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BLAIR J. PARKINSON selected works
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university
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BArch [Hons] : 2004 - now
The following pages present a small assortment of selected work, undertaken during my Bachelor of Architecture degree. Since completing my degree, I have been involved in a number of architectural projects. If you have any questions or would like to see a portfolio involving projects undertaken within my professional career, please contact me:
blairparkinson@gmail.com
LEGEND
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP [VERSIONS CS - CURRENT] POST RENDER IMAGE MANIPULATION, PRESENTATION LAYOUTS,
3DS STUDIO MAX {WITH MENTAL RAY RENDERER PLUG IN] IMPORTING OF 3D MODELS, RENDERING TO PHOTOGRAPHIC QUALITY, SOLAR STUDIES, WALKTHROUGH ANIMATION
GOOGLE SKETCHUP PRELIMINARY 3D MODELLING AND VIEW SETUP
AUTODESK REVIT ARCHITECTURE SUITE [VERSIONS 2007 - CURRENT] 3D MODELLING, WORKING DRAWINGS, RENDERING + SOLAR STUDIES
GRAPHISOFT VECTORWORKS ALL CURRENT VERSIONS DRAWINGS, PRESENTATION IMAGES
AUTODESK AUTOCAD [VERSIONS LT - CURRENT INCL.. ADT] WORKING DRAWINGS, 3D ISOMETRIC DRAWING
The Urban
Activities Hub
A transition of urban interactive development from suburban departure is undermined somewhat by priority and economics. Community buildings that actually serve an urban community are not as significantly valued as when they were placed within the suburban setting. Pushing principles from the Urban Villages movement, and other information deemed useful to supporting an urban community, we can constrict these combined ideas into a single community building; one that will provide great assistance in allowing a cultural experiment to unfold. The use and interaction of this city centralised architecture in question, can inform us of current trends, styles, growth patterns, interest patterns, and social geography, whilst at the same time, providing a much needed urban activity space. The Urban Activities Hub was an architectural design project that was completed during my final year of study at university. The building itself is a centralized multitude of structures that act in the same way as a community hall. Research into architectural transitions between suburban communities and urban communities was undertaken to provide a theoretical basis for designing this ambitious project. The resulting design focused on a collection of interchangeable pods working within modular constraints. The aptly termed ‘podules’ would allow for increased or decreased size of space depending on the activity/ies that would operate within them. Various folding walls could also create architectural elements such as stages, decking, canopies, or relocatable dividers. The core of the architecture required special attention in order to draw the public into the space. Using the same structural framing of the ‘podules’ a ribbon like concrete form wound through the surrounding urban infrastructure and in hopes of leading the community to the heart of the activity. This ribbon also created much needed urban sight lines/ paths whilst also providing spaces for smaller community services to house themselves within.
I undertook this project whilst completing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
What is this building? It is an Urban Activities Hub; A centralised location set within the urban fabric to offer and encourage a range of activities that will occur within it. So what is this architectural project about? Well, it is about designing a building which is more suited to what an ‘urban community’ is all about. The building furthers an architecturally ancestral lineage of a community hall, a building noted commonly as a flagstone of many small to medium sized suburban areas. The real argument is that if we are to utilize the ideas and the architectural elements of this building and, in turn, ‘plonk’ it into an urban context then an analysis of the change in social environment also needs to accompany this transition. Why would you want to centralise these activities? It would provide an architectural ‘landmark’, so to say. Instead of having a range of activities spread out around the city in back alley plots (on most occasions) they are brought to a more promotional space. It also allows for cross marketing strategies between the various activities and events to occur because of this resulting multi functional and highly social space. Don’t you think that by doing this you are going to drain the rest of the city of these activities that are already situated in these ‘back alley plots’? Not at all. Why would it? It is taking these events but not stating that they all have to occur within this architecture. The building is created to reflect convenience, accessibility and provide for a greater variation and provision of space than what might currently be provided. It is not acting like a sponge but, in turn, acting more like an encourager of activity. How do you see these activities relating to this urban community in your building then? Through analysis of urban communities in general, not just Wellington, there have been some characteristics that have