A T hree-Ecologies Approach to Market Square e-Folio
Studio name: STD0 Pivot the City. Design Research Studio D. Semester 1, 2021. Swinburne University of Technology Studio leader - Dr Ammon Beyerle Sandra Anahi Mansilla Hsyu Master of Architecture and Urban Design Unit Convenor - Dr Ian Woodcock, Course Director Architecture and Urban Design
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This folio is a summary of my learning process during Semester 1 in Design Research Studio D - Pivot the City. Its structure has been designed by having the chapters chronologically week by week to demonstrate my progression along the semester. It is designed to be read along with the Thesis Booklet. Inspired by Guattari’s theory about the three ecologies, my thesis seeks to put in check the business-as-usual approach by exploring a typology that approaches the three ecologies at the same time to achieve an ecological equilibrium and become the catalyst of a real transformation in Geelong. It will speculate how this precinct may provoke a contagious effect and inspire future developments to change the course and aspire for more sustainable, resilient, inclusive and creative cities that our future will demand. Throughout these pages, you will discover my design-thinking process, explorations, concepts, reflections and questions I had as part of my design research process. Warning: this folio only can be fully comprehended by people who understand sensibility as a tool to design architecture and city
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01
Power
Ecosophy + Agency (self) Ecologies / 7-10 Agency / 11 My current ecosophy / 12-17
02 Horizons (power) Making public space (social)
Part A. Analisys of public spaces / 19-24 Part B. Watch, read & record / 25
03 Moments (material) Affordances (traces)
Visit & study / 27-43 Watch, read & record / 44-45
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04 Site analysis
07 New iteration
05 Masterplan
08 Towards the f inal design I 11 Towards the f inal design IV
UD leader + Individual research Environmental Analysis / 47-55 Site visits / 56-57 Geelong Design Week webinars / 58-59
Vision for Geelong in the future Vision, Site research & Big ideas / 61-65 Block attack / 66-81 Urban impact / 82-89 Precedent studies / 90-92 Human experience / 93-99
06 Project 1
Mid-semester review & critiques Speech / 101-102 Slideshow / 103-112 Feedback / 113 Reflections & ideas to redefine / 114-119 Brief studies / 120-121
Form finding + Social Ecology Shadow studies / 123-125 Form finding / 126-133 Personas / 134-135 In-class exercise / 136-138
Housing block, redefined group masterplan & cross-studio Shadow studies / 123-125 Form finding / 126-133 Personas / 134-135 In-class exercise / 136-138
10 Towards the f inal design III
Points of conflict. Ground plane & level 3 design Identifying points of conflict / 180-181 Ground plane design / 182-187 Third level design / 188-191
Finalising details & drawings Human experience / 193-201
09 Towards the f inal design II 12 Final design Housing block design & structure studies
Project 2. Viva voce
Housing block design / 163-171 Structure studies / 172-177
Viva voce / 203-221 Feedback & critiques / 222-225
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Week 01 Power
Ecosophy + Agency (self)
“Ecosophy” (ecological-philosophy) is a term proposed by both French philosopher and psychoanalyst Félix Guattari, and Norwegian philosopher and philosopher and mountain climber Arne Næss, to describe an all encompassing world-view of sustainability. Guattari refers to “The Three Ecologies” and Næss refers to “Deep Ecology”. (Extract from STD0 handout Assignment 1) This chapter shows the beginning of my thesis journey. This assignment was interesting in many aspects. First of all, it was my first contact with Guattari’s ecologies; which weeks later would set the theoretical base of my thesis. Another interesting aspect of this exercise was asking myself about my ecosophy. Looking back at my previous studio projects, I start reflecting on how they express my design thinking, values, how I see the world and architecture. Now I see that all the readings, theories and movies I was introduced, inspired and empowered me for the rest of the semester - a good exercise to position myself at the starting line race. 6
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Week 02
Horizons (power) Making public space (social)
Groupwork: Jessica Lupita, Arsen Sarkisian, Evan Chan & Sandra A. Mansilla Hsyu
[...]Sennett argues that participation and governance have everything to do with the future of cities and making public space. What does it mean to be public? What is public space? In the The Human Condition, Hannah Arendt calls for a return to civic republicanism. What is the relationship between being public and being in public space? What does private space and urban structure mean to that? How is public space (re)made and maintained? (Extract from STD0 handout Assignment 2) Although this exercise was a good opportunity to analyse in depth a precedent that might support our design process weeks later, I feel that our analysis was lacking a sensitive approach and was limited merely to a description. Even though I think that the case studies were appropriate ---especially the second one that had the potential to be related to Market Square directly- now I realised that we missed a real observation to understand the occupancy that humans do of the space, the use of materials and textures to enable interactions, the role of the project as the identity of the place, the conceptualisation of time, among others. Sadly, that would have been a lot of help during my design process. 18
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Week 03
Moments (material) Affordances (traces)
Groupwork: Anjali Patel, Melissa Woon & Sandra A. Mansilla Hsyu “Cities are material/social spaces which are historically contingent and can be made and unmade in different configurations over time, [...] In this complex array of connections, interconnections and networks, differences and socialities are performed and enacted, both constituted in the spaces of the city, and themselves constitutive of the very city itself.” - Watson (2019, p. 328) (Extract from STD0 handout Assignment 3). This task introduced us to a few concepts that might have implications during our design process later on. We looked at the importance that some objects have to signify a space, no matter how small or big it is, has a role when creating a space from human experience. Even simple, like tends in Steampacket Gardens, can transform radically spaces in different moments. Also, we thought about concepts of duality like temporality/permanency and utility/decoration. Another takeaway from this exercise was the method of analysis and mapping that, in my case, I applied in my precedents analysis for my thesis. Analysing the space “in layers” helped me to visualise what is important (or not) and how it relates to its neighbours. 26
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Week 04a
F loodings
Site analysis
UD leader (Environmental analysis) + Individual research
Market Square, Geelong occupies 2.9ha – half a city block in the city centre –a city enacting change and embracing design, and a costal home to 270,000, Australia’s second-fastest growing city, a series of places in the midst of becoming something else. Market Squre is right amongst it. The City of Greater Geelong is embarking upon a masterplan for Market Square. It will be a strategic site for urban regeneration, catalysed by the introduction of affordable housing and other new uses. (Extract from STD0 handout Assignment 4). This chapter shows a first approach to the site analysis; first, considering a macro scale looking at Central Geelong from an environmental perspective (since this topic would be related to my thesis proposal later on); and for the second half of the analysis, I zoomed into Market Square, researching about the environmental ecology and the atmosphere I captured during my visits. At the end of the chapter, there is a summary of the online events I attended during Geelong Design Week to embed myself even more about the site. 46
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Trees
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Bird Atlas
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F loodings
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Greenspaces
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Tree Species
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Site visits
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Geelong Design Week 2021 Events attended online
Hidden rails – history and heritage in the Civic Precinct
Urban design and our Civic Precinct: Creating active community spaces
Designing Geelong webinar series: What urban design can learn from Country?
