D a v i d L a i d l e r S t a g e 3 A r c h i t e c t u r e P o r t f o l i o S e s s i o n 2 0 1 4 / 1 5
David Laidler Stage 3 Architecture Portfolio [AP4] Session 2014/15
Contents 1. Year Design Report [AP2] Page 6 2. Memory Page 8 3. Mass Page 48 4. Charrette Page 82 New and Improved Work Marked with +
Non Design Modules [AP5] ARC 3013: Architectural technology ARC 3014: Professional Practice and Managment ARC 3015: Principles and Theories of Architecture (Refer to Seperate Document)
[AP2] Year Design Report
Previous Previously in stage 2 my development in Architecture has focused mainly on learning how to present work through a variety of media. For example I was learning to use AutoCAD and sketch Up and beginning to apply these tools to my work. What was lacking previously in my work was a drive towards creating interesting designs and pushing concepts to their potential. The design work from Stage 2 began to develop in creating working spaces but my designs did not go much further than this. Explaining my designs effectively via presentations was something that needed to be improved so this which was one of my main goals at the beginning of stage 3.
Charrette The charette this year resulted in me taking a more direct and leading approach to the project. From working with casting during charrette I found this process to be an enjoyable way of working in design. When it came to the choices of studio I felt that the ‘Matter’ being based around experimenting with concrete was a fitting choice.
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Mass
Memory
Non design Modules
Beginning the year with this project, I was introduced to the method of casting various forms to develop my design. This enabled me to think about architectural design through materials and forms as opposed to previously just thinking about the final shape of the building. By only casting models with concrete and plaster this enabled me to further understand the material qualities of concrete. As this process of designing was new to me I did find it challenging as I did not know at first where my design was leading. After a few weeks of casting and studying the site for the project casts focused more heavily on an existing wall of the site. This lead to me creating the main cast piece for the project. The next challenge for me which I found difficult initially was translating the form of the cast to the building form. To overcome this, I investigated the cast more and translated the cast forms directly onto the site. As the casting exercises evolved from my own experimentation, I became confident in my design process by realising that what I was doing was unique and that my decisions weren’t wrong decisions but my own decisions that were based on the results of my process work. Feedback from the final crit identified the need for me to focus on the erosion process in even more detail. Instead of focusing on the whole building working I was advised to invest time in developing the erosion part of the building as it was the key to the building design and project. To address this feedback I focused on the facade of the building, using various external designs to enhance the erosion.
The approach to the graduation project varied from semester 1, the project itself focusing on Brutalist buildings and celebrating their architecture by designing an archive. The project began with choosing a site in which to situate the building which presented its own challenges, for example designing on a steep slope. The initial approach of the design dealt with observing the flow throughout the site and creating a building which would make best use of existing transitional spaces. By using a similar approach adopted during the first semester project of casting various forms, I found myself learning about the site through modelling different elements through casting exercises. With my intentions to create my best design throughout the degree I pushed forward initial ideas of circulation through ramps up the slope. During the interim crit this was highlighted as not working to its full potential and raised issues in how people were able to use the space. This lead me to thinking more about the spaces I wanted to create, looking back at Brutalist buildings and understanding how they worked, incorporating these functional qualities to my design. Through the graduation project I wanted to aim higher with my design and produce a building that I was proud to design. I feel that through continuous experimental casting. Working with concrete and plaster in form making I was able to show my potential by pushing concepts as far as I could and making them into working designs.
From the beginning of stage 3, working on the dissertation alongside the project became a useful tool when thinking about architecture as designing. My dissertation focused on the ‘Reuse of Redundant Churches in the Church of England’. I researched how churches have been reused and how effective their reuses were in terms of respecting the structure of the church while creating new spaces in the existing church. This became practical in both design projects as they both presented opportunities to work from existing structures on site. The professional practice and management coursework focused on planning permission and brought my attention to how the building would work in the existing context of the site and existing buildings. When discussing my approach to design through the Principle and theories I looked further into the processes untaken throughout the year and how valuable casting is not only in my own work but as a way of documenting the past which became a key development in the later stages of the graduation project. I feel that my work at the end of the degree is a great achievement for myself and looking back at previous projects I understand clearly the mistakes made and how I would take on a different approach to previous projects with the knowledge I now have. My biggest challenge over the degree was to push my design and I feel that I became confident in that starting stage 3. This kind of experimentation approach would have been of great benefit to previous projects throughout the degree but by making mistakes I have learnt valuable lessons in my approach to architecture.
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Memory This project focuses on Brutalism and understanding its meaning whilst looking back at Brutalism as a style, reflecting on the existing and demolished Brutalist buildings within the North East of England. The aim of the project was to create an archive of Brutalism in which people can view, engage with and learn about Brutalism.
Memory | Barbican Collage (Left) | North East Brutalist Collage (Right)
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Memory | Site Plan of Durham
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Memory| Photographic Journey, Durham Cathedral to Dunelm House
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Memory | Site visit to Durham
The site for the project is located in Durham City Centre across the river from Dunelm house alongside Kingsgate Bridge. The site itself is a steep slope hidden amongst trees below street level with public routes both above and below the slope.
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Memory| Kingsgate Bridge | Thinking Through Making
As part of Thinking Through Making week I produced a painting of Kingsgate Bridge focusing on the overgrowing nature of the site and the weathering of the bridge.
Kingsgate Bridge is a busy route through Durham being the key link across the river between the City Centre and the residential area of Durham.