been broadly defined. One thing we know for sure is that an urban community is an entirely different sociology to a suburban or rural community. This is defined through interaction, contrast, movement and specific interest of the people located within each area. This is one aspect which I have looked to address with my architecture. Instead of a large open space plan area that takes a lot of footprint area, I have decided to allow for small, adjustable spaces that can be opened up or closed off depending on the specific users and their relating activity. What do you mean? How does the segregation of spaces relate? Nels Anderson, an anthropological researcher into urban communities stated three generalised characteristics of the interaction aspects of urban communities.; superficiality, transiency and anonymity. These can sum up a simplified conception of these aspects. I have taken these ideas and looked to first identify them in Wellington, which to a certain degree, I feel, does occur along Cuba St. I then used them as a base point for my design to spring from conceptually. How does this architecture relate to Wellington and your site in particular? Well, I looked at the community architecture movement, a British creation that was started some 30 years ago which identified the inception and development of a new notion in urban living; the urban village. These are centralised community ‘villages’ found within urban fabrics that are popping up everywhere because they offer more of a sensitive scheme to their populous, more so than other urban areas might. The Urban Villages Forum put out a report which discussed creating these developments. I analysed the report and related it to Wellington, discovering that, coincidentally, the Cuba St. character area seems to share some pretty familiar aspects to what is going on in these urban villages. Main points were about sustainability, pedestrianisation, accessibility, permeability, and size of community in general. I have taken these aspects and looked to apply them to my design to draw upon an integration to the existing urban fabric. Cuba St. in particular has a community-ofcommunities thing happening. Kind of a six degrees of separation found through communities of interest. Most people know, other people that live, traverse, or ‘hang out’ in Cuba St. through their activity interests that they share. This whole idea of anonymity is true but is not confined to a seclusion of individuals but more of a restriction through mass populous. I have seen these Urban Village developments. Some would say they are obscene gestures at architectural design........ that they don’t really work! You know, funnily enough, I completely agree. They are very primordial when dealing with true design rationale but I fell their ideas and concepts are notable. They just haven’t been applied to existing urban communities at all. They tend to look at establishing entirely new developments all at the same time and getting them to work in one massive explosion of community architecture. I feel that by doing this they may lose objectives that they may not be focusing on entirely as they probably should be. Then why did you generalise aspects of this development? Why not focus on what they are currently looking at for other buildings of this nature? A main criticism with this report was that even though it allowed for an acceptable level of interaction to occur , provision of spaces like these, in fact, recreation facilities in general were not factored in. Chris Murray, one of the main critics, stated that it is as if humans only have two things to do with their lives; work and home. What about functionality then? Let’s say if I wanted to go to an event or activity in your building, how does the architecture inform my decisions? One of the main design decisions that I placed emphasis upon was this accessibility issue. Permeability of the site itself leads on from this topic. I wanted to have some defined pedestrian routes to lead people into the site. The forms of my building undergo a ribbon like progression leading one into the heart of the complex. These pedestrian routes are drawn from the Glover park area, Vivian St.. and Cuba St.. locales and allow for a site that continues the tradition of Cuba St.. right into the heart of it. to see them. I know that anonymity is a characteristic that I mentioned but this architectural design is not looking to encourage the prolonged existence of that characteristic but
