ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO 2017
CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL WICKS
Architecture and Sustainable Design Undergraduate Passionate design student, driven to create architecture that is both functional and aethetically pleasing for masses
Education B.Sc, Architecture and Sustainable Design (Singapore University of Technology and Design, Class of 2017) GCE A Levels Catholic Junior College, Class of 2011 Work Experience DP Architectects (May-Aug 2016) Skills Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign SketchUp, Rhinoceros, Revit, AutoCAD DIVA, Design Builder Languages English (written and spoken) Chinese, French (basic)
CONTENT
Individual Projects
EVENT SPACES
Core Studio 2, Spring 2016 Mentor: Shim Dongmin
TAMPINES HUB
Core Studio 1, Fall 2015 Mentor: Jackson Tan
SUTDx
Core Studio 2, Spring 2016 Mentor: Shim Dongmin
URBAN LIVING
Core Studio 3, Fall 2016 Mentor: Pauline Ang
UNIT
Core Studio 3, Fall 2016 Mentor: Pauline Ang
Group Projects
THE PINEBOX
Architecture Science and Technology, Fall 2015 Mentor: Michael Budig
SPATIAL JOINTS
Digital Fabrication and Design Computation, Spring 2016 Mentor: Stylianos Dritsas
STRUCTURE OF SPACE
Introduction to Design Computation, Fall 2015 Mentor: Sawako Kaijima
A MILLION CUTS
Digital Fabrication and Design Computation, Spring 2016 Mentor: Stylianos Dritsas
SCHOOL CAMPUS TAKE OVER
Digital Fabrication and Design Computation, Spring 2016 Mentor: Stylianos Dritsas
Event Spaces This project was aimed at designing a building to host public events in a satelite SUTD campus at the intersection of Orchard Road and Cairnhill Road. Not limited to being an anchor for SUTD’s student recruitment efforts, the project involves the strategic involvement in the most current SkillsFuture initiative. Programs required are basic classrooms/learning spaces, a lecture theatre, an exhibition space, cafe and administrative offices. A tree was the guiding concept behind the design of this project. Similar to the anatomy of the tree. like how it receives nourishment, the users enter through a basement link or ground floor, leading them up to the classrooms and other learning spaces, where they will receive their “fruits of labour”.
SITE ANALYSIS RESIDENTIAL
RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL SHOPHOUSES RESIDENTIAL
SHOPH
HIGH-END
HIGH-END SHOPHOUSES SHOPHOUSES
HIGH-
RETAIL
RETAIL HIGH-END HIGH-END COMMERCIAL RETAIL RETAIL
RETAIL
COMMERCIAL
COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL
ROADS SPACES
CONCEPT SKETCHES ROADS
SITE PLAN
ZONING ROADS SPACES
RESIDE
SHOPHOUSES
ZONING ROADS
ZONING
ZONING
COMM
SHORT SECTION
PHYSICAL MODEL
LONG SECTION
ROOF
2F
CA
IRN HIL
LR
D
N
GROUND FLOORPLAN 1F
OR C
HA
RD
RD
B1
B2
SutdX This project was to design a satellite SUTD campus (SUTDx), with the site located at the intersection of Bras Basah, Prinsep, Orchard, and Handy Road, projected to be a downtown anchor among the network of universities and institutes of higher learning. As the site context has a significant differential in the heights of the landscape around it, the concept behind this building is providing a form of gradation of the site while allocation programs to the spaces based on how public or private the spaces are.
SITE PLAN
SITE ANALYSIS NOISY
LOWER FLOORS Cafe Performance Area
LEVEL PLACEMENT
NOISE LEVELS
Space Lobby
Interior LTs
Classrooms
QUIET
HIGHER FLOORS PRIVATE
RENDER
PRIVACY
PUBLIC
EAST SECTION
CAFEE
PERFORMANCE E AREA
LOBBY
EXHIBITION SPACEE
2F 1F LT1 OPEN DECK AREA
TT1
LT2
TT2
WEST SECTION
STAFF BALCONY
ADMIN OFFICE
CLASSROOM 1
CLASSROOM 2
CLASSROOM 3
3F
CLASSROOM 4
MEETING ROOM 1
MEETING ROOM 2
4F
Urban Living This project was aimed at developing innovative urban housing concepts for sustainable high-dense living and focus on themes like density, diversity and connectivity. The integration of building systems like load-bearing structure, and building envelope will be treated as constitutive parts of design process. Circulation spaces should not simply be considered as a just functionally necessary element, but as a system that determines the entire spatial hierarchy. One that does not only link the programmatic components to an urban context to either benefit from or contribute to its vitality, but which can essentially also become an instrument of social intensity, diversity and cohesion. Taking into consideration the abundance of natural greenery on an urban scale within the site, the idea of Branching was used as an inspiration.
