A N D R E A S MARAGAKIS
ARCHITECTURAL INTENT This sample portfolio is a culmination of my architectural pursuits thus far and is intended to showcase my approach to projects as an idea that can be concieved and iterated through technological means. I am very much invested in the contemporary debate of the relevance of emergent technologies in architecture - as a budding architect I believe it is crucial that the profession embraces the exponential technical advancements that have surfaced in the last two decades, as the intersection between architecture and invention is more applicable than ever. Yet although I am wholly embracing of the parametric ideology, I acknowledge the need to temper our use of technology in regards to the most important outcome - comfort of the user. In our attempts to achieve an output that is comfortable, sustainable and economically and contextually viable I believe we must always consider the effects of our created spaces as a receptor, an instrument and a stage; that is to say, on top of all of the pre-existing traits of any given site (and by extension, the resulting space created), I believe that often an overtly technological approach could yield unwanted emotional responses from the user. This contemporary facet of architecture may feel imposing and cold. It is our responsibility to embrace advancements in the field with due restraint.
Andreas Maragakis BA (Hons) Architecture Cert.HE BSc (Hons) Psychology
C O N T A C T andreas@avant.garden +447392000499
01.
WHAT IS THE CITY BUT THE PEOPLE? Castlefield, Manchester
02.
VISITOR CENTRE
Heaton Park, Manchester
03.
TECHNOLOGICAL DISCOURSE Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
04.
FREELANCE DESIGN GENERALISM Not Location Specific, The World
01. The initial idea of the MIF17 event, ‘What is the City but the People?’, pushes the boundaries between performer and audience albeit with some setbacks. A synopsis is provided on the Manchester International Festival website: ‘This year’s Festival opened with an invitation – come to Piccadilly Gardens and join friends, neighbours and total strangers for this selfportrait of the city. Raised high above the pavements, a unique selection of individuals from across Manchester walked along a runway stretching more than 100 metres through Piccadilly Gardens. All eyes were on the people of Manchester as they become the opening event of the Festival.’ In order to organise the large scale event, performers were invited and/ or chosen from a select group. In this project, a performance space centered around an adapted iteration of the performance, I propose that the performances become less of a spectacle and more of a means of introspection and catharsis. Confessions, perhaps. There is no bureaucratic selection process. You show up, you give an impromptu performance entirely of your own accord, or you sit and observe.
Case Study - Off Broadway Mapping Temporality, NYC
The project begins with an initial research trip to New York’s Performa Biennale 2017, a festival exploring the intrinsic ties between performance art and architecture.
The Environment Bubble
Theatrical Scaffolding: A Flexible Stage AIA NY
A widely influential blueprint designed in 1965 by Canadian architect Francois Dallegret, “The Environment-Bubble” is brought to life for the first time. Initially envisioned as a flexible, temporary dome that would transform our modes of living, the “Bubble” became a reference point for generations of architects questioning their discipline and seeking a radical dissolution of public and private spaces. For Performa 17, Dallegret collaborates with architect Francois Perrin and choreographer Dimitri Chamblas, to turn the inflatable structure into an active site of intellectual and physical engagement with free daily dance workshops, open to the public.
Scaffolding is both a noun and a verb, object and action. Beyond its role in the construction industry, it is frequently used to erect temporary theaters, create set designs, and support various modes of performance. This lecture explores scaffolding as a conceptual and technical element, as well as its relationship to bodies and space.
DUMBO, Brooklyn
I cut my skin to liberate the splinter East Village Cape Town artist Kemang Wa Lehulere creates a new set of machines— sculptural instruments—for his collaborators to play, working with theater director Chuma Sopotela to conduct actions and movements borrowed from children’s games. The artist also composes an accompanying sound work that was galvanized by Cosmic Africa, the 2003 documentary about Thebe Medupe, an astrophysicist who traveled throughout the continent and shared knowledge about the universe, ancient artwork in Namibia and Egypt, and myths with villagers. The artist’s Commission bridges these planes of knowledge with constellations drawn from indigenous astrology, tribal wisdom, and religious rites.