Hidden Geelong
Thurs 18 March, 9:00am to 11:00am Presented by: City of Greater Geelong and Quintessential Equity
Fri 19 March, 2:00pm to 4:00pm Presented by: City of Greater Geelong and Quintessential Equity
Wed 24 March, 12:00pm - 1:00pm Presented by: City of Greater Geelong, Urban Design and Heritage
Mon 22 March, 6:00pm - 7:00pm Presented by: City of Greater Geelong, Urban Design and Heritage
Did you know Mercer Street was once home to a railway that ran up Cunningham Pier?
How do you bring a city to life with design? And what kinds of public spaces would you like to see in Central Geelong?
The urban landscape of Geelong hides a rich history of Wadawurrung and European heritage.
Learn from an expert panel how Geelong’s fascinating industrial history is woven into the design of its new Civic Precinct. Make your own impact in a workshop on the exciting possibilities for the precinct’s historic building at 151 Mercer.
Hear from designers, community leaders and more as they unpack how urban design is creating vibrant and welcoming city spaces. Then dive into the plans for Geelong’s upcoming Civic Precinct and workshop your ideas for the new public space it will create along Bayley Street.
Aboriginal people have always been innovators, inventors, storytellers and creatives. How can 67,000 plus years of wisdom provide the basis for urban development?
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Market Square, nestled in the heart of the city, is a site of immense significance. Hidden beneath the surfaces, and within the bricks and mortar, are important stories that reveal this shared heritage. Learn about the importance of the site to Wadawurrung traditional owners as a lagoon and birthplace of Willem Baa-nip, as the City’s main public marketplace and the site of the 1879 Exhibition Buildings. A Three-Ecologies Approach to Market Square | Sandra Anahi Mansilla Hsyu
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Week 04b Masterplan
Vision for Geelong in the future Groupwork: Alyssa Berona, Nilesh Khare, Anchal Sood & Sandra A. Mansilla Hsyu
For this task, we were required to work in groups and “develop a masterplan for the whole Market Square [...] Consider how the site connects to its context, and, which parts of the site are most available and feasible to retain, demolish, alter or build on and how. The Masterplan should be a vision for Geelong in the future”. The key aspects to address were access, density, form/ typology & interfaces. (Extract from STD0 handout Assignment 4). This task was the most challenging one for me since we had several discrepancies to make a group proposal that can work for us. The outcome for this task was not too bad, however, the problem raised when we started to adapted to our individual thesis projects in the following weeks. I think that one of the reasons is that our proposals were very different from each other, and even though we tried to find a connective tread, it was not strong enough to maintain it. Unfortunately we have not been able to make it work at the end. 60
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Week 06 Project 1
Mid-semester review & critiques
This chapter shows “my first design”, my research process, and outcomes during the first half of the semester. In the first part, I included my speech and final slideshow, where I showed the design research process I had been doing in parallel for my thesis project: theoretical background, precedents analysis, design principles, the method for approach, and my first ideas for design. The second part of this chapter includes the feedback I received from the panel, that triggered new questions for research. My sketches are a synthesis of ideas about how can my design be improved and test new iterations, especially for the tower and the public realm (refer to Thesis Booklet). As another suggestion from the panel was to be more aware of the programme that can truly activate the site, I took a few steps back and I analysed the programme around Market Square in more depth - this is shown at the end of the chapter. 100
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Inspired from Félix Guattari theory about ecological harmony of three dynamic forces (social, mental and environmental ecologies), I applied it to an urban design and architectural perspective since I believe that a co-existence between hybrid architecture, biophilic urbanism and a public realm as a social activator may represent these three ecologies that will shape the cities of tomorrow if we seek to live in equilibrium with the environment. So, my design intend is to explore a typology that approaches the three ecologies at the same time to achieve an ecological equilibrium and become the catalyst of a real transformation in Geelong. I will speculate how this precinct may provoke a contagious effect and inspire future developments to change the course and aspire for more sustainable, resilient, inclusive and creative cities that our future will demand.
