TAFONI HOUSESCAPES: JAI PATEL
ABSTRACT
THIS PORTFOLO OUTLINES HOUSESCAPES; A MIXED USE PROJECT IN CENTRAL CARDIFF THAT ENCOMPASSES HOUSING AND RETAIL. THE PROJECT IS INSPIRED BY A MATERIAL STRUCTURE SYSTEM CALLED TAFONI, WHICH IS A HONEYCOMB WEATHERING PATTERN. THIS PROVIDED A STARTING POINT OF EXPLORATION WHICH WAS THEN APPLIED TO THE SITE AND DESIGN PHILOSOPHY. KEY THEMES RUNNING THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS WERE POROSITY IN THE URBAN FABRIC AND SITE SPECIFITY; CONCLUSIONS FROM INITIAL RESEARCH
2
MATERIAL STRUCTURE
TAFONI IS A HONEYCOMB WEATHERING SYSTEM FOUND IN EITHER ARID OR VERY WET CONDITIONS. THE REASON FOR THE SIZE AND PLACEMENT OF THE WEATHERED AREAS ELUDES SCIENTISTS BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT IT IS HIGHLY SITE SPECIFIC, AS THE ROCK FORMATIONS ARE WEATHERED BY THEIR SURROUNDING CONDITIONS. WE WERE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF THE SPACES CREATED INFORMING A PROGRAMME OF SPACIAL ARRANGEMENT.
3
PHYSICAL MODELLING
WE BEGAN BY ATTEMPTING TO PHYSICALLY MODEL THE SYSTEM. WE FILLED A MOLD WITH BALLOONS OF VARYING SIZES AND THEN CASTING PLASTER AROUND THEM. AFTER THE BALLOONS WERE POPPED, THE SPACES LEFT BY THEM COULD BE SEEN TO CONNECT AND PRODUCED INTERESTING SPATIAL RHYTHMS WHICH BEGAN DEBATES ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE PROGRAMMES FOR THE FINAL BUILDING
4
DIGITAL MODELLING
USING 3DS MAX DESIGN, WE BEGAN A NEW METHOD OF MODELLING: TAKING SOLIDS AND CARVING AWAY MASS. WE LOOKED AT THIS IN TERMS OF CUTTING INTO SLABS IN AN ATTEMPT TO PRODUCE VARYING STRUCTURES. WE THEN BEGAN TO LOOK AT MAKING OUR SYSTEM MODULAR, CREATING OUR SPACES AS PODS THAT COULD BE TESSALATED AND ALTERED IN SIZE AND SHAPE BY VARIOUS PARAMETERS. ON THE NEXT PAGE IS OUR FOLLOWING EXPERIMENTS WITH LASER-CUTTING ONE OF THE MODELS TO FURTHER EXAMINE THE SPACES WE COULD PRODUCE
5
DIGITAL FABRICATION
6
IMAGE PROCESSING: CONCEPT
THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL IMAGE PRODUCED IN PHOTOSHOP OF THE MIXED USE PROJECT IN THE SITE. THE BUILDING SHELTERS THE SITE FROM THE MAIN ROAD THAT IT SITS ON. THE PHYSICAL MODEL WAS OVERLAID AS A SPATIAL MOTIF.
7
PROCESS I
CURRENT PUBLIC SPACES
8
PROPOSED PUBLIC LINK
PROCESS II RETAIL AND RESIDENTIAL SPATIAL REQUITREMENTS
STACKED
RE-FORMED TO PROTECT SITE FROM NOISE
SITE NOISE
9
PROCESS III
NEW PUBLIC PLAZA
10
MAIN ENTRANCE AND CONES OF VISION ON GROUND FLOOR
PROCESS IV
CONES OF VISION ON RESIDENTIAL FLOOR
PROPOSAL IN SITE
SITE MODEL
11
PRECEDENT STUDIES I LINKED HYBRID, BEIJING: STEVEN HOLL
THE LINKED HYBRID COMPLEX IN BEIJING AIMS TO COUNTER THE CURRENT PRIVATIZED URBAN DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA BY CREATING A TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY POROUS URBAN SPACE INVITING AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FROM EVERY SIDE. THE PROJECT PROMOTESINTERACTIVERELATIONS AND ENCOURAGES ENCOUNTERS IN THE PUBLIC SPACES THAT VARY FROM COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND EDUCATIONAL TO RECREATIONAL. THE ENTIRE COMPLEX IS A THREE DIMENSIONAL URBAN SPACE IN WHICH BUILDINGS ON THE GROUND, UNDER THE GROUND AND OVER THE GROUND ARE FUSED TOGETHER. THROUGH MULTIFACETED LAYERS, AS WELL AS PASSAGES OPEN TO ALL PEOPLE (RESIDENTS AND VISITORS), THE PROJECTS ASPIRATION OF BECOMING AN ‘OPEN CITY WITHIN A CITY’ IS REALISED.
