Stage 2 Portfolio, BA Architecture by José Figueira

JosĂŠ Figueira Stage II - 2016-17

Final Portfolio BA Architecture Student Number: 150366542

Final Portfolio BA Architecture

Table of Contents

2 Introduction

8 Semester 1

74 Semester 2

126 Non-Design

164 Conclusion

2 Contents and Declaration 4 Charrette

8 Apologia 10 At Home in the City

74 Apologia 76 Engineering Experience 82 Exploring Experience

128 Architectural Technology 140 About: Architecture Essay 156 Architecture’s Unconscious 162 Dissertation Proposal

166 Design Doing 169 Journal “snapshot” 173 Feedback Sheets

A Day in the Life of Me (10) 2.3.1 Study Type (14) Edinburgh/Leith Visit (22) 2.3.2 Leith 2026 (26) 2.3.3 Dwelling Plus (32) 2.3.4 Inhabit (32) Architectural Technology (52) Environmental Design (68)

Berwick-upon-Tweed (82) Blackburn & Price Quarter (84) Architectural Technology (120)

Contents and Declaration (Stage 2) - AP1

Contents and Declaration - Introduction

Charrette - Silence of the Senses

Dividing ourselves in groups, each group presented an idea, around the theme â&#x20AC;&#x153;Silence of the Sensesâ&#x20AC;?, playing with feelings of isolation and +5 senses. My group, as opposed to presenting a single idea, proposed a system to curate all the other groups (and our owns) ideas, into a self-guiding journey through the senses and memory.

From that point on, we became artists and curators (along with our studio tutor, Hazel McGregor), receiving feedback from other groups experimentations, arranging all these proposals into an interesting space. One of the ways we managed that can be seen above, with an overhead cord structure providing a physical framework for the projects.

From the curation sheet: We spend our daily lives being invaded by information - a multitude of physical and electronic interactions that punctuate our daily lives. These experiences assault our senses; our eyes are blinded with artificiality; we are deafened with the whirring hum of modern technology; our sense of touch is accustomed to the smooth feel of manufactured perfection.

Our Charrette suggests different experiences, which allow you to explore your own senses. We all require a place for quietude and contemplation, from where we can isolate ourselves from the everyday excesses of modern life. But how can we counter this influx of information and excess? How could we create an experiential space that plays on the isolation and interaction between our senses?

Charrette - Introduction

C#9 - Pop Me

“Nothing revives the past so completely as a smell that was once associated with it.” - Vladimir Nabokov

Our contribution within that sensory journey was located next to the only naturally illuminated part of the room. White balloons filled up with strong smells filled the wall and (low) ceiling, ready to be popped with a nail. When popped, those strong smells (cinnamon, coffee, lavender, smells that bring in many people strong memories) were released. The open windows created a current of air in that space, contrasting with the warmth, stillness and physical isolation of the other spaces.

Among a playful light-filled environment, a white nook was created, (like a cotton candy paradise, or futuristic cloud, an abandoned surgery or a shopping centre playground, a silver mine light-well or a pearly coral on the sea-bed)

and in that nook there were balloons, in those balloons there were smells, and in those smells there were memories (trapped or safely hidden away?) If you pop us, what will you remember? (“I remember breakfast at nana’s!”) (“When I met her at the café... and when I last saw her”)

Pop Me Anna Vershinina Boris Larico José Figueira Polina Morova

Rachel Cummings Sam Bell Seo Kang Weihao Wang Yen Lin

Charrette - Introduction

First Semester

Apologia

The first semester consisted of several small projects culminating into a housing scheme with a civic function, and so, everything we did coming up to the review and non-design modules has been part of a single, all-encompassing creative and research process. Part of this is an analysis of precedents (theoretical or practical), which continues throughout the project, and, such as the case of Hertzberger or Siza’s work, informs my creative output throughout (in the latter’s case, imprinted in me due to my upbringing). After research and analysis that touched on our own habitation of spaces (which capitalized on our personal experience as a reflection of others’) on important examples of civic-minded housing and of a school-wide symposium on Leith (creating, in our case, a “pick and choose” masterplan framework), I was prepared to start – using physical drawings and digital modelling mostly – exploring a location (the plinth) for a detailed civic and residential overhaul. It was, due to the delicate public and private realms and my inclination for small, cellular dwellings, a back and forth process between the public realm, the semi-public and the dwellings, trying to develop the forms and programs in a concise, responsive (to the user and to/between each other) manner. Mid-project, we were attributed characters, which we had to tailor one of the dwelling to, and imagine how they would live in it. In that dwelling, like in the rest of the space, it’s visible the permeating idea of architecture as planes, that freed me to play with terraced “rooms”. In the dwelling, like in the public realm, visual and material connections are abundant – one rooms floor might be another’s table. The outcome has been a large scale urban intervention that provides an activity intensive smart plaza, working hand in hand with the Leith 2026 project.

2 Introduction

8 Semester 1

74 Semester 2

126 Non-Design

164 Conclusion

2 Introduction 4 Charrette

8 Apologia 10 At Home in the City

74 Apologia 76 Engineering Experience 82 Exploring Experience

128 Architectural Technology 140 About: Architecture Essay 156 Architecture’s Unconscious 162 Dissertation Proposal

166 Design Doing 169 Journal “snapshot” 173 Feedback Sheets

A Day in the Life of Me (10) 2.3.1 Study Type (14) Edinburgh/Leith Visit (22) 2.3.2 Leith 2026 (26) 2.3.3 Dwelling Plus (32) 2.3.4 Inhabit (32) Architectural Technology (52) Environmental Design (68)

Berwick-upon-Tweed (82) Blackburn & Price Quarter (84) Architectural Technology (120)

At Home in the City - A Day in the Life of Me Kickstarting the semester long project, “A Day in the Life of You” was intended as an experience of self-awareness, of learning on our own, “how the space we inhabit informs our daily patterns of life”. Through the use of lived vignettes (presented in a chronological triptych), we were able to explore how the physical properties, uses and the space itself are connected, helping us in the weeks to come apply that analysis (hand in hand with the next part of the project) in studio-specific work. Above, Instagram screenshots acting, in a way, as a sort of vignette - one interesting thing about this project was how naked we put ourselves, and with every moment of

our lives now (willingly) publicly seen, it’s interesting to see this creeping up into our private lives of technology

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wake as my phone, at the end of

my bed, rings. The adrenaline rush that propels me to immediately turn it off ends up sending me right back inside the comfort of the blue baroque patterned sheets. Next to me, near Fred the Plant, is the t-shirt I removed hastily during my sleep, folding over the duvet and pillows. As I get up, I pick up the watch and earphones left on the table, toss the latter to my backpack, and leave my room, bringing back a steaming

tea cup, putting it roughly on the same side-table. Outside, where my closet is, I quickly choose clothes (tee and shirt) after leaving my underwear on the floor of my room, always dodging any unsuspecting flatmates. Leaving the clothes on top of the unmade bed, I quickly come back from a shower in time to turn off the second alarm, get quickly dressed (whilst looking at social media) and most likely than not, forgetting to drink the tea. However, if I do have

time, I like to stay a few minutes on the bedroom. It is immensely calm during the morning, despite being the time where most noise can be heard from the morning commute. The light streaming through the high window warms the room ever so slightly, giving life to this cosy, yet organized place - whilst the view outside frames a lovely row of houses and lush community gardens.

â&#x20AC;?

A Day in the Life of Me - First Semester

Spaces when studying architecture are, at the same time, stationary and everchanging, as I have yet to have found a place in the studios to call my own this year. Whilst we may all be illuminated by the same fluorescent light, in some rooms it turns sickly, while in others it refreshes. When rainy skies give way to (some) sun, the lights are almost always turned off, and we get, throughout the day, a streaming ray of light going across these spaces, reflected from

the nearby tower block, temporarily, and on their own time, blinding each and every one of us. However, both the permanent space (desks, chairs) and the temporary space (what we put on these to work) constantly change. When producing digital work, or research, I might use a personal computer and a desktop at the same time, juggling a mess of two mouses, two keyboards, sketchbook and

materials, all being used simultaneously. However, for model-making, all of these give way and support it. Sketchbooks open on material references, digital sketch model for measurements, insta-dry glue, are all aimed at an efficient and fast output, which leads to higher quality models for less time.

“Getting home, invariably the first

thing I do is toss the back pack next to my bed, and turning my computer on. When using it, my desk becomes a 180º workstation, with immediate access to any sketchbook, pair of shoes or material. A layering of levels and platforms, plates, candles and spoons start to engulf me in this small polyvalent space. However in this small room, even disorganization is organized clothes on the floor, open books

and old wrappers are intuitively left in such a way that it minimizes their impact. I might even say that this room excels when it’s in a slight messy state of affairs. A bed made but the window sill filled with used candles, for example, create a comforting environment where I can see the changing colours of the sky - as winter approaches, these get darker and darker. The disproportionally tall ceilings and windows give this assumingly claustrophobic space a “nest on

the cliff” vibe, as if I could just walk out of my window. At the end of the night, I might lay on the bed with my computer, watching series or maybe “trying to feel love through facetime”, with my feet tentatively pulling me closer to the sheets. When trying to sleep (whilst listening to music, and possibly dramatically choreographing certain songs), the smoke passage above the door softly illuminates the room when the lights on the other side are on.

