PORTFOLIO JACK RANBY
2016 | 2017
S TAG E 3
NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
PORTFOLIO JACK RANBY
2016 | 2017
S TAG E 3
NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
BUILDING UPON BUILDING A NEW BANK OF ENGLAND
8.5m
THE OCULUS, THE PANTHEON, ROME
TABLE OF
CONTENTS 9 . A PAU S E F O R T H O U G H T ACKNOWLEDGMENTS + REFLECTIVE STATEMENT
1 1 . D I S S E RTAT I O N A B S T R A C T ARCHITECTURAL SOUNDSCAPES
13. CHARETTE HAPTIC SHADOWS
1 5 . T H I N K I N G T H RO U G H M A K I N G STONE CARVING
17. PRIMER ORIGAMI DULWICH PAVILION EXHIBITION PAVILION THE GRAND TOUR
4 4 . R E F R A M I N G A RT E FA C T S ORIGAMI DULWICH PAVILION EXHIBITION PAVILION THE GRAND TOUR
1 1 3 . I N T E G R AT E D T E C H N O LO G Y STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALITY ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES & SERVICES STUDIO SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY
I wish to offer my most heartfelt thanks to those who have supported me whilst completing my degree, this project in particular. To my tutors, Josep-Maria Garcia-Fuentes and Aldric Rodriguez Iborra who have constantly challenged and guided me throughout this project and introduced me to the realms of preservation. To my wonderful girlfriend and parents for their constant love and support. To my colleagues and peers who have provided inspiration and opinions.
A PAUSE FOR THOUGHT
Throughout my time at university I have constantly pushed and challenged myself and explored ideas far out of my comfort zone. The final stage has proven to be no exception, and has, without a doubt, been the most stimulating yet.
from which some of the images within this work were taken, a similar, but dramatically shorter venture to that of Soane’s Grand Tour in 1778. During the tour, we experienced some of Rome and Venice’s remarkable ancient and historic architecture as well as some modern interventions and buildings by OMA, Carlo Scarpa and Juan Navarro Baldeweg, which later proved inspiration during our own projects.
I initially chose the studio, ‘Building Upon Building’, as it offered the opportunity to work on such an ambitious project involving the renovation of a highly significant building at a scale I had not yet explored in architectural education. The studio also enabled me to study of one of the most influential architects in British architectural history. The Studio’s focus on preservation was an idea not considered in my projects throughout stage one and two, however, the vast quantity of reading and analysis, throughout stage three, of existing architecture, the architects involved with them, and ideas and concepts of preservation, I feel I have learnt more than I could ever imagine, not only in terms of these ideas, but also in discovering and studying a vast array of buildings and architecture.
All architectural projects interact with their context, surroundings and existing buildings, and indeed respond to it, however, the project to redesign the Bank of England provided an opportunity to examine this even further. This relationship, between old and new is often overlooked or less considered than it should be during architectural projects in architecture schools as well as in practice. At a micro scale, the project involved detailing the junction between the new intervention and the existing architecture and at a macro scale, I considered where the Bank of England was situated contextually, within the financial system, politically and geographically, and developed my response from this.
During the primer stage of the project, short week long projects introduced ideas and explorations of the tensions between existing and new architectures and geometries, setting a theme for the year. It was also a period in which the work of Sir John Soane, was reintroduced, following a lecture series in stage one. Throughout this time, and the rigorous analysis of Soane’s architecture, I discovered several principles and ideas that drove his work. I then reinterpreted these and implemented them in the projects throughout primer to be later developed in the final project. The primer project resulted in an exhibition and celebration of the research and development of ideas within each studio. Following this we embarked on a tour of Rome and Venice,
The project also proposes a type of preservation, which will be discussed, responding to several texts. These theoretical responses are a new way of working for me and have posed a great challenge, however, I have never been more proud and fulfilled of my achievements than those over the past year. I hope, more than anything, that the reader enjoys this piece of work, as much as I have completing it.
NEW WORK
REVISED WORK
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ARCHITECTURAL SOUNDSCAPES D I S S E RTAT I O N
ABSTRACT The dominance of the visual appraisal of architecture means that the significance of auditory spatial awareness is generally overlooked. Whilst greatly influencing the way we navigate and perceive space and promoting a feeling of social cohesion, the ignorance towards the role of sound in architecture comes primarily from our perception of space and time. In this dissertation, the overall role of sound in architecture will be discussed, along with the development or ‘deterioration’ of the urban soundscape and its causes. This will ultimately lead to an investigation of the means of representing and communicating aural information in order to reinforce the use of sound for a rational design methodology.
