CONTENTS
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Preface Site Information Design Principles Design Process Drawings Models
PREFACE The design objective of this project is to provide affordable housing for residents in flood-prone areas, while taking into account diverse spaces and catering to different types of residents with varying needs. From the perspectives of privacy and openness, I broadly categorized residents’ needs into three types: private, a balance between privacy and openness, and open. Using a modular design approach, I designed three types of residential units for these three needs. By using different arrangements and combinations of these three unit types, I created three distinct areas within the site, each with its own variations in privacy and openness. Through a design mindset that goes from small to large, from individual to community, and from dispersed to aggregated, the final result is a collective form where diversity and unity coexist at different scales, from the specific to the holistic.
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SITE INFORMATION
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The Aboriginal people, the Awabakal, were the first people in the area, having been living here for thousands of years. Their traditional lands encompass the area around Lake Macquarie, extending from the coast to the western slopes of the Hunter Valley.
The project site is located in Mark’s Point near Lake Macquarie - a suburb with water frontage and rundown cottages on oversized lots. The site provides many opportunities for growth in the area, however, it also brings various restrictions and challenges to designing affordable housing.
1885 - Name Origin Henry and Charles were brothers of Maurice Marks, an early settler in Belmont. Henry initially bought the land at the Point, and Marks Point was named after Charles Marks. 1920s - Early Industries There were still Chinese Market Gardens near the present Marks Point School.
1954 The first public school was opened in January.
1954~1980 Charlie Hollis operated a slipway and marine business in Edith Street, which later became the Marks Point Marina.
To this day, Marks point has developed into a charming lakeside town with a population of 1,861 residents (2021 census), featuring beautiful beaches and a range of water activities, but also suffers from constant flooding.
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Public-Private Area Over 70% of the site’s area belongs to private residential zones, while public places and facilities are concentrated at several junctions. To the southwest of the site, there’s a large field available for public sports. Additionally, small parks are located where some paths intersect.
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Single Parents
Age
Male
18-24
87.5% Female
45-64
Number of vehicles per dwelling
Not stated
25% 21%
Male
47.7%
Female
52.3%
Median age
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Average people per household
2.1
Average children per family
1.7
Dwelling structure 23.3%
66.4%
40.0%
2 vehicles 3 or more vehicles
31%
10.2%
9.7%
1 vehicle
23%
25-44
65+
None
Residence
31.9% 11.7% 6.7% Separate house
Medium density
High density
Site Demographic The population structure of the site leans towards an older demographic, with females slightly outnumbering males. Additionally, the majority of single-parent households are headed by females. In terms of dwelling structure, medium to high-density housing dominates the site. Another point worth noting is that local residents generally own one or more motor vehicles, so parking considerations are essential when designing residences.
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Site Green Area green belts in this area can be generally categorized into three types above. One commonality among the green areas in residential zones is their dispersed locations, mostly situated at entrances, resulting in limited opportunities for residents to engage with them daily. This observation led to my preliminary idea for a landscape strategy in my design, intending to create spaces where residents can interact with the landscape.
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Site Public Facilities Distribution Overall, site’s location is relatively distant from several main public facility distribution points. However, this area is primarily divided into smaller sections by transportation routes, making transportation quite convenient. The nearest bus station and train station are both within an acceptable distance. Furthermore, the scattered distribution of public facilities ensures that the overall living environment of the site is relatively peaceful, providing a good level of privacy for the residents.
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Site Dwelling Typology Study
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Problems
Solutions Proposed
Demand for low-cost affordable housing.
Modular design principles, using three basic, universal unit designs to cover the vast majority of needs.
drawn from research
Different requirements for living environments among various types of people.
Flexible and diverse unit combinations to address special requirements and adapt to the environment as needed.
Balance between public and private spaces.
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DESIGN PRINCIPLES Focusing on the needs of the residents, establish design principles based on the existing environment, and progressively propose solutions from the micro to the macro scale.
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Half a Cellar The introduction of “half a cellar” can make the layout design more flexible and adaptable to various living scenarios, while also incorporating unique units without deviating too much from the existing modular design
Diversity Different combinations of buildings can create various layouts of public and private spaces. These spaces can either be shared among multiple buildings or exclusively belong to a single building. The diverse design ensures that the varying needs of different communities are as accommodated as possible.
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Circulation System A well-designed and convenient circulation system not only connects various communities and buildings but also helps to mitigate the inconveniences brought by flooding. In this design, the system intelligently links all public areas and ensures accessibility for people with disabilities.
Ground Floor Raised 1.2 m
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The elevated ground floor creates diverse outdoor public spaces and also serves as part of a hierarchy entryway. At the same time, it can be a key measure for flood mitigation, minimizing the impact of flooding on residents’ daily lives.
Semi-Public The semi-public area serves as a good buffer zone between public spaces and private residences. It appropriately fosters community interaction while maintaining a certain level of privacy, enriching the social activities within the community. The pattern shows a layout example of these three types of spaces
Accessibility For people with limited mobility, the design solution proposes placing them in single-story buildings whenever possible. This eliminates the need for them to navigate stairs in their daily life while also providing easy access to various public areas through the circulation system.
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Curves In the building design, rounded corners and curves are incorporated, creating a harmonious contrast with straight walls and right angles. The rounded exteriors also enclose winding public spaces, enhancing the overall user experience of the architecture.
Landscape Strategy The design of the landscaping takes into consideration the connection between humans and nature. By integrating seating with the flowerbed, a naturally shaded resting space is created, fostering interaction between residents and nature.
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Sloping Roof With its angled incline and strategically placed windows, the roof is designed to optimize sunlight exposure, thereby meeting essential needs for natural light. Additionally, the slope facilitates quicker drainage of rainwater, minimizing water accumulation.