NYC laws forbid street performances Manhattan entirely in most areas and require a license to perform in the few areas that accomodate. As a result, the only performances available in Midtown are on Broadway - fully licensed, scheduled and professional; and some daring to go against these rules in Central Park. Broadway and its shows represent the typical theatrical expectations of New York, but are arguably the least interesting and engaging.
Our visit coincides with the Performa Biennial, promising a formidable substitute to extortionate Broadway prices. Events take place in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn and are often a mixture of architecture, sculpture and performance art. Included in these events are some talks given by the American Insitute of Architects (AIA), most notably a panel and exhibition on the topic of temporary stages.
Brooklyn
Iteration One - Semi Permanence PERISCOPE THEATRE Castlefield, Manchester
Setting the Scene
As a member of FORMWORK, an atelier at the Manchester School of Architecture that is concerned with designing to disassembly in a cultural setting, the culmination of my BA3 year has been designing a theatre that is contexturally tethered to its site of the Castlefield Roman ruin. The theatre is designed to be adapted further afield with varying
degrees of implementation. As the theatre is sited on a medieval roman ruin immediately adjacent to a towering industrial railway and contemporary residential buildup, the resulting form is a compositional expression of the various layers of historical strata. Geometry is directly informed by these strata. The theatre is constructed to house an adapted version
of the Manchester International Festival 2017’s opening event, ‘What Is The City But The People?’ in which audience members are invited to become performers by telling their story to the audience. This performance blurs the boundaries between actor and spectator.
Ground Level
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TELL YOUR STORY
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1 Cloakroom 2 Box Office 3 Dressing Room
4 Stage 5 Audience (stair a; ramp b) 6 Backstage
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Site Plan
The theatre is a sum of its contextual parts; a composite project that reflects all surrounding layers and buildup. By siting the theatre here, a momentary layer to the city is added. As a temporary structure, it may not require a clear architectural expression of temporal intent - it does not need to represent or adhere to any contemporary style. It should, however, express the differences between the site’s varying layers.
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Composite Forms Site Informed Geometry
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Audience operatSteel axle Circular mirror Axle-bevel gear Constituent Elements, Exploded Axonometric
Rotational Moments
Historical - Angular, rhythmic forms
Industrial - Railway arches and structure
In order to achieve the sensation of the somewhat alien form being as contextually grounded as possible, several considerations in regards to site have been made. In summary, the entry points mimic the thoroughfare of the railway arches - the structure mimics that of the railway bridge - and the angular audience shelters correspond rhythmically to the changes in level of the immediately adjacent ruin.
Memento Mori
/məˌmɛntəʊ ˈmɔːri,məˌmɛntəʊ ˈmɔːrʌɪ/ The medieval Latin Christian theory and practice of reflection on mortality.
‘As Roman emperors would appoint a slave to whisper in their ear ‘Remember, thou art mortal’, so ruins perform a similar function, an insistent reminder of transience and temporality. The ruin creates a present form of a past life’ (Slessor, 2017). The trenches house the audience; it is a place of safety and a vicarious experience through sound and sight. The actor - who is anyone who is brave enough to step out of the trenches and into plain sight - is met with nobody. The audience are not in direct sight, rather they are visible through a series of mirrors that lead back to safety. The audience is present in a perceived proximity yet not as close as the performer’s mind suggests.
The periscope concept is rooted in voyeurism and is a tool used to heighten the emotions of the performer. Perhaps it makes the performer disorientated? Uncomfortable? Paranoid? In some respects, the performer may feel more at ease when giving their monologue purely through lack of direct contact. Some people may feel more at ease and willing to divulge further if they are much further from the audience than they seem through the mirror.
Audience Section
Performance Section
Audience Area
Performance Projection
Top View
Entrance/Exit Projection
Top View
In order to achieve the sensation of the somewhat alien form being as contextually grounded as possible, several considerations in regards to site have been made. In summary, the entry points mimic the thoroughfare of the railway arches - the structure mimics that of the railway bridge - and the angular audience shelters correspond rhythmically to the changes in level of the immediately adjacent ruin. The intention is to create a sense of discovery - there will undoubtedly be many people who use the theatre who happen upon it by chance and aren’t immediately aware of the spectatorship element. Without using words, the visible light projections from the performance space casts shadows on the PTFE and obscures the activity within; below, eye-level apertures leading to the performance area are illuminated, suggesting that in order to see more one must look into the periscopes.
