Year 2 Learning Journal by Jai Patel

THIS DOCUMENT OUTLINES MY BODY OF WORK DURING THE SECOND YEAR OF MY BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE. IT HOLDS MY THOUGHT PROCESS AND THE RESULTING OUTCOMES; IT IS A SELF-CRITICISM AND A REFLECTION ON WHAT I ACHIEVED AND FAILED TO ACHEIVE. THIS YEAR.

TAFONI HOUSESCAPES

ABSTRACT 4

HOUSESCAPES IS 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

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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, SUCH AS A PROGRAMME OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AREAS OR THE MANNER IN WHICH INTERNAL VOLUMES ARE CONNECTED. WE ALSO CONSIDERED THE ROCK FORMATION AS A TOOL TO INFORM AESTHETIC.

PHYSICAL MODELLING

WE BEGAN BY ATTEMPTING TO PHYSICALLY MODEL THE WEATHERING SYSTEM. WE FILLED A MOLD WITH BALLOONS OF VARYING SIZES AND THEN CASTED 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. THE SMOOTH FINISH OF THE PLASTER ALSO STARTED PRELIMINARY DEBATES ON A MATERIALITY FOR THE BUILDING, WITH US BEING SWAYED BY THE IDEA OF HAVING ENCLOSED PUBLIC PLAZAS OF SMOOTH CONCRETE SURROUNDINGS WITH ORGANICALLY SHAPED OPENINGS INTO OTHER PLAZAS.

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DIGITAL MODELLING USING 3DS MAX DESIGN, WE BEGAN A NEW METHOD OF MODELLING: TAKING SOLIDS AND CARVING AWAY MASS. WE BEGAN BY CARVING AWAY FROM SOLID FORMS BUT THEN TURNED TO 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. HOWEVER, WE FOUND THAT, FOR TAFONI, THERE WAS NO CLEAR-CUT WAY OF DEFINING THESE PARAMETERS AS WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY DEFINED THE FORMATION OF OUR WEATHERING SYSTEM, SO IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE OUR MODULES SPECIFIC TO A CERTAIN CONDITION. ON THE NEXT PAGE ARE OUR FOLLOWING EXPERIMENTS WITH LASER-CUTTING ONE OF THE MODELS TO FURTHER EXAMINE THE SPACES WE COULD PRODUCE.

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DIGITAL FABRICATION

IMAGE PROCESSING: CONCEPT

THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL IMAGE PRODUCED IN PHOTOSHOP OF THE MIXED USE PROJECT IN THE SITE FROM EARLY MASTERPLANNING IDEAS. THE BUILDING SHELTERS THE SITE FROM THE MAIN ROAD THAT IT SITS ON, AND THE NOISE THAT ACCOMPANIES IT. THE PHYSICAL MODEL WAS OVERLAID AS A SPATIAL MOTIF AT THIS EARLY STAGE IN THE DESIGN PROCESS.

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PROCESS

CURRENT PUBLIC SPACES

PROPOSED PUBLIC LINK

RETAIL AND RESIDENTIAL SPATIAL REQUITREMENTS

STACKED

RE-FORMED TO PROTECT SITE FROM NOISE

SITE NOISE

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NEW PUBLIC PLAZA

MAIN ENTRANCE AND CONES OF VISION ON GROUND FLOOR

CONES OF VISION ON RESIDENTIAL FLOOR

PROPOSAL IN SITE

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SITE MODEL

WE PRODUCED THIS SITE MODEL AT THE END OF THE PROJECT ON THE LASER CUTTER. IT IS PRIMARILY A MASSING MODEL BUT SHOWS HOW SOME OF THE FLOORPLATES CANTILEVER OUT OF THE CORE OF THE BUILDING TO CREATE SOME VARIANCE IN THE APARTMENT AND BALCONY SIZES. IT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE MASSING THAT THE BUILDING WOULD BECOME A LANDMARK IN THE SURROUNDING ARE BUT NOT BECOME A MONOLITHIC STRUCTURE TOWERING OVER ITS SURROUNDINGS.

PRECEDENT STUDIES: 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 PROMOTES INTERACTIVE RELATIONS 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

TYPICAL NEIGBBOURHOOD

CITY OF POCKETS CREATED BY NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CO-ORDINATED PRIVATIZATION

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PRECEDENT STUDIES: PERFORATIONS

STEEL HOUSE: ROBERT BRUNO

DUNE: MAGNUS LARSSON

TEK BUILDING: BJARKE INGELS GROUP THESE PRECEDENTS WERE LOOKING AT VARIOUS BUILDINGS THAT INCORPORATED TAFONI-LIKE PERFORATIONS INTO THE BUILDING FABRIC. WE LOOKED AT STRUCTURES TAHT WERE WHOLLY ORGANIC IN THEIR DESIGN, FOR EXAMPLE, MAGNUS LARSSON’S DUNE, WHICH WAS FORMED BY BINDING SAND IN THE DESERT TO FORM TAFONI-LIKE STRUCTURES THAT WOULD REDUCE THE EFFECT OF DRIFTING SAND DUNES, TO HIGHLY ENGINEERED BUILDINGS SUCH AS ROBERT BRUNO’S STEEL HOUSE AND BIG’S TEK BUILDING.

