A Habitable Bridge - Architectural Studio

James Feng BDES3026 Studio 3A Gabrielle Pelletier

Semester ONE 2016

DESIGN IN ARCHITECTURE

I lean over you, your equal, offering you a mirror for your perfect nothingness, for your shadows which are neither light nor absence of light, for this void which contemplates. To all that which you are, and, for our language, are not, I add a consciousness. I make you experience your supreme identity as a relationship, I name you and define you. You become a delicious passivity.

M a u r i c e

B l a n c h o t

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Foreword:

Blank slate?

This semester has been quite an exhilarating yet unusual journey. The reasons come from a few places - first and foremost, we were given the luxury an entire semester to work on the following project; secondly, the site is blank, context(s) was left for your imagination; lastly, we were randomly assigned a pair of programs to inhabit this hybrid bridge.

The challenge was in creating a reconciled project that sparks conceptual dialogue both in architectural form, program; threshold, but also in attention to

structural detail and construction feasibility.

As influenced by the history & theory course, Maurice Blanchot’s thinking and Steven Holl’s formal approach to phenomenology and the relationship between spaces and the moving body had a significant impact on this project.

james

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INDEX

1 st

con tact

/

p 4 - p 1 2

Concept Development paradox of proximity & resistance

2 ND

con tact

/

p13-p36

refining design language

volumised ballroom - yoga studio

3 rd

con tact

/

p37-p51

st ruc t u r a l a na lysi s loads’ return to the ground

PROXIMITY//-/&

RES I STAN C E Ballroom + Yoga Studio Experiential commodity & Program thresholds

The architecture bridges the imagined contexts of a densely populated metropolis on the North (cliff-side) encroaching on the last remaining nature reserve island towards its South.

As Steven Holl once said: architecture is about resistance.

This proposal views ballroom & yoga studio experiences as capitalist commodities corrupted by egotistical, superficial members of the modern-day society. The bridge design therefore allows the coherent co-existence of separate programs through proximity, while imposing a high variety of threshold restrictions. A ‘structural cliff’ appears as one approaches the yoga program, resisting the lazy; the fearful; the faithless.

In contrast, architectural typology stemming from the South reflects a reflective introversion. Referencing the importance of awareness, understanding and still in early yoga teachings with Hinduism and Buddhist influences.

The final form of these architectural elements provokes spatial dialogue as they pull and carve into one another by invisible forces. The forces of proximity and resistance.

Bravery, mental calm, strategy and commitment in line with yoga & Buddhist philosophy are needed to climb down, leap across the truss-cliff and enter the yoga program. The intrinsic value of nature on the South-side is then reinforced through the difficulty of its approach.

The language of form also coherently lies with concept, stemming from the North a yoga studio and a reinvented ballroom typology, extroverted architecture designed to exhibit and flaunt, drawing from the human obsession for attention.

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1 $t

c o n t a c t : C o ncept b r ea k d o w n

Proximity, R e s i s t a n c e & Experiential Commodity st in the 21 Century

5

Material exploration c o n c e p t

m o d e l s

While examining the essence of ballroom culture and yoga philosophy, there was a clear agenda from the beginning that the two programs are paradoxical in their fundamental characteristics. Both are about movement; rhythm; beats.

The difference of the two programs far outweigh their similarities. It was therefore interesting to explore fundamentally opposing elements and place them into situations of strain and contortion. This notion of conflicting yet reconciling forces drove the initial design approach - Proximity & Resistance.

(upper right) cork block & cork sheeting (lower right) marble & palm blossom pumice & copper wire

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concept massing

. v o l u m es & p l anes

5

6

1. a typical ballroom program

1 7

2. separate volumisation of dance, entry and dining respectively 3. entry - lengthened walkway 4. dining separated into

2

kitchen, lower floor, and cafe

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on the upper.

5. scale adjust 6. ceiling height adjust 7. massing from either end of

3

site

9

extends to allow access 8. western volume becomes yoga program.

