FRONT COVER
Academic Portfolio BA (Hons) Architecture 2015/ 16 Ivo Patrick Pery
LEARNING SUMMARY
My time at Newcastle is about to come to an end. Three years of deadlines, sleepless nights and tired days draw to a close and now is the time to reflect upon it. This course is without a doubt the most trying and exhausting task I’ve ever done. It’s stretched me to my limits, causing me no end of stress. It is also without a doubt the most rewarding journey I’ve ever undertaken. It’s taught me a lot about myself, about work ethic, about not leaving things to the last minute, though some lessons have sunk in more than others. Working in the Infrastructure and Ritual Studio this year has been great fun. It has provided me with a completely different experience from first and second year which I put down to a much greater level of involvement and an open communication with the tutors. There have been times when I’ve struggled with work and others when I’ve been ahead of the game. Both of these scenarios demand a different style of teaching but I feel that the right level of support has always been made available to me throughout. The learning curve over the three years has been steep and tough to manage at times, however I feel that this year was the first time that I’ve been able to see the bigger picture, and understand the methods behind the madness. It’s certainly the first time I’ve been able to take a step back and appreciate the links between all of the various different modules, and the lessons learnt in each of them.
I think it’s a fair comment to say that I’m a stress worker. I can only really perform to deadlines. I think this may be the reason that I excelled during the primer project since it was short and sharp with targets to hit each week. I began to fall behind following the dissertation submission, in part due to a PEC form, but in truth it was may have had more to do with the freedom and breadth of the design process this year. Brief development and the ability to pick our own sites is something that was new to me and I think the openness threw me off a little. It wasn’t until about six weeks before the final Crit that I finally managed to get back on track, and managed to pull together all of the loose ends and consolidate my thoughts into a working, functioning design. Despite this late flurry I’m happy with the end result. The building that I designed this year is completely different from anything I’ve done before. It was a bit of a risk for me, but I believe that the research and time that I put into it, from the detailing to the overall concept shines through. In terms of my development as a designer and a practitioner I’ve learnt a huge amount this year. My view towards design has taken on a far more holistic approach, and my technical skills, particularly CAD and Photoshop, have really been improved upon. I’ve also really enjoyed using the workshop this year too, and have been very pleased with the outcome of my models throughout the year. It’s difficult to sum up three years on one page, all I can say is I’ve learnt a great many things, but there’s a great deal more to learn.
CONTENTS
Charette Week Framing Newcastle
Primer
1 2
5
Disassembly
7
Daily Ritual
12
Contraption
14
Typologies
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Graduation Project
23
Infrastructures
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The Big Issue
30
Site Identification
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Site Analysis
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Building Analysis
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Development
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Development/ Final Work
60 - 93
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Charette Week
1
FRAMING NEWCASTLE
Newcastle Charette week has always been something that I really enjoyed, and this year was no exception. Framing Newcastle asked us to go out into the city and find a view point which conveyed some form of conflict and resistance. We were then asked to construct a frame and invite members of the public to look at the view, commenting on it. Our group took the idea of a frame and tipped it on its head, choosing instead to look at the idea of negative space and negative framing. During this time I was doing research for my dissertation and was interested in the idea of control within our cities. I took it as an opportunity to explore the ways in which people may choose to control or influence their environment, something they may not have ever had the opportunity to do. We constructed a simple frame made from timber and acrylic and placed it at a point on campus where two contrasting architectural forms were located, one modern and one old. We then invited passers by to come and sit within the frame and draw on the clear acrylic, editing the view to suit their preferances before writing their thoughts about the views on post-it notes which were then attached to the frame. The project served as a really intriguing social experiment. giving people control over their environment was a lovely thing and the reception was fantastic. Some people had an artistic flair while others certainly did not, but the merging together of different styles, colours and thoughts formed a rich tapestry. A short video showcasing the concept can be found by following the QR code overleaf.
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Primer
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DISASSEMBLY
This was the first task of the Primer project and saw us looking to find and dismantle a small object, preferably mechanical. This encouraged us to consider design on a micro scale, looking at the way an object carries out its functions, not on its own but through the sum of its parts. We were asked to document the process in a way of our choosing. Whilst hunting through charity ships I was lucky enough to stumble across this old Browning No.2 Autographic Folding Camera. Unfortunately they no longer make film for these cameras, rendering the main body redundant. It seemed a shame to destroy such a beautiful object, however I was eager to find out what was going on inside and a brief google search assured me that there are still plenty floating around out there.
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PIECES OF INTEREST
This is a small selection of some of the more interesting details found within the camera. It’s incredible to see how much machining must have gone into some of these parts, especially when the age is considered. I found the Patent Plate to be of particular interest since it sets the date of manufacture at 1914, making the production of something so intricate even more impressive. It was interesting also to contrast the pieces found in a mechanical camera with the level of detail found in something like a modern alarm clock. What became apparent was the drop in the quality of production, as plastic replaced metal and injection mould processes took over, the number of elements necessary to create a functioning object diminished.