HORIZONTALS

BEIRUT TERRACES: HERZOG AND DE MEURON

MIAMI 111: HERZOG AND DE MEURON

AMERICAS’S CUP: DAVID CHIPPERFIELD AFTER VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR TUTOR, WE BEGAN LOOKING AT VARIOUS WAYS OF EXPRESSING THE HORIZONTAL ELEMENTS OF THE FLOORPLATES IN THE BUILDING, AS THE BUILDINGS ABOVE DO. THIS RESEARCH EVENTUALLY LED TO THE OFFSET FLOORPLATES IN OUR OWN DESIGN, INSPIRED PRIMARILY BY HERZOG AND DE MEURON’S BEIRUT TERRACES.

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LIGHTWELLS

FORUM: HERZOG AND DE MEURON

MIT SIMMONS HALL: STEVEN HOLL INITALLY, WE WERE KEEN TO HAVE LIGHTWELLS RUNNING THROUGH OUR BUILDING TO LIGHT KEY PUBLIC SPACES AT GROUND LEVEL. THIS BECAME PROBLEMATIC WHEN WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY CIRCULATION TO OUR BUILDING HOWEVER, AND WE DIDN’T END UP USING LIGHTWELLS.

LOUVRES

NINETREE VILLAGE: DAVID CHIPPERFIELD

WE DESIGNED OUR APARTMENTS IN THE MASTERPLANNING STAGE TO HAVE WINDOWS ON BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES TO MAXIMISE THE LIGHT LEVELS IN THEM. DUE TO THIS, WE RESEARCHED COUNTER-MEASURES TO PREVENT UNCOMFORTABLE LIGHT LEVELS IN THE SUMMER IN THE FORM OF LOUVRES. WE PRIMARILY LOOKED AT THE WORK OF DAVID CHIPPERFIELD, WHO OFTEN USED LOUVRES FOR THE PURPOSE OF SOLAR SHADING AND VARYING FACADES. WE LATER INPUTTED THIS RESEARCH INTO THE DESIGN OF OUR APARTMENTS THAT COULD BE RE-ARRANGED DEPENDING ON EXTERNAL LIGHT CONDITIONS.

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WHEN WORKING ON THE MASTERPLAN FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE APARTMENTS, WE LOOKED AT LE CORBUSIER’S UNITÉ D’HABITATION. IN UNITÉ, ONE CORRIDOR EFFECTIVELY SERVED THREE FLOORS AS THE APARTMENTS WRAPPED AROUND THE CIRCULATION LEVEL. DIRECTLY INPUTTING THIS INTO OUR DESIGN HOWEVER WOULD HAVE LEFT US WITH APARTMENTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR TOO BIG TO HAVE BEEN 2-BEDROOMS. WE STRUGGLED WITH TRYING TO REWORK CORBUSIER’S DESIGN FOR OVER A WEEK UNTIL WE FINALLY LANDED ON THE IDEA OF INTERLOCKING APARTMENTS SPANNING TWO FLOORS INSTEAD OF THREE. THESE WOULD MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF OUR APARTMENTS, WITH DOUBLE-HEIGHT STUDIO APARTMENTS ON THE HIGHEST RESIDENTIAL FLOOR AND CUSTOM APARTMENTS ON THE END OF EACH FLOORPLATE.

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THESE ARE A FEW PHOTOS OF PROCESS FROM ONE OF OUR TUTORIALS WHEN IT CAME TO WORKING OUT THE FINER DETAILS OF OUR MASTERPLAN. WE WORKED PRIMARILY ON LAYER UPON LAYER OF TRACE SO THAT WE COULD ALTER ANY DETAIL EASILY. HERE, WE WERE DISCUSSING HOW OUR CIRCULATION WOULD CARVE INTO THE MASS OF OUR BUILDING. TO THE LEFT, WE WERE DISCUSSING IF OUR CIRCULATION ROUTES ON THE RESIDENTIAL FLOORS COULD GRADUALLY BECOME WIDER TO MAKE THEM FEEL SHORTER THAN THEY ACTUALLY WERE BY COUNTERING THE EFFECT OF PERSPECTIVE. TO THE RIGHT ARE DRAWINGS FROM A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE COULD CARVE INTO THE RETAIL LEVELS TO HELP THE PLAZA INTERACT WITH THE STREET ON THE OTHER SIDE.

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PRAXIS 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

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

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RESIDENTIAL PLANS

SECOND FLOOR

SIXTH FLOOR

THIRD FLOOR

SEVENTH FLOOR

FOURTH FLOOR

FIFTH FLOOR

ROOF LEVEL

LANDSCAPING PROCESS

WORKING FROM A GRID DEFINED BY THE BUILDING MASSING

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PRECEDENT STUDY: THE HIGH LINE

AROUND THE TIME THAT WE WERE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, THE HIGH LINE PARK IN NEW YORK HAD JUST BEEN OPENED AND WAS RECEIVING A LOT OF PUBLICITY ONLINE. THE HIGH LINE IS A RAISED PARK RUNNING THROUGH NEW YORK CITY, MAKING USE OF OLD TRAINTRACKS THAT ARE NO LONGER USED. WE WERE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE WAY THAT THE PARK INTERGRATED GREEN SPACE INTO AN URBAN CONTEXT AS OUR SITE IS IN THE HEART OF CARDIFF’S CITY CENTRE AND TOOK ELEMENTS SUCH AS THE THE BENCHES AND THE PAVING INTO OUR OWN PROJECT.

SUNKEN WATER FEATURES

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APMHITHEATRE

WORKING SECTION SHOWING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMPHITHEATRE AND RIVER

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.

