Architecture Design Studio: Earth Book

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: EARTH S1, 2015 SUBJECT STUDENT BOOK

Jeanne Ang

691939 Scott Woods + Studio (8)

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Herring Island

‘a place for keeping secrets.’

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CONTENTS

1.0 Three Relationships _ 6 Point / Line / Plane Frame & Infill Mass

2.0 Digitisation _ 14 Mass Section Mass Model Digitisation Process

3.0 A Place for Keeping Secrets _ 20 Herring Island (Site Analysis) Freeway Park, Seattle (Precedent) Conceptacle Design Model

4.0 Reflection _ 39 5.0 Bibliography _ 41

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1.0 Three Relationships Point / Line / Plane Frame & Infill Mass

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PAPPAS HEADQUARTERS Kadawittfeldarchitektur, Salzburg (2013) (Image source: ArchDaily)

1.1 Point / Line / Plane

With the point, line, plane techtonic, I found myself exploring the unexpected shapes that could be born out of simple geometry. By making a slight etch and folding a flat plane, interesting forms with volume were created. When looking for inspiration, I found that a lot of designs that feature this techtonic exude a sense of dynamism. This could be due to the design aesthetic of a stretching plane appearing to emerge from leading lines. If viewed from a different perspective, it could also be said that the planes converge at a point.

140 WILLIAM STREET Yuncken Freeman, Melbourne (1967-1972)

IMPERIAL WAR MUSUEM NORTH Daniel Libeskind, Greater Manchester (2002) (Image source: ArtFund)

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IVANHOE HOUSE EXTENSION Andrew Maynard, Melbourne (2015) (Image source: Dezeen)

UPPER HOUSE

1.2 Frame & Infill

The frame and infill techtonic is associated with architecture that gives off a sense of lightness and transparency which I think really reflects the industrial movements that made lightweight construction possible. What I found most interesting of the techtonic however, was how within a design, scale can play a role in determining what is a frame structure and what is an infill element.

Often, these features are interchangable and sometimes a feature could play the role of both too. For my concept model, the vertical strips appear as a frame with the rope as an infill aesthetic. Zooming in, the ropes become a frame and the origami feature hanging through becomes the infill. Zooming out again, the strip that spans across all of the other elements appear to frame the rest of the model in a visual sense.

Jackson Clements Burrows Architects, Melbourne (2014)

SHELL ARTechnic Architects, Nagano (2008) (Image source: ArchDaily)

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OLYMPIC PRIMARY SUBSTATION Nord Architecture, London (2009)

1.3 Mass

(Image source: Nord Architecture)

Mass is often associated with architecture that looks heavy and dominating but through the subject, I came to learn of other aspects that contribute heavily to this techtonic as well. In class, we explored mass as an underground feature and through this, I learnt about transcendency and designing for the users’ experience. A play on levels, as well as on light and shadows were also dominant features and I realised that these additional schemes could potentially add a whole new level of complexity to an otherwise simple design.

SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE Philip Hudson & James Wardrop, Melbourne (1934)

ROKKO HOUSING Tadao Ando, Kobe (1978-1983) (Image source: Pinterest)

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2.0 Digitisation Mass Section Mass 3D Model Digitisation Process

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2.1 Mass Section & 3D Model

Adopting ideas from the earlier study on the mass techtonic, I did a section drawing that reflects the idea of submerging under ground level, changing levels and also a play on light and intensity. The drawing was later translated to a digital model which I 3D printed out too.

From the 3D print, my perceived concept of the mass techtonic became tangible. It reflected a space that was carved out of the earth and the ramp feature emphasises the change of levels. Within the carved out area, the higher ramps cast shadows, contributing to the overall effect of the design.

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2.1 Digitisation Process

The mass 3D print was created by first creating a digital model on Rhino. It had to be within a size of 60 by 60 milimetres to acocmodate the printers’ limitations. Preparing a model for 3D printing required for a clean model without repetetive or redundant elements, so as to ensure the most efficient process. This exercise really gave me the chance to learn more about digital means of design that are really quite essential in today’s industry.