Architectural Soundscapes places focus on the immersive experience of space and how spatial arrangements and proportions can affect this experience. Whilst this project focuses mainly on the visual appraisal of architecture, it is influenced greatly by the work of Sir John Soane and as he did, the project carefully composes spaces, to create a dramatic and fascinating experience.
HAPTIC SHADOWS
The body and its position within space, is core to our experience and understanding of objects and architectures that we surround ourselves with. Boundaries are formed by walls that shape how we move, live and experience space. However, porous structures and immaterial sources, such as light and sound, can be used to sculpt and shape space in various ways and alter the boundaries between public and private space.
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Forms and structures within the city, including invisible boundaries, can be thought about from the inside out, and the Charette’s aim was to play with ones perception of both. It will address these ideas through sculptural outcomes that can be dramatically altered through experimentation with lighting or video techniques. Our intent for this installation was to test the impact of scale in relation to the body; how we interact with these spaces, both real and imagined. To do this, wire mesh sheeting, plastic sheeting and a variety of lighting techniques, both pliable materials that can be both ethereal or visually solid, formed a chamber within which a giant heart inflated and deflated - forming an illusion of ghostly beating. How we formed, joined and interconnected these structures, materials and mediums were also addressed. It can be said that on an architectural scale, rigid materials of building can be transformed into ghostly objects that change and adapt through lighting and our own perceptions.
CHARETTE A BEATING HEART
NAME
TREE
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THINKING THROUGH MAKING
STONE CARVING Stone can hold it’s form for centuries and perhaps, some, inherits qualities and aspects of value to some cultures. Existing historic buildings can be supplemented and intervened upon with contemporary interjections, reframing them in a new light. The scale of interventions can be anything from altering a window detail, to demolishing parts and building a new extension. The process of stone carving is a type of contemporary intervention which makes the stone fit for purpose, making an otherwise obsolete material, useful and necessary. As shown in the examples and my own attempts, the type of intervention differs drastically depending on the use and also the
HARSH CONTRAST DELICATE INTERVENTION
Exploring ideas of solid, void and decoration of stone, the carving techniques explored during these workshops used hand carving tools as applied in sculpture, masonry, architectural carving.
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PRIMER EXPLORING TENSIONS
The series of short projects developed within this stage provide a response to the existing architectures that they are built upon. By producing new geometries, including origami, a geodesic protecting pavilion and an exhibition pavilion, the primer explores the tensions between existing and new architectures and geometries
REINTERPRETING SOANE’S PRINCIPLES
Through the rigorous analysis of Soane’s architecture, leading to a presentation and exhibition collating our research, several principles and ideas can be determined that drove his work. These ideas are reinterpreted and explored throughout this section and implemented within the projects to be later developed in the final project.
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EXPLORING GEOMETRIES C R E AT I N G
“All designers crease, pleat, bend, hem, gather, knot, hinge, corrugate, drape, twist, furl, crumple, collapse, wrinkle, facet, curve or wrap two-dimensional objects. These objects will perhaps not be as origami-like in appearance, or the folding may only be a detail, but most will nevertheless have been folded - wholly or in part - in some way. Since almost all objects are made from sheet materials (such as fabric, plastic, sheet metal or cardboard), or are fabricated from components used to make sheet forms (such as bricks - a brick wall is a sheet form), folding can be considered one of the most common of all design techniques.� Paul Jackson, Folding Techniques for Designers - From sheet to form, 2011.
REFRAMING SOANE’S ARCHITECTURE A TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH MICHAEL GANDY
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DULWICH PAVILION PROTECTING
Achieved through a rigorous process of refinement, the relationship between the existing picture gallery and a contemporary intervention is established through an in-depth study of the existing architecture. The proportions, form and scale of the picture gallery as well as the qualities Soane strived to achieve, have determined the new intervention and defined new spaces within and outside the existing building.
1.
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2.
1. BANK OF ENGLAND
2. DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY
INTERPRETING SOANIAN LIGHT “Fancy the Gallery brilliantly lighted for an unrivaled assemblage of pictorial art - whilst a dull, religious light shews the mausoleum in the full pride of funeral grandeur, displaying its sarcophagi, enriched with the mortal remains of departed worth, and calling back so powerfully the recollections of past times, that we almost believe we are conversing with our departed friends now sleeping in their silent tombs.”
