earth book

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO:

EARTH EARTH BOOK

BY JESSIE CHAN [836310] TUTORIAL 18 | TUTOR: ANDREW FERGUSON SEMESTER 1 | 2017

A PLACE FOR KEEPING SECRETS___

ON HERRING ISLAND...

CONTENTS___ 1.0_ Three Relationships

1.1_ Point Line Plane 1.2_ Mass 1.3_ Frame and Infill

2.0_ Herring Island

2.1_ Site Analysis

2.2_ Site Choice 3.0_ A Place for Keeping Secrets

3.1_ Conceptacle

3.2_ Concept

3.3_ Final Design

3.4_ Design Process

3.5_ Vertical Flow

3.6_ Spatial Experience 4.0_ Reflection 5.0_ Bibliography

1.0_ THREE RELATIONSHIPS Point Line Plan | Mass | Frame and Infill The fundamental techtonics for creating architectural forms and designs.

Over the course of the semester, we have engaged in the concepts and potential interrelationships between the elements.

Through idea developing, precedent investigating, designing and model making, they were explored comprehensively, which also served as a basis for the final project.

1.1_ POINT LINE PLANE This techtonic is about the intersections and flow between points, lines and planes, and they are the basic yet distinctive geometric elements that build up architectural structures.

A point is a representation of coordinates which does not occupy space. It is the beginning and end of a line, whilst also signifying the intersection where two lines cross.

A line could be perceived as the connection that suggests directional movement between two points. Unlike a point which doesn’t consume space, a line creates singular dimension as it delineates boundary within a space.

A plane is a two-dimensional surface defined by bounded area created through lines joining together. It embodies height and width, and marks out the limits of a volume.

Precedent_ (left) Renzo Piano Museum, San Francisco

Precedent_ (left) Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, Switzerland

The design concept for this exercise is to capitalize on the spatial parameters of each element whilst keeping them in simple forms. It is to express the progression of point to line, then joining lines together to form a plane. As shown from my model, a curvy plane is created through the joining of lines, in resemble to the Zentrum Paul Klee and Renzo Piano Museum.

Vertical spatial arrangement is emphasized and more transparent through the use of wire mesh. I found wire mesh a fantastic tool to coney Point Line Plan, as it is built up of lines crossing one another to form a plane, whilst points are also present as the intersection of each line.

1.2_ MASS Mass is interpreted as the emotive atmosphere a person experienced in a space that deals with the contrast of solidity and void, complementing with the manipulation of darkness and light movements. A strong atmospheric quality can be demonstrated through the existence of tangible gravity within the spaces.

Precedent_ (left) Sรณtano de Las Golondrinas in San Luis Potosi, Mexico

A caving experience inspired me.

There is not only presence of heaviness, emptiness can also be felt.

There is not only darkness, light also shines through the crevices from above.

The shape of mountain ranges and qualities of a cave perceived in the mentioned precedents form the basis of the design for this exercise. Interaction between solidity and void is demonstrated by carving mass away from and into the ground to create space that can accommodate people.

The form of design shows thickness and heaviness, whilst hollowness is perceived within the cave-like structure. Through accessing a narrow entrance, a volume of cavity can be discovered with clearly distinguished spaces filled with darkness or light base on the time people visit the ‘cave’.

MORNING_

NOON_

1.3_ FRAME AND INFILL It is the interplay between elements with distinctive features – the exposed frames which create open three-dimensional spaces, and the programs that are contained by frames.

The frame is permanent, static and structural; whilst the infill is intended to be more transient, dynamic and fluid, which provide depth and meaning to the frame structure. Dissimilar to the heavy reliance of gravity in mass, this techtonic attains a tendency to defy from this factor.

For my design, I tended to go further from the grid-base approach, by transforming the universal grid-base structure into deconstructed cubic modules with sides or corners taken away. Thus to break away from the normal sequence of a frame such as the frame structure comprehended in Sou Fujimoto Transparent House.

Minimal points of connection between the structure and the ground is indicated, to show sense of defying gravity.

Level of transparency is expressed through using different materials to create flat surfaces that are used to block or partially block some sides of the modules.

