SELECTED Benjamin Allen
WORK
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Boulder - 2016
Ivanhoe - 2016
Ta Skor Village 2016
Sculptural project for an Honours student at University of New South Wales Art and Design/
Semester 2 studio project for Masters of Architecture at the University of New South Wales.
Semester 1 Studio project for Masters of Architecture at the University of New South Wales.
SELECTED
WORK
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Tye - 2015
The School of Life 2017
ARCHEX - 2017
Light Installation for a public art fair sponsored by Randwick City Council.
Graduation Studio project in the Social Agency Stream
Designed and constructed the plinths and displays for the ARCHEX 2017 graduating exhibition.
BOULDER Design + Construct + Play
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The boulder was conceived as a structure to allow artist, Elle van Uden to showcase the body’s flow of movement in rock climbing as part of her honours thesis for the A+D Annual 2016. The boulder had to satisy three criteria; it had to stand alone as a structure without the rock climbing performance. It must be structurally sufficient to support the weight of climbing and it must incorporate a number of different climbing postures. The boulder as a sculpture was conceived as a stark black monolith that contrasted the white courtyard. The form was drew inspiration from the naval vessels, the human form and a desire to fashion the sculpture as a piece that responded to the courtyard. The high point of the boulder faces the tallest facade of the courtyard, the boulder simultaneously compliments and contrasts its context resulting in a striking element that does not feel out of place. The structural adequacy of the boulder was collaborated upon with AECOM engineering, for budgetary and time constraints the structure was made of structural pine. Another benefit of pine is that it could be easily assembled without the need for specialist equipment, this was important as I was constructing it myself in a narrow time frame. Finally, the postural composition of the boulder was devised around four positions; overhung, tapered, vertical and slab (respective images above). These four positions provided me with a framework to start fashioning the boulder with careful consideration of the transitions between each section to ensure that it provided to opportunity for fluid and expressive movement; creating a seamless unending traverse around the structure.
The boulder was constructed in one week with the assistance of an installer. The construction phase was the most valuable learning experience across this project. Despite having reasonable carpentry and construction capabilities, working on such a peculiar form challenged me to devise details and solutions on the spot that I would otherwise not have encountered.
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IVANHOE Affordable Housing Estate
Every person has the right to adequate housing, it is enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The right to housing goes beyond the provision of shelter; it is the right to live in a place that is adequate and appropriate for the users. This studio explored new paradigms in the provision of adequate public housing, specifically what does a holistic housing community that integrates public and private tenants look like? And, how do we manage the intersection between different housing tenants?
The requirements for public housing tenants are diverse and often subject to hyperbole and misunderstanding, the key approach taken was understanding the underlying issues of disadvantage that contribute to the challenges facing the public housing sector. The response sought to ameliorate a number of the systemic failures of previous social housing projects by focusing on the formation of community first as a driver for residential configuration. Developing an adequate and inclusive community as a driver for a residential development aims to level the disadvantage historically experienced by social housing residents.
02 CONTEXT ANALYSIS The Ivanhoe estate is framed by Herring Road and Epping Road, it is a central part of the Herring Road Priority Precinct. The area boasts the largest collection of technology companies in Australia and is set to expand to be the largest CBD in Australia over the next two decades. In addition to the plethora of technology and business assets the area also has a number of education providers from preschools to tertiary educations. The proximity to Macquarie University, the technology Park and a number of primary and secondary schools positions the Ivanhoe Estate as an obvious location for significant residential investment to tap into the surrounding assets. The Macquarie Park precinct also has a number of natural capital in addition the built environment. It feeds into significant green belts that create rich veins of connection into the city and further west. The Lane Cove National Park has a number of substantial waterways that services the area.
