University of Sydney . Architecture Portfolio

B r e n d a n

M a h o n e y

Architecture Portfolio University of Sydney, Sc hool of Arc hit ecture ∙ M.Arc h. I ∙ 2007-2008

B r e n d a n

M a h o n e y

Table of Contents

Arc hit ecture Por tf olio 路 M.Arc h. I 路 2007-2008

Graduation Studio - Belmore Opera House, Sydney Gentrification of Wentworth Park, Sydney Questacon Extension, Canberra NorthWest Development Centre, Rouse Hill, Sydney

email : bmah2729@hotmail.com phone : 0407 402 339

B r e n d a n

M a h o n e y

Sydney’s newest opera house Urban Design Graduation Studio · S e m e s t e r 2 2 0 0 8

THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: BELMORE PARK IS RECOGNISED AS AN EDGE CONDITION TO THE SYDNEY CBD AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTER-CULTURES OF SYDNEYS INNER CITY SUBURBS. THE SITE OF THE OPERA HOUSE EFFECTIVELY SITS AS THE LAST PERIMETER BLOCK OF THE CBD. THE PARK SERVES A DOUBLE FRONTAGE, TO THE NEW OPERA HOUSE AND THE TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE THAT IS EDDY AVENUE AND THE CENTRAL RAIL TERMINAL, CONNECTING SYDNEY’S OUTER SUBURBS TO THE CBD.

THE STRATEGIES THAT RESPOND TO THIS URBAN CONDITION: 1.

RESPONSE TO THE PERIMETER CONDITIONS - THE BUILDING WRAPS THE PERIMETER OF THE SITE AND ADDRESSES THE STREETS OF CAMPBELL, PITT AND CASTLEREAGH AS A GENERIC CITY COMMERCIAL BUILDING. HAY STREET, RATHER, IS RECOGNISED AS AN EDGE TO THE CBD, AND THE BUILDING OPENS AT HAY STREET TO ADDRESS THE URBAN SQUARE IT FRONTS (FORMERLY BELMORE PARK).

2.

THE BUILDING RESPONDS TO THE RETAIL DATUM OF NEIGHBOURING STREETS, WITH THE GROUND PLAN OCCUPIED BY RETAIL FRONTAGES TO PITT, CASTLEREAGH AND CAMPBELL STREET. THIS RETAIL STRIP IS DUAL ENTRY, PUNCTURING THROUGH THE BUILDING COLLONADE THAT FRONTS THE PARK. THE RETAIL EDGES CONTINUE ALONG THE PITT STREET RAMP, WHICH IS GUTTED TO ALLOW FOR POROSITY INTO THE SITE. RETAIL KIOSKS PROTRUDE FROM THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE RAMP TO ACTIVATE THE LENGTH OF THE PARK. 3.

THE CONTINUATION OF THE PUBLIC URBAN SQUARE (FORMERLY BELMORE PARK) INTO THE SITE. THIS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE PEDESTRIANISATION OF HAY STREET AND THE RAISED ENTRY FLOOR OF THE OPERA HOUSE ABOVE THE RETAIL DATUM. BELMORE SQUARE AS AN EDGE CONDITION

BELMORE SQUARE HAS A DUAL FRONTAGE

4.

THE BUILT FORM RETHINKS THE MECHANICS OF A TYPICAL OPERA HOUSE. THE BU8ILDING IS A PLAY ON THE ‘PLUG-IN’ ELEMENTS OF AN OPERA HOUSE, THAT BEING THE FLY TOWER AND THE AUDITORIUM. THESE ARE FIXED, CONTROLLED ELEMENTS, THEIR FORM DERIVED FROM ACOUSTIC AND LIGHTING PERFORMANCE (FORM=FUNCTION). TYPICALLY, THE ANCILLARY SPACES OF AN OPERA HOUSE SURROUND THE FLY TOWER AND AUDITORIUM TO CREATE THE EXTERIOR FORM OF THE BUILDING. THE DESIGN OF THE BELMORE OPERA HOUSE IS CREATED FROM THE HEIRARCHY OF THE AUDITORIUM AND THE FLY TOWER. THESE ELEMENTS ARE SERVICED FROM THE BACK BY A GENERIC CITY BUILDING THAT WRAPS THE REAR PERIMETER OF THE SITE. THE IMMEDIATE STAGE AMMENITIES ARE THEN CONDENSED AROUND THE FLY TOWER, ALLOWING THE ONLOOKER FROM BELMORE SQUARE TO VIEW THE MECHANICS AND MOVEMENT HAPPENING AROUND THE STAGE. THE FLY TOWER AND SEATING HALL ARE THEN ORIENTATED ON THE AXIS CREATED BY THE CENTRAL RAIL TERMINAL AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE SQUARE. THIS SETS THE STAGE FOR DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE TWO PUBLIC BUILDINGS THAT FRONT THE URBAN SQUARE.

