Portfolio / Arch 1201
University of New South Wales Year 2, Semester 1, 2013
Yip, Ying Wai Johnathon 3384646
BORDEAUX HOUSE REM KOOLHAAS FRANCE, BORDEAUX, 1998
Project 1
Introduction
BORDEAUX HOUSE
The Bordeaux House is a work of art that celebrates the disabled nature of the inhabitant rather than to discredit lack of mobility. Koolhaas achieves this by providing a mechanized promenade through the use of an elevator located at the central core of the building. Hence the elevator representing a ‘living’ piece of the architecture embodies the idea of “a machine was its heart.” Designed specifically for the wheel chair bound client, the central lift serves as a multifunctional platform where it functions as an office, study, viewing stage, private room and a sanctuary. Ultimately, it is a space that ‘defines his world.’
SITE ANALYSIS
France
Bordeaux
Floraic
Maison
Google Earth
The house situates on top of the hills of Bordeaux which overlooks the rich wine-laden city and removes itself away from urban congestion. Although the house faces internal challenges of the slope, nevertheless it offers an expansive view over the horizon and block out industrial noises through its high thick walls. The isolation between courtyard and outside world creates a peaceful oasis for the family. ‘Floating’ high above the hills of Bordeaux, the house captures the picturesque landscape through its port-holes.
The Elevator
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Connected to a hydraulic system, the elevator being 3 meters wide and 3.5 meters long moves freely across all 3 levels. The elevator or as Koolhaas would refer to as the ‘office’ gives the wheelchair bound husband freedom and flexibility to move between platforms and pause at will at any point in height. The elevator as shown below serves as a cinematographic space in the house that delivers a sectional journey through the heart of the house for the inhabitants. It is interesting to note that the open elevator shaft is parallel and in opposition with the confined and narrow spiral staircase that defines the building’s innermost transitional spaces.
Section Scale 1:200
Spatial Experience
BORDEAUX HOUSE
As the elevator rises up to a level, the inhabitant experiences a spatial exchange where the ceilings becomes floors and vice versa. Such transition would be a dynamic spatial experience through void and mass. On the ground level, the inhabitant would experience being in a cave-like environment. On the other hand the middle level opens up and offers a sense of spaciousness to the beholder. The elevator then completes the top level creating an enclosed space. Consisting of three boxes in which Koolhaas refers to them as ‘houses’, each box alternates between exposure and enclosure. Hence Koolhaas tries to give the inhabitant a spatial experience through substance and absence.
Section Scale 1:200
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Floor Plans
1
The floor plans of Bordeaux House all reveal spatial characteristics that uniquely differ from one another. The main entrance to the house is on the lowest level (1) in which the inhabitants travel through the driveway leading to the courtyard. On this level, part of the landscape have been excavated to provide a cave-like environment for the interior. The nature of caves excavated out from land is that they do not have to follow ‘geometry of making’ and can be free-form as depicted by the stairs and the media room.
2
3
In the middle floor (2), there is a lack of structure and obstacles to maximize the view towards the city of Bordeaux. The minimal use of walls and glass creates a sense of ambiguity between exterior and interior. The space on this level is not clearly define, hence allowing the viewer itself to determine.
The top level (3) is the most dynamic where the elevator creates an open plan for the parents and is separated from the children’s zone through a patio. The children’s rooms are separated by diagonal walls whereas the parent’s room are divided by orthogonal walls. The transitional space (stair and elevator) is located at the heart of the two zones. Hence, there is a clear juxtaposition between static and dynamic spaces on this level.
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Movement Koolhaas seeks in an architecture that encourages an irruption of events, social encounters and opportunities for action and communication. From the plans, it is evident that interaction mainly occurs within the house especially in the lowest level as point of intersection is prominent. In complete opposite, the middle level has a much expansive plan with minimal obstructions or turns that enhance group and social encounters. The top level is the most private space of the house, hence interaction between the generations are minimized and clearly divided but still connected through a small passageway across the parent’s and children’s bathroom. Rather than designing with a particular hierarchy of spaces and narratives of spatial movement in mind, Koolhaas ambitiously pursues a spatial structure that allows an assemblage of choices for human movement and encounter.
