersen Assistant Architect / Project Coordinator
e Woodbin Avenue
The Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum is dedicated to the history of Stouffville and its agricultural heritage. Previously, the museum, archival storage and administration space were housed in a grouping of small heritage buildings which included two one-room schools and a house. The purpose of the new building is to provide additional exhibition, administration, community, and archival storage spaces and to connect two of the existing buildings providing barrier-free access throughout. The new spaces allow for the conversion of the existing heritage buildings back to their original state for use as exhibition and event space. The simple design of the building is intended to reduce the visual impact on the heritage buildings.
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western red cedar utility pole beyond 102 x 6.4mm steel hss welded to plate beyond 19mm galvanized bolt thru bracket and utility pole 19mm galvanized chain shackle 150mm weeping tile filled with crushed stone 19mm galvanized steel plate welded thru galvanized steel strut
wood utility pole beyond lap waterproofing membrane over adjacent membranes
150mm weeping tile filled with crushed stone
s.s. grommet thru membranes
s.s. grommet thru membrane
75 x 25 x 5mm aluminum clamping plate, wrap web around plate as shown
load rated zip-tie fastened thru waterproofing membrane and chain-link fence
10mm s.s. bolts
52mm nylon web belt
10mm s.s. bolt
150mm weeping tile filled with crushed stone
19mm galvanized chain
150mm weeping tile filled with crushed stone
75 x 25 x 5mm aluminum clamping plate, wrap around plate as shown
load-rated zip-tie fastened thru waterproofing membrane, chain-link fence and chain
52mm nylon web belt 19mm galvanized chain
galvanized chain-link fence
galvanized chain-link fence
crushed stone
crushed stone
19mm galvanized steel plate beyond 19mm galvanized steel plate welded to steel plate on pole
waterproofing membrane waterproofing membrane
engineered green roof growing medium
19mm galvanized chain
engineered green roof growing medium
geotechnical fabric
19mm galvanized chain shackle
geotechnical fabric
crushed stone
19mm galvanized wire rope thimble
crushed stone
plastic beverage container
plastic beverage container 19mm galvanized wire rope min. three 19mm wire rope clips
load-rated zip-tie
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parking lot hanging catenary green roof
concrete cistern below wood deck terraced seating constructed with reclaimed western red cedar
steel hss strut galvanized chain catenary
nylon web-belt structure hand pump to supply community garden with water from cistern below
downspout piping from green roof above
Roof Plan
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Floor Plan
Sky-O-Swale & Sports Court E.R.A. Architects
19mm galvanized chain galvanized chain-link fence
crushed stone
102 x 6.4mm steel hss welded to plate on utility pole
52mm nylon web belt
Year: Location: Consultants: Role:
19mm galvanized chain shackle
waterproofing membrane
19mm galvanized steel plate welded to steel plate on pole
s.s. grommet thru membrane load-rated zip-tie
min. three 19mm wire rope clips
52mm nylon web belt load-rated zip-tie
2012 to 2013 Lawrence Ave. East, Scarborough, ON Blackwell Bowick, Sustainable.TO, Adam’s Eco, Tensile Integrity Lead Designer
19mm galvanized wire rope 19mm galvanized steel plate beyond 19mm galvanized chain shackle western red cesar utility pole beyond 19mm galvanized bolt thru bracket and utility pole
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Plan Detail at End Utility Pole
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new 1 : 12 ramp constructed using reclaimed deck modules
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The East Scarborough Storefront (ESS) is a community centre offering multiple supports and services to the diverse communities of East Scarborough. The design for the green roof pavilion and sports court was developed while working with the local youth through the Community Design Initiative. The design of the pavilion features a water-purifying hanging catenary green roof and a rainwater harvesting system. The construction uses a variety of reclaimed materials including telephone poles, chain-link fence, waterproofing membrane, fence posts, beverage crates and rain barrels.
wood crib constructed using reclaimed 75 x 75mm wood plastic rain barrels
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re-installed chain-link fence cast-in-place concrete foundation wood bench constructed with reclaimed western red cedar
Project Site
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2012 to 2013 Lawrence Ave. East, Scarborough, ON Blackwell Bowick, Sustainable.TO, Adam’s Eco, Tensile Integrity Lead Designer
The project was constructed with funding from Live Green Toronto and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, using volunteer and paid labour from local students, the ESS community, and the design team. The community salvaged usable materials from the site, such as chain-link fence and posts; relocated raised garden beds; planted and maintained the sedum nursery; sorted donated wood; and constructed various aspects of the Sky-O-Swale.
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Truth and Reconciliation Centre M.Arch. Comprehensive Studio Year: Location: Co-designer: Supervisors:
Project Site
University of British Columbia Campus
2014 Main Mall, U.B.C., BC Roy Cloutier Chris Macdonald, John Bass, Matthew Soules
ain CM UB ll Ma
Designing a politically- and historically-charged Truth and Reconciliation Research Centre at the heart of a public university located on unceded First Nations territory is a contentious proposition. In addition, designing an institution which addresses a problem created by a government requires a sensitive approach. The design decreases the presence of the building by creating a small one-storey pavilion at the level of the main university mall. The pavilion and podium top improve campus circulation and provide sheltered spaces to escape the soggy Vancouver weather. Regular use of these exterior spaces invites exposure to the reconciliation process. The podium houses all the functional spaces of the program on one floor with storage for reconciliation artifacts below that.