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SECTIONS

SECTION A-A’

SECTION B-B’

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ELEVATIONS

NORTH ELEVATION

SOUTH ELEVATION

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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

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PRAXIS

A’

UPPER FLOOR PLAN

A’

C D LOWER FLOOR PLAN

B’ C’

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.

SOUTH ELEVATION

NORTH-EAST ELEVATION

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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’

SECTION A-A’

ODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

DETAIL PLAN E

DETAIL PLAN D

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’

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LOUVRE SYSTEM

THE SLIDING LOUVRE SYSTEM, INSPIRED BY THE WORKS OF DAVID CHIPPERFIELD SUCH AS NINETREE VILLAGE, 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. THE LOUVRES ARE ALL CONTROLLED BY AN ELECTRICAL PULLEY SYSTEM SO THAT THEY CAN ALL BE ADJUSTED FROM INDOORS. THE LOUVRES AT THE BASE OF THE LOWER FLOOR ARE FIXED AND DOUBLE AS A BANISTER FOR THE BALCONY AND THE DINING ROOM WHEN THE FOLDING WINDOWS ARE PUSHED BACK

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 BROKEN INTO TRIANGLES TO CREATE A GEOMETRIC FLOW FROM FLOOR TO CEILING. THIS IS FURTHER REINFORCED BY THE MATERIAL CHOICE, AS THE CONCRETE CEILING APPEARS TO FLOW DOWN TO THE FLOOR ALONG THE STAIRCASE.

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MATERIAL APPLICATION

INTERNAL PERSPECTIVE

MATERIAL PALETTE

LEARNING OUTCOMES 54

WORKING IN A GROUP IN ANY ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE, WORKING WITHIN A GROUP IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT. IN REALITY, NO DESIGN PROPOSAL IS THE WORK OF ONLY ONE PERSON. EVERY DESICION MUST BE DISCUSSED AND EVERY IDEA MUST BE CRITIQUED TO REACH THE BEST DESIGN SOLUTION. THIS PROJECT BEGAN AS GROUP WORK BUT MOST GROUPS SPLIT INTO INDIVIDUALS AFTER THE EARLY MASTERPLANNING STAGES. ONE THING THIS PROJECT TAUGHT ME WAS THAT IF A GROUP CAN WORK WELL TOGETHER, THE OUTCOME WILL ALMOST ALWAYS BE BETTER FOR IT. WE STAYED AS A GROUP FOR ALMOST THE ENTIRE DESIGN PROCESS, ONLY SPLITTING UP WHEN IT CAME TO DESIGNING THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING UNITS. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE ENTIRE SCHEME HAD A VAST BODY OF WORK BEHIND IT AND EVERY DECISION HAD BEEN CAREFULLY MADE AND WAS BACKED UP WITH RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION. THERE ARE OF COURSE TIMES WHEN THE ENTIRE GROUP DOESN’T SEE EYE TO EYE BUT THIS IS AN INEVITABILITY OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES AND CAN OFTEN LEAD TO A MORE INFORMED DECISION. THERE WERE ALSO THINGS THAT ALL OF US OVERLOOKED, SUCH AS FORGETTING TO INHABIT OUR TECHNICAL DRAWINGS, BUT NO-ONE IN PARTICULAR CAN BE FAULTED FOR THAT OVERSIGHT. AT THE END OF IT ALL, I THINK THE PROJECT BENEFITTED GREATLY FROM WORKING IN A GROUP AND I WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE WORKING IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT.

DIGITAL DESIGN THIS PROJECT WAS CLOSELY COUPLED WITH THE DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND METHODS MODULE. AS A RESULT WE WERE FORCED TO INTEGRATE DIGITAL DESIGN INTO OUR PROJECTS. THOUGH IT SEEMED LIKE ADDITIONAL WORK AT THE TIME, IT DID PUSH THE DESIGN FURTHER THAN IT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE GONE AND ALSO HELPED ME BUILD A SET OF CORE SKILLS ON PROGRAMMES THAT I WILL INEVITABLY HAVE TO USE IN PRACTICE.

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URBAN CONDITIONS HISTORICAL MODELLING

ABSTRACT 58

URBAN CONDITIONS WAS A PRECURSOR TO OUR NEXT FULL STUDIO PROJECT, EXAMINING THE TOWN SURROUNDING OUR NEXT SITE IN DEPTH. I WAS PART OF A GROUP WITH THE TASK OF MODELLING THE TOWN OF BARRY IN SOME WAY. AFTER INITIAL EXPLORATIONS WE DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE MOST INTERESTING TO DOCUMENT BARRY’S GROWTH FROM THE LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY WHEN IT BECAME A MAJOR WELSH PORT, PARTICULARY DUE TO ITS RECENT DECLINE SINCE ITS PORT WAS CLOSED. HOPEFULLY, THESE STUDIES WILL BECOME A HISTORICAL BASIS FROM WHICH MY STUDIO WORK WILL BE BASED.

SITE MODEL OF CONTEMPORARY BARRY

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HISTORICAL MODELLING

1880 JAI PATEL BSc_2

1900 JAI PATEL BSc_2

1930 JAI PATEL BSc_2

1970 JAI PATEL BSc_2

2011

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LEARNING OUTCOMES 70

MODELLING

WORKING IN A GROUP

THIS PROJECT INVOLVED MODELLING IN A NEW WAY FOR ME. I HAVE NEVER PRODUCED MODELS ON THIS SCALE OF ENTIRELY LASERCUT PARTS. IT PROVIDED ME WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN TERMS OF THE PREPARATION PROCESS AS WELL AS THE ASSEMBLY OF A MODEL WITH SUCH SMALL PARTS. IT ALSO TAUGHT ME SOMETHING ABOUT MATERIALITY, IN THAT OUR USING CLEAR PERSPEX ON WHITE CARD MEANT THAT IT WAS QUITE DIFFICULT TO PROPERLY READ OUR MODELS FROM A DISTANCE, AND I WILL KEEP THIS IN MIND IF I EVER UNDERTAKE A MODEL OF THIS VARIETY AGAIN.