As part of my research, I did some precedents analysis, particularly focused on Hybrid buildings and Biophilic design. I based my analysis on Fernandez Per and William Browning books about these two topics, to investigate how these precedents responded to patterns that these types of buildings should have according to the authors. From there, I took some design concepts that I applied to Market Square, according to the site research. It’s worth mentioning that from our previous group Masterplan we showed at the beginning, I took the idea of having the central core and using the South façade for the tallest buildings; but for the rest, this will be a new proposition. From the Hybrid Building analysis, these are the key patterns I have to respond to. Concerning the Project Scale, I’m planning to maintain the same height as the context, and concentrating the densification in one dense,
tall and slim tower in the corner that will act as a landmark in the urbanscape. Looking at the urban connectivity, I’ll extend the laneways to break down my block. It’ll be accessed only by pedestrians to give that central core to the public domain. In terms of the programme, the site will bring some bits from the main facilities close by. In that sense, Education and Health will have an important role. So the idea will be, for example, bringing small medical clinics and some courses from Deakin University to be taught here. Those uses will be concentrated on the first two levels, while on the third level we’ll have a social condenser, with uses given to the community and be focused on cultural&educational spaces, coworking areas for local entrepreneurs, etc. This social condenser level will act as a transition between public&private since the residential and workspaces will be concentrated on the tower.
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Finally, regarding the Biophilic Design, I discovered that it’s not only about greening everywhere but the connection with nature can be manifested in other aspects like analogues, materials and space quality. So, from there and moving to the design process, the question is how to approach these three ecologies at the same time. In that sense, this is my plan for the rest of the semester. I plan to touch all of them at this first part of the process, the conceptual design (and where I’m now), by incorporating the patterns. And then, I’ll focus on the hybrid building itself, and finally, in the end, I’ll refine and work on more detail for the other two ecologies in other to have an ecological balanced outcome. Here’s the zoomed area I’ll show you next. This is a view from Yarra & Little Malop St, where you can see the main tower and the social condenser level. Permeability is one 102
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of the main characteristics of hybrid buildings, so I’m planning to make the entire site not only permeable on the Ground level but also vertical, by subtracting part of the mass, which might add some vegetation as well... Jumping on a smaller scale, the first consideration I had was about a schematic programme distribution on the Ground Level. So, to create a crossed relationship between Market Square and the existing facilities location, I decided to place the Educational programme on the Southeastern side, and the Health-related one on the opposite. From Deakin University, I’m interested in bringing some Creative Arts courses to this area. So, for example, here we have a Dance Studio and an Arts Atelier. Then, looking at how I wanted people to move around the site, I started to define activities that I wanted to use as attraction points and how the relationship between outside/inside would be. In this case, the Art
Atelier would be an attractor point if we have a blank canvas facing the street with some artists performing. And then, we’d have some small holes in the wall that would provoke in people the curiosity to see what’s going on inside, until they get into the green core. Looking at this relationship in a section, again, we can see artists performing while visitors are watching from the outside. Here, the Dance Studio and a lower window to spy from. Some terraces make this space more porous. And, in terms of the biophilic design, I tried to cover the main patterns, with things like the visual connection with nature, organic forms in the paving, materiality, the use of topography (for the prospect factor) and by giving some ‘mystery’ along the journey. Finally, some schematic perspectives for you to understand a bit of the atmosphere.
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Reviewer Group name:
INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUAL PROJECT 1: PROJECT 1: Student [SIMULATIONS ] Name
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT 1: [SCALES+SETTIN GS]
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT 1: [DESIGN RESEARCH]
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT 1: [DESIGN PROPOSITION]
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT 1: Comments
Ammon
MASTER PLAN OVERALL: Please add a few comments below if you have more to say to provide guidance for the students and their projects. Group 2: Alyssa (Arch), No further comments. There will Anchal (Arch), Nilesh be a need to synthesise the group (Arch), Sandra (Arch+UD) work to be useful.
Sandra
4. VERY GOOD
4. VERY GOOD
4. VERY GOOD
4. VERY GOOD
Group 2: Alyssa (Arch), Excellent work Anchal (Arch), Nilesh (Arch), Sandra (Arch+UD)
Sandra MansillaHsyu
5. EXCELLENT
5. EXCELLENT
2. 3. SATISFACTORY UNSATISFACTORY
SWll many many words, with great diagrams and sketches. Need to find ways to focus so that the ideas have more hierarchy, and clarity. The task for design research is to figure out what really maYers and focus there. You have a great foundaWon for further work over the semester, well done. Try to figure out a visual language that is rich (people, life, change, Wme) for large and small scale design work. The final renders look quite impressive - how can you analyse and reflect on these? Sketches are great, take care when ge^ng into CAD so not to lose life. Take care to consider Wme, when you think about use. Why not tall buildings everywhere? Do work to challenge assumpWons (and test them) Will you be modelling all of the negaWve environmental effects of the tower to ensure that these are minimised through design? There are many tools you can use to simulate effects and iteraWvely improve performance. Also, it seems like you have seYled on a soluWon a liYle prematurely. It doesn't take much to make a landmark small things, beauWful things, strange things, well-used and loved buildings will become landmarks. So is there also a quesWon here: what is a landmark? If we accept the need for a landmark, could your thesis explore what this might mean in 21c Geelong? What is it "marking", and why? Is it just a way of maximising profits? If it's about views, what other ways are there to do this, and how could you use design to research them? How does this landmark relate to history, on this site? How can the landmark be 'owned' by everyone? Is that even possible?