9. connecting circulation

4

platforms

10

7

10. support structures introduced

nature of program interactivity

. ci r c u l ati o n and o cc u pied z o ne

8

draft interim exploded axonometric

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PROXIMITY////-///& R ESISTANCE

Ballroom ^ Yoga Studio J a m e s f e n g

experiential commodit y & architectural thresholds The architecture bridges the imagined contexts of a dense ly populated metropolis on the North (cliff-side) encroaching on the last remaining nature re ser ve island towards its South.

As Steven Holl once said: architecture is about resistance. This proposal views ballroom & yoga studio experiences as capitalist commodities corrupted by ego tistical , superficial members of the modern- day society. The bridge design therefore allows the coherent co - existence of

separate programs through proximity, while imposing a high variety of threshold restrictions. A ‘structural cliff ’ appears as one approaches the yoga program, resisting the lazy; the fearful ; the faithless.

Braver y, mental calm, strategy and commitment in line with yoga & Buddhist philosophy are needed to climb down, leap across the truss- cliff and enter the yoga program. The intrinsic value of nature on the Southside is then reinforced through the difficulty of its approach.

oblique drawing interim presentation (presented at 1:100)

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model photos, 1:100 interim presentation

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model photos, 1:100 interim presentation

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2 nd

c on tac t:

v o l u m ised ba l l r o o m - y o ga st u di o

refining

design l a nguage

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THE JOURNEY OF SYMBIOISIS

YOGA STUDIO S

an exploration into physical proximity and the resistance of access

DINING

BALLROOM

ROOF PLAN DIAGRAM

YOGA STUDIO Z

ROOF PLAN

1:200 Harmony & deviation of masses in relations to circulation paths. Juxtaposing the notion of inclusivity and exclusivity.

REPETITION OF ANGLED TYPOLOGY layers of visual interation is allowed between separated volumes

NORTHERN ELEVATION (CITY-SIDE FACADE) 1:100 dialogue between degrees of transparency vs privacy

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de-constructing

masses

. inte r - p r o g r a m t r anspa r ency Iterative process to flesh out wall/window partitioning as well as connection volumes between massing.

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exterior contextual panorama render

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final model photo: Eastern facade

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Roof Plan, 1:250

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Ballroom Plan, 1:250

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Eastern Elevation, 1:250

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Western Elevation, 1:250

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Transverse Section: 2-Point Perspective

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Northern Facade, model photo

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Entrance from city side, parametric external louvre design.

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Entrance from city side, parametric external louvre design, model photo

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Entrance from city side, Festivities, atmospheric render.

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Entrance into ballroom program, The Walk, night render.

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Model Photos, Ballroom program thresholds

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Model Photos, Yoga Studio foregrounding the rest of hybrid bridge

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Nature reserve entrance to yoga studio, atmospheric render

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33

34

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Draft structural hierarchy schemes, exploded axonometric

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3 rd

c on tac t: l o ads & inte r na l r eacti o ns

structural

a na lysis

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HYBRID EXPLODED ISOMETRIC

ST RU C T U R A L H IE R AC H Y YO GA ST UDIO S

BAL L RO OM C OM PL E X

Primary: concrete footings Secondary: Timber Truss Arch Tertiary: Steel truss frame (1c)

1a 1b 1c

Cantilever Primary: Pier footings Secondary: Structural/Sheer wall Tertiary: Steel truss frame

1d 1e 1c

YO GA STUDIO Z

Primary: concrete pylons/pier footings Secondary: reinforced concrete coloumn, white alucobond cladding Tertiary: Steel truss frames, white alucobond cladding Quantinary: Truss bed floor

2a 2b 2c 2d

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Primary: concrete slab fixed by rock anchors Secondary: truss frame floors Tertiary: steel portal frames/sheer walls

3a 3b 3c

Cantilever: Primary: concrete slab fixed by rock anchors Secondary: Steel canted columns Tertiary: Truss frames