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The design for the new pavilion offers an alternative light within the picture gallery and the mausoleum. Whilst hovering over the mausoleum, retaining the dull, religious light in Soane’s architecture, it plunges into the gallery spaces, removing the existing, non original skylights, and creates a ‘reversed’ skylight, funneling light into the spaces.
RE - IMAGINING SOANE’S COLONNADE
Soane originally envisaged an open colonnade in his design for the gallery running along the existing facade. Whilst responding to the existing architecture, the pavilion provides new sheltered space/colonnade around the perimeter of the building, fulfilling Soane’s vision. The new protecting pavilion responds to the geometry and rhythm of the facades on the original building and picks significant points along the facade to relate itself to, this intervention explores the tensions between old and new geometries, relating them in a comprehensive and sensitive way.
RE - FRAMED ELEVATION
RE - DEFINED LIGHT
EXHIBITION PAVILION R A D I A L A RT I C U L AT I O N
匀椀爀 䨀漀栀渀 匀漀愀渀攀
As shown in the diagram above, Soane used radial forms within his architecture to manipulate set up through spaces. The design for an exhibition pavilion responds to the
匀椀爀
EXHIBITION PAVILION SUPPLEMENTING
The key element of any geodesic structure, is the basic triangular component that solidifies the whole structure and allow the geometric control of a dome. These triangles can be regular or irregular, meaning they can define different volumes depending on how they are choreography. Therefore these new geometries can be drawn to respond to existing architectures in ways explored previously. The result of the primer project has led to a design of an exhibition pavilion which is inserted and responds to the geometries of an existing space. The pavilion will accommodate all the work we have completed previously in addition to all our analysis of the Bank of England and Sir John Soane’s architecture.
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REFRAMED RELICS A COLLECTION OF MODELS
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Throughout his life, Soane built a vast collection of architectural relics which are displayed in his house at Lincoln’s Inn Fields. A similar exhibition of Soane’s Bank of England facade was included within the pavilion.
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THE TIME LINE OF THE BANK
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SCAN / CLICK TO VIEW THE PROCESS VIDEO
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwX6KPKFxA5gWG5ucmw1eDdVZ2M
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SCAN / CLICK TO VIEW THE PRIMER PRESENTATION VIDEO
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwX6KPKFxA5gY1BBNElrNEFYSnc
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THE PANTHEON, ROME
THE GRAND TOUR DISCOVERING DESIGN PRINCIPLES
AWESTRUCK The initial impression of Rome’s architecture was its sheer scale and also the control of scale. Narrow passages led to cavernous halls and atriums, creating a sense of arrival and monumentality.
THE VATICAN
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REFRAMED AND SUPPLEMENTED Architecture that would otherwise become obsolete had been reframed and supplemented to make it fit for purpose or simply retain it.
Top + Left : Santa Maria Degli Angeli
Bottom : Collosseum
ENTRANCE TO THE PANTHEON CONTROL OF SCALE
SANTA MARIA DELLA VITTORIA A CHOREOGRAPHED LIGHT
SCAN / CLICK TO VIEW THE PRIMER PRESENTATION VIDEO
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwX6KPKFxA5gaUpHbTVORGtsODg
FINAL PIN UP
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爀
REFRAMING ARTEFACTS A METHOD OF PRESERVATION TO OVERCOME OBSOLESCENCE
I My proposal for a new Bank of England implements several key ideas and principles found in the analysis of Soane’s architecture, readings of preservation and from the context it is placed within. The development and interpretation of these ideas is not a linear process and cannot be broken down into chronological stages. Therefore, this portfolio explains these separately and brings them together at the end.
II
匀椀爀 䠀攀爀戀攀爀琀 䈀愀欀攀爀 簀 䘀椀爀猀琀 䘀 氀漀漀爀
匀椀爀 䠀攀爀戀攀爀琀 䈀愀欀攀爀 簀 唀瀀瀀攀爀 䘀 氀漀漀爀
III
IV
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I
THE HEART OF UK’S FINANCIAL SYSTEM
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II
RADIAL ARTICULATION
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III
SPATIAL HIERARCHY
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IV
REFRAMING ARTEFACTS
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V
FINAL PROPOSAL
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A DEMOCRATIC BANK RE-SITUATING THE BANK WITHIN ITS’ CONTEXT The Bank of England has quite recently gained more independence, something which has grown over the past few decades. As a result, the roles and responsibilities of the Bank have altered, and it now positions itself at the heart of the financial industry in the UK. It therefore has a role of setting policies and interest rates, and more importantly has a constant dialogue with the government, commercial banks and public, whether it be through meetings, addresses or simply a phone call. The Bank’s governor is also keen to address the public perception of the bank and to increase it’s transparency. Therefore, the Bank’s increasing transparency must be facilitated.