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First Floor Plan
Basement Plan
Sub-basement Plan
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entry foyer amphitheatre hearth walkway green roof
6 first nations community room 7 sound recording 8 private viewing 9 research offices
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lunch kitchen male washroom female washroom reception lobby
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public display rotating gallery learning space archive storage object processing
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Truth and Reconciliation Centre M.Arch. Comprehensive Studio
UBC Main Mall
Year: Location: Co-designer: Supervisors:
2014 Main Mall, U.B.C., BC Roy Cloutier Chris Macdonald, John Bass, Matthew Soules
Axonometric Details
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Wood Feature Wall - R.B.S.S. Hughes Condon Marler Architects Year: Location: Images: Role:
2014 Ryder Hesjedal Way, Victoria, BC Hughes Condon Marler Architects Modeling and Scripting
Through the use of scripting, the feature wall was designed in real time on the computer, allowing for an infinite number of instantly generated iterations purely by adjusting variables such as pattern seed, available nominal wood sizes, reference splines, maximum and minimum deviations from reference splines, and allowed lengths. Based on the input of variables and the resultant output design of the wall, the script also calculated the area of the acoustic wall exposed and the number and size of each piece of wood. These real time calculations ensured that ease of construction and acoustic requirements of the wall were maintained. The confidence that the technical requirements of the wall were being met freed up time to focus purely on its aesthetic qualities.
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C.L.T. Shell Structure M.Arch Studio Year: Supervisor:
2013 Annalisa Meyboom
Shell structures have fascinated humans since the Renaissance due to their hyper-efficiency and their expressive architectural forms that appear to defy gravity. Other than as form work, wood has not played a large role in these types of structures, however, current digital modelling, manufacturing techniques and advanced computer analysis opens up new realms of possibility. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is dimensionally very stable, but to date has not been used for double-curved structures, but with 6-axis CNC machines and new manufacturing and joinery techniques, CLT holds a lot of potential. Advancements in computer-generated forms and structural patterning through scripting also assist in the design and manufacturing of structurally efficient designs. CLT shell structures could potentially open a whole new realm of possible forms and aesthetics in architecture. Inspired by this project, Associate Professor AnnaLisa Meyboom, in collaboration with the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing, has launched research into potential manufacturing techniques for double-curved CLT.
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Irish Agricultural Ghost Estates M.Arch Studio Year: Location: Supervisor:
2014 Rural Ireland Matthew Soules
This project combines the social and physical repercussions of the Celtic Tiger boom and the Irish housing market collapse. Remnants of the construction boom along with the potential to cut Ireland’s food imports in half through agricultural reeducation of the population provide a base to radically rethink suburban Irish neighbourhoods. Introducing an agricultural school into a ghost estate creates a new residential/agricultural typology. Rethinking the organization of the estate and the yard layout provides ample room for orchards, vineyards and berry bushes to be incorporated along with teaching spaces for arborculture, horticulture and hydroculture. The landscape supports dual functions for the residents and the students. For example, the hydroculture area provides growing containers for aquaculture which cleans the water while doubling as decks for access to the natural swimming pool. All landscaping is maintained by the school, while profits from the harvests are split between the school and the residents.
Project Site
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orchard grape vines berry bushes vegetable gardents greenhouses arborculture horticulture aquaculture
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Centre for Media & Politics M.Arch Studio Year: Location: Supervisor:
As urban populations and densities increase, there is a need to create new public spaces. Our cities are filled with blocks containing similar roof heights as a result of technological limitations, zoning regulations and building codes. If combined, these roof areas have the potential to become public roofscapes, however, social, political and regulatory barriers exist. A vertical agora explores the potential for new roofscapes by addressing the barriers to access, both physical and perceived. To achieve this, the Centre for Architecture Media and Politics (CAMP) hands over all unused volumes and circulation spaces to the public realm, creating a visually significant public stair rising through the building. CAMP invites the public to ascend through the building and becomes one of many access and egress points required for an urban roofscape.
