01. Symphony of the Ground
Module 1: Sponge Audrey Chan; s1433555
Ground Texture
When I was walking on the Cramond island, the ground texture was a very significant to me since there was a lot of variation, creating different feelings to me as I walk onto it. This was so significant to me that I actually forgot the cold from the windy weather. That was the reason I thought of creating a collage, yet recreating the shape of the island from my impression (Turns out it is far from the shape it is).
Collage of found materials representing the 5 main textures I felt on the Cramond island. The burnt umber represents the muddy, slippery surfaces on the slopes. The green collage with cotton attached above represents the soft, thick and grassy surfaces on the peak. The black collage with metal clips represents the pile of rocks and seashell residues on the seashore. The coffee acrylic with small styrofoam particles represents the dense spreaded, sandy surface on the beach. The brownish collage with cardboard pieces represents the rocky surface with hardened mud that is not slippery at all. With the support of the shadows and lightings, the different levels of the texture emphasizes on how the material on the island behaves.
Inspiration & Progression
After visiting the island, the walk I had in Cramond created an impression of how Cramond is surrounded and composed with water to me. For example, the promenade that a lot of people are concetrated at, or the bridge from Cramond to Cramond island are surround by water, and under the dramartic influence of the tides. Therefore, my idea for site analysis in Cramond is to look at how Cramond constructed its identity through water as an element, and how the environment interacts with the water and created special landscapes.
02. Cramond in Change
Module 2: Lens Audrey Chan; s1433555
Interface
Using image from Google earth, I tried to map out the areas that are actually affected by water in Cramond, which includes the areas around Cramond island and the river Almond. Since the estuary and river has different water sources, they will have a different effect on the same material. Therefore, the dots in toffee colour are representing the areas that are affected by fresh water, and the Reddish-brown colour dots are representing the area affected by salt water. At the same time, as Cramond has one of the largest tidal level difference between high tides and low tides. A large area of sand are exposed on the water during low tides, then covered by water during high tides. Therefore the interaction between the sands and the air is also something to take note of. Therefore, the area highlighted in dark brown represents the sands that are affected by the tides.
History
In the context of history, I looked at the different materials that compose the landscape of Cramond since it takes a long geological period to construct Cramond into such landscape, and their different properties will have a different reaction to the water in Cramond. Therefore, I focused mapping out the area that the water will have influence upon and the material that compose such part of the landscape. The dots in toffee colour represents the area composed by sand. It is a material that is prone to erosion and it is easily transported to another location through the tidal movement. The existing landform (sand dunes and ridges) could be easily formed by water as an agent. On the other sode, the dark brown area in fragments highlight the area that is composed by rock. According to the Geology of Cramond, Cramond is mainly composed of sedimentary rock since it is located in a coastal area, so a lot of load can store up here, especially in the river Almond, where obvious layers of material can be noticed.
Flux - Conclusion
To add on, woodland act as a sponge that abosrbs the rain water, where the excess water travels to the river Almond channel, hence the brown gradient pattern going towards the Almond channel. In conclusion, the interaction between the material in Cramond and the water in Cramond changes the environment constantly, since the sedimentary rocks that composes the lands are eroding slowly by the river and the incoming wave. Also, the coastal sands is creating new landscape under the force of the waves whilst it undergoes a constant cycle of soaked under the water, then exposed in wind and sunlight. For the next module, I am more interested in the way that the surface materials are interacting with other agents that causes erosion, since the water might be one of the most important component of Cramond, yet the rest of the Cramond is left forgotten due to its untouched atmosphere I have experienced as I visit there.