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The camera contained an estimated 140 separate components
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DISSASSEMBLY ARRANGEMENT
This image showcases the culmination of the dismantle process. The camera has been split up and laid out, with all of its individual components highlighted. It shows how complex a seemingly innocuous little box can be, and how well engineered the thing is. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to reclaim all of the individual pieces since the process required me to drill through some of the rivets holding the casing together meaning that I was unable to gather all of the pieces, but my best estimate put the number of components at around 140.
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DAILY RITUAL: THE PROCESS OF GETTING UP The diagram exercise asked us firstly to identify a daily ritual, an activity specific to our everyday lives. In my case the ritual I identified was my morning routine, specifically the time between my alarm first waking me, and then getting up.
every morning with the resulting output manifesting itself in the user of the system getting up out of bed. There are a number of stages between the start and end of the process which have been detailed on the page opposite.
It follows an abstract route, attempting to convey the limbo-like state between sleep and wakefulness, before entering the ‘machine process’ which takes place
Important points to consider: how easy is it to understand? Does it explain ergonomics, time, spatial qualities etc? Does it convey a lot of information in a small bundle?
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1. The state of sleep - abstract and undefined ribbons of the unconscious state of mind during the dream stage. 2. The state of sleep - a diagrammatic image of the physical manifestation of sleep and the dream state. 3. The system input: physical - the alarm goes off, this part is unchanged day by day, constituting the dependant variable of the system.
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4. Reaction - the alarm is put on snooze, buying an extra ten minutes of sleep and allowing the user another 10 minutes in bed. This is shown through another diagrammatic image of the user asleep in bed, however the sun has now risen, showing an advancement in time.
I identified five possible inputs which could result in the user finally getting out of bed: hunger, toilet requirements, noise disturbances, thirst and lateness. The final output could come about as a result of any one of these inputs, or through a combination.
5. Secondary input: mental - This part is again abstracted since it is liable to change day by day, i.e. ‘the independent variable’.
6. System output - the final result of the process shows the user getting up and out of bed, ready to start the day.
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CONTRAPTION: ‘SNOOZE YOU LOSE’
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The contraption project allowed me to carry on the lessons learned in the diagram exercise. Once again we were asked to consider a system which included an input, a variable and an output, but this time we were given the added challenge of making some kind of social comment through the action. My contraption acts as a remedy to the problem presented in my daily ritual as seen in the diagram exercise.
Input: When the phone alarm goes off the handle is given a turn. This action moves a piston which acts on the stylus, bringing it down on the ‘snooze’ button on the phone. Variable: when the handle is turned, it also acts upon a cog. This rotation is transferred through 4 cogs in total and results in a Russian roulette stule 1/6 chance of a marble dropping through a hole in the largest cog.
Output: Once the marble drops it runs down a channel along the outside of the contraption before falling onto the trigger whereupon the crossbow will fire the phone across the room. Comment: This addition to the iPhone alarm is designed to be as ridiculous as possible to mirror the ridiculous nature of my wakeup routine
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EXPLODED ISOMETRIC
These images should give a better idea of what the contraption actually looks like and the way in which it functions. Its assembly is shown above and is relatively complex, comprising around 70 pieces. This is a project that I enjoyed immensely, and having a contraption that worked at the end of it was extremely satisfying.
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RE-ASSEMBLY
This photo is a mirror image of the disassembly. The aim here is to show the relative complexity of the contraption that I aimed to achieve. It has been engineered specifically in order to carry out the required action. All of the pieces were individually hand crafted from reclaimed timber, something that while not entirely necessary, helped to enhance the process. I tried to keep the contraption glue-less where possible, only fixing joints which needed to be fixed. This allowed me to keep the design adaptable and means that if pieces wear out over time they can be changed with minimal effort. The contraptions from across the studio were then photographed and compiled into a stop-motion video. This was a long process with myself and one other student working with the rest of the studio, taking over 10,000 photos during a 24 hour period before editing them together into one seamless video which can be found by following the QR code below. The video is 10 minutes long and showcases 18 different contraptions, designed to carry out many different functions. My contraption however is the first one to be showcased and can be viewed within the first minute.
QR link to the studio contraption video. Alternative access available at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=J-HOeBtnVbY
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All pieces were hand crafted using reclaimed or disused timber
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SOCIAL TYPOLOGY WORKING MEN’S CLUB
Expanding on the ideas behind the daily ritual, this provided a quick but extensive way of examining and cross referencing hundreds of different social typologies. Each member of the studio picked a different social ritual before exploring in depth the many different facets that make up their chosen activity. There was quite a wide range, covering sport, religion, death and even bingo. I elected to explore the Working Men’s Club, entering images into a matrix under headings such as: Who?, Where?, When?, Dress, Lighting and Thresholds. The interesting part however came when we compared and contrasted our findings across the studio. It became apparent that when broken down into smaller and smaller parts, links could be made between the most unlikely of rituals.