”

A Day in the Life of Me - First Semester

At Home in the City - Churchill Gardens

Excerpt: “During 1940 and 1941, Britain suffered frequent air-raid bombings, known as the Blitz. The bombings, carried out by the German Luftwaffe, were heavily concentrated on London during September 1940, with most of the city damaged, and entire parts destroyed including much of the housing stock. At the end of the war, a plan was created to eliminate the old and damaged Victorian housing and replace them with high rise modern blocks (reminiscent of Corbusier’s Ville Radieuse, but also of the garden city concept), and in which open public spaces

could be incorporated to bring a sense of community back to the city. The regional plan (...) was a way of dealing with the acute housing shortage in post-war London, and Churchill Gardens was the first step towards this plan - however, it ended up being the only post war housing development planned by Abercrombie on such a scale. This was mainly due to the fact that after the war, so much money was needed to be invested into the whole of Britain, that there was simply not enough money to continue building large new developments - and they were, to put it simply, reviled by the general public...”

The case study I analysed - part of our studio’s theme “Intensifying with Pleasure” - is the Churchill Gardens Estate, in Pimlico, London. In order to gather a large amount of material, and produce an in depth analysis of the project, we were asked to work in small groups, producing an oral presentation and a booklet. This

Study Type // Churchill Gardens - First Semester

Churchill Gardens

Churchill Churchill Gardens Gardens Churchill Gardens Churchill Gardens

Churchill Gardens

Phase 1, 1946-49

Phase 1,Phase 1946-49 1, 1946-49 Phase 1, 1946-49 Phase 1, 1946-49

Phase 1, 1946-49

Phase 2, 1949-52

Phase 2,Phase 1949-52 2, 1949-52 Phase 2, 1949-52 Phase 2, 1949-52

Phase 2, 1949-52

Phase 3, 1952-57

Phase 3,Phase 1952-57 3, 1952-57 Phase3,3,1952-57 1952-57 Phase

Phase 3, 1952-57

Phase 4, 1957-62

Phase 4,Phase 1957-62 4, 1957-62 Phase4,4,1957-62 1957-62 Phase

Phase 4, 1957-62

Private buildings Public buildings Sports courts Play areas

Others (school, Others workshop, (school, workshop, club, bar,club, public bar, houses, public etc.) houses, etc.) Others(school, (school,workshop, workshop,club, club,bar, bar,public publichouses, houses,etc.) etc.) Others Others (school, workshop, club, bar, public houses, etc.)

Others (school, workshop, club, bar, public houses, etc.)

Green areas

PrivatePrivate buildings buildings Private buildings Private buildings Public buildings Public buildings Public buildings Public buildings Sports Sports courts courts Private buildings Sports courts Sports courts Play areas Play areas Public buildings Play areas Play areas Green areas Green areas Sports courts Green areas Green areas

Play areas Green areas

â&#x20AC;&#x153;...the close attention paid to Dutch housing estates by the architects impeded any kind of segregation and ghettofication, with the estates entrances woven and relating heavily to the rest of the urban fabric. However, despite its increasingly unnafordability, it is still home to a mostly tight-knit community (with local community centres and churches providing a good framework for inclusiveness), impressive considering itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proximity to places such as Victoria and the Houses of Parliament. (...) Within the centre of Churchill Gardens sits a Glass Face accumulator tower, the first ever district heating system and provides heat and hot water throughout the estate by collecting combined heat and power by-product from the now disused Battersea Power Station. The design of the polygonal shaped transparent tower contrasts with the solid blocks of the estate, breaking up the harsh rectangular urban layout.â&#x20AC;?

Study Type // Churchill Gardens - First Semester

It was an immense coincidence that I happened to be given this case study, as it was the place I stayed when I first came to the UK. Staying in one of the numerous older buildings that still remain around and within the estate, one of the most striking things I recall was the view, almost heads on, of the Battersea Power Station, on the other side of the Thames.

Battersea Power Station seen from Grosvenor Road over the Thames

Sutherland Street leading to Churchill Gardens

Battersea Power Station in watercolour

Study Type // Churchill Gardens - First Semester

“(...) In this tower block typology, the communal areas (staircases, elevators, entrances) are, between the residents, extensions of the public realm, whilst for the rest of the neighbourhood they’re a transitional space between the public and private – the higher you get, the more private it feels (in the end, the perception of privacy is the main preserver of privacy, (...) The indoor landings at each floor, shared between two flats, and the stairs themselves emulate the concept of a residential street and neighbourhood in a vertical manner, creating the same tightknit communities existing in more traditional urban geographies...”

1:200 Section

“At times, the interior layout of the individual flats can be quite telling of the era that they were built and designed (...) very much influenced by the heavy gender norms at the time. Nowadays, open plan kitchen, dining and living areas are the norm, with the act of cooking and housework in general no longer being the job of women, but shared between genders (...).

And even though the flats are, within the complex, the truly private spaces, even within them there’s a gradient perception of privacy (...) and in the typical layout, it (the parents bedroom) is positioned at the most secluded part of the house, telling of the place of the “breadwinners” in the family hierarchy.”

1:50 Section

Study Type // Churchill Gardens - First Semester

At Home in the City - Edinburgh/Leith Visit Edinburgh presented itself as, perhaps, the most capitallooking capital city in the United Kingdom. Whilst London carried the weight of being more than an administrative centre, in a very obvious way, Edinburgh managed to develop itself, around itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Royal Mile centre, in a monumental manner that screamed - perhaps attributed a bit to the use, even in modest dwellings, of typical stone facades - dignified centre of administration and old-money finance.

Excerpt from Journal

Holyrood, as Scotland’s seat of Government, stood at the foot of Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat, nestled between the crag and Carlton Hill (and the accompanying offices of the Scottish government), The Scottish Parliament, an extremely contradictory but thoughtful building, binds all these fragments around it (the Royal Mile, the crags, the Queen’s Residence at Holyrood House, etc), creating public spaces around it that, despite sometimes being curtailed by high fortresslike wall and security checkpoints, still excel at inspiring and provoke a sense of national pride among Scots.

Window Detail Parliament Holyrood Collage

Guided Map

Edinburgh/Leith Visit - First Semester

Leith, however, presented itself very differently. My specific site acted as the gateway to Leith from Edinburgh, being then a fulcral point of circulation - the green pedestrian way (Kirkgate) possessing distinct areas throughout.

Circulation Plan 1:2000

10m

Excerpt from Journal - Leith Site Analysis and Recording

Edinburgh/Leith Visit - First Semester

At Home in the City - Leith 2026 After the visit to Leith, stage 2 started working on proposals for the redevelopment/reinvention of Leith, each studio given a specific site. Our studio concentrated on organizing a masterplan together, which then led to individualized proposals over 3 distinct areas - the Plinth, Green Kirkgate and New Kirkgate.

Leith 2026 Symposium Party

Leith 2026 Symposium - First Semester

New Kirkgateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s group, in line with the idea of opening up the community centre to the street, and take advantage of the wasted space above the shopping area - all in all, the commercial bit answered pretty well the needs (current and future) of Leithians. For the Plinth, there was a major focus on the high-rise (Linksview House), with two conflicting proposals both incorporating green facade, one a retrofit (substituting all the concrete balconies and recladding) and the other a simple clean up and green walls placement.

New Kirkgate Proposal

Linksview Proposal

Personally, Green Kirkgate, connecting the previous two, seemed to deserve very much an overhaul. In our masterplanning, we came to the conclusion that most projects would relate to the green way, opening then the green areas to it, whilst redefining its boundaries and creating private allotments by the constructions. Moreover, a general clean-up and recladding of buildings, plus re-using old constructions as extensions of the community centre (such as greenhouses on the graveyards ruins) was common (QR code for video presentation below).

10m

1:2000 Masterplan

Kirkgate Proposals (Personal Group)

Leith 2026 Symposium - First Semester

Dublin Street Lane - Richard Murphy Architects, Edinburgh

The end result, even if somehow fragmented, showed a vision for Leith focused on its inhabitants, the way they used the space and the way they wished they could use the space.

AsniĂ¨res Residential Park - Espace Libre, Paris Passeig De St Joan Boulevard - Lola Domenech, Barcelona BIGyard - Zanderroth Architekten, Berlin

Leith 2026 Symposium - First Semester

At Home in the City - Dwelling Plus & Inhabit

Excerpts from Journal - Explorations and analysis of routes and concepts

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

Kimbell Art Museum - Louis Khan, Fort Worth The ambiance created here exemplifies my goal for the terracing of more â&#x20AC;&#x153;privateâ&#x20AC;? spaces in the public realm.

