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ACADEMIC WORK
a kaleidoscopic symphony p03 abomination tea house p09
PROFESSIONAL WORK toward the shore p13
henning larsen p16 lake monster studio p17
PERSONAL WORK connecting cumbernauld p18
TECHNICAL WORK
bdp (professional) p19
academic p20
Every neighbourhood is a sum of its cultures. Some are mono-cultural, characterised by a single heritage, while others are multicultural, with diverse backgrounds shaping the area. Berlin’s neighbourhood Kreuzberg exemplifies a multicultural neighbourhood containing cultures from across the globe. This multiculturalism is typically known as a “melting-pot”, but this doesn’t quite apply to Kreuzberg, as each culture is so hierarchically distinct within the architecture. In Lawrence Fuchs’s book “The American Kaleidoscope”, he uses a “kaleidoscope of cultures” as a metaphor to describe the voluntary multicultural pluralism in American history, which more accurately describes Kreuzberg.
The building takes the German and Turkish cultures (the two most prevalent in the area) and expresses them as two distinct strata: the convention and the abstraction. The convention houses the solid elements stemming from the classic urban block with the abstraction housing the interstitial foyer space. The intersection of the two forms becomes the kaleidoscopic auditorium. The building is a response to the classical urban block, a distortion of the such. The building will blend the past into the present and into the future. This theatre is for everyone, regardless of ethnicity, background, or taste in music. It will all be accommodated within the intersecting confines of the building, creating a kaleidoscopic symphony of culture and music.
LOOKING DOWN THE CULTURAL KALEIDOSCOPE
Kreuzberg was built for density, being filled with diaspora due to its proximity to the Berlin wall. This kaleidoscope of cultures is evident within the architecture.
Berlin and Istanbul’s urban fabric was analysed and categorized into two different stratas, the convention and the abstraction. The diagonal journey upwards is reflected in the arrangement of the abstraction, promoting movement throughout the public circulation. The facades four distinct elements represent fragments of a bitter memory to many in the past; correlating to the location of the previous tenements, but a view to a new future of Kreuzberg in the present; correlating to the studios, auditorium, back of house, and residential spaces.
The blending and invitation from the external foyer to the internal foyer draws onlookers up and through the building envelope. The central circulation provides a direct link to every public facility in the theatre, creating a seamless, inviting foyer that orients visitors to the kaleidoscopic auditorium.
Mass timber provides the main structural support with timber framing being used as secondary structure for the auditorium. Timber is chosen due to its inherent inviting, yet elegant atmosphere, as well as its environmental properties. The timber structure is fixed with steel connections allowing the theatre to act as one giant truss system stemming from the conventional tenements. The truss system allows a void of light and space to be formed in the abstraction due to the perforated metal flooring.
The Kaleidoscopic Auditorium is the intersection between the solid and interstitial; the convention and the abstraction. The auditorium becomes the kaleidoscope of cultures that allows the people of Kreuzberg and greater Berlin to come together and promote who they are and where they come from. The auditorium acts as a beacon from Kreuzberg connecting cultures from across the world.
RAKED SEATING
HYBRID SEATING
CONVENTION SEATING
GIG SEATING
What : Academic, Tea House Where : Mt. Niseko-Annupuri, Japan
The Abomination Tea House soars in the ether of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. It is positioned between two cliff edges on Mt. Niseko-Annupuri, parallel but out of view of Grand Hirafu Ski Resort. Numerous iterations were experimented with based on parametric scripting before settling on one that fits the specific cliff-face. The design process was rooted in material experimentation, blending fabrics and solids. Final development models incorporated varied compositions of plaster and concrete integrated with a tensile nylon base, culminating in a structure that is both lightweight and resilient. The finalized tea house will feature a composite carbon fibre tensile material, gracefully stretching and anchoring itself to the jagged cliff face.
When : Year 2, Semester | 2022 Supervisor : James Robertson | j.e.robertson@dundee.ac.uk
Mt. Niseko-Annupuri offers a balance of seclusion and accessibility to key cities. While the ski resort is a tourist attraction during the winter, the tea house will provide an attraction for the warmer seasons. While the nearby ski resort thrives during winter, the tea house is envisioned as a summer destination. The abomination positions itself deliberately to capture views of the sunset, offering an unparalleled connection to the natural world.