SITE Ivanhoe Estate is a 8.2 hectare site within Macquarie Park, sitting 12 kilometres north-west of Sydney. Residing within the municipal City of Ryde, Ivanhoe Estate is flanked by heavy eastern distributors being Epping Road and M2 Motorway, and has access to a growing business district and education precinct. These features make Ivanhoe Place a perfect site to redevelop as part of the 2031 Herring Road Priority Precinct Masterplan. 13
PROCESS SKETCHES Iterative analysis of spatial configuration, circulation and form as it pertains to developing communities
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01 The site, with a steep fall to Shrimpton’s Creek
MASTERPLAN EVOLUTION The masterplan was developed in 2D and 3D iterations, combining site conditions, building form, brief requirements and strategic goals into the final scheme. By adopting a hyper rational approach to masterplanning, wherby each decision was dictated by a preset condition; either given (brief) or acquired (Jan Gehl’s theory) we were able to remove ego from the process and focus on the delivery of an appropriate solution. The final result is a bold and unusual scheme but we felt comfortable defending it as each decision was rooted in research and testing.
02 A generic distribution of building masses to respond to yield analysis calculations
03 Building heights loaded to the west to minimise overshadowing
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Buildings are aligned on a north-south access to maximise solar performance and to match site contours.
Main vehicular entry into the site from Peach Tree Road/Cottonwood Crescent
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Infiltration of the Ironbark-Turpentine forest into the site
Main vehicular entry into the site from Peach Tree Road/Cottonwood Crescent
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Main vehicular entry into the site from Peach Tree Road/Cottonwood Crescent
Main vehicular entry into the site from Peach Tree Road/Cottonwood Crescent-
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MASTERPLAN By relocating the vehicular entrance the site becomes a thoroughfare for pedestrians. Nodes of connection between the new transport hub and Shrimptons Creek as well as the continuation of the existing green belt create a site that is geared towards walking. The orientation along contour lines means that pedestrians can meander along subtly sloped sites rather than being forced towards steep gradients by closed off streets and restrictive accessways. The mass of the towers is still small compared to the adjoining developments and is orientated to the west, the towers have minimal impact on the site or neighbouring developments. Instead, they overshadow Epping Road. The relatively low rise building mass on the majority of the masterplan allows for planting between buildings which increases amenity and privacy.
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The project brief called for a mixed tenure community, that provides private housing that can be used as leverage for future developments by the LAHC. It also concentrates a diverse range of occupants; those that are disabled, aged, unemployed, needing emergency shelter from domestic abuse, families, and young professionals. These demographics reflect the LAHC’s suggested breakdown of private, social and affordable housing which can help surround those that are disadvantaged with others that have established positions in society to help encourage and reduce the perception of institutionaized public housing.
COMMUNITY BREAKDOWN RETURN BRIEF PRIVATE
SOCIAL
AFFORDABLE
65% Site Occupancy
30% Site Occupancy
5% Site Occupancy
+ 450 Residents from existing Ivanhoe Develoment.
+ Preference for shift workers to ensure flow of people at all times.
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+ Reduced parking allowance responding to the plethora of local facilities for education and business.
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+ 50 Temporary Emergency Shelters. + Opportunities for employment and training with digitally connected community
1755 Private Dwellings with 0.5 parks per apartment. Reducing the number of cars on site, reduces the communities dependence and promotes public transport. Incentives for private residents to enter car sharing arrangements.
MAPPING
810 - 450 + 50 = 410 410 Additional Social Housing
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+ Apartments come with a stake in share cars, reducing the need to allocate parking and promoting a walking & cycling community.
Community wide emphasis on reduction in vehicle ownership and engaging with car sharing reduces the seperation between affordable and private ownership.
OCCUPATION
5am 6am 7am 8am 9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm 5pm 6pm 7pm 8pm 9pm 10pm 11pm 12am Services Exercise Workers Travel School Eating University Classes Retail activation Onsite Industry Drinking Sport/Social
Determining the demographic and community make up of Ivanhoe is only the first step in defining a community. A myriad of housing developments, both social and private have failed because the designers did not analyse the way the space would be occupied throughout the day. How does a space perform when a number of residents go to work? Are there always people around so that the public spaces and pathways feel safe?
Designing a succesful community development requires an understanding of the interventions that will facilitate a positive community and then implementing those interventions into a masterplan. A focus on micro industry as opposed to a retail only system of activation means less competition with the Macquarie Shopping Centre, the opportunity for employment and training for residents and activation throughout the day.