rather to identify it and use it to relate to the primary user more effectively. What do you mean by this tradition of Cuba St..? The human scale interaction with the urban environment. It is limited to foot traffic and has regular built interventions to add variety and interest. Ok. So I am now on the site (or I have walked by it). What happens then? Focal points or path direction lead you to the main administration area and communications space. A centralised staircase leads up to the activity areas whilst a large plaza area on ground level allows for a fluid movement of users and onlookers. I am going on the idea that ‘activity creates activity’. By pulling users and nearby passers-by into the building then that alone will create an architectural marketing strategy for the progression of the use of this building. What happens if I am just an interested onlooker? I feel I need more than other people walking around to encourage me to use this building. I have also pushed circulation routes of the activity spaces to the exterior for viewing the users interacting with these spaces in particular. These activity spaces also have retractable walls which fold down for ventilation , greater space and a visual connection of passer-by to user. On nice days (when people will be utilising these access routes) the spaces can provide for a blending of interior and exterior. What happens when the activities that are occurring within these spaces do not feel the need to open up these exterior walls. You did say that an urban community was essentially a community of communities that propose anonymity amongst other things. What would motivate them to open these walls? What would need to occur for passers-by to recognise the activity in these spaces? I was thinking that for the particular users they can request or acquire space that is deemed more useable and convenient to their particular activity. Activities like band practice and dance might not want people to see their ‘behind the scenes’ activities but they would also want spaces which do allow for public viewing. I do recognise the characteristics of urban communities but bear in mind that Cuba St.. would be one empty street if it weren’t for people wanting other people. Don’t you think that if this architecture is going to change these characteristics it will, in the end, start to work against what an urban community really is? An urban community is not summed up in a few words. It has a complex structure. I identified a few key characteristics which helped to provide a design basis for my building, characteristics that I felt related to the Cuba character area and urbanism in general. I then looked to further these characteristics into a more architectural and sociological enterprising procedure so that harsh words of superficiality, anonymity and transiency can become somewhat blurred and softer in appeal. How does this architecture provide for a community on a more integrated, functional level then? You have opening spaces and permeable access but not really a community structure.... Just another building really. I have to stress that this is recognised as a community building but is primarily a functioning activities hub. I have analysed and acknowledged current and previous community architectural designs that push themselves into the community realm by the community actually interacting with the design and building of the architecture. In my opinion, whilst this may be a great way to encourage conjuncture between urban community groups, it does not lead to an authentic architectural result in the end. True urbanists state that design is a professional activity and should be undertaken by those that actually know it. My design is set to break down boundaries between community architecture and conventional architecture. It sees the client as the urban communities of Wellington and the Wellington City Council, a somewhat strongly opposing client base. It is not just to cover these bases but to provide a possible link between the two so the building in itself starts to speak more as a cultural laboratory. A place where users of the spaces and architecture can come together to progress the usage on a more realistic level. ‘Community’
podule articulation
Construction / growth phases
growth phase one
growth phase two
growth phase four
growth phase ďŹ ve
growth phase three
growth phase six
section_transverse
section_longitudinal
I had toiled with this viewpoint for a while whilst designing this project. you could say - a great deal of it was influenced by my likening of this one simple view. i had big plans for this image and, personally, i felt i delivered with the final outcome. it received some great feedback. however, it was During the final critique that one of the reviewers wondered why so many skateboarders had decided to leave their tyre skid marks all over my architecture
i didnt have the heart to tell him
Tour of India 2005 NEW DELHI, CHANDIGARH, VARANASI, AGRA, FATEHPUR SIKRA, JAIPUR, JAISALMER, JODPHUR, UDAIPUR, AHMEDABAD
I undertook this project whilst completing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
A COLLECTION OF SKETCHES FRO
OM A VERY FULL TRAVEL JOURNAL
1. Form 2. Symmetry 3. Spirituality 4. Scale 5. Dimension 6. Landscape 7. Flow 8. Pattern 9. Water 10. Time 11. Urban Design 12. Cosmos
1 2 3 5 7 9 10 11
4 6 8 12
A set of drawings can be representative on a variety of levels. These drawings were designed and presented to signify ‘representations’ of inspiring impressions that affected me during my travels through India. Water; Time; Landscape; Symmetry; Flow; Form; Cosmos; Scale; Dimension; Pattern; Urban Design; Spirituality. These impressions have become a series of interlinking and, at times, opposing ideas. Although universally interpretive as single terms alone, the combination and subsequent presentation of their symbolism through the drawings has become highly individualised and focused upon India as a processor.
