Comprehensive Design Project Report 3rd Year Architectecture

TRANSCENDENTAL LAND[E]SCAPE

From Sea to Mountains Comprehensive Design Project Report Aqilah Amran

“It is essential sometimes to go to retreat, to stop everything that you have been doing, to stop your beliefs and experiences completely, and look at them anew, not keep on repeating like machines whether you believe it or do not believe. You would then let in freah air into your minds.”

– J. Krishnamurti

Table of Contents

4 5 6 8 10 11 12 13 14 16 18 20 22 23 24 25 26 29 30 32 34 40 41 44 45 51 52 55 57 58 59

Human Perception The Quality, Spaces and Senses Site: Manufactured Landscapes Memorial Charrette A Visit to Mostyn Gallery in Llandudno Precedent I Precedent II Atmosphere Manifesto Establishing Site Character Determining the Site Initial Concept Experiencial Section Study Journey and Ritual Initial Site Plan Entrance Pavilion Body Pavilion I Body Pavilion II Mind Pavilion Spirit Pavilion Circulation Exploration and Development Circulation through Funicular Schedule Accommodation Resolution Internal Perspectives Reviews Summary Environmental and Sustainability Strategy Structural Strategy Materiality Bibliography

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Human Perception

“(…)while the tactile space separates the observer from the objects, the visual space separates the objects from each other (…) the perceptual world is guided by the touch, being more immediate and welcoming than the world guided by sight.”

– Juhani Pallasmaa

“I think that the buildings always sound. They can sound unemotional too.”

– Peter Zumthor

“The sight separates us from the world, while the rest of the senses joins him.”

– Juhani Pallasmaa

“The nostrils awakes a forgotten image and fall into a vivid dream.

The nose makes the eyes to remember. ” – Juhani Pallasmaa

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The Quality, Spaces and Senses

We interact with the space through our senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.

Through interaction, we recognise the value of the space and it becomes meaningful to us.

In the article ‘Hapticity and Time’, Juhani Pallasmaa discussed the lack of attention to sensory experience in modern culture and the benefits of considering it for architecture.

He asserted that an understanding gained through touch had a greater impact on the individual.

Vitruvius also stated that since the human body is the measure of architecture, it is also that which determines atmospheric qualities. It is the human body that emanates the structural qualities of architecture.

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Site: Manufactured Landscapes Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda

The site is located in Penrhyn Quarry, near Bethesda in North Wales. At the end of 19th century, it was the largest slate quarry, where the main pit is nearly 1 mile long and 1200 feet deep, worked by 3000 quarrymen. The quarry is still Britain’s largest slate operation extracting and processing slate quarry but its workforce is now nearer 200.

The lake is man-made and only came about in 1980’s after a huge collapse took place in the area and water naturally started to fill in the pit after it was abandoned.

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During the site visit, one aspect that I find most interesting is the dramatic scenery – incline planes, galleries of great size and its structure as landscape features.

The immensity of the site was remarkably monolithic. Its galleries varied in height from 10 to 20 metres (within an average of 15 metres), creating a rather spectacular view from afar.

Photomontage below shows the relationship between nature and man-made landscape where the site is inevitably being reclaimed by nature over time. The intention of this is to re-establish the connection between people, nature and landscape.

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”

– John Burroughs

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Memorial Charrette Monument to Tolerence

As a memory to the site, I began to explore the idea of creating tranquil and serene atmosphere as well as linking with the immensity of space.

A particularly thought-provoking example is ‘Mount Tindaya’ by Eduardo Chillida; he referred it as ‘Monument to Tolerence’. It is a ‘carved space’ of 45m x 50m x 65m cubic inside Mount Tindaya on the island of Fuerteventura, making it one of the largest underground caverns with a flat roof ever built. Two vertical shafts would allow sunlight and moonlight to penetrate into that chamber and the light will slowly drift over the seamless stone walls, encompassing visitors in emptiness and a silent shrine.

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As for my charrette, I created a memorial of my own interpretation that gives a sense of quietness and serenity. This memorial combines the tactile experience of sight, sound, and touch. It activates a full-bodied response of the viewers. Light, materiality, verticality and immensity of space play a great role into this.

