Boundaries - Thesis Report

B O U N DA R I E S

THESIS PROJECT REPORT U086616A ZHENG ZHIHAN CLEMENT THESIS SUPERVISOR: HANS TAN

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 4

Abstract

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Motivation

7

Process

8

10 12 14

DESIGNING BOUNDARIES Precedent studies

CONSTRUCTION SITE BOUNDARIES

16

Introduction

insert

18

Precedent studies

BOUNDARIES

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Construction site typologies

Attributes of boundaries

26

Research schema

Defining space

28

Context analysis

Tangible boundaries

30

Stakeholders analysis

35

Component analysis

40

Functional analysis

Evolving boundaries

44

Phenomena

Interfacing with boundaries

46

Insights and opportunities

48

Design direction

49

Design criteria

50

Design strategy

52

Design approach

75

Design approach conclusion

76

Prototyping and testing

90

Signage organization

94

Computer aided arrangement

98

Competitive comparison

100

Manufacturing proposal

102

Syntactic overview

103

Design overview

114

Conclusion

115

Acknowledgements

116

Annex A - LTA contracts

118

Annex B - Current component design

120

Annex C - Part drawings

134

Annex D - Algorithm

TRANSITIONS

SKIN Natural role models

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ABSTRACT Design, is the conscious and intuitive effort to impose meaningful order, declares Victor Papanek in his book Design for the Real World (1985).

This effort to impose meaningful order, is evident when we observe the boundaries that we have set up. We have built them on every scale, from the clothes we don to the homes we inhabit and the cars we drive, to the urban planning of cities and the governance of countries and regions.

Boundaries divide, establishing a dichotomy between the within and without. The vast spectrum of boundaries designed creates a myriad of transitions between boundaries. The initial phase of this thesis began with an exploration on this phenomena of boundaries and their relevance to design. From this understanding of boundaries, and in collaboration with the Land Transport Authority of Singapore, the context of construction sites in Singapore and their boundaries was investigated.

The design outcome consists of a system of components for the construction site boundary. The fitness of the construction site boundary was enhanced, purposefully catering to the multifarious functions associated with the boundary. The system coherently integrates itself into the urban city scape, projecting a desirable impression. The management of this system was also investigated and designed for, augmenting the efficiency of the contractor’s workflow.

The close contact between the boundaries of our objects and us, makes them a fertile area for design to take place. This thesis seeks to present the design of objects through the lens of their boundaries, developing a deeper sensitivity to this phenomena.

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MOTIVATION It was the experience of walking past a construction site that sparked this interest in the subject of boundaries and transitions. It was near midnight and harsh halogen lights flooded the space within - a space defined by the makeshift hoardings. Yet these same hoardings cast a dark shadow onto the temporary walkway. Along with the dull gleam reflected off the silent machines and the callously constructed fencing, the whole image created a rather sinister experience for the pedestrian.

The boundary of the construction site, it seems, was responsible for this paranoia. These emotions and questions piqued my curiosity on the subject of boundaries.

RELEVANCE TO DESIGN

Design, as mentioned in the introduction, is the conscious and intuitive effort to impose meaningful order1. By imposing this meaningful order, we have organized our spaces and objects within this world, and in this process, boundaries are drawn.

Boundaries exist today as a conscious or subconscious product of design. Architecture is essentially the design of boundaries, defining the nature of spaces through them. In consumer electronics and car design, the boundaries, in the form of casings or chassis, serve not only as shells to hide the mechanisms, but also as an interface for the user to operate the object.

Designed objects are set apart for a specific purpose, and an act of design inevitably defines a boundary for the object. In the use and experience of objects, the we can see that the boundary plays the role of interface between the user and object. With this in mind, it is my proposal to explore the nature of boundaries as a fertile locus for design to take place.

1   Papanek, V. (1971) Design for the Real World.

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introspection

phenomenology

Precedent studies

boundaries transitions

natural role models skin context investigation

design

Fig. 1.1 Schematic of Research Process An organic approach was taken and the studies were carried out concurrently, edifying each other with the insights gained through the research process.

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PROCESS This thesis is conducted in two phases - beginning with the exploration of the subject of boundaries, transitions and skin, and followed by a design research within the subject of construction site boundaries.

BOUNDARIES, TRANSITIONS, SKIN

The phenomena of object boundaries was explored through different literature on related fields in philosophy, design, and architecture, as well as through an introspection on personal experiences of boundaries and spaces. These explorations serve to increase the sensitivity towards boundaries and their implication to design. At the same time, these writings seek to be an end in itself; developing a micro design philosophy through the phenomena of the tangible boundary.

CONSTRUCTION SITE BOUNDARIES

In the design phase of the thesis, the context of construction site boundaries was investigated. The context was analysed not only for the functional concerns surrounding it, but also for the experience of the boundary for the various stakeholders, and the prelude and afterlife of the construction site boundary.

The eventual design outcome thus was the result of a holistic analysis on the chosen context, driven by a deeper sensitivity of objects and their boundaries.

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B O U N DA R I E S TRANSITIONS SKIN Boundaries are currently the by-product of design. This is observed in the terms - packaging, case, box etc., all of which point towards the semantics of a mere shell that sets aside the object.

However, it is the boundary of the object that defines our experience with it. The boundary is intuitively the psychological and physical delimiter of the object’s space; and therefore the tangible vessel in which our perception, sensation, notion and intuition fills.

This short and eclectic discourse delves into the phenomena of boundaries and spaces. The collection of writings are but the tip of the complex phenomena of boundaries and spaces as we experience it. Through these reflections, the author seeks to gain more sensitivity on this fertile, but oft overlooked, facet of objects around us.

CONTENTS Boundaries Attributes of boundaries Defining space Tangible boundaries Transitions Evolving boundaries Interfacing with boundaries

Skin Natural role models

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B O U N DA R I E S TRANSITIONS S KI N

CONTENTS Boundaries Attributes of boundaries Defining space Tangible boundaries Transitions Evolving boundaries Interfacing with boundaries Skin Natural role models

BOUND

DARIES The word divide, quite accurately describes the many aspects of boundaries.

Essentially, by a division, a boundary establishes a within and without, and by this, dichotomies emerge. Contrast in scale and intimacy is one such dichotomy. In the book The Poetics of Space by phenomenologist Gaston Bachelard, the boundary of a house is described to be a “vital space” in which we inhabit, in a “corner of the world”1. The vast contrast in the connotations of the words corner versus world, highlights this difference of intimacy and scale behind this notion of within and without.

1 Bachelard, G. (1958) Poetics of Space, 1994 Ed. Beacon Press. Pg. 4.

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2

The cabin in the mountains and the apartment in the city 1

1 2

1 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/86510513/Comstock-Images 2 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/84739454/Photonica

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ATTRIBUTES OF BOUNDARIES Through the dichotomies established by boundaries, physical and phenomenological attributes of boundaries can be analysed. This deconstruction of boundaries was conducted on two distinct axes, namely scale and intimacy.

OF SCALE The first impression of Bachelard’s description of a “corner of the world”, would quite naturally be the vast difference in scale between the image of a “corner” and “world”.

Physically, the construction of a boundary serves as a delimiter of space.

Boundaries form a dynamic and ever growing fractal with the world as a canvas, encapsulating spaces within spaces. As we transit in and out through these boundaries we transit through changes in physical scale. The axis of physical scale could then be drawn as an axis radiating from the centre of our human bodies, increasing to fill this world (Fig. 2.1).

Psychologically, the experience of the scale of spaces is far more complex than this model with the body in the centre. The cabin on a mountain side, dwarfed by the immensity of its location, may seem much smaller than an apartment in the centre of a city, which may be spacious in the cramped urban condition.

Bachelard describes this experience of contradictions using the season of winter; “we feel warm, because it is cold out-of-doors”, “nests will be all the warmer, all the downier, all the better beloved...”1. This example serves to illustrate the experience of the scale of boundaries, not through geometrical quantities, but through the difference between the within and without. Bachelard, in his discourse on the dialectics of outside and inside, mentions “everything, even size, is a human value”, and that “miniature can accumulate size, it is vast in its way”2.

Phenomenologically, the axis of scale could be drawn radiating inwards into

1 Bachelard, G. (1958) Poetics of Space, 1994 Ed. Beacon Press. Pg. 39.

2 Bachelard, G. (1958) Poetics of Space, 1994 Ed. Beacon Press. Pg. 215.

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Fig. 2.1 Axis of Scale, radiating from the Self Fig. 2.2 Axis of Scale, radiating into the Self

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our self (Fig. 2.2). The scale defined by a boundary could be qualified by the experience of the space defined by the boundary. Digital memory, for example, is an invention which defies many physical conventions of scale. The physical boundaries of digital memory devices (smart mobile devices, laptop computers etc.) are constantly shrinking, yet, the digital space in which they contain is expanding exponentially. Especially when we use the Internet with these devices, we manipulate a physical boundary smaller than us, but enter into a digital space far bigger. Books, a more archaic example, have the same effect as well; the phrase to be absorbed in one’s reading describes this phenomena.

The attribute of scale when applied to boundaries, can not be qualified merely in the physical aspect. The phenomenological qualities of boundaries does affect the experience of scale, more so than physical measurements. When we look at figure 2.2, we see the notion of closeness, or intimacy, with regard to the experience of boundaries.

OF INTIMACY Perhaps a more precise axis in our deconstruction of boundaries would be the axis of intimacy. This scale of intimacy remains insightful in its subjectiveness, allowing us to explore the phenomenological aspect of boundaries.

The intimacy of boundaries could be imagined to be the degree which our being fills the space. In the comforts of a familiar boundary, we “loosen up”, and inhabit the space. The most intimate boundary, the bedroom, for example, becomes an extension of our skin, and we embrace and inhabit the space within. On the other hand, unfamiliar boundaries suppresses our urge to inhabit its space. We develop a response akin to claustrophobia. We become a discrete entity within that unfamiliar boundary. The experience of standing in a public elevator with strangers could be an example of this phenomena. Within the confines of this foreign boundary, the individual protectively pulls his being inward; what fills this space instead is a palpable sense of awkwardness.

The intimacy of a boundary affects the quality of its use. An example to illustrate this would be the ubiquitous coffee cup, a boundary that interfaces with our touch. 1) A disposable coffee cup from the vending machine could be seen as an alien boundary and one which we are quick to dispose. 2) The ceramic cup at a neighbourhood café is quite platonic, and we enjoy its use as part of the whole experience in the café. 3) The coffee mug we use at our work desk is one which we are comfortable with, an object which keeps us company while we work. 4) Lastly, the cup of coffee at home which we wake up to every morning can be described as an intimate object ingrained in our lives.

The intimate nature of the coffee cup illustrated in the last example has a certain quiet quality. It is an intimacy formed through use and habit, and quite likely

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A

B

alien

comfortable Scale of intimacy across different boundaries

Gestalt Psychology The phonosemantics association of the words takete and maluma to the shapes above, as experimented by psychologist Wolfgang Köhler in 19291. Most participants in the experiment associated the shape A as takete and shape B as maluma, indicating the brain’s ability to abstract semantic properties from shapes and sounds. This is further explained by Köhler, with gestalt psychology’s theory of the brain’s self organizing tendencies.

The same principle was used to develop a symbology for the intimacy of boundaries. A gradient of rectilinear to elliptical forms correlates to increasing levels of intimacy, and thus represents the different levels of intimacy observed in boundaries.

1 Köhler, W. (1947) Gestalt Psychology, 2nd Ed. New York: Liveright.

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one that would be taken for granted. Super Normal, an exhibition of everyday items conceived by industrial designers Naoto Fukasawa and Jasper Morrison, describes how the habitual use of a humble object polishes it over and over, revealing a hidden quality within that object that forms a relationship with the user3. Peter Zumthor, using the word atmospheres, details how architecture, through materiality, sound and touch subtly affects the quality of a space4.

In both Super Normal objects and Zumthor’s architecture, we sense an aspect within design beyond aesthetics, or function, or form. Super Normal brings to our attention the object-user relationship forged through time and use, while Peter Zumthor emphasizes on the atmospheres formed by an object.

When we look at objects through the subject of boundaries, perhaps intimacy is this hidden modality we are looking for.

3 Fukasawa N. Morrison J. (2008) Super Normal. Lars Müller.

4 Zumthor P. (2006) Atmospheres. Birkhäuser.

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living space

dining space

entertainment space

Fig. 3.1 Boundaries as a Locus for Furniture in a Living Space

face that encapsulates

face that excludes

Fig. 3.2 The two faces of all boundaries

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DEFINING SPACE In the previous exposition on the attributes of boundaries, the terms boundaries and space were used rather interchangeably. This seemingly lax distinction between the two terms, actually stems from the inextricable relationship between boundaries and space.

The conventional definition, or perception of space, is that of a void, blank, or unoccupied area1. Space, experientially and phenomenologically, is far more complex, and we inhabit this world by moving in and out of a wide spectrum of spaces, each designed for a distinct purpose. The distinction then, between spaces, is created by the boundaries that surround them; the essence of a space can be derived from its boundary. Simply put, boundaries define space.

EXPERIENCING SPACE Experiencing space would seem contradictory if we define space to be a void.

In fact the affordance of a void, the emptiness of space, is only made possible through the boundary that defines the space. The experience of space therefore is possible through the experience of the boundary that defines it.

Boundaries encapsulate space. When we enter into a room we first feel the limits defined by the boundary. The boundary creates a focal point for our gaze and experiences within the space. “The geometry of thought echoes the geometry of the room” - this sentiment was echoed in the book Eyes of the Skin2. In the same book, it mentions “we stroke the boundaries of space with our ears”3.

Boundaries are the reflectors and diffusers of sound and light. The boundary of a room multiplies light, illuminating the space within. Boundaries, like the walls of a musical instrument, also transforms sounds4. Natural sunlight, the warmth of an incandescent bulb, our conversations, the white noise outside the house, all reflect off the boundary of our living space, filling its void. Physical manifestations of memory and sentimentality like photographs, art, reminders, are often anchored onto the boundaries of our living space. The intimacy of a space, is thus the product of the boundary.