IN THE BOX DESIGNS CNR JACKSON / CUBA ST.. PETONE, WELLINGTON
‘IN THE BOX’ DESIGNS [A FICTITIOUS COMPANY] SPECIALISE IN CARDBOARD FURNITURE PRODUCTION. THE FURNITURE ITSELF IS UNIQUE; POSSESSING THE ABILITY TO FOLD BACK INTO AN ORIGINAL BOX FORM FOR EASY STORAGE AND TRANSPORT DURING RELOCATION. THE OFFICES / GALLERY / WORKSHOP AND RESEARCH SPACES FOR ‘IN THE BOX’ DESIGNS ARE LOCATED IN THE SMALL TOWN OF PETONE, JUST OUT OF CENTRAL WELLINGTON THIS COMPLEX PROVIDES NECESSARY SPACE FOR THE RESEARCH, DESIGN, MANUFACTURE AND DISPLAY OF THE CARDBOARD PRODUCTS. THE ARCHITECTURE ITSELF HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO REPLICATE THE INHERENT PROPERTIES OF THE RAW MATERIAL OF THE FURNITURE, THAT BEING CARDBOARD. WOODEN TRUSS STRUCTURES, REMINISCENT OF CORRUGATED CARDBOARD, SUPPORT THE GALLERY ROOF AND MAKE A STRONG VISUAL STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC VIEWING THE BUILDING FROM THE EXTERIOR. EXTERNAL WALLS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO APPEAR TO STATICALLY FOLD DOWN FROM THEIR ORIGIN AND INTRUDE ONTO THE SURROUNDING PUBLIC SPACES. DOUBLE GLAZING SYSTEMS COMBINED WITH LIGHTWEIGHT PAPER INLAYS ARE USED TO MASK THE WORKSHOP AND PROVIDE SOLAR SHADING FOR THE SPACE. THE SIGNIFICANT FEATURE OF THE COMPLEX IS A TWO STOREY HIGH COPPER WALL WHICH WILL CHANGE GRADUALLY OVER TIME AS RAINWATER FLOWS DOWN IT. THE PRIMARY MATERIAL USED ON THE COMPLEX WAS TIMBER SHEETING TO REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH THE IDEA OF NATURALLY RENEWABLE RESOURCES. MATERIALS USED: PLYWOOD, STEEL, TIMBER, GLASS, CONCRETE,
FRONT ELEVATION
I undertook this project whilst completing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
SIDE ELEVATION
IN THE BOX DESIGNS, PETONE PREMISES
www.urbanmarket_blair+allenst_ wellington.com displayed using Swansea Helvetica Bold, @ 30pt_ disclaimer: not actual website (8pt)
INSTRUCTIONS
layer state: lighten
_versus.
DESIGN OF A NEW THOROUGHFARE ROUTE CONNECTING 2 SMALL CENTRAL CITY STREETS. CONVERSION OF EXISTING ‘PARTY’ STREET INTO LANDSCAPED AREA SUITABLE FOR DEVELOPING COMMUNAL INNER CITY EATING, FASHION AND SOCIAL INTERACTION
Grass? On a Street?
I undertook this project whilst completing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
project specific:
Special thanks to Build for page inspiration
urban
img:NTR6.tif
black ink
allen
blair now thats a cool name!!
LINE RETURN HERE
e Spread:
CUT ALONG BROKEN BLACK LINE
word space here
Double-Pa By Blair TM
courtney thoroughfare through to blair st..
allen
12m high entrance pillars with retractable wind screens
themed cafes and restaurants to suit an outdoor seating arrangem along allen st.. promenade
large 800x80 columns provi nodal points d st.. and provid space for hou ruins of the at exchange buil to be demolis
wakefield
bbq areas for casual or market use
north
allen
raised decking to create fashion catwalk
base subur outdo living
clothes horse racks to provide selling space for local fashion students and designers
citrus aurantium trees (oranges and lemons) placed in clusters through Allen St...
I undertook this project whilst completing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
Forgotten Series Digital SLR, 18-35mm Lens, various shutter speeds
Part One Group design. Plan and develop a new beach side subdivision on a newly acquired plot of land. Subdivision is to be an expression of architectural excellence incorporating 12 different sized sites. Allow for public access links to retain visual and physical connections between the foreshore and natural bush. Also design a new promenade frontage for public passage along the beach front. Consider design guidelines and rules that will provide a coherent yet architecturally diverse development to prosper. Part Two Individual. Design a 50m2 beach house to be used as a holiday home for a NZ family of four. To incorporate elements of the surrounding beach and bush environment. Use materials and
design brief
Aerial Photograph of developed
Site Boundaries
sanctuaries located away from the open-planed heart of the house. They are akin to the lonely hunks of wood, sited around a fire, that we use to perch on and admire the heat and glow of the flickering flames Sustainability The architecture itself was designed primarily to serve as an inspiration of sustainable building practice for other houses in the area. Photovoltaic panels situated on the roofs of the bedroom areas provide solar energy supply to battery storage rooms located within the house. Grey water systems collect rainwater run off from above the main living area. Plumbing of grey water to toilet / exterior water supply systems. Recyclable bio-tiolet system combined with exterior drying shed. Dries and combines human faecal matter with dead foliage and compost to produce fuel logs for internal fireplace. Concrete floors and thermally massive materials utilised to acquire thermal solar gain from the predominantly north facing windows.