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A Visit to Mostyn Gallery in Llandudno

As I entered the building, the bold concrete wall known as the ‘Tube’ draws my attention immediately. I approached directly to the wall to observe closer and touch its rough wood textured surface. The architect, Dominic Williams proclaimed, “We were trying to reveal the materiality of the concrete as well as bringing good quality daylight into the space”. From this observation, I explored further how human perception is fundamentally fulfilled not merely through the eyes but through all the senses.

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Precedent I Thermal Vals by Peter Zumthor

Peter Zumthor is among those architects who consider more than just the visual elements of a project. These can be seen evidently in Therme Vals, one of his absolute most powerful works to date. It is built over the only thermal springs in the Graubünden Canton, Switzerland. The entire spa appears to have been quarried from the earth and then built directly on top of its own stone foundation, creating a form of cave or quarry like structure. What is apparent in the Thermal Vals is an approach to architecture that addresses issues of experience and of sense through a sincere sensitivity that relates to reflections regarding the building’s programme, place and poetic narrative.

“Light, materials and atmosphere are the most important aspects of architecture.”

– Peter Zumthor

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Precedent II Library for Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum by Tadao Ando

Tadao Ando is one of the architects that consider his buildings as a celebration of beauty; austere, yet complex compositions of geometric shapes, thorough selection of materials and striking daylight effects. This can be seen in the library he designed for Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum. The library forms an integral part of Ando’s design the books being stacked in warmly-coloured Japanese oak shelves from floor to ceilng in a triple-height volume – 11 meters high with 20,000 books. The shelves compose a magnificient vertical wall and each book require an important effort to access, as if they needed to be deserved in order to be read.

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Atmophere

In architecture and spatial design, atmosphere refers to the sensorial qualities that a space emits. Atmosphere is an immediate form of physical perception and is established through emotional sensibility.

Sound • Associated with certain rooms, places and memories • Heard through physical presence and sensitivity • Induces emotional and sensual responses • Both a tangible and intangiblesensational atmospheric quality Air • Encapsulates buildings • Forms an atmosphere • Agitation of sound, heat and odour Object • Expresiveness to place • Acquire both tangible/intangible qualities • Sense of identity Light • Gives an impression/mood of a space • Spiritual quality • Shadows • Intensity of light Materials • Play with texture, colour, temperature and tone; all of which create an atmosphere

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Manifesto

Escape from City to the Mountains

Today in the ‘24-hour city’ model, everything is active and in constant flux. People get tired of the pressure and the restlessness of daily life; spaces for meditation or spas are places for people to seek a moment of tranquillity, a moment of the transcendental unification of body and mind, and a feeling of returning to the nature.

The aim of the project is to create a `retreat', allowing visitors to momentarily escape from stressful city life, everyday conviction in exchange for calmness and tranquillity. The spaces within the building provide a therapeutic experience that engages each of the body’s senses moving through a sequence of meaningful spaces, as it is the case with pilgrimage.

The retreat will allow for spaces of seclusion, silence and meditation as well as spaces for more physical, social and interactive activities. The challenge will be for the architecture to evoke a delicate sense spirituality and awareness in its visitors and deliver a physical setting where meditation, relaxation and other activities that unite the body, mind and spirit can be conveyed.

I have raised a few questions that will assist moving forward to the next design stage.

• How can architectural spaces support our experiences and create a spiritual place?

• How will materials be used to address the design, the function, and the senses?

• How will one experience the bath?

• How does architecture enhance this experience?

• Is it possible to give sensuality to water?

• What are the hierarchy of spaces and interaction?

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The proposed programme consists of three main elements: 1) Body Pavilion 2) Mind Pavilion 3) Spirit Pavilion

body ˈbɒdi noun

the physical structure, including the bones, flesh,and organs, of a person or an animal.

mind mʌɪnd noun

1. the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought.

2. a person’s ability to think and reason; the intellect.

spirit ˈspɪrɪt noun

the non-physical part of a person which is the seat of emotions and character; the soul.