dialogue
and
“MORE THAN A BUNCH OF ECONOMISTS SITTING ABOVE A BULLION VAULT”
THE HEART OF THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION
As discussed, the Bank is situated at the heart of the UK’s financial system, however, its roles and responsibilities are constantly evolving, adapting to the conditions it is placed within. The ways in which the Bank operates also evolve, especially with the change from analogue methods of working to digital. For this reason, the bank must constantly update itself to avoid becoming obsolete, it must expand and contract under the given circumstances. Therefore the proposal for a new Bank of England has the ability to do so. As will be discussed, the proposal will define a Bank to suit today’s needs, a method of preservation which proposes a method of supplementation to overcome obsoleteness and will propose a structure and method of construction that has the ability to adapt under future requirements.
COMMERCIAL BANKS
GOVERNMENT
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PUBLIC
THE LADY OF THREAD NEEDLE STREET FACILITATING A DIALOGUE
This project refers to the Bank as ‘The Lady of Threadneedle Street’, firstly comparing it to a living organism, which in order to fulfill its roles and responsibilities, as explained in Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, must continually adapt and evolve under the pressures of it’s surroundings. Meaning that to avoid becoming obsolete, through constant supplementation. As well as providing a new program of spaces to fulfill these changing requirements - for example, to fulfill the need for transparency within the bank and a dialogue between the public, commercial banks and government, a ‘Chamber of Address’ is introduced - my concept proposes an adaptable structure that can be easily altered depending on the contemporary requirements.
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THE REICHSTAG BLURRING THE PUBLIC - PRIVATE BOUNDARY PUBLIC In establishing a new public - private boundary, the renovation of the Reichstag aims to increase transparency of politics. The public and politicians enter the building together, where the public realm continues to the roof, overlooking the debating chamber below.
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OFFICES
DEBATING CHAMBER
OFFICES
ADJACENCIES TOWARDS A CENTRE Influenced by the Reichstag, my proposal for a new Bank of England, aims to blur the boundary between the public realm and private, by organising the spaces around a central ‘Chamber of Address’, in which the Bank can hold it’s conversations with the government, commercial banks and public. The office spaces, meeting rooms and other facilities are all orientated around this, creating a climatic journey towards the centre.
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RADIAL ARTICULATION MANIPULATING AXIS AND ORIENTATING SPACE
匀椀爀 䠀攀爀戀攀爀琀 䈀愀欀攀爀 簀 䜀爀漀甀渀搀 䘀 氀漀漀爀
匀椀爀 䨀漀栀渀 匀漀愀渀攀
SIR JOHN SOANE
SIR HERBERT BAKER
GROUND FLOOR
GROUND FLOOR
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匀椀爀 䠀攀爀戀攀爀琀 䈀愀欀攀爀 簀 䘀椀爀猀琀 䘀 氀漀漀爀
匀椀爀 䠀攀爀戀攀爀琀 䈀愀欀攀爀 簀 唀瀀瀀攀爀 䘀 氀漀漀爀
SIR HERBERT BAKER
SIR HERBERT BAKER
FIRST FLOOR
UPPER FLOOR
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GROUND FLOOR PLAN RADIAL ARTICULATION
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PLAN DEVELOPMENT
BULLION COURT
LOTHBURY COURT
A HIERARCHICAL SPACE INTERPRETING SOANE’S VERTICAL ARTICULATION Within his design for the bank of England and indeed all of his architecture, Soane carefully choreographed space according to its use. In doing so, he varied the scales of the spaces greatly, encouraging the sense of arrival at significant stages. For example, in the image below, a visitor would be squeezed through the narrow passages from the street to Lothbury Court and between Lothbury Court and the Bullion Court. This manipulation of scale creates a sense of spatial hierarchy and a sense of importance.