Abode at Great Kneighton - Proctor and Matthews Architects, Cambridge, Ladeira da Barroquinha - Metro Arquitetos Associados, Salvador. In this urban design project, a pedestrian thoroughfare in a hilly Brazilian city is transformed, using typical Portuguese limestone rocks in an engaging way, providing every entrance to a building with flat ground.

K1 Co-housing - Mole Architects, Cambridge. Quite interesting the way the green ground immediately dissolves many notions of separation and thresholds, creating a more neighbourly environment.

Centraal Beheer Achmea - Herman Hertzberger, Apeldoorn Montessori College Oost - Herman Hertzberger, Amsterdam

in Lessons for Students in Architecture Herman Hertzberger, 1991

Copenhagen Business School - Marianne Levinsen, Copenhagen Arboretum, Barking Town Square - Muf Architecture + Art, London. This space engages the ludic in a civic centre in atypical forms.

The idea of â&#x20AC;&#x153;breaking the plinthâ&#x20AC;? was possible due to the completely artificial nature of it. To create the stepped areas, a part of the abandoned underground garage would be torn down, in the process of renovating the site, implying then no excavations Excerpts from Journal

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

Architecture and Public Space as planes: The places of rest, talk, play and passage have been terraced, “breaking the plinth” in a sense. This creates platformed rooms that allow, and encourage visual intercommunication (inspired by the work of Hertzberger), whilst still providing the opportunity for intimacy in the public realm in these terraced “rooms”, with recessed spaces for seating, and planting around you. People can see you, and you can see them, and yet, these thresholds (half walls, creepers, bushes and trees) provide a sense of protection and privateness.

Experiential model showing “architecture as planes” concept

Aerial view of stepped “rooms”

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

Performance and Stage(s): The Plaza opens up to the chained sports ground, creating the possibility of one, or multiple stages in the landings leading to it and in the sports cage itself, which can open itself to the plaza. In the drawing above, a film screening provides a template for that idea, in which the cage is the stage of the pedestrians, and the plaza that of Linksview House: the multiple interactions in the different spaces becoming a performance in itself, unlike the current lifelessness.

Aerial view of sports cage being opened up for film screenings, and the use of the new plaza and the balconies by viewers

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

Circulation: As a place of dispersion of routes, there was an attempt at simplifying the many connections, leading them all to pass through the high-rise through cuts. Furthermore, all the activities/equipment in the plaza (sports ground, arboretum, open air rooms, etc) have effectively â&#x20AC;&#x153;shrunk it downâ&#x20AC;?, diminuishing the sense of desolation of the previous windswept plaza.

Topographical model showing route intensity

Whole page of improved work

Finish of stepped water course, creating a visual connection between the water course and the drinking fountain at the end

Ramp showing accessible and inclusive route; to the left, stepped water course

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

ction A

erall Plan

1:200 Section B

Degrees of Privacy: The different “cuts” in the project, each with its own character, provide even in the public realm a wave of discreet privateness. However, the dwelling acts as a strong barrier, with the simple white brick wall being perforated just by a door, a short window, a window half hidden and a clerestory hidden by brickwork. The relationship of the dwelling to the public space is one of spilling out and not in, whilst on the other side, turned to the gardens, there’s a high degree of mingling between the private and the (semi) public space.

Performance and Stage(s): The Plaza opens up to the chained sports ground, crea stages in the landings leading to it and in the sports cage itself, which can open itself to

Ground Floor

Semi-Private Gardens & Courtyard

Dwelling

Ramp & Threshold

Rooms relating to dwelling

Rooms of Passage

Greenfield & Arboretum

Sports Cage

Green Stage

Upper Floor

Upper Floor 5m

Circulation Plan 1:1000

Degrees of Privacy: The different “cuts” in the project, each with its own character, provide even in the public realm a wave of discreet privateness. However, the dwelling acts as a strong barrier, with the simple white brick wall being perfurated just by a door, a short window, a window half hidden and a clerestory hidden by brickwork. The relationship of the dwelling to the public space is one of spilling out and not in, whilst on the other side, turned to the gardens, there’s a high degree of mingling between

10m

50m

“single parent, always walks fast, but the wee one loves to count the squirrels”

Due to the public space-oriented studio brief, the detailed design of the dwelling was concentrated on a single 3 bedroom home, with a certain dweller (attributed randomly) in mind. These characters (mentioning only a single parent and a small child in my specific case), were given to us through small snippets, purposefully vague. This family of three was my interpretation of this exercise, approaching their daily life in their home much in the same way of the “Day in the Life of Me”

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

Grou

nd F

loor

Upp

er Fl

oor

1 BEDROOM APARTMENT (x2) 42 m2 (41m2 usable)

2 BEDROOM APARTMENT (x2) 82 m2 (79m2 usable)

3 BEDROOM APARTMENT (x4) 89 m2 (83m2 usable) Ground Floor Spatial axonometric diagram

Plans and diagram showing different dwelling typologies

Upper Floor

Hertzbergerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact on the outside continues to be felt here, with the dwellings beings constantly platformed, and, due to the difference in height between al dwellings on only one of the sides, the stairwell acts as a mediator, changing as needed. Like outside, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a terracing of the rooms, and constantly visual connections between them. This particular dwelling (Letter B on the left, and the second lightest green on the previous page) is the one shown here, as the objective of this project was not to detail every single dwelling, but to provide a very detailed and well thought out dwelling for characters with specific needs (using knowledge gained from the Day in the Life of You project).

Modelled circulation space from above showing sequence of landings

Changing stair configuration relating to entrance height

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

Whilst on the public realm, it is notable the use of concrete as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;shape makerâ&#x20AC;? in the terraced rooms, in the back, these terraced grass planters are hold back by actual sandstone. This difference is, most of all, due to a wish of me of being honest about the materiality of this project - in the public space, stone could have been (economically viably) used only as cladding, whilst in the back, the traditional way of holding back soil is through stone slabs.

View into upstairs bathroom - noticeable the overhang and 2/3 of windows with film On the living space, the kitchen, raised in relation to the back semi-public space and the seating/dining space, creates a visual connection to the TV (being able to cook whilst watching shows), but also a physical relationship with the act of dining and setting out the table, with the counter at the perfect height (from the lower floor) for someone to pick plates from it, or to put them there whilst someone else washed the dishes. Another connection is the visual continuity of the raised kitchen floor and an

outside table with a foot-level window. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting to see that, in order to provide an exterior visual coherence, but have the terraced rooms indoors, the second floor windows align, despite in one of the rooms it being an eye-level to ground window, and in the other rooms a ceiling to hip-level window. But even though this open facade faces a building, privacy is assured by the overhang/columnade, and semi-transparent film on the bathroom windows.

Thermal Massing (Terracotta floors in Living Space

Illustration showing back view of dwelling/arcades with the dad watering plants, the oldest watching Netflix outside and the youngest noticing squirrells from her bedroom

Kitchen/Dining section

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

+ Whole page of improved work

Section A2

50cm 1m Section A1 1:50 side sections

Whole page of improved work

Section B1 (Alternative)

Section B2

Section B1

1:50 frontal sections - these relate to the elevation view

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

+ Whole page of improved work

Section A1

Section A2

Section B1

Plan A (Ground Floor) 1:50 plans

Section B2

Whole page of improved work

3 AT HOME IN THE CITY

D // Intensify with Pleasure e, Leith // Linksview House Day in the Life of Me excerpt

Excerpt from symposium proposal

Current Site use

Civic Space The civic space in the project encompasses the entire plinth of Linksview House, and the alley next to it, reinventing the space and substituting the derelict housing in the process (Dwelling).

Section A1

Section A2

1:200 Section B

Section B1

Plan B (Upper Floor)

Section B2

50cm 1m

Dwelling Plus & Inhabit - First Semester

At Home in the City - Architectural Technology

1:100 elevation - here, the main focus is on showing the white brick texture of the facades

The Architectural Technology coursework has been included as an integral part of the project, clarifying certain construction aspects, but also heavily focusing on my tectonic intent, in this case with the brick facade. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One example of this is the bricklaying technique used, relevant due to its focus on Section C, coming from the idea of a very closed facade to the public plaza - 3 meter wide paths cut through the public space perpendicular to the entrances, with recessed headers imprinting this visual connection in the brick - softening the fortress-like appearance that might have come up from a blank wall. Topping this, a brick screen (now with the headers gone) hid away a clerestory, sheltering the upper floor from people on the highest platforms of the plaza. The powder coated metal door (with matching sill, jambs and header, the latter two structural) enhanced the feeling of entering your own world, shutting the trees rustling and footballs behind you for the sounds of everyday life.â&#x20AC;?