Skylight The design of the skylight further enhances the natural lighting of specific indoor areas (such as the living room, bedroom, etc.) and appropriately promotes the circulation of air between the interior and exterior.
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Social Stairs While serving as circulation, the ‘social stairs’ have evolved to incorporate a variety of changes. The combination of platforms at different heights with stairs creates diverse open spaces, promoting communication and interaction among the residents within the community.
Amenities Part of the spare ground floor space is allocated for convenience facilities, such as convenience stores and community reading corners, to enrich the lives of residents and create diverse shared spaces.
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DESIGN PROCESS site plan/site section unit plan/unit section/unit elevation sectional perspective
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Form Generation I - Two-story unit for two people - Demand for spaces that lean more towards privacy.
Half a cellar
Unit H
- Single-story unit for people with disabilities - A balance between openness and privacy.
Unit O
- Two-story unit for three people. - Demand for spaces that lean more towards openess.
Requirements
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Unit Z
Massing Organization
Unit Design
Form Generation II
Phase 1 Initial massing alloction Identify three basic massing models and plan their general distribution and combination forms within the site.
Phase 2 Design and refinement Refine the massing designs into individual residential units, establish the architectural language and exterior details.
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Phase 3 Reconfiguration Adjust the housing design according to site conditions and residents’ needs, and recombine units in certain areas.
Phase 4 Shared function area allocation Incorporate public spaces and main transportation routes.
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DRAWINGS site plan/section unit plan/section/elevation sectional perspective
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30 m
DRAWING: SITE PLAN SCALE: 1:500 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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30 m
DRAWING: GROUND FLOOR PLAN SCALE: 1:500 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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30 m
DRAWING: FIRST FLOOR PLAN SCALE: 1:500 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: SITE SECTION SCALE: 1:200 on A3 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ZONE 1 PLAN-GROUND FLOOR SCALE: 1:250 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ZONE 1 PLAN-FIRST FLOOR SCALE: 1:250 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ZONE 2 PLAN-GROUND FLOOR SCALE: 1:250 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ZONE 2 PLAN-FIRST FLOOR SCALE: 1:250 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ZONE 3 PLAN-GROUND FLOOR SCALE: 1:250 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ZONE 3 PLAN-FIRST FLOOR SCALE: 1:250 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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Unit O -Accessible unit -Single-story -Two bedrooms
DRAWING: PLAN-UNIT O SCALE: 1:100 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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Modified for disabled residents, with widened door/window dimensions and internal pathways for convenience. Turnaround spaces were taken into consideration in all rooms, with minimum of 1200mm.
2100mm
Dimension
1050mm
Living-access shared area The concept of living-access integrates the living room, kitchen, and outdoor area, ensuring privacy while also offering connectivity. This design promotes social interaction and prevents the space from feeling too enclosed. It creates accessible conditions for daily living activities of residents with disabilities.
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DRAWING: EXPLODED-UNIT O SCALE: 1:200 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ELEVATION SECTION-UNIT O SCALE: 1:100 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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Unit H -Private unit -Two-story -Two bedrooms
Ground Floor
DRAWING: PLAN-UNIT H SCALE: 1:100 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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First Floor
Pirvacy A more dense and private-oriented unit for 1-2 residents. The layout design intended to lean towards a more conserved and enclosed living atmosphere.
Shared area To compensate for the enclosed condition, a relatively larger semi-public space in porch is designed to provide opportunities of free engagement with community, depending on residents’ own will.
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DRAWING: EXPLODED-UNIT H SCALE: 1:200 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ELEVATION SECTION-UNIT H SCALE: 1:100 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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Unit Z -Social unit -Two-story -Three bedrooms
Ground Floor
DRAWING: GROUND FLOOR PLAN-UNIT Z SCALE: 1:100 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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First Floor
DRAWING: FIRST FLOOR PLAN-UNIT Z SCALE: 1:100 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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Socialized A more open and social-oriented unit for 3 residents. The layout design intended to lean towards a living atmosphere that encourages interaction and engagement.
Shared area To suit the social needs of this type of unit, the porch space is designed to be the largest of all types, providing generous outter space for three residents and promoting community engagement.
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DRAWING: EXPLODED-UNIT Z SCALE: 1:200 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: ELEVATION SECTION-UNIT Z SCALE: 1:100 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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DRAWING: SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE SCALE: 1:100 LOCATION: 38 EMILY ST, MARKS POINT NSW 2280
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30 m
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MODEL massing model 1:100 model
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Massing Model
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1:100 Model
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REFERENCE LIST 1. At Home in North Sydney. (n.d.). Flats. Retrieved from https://www.athomeinnorthsydney.com. au/flats.html 2. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2016). 201z6 Census QuickStats: Marks Point (State Suburb) (SSC12492). Retrieved from https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2016/ SSC12492 3. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Marks Point (State Suburb). https://www.abs.gov.au 4. Belmont Library Blog. (n.d.). History of Marks Point. https://belmontlibrary.blogspot.com 5. Community History - Lake Macquarie Libraries. (n.d.). Maurice Marks 1837 - 1924. Lake Macquarie City Council. https://history.lakemac.com.au 6. Domain.com.au. (n.d.). Street Report for Marks Point Rd, Marks Point NSW 2280. https://www. domain.com.au 7. Hancock, B. J. (n.d.). A short history of the Awabakal people. Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@brentonjhancock/a-short-history-of-the-awabakal-people-f6876df131e 8. Lake Macquarie City Council. (n.d.). Marks Point and Belmont South Foreshore Management Plan 2020. https://www.lakemac.com.au 9. Smart Property Investment. (n.d.). MARKS POINT NSW, AU SUBURB PROFILE - FREE REPORT. https://www.smartpropertyinvestment.com.au
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