HERRING ROAD TRANSPORT HUB A transport hub is established at the entrance to Ivanhoe Place and Herring Road with a light rail transport node and bus stop. A dedicated cycleway next to a wide footpath encourages pedestrian activity which is buffered from the carriageway via lush planters. The removal of the existing entrance into Herring Road positions the site as a walkable community that accesses the main transport vein; Herring Road. Light Rail has been signalled as a possible point of expansion in the Herring Road Priority Precinct Masterplan. Placing the hub at the entrance to the site creates a node that encourages pedestrian access and permeability whist promoting public transport.
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MICRO INDUSTRY + RETAIL The activation of the ground place creates a sense of life and safety. The diverse selection of stakeholders identified in the occupation mapping allowed us to design circulation spaces that are activated throughout the day and evening to ensure the community vibe is maintained at all times.
LIFE Ă SPACE Ă BUILDINGS Designing for community interactions and the spaces that define them ensured that all public spaces were articulated. Typically, a building is designed and public space is inserted around it. However, this can lead to dead or hidden spaces (of which there are many examples in the current stock at Ivanhoe). These dead spaces often breed anti social behaviour and are the root of a number of issues in social housing developments. Buildings are orientated around public spaces to create a sense of passive observation.
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IVANHOE TOWER
TYPICAL FLOOR PLAN The typical floor plan is repeated throughout, every third floor has a large break out courtyard to facilitate community interaction between residents. The form is dictated by the rationale explored during the masterplan. However, the terracing has been abandoned as it significantly
reduced the yield potential of the structure. The massive size of the structure meant that it was necessary to propose a series of open air corridors that allow air movement through the building without the wind tunnel associated with creating a large separation in the building form.
All floors are open to the elements to create air circulation and to promote a connection with the elements. Openings reduce the impact of circulation corridors.
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Through an abstraction of Jan Gehl’s ideas about the relationship between building heights and the interaction and connection with the ground plane a scheme was developed around the creation of courtyards placed at intervals of three levels to facilitate a sense of community among residents which is often lost in high density living.
Apartment division is driven by a desire to maintain parity across apartment types. The division is calculated across three floor intervals to reduce the notion that there are inferior floors or segments of the building. Public and affordable housing is to be determined based on the orientation of the apartment; the 11 public apartments are selected from consecutive aspects. This ensures that for every south facing public apartment there is a west, east and north-facing public apartment.
In addition to the orientation dictating the allocation, no more than 4 public housing units can be located on a single floor plate. Each floor plate on the three-story division will host 1 affordable housing unit and 1 adaptable temporary housing unit.
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T E M P O R A R Y A P A R T M E N T S A substantial lack of housing and support services for women fleeing domestic violence is the greatest issue facing the housing sector today. Numerous studies have indicated that providing women with a safe place to leave domestic violence situations is essential to combating the epidemic. It is my assertion that all substantial housing redevelopment projects, such as Ivanhoe should be required to provide Temporary Emergency Accommodation in the same way that they must provide affordable accommodation. Designing a typical apartment for people fleeing domestic violence is difficult as their is no archetypal victim of domestic violence. Victims may be single persons or have a family. Therefore, a unit must not have a prescriptive tenancy configuration. Economic necessity suggests that the space must be compact yet adjustable. The solution proposed utilizes fold down and collapsible furniture elements that can be modified to suit the current tenant. The bathroom is fitted with a combined shower bath to accommodate young children. Integrating storage and furniture allows the residents to manipulate the space and store any personal effects to create a larger living space during the day.
1. Inbuilt lounge w/ fold out bed 2. Pull down bed w/ storage 3. Fold away table in cupboard 4. Pull down bed w/ storage 5. Gallery kitchen 6. Inbuilt storage 7. Simple bathroom w/ combined bath/shower 8. Operable glazing
CONFIGURATION 1 All elements can be stored away for better utilization of the limited space.
CONFIGURATION 2 Fold out table inside cupboard, can be stored away for extra soace when not required.
CONFIGURATION 3 Two fold out beds + a fold out couch are used to maximise potential occupancy.
EXPOSED CIRCULATON Fire stairs are have glass panelling to reduce anti social behaviour occuring in concealed areas and to enhance the community through an icreased visual connection between residents.
PARK AMONGST THE TREES Car parking occurs at ground rather than in a basement, parking and walking out amongst the trees encourages residents to meander through the site as opposed to taking a lift directly to their apartment.