Experiential facade in main spatial model

Architectural Technology - First Semester

House + swimming pool VWB Caan Architecten Afsnee, Belgium | 2014 This first precedent, from a unifamiliar house in Belgium, focus on the way the openings in this house were handled. The sketches to the side show how a uniform look, enveloping the openings, was thought out - the frame discreetly sustaining the wall above, but the sheer thickness of the material (where structurally needed) giving way to a thin sheet simply folded over the sill, uninterrupting the effect whilst saving material, and in fact, protecting even better the interior of the wall from water ingression. Visually, whilst the black metal contrasted very obviously with the white bricks (which coincidently was continued over to the final project), the dramatic appearance of these â&#x20AC;&#x153;flawlessâ&#x20AC;? punctures continues even if there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a chromatic contrast (although admittedly now more discreetly).

Termitary House Tropical Space Architects Da Nang, Vietnam | 2014 House Like Garden Marc Koehler Architects Ijburg, Netherlands | 2008 These two precedents, due to the similar techniques of bricklaying at play here (one due to omission, the other due to inclusion), and the way they influenced the project, deserved a joined review. In the Termitary House (Tropical Space), solid bricklaying gives way, through omission of certain elements, to a visually permeable screen, where the light can shine through. In the second precedent ( House Like Garden), the brick (possibly cut on the spot) is positioned either in a typical flemish bond, or with the brick sticking out (as opposed to being cut in half) like a header, creating in this specific case a visual gradient. Even developing this idea further, cutting the brick in 3/4 or 1/4 doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t significantly harm the integrity of the cavity wall.

Architectural Technology - First Semester

+ Whole page of new work

Illustration showing view from southern upstairs bedroom and the patterned brick texture giving privacy from the elevated plaza

Model showing the way the facade affects the upper floor light penetration

Architectural Technology - First Semester

Ignoring form and focusing on function, I followed the idea of â&#x20AC;&#x153;architecture as planesâ&#x20AC;?, creating structurally complex-looking platformed spaces (ironically because of their geometric look), that whilst on the public realm would be quite simple technologically, in the dwelling proved more difficult. However, with a vague understanding of how structurally those spaces would work, I continued developing the project, focusing on their materiality, ambiance and habitation, with the technological issues taking a subordinate position. One example of this is the bricklaying technique used, relevant due to its focus on Section C, coming from the idea of a very closed facade to the public plaza - 3 meter wide paths cut through the public space perpendicular to the entrances, with recessed

headers imprinting this visual connection in the brick - softening the fortress-like appearance that might have come up from a blank wall. Topping this, a brick screen (now with the headers gone) hid away a clerestory, sheltering the upper floor from people on the highest platforms of the plaza. The powder coated metal door (with matching sill, jambs and header, the latter two structural) enhanced the feeling of entering your own world, shutting the trees rustling and footballs behind you for the sounds of everyday life. The technological part constantly came up during the creative process, mostly as a way to achieve a certain effect, but, particularly in the latter parts of the project, as a creative impulse in itself (the clerestory was a product of this, for example). (249 words)

Architectural Technology - First Semester

Suspended timber ground floors domestic

Element number

Flat Roofs: warm deck domestic

Intended

Ideal

Intended

Ideal

Intended

Ideal

Plywood (temperate, EN636-2) decking on timber joists with insulation over:

OSBB/3 decking on timber joists with insulation over:

Plywood (softwood, 636-1) decking on:

Chipboard decking on:

Timber joists, plywood (temperate EN 636-2) decking:

Timber joists, OSB/3 decking:

100 mm oversite concrete

100mm 50% GGBS oversite concrete (100% RCA)

timber joists

timber I joists

vapour control layer, insulation, EPDM singly ply waterproofing membrane

vapour control layer, insulation, polymer modified polyester reinforced bitument roofing membranes with mineral finish

820470005

820470078

807280022

807280024

812540042

807280024

Summary Rating

A+

Climate Change

A+

Water Extraction

A+

Mineral resource extraction

A+

Stratospheric ozone depletion

A+

Human toxicity

A+

Eco-toxicity to freshwater

A+

Nuclear waste (higher level)

A+

Eco-toxicity to land

A+

Waste disposal

A+

Fossil Fuel depletion

A+

Eutrophication

A+

Photochemical ozone creation

A+

Acidification

A+

Typical replacement interval

60+

Embodied CO2 (kg CO2 eq..)

-4

6.3

Recycled cowntent (kg)

1.7

135

3.3

3.7

10.5

Recycled content (%) Recycled currently at EOL (%)

Upper floor domestic

Separating walls: masonry construction - domestic

Insulation all building types

Windows domestic

Intended

Ideal

Intended

Ideal

Intended

Ideal

Approved Document E Wall Type 2.1

Rigid urethane (pentane blown): density 32 kg/m3

Glass wool insulation:

100mm solid medium dense blockwork cavity wall (cavity min 50mm), 13mm lightweight plaster (min 10kg/m2) and paint on both faces. Overall minimum mass of 415kg/m2

Approved Document E Wall Type 2.4

Powder coated aluminium window

Durable hardwood window:

aircrete blockwork cavity wall, minimum 75mm cavity, 1 sheet plasterboard (min. 10 kg/m2) and paint to each side (min. mass including finishes 150 kg/m2)

N/A

density 32 kg/m2

profile > 1.08 kg/m, double glazed

double glazed, water based stain (TWAS)

818190055

807280024

815320017

81532003

813100030

813100005

cement mortar, plasterboard on battens, paint

aircrete blockwork inner leaf, cement mortar, plasterboard, on battens, paint

806170047

806170617

A+

60+

7.1

350

140

3.5

129

0.1

7.3

9.2

2.9

Architectural Technology - First Semester

Internal Walls / Framed partitions all building types

Landscaping / Surfacing for Pedestrian areas

Intended

Ideal

Intended

Ideal

Intended

Ideal

Timber studwork:

Medium density solid blockwork, plasterboard, paint

Fairfaced reclaimed brickwork:

Reinforced concrete laid in situ (100mm)

Concrete paving flags (35mm), no sub-base

plasterboard, paint

OSB/3 facing, paint

N/A

cement: lime mortar

over prepared recycled sub-base

N/A

Element number

809760003

809760025

809180008

809180011

824130028

824130006

Summary Rating

A+

Climate Change

A+

Water Water Extraction Extraction

A+

Mineral resource extraction Mineral resource extraction

A+

Stratospheric Stratospheric ozone ozone depletion depletion

A+

Human Human toxicity toxicity

A+

Eco-toxicity Ecotoxicity to to freshwater freshwater

A+

Nuclear Nuclear waste waste (higher (higher level) level)

A+

Eco-toxicity Eco-toxicity to to land land

A+

Fossil Fossil Fuel Fuel depletion depletion

A+

Eutrophication Eutrophication

A+

Photochemical Photochemical ozone ozone creation creation

A+

60+

-1

7.8

Recycled cowntent Recycled content (kg)

6.5

6.8

6.6

145

224

Recycled content (%)

Waste Waste disposal disposal

Acidification Acidification Typical Typical replacement replacement interval interval Embodied )) Embodied CO CO22 (kg (kg CO CO22 eq.. eq..

Recycled currently at EOL (%)

Internal Walls / Masonry partitions all building types

Most of the constructional aspects that do not achieve high marks in this guide are easily changed (for example, the use of plywood decking as opposed to OSB/3, of reclaimed bricks instead of new bricks, or, in the case of the separating walls, a wider cavity and substitution of the type of blockwork/plaster application, which is perhaps the only example here where the weight of its impact on Climate Change is countered by most of the other criteria). However, the windows (and by extension, the doors made out of the same materials) that I intended to use (powder coated aluminium windows) could not be substituted, without losing its aesthetical qualities and relationship to the blockwork it would visually engage with, for the (very) high rated durable hardwood windows. However, it could be viably substituted by a powder coated aluminium clad

softwood window, which ranks considerably higher in this guide, and yet retains the material and visual qualities that I intended for the project. Whilst I admit that a more substantial consultation of environmental guides would have been valuable in diminishing the environmental footprint of this construction, the small dimensions of the individual dwellings /typologies (trying to use up every space available in the platformed interior), despite having potential environmental and economical benefits, are glossed over in this kind of assessment, which concentrates purely on the constructional aspect. In my specific case, the residential section of the work pales in comparison to the dimension and environmental impact of the public space (which my studio was focused on). (248 words)

Tectonic Intent Ignoring form and focusing on function, I followed the idea of â&#x20AC;&#x153;architecture as planesâ&#x20AC;?, creating structurally complex-looking platformed spaces (ironically because of their geometric look), that whilst on the public realm would be quite simple technologically, in the dwelling proved more difficult. However, with a vague understanding of how structurally those spaces would work, I continued developing the project, focusing on their materiality, ambiance and habitation, with the technological issues taking a subordinate position. One example of this is the bricklaying technique used, relevant due to its focus on Section C, coming from the idea of a very closed facade to the public plaza - 3 meter wide paths cut through the public space perpendicular

to the entrances, with recessed headers imprinting this visual connection in the brick - softening the fortress-like appearance that might have come up from a blank wall. Topping this, a brick screen (now with the headers gone) hid away a clerestory, sheltering the upper floor from people on the highest platforms of the plaza. The powder coated metal door (with matching sill, jambs and header, the latter two structural) enhanced the feeling of entering your own world, shutting the trees rustling and footballs behind you for the sounds of everyday life. The technological part constantly came up during the creative process, mostly as a way to achieve a certain effect, but, particularly in the latter parts of the project, as a creative impulse in itself (the clerestory was a product of this, for example). (249 words)