CITY OF DENSE STREETS AND COURTYARDS
12
TYPICAL NEIGBBOURHOOD
CITY OF POCKETS CREATED BY NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CO-ORDINATED PRIVATIZATION
PRECEDENT STUDIES II PERFORATIONS
DUNE: MAGNUS LARSSON
HORIZONTALS
MIAMI 111: HERZOG AND DE MEURON
STEEL HOUSE: ROBERT BRUNO BEIRUT TERRACES: HERZOG AND DE MEURON
TEK BUILDING: BJARKE INGELS GROUP
13
AMERICAS’S CUP: DAVID CHIPPERFIELD
LIGHTWELLS
FORUM: HERZOG AND DE MEURON
MIT SIMMONS HALL: STEVEN HOLL
LOUVRES
NINETREE VILLAGE: DAVID CHIPPERFIELD
LANDSCAPING CONCEPT
THE MAIN PLAZA IS TO BE LANDSCAPED WITH BOTH PAVING (GREY) AND GREENERY (WHITE). THE SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT IS DETERMINED BY THE SAME GRID THAT INFORMED THE FORM OF THE BUILDING. BENCHES (BROWN) AND SUNKEN WATER FEATURES (BLUE) ARTICULATE THE GRID IN A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MANNER.
14
PRAXIS I B A
THE CENTRAL PLAZA IS SUNKEN BY 1.5 METRES. AN AMPHITHEATRE TO THE WEST OF THE SITE HAS THE BACKDROP OF THE RIVER TAFF. THE LISTED WATERTOWER ON THE EDGE OF THE SITE WILL BE REPURPOSED AND RIGGED WITH LIGHTING FOR EVENING PERFORMANCES. A RAMP AND WALKWAY BORDERS THE SOUTH AND WEST OF THE SITE, SHELTERING THE PLAZA FROM NOISE FROM THE RAILWAY AND ELEVATING VISITORS HIGH ENOUGH FOR VIEWS TO THE BAY. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RAMP PROVIDES A COVERED VENUE FOR WEEKEND MARKETS ETC.
A’ B’
GROUND FLOOR RETAIL PLAN 1:500
15
PRAXIS II
THE UPPER LEVEL OF RETAIL IS CONNECTED BY RAISED INTERNAL WALKWAYS AND HOUSES MAINLY GALLERIES AND RESTAURANTS. THERE IS DIRECT ACCESS TO THIS LEVEL VIA THE WESTERN WING OF THE RAMP.
FIRST FLOOR RETAIL PLAN 1:500
16
PRAXIS III
RESIDENTIAL PLANS 1:500
SECOND FLOOR
SIXTH FLOOR
THIRD FLOOR
SEVENTH FLOOR
FOURTH FLOOR
FIFTH FLOOR
17
ROOF LEVEL
PRAXIS IV
SECTION A-A’ 1:500
SECTION B-B’ 1:500
18
PRAXIS V
NORTH ELEVATION 1:500
SOUTH ELEVATION 1:500
19
HOUSING UNIT THIS UNIT IS PLACED ON THE RESIDENTIAL LEVELS THAT ARE MAINLY OCCUPIED BY TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENTS. HOWEVER, THIS UNIT IS ONLY LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMODATE A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT. DUE TO ITS POSITION ON THE END OF THE BUILDING, IT IS SUBJECT TO SOME DIFFICULT GEOMETRIES WHICH CREATE THE POSSIBILITY FOR PRODUCING INTERESTING SPACES. THIS UNIT IS AIMED AD YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND COUPLES
UNIT KEY
20
PRAXIS I
B
A’
A
E
UPPER FLOOR PLAN 1:50
A
A’
C D LOWER FLOOR PLAN 1:50
B’ C’
21
THE UPPER FLOOR HOLDS THE MAIN ENTRANCE FROM THE CIRCULATION SPACE, THE LIVING ROOM, AND A STUDY SPACE. THE LOWER FLOOR CONSISTS OF AN EN-SUITE BEDROOM, THE KITCHEN, DINING ROOM AND A DOUBLEHEIGHT BALCONY. THE DOUBLEHEIGHT BALCONY IS USED IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE DIFFICULT ANGLES IN THE LIVING SPACE.
