CURIOSITY IS THE LUST OF THE MIND
EWA LENART t h e s i s p r o j e c t
TECTONIC C|R|E|O|L|I|S|A|T|I|O|N contemporary t
for African Metropolis
Aerial Night View
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“Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I’ve ever known.” ― Chuck Palahniuk
Tectonic creolisation investigates a post-colonial african
metropolis condition, proposing an institutional building in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, which integrates civic life with highly political organisation. New power seeks a new symbol. My research is based on the booming economy (Integrated African Commercial Block TFTA) and growing need to host several new institional services which gives a great opportunity for the future of african cities, to develope tangible identity, internal city brand, which will generate the contemporary paradigms.
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Creolisation is a new cultural unity evolving from
the blending of diverse original elements. My interest comes from combination of two organisational methods, provided for two audiences. The zones are formally divided by tectonic blanket, which supports two different conditions however does not allow them to intercross. First condition serves as a headquarter for TFTA (a newly signed agreement between 26 african nations to create a free trade zone). The second condition is a space open to public, which is a result of variations of the repetitive tectonic blanket derrived from on and off beat african composition.* This strategy allows to create an eleborate plinth-roof relation, allowing to emerge diverse sheltered spaces, which are so desirable in the city life. African metropolis as a scaled up rural scene - notion of traditional african compound, suqs and occupying urban negative space.
Elevational Sketches Studies of pattern and perforation (Penplotted)
* The coherence of african composition derrived from conflicting and irreducible thytmic patterns, leaving aside the most critical feature of all, imporovisation and variation element does not stand alone - each element determines how do we apprehend another - almost any two elemets can create a composition together. It is about the organisaiton of rhytms and cross-rhytmic tensions and their periodic contraction and composiiton into coherent, dynamically stable ensembles.
Plinth - Roof Relation - Tectonic Studies, inspired by on and off beat
AESTHETIC CONFLICT Geometrical Isolation
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Addis Ababa, the city which in very short time has
transformed from great village into a true city, is facing, like most of the african capitals, very fast growing and booming economy yet not taking its time to form new urban patterns which are working with the local identity and its context. The phenomen of copying western patterns (be it political, urban, organisational or formal) has started involuntarily due to the colonisation period. Ever since the 1960s, end of this era, artificially created african nations, have struggled with the thinking and aesthetic conflict, of trying to keep western already verified patterns but still allowing the internal identity to remain and find its way in manifestation. East Africa - Addis Ababa -
Le Corbusier, Plan for Addis
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The coherence of african composition derrived from conflicting and irreducible thytmic patterns, leaving aside the most critical feature of all, imporovisation and variation element does not stand alone - each element determines how do we apprehend another - almost any two elemets can create a composition together. It is about the organisaiton of rhytms and cross-rhytmic tensions and their periodic contraction and composiiton into coherent, dynamically stable ensembles. The rhytmic aprroach was applied to achieve tectonic (massing) coherence and create eleborate plinth-roof composition - which is so desirable in the african cityscape. The same pattern logic was applied from global to local. Perforation was a crucial decision - to provide naturally ventilated spaces as well to be able to curated atmosphere underneth solid volumes. Translation from mass to pattern - has been physically manifested trough structural frame which holds nested HQ conference spaces volumes (air controlled space, and inaccessible by public) and allows membrane to stratch all way across to provide special atmosphere for public visiting showrooms.
Elevational Sketches Studies of pattern and perforation (Penplotted)
Rendering Studies
CURRATING ATMOSPHERE
2d pattern to 3d structural framework Left - Shadow Studies Which indicated activated public zones during different daytime (morning, noon, afternoon)
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Bottom - Pattern Perforation Studies (Photography of Overlay of lasered plexi with pattern design)
Final Structural Pattern Outcome
Light Studies (Renderings)
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structure after BESO OPTIMISATION to eliminite unnecessary elements
STRUCTURAL FRAME
as cohesive integrated system
B A- Surfaces with the grids with estimated areas for columns and column positions. B- grid projected onto the surfaces with the columns and support positions. C- Utilisation red for compression, blue for tension. D - the structure with cross section optimisation.
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C
D
Zoom ins of Structural Model in scale 1-500 (structure 3d printed and milled plinth)
ELEVATION, EAST opens up to urban plaza
PERSPECTIVE, SOUTH entrance situation from downhill side
ELEVATION, WEST view from the boullevard side
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Elements - Plinth containing public enclosed galleries -in between sheltered public open space -3 enclosed private solids, containing conference spaces for HQ being nested within the structure, which while being covered with the membrane provides shade for public
Energy Concept public spaces, naturally ventilated
Programm Distribution Red - private, HQ solids Blue - Public enclosed galleries
Circulation Red - private, HQ Blue - Public, showrooms
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Structural Model in scale 1:500 (plastic 3d print, CNC mill, lasercutting)
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Massing Model in scale 1:500 (CNC mill, Powder 3d Print, Vacuum Form)
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North Public Entrance - Entrance imto public showroom in the plinth, HQ private solids being nested on top and generous i nbetween public space
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