Spectator View
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Lighting Strategy
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Performance Choreography
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Directional Lights are choreographed for casting shadows at particular times during the performance.
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1 Harsh directional lights oriented toward the performance area cast a long, sharp shadow - highlighting that someone is about to begin performing 2 In the performance area, softer lights are oriented toward the centerpoint. This establishes focus and casts shadows on the PTFE, visible from the audience area. 3 Harsh lights point toward the performance area on exit to again cast shadows for the periscope users, indicating someone is leaving the stage.
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Audience area - staggered, gentle directional lighting. All light sources are oriented toward the periscopes from behind to avoid glare. Performance area - Area of most concentrated light. Performer casts shadows onto the PTFE, visible within the audience area. denotes Wiring placement
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Operable Periscope Detail
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Audience operated wheel Steel axle Circular mirror Axle-bevel gear Bevel gear
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Rotational Moments
Constituent Elements, Exploded Axonometric
Floor Composition
Lamella primary frame
Periscope (performance portion)
20mm Felt floor padding 50mm Modular timber panels (periscope and frame perforations)
Timber frame extrusion Steel ties
Audio and Lighting wiring
Periscope (audience portion) 50mm Modular timber panels Damp-proof membrane
150x 100mm Laminated timber floor framing
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400x400mm Temporary foundation pad
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Iteration Two - 1 month lifespan Temporary Structural Intervention Overarching Scissor
Seeking to adapt the theatre’s experiential quality to a less permanent iteration, the lamella frame is discarded and replaced with a large, collapsible scissor. Polycarbonate panelling from the previous iteration is reused as interior segmentation between performer and audience, and the periscopes are replaced by angled mirror panels. Junction Details
This structural system was devised on the basis that the theatre requires a weatherproof shelter that will ideally span the width of all three routes to create an overarching sense of enclosure. It is a fully portable long-span system that can be folded inwards, yielding modular pieces that fit comfortably into a truck for transit.
2-piece normal scissor element (above) 4-piece modified scissor element (below)
Left to Right: 2-pinned connection, 3-pinned connection, X to Y connection
Y-connection ties, X-connection ties
Single element
Collapsed elements
Expanded elements
Full frame mechanism
Actor Route
Spatial Allocation of Structural Elements
Sight and Route
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Sightlines Lighting Mirror (45o)
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Iteration Three - 1 week lifespan Flash Installation Reduction to Primitive Elements
Finally, the conceptual driver of the theatre is challenged by adapting the performance to very simple elements. At this stage, the theatre’s site is moved from the Roman ruin to the interior of the Manchester Metropolitan University Business Hub - there are no semantics to be explored through levels or periscope apparatus - instead the installation relies on the routes taken by each participant and the raised modular stage, typical of impromptu or short term events and shows. The core concepts are reiterated here to maintain the integrity of the theatre experience. Structurally, the theatre survives as a pitched kee klamp frame (below) and relies on loanable event furniture for the remainder of its requirements.
Users choose their role as either audience or performer
Performers have a platform to tell their story
Actor/audience entry and exits are hidden from respective view
This can be seen as an intersection between two distinct journeys
The performance platform must be elevated as a token of solidarity with the actor
General Arrangement
Through use of a modular frame the structure is able to mimic the angular, crystalline form of the building it inhabits.
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Audience Route
Angular openings in the envelope allow building users on the upper floors a glimpse into the activity inside - they are made aware of the performance space but must go inside to hear the performance taking place.
Performer Route
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Relation to site - macro scale
Entry - obscured from audience sight in a darker room
Audience view
Exit into atrium - a brighter, more open space to reflect a journey or progression
02.
VISITOR CENTRE
Heaton Park, Manchester
Mapping the Park As a native Mancunian I am concerned with the scale of development happening around the city that often neglects the public’s desires. As an industrial city, Manchester was always relatively devoid of green space and the few that we have left should be celebrated. In the last year alone we have seen the inner city’s largest wildlife expanse, Pomona island, entirely destroyed to priviledge the elite few considered
worthy enough to live in new luxury apartments that will sit on an area once home to several rare species of wildlife. Heaton park is quickly becoming the final bastion of a Mancunian ecology. I believe a visitor centre should reflect the values of those who hold the park dear and as such it is important that the building is a place where people can enquire and be educated about the surroundings.