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Establishing Site Character

1

2

1

3

4

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1) Mountains

2) Site and Material

3) Bethesda Town at night and day

4) Menai Strait and out to the sea

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Determining the Site

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I have chosen this particular area of the site due to the adaptable landscape of the galleries. There are two potential routes to approach the area, as shown in the red arrows. Shaded in orange is where the buildings/pavilions will be located. The approximate length from the top of the galleries to the lake is 577m.

577m

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Initial Concept

Based on my memorial charrette, I took the idea of ‘carved out’ spaces. These spaces will form the basis for the building accommodation, allowing the design to be buried within the galleries in the quarry, as shown on the conceptual sketch and model. To heighten the experience and spaces, several pavilions are divided and placed away from each other.

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Sectional model showing the habitable spaces in the quarry

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Experiential Section Study

An early design strategy involved in excavation of slate from the site, in order to create ‘carved’ spaces. Below are some sketches of sections I did, exploring the ideas of scale, enclosure and the control of light. The intention of using empty spaces is to produce sound through the stillness and silence of scale and materials.

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Journey and Ritual

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Initial Site Plan Below is the site plan showing two funiculars connecting all of the pavilions.

Body Pavilion II

Mind Pavilion Body Pavilion I Entrance

Spirit Pavilion

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Entrance Pavilion This pavilion is where the visitors first arrived, leave ‘outside’ belongings and stay for the night.

First approach/arrival

Large skylight above the bed

Restaurant is cantilvered out of the gallery to heighten visitor’s spatial experience

Small skylight creates delicate play of light

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Body Pavilion I Ablution

“Light alone can already create the effect of enclosed space.”

– Le Corbusier

“The most wonderful aspects of indoors are the moods that light gives to space.”

– Louis Kahn

This pavilion is based on the elements of water, light and scent. Visitors experience the physical cleansing and explore the spaces through senses - touch, see, hear and smell.

Rainwater is captured from the flat roof for bathing, as part of a purification ritual and being immersed in the water. Once collected, the water is stored and later fed into the waterfall.

Section sketch

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Section model

The idea of intersecting spaces on plan

Circulation

Experimenting materiality and water effect on section

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Framing and concealing views create a sense of mystery about the path beyond whilst increasing the sense of refuge

Photomontage of the internal space showing the infinity pool that offers a spectacular view of Bethesda’s town and out to the sea

Entering the space, the first thing that strikes you is that it is very dark. After your eyes have adjusted to the darkness, you will discover the beautiful mystic of light coming from the deep funnel. Waterfall feature creates a dramatic atmosphere and the water within is amplified in echo.

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Body Pavilion II This pavilion explores the transition between hot and cold temperature, in the sauna and cold plunge room. Sauna is the hottest space in the building and cold plunge room is the coldest space and the temperature difference can be between 25 - 30째C.

Steamy sauna room

Cold plunge room is looking directly into the lake, gives an illusion of bathing in the lake

Channel in the lake going to the cold plunge room

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Mind Pavilion

Path of Awakening

“A walk through a forest or a Japanese garden is invigorating and healing becauseof the essential interaction of all sense modalitiesreinforcing each other; our sense of reality is thus strengthened and articulated.”

– Steven Holl

“A library is a hospital for the mind.”

– Anonymous

This pavilion explores the mind, book. Cleansing mentally and feeding the mind with knowledge.

First sketch Garden is centralised engage with nature

Second sketch Garden is on the side - soften the views out

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Green wall - sensory engagement of a static, calm nature

Section model

Internal spaces

An atmosphere generated from tangible objects, books, furniture, surface and light

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Spirit Pavilion

Tower of Solitude

“You can never get enough of nature. To be surrounded by it is to be stilled. It salves the heart.The mountains, the trees, the endless plains. The moon, the myriad of stars.”

– Arthur Burns

“In solitude, the mind gains strength and learns to lean upon itself.”

– Laurence Sterne

Connecting between earthly and spiritual realms, this pavilion is meant to provide a retreat at one with nature and engendering a distinctive feeling of peace and harmony.

