PORTFOLIO JUSTYNA JAROSZEWICZ
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COMPLETE UNDEGRADUATE PORTFOLIO NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY, BA (HONS) ARCHITECTURE (2013 – 2016)
JUSTYNA JAROSZEWICZ
CONTENTS STAGE 1 CULINARY CENTRE
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STAGE 2 LIVING ON THE EDGE
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CROSSOVER
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STAGE 3 PRIMER: MATERIAL EXPLORATION - PLASTER
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STAGING: LIVING AND WORKING UNIT FOR A PLASTERER
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REALISATION: TRADITIONAL CRAFTS CENTRE
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THINKING THROUGH MAKING WEEK
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CUILNARY CENTRE The aim of this project was to design a mixed use building, a cookery school together with a restaurant. The project was located on a free plot of land near the Higher Level Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne. When I first visited the site for this project, I was especially interested with the way you approach the site. There are three routs which lead from the city to the site and two which lead down to the riverside. Approaching the building from a different pathway provides a different perception of the building. The aim of the design was to connect to the existing pathways. The main inspiration for the project came from the site analysis, the building was designed to work with the sloppy site and its surroundings. The building steps down together with the slope, burying a part of the building underground. Different levels provide for a shift of perspective, the skylights are both the ceiling from the inside and the floor from the outside. The form of the building was inspired by the arches present on the site.
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The form of the building was designed to connects to the existing context on the site; it was inspired by the arches present on the site.
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LIVING ON THE EDGE This project focused on designing a mixed use building, a glassblowing workshop joint with a youth collage and a temporary accommodation for disadvantaged teenagers studying in the collage, located in Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne. Designing a building that accommodates both public and private dwellings, required creating spaces of subtle transition between the public and the private and designing to ensure the feel of privacy for the inhabitants. The initial design idea included pushing and pulling in order to created semi-shelter refuged balconies for the private leisure of the inhabitants, however further site analysis made me realise that there is a wide variety of views on the site. Thus I wanted to create an individual atmosphere in each of the bedrooms by allowing them to have a different individual view out. During researching the materials required for manufacturing glass, I realised that all five element of Japanese philosophy of Five Elements “Godai” are present in the procedure and on the site. The five element Earth ‘Chi’, Water ‘Sui’ , Fire ‘Ka’ , Wind ‘Fu’ and Void ‘Ku’ are not only physical things, but also spiritual. They refer to achieving balance within yourself, personal growth and having courage and bravery to achieve things in life. Those things are important for the ‘lost’ inhabitants of this building. Therefore I decided include an open central chimney with will provide the inhabitant’s with ‘Ka’ (fire) which will metaphorically remind them about having courage and stench to persevere through difficult times. The roof garden will provide them with connection to ‘Fu’ and ‘Ku’ (wind and sky) which will allow them to have ambition and future dreams.
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The initial design idea included pushing and pulling in order to created semi-shelter refuged balconies for the private leisure of the inhabitants. I wanted to create unique individual space, which would provide comport for the inhabitants. The site is full different of views, such as the view onto the city, quadside , the river, urban area and Byker estate. I wanted to create an individual atmosphere in each of the bedrooms, therefore each of them should have different, individual view out, because the views out influences the everyday perspective. During researching the materials required for manufacturing glass, I realised that all five element of Japanese philosophy of Five Elements “Godai” are present in the procedure and on the site. The five element Earth , Water , Fire ,Wind and Void are not only physical, but also spiritual. They refer to achieving balance within yourself, personal growth, having courage and bravery to achieve things in life. Those things are important for the ‘lost’ inhabitants of this building. Therefore I decided include an open central chimney with will provide the inhabitant’s with ‘Fire’ which will metaphorically remind them about having courage and stench to persevere through difficult times. The roof garden will provide them with connection to ‘Wind’ and ‘Sky’ , which will allow them to have ambition and future dreams.
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The design of the workshops includes a design of a central chimney that spans across all of the floors, this design takes an advantage from thermal mass. The chimney radiates the heat that it absorbed by concrete floors providing lower maintenance costs.