Legend - Existing
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administration kitchen storage cafe exhibition + public space 6 public stair
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residential unit media library research shipping and receiving public roof open to below
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2015 Pigeon Park, Vancouver Joe Dahmen
adjacent retail adjacent offices adjacent roofscape pigeon park
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Project Site Carrall Street
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POLYVALENT “Having many different functions, forms or facets.” - Oxford English Dictionary Existing Shoreline
Nuku’alofa
Existing Island of Tongatapu, Tonga
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ADAPTATION “The process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment.” - Oxford English Dictionary
Polyvalent Adaptations M.Arch Thesis Year: Location: Committee:
2015 Tongatapu, Tonga Ray Cole, Matthew Soules, Kees Lokman, Tony Osborne
“As the impacts of sea level rise begin to force human populations to migrate to higher elevations, new infrastructures can be designed and constructed to meet current needs, while also providing projective agency capable of assisting in the aftermath of extreme weather events and as polyvalent spines for new settlement patterns when populations and individuals choose to migrate.” Sea level has the potential to rise somewhere between one and a half and several metres by the end of the century. Coinciding with this, a two to eleven percent increase in magnitude could lead to storm surges of nearly fifteen metres in height. It is not unreasonable then to assume that in a worst case scenario, anyone living or dependant on land located less than twenty metres above current sea levels is at risk. Tongatapu is a low lying island that has been almost completely manipulated by humans. The island is home to seventy percent of Tonga’s one hundred thousand inhabitants and has a density of 1,275 people per square kilometre. With a reduction in land that could cut Tongatapu’s area in half, and an increasing population from foreign and internal sources, the population density could double this century. The design portion of “Polyvalent Adaptations” proposes a network of soft and hard infrastructures on the island of Tongatapu that will support and guide the inevitable process of migration. The most prominent component of the design is the Vaota (or forest in Tongan). Stretching the length of the island along the twenty metre elevation line through primarily agricultural landscapes the Vaota grows to become visually prominent over time, paralleling the increased pressures of sea level rise. The Vaota becomes a signifier for new zoning, building codes, land use planning, engineering, architectural and cultural polyvalent infrastructures. These infrastructures are interpreted differently in each of the three main phases of migration, while
new infrastructure
maintaining the ability to adapt to future uncertainties. In the first interpretation, the infrastructure is a source for the resources required to meet the current needs of the coastal settlements and increases the island’s resource independence. This phase addresses issues such as water quality, water shortages, land tenure, health, agricultural diversification and energy. As an investment to meet the present-day needs, this phase helps to justify the investment into long-term polyvalent infrastructure. Following a devastating extreme weather event, the infrastructure is interpreted as an emergency support system. With the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, this interpretation draws on Tonga’s long history of preparing for extreme weather and helps to justify investments into polyvalent infrastructure. The final interpretation of the infrastructure is as a spine to allow for new settlement patterns. When individuals, families and communities decide to or are forced to migrate, the infrastructure provides a draw which helps to guide new settlement patterns around it. In a manner similar to the way previous settlements were drawn to their locations by natural infrastructures, resources and ecologies, new settlements can be drawn by constructed ones. The research portion of this thesis explores the issues surrounding sea level rise and develops the idea of Polyvalent Adaptation as an approach to addressing these issues. Tonga was chosen as a test location, however this approach can be applied throughout the world in varying contexts and at various scales. The design is presented as a narrative following a young Tongan named Fokai through his life in Tonga over the next several decades and is accompanied by drawings and diagrams. This manner of presentation was selected in order to bring a large infrastructural project back to the human scale and to highlight the polyvalence and temporality of the project.
new infrastructure
new infrastructure storm surge
existing sea level
1. Independence Resource
existing sea level
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future sea level existing sea level
3. Spine for New Settlements
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newly planted trees N
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Example Plan of Vaota below
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import + export storage national stadium =
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Vaota Planting Rules Along 20m Elevation Line 0m 100 200
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markets
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hospitals
cattle routes
communication communication energy towers storm parks distribmonitoring ution energy cultural import + export
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government
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energy storage
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paddocks
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main spine road
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Polyvalent Adaptation Proposal for Tonga
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plant nursery
extraction road food + resource caches
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vaota expanded below to enclose cultural historic site
extraction road property line 20 metre Contour
Year 2020 - 0.5m of Sea Level Rise
Ha’ Amonga a Maui
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vaota 20m contour line Example of Vaota Expansion Below 20m Line N
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Ha’Amonga a Maui limestone quarry
11
N
11
below
royal tombs Example of Vaota Expansion Above 20m Line N
0m 200 400
extraction road plant nursery
20 metre contour
below
vaota
9
17
Existing House vaota above main spine road
airport
hill of pleistocene limestone vaota expanded above to enclose natural limestone resource
above existing limestone quarry
Fokai had just turned seventeen. As was typical of a Saturday morning, he had been out fishing. He lived with his parents and sister in a house on the outskirts of the capital city Nuku’alofa, which had a population of about thirty-thousand people. It was located on the north shore of the largest of over two-hundred islands in Tonga. He had lived in the same house as long as he could remember and had grown fond of the neighbourhood and its proximity to the sea. The house used to be a lot smaller, but they had built additions over the years. This was home. His mother called to him. She needed him to buy some vegetables and cooking fuel. They had a small market down the street, but next to the large market up in Fo’ou Mu’a there was a biogas-digester plant. You could refill your tank for a fraction of the cost of buying imported gas. Fo’ou Mu’a was becoming a popular location in the centre of the island, it was easy to get to, and he enjoyed the trip.