TREE MAPPING
CONCEPT
LONG SECTION
SHORT SECTION
COMMERCIAL AREA FLOORPLAN
ZA PLA EN OP
ZA PLA EN OP
G
TIN SEA ED AD H S
RESIDENTIAL LEVEL FLOORPLAN
3-ROOM UNIT
4-ROOM UNIT
3-GENERATION UNIT
PHYSICAL MODEL
Tampines Hub This project’s site was an open and natural space in Tampines area. Boundary conditions of the plot like the MRT station and different types of roads and pathways, buildings that frame the space, accessibility, close amenities, potential users, character of the different traffic roads, and other factors had to be taken into account to produce a building thoroughly connected to its close environment. We were to develop an approach to deal with an urban yet natural context, and explore strategies to arrange the required exterior and interior spaces within a consistent and relevant design. This project was based on the concept of a central plaza that could act as a spill-out space for any of the surrounding permanent spaces.
CONCEPT
A B
E D
C
INDIVIDUALISTIC
SPILL-OUT SPACE
MULTIPLE CONFIGURATIONS
FIXED PROGRAM LOCATIONS
SECTIONS AND SITE PLAN
SH OP PI NG
DING CPF BUIL
BE LT
BU SI NT ER CH AN GE
TA M PI NE SM RT ST AT IO N
RENDERINGS
FLOORPLAN
CE PA S E
TR EA
RE AD
TH
ING
AR TS TO R
SPA CE
E CA
FE
EX
HIB
ITI
ON
SPA CE
TE
RIA
Unit This Urban Living project used an existing HDB podium block, Bras-Basah Complex, which houses two high-rise residential buildings on top. We were tasked to envision an alternative dwelling model that responds to changing societies and adapt to high-density living, while creating a residential community with a particular idea of sharing their private realm. This includes merging three existing apartment units- two next to each other with one either above or below. The only limitations were to keep the unit’s vertical load-bearing structure, service shafts and accession space intact, but otherwise to redesign the entire space - including the vertical divisions and access points.
The spaces are explicitly separated into Public and Private areas. The section with the double volume height is semi-Public and Public, meant for having meals and entertaining and hosting guests. Contrasting to the other half of the unit, which is meant for the resident’s more private spaces.
PRIVATE
UNIT AXONOMETRIC
PUBLIC
PRIVATE PUBLIC
UPPER LEVEL FLOORPLAN
A
B’
C
C’
D
D’
A’ LOWER LEVEL FLOORPLAN
B
RENDERING
SECTION AA’
SECTION CC’
SECTION BB’
SECTION DD’
ALLS
The Pine Box This project tasked us design and produce specific construction drawings for a shelter on Pulau Hantu. With the restrictions being maximum dimensions of 3m x 6m x 9m the shelter would have to cater for overnight or short-term stays for researchers. The overall volume was divided into two parts. One volume would be closed to provide shelter from the natural elements, contain sleeping areas and washing utilities. The other volume would be open but covered, to provide shelter from the sun but allowing natural ventilation. This area would function as a lookout point, extending beyond the building volume’s boundaries in order to provide views on the surroundings in all directions. For this project our group decided on a “cabin in the woods� theme, combining both the element of openness and horror into the design for the shelter.