“Liquefy rigid programming into non-specific flows and events ... to weave together exterior, interior, vestigial and primary spaces” - Rem Koolhaas
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Koolhaas is skillful not only in manipulating the perception of the beholder but also in creating play between static and dynamic spaces. From the floor plans, formal devices and spatial elements, it is clear that Koolhaas uses a formal space and rectilinear walls for the parents and a more playful and dynamic space for the children which is appropriate for the different generations. Similarly, the rectangular elevator shaft is juxtaposed with a closed circular staircase.
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Koolhaas is skilful not only creating play between static and spatial elements, it is walls for the parent’s zone zone which is appropriate
in manipulating the perception of the beholder but also in and dynamic spaces. From the floor plans, formal devices clear that Koolhaas uses a formal space and rectilinear and a more playful and dynamic space for the children’s and carefully thought out for the different generations.
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Changing Viewpoints
The elevator provides a dynamic transition between levels as one can capture the outside view from the inside or vice versa. As the elevator rises up, the details of the inhabitant’s life are exposed from different angles and hidden from view when reached to a specific level. Hence it is this constant play of hide and seek between sections that illustrates the energetic and animated nature of the building. Here the building is closely embodying the notion of a living “machine.” Not only does the elevator provide the viewer a cinematic scene such as in a suspense movie as one transit, but it also offers, as Siegfried Giedion wrote: “The interpenetration of continuously changing viewpoints creates, in the eye of the spectator, a glimpse into fourdimensional experiences.”
5
Spatial Relationship
Mother
Father
Bath
Bath
Balcony
Mother
Permeability
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Children
Bath
Father
Balcony
Child
Child
Bath
Floating Mass
Child
Elevator
Glass
Terrace and Landscape
Living
Study
Visibility
Terrace
Elevator
Gallery
Dining
Stair
Elevator
Stair
Stair
Cavern Wine
Enclosure
Elevator Kitchen
Guest Stairs
Television
Entry Court
Entrance
Servant Quaters Guest
Courtyard
Servant
It is evident that Koolhaas incorporates flowing and segmented spaces to pursue deliberate ambiguity, enclosure, visibility and permeability. The spaces within the ‘Floating Mass’ is considered penetrable or accessible because the inhabitants can freely move between spaces yet still gain personal space and comfort. The ‘Glass’ level provides a panoramic view towards the city and at the same time visible to others. On the other hand, the ‘Cavernous’ space on the lowest level is semi- enclosed to deepen the intimate experience between the family members.
Rough Model Materiality
BORDEAUX HOUSE
The Bordeaux House consist of several main materials which include concrete, glass and aluminium. These materials with very distinct characteristics are placed onto different levels to provide spatially varying psychological experiences. The materials have been carefully selected by Koolhaas to achieve distinct separation between levels.
Model The photograph on the left shows a non-scaled model that was made using materials such as balsa wood, polypropylene, box board and red paper. Such materials represent the colours of the materials used in Bordeaux house. I begin the model by creating rectangular boxes and superimpose them afterwards to gain understanding of the concept of the house.
Rough model showing the differnet levels and materiality
Aluminium
Glass
Balsa Wood and Paper
Polypropelyne
Concrete
Box Board
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Abstract Model / Isolation
The model is an abstract representation of the Bordeaux House and its relationship with its surrounding context. The white crystal representing the Bordeaux House is slightly elevated to show how it overlooks the city with its panoramic views and its isolation from urban congestion. Small glass shards of various sizes were used mainly for visual engagement and because it was a new medium to experiment with in model making.
BORDEAUX HOUSE
Abstract Model / Transition
By exploding the three main floor plans of the Bordeaux House, this abstract model aims to reveal the dynamic transitions between each plan. Every time the elevator is on a specific floor, it completes the floor plan in which it sits but leaves a void on the other two floors. It is evident that there is a constant change in volume, space and plan which is one of Koolhaas’s strategy in achieving dynamism in his architectures. The elevator in this model is also symbolic as it metaphorically mediates between all three levels and monitors each of the associated spaces similar in the way how the husband looks after the whole family.