ONCE AGAIN, THIS PROJECT RELIED ON GROUP WORK. I LEARNT FROM THIS PROJECT THAT WORKING IN A GROUP NOT ONLY MEANS THAT YOU END UP WITH A BETTER INFORMED FINAL PRODUCT BUT THAT YOU HAVE A GREATER SET OF SKILLS ON WHICH TO DRAW FROM. ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF THE MODEL WERE LASERCUT WHICH MEANT FINDING OR PRODUCING CAD FILES TO SCALE OF THE BUILDINGS AT VARIOUS POINTS IN THE PAST, AS WELL AS PRODUCING THE TOPOGRAPHY IN A MANNER THAT COULD BE LASERCUT AT VARIOUS SCALES. I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS ON MY OWN AND IT WAS CERTAINLY HELPFUL TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THE GROUP WHO WERE MORE EXPERIENCED WITH CAD PROGRAMMES THAN MYSELF.

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COPENHAGEN SKETCHBOOK

WALKING TOUR JAI PATEL BSc_2

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THE PLAYHOUSE THEATRE 84

STUDENT EXHIBITION JAI PATEL BSc_2

UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS

THE MOUNTAIN: BIG

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LOUISIANA CONTEMPORARY

NATIONAL LIBRARY

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SCULPT FIGURE/GROUND

ABSTRACT 94

FIGURE/GROUND IS A CONTINUATION OF THE URBAN CONDITIONS PROJECT. THE BRIEF WAS TO DESIGN AN ARTS CENTRE THAT WOULD REVITALISE THE TOWN OF BARRY, WHICH HAS BEEN IN STEADY DECLINE SINCE ITS PORT WAS CLOSED. MY SCHEME DID THIS BY FOCUSING ON BARRY’S PAST, STONE MASONRY. BARRY HAS A HISTORY OF BEING THE HOME TO FINE STONEWORK, SO THE ARTS CENTRE I DESIGNED WAS SPECIALISED FOR THE CREATION AND DISPLAY OF SCULPTURE AND STONE-WORK.

MANIFESTO

BARRY IS A TOWN THAT EXPERIENCED METEORIC EXPANSION WITH THE INDUSTRIAL BOOM OF THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY. THE RATE AT WHICH IT WAS POPULATED LURKS IN THE REALMS OF WORLD RECORDS AS PEOPLE WERE EFFECTIVELY IMPORTED INTO THE TOWN TO MEET THE DEMAND OF A RISING ECONOMY. HOWEVER, AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR, INDUSTRY IN BRITAIN WAS ON THE DECLINE AND MANY OF THE RESIDENTS BECAME REDUNDANT AS BARRY’S PORT BECAME UNDER-UTILISED. BARRY LOST ITS PURPOSE AS A MAJOR PORT FOR WALES AND WITH ITS PURPOSE, IT LOST THE ANCHOR THAT HELD FUTURE GENERATIONS TO THE TOWN. WITH NO MAJOR PROSPECTS TO BE HAD, BARRY’S YOUTH POPULATION HAS BEEN MOVING AWAY TO BIGGER CITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT, LEAVING MAINLY AN AGEING POPULATION. THE LACK OF NEW INVESTMENT IN THE TOWN HAS LEFT IT IN STEADY DECLINE SINCE THE 1950’S AND BARRY IS NOW HOME TO PECULIAR LEFTOVER SPACES, A DOCK AND SERVICE NETWORK THAT IS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL, AND AN OUTDATED URBAN NARRATIVE. BARRY IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF REGENERATION IF IT IS TO RETURN TO SOME FORM OF ITS FORMER GLORY. HOWEVER, WITH THE CAPITAL OF WALES IS ONLY TEN MILES AWAY, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE INTERVENTION MUST BE SOMETHING UNIQUE TO BARRY. BARRY WAS ONCE FAMED FOR ITS STONEMASONS AND THE PROFESSION IS STILL HIGHLY REGARDED IN THE TOWN. ITS ORIGINS IN BARRY CAN NOW BE TRACED BACK TO A RECENTLY UNEARTHED ROMAN QUARRY. I PROPOSE BUILDING AN ARTS CENTRE THAT FOCUSES ON STONE MASONRY AND SCULPTURE ON THE SITE OF THE OLD MAGISTRATE’S COURT. IT WILL NOT ONLY BE A PLACE FOR CREATIVITY, BUT ALSO AS A TRAINING CENTRE FOR MASON’S APPRENTICES, PROVIDING USEFUL SKILLS FOR BARRY’S YOUTH AND GIVING THEM A REASON TO REMAIN IN THE TOWN. IN TERMS OF TECTONICS, THE PROJECT WILL HAVE A FOCUS ON MASONRY, BRICK, STONE AND SLATE, A MATERIALITY THAT IS DISTINCTLY UNIQUE TO WALES, AND BARRY IN PARTICULAR, AS THE ORIGINAL BRICK TOWN SPROUTED IN RECORD TIME. AS A CELEBRATION OF BARRY’S PAST, THE BUILDING WILL ALSO ACT AS A SOCIAL HUB, WITH A BAR, CAFE, WORKSHOPS AND EXHIBITIONS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

