Scenario:
Civic Fabrication “Acting up! ” a further education college for Dalmarnock
Céline Mugica ESALA Architectural Design: Tectonics 2015
scenario:
Civic FabRIcation “Acting Up!” a further education college for Dalmarnock
Céline Mugica ESALA Architectural Design: Tectonics 2015
Dalmarnock under snow.
contents Tectonic Statement
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Act I: SCRIPTWRITING
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Act II: DRAMATISATION
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Behind the Scenes: TECTONIC
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Epilogue
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tectonic statement The project has a contained and impenetrable outer edge whereas the burnt cavities reveal a fuzzy perimeter and show its porous qualities The Further Education College reacts to the site by turning its back to the station and looking towards the community, in a civic sense it’s a building for the people which hugs the path in its form. Its two main civic boundaries mirror the edges of the main streets to open up to the south, looking towards the market stalls and the Village Green in order to embrace them. The black “box of memories” acts as an anchor which sets the building in its corner site that can be seen from far shining through a curtain of timber louvres. The public and light INFLITRATE through the louvres, offering views which allow to break up the civic edge. While the box acts as an element of certainty, its surroundings are fuzzier, providing spaces for gathering and discussing within an academic frame of solid brick and timber. By way of AGITATION, the structural grid is permitted to shift and change, thereby the spaces formed inbetween can become sources of influence and unintended activity.
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Model of the Village.
Act I
scriptwriting urban futures “ A masterplan is a vision for how an area will develop, a prospective narrative for the community, a story made up by urban designers. These documents propose the civic future of Dalmarnock. We will tell each other these stories. We will consider, amongst other things, the social, historical, physical and economic impacts of each proposal. As the stories are told we begin to make them our own. “
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The Village. The Village site is particular since it is defined by clear boundaries. As it gently curves along with the River Clyde, the area has great potential for walkability and provides connections within the community as well as outwards. In this sense, the proposed further education college can have a strong civic presence if attached to these routes of connectivity. Since the new residential development was constructed with vegetation growth in mind, the surrounding trees and nature reserve can start to seep through and infiltrate along the Village Green.
Sketch showing main boundaries.
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Right: Renders from City Legacy illustrating the vision for the new Village residential development. Far right: plan showing duration of walkability between key points.
Emirates Arena
Dalmarnock Community Centre
Cuningar Woodland Park Dalmarnock Station
15min 12min 10min
River Clyde
Potential site for Further Education College
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The Village Green is an important place for the community. It is not only a place for commercial exchange but an active market place which has become a social symbol for the area. This gives great potential for the stalls and the Further Education College to translate the same language and respond to the community’s needs as an architectural solution. residential green commercial education health
Plan showing main moves in masterplanning along with a section across the site including the FEC, Secondary College, Village Green and River Clyde at 70 years.
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Photograph of Site Model at 70 years.
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1 The River Clyde.
Act II
dramatising further education college “ The new college will be a large civic anchor in the developing community in Dalmarnock. We propose that a sense of place, communicated by architecture, is key to a vibrant, inclusive society. We discuss how young people can engage in their environment and community through the design of a Further Education College specialising in the performing arts (and associated backstage roles) primarily educating 16-24 year olds to HNC and HND level �
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As the program was separated into large volumes, the black box remained as a place of certainty. Therefore through a method of overlapping (which was explored through the casting call), moments of certainty and uncertainty were defined where views and vegetation would be allowed to roam inside, breaking up the civic edge.
Left: First Tectonic Sketch Top: Sketch model and drawing which have attempted to solve the site according to ideas explored through Casting Call. Above: Maps showing important moves of proposed FEC
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1 Photograph of sketch model.
1 Close-up of Sketch Model.
The Black Box would be covered by media faรงade panels which would glow through the louvres at night. This attractive beacon could be used as a canvas for the students as well as a publicity banner for the community.