1 2 3 4

Space, as defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary.

Pallasmaa J. (2005) Eyes of the Skin. Wiley-Academy. Pg. 45.

Pallasmaa J. (2005) Eyes of the Skin. Wiley-Academy. Pg. 49.

Zumthor P. (2006) Atmospheres. Birkhäuser. The Sound of a Space Pg. 29.

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Double Walled Symbology A boundary defines two spaces.

Superimposing the scale of intimacy onto itself derives a grid of double walled symbols.

This symbols illustrate the wide range of dichotomies in terms of intimacy, when we look at boundaries.

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The boundary is the physical, and also the psychological locus of the space it defines. Boundaries limits the physical definition of a space, and it also enclose our experiences within the confines of the space. This is evident when we look at our homes. The boundaries of our living spaces serve as a locus for furniture, in particular the storage facilities of shelves and wardrobes, which in turn serve as anchor points for other objects we place within the space. When furniture is placed contrary to this, we observe that they create a boundary within the space.

Dividing shelves, sofas, dining tables, divides our living space into sub-spaces with discrete purposes (Fig. 3.1).

WITHIN AND WITHOUT A boundary defines two spaces, the within, and without. Just as how the space inside is experienced by the boundary that encapsulates, our experience of the space outside is defined by the boundary that excludes (Fig. 3.2).

The boundary that encapsulates, limits our gaze and provides a focal point for the space within. The experience of the boundary that excludes on the other hand, is far more complicated.

The boundary that excludes defines the space outside in relation to the space within. The walls of medieval castle are built to deter invaders and protect the inhabitants within. Similarly, the faรงade of Gothic cathedrals were designed to create a sense of awe in the worshippers before they entered the church. Along the lines of architecture, we observe that the experience of the urban space would be defined by all the faรงades that communicate to us.

Our object-scape illustrates the complex nature of the boundaries that exclude as well. In the example of a kitchen, our experience of the space is not only governed by the walls and cupboards that define its space, but also the all the utensils, vessels, and equipment that dialogue with us in the space. Their materiality and affordances affect our experience of the kitchen space.

When we experience space, we thus experience not only the boundary that encapsulates us, but also the collective influence of the boundaries that exclude.

The boundary of an object possesses this dialectics of encapsulating and excluding. We see that a boundary, more than a mere wall that segregates, serves to define both the space inside and outside; it forms the focal point of the spaces within and without.

We will examine the dichotomy of within and without established by the boundary of objects in the following examples.

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DICHOTOMY OF BOUNDARIES

Macbook Pro Unibody

Laptop computers have entrenched themselves in our lives, not only as machines we use for work, but also as a medium for our social interactions and a place we store our memories. The thoughtfully designed exterior interface of the Macbook Pro unibody presents itself as an intimate object, a digital chest we are happy to pour our lives into.

In contrast to the quiet exterior, the interior of the Macbook Pro unibody consists of a complicated metal framework, organizing and securing the mess of electronics. Its utilitarian nature is certainly alien to the unknowing user, absorbed in his dialogue with the intimate exterior.

1

Clothing

The clothes we don everyday is an apt case study for the examination of the dichotomy established by a boundary. The inner face of our clothing, in constant direct contact with our body, naturally forms an intimate relationship with us. The outer face of our clothes on the other hand, projects different degrees of intimacy. The intimate image of lingerie, to the comfortable image of our personal couture, to the professional image of our business attire, and the homogenous image of uniforms, these project a whole spectrum of intimacies to the onlooker.

1    http://static3.slamxhype.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/yohji-yamamoto-spring-summer-2010-collection-5.jpg

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Diary

The diary is an archetype we are familiar with. The diary communicates its affordances clearly, and in fact three of the six faces of a diary are formed by the edges of its interior pages. Within this diary, we immediately delve into an intimate space. Here in this space we see the thoughts of a person translated onto these pages through his own writing and sketches. The ubiquity of the outer shell of a diary masks its intimate contents.

2

Disposable Drink Packaging

The disposal drink packaging is one example to illustrate the dilemma of temporary boundaries. In its dormant state the object contains the drink which fills the interior of the packaging. The purpose of the boundary ceases to exist when the drink is consumed, and what remains is an empty shell; a boundary encapsulating nothing. These boundaries shift quickly into a state of alienation, from a drink we enjoy to an object we are eager to discard. This boundary which has lost its internal purposes becomes rubbish; a trace of consumerism.

Construction Site Hoardings

The construction site hoardings form a temporary boundary of an architectural object. The transient nature of these boundaries often manifest themselves in hastily constructed walls to separate the public from the worksite. Often, these boundaries only serve to segregate the physical space of within and without; the poor construction of these boundaries leaks the chaos of the work site outwards, and the experience of the space without is strongly associated to the space within.

2  http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/57301871

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1

1

1    Excerpt of works from Haptic exhibition. From top left, clockwise, breathing remote control by panasonic design, fruit juice packaging by Naoto Fukasawa, high-five gel door knob by Toyo Ito, geta clogs by Shuhei Hasado.

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TANGIBLE BOUNDARIES Tangible, refers to the mode of an object that is perceptible by touch1. This short definition in fact, is a primer for our investigation into the experience of the tangible. Touch and perception, are the two aspects of this definition which are worth investigating.

The categorization of the bodily senses into five distinct realms, is an amputation of the highly interrelated and sensitive nature of our senses. In Kenya Hara’s exposition on haptic, he describes stimuli as an event on our skin. Light on the retina, air vibrating the ear drum, surfaces that caress our skin, our body touches and makes tangible these stimuli. Perception then, refers to the transformation of these stimuli into meaningful interpretations. The phenomena of tangible, is therefore the transformation of these haptic stimuli into perceived meaning.

Our experience of boundaries, and this intimacy between the boundary and us, is the dialogue between our senses and the boundary. In this chapter, we would look at the tangible nature of boundaries, and the relationship between our senses and perceptions of boundaries.

MATERIALITY The boundary is the focal point for our experience of a space. The boundary of reflects the ambience of a space, and it is this boundary that stimulates our senses. Its materiality dialogues with us, stimulating our senses in different ways.

The haptic exhibition2, showcases objects designed to stimulate the senses.

Given the theme of haptic, it is no surprise then that many of the designers chose to focus on the materiality of the object’s boundary. A remote control that breathes, juice packaging that bears a resemblance to the skin of the fruit, a squeezable door knob, geta clogs that lets you walk on moss; these are a few examples of the designs that communicates haptic through the materiality of the object’s boundary. The attraction we feel towards these objects, lies in the uncanny association of material with the object’s purpose. This stimulates our senses, refining our perceptions on these common objects.

1 Tangible, as defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary.

2 Hara K. (2008) Designing Design. Lars Müller. Pg. 68.

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physical

tangible

psychological

Tangible Boundaries

1

1

1 Therme Vals. Zumthor P. (2006) Atmospheres. Birkhäuser.

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The materiality of the boundary was the key consideration while Peter Zumthor designed therme vals, a thermal bath hotel in Switzerland.

“Mountain, stone, water – building in the stone, building with the stone, into the mountain, building out of the mountain, being inside the mountain – how can the implications and the sensuality of the association of these words be interpreted, architecturally?”3

The result is a piece of architecture that merges with its environment; an object that transcends age and its physicality.

NOSTALGIC BOUNDARIES We learn and remember the different concept of boundaries. The image in our minds of a home for example, is an image gradually constructed from our experiences of all the houses we have inhabited in. A image of a home, is not just the image of the present house we inhabit in, but the collective memory of all the dwellings we have inhabited in. Bachelard describes this phenomena of the image of home, as “a group of organic habits”, and “the house we were born in has engraved within us the hierarchy of the various functions of inhabiting”4. Peter Zumthor too, in his book Thinking Architecture, reminisced about the kitchen in his childhood home, and describes this sense of nostalgia in architecture, saying “the atmosphere of this room is insolubly linked with my idea of a kitchen”5.

These memories and images of boundaries build upon each other. We experience this sense of déjà vu when these images are stimulated within us.

When we see workers setting up construction barriers outside our home, our past experience of these boundaries conjures up the experience of constructions sites before even physically experiencing this new site. This reflexive memory is particularly obvious when we look at cars. The position of the driver’s seat is so ingrained in our habit and memory, that we often find ourselves in the “wrong” seat while driving in another country. The physical boundary of any car is inextricably associated to the image of the car’s boundary in our minds.

THE IMAGE OF BOUNDARIES Boundaries exists psychologically as much as they exist physically. On this subject of tangible boundaries, it is essential to investigate the translation of physical boundaries to the image of the boundary in our mind, as well as 3 Quote from Peter Zumthor, http://www.archdaily.com/13358/the-therme-vals/.

4 Bachelard, G. (1958) Poetics of Space, 1994 Ed. Beacon Press. Pg. 15.

5 Zumthor P. (2006) Thinking Architecture. Birkhäuser. A Way of Looking at Things. Pg. 7.

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The yellow line and the gates

1

2

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1 http://train-photos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/10590.jpg 2 http://www.flickr.com/photos/haynes/389782601/sizes/l/in/photostream/

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the image we have on boundaries and how they transform actual physical boundaries.

This image we have of boundaries is formed not only from the physical boundary, but also from our past recollections and sensations of similar boundaries. As mentioned, the tangible nature of the boundary is established when we perceive what our senses touch. As such, just like how the experience of the boundaries scale cannot be geometrically measured, the tangibility of a boundary is not linearly related to its physical make-up.

The mass rapid transit (MRT) system in Singapore provides us with one such phenomena. The MRT system goes both above-ground and underground.

The above-ground platforms are separated from the tracks with a yellow line painted on the floor, while the underground stations have floor-to-ceiling gates to separate the tracks from the platform. We can observe that the simple yellow line of above-ground stations, keeps people much further away from the tracks than the underground stations’ gates. In fact in the underground station we observe many commuters leaning against the walls that separate the track from the platform. The yellow line though less physical, is a more tangible boundary for deterring commuters from the tracks compared to the physical gates.

The boundary is both the physical and psychological limit of a space. The physicality of a boundary, together with the image of the boundary, is translated into the tangible boundary which we experience. Our perception of a space, is therefore formed through our interpretation of our senses stimulated by the boundary; our experience of space, is the experience of the tangible boundary.

TRANS ∆

∆ : change and transition

ITIONS Boundaries divide, and in this division define a within and without. With this divide, dichotomies are established between the boundaries. Part of our experience with boundaries, is this experience of change. We experience this change as we transit between the inside and outside defined by the boundary, and we also experience this change of the boundary through the passage of time and use.

This chapter on transitions, investigates this multidimensional experience of change created by the phenomena of boundaries.

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1

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1 http://www.thememagazine.com/uploads/images/stories/naoto_fukasawa/full_01.jpg

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EVOLVING BOUNDARIES Evolve, is described to be a process of developing gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form1. Boundaries evolve over time, and this transition affects the intimacy between us and the boundary. We can observe the evolution of boundaries over the passage of time and use.

BOUNDARIES AND THE PASSAGE OF TIME The empty shell of a house is transformed into a home when we inhabit in it.

This evolution of a house to a home occurs in the course of our inhabitance, the intimacy between the home and its inhabitant changes during this duration.

In describing the phenomena of nests, Bachelard speaks of this evolution of the boundaries we inhabit. The nest starts with the hard twigs and material which the male bird brings. The female, on the inside, presses against the inner walls of the nest with her small body again and again, smoothening the inside to a soft felt-like padding. After the nest has been made inhabitable, the eggs are careful concealed within. The offsprings inhabit in this nest with their parents.

Eventually, the nest is evacuated and returns to an empty shell2. We can draw this parallel between the nest and the home we inhabit in observing the evolution of boundaries of our home.

Our boundaries evolve with use over the passage of time. We handle a new mobile phone gingerly, taking care not to blemish its clean boundary. Through use, our hands polish this boundary, and we grow accustom to the object’s feel while at the same time the object’s boundary evolves with our touch. Over time, the object’s boundary loses its pristine qualities, growing more human through our use.

Naoto Fukasawa, one of the designers behind the design philosophy of Super Normal, designed a mobile phone inspired by the facets of a freshly cut potato.

By translating the comfortable feel of the blunt edges of the cut potato to the shell of a mobile phone, a haptic and nostalgic boundary, uncannily human to the touch, is thereby created.

1 Evolve, as defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary.

2 Bachelard, G. (1958) Poetics of Space, 1994 Ed. Beacon Press. Pg. 101.

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1

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1 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/recycle-royalty-free-image/93910878

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BOUNDARIES AND USE A boundary in fact conjures two distinct images. One image would be the physical nature of the boundary. Its materiality dialogues with our senses, stimulating and evoking a response from them. The other image would be the associations it conjures and message it communicates to us. These form the meaning we derive from the boundary.

The physical and psychological aspects of a boundary form the tangible boundary that we experience, and as these aspects change over use, so does the intimacy between the boundary and us.

An empty diary illustrates this evolution of a boundary through use. The crisp cover and pages of a new diary offers a clean slate. The intimacy we feel for the diary grows as we fill the pages with our writings and thoughts, as the pages wear with our touch.

Our living spaces evolve over use as well. The boundaries of our living space, like an instrument, play to different tunes. The reverberation of conversations of guests and friends, the soft rustle of bedsheets deep in the night, to the bright bustle of crockery and running water in the morning - these variations of physical and psychological qualities of our living space creates varying tangible atmospheres, reflected and contained by its boundary.

In the last example of boundaries and the passage of use, we shall examine the dilemma of temporary boundaries. The incongruity in the term lies in the fact that often, the temporal nature of such boundaries lies only within either its physical or psychological realm. Packaging, a temporary boundary used in many consumer products, has purpose only when it encapsulates its object. When we have removed an object from its box, or consumed the contents of a canned drink, what is left is a physical wrapping devoid of purpose; packaging as a boundary, is only temporal is the psychological and not in the physical realm. Our intimacy and experience of the boundary changes drastically over its use.

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1

A comparison of images projected by construction site boundaries situated among residential estates

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1  http://pingmag.jp/2008/04/21/constructional-fence/

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INTERFACING WITH BOUNDARIES The boundary possesses a face that encapsulates and the a face that excludes.