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WALL TO INTERMEDIATE FLOOR Intermediate Floor • Timber floor finish 12mm • Insulation Mineral Wool 120mm • Timber beam • Timber stud
WALL OPENING Wall (timber frame - u-value 0.16 W/m2K) • Brick outer leaf 102mm • Air scape (Cavity) 50mm • Sheathing 9mm • Insulation Mineral Wool (Bridged by timber studs 15%) 300mm • Vapour control layer 0.20mm • Internal Finish Light Plaster Board 13mm Opening: • Double glazed areo glazing windows 14mm
WALL TO GROUND AND FOUNDATIONS Pre Cast Suspended Concrete Floor (Block and Beam - u-value 0.15 W/m2K) • Screed 65mm • Extruded Polystyrene 75mm • Damp proof membrane 0.20mm • 150mm/225mm deep prestressed beam (T - beam) • 250 mm deep building block infill • (Void ventilator)
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“I felt her gaze pierce (…) uncovering me (…) I crawled back into the bed and pulled the sheet over my head. But I didn’t even shut out the lights, so I buried my head under the darkness of the pillow and pretended it was night” – Sylvia Plath, “The Bell Jar” This passage from “The Bell Jar” assured me that there is a need for windows shutters which will allow the inhabitants of this building to limit the sunlight entering the room and the view from the outside. This will allow for more privacy.
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CROSSOVER GROUP PROJECT The aim of this project was to design a temporary shelter and stage for the local buskers that would be spanning across the narrow site of Castles Stairs that lead from the city centre down to the river side. The design was inspired by the change of levels present on the site. Through the project my group focused on creating a design that would engaged the public. In order to achieve that we designed an integrated system, which allows the visitor to play the musicians while making ambient noise of coins being thrown into the system that triggers a chain reaction. The final design consists of a series of levelled unfolding cubes which allowed to create semi-private spaces; keeping the musicians and the visitors close together, sheltered from the rain or heat.
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My group chose to build our temporary structure on the site of Castle Chare. The rout is often use by the pubic due to popularity of the riverside and it’s attractions.
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We decided to choose this chare because unlike the other ones it was opening up onto many pathways instead of one, which allows for different perception of the design – creating a unique atmosphere for visitors approaching from various pathways.
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Creating the short section of the site allowed us to explore further the atmosphere of the site. We wanted to use the winding nature of the Castle Stairs in order to create the phenomena of ‘hearing without seeing’.
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This would make the visitor intrigued and encourage them to come and admire the installation.
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In order to find out what things were unconsciously interesting to us in the site we decided to create a collaborative collage. Each person chose a set of images the would describe best their perception of the site.
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The photographs that people chose were very different and were focusing on direct aspect of the site.
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Our initial idea was to create a series of ‘music boxes’ where musicians would play. Those ‘cubes’ would form a canopy which would provide shelter for the general public passing through the site. The aim of the project was to create a temporary shelter and stage for the musicians. The structure for the initial design was made out of series of timer boxes supported by steel ramp, which could be easily assembled on the site.
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We tested our concept in a form of both conceptual and measured sectional models in order to evaluate the visual impact and practicalities of our initial concepts.
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As we developed our idea we decided to focus on the theme of folding and unfolding of the cubes in order to provide a joint structure, a connection between the musicians and the visitors.
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PRIMER MATERIAL EXPLORATION PLASTER My previous experiences of working on a restoration site gave me an opportunity to learn about stone masonry, thus I chose to work with a material with contrasting qualities to the fragmented construction and rough texture of stone. I chose to focus on exploring the qualities of plaster during the Primer. Plaster is special, because as a plastic material it possesses a special ability to take and retain any form impressed upon it. Through the Primer I focused on both researching and testing different uses of plaster, exploration of a single material has allowed me to gain an in depth understanding of plaster making methods. Plaster is most commonly used to coat the walls, in order to create a smooth decorative finish. Through the Primer I tried to find its alternative uses by testing plaster strength limits by layering up and reinforcing the plaster with fabric and timber in order to investigate if it can become a structural material. Unfortunately those explorations were only successful on a small scale. I have also explored the aesthetic and decorative site to plaster. I worked on creating smooth and abstract wall panels that were made by casting in fabric and latex. Those were a traditional use of plaster, however the forms that I created were very contemporary. The visit to the Decorative Plaster Company (DPC), a workshop that specialises in conservation of plaster has allowed me to understand further the duplication ability of plaster. This experience has also given me an opportunity to understand the professional environed of the craftsman. During Primer I also explored the use of plaster in other crafts, such as metal casting as plaster is a crucial material for lost wax casting technique.