Popular visitor routes are well defined - encompassing the majority of the south and central areas of the park. It seems the southern entrance to the park receives the most footfall due to the metrolink being here. This is also where the majority of the activities take place - aside from the golf course, the overflow, tramway and stables are all along the south to central walking route.
I have chosen my plot area based on a combination of factors - but first it was necessary to establish where I could not use, due to current ownership, annual events or proximity to unsightly infrastructure. My plot is the Heaton Park Overflow. While the park is generally a high-lying area for the region, the south western side is where the topography is at its mildest. A visitor centre here would
ensure those with mobility problems would not have trouble reaching the visitor centre. It is also along the most popular route into the park - roughly halfway between the metrolink station and Heaton Hall. The three most popular routes into the park intersect at the overflow. Thus, the placement of a visitor centre here will be convenient for most of the
visitors. The overflow is arguably the best spot to sit and observe wildlife. The visitor centre would not only be away from the nearby water processing plant and communications tower but, sat atop the lake, would act as a bittersweet reminder of what may happen if we continue to disregard our environment and catalyse global warming.
Form Finding The massing of the visitor centre is determined by a voronoi pattern through use of parametric methods, the structure is derivative of the structure of plant cells; Voronoi cells segment the interior spaces according to programmatic elements. The 2d pattern was then extruded, simplified and partitioned. Maintainance areas reside inside the pontoon. With the use of a nonporous 300mm concrete retaining wall, these services are safe from leakage. Apparatus that is especially affected by water (eg. the servers) are housed behind more than one of these retaining walls. Left: Ground floor plan Below: Voronoi cluster, extruded voronoi form Bottom: Meandering walkway plan
Prominent viewpoint walls are staggered toward the south and slightly rotated to render a different view for each space. The walls are oriented to congregate at one point; the entrance to the waterway that intersects the two masses, accessible by pedal boat. Staggered viewpoints yield a different view of the lake through each curtain wall element - the building sits atop a concrete pontoon that receeds slightly to give the appearance of floating. To maintain the pre-existing landscape as much as possible, the walkway does not intersect any of the obstructing trees. Rather, holes are cut in the timber walkway to allow for the trees to remain in place. In doing so, the entrance minimises its impact on the landscape while creating a sense of wanderlust, as if walking through a wood. This method is derived from Rintala Eggerson Architects’ design, ‘Into the Landscape’. Benches are available at intervals on the walkway to allow those with mobility issues to have a chance to rest.
To suit the requirements of the project, I propose a new hybrid panelling system that has the structural integrity of CLT panelling while maintaining the insulative properties of SIPS panelling.
Left: SIPS/CLT hybrid Right: First floor plan Bottom: South elevation
East Elevation
Longitudinal Section
West Elevation
The northernmost part of the lake is relatively mild in terms of contours and the area surrounding the lake is generally one of the flatter areas of the park. This has logistical benefits for the contractors as terrain considerations and expense is low. The area is undeniably heavily wooded and this strengthened my resolve to be as undisruptive as possible by building on the lake.
South Elevation
Site Model
Orchestrated Viewpoints
Roof element 250x100mm timber rafters 110mm extensive green roof 100mm thermal insulation waterproof membrane 12.5mm fireproof board 2mm lime plaster
03.
TECHNOLOGICAL DISCOURSE Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
This project sees several iterations to optimise the building for the conditions of the continental desert climate. The office typology typically requires as large a lettable floor area as possible to maximise profitability - but the comfort of the building users is arguably the main contributing factor to employee productivity. High year-round drybulb temperatures and very little precipitation in one of the most polluted cities in the world means that compromises in building technology have been considered such as relying entirely on a return air package ventilation system to keep the building airtight for respiratory health. Inevitably direct sunlight is the biggest contribution to uncomfortable internal temperatures so external aluminium louvres have been provided and carefully angled to diffuse the sunlight at its most harmful periods. The structural core is connected via walkways to the office space to minimise conduction and provide an internal courtyard.
total annual energy usage
72kWh/m2/yr total lettable office area
1120m2 = annual energy usage/m2 x lettable office area
80640kWh/yr
Design Drivers and Optimisation Desert continental climate
1 Location
COURTYARD
Busy road Entrance into vivid district Sheltered at southern corner Car park to the south Views to the north
CAFE
Corner condition
STAFF ENTRY
RECEPTION
2 Site
Annual temperature range 4 - 46oc Extremely polluted, poor air quality Close to equator - High sun angles Very low precipitation N and S dominant winds
LIFT 16 pers.