design response
General The resulting design of a beach house was inspired by the physical environmental and sociological aspects of a bonfire; considered a somewhat iconic collision between beach and bush. The idea of a bonfire produces thoughts of peace, tranquillity, comfort and socialising. Revolving around a central hearth, the house was designed to attain these values that are tied into a summertime bonfire on a secluded beach or an open clearing hidden amongst the bush. The main living area. Including the kitchen, dining room and lounge, becomes the central core of the building layout and provides the visual and architectural links to the built notion of a bonfire. The surrounding private living spaces, including bedrooms, bathrooms and informal library shelving, serve as personal
G
I undertook this project whilst completing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
View from foreshore
Beach House Model
Plywood Grade AB. Macrocarpa Exposed Concrete Corten Steel
HOUSE
site
construction methods that retain sympathy with the site and its context
BEACH
S
Materials
Korohiwa Bay, Eastbourne, Outer Wellington, New Zealand
HTTP://WWW.ARCH.SC HOOL.NZ/BBSC303/2005 /BLAIR_PARKINSON/IND EX.HTML THE BEYELER ART FOUNDATION THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO DEVELOP COMPUTER MODELLING AND APPLICATION SKILLS. THE BEYELER ART FOUNDATION MUSEUM BY RENZO PIANO HAD BEEN CHOSEN TO MODEL DUE TO THE COMPLEX ROOF STRUCTURE AND SUBTLE LIGHTING CONDITIONS EVIDENT IN THE GALLERY SPACES. THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF MODELLING WAS SPLIT INTO 4 STAGES. STAGE 1 INVOLVED THE BASIC MODELLING OF THE ENTIRE BUILDING. STAGE 2 WAS FOCUSED ON EXPORTING THE GEOMETRY FILES INTO A SEPARATE COMPUTER RENDERING PROGRAM AND PUSHING THROUGH SOME PRELIMINARY RENDERS. STAGE 3 THEN TOOK THIS EXPERIMENTATION A STEP FURTHER BY EXPLORING THE USE OF MATERIAL MAPPING AND PRODUCING A FINAL SET OF PRESENTATION IMAGES, RELATED TO AN ARCHITECTURAL THEORY OR STORY SIGNIFICANT WITHIN THE ARCHITECTURE ITSELF. THE FINAL STAGE INVOLVED CREATING A WEBSITE TO HOUSE THESE IMAGES AND ANY RELATED RESEARCH AND INFORMATION THAT HAD BEEN USED ALONG THE WAY.
I undertook this project whilst completing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
THIS IS A NEW ONE; MACROMEDIA DREAMWEAVER
project: student admin building / lecture theatres. location: hot desert near los angeles, united states of america. design: focused on creating an internal shelter to protect the users from the harsh weather conditions. the basic mass is derived by pulling the earth up to form a small mound. a central cavern is created that allows natural light into the full length atrium space. ‘light well’ columns extend from the roof down to the lower depths of the building providing much needed internal daylighting and housing hvac services common to these types of structures. perimeter drainage rocks surround the building to draw the moisture from the air and track the coolth into the building via cooling pools situated within the internal atrium / circulation spaces. drainage rocks, combined with track lighting also create a certain floating effect with the building to define it as a separate structure. finally the north facing glazing provides sufficient solar energy towards the end of the day to assist with regulating internal temperatures over the night. the coved effect of this glazing also creates an external courtyard suitable for informal lectures or large gatherings
Lecture Theatre / Admin Building Los Angeles, United States of America
I undertook this project whilst completing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
ALL THAT YOU TOUCH. ALL THAT YOU SEE. ALL THAT YOU TASTE. ALL YOU FEEL. ALL THAT YOU LOVE. ALL THAT YOU HATE. ALL YOU DISTRUST. ALL YOU SAVE. ALL THAT YOU GIVE. ALL THAT YOU DEAL. ALL THAT YOU BUY, BEG, BORROW OR STEAL. ALL YOU CREATE. ALL YOU DESTROY. ALL THAT YOU DO. ALL THAT YOU SAY. ALL THAT YOU EAT. EVERYONE YOU MEET. ALL THAT YOU SLIGHT. EVERYONE YOU FIGHT. ALL THAT IS NOW. ALL THAT IS GONE. ALL THAT’S TO COME. AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN IS IN TUNE, BUT THE SUN IS ECLIPSED BY THE MOON.
fin?