Architecture has continued to strengthen me as an individual. Over the duration of the course I have found myself becoming more serious in decision making and tackling design projects more independently. Though above all, I have recognised many new qualities about the field of Architecture that have continued to light my interest. One of these is the capacity to find new design ideas and concepts from infinite origin. This is what keeps me thinking.
Following this year, one area which I have learnt a tremendous amount is regarding structural detail of the design. By continuous iterations of 1:50 sectional drawings, I was able to understand all aspects of the building, from foundations to roof construction. From afar, I can see improvement in my work from semester 1 to 2. Learning from peers and working in the studio environment has also had a positive effect on my work as well as attending group tutorials.
By producing work in a variety of forms, I have reached the ability to take control of the project from a wider perspective. Throughout the year, pressure is an aspect that has increased with time. As I am faced with greater challenges within smaller time frames, I have learnt to accept that work may never reach a finished piece, and there is always room for improvement. Previously my time would be spent perfecting one piece of work, though now I realise the importance of multi-tasking.
This year has required us to design from a very unconventional starting point. Semester 1 asked us to take a piece of music and translate it into a performance space, while Graduation Project required us to select an object and extract its qualities for design development. Looking back at both projects now, I can understand fully the advantages that came with establishing concept from the start, as oppose to during the process.
The main challenge I overcame this year was learning to work with a more extensive brief at hand. One of the skills I adopted during the process was the careful judgement and tailoring of the design summary, in order to make it specific to my idea. Eliminating and substituting spaces effectively was another creative part of the project, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I have found myself becoming completely indulged in design projects in aim to achieve my envisioned outcome. Initially, the main frustration lied in the repetitive process of working for hours and not immediately seeing the end result. Nevertheless, I realised that even by thinking solely in my mind I am developing design strategies. Therefore, the actual hours that went into design consideration were considerably more than the production of work. Matter of fact, throughout the twelve weeks of Graduation Project, I have spent around 70% thinking and 30% in making. Theory and Design were two separate subjects in Stage 1, where focus was towards them both individually before treating them as one. Now approaching the end of Stage 3, I have reached a point where the combination of non-design coursework, exams and individual practise over the years, have expanded my knowledge in architectural theory. During Graduation Project, I have considerably increased my application of theory into design work. However, I initially struggled with the idea of focusing on detail drawings aside the design process, and therefore Semester 1 was a challenge to me. I began playing with form in creative and interesting ways, though when it came to theory, I had developed difficulty for myself. The form became my obsession and the theory eventually lacked in depth. By not achieving the desired outcome I felt more frustrated, though it was this struggle that gave me new experiences which I then took on to Graduation Project.
Manneriest Church Santa Clara, Lisbon 03/02/15
Feedback from semester 1 generally discusses that my work lacked in spatial clarity and constructional methodology. The project asked us to study texts from three different composers, and translate these quotes into a performance space. This was a challenge as it was a new way of working and took time to develop the desired outcome due to confusion and uncertainty. After practising the translation of ideas from one form to another, the process became easier to understand later on in the project. Further comments in my feedback were concerned with my technical drawings. As my design became quite complicated, my plans too became difficult to configure as mentioned above. However, after acknowledging these flaws in my design, I hope that improvements in this portfolio prove to strengthen the project. Graduation Project feedback discussed that my idea had been developed consistently, though there was insufficient context information provided in the presentation. The sectional drawings required further work, and following this I have attempted further sections at varying scale. More work was required regarding three-dimensional representation, which has also been undertaken in this portfolio. Architecture has been an interesting experience; it has given me purpose and strong mind-set in reaching an end product, which I can be content with. Unconsciously I have developed my skills in Photoshop and Revit, which I still intend on improving further as I hope to delve into practise over next year. The studio trip to Portugal was a beneficial experience in providing me with further inspiration by works of Alvaro Siza. By simply travelling abroad, I had been exposed to new and exciting architecture, which boosted my motivation in designing with more creativity while keeping an element of elegance to the final product.
Champalimaud Centre For The Unknown, Lisbon 03/02/15
Portugal Pavillion, Lisbon 02/02/15
year design report
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Thinking Through Making Week
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graduation project
thinking through making
chambers
charette
contents
1
2
incubator
show store
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graduation project
For Phase 1 of the Graduation Project, we selected an object of collection, and extracted its spatial qualities by studying the object. Following this we designed a method of showing and storing the object in a site relevant to the study.
‘A photograph has edges, the world does not. The edges seperate what is in the picture from what is not.’
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Antique Picture Frames We are oblivious to the Frame. Its purpose has now reduced to a simple border which shapes the art within, with little attention towards its detail. For the Graduation Project, my particular interest was drawn towards antique Picture Frames. My research began by looking into the history of the Frame and more specifically the carving and craftsmanship that went into its manufacture. I found that the period of antique frame making flourished from the Renaissance to the Neo-Classical era. The stage that inspired me most was that of the Rococo times. These Picture Frames took a lighter and more delicate form, and eventually became showcased for the demonstration of craftsmanship and fine skill. The Plaster Cast to the left was inspired by this particular era and created in aim to capture some of the detail which could later influence my design strategy.