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Graduation Project
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BRENTFORD’S INFRASTRUCTURES
Originally referred to as the ‘London - South Wales Motorway’, the M4 was constructed between 1965 and 1971. Its wider impact was huge, bringing trade and commerce to London; it established a trade route between the capital and South Wales. It was designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding community and as such was built on the footprint of the A4, a slightly lesser road that links London to the South West of England. The creation of the Motorway led to a
Infrastructures: A4 and M4 Motorway
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huge spike in commerce along the M4 corridor, especially along what is now known as ‘The Golden Mile’, an area to the North West of Brentford. This in turn brought industry to the area, with many companies using Brentford as an ideal location to set up their HQs, providing a source of employment for the local community. The M4 serves as a good example for the way in which infrastructure can have big social and economic impacts not just on a national scale, but also at a closer community scale.
M4 National Roadway
The West
Central London
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BRENTFORD’S INFRASTRUCTURES
The River Thames and The River Brent used to be the major form of infrastructure connecting the area to the rest of the UK. Brentford was a site of great strategic importance since it is the most Westerly point on the Thames that ships are able to travel to before becoming grounded in the shallows. Due to this fact the Brentford docks became a major industrial hub and at one point provided the largest import of coal and other goods into the UK. Due to this influx of industry, a canal was constructed in the 1800s linking Brentford to Birmingham which provided
even more trade to the area. The docks continued to function well into the 18th century. The story today is somewhat different as the major industrial influence is no longer tangible in the area. Gone are the days of trade ships meandering up the Thames to trade with the west. There are however some vestiges of what came before, with many old factory buildings around the area, as well as some boat builders near the mouth of the River Brent.
Infrastructures: River Thames and the River Brent
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M4 National Roadway
The West
Central London
River Routes
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BRENTFORD’S INFRASTRUCTURES
Similar to the river, the Rail Network in Brentford has a far reduced impact compared to the way it used to be. Between the age of canal barges, and lorries, rail was the main form of infrastructure used to transfer goods across the UK. Since Brentford had established its docks early on as a strong trading point, it made sense for the rail network to tap into this infrastructure typology as well. This led to a huge train station located on the Docks, however this too has since passed. Today the rail network in the area serves the same purpose as the road network: to ferry people in and out of the area. Both infrastructures provide links into
Infrastructures: Rail and Road
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greater London and out towards the West, although on a more domestic scale than the M4. However there is still much industry linked to these activities, with Transport for London relying heavily on these links to provide a bus and rail service to the area. This in turn provides a source of jobs and income, perhaps not directly to the residents of Brentford, but certainly to the wider community. In this way it can be noted that although the Industrial impact of Brentford has lessened over the last 50 years or so, the new forms of infrastructure which come in to replace the old provide new forms of industry also.
M4 National Roadway
Regional Railway
Cycle Routes
The West
Central London
River Routes Regional Roadways
High Street, Boston Manor Road, Ealing road &ling Road
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THE BIG ISSUE - SOCIAL/ POLITICAL CONTEXT
Paul Edwards provides a good definition for the term ‘infrastructure’. He describes it as “those systems without which contemporary societies cannot function.” This is a useful characterisation since it allows the term to be fitted to the designer’s needs, no longer defining it as something that necessarily exists in the physical realm. By this definition it could be argued that any system which allows society to function, whether it be tangible or abstract, could be considered a form of infrastructure. It is with this vein of thought that I make my argument: in our cities where base functions - water, electricity, transport - are all but accounted for, new forms of infrastructure must take on the task of enabling society to move forward, enriching our day to day lives. In this way it can be considered that both art and education are infrastructures no less important to today’s society than the physical infrastructures which make up our cities. This is the basis for my graduation project.
Many have criticised the education system for this injustice, with children’s author Philip Pullman speaking out publicly describing the ‘terrible state’ of children’s education in the arts. While these criticisms are not unfounded, they do not tell the full story. In order to get to the crux of the issue it is important to delve a little deeper. The Warwick commission report entitled ‘Enriching Britain: Culture, creativity and growth’, published in February 2015 provides a detailed analysis of some of the factors pertaining to the problem. In it they identified a number of issues regarding the perception of the creative arts from society as a whole. It revealed that the most wealthy and well educated 8% of Britons make up over one third of art gallery visitors. This may be due to higher levels of disposable income, but the trend continues in theatres where audience members are overwhelmingly white middle class citizens. Clearly there is a problem here as class divides and social issues come into play as well. Many see buildings such as galleries and theatres as a niche retreat, reserved for the rich and well educated.
Enriching Britain: Culture, Creativity and Growth The 2015 Report by the Warwick Commission on the Future of Cultural Value Enriching Britain: Culture, Creativity and Growth
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In recent years the arts and cultures have seen a downward turn in the UK. In the last five years there has been an 11% drop in the number of art teachers in school education, and the number of students taking creative courses for GCSEs and A-levels has fallen dramatically. As the government make budget cuts the creative subjects are the first to take the hit, in favour of more rigidly structured subjects which are more easily ranked in league tables. Issues also arise with officials such as Nicky Morgan who strongly advocates the pursuit of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects over the creative arts which she claims will put students at a disadvantage later in life.