30
N
22
N
33
Vaota Line
Planting the Vaota
As the bus headed off through the fields Fokai could see the Vaota. The government called it natural infrastructure, but it was basically a new forest growing across the island. There wasn’t anything about the physical trees themselves that he was growing fond of, but it was what they signified. The planting of the first line of trees had taken place following the Tongan democratic reform of 2010. The reform had been a result of riots in the 1990’s and 2000’s and increasing tensions over local land tenure. There was no more land left to fulfil the right of each male to receive land on their 16th birthday. A few months after democratic reform, increased impacts of climate change, in particular worsening intensity and frequency of extreme weather events and rising sea levels, had led to Tonga becoming the first Pacific country to create a comprehensive disaster risk management plan. Folded into the plan was the beginning framework for rethinking how the diminishing land in Tonga could be used to support an increasing population. The Vaota in the distance was the beginning of this plan. He had been told the edge he could see followed a line twenty metres above the current sea level, and that it was indicative of land that could be inundated with sea water in the future. This seemed unimaginable to Fokai. He had never seen more than a two metre storm surge and sea levels had barely raised in his lifetime. It was a scary thought; most of Tonga’s one-hundred-thousand people lived below twenty metres, his own family lived only three-and-a-half metres above sea level. Right now the line signified to Fokai a process of land tenure reform. It gave him hope that even though he hadn’t received land on his 16th birthday, that at some point in the near future he would. Fokai understood it would be a long process, land tenure had barely changed since its inception in 1882.
With the disaster risk management plan, the government’s intention was to plan for the worst case scenarios of five to ten metres of sea level rise and possible storm surges of more than ten metres. This meant that all new infrastructure projects were being constructed in or above the Vaota. In fact, there were now regulations as to what could be constructed and farmed above and below the Vaota. When Fokai first heard about the Vaota he was about ten, and it was just a few small saplings planted in a line, barely visible if one were not looking for it. Over time the gaps filled in, the trees grew, and the depth of the forest increased. As it became more visible, so too did the pressures of climate change and land tenure to which it was responding. Although the Vaota was considered federal infrastructure and its planting was supported by a series of nurseries, the forest itself was being planted by the farmers who leased the land along it. By 2015, all farms through which the twenty-metre line passed had planted trees based on a series of rules that were laid out. The trees were planted two deep and would either cut the property in half, or would follow the property line. For now the government was compensating these families for any loss of revenue, but once land tenure changed, everyone would get smaller plots of land, including Fokai, and compensation would stop. As the bus passed through the edge of the Vaota, Fokai could see the next phase of the planting under way. In its finished form, the Vaota would typically range from one and a half to three farms wide, with a series of voids defined by current farms. To the left he could see small clusters of trees and shrubs being planted to seed the forest’s growth. To the right a family was planting trees around their farm to create one of the voids.
31
N
44
N
55
Fo’ou Mu’a Market
Existing Quarry
Eventually there would be a series of markets and other infrastructure projects built in the voids protected by the Vaota, but the Fo’ou Mu’a Market was the first completed. The market was intended to seed a new city centre for when the capital became uninhabitable due to sea level rise. The location for the Fo’ou Mu’a Market was carefully chosen to reference the historic location of the Mu’a, the likely future location for the port, its adjacency to one of the main limestone mines and its closeness to the town of Pelehake. Already several hundred families had moved to the area from other islands and from uninhabitable areas of the capital. The market was alive and bustling when Fokai got off the bus. Whether it was the proximity to the majority of the upper farming areas, the public transit, or its novelty, it seemed to be taking off. He wove his way though the open market purchasing vegetables until he entered the concrete portion at the back that housed the kitchen and food stalls. He ordered some freshly cooked food before returning to the square in front of the market to eat.
From the table Fokai looked out over the limestone quarry and the water treatment landscape that was being constructed in front of him. Limestone quarries had been problematic in the past and were a main contributor to the contamination of the freshwater lens below the island, which, other than rain, was their sole source of fresh water. The limestone foundation of the island was porous, allowing freshwater in the lens to flow freely. Generally, the four metres of fertile soils would filter any contaminants before they reached the lens, but the quarries had created direct access. In many cases abandoned quarries were being used illegally as garbage dumps. The quarry in front of him was to be protected by the filtering edge created by the Vaota. As the sea level rose, so too would the freshwater lens, filling the quarry with water and creating a natural cistern for the island, increasing the capacity of the lens in the process. In the long term, grey water and rainwater would be collected, cleaned in the water treatment landscape and added to the cistern.
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Year 2045 - 2.7m of Sea Level Rise
N
66
N
77
A Coming Hurricane
Harvesting Famine Foods
It was early afternoon as Fokai drove through the front edge of the storm. He had received the alert only a few hours ago on his phone. “Hurricane, possibility of 10m storm surge, prepare your property and evacuate to the Vaota.” He closed up the house and packed up as much as he could load into the car, but was not too concerned about the storm. Over the past eighteen years he had been in range of a storm surge only twice, but it had never reached his property. In the warning message, his family had been assigned a room in Fo’ou Mu’a. The warning communications and the room assigning were both a result of the comprehensive disaster risk management plan from 2010. The building code had been divided into three parts, above, in and below the Vaota, and all the new urban houses above the Vaota had one room that could become a separate shelter unit for use by a family during an extreme weather event. The intent was that those fleeing the area below the Vaota could be absorbed into the housing above the Vaota, whether it was just for the storm, or for a few weeks while they rebuilt their own house. As the wind picked up he could see the wall of the Vaota looming in front of him, and even though it looked dark and daunting, he welcomed its presence. The Vaota meant shelter, safety and supplies.