Experimentation was done with numerous materials including plaster and concrete with the former proving to be most structurally stable with few coatings.
Grasshopper iterations were created to find a suitable abomination geometry for the specific geology of the desired location.
GEOGRAPHICAL ITERATION IMPLEMENTATION
What Professional/Personal, Residential
The previous home, despite being located on a beautiful waterfront site, was derelict and not fit for purpose anymore. There was little connection to the water and beach, thus not taking advantage of its waterfront location. A true connection to the water was achieved through adaptable glazing covering the majority of the rear facade and a roof line that is set outwards. Furthermore, the protruding massing orients and aligns itself toward the waterfront, bringing the interior spaces and beach together. Despite the small plot, two accessory dwelling units were erected on the east end, providing additional affordable housing near the city centre.
Knowing the clients personally, was fortunate enough to be trusted with leading the design of this project from its inception. 3D models and plans helped the clients and myself come to design decisions in the context of the site. My plans were signed off by a local drafting company with very minimal changes. The residence has won multiple awards including a first place in the “Residential Infill “ category from the Canadian Homebuilders Association
When designing dwellings, specifically private ones, it is important to note key pieces of art, memorabilia, and items that will be showcased. The spacing around the kitchen area was designed around one painting which headed the dining room in their previous home.
What Architecture Internship
Where : Copenhagen, Denmark
When : 2024-2025
Who: Rasmus Larsen, Mark Hocking, Henrik Vuust, Maja Cieplak
Henning Larsen has always been a practice deeply admired for their philosophy on human-centred design. While embracing the shift toward digital tool, the firm maintains an emphasis on more analogue methods during the design development process. Through my time here so far, have picked up on many of these skills, implementing them into my design process within the team am a part of. Currently, we are tackling a mixed-use housing and office block project that bridges a canal housing district and an adjacent commercial district. The aim of the plan is to create a buffer between the two distinct characters, blending the two zones into a cohesive masterplan.
Physical models help clients visualise projects in three dimensions much more efficiently than diagrams in perspectives they are rarely accustomed to. Furthermore, allowing the model to be flexible in its massing configuration promotes a more collaborative, hands-on approach during meetings. There is a rich history of model making at Henning Larsen, of which have already learned much from.
What Architecture Internship
Where : Vernon, Canada
When : 2022
Who: Kimberly Fuller, Joshua Lunn, Vince Romaszewski
During my summer at LMS helped in the design of wineries, breweries, and housing schemes across the Okanagan region. Concurrently, created a website for the firm to showcase their past, and upcoming projects. Visualisations, diagrams, and plans were made for each project, prioritising simplicity in their communication. was brought to building sites often to learn about the construction process of our projects.
What is Cumbernauld, and more importantly, who is Cumbernauld?
Through conversing with the residents of the ‘satellite town’ came to the conclusion that the people of Cumbernauld signify connectivity. Cumbernauld was built on a big idea; a revolutionary megastructure. But it was not built with community coming first so with the walls brought down and barriers removed, a cohesive city can be conceived for an already cohesive community. Cumbernauld has always been more than just an excerpt of Glasgow, but it’s time the machine became a reflection of not just the person, but the people; a connected town centre.
Architecture competitions provide me an opportunity to work in contexts normally absent in academia. Furthermore, they act as a testing ground for philosophical and spatial ideas that I may or may not want to develop further during my studies. Competitions have helped me hone in on what societal issues and concepts plan on tackling during my graduate studies.
We must anthropomorphise the machine into the human, providing connectivity for the community. Instead of being built for the passing automobile, Cumbernauld is now built as a destination.
with and under supervision of Kath MacTaggart
As a part of my position as an Architectural Assistant at BDP Glasgow, was tasked with helping the landscape department create detail drawings for many of the educational projects already under construction. also participated in Passivehaus training as a part of a voluntary initiative to reduce our carbon footprint as a practice.