3d 3e 3f

2d

2c

2b

3c

2a

3b

3a

3f

3e

3d

1c

1b

1a

1e

1d

Structural hierarchy schemes, exploded axonometric

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2d

2c

2b

3c

2a

3b

3a

3f

3e

3d

1c

1b

1a

1e

1d

HYBRID EXPLODED ISOMETRIC

ST RUCTUR AL HIER ACHY YO G A STU DIO S

BA L L RO OM C OM PL E X

Primary: concrete footings Secondary: Timber Truss Arch Tertiary: Steel truss frame (1c)

1a 1b 1c

Cantilever Primary: Pier footings Secondary: Structural/Sheer wall Tertiary: Steel truss frame

1d 1e 1c

Primary: concrete pylons/pier footings Secondary: reinforced concrete coloumn, white alucobond cladding Tertiary: Steel truss frames, white alucobond cladding Quantinary: Truss bed floor

YO G A ST U DIO Z 2a 2b 2c 2d

Scale 1:100

Primary: concrete slab fixed by rock anchors Secondary: truss frame floors Tertiary: steel portal frames/sheer walls

3a 3b 3c

Cantilever: Primary: concrete slab fixed by rock anchors Secondary: Steel canted columns Tertiary: Truss frames

3d 3e 3f

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live loads . st r u ct u r a l l o ad b r ea k d o w n

Structures responsible for transferring changing live loads to primary structures.

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live loads . st ruct ur a l syste m s per pro g r a m

Colour-coded surfaces to take live loads: human habitation.

These planes therefore are taken into consideration when proposing structural strategies to accommodate both symmetrical and asymmetrical loads. By categorising structures into separate structural systems one can have more control over how loads are transferred .

Structures responsible for transferring changing live loads to primary structures ( orange: Yoga S; yellow: Ballroom; Red: Studio Z)

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dead loads . st r u ct u r a l syste m b r ea k d o w n Due to the nature of the independent structural systems that compose this architecture, dead load becomes a predominantly crucial issue when considering structural integrity. Reinforced truss framed structures coordinate to transfer structural dead loads to their corresponding foundations.

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Load Paths

.Path of load tr ansfer to foundation Three individually operated structural systems transfer loads in three distinct manners.

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Load Paths .YOGA STUDIO S

Yoga Studio S is a cantilevered half-arch structure composed of timber truss frames. Loads are transferred down to side truss wall and onto the half arch and ultimately to the concrete footing. Alternatively, the truss walls transfer a part of the vertical loads to the footings that act as anchor to the cantilever.

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internal+ reaction forces .YOGA STUDIO S, UNDER SYMMETRICAL LOAD

Shear Force (SFD)

Bending Moment (TMD)

Deformed Shape at symmetrical load

Clockwise bending moment along longitudinal axis

Purple: compression Orange: tension

Reaction forces from ground

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internal+ reaction forces .YOGA STUDIO S, UNDER ASYMMETRICAL LOAD

Shear Force (SFD)

Bending Moment (TMD)

Deformed Shape at symmetrical load

Anti-clockwise torsion

Reaction forces from ground

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Load Paths .kitchen, dining volume

Truss beds transfer loads down to large steel truss frames bolted to concrete pylon.

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internal+ reaction forces .KITCHEN, DINING VOLUME

Steel truss frames allows volume to cantilever from the axis of its supports.

This places a large amount of shearing and bending moments onto the concrete pylons.

Asymmetrical load replaced by demonstrating the effects of a single weight attached from the tip of the structure.

Purple: compression Orange: tension Blue: Nil

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Bending Moment (TMD)

Load Paths . YOGA STUDIO Z

W

Yoga Studio Z is a cantilevered structure that follows the design language of the Ballroom program composed of two long span cantilevered ‘beams’. Load is transferred from ceiling to wall to floor to the respective anchors of that specific cantilever.

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internal+ reaction forces .YOGA STUDIO Z

W

W

Torsion caused by asymmetrical load that creates a bending moment as shown

Extreme asymmetrical load that creates a clockwise bending moment

Equilibrium State

W W

Cantilevers, moments and reaction forces. Multiple sheer walls is necessary to counter the torsion as a result of asymmetrical load.

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Thank you for your time.

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