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3.0 A Place For Keeping Secrets Herring Island (Site Analysis) Freeway Park, Seattle (Precedent) Conceptacle Design Model

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Flat path access to chosen site (from North Landing).

‘secret revealing itself’

NORTH LANDING

CHOSEN SITE (western tip of island)

‘secret wanting to be found’

STEERAGE

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Jill Peck, Herring Island, South Yarra (1997) View of chosen site when walking along Capital City Trail.

Eleva

STONE HOUSE Andy Goldsworthy, Herring Island, South Yarra (1997)

3.1 Herring Island

ated approach to chosen site.

‘site analysis’

RAMP Robert Jacks, Herring Island, South Yarra (1998)

FALLING FENCE

Herring Island is a man made island located in the South Yarra precinct. It features a collection of environmental sculptures and the brief for the Studio Earth project, ‘A Place for Keeping Secrets’, is in a sense highly related to this aspect of the island. These sculptures are symbolic of each artist’s experience on the island and are integral in creating the character of it overall. In thinking of my own project, I researched the existing artwork and sought ideas and inspiration from them.

I also did an analysis of my chosen site, the western most tip of the island. I chose this location primarily due to the strong impression the overall space left me upon the first site visit. However, after a more critical analysis, the site presented me with many opportunities that were later integrated in my design development and process.

John Gollings and Samantha Slicer, Herring Island, South Yarra (2001)

COMO LANDING

House along Kensington Road, South Yarra.

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3.2 Freeway Park, Seattle ‘precedent’

Freeway Park in Seattle was one of my many isnpiration in this project.

Architecture does not only apply to buildings, but also landscapes. With the Freeway Park, I was interested in the way users’ experience was addressed.

The play with levels and the irregular placements of structures add a level of intrigue within the environment and the levels also address the different techtonics of mass and point line plane. The overall geometry of the structure contrasts with the irregularity but, complements it as well. These two features create a dynamic space that could appear, in a sense, as a playground, potentially serving as a ‘secret space’ for children (and adults too).

FREEWAY PARK Lawrence Halprin, Seattle (1976) (Images source: Mark Careaga)

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3.3 Conceptacle ‘something like a diagram, like a model, like a

toy, like a fragment’

Bearing in mind those highlighted words above, I made a conceptacle model that explores the idea of convergence and disintegration. Throughout my work, I realised that the initial concept from the first exercise, point line plane, has stuck with me. I was greatly interested in the contrasting, and paradoxical even, ideas that are quite prominent in art and architecture.

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PLAN: ABOVE GROUND

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A

A

B

B

1. Main access

5. Cleaner’s cubicle

9. Binoculars

14. Communal area

2. Alternative access (from North Landing)

6. Elevator shaft

10. Store for internal use

15. Stone table

3. Female toilet

7. Ramp

11. Lockable store

4. Male toilet

8. Viewing platform

13. Disable toilets

PLAN: BELOW GROUND

3.3 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT C

C

Num pro et intrit, conimius, nost incerti silisque pat.

Modiu quempl. Seritia civivastra, P. Ego nius obsed mei prae nitimus nonveni rmanum ium pris faucivem facitatis nem dierem. Serum octantem tuam.

Dem patusa nortus vidiem ublicaet venat, Ti. Tum no. On simus. Asdam quam hostra sedena, conequamqua L. Ehebemu revitrurbem involtus hilnestra tam vit; ego corus prei sediurn intem, dest fauciemque consus non descere

1. Stairs access to below ground 2. Ground floor platform 3. Elevator access to below ground 4. Interactive space

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SECTION AA

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SECTION BB

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SECTION CC

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3.4 Design ‘interactive space below ground’

I envision most, if not all of my design to be made of local stone or concrete.