IW
Amruta Almin
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Group 2: Alyssa (Arch), Good work Anchal (Arch), Nilesh (Arch), Sandra (Arch+UD)
Sandra
4. VERY GOOD
5. EXCELLENT
5. EXCELLENT
Sandra
5. EXCELLENT
3. SATISFACTORY 5. EXCELLENT
5. EXCELLENT
The project master plan looks like it has the potenWal for genuine collaboraWon, but already your project has departed somewhat. Are there ways to bring things back together again? It would be good, esp since you have such a good site model, to consider some integraWon of 'adapWve re-use' of as much of the site as feasible and desirable - especially the mulW-deck parking garage. More human scale perspecWve
4. VERY GOOD
Maybe too big of a difference in built form between exisWng and proposed
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New questions for research
Public realm
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Hybrid buildings
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Imaging laneways that connect Little Malop St with the green core. Can they show part of the activities that take place in the building? Creative Arts? 116
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Sketching other ways to add density, without a tower. Distributing in horizontal? Adding a green skin? A Three-Ecologies Approach to Market Square | Sandra Anahi Mansilla Hsyu
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How to use the carpark building? (creating habitable modules - min. conditions for lighting/ventilation A void/green core in the middle that host the horizontal/ vertical circulation? 118
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New programme, more diversification in activities and uses. And how they can be distributed in the site / First ideas of substraction of the massing of the carpark buildings for ventilation and light / Programme relation with immediate context A Three-Ecologies Approach to Market Square | Sandra Anahi Mansilla Hsyu
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Redefined brief and programme based on mid-sem comments Studies of the programme around Market Square in more depth. What activities that those have can I bring to the site? I discovered the programs community-focused that the Geelong Hospital and St John of God Hospital have and can be relocated in my project. I worked on the programme distribution based on degree of publicness. 120
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Shadow studies
Week 07
Case 1. 1st design (only core void)
New iteration
Form finding + Shifting to the Social ecology
Autumn
Spring
Continuing with the design changes based on mid-sem critics, this week I focused on the housing block since the tower scale I had in my previous design was argued the most. Firstly, I did some shadows studies to look at the environmental impact that the tower might cause around the site and tested new forms that might have a different consequence. This chapter also shows some iterations during my form-finding process, where I studied the massing and the concept of porosity applied into the design, as well as the first prefiguration for materials and acknowledging time. At the end of the chapter, there were included my first personas profile as a requirement of a new task. I guess that this moment was when I started to shift my design approach towards the social ecology by starting to imagine who I am designing for. 122
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Winter
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Shadow studies
Shadow studies
Case 2. 1st design (core void + tower)
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Case 3. New design: Housing block
Autumn
Spring
Autumn
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Summer
Winter
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Form-f inding
Testing mass <> voids relations
GH definition: Populate 3d, OcTree & managing lists
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Form-f inding
Testing tectonic <> stereotomic
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Form-f inding
First approach to materials
Transparencies Timber Perforated metal?
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Form-f inding First approach to time
View from Little Malop & Moorabool St. 9 am
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View from Little Malop & Moorabool St. 12 pm
View from Little Malop & Moorabool St. 3 pm
View from Little Malop & Moorabool St. 6 pm
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(Shifting to) the Social ecology Personas profile
Who I am designing for...? 134
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(Shifting to) the Social ecology In-class exercise. Imagining Mindy’s home
“What can be improved?”
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(Shifting to) the Social ecology
In-class exercise. Imagining Mindy’s home & neighbourhood
How the three-ecologies approach can be scalable? (Mindy’s neighbourhood)
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Week 08
Towards the f inal design I
Housing block, redifined group masterplan & cross-school studio This was a very intense week! First, I jumped from the concept of a porous housing block to reality. In the first part of this chapter, I show the process I did for the housing block design: modular housing precedent studies, testing different base module sizes, designing the unit layout for the personas I had defined previously, considering the vertical circulation and how the access points in the ground level would be, and the final massing that includes the units outlines and outdoor voids. It was a manual process that took me quite a lot of time, but worth it in the end. The second part of this chapter includes a not very successful redefined group masterplan, where we stitch our individual projects, and decided the ideas we would maintain from our previous proposition. At the end of the chapter, there are some slides I made for the cross-studio presentation we had this week with students from Monash University. The session was productive not only because of the feedback I got from some of them but also the fact of compiling my work so far and be able to explain it in a very synthetic way, made me more aware of where I was - let’s say that I organised the (messy) ideas in my head. This point was when I identified the places of conflict as my case studies for further design. Another interesting exercise was to create a collage that synthesises our thesis: it became my hero image until the final presentation. 140
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Housing typologies studies Precedents analysis
Prefigurations of what people can find when go out from the apartments (ground floor hall) Testing possible modules combinations, and dwelling types resulting
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Housing typologies studies Designing for personas
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Housing typologies studies Vertical circulation
First, I considered having a main horizontal circulation in the middle (which I might add a green spine or something more organic). However, I realised that I would be wasting too much area for circulation, rather than habitable space. So then I decided to add more vertical circulations and focalise the units distributions in groups (small communities?) 146
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Housing typologies studies Units distribution in plan
For this process, I combine sketch (in scale) in plan and modelling the units in 3d to make sure it was not blocking the outdoor space in vertical. When I placed the units, I also acknowledged which areas would be more social/private, and then would need ventilation/light or can be utilised for services/wet areas.
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Housing typologies studies Units distribution in plan
I also had to use translucent paper to place one level on top of the other to have a better sense of which terraces were accessible (was in the same plane). 150
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Housing typologies studies Massing studies
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Redif ined group masterplan In-class discussion
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Redif ined group masterplan Final masterplan. Stitching ideas
Mine
Nilesh’s
Anchal’s
Alyssa’s
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Cross-studio presentation
Where I am now? / Synthesis of my design research process
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Cross-studio presentation
Where I am now? / Synthesis of my design research process
“Illustrate your design proposal in one single image showing human experience!”