Architectural Technology - First Semester

At Home in the City - Environmental Design & Services

Suspended timber ground floors

Flat Roofs: warm deck

Aim: 0.13 W/m2K

Intended

Aim: 0.13 W/m2K

Ideal

Intended

Ideal

Thickness

R/Values

U/Value W/(m2K)

Thickness

R/Values

U/Value

Timber Joists1

N/A

Insulation2

0.09

0.018

0.14

0.018

7.778

0.01

0.13

0.1

0.13

Roof Decking

0.015 x 2

0.13

0.23

0.015x2

0.13

0.23

0.06

0.018

3.33

0.15

0.018

8.33

Insulation2

Damp Course Membrane3

N/A

Heating Pipes & Battens3

N/A

Laminate (Scottish Oak)3

N/A

Assumed as 0.18 W/m2K

0.125

N/A

Plywood x 2

W/mK

Total ( 1. Not applicable in this case as the timber joists are open to the ventilated undercroft, having then no bearing on the floors’ thermal resistance 2. Insulation chosen is proprietary (Kingspan Kooltherm K series) 3. These elements, as they have no to negligent impact on the thermal conductivity (mostly due to their diminute thickness) are excluded from calculations. 4. Here, due to two elements occupying the same “sectional layer”, the one chosen had the lesser thermal conductivity, explicitly the one that would act as a “cold bridge”

)

0.19

W/(m2K)

W/mK

Total (

)

Thickness m

U/Value

R/Values

W/(m2K)

W/mK

N/A

0.12

0.22 )

Vapour Membrane3

0.13

0.012

0.12

Total (

Cavity/Timber Joists4

0.05 )

Windows

Aim: 2 W/m2K

Intended

Ideal

Assumed as 1.9 W/m2K

Assumed as 0.5 W/m2K

Ideal U/Value

R/Values

W/(m2K)

W/mK

0.102

Thickness m

Insulation2

0.84

U/Value

R/Values

W/(m2K)

W/mK

0.102

0.04

0.018

0.84

Glass5 5. Double glazing (low E, εn = 0.05, argon filled) vs Triple Glazing Pilkington K Glass™ S (12 mm krypton filled), K Glass™ S T (12 mm krypton filled) and Optiwhite™ E layers.

Powder Coated Door Aim: 1 W/m K

0.121

Intended

Assumed as 0.18 W/m2K 2.22

0.1

0.018

5.55

Vapour Membrane3

N/A

Aircrete Block

0.1

0.11

0.9

0.1

0.11

0.9

N/A

0.012

0.22

0.05

0.012

0.22

0.05

Battens & Cavity

Plasterboard

Total (

0.121

Assumed as 0.18 W/m2K

Cavity

Plasterboard

0.116

Brick Blockwork

Plywood

Battens & Cavity3

0.22

0.30

Aim: 0.18 W/m2K

0.015

0.05

Brick or stone and blockwork cavity walls

Thickness

EPDM single ply

N/A

0.13

Total (

W/(m2K)

W/mK

N/A 0.015

U/Value

R/Values

N/A

0.012

Intended

Thickness

)

0.29

Total (

)

0.15

Thickness m

Ideal U/Value

R/Values

W/(m2K)

W/mK

N/A 0.05

0.14

R/Values

U/Value

0.02 x 2

0.14

0.285

N/A 0.02

)

2.86

W/(m2K)

W/mK

0.357

N/A Total (

Thickness

Timber (Pine)

0.018 Total (

Plywood x 2

1.1 )

0.72

Insulation2

Energy Analysis Following the completion of the SAP report, It’s visible that, overall, the thermal conservation of the dwelling was, ignoring the eventual lack of air tightness due to any faulty detailing (both in the design or construction stages), harmed mostly by the limited insulation thickness. As most other factors had already been dealt with at a previous stage (such as the substitution of cement blocks with aircrete which proved at this point to be both a more sustainable constructional and energy-based option), I still found that the adage of “the more time spent designing, the cheaper it will be” rings very true, not only economically but environmentally as well. This reflects, very clearly, on the before and after of energy consumption, and CO2 impact yearly. Whilst before the energy consumption for heating amounted to 182£ yearly (and a stagnant 191.35£ bill for water heating, pump & fan cost, and lighting), that value drops to 121.61£, less 1/3 of the energy expenditure. Interestingly, the SAP Rating doesn’t seem to rise that much (from 81.6 to 84.7), but I’m guessing, when factoring in possibilities of PassivHaus and the

like, this is already a pretty good indicative of an attempt at mitigating the value of energy spent for its comfort level - furthermore, the diminute space of the living spaces (which, if excluding the kitchen, would amount to 14.5% of the entire floor area) additionally helps if heating is successfully partitioned between rooms. However, this still provides space for a lot of improvements. The dwelling barely passes on its Dwelling Emissions Rate (20.6 versus the 20.82 on the TER), and this is on the improved version - I tried to not compromise the design of the building (although I still needed to remove a bit of floor area, which on the external wall sides is not prohibitive) leading to a tight margin. So whilst this is not, by any measure a Passivhaus, it still complies with the Target Fabric Emissions Rate at 45.58, with its Dwelling ER sitting at 44.13. R Values 1- Thermal Conductivity of Building Materials, Virtual-maths, Leeds Beckett University (http://www.leedsbeckett. ac.uk/teaching/vsite/low_carbon_housing/ resources/thermal-conductivity-of-buildingmaterials.pdf); 2- Thomas Armstrong Ltd. (http://www.ribaproductselector.com/ Docs/6/00486/external/COL387799. pdf); 3- Pilkington (www.pilkington.com); 4- Kingspan Insulation UK (http://www. k i n g s p a n i n s u l a t i o n . c o . u k / P ro d u c t s / kooltherm.aspx)

Environmental Design & Services - First Semester

Energy Strategy The roof of the building, receiving unobstructed sunlight from the east to the southwest, and an assurance of no future obstructions (due to the surrounding green spaces part of the project) would be an ideal spot for the use of Solar Pholtovoltaic systems, Assuming an average of 200 watts/m2 per sun hour, it would be possible to achieve more than 10 thousand kWhr/year (257kwh/ yearly per m2 times 40 m2 (with 1289-1421 hours of sunlight yearlya), double of what the average British solar powered home getsb). (1) Whilst it would be viable to have solar water heating panels as well (which could deal with space heating too), another option would be, considering the back gardens/patios and surrounding green area, to use ground source heat pumps for this, which (and to be considered renewable by EU standardsc) can easily give 2.5 units of energy per unit spent. These work by laying out, on an area approximately double the house if done cheap(er), a continuous pipe

(in this case in a non-sandy ground) 1.5-2 meters deep, coming back in a loop to the dwelling and the heat pump, which would then compress and lead the warm water to the underfloor heating, and store the rest in a cylinder for future use. If, by any chance you found yourself with not enough water for showering (as approximately 300m2 per dwelling would be needed for a complete coverage and payback after 8 years), the use of tankless water heaters in the two showers would be the ideal solution, especially considering the new 40m2 worth of solar panels. (2). Either way, the fact that 57% of Scotland’s energy is produced in a renewable way minimizes the environmental risks.

(3.a)

Figure (1)

a School of GeoSciences - University of Edinburgh - www.geos.ed.ac.uk/~scotgaz// towns/townclimate1827.html b http://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/solarpv-calculator c Rehva Journal, August 2011 - “Definition of heat pumps and their use of renewable energy sources”, 38-39 d Kensa Heat Pumps RHI Calculator (www. kensaheatpumps.com/grants-incentives/ domestic-rhi/calculator-tool/)

130m2 - 140m

Figure (2)

(3.b)

(3.c)

Design Strategy

(5.a)

(4.a)

(4.b)

The dwelling, following the concept of “architecture as planes”, has a successive row of “platforms” where the multiple rooms and nooks are (4.a). On one side (west), this is hidden by a brick wall where the omission of bricks gives way to a patterned screen that lets some of the (uncomfortable) direct west light in, protecting the rooms from unnecessary overheating. (3.a) Similarly, a clerestory illuminates softly the stairwell and circulation spaces at the “core” of the house (3.b). Furthermore, storage spaces are all pushed to this west side, with the notable exception of the clerestory, where the south facing window illuminates a bedroom desk (3.b). This side doesn’t present then that many issues. However, the southeast side possibly does. Completely contrasting the closed nature of the other facade, this one, protected by a columnade and overhang, possesses windows that, in all cases, are either up to the ceiling, down to

the floor, or, in the case of the living space I analyzed through Dialux Evo, both. With a height varying between 2.7m and 3.3m, the living/dining/ kitchen space presents a very openspace and airy look, despite having many obstructions. This is possible due to the glazing (protected by excessive summer light by the overhang roof), that virtually opens up the room to the outside patio/ semi-public space. Whilst there might definitely be some glare on the cushion closest to the window, or on some part of the worktop (with a daylight factor of 6.4%), this is beneficial in environmental terms as the terracotta floor of the room acts as thermal mass, distributing the morning and late morning heat throughout the day, possibly till the night hours - with roller blinds dampening if needed the direct impact of the mid morning sunlight - which not that coincidently is the time the residents would not be at home.