A variety of irregular infills were included into the open space. It is evident that they are temporary programs as they can be removed from the frames. I attempted to play around with the in-and-out of infills by placing the folded elements out of the boxes, to deliver a more exciting and engaging relationship between frame and infill.

To highlight the foldings, parts of the folded elements are coloured in red in resemble to the Mondrian effect.

Precedent_ (left) Sou Fujimoto Transparent House, Tokyo

2.0_ HERRING ISLAND A place for keeping secrets_

2.1_ SITE ANALYSIS Before 1928_ Quarry was formed and stones were used for local Richmond roads.

1928_

An artificial island (Como Island) was formed by cutting through Richmond quarry with river channel.

30’s_

Construction of levee banks and vegetation on the island were begun.

1934_

Vegetations were swept away by a major flood in November.

50-60’s_

Island was leased by the Scouts and was renamed as Herring Island, after their president, Sir Edmund Herring.

70’s_

The Scouts left the island, and eventually Parks Victoria took control over the island.

90’s_

It became Melbourne Festival’s Environmental Scuplture Park.

2.2_ SITE CHOICE I chose to develop a place for keeping secrets near the river on the eastern side of the island, because location wise, that specific site is not completely hidden but still it is quite secret and hard to find, as there is actually no walking track linking to that area on maps.

The selected site is extended to lower grounds of the island, to create more availabilities for vertical spatial arrangements that show cohesion with the natural contours of the island.

3.0_ A PLACE FOR KEEPING SECRETS Precedent_ (left) secret nuclear submarine base in Balaklava.

Precedent_ (left) Casa Jura by JDS Architects (right) 4x4 House by Tadao Ando

3.1_ CONCEPTACLE The main focus for my conceptacle is to recreate a mini model which acquires an integration of the techtonics and concepts that I gained understanding in the previous exercises.

Human and scientists always attempt to either climb up to the highest or dig deep to the lowest points to seek for success or the truth.

So, I selectively carried over the modular concept from Frame and Infill and placed them with vertical arrangement, to give a sense of height and depth. This arrangement would serve as the key feature for my final design.

3.2_ CONCEPT Somewhere like Neverland.

A playground for children where the power of imagination could be magnified.

3.3_ FINAL DESIGN Secret Base in Space_ The overall concept for the design is to keep the structure simple and allow room for users to imagine, explore, and create their own space, making every journey to the secret a unique one.

3.4_ DESIGN PROCESS (left) sketches of design concept (centre) plan (right) exploded axonometric diagram

Section A-A

Section B-B

3.5_ VERTICAL FLOW Engaging with the natural topography through experiencing the vertical flow between the ground, above ground, and underground.

Starting Point

The lower it, the more precious it is for the secret to be found.

I decided to arrange the composition vertically as I think that secret is something that is more mysterious and we have to dig deep to reach it.

Point of Secret

3.6_ SPATIAL EXPERIENCE Above ground

|

Cantilever, look out platform

Underground

|

Open space with all machineries required

On ground

|

Playground

4.0_ REFLECTION Throughout the course, I have found out that designers should push their boundaries of creative thinking, and seek for potential development with an open mind to new things, opportunites and criticism.

The early stages of the course had provided the chances to expand my understanding and dive deep into the essential techtonics of designing architecture. It was challenging to equip ourselves with all theoretical ideas that we have learnt within a short period of time, but the knowledge and feedback gained from lectures and studios would surely have become a source of inspiration and exeptionally helpful tips when it comes to designing. They had shaped the basis for my design thinking, and the concepts that I developed further from what I have learnt in lectures and studios were able to be applied and conveyed through my design projects. Also, exploring and utilizing different 3D modelling and rendering softwares was extensively useful in producing designs for final project and in communicating designs.

Overall, I believe that I had an engaing and intriguing experience in Studio Earth and managed to get quite a lot out of it.

5.0_ BIBLIOGRAPHY _ http://traveltocrimeansea.com/2014/09/09/stalins-secret-nuclear-submarine-base-in-balaklava/ _ http://www.zimmo.be/blog/2016/12/23/een-doorzichtig-huis/ _ https://theculturetrip.com/europe/switzerland/articles/zentrum-paul-klee-inbern-switzerland/ _ https://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/renzo-pianos-green-museum-in-san-francisco.html _ https://architizer.com/projects/ando-4x4-house/