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Memory | Site Section | Sectional Route Plan View (Right)
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Memory | London Visit | Barbican, National Theatre, Brunswick Center
As part of my research into Brutalism, I visited the Barbican, Brunswick Centre and The National Theater. These buildings began to influence my design thinking during the project. The way in which the Barbican in articular worked with the public space in the centre of the site, walkways and residential buildings along the perimeter of the space, and sculptural elements of building form became a big influence in the way I thought about designing the archive.
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Memory| Peterlee | Apollo pavilion Visit
The Apollo Pavilion is a sculptural piece of public art located within Peterlee. Similarly to some Brutalist buildings, the pavilion became neglected and nearing destruction during its life time. Due to its impact that it had within the new town of Peterlee it was eventually restored to its original state bringing life to it once again.
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Memory | Development Models
As est ing ple
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Kingsgate Bridge is one of the busiroutes through Durham, the builddesign focused around bringing peofrom this route into the building.
Memory| Interim Stage Development
Early design responses lead to an idea of circulating people up from the river level to the top of the building along a ramp. The idea behind this worked but required development to bringing people into the building and around the building.
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Memory | Building Form Response
Two main public routes. Btidge level leading to street level. River level below.
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Construct a mass that connects both public routes together creating access points at both levels.
Rotate top two levels to allowan access point at bridge level.
Street, bidge and river levels connected giving access to the buildingat from each level.
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Memory | Daylight Strategy
The design of the building focuses around natural daylight. By placing a large scale sculptural piece in the base of the building and funnelling light down from the top, daylight filters down the building highlighting the lowest floor of the building.
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Memory| Archive Daylight Study Models
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Memory | Daylight Strategy
The second stage of the natural day light strategy involved bringing light directly into the building at various points of the day.
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Memory| building Light and Interaction concept
By using thicker walls in the design models are able to be displayed within certain spaces within the walls. As the users of the building circulate around the building, the openings provide views to the site at various points as well as display spaces.
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Memory | Section A-A
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Memory | Level 4 (Street Level)
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Memory| Top Floor Entrance Level
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Memory | Level 3 (Bridge Level)
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Memory| Urban Room Visual
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Memory | Bridge Level Technical Detailing
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Openings on roof allowing for ventilation.
Thermal Mass
Stack Ventilation
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Memory| Facade Design
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The building uses precast panels along the exterior of the building. The idea behind the design follows the function of the building. As you descend down the building and archive you become more involved with Brutalism. The pre cast panel design becomes more frequently ribbed concrete down the exterior of the building.
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Memory | Level 2 (Archive)
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Memory| Archive Interior
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Memory | Level 1 (Archive)
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Memory| Looking Down Archive
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Memory | Level 0 (River Level)
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Memory| Looking Up Archive to Top of the Building
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Memory | Axonometric
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Memory| Section B-B
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Memory | Final Cast
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Memory| Elevation
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Memory | Final Boards
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Mass This project focuses on the existing archaeology of the site located in Newcastle Upon Tyne. The project focuses on creating exhibition spaces using daylight to exhibit artefacts.
Memory | Artefact Collage
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Memory | Site Visit
The site for the projects is located in Newcastle City Centre next to the Castle Keep. The route through the site leads down to the Quayside which is a busy route between these areas.
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Mass | Hepworth Gallery Visit
As part of researching into displaying artefacts within natural daylight, I visited the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield. This building makes good use of natural light to light sculptures whilst offering large focused views of the surrounding area.
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Mass | Site Plan
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Mass | Site Section
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Mass | Casting Exercises
The initial task of the project involved experimentation with concrete. I began to experiment with various forms, learning about the process of casting and the various outcomes that can be achieved from the process.
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Mass | Erosion Casting
Continuing with the casting experiment, I focused on the site itself and casting based on my observations.
Eroding Wall
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One part of the site became a focus of the experiment, this was the existing castle wall. Over time the wall had eroded due to weathering on the site.
By taking this idea of erosion I cast a block of concrete and forced water through the cast piece, replicating the erosion process through concrete.
Where the water passed through the cast piece became the focus point of the design by creating an eroded public route through the building.
The outcome of the cast resulted in two rough blocks which took the form of the water passing through the cast piece.
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Mass | Transalting Cast into Building Form
Place block mass on site
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Angle building to follow angle of the cast piece.
Erode the central public space through the building.
Cast piece translated into building form.
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Memory | Elevation
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Mass | Interior Concept Sketches
Erosion Central Space
Exhibition Interior
View to the site
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Memory | Level 0
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Mass | Artifact Display
Situated within the walls of the archive are artifacts lit my daylight.
Artefact Display
Coin Display
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Memory | Level 1
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Mass | Central Erosion Concept
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Memory | Journey Through Site and Exhibition
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Re used Staircase
Black Gate
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Castle Keep
Exhibition
Eroded Wall
Mass | Axonometric of Exhibition Spaces
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View of Staircase reusing existing staircase on the site.
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Memory | Interior Visuals, Lower Exhibition (Left)| Upper Exhibition (Right)
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Mass | Artefacts Displayed in Exhibition
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Memory | Section Through Building
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Mass | Technical Detailing (Left) | Environmental Strategy (Right)
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By crating light tunnels within the structure of the walls, light filters down into the building shining directly onto the artifacts on display.
Thermal Mass
Stack Ventilation
Daylighting
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Memory | Level 2
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Mass | Level 3
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Memory | Elevation
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Mass | Photo montage
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Memory | Final Boards
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Charrette This project focuses on the brick crisis in England. This one week project involved looking into ways of recycling bricks.
Memory | Group Work
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Mass | Recycled Work
By collecting broken bricks and aggregate we were able to recreate a wall by mixing it with cement.
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