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Bank Of England
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RESPONSE TO THE SITE VERTICAL CONNECTIONS The surrounding area and indeed the whole of London has a distinct layering effect with carefully orchestrated vertical connections between each level. Bank Underground Station, one of the most frequented in London, acts as a ‘gateway’ to the City of London. However, the streets above are struggling with the pressure of workers getting to and from the entrances and public searching for recreational facilities. Therefore, the design for a New Bank of England, will propose an underground entrance to the Bank, leading straight from Bank Station. Providing the current 1,500 members of staff working at the Bank and the visiting public an alternative entrance to the Bank. Therefore, the streets and pathways above are relieved of pressure.
1- Building Footprints 2 - Pathways 3 - Roads 4 - Underground
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ESTABLISHING A SPATIAL HIERARCHY A new vertical public - private relationship is established in the section of the new Bank of England. Public facilities such as the Banking Halls, Museum and Library are placed on levels -1 and -2 along with staff facilities, Gym, Doctors and Dentist. Above ground, meeting rooms and office spaces are arranged around the Chamber of address. An open air void spans the height of the building from the public levels, allowing the public and staff to pass over and under each other.
OFFICES
CHAMBER OF ADDRESS
PRIVATE
PUBLIC VAULTS RUINS
PENULTIMATE SECTION THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF ADDRESS
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OFFICES
SECTION THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF ADDRESS
SECTION THROUGH THE REAR COURTS
SECTION THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF ADDRESS
BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY The collection of rare books and manuscripts means that they can not be displayed under direct sun light. However to create an open library, SOM used a thin stone which lets light through and highlights the grain and texture of the stone. The implementation of this creates a sense of monumentality and impenetrability on the exterior, and a sense of importance. On the interior, this effect gives an religious light.
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CEREMONIOUS LIGHT
INITIAL CHAMBER DEVELOPMENT The initial ideas for the Chamber of Address was that it was placed centrally within the Bank, similarly to the Rotunda of Soane’s Bank. By using axis discussed previously, the location of the Chamber was established Atriums and other spaces were then arranged around this. Using the idea of ‘spatial hierarchy’ and a sense of arrival, the design for the Chamber proposes a monumentality similar to that of the Beinecke Library, pictured left. On the outside, onlookers will receive an impression of solid stone panels, on the inside, the stone will glow, as sunlight is allowed to pass down into the hollow walls.
INTRIGUE
AWE
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A SENSE OF ARRIVAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC REALM AND THE CHAMBER OF ADDRESS
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A RADIANT LIGHT Inspired by Soane’s choreography of light throughout his architecture, the proposal creates an immense contrast from space to space, all leading to the ceremonial light of the chamber. In addition to the Oculus, and voids creating a floating pendant effect the hollow walls of the Chamber of Address, detailed later in this document, allow light to permeate through translucent stone panels.
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READINGS
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Reframing Artefacts Supplementation to Overcome Obsolescence as a method of preservation
ESSAY FOR THE THEORY INTO PRACTICE MODULE
FRONT COVER
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REFRAMING ARTEFACTS A METHOD OF PRESERVATION TO OVERCOME OBSOLESCENCE
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“
“
Material remains possess integral qualities requiring protection as sacred relics. When an object deemed to be of heritage is preserved, its “inevitably fragmentary nature acts as testimony to change”.
“Architecture is saved from obsolescence and appears contemporary as it is framed and reframed by preservation as culturally significant” Ruskin suggests, material remains from the past possess integral qualities requiring protection as sacred relics, and arguably heritage can be artefactual, such as works of art, buildings, sites, special places and even whole landscapes. The drawing above proposes a method of reframing fragments of the Bank’s past upon a new structure.
HISTORIC EVOLUTION OF THE BANK George Sampson | 1732 - 1734
Robert Taylor | 1734 - 1788
John Soane | 1788 - 1801
John Soane | 1801 - 1833
Herbert Baker | 1925 to 1939
A SOANIAN REFRAMING PROCESS REFRAMING HIS OWN ARCHITECTURE AS A RELIC
Joseph Gandy’s painting of the Bank of England as a ruin, reframes Soane’s architecture and elevates it to the likes of the monumental Roman Forums. This highlights Soane’s intention for his architecture to one day be viewed as a relic, similarly to those contained within his collection. Secondly, it also acknowledges the fact that eventually, as with most ruins, Soane’s architecture may become obsolete, unless supplemented by a contemporary intervention, something that was later proved true. However, the painting also suggested that even in ruins, Soane’s architecture can still be perceived as historically significant. Whilst significantly transforming the Bank, adding halls and altering existing spaces built by the Bank’s previous architects, Sir Robert Taylor and George Sampson, the Bank and the spaces within it were continuously framed and reframed. This proposal focuses Soane’s act of formless supplementation and constant framing and reframing architecture.