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SITE ANALYSIS

IS TR IC T

ET STRE

FA R

ST RE

RE SI DE NT IA LD

HIGH

: RE G ME T N DIN CHE E C IL S VIC C BU D TO I C LI KE B PU E LIN B LD

LEISURE CENTRE: PUBLIC BUILDING COULD BE LINKED TO SCHEME

SITE PLAN SECTION A-A’ SITE PHOTOS SECTION B-B’

CONCEPT I WANTED THIS CENTRE TO REVITALISE THE ART OF STONE-WORK AND BECOME A HUB FOR NEW AND EXCITING PROGRESSIONS IN THE FIELD OF SCULPTURE, AND I WANTED THIS TO BE REFLECTED IN MY SCHEME. TO THE LEFT ARE SOME CONCEPT IMAGES THAT I USED TO FORM A STARTING POINT FOR MY DESIGN. THE IDEA OF USING STONE IN NEW WAYS WAS KEY IN MY MIND. MY INITIAL THOUGHTS WAS THAT THE BUILDING, CLAD IN STONE PANELS, WOULD CANTILEVER OVER THE SLOPE THAT THE SITE SITS ON AND WOULD APPEAR TO FLOAT.

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100

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102

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PRECEDENT STUDIES

NOTTINGHAM CONTEMPORARY: CARUSO ST JOHN

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NOTTINGHAM CONTEMPORARY SETS OUT TO OFFER A WIDE INVENTORY OF INTERIORS THAT HAVE THE VARIETY AND SPECIFICITY OF FOUND SPACES, WITHIN A NEW BUILDING. THE GALLERIES ARE DEFINED BY THIN, NON LOAD BEARING WALLS, AND ARE CONNECTED BY LARGE GLAZED OPENINGS THAT AFFORD VIEWS ACROSS THE WIDTH AND LENGTH OF THE FLOOR AND WHICH LEND FLEXIBILITY TO HOW THIS SUITE OF ROOMS CAN BE USED. THE ARCHITECTS WERE INTERESTED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE CLIFF AND THE WAY THAT IT ELEVATES THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE LACE MARKET SO THAT SEVERAL RANGES OF BUILDINGS ARE PRESENTED, ALMOST IN ELEVATION, TO THE SOUTH OF THE CITY. WHILE THE LINE OF THE CLIFF IS REINFORCED BY THE LOW SLUNG BODY OF THE BUILDING, THE PROFILE OF NOTTINGHAM CONTEMPORARY IS DISTINCTIVE AND BECOMES A PART OF THE SPECTACULAR VIEW FROM THE SOUTH, WHERE THE BUILDINGS OF THE LACE MARKET FORM A CROWN AGAINST THE SKY.

KUNSTHAL ROTTERDAM: OMA

THE KUNSTHAL WAS A GALLERY THAT INTERESTED ME BECAUSE IT IS INTERSECTED BY ROADS AND THIS SPLITS THE GALLERIES INTO INDIVIDUAL UNITS. HOWEVER, THE GALLERIES STILL READ AS A COHESIVE WHOLE. THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT TO BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE INTO MY SCHEME SO THAT I CAN HAVE A CENTRAL CIRCULATION ROUTE RUNNING THROUGH MY BUILDING WITHOUT COMPROMISING MY GALLERY SPACE.

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IN A DISCUSSION WITH MY TUTOR ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF MY BUILDING, WE LOOKED AT PETER ZUMTHOR’S BREGENZ MUSEUM, WHICH IS PRIMARILY SUPPORTED BY THREE LOAD-BEARING WALLS THAT RUN THROUGH EVERY FLOOR OF THE BUILDING, BUT DON’T COMPROMISE THE GALLERY SPACE IN THE PROCESS. WE WERE CONSIDERING IF THIS COULD BE A WAY TO MAKE MY BUILDING CANTILEVER WITHOUT RUINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE GALLERY SPACE.

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AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I DECIDED THAT THE CANTILEVER SIMPLY COULD NOT WORK WHILE ALSO PROVIDING FLEXIBLE GALLERY SPACE FOR A RANGE OF SIZES OF SCULPTURE. I THEN CONSIDERED USING PORTAL FRAMES AS AN ALTERNATIVE, SO THAT THE BUILDING WOULD HANG RATHER THAN FLOAT.

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PROCESS

SITE AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS

PROPOSED PUBLIC PARK

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MASSING SPLIT INTO THREE MAIN PURPOSES; ARTISTS’ STUDIOS, ADMINISTRATION AND GALLERY

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MASSING ON SITE

BUILDING RAISED ON PORTAL FRAMES. STREET PEDESTRIANISED, MAIN CIRCULATION ROUTE THROUGH BUILDING TO PARK, CIRCULATION UNDER BUILDING

ARTISTS’ APARTMENTS RAISED, ACCESS TO PARK

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THE GALLERY IS DESIGNED WITH A SERIES OFPOINTS SPACED ON A GRID FROM WHICH DISPLAY WALLS PIVOT ABOUT TO CHANGE THE GALLERY SPACE AND POTENTIALLY CLOSE OFF AREAS FOR SMALLER EXHIBITIONS OR PROVIDE A ROUTE AROUND THE EDGE OF THE GALLERY. FOR EXTRA FLEXIBILITY, THE WALLS CAN BE DETACHED AND STORED TO CREATE A LARGE UNHINDERED DISPLAY SPACE.