(5.b)

Environmental Design & Services - First Semester

P2.3 AT HOME IN THE CITY Studio D // Intensify with Pleasure Kirkgate, Leith // Linksview House Day in the Life of Me excerpt

Excerpt from symposium proposal

Current Site use

1:200 Section A

1:200 Section B

Circulation: As a place of dispersion of routes, there was an attempt at simplifying the many connections, leading them all to pass through the high-rise.

Ground Floor

screening provides a template for that idea, in which the cage is the stage of the pedestrians, and the plaza that of Linksview House: the multiple interactions in the different spaces becoming a performance in itself, unlike the current lifelessness.

of Hertzberger), whilst still providing the opportunity for intimacy in the public realm.

Upper Floor

Semi-Private Gardens & Courtyard

Ramp & Threshold

Rooms relating to dwelling

Rooms of Passage

Greenfield & Arboretum

Green Stage

Dwelling

Degrees of Privacy: The different “cuts” in the project, each with its own character, provide even in the public realm a wave of discreet privateness. However, the dwelling acts as a strong barrier, with the simple white brick wall being perfurated just by a door, a short window, a window half hidden and a clerestory hidden by brickwork. The relationship of the dwelling to the public space is one of spilling out and not in, whilst on the other side, turned to the gardens, there’s a high degree of mingling between the private and the (semi) public space.

1:200 Overall Plan

Sports Cage

Dwelling

“single parent, always walks fast, but the wee one loves to count the squirrels”

Due to the public space-oriented studio brief, the detailed design of the dwelling was concentrated on a single 3 bedroom home, with a certain dweller (attributed randomly) in mind.

The characters (mentioning only a single parent and a small chilld), were given to us through small snippets, purposefully vague. This family of three was my interpretation of this exercise, approaching their daily life in their home much in the same way of the “Day in the Life of Me” 1:50 Section B.1

Clerestory and Window Heading 1:20 detail This clerestory, illuminating the stairwell and the “wee one’s” bedroom, is head height indoors, but outdoors, is “protected” by a partition wall, showing the landscapes between the bricks.

1:50 Section A.1

1:50 Section A.2

1:50 Section B.2 (Alternate version)

1:50 Section B.2

Section A.1

Section A.2

On the drawing above and below, it’s visible the difference of approaches to dealing with the aspect of privateness, but as well how that impacts (and is impacted) by solar gain - below, the east facing facade would receive sunlight during the winter, using thermal mass as a way of maintaining that initial gain throughout the night (with the columnade protecting it from the over-invasive direct summer sunlight), and above, the west facing

Section A.1

Section A.2

1:50 Plans A.1 + A.2 Section B.2

Section B.1

facade full of brick screens, almost a fortress, leading to an “invasion” of the public realm by intimate and semi-private spaces.

Second Semester

Apologia

The second semester, focused on architectural experience, was divided between two projects. The first, Engineering Experience, was an opportunity for material exploration in both analog and digital media. In our specific project, architecture/art installation as storytelling seemed to be the underlying method, and the result was a projection mapping installation and short film that made use of both physical, light, and video techniques to create a space onto which a story unfolded. The Film and Art Festival venue component on our next project, this time in Berwick-upon-Tweed, continued this exploration, now as a backdrop for, in my case, a project focusing on a furniture maker and the experience provided by wood. We were invited to write our own brief, which in my project led to a masterplan of a semi-industrial quarter in the medieval core of the town. The way the engineering experience was done, I believe, reflects the way I have led my spatial exploration up to this semester. Beyond largescale, non-descript moments, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used my time to continuously explore the detailing of the project something in other projects I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been able to show, either due to time constrains or to letting these scattered ideas disappear along the creative process. Throughout the project, I engaged in material exploration, giving wood its deserved protagonism without making it a monologue. It was, then, a laboratory for exploration of ideas, and essential in my work as a future architect to realize that no project is ever truly at a finished state.

2 Introduction

8 Semester 1

74 Semester 2

126 Non-Design

164 Conclusion

2 Introduction 4 Charrette

8 Apologia 10 At Home in the City

74 Apologia 76 Engineering Experience 82 Exploring Experience

128 Architectural Technology 140 About: Architecture Essay 156 Architecture’s Unconscious 162 Dissertation Proposal

166 Design Doing 169 Journal “snapshot” 173 Feedback Sheets

A Day in the Life of Me (10) 2.3.1 Study Type (14) Edinburgh/Leith Visit (22) 2.3.2 Leith 2026 (26) 2.3.3 Dwelling Plus (32) 2.3.4 Inhabit (32) Architectural Technology (52) Environmental Design (68)

Berwick-upon-Tweed (82) Blackburn & Price Quarter (84) Architectural Technology (120)

Engineering Experience - The Chase // Die Hard + Die Hard (1988), and particularly its ventilation scene (the larger film stills on this page), was the starting point for an installationminded approach on its spaces and experiences. In this movie (and as well its counterpart for the rest of the group, Playtime) characters move through space in a distinct way, using, in the case of John McClane, service stairs, elevator shafts and (oddly appropriately sized) ventilation ducts. The main character moves both horizontally and vertically, in a constant change of environments - due mostly to this cat-and-mouse game, where the “bad guys” are always one step behind McClane. In this “chase”, the

Storyboard collage

main character is in control of the (for him unknown) environment, whilst the terrorists are not. With this in mind, we started our two first meetings developing a sort of narrative “maze”, to be projected and collaged on a wall - unsure of definitive medias, of physical and material components, but already set on that idea of showing one or more characters (whether real life, animated, or abstracted to a “marble course”) moving about in alternative manners through a space. This sort of “collage” of spaces led us to think of alternative ways of presenting and organizing the space, such as the unconventional storyboard below.

Movie frames and colour analysis

When meeting with tutors for the first time, however, we managed to break free from a flat-pack type of view and evolve this idea into a more three dimensional installation and movie. With filming on site at the Baltic, we quickly presented a prototype of our intentions (below, a still from another type of storyboard (cube?), simulating how it would look in real life) - a projection of a chase short film, on all sides of a 1m3 cube. We then, in order to help both the digital part (sound, editing, filming, projection mapping) and the physical part (maquette, filming with the maquette), started working on a normal storyboard, and on a deconstructed version, in plan, of the cube.

Exploration

Concept mixed media (video + image)

Engineering Experience - Second Semester

The digital and physical work informed each other. It was, then, an interative work, going back and forward between the two parts, with one person working mostly on the digital (due to the ambitious nature of the project, it was better to have a single person focusing heavily on the digital component), and the rest of the team on the physical maquette. As said before however, there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in any way a strict segregation of work and decision making, with everyone contributing directly and indirectly towards the project. The maquette is built around a basic structure, on chair wheels for easier movement, with the interior and exterior, both out of purely aesthetical but also practical motives taking the form, structure, materiality and colour palette of the spaces depicted in the original movie (scaffolding, ventilation ducts, fans, emergency corridors, server rooms, grills, etc).

Construction of physical installation

Projection mapping method - consisted of positioning the cube in a definite place, and drawing the four projected views on the computer by hand

Installation at several moments, and above on the left, what it looked like on the computer

Engineering Experience - Second Semester

Interestingly, the roles of bad guy and good guy are turned on its head, and their place subverted from the original Die Hard. The good guy here loses, he doesn’t move through space all that well, he trips, roams in corridors whilst the bad guy escapes. And yet, its reflective of what people perceive a hero to be that both the group and others kept accidentally referring to the guy getting his bad stolen as the “baddie”, and the robber as the “good one” (inherently then becoming a sort of anti-hero). At the end of the project, we can arguably say we produced three different films. The real one (projected physically on the maquette, and viewed/explored live), a 2D interpretation of this work, taking advantage of both in-site filmings, but also of the projection on the maquette as a scene in itself, a filming of the installation from start to end of the narrative (the latter two in video form available below and at vimeo.com/203956348 right from the beginning and after the 2 minute mark respectively).

Projection during festival of the two digital films

2D interpretation film

Recording of projection mapping film

Reflective Statement Group work is a lot of work. It might not seem like it, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the mental work of sole projects with the added angle of negotiating every single idea with all the other people in the group. It allows though - more so in our specific (ambitious) case - to do a great amount of work in a very small amount of time. This project, as with almost any other work and brief, allowed me to explore and experiment with new medias, improving already existing abilities, both personal and interpersonal. Making your voice heard and letting other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voices be heard were two ideas that with this project I interiorized, mostly borne out of an excellent group dynamic that allowed this.. It was not a case of group work as everyone working at the same time, but of cooperation and equal understanding of a concept, and the approaches leading to bringing it to life.