orchestra

practic

e

B r e n d a n

M a h o n e y

The Gentrification of Wentworth Park Urban Design Masters Studio · S e m e s t e r 1 2 0 0 8

CONTEXTUAL FRAMEWORKS - CONNECTEDNESS: THE SCHEME ACTIVELY SEEKS TO DRAW CONNECTIONS TO A SOMEWHAT DISCONNECTED WIDER CITY CONTEXT. THIS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE GENTRIFICATION OF THE FORESHORE EDGE SPANNING FROM PYRMONT TO GLEBE. THE SCHEME TIES INTO CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS OF THE SYDNEY HARBOUR FORESHORE AUTHORITY. THE SITE IS IN THE VICINITY OF MANY SOCIAL NODES, ALTHOUGH IT CURRENTLY FAILS IN CAPTURING THIS OPPORTUNITY. THE SCHEME AIMS TO CREATE A NEW CONNECTEDNESS BETWEEN THESE NODES USING PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY STREETS, DIVERTING AND SLOWING THE FLOW OF CAR TRAFFIC.

URBAN CONFIGURATIONS: THE PEDESTRIAN STREET CREATES A SENSE OF ENCLOSURE AND SEEKS TO ‘FUNNEL’ PEOPLE FROM BROADWAY ALONG A SERIES OF ARCADES AND URBAN SQUARES, WHICH NATURALLY LEADS TO VAST GREEN OPEN SPACE ACTIVATED BY THE FISH MARKETS AND NEW POROUS DEVELOPMENT ON THE FORESHORE. THE PEDESTRIAN STREET IS INTRODUCED TO RECONNECT BROADWAY TO WENTWORTH PARK. THE STREET SERVES AS AN ARTERY AND MEANS OF ORIENTATION, THE CIVIC SQUARE IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THIS ARTERIAL STREET AND THE PERPENDICULAR CONNECTION TO DARLING HARBOUR. THE PEDESTRIAN STREET IS ARTICULATED THROUGH COLONNADE WITH RETAIL AT THE GROUND AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT ABOVE.

A NEW CIVIC SQUARE IN WENTWORTH PARK

SOCIAL NODES

URBAN CONNECTIONS

B r e n d a n

M a h o n e y

The Gentrification of Wentworth Park Urban Design Masters Studio 路 S e m e s t e r 1 2 0 0 8

A NEW CENTRE FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS - FRONTS THE URBAN FORECOURT

ENTRY FLOOR

FIRST FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

B r e n d a n

M a h o n e y

Theatre Complex and Science Garden Design Studion, Questacon Extension Canberra · S e m e s t e r 2 2 0 0 7

THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: THE WALTER BURLEY GRIFFIN PLAN FOR CANBERRA WAS STRUCTURED ON TWO ORGANISING LINES - THE LAND AXIS AND THE WATER AXIS - AND ON THE GREAT TRIANGLE, ALIGNED BY THE MOUNTAINS, WHICH CREATED THE BASIC CIRCULATION SYSTEM CONNECTING THE GOVERNMENT CENTRE SOUTH OF THE LAKE TO TWO URBAN CENTRES NORTH OF THE LAKE. URBAN IDENTITY IS CREATED, BOTH IN THE DEVELOPED CHARACTER OF THE AXES AND IN LANDMARK SITES AT THE FOCAL POINTS OF THE AXES.

CONCEPT - THE INTERSECTION AS THE ORGANISING PRINCIPLE: THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS OF THE SCHEME ARE DRIVEN BY THE REALISATION OF THE SITE AS THE CORNER TO THE INTERSECTION OF GRIFFIN’S LAND AND WATER AXIS. AS SUCH, THE THEATRE COMPLEX IS ALIGNED ALONG BOTH AXES CREATING AN ORTHOGONAL L-SHAPED FORM, RESPECTING THE GEOMETRIC SEVERITY OF GRIFFIN’S AXIAL APPROACH. THE L-SHAPED FORM FRAMES BOTH THE IMMEDIATE ‘GARDEN OF WONDER’ AND THE GREATER SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES CAMPUS.