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ENTRANCE TO CAFE/SHOP, GALLERY CIRCULATION, DELIVERY ENTRANCE, , STORAGE LINK TO GALLERIES

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VERTICAL CIRCULATION, STREET ACCESS, PUBLIC CIRCULATION

APARTMENTS ARRANGED IN A CHECKERBOARD FORMATION TO THAT BOTH HAVE VIEWS IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND SOUTH LIGHT. BALCONIES ARE SHARED SPACE, FLOORPLATES ARE CUT TO LIGHT STUDIOS BELOW

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PRAXIS

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

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BASEMENT PLAN

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APARTMENT PLAN

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A’

B’ C

PLANS IN CONTEXT D C’

D’ A

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SECTION A-A’

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SECTION B-B’

SECTION D-D’

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SECTION C-C’

NORTHWEST ELEVATION

SOUTHEAST ELEVATION

NORTHEAST ELEVATION

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Construction Detail 1:50 Castellated Steel Beams 1200 x 600 mm, in 10000mm sections Double-glazed Skylight Concrete Cap with Cast In-situ Drainage 200mm Roof (Top to Bottom): Waterproof Membrane Solid Foam Insulation 200mm Damp-proof Membrane Steel Square Hollow Section Sub-structure 40 x 40mm White Plaster Render Steel Haunch 2700 x 1500 x 600mm Castellated Steel Beams 600 x 600mm, in 10000mm sections Wall (Left to Right): White Plaster Render Solid Foam Insulation 200mm Damp-Proof Membrane Steel Square Hollow Section Sub-Structure 40 x 40 mm Blue Pennant Sandstone CurtainWall, 1000 x1000 x 50 mm Floor (Top to Bottom): Cherry Oak timber Flooring 30mm Solid Foam Insulation 200mm Damp-proof Membrane Concrete Infill Comflor 210 Steel Foor Deck 300mm Castellated Steel Beams 1500 x 600mm, in 10000mm sections Steel Haunch 2700 x 1500 x 600mm

DETAIIL SECTION

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LANDSCAPE PLAN

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DAYLIGHTING STUDIES

PHYSICAL

TO ASSESS THE LIGHT QUALITIES OF THE GALLERY, I MODELLED THE SPACE AT 1:50 AND TOOK PHOTOS OF IT UNDER DIFFERENT LIGHT QUALITIES. TO THE LEFT, THE SKYLIGHTS DIFFUSE LIGHT INTO THE GALLERY WHEREAS ON THE RIGHT, SUNLIGHT CAN DIRECTLY ENTER THE GALLERY. I WENT FURTHER AND DID DIGITAL DAYLIGHTING STUDIES AS CAN BE SEEN ON THE OPPOSITE PAGE. THIS WAS ALSO A TEST OF MY MATERIALITY FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE GALLERY, AND WHETHER IT WAS APPROPRIATE IN TERMS OF GLARE FOR DISPLAYING ARTWORK.

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DIGITAL

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STRUCTURE

PILE CAPS

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RING BEAMS

RETAINING WALLS

PORTAL FRAMES

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BRACING

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FLOORPLATES

ROOF STRUCTURE

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LEARNING OUTCOMES 136

DON’T GET ATTACHED DURING THIS PROJECT, THE KEY LESSON I LEARNT WAS NOT TO GET ATTACHED TO A DESIGN. I HELD ONTO MY INITIAL IDEA OF THE CANTILEVER LONGER THAN I SHOULD HAVE AND I LOST TIME FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AS A RESULT. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE INSTEAD WAS LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS. AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, I DIDN’T HAVE A FANTASTIC REVIEW AND I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO REWORK A LOT OF MY DESIGN FOR PORTFOLIO REVIEW, BUT THIS WILL BE EASIER NOW THAT I’M READY TO CHANGE ASPECTS WITHOUT FUSS.

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BIG SPAN VERTICAL STUDIO

ABSTRACT

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BIG SPAN REFERS TO A POSSIBILITY FOR FORM AND ALSO TO THE REALM THAT THE PROJECT HOPES TO ENCOMPASS. OUR INVESTIGATIONS ARE BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT RATHER THAN TECHNOLOGY BEING IMPOSED UPON AN ARCHITECTURAL PROPOSITION, IN A POETIC WORK DETAILED STRATEGIES SHOULD RESIDE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. WE WISH TO OBSERVE AND UNDERSTAND THE LINK BETWEEN THE GENERAL AND THE SPECIFIC, FROM ANALYSIS TO DETAIL. DAVID LEATHERBARROW REFERS TO A MILIEU IN WHICH THE LIFE OF A BUILDING UNFOLDS, WHICH HE CALLS THE BUILDING’S ‘TOPOGRAPHY’. THIS TOPOGRAPHY CAN BE OBSERVED AS A KNOT OF INFLUENCES, COMPLIMENTARY AND CONFLICTING, OUT OF WHICH A PROJECT CAN EMERGE. TO ENGAGE WITH THIS MESSY PROCESS REQUIRES THAT WE RETURN TO ARCHITECTURE, TO THE ORDINARY FABRIC OF BUILDINGS AND THE WAY THAT THEY ARE PUT TOGETHER, TO REVEAL AN UNDERLYING LANGUAGE THAT CAN COMMUNICATE SOMETHING OF THE SITUATION IN WHICH THEY EXIST (SPATIALLY AND CULTURALLY). THIS IS TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE TENDENCY TO CONVERT ARCHITECTURE INTO SOME OTHER MEDIUM – ART, LANGUAGE, OR PHILOSOPHY. MEANING IS CONVEYED AND IS ONLY POSSIBLE IN THE BUILT ARTEFACT, EMBODIED THROUGH THE NEGOTIATION OF REAL WORLD PHENOMENA. THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN A VISUAL UNDERSTANDING AND GOES BEYOND THE BUILDING AS AN ARTEFACT. WE SET OUT TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WOULD EXPLORE IDEAS OF