By establishing this dichotomy, the boundary forms the natural interface between the within and without.

PROJECTING THE OTHER SIDE The boundary is a mediator of the spaces within and without. The first interface, would therefore be how it communicates the nature of the other side.

The boundary facilitates the projection of the image of the space inside to the outside, and vice versa. In this regard we observe various states of projection.

Boundaries can effectively conceal the nature of the other side, creating a state of oblivion. Boundaries can also reveal the nature of the other side in various degrees, from subtle suggestions to plain exhibition. Boundaries may transform the image of the other side, altering our perception of it.

We see different projections occurring in the example of construction site boundaries. In certain contexts, care is taken in putting up the boundary, creating a simple screen that hides the site. The chaotic nature of the site is thus concealed by the boundary. However, in some other instances, the callous construction of the boundary adds to the chaos, projecting the nature of site outwards, exhibiting the chaotic interior. In certain contexts, the boundary of the construction site is transformed into a platform for artwork or information, euphemising the nature of the construction site.

A boundary defines two spaces. In the example of train platforms, we see two different boundaries serving the same purpose, presenting its two faces differently. The gates in the underground stations present themselves tangibly as the face that encapsulates, hiding the dangerous nature of the tracks on the other side. The yellow line on the other hand exhibits the nature of the tracks clearly, enforcing the dangerous nature of the train tracks onto the waiting commuters.

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The space within the faces of the boundary

1

2

Enko-ji temple, Kyoto

12

1 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/japan-kyoto-enko-ji-togyu-no-niwa-autumn-high-res-stock-photography/200357117-001 2 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/enkoji-temple-high-res-stock-photography/81991073

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BOUNDARY APERTURES Spaces breathe through the apertures of their boundary.

Doors and windows, the most elemental aspects of a living space, facilitates the transitions between within and without. The front door is the biggest, but also smallest, aperture of our homes. It stands as the keeper of our living space, changing its permeability to different people. Windows allows time into a space.

It facilitates the change in intimacy of a space between day and night, cyclically refreshing the space. The windows of a living space also offer a contrast to its inhabitants. When the shelter is sure, the storm is good.1 The view of a monsoon raging outside, as seen through the windows of our living space, makes the space even more comfortable and secure.

Apertures in the boundaries vivifies our living spaces. There is an unnaturalness about a space without windows, and we feel keenly a sense of claustrophobia being in a basement, shut off from the outside world.

The apertures in the boundary of smaller objects, vary phenomenologically from apertures of living spaces. These apertures often define the functional relationship between objects. Water to cups from which we drink, containers to their respective foodstuffs, plugs to sockets, books to shelves - the organization of vessels to their contents is determined by the nature of the orifices of the vessels, and the affordances they communicate.

The aperture of the boundary bridges the face the excludes and the face that encapsulates. It is the gap between the faces where we transit between the within and without; where we exist in the boundary itself.

The area near the front door of our homes is where we transit between the inside and outside. Containers and shelves for our keys, shoes, coats and letters placed nears the entrance eases our transitions between the within and without.

This concept of a rite of transition is exemplified by the experience of a Japanese tea ceremony. By bringing the guest from the outside through a beautifully designed garden, before entering a quietly furnished room, the master primes the guests imagination. There, in the ceremony room, the subtlest of gestures by the tea master evokes the senses of the guest - made more sensitive through the rite of transition through the garden.2 This space between the faces of the boundary where the rites of transition take place, thus forms a fertile ground for the acclimatisation of our senses between the dichotomy established by the boundary.

1 Bachelard, G. (1958) Poetics of Space, 1994 Ed. Beacon Press. Pg. 39. Quoting Henri Bosco.

2 Authors@Google: Kenya Hara. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG4uRmTJUU8

SK

IN Skin, as exemplified in nature, is the purposeful creation of boundaries and transitions in accordance to the needs of the organism. In the investigation of the phenomena of boundaries and transitions, natural role models and the evolution of their skin, would yield valuable insights into the design of boundaries and transitions.

36

1

2

3

4

5

12 3 4 5

1 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/leaf-detail-high-res-stock-photography/88686009 2 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/leaves-against-bright-sky-high-res-stock-photography/200240783-001 3 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/polar-bear-mother-with-two-cubs-on-snow-royalty-free-image/200557363-001 4 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/peacock-displaying-feathers-high-res-stock-photography/a0064-000011 5 http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/close-up-of-a-dragonfly-royalty-free-image/57615712

37

NATURAL ROLE MODELS Animals and plants have complex biological architectures. Cell, tissues, organs, and vessel systems form the makeup of many animals and plants, and at all levels, we see that a membrane or skin organising them to form a coherent body.

BOUNDARIES THAT SUPPORT Boundaries often play a supportive role in nature. The membrane of the leaves of a plant is designed for its role in photosynthesis. The topside of the leaf facing the sun contains cells with high chlorophyll content (a component that uses sunlight to manufacture sugars). The underside of the leaf on the other hand is where majority of the stomata (openings for air to enter the plant) are located, so as to minimise water loss from the plant. This difference between the two sides of a leaf demonstrates how boundaries in nature are intelligently designed to optimally support its purpose, while maintaining a coherent outlook.

BOUNDARIES THAT COMMUNICATE Skin has a communicative role to play in nature. Many animals are able to camouflage themselves in their natural context, either defensively to avoid predators, or aggressively to not alert their prey. The reverse is also true, and bright neon colours on the skin of many animals warn potential predators of their toxic nature. Colourful and beautiful plumes of feathers on male birds are used to court females during mating season. These examples highlight the communicative nature of skin in nature, while still serving the protective function of skin.

BOUNDARIES THAT ADAPT The scales on fishes and snakes conform to the movements of the animal while ensuring a seamless skin. The cells in on the wings of a dragonfly varies in the different regions, from more rigid sections near the joint, to a bigger section at the ends which flex according to the air movements. This exemplifies the versatility and intricacy of structure in tessellation and patterning in nature.

10

DESIGNING BOUNDARIES The act of design inevitably draws a boundary. This boundary forms the interface between the object and us, and as such, it is the boundary of an object that makes it tangible. In our consideration of the human factors surrounding the design of boundaries, we should be aware that the physical qualities of the boundary, forms only one side of the tangible boundary. The tangible boundary we experience, is formed from the translation of these physical qualities through our senses, coupled with the image of the boundary and the association it conjures in our minds.

physical

tangible

psychological

Tangible Boundaries

In designing the affordances and use of a boundary, we should take into consideration the phenomenological qualities of boundaries.

BOUNDARIES EXHIBIT DIFFERENT INTIMACIES

Our relationship with an object’s boundaries could be described using the quality of intimacy. In designing boundaries, we are in fact designing this mode of intimacy between the boundary and us.

This intimacy is formed from the experience of the tangible boundary. The haptic stimuli we receive via our senses from the boundary, as well as our memory and image of associated boundaries, form our perceptions of the boundary and consequently the intimacy between the boundary and us.

Victor Papanek lists in his book Design for the Real World, six aspects of an object’s function complex, namely method, use, need, association, aesthetics and telesis.1 The last three of the six aspects (association, aesthetics, telesis) are related to how we perceive objects. Donald Norman, advocate of user-centric design, defined usability principles of affordances, conceptual models, consistency, feedback etc. - principles related to human-object relationship.

For boundaries, the mode of intimacy is one crucial human factor we design around. Just like association, aesthetics, telesis, as well as consistency and affordance, the mode of intimacy deals primarily with our perceptions and senses.

BOUNDARIES DEFINE SPACE

Our experience of space is in fact the experience of the boundaries that define it. For example, the boundaries that encapsulate us within the room limits the space we are in, while the boundaries of the objects in the room interfaces with us. It is this collective influence of all these boundaries that define our experience of the room’s space, that gives the room its identity.

1 Papanek, V. (1971) Design for the Real World.

11 Space is a void, and therefore, the boundaries form the tangible locus of a space. The collectiveness of the boundaries within the space, forms the interface between us and the space; our interactions within a space are in face the interactions with the boundaries in the space.

boundaries

space objects

Boundaries define space

The Modern movement of the mid twentieth century was a revolution of boundary design in this sense. Through the simplification of form to follow function, and a highly logical and simplified aesthetic, the movement sought to organize space through a coherent dialogue of boundaries across different levels of design.

Boundaries present the space to us. As such, when we design boundaries, we also design the space that the boundaries define.

BOUNDARIES INTERFACE WITH THE WITHIN AND WITHOUT

A boundary defines two spaces, the space it encapsulates, and the space it excludes. As such when we design the boundary of an object, we should be aware of the differences between the inner face and outer face, designing them is relation to their respective purposes, yet coherently as a single boundary-entity.

The boundary of the object forms the interface between the within and without. The design of boundaries affects its transparency. Some boundaries are designed to exhibit clearly what is on the other side, some boundaries are designed to mask the other side, while some boundaries distort and transform the other side.

The boundary is the interface of objects as it facilitates the transitions that occur across it. This metaphorical gap between the two faces of the boundary, is where the transitions take place. For containers, the act of retrieving an item from inside to outside; for our living spaces, from without stepping into the space within; for books and papers, opening the covers to reveal the content inside - these are examples of the transition through the gap between the faces of an object’s boundary. The design of this gap, thus provide us with fertile ground for designing the affordances and habits of people.

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PRECEDENT STUDIES In the following examples, objects with thoughtful details surrounding its boundary were documented. These objects illustrate the fertile ground open to design through the lens of boundaries.

DAYLIGHT HOUSE - TAKESHI HOSAKA1

Daylight house is a private residence is situated in a site surrounded by tall buildings. Through the curved acrylic roof panels, natural sun light is amplified and uniformly illuminates the living space. This introduces an uncanny amount of cheery natural light in consideration to the site’s location, hence the name, Daylight house.

UMBRELLA HOUSE - KENGO KUMA 2

Umbrella house by Kengo Kuma and associates transform the personal space of a single umbrella to a social living space for a small group. Phenomenologically, the fluid transition between personal and shared spaces opens many new possibilities for relationships and interactions. Functionally, the translation of the umbrella’s handle to affordances in a living space exemplifies the quality of economy - a trait not only desirable in boundaries, but design as a whole.

1 http://www.dezeen.com/2011/09/28/daylight-house-by-takeshi-hosaka/#more-158726 2 http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/2938/kengo-kuma-umbrella-house.html

13 CLS MOBILE DRIVE - FREECOM 3

The labels on the side of these external hard drives are reminiscent of cassette tapes of the past. These labels add a sense of nostalgia to the device, making the digital information stored inside more tangible.

ROOFERS - STUDIO KOYA4

Roofers is a lid that replaces the spout of the jug on the lid instead. By designing ribs on the top surface of the silicone lid, liquids automatically flow along its roof, solving the problem of the dripping spout. The material of the lid keeps the jug closed unless pouring, keeping dust and dirt away from the water.

NISSIN CUP NOODLES5

The Nissin cup noodle packaging has ribs at the side near the lid of the cup. This is an efficient and particularly economical way of designing a heat sleeve to protect the users hand while holding the cup filled with hot soup.

3 http://www.dezeen.com/2010/08/17/cls-mobile-drive-by-sylvain-willenz/ 4 http://www.studiokoya.com/Home/Roofers_files/photo-25.jpg 5 http://files.kotisivukone.com/aseanic.palvelee.fi/H/instant_noodle_2/2/instant_chicken_cup_noodles_67_g_nissin.jpg

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CONSTRUCTION SITE BOUNDARIES

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CONTENTS 16

Introduction

18

Precedent studies

22

Construction site typologies

26

Research schema

28

Context analysis

30

Stakeholders analysis

35

Component analysis

40

Functional analysis

44

Phenomena

46

Insights and Opportunities

48

Design direction

49

Design criteria

50

Design strategy

52

Design approach

75

Design approach conclusion

76

Prototyping and testing

90

Signage organization

94

Computer aided arrangement

98

Competitive comparison

100

Manufacturing proposal

102

Syntactic overview

103

Design overview

114

Conclusion

115

Acknowledgements

116

Annex A - LTA contracts

118

Annex B - Current component design

120

Annex C - Part drawings

134

Annex D - Algorithm

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INTRODUCTION With the recent completion of mass rapid transit’s (MRT) circle line and the two integrated resorts, Singapore is poised to continue more works, including a downtown line extension of the MRT, and many sixth generation type public flats and estates. Indeed, construction has become an indelible fixture in Singapore’s urban landscape as the country undergoes rapid development.

Looking at the big picture, construction sites are a temporal state of things in contrast to the lifetime of the actual infrastructure or building formed in its place. However, it is important to realize that, especially for the larger projects, this temporariness of a construction site often stretches up to 3 to 5 years. This is a long duration for the public affected by the introduction of a construction site into their daily patterns.

Why should we look at the boundaries of construction sites?

As with any object, the boundary forms the interface with the user. The construction site boundary thus plays this important role between the work site and the public. Often, we see callously constructed construction site boundaries, put together to fulfil the minimum regulations. This begs the question - what is the role of the construction site boundary, and as an object, how should it provide for its purpose?

With construction becoming a ubiquitous sight in our urban-scape, I believe it is important to look at the design of their boundaries, not merely as a wall to segregate the work site from the public, but as the first impression of an urban infrastructure; The construction site boundary, as a piece of urban design that defines the spaces it encapsulates and excludes.

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18

PRECEDENT STUDIES Precedent studies were conducted on various construction site case studies, exploring their successful design elements.

HONG KONG BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING1

Bamboo is used as a building material for construction scaffolding in certain parts of East Asia, and this tradition still carries on in Hong Kong today. While there is a strange juxtaposition of the light material against modern buildings, bamboo is in fact well suited for the job. The bamboo spars are easily carried up the building and is much cheaper than metal spars. They are strong enough to support the weight of the builders and equipment, and their flexible nature allows them to be used on curved façades as well as withstand strong winds.