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Week 09
Housing block design
Mental & Social ecology acting together
Towards the f inal design II Housing block design & Structure studies
This week, I continued working on the housing block. I defined the main areas for all the unit layouts. As every level was different, the process could not be standardised or using identical units. Looking back, maybe I spent too much time working on this part that it was not totally related to my thesis topic. Rather than designing every level, I might have used that time to test more iterations for points of contact between units (smaller scale). During this week, I did some research about the structural system that I would use. I based my research on Kaufmann et al. Manual of Multi-Storey Timber Construction mainly for the primary structure, and some other sources for the green roof and secondary structure.
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Housing block design
Mental & Social ecology acting together
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Housing block design
Mental & Social ecology acting together
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Housing block design Social ecology winning the battle
In-class exercise to draw a Section 1.20 in the board. “The atmosphere is good, but how’s the structure?” 168
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Housing block design
A place for rebalance. Evolution of the concept
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Structure studies Reading material & precedents
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Structure studies Moodboard
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Structure studies Applaying learnings
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Week 10
Towards the f inal design III Points of conflict. Ground plane & level 3 design
The final presentation was getting closer, and I was running out of time! So far I had been working only on the housing block, and I still needed to solve the other two points of conflict (ground floor and 3rd level). This chapter shows my design process for both of them, the concepts and key ideas I had to approach the design and the typology resolution in plan, being aware of the existing structural modules in the carpark building and the new structure for the other two. 178
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Points of conf lict
Identifying points of contact & programme relation
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Ground plane design Concepts & first ideas
First prefigurations of the pivoting wall / How the building can open to the street / Access through the hearth of the building 182
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Ground plane design Concepts & first ideas
Carpark building / How can set up the layout base on the modules of the existing structure and my needs (programme)?
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Carpark building / Defining relation between spaces, restrooms and access A Three-Ecologies Approach to Market Square | Sandra Anahi Mansilla Hsyu
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Ground plane design Concepts & first ideas
Final ground floor plan
polishing details / furniture and space design 186
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T hird level design Concepts & first ideas
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T hird level design Concepts & first ideas
Final 3rd level floor plan
Identifying structural elements & supports
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Week 11
Human experience Design + rendering process
Towards the f inal design IV Finalising details & drawings
Week 11, only one week to go. This week was very challenging because I had to be realistic about the small amount of time I had and, for that reason, I had to give up drawings that I would not be able to produce or even things to solve. Accepting that things might not be as I would love to, in terms of quality and quantity. It was an extremely difficult decision to make for someone perfectionist and very tough with herself. Having that situation as my background, this chapter shows the final process of polishing renders and collages for the final presentation. 192
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Human experience Design + rendering process
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Human experience Design + rendering process
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Human experience Design + rendering process
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Human experience Design + rendering process
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Viva voce
Week 12
Slideshow+speech
Final design Project 2. Viva voce
The time was over, and the final presentation was already there. “What it’s done, it’s done”, some people said, but I wished I had more time to keep improving my project, or even be able to take some steps back to do things differently during my process. Anyway...
Hello everyone! My name is Sandra and I’m going to present you my thesis project: A Three-Ecologies Approach to Market Square.
My thesis statement was inspired by Guattari’s definition of the ecological harmony achieved by the equilibrium of three ecologies, which I represent through hybrid architecture, biophilic urbanism and public realm.
This chapter includes the slideshow and speech I used during my final presentation, as well as some critiques and feedback at the end. Having concluded this stage, my design research was over. 202
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
I aimed to explore a typology that approaches these three ecologies at the same time to achieve that balance and become the catalyst of a real transformation in Geelong in the future.
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To make sure I balanced these three main topics, I planned my Design Research Process to start approaching them separately. Then, I put my focus on the hybrid building design... And finally, I worked on the three ecologies simultaneously to achieve the ‘balance’.
The land uses and key facilities around the site helped me to define my brief and programme for the masterplan.
...and the Precedents Analysis
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
...defined my design principles to apply to the hybrid building design
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When I combined those design principles, I obtained my first iteration. From this proposition, I identified some aspects that could be improved; particularly looking at the missing opportunity for adaptive re-use. How can I propose to have an ecological approach without being more aware of the context and its significance for Market Square?
Based on those reflections, I redefined my project. Rather than condensing the residential uses in one tall tower, I decided to placed it in one horizontal bar. I used parametric design to explore the concept of porosity that may boost the introduction of nature into the interior space.
In this slide, we’re looking at my brief and programme I incorporated.
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
In this image, we’re looking from the corner of Moorabool and Little Malop St, since this street was my focus area that I’ll explain in a minute. If the original goal of my thesis was to create a new typology that combines these three components to achieve the ‘equilibrium’, it is possible to say that the project at this stage DOES since it includes hybridity of programmes incorporating biophilic design and gives the public realm a significant protagonism. In that sense, this iteration meets the first aspirations defined in my thesis statement
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But, at this point, I realised that the design process had been giving a response resulting from a lineal process. Maybe, the focus on the hybrid building was not enabling me to achieve the complexity and mixture of ecologies that Guattari refers to.
Concerning one of my initial questions of research whether any ecology should be dominant, I realised that maybe the ‘equilibrium’ might not the best response since we would be losing the richness of the three ecologies co-existing in different ways and proportions. Hybrid building themselves approach the relation between humans to the built environment, which seems to be correct for urban design, but do not contemplate human interactions (Social ecology) at all, which indeed are the ones that trigger more complex ecosophies. In that sense, shouldn’t the Social Ecology lead the design process on the architectural scale? At this point in my thesis, I shifted my focus.