This lead to an ambitious project being, in almost every way, a successful one. The process (with few hiccups) was equally shared across the intensive two week period, and successfully engages thematically the film - the feeling of chase, the technical spaces, the alternative movement between and within spaces all feature in it. One thing that oddly created some friction up to the very end was the way this installation would be presented as a sole piece in a 15m3 gallery, with everyone having a different opinion on it. In itself, this might have been considered a failure of group work. And yet, it seems only to underline the cohesiveness of the overall project, and the way many minds worked together to produce a great installation (although we could cynically say its due to the speculative nature of this aspect of the brief). (295 words)

Engineering Experience - Second Semester

Exploring Experience - Berwick-upon-Tweed

One of two aerial urban analysis

Extract from journal - showing pre and post visit analysis/recording of the town

Site analysis

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

Exploring Experience - Blackburn & Price Quarter

Extract from journal - site analysis and recording

Taking as a starting point some obligatory, if vague, points - large spaces for display/consumption/ exhibition/trade, ancillary spaces, an anchor business and spaces for artists - I started constructing a narrative of financing and demands, where three clients: a furniture maker, Arts Council England, and the Town council would demand things of the project, some overlapping, some incompatible. The idea is not to have a unquestionable to-do list, but having elements where I would be able to negotiate with the “clients”. The Town Council, for example, wants this project to be part of a masterplanning of the Blackburn & Price quarter (most demands have been spelled out in the form of the accommodation schedule in the next page), and this means that I have more liberty, in a sense, to organize their demanded spaces (residential, business, cultural,

etc) and make the actual project richer and more meaningful that way. For the anchor business, I came to the conclusion that a “low-cost” (relative), small scale cooperative, with in house design would present a good option, both in terms of the project, but also of the economic and social consequences to the town and the hinterland. One of the demands of this anchor project, for example, is that there’s some way to exhibit their wares - but beyond that, they’ve left it open. With the artistic residencies, “Arts Council England” suggested two approaches, similar in size but markedly different - one more economical and business-like, and the other full on 6 months residency, with in-house accommodation. For the actual project, this might translate in several ways, all directed to an open concept, and with direct economical benefit.

View from Silver Street towards abandoned garages - notice the dynamic roofscape and the way the quarter is set apart from it

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

Council

Arts Council England / Berwick Festival

3000m2 | N/A | N/A | Masterplanning of quarter; Earmarking one Cultural and Residential or Office Spaces 50m2 - 150m2 | +2.6 height Within building, an independent (classed as independently owned, or part of a very small franchise) commercial space (eatery, shop, bike rental, etc) 1 bike space per 4 workers on the quarter

OR Furniture Maker 200m2 | +3.2m height | ~640m3 | Workshop - with all the machines serving their particular furniture making business in here (can be used in hours by resident artists) 30m2 | +2.5m height | ~75m3 | Either subdivided (more area) or joined, an office/design space, a rest space, lockers (machines and work controlled by laptop) Variable (~50m2) | Variable | Variable | Storage spaces for materials, final products and pieces (preferably separate from workshop as workshop might be used by public) One deliveries parking bay, (20m2) and one or two disabled parking bays for customers (12m2x2+6m2) near storage area. Places to display products - no requirements beyond at least 10 different furniture items 6m2 | +2.3m height | 13.8m3 | Accessible Bathroom

I explored massing after setting out client demands (to the left), roughly evolving in the order presented. In hindsight, any of the 6 iterative massing proposals could have potentially become a great project, and the (rough) chosen one was one of several possible concepts put forward. 1

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

After the iterative massing experiences, I had gotten to the point where I knew the site boundaries for the new volume - exploring then some of the relationships that could be found in its immediate proximity - this lead to a very permeable ground floor program, where most of the different buildings were thought of as a flexible partitioned open space - the fablab is within sight of the workshop and the warehouse, the courtyards (and in fact, the shared street itself) would serve as open air multi-purpose rooms.

Extract from journal - right from the start, I though of these straight on views as framed opportunities, visual recordings of everyday life performance

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

As seen above, the roof lines of the proposed masterplan act as a continuation of the roofscape beyond it. The scheme is then part of the grain of the town, this visual link to my studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s material one of the reasons the iterative massing lead me to this urban scale organization.

North

1:500 Masterplan - its visible the appropriation of the road by successive multicoloured crosswalks, and the way the shared street and the cortyard both lead to a new pedestrian space on the other side of the road

The masterplan was thought out, initially, as a matter of negative and positive spaces, public space as a void. Once the actual siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (buildings facing the entry courtyard) volumes were defined, the masterplan could advance further, having kept and extended the green mass to act as a noise barrier between the noisy workshop areas and the dwellings to the north.

Contextual axonometric view

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

The “courtyards” appeared out of a need to articulate and separate volumes that has been mentioned before. In this spread, after pulling out curtains and putting up a film screen, a projection extends Berwick’s film tradition into the rest of the year, in association with the Maltings Theatre.

Theatre in Grotekerk square - Atelier Kempe Thill , Rotterdam The multipurpose pavillion can be segregated from the rest of the plaza by water-proof curtains, hidden within the building when not in need. Mixed media collage, modelling + digital - Here, the way these flexible spaces could, for example, host a film showing is in full view

Glass Transparency

Due to the high percentage of window coverage, the south-facing windows on the upper floors would be covered by a translucent film

Facade Articulation The rationalism of this facade is influenced by the buildings surrounding it - here, the height of the header of the workshop and the roof overhang influenced the height of the ground floor headers in the new building. However, the floor plate is actually a bit lower, as both floors have the same height.

Urban Twister

Illustration showing the setting up of a film screen on the bridge beyond the curtains, and someone setting out chairs.

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

Illustration showing daytime view of the smaller courtyard, and people working on it and passing through the curtains. Aditionally, the mirroring relationship between the two opposing facades is made clear

These bridges (this one navigable) act not only as evocative follies of a continuous industrial past, but also have practical uses. Besides the display space on the sides for banners, it connects the (dust) ductwork between buildings, and also gives support to the curtains that allow the separation of these spaces from the overall public outdoor areas. Noticeable in the left as well is the difference between the inside and out in materiality - the white metal wood-detailed bridge (matching the FabLab environment) inside is transformed into a black industrial looking bridge, same form but completely different experience. Illustration showing nighttime view of the smaller courtyard, and a performance happening.

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

These experiential drawn plans (finished at the end of second term) might have some discrepancies with certain illustrations, but still transmit with satisfactory accuracy the spaces and spatial organization of the sheme. The point at which they were done (interim review) can be considered where the project went from being “completed” (up to an expected standard) to again a work in progress (as explained in the apologia)

Shared Street “Price Lane”

FAB LAB (below), Studio (above)

Courtyard

Workshop

Studio (above) Courtyard

FABLAB (below)

Social Space (above) Meeting Room (between) Circulation (between) Classroom (below) WC Lobby; WC; Corridor (below)

Studio (above) Studio (between) Coffeehouse and “Barista in a hole” (below)

Palace Street

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

North North 1:200

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

Roof Restoration

New Masterplan Lobby Structure Existing Stone Structure

Workshop Roof Structure

Existing Stone and Brick Structure

Ventilation/Dust ductwork

100

Roof Structure

Weathering of Corten Steel over 40 years North 1:200 GF

Concrete Core

Main Structure (Primary - Tertiary)

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101

+ Whole page of new work

The renovated roof structure exposed the entirety of the roof to one of the rooms, creating a new false ceiling on the others which allowed the top to be used as storage, whilst letting light sift through the top glazing of the walls.

Illustration showing the design offices for the furniture maker

102

View of diagonal roof trusses and structure, low on the ground outside

The substituted roof structure, due to the way our eye perceives straight diagonals, would seem to be slightly curved at first in real life. The ductwork, brought through one of the walkways, leads from the dirty machinery to centralized storage, holding wood particles and dust from the workshop, but also the FabLab and studios, ready to be burned.

Illustration showing the workshop - the way the windows between the frames are interrupted by the rafters affects the sunlight penetration

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

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+ Whole page of new work

Axonometric Illustration showing the roof drainage logic; its â&#x20AC;&#x153;journeyâ&#x20AC;?

104

Whole page of new work

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105

curved ceiling follows the path of the piping

The curved ceiling (laminated birch on suspended engineered wood mould) aims to both influence the way people working here perceive their space, and their work itself. However, in order to prevent unsightly windows covering floorplate, and to take maximum advantage of north facing sunlight, it was made curved to meet the typical height of the ceiling next to the window, providing a ductwork connection from the FabLab to the workshop.