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The first week of primer focused on experimenting with a range of plaster mixes casting and casting various forms. The process of plaster casting is of plaster casting is difficult to describe as it is a very physical experience and therefore you can feel once the plaster is ready based on the thickness and texture of the mix. The plaster mix, which has a thinness of a ‘single cream’ is ready to be poured into the mould, which must be prepared beforehand as the plaster sets within the first 20 min.In an essay “Plaster in Architecture”
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Charles Moor explains that there is a strong emphasis on “nature of materials”, he suggests that there is a necessity for a stone building to demonstrate its ‘stoniness’ and for a brick building its ‘brickiness’, however when it comes to plaster its essential quality is not to its ‘plasteriness’, but its special quality is to imitate materials and take any forms, exploring this quality of plaster has been one of my initial focuses during Primer.
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The early test focused on casting various objects into plaster in order to create a contemporary form of a plasterwork. I casted objects in plaster and casted plaster against the objects in order to investigates different outcomes. The casts made by casting imbedded inflated balloons creates an alternative effect to casting against inflated balloons. Those tests allowed me to improve my technique of plaster casting, as I learned from failing test, for example the straws casted into plaster created interesting effect, however some of them were impossible to remove.
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The cast made by casting the inside of the balloons intrigued me, because of their abstract form and deceiving smooth surface, while being hard. It’s a paradox because the curves appear very light almost like a piece of fabric, yet they are a solid. Those abstract casts were inspired by the practices of artist such as Jean Arp and Barbra Hepworth.
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The casts made during the Primer also investigated plaster’s strength limit, because plaster is not a structural material. I was curious to know the maximum strength limit and minimum thinness of a three dimensional object made out of plaster. Two sets of casts were made, the first one were made by casting against an inflated balloon and coating the cast with multiple layer of plaster. This method allowed for the cast to be strong, while also creating an interesting texture. The second method involved casting a thin layer of plaster against a balloon, gaining strength through reinforcing it with fabric. Unfortunately both of those methods were only successful on a small scale.
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The early test of casting the inside of the balloon have inspired me to design and experiment with cast wall panels in fabric. The panels are solid, however the nature of plaster and its ability to mimic the qualities of fabric, creates an illusion of plaster panels being as light as fabric.
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The design of the plaster panels was inspired by architects like Miguel Fisac, Kenzo Unno, Andrew Kudless and Sarah Wigglesworth.
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Decorative Plaster Company (DPC) in Brunswick Village, Newcastle Upon Tyne is a workshop that specialises in all aspects of decorative plastering, from repairs and renovations to precast products. The visit to this workshop has provided me with an understanding of the professional environment of the plasterer. The way the layout of the workshops enables a more efficient way of working with plaster.
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STAGING LIVING AND WORKING UNIT FOR A PLASTERER The material research and the investigation of working environment of a plasterer during Primer has informed the design of a joint living and working unit for the craftsman. Through the Primer I explored various uses of plaster, in Staging I decided to focus on aesthetic and decorative site of plaster. The main feature of the design includes the use of smooth and abstract wall plaster panels, casted in fabric, which have a solid surface that appeared very light. Those were a traditional use of plaster, nevertheless the forms created using this technique proved to be highly unique and contemporary. The design also embodies metaphorical process of plaster making. The design includes the sliding walls and folding furniture, which symbolizes plasters transformation from one state to another. This design allows the space to be highly flexible in use. The materials used to construct the building also relate strictly to the process of casting plaster panels, as the materials used within the building are used in a process of casting. On contrary to the solid plaster wall panels the design uses translucent sliding walls made out of fabric, which allow for subtle light penetration. Primer has thought me that a material can be poetic, however Staging taught me that a poetic spaces is archived through the right balance and materials that complement each other.
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This inhabited drawing illustrates my experience of casting in plaster in fabric using the resources available within the architecture building. The process of building a timber mould for casting and casting in fabric is disintegrated due to the arrangement within the facility. The visit to the Decorative Plaster Company, shows a professional workshop of a plasterer in which the following facilities are integrated. The visit to DPC allowed me to understand the professional environment of a plasterer. This visit has inspired the spatial arrangement in the design of the workshop. The plans were created by collaging the drawings of existing floor plans of workshop and the casting room - the two spaces combined form plasterer’s working environment. Collaging elements of those spaces allowed for creating different variations of the workshop. The collages were made at different scale shifting their focus, working at an initial scale of 1:20 made it possible to capture a substantial amount of details, which allowed for a more in depth representation of a working process. Collages at scales 1:50 and 1:100 allowed me to focus on the relationship between the workshop and living space as well as surrounding buildings.