03. Creation & Destruction
Key to 1:50000 Map: Light Blue - Areas of Shallow Water Dark Blue - Areas of Deep Water Arrows: Wind Direction
Analysis & Application
The analysis starts at exploring the range of materials and identifying the main agents of erosion in Cramond in order to explore their significance in affecting one another. We have identified the rock types, mud, woodland to be the main materials that cover Cramond’s surface, and water, wind & gravity as the agents of erosion in Cramond. After mapping the cover and differnt types of surface and the active area of where the agent is, we have done some epxeriments to explore how the agents acts onto the materials in Cramond: Sand & wind, Woodland & Water and Rock & Water (Tides, waves) Different colours highlight different types of erosion, some belonging to a similar erosion but happening in a different speed of onset. Sand Erosion This happens to the tidal sands that is constantly under the collision with water and wind, for their exposed surface during low tides and them soaked under water during high tides. Sand particles are easily transported from one place to another, thereby causing destructions in sand dunes, but a new dune at another location. Rock Erosion This happens to the rock that is located along the river Almond. The friction between the water curremt and the rock causes the rock to slowly erode and small particles constantly deloaded from the rock and become a part of the soil at the bottom of the river. However, to erode the sedimentary rock along the channel takes a geological time period. Woodland Erosion This is a combination of the material in sand erosion and the speed of onset in rock erosion. Due to the vegetation locking nutrients and the bonding between soil particles, the water is interlocked between soil, making the water hard to deload the soil and transport them around. During winter, when the moisture inside soil freeze, the bonding between soil becomes fragile and causing physical erosion. These factors causes such soil erosion to happen over a longer time period. Human induced erosion This happens on the floodplain and the beach along the promenade since dog walkers and joggers are constantly using the plain, making the floodplain to be spoiled.
Module 3: Landscape Weather & Agents of Erosion
04. Treasure Rediscovered
Module 4: Site Audrey Chan; s1433555
My concept in this module was based on rediscovering the hidden treasures in the Cramond woodland. As I observe on the map, I found that there is almost like a hidden axis lying from the roundabouts to the roman fort, and it also connects the different ruins in the woodland. Therefore, I decided to create an outdoor museum in the woodland by deforesting a part of the woodland, based on the ‘spine’ (The main access path and connection to all the different site across) I have built. Problems that I have encountered during the design of this museum was that some of the contour are too complicated to manipulated, such as the bathhouse. I will have to dig quite deep in order to expose it for the public, yet the slope has to be very steep in order to connect the bath house closely to my ‘Spine’, thus i decided to leave it out as an indiviual but creating a visual relaionship between the spine and the bath house.
Precendent Studies When I was looking for inspiration, I come across the follow case studies: Insel Hemobroich, Germany; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark; and Hanoke Open-air Museum, Japan. They all share the similarity as an outdoor museum and they all emphsizes on the interaction between nature and art, as seen from the pictures above. However, I also looked at one additional study on Asia Society Hong Kong Headquarters ,because that project involves preservation of historical ruins, in which I took reference in planning the museum inside the Medieval Ruins. However, I felt that some of these studeis still reliy too much on architectural elements, therefore I have designed it based on the principle of maximizing the outdoor activity spaces, such as the sculpture court on the left side of the map and an art square just opposute to the sculpture court.
From Insel Hembroich, Germany - an Outdoor Museum located at a former rocket station inspired me to explore the relationship between architecture, art and nature in the manner of installing art-related exhibition. The thing that amazes me about it is that there is no desigated path for visitors to follow: It allows people to explore the site fully in their own ways, creating an almost treasure hunt like experience for the visitors.
From Luoisiana Museum, Denmark, I found another expressive style to explore the same principle: the relationship of architecture, art and nature, but this museum focuses on the presentation of artworks, in results in more indoor structures and less of free experience for visitors. However, their use of natural lighting and glass tunnel really fascinates me.
From Hakone Open-air Museum, Japan, I found how it combines the function of a park and museum together by extensive outdoor water feature and different featured exhibition spaces for the visitors to have a fulfilling visual experience.
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05. Interchange of Formality
Module 5: Body Audrey Chan; 1433555
Serial Vision Sketches
Afterall, my museum is circulated through one single path, a serial vision would easily present the views along the visit to this outdoor museum. Some parts of my museum actually corresponds to parts of the Louisiana Museum in the way the resting area is facing the most beautiful view, and that sculptures are placed almost whereever they want to, thereby this creates a closer social relationship between the visitors and the environment. At the same time, the art square is going to allow more locals to interact with visitors, creating a more peaceful atmosphere.