1 http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/6888/hong-kong-bamboo-scaffolding.html

19 MATSUYA GINZA RENOVATION HOARDING2

The Matsuya Ginza departmental store’s renovation hoarding features panels with a large zipper graphic. Over the course of the construction, the panels are replaced, showing the zipper moving along the façade of the departmental store. While the panels hide the construction work ongoing at the store’s façade, they also communicate a certain sense of waiting and anticipation with the simple graphic. This was part of a corporate branding project for the prime Tokyo departmental store, directed by Kenya Hara.

SHINJUKU SOUTHERN BEAT PROJECT3

Coloured lighting lines the side of this construction fence along with trendy illustrations. At the heart of a shopping district in Tokyo, the temporary construction wall sits comfortably as an urban fixture, adding life and colour to the streets, as well as preventing crime through proper illumination.

2 http://www.ndc.co.jp/hara/works/2001/05/post_1.html 3 http://pingmag.jp/2008/04/21/constructional-fence/

20 “DIARY” - CONSTRUCTION IN GINZA4

“Diary” is a construction site wall filled with leftover material from the construction process. The designers and contractors wanted to make the construction process visible to the public, as well as highlight the importance of recycling in construction work.

NIHONBASHI - THEN AND NOW5

The construction fence for the restoration of the historic “Nihonbashi” (Japan Bridge) site is lined with posters with images of old paintings and photographs of the bridge. Drawing made by school children about the future Nihonbashi site are also placed on the fence. The fence thus transforms into a miniature showcase of past and present, providing pedestrians with an informative walk.

4 http://pingmag.jp/2008/04/21/constructional-fence/ 5 http://pingmag.jp/2008/04/21/constructional-fence/

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22

CONSTRUCTION SITE TYPOLOGIES The wide range of construction sites were organized in a matrix according to two axes, namely the dynamism of the site, and the duration of the site. From this overview, a particular typology of construction sites was chosen as a focus for further investigation and design.

Dynamism

AXIS OF DYNAMISM

Dynamism in a construction site refers to the amount of movement of the site with respect to its surroundings and the public.

Many constructions involving traffic and roads exhibit high dynamism, as the site’s boundary often shifts causing the public to continually adapt to new conditions.

Constructions confined to buildings, or within a building, would exhibit less dynamism, as it usually has a fixed boundary that seldom shifts, defined at the start of the period of construction.

Duration

AXIS OF DURATION

Duration, simply put, refers to the length of time required from start to completion of a construction. It is important to note that the experience of duration refers not only to the quantity of time but also to the quality of time. The experience of the duration of a construction that affects the public’s daily patterns, would therefore be longer as compared to a construction that is inaccessible to the public.

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FOCUS: HIGH DYNAMISM, LONG DURATION

This project focuses on the context of construction sites that possess the qualities of high dynamism and long duration. System infrastructure construction was identified to be the main typology that fits into the category. Examples of constructions within this typology would include MRT lines, expressways, tunnelling and flyover constructions.

This category of high dynamism and long duration was evaluated to have the most value for design as compared to the others: + Dynamic construction sites typically have boundaries that are easily moved, as compared to static sites where the boundaries are permanently anchored to the ground. It is therefore difficult to control the aesthetics of the dynamic boundary as compared to the static boundary. We often see static construction sites in commercial districts where attention is given to the outlook of the hoarding covering the building to project a better image. It is difficult to do the same for dynamic construction sites, and even in prime business districts, traffic or road constructions remain chaotic. + The long duration of such sites makes it worthwhile for their boundary design to be re-evaluated and designed. + These high dynamism, long duration sites, affect many groups with the public, including motorists, pedestrians and residents. Designing for this category would bring about more social benefit.

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Dynamism Road works

cable laying road resurfacing pipe repair

road widening

Minor renovations lift repair

store renovations painting

25

System infrastructure construction cut-and-cover tunnelling flyovers expressways new roads

Duration Major renovations lift upgrading building extension building facade New building developments town centers malls housing estates

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RESEARCH SCHEMA The research of the chosen field of construction site boundaries was organized into a three-layer scheme. Firstly, the purposing of the space for the particular context was analysed. Secondly, the arrangement, aesthetics, and outlook of the physical components used to construct the presentday boundary were examined. Thirdly, the variation of function and use along the perimeter of the boundary was investigated.

The analysis findings, coupled with insights from on-site observations, would yield design opportunities, and criteria, allowing the eventual formulation of the design direction.

These findings were organized in a simulated construction site, depicting the varying nature at a glance.

SPACE / PURPOSE

Analysis of the purposing of space, and the resulting divide created by the boundary lines. The analysis of space and purpose investigates macro-level aspects of the construction site boundary, such as its surroundings and the stakeholders involved.

AESTHETICS / ARRANGEMENT

Analysis of the current aesthetic of the construction site boundary, including the components used to construct the current boundary, as well as the visual perception of this boundary.

FUNCTION / USE

Analysis of the varying function and use along the perimeter of the boundary, as well as the affordances offered by the current boundary system.

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VISUAL PERMEABILITY IMPACT RESISTANCE CABLE MANAGEMENT SPLASH GUARD

FUNCTION / USE SIGNAGE

AESTHETICS / ARRANGEMENT

MINOR ROAD

CONSTRUCTION SITE

S PAC E / PURPOSE MAJOR ROAD

PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

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CONTEXT ANALYSIS The purposing of space in the organization of a new construction site is collectively defined by the nature of spaces surrounding the site. The resultant construction site boundary therefore adapts its design to the different purposes along its perimeter.

This section investigates this purposing of space in a new construction site context, and subsequently highlights the relevant design issues.

Cut-and-Cover area - Contract 912 CASE STUDY

N

The case study for the context of high dynamism and long duration construction sites are the Downtown line construction sites along Bukit Timah Road and Upper Bukit Timah Road. Access was granted to Contract 912, the Downtown line terminus located at Bukit Panjang, and correspondence was made with Mr Joseph Chua, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) Officer working on site. He provided valuable information regarding the set-up of the construction site boundary, as well as the functions and regulations surrounding the present boundary design.

29 CUT AND COVER

Cut-and-cover, refers to the method of constructing the MRT tunnel for contract 912. Tunnelling is not possible as the soil structure in the area is relatively weaker. As such, a trench is dug up to the depth of the train tracks, and thereafter covered with a metal decking, hence the name cut-and-cover. In the case of contract 912, the tunnel, with a total length of 1.8 kilometres, goes directly below Upper Bukit Timah Road. To minimise the disruption to the public, the construction site constantly shifts, cut-and-covering small sections of the tunnel at a time. This illustrates the dynamic nature of the construction site. The illustration below shows how the construction site moves over the course of construction:

road

road diversion

tunnel space

construction site

LEFT TUNNEL WALL

RIGHT TUNNEL WALL

TUNNEL CORE

RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE BOUNDARY Workers Engineers Contractors

Pedestrians Motorists Residents

Work site Office

Daily Route Estate

Due to the nature of the chosen construction sites, they are often established near estates, major roads as well as industries. The introduction of these sites into these built-up areas inevitably creates a tension between the site and the spaces surrounding it.

A boundary defines two spaces, the within, and without. We can investigate this divide by analysing the relationships of the different users with respect to their perception of the space. As the boundary of a space defines our experience of it, the eventual design should reflect an understanding and empathy to the various parties interfacing with it.

The public, exclude by the construction site boundary, can be organized into three distinct groups, pedestrians, motorists, and residents. The workers within the site, consists of the construction workers, engineers, and contractors. These relationships would be further investigated in the next section, the Stakeholder Analysis.

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STAKEHOLDERS ANALYSIS Construction site boundaries lie between the public space it excludes and the work site it encapsulates. This divide establishes a difference of needs, expectations and perceptions across the boundary. This section analyses the major stakeholders for the construction site boundary, namely LTA, the contractors, the construction workers, and the public.

LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

LTA is the regulating body for projects pertaining to this particular typology of construction sites, as well as the client for the Downtown line. This is a unique position, in which, the client is also heavily involved the in the dayto-day affairs surrounding the site.

As a government body, public empathy and safety is a huge concern for LTA, especially in the areas of road traffic and pedestrian safety. They are also especially concerned with the outlook they project, and in fact handle dissatisfaction from the affected public very seriously. This can be seen from the monthly meetings they conduct with residents affected by the construction works.

CONTRACTORS AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

The contractors are the construction companies carrying out the various contracts from LTA. They are responsible for the construction, based on the designs provided by LTA. One of the first tasks at the start of any project would be setting-up the boundary. These are carried out by the construction workers with the aid of lorry cranes. The components used to construct the construction site boundary are purchased in bulk by these construction companies, and transported on site. The cost of these components would be borne by the construction companies, and included in the budget which they propose to LTA.

THE PUBLIC

The public forms the largest group of stakeholders. Such construction sites affect the daily habits of many members of the public - especially in the case of the downtown line construction, as the construction takes place among schools, housing estates and major roads (Annex A).

The public is in fact an amalgam of many different sub-groups. With regard to the specific nature of the case study, these sub-groups consists mainly of motorists, pedestrians and residents. Many concerns of the public revolve around the disruption to their daily patterns. In fact, the presence of a construction site appears to generate paranoia among the affected parties. This stigma of construction sites stems from its alien presence in the neighbourhood. The furore raised among the parents of Methodist Girls School and the residents of Maple Woods condominium along Bukit Timah Road highlights this hyper-sensitivity triggered by the construction site.

The construction site boundary forms the interface between the outside and the work site and thus projects an outlook to the public. This outlook could be shaped through design of the boundary, while fulfilling the core needs of the various sub-groups among the public.

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NOISE BARRIERS UPDATES

WAYFINDING SAFETY

RESIDENTS

PEDESTRIANS

$$

RS

LA TI

O

N

S

BU

D

G

ET

LT A

TO

U

C

LO

G

IS

TI

C

S

CONSTRUCTION SITE

WAY FINDING SAFETY

O

N

TR

A

C

RE

G

CONSTRUCTION SITE

CONSTRUCTION SITE

MOTORISTS

FE

ED

BA

C

K

CONSTRUCTION SITE

Mapping of Stakeholders, their inter-relations, and major concerns.

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Facebook group, Maplewoods residents petition an injury caused by a fall on the pavement along the site boundary was harshly described and circulated on the facebook page.

Post on facebook group wall “Safe or waiting for accident to happen�

Shelter in response of residents feedback

33 PUBLIC HYPER-SENSITIVITY

These articles highlight the needs and concerns of two of the stakeholders for the downtown line constructions, namely LTA and the residents affected by the work sites. Objectively, many of the concerns raised by the Maplewoods residents stem from a general paranoia of the construction site as well as the disruption it has on their daily lives. Many of these concerns are in fact essentially regarding the loss of quality of the estate and surroundings.

As the boundary of the work site is responsible for the quality of the spaces it defines, there is a value in improving the quality of the space outside by improving the design of the current boundary, allaying this paranoia experienced by the residents.

CONDO RESIDENTS UNHAPPY AS WORK ON MRT LINE RESUMES By liyana | SingaporeScene – Thu, Jul 14, 2011

Maplewoods condominium residents are still unhappy after Wednesday night’s dialogue with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) failed to settle disagreements about construction work on the MRT Downtown Line 2. Present at the dialogue, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said that work at the King Albert Park site outside the condominium along Bukit Timah Road will resume in a few days. Work was stopped on 6 June when Maplewoods residents protested over safety concerns that a launch shaft, which needs to be built at the King Albert Park work site during the construction of the MRT line, might be dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.

During the dialogue which lasted for over two hours, the 100 or so residents who had gathered at the condo’s function room had an alternative tunnelling proposal for LTA presented by management committee chairman Michael Tan. Residents had wanted the launch shaft to be situated at the work site of Sixth Avenue station instead.

But their proposal was rejected after LTA engineers told them that it would prolong the project. LTA said it would mean acquiring 10 shophouses in Sixth Avenue, adding another $500 million in costs and delaying the Downtown Line 2 completion for 38 months. Locating the launch shaft at the King Albert Park work site does not require acquisition. According to The Straits Times, Mr Tan told reporters that he was ‘very disappointed’, insisting that the residents’ proposal was cost-saving.

LTA has explained that the launch shaft, which will be removed once construction is over, is needed to lower and launch tunnelling machines to build the tunnels between King Albert Park station and the next station at Sixth Avenue. Officials from LTA said work has to go on because many other commuters are waiting to use the Downtown Line 2, which will run from Bukit Panjang to Bugis.

Dr Balakrishnan said, “We need to get the line done, we need to get it done as quickly as possible to minimise the disturbance and disruption to all of you, and we need to make it as safe as possible.” The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources said that the view within the Cabinet after discussions is that LTA’s plan has addressed residents’ safety concerns. While promising to still keep on engaging residents in the matter, he said, “I cannot have a system in Singapore where I can tell any group of residents you will not have a launch shaft near your residence. It’s not possible.

“Someone, somewhere, will need to have it. And where it will be will be done on technical and operational reasons while watching out for your safety.” Work on the Downtown Line 2 is expected to be completed by 2015. The line which will run underground, along Bukit Timah towards the city is expected to give commuters greater accessibility to the rest of the island.

LTA CONFIDENT DOWNTOWN LINE 2 WILL PROCEED AS SCHEDULED AFTER DELAYS

By Dylan Loh | Posted: 30 June 2011 0018 hrs

SINGAPORE : The Land Transport Authority (LTA) hopes to start carrying out diversion works along Upper Bukit Timah Road on July 3, after delays due to concerns expressed by residents of Maplewoods condominium.

Residents of Maplewoods had complained that construction works for the King Albert Park MRT station would raised safety concerns for drivers and pedestrians near the condo.

LTA said the diversions are needed for the Downtown Line 2 rail network's construction, which it is confident will proceed as scheduled despite some catching-up needed.

Maplewoods residents had a meeting on Wednesday evening with the authority and their Members of Parliament (MPs) to discuss solutions.

These include revising the traffic scheme so construction vehicles need not cross the property's entrance, and the building of additional footpaths.

Christopher de Souza, MP for Holland Bukit-Timah GRC said: "You will have a public footpath on public land as wide as 1.5 metres, some as wide as 2 metres and a minimum width of 1 metre. And that will be servicing everybody - Maplewoods (residents), as well as the residents upstream Bukit Timah."