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The casting plaster panel framework used in for casting by the craftsman within the building will be dismantled and the timber will be recused as an external render once the frame work has reached its life limit. This type of cladding will be non-load bearing, because it will be supported on the building, nevertheless over the years the external render will start to fade out and break, therefore the reuse of timber will allow to repair the façade, while also adding to the aesthetic qualities of the building. The design considers buildings appearance not only once is constructed but also over a longer period of time, as the building will transform itself from being plain white into being covered by reclaimed timber. This approach has been inspired by the Azkoitia station extension, which is cladded in wooden railway sleepers that reference the old station’s history.
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The materials used within the building also relate strictly to the process of casting. The design features solid plaster panels casted in fabric and on contrary to those the design uses translucent sliding walls made out of fabric, which allow for subtle light penetration. The use of fabric allowed to create semiprivate spaces, casting a shadow and reflecting the sound onto the other rooms. This approach to fabric was inspired by the shoji screens (sliding paper screens) used in Japanese Architecture, which are traditionally used to divide spaces.
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The design intend was to create a harmonious interior through the use light materials. This project made me realise that a material can be poetic, however a poetic spaces is archived through the right balance and materials that complement each other.
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The space was design to join the public workshop with the private living unit, yet enable the feeling of separation and privacy between the spaces. The flexible design of spaces make it possible for the building to be easily adapted for other functions. The living spaces on the ground floor can be open up and joined with the workshop to accommodate an exhibition or another public event.
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REALISATION TRADITIONAL CRAFTS CENTER Searching for a place where I could learn about professional uses of plaster through the Primer proved to be very difficult. This brought me to a realization that there is a decline in use of traditional crafts. That makes them less accessible for the public, thus the Realisation focuses on designing of a Traditional Crafts Centre. The Realisation project also explores further the relationship between plaster and other materials. The facility includes workshops that can be used both by professional craftsman, but visitors willing to take part in craft classes. The Realisation project required me to select my own site and develop my own brief, the decision making process has been initially stressful yet rewarding in the end as this opportunity allowed me to work with historical context and architectural conservation which is something that I am very passionate about. I have decided to site the traditional crafts centre at the site of ruins of Tynemouth Priory, because thought Middle Ages the priory was a centre of civilized life it accommodated a school, library, inn, business house and a church, thus creating an educational centre for traditional crafts will recreate the traditional function of the priory. This project required me to learn about alternative sources of information, as most of the historical surveys were obtained from the Tyne and Wear Archives. The main concept behind the design of the building is based on a concept of original boundaries of a building creating a mould for casting. The spaces are created by carving them out according to the traditional gridlines. I explored this project through creating a series of models at different scales and sizes, this approach has helped to develop a new way of thinking as well as development of better model making skills; especially using plaster as this was my chosen material. I consider modelling using plaster as one of my strengths. The project started off as an abstract cast, which has been transformed into a digital three-dimensional model, set of plans, renders and sections. I used a range of techniques to represent the building. This project helped me to develop a wide range of representation techniques. The use of different mediums allows to capture different things, however all of them convey the concept which I consider successful. This project was very challenging, because before this project I never worked on a building at such large scale, with such high level of complexity. However I consider it very successful, because I explored an interesting concept and learnt how to represent architecture in a range of techniques.
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The Realisation project explores the relationship between plaster and other materials. The materials were chosen, because of their direct and indirect relationship with plaster as a medium of making. The materials were chosen based on my research and conversations with artist and craftsman during the Ousburn Open Studios.
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Timber, because it is used in plaster casting framework, metal and glass casting, because plaster is an essential material used in lost wax casting. As well as indirect relationship - the investigation of Barbara Hepworth technique has influenced me to include stonemasonry workshop within a building, as plaster similarly like stone can be carved into.
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The crafts have a historical context, thus having an interest in architectural conservation I have searched for a historical site with a relationship to the traditional crafts. The site selected for this project is the site of ruins of Tynemouth Priory, because the priory was built by the Benedictine Monks, who used to inhabit the building. The maintenance and repair of the building was an everyday duty of the monks. Additionally through the Middle Ages the priory was a centre of civilized life, which accommodated a school, library, inn, business house and a church, thus creating an educational centre for traditional crafts will recreate the traditional function of the priory.