From here, the starting point was one of my major findings resulting from the mixture of uses and users in hybrid buildings: the places of conflict. The word conflict comes from Latin and means ‘to come together for a battle’. In architecture, those places of conflict may occur either for a different way of space appropriation (the diversity of programme can be one of the reasons) or, basically, clashing ideas. While a business-as-usual approach would avoid conflicts at all costs, a Three-ecologies approach would bring people together for a ‘battle’ by generating points of contact to discover what’s different, debating ideas and enriching from diversity.
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
To apply this approach to a concrete design process, I set the following steps: - Mapping where the (possible) conflict can occur - Enabling points of contact while rebalancing the space contemplating the other 2 ecologies - And finally, letting the ‘conflict’ begins & the ‘chaos’ exist [...] So, when I mapped possible points of conflict in my project, I identified three case studies that I developed in further detail. /
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First, the interaction between the visitors & locals at the ground level. Rather than looking for buildings fully ‘closed’ to the public space to avoid conflicts, shouldn’t a Three-ecologies approach be generating architecture that ‘opens to’ and embrace the city? / The third level is the filter between those who work/ study in the building and those who live there. If a business-as-usual approach would design each building to respond to a specific need, shouldn’t a Three-ecologies approach generate spaces of encounter that enables learning from each other? / Finally, the housing building. When designing for people & all the values that make them unique, we can take two positions: either conceive spaces from an individualistic perspective (only the self)… or, contrary, to encourage places for exchange and learning. That’s the aspiration of a three-ecologies approach
Placing the Social Ecology as the core of my design decisions, I defined three architectural gestures, each responding to each point of conflict Sewing for the ground level, Bridging for the 3rd level & Joining for the housing block.
…to let the 3 ecologies manifest
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
To apply the concept of sewing into the Ground level, I identified the accesses to the site and the vertical circulation halls as key spaces to show the ‘tip of the iceberg’. So, I imagined that an organic path might act as a root, a ribbon, that ties all the different points and connect people with those key spaces. This concept allows me to add “eyes on the street” and show the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of what’s going on the site. Zooming in these three areas...
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…in this slide we can see some key elements that I incorporated in my design that enhance the relation between people and each ecology – the mental, environmental and social. Each of them enables or constrains in different levels, but overall we can see that spaces that enhance Social ecology are dominant.
This collage illustrates how this space might be... How the building opens itself to the public space. In the scene, it is shown a workshop run by students from the Creative Arts Faculty to the community. While some people prefer to work independently on their blank canvas, others have fun co-creating and painting in the pivoting wall. Besides, it shows the large foyer that crosses the building to the green core. This space exhibits artwork created by students for the community of Geelong to see what it is being done at Deakin University. A large translucent plane between the foyer and the Dance Studio, enable people who walk through to see part of it –and, hopefully, be willing to take classes one day.
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
My second case study was the third level and design for people who work/study and those who live on top.
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So, ‘bridging’ enabled me to create encounter points between the three buildings: the common areas of the housing block (at the left), the Creative Arts Faculty (in the middle) and the Transitional Housing of Geelong Hospital (at the right). This is how I created ‘conflict’ in a place where it didn’t exist. In this floor plan, we can see learning spaces at the core, the relationship with the housing’s common areas rely on creating spaces for debates and feedback; while the link with the Transitional housing aims to relations to skill up and being inspired by each other.
Again, in this slide we’re looking at how each element enables the connection with each ecology
...and this slide illustrates how that bridge might look like when the 3 ecologies manifest
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
Finally, the 3rd case study, the interaction between neighbours.
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As I previously mentioned, the form-finding process began with some explorations using parametric design to generate porosity in the building massing.
When it comes to the concretion of the first explorations, the placement of each unit was designed manually, like a puzzle, trying to assemble pieces. The outdoor spaces were not only designed to bring nature indoor but also were conceived as points of interactions between neighbours to rebalance any possible conflict.
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
Another criterion was the mixture of different dwelling types. The idea was to generate vicinity between different groups of people. In this area, it’s shown the layout of 6 dwellings that respond to 6 different household types. The idea was to enhance these points of encounter and create even more rich and diverse points of exchange. / In this section of the building, we can see Paula & Marian’s apartment, which is neighbouring Gabi (a student), who at the same time is neighbouring with Mindy, a pensioner who lives by herself. Mindy also shares a terrace with Marinis, an accountant who sometimes has work meetings at home. When it’s not working, Marinis has a more private terrace that shares with Juana and Marcelo, who is neighbouring with Christian, Lucca and Lupe on the other side... / This is how the concept of joining and neighbouring works.
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In this slide, we can see how those outdoor spaces define the limits between dwellings while creating a point of contact between neighbours.
..and in this slide, once again, we’re looking at how each element enhances each ecology. / The Mental Ecology resulting from the relation between public/social areas, work & living, and outdoor/indoor spaces relation that also relates to the Environmental Ecology. / With the incorporation of Biophilic design principles, people can connect with nature not only through nature itself but also through the organic shapes, materials and colour palette selected. / To enhance the Social ecology outdoors, catch-up benches have been designed to be a physical separation between neighbours but rather that eject, act like magnets. They constitute the base of the space of interaction and exchange. A line of subtle tensors complements the physical limit between the terraces.
In regards to the structural system selection that responds best to my thesis, I decided to utilise a hybrid structure of timber and steel that can be adapted according to the space design. The primary vertical elements for walls are dowel laminated timber panels, complimented with steel columns where I placed large voids. For the horizontal structure, I have three different types of elements: Steel beams, and two different types of roof composition: Type A is a composite timber of dowel laminated timber and concrete slab when I connect two indoor spaces vertically; and Type B (D-4) is a cross-laminated timber panel that enables me to have the depth I need to add substrate on top. D-3 is a construction detail of a non-bearing wall that have planters.