The sun was shining through the window when Fokai awoke. There wasn’t much to do in their one room shelter, so they all showered and left. Following storms, the sheltered portion of the markets by the kitchens would prepare food. It always looked a bit chaotic, but each kitchen had a small staff in emergencies, and everyone else chipped in to help them. There was always some food in the market root cellars and people would bring what they had to cover the rest. If the storm was bad and days or weeks worth of food was required, there was usually enough that could be harvested from above the Vaota to replenish the stores. When Fokai arrived with his family they were tasked with collecting some extra coconuts, tree bark and digging up some of the root vegetables that were considered famine foods. Planted throughout the Vaota, each market had a map of the local area showing roughly where different famine foods were growing. Collecting, preparing and eating the famine foods was more of a formality and ritual than a need following most storms, but it was like a fire drill, ensuring that the knowledge of how to prepare the foods was maintained. They were not the most pleasant foods to eat, but they had the potential to be lifesaving. With a full stomach, Fokai’s family left for their farm to assess the damage.
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Polyvalent Code Zones
Polyvalent Codes Above Minimum Requirements for Residence Above N
0km
2
0m
1.5
3
4
minimum 72 sqm urban garden on ground or on a roof
maximum 225 sqm urban lot
below
rainwater collection and storage vaota above
80 sqm residence
Polyvalent Codes Below Perspective of Residence Below roof sloped to shed water in-fill constructed using locally grown renewable construction materials
raft slab
extra room with access to the washroom and a separate entrance for use by others in an extreme weather event
single parking spot
concrete structural unit that can be re-levelled following extreme damage extensions constructed using locally grown renewable construction materials
raised mound referencing traditional construction
0m
Plans of Residence Below
0m
1.5
3
increased farm area
3
2 : 3 ratio referencing traditional construction
7.5m
5m
1.5
Possible Future Block Configurations
Minimum Requirements 2015 - newly constructed
all plumbing in in-fill walls
Urban Lot Size (Unit) = 216 sqm Residential Units = 16 Individual Garden Area = 72 sqm per lot Block Area (with roads) = 5,106 sqm Urban Lot Area (with roads) - 319 sqm Increased Farm Area = 0 sqm per lot
increased farm area
Communal Gardens Urban Lot Size (Unit) = 144 sqm Residential Units = 16 Communal Garden Area = 72 sqm per lot Block Area (with roads) = 5,046 sqm Urban Lot Area (with roads) - 315 sqm Increased Farm Area = 4 sqm per lot
increased farm area
2050 - re-levelled following extreme weather
No Gardens
2100 - re-constructed following re-levelling
Urban Lot Size (Unit) = 144 sqm Residential Units = 16 Communal Urban Garden Area = 0 sqm Block Area (with roads) = 3,654 sqm Urban Lot Area (with roads) - 228 sqm Increased Farm Area = 91 sqm
Apartments (4 Storeys) Urban Lot Size = 1272 sqm Residential Units = 16 (4 storeys) Communal Urban Garden Area = 0 sqm Block Area (with roads) = 2,117 sqm Urban Lot Area (with roads) - 132 sqm Increased Farm Area = 187 sqm
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Year 2050 - 3.0m of Sea Level Rise
N
88
N
99
Aftermath of a Flood
Fo’ou Mu’a Residence
It was much worse than he had ever thought possible. It looked like a wall of water three metres high had come through his property, which likely was what had happened. The wood and thatch of the house was crumpled into piles and the concrete portion was tilted about fifteen degrees. The solar panels were shattered and the water tank had fallen over. He had repaired his house many times before due to wind damage, usually the thatched roof, but never was the damage this bad. He had always complained about the large concrete portion he had been forced to build by code, but he appreciated it now. He could re-level it and fill in the walls within a couple of weeks and make it habitable again. What worried Fokai more was the state of his farm. When he first received the land he hadn’t bothered to fully follow the zoning which required resilient forms of farming. Now the vegetable fields and orchard were in ruins and what remained would likely die from the salt water. He had also started a small fish farm. The fish farmed on the island were euryhaline, which meant they could live in fresh or salt water, and therefore were ideal for areas that flooded. However, the floods had overflowed his tanks and most of the fish were dead on the ground. He would need to stabilize the farm to minimize the economic impact another storm like this would have on his family. Following the zoning regulations would be his first step.
It took Fokai a couple of years to get back on his feet following the 2045 storm. Over the last two years he had finally been able to save some money to construct a house on his new lot in Fo’ou Mu’a. The new urban lot size was less than a quarter of the one he had grown up on, but Tongatapu had already lost a large portion of its land to the rising sea, so it made sense to him. The thing he was most happy about was the stability and permanence of his new home. After experiencing the slow destruction of his family home in Nuku’alofa throughout his twenties, and the destruction only five years ago of the house he had built on his farm, he was excited by the prospect of being able to invest in a home for the long term. It would be a house he could once again grow and build memories in; somewhere his children could hopefully call home for a long time. The smaller plot of land forced him to better organize the use of his land, and it also meant a closer-knit neighbourhood with shorter distances to most daily destinations. Biking and walking had already taken over any short errands his family had.