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“The government and the Cultural and Creative Industries need to take a united and coherent approach that guarantees equal access for everyone to a rich cultural education and the opportunity to live a creative life. There are barriers in Britain today that prevent this from being a universal human right. This is bad for business and bad for society.” Vikki Heywood, The Warwick Commission Take David Chipperfield’s’ Hepworth Gallery for example, which was described by one critic to be “formless and forbidding, a medieval fortress intended to keep visitors out, not let them in.” The issue here is that the architect is, understandably, trying to make a statement through his work. The ‘formless’ structure is designed to deprive the users of sensory pleasure on approach, before juxtaposing this with an overload of light and space within the building. For those 8% who may be fluent in the arts and cultures, these intentions are most likely not lost. However the oppressive use of concrete on the exterior may put off potential patrons from even entering the building, thus denying them this experience. It is in essence, an unintended consequence of architectural expression. This raises another issue: people are not interested in the arts. They are seen as inaccessible, and undervalued by much of the population who may consider a trip to the theatre as something of a chore rather than a pleasure. They are undervalued in economic terms too. In 2013 these sectors brought in an estimated £76.9bn, representing 5% of the UK’s economy. This is a huge figure and yet it is an area that continues to see cuts.
The Hepworth Gallery, David Chipperfield
It seems that there is a destructive cycle occurring. On the one hand the arts are under-represented within schools due to a lack of interest in the wider context of society, while on the other hand people are growing up disinterested as a result of the education system. This is the way things are today, and these are the issues that I hope to address. (Text taken from ‘Principles and Theories’, edited for Portfolio)
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SITE IDENTIFICATION - THE WATERMAN’S ART CENTRE
Waterman’s Art Centre is a multi-purpose arts centre. It is located in Brentford, England alongside the banks of the River Thames overlooking Kew Gardens. Built on the site of Gas Works, the art centre was in planning for 15 years. A trust was put in place in 1975 but only managed to raise £150,000, however a planning deal was made with the developer of the Max Factor offices which sit adjacent to the centre and after three years both buildings were constructed simultaneously at a cost of £2m. The original architects were ‘Oscar Garry & Partners’, most notable perhaps for their work on the Archway Tower (North London) in 1963, a building that divides opinion. The centre acts as a community hub for much of West London, boasting a participation programme for young people with over 2000 sessions per year with attendances of up to 50000 (according to the figures given on their website). As such it is a site of strategic and cultural importance, something that is recognised in the Hounslow local Authority plan (see opposite page). That being said, the aesthetic of the building leaves a lot to be desired. It does little to promote the culturally significant activities that take place inside, and does even less to exploit its prime location on the river front. As it stands there are currently plans in place to redevelop the site into commercial flats, moving the centre into the old police station in the centre of Brentford. I feel that this would be a great shame however and would like to design an alternative solution.
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SITE ALLOCATIONS 11 BRENTFORD - ALBANY RIVERSIDE KEY INFORMATION District: Brentford Site Reference: 11 Address: High Street, Brentford, TW8 0BB Source: London SHLAA 2013 PTAL: 3 Site Area (ha): 0.63 Existing use: Waterman’s Arts Centre plus adjoining commercial uses.
ALLOCATION AND jUSTIFICATION Allocation: Mixed use
Hounslow | Local Plan
Proposed use: Residential and reprovision of the Arts Centre either on-site or within Brentford town centre. The site should be developed comprehensively in order to optimise the residential capacity of the site as a whole. This will help achieve regeneration of the overall area and avoid the sterilisation of individual elements of the site. Justification: The mixed use allocation is based on a floorspace ratio of 50:50 residential to non-residential uses. Waterman’s Arts Centre is of strategic importance as a cultural and leisure facility in the borough. As such, a town centre location would be more suitable and would leave this site available for residential and retention of an employment use as appropriate, while supporting the regeneration of Brentford town centre. The redevelopment of this site must include reprovision of the Arts Centre either in the town centre or on-site. Educational, health and water-related uses, particularly those that support greater use of the river and canal for education and recreational purposes, could also form part of a mixed use scheme in order to contribute to the overall goal of regenerating the area. Any scheme should enable public access to the riverside.
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Phasing: 2021-25 Land ownership: Public / private Context and constraints: This site is located within an APA and in Flood Zone 3a (adjacent to 3a(i) and 3b), and in the presence of the Thames Tidal Flood Defence (flood design constraints set out in Sequential Test). It is part of the Thames Policy Area and is in an existing SINC. The site is historic landfill.
Figure SA12.16: Allocation 11 Site Map © Crown copyright. All rights reserved 100019263 2013
The Hounslow Local Plan outlines the site allocation for the area. Key points are underlined in red.
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All photos and information on the opposite page were taken from the Waterman’s Art Centre website, available at: https://www.waterman’s. org.uk/
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BRENTFORD - WIDER CONTEXT
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When viewed on a large scale the area is shown to be surrounded by green space, most notably in the form of Kew Gardens and Gunnersbury Park. The post industrial area is now home to a high density of residential buildings, seemingly at odds with the golden mile to the north. The ‘Greater Brentford’ area is also very well connected by a road network, cars seem to be the main mode of transport especially when heading out of London.