COMMUNITY DRIVEN SPACE The courtyards are semi - public spaces that are shaped by the residents.
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TA SKOR VILLAGE RAW Impact M ast erpl an
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INVESTIGATION THROUGH NARRATIVE An inability to visit the site and speak to the community dictated that the research needed to be guided by narrative to develop an accurate picture of the clients and their challenges. A series of sketches helped to develop a connection to the Cambodian condition and aided in the development and presentation of the narrative.
EVIC T ION AND P L AC E L E S S NE S S During the Civil War millions of people died, millions more fled. After the war Cambodian’s returned to find that all of the documentation denoting land ownership had been destroyed. Millions were displaced with no record of any ownership of lands. The United Nations Transitional Authority was established with a mandate for returning order to Cambodia. The transitional Authority offered a repatriation settlement to returning Cambodians, the returnees could chose from agricultural land, domestic housing or a cash payment. 88% elected to take the cash payment, perhaps unsurprisingly considering the fragility of residence and ownership they had just experienced. Rural landlessness has increased from 13% in 1997 to 25% in 2007. The government continues to evict residents which exasperbates the problem.
H OU S IN G Rural cambodian housing is typically put together with whatever materials are available. The most common materials are timber and corrugated metal. The houses are elevated to accommodate for flood waters and to create an occupiable under croft. The lack of materials and poor construction means that there is a very real fear that houses will collapse or be swept away by flood waters. Slum housing rarely has more than one room that all family members share.
SLUM S E T T L E M E N T The result of the high levels of landlessness and constant government led evictions is that many Cambodian families have to live in ‘illegal’ slum settlements. Normally, built near a river the structures are haphazardly built and run the serious risk of collapse or inundation from floods. Slum settlements are dense, with large numbers of displaced persons occupying tiny shacks. There are serious social challenges in slum settlements beyond the feeling of hopelessness and placelessness. Settlements are targets for unscrupulous lenders to offer families money to construct a house, the loans have unsustainable interest attached and in extreme cases the loan shark will take a child to sell into the sex trade to meet the debt. The unhygenic nature of the slum settlements creates hotspots for disease and infections which go on untreated due to a lack of affordable and accessible medical care.
H OU S E H OL D S Rural Cambodian familes normally survive on a few dollars a day. Employment in slum settlements might typically be a fisherman, labourer or stall vendor. The Cambodian diet is based around rice as it is abundant and afforable, meat is expensive and is only used sparingly. The food is often cooked in a charcoal pot which creates a great deal of smoke and can be dangerous if inhaled. The families usually only eat one proper meal in the evening. School opportunities are limited for children from slum families, with school facilities often located in established areas and costing money to complete exams and graduate on to a new course.
TH E F U T U RE Cambodians have endured incredible hardships during and after the war. The impact of the war on the country is evident, with over 3 million people killed, the population of 8 million people was devastated. The result is that the average age for a Cambodian is under 20 years old. This presents an exciting opportunity for the future, with the population steadily rebuilding and with the scars of the war beginning to heal; Cambodia is at the preficice of a new future. Organizations like RAW IMPACT who are committed to bettering the lives of rural Cambodians will play an important role in elevating Cambodia out of poverty.
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FLOO D A N D L A N D SC A P IN G S T U DIE S Vacuu m fo r mi n g t he site t o anal yse changes to earthwork s
After numerous water tests I am able to confidently conclude that carving a run off through the berms on site will reduce the impact of the dam flooding into the site, rather it will facilitate a run off to the creek and road. In serious rain events (when the creek breaks its bank) the run off will be redundant as comprehensive flooding will occur. Modelling suggests that flooding of this magnitude will only occur once every 10 years.
SUS T A I N AB L E VIL L A G E The masterplan was devised with 12 dwellings orientated around a dam. The dam is a source of food, income and water whilst simultaneously cooling the surrounding area. The dam is divided into four catchments, delinated by bridges that service fish as different
stages in production. The masterplan also includes a communal goat shed which will work as a source of milk and income. There is a workshop on site that will allow RAW to prefabricate bamboo dwellings for future projects.