MOVEMENT AND REST, RHYTHM AND PAUSE, THRESHOLD AND DWELLING, RESPONDING TO A SET OF CONDITIONS IN A GIVEN SITE. AS WELL AS THESE PROGRAMMATIC INTENTIONS OUR TOPOGRAPHY INCLUDED REAL WORLD ISSUES OF BUDGET, SITE, TIME, TIMBER SIZE AND QUANTITY, CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND TEAMWORK. EACH OF THESE INFLUENCED THE FINAL PRODUCT, WHICH ENCOMPASSES AND RESPONDS TO THESE IDENTIFIED PARAMETERS. BY USING ONLY A SINGLE SMALL SECTION TIMBER FOR THE CONSTRUCT, WE PUSHED AN ANALYSIS OF MATERIAL POSSIBILITIES AND CONSTRAINTS, BOTH IN A TECHNICAL AND POETIC SENSE. THE AIMS OF THE PROJECT WERE TO UNDERSTAND A SITE AND PROPOSE A SUITABLE INTERVENTION BASED ON ITS CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES [INTENTIONS]; TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE SELECTED MATERIAL AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THESE SUGGEST – BOTH PRACTICALLY AND POETICALLY [TOOLS]; AND TO LEARN THROUGH MAKING – TO USE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITE AND OF THE MATERIALS TO DEVELOP AN INTERVENTION AT 1:1 [REALISATION]. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AN EXERCISE IN COLLECTIVE LEARNING AND COLLABORATION – A LABORATORY OF THE WIDER WORLD OF ARCHITECTURAL REALISATION – WHERE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND ROLES ARE REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS. THIS WAS AN EXERCISE IN DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATION, AND IN KNOWING WHEN TO STEP FORWARD AND WHEN TO STEP BACK.

THE PROCESS STARTED WITH AN INVESTIGATION INTO HOW WE COULD MAKE A STRUCTURE THAT USES MATERIALS IN A CLEVER WAY TO DO A LOT WITH LITTLE. IT IS TOO SIMPLE TO KEEP ADDING TIMBER TO A PAVILION UNTIL IT STANDS UP. WE WANTED TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY THAT WAS EFFICIENT AND FLEXIBLE, ALLOWING A NUMBER OF SPATIAL AND PROGRAMMATIC POSSIBILITIES. WE INITIALLY LOOKED AT TRUSS FORMS IN ISOLATION, INVESTIGATING THE TECTONIC POSSIBILITIES OF THE CHOSEN MATERIAL. THIS WAS COUPLED WITH CAREFUL INTERROGATION OF CONNECTIONS AND FASTENINGS. AS WELL AS A PRACTICAL INVESTIGATION THIS WAS ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE TECTONIC EXPRESSION OF THE ENDRESULT. HOW COULD THE DETAIL OF THE STRUCTURE START TO COMMUNICATE ITS INTENTIONS.

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TRUSS DEVELOPMENT

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THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION WE DEVELOPED THE ADJUSTABLE TRUSS, A MODIIED A-FRAME TRUSS WITH PINNED JOINTS AND ONE REPOSITIONABLE JOINT. THE REPOSITIONABLE JOINT ALLOWED FOR ONE TYPE OF FRAME TO TAKE MANY FORMS (SEE LEFT). TRUSS COMBINATIONS TAKE THREE DIFFERENT FORMS. FIRSTLY, THE BENCH TRUSS COMBINATION, SECONDLY, THE “SWEEP” CONNECTING THE DOUBLE TRUSS TO THE BENCH AND THIRDLY THE “SWEEP” FROM THE DOUBLE TRUSS ADDRESSING THE ARCH, WHICH WE TERM THE “THRESHOLD.” THE BENCH TRUSS COMBINATION WORKS DUE TO A C FRAME TRUSS INTERLOCKING WITH A D FRAME TRUSS, BOTH SLIGHTLY LEANING TOWARDS EACH OTHER AND FORMING A SELF SUPPORTING STRUCTURE. A A/C FRAME LOCKS ONTO THE LEFT SIDE AND A E FRAME LOCKS ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE, EXAGGERATING THIS LEANING EFFECT. THESE STRUCTURES ALL INTERLOCK, CREATING A SELF-SUFFICIENT STRUCTURE. THE MAIN EFFECT WE ATTEMPTED TO ACHIEVE WAS A “SWOOP” IN THE TOP BEAMS OF THE A/C, C, D AND E TRUSSES. THUS THIS IS WHY THE TRUSSES “REDUCE” IN HEIGHT, FROM THE TALL A/C FRAME TO THE LOWER E FRAME. THIS CONCEPT IS CARRIED THROUGHOUT THE STRUCTURE. THE A/C FRAME AND THE C FRAME ARE BRACED WITH CUT TIMBER, CREATING A LOW BENCH, WHILE THE D AND E FRAME ARE BRACED CREATING A HIGH BENCH WITH BACK SUPPORT. THE ENTIRE BENCH STRUCTURE THEN SUPPORTS AN A FRAME THAT THREADS THROUGH, WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS A D FRAME TRUSS.