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LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS A similar idea can be seen in Soane’s house at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, which he greatly extended to cover 3 dwellings, from No.12- No.14 Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Soane’s extension became a medium through which he reframed his exponential collection of artefacts, additional spaces supplemented the old. Through his multi-layered space, visitors read the rearranged artefacts as part of the space, which reframes the relics and their ‘stories’ in Soane’s space.
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FUNDAMENTALS HISTORIC FRAGMENTS
Similarly to Soane’s process of reframing artefacts, Rem Koolhaas’ Fundamentals looks at histories, tries to reconstruct how architecture finds itself in its current situation, and speculates on its future. The fragments of historic buildings are reframed within this building, allowing the viewer to reinterpret them.
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AN ARCHITECTURAL MUTATION
“New forms are no longer relevant”
The period of Neoclassicism, in which Soane was architect and surveyor of the Bank of England, saw a heavy reflection on the principles of Greek and Roman architecture. As demonstrated in his own work, during his Grand Tour and through his obsession with reframing relics as well as his own architecture, he was greatly influenced by the classical ornamentation, simplicity and symmetry of those ancient architectures. Soane, among other architects at the time, highlighted the contemporary cultural and regional value of architecture by constantly framing and reframing these architectures. These ideas of reframing historic culture and context were abolished by the modern predisposition of functionalism over value in architecture, as was the case for Baker’s Bank. In 1972, Nikolaus Pevsner, deemed Baker’s demolition of Soane’s Bank to make way for the “conventional grandeur” of a big superstructure “one of the worst acts of vandalism committed in Britain in our century”. Soane’s Bank of England remained virtually untouched for almost a century - there was a lack of contemporary intervention, meaning that obsolescence was inevitable. The vast majority of the building was demolished apart from the outer wall. The deficiency of Soane’s Bank was not structural, however without supplementation over the hundreds of years from its completion, the Bank failed to evolve within its context. Apart from retaining Soane’s facade, Baker did very little to reframe the historic architecture of the Bank. The Committee and Court Rooms built by Sir Robert Taylor before Soane’s era, were relocated, and Baker created halls “mimicking” Soane’s, attempting to reframe Soane’s spaces. However, Baker’s failure regarding the act of preservation led to a loss of the cultural and architectural value of the Bank, eliminating its memory and identity.
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SIR HERBERT BAKER’S BANK OF ENGLAND - UNDER CONSTRUCTION
REFRAMING FACADES UTRECHT TOWN HALL
The process of reframing artefacts to reinforce the cultural significance references Enric Miralles’ and Benedetta Tagliabue’s extension to Utrecht Town Hall (fig 9). EMBT envisioned the municipal office as a “conglomerate of different city structures”, by layering various styles and materials, reflecting the diversity of building arts in the town. In a play of “deconstruction and manneristic illusion”, materials that included bricks, jambs and stone lintels were preserved during the demolition and reassembled.
My proposal maps and projects fragments of the existing facade onto the new contemporary structure, reframed and highlighted, so that the viewer understands what existed before.
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UTRECHT TOWN HALL
FRAMED
RE - FRAMED
OBSOLETE
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REFRAMING THE FACADE PROCESS
The process of reframing fragments of architecture reinterprets Soane’s formless approach towards designing supplementary spaces and thus creates an aesthetic experience portraying the heritage of the building - visitors gain an impression that the Bank is culturally important. This work of constant mediation is necessary to adapt to changing cultural attitudes in order to alter the way in which we perceive the architecture and the Bank.
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KAIROS,
The propitious or opportune moment, was suggested by the miraculous survival of a fragment and its incorporation into the physical landscape, by the miraculous event.
REFRAMING
CONSOLS OFFICE
INTERNAL
Several existing and pre-existing spaces by Soane and Baker are reframed within the new proposal, which can be identified on the floor plan.
SPACES
The diagrams on these pages show the Consols Office going through the process of reframing within the new structure. Elements from the existing space are fragmented and become relics within the new architecture.