The unique site enables the proposition of a more dramatic response and the sculptural tower element.

The idea of instersecting cubes and separating the spaces for meditation and solitude.

Involves physicality - circulate using stairs to go up to the top of the tower

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Models showing study of natural light and shadow

Looking out to the landscape of mountains gives a sense of quietness. Opportunity for escapism into deep reflection and contemplation.

Photomontage of the internal space framing the view of the mountains

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Circulation Funicular

Due to the pavilions being separated far out from each other, funicular will be used as a circulation.

Funicular shown on site. Long journey for a specific destination, part of the ritual and sequence.

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Slate inclined plane The inclined plane will be constructed using slate on site.

Travelling through the cutting as it ascends to the top.

The funicular walls will be in glass so it provides spectacular 360째 view surrounding.

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Spirit Pavilion

First drawing of longitudinal section A - A

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A

A

Body Pavilion II

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Entrance Pavilion Entrance Pavilion

Body Pavilion I Body Pavilion I Mind Pavilion Mind Pavilion

Longitudinal section B - B

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B

B

Body Pavilion Body Pavilion II II

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Exploration and Development

Plans are more linear Reduce the funicular due to cost and construction issue

Site model - Penrhyn Quarry

Bigger scale site model showing the pavilions and funicular

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Circulation through Funicular

Body Pavilion II

3

Mind Pavilion Body Pavilion I

4 2

Approach

Entrance Pavilion

1 6

5 Spirit Pavilion

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Spirit Pavilion

Entrance Pavilion

Developed longitudinal section A - A

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A

A

Body Pavilion I

Mind Pavilion

Body Pavilion II

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Schedule Accommodation

Spirit Pavilion (120m ²) 4 meditation rooms

Entrance Pavilion (494 m²)

Lobby atrium Reception 5 double bedrooms 5 single bedrooms Kitchen Restaurant Office Plant room Store rooms

Body Pavilion I (576 m ²)

Mind Pavilion (272 m ²)

Waterfall pool Infinity pool 3 aromatherapy rooms 4 changing rooms 4 showers 1 toilet Plant room Storage room

Library Garden

Body Pavilion II (200 m ²) 3 sauna rooms 3 showers 3 changing rooms 1 toilet 1 cold plunge room

15 to 20 visitors will accommodate the whole building at one time.

5 staff will maintain and look after the building.

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Resolution These drawings show my resolution for the project and yet to be detailed and rendered for the final presentation.

Entrance Pavilion

Cross section

Long section

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First floor plan

Ground floor plan

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Body Pavilion I

Section

Plan

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Body Pavilion II

Section

Plan

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Mind Pavilion

Section perspective

Ground floor plan

First floor plan

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Spirit Pavilion

Section perspective

Ground floor plan

First floor plan

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Internal Perspectives

Infinity pool

Waterfall pool

Meditation room

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Reviews Summary

Site, Theme & Research Review

At this review, I proposed a potential site, showed my own interpretation of memorial charrette and some precedents study about spatial experience and how light creates an atmosphere within a space. Research on human perception and architecture, spatial experience and the quality of spaces are then carried out to develop a manifesto.

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Conceptual Stage Review

At this review, I proposed my conceptual ideas and manifesto, showed my conceptual internal spaces to convey what the spaces will be like and show what the important views out I could have within the building.

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Developmental Stage Review

At this review, I proposed my design, showed spatial models of the pavilions, internal image and experimentation on materiality. Plans and sections were developed more after this review.

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Environmental and Sustainability Strategy

Climate and Weather - Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda • The site is one of the wettest area with average annual totals exceeding 3000 mm.

• Because of the hilly nature of the landscape, the site is cloudy most of the days, the annual average sunshine totals of less than 1,100 hours. Also, hill fog can be both extensive and frequent.

Power • Biomass will be used to generate the electricity. Woodchips and wood pellets will be locally sourced.

Main plant room will be located near the Entrance Pavilion and electricity will be transferred to other pavilions from here.