1 incubator
Casting the Site While it appears part of nature, the site is a reconstruction from its original form. In the images to the left I have hand modelled the site out of modrock to get a closer match to the uneven, rocky context of ‘The Waterfall’. The proposed incubator consists of a simple staircase which sits in the centre of the currently untouched site. A single steel frame rests in the middle of this structure, from which the viewer has two views, one ahead and one behind. I would like to incorporate this idea into my graduation project, but focus more on the frame as a display and storage in structure. Here, the frame is stored beneath the structure, keeping up the staircase.
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2
Following the incubator stage, phase 2 asked us to design a Gallery and Exhibition space for the collection in a site located in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
show store
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This Site is situated in the centre of Newcastle, right in front of the existing Laing Art Gallery. My interest in selecting this particular site sprung from its long narrow shape and its proximety to the Gallery. My Site Analysis to the left highlights the buildings around the site which are steel framed structures. The closest building of this construction is the Library which sits opposite the site.
site study
The Laing Art Gallery is directly related to the brief of the project, as it houses its own collection of British Oil Paintings, Silver and Glassware. The most outstanding paintings are displayed in the Northern Spirit Gallery on the Ground Floor.
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Ground Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
1:500 Plans of Laing Art Gallery As the collection of picture frames and paintings can be complementary to each other, my buiding could have a link to the Northern Spirit where Paintings could influence the choice of Framing.
laing gallery
Week 4
Week 6
1:200 Model Making The design process began from modelling a series of fewer frames with cutouts that circulation would run through in order to give an atmosphere of walking through the frames. However, as I moved on I experimented with the idea of more frequent frames, with certain areas cantilevered off the site. The idea of having a break within the frames then sprung from thinking through making, and slotting wooden blocks within these frames which had the potential to house private spaces. Week 8
design process
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After modelling my ideas in 1:200 form, I decided to narrow down my basic design strategy. I began to experiment more specifically with the arrangement of wooden blocks offset from the front of the site to represent private spaces. I combined the cut out frames and took images from different angles, in aim to figure out an organisation for the building. From these wooden models I found that I could simplify the frequency of private blocks within the design.
Modelling with Clear Acrylic After having expressed my ideas in a variety of modelling methods, I decided to further refine the private elements of the design. These clear acrylic models represent the Archive, Teaching Studio and Workshop spaces and the arrangement/heights of them. At the stage these models were made, I was yet to decide the composition of their structure, though after much thought the final decision was for them to be cast in situ concrete.
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The Picture Frame is seperated into multiple layers, though the two that interest me most are the literal frame structure and the ornate, detailed mass surrounding it. My design will feature internally exposed steel frames running through the length of the building, with these two concrete blocks to represent the ornate and heavy mass of the object.
private spaces
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The original brief asked us to design a Gallery and Exhibition space to house our chosen collections. My tailoured brief labels the building as ‘The Frame House’ in which professional frame carving craftsmen teach the public how to carve their own picture frames. The ground floor therefore will comprise of a small Teaching Studio with a path that links to the Laing Art Gallery, where public can view the paintings in the Northern Spirit which perhaps require framing. Workshop, Polish Room and Auction Room are all additional spaces I have tailoured into the brief for this specific design.
design brief
ground
floor
plan
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Permanent Gallery Space Hanging Frames
The Picture Frames carved out of wood are displayed in this gallery space on the Ground Floor. Platforms allow for public to actively change their experience by viewing frames from different angles. The Polycarbonate facade allows the passage of diffused light, protecting the frames from extremes of sunlight while illuminating their detail.
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Teaching Studio As the studio forms part of the private spaces, there are no exposed frames within the structure. The room is lit by artificial means only, in order to to emphasise the thick concrete mass. This idea is drawn from spatial qualities of the object. The surrounding mass of a picture frame has no windows, whereas the internal frame structure acts as a window in itself, exposing the spaces within it.
first
floor
plan
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Workshop Entrance The image reveals the atmosphere upon entering the workshop. Frames carved by public are displayed on the Masonry Parti Wall which are visible from circulation routes.
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Double Height Frame Gallery Views of Hanging Frames are visible from the First Floor. Curtains can close off this view at private exhibition events.
second
floor
plan
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Auction Room Entrance The frames are displayed on the Ground Floor, with the additional small shop where purchases of lower priced frames can be made. As the building moves up, value is increased as these more expensive frames are auctioned off in a more elaborate and traditional style.
Auction Room and Restaurant Polycarbonate facade is continued up from the Gallery space on the Ground Floor. Steel Frames are exposed internally throughout the building at approximately 1.7m lateral grid throughout, apart from in private blocks.
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The stairway is lit by the lightwell above. This also aids in natural heating of the building as the thermal mass of the walls retain the heat captured and radiate it into spaces at night.
1:200 short section
The first diagram shows that spaces A and B link with a pathway that flows through the frames. The first and third diagrams highlight the main construction strategy of the design. The composition comprises of a series of vertical steel frames with the two concrete blocks sandwiched in between.