Abstract Model / Spider Leg Columns
Dominant
BORDEAUX HOUSE
In the Bordeaux house, the ‘L’ beam is supported by a stanchion which forms what is known as a ‘Spider Leg’ column invented by Richard Neutra in the 1950s. A hallmark of Neutra’s houses are large centralised laminated wood beams that project out from the core massing of the house and connects to a post that reaches the ground. It is evident that Koolhaas has adopted this idea and manifested in the structural system of the Bordeaux House. The model is an experimentation with the concept of using Neutra’s dominant horizontal member of the columns to support the load above. In the model, the interlocking frames are carried by the columns which deceives perception. Such arrangement conveys the idea of ambiguity between structure and sculpture in the Bordeaux House.
Rhythmic Using the same concept of the spider leg column, the second model is a way of experimenting with form and shape but in a rhythmically repeated pattern. Although the model was not the main analysis of the Bordeaux House, it was rather fascinating to discover Koolhaas’ interest in Neutras’ columns and reinterpreted in a different way. Nonetheless, the models provided interesting understanding of interior spaces and encouraged further exploration with Neutra’s ‘spider-leg outrigging’.
BORDEAUX HOUSE
1:50 Model / Representative Part
The representative part model focuses on the area of the elevator as well as the structural component. These two parts of the building is fundamental in showing the architectural strategy employed by Koolhaas in the Bordeaux House. Two materials were used for this model: balsa wood and box-board. The elevator and the bookshelf that runs along all floors are made out of balsa wood to create emphasis and to suggest their delicate nature and significance within the Bordeaux House. On the other hand, the structural elements such as the ‘L’ and ‘I’ beams, columns, floors and walls comprise of boxboard to mimic the robustness of these formal devices.
Double House / Garden Project 2 / Arch1201 / 2013
The site situates within the context of urban Victorian terraces in 123 Victoria Street, Potts Point, Sydney. Confronted with internal challenges of sloping hills in Victoria Street and the fifteen meter high cliff facing Brougham Street, the site offers endless opportunities to design a Double House and a Gallery in visual harmony. The site connects with the wider Sydney cityscape through its panoramic views that spans across Sydney Tower and the city. The site is beautiful as one can tour the various local shops and cafĂŠs nearby and enjoy the richness of the city view from Butler stairs.
The concept of the house is to create three levels that accommodates the art collector, wife, sister and the general public. The front section of the house facing Victoria street is for the public to gain access to the gallery whereas the back of the house separated by a thick wall belongs to the artist’s family. The shared garden with panoramic view is located at the lowest level that effortlessly mediates between the interior and exterior. Inspired by many of Richard Neutra’s architecture especially the Kaufmann House, this project focuses on the idea of planar walls, wide intersecting planes and protruding columns.
Spatial Relationship
Bed
Study
Bath
Gallery
Balcony
Dining and Living
Resident 2
Residential Unit 2 Entrance
Gallery Bed
Shared Garden
Bath
Gallery Entry
Office
Storage Photography
Reading
Study Entry Courtyard
Dining
Kitchen
Garden
The house is separated into three levels each serving a different function. The middle floor consists of a studio-like apartment for the art collector and his wife. The floor above is for the artist’s sister. The lowest level is carved into the ground to create a cave-like environment providing an intimate shelter for the family. Facing Victoria street, the front section of the house including the basement level is served as a gallery space for public use. The middle floor is the most compact yet spatially divided to accommodate all residents and the public.
Resident 1 + Gallery
Laundry Toilet
Outdoor Lounge
Residential Entry
Public Toiltet
Living Storage
Gallery
Residence 1
Resident 1 - Artist and Wife Resident 2 - Sister Public
Resident 1 - Artist and Wife Resident 2 - Sister Public
Yip ,Ying Wai Johnathon / 3384646 / jonathan.yip8@hotmail.com