W.C.
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4 Envelope
Core 1 - large corner
Best for shelter from S-winds Accommodates emer. egress Adequate lift space Minimises disruption of natural light
Glazing system
3-pane for low U-value Moderate visible light transmittance Suspended from above slab External louvre shading
VAV Return Air Package 5 Ventilation
+23.745 ROOF
+19.995 SERVICE +16.245 4F
+12.495 3F
+8.795 2F
+4.995 1F
+1.245 G
Moderate pricing Efficient, clear pass of comfort zones Water sourced Controlled air filtration
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Ground Floor Plan
Gains, Losses and Implications
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LIFT 16 pers.
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Typical Office Plan
The VAV Return Air Package is the most used in this ASHRAE Climate Zone. It is relatively cheap and the most effective in terms of maintaining thermal comfort (98% across all zones), but it is not the most sustainable. This system relies on a packaged rooftop unit where heating is sourced by water. Building users are able to change the internal dry bulb temperature to their preference, so this is arguably the easiest system in terms of use.
Potable Water Ventilation Ductwork Electricity Distribution Modular Segments
A fixe LUMI d t NIU of loo M PAN rb rac EL FI ket XTU s fo RE r lo uvr es
Structural Systems Span modules are repeated until they reach a corner or end module. Each module and adjoining glazing segment is 1000mmin width. Louvres have a curved reflective aluminium profile to allow them to be welded together. Louvres are external rather than internal to prevent any heat from the aluminium re-radiating inside the office, but are operated internally. Corner and end modules differ from span modules as they have a vertical frame that holds all the louvres in the module through bolted connections. Span-corner and End-span connections can be simply welded together.
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UL OD EM P LO 0mm VE E EN 100 UL OD M OR 2 FLO 1m
RAISED FLOOR ACCESS 350mm ALL SLAB COMPONENTS 500mm
Northern Corner Module
End Module
Span Module
Span Module
Corner Module
Envelope Detail
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1: Concrete parapet 2: Concrete slab, reflective coating 3: Waterproof membrane 4: Rigid insulation 5: Steel hollow-rib decking 6: I-beam, castellated 7: Aluminium frame, reflective coating 8: 3-pane glazing system 9: Threaded steel rod 10: Aluminium plate, reflective 11: Aluminium louvre head, reflective 12: Glazing frame-shutter aluminium bracing 13: Glazing protection/skirting 14: Expansion/compression tolerance gap
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Pedestrian View
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Junction Detail
Office Floor Interior
04.
FREELANCE DESIGN GENERALISM
Not Location Specific, The World Miscellaneous draughting and visualisation works that I have carried out in tandem with my studies over the past few years. Projects are typically concerned with orthographic drawings, 3d generalist work, rendering, virtual reality implementation or algorithmic modelling and structural analysis. Right: Modelling & visualisation for a prospective home in an American suburb.
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Assignment: 3D Modelling, Virtual Reality Implementation Documents Provided
Workflow Create 3D model per specification
Create HTML document referencing WebVR + A-frame API, use components to reference model
Test virtual reality utility by serving HTML on a local host using Node.js
Model Created Via Floor Plans (doors omitted for virtual mobility)
Imported Into Firefox using WebVR and A-Frame API Locomotion Controls
Viewable on Google Daydream and Oculus Rift Headsets
Upload and run on website using Chrome Canary OR Firefox
Assignment: 3D Modelling, Rendering Without the use of a 3D model, GA drawings or a Google Earth location for reference, I was tasked with creating and rendering a model of ‘Jefferson Landing’ within 5 hours. To achieve this, the perspective line drawing given below (the only document provided) was photomatched by retracing the horizon lines to determine the location of the ‘camera’, and was then remodelled as closely as possible.
The client specified the background and materials to be used. Below, the finished rendering.