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35

COMPONENT ANALYSIS The current construction boundary is constructed from a series of prefabricated components, each one fulfilling a specific purpose. These prefabricated components form an incoherent system, designed to support their specific function but not in consideration of the other components.

The economic appeal of these low-cost components currently outweighs the high manpower and transport costs incurred. This section investigates the components used for the current construction site boundaries.

36

CONCRETE WEIGHT ≈250 kg anchor down support frame SUPPORT FRAME frame to clad screen

CHAIN LINK FENCE $0.35 / sq ft used at areas of the boundaries where visual permeability is required. e.g. where drivers require line of sight for oncoming traffic.

FRAME EXTENSION extension to place fabric mesh or steel hoarding sheets to shield from falling debris

STEEL HOARDING SHEET 760 x 2200mm, $11.50 / pc standard opaque screen

CONCRETE BARRIER $185 / pc, ≈1100 kg required for the sides interfacing with traffic, to protect the site and from errant vehicles.

SUPPORT FRAME inserted into holes bored in the concrete barrier

FABRIC MESH splash guard when machines are operating close to the boundary

37

LIGHTING spotlight mounted on poles and secured to the boundary TRAFFIC SIGNS traffic signs mounted on poles and secured to the boundary VISUAL MARKERS placed at regular intervals to increase visibility of boundary PAINTED CHEVRONS chevrons painted onto concrete barriers to highlight road bend

WATER-FILLED BARRIER a movable traffic barrier TRAFFIC CONE

38 MECHANICAL FASTENING

Mechanical fasteners like bolts and screws are used to construct the different prefabricated materials to each other. This indicates the lack of a organizing system for these components, resulting in an incoherent boundary that is tedious to assemble and disassemble. (picture 1)

1

CUMBERSOME MODULES

The ad-hoc construction of the current boundary makes the components more susceptible to damage, decreasing their reusable value. The individual modules of the current system are also too cumbersome (picture 2), and requires a lorry crane and many workers to set it up. (Annex B)

2

39 STORAGE

The current set of components form modules that require a large space to store. These cumbersome units are often placed awkwardly in the recess areas within the construction site. (picture 3) As the site boundary often shifts due to the dynamic nature of the construction site, the number of modules required varies. Management of the logistics required for the site’s boundary for such work sites is thus an important aspect that is often overlooked. (picture 4) 3

4

TRANSPORT AND ASSEMBLY

The current modules used for the construction site require crane lifting due to their size, as well as weight. Transport costs are also high as the modules were not designed to be arranged in a compact manner. Most of the transportation is carried out with the help of lorry cranes, and at least 6 workers are required in the loading, unloading and placement of these modules. This tedious process is usually carried out late at night to prevent disrupting traffic and pedestrians.

40

FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS

VISUAL PERMEABILITY

IMPACT RESISTANCE CABLE MANAGEMENT SPLASH GUARD

SIGNAGE

The boundary, as analysed in the previous section, is a amalgam of different components to support the variation of function and purpose along the perimeter of the boundary. The boundary is therefore an adaptive interface that supports the different functions as it comes into contact with the needs of different spaces.

Primarily, the boundary serves to physically segregate the inside and outside, keeping the public away from the work site.

This section analyses the various other functions served by the construction site boundary, and the current solutions providing for these functions.

VISUAL PERMEABILITY OPAQUE

PERMEABLE

IMPACT RESISTANCE CONCRETE

CABLE MANAGEMENT SPLASH GUARD SIGNAGE

WATER-FILLED

N/A

41 VISUAL PERMEABILITY

The visual permeability of the boundary refers to the opacity of the material used to clad it. For the current boundary, the two claddings used are the opaque corrugated sheet metal, and the chain fence, which is see-through.

1

2

The two different claddings are often used in combination. Ordinarily, the opaque cladding would be used as it has better structural strength.

There are two main scenarios where the visually permeable chain fence would be used as cladding.

One scenario, is at the bend where two roads join, for example, when a minor road meets a major road. The chain fence gives drivers a view of the oncoming traffic, so that they do not turn blindly. (picture 1) The second scenario, is where a combination of both claddings are used, with the chain fence covering the top half. This is used at pedestrian walkways that are situated deep in the work site, especially around bends. The visual permeability helps to reduce the psychological fear of entrapment, while pedestrians can also see who is approaching from around the bend. (picture 2)

IMPACT RESISTANCE

Concrete barriers are placed at segments of the boundary that interfaces with traffic. The design of the concrete barrier, also known as the Jersey barrier, is regulated in the United States1. These barriers deflect errant vehicles, protecting the work site, as well as drivers, especially when there is a trench behind that section of the site boundary.

The concrete barriers interlocks with one another through a pin and loop system, forming a tight barricade. This is a tedious process as the barriers cannot be simply placed next to each other with the crane. As such in non critical areas, the barriers are left separate. (picture 3)

3

1   Federal Highway Administration - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/00marapr/concrete.cfm

42 LIGHTING

The same lighting used to illuminate the work site is used to illuminate the pedestrian walkways. While this provides sufficient lighting for security and safety purposes, the quality of this lighting is far from adequate in consideration of the nature of a public space for pedestrians and residents.

SIGNAGE

Motorists are confronted with a barrage of signages as they transit next to these construction sites. The signages are either placed on their own stands, or mechanically fastened to the construction site boundary.

Though LTA has guidelines regarding the deployment of signages at near the work site, these regulations do not translate coherently as there is no simple system guiding them.

FLASHING

Flashing, in the context of construction site boundaries, refer to shielding the naked metal edges from the public. This protects the public from injury caused by these potentially sharp edges.

4

Currently, flashing is most commonly carried out by attaching a metal sheet with its edged bent inwards, onto the naked metal edge (picture 4). Other alternatives of flashing include sealing the edges with duct tape, as well as cable hoses.

This accentuates the patchwork nature of the boundary.

43 CABLE MANAGEMENT

The boundary is the locus of the space it defines.

For the space of a construction work site, the boundary is the ideal place for managing the multitude of cable types in a construction site.

For construction sites in Singapore, it is a regulation that electrical wires cannot run along the ground. In most sites, these cables are supported by ad hoc hooks attached to the supports of the boundary.

CONTOURING

The components forming the boundary of the construction site would have to follow the contours of the site’s perimeter. At present, the unwieldy nature of the components makes conforming to the contours difficult. Corrugated metal sheets are cut to patch up the gaps in the boundary, and the result is an incoherent and chaotic boundary.

EQUIPMENT AND INFORMATION

The boundary of the construction forms a convenient place for information to be disseminated to the workers. Notices and documents often mounted on a plastic board and displayed on a prominent location along the boundary.

The boundary forms a convenient place for workers to deposit their personal equipment while taking a break. This habit follows the phenomena of the boundary being the anchor and locus of the space it defines.

44

THE PHENOMENA OF A CONSTRUCTION SITE BOUNDARY The phenomena of a construction site boundary, investigates this object from a person’s perception; to better understand the tangible qualities of the object from its physical and psychological attributes1. From here, it seeks to distills the essence of the object which we know as the construction site boundary.

In the previous sections, many macro and micro aspects of the construction site boundary were investigated and detailed. These observations were condensed into two phenomenological attributes affecting our perceptions and behaviours regarding this boundary.

THE CURRENT CONSTRUCTION SITE BOUNDARY PROJECTS THE CHAOTIC NATURE OF WITHIN, FURTHER OUTWARDS.

The common understanding of a boundary, is that it separates the space it encapsulates, from the space it excludes. The design of many boundaries resolves this separation to be a physical one, including the current design of the construction site boundary. However, the phenomena of boundaries as we experience them, is that they separate the spaces not merely physically, but also psychologically as well; that is, boundaries tangibly separate the space within from the space without.

The space inside a construction site is perceived by the public to disorderly, dirty, and generally an undesirable though inevitable addition to the urban scape. While the current construction site boundary physically separates the space within from without, the patchwork-like nature of its appearance echoes so similarly the chaotic nature of construction sites, therefore projecting this chaotic nature of the construction sites even further outwards into the public space.

THE BOUNDARY OF A CONSTRUCTION SITE, IS THE NATURAL LOCUS OF THE SPACES IT DEFINES.

The boundary is naturally the locus of the space it defines, as it is an tangible and intuitive anchor for our senses and actions in space. This stands for construction site boundaries as well. Within, the boundary is the locus for cable management, shelter, illumination, and even organization of equipment and information.

Similarly, it is the locus of signage, shelter, and illumination for the space without.

The current design of the boundary does not provide for these “parasites”, and they are organized along the boundary in an arbitrary and ad hoc manner. The design of a construction site boundary, would then be designing the affordances to support this intuition of the boundary being the locus of the space it defines.

1 Refer to page 10 of this report, “tangible boundaries”.

45

46

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES While analysing of the context, stakeholders and current boundary design, design opportunities were explored and related back to the phenomena of boundaries. The complex nature of the context was broken down into a few insights, and fertile opportunities were identified to tackle the design of these areas. A global direction was then established to guide the design of the new construction site boundary.

A COHERENT COMPONENT SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL TO IMPROVE THE OUTLOOK AND EFFICIENCY OF THE BOUNDARY. Prefabricated components are currently ‘patched’ together to form the current boundary. The lack of a coherent system is lacks efficiency in both material and workflow, and results in an incoherent image.

A deconstruction of the function of the various components reveal groups that possess common associations and purposes. The compatibility of the new components could then be designed around these new groupings, improving the coherence of the boundary.

47 CONSTRUCTION SITE BOUNDARIES SHOULD BE DESIGNED IN CONSIDERATION TO ITS TEMPORARY AND DYNAMIC NATURE.

The design of the boundary should allow flexibility in the set up to adapt to new profiles when the boundary of the site changes. The components should also take into account their temporary nature, and their design should facilitate the easy assembly, disassembly, and storage. A system to manage the logistics required for the boundary would improve the efficiency in the planning and design of the boundary.

TO DESIGN THE CONSTRUCTION SITE BOUNDARY IS TO DESIGN FOR ITS AFFORDANCES.

storage

signage cable management shelter

lighting

lighting shelter

The boundary is a locus of the space it encapsulates and excludes. Many related functions are currently placed parasitically along the construction site boundary. The design of the boundary should be designed to be a framework for these functions, forming a single entity of a construction site boundary.

CONSTRUCTION SITE BOUNDARIES ESTABLISH A DIVIDE BETWEEN THE SPACE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. The construction site boundary interfaces with the public outside and the workers inside. While it is a dynamic and temporary working boundary for the workers, it is a permanent urban fixture for the public affected by the site.

The design of the construction site boundary should therefore consider the dichotomy it establishes between the within and without, projecting the appropriate image.

48

DESIGN DIRECTION: MICRO ARCHITECTURE The theme of micro architecture was established as the design direction for the chosen context.

Architecture is perceived as the interface of a building, with an outer faรงade and inner spaces designed purposeful to fit it context. Micro architecture refers to architecture in a scale smaller than we usually associate it with.

The current construction boundary is designed primarily as a wall to segregate the work site from the outside. However the research has shown that its role goes beyond the purpose of a simple wall. The construction site boundary is a form micro architecture. It forms the first parameter and impression of the building in the space it defines. During the period of construction, it performs the role of interface for the space inside and outside. In that sense, while the construction site boundary is physically temporary, it is tangibly permanent.

This direction seeks to design these boundaries as a piece of micro architecture that can be adapted to different construction sites, while purposefully defining the spaces it encapsulates and excludes.

Construction site footprint at C917, King Albert Park Station amidst a dense residential area and major road.

49

DESIGN CRITERIA From the research and the insights gained, a set of design criteria were developed. This includes coherence, transport and storage, assembly, transparency, lighting quality, signage, safety, sloping and curving.

These set of criteria were developed into a set of design metric in which concepts could be evaluated against objectively.

These metric evaluate the strengths and weaknesses with reference to the different aspects of the construction site boundary, and is also used as a checklist to focus on details which require refinement.

The breakdown of the metric is as follows:

COHERENCE: This metric evaluates coherence in terms of aesthetic coherence as well as system coherence.

X

TRANSPORT AND STORAGE: This metric evaluates the ease of transporting and storing the components in the system.

X

ASSEMBLY: This metric evaluates the ease and efficiency of assembling the components in the system.

X

TRANSPARENCY: This metric evaluates the quality of the transparency achieved by the visually permeable module.

X

LIGHTING QUALITY: This metric evaluates the quality as well as efficiency of the pedestrian lighting fixtures.

X

SIGNAGE: This metric evaluates the quality of the organization and presentation of signage.

X

SAFETY: This metric evaluates the perceived safety of the boundary, as well as the quality of flashing.

X

SLOPING: This metric evaluates how well the system conforms to slopes.

X

CURVING: This metric evaluates how well the system conforms to curves.

X

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

50

DESIGN STRATEGY The design task at hand is a complex one. At the macro level, it is a design of a coherent system of components that is a part of the general management and logistics of the construction site. At a micro level, the many different purposes supported by the construction site boundary would need to be addressed in the design.

The design strategy for the construction site boundary in summary, is a converging iterative cycle between the micro and macro aspects of the subject.

IDEAS DETAILS

FINAL CONCEPT

CONCEPTS EVALUATION / TESTING

This strategy aims to have a clear view of both the micro and macro aspects of the subject during the design process. Evaluation was carried out based on the design criteria, as well as feedback from LTA. Successful details were constantly distilled and refined to be incorporated into the concepts. As such the eventual final concept would be built ground-up from a coherent combination of design details, always moving towards areas with a higher value proposition.

51

52

DESIGN APPROACH INITIAL IDEA GENERATION

The first phase of design began with rough and abstract sketches to generate keywords and ideas. From these ideas were grouped into a few method tracks. These organized the thought process, highlighting successful methods to continue working on:

METHOD: REPETITION The method of repetition carries with it the spirit of rhythm, modularity and efficiency, while drawing associations to architecture in terms of faรงades, fences, tiles etc. The use of repetition for the construction site boundary could potentially tackle both the aspects of efficiency and aesthetics.