SITE PLAN
NORTHERN JETTY
NUDI WALLS LAGOON
LAGOON
SOUTHERN JETTY
TECHNICAL DRAWING
RENDERING
ELEVATIONS
SECTIONS
Structure Of Space This project tasked our group to create a pavillion, but specifically using the Grasshopper plug-in on Rhinoceros 5. The constraints we had to work with was that there has to be 4 entrances to the site and the design system should be able to control a gradation of transparency where visibility or light conditions will shift as users circulate within the pavillion. Our group decided to create a pavillion that provides several “lightwell-cave� moments for the users which allowed them to experience their own exclusive space but still enjoy natural light.
FORM EXPLORATION
AXONOMETRIC
FRONT VIEW
1 TUBE & POINT CONSTRAINTS
PHYSICAL MODEL
1 TUBE & LINE CONSTRAINTS
2 TUBE & LINE CONSTRAINTS
1 TUBE & CURVED LINE CONSTRAINTS
ASYMMETRICAL & CURVED LINE CONSTRAINTS
3 TUBES IN ASYMMETRICAL POSITION & STRAIGHT LINE CONSTRAINTS
ELEVATIONS
FRONT
FRONT
RIGHT
TOP LEFT
DETAILED FLOORPLAN
BACK
N 1 DETAILED ELEVATION
+ 10.00 m
+ 9.00 m
+ 8.00 m
+ 7.00 m
+ 6.00 m
+ 5.00 m
+ 4.00 m
+ 3.00 m
+ 2.00 m
+ 1.00 m
+ 0.00 m
- 1.00 m
RENDERING
School Campus Take Over This particular project challenged us to designand build a lightweight, spatial construct/experience within the school campus using computation methods. Materials provided to us were wooden dowels and a PLA 3D-printing spool. Each group is assigned wooden dowels are 12mm in diameter and up to 40m in total length, each dowel weighing 75g. For this project, our group decided to create a tall, free-standing structure which would emphasise on the vertical spacial experience within an area with a high ceiling. We designed a “twisted� tower which would be placed at a loaction in the school, surrounded by high ceilings.
PATTERN GENERATION
3D PRINTING
13 mm
14 mm
14.5mm
INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS
97.50
170.00
97.50
97.50
585.00
97.50
97.50
97.50
VISUALISATION
13.5mm
15 mm
DETAILED ASSEMBLY 60.00 40.00
30.13
17.00
13.20
30.00
8800..0000
48.06 54.98
17.00
80.00
13.20
4400.0000 30.00
17.00
38.97
8800..0000
13.20
4400..0000 30.00
17.00
13.20
33.05
4400..0000 30.00
58.53
17.00
80.00
13.20
40.00 30.00
17.00
60.30
80.00
13.20
40.00 30.00
17.00
80.00
13.20
40.00 30.00
PHYSICAL INSTALLATION PIECE
Spatial Joints In this project, we were tasked to create a 3D shell structure from a planar stock of aluminium, using a water jet cutter. The joint would be treated as a parametric node. As such, the design of the node would have to adapt to subtle variations of curvature found in complex geometric envelopes. Given a template file marking out the pre-determined angle of separation between each of the joints, the forms of the legs and securing system would be designed by us.
The concept for this project was ‘Quattropus’, named due to having half the legs of an octopus. The point of interest focuses on the interplay between the two types of material stipulated: wood and metal. This aims at continuing the language of metal and wood, such that there is a continuity from joint to leg. Continuing the torso of an octopus’ body to its tentacle represents this ideal: two different parts, while still being a single entity.
LEG DESIGN
PROTOTYPING
Metal leg component Upper half of locking plate Lower half of locking plate
INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS
DETAILED AXONOMETRIC
ASSEMBLY PROCESS
PHYSICAL MODEL
A Million Cuts This project focused mainly on exploring the possibilities of laser cutting on veneer sheets. With a sheet of wood veneer, we were tasked to create a design that embodies the phrase “million cuts�. A design that can only be done by machine, not by hand. For this indivual project, I decided on a simple engraving pattern for a muti-purpose container.
DESIGN EXPLORATION Grasshoppper
Sliders determine tilt of lines
Create vectors
Sliders create the amount of rows and columns
C# component generates the pattern
Panels for easierreference to details of each output
PATTERN GENERATION AND ASSEMBLY
PHYSICAL MODEL
Me ▪ Within ▪ Community