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Ice House
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BRENTFORD - WIDER CONTEXT
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With a closer view we can begin to examine the functions of the surrounding buildings. The top map examines community hubs in the local area, places where people gather and interact on a daily basis. They represent the immediate catchment area for a new Arts Centre. The middle map highlights the Key infrastructures that run through Brentford, showcasing the connectivity. However it should be noted that, with the exception of the bus routes, these infrastructure offer minimal interaction on a human scale and seem to bypass the area altogether.
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S B E A R S C E O M N A TE P X : T
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BRENTFORD - CLOSE CONTEXT
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Creating a more detailed 3D model of the immediate area allows for a better understanding of the building’s location on the site and the surrounding topography. Here we can see more clearly the relationship between the waterfront park and the Waterman’s Art Centre, as it exists currently. Also evident is the relative height of surrounding buildings. With the South/ Easterly elevation facing the river, direct sunlight will be unimpeded from all sides allowing for greater freedom during the design phase.
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VIEWS
The best views from the site are to the Southwest and the East. The top photo shows the view towards Kew bridge with the Arts Centre on the left. It was taken around 1 o’clock and shows the quality of light that the site receives. The bottom photo is taken looking towards the South-West. The relationship this site has with the waterfront is quite special, and something that should be capitalised upon if at all possible.
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THRESHOLDS
The site sits at something of a threshold between the green, open waterfront park and the more closed off, industrial areas of Brentford that lie to the West. It currently does very little to exploit this position, as there is no direct access between the park and the building. I would hope to link these two diagrammatic sides to Brentford, perhaps not literally since the brief has less to do with industry and heavy physical infrastructure, but certainly I hope to create an artistic link.
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This walkway allows passers by to travel over the building, however it does not allow access to the interiors.
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The building is currently in a state of disrepair, with much of it overgrown and covered in graffiti
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MATERIAL JUNCTIONS
This is a bit of an aside, but whilst in Brentford I was interested in exploring the materiality of the wider area, particularly points where two materials met one another. This provides a mood board of sorts examining what is mostly an urban and grey part of London. It made me realise how little greenery there is around the site’s location, and encouraged me to work harder on incorporating the park into my project. I was also interested in the way in which we are controlled in cities today, something that I looked into extensively during my dissertation. This led to my photographing numerous signs, examining the ways in which we are influenced in our day to day lives. This overt level of control was something else that I wished to explore in my design - is it possible to influence people in more subtle ways that are not damaging to their experience of a place?
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BUILDING ANALYSIS - ACCESS
As it exists in its current state, the Waterman’s Art Centre does little to promote access to potential users. A raised walkway along the waterfront allows users to pass over the building, however somewhat bizarrely, it offers no way to enter the building. It is completely closed off on this southern side. The situation on the opposite side is similar also, with the main entrance tucked to one side. The face that is presented to the High Street does nothing to suggest the function of the building; with its outdated and quite ugly 80s brick facade it is more likely to turn people away than to entice them in. It is in such a poor state in fact, that there is a sign attached to the outside which reads: ‘This is not a car park’. There is a link that should be made between the High Street and the waterfront that currently doesn’t exist.
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The main entrance leaves a lot to be desired. It was an addition to the original building, added in the 90s, but again does little to entice people inside. The only other exit open to the public is shown on the left, a grubby fire exit beneath the walkway that is rarely used, A new Arts Centre should address these issues; particular emphasis should be put on accessibility for all.
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CURRENT SPATIAL USE
After doing a lot of searching through planning applications from the local area, I was able to get a hold of a copy of the original floor plans from the director at the Waterman’s Art Centre. I first drew up the plans on CAD in order to better understand the floor plan, before making a 3-D model on sketchup. This allowed me to explore the parts of the building that I hadn’t been able to gain access to during the site visit. As you can see from the info-graphic on the right the space is very complicated when one considers the actual functional requirements of the building. The two main attractions are weighted towards the left, meaning that the circulation space around them remains relatively unused. It is also interesting to note that only one third of the building is open to the public at all times, something that should be rectified if the arts are to be promoted properly.
Visible in red is the concrete grid that I hope to reuse, something that I will expand upon later
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Private/ Administration
896 m2
Public at all Times
697 m2
Seating Area, Theatre and Cinema
220 m2
Circulation
145 m2
Toilets
90 m2
The building currently has an overly complex layout, with minimal space open to the public
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REUSING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
My hope from the beginning was to reuse as much of the existing building as possible. It seemed a shame, and somewhat unnecessary to demolish the existing building in its entirety and then to simply rebuild a new Arts Centre. I began exploring ways in which I might be able to partially demolish sections of the building, whilst retaining others. This was an exploration of infrastructure on a smaller scale than I’d looked at previously since I was looking at ways to reuse the infrastructure of an existing building. After much analysis however, It became apparent that the only structural elements that I could retain in their entirety would be the reinforced concrete columns which form a grid through the circulation/ bar area, and the underground car park which still functions with no problems.