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SI TE MA ST ER PL A N
The initial masterplanning stage was developed around locating the most adventageous areas for the dam and the agriculture. Once we had assigned areas for the services that will sustain the village then we can focus on housing and community buildings. After extensive research on aquaculture we determined that the ideal fish farm for this site would be 50 x 10m,only one area could sustain a dam of that size. The agriculture was placed on the flattest section of the site and at the furthest point away from the fish farm to avoid any contamination from fertilizers. Next, a decision was made to place
the houses near the dam for two reasons; the dam would provide passive cooling for houses and if the houses were surrounding the dam there would be constant passive surveillance in the event that a child or elderly person fell in the dam. Flowing on from the houses, the community centre, workshop and goatshed were placed in that order. The rationale was that the goat shed is the least hygenic and should be placed the furthest away and that having the goats waste near the agricultural area would improve fertilizing effeciency.
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A N I M A T E
H O U S I N G
P R O T O T Y P E
An adaptable housing typology that integrates and condenses the programmatic elements with an emphasis on creating a house that responds and adjusts to the Cambodian Climate. The modules success is rooted in its consideration of and commitment to the betterment of the occupants.
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The Cambodian climate dictated the necessity consistent circulation of air throughout the building. The housing unit is essentially a series of platforms with different roofs.
After considering the diverse and at times incompatible requirements of the individual families an open plan, platform based approach to living, sleeping and eating was devised. All activities assigned to the living quarters share four requirements; climactically comfortable, protected, potential for privacy and sanitary. The living quarters are kept cool through a system of articulated openings, large roof overhangs and insulated roofing and wall panels. The living quarters have been designed with operability in mind, allowing the occupants to close down the building in inclement weather, the operable elements double as privacy screens when open. One of the main issues that we identified was poor health and sanitation amongst the families, as such we have isolated the living quarters from the utility area (toilet, bathroom, kitchen) to reduce the potential health risks. Two key components of the living quarters was a requirement for privacy and protection from monsoons. These requirements were addressed through the addition of operable elements that close down the building during inclement weather and work as privacy screens when opened.
Studying Cambodian vernacular architecture reinforced the role of the platform in everyday life. Platforms are used for eating, sleeping and, working. Providing a series of platforms throughout the house allows the occupants to dictate their use. Providing a multi-purpose platform as opposed to separate sleeping, working and eating spaces allows for a condensed floor plate and more dynamic space. The platform design makes the housing model adaptable to the diverse range of families taking part in the Every Piece Matters project.
The families need a secure place to store their limited possessions. The raised platforms create a natural storage solution that is securely inside the house. Larger items like fishing nets and bikes can be stored in the open area beneath.
One of the key priorities we identified from our analysis of the families was a desire for improved health and higher sanitation and safety standards. The issues derived from three main areas, sanitation, washing and cooking. A reliance on open pit toilets without any washing facilities contributes to a number of bacterial diseases and unsanitary collections of waste in public areas. The module provides a separate toilet and washroom. The separation is for 3 reasons, efficiency of use (facilities can be accessed at the same time), separation of waste and washing and a distinction between collection systems (water is collected from the washroom to water gardens whilst waste is composted beneath the drop toilet.) Typical cooking is done on the ground with charcoal pots, the prototype house elevates the kitchen to avoid heat permeating through the house and replaces the charcoal pot with a healthier and more economical gas cooker. 45
01 RAISED STRUCTURES Elevating the structure on precast concrete footings and timber posts creates a breezeway running through the length of the site. The cool air passing beneath the structure enters the house through the central void and by permeating through the woven floor.
02 CENTRAL VOID In addition to guiding the air beneath into the house the central void draws western winds through the centre of the house that can cool the space even when the operable elements have been closed.
03 OPEN FACADE The facade of the utility wing is open to promote airflow through the building. Keeping the utility wing open ensures that the building still receives circulation when living quarters have been locked down during inclement weather.
04 PLANAR TILT The living quarters extrudes from the structure at an angle to create a second floor that is offset from the rest of house. The tilted extrusion draws in the predominent winds and creates an opportunity for a house to draw in the wind even if the adjoining properties are providing an undesired buffer.
05 BISECTED ROOF The main roof of the house is divided into two roofs with a protected opening that permits circulation and the effecient escape of heat from the second floor kitchen.