PRAXIS II
SOUTH ELEVATION 1:50
NORTH-EAST ELEVATION 1:50
22
PRAXIS III
SECTIONS A-A’ AND B-B’ SHOW HOW THE UPPER AND LOWER VOLUMES OF THE UNIT INTERACT IN RELATION TO THE STAIRCASE. IN SECTION A-A’, IT CAN BE SEEN THAT ALONG THE ROUTE OF THE STAIRCASE IS A SHELF, WHICH PROVIDES THE CEILING OF THE BATHROOM. IT ALSO SHOWS THAT THERE IS A VOID UNDER THE STAIRCASE, WHICH IS BECAUSE THE STAIRCASE IS MADE INTO A FEATURE IN THE APARTMENT. SECTION B-B’ ALSO SHOWS HOW THE STAIRCASE IS A FEATURE OF THE APARTMENT, SITTING STANDALONE AROUND THE LIVING SPACE WITHIN THE UNIT.
SECTION B-B’ 1:50
SECTION A-A’ 1:50
23
DETAIL PLAN D 1:10
DETAIL PLAN E 1:10
ODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
PRAXIS IV
DETAIL PLANS D AND E DEMONSTRATE HOW THE GLAZING PANELS INTERACT AT JUNCTIONS.AS CAN BE SEEN IN DETAIL PLAN D, WHEN THE GLAZING MEETS A WALL, IT IS EMBEDDED INTO THE WALL SO THAT IT SEEMS TO JUST RUN ON INTO THE PANEL ON THE OTHER SIDE, IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE IMMEDIATE APPEARANCE OF A JUNCTION POINT. DETAIL PLAN E PRESENTS HOW GLAZING PANELS MEET EACH OTHER AT JUNCTIONS. A TIMBER BEAM SITS WITHIN THE JUNCTION AND THE GLAZING PANELS ARE ATTACHED TO IT WITH STEEL BOLTS. FROM THE EXTERIOR, THE GLAZING APPEARS TO HAVE NOTHING SUPPORTING THEM FROM WITHIN DUE TO ITS REFLECTIVE NATURE. DETAIL SECTION C-C’ EXAMINE THE GLAZING AND LOUVRES SYSTEM. THE GLAZING SITS ON A RECESSED TRACK SO THAT THEY CAN BE COMPACTED AWAY EFFECTIVELY MAKING THE ENTIRE LIVING SPACE INTO A BALCONY. WITHIN THE TRACKS ARE HINGES SO THAT THE GLAZING PANELS CAN BE FOLDED AWAY TO SAVE MORE SPACE. THE LOWEST FOR LOUVRES ALWAYS REMAIN STATIONARY AND ACT AS A BALCONY WHEN THE GLAZING IS OPENED. THE MOVING LOUVRES RUN ON A STEEL CABLE TRACK ATTACHED TO THE ABOVE FLOORPLATE AND THE HIGHEST FIXED LOUVRE. THEY ARE CONTROLLED BY TWIN ROLLERS ATTACHED TO THE CEILING. THE CONCRETE FLOORPLATES HAVE VOIDS FILLED WITH POLYSTYRENE BLOCKS AND THE CONCRETE USES POLYSTYRENE AGGREGATE. THIS MATERIAL CHOICE REDUCES THE WEIGHT OF THE CONCRETE BY 60-80%. THE LOWER FLOORPLATE LIP IS SLOPED TO ALLOW MOISTURE TO RUN OFF AND THE CEILING HAS A NOTCH BEFORE THE GLAZING TO PREVENT MOISTURE FROM RUNNING ALONG IT.
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
DETAIL SECTION C-C’ 1:20
24
LOUVRE SYSTEM
THE SLIDING LOUVRE SYSTEM IS BROKEN INTO FOUR SEPARATELY CONTROLLABLE MECHANISMS SO THAT DIFFERENT ROOMS HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN SOLAR SHADING AND PRIVACY. THE BEDROOM, DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN ALL HAVE THEIR OWN LOUVRE SYSTEMS. THE LIVING ROOM SHARES ITS MECHANISM WITH THE LIVING ROOM TO CREATE A MORE FLOWING LANGUAGE RATHER THAN HAVING TWO SEPARATE SYSTEMS WORKING IN THE SAME DOUBLE HEIGHT SPACE.
25
STAIRS
THE STAIRCASE BETWEEN THE TWO FLOORS IS A KEY FEATURE OF THE APARTMENT. IT IS ENTIRELY MADE OF EXPOSED CONCRETE AND IS DESIGNED TO BE CAST IN-SITU. ITEMPLOYS A SPIRAL DESIGN IN ORDER TO BE SPACE EFFICIENT AND TO ELIMINATE A DIFFICULT GEOMENTRY IN THE LIVING SPACE. THE BACK OF THE STAIRCASE IS BROKENINTO TRIANGLES TO CREATE A GEOMETRIC FLOW FROM FLOOR TO CEILING. THIS IS FURTHER REINFORCED BY THE MATERIAL CHOICE, AS THE CONCRETE CEILING APPEARSTO FLOW DOWN TO THE FLOOR ALONG THE STAIRCASE.
26
MATERIAL APPLICATION
INTERNAL PERSPECTIVE
27
MATERIAL PALETTE