METHOD: LOCUS OF SPACE The construction site boundary forms the locus of the spaces it defines. This method investigates how the boundary could support the various functions that is relevant to it.

53

METHOD: OPPOSITES The construction site boundary defines two spaces, namely the work site as well as the public space. The investigation of opposites seeks to design for the dichotomy established by this boundary.

METHOD: TEMPORARY AND DYNAMIC The construction site boundary for the chosen context possesses the qualities of being temporary as well as dynamic. This method investigates designs which supports this nature of the construction site boundary.

54

METHOD: ADAPTIVE SKIN Taken inspiration from nature, the method of adaptive skin is applied to the construction site boundary, investigating how the boundary can adapt to its different needs while remaining coherent.

DETAILING I

Details were refined from the various methods and ideas generated.

DETAIL: REPETITION AND LOUVRES Repetitions and the louvres concept appears to be an elegant and simple design detail to incorporate variable visual permeability into the boundary, while maintaining rhythmic coherence.

DETAIL: VERTICAL ASYMMETRY Vertical asymmetry introduces two states of the same panel.

Rotated 180째, the same panel exhibits a different visual permeability. This potentially reduce the number of components needed, and simplifies the assembly process. Investigation will be done on the patterning, form and scale of the modules.

55 CONCEPT SKETCH CONCEPT SKETCH II

first concept sketch was an attempt at organizing the different ideas The first and details generated into a coherent system of components.

CONCEPT: LOUVRES This concept makes use of the two different profile, opening and states of the same louvre profile, closing the boundary with the same module.

The louvres are anchored to the concrete barrier, while the side of the boundary interfacing with the inside provides affordances for cable management and attaching signage.

FRONT VIEW

PLAN VIEW

attachments

cable management

BACK VIEW

CONCEPT: 180째 SCREEN simplified solution which This concept is a highly simplified has a perforated screen that rotates 180째 to shuttle between two different states of visual permeability. evaluation: This concept was a facile resolution of the boundary, only one of the design criteria (visual permeability) was properly considered.

FRONT VIEW

potential interface

BACK VIEW

56 CONCEPT REFINEMENT I - LOUVRE CONCEPT

The louvres are inserted and anchored into the concrete barriers. The perforations are situated at the bottom section of the louvres. The louvres, when overturned 180°, point outwards, making that section of the boundary visually permeable.

Affordances are provided in the form of hooks at the face of the boundary interfacing with the work site, allowing the workers to organize their equipment as well as cables.

The louvres are easily stacked and transported and stored. This concept attempts to make the assembly process easier through the use of two main components - the louvres and specially design concrete barriers.

evaluation: Overall the concept presented some new ways of looking at the construction site boundary. LTA appreciated the aesthetics and simplicity of the solution, but were sceptical of the aspects of safety and security of the concept, especially towards vandalism.

The main driving detail behind this concept is the two states of the louvres. However, approaching an ‘open’ section at an angle does not provide visual permeability as the ‘flaps’ would still overlap. In fact it would potentially create a moiré pattern which is distracting to drivers.

The concept is generally over-simplified. Moving forward, one detail which has potential is the ‘L’ profile of the louvres which allow easy stacking as well as presenting a flat surface to the outside while extending a small section inwards for affordances to be designed.

COHERENCE

4

TRANSPORT AND STORAGE 3 ASSEMBLY TRANSPARENCY

3 1

LIGHTING QUALITY

na

SIGNAGE

na

SAFETY

2

SLOPING

2

CURVING

2

57 DETAILING II

The second iteration of detail generation diverged from the first concept, in search of new areas of values. A more complex system was envisioned for this iteration, expanding on the “skin and bones� idea of the first phase.

SKIN AND BONES This idea was based on the logic that, while bones are structurally sound, the skin that envelopes it adapts to movement and its environment.

Exploration was carried out on how this idea can be realised for a construction site boundary

FLASHING One of the primary purpose of the skin would be to project a safe and coherent image outwards. The current method of flashing is tedious and is one of the main contributing factors to the patchwork nature of the boundary.

Exploration focused on how the skin could hide the naked metal edges from the public, efficiently, as well as in consideration to the outlook in projects.

MODULAR EXPLORATION 1

JOINT

1a) The edges of the panel were simply folded inwards to hide its naked edge.

1b) The panels could be designed to incorporate vertical asymmetry to toggle between different states of visual permeability.

1c) However, this profile cannot stack efficiently, while it is also not able to conform to curves efficiently.

INSIDE OUTSIDE

58 MODULAR EXPLORATION 2

NESTED JOINT

INSIDE OUTSIDE

2a) Nested joints provide an in built mechanism holding the panels together, while protecting the naked edges.

2b) Nested joints do not give the flexibility to conform to curves.

MODULAR EXPLORATION 3

INSIDE OUTSIDE

INSERT JOINT

3a) The insert joint protects the naked edges, while controlling the tolerance of the joint would allow the modules to rotate among themselves.

MODULAR EXPLORATION 4

INSIDE OUTSIDE

INSIDE OUTSIDE

4a) From exploration 3, the modules were abstracted and simplified. The profiles exhibit only one bend, which is emphasized outwards, potentially offering an aesthetic rhythm that is more architectural.

4b) The profiles can be stacked easily, and the joints have flexibility while conforming to curves.

4c) The profiles do not have rotational symmetry, as such the same panel cannot be rotated 180째.

59 DETAIL REFINEMENT II - L/PROFILE

The panel profile shown in modular exploration 4 was refined. A hook and insert mechanism was detailed at this stage. Colour coding was also considered, with reference to the phenomena of the two sides of a boundary - the public interface would appear consistent, while the work site interface would have the yellow colour coding to aid them in assembling the panels and also to present a utilitarian outlook.

public interface

work site interface

hook and insert mechanism

evaluation: The L/profile appears to be a potential candidate for the skin component of the boundary. It is easily stacked for storage and transportation, and it automatically hides the naked metal edges from the public.

Aesthetically it presents a clean and friendly faรงade, while the colour coding facing the work site works coherently with the quality of utility.

60 DETAILING III

This phase of detailing was aimed at expanding on the L/profile to build a complete system around this module. This includes consideration the different interfaces identified in the analyses conducted in the previous sections.

SIGNAGE The organization of different signage along the perimeter of the boundary is an important aspect to design, especially since the construction site boundary is situated near major roads and residential districts.

The L/profile’s mechanism of interlocking inspired a similar signage system.

Using the tolerance available for the hook and insert system, signage can ‘parasitically’ latch onto the panels.

With the L/profile panels in place, there is natural grid system to organize the signage.

The system is able to cater to different types of signage, while the grid all of them are arranged on would organize them in the same way. This would allow the workers in the construction site to arrange the signage in a neat and consistent manner effortlessly.

61 SUPPORT Exploration was done to design a support system to hold the L/profiles in place. The supports should provide sound structural strength, yet be easily stored, transported and assembled.

density

volume

water

1000 kgm-3

2.6 x

sand

2000 kgm-3

1.3 x

2600 kgm

1.0 x

concrete

The existing design of the support was analysed. Essentially, the support consists of a frame and a counterweight. The design of the frame was simplified to a 2-D profile, and inserted into the counterweight instead of the current method where the counterweight weighs down the frame.

Alternative fillers for the counterweight were investigated. Water and sand were explored, especially since they are two common materials found in the construction site.

Lastly, a mechanism was designed to join the support to the L/profile.

-3

62 CONCRETE BARRIER An important component of the traffic interface is the concrete barrier.

The design of this component is restricted by many constraints due to the safety regulations in place.

Two important areas of improvements within the constraints for the concrete barrier would be to make it easier to assemble, as well as to contour. Another important aspect would be to allow the part to coherently accept the L/profile panel.

An abstract scheme of the current concrete barrier is illustrated on the left.

SIDE VIEW

TOP VIEW - STRAIGHT

The current concrete barrier is inefficient in assembly. The side profile, an important feature to enable the modules to interlock, prevents straightforward stacking.

This interlocking system does not allow the modules to rotate. When arrayed along a curve, the module is not able to pin to the adjacent barriers. This affects the impact strength of the resultant boundary.

TOP VIEW - CURVED

A series of different profiles were explored within the possibilities of concrete casting. One potential profile would be the asymmetrical form illustrated on the left.

SIDE VIEW

TOP VIEW - STRAIGHT

This form allows interlocking of the concrete barriers through straightforward placements of the modules. The modules can be pinned to each other through U shaped steel bars.

This system also allows the modules to conform to curves while retaining their interlocking pins.

TOP VIEW - CURVED

63 The design and explorations were presented to LTA. Due to the regulations surrounding the concrete barrier, the traffic interfacing portion of the concrete barrier should remain as it is. Design of the concrete barrier thus focused on its compatibility with the L/profile.

The proposed re-design of the concrete barrier involves including a simple trench on the top surface.

This would provide a track for the L/ profiles to be arrayed on. This simple intervention does not compromise on any of the design regulations in place for the concrete barrier.

64 CONCEPT REFINEMENT II - L/PROFILE SYSTEM

The overview of the components in the system. The components are disassembled into a small footprint, making transport and storage efficient.

The public is protected from the naked metal edges of the modules, while the pedestrian interface presents a clean outlook.

Signage is easily arranged, providing clear wayfinding for the public.

The handgrips provided for the workers to assemble the modules are also used to arrange ambient street lighting.

65

The work site interface presents a series of affordances which the workers can use to manage cables and equipment.

Traffic signs intuitively follow the grid provided by the L/profile, communicating their intent to motorists clearly and coherently.

evaluation: This concept is a holistic system which addresses the many different criteria of the construction site boundary. Of the different features of this concept, LTA was particularly interested in its efficiency in signage organization. Pedestrian and traffic wayfinding in the vicinity of the construction site is an important concern to them, and this concept offers an intuitive and coherent method to communicate to the public.

This concept still requires refinement in a few areas.

1. While the system has vertical structural strength, it is weak horizontally.

2. The affordances provided to the work site are rather coincidental.

3. The visually permeability of the boundary remains untested.

4. The system has not considered pedestrian shelter.

COHERENCE

4

TRANSPORT AND STORAGE 4 ASSEMBLY

4

TRANSPARENCY

?

LIGHTING QUALITY

3

SIGNAGE

5

SAFETY

5

SLOPING

3

CURVING

4

66 DETAILING III A shelter system which can contour with the curves of the construction site perimeter is essential, both to protect the pedestrians from weather elements, as well as to block the sight of the heavy machinery within the work site.

A shelter concept was developed based on an accordion folding technique.

The accordion fold is appropriate for the given context for the following qualities: 1. The fold can be die-cut and die-scored from a flat sheet of plastic.

2. When folded, the plastic sheet gains structural strength with the alternate mountain and valley folds.

3. Like an accordion, the resulting plastic sheet is able to curve in both axes.

4. The valleys creates channels for rain to drain away.

67

Considerations were also made to include a hermetic seal to prevent rain from seeping through. A simple overlapping detail was including to ensure that the part remain as a cut out from a flat sheet of plastic.

68 CONCEPT REFINEMENT III - ACCORDION SYSTEM The accordion technique was developed into a system of components for to investigate the possibilities of using it as a vertical screen, and the affordances it provides.

The accordion screen forms a seamless screen that conforms to the perimeter of the site.

Signage can be organized using a similar hook and insert system, while illumination can be provided by diffusing light through the accordion screen.

evaluation: The accordion concept differs from the L/profile through the use of a flexible material for the screen. This allows it to curve and slope eloquently.

COHERENCE

4

As the proposal is sheet plastic, vandalism and trespassing are also a concern. Based on the scale 1:4 prototype1, it can be extrapolated that in real scale the material would be difficult to manage.

TRANSPORT AND STORAGE 4

The accordion is functions primarily as a cladding, and thus does not do so well in providing for all the other functions of the construction site boundary.

LIGHTING QUALITY

3

SIGNAGE

3

SAFETY

5

SLOPING

5

CURVING

5

1 refer to the section Prototyping and Testing

ASSEMBLY TRANSPARENCY

3 na

69 DETAIL REFINEMENT IV The L/profile concept was refined to incorporate shelter as well as to improve its horizontal structural strength. Refinement was also carried out for the overall aesthetics as well as visual permeability.

SUPPORT The design of the support for the shelter component was designed in the same language as the basic support unit. Additional structure was added to the support to sustain the additional cantilever force exerted by the shelter.

HORIZONTAL SUPPORT The support was refined from a square profile to a L-shaped profile.

This echoes the profile of the panels in front, while the L shape offers an increased rotational flexibility of the module while maintaining the strength of the support.

Steel rods are then inserted and secured through the series of holes, strengthening the boundary against deformations along its perimeter.

These rods are also in a good position to anchor cables running along the boundary.

70

VISUAL PERMEABILITY Perforation profiles were explored for the visually permeable module. These profiles were evaluated for the clarity of the visual permeability1, as well as the aesthetic quality of the perforations.

The most successful profile was a hexagonal grid pattern. This fact resonates with similar principles discovered in nature - like the packing of honeycombs in a bee hive for space efficiency and structural strength.

1  refer to the section Prototyping and Testing

71

L/PROFILE The number of hooks on the L/profile module was reduced. This makes it easier for the module to slot into the adjacent one, while it reduces the weight of the module as well.

An additional hole was included at the top of the module, as testing has shown that better illumination is provided overhead as compared to waist level1. The lorry crane can also lift stacks of the module through the top hole. As such the handgrip lowered to a more ergonomic height.

In addition, the foot of the module was reinforced to protect it from constant contact with the ground and vandalism.

1100 900

1  refer to the section Prototyping and Testing

72 CONCEPT REFINEMENT IV - L/SYSTEM

73

evaluation: The L/system meets the design criteria satisfactorily. Through quick prototyping and computer aided testing1, the refined concept is technically feasible.

Full scale prototyping in the actual material will be done to evaluate aspects of assembly, transport and storage. Details will be furthered refined from these full scale tests.