06 A MACHINE FOR AIR The housing unit focuses on promoting air circulation within the dense framework of the masterplan.
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G ROU N D F L OOR The area beneath the dwellings is arguably as important as the structure above. The traditional Cambodian village is dependent on the network of raised houses providing sheltered areas beneath to facilitate community events, trade and storage. The house prototype is deliberately simple at ground level as to not dictate or prohibit the means of occupation.
A unique feature of the house is the central void that creates an 8m high opening in the centre of the space that might be utilized for hanging fishing nets or other large items. The composting tank and grey water tank can be accessed from the ground level. The grey water can be used to service the small adjacent gardens
FI RST FLOOR The first floor is the earliest private space of the house, unlike the ground floor that is open to the public; guests must be invited into the first floor. The entrance is a relatively large open space that will be treated differently by different families. Smaller families may choose to place a low table in the centre to create a designated area for eating. Whilst larger families can use this open space as the basis for adding additional platforms (using the methods illustrated earlier) to create additional sleeping, working or platforms. The utility quarters of the house have two closed rooms (they only completely closed spaces in the house). The rooms accommodate toilet and wash facilities. The floor in both rooms uses hardwood
timber that will respond better to the wet conditions than the bamboo hatch in the living areas. In addition to the practical efficiency of separating the toilet and washing, the areas are separated as both rooms have collection points below. The washroom has a water tank to collect grey water for gardening whilst the drop toilet has a composting tank below that processes the waste and avoids polluting the adjacent dam and road. The platform begins to jut out from the structure towards the street forming the beginning of the tilted overhang. The extension beyond the structure means that the platform can be wide enough to function as a walkway linking the first and second 51
SEC ON D F L OOR The second floor is a truly private space, despite the completely open scheme. It is the predominant level for sleeping and resting, a raised platform that runs along two elevations of the living quarters can be segregated into individual sleeping cubicles by fixing the operable screens to partition the space. Due to its role as the sleeping and living quarters the design of level two prioritised the design of operable elements on the facade that permit the building to be closed down during monsoon weather conditions, thus maintaining amenity. The kitchen is placed on this floor, the location of the kitchen was dictated by a desire to have heat escape
as quickly and efficiently as possible. As such, the kitchen is flanked by open walls with an offset roof above to ensure any heat produced cooking escapes the house. Wastewater from the kitchen runs down to the grey water tank to be used for irrigation. The traditional cooking facilities in Cambodia are large charcoal pots that produce hazardous smoke and create (and waste) an excessive amount of heat. The proposal includes the provision for a small built in gas cooker with a replaceable gas bottle. Gas cooking is cleaner, healthier and more efficient than charcoal pots.
SEC TIO N A L PE R SPE C TI V E The studios focus on the construction methodology behind the bamboo structure informed the creation of a sectional perspective. The perspective allows builders to look beyond the cut through and see how the elements fit into the wider scheme. Bamboo’s ability to fixed together with lashing differentiates it from typical Western construction and as such the techniques for fixing may be foreign to the builders.
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ELEV A TIO N A Central void delineates the living and utility quarters, the woven bamboo facade conceals the washroom inside and the kitchen joinery above. Timber slats were chosen because it allows air circulation to aid the removal of water. The large corrugated roof overhang and the corrugated wall systems are lined with a bamboo weave to reduce heat transfer. The operable louvers were designed to be orientated to the wind direction to aid intake and to be tied closed during inclement weather.
ELEV A TIO N B The offset roof aids in the escape of heat and the circulation of air. Elevation B can be closed with operable screens that can be tied down. All roof overhangs were designed to prevent rain incoming at a 60 degree angle.
ELEV A TIO N C Both long elevations are designed with a hidden tilt down screen that can be deployed during heavy monsoon storms. Once deployed, the screen exposes an open slatted element that permits airflow even when the building is completely closed down.