Materials • The building will be made in reinforced concrete and constructed on-site. Ground granular blast furnace slag (GGBFS) will be used as it has low embodied carbon dioxide and comes from waste industrial products.

• Timber will also be used in some part of the building, for instance, in the sauna, to give an impression of Scandinavian finish. This material will be locally reclaimed.

• As the site is a resource for slate, this material will also be used as cladding for aesthetic interiors.

Water • Rainwater is collected from the roof, stored in a pool and filtered before it is used for the main pool in the pavilion.

• Spray taps on hand basins/sinks will be utilised to save up to 80 percent of water and energy used by standard pillar taps.

Electronic sensor taps and timed turn-off push taps are also included to prevent wastage and flooding where taps may be left running.

Lighting • Due to the pavilions being buried under the quarry, light wells are included to bring daylight in to the space. Some pavilions will receive direct sunlight from south (as shown in the image above).

Other pavilions will get diffuse light from north and skylight.

• For artificial light, LED light fixtures will be used at night and in poor daylight to illuminate the space, especially in the entrance pavilion where visitors would accommodate at nights.

Summer sun angle 62°

Winter sun angle 15°

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Heating • To provide heating, ground source heat pumps will be included where the amount of heat can be extracted from boreholes. The boreholes are 187 mm diameter, 20m deep and about 6 m apart.

Ventilation • Entrance pavilion – This pavilion has several services such as kitchen, restaurant and bedrooms. Kitchen and restaurant will be mechanically ventilated whereas bedrooms can be naturally ventilated through the windows and skyllights.

• Body pavilion I – Plan is too deep (46m long and 15m wide) therefore mechanical ventilation is the best method to provide close control of humidity, temperature and air quality within the space. It also helps to removes large quantities of hot moist air and reclaim heat efficiently. Fresh air comes in from the top into the deep plan areas of a building.

• Body pavilion II – This pavilion has the hottest and coldest spaces therefore mechanical ventilation is needed to control the temperature and air within the spaces.

• Mind pavilion – As the mind pavilion has trees and green wall inside, where trees and other plants produce oxygen. Due to this, it provides fresh air in the space. Naturally ventilated will be used for this building.

• Spirit pavilion – The plan is less than 10m wide, therefore natural ventilation will be used. Stack ventilation will be used in the tower of the spirit pavilion at the top of the quarry.

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Structural Strategy

Proposed Building • My proposed building is divided into 5 pavilions, situated separately starting from the lake to the top of the quarry. Most of the pavilions are dug vertically in the ground, one is on the lake and one is a long linear cantilevered out of the ground.

Structural Systems • Reinforced concrete load-bearing walls will be the primary structure of the pavilions. The concrete will be cast in-situ. Steel bars are included for added support and reinforcement. Concrete slabs will be used for the floor plate to support the floor structure.

• Due to most of the pavilions being buried in the quarry, moisture and pressure underground has to be taken into consideration. Concrete retaining walls and rock anchor will be used used to prevent moisture entering into the walls and hold the pressure from the ground.

Materials • Cladding such as timber and slate will be added to give finish look. For the funicular, it will be carved through the slate and re-using the excavated slate in the construction of the building and inclined plane for the funicular.

Foundation • Raft foundation will be used for the building that covers the entire contact area of the structure.

Section of the Body Pavilion showing cantilevered infinity pool

Rock anchor

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Materiality

Model made out of matchsticks to show the timber texture

Timber shuttered concrete

Slate

Concrete model formed from matchsticks model shown opposite

the

Reclaimed timber

Each pavilion has a variety of different materials but primarily, the material is made out of reinforced concrete. Other materials such as timber and slate will be used as cladding to add different light and shadow effect as well as engaging our senses through touching and seeing.

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Bibliography

• Juhani Pallasmaa, ‘Hapticity and Time’, The Architectural Review, May, 2000.

• Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses, John Wiley & Sons, London 2005.

• Peter Zumthor, Atmospheres, Birkhauser, Basel 2006.

• Rudolf Stegers, Sacred Buildings - Design Manual, Birkhäuser GmbH, Basel 2008.

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Thank you.