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Spaces connect through Frames
Cores that resist wracking
Internally Exposed Steel Frames
1:200 Long Section Passage of Light The darker shading represents Cast In-Situ Concrete blocks. These house private spaces which are not visible from outside to the public eye. Light reaches these areas by Artificial Means and diffusion from adjacent glazed areas. The Workshop, Teaching Studio, Craftsman Office, Kitchen and Archive form part of these private spaces.
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Display of Picture Frames The Diagram above highlights areas of my design where the picture frames are displayed. The larger circles represent spaces which display larger collections. Upon entering the building, public are exposed to a temporary frame exhibition (smallest circle). The archive is at the front of the building in the concrete block, with a small detached display cabinet at the front which is visible from outside.
Platforms in Exhibition Space
Back Staircase lit by lightwell
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final model images Cantilevered Cafe on Second Floor
White Blocks are cast out of plaster to emphasise its thick thermal mass. Represent Private spaces.
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structural detail
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Junction Between Detached Floor and Archive
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1. 200mm Cast in Situ Concrete 2. 100mm Insulation 3. 150mm Precast Concrete 4. 460 x 230mm I Beam 5. 25mm Glazing
Laing Art Gallery to Parti Wall 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 6
1. 300mm Existing Masonry 2. 100mm Cavity 3. Damp Proof Membrane 4. 150mm Insulation 5. 200mm Blockwork 6. 150mm Steel Column (Lateral Grid= every 1700mm) 7. Plaster on Dabs 8. 25mm Plasterboard
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Polycarbonate Facades I wanted the internally exposed steel frames to be exposed partially outside, to give the viewer an idea of the nature of the building. However achieving this without the use of too much glazing was difficult. The use of polycarbonate in my design became a key feature in the gallery and auction facades. By allowing diffused light through the issue of over heating was eliminated. When experimenting in model form, I found that the polycarbonate provided an ambiant atmosphere while following the verticality of the frames through its linear texture.
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materiality
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thinking through making
61 During this busy week we were asigned to workshops where we made casts out of plaster and concrete. The week was about thinking throughout the process of making and aimed to improve our skills in using a wider range of materials. The first image shows a mirror we created out of fire safety blankets. We melted this material with a heat gun to take the creases out and leave a smooth mirror appearance. The remaining images are casts out of concrete and plaster produced by me and members of the group.
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1 : 1 Image Towards the end of the week we had to produce an image at 1:1 scale concerning our graduation project. I further experimented with compressed watercolour powder, in order to produce an atmospheric painting of how the Picture Frame is percieved by the public. The image inside is intended to be vibrant with a black and ‘invisible’ frame.
‘Wherever we are, what we hear is mostly noise. When we ignore it, it disturbs us. When we listen to it, we nd it fascinating.’ - John Cage
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chambers
‘It is true that the eyes dominate the ears of our time.’ - Karlheinz Stockhausen
‘Its not the destination that matters, its the change of scene.’ - Brian Eno
‘Illusion is the first of all pleasures.’ - Oscar Wild
Prototype 1
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Line Drawing After studying influencing texts from three different composers/ writers, we were asked to pick one and represent it in an image. This sketch illustrates varying parameters and overlaying to give the impression of illusion.
Material Manipulation Image
Experimenting with form to represent change of scene.
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Edinburgh Old Town The site choice between two different locations in New Town (above) or Old Town (left). My decision was to go for the Old as its uneven surface reflected my spatial intentions. The site is close to the train station and other public transport, making it a busier street with more noise.
site location
Designing the Performance Space
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Following my Prototype 1 Study, I was interested in the manipulation of walls to reflect sound of its surface. The famous composer John Cage, influenced me in this idea from his 4:33 music piece which comprised of no music. The idea was that the audience conducted the performance through their uncounscious sounds, such as breathing and shuffling. This space uses the angles of the outer walls to reflect sound in different directions.
spatial study
Experimenting with Angles By rearranging triangular shapes, I began to create interesting shapes that could potentially house the performance space.
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study models
Ground Floor
First Floor
Large Windows expose the Ground Floor Bar and Restaurant, from where residents can also split off to access private areas.
The Floor sits 7m from ground level, reaching the external existing staircase to the left. This allows residents to access their appartment from outside as well as inside.
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Second Floor
Third Floor
Double Height Space looks over Living area.
Open Rehearsal Room allows for public performances as visitors walk up building.
floor
plans 1:200
Forth Floor
Fifth Floor
Library overlooks double height rehearsal space
Foyer space overlooks library
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Sixth Floor
Seventh Floor
Performance Space split into two floors, with stage above
Large angled walls reflect sound into different directions
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massing model 1:200
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short section
1:80
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long elevation 1:200
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charette
Unwasted Opportunities The Charette week was about seeing opportunity in waste materials. The theme of ‘seeing things differently’ made us explore any waste that came to our eyes and see its potential for another use. ‘Growing Interest’ more specifically is aimed to attract and draw public attention to education and extending life of old books. The tree symbolises growth in the use of recycled material while acting as a support for the book exchange. This installation was placed in a central location in Newcastle University Campus, where people passed and exchanged their books for the ones on the shelves. The entire activity developed trust within the student and staff community, giving them the ability to share knowledge through books.
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