Is it possible to reuse the infrastructure of an existing building?
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Initially I’d hoped to reuse the columns without making any drastic changes to them, however after meeting with a structural engineer to discuss my design proposal I realised that this would not be feasible. Without the presence of floor plates the structural integrity of the concrete would be compromised. It was suggested that a secondary steel system comprising of C-sections would provide the structural support, while the concrete would take on more of a sculptural role. This solution worked fine in principle however it would have changed the aesthetic of the design in a way that I didn’t particularly like, so I searched for alternatives. To the right is the Steel Jacketing system I decided to use in my final design. It works with the concrete to provide structural support, instead of simply running along side it. It is also far less intrusive than the other options that were offered to me.
Exploring possible concrete grid
connections
within
the
8 mm thick steel angle profiles and transverse plates are welded around the concrete column providing structural support.
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STRUCTURAL GRID DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS
Structural Grid
Platforms
Partitions
Once stripped back the grid offers Pathways could lead people from ground The addition of partitions will help to break opportunities for new internal and external level up into the building. up the space further interactions.
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Nodes
Pods
Pods
Possible points of interaction on the grid - Spaces of varying shapes and sizes suitable The concrete grid allows the potential for could form a roof canopy. for varied use. cantilevers offering better views.
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This shows my model exploration, looking at possible ways that I may be able to utilise the concrete grid. My first instinct was to use its height to my advantage. I wanted to turn it into a circulation zone, moving people up and down through the building. I was also playing around with the idea of putting a roof over the structure, however this was never developed further.
Ultimately I never chose to use the grid for circulation, opting instead to place a circulation core at the heart of the building, encouraging a social atmosphere and a fully immersive arts experience. The structural requirements of the columns also decreased as my design progressed, with only one pod suspended above. The rest of the columns remained in place, a reminder of the building that came before.
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CEDRIC PRICE
“It would be fun if the visitor could be stimulated or informed, could react or interact, but if none of these suited, had the freedom to withdraw.” The Square Book
Cedric Price was a strong believer in the idea that Architecture could become constricting or damaging to its users when carried out incorrectly. The opposite however can also be said to be true, and his work and designs reflect this notion as he endeavoured to create spaces which could be manipulated to better fit changing behavioural trends. He strived to work on a human scale, where user experience was at the forefront of design. The creation of spaces which offered the public who used them the freedom of choice about what to do, where to go and how to act was incredibly important to him. This can be seen in his designs for the Fun Palace where the focus was not on how the building might affect its users, but more on how they may utilise the space. “… it would be fun if the visitor could be stimulated or informed, could react or interact, but if none of these suited, had the freedom to withdraw.” (The Square Book) My design for the Waterman’s Art centre also attempts to give users this freedom of choice. By positioning the building as a part of the public realm it allows visitors to enter and take part, or simply pass over and around it with minimal interaction.
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Cedric Price’s ‘Fun Palace’,
In a recent retrospective on the Pompidou Centre, a building that took many lessons from Price’s ethics, Bernard Tschumi asked “[c]ould space be made a peaceful instrument of social transformation, a means of transforming the relationship between the individual and society?” The Centre certainly goes some way towards providing an answer, as the playful architecture welcomes visitors acting as a piece of art in its own right, whilst the externalised services and circulation speak a language of transparency and inclusion with nothing hidden behind blank facades. It is this fun aspect which I believe is key, since it removes pretense and allows users to experience the place from their own standpoint, regardless of social standing or education. This language of transparency and inclusion is something that is very important to me, and is something that I would like to incorporate into my project. The vernacular of the Pompidou Centre is very stylised and perhaps too much for Brentford, but the ideas behind it are certainly something that I’d like to explore. (Text taken from Principles and Theories Essay and edited for Portfolio)
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STRATEGIC MOVES
The building can currently be viewed as a block with the two main attractions, the theatre and cinema located on the left, and the circulation on the right. This has the effect of cutting off access between the road and the waterfront, and does nothing to promote perpendicular movement.
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The first move is to ‘unpack the box’, keeping the cinema more or less unmoved, circulation is given a more central position and the theatre block is moved to the right hand side. This opens up the site and allows for the opportunity for a link between the high street and the waterfront.
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Moving the circulation forward and locating it in line with the existing concrete grid brings people together into a single focal point from which they can percolate into the rest of the building.
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The addition of the artist studio above the concrete grid encourages this perpendicular movement further, drawing lines of site outwards and over the water.
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Rotating the two main blocks by 17° further centres the circulation core as the main point of contact within the building, channeling users towards it. It also promotes lines of site from this point to the right and left, exploiting the views in order to encourage movement and participation with the space.
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The jetty is the final act, drawing the line of site towards the water in an attempt to draw people away from their lateral route down the high-street. The addition of the ramp stairseating on the left and regular stairs on the right gives passers-by the option to walk around the building, rather than passing through it, thereby giving the control back to the users.