1 refer to the section Prototyping and Testing

COHERENCE

5

TRANSPORT AND STORAGE 5 ASSEMBLY

4

TRANSPARENCY

5

LIGHTING QUALITY

4

SIGNAGE

5

SAFETY

5

SLOPING

5

CURVING

5

74 DETAIL REFINEMENT V

SUPPORT The design of the general support and shelter support was refined to a single support unit whereby a cantilever module can be attached to provide structure for shelter.

The profile outlined above was selected for prototyping. This profile allows a flexibility in configuring shelter for the work site, the public space or even both.

This single support unit ensures that shelter can be placed as a afterthought or even changed, after the boundary has been set-up. The extension of the perceived footprint of the boundary also makes its secondary purposes, like organization of equipment and cables, more intentional.

75

DESIGN APPROACH CONCLUSION BUILT FROM DETAILS

As a component system, the concepts were built from a range of details, abstracted and refined to make them coherent. This approach allowed the design to tackle the many different problems, insights and design opportunities identified in the analyses.

The funnel-like approach developed a reasonably successful system of components within the given timeframe. However, this approach converged onto designs quickly, whereas a more divergent approach might have generated a wider breadth of concepts to select from.

On hindsight, a method to improve the current approach would be to introduce “mutations� throughout the design process. An example of these mutations might be mutagens that backtrack to repeat an earlier design stage with the aim of generating new details.

IDEAS DETAILS MUTAGEN MUTAGEN

FINAL CONCEPT

CONCEPTS EVALUATION / TESTING

MAXIMISING CAPABILITY THROUGH AFFORDANCE

On site, the use of the construction site boundary is in fact fluid and ad-hoc. Rather than designing for every need, the concept proposed a system which maximises the capabilities of the boundary by allowing the stakeholders to use the affordances provided by the basic design for their own ends.

This versatility of the proposed design ensures that it retains a sufficient level of universality while remaining cost effective.

76

PROTOTYPING AND TESTING This section details the various prototyping and testing methods employed to evaluate the different details and concepts generated. The prototypes range from quick and rough models to full scale fabrications in the actual material. Similarly, the testing was conducted both in computer simulations as well as physical simulations.

CONCEPT SKETCH I

A scaled down model of concept sketch I was 3D-printed in ABS. The louvre system was tested physically with this model, and the model was also presented to LTA for them to better illustrates the concept.

STORAGE AND ASSEMBLY Testing the efficiency of packing and assembly of the modules. A unique concrete barrier has designed as the platform on which the louvres will be attached to.

VISUAL PERMEABILITY While the concept provided good visual permeability straight-on, the overlapping louvres blocks the line of sight when approached from an angle.

77

WORK SITE AFFORDANCES C-profile hooks allow the workers to carry out cable management and equipment organisation. These is an illustration of the dichotomy of purpose established by a boundary.

HOOK / INSERT / HINGE

A short full scale section of the hook and insert mechanism was laser-cut in acrylic to explore the tolerances of the hinge created.

A 5 mm gap for the hook and insert created a flexible hinge that could cover approximately 60째.

60째

78 CONCRETE BARRIER PROFILE

Various scaled down profiles of the concrete barrier were 3D-printed in ABS. Their modularity was then evaluated to identify the more successful profiles.

CURRENT PROFILE The current concrete boundary was abstracted to this profile. As observed in the prototype, the profile does not manage curves well, while assembly is tedious as straightforward stacking is not possible.

79

FRONT S-SHAPED PROFILE This profile manages curves better than the current barrier. Arraying the modules is straightforward in one direction, however the same difficulty surfaces in the other direction.

TOP S-SHAPED PROFILE This profile explored an asymmetrical top profile. This asymmetry creates an overlapping between different module, allowing the barrier to array better along curves. During assembly, interlocking of the modules is achieved through a straightforward placement of the module, streamlining the assembly process.

TOP T-SHAPED PROFILE The T-shaped profile is a development from the S-shaped one. While each adjacent module has to be rotated around, this profile might be easier to cast and produce.

80 1:10 L/PROFILE

The L/profile was fabricated in 0.8mm thick mild steel in scale 1:10 to explore working in sheet metal as well as to evaluated its modularity. The fabrication involves sheet metal laser-cutting and bending.

Due to the scale of the model, the test piece had deformed perforations close to the edge.

Color coding applied to the model.

Testing the fit of the hook and insert mechanism.

Testing sloping and curving.

The colour coded face of the boundary is reflected on one side, while the other side remains fully white.

The L/profile hides the naked edges from the public.

81 ACCORDION FOLD

The accordion fold was tested on 1mm thick polypropylene (PP) sheets.

The PP sheet was laser cut, where varying strengths of the laser would create live hinges or through cuts. The resulting accordion fold displayed structural strength while maintaining its flexibility along the two axes.

The accordion fold gave the material a spring-like quality. While it was flexible, the material was constantly fighting to spring back. As such the accordion fold method is not ideal as a vertical cladding.

82 PERFORATION TEST

The illustration on the left shows the simulation used to test the visual permeability factor of different perforation profiles.

The CAD file was placed in a 3D rendering programme, whereby the visibility of a wall seen through the screens behind a bend was evaluated.

Quantitatively, the amount of the wall visible was calculated. The arbitrary unit was used to compare the different perforations.

Qualitatively, the visual permeability was assessed in terms of the clarity of the wall visible.

1486

3113

2627

1864

3616 HONEYCOMB GRID The most successful perforation for both aspects of evaluation is the hexagonal, or honeycomb, grid pattern.

This is compatibles with nature’s logic, where space efficiency and structure is achieved with a similar pattern, just like the honeycomb in a bee hive and chlorophyll cells in the leaf.

83 CURVE AND SLOPE TEST

An algorithm was developed in Grasshopper (Rhinoceros plug-in) to array the accordion screen as well as the L/profile modules along curves and slopes. The result of the simulation as displayed above indicates that both system are able to manage the contours, though the L/profile manages slopes in a pixelated fashion.

84 MODULARITY

An algorithm in Grasshopper was developed to test the modularity of the L/system as a whole. This simulated the arrangement of the different components on a mock construction site perimeter. Refinements to the parts were then made after analysing the system as a whole.

This algorithm was also a precursor to developing an interface which LTA can use to plan the logistics required for the construction site boundary.

85 LIGHTING TEST

A clip-on LED lamp was prototyped with reference outdoor architectural lighting. The 12V LED strip was chosen as it is an inexpensive and high lumen solution. This test evaluated the throw of the light onto a white wall (the reflector), and the amount and quality of illumination was evaluated.

WAIST-LEVEL ILLUMINATION The lamp was placed 100 cm from the ground. The illumination created a high contrast on the pedestrian’s features, while the glare from the exposed LEDs was uncomfortable to the eyes.

OVERHEAD ILLUMINATION The overhead lighting produced a consistent illumination. The pedestrian features were softened and clearer as a whole. The glare from the LEDs could not be seen unless viewed from directly below

86 FULL SCALE PROTOTYPE

87

ASSEMBLY Initially, a two men team was tasked to assemble the components. While it was feasible for them to carry out the task, it was evaluated that a third worker would improve the workflow by acting as a “spotter�, checking for mistakes or lending help when required.

The transportation and assembly process was documented, and the L/ system proved more efficient in these aspects compared to the current system. The individual modules are easily carried with human strength, while assembly of one section comfortably requires 3 workers, and takes 6 minutes. This is half the number of workers and time required - a 4 times increase in efficiency.

REFINEMENT

The full scale prototype revealed many areas for improvement, previously unnoticed while working in CAD. These refinements were documented and the drawings were edited for the second batch of prototyping. The major refinements are detailed below:

HORIZONTAL SUPPORT The screw thread spar used as the horizontal support was the component pulled down the efficiency of the whole assembly process.

The friction between the panels and the screw thread made it difficult to insert, and this same friction also wore out the holes on the panels they were pulled through.

Instead of a screw thread spar, a simple hollow steel spar was designed to provide horizontal support for the system. This allows the spar to be inserted through the holes with ease, while it also provides a better affordance for related functions such as cable management.

The profile of the holes on the panels were modified to be pill-shaped. This gives more vertical tolerance to manage uneven ground, and also allows the spars to be inserted more efficiently, while maintaining the same horizontal integrity for the structure.

HOOK PROFILE The hooks were spaced further apart and spread over a larger length. This allows the panels to hook more securely to its adjacent modules, and it also saves material during the die-cutting process.

SIGNAGE The signage modules that protruded perpendicularly from the boundary displayed an undesirable hinge effect. The design was refined to resolve this issue while ensuring that it can be cut and bent from a single sheet of metal.

A differentiation of the hooks was designed to allow the signs to be secured, preventing theft of the signs.

sign hook locking bolt

panel hook

stopper flap

90

SIGNAGE ORGANIZATION The organization of signage around the perimeter of a construction site is a crucial detail of traffic construction site boundaries, and an important concern for LTA. Wayfinding is the primary purpose of signage with regard to traffic, and in the case of construction sites, it is to used extensively to communicate the changes made to the space affected by the construction works.

LTA regulates the organization of signage on Singapore roads, and as such is the regulating authority of signage at traffic construction sites as well. A code of practice for traffic control1 is consistently revised and made available to the contractors in charge of the site for them to adhere.

Specimen of signage organization for temporary road diversion

In the case of traffic construction sites, the signage are typically organized along the boundary. However, the current boundary design as analysed, is ad hoc in nature. It is difficult to impose strict specifications on the organization of signage. The result is that the signages appear haphazard and communication with motorists and pedestrians is compromised.

1   COP Traffic Control (Revised 2010 July)

91 L/SYSTEM AND SIGNAGE

Via the hook and insert mechanism, the L/system provides a grid for signage to be organized. This grid is intuitive to follow, which assists the contractors in their workflow.

SIGNAGE TYPOLOGY

4 types of signage were designed for the L/system based on the current signages seen at traffic construction sites. The possible signage types are non exhaustive, and even more types can be designed to fit the hook and insert system.

PEDESTRIAN SIGNAGE Current pedestrian signage is lost in the multitude of components forming the construction site boundary. The proposed pedestrian signage aims to provide pedestrians with clear wayfinding by standing out of the boundary at a clearly visible height. The colour and graphic design choice would follow the same language as that used by Singapore’s public transport system, thus integrating the construction site into the urban scape. Besides pedestrian wayfinding, public transport information can also be placed, providing the pedestrians with a heightened sense of assurance.

92

TRAFFIC SIGNAGE 3 different signage types were designed for traffic interfaces.

The diamond shaped warning signs were designed to fit L/system. These signs remain visible above traffic, warning drivers of the changes to the road due to construction

The chevron markings are used to highlight the curvature of a bend, these chevrons are currently painted on the concrete barriers, which is exposed to harsh weathering and damage. A chevron panel is designed to be placed flushed with the L/system, highlighting the bend at eye-level to drivers.

Visual markers are placed at regular intervals along the traffic interface of the construction site boundary to make the boundary more visible. Visual markers are the signage component that occur at the highest density.

Visual markers specially designed for the L/system makes it efficient for the workers to arrange and place.

93 L/SYSTEM SIGNAGE ORGANIZATION

With the L/system, the organization of signage can be specified in greater detail as it provides a self organizing grid system. The grid of the L/system are spaced 300mm apart horizontally, and 100mm vertically, allowing combinations of signage to be arrayed along the boundary within these parameters.

100mm 300mm

PROPOSED ORGANIZATION OF SIGNAGE: TYPE

HORIZONTAL SPACING

STARTING HEIGHT

DIAMOND TRAFFIC WARNING - 2500 mm placed in accordance to scenarios detailed in LTA Code of Practice CURVE CHEVRON 3 panels (0.9 m)

1000 mm

VISUAL MARKER 5 panels (1.5 m)

900 mm

PEDESTRIAN PATH also placed before a bend

100 panels (30 m)

1900 mm

NEAREST PUBLIC TRANSPORT also placed before a bend

100 panels (30 m)

1900 mm

94

COMPUTER AIDED ARRANGEMENT The construction site boundary is arranged from a system of components.

This system spans over the entire perimeter of the site, and logistics management and planning is crucial for a successful implementation of the boundary. In addition, the constantly changing boundary lines of the chosen construction sites, as well as the varying functions along the site’s perimeter, adds to the complexity of planning and implementation of the site’s boundary.

These points towards the need of a system to plan and simulate the implementation of the construction site boundary. With computer aided design widely used in the field of engineering and in the construction industry, a computer aided arrangement system would be a vital addition to the workflow.

GEOMETRICALLY LOGICAL COMPONENTS

The L/system was developed with modularity and versatility in mind. Each of the components designed for the L/system, as well as the grid created for accessories, follows a strict mathematical logic. As such, the arrangement of these modules is easily simulated in the computer.

TEMPORARY AND DYNAMIC BOUNDARIES

The boundaries of the chosen construction sites are constantly shifting, especially at cut and cover sites.

Without a good overview, the management of logistics for these temporary and dynamic boundaries is tedious as the quantity and requirements of various components changes. This would implicate the storage and transport of the components.

The boundary of the construction site is a small area of concern in the bigger scheme of the construction work taking place. As such, a system to plan and improve the implementation of the boundary would assist in the workflow of the construction site as a whole.

ARRANGEMENT ALGORITHM

The algorithm used for the computer aided arrangement system comprises of two main parts.

Firstly, the algorithm would guide the input through a series of decision making steps to generate the appropriate output (see schematic on the following page). These decision making steps ensure that the boundary is built ground up and purposed accordingly, and it also follows the actual steps where by the physical boundary would be implemented.

Secondly, the algorithm would array the components based on their inherent modular logic, generating a simulation of the arrangement of the boundary, as well as the corresponding bill of components.

GRASSHOPPER + RHINOCEROS 3D

Grasshopper, a plug-in for Rhinoceros 3D, was employed to generate the simulation algorithm prototype (Annex D). The actual design of this system would be dependent on the software used by the engineers and contractors planning the construction works.

95 INPUT BLUEPRINT CAD

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

...

CONTROL

define boundaries

define interface

traffic

pedestrian

plastic

concrete

basic

barrier

barrier

module arrangement

basic

hoarded

not hoarded

module arrangement

visually permeable

basic

basic

module

module

arrangement

arrangement

section shelter signs

visually lighting

permeable section signs

OUTPUT

INTERSECTIONS

ARRANGEMENT DRAWING

BILL OF COMPONENTS

phase

1

static section

phase

1

phase

2

dynamic section

phase

2

phase

3

phase

3

...