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Tynemouth is historic town located at the mouth of the River Tyne. The town’s location makes it a very popular weekend destination amongst the locals and it’s heritage make it a very attractive tourist destination. Tynemouth accommodates a range of physical recreation clubs such as Tynemouth Sailing Club and Tynemouth Canoe Club, and educational leisure destinations such as Watch House Museum and Childhood Memories Toy Museum. Thus creating an educational centre for traditional crafts will also relate to today’s culture of Tynemouth.
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The work of Rachel Whiteread has inspired me to represent conventional architectural elements in an unconventional way. Whiteread’s sculpture House (1993) is life-size cast of the positive space within a conventional Victorian terrace house . The main concept behind the design of the building was inspired by Whiteread’s approach. The concept is based on an idea that original boundaries of the Tynemouth Priory creating a mould for casting, where the spaces are carved out according to the traditional gridlines.
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The main concept behind the design of the building is based on a concept of original boundaries of the priory creating a mould for casting, where the spaces are carved out according to the traditional gridline. The historical reconstruction provided the information about the original design of the priory, which included a range of arches. The historical research provided the original gridlines, the concept is based around arches appearing to be carved out of plaster, creating spaces within intersecting arches. The use of arches will relate to the traditional design, the technique is based around plaster cast and carving out inhabited arches of various sizes.
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Collages of a conceptual volumetric model, which illustrates the initial concept of the building and the relationship with the site.
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The design of the building was largely informed by the historic surveys and archaeological data. The analysis of the historical surveyors in a form of floor plan allowed to derive a grid, within which the new spaces will be arrange; following of the traditional gridlines will provided for a solid relationship between the old and the new.
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This early conceptual model of a key space – gallery illustrates the concept of arches creating spaces, as they are carved out of thickly cased w
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walls.
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The historical research provided the original position of the arches, while Whiteread approach inspired the design of inverse arches on the faรงade of the building. This approach originates from original design, but it represents it using alterative approach. The design of the inverse arches provides a logic to an alternative form of glazing, the inverse arch allows less light penetration which is use at north facing facades and in spaces such as gallery where light must be more controlled. The project involves the use of Misapour insulating concrete, as this materials similarly to plaster can cast walls from a single cast. Due to the use of glass fibre aggregates it does not require additional insulation, casted at a thickness of 440mm will provide a u-value of = 0.56 W/ (m2*K). If well maintained this type of concert ensure the life span of at least 100 years.
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This cast demonstrates the use of materials and light qualities in the gallery space, which will be the main exhibition spaces. The use of inverted arches allows for controlled light penetration.
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This section-elevation which cuts through the gallery spaces demonstrates the relationship between the original and new fabric.
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The top section demonstrates the inhabitation of the main public building which accommodates the exhibition spaces, cafĂŠ and gift shop as well as the making unit which includes workshop spaces and artists studios.
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The bottom section demonstrates the inhabitation of the visitors accommodation unit which accommodates communal living spaces such as kitchen and salon – auditorium as well as study bedrooms.
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Internal perspective and an axonometric of the cafĂŠ.
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Internal perspective and an axonometric of the gift shop.
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Internal perspective and an axonometric of the kitchen and the communal space.
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Internal perspective and an axonometric of the workshop.
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Internal perspective and an axonometric of the artist studio.
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Internal perspective and an axonometric of the study bedroom.
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Internal perspective of the study bedroom.
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THINKING THROUGH MAKING WEEK Participating in Thinking Through Making Week has been a very rewording experience, all of the workshops that I have attended provided me with a new interesting material explorations, which could be used in architectural design. Due to the nature of my project the concrete and stonemasonry have been the most useful.
DAVID FRANCE: STONEMASONRY This was my favourite workshop during TTMW, because it was the most useful for my Realisation project, as it focused on adaptive reuse of a historic building, built predominantly out of sandstone. Participating in this workshop allowed me to gain an understanding of stonemasonry, through using hand tools and carving. I have also attended a lecture in which the stonemason spoke about different approaches to a variety of stones, for example sandstone and limestone, which I found very interesting, as I might chose to use both in my project.
AMY LINFORD: CONCRETE I chose to explore plaster as my main material, attending this workshop allowed me to explore the similarities between plaster and concrete as they are both plastic materials. During this workshop I casted concrete in flexible fabric, I explored the same technique using plaster, which allowed me to make a comparison. The concrete proved to be a lot rougher than plaster, however despite a substantial amount of aggregate added to the mix, it still proved to be smooth and capture a lot of detail.
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JUSTYNA JAROSZEWICZ
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