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The use of red brick reflects the old 60s and 70s tenement buildings of the area. The modular element, used on the external edges of the building also act as an important visual interpretation of ‘civicness’.
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The green quality of the Village site is important and thus takes a part in the transformation of the building. Rows of trees and grass are allowed to seep into the public spaces of the building, inviting the community as well as connecting it with the area at large.
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Site I The chosen location is positioned a few minutes’ walk from Dalmarnock station which is easily attainable from Glasgow city centre. As the Village site is developing, emphasis will be made on the rejuvenation of the water front and its walkability, creating another, more sympathetic connection with the city, in which the college can take a central part.
Left: Diagram showing location of Glasgow City Centre, River Clyde and Dalmarnock Right: Rendered Map highlighting green areas, the location of the FEC and the Culingar Loop. 18
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1 Close-up photograph of the Black Box Theatre.
Porosities As notions of infiltration were taken from the Casting Call exercise, a language of porosities, illustrated through the use of closed, open and louvred walls was developed. 21
‘a box full of memories’ Through the scenario of the building, an element which remained certain and permanent but which contained events of uncertainty and spontaneity was the Black Box theatre. Its material identity became a playful research as questions were raised about its interactivity as well as its role in being a passive object.
Above: Photographs of models exploring the different tectonicities of the Black Box Theatre. Right: Exploded Axonometric of the Black Box. Far right: Rendered Ground Floor Plan.
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Site II The building has two strong civic edges (reflected through the use of brick) which reflect the lines of the site. These contrast with the south facades which open up and allows the community as well as the village green to infiltrate. A collegiate scale is given to the site which allows the users to freely walk around the building as well as comprehend its civic presence in the community.
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Section AA’ through Black Box Theatre and Academic Building. 24
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General Studio Store Construction Project Store Tool Store General Building Workshop and Tutorial Room Construction Project Store Carpentry and Joinery workshop and Tutorial Room Joinery Machine Workshop Multipurpose Workshop Painting and Dec Hair / Makeup Technicians Store Drawing and Painting Store Prepared Material Store Plant Room
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Basement Plan at 1:250
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WC Chair Store First Aid Changing Rooms Rehearsal Room Prayer Room Kitchen Service Café Ante Room Black Box Theatre Reception Crèche Child Staff Class Room Academic Staff Room
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Ground Floor Plan at 1:250 26
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Radio Studio Recording Studio Control Room Sound Technician’s Office Mac Lab Mac Lab - Sound LRC Group Work Issue Desk Staff Base Silent Study Comms/ Server Room Student Union Office Maintenance Workshop CCTV/Safe Flexible Learning Class Room Head Office ICT Support Office Interview Mail Room
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First Floor Plan at 1:250
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Second Floor Plan at 1:250 28
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Studio Recording Studio Radio Control Room Rehearsal Room Control Room Gas Meter / Network Services Comms/Media Technicians Base and Equipment Store
Rendered collage of the entrance. 29
Collegiate Aesthetic. As the building reaches out to the Village Green, its scale diminishes to reflect the surrounding buildings as well as the campus aesthetic of the new residential development. The Black Box Theatre remains prominent in the visual landscape as a civic anchor for the community.
Above: Section / Elevation through Further Education College Right: Render illustrating view of the classroom corridor. 30
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Above: West Elevation Right: Render of Studio 1 with overhead louvres.
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Render 1 of North Elevation.
Civic Anchor. The Further Education College deliberately responds to the influx of people arriving from the station and to the northern part of the site with a strong and imposing civic edge. This geometry is important in giving the building a presence in its corner site as well as well as emphasising in contrast the openness of its southern elevation. The media screens of the theatre can be perceived through the louvres as a mechanism of both temptation and restraint in order to set the college as a symbol for the community.
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East Elevation.
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1:200 Section BB’ through black box theatre and entrance.
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1 Night Render of Black Box from the Village Green.