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N
10 10
N
11 11
Vaota Networks
Ha’amonga ‘a Maui
It was a Sunday morning in June and the week long Heilala festival was coming to a close. Fokai had planned to spend the day out with his family exploring some of the island’s history before heading to the Fo’ou Mu’a Market for the Heilala celebrations. After breakfast they hopped on their bikes and started off along the bike paths through the Vaota. It was a pleasant ride through the cool shade of the forest, emerging occasionally to cross a road or a clearing. They passed markets, schools, community centres, sports fields and historic monuments as they proceeded east towards the Ha’amonga ‘a Maui historic site.
Ha’amonga ‘a Maui was the most important historic site in Tonga; it was constructed at the east end of the island by one of the early Kings. Although it was at an elevation of about 18 metres, the Vaota had been adjusted to surround the Ha’amonga to protect it from the initial brute force of storms. Its location on the island was important to its history, and it had been agreed that it was more important to leave it where it was. Other historic sites, however, had been forced to be relocated. The Royal Tombs in Mu’a had been damaged frequently by storms and were in the process of being relocated into the Vaota.
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Polyvalent Urban Densities Existing and Proposed Urban Lots 1,618 sqm maximum
752 sqm minimum 225 sqm
Existing
Proposed 0km
Existing, Existing Minimum and Proposed Urban Densities
74 sqkm
N
12 12
37 sqkm
2015 (Population 50,000) 2100 (Population 100,000) Existing Maximum Urban Density of 1,618 sqm per lot
34 sqkm 17 sqkm
2015 2100 Existing Minimum Urban Density of 752 sqm per lot
5 sqkm
10 sqkm
2015 2100 Proposed Urban Density of 225 sqm per lot
Existing and Proposed Urban Densities Royal Palace With most of Nuku’Alofa underwater, other key civic and cultural places had also been relocated. On their way back towards Fo’ou Mu’a, Fokai and his family stopped for a quick rest at the national rugby stadium. He already had many fond memories of games in the new stadium, but he also longed for the one he had seen so many games in as a young boy. The Royal Palace had been one of the first things to be moved up to the Vaota as it had been constructed originally right on the coast in Nuku’alofa only four metres above sea level. Made out of mostly wood framing, the building had been dismantled and reconstructed on its new site in the Vaota in Fo’ou Mua. At the time it signalled the acceptance of a gradual retreat from Nuku’alofa, and was meant to help fortify the Fo’ou Mua as the new capital.
Existing Urban Density in 2015 Relocated (50,000 people)
Existing Urban Density in 2100 Relocated (100,000 people)
37
N
0km
2
4
1
2
Polyvalent Zoning Sectional Zoning Diagram (1 of 3 diagrams) 3 to 4 km 2% Cliff
% Lost
35-50% Stable
30-50% Mutable
15-20% Lost
20m
GENERAL
existing sea level (0m) natural buffer
vaota mutable uses urban
ocean access
runoff corridors WATER deep sea fishing
fresh rivers / runoff corridors
building rainwater collection + storage peak diversion storage emergency wells
wells
sensitive farming
FOOD
ort fishing
natural buffer
stable uses
euryhaline fish farming
urban farming
salt tolerant grazing
deep sea fishing
famine food crops permanent solar
ENERGY PROTECTION
deep sea fishing temporary solar
wind
wind small scale biogas
tidal
permanent storage
temporary storage
natural buffer
natural buffer
natural buffer
staggered structures
sea grass
runoff and wind break corridors resource cache + refuge
coral reef
N
mangrove salt tolerant vegetation
13 13
organic waste composting recycling
WASTE
coral reef
port fishing
salt tolerant farming
pit latrines
pit latrines
human waste collection
Plan Zoning Diagram - Energy Use (1 of 6 diagrams)
N
0km
2
4
2
3 1 Permanent Solar + Storage
2
Temporary Solar + Storage
3
Tidal Power Generation Wind Large Scale Anaerobic Biogas Production Vaota
1
Proposed Urban Density in 2015 Relocated (50,000 people)
Heilala Celebrations Fokai sat at a table as the afternoon festivities went on in front of him. Every inch of the area seemed to be utilized, from the market building to the square in front of it, and even out into the lower field by the road. Fokai split the afternoon between watching the festivities and looking out over the water below. The water in the quarry had risen almost four metres since it was first turned into a working cistern. Water supplies had become incredibly important over the past few years due to a combination of the overall volume of the freshwater lens decreasing and as rain became unpredictable. The cistern provided a more reliable source of water by increasing the capacity of the freshwater lens in this particular location. The slopes down into the cistern had been made more gradual and were now completely established with the Vaota shrubs and trees. The only exposed limestone was on the west and south ends of the cistern where the quarry was expanding its size while supplying building materials for nearby construction.