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Viva voce
Slideshow+speech
intentionally left blank
One last render, where I’m illustrating a typical Sunday morning scene. / This is the terrace that Gabi & Mindy share. Mindy’s grandson is having a friendly but heated discussion with Gabi’s dad about AFL. “Shouldn’t The Cats have won the match?!” her dad said. / We can also see Mindy who’s jumping in & out of the discussion while cutting some herbs to use in the sauce she’s cooking. / Someone from the level on top seems to have something to say. Even the non-human beings, at some point, are participating from the debate.
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I’ll conclude this presentation with one of my major learnings from this thesis. / At first, when I aimed to design for the cities of the future, I looked at precedents that provoked radical changes in their context. / But maybe, the catalyst of change does not rely on innovative typologies but that synergy can be inside every neighbour from Market Square if we, designers, create the conditions to enable them ‘to be’ by shifting the design thinking from the Mental Ecology (what’s meant to be) to the Social Ecology. / So maybe, that Ecological Harmony is not (and shouldn’t be!) perfectly balanced. It’s the (dis)equilibrium, the (im)perfection... the conflicts & chaos that rise up from human (and non-human) interactions are the ones that enrich the space and, hopefully, shape many dis-balanced cities in our future.
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Panel’s feedback
I use parametric tools only to test the concept of porosity. The Grasshopper components/definition: I created a grid base and used Populate 3d, OcTree and Lists to randomly select cubes, Pipes for the schematic structure. The layout was designed manually. I would have loved to use Galapagos but I was not sure that I would be able to create a definition/find a solution within such a short amount of time. A next iteration would be using Galapagos to explore the concept and new possible layouts, since the personas profiles can be used as my inputs, as well as lighting and ventilation requirements, internal layout connections and (new) modules sizes - since maybe 4m x 5m is not the most optimum.
and my responses to it
At the moment, yes. The next step might be to design a kit of parts and test different interfaces that separate the outdoor terraces where people can choose from. Testing materials/shapes, voids/solid/transparencies etc that might enable occupants to interact, and let them decide the degree of privacy they are keener. Definitely, the catch-up bench shouldn’t be the only possible solution for that point of conflict.
Untitled form form Untitled
Reviewer Name
Student Name
1. IMPRESSIONS - please comment on your overall impressions of the quality of the project (perhaps as you listen to the presentation and the discussion).
2. KEY KEY QUESTIONS QUESTIONS -- What What key key questions questions does does the the student student need need to to 2. answer about about their their work? work? (just (just in in case case you you don't don't get get to to ask ask them them in in the the answer session). session).
3. WHAT'S WHAT'S WORKING WORKING WELL? WELL? 3.
5. WHAT'S WHAT'S NOT NOTWORKING WORKINGSO SOWELL? WELL? 5.
6A.DESIGN DESIGN 6A. RESEARCH(ULO (ULO3)3)RESEARCH Howwell welldoes doesthe the How projectassess assessand and project testaadesign design test responseagainst against response varieddatasets datasets varied includingregulatory, regulatory, including theoretical theoretical frameworks? frameworks?
6BDESIGN DESIGNRESEARCH RESEARCH--Comments Comments 6B
7A:DESIGN DESIGN 7B:DESIGN DESIGNPROPOSITION PROPOSITION- -comments comments 7A: 7B: PROPOSITION(ULO (ULO4)4)-PROPOSITION howwell wellhas hasthe thestudent student how developedan an developed independentdesign design independent proposalthat thatintegrates integrates proposal researchÞndings, Þndings,design design research concepts,and and concepts, performanceas asaa performance resolved prototype or resolved prototype or designproposition? proposition? design
Tobias Horrocks
Sandra Mansilla Hsyu (M.Architecture+Urban Design)
Lovely hand drawn diagrams. Lovely sketchup renders. Looks like a big green square cloud above the old facades. Lovely thinking process, shown iteratively with diagrams. Great ambitions - challenging the norm. Essentially exposing the activities towards the public - like the 'extraverted architecture' that the other student raised.
Are you you forcing forcing the the residents residents to to interact, interact, sacriÞcing sacriÞcing their their privacy? privacy? Is Is there there Are choice built built in? in? What What parametric parametric tools tools did did you you use? use? Galapagos, Galapagos, the the choice evolutionary solver solver in in Grasshopper? Grasshopper? II like like the the speciÞc speciÞc people people in in the the evolutionary apartments are are described, described, but but is is this this bespoke bespoke or or speculative/generic speculative/generic apartments housing? housing?
Beautiful graphically, graphically, developed developed at at nearly nearly all all scales. scales. Beautiful
Construction details detailsseem seemaabit bitpremature, premature,especially especiallywhen whenthe theschematic schematic Construction design isis pretty pretty basic. basic. design
5.EXCELLENT 5.EXCELLENT appreciationof ofthe the appreciation relevantframeworks frameworks relevant anddatasets datasets and necessaryto totest testthe the necessary designproposal proposal design
Wouldbe begreat greatto to'test' 'test'the theidea ideasomehow somehow--speculate speculateon on Would neighboursthat thathate hateeach eachother? other? neighbours
EXCELLENT--highly highly Lovely 5.5.EXCELLENT Lovely resolved,design design resolved, propositionthat thatintegrates integrates proposition designresearch researchvery verywell. well. design
Mick Moloney
Sandra Mansilla Hsyu (M.Architecture+Urban Design)
Very high quality presentation, graphics, visuals, and above all conceptually solid.