DESIGN TUTORS REVIEW: “THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPAL OF PUBLIC BUILDING IS CREATING NEW VALUE IN ITS SOCIETY AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU HAVE CREATED THREE NEW VALUES IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ZONE. THE FIRST OF ALL, BY INSERTING THE GARDEN OF WONDER INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE CIRCULATION FROM QUESTACON TO THE LAKE, THIS CREATES PUBLIC EXPOSURE TO STIMULATE PUBLIC INTERESTS. SECOND OF ALL, BY ESTABLISHING ”VIEWING POINT” AT EACH MAJOR SPACE ON THE MAIN PUBLIC CIRCULATION, THIS IMPLEMENT PROVIDES A GLIMPSE OF ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS HELD IN THESE ROOMS WITHOUT ENTRY. THIS SYSTEM ALSO STIMULATES PUBLIC INTEREST. THIRD OF ALL, BY PLACING THE GARDEN OF WONDER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THEATRE COMPLEX, THE GARDEN IS VIEWED FROM INSIDE THE BUILDING AND THIS SYSTEM CONTRIBUTES TO PUBLIC EXPOSURE AS WELL. THERE IS SOMETHING IN COMMON WITHIN THESE THREE NEW VALUES WHICH IS LEADING UNINTENDED ACTIVITIES TO EDUCATIOINAL OPPORTUNITIES AND I WOULD LIKE TO VALUATE THIS SCHEME DUE TO THIS CONCEPT IF I CONSIDER THIS IS THE MAJOR PURPOSE OF THE NEW EXTENSION TO QUESTACON...... ONE OF THE MAJOR TASKS OF ARCHITECTS IS SIMPLIFYING COMPLICATED GIVEN CONDITIONS AND RESTRUCTURING THE HEIRARCHY OF MEANING IN DESIGN AND I HAVE FOUND YOU HAVE THESE ABILITIES WITH AESTHETIC SENSE.”

SITE = CORNER TO INTERSECTING AXES

‘GARDEN OF WONDER’ / THEATRE COMPLEX ORGANISATION

B r e n d a n

M a h o n e y

Theatre Complex and Science Garden Design Studion, Questacon Extension Canberra 路 S e m e s t e r 2 2 0 0 7

B r e n d a n

M a h o n e y

Northwest Regional Centre

Rouse Hill Urban Design Project · S e m e s t e r 1 2 0 0 7

THE GREEN BELT THEORY:

ROUSE HILL

RAPID URBAN EXPANSION DUE TO NEW MIGRATION POLICIES AND CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE TO RELEASE LAND FOR NEW HOUSING CONTRIBUTED TO THE DOWNFALL OF SYDNEY’S 1948 COUNTRY OF CUMBERLAND GREEN BELT SCHEME. THE GREEN STREET AND BETTER CITIES PROGRAMS OF THE 1980S AND 1990S FOCUSED ON REDUCING EXCESSIVE LAND USE PRIMARILY BY REDUCING LOT SIZE. WHAT THESE SCHEMES FAILED TO CONSIDER WAS THE FACT THAT ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF URBAN LAND USE IS DEVOTED TO TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE USE OF THE AUTOMOBILE. IT SEEMS THESE SCHEMES DID LITTLE BUT LEND THEMSELVES TO THE QUATRE-ACRE PROJECT HOME AND CONGESTED ROAD THAT HAUNT THE SYDNEY METROPLOITAN LANDSCAPE TODAY. IN 2002, THE GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD (GWSEDB), PROPOSED A GREENBELT TO PROTECT AGRICULTURAL LAND ON SYDNEY’S WESTERN FRINGE ALONG THE HAWKESBURY NEPEAN AND CATARACT RIVERS. THIS PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION ZONE IS, HOWEVER, TOO NARROW TO ACT AS AN ADEQUATE BUFFER TO URBAN EXPANSION. THE KEY FINDS OF RESEARCH INTO THIS PROPOSAL ARE VALID CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE REMAINING IN THE SYDNEY METROPOLITAN AREA DUE TO LAND CONTESTATION.

OUR GREEN BELT THEORY: WE ARE PROPOSING A MUCH ‘TIGHTER’ GREEN BELT THAT IS EFFECTIVE AS A BARRIER TO URBAN EXPANSION BY THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUILDING TYPOLOGIES. THE GREEN BELT SURROUNDS THE CURRENT METROPOLITAN REGION OF SYDNEY, WITH ROUSE HILL ON THE OUTER FRINGE, AND REFLECTS GROWTH BACK TOWARDS THE CBD. IN EFFECT, NEW SUBCENTRES OF HIGH-RISE BUILDING TYPOLOGIES APPEAR ACROSS THE METROPLOITAN LANDSCAPE TO ACCOMMODATE GROWING POPULATION AND ECONOMIC NEEDS. ROUSE HILL, AS A TERMINUS ON THE OUTER FRINGES OF THE METROPOLITAN REGION AND CONNECTED TO THE EXISTING SUBCENTRES OF CHATSWOOD, NORTH SYDNEY, PARRAMATTA AND THE SYDNEY CBD BY HEAVY RAIL, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME THE NEXT SUBCENTRE OF TALL BUILDING TYPOLOGY. ROUSE HILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE CAN PROVIDE A PRECEDENT FOR SUBCENTRES TO COME. GWSEDB GREEN BELT SCHEME (2002)

OUR APPROACH

MASTERPLAN

NORTH WEST REGIONAL CENTRE - ROUSE HILL

GROUP C