1 Photograph of Brick texture used in the FEC.
Behind the scenes
Tectonic lying in the gutter, looking at the stars “ Construction and Detailing are a key part of an architect’s skillset. A good detail canrepresent the construction of the whole building. A truly great detail will speak of the tectonic theory of the whole assembly. ”
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Left: Photograph of Black Box Model. Right: 1:20 Section through outer wall , steel frame balconies and theatre.
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Tectonic. The section is taken through the front faรงade of the building. This is an important cut since the use of brick and louvres strongly embodies the notions of vividness as well as infiltration. The brick buttresses act as a single envelope which continues in the ribbing of the fly tower. As the outer edge is expressed as one single, unbroken element, the internal layers of the building are both interactive and honest. The balconies around the theatre allows the users to be over, under and by the side of the civic faรงade satisfying a strong tectonic language.
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100 x 50 mm timber battons
water, air and vaport control membrane 15 mm thick fire resistant plasterboard 102.5 x 65 x 215mm red brick cladding 100 mm thick insulated sheathing board cavity with wall ties
Insulated shelf angle with flashing and sealant
206 x 3000 x 50 mm timber louvres held by bolted steel bracket
1:10 detail of building facade.
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insulated structural I beam
double glazed ‘slimlite’ unit
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Civic Edge. The louvering of the front faรงade is translated through a ribbing effect of the external walls of the fly tower in order to provide a constant architectural language. This effect will be faintly perceived from far but emphasises the anchoring qualities of the theatre within its site. The Black box has been literally translated into a dark sculptural object since its display as a separate element of the college (while being part of its envelope) is important.
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Infiltration. The front louvres translate a language of infiltration since they let views in while acting as brise-soleils. Their strong rhythm is softened by the large usage of brick as they seem to be holding the heavy façade above them. The edge of the building is planted with wild herbs which will support the growth of the area’s biodiversity. This green edge also softly anchors the building in its corner site while supporting its architectural intentions.
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Multipurpose. The building is used by a variety of users: students, visitors, members of the community, children and staff. These different operations are fairly separated in the building in order to provide adequate control and privacy without creating a segregated place. Corridor space is ample and important in order to create moments of connectivity and spontaneity as the building can adapt over time to its eventual inhabitants.
STUDENTS
CHILDREN (NURSERY)
COMMUNITY + VISITORS
STAFF
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Exploded Diagram showing different building usability. 51
During the day, the Further Education College becomes a very vibrant and active venue. The market brings in the community which can make use of the ample green space and catering services. An independent nursery has taken over a part of the academic buildings and provides care for the children of the students working hard in the rest of the college.
Diagram showing daytime usability.
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At Night, the Black Box Theatre takes centre stage and lights up the area with its media façade, as well as presents inspiring and modern shows to the community. The building’s periphery is well light in order to provide a safe and comfortable environment and emphasis the walkability of the district.
Diagram showing nightime usability.
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Long Site Section through proposal, Village Green, Secondary School and River Clyde.
The Village Green. The Further Education College, in its descending scale and spinal geometry reaches out to the River Clyde through the Village Green. The Secondary College brings an educational connection and serves as an actor in the bridging of the old and the new community.
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Charette day.
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epilogue “ Architects are Fabricators – in both senses of the term. In the sense of those who make things and make up things. All Architects make real the imaginary, make up imaginary worlds in order that they can be constructed, that they fabricate reality – with intent to deceive or conceive? ” - M. Rakatansky, 2012 The Further Education College of Dalmarnock has been a great exercise in imagination. Fabricating a design within a fabricated urban future. As architects we create buildings which are set within a specific time and spatial frame and which then become obsolete objects of the past as soon as they are erected. In this design, a projection of the college’s future and potential usage has been attempted. Architectural space have been left purposefully open and playful to allow the community to alter its significance and ambition. The Further Education College is Civic in the sense that it is a building for the community, rejuvenated, cherished, destroyed or abandoned by the community. A potential optimistic and significant future for the building could be offered but ultimately its fate is in their hands.
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