Proposed Urban Density in 2100 Relocated (100,000 people)
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Lines
Year 2050 - 3.0m of Sea Level Rise
Vaota
Vaota Edge
Line Types
14 14
Vaota
N
Farms
Pedestrian Paths
5m
5m
Vaota
Cattle Paths
7.5m
Minor Roads
Vaota Farms Vaota Spine Roads
39
10m
10m
Extraction Roads
Vaota Edge
Storm monitoring and prediction had improved greatly in Fokai’s lifetime. He received today’s warning a full thirty-six hours before it was supposed to hit the island. Located close to the coast now, his farm was only about five metres above the current sea level, he had switched over primarily to fish farming and raising cattle on salt tolerant grasses. He still had some fruit trees from his old orchard that were scattered over the property, but many of them had been ripped out of the ground or had died over the years. With help from his son, Fokai boarded up his house and covered the fish tanks with grates to keep the fish in. All that remained now was to deal with the cattle, collect any valuables and retreat to the Vaota. As his son left to herd the cattle up to the safety of the Vaota, Fokai attached the portable photo voltaic trailer to the hitch and drove off.
Farms
Readying for a Storm
15m
15m
15m
Containers Possible Container Uses
N
0m
25
50
Farm
Historic and Cultural Sites
N
15 15
Famine Food Cache
Paddock Electricity Generation and Storage
Proposed Cistern and Quarry Container/Node
Retreating with Cattle All the fields below the Vaota were required to have an egress route across their property for all livestock from the lowest farms to get up to the Vaota. This was the route that his son would be taking now with the herd of cattle, leading them up to the protected fields in the Vaota.
existing quarry expanding over time to increase size of cistern
existing quarry
30m
line of freshwater lens
0m Section in 2020 quarry expansion
30m
freshwater lens rises as sea level rises
0m freshwater lens level increases capacity of cistern 30m
Section in 2050 Vaota forest acts to filter water before it enters the cistern and freshwater
0m Section in 2080
40
Nodes Example Node Site Plan
N
0m
10
20
5
10
open space in front of market for expansion out in the case of a large event
N
16 16
Market / Event Space / Emergency Food Centre Requirements N
0m
durable steel structure with roof constructed using local renewable materials
washroom facilities adjacent to water trees planted to protect a square from sun and wind
pump and filter room for cleaning of collected rainwater
SE and NW ends are durable concrete construction and protected by forest to minimize potential for damage from SE trade winds and hurricanes
storage tank for rainwater catchment system
Temporary Holding At one point the clearing was a working farm growing vegetables. Every couple of years its crops would be destroyed as the fields were used to store cattle during a storm, but this was only a minor interruption as they could be replanted; crops grew all year round in Tonga and the farmer was compensated for any loss. Gradually, however, the storms became more and more frequent, until about ten years ago, when there wasn’t enough time between storms to grow anything. At that point the farmer switched to maintaining small grass paddocks to separate the cattle from different farms, and focused on collecting water to provide for the cattle during storms. This same transition had happened for most of the farms in the Vaota, and they were now considered a public service funded by the government. Fokai was chatting with the owner of the farm when his son came into view herding the cattle. The two men got them into their paddock and then they both left for Fo’ou Mu’a to wait out the storm.
concrete ends can be sealed off in bad weather all plumbing, kitchens and food preparation are located in the durable concrete end
Concentric Space Use in Nodes
Regular Market
Emergency Food
Special Event
Potential Relationships Between Nodes series of nodes and containers joined together adjacent to urban areas
forest separating nodes and containers adjacent to rural areas
41
N
17 17
N
18 18
An Extra Room
A Reflection
Over the years Fokai’s children’s room had been needed by another family escaping the lower areas of the island. Waiting out the storms had become so much more pleasant in his own house in the city. His children had typically slept on the couches in the living room for a short period of time during storms, but now they had all moved out and their room was vacant. He had registered this room as being empty, and the government usually tried to use empty rooms first before assigning ones that were in use. A family had stayed overnight with them this time, and as Fokai left in the morning for the market, he bumped into one of the kids in front of the house. In the past he would have offered the family a meal, but recently he had been helping to teach the younger children how to prepare the famine foods at the market. He did however make sure that the family staying with him had everything they needed before taking off for the market.
Having finished preparing the famine foods with the younger kids, Fokai retreated to a small hill beside the market square to eat some food of his own. As he looked out over the sea of people in front of him his mind began to wander. With the storm past, the mass of people who had retreated from the areas below the Vaota would soon be trickling back down to resume their daily lives. There had been some drastic changes in his lifetime. The ocean level had risen by over 8 metres, shrinking the island and its water supply, the population had doubled and had almost completely shifted where it was located, and the weather had become incredibly unpredictable. There was no quick fix for adapting to any of these changes, it had been a long process. Luckily, Tonga had started to plan for it early on. Sometimes Fokai would try to imagine what it would have been like if as a nation they had not planned ahead. Then he would be reminded that this was exactly what had happened to some of the other small island nations. While Tonga had more or less successfully adapted, some were still struggling, while others had waited so long to respond to the challenges that they could afford nothing but to abandon their islands and countries. This thought brought him back to the scene in front of him. On the surface Tonga had changed greatly, but at the same time the Tongan culture and traditions seemed to be rooted in everything. The country was much more stable and resilient than it had been in a long time.