I was inspired by Peter Zumthor’s Thermae Vals where users’ experience is brought out by texture, material and tactility. Also, taking into consideration the relationship between secrets and symbolic art pieces, stone would reflect well Peck’s existing artwork on the site (made of Harcourt granite).

The images on the left emphasises on the interactive underground space.

The form of this feature was intially a compositional practice to reflect the convergence/emergence concept. Being underground, the use of stone could really tie the space in with nature and I imagine that this space would be mose evocative of sensory experiences.

Relating back to the brief, the play with the space height was deliberate. This not only creates a secret space for children, but also further brings out the whole convergence/emergence theme.

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Design (cont.) ‘putting it all together’

For the other functions required, I integrated them following the analogy of a ship. I derived this additional idea of including a sense of symbolism within my design as it relates to the whole idea of secrets and it also helped me rationalise my design. There is a elevator featutre that represents the helm as these perform directional movement and a control room underground, similar to internal engines of a ship.

On ground level, I have an open air communal space as the main deck of the ship with other amenities integrated as blocks to complement the overall structure and design. And finally, I’ve included a ramp feature that leads to a viewing platform, deriving from the idea that the prow of a ship is typically popular for viewing sceneries.

I inorporated a pair of tourist binoculars on the platform as I thought this was fitting to my overall function and layout. Also this will act as the object that can only be viewed by one person at a time for a span of three minutes.

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3.5 Model ‘making the design tangible’

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4.0 Reflection

Studio Earth has been the most purposive class since the start of my architecture degree and I have definitely taken out a lot of valuable skills from the subject. Before this, I have never made models to generate ideas and develop concepts but now I find this to be an extremely effective way in solidifying my ideas prior to further developing a design. The introductory modules to the three techtonics was a great exercise to get us to start thinking about how a structure can relate to its surrounding. From the techtonic studies, characteristics and effects of architecture were also explored. I was exposed to many precedents and from reading about them, and as well as drawing from lectures, discussions and in-class presentations, I was able to build an architecture vocabulary and enhance my overall view on design in general too.

A key driver of Studio Earth is the generation of concepts and the narrative that explains our design scheme. Initially I was quite lost and found articulating ideas to be especially challenging. This was not only so in explaining my ideas to others, but to myself too as I found myself rocking back and forth due to the loose brief. Despite that I definitely enjoyed the challenge and I think I succeeded in pulling together an idea that addressed the brief well as well as reflected secrets in a unique way.

Unfortunately, I was less successful in being able to present my scheme effectively. This was largely due to running out of time after being behind at the initial stages of generating ideas. I spent a bit too much time thinking and not actually doing or making which I realise now as a great contribution to the generating process too. In the future, I will definitely make use of this experience and test out my ideas more ofthen rather than try to solve them in my head.

Throughout the semester, I had the chance to improve my graphic skills too. Although I still have far to go in this aspect, I was happy that I was able to explore new ways of presenting schemes and drawings and I felt that I’ve definitely gained a whole range of skills from this experience too. It had been an eventful semester and I have thoroughly enjoyed Studio Earth, not just the subject content, but the knowledge, skills and company that came with it.

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5.0 Bibliography

ArchDaily 2009, The Therme Vals / Peter Zumthor, <http://www.archdaily.com/13358/the-therme-vals/>.

Archdaily 2013, Pappas Headquarters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mercedes Salzburg / Kadawittfeldarchitektur, <http://www.archdaily.com/388148/pappas-headquartersmercedes-salzburg-kadawittfeldarchitektur/>.

ArtFund, IWM North (Imperial War Museums), <http://www.artfund.org/what-to-see/museums-and-galleries/imperial-war-museum-north>.

Mark Careaga 2013, Freeway Park Seattle, <http://markcareaga.tumblr.com/post/49247263390/freeway-park-seattle-by-lawrence-halprin>.

NORD Architecture 2012, Primary Substation 2012 Olympics, <http://nordarchitecture.com/projects/primary-substation-2012-olympics/>.

Pinterest, Rokko Housing-TADAO ANDO, <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/418694096583537018/>.

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