Can the the internal internal laneways laneways spaces spaces be be developed developed as as individual individual personal personal Can spaces? spaces?
Everything. Everything.
Nothing. Nothing.
5.EXCELLENT 5.EXCELLENT appreciationof ofthe the appreciation relevantframeworks frameworks relevant anddatasets datasets and necessaryto totest testthe the necessary designproposal proposal design
Jose Rodriguez
Sandra Mansilla Hsyu (M.Architecture+Urban Design)
Exceptional presentation. Well spoken. Well paced. Inspiring.
N/A N/A
Highly reÞned reÞned proposition. proposition. Graphic Graphic Presentation Presentation was was Highly second to to none. none. second
N/A -- It's It's aa great greatproposition. proposition.IIhope hopeto tosee seethe theproposal/ideas proposal/ideasgo gofuther. futher. N/A
5.EXCELLENT 5.EXCELLENT appreciationof ofthe the appreciation relevantframeworks frameworks relevant anddatasets datasets and necessaryto totest testthe the necessary designproposal proposal design
Clearand andreliable reliabledata datasets. sets.Well Wellpresented, presented,and andreasonable. reasonable. 5.5.EXCELLENT EXCELLENT--highly highly Highlyenjoyable. enjoyable.Congratulations. Congratulations.Best Bestwishes wishesfor for Clear Highly resolved,design design thefuture. future. resolved, the propositionthat thatintegrates integrates proposition designresearch researchvery verywell. well. design
Ian W.
Sandra Mansilla Hsyu (M.Architecture+Urban Design)
Very clear and engaging presentation that draws on theory, uses design iteration to explore ideas and is reßexive.
What next? next? What
Everything Everything
N/A N/A
5.EXCELLENT 5.EXCELLENT appreciationof ofthe the appreciation relevantframeworks frameworks relevant anddatasets datasets and necessaryto totest testthe the necessary designproposal proposal design
N/A N/A
The structure! I believe the construction details I designed and the structural system overall work well for the housing block, however, because of the timeframe I didn’t have the chance to design the structure for the whole building. The vertical structural connection in the carpark building would not be an issue since due to the original function, the building will be able to support new loads. The points that will require my attention for the next step are the Creative Arts Faculty (middle) and the Library/Communal areas (corner). For the former one, I assumed that the division between classrooms and the vertical circulation will play a role as the primary structure, including the overhang of the third level; and for the latter, the solid box in the core (laundry/book storage), the vertical circulation and the thick columns in facade will do. The next step would be the creation of a schematic structure drawing and modify the design if needed. 222
At the moment is something in between. I believe those would involve different design processes - worth testing both and compare both results. The parametric process using Galapagos would lead to speculative/generic, whereas designing unit by unit would enable bespoke housing. However, time consideration is important since after getting the GH definition, I might be able to test multiple options in just seconds, the bespoke process would take much longer (there are more than 100 units), and the outcome will be just one.
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Yes, absolutely. I didn’t have time to design the hallway/units entrances, but the original idea was to have personal niches that trigger neighbours interactions too.
EXCELLENT--highly highly 5.5.EXCELLENT resolved,design design resolved, propositionthat thatintegrates integrates proposition designresearch researchvery verywell. well. design
EXCELLENT--highly highly 5.5.EXCELLENT resolved,design design resolved, propositionthat thatintegrates integrates proposition designresearch researchvery verywell. well. design
Delightfulininevery everyway. way.The Theself-reßectivity self-reßectivitywas was Delightful reallyrefreshing! refreshing!You Youshould shouldgive givethe thecity cityofof really Geelongaaspecial specialpresentation, presentation,and andthen thentake takeitittoto Geelong thesite siteowner. owner.Seriously. Seriously.ItItmeets meetsthe theCity's City'ssense sense the itselfas asaa'design 'designcity'. city'.ItItprovides providesthe thekind kindofof ofofitself landmarksthey're they'relooking lookingfor for- -and anddoes doesaawhole whole landmarks lotofofother othergreat greatthings thingsbesides. besides. lot
Interesting! Could be the opposite extreme of the degree of interaction to support a future kit-of-parts design.
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Studio leader’s feedback and my responses to it
Yes, the e-Folio and Booklet were submitted unfinished. The resubmission includes a final version of both.
I disagree about the lack of focus and discipline. I was focused 100% on this unit, despite the personal problems I went through in the middle of the semester. My intent to develop the whole site was because I highly disliked our group masterplan. So, I came with a new proposition. Was it a mistake and a waste of time? Maybe - however, I might have taken a different position if I would be happy with the result we achieved as a group. Other moments that I feel I spent too much time, was when I had to redo some stuff for my individual thesis, like the site analysis (I haven’t used the one we did as a UD team or the content for Assignment 3) and the precedents analysis (Assignment 2 outcome/ content was not useful for me either). If I would not have used time on that, I might have had more time to work on other design iterations or solve things like structure and programme in depth - I agree when you mention those two still needs more work. 224
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Yes, I agree. I feel it’s because as English is not my first language, sometimes I feel hard to put in words my critical reflections and learnings. It seems that you do notice that my design development goes into detail, which means that my design thinking contemplated learning and reflections to retrofit it. Improving my writing and oral skills to communicate better my design thinking is also something that I need to master.
I agree that was one of the most challenging things during the semester. Hopefully, in practice, the collaboration between group members is even and every one is 100% engaged with the project. I appreciate the advice :)
It couldn’t be possible without your guidance during my journey. Thank you for everything, Ammon!
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