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1. Outdoor Stairs/ Seating 2. Unisex Toilet 3. Disabled Toilet 4. Flexible Teaching Space 5. Staff Entrance 6. Main Entrance 7. Central Circulation Core 8. Artist Studio 9. Fire Escape 10. Theatre Tier Two 11. Theatre Entrance 12. Theatre Circulation
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7. Cold Store 8. Restaurant 9. Kitchen 10. Bin Store 11. Men’s Toilets 12. Women’s Toilets 13. Central Circulation Core 14. Service Room 15. Disabled Toilet 16. Cleaning Store 17. Dressing Rooms 18. Staff Car Park 19. Rehearsal Space 20. Set Design Entrance 21. Prop Store 22. Theatre Toilet 23. Bar Store 24. Bar Area 25. Theatre Entrance 26. Left Wing 27. Theatre Tier One 28. Stage 29. Right Wing 30. Theatre Circulation 31. Fire Escape
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The building channels lines of site and foot traffic towards the waterfront, drawing them through the public realm at street level into the building. The transition from green open space to a more urban environment is subtle as the trees slowly become columns.
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EVERYMAN THEATRE, LIVERPOOL
The Everyman Theatre in Liverpool is something that I might like to emulate through my design. The use of rough bricks on the interior presents users with a tactile and more grounded experience while the facade is one of transparency and artistic expression.
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THEATRE DEVELOPMENT
This page hopes to explain the process that I went through to design my theatre block. Using information gathered from the metric handbook I started working on a CAD drawing, working from plan, to section and back to plan again to figure out second tier layout and the pitch of ramp I would require in order to abide by theatre regulations. The lower tier was relatively simple, with a change in pitch at the 5th row to ensure that lines of sight aren’t impeded. The second tier was slightly more problematic since I had to use the steepest pitch of stairs allowable and a different type of seat to make it work.
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THEATRE CONSTRUCTION
This section came from the work done previously, but it has been taken one step further, in an attempt to diagram out some of the structural elements. The inner skin will be brick clad steel frame construction, with 250mm I-beams running at regular intervals. These will in turn support a ring beam that will run around the top, to support the steel truss system which spans the 20m gap. The outer skin will be a cascaded fin glass system, with a steel support running along each edge. Voids on either side of the theatre allow for ventilation ducts to run up to the roof to vent exhaust gases. Through these means, cool air can be brought in directly from outside, aiding the temperature regulation in the theatre during peak hours. A heat exchange system can also be incorporated into this system, taking warm air from the double skin facade and transferring it to the rest of the building. In this way energy costs due to heating should be kept to a minimum.
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THEATRE BLOCK CIRCULATION
The theatre circulation forms an important part of my concept since it plays along with the idea of inclusion and transparency. By placing the brick box within the glass box I hope to highlight it to passers by. It should act as bill board in its own right, and there should no longer be need for a sign exclaiming ‘this is not a car park’. The decision to wrap the stairs around the outside of the main block freed up space on the interior, allowing for a larger performance space and a greater number of seats.
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This model highlights the external circulation, wrapping its way around the outside of the brick block that encloses the theatre
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This number of stairs may seem excessive, however it ensures that wherever one exits the theatre, there are always two possible means of escape in the event of a fire.
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STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
This was the technical detail that I produced for the technical review. It highlights the green roof, an important part of my concept which allows the park to be brought over onto the building, establishing it as a part of the public realm. While relatively accurate, these details were criticised for being too generic - i.e. they could be found on any building and did not tell a specific story about the eccentricities of my project. As such I did not develop them to completion, however they do go some way towards showing the load bearing wall at the mid point of the structure, as well as the concrete slab roof construction. The structure will become steel frame since a 300mm deep universal beam should be able to span distances of up to 14m. Although this is more or less its limit, the minimal loading from above should make it a viable solution.
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The architectural language of the building should be apparent here, with the circulation core emulating the theatre behind. The studio space however has a different look with the brick enclosing it. This should provide a little more privacy and seclusion to anyone wishing to use it.