ELEV A TIO N D The toilet facilities are kept within the insulated corrugated metal walls to minimise olfactory pollution and to encase the composting unit stored on the ground. The timber walls of the washroom can be extended to the ground if the family has a grey water tank for irrigation, otherwise they can terminate at the first floor to increase circulation on the ground floor. 55
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TYE INSTALLATION Ran d wi ck Ci t y A rt Wal k Randwick City Council launched the NOX night sculpture walk to coincide with the annual Eco Fair and invited young artists to submit proposals. Elle van Uden and I submitted a proposal for Tye a light and string installation that utilised an existing steel structure. The site was formerly a ship building yard, with other industrial operations surrounding that were developed to aid Australian and US efforts in WWII. In recent years the site has been rehabilitated into a community environment park that seeks to invigorate the areas native flora. I would like to thank Randwick City Council for their support, both financial and administrative. Neon nylon string, perforated clamps, UV LED lights. 600 x 800 x 400 cm Exhibited in NOX Night Sculpture Walk, Randwick Environment Park, September 11-13
04 Tye is derived from the community centre’s transformation of the historically industrial site into a natural community-oriented environment. Similarly, the installation seeks to transform the naval store from an industrial relic to a foundation that supports organic expression. The forms are generated by the manipulation of linear elements into geometries inspired by the surrounding flora. The notion of simple linear geometries fashioning complex organic forms celebrates both the industrial past and organic present of the site.
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External view from Redfern Street
THE SCHOOL OF LIFE 107 Pro ject s, R edfer n The form and design of the building was designed to be deliberately confronting. Heavy concrete mass is visible in both the ground and roof forms. However, the the facade that links them is a delicate opaque fabric that seems incapable of supporting the mass above, especially with the fragility of the timber members that support it on display through the fabric. Whilst the architectural language of concealing support for heavy mass is prominent in city or other more recently estabished areas it is without precedent or comparrison along Redfern Street. Even the new high rise developments have thick frames around the glazing which offer the elevation a form of visual rigidity. The drama is emphasised here with the waffle roof slab thickening to 1.8 metres at the edges. The structure is actually particularly rudimentary, resembling a car park more than any high tech construction. However, the interplay of solid and void, heavy and light and light (optic) and darkness creates a sense of drama that draws respondents in with a diversive curiosity.
I NVERTIN G THE N A R R AT IVE Darkness carries connotations of unhappiness, lonliness and hopelessness. The gallery of darkness attempts to challenge these conceptions through an intellectual abstraction of the key notions around those emotions. The geometry of the gallery of darkness is almost predominantly informed by the ramp layout that leads you into the complex. Thus, as we navigate the confronting
or challenging space we are encouraged by the idea that this is not a new phenomenon, we can draw on past experience to overcome present challenges.
THE RO LE OF C OM M UN IT Y I N WELLNES S The gallery of light and dark further inverts expectations around wellness and mental health by placing the gallery of darkness at the centre of the communal kitchen, cafe and entrance. Whereas the gallery of light has a more private and secluded entrance up the stairs or lift. This choice was deliberate to change the narrative around suffering alone in moments or hardship and despair and to challenge the idea that we must be dependant on others for happiness or gratification
urtyard that links to the Wellness Centre (Right)
SOCIAL AGENCY
First Floor Axonometric - (L to R) Gallery of Light, Classroom Courtyard, Community Counselling and Technical Hub
Ground Floor Axonometric - (L to R) Wellness Centre, Communal Space + Kitchen, Classroom Courtyard, Artist Workshops and Maker Space
Gallery of Darkness Axonometric - (L to R) Library, Performance Space, Gallery Space, Physical and Digital Archives
A WH OLE C I T Y SOL UTI O N Hayden Co’burn and I modelled and fabricated a 900 x 1200 mm site model of Redfern. The fabrication process involed modelling the site in sketch-up, 3D Printing each individual building and then CNC machining a site base in foam. The Foam was sealed in resin and the blocks were placed in and painted. Each block was designed to be removed so that everyone in the class could test interventions throughout the suburb.
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ARCHEX 2017 UNS W G al l eri es I was part of a 7 member student team responsible for putting on the ARCHEX 2017 exhibition for the graduating studio for both Masters and Undergraduate Architecture students. My main role was to design and construct all of the plinths that showcased the students work. After designing the solution all of the timber was cut in the workshop using a drop saw for the pine members and the table saw for MDF table tops. Hayden and I were responsible for majority of the construction with assistance from volunteers and other commitee members to help brace and position the members during construction.
54/546 King Street Newtown, 2042 0401 586 376 benjaminallen.1991@gmail.com benallenarchitecture.com
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