STOCK OFFICE
INTERVENTION
RE - LOCATION
RE - FRAMING
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COURT ROOM
SOANE
BAKER
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RELOCATION
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FLOOR PLAN - 1:500 SIR JOHN SOANE SIR HERBERT BAKER NEW PROPOSAL
RADIAL ARTICULATION
RELICS
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REFRAMING THE SKYLINE
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EVOLVING MUTATION
THE STEPS OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE
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INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY A. BUILDING STRUCTURE
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B. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
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& MATERIALITY C. BUILDING ENVIRONMENTAL
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STRATEGIES & SERVICES D. STUDIO SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY
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As the proposal aims to create an evolving building, an exoskeleton takes load away from the internal spaces, allowing spaces to be added, subtracted and manipulated as the bank evolves. By mounting parts of the old facade onto the new facade, it becomes reframed. Looking into the future, this old architecture will decay, referencing Joseph Gandy’s painting and acknowledging that eventually all architecture will be overridden to suit function. The adaptability of the structure means that my proposal can be reframed and expanded upon. Precast concrete can be easily removed, steel can be unbolted meaning spaces can be added and subtracted. One of the principles key to Soane’s designs was the articulation of natural light. By introducing terraces, internal courts, multi-story skylights, open atriums and a central hall through the use of a steel structure, the proposed design aims to create interesting light qualities as well as decreasing the density and monotony of the space.
- IMAGE FROM ARC3013
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EXISTING
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EXCAVATION
REMAINING FACADE
A. BUILDING STRUCTURE
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CHAMBER TRUSS STRUCTURE AIMING FOR TRANSPARENCY
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The design for the Chamber of Address aims to achieve a monumentality on the exterior, an uninterrupted stone wall. On the inside, it aims to radiate light. To achieve this, the walls are hollow, implementing a truss system to withstand the sheer scale. To suspend the pendant dome and the office spaces above, the top floor becomes an inhabited truss.
The reason for the change in exoskeleton design is to minimise the impact it has on the facade. This way, the reframed facade stands out more.
AN ENDLESS PROCESS OF REFRAMING INCREASING FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY In order to fulfill the endless process of reframing, the new structure aims to be as adaptable and flexible as possible. To do this, an exoskeleton is used to decrease the amount of structure within the building itself.
117 POMPIDOU STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM The Pompidou’s structure has been placed on the exterior, in order to minimise the structure inside the building. This maximises the size and flexibility of the interior space without interruptions. In this proposal, an exoskeleton along with an internal steel structure that can be easily dismantled is used to enable the expansion and contraction of the building.
B. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALITY 1. Soane’s Wall 2. Exoskeleton 3. Remaining Facade 4. Proposed External Wall 5. Open Atrium introducing natural ventilation and rainwater harvesting 6. Chamber of Address Truss System accommodating services + drainage
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C. BUILDING ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES & SERVICES The first environmental strategy of the building is the use of geothermal energy. As it is situated in the City of London, ground source would not be suitable. Therefore drilling down overcomes the issue of lack of open land. The second is natural ventilation. By using a giant open atrium surrounding the Chamber of Address and spanning the full height of the building, air rising through this space, draws air out of the spaces and up and out of the building. The third strategy is daylighting. The offset atriums guide light deep into the building and allow spaces to be naturally lit on both sides. The Bank covers 3.5 Acres in the centre of London, therefore it is ideal to collect rainwater for use in toilets. Services for the central chamber are accommodated in the hollow walls and those for the other spaces can be fit in-between the steel structure.
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KEY ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES GEO - THERMAL NATURAL VENTILATION DAYLIGHTING RAINWATER HARVESTING
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Once Baker’s Bank is dismantled, initially the new exoskeleton and secondly the steel structure is built. The GRC cladding is then hung upon this, and then pins allow ‘artefacts’ to be mounted on the facade.
D. STUDIO SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY SECTION DETAIL 1:10
UTRECHT TOWN HALL 1. Remaining facade suspended by pins 2. Precast Glass Reinforced Concrete Facade 3. Vertical Rail + Rigid Insulation 4. Horizontal Mounting Rail 5. Waterproof Membrane 6. Isokorb load bearing thermal insulation element, preventing cold-bridges and connecting the internal structure to the exoskeleton 7. Steel Column + Infill Insulation 8. Suspended Precast Concrete Ceiling 9. Punctured Steel Floor Be ams to accommodate Services 10. Precast Radiant + Cooling Slabs using rainwater harvesting 11. Precast Concrete Wall Panel + Rigid Insulation in void to accommodate Services
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