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Overhead glazing: laminated safety glass to bear foot traffic for cleaning
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Double glazing: 5 mm toughened glass + 6 mm cavity + 6 mm laminated safety glass
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Floor construction: 60/ 110 mm reinforced cement-and -sand screed, steel deck, 80 mm mineral-wool insulation, damp proof course, plywood sheeting 10 mm, steel cladding
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Steel cladding support with built in shadow gap
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Ground Floor construction: 150 mm cement-and-sand screed, 70mm mineral wool insulation, damp proof course, concrete foundation
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Exterior floor finish same as interior
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Roof construction: 20mm brick slips with waterproofing as standard, timber battens, plywood sheeting 10 mm, damp proof membrane, 80 mm mineral-wool insulation, steel I-beam 120 mm, timber battens, plasterboard 10 mm, internal paint finish
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Brick cladding support bracket, 10mm steel plates with mineral wool insulation packed around them
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Pre-existing concrete column, 500 mm deep
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Wall construction: steel C-section, 10 mm plywood sheeting, battens, plasterboard 10 mm, internal paint finish
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Primary support system: steel I-beam 200 mm deep
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Studio floor construction: similar to roof with the insulation wrapping around the structural steel I-beam to meet the window frame thereby reducing cold bridging
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Concrete column strengthened with plate steel angle profiles and traverse plates
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Concrete column rests on 600 mm deep reinforced concrete pad footing
1. Overhead glazing: laminated safety glass to bear foot traffic for cleaning 2. Aluminium fixing strip in steel channel and fixed to load-bearing structure 3. Sheet-steel closing strip 4. Steel I-beam 120 mm deep 5. Steel frame: I-beams 120mm deep 1
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9. Steel cladding support with built in shadow gap 10. Ground Floor construction: 150 mm cement-and-sand screed, 70mm mineral wool insulation, damp proof course, concrete foundation
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Overhead glazing: laminated safety glass to bear foot traffic for cleaning
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Aluminium fixing strip in steel channel and fixed to load-bearing structure
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Sheet-steel closing strip
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Steel I-beam 120 mm deep
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Steel frame: I-beams 120mm deep
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Double glazing: 5 mm toughened glass + 6 mm cavity + 6 mm laminated safety glass
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Overhead glazing angled at 1 degree to encourage rainwater run-off
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Floor construction: 60/ 110 mm reinforced cement-and -sand screed, steel deck, 80 mm mineral-wool insulation, damp proof course, plywood sheeting 10 mm, steel cladding
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Steel cladding support with built in shadow gap
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Ground Floor construction: 150 mm cement-and-sand screed, 70mm mineral wool insulation, damp proof course, concrete foundation
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Exterior floor finish same as interior
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Roof construction: 20mm brick slips with waterproofing as standard, timber battens, plywood sheeting 10 mm, damp proof membrane, 80 mm mineral-wool insulation, steel I-beam 120 mm, timber battens, plasterboard 10 mm, internal paint finish
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Brick cladding support bracket, 10mm steel plates with mineral wool insulation packed around them
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Pre-existing concrete column, 500 mm deep
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Wall construction: steel C-section, 10 mm plywood sheeting, battens, plasterboard 10 mm, internal paint finish
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Primary support system: steel I-beam 200 mm deep
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Studio floor construction: similar to roof with the insulation wrapping around the structural steel I-beam to meet the window frame thereby reducing cold bridging
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Concrete column strengthened with plate steel angle profiles and traverse plates
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Concrete column rests on 600 mm deep reinforced concrete pad footing
12. Roof construction: 20mm brick slips with waterproofing as standard, timber battens, plywood sheeting 10 mm, damp proof membrane, 80 mm mineral-wool insulation, steel I-beam 120 mm, timber battens, plasterboard 10 mm, internal paint finish 13. Brick cladding support bracket, 10mm steel plates with mineral wool insulation packed around them
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ARTIST STUDIO The reconciliation of the studio space was probably the single most challenging part of this project. My decision to reuse the concrete grid gave me some considerable headaches, not least with cold bridging. The technical section shown previously highlights the structural elements of the space, but also helped to form the architectural language. Since I’d fought so hard to keep the columns, simply enclosing them within the pod was not at option - I wanted to display them as much as possible. This is where the steel jacketing system (mentioned previously) came in, since it allowed me to strengthen the columns without damaging or diminishing them. Placing the pod up on its own above the grid is my way of making a statement. It delivers greater importance to the activities taking place inside, however the slightly more enclosed language of the brick enclosing the glass allows for a level of privacy and seclusion for anyone using it. It offers users the freedom of choice about whether or not to interact with it - if they want to find out what takes place inside, then they must venture in.
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Designed to look like a glass box enclosed by a brick box, the studio space should offer users a little more privacy with the main window facing out onto the waterfront.
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The columns are visible from the interior as well as the exterior, however the structure that they rest on is mostly hidden, giving the illusion of weightlessness as the space floats among the concrete.
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ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES
The theatre space is the most high maintenance within the building as it needs high levels of control in order to keep temperature and humidity at comfortable levels. The double skin facade will cause the buffer zone to fluctuate in temperature, however this can be controlled through a mixed mode system. In summer windows at the top of the structure can be opened, drawing cool air in via the foyer, while in winter a mechanical system can be employed, bringing pre-warmed air from the double skin into the rest of the building.
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The main foyer will have a concrete floor providing a high thermal mass which should also help to regulate the temperatre. This can be aided further through an under floor heating and cooling system which can use the Thames as a heat source. The temperature of the water never drops below around 11° C even during mid winter. Water can be pumped directly from the river without treatment, into a heat exchange system.
The double skin facades around the theatre and the central circulation core aids the movement of air throughout the building via the stack effect. A heat exchange system can also be set up utilising the excess thermal energy stored in these areas.
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View from the High Street: breaks in the structure and transparency in materials provide passers by with a glimpse of the river beyond, enticing them forward, changing their normal route.
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Riverside approach: the avenue of trees transitions into a harder vernacular, however the glazing allows the visitor to see into the spaces around.
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Viewing platform: This position on the river allows for a quiet moment of reflection. Looking back we see the two different forms of the building, exposed and secluded.
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FRONT COVER
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