...

maximum qty

96 INPUT

The blue prints of the different phases of the construction site are fed into the simulation system. The boundary lines are then defined.

PHASE 1 - 1ST QTR 2012

PHASE 2 - 3RD QTR 2012

PHASE 3 - 2ND QTR 2013

DEFINING INTERFACE

The different boundary lines for each phase are defined to their corresponding interface. This over arching decision determines the general class of components along the different boundary lines.

TRAFFIC INTERFACE 1 PEDESTRIAN INTERFACE 1 PEDESTRIAN INTERFACE 2

JUXTAPOSED OVERVIEW

The different phases and their corresponding interfaces are juxtaposed into a single overview, highlighting the similarities and differences between the different phases.

PHASE 1 > PHASE 2 PHASE 1 > PHASE 2

PHASE 2 > PHASE 3

PHASE 2 > PHASE 3

PHASE 2 > PHASE 3

PHASE 2 > PHASE 3

The juxtaposed overview is crucial as it details the portions of the boundary that remain static and the portions that remain dynamic. This can then be taken into consideration during implementation, such as ensuring that the boundary components are easily rearranged for the dynamic portions.

97 SPECIFICATIONS

The interfaces are then specified in greater detail, such at the sections with visual permeability, shelter, signage placement etc.

TRAFFIC SIGNAGE

VISUAL PERMEABILITY

ARRANGEMENT DRAWING / BILL OF COMPONENTS

The arrangement drawings can be easily reproduced, assisting in the implementation of the boundary.

Accompanying the drawing would be a bill of components for all the different phases of construction, allowing the contractors to make informed decisions about the logistics required for the construction site boundary throughout the course of the construction.

PHASE 2 - 3RD QTR 2012

PHASE 1 - 1ST QTR 2012

PHASE 3 - 2ND QTR 2013

s/n

ITEM

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

MAX

01

FULL HEIGHT / PERFORATED SCREEN

38

38

38

38

02

FULL HEIGHT / BLANK SCREEN

386

386

386

386

03

SUPPORT

86

86

86

86

04

SUPPORT CONCRETE WEIGHT

86

86

86

86

05

SHELTER SUPPORT

43

43

43

43

06

SHELTER CLADDING

43

43

43

43

07

VERTICAL SUPPORT

49

43

43

43

08

CONCRETE BARRIER

49

43

43

43

09

HALF HEIGHT / BLANK SCREEN

188

166

166

188

10

HALF HEIGHT / PERFORATED SCREEN

58

50

50

58

11

VISUAL MARKER

50

44

44

50

98

COMPETITIVE COMPARISON With the scale one prototype, a competitive comparison was carried out between the L/system and the current system. The comparison was done in 3 areas, namely transport, assembly and cost efficiency.

TRANSPORT

1 2

Weight / Metre (kg/m) 1

Footprint (m2/m) 2

Current System

311

0.6

L/system

133

0.2<

refers to the weight per metre of the boundary refers to the area of the disassembled boundary per metre of the boundary

Transport is the hidden cost incurred during the assembly and disassembly of the boundary. The weight of the components of the module would affect the fuel consumption of the vehicle, while the footprint of the disassembled modules would determine the amount of trips required to transport sufficient components.

The L/system was evaluated to be significantly more efficient in this area. It is less than half the weight of the current system, while retaining the same structural strength required for a construction site boundary.

This can be attributed to the hook and insert system coupled with the horizontal rods, carrying the structural strength throughout the boundary; compared to the current system whereby the individual modules are standing independently.

The footprint of the L/system is significantly smaller than the current boundary. With every part designed with its storage in mind, the components of the L/system disassembles into neat stacks which are easily stored and transported.

99 ASSEMBLY Workers required

Vehicles required

Time (min) / module

Current System

6

lorry crane

15

L/system

3

lorry crane

5

The components of the L/system are easily managed by human strength, with the exception of the concrete counterweight which can be placed with a lorry crane. Only three workers are required in the assembly of the L/system, two workers to put together the modules, and one worker to spot for errors and oversee the whole operation. With the hook and insert mechanism, the panels connect seamlessly to its neighbour automatically shielding naked metal edges. This reduces the post process work required on the boundary.

The proposed simulation system would aid in the implementation of the boundary.

COST EFFICIENCY

The specialised components forming the L/system pushes the cost significantly higher than the prefabricated components used in the current system. While economies of scale would take effect when the components are mass produced, the higher complexity of the modules in the L/system would lead to a higher cost per unit.

A few other factors should be considered when considering the cost feasibility of the L/system: 1.

The L/system uses less metal per metre than the current system. While each component in the L/system has a common ‘backbone’ supporting it, the current system requires each module to have its own frame. This can be quantitatively seen from the density of the boundary (see weight / metre under transport).

2.

The L/system provides a platform for the multifarious functions of the construction site boundary. The boundary ‘accessories’ are therefore more cost efficient as they bank on the affordances in place for them. An example would be the visual marker. The actual visual marker used today costs SGD10, while the visual marker for the L/system costs SGD6 to prototype.

100

MANUFACTURING PROPOSAL SHEET METAL

The bulk of the components would be produced from sheet metal. The design of the parts are thus optimised to save material and time during production. Each unbent part tessellates efficiently onto the stock metal sheet.

Electrogalvanised steel sheet was used for the prototype. The steel was powder coated. The material and finishing ensures that the part would be rust resistant.

PROCESS LASER CUTTING For the small volume produced for prototyping, laser cutting was employed for its speed and accuracy.

TURRET PUNCHING A more cost efficient alternative to laser cutting would be turret punching, a CNC stamping process. As the CAD file preparation for turret punching is more complex, it would be more feasible for medium volume production (>100 pieces).

STAMPING Stamping would be the ideal mass production manufacturing method. A die corresponding to the part would be produced to stamp out the outline and perforations in one step. As with economies of scale, the cost per unit would become competitive with the cost of parts in the current system.

BENDING The cut profiles are then bent. The parts were designed to have simple 90째 bends, simplifying this step of the process.

WELDING The seams of the some bents were then welded together, giving more structure to the part.

POWDER COATING The finished parts were then powder coated and stored for delivery.

101

102

SYNTACTIC OVERVIEW ALL DIMENSIONS IN MM

1500

300

ELECTROGALVANISED STEEL 2200 CONCRETE

450

450

STAINLESS STEEL

1400

CONCRETE 900

103

DESIGN OVERVIEW Essentially, the design outcome for this thesis on construction site boundaries sought to address three areas, namely, the management and planning of the boundary, the intrinsic and extrinsic fitness of the component system, and the aesthetics and outlook of the boundary.

MANAGEMENT

FITNESS

AESTHETICS

MANAGEMENT

The management of the planning and implementation of the construction site boundary was improved through the use of computer aided arrangement and simulation. This was possible as the modules of the component system followed a strict mathematical logic. This sought to streamline the planning of the boundary, the management of the logistics required, and the eventual implementation throughout the course of construction.

FITNESS

The component system was designed for efficient storage, transportation and assembly. The system also fits the contours of the construction site perimeter eloquently. These enhanced the intrinsic fitness of the boundary. The system generates a natural platform for further design of specialised components to meet the ad hoc demands of the construction site. This affordance boosts the extrinsic capabilities of the construction site boundary.

AESTHETICS

The system was designed with reference to its place in the urban scape. The result is a skin that divides the public space from the work site tangibly, projecting a assuring image to the public, while providing a utilitarian work space for the construction site.

104

nine metres of the boundary disassembled for storage.

INTRINSIC FITNESS - FOOTPRINT

The system components can be disassembled and arranged into a compact footprint. This makes the storage and transport of the components a lot more efficient. Their compact nature also allows the workers to handle the components with ease.

105

INTRINSIC FITNESS - ASSEMBLY

The components of the system are easily assembled with just three workers and a lorry crane, in half the time as compared to the current system. The resulting structure does not require any post-process treatment, simplifying the whole workflow.

INTRINSIC FITNESS - CONTOURING The system conforms eloquently to the contours of the perimeter of the work site, creating a seamless boundary.

106

EXTRINSIC FITNESS - GRID

The assembled system provides a natural grid, via the hook and insert system, as a platform for relevant functions. Signage, lighting, shelving, shelter, are but a few purposes that could be designed around this grid.

107

road signage along an expressway construction

LOCUS OF SPACE

The boundary is the intuitive locus of the spaces it defines. This grid provides affordances for the multifarious functions supported by the construction site boundary.

108

shelving system within the work site

109

pedestrian shelter from the elements

110

AESTHETICS

The arrangement of components creates a consistent rhythm, while hiding the naked metal edges from the public. The resultant boundary thus resembles a faรงade rather than a temporary hoarding, projecting a more desirable outlook outwards.

The graphic identity used for public transport in Singapore was also employed for the signs placed on the construction site boundary. This, together with lighting, creates coherent wayfinding for pedestrians, and seeks to blend the construction site into the urban scape.

Using the same mechanism as signs, context specific graphics can be placed onto the construction site boundary. Their modular nature allows them to be constantly updated, enabling the boundary to act as a mode of communication and empathy to the public.

111

Nostalgia panels / Generating empathy through an understanding of the developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past

Cultural panels / Generating empathy through context specificity

112

MANAGEMENT

The mathematical logic that the component system was designed around, not only generates a coherent aesthetic - it also aids in planning of the design of the boundary. With the algorithm created, the dynamic nature of the construction site boundary can be accounted for, allowing logistics and implementation of the boundary to be more efficient, thereby allowing the contractors to put more focus on the main task of construction.

114

CONCLUSION This thesis sought to bridge abstract design exploration with real world problem seeking and solving. Through the exploration of boundaries and their phenomenological attributes, together with a real world investigation of the case subject of construction site boundaries in Singapore, this project aimed to address the different design layers in a coherent outcome.

This is a highly relevant subject in Singapore’s rapidly developing urban climate, and this project was able to garner both academic as well as real world support. LTA’s interest in the project was especially heartening. While the design outcome still requires refinement and proper on-site verification, one of its success as a design project would be that it triggered people to question the purpose of boundaries, especially those of the construction site.

While this concludes the thesis project of construction site boundaries, there are many possibilities in further developing the design. With LTA interest, the design could be pushed further, especially in the areas of manufacturing and testing. In addition, the design could be taken further and adapted to suit contexts with similar needs, like temporary pedestrian walkways for Singapore’s F1 night race for example.

Lastly, the design of objects and experiences through the boundary is a rich area for further exploration, and this thesis aims to highlight this potential. With the increasing number of objects and spaces, and consequently boundaries, filling this world, an increased sensitivity to boundaries and their design would improve the relationship we have to the designed world around us.

115

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my thanks to the following parties that have made this thesis possible: To my thesis supervisor and mentor, Hans. His enthusiasm, empathy and advice guided me through the course of this thesis, and he remains as an inspiring role model for me.

To LTA, in particular Mr Joseph Chua and his colleagues at Contract 912. Their expert opinion and advice was invaluable for formulating the eventual design outcome.

To Cititech Industrial Engineering Pte Ltd, for expediting the prototypes and advising me on the industry manufacturing process.

To the DID tutors, for their comments and teachings that helped pushed this project.

To Dr. Yen, our course coordinator, who was always there for us when we needed help or a listening ear.

To my classmates, for everything, because mere sentence cannot describe the rich four years together.

To my family, for unfailingly remaining as my pillar of support.

116

ANNEX A - LTA CONTRACTS LTA DOCUMENT DEMARCATING THE TUNNELLING ALONG BUKIT TIMAH ROAD

MO NA R

JALAN JAMBU AYER HUA

EN

N SIA

JALAN JAMBU BATU

AN TU

D

BEE SAN AVENUE

U EN AV E

N RA

AVENUE

UE VEN N A

OO

GUA

RW YA

UE

E FL RI GE

SIM DARBY CENTRE

DIN

I PA RK

AV

HUA GUAN GARDEN

G AVENUE PAN

BINJA

WIL

JALAN JAMBU MAWAR

STONE AVENUE

A RO

THE BLOSSOMVALE

D

MAYFAIR GARDENS DUNEARN ROAD BUKIT TIMAH ROAD

KING ALBERT PARK STATION

DRIV E

THE STERLING

KMO RE

MAPLEWOODS

BLAC

CASA ESPERANZA

METHODIST GIRLS SCHOOL

C917 - KING ALBERT PARK STATION

BOUGAINVILLEA PARK DUNEARN ROAD

WATTEN EST ROAD

HILLCREST RO

WATTEN DRIVE

RAFFLES GIRLS’ PRIMARY SCHOOL

AD

NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE

CANAL

BUKIT TIMAH ROAD

DUCHESS ROAD

TAN KAH KEE STATION

HWA CHONG INSTITUTION

C918 - TAN KAH KEE STATION

SPC SERVICE STATION

117

B RO

AD A RO

U CL

VAN D

RF TU

ENG NEO AVENUE

VANDA LINK

SARI JALAN NAGA

AD

DUNEARN ROAD BUKIT TIMAH ROAD SIXTH AVENUE STATION

FIFTH AVENUE CONDO

LEMON AVENUE

LASIA AVENUE

C916 - SIXTH AVENUE STATION

C912 - BUKIT PANJANG STATION

FIFTH AVENUE

SIXTH

AVENUE

E

AVENUE

AVENUE LOTUS

LILY

AVENUE

LILY

SECOND AVENUE

BUKIT TIMAH HOUSE POST OFFICE

THIRD AVENUE

GUTHRIE

SIXTH AVENUE

AV EN U

SECOND AVENUE JUNCTION

2 STY SHOP HOUSES

FOURTH AVENUE

AI MAL ANA

ROYAL VILLE

6TH AVENUE CENTRE

118

ANNEX B - CURRENT COMPONENT DESIGN

119

120

ANNEX C - PART DRAWINGS

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

ANNEX D - ALGORITHM Grasshopper algorithm used to simulate computer aided arrangement

135