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Alec Ring - Professional Project Roles 2009 to present
Oleleshwa Primary School, Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya - new build, partially constructed Project Lead - cultural and construction research, community engagement, design, costing, board meeting presentations, construction document production, coordination, fundraising event organization, public speaking, field review, construction assistance, award nomination packages
2016
Point Grey Private Residence, Vancouver, BC - new build, under construction Render Production / Assistant Architect - development of interiors through digital models and finished renderings, design development, construction detailing, supplemental instructions, field review
2016
Gatehouse, Whistler, BC - new build, under construction Lead Designer - zoning review, code review, schematic design, design development, assemblies and details, permit drawings, permit package
2015 to 2016
Single Family Private Residence, Whistler, BC - 12 new buildings, under construction Assistant Architect - site planning, coordination with large team of consultants due to extreme geotechnical and environmental restrictions, zoning and code review, schematic design, development of project standards and organization, permit drawing packages for 12 separate permits on one site
2014
ECBC Church, Coquitlam, BC - new build, on hold Lead Designer - zoning and code review, schematic design, design development, renderings, models
2014
Richmond Brighouse Fire Hall 1, Richmond, BC - new build, in design development Assistant Architect - site planning, programming, schematic design, study models, coordination meetings
2014
Royal Bay Secondary School, Victoria, BC - new build, completed Grasshopper Scripter - assisting design and construction of a wood feature wall
2014
North Delta Recreation Centre, North Delta, BC - renovation, under construction Assistant Architect - permit drawing and specifications for an ice rink replacement
2013
Camp Nee-Kau-Nis Washhouse, Waubaushene, ON - new build, completed Lead Designer - client relations, program development, site planning, schematic design, design development, permit drawings, construction drawings
2011 to 2013
Shuter St. Condo, Toronto, ON - heritage retention / new build, on hold Heritage Consultant - fee proposals, existing building drawing creation, condition assessment reports, heritage building retention options, client / lawyer planning meetings, heritage impact assessment
2011 to 2013
Kensington Market Lofts, Toronto, ON - conservation / repairs, under construction Heritage and Building Science Consultant - condition assessment and report, facade repairs, facade redesign, facade water infiltration investigations and tests, condo board meetings, document review
2012 to 2013
King City Residence, ON - adaptive reuse / addition / new build, completed Assistant Architect - existing condition documentation, demolition drawings, schematic design, design development, coordination, permit drawing production.
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2012 to 2013
Sky-O-Swale & Sports Court, Scarborough, ON - new build, completed Lead Designer - design of a hanging bio-swale shade structure using existing materials, community and youth engagement, design development, coordination, costing, approvals, construction documents
2012 to 2013
King Edward Hotel Crystal Ballroom, Toronto, ON - renovation / restoration, on hold Assistant Architect - investigation, documentation, code review, conservation document production, meeting chair, coordination, committee of adjustments, permit drawings, approvals
2009 to 2012
Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum, Gormley, ON - new build / addition, completed Assistant Architect / Project Coordinator - client relations, schematic design, design development, coordination, permiting, specifications, construction documents, tendering, field review, reports, contract administration, meeting minutes, conflict resolution, project close-out, photographic documentation
2009 to 2011
Gore Road Residence, Brampton, ON - conservation / new build, completed Project Lead - designed a large addition to an existing heritage house being raised up, coordination, developer client relations, permit, conflict resolution, permit drawings, construction document creation
2010 to 2011
Pan Am Games Site, Toronto, ON - condition assessments Heritage Consultant - site review and condition assessment reports for multiple heritage buildings on the future Pan Am Games site
2010 to 2011
Muskoka Room, Gravenhurst, ON - new addition, completed Project Lead - designed, costed and built a new screened Muskoka room for a private residence
2011
Grace Street Residence, Toronto, ON - new exterior furniture, completed Co-Project Lead - designed, costed and built new planter benches for a private residence
2010
Casey House Hospice, Toronto, ON - new ramp, completed Project Lead - designed new exterior ramp, costing, PAL review, committee of adjustments, field review
2010
Parkwood Estate National Historic Site, Oshawa, ON - new hvac, completed Project Lead - coordinated installation of hidden hvac system, asbestos abatement, contract documents, Parks Canada correspendence, specifications, coordination, tendering, contract administration, field review
2010
Art Gallery of Ontario Grange Bldg, Toronto, ON - conservation / repairs, completed Assistant Architect - documentation of required work, client relations, contract documents, specifications, tendering, Parks Canada correspondence, archeological coordination, contract administration, field review
2009
Lampton House Porch, Toronto, ON - conservation, completed Assistant Architect - on-site documentation, redesign of Victorian details to better repel moisture and retain historic aesthetic, construction documents, contract administration, field review
2008
World Trade Centre - Tower 3, New York, NY - new build, under construction Team Member - as architects of record, we took the construction documents from 80% CD to 100% CD
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“If we are to solve the problems that plague us, our thinking must evolve beyond the level we were using when we created those problems in the first place.� - Albert Einstein
photo credit : Axel Fassio