SITE

THE CONTEXT OF THIS PIECE WOULD BE CREATED IN THE ENCLOSURE OF THE SPACE AND HOW IT ALLOWS ONLY A FEW POINTS OF THE GARDEN TO BE EXPERIENCED THROUGH PORTALS. THE PAVILION CREATES ITS OWN TOPOGRAPHY IN THE WAY IT SWEEPS FROM THE GROUND AND CREATES A UNIQUE LANGUAGE THROUGH THE WEAVING OF THE TRUSSES. HAVING DECIDED THAT THE MAIN PART OF THE STRUCTURE SHOULD FACE THE COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE WE MAPPED OUT THE OUTLINE OF THE DECIDED STRUCTURE ARRANGING IT AROUND THE PARAMETERS.

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DESIGN

THE FINAL DESIGN RESPONDS TO THE CONDITIONS IDENTIFIED IN THE SITE INVESTIGATIONS. A LOOSE THRESHOLD DRAWS YOU FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE GARDEN ALONG THE AXIS TO THE TEMPLE OF PEACE. AFTER PASSING THROUGH THE TALLEST POINT OF THE STRUCTURE A KNOT OF TIMBER FORMS AN ENCLOSURE THAT REORIENTS THE OBSERVER. HERE A BENCH REFOCUSES THE ATTENTION BACK OUT TO THE GARDEN AND THE INSCRIPTIONS AT ITS ENTRANCE. TO WORK OUT A CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE, WE PRODUCED A 1:10 MAQUETTE TO EXPLORE HOW THE STRUCTURE COULD COME TOGETHER.

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CONSTRUCTION TO BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING IS ESTABLISHED AND FINALISED BEFORE GETTING ON SITE, IN ANY CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, IS TO INVITE PROBLEMS. SETTING OUT ALTERED QUICKLY IN RESPONSE TO THE SITE, THE ORDER OF FIXING ALTERED TO AID STRENGTH, THE EXACT POSITION AND INTERWEAVING OF TRUSSES ADAPTED TO AID STABILITY AND FORM. ALL OF THIS OCCURRED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK ESTABLISHED IN THE STUDIO. IN ONE DAY AN ASPIRATION BECAME A REALITY.

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INSTABILITY WE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT OUR STRUCTURE WASN’T STABLE. OVERNIGHT, MOST OF IT HAD COLLAPSED, BY THE WORK OF THE WEATHER OR OTHERWISE IS UNKNOWN. REBUILDING STARTED EARLY THE NEXT DAY WITH MORE TESTING OF CONNECTIONS ALTERING JOINTS THAT HAD FAILED. CONSTRUCTION WAS MUCH FASTER THE SECOND TIME AROUND AND THE RESULTING STRUCTURE WAS MUCH STRONGER THAN THE ORIGINAL. EXTRA BRACING WAS STILL PUT IN OVERENIGHT TO PREVENT IT HAPPENING AGAIN, HOWEVER.

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WE WANTED TO CREATE AN ENCLOSURE THAT RELATED TO OUR SITE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, A PLACE WHERE ONE MAY EXPERIENCE THE SITE AND REFLECT ON THEIR SURROUNDINGS. TWO STONES ON THE SOUTH EDGE OF THE SITE ARE ENGRAVED WITH THE HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE OF PEACE AND ITS GARDENS. WE THOUGHT THIS WAS AN APPROPRIATE VISUAL LANDMARK FOR OUR STRUCTURE. IN THE WESTERN CORNER OF THE GARDEN WE BUILT A BENCH THAT FACES THE STONES. THE BENCH WAS FRAMED BY THE DOUBLE TRUSS SITTING IN FRONT OF IT , ALSO DEFINING THE ENTRANCE TO OUR ENCLOSURE. CONNECTING THE BENCH TO THE DOUBLE TRUSS IS A SWEEP OF TRUSSES THAT FORM A DENSITY TO SEPARATE THE ENCLOSURE FROM THE ROAD MORE SO THAN THE BUSHES THAT BORDER THE GARDEN ALREADY DO. GESTURING OUT FROM THE DOUBLE TRUSS ARE TRUSSES THAT FORM A THRESHOLD CONDITION, GESTURING TOWARDS THE ARCHED MAIN ENTRANCE TO GARDEN AND GRADUALLY GOING TO GROUND TO INTEGRATE THE STRUCTURE WITH THE SITE’S LANDSCAPE.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES 148

WORKING IN A GROUP Architecture school generally asserts that the architect is the source of all ideas and has the solutions and control over all problems and considerations. This exercise intended to reveal that building anything is a very complex process with many varied and often conflicting requirements. In any team or group there is the need for a number of different personalities, taking a number of different roles. Sometimes you need to step forward and lead, and sometimes step back and get stuff done. Both of these roles are important in realising a successful end result. As architects one of our key roles is that of negotiator and chairperson, managing the needs and expectations of a vast number of people, planning and coordinating vast quantities of information, whilst also steering an idea through a maze of hoops and hurdles. It is a complex and exhilarating negotiation to get anything done, and quite a miracle that anything ever gets finished! Responsibilities were shared among the group for deeper analysis. It was quickly learned that any decision made by one group had implications and ramifications on all of the others. Communication and teamwork became our most important tools.

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