Illustration showing the successive partitions in the Fablab section connecting the messy part to the coffeehouse

106

FabLab - Messy 5.5m high exposed ductwork and structure Increased height plus airiness (including the programmatic permeability between it and the outside), lightness of materials and environment stimulates creative work

FabLab - Digital

The permeability of the ground floor manifests itself in more than programmatic or eye-level terms. The flooring inside, a play of hexagonal wooden tiling and smooth cement layer (poured in situ) extends onto one of the courtyards, substituting the wood for cinder. However, in a way of making this space more engaging, a version of urban twister is done here, with coloured cinder blocks, or stencilled hexagons (depending on its alignment with the gap between the buildings) - the bright coloured paint (used in other places in the scheme as seen on the masterplan) would weather in colour, but take a long time to actually disappear.

2.4m high hidden ductwork and structure The decreased height here and the (flexible) cellular space layout is good for digital and detailed work

FabLab - Coffeehouse 2.6m high exposed ductwork, hidden structure

The way we are infuenced by roof height (roof psychology) has been explored especially on the ground floor

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107

Light Circle Present in all first floor studios, these depressions, in addition to providing artificial light, interrupt the white ceiling and bring wood - normally associated with the flooring) to that plane, drawing some visual connections to a domed space.

Illustration showing one of the small studios on the first floor

108

Whole page of new work

Variable Ceramic Tile Colour Present in all first floor studios, these have a variable colour, ranging from this one and the one on the previous page

Shallow Washbasin Good for cleaning brushes and other art studio related media

3 in 1 Flexible Studios The north-facing studios mimic the flexibility of the fablab below, with panellized walls

Cement Floorbasin Inserted and contrasting floor, for spills and sweeping water into when cleaning studio

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

109

The purity of the expressive facade structure is celebrated inside and out through a very materially honest exposed (chemically) treated glulam facade. Alternatively, a technically complex approach would have a better performance and ecological impact - although these are minimal due to the wide use of glass on the facades.

Extract from journal - layered section showing stairwell astmosphere, and studio behind it

Experiential junction detail (1:10 scale)

Glulam Steel Reinforcement Plywood Insulation Window Frame Cladding Concrete

Extract from Journal - showing methods of transparency (bottom, film vs transparent)

110

Two main iterative approaches to stairwells in the project, attempting tocreate a central space to the building

Insulated Roof Structure (in order) Corten Steel Cladding Battens Plywood (Thin) Insulation (7 cm) Plywood (Thick) Glulam Structure/Insulation Battens/Wiring Plasterboard or Birch Cladding

Use of wood is intensified in the circulation areas as you get higher, and therefore, more private.

Extract from journal - exploring stairwell from two different perspectives

1:50 experiential and constructional section

Handrail detail - journal to project

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

111

In both studios, the walls separating their plaster-white environment from the circulation space mirror the wood (birch) panelling used there - and the flooring is continued seamlessly between these spaces, in order to keep that association of wood panelling with privateness (these white spaces are behind wooden doors).

Reflects the experience behind

Extract from main sections showing a top floor studio, and the FabLab below

112

f portho view out o

g stair landin ook from n h g u ro , th le window

Illustration showing street-facing top studio, porthole window and juliet balcony; inside, storage behind side walls, and a working nook substituting part of said wall are visible.

Exploring Experience - Second Semester

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114

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115

116

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118

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119

Means of Escape - Architectural Technology Means of Escape

Studio D

One of the most important concepts in my project is the programmatic permeability of the ground floor - the gridded structural approach allowed me then, to have a ground floor composed purely of columns and doors/windows. However, due to the small ground area, I only thought it necessary to use a single open staircase, making changes accordingly if needed. Throughout the assignment I’ve tried to defend my ideas, offering alternatives when there is no other choice. Some changes will have to be done in relation to the intended occupation of studios, for example, although there are some precedents to have smaller space factor than the two I have juggled with.

A - Refer to Table C1 (Building Regulations 2010: Part B, pag. 135) B - Between two calculations for the same space (due to more than one use or indecision between two recommended uses), the ones in BOLD dictate the chosen space factor/type of acommodation, not necessarily, as note 3 on Table C1 (Part B, pag.135) indicates, always the most onerous, as in some cases one of those uses is so small to be insignificant in comparison with another use, but the calculations are still useful enough to be present. For example, in this

.3m

m/20

16.5

Social Space ) m

1. /1

. 11

(13.5 m)

Area / Space Factor = MaximumB,C

11.6m/13.4m (8.9m)

(3)

35m2/1

35 (35)

(11)

35m2/7

5 (5)

(8)

26.5m2/5

5 (5.3)

Studio C

Studio D

(9)

26.5m2/6

4 (4.4)

(8)

27.2m2/5

5 (5.4)

(9)

27.2m /6 2

Max Travel DistanceE

Min Stair Width (mm) F

N/A

1-6

750mm

1-6

750mm

18m (evacuation through open stairs valid under 4.33b)

Serves 1 floor

4 (4.5)

Total leading to floor below:

120

Min Corridor & Door WidthD

Intended

6-24

Studio C

NOTE: I have found useful to calculate the real travelled distance. So, they’re visually presented as X/Y(Z), where X is the travelled distance, Y the travelled distance if its uses are differing from the proposed in these plans, and Z the direct distance for reference. Y is then 2/3rds of the length of X, as defined by Table 5’s note when layouts for partitions are not entirely known which is true for some, if not all my building. Note 2: In red/italic distances which don’t comply with the max travel distance

2F occupancy & escape route capacity TypeA

Social Space

case, the social space would have a small kitchenette element, which compared to the overall dimensions of the space, wouldn’t warrant such a high space factor. C - Areas here weren’t measured according Diagram C3 (pag. 137), as they pertain to specific areas of the building/each floor, and not the entire story. D - Table 4 (Building Regulations 2010: Part B, V.2, pag. 36) E - Table 2 (pag.33) and Table 3 (pag.34) F - Table 7 (pag.46)

8-36

750mm

>150 = 1000

1F occupancy & escape rout e capacity Min Stair Width (mm)

Max Travel DistanceD

Min Corridor & Door WidthC 750mm

Type

Area / Space Factor = Maximum

(4)

12.6m2/1

12 (12.6)

(8)

23.5m2/5

4 (4.1)

750mm

Intended 6

Meeting Room/Classroom 2 Studio B

1-4 (9)

23.5m2/6

3 (3.9) Option A - 3 partitioned studios 3 (3.9)

750mm

1-2

)

Studio A2

3 (3.8) 1-2 3 (3.2)

(8)

17.1m2/5

3 (3.4)

750mm

)

19.1m2/6

Studio A2

(9)

750mm

19.1m2/5

(7.

(8)

.7m

5 /1

3 (3.2)

/11

19.4m2/6

.8m

(9)

Serves now 2 floors

18m (additional emergency exit through studio A1)

Studio A1

19.4m2/5

Meeting Room Classroom 2

(8)

Studio A3 1-2

2 (2.9)

17.1m2/6

(9)

3. .7

Option B- one large studio

)

(8)

11 (11.6)

750mm

1-8 13 .6

) 3m

16-54

1. (1

Total leading to floor below:

750mm

>190 = 1000

)

8-18

(8.

Total

.2m /13

9 (9.7)

58m2/6

Studio B

(9)

750mm

Studio A

Studio A3

58m2/5

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121

GF occupancy & escape route capacity Type Barista-in-a-hole

(7)

Area / Space Factor = Maximum 5.5m2/2

Intended

(11)

5.5m2/7

0 (0.8)

(4)

16.6m2/1

16 (16.6)

Option A - No partition use Gallery

Min Stair Width (mm)

(8)

136m2/5

27 (27.2)

~25

750mm

FAB LAB & CafĂŠ (4)

41.6m2/1

41 (41.6) 32

(7)

41.6m2/2

20 (20.8)

Heavy Workshop

(8)

51.8m2/5

10 (10.3)

Light Workshop(s)

(8)

3x13.5m2/5

8 (8.1)

~15

final exit

number of people (max)

width

750mm

N/A

750.35mmsee note

750mm

Berwick Film Festival

B - Partial to full partition use Coffeehouse

Max Travel DistanceD

2 (2.75) 1

Classroom 1

Min Corridor & Door WidthC

18m (more than one direction; institutional use)

N/A

750mm

750mm (8)

13.5m2/5

2 (2.7) x 3

Total

39 - 70

South Wing occupancy & escape route capacity Type Reception

Area / Space Factor = Maximum

(3)

6.6m2/0.7

9 (9.4)

(4)

6.6m2/1

6 (6.6)

Note: Following formula for merging flows at final exit - one with the ammount of people for which that exit is an option, and the other showing the max ammount of people in the entire ground floor, assuming all other 7 exits are blocked

5x3

Intended 5

750mm

W = ((2/2.5) + (60x1000))/80 = 750.01 W = ((70/2.5) + (60x1000))/80 = 750.35

Min Corridor & Door WidthC

Max Travel DistanceD

750mm

9m (one direction

Min Stair Width (mm)

Furniture Maker Workshop

(8)

190m2/5

(14)

190m2/30

6 (6.3)

(8)

14m2/5

2 (2.8)

(9)

14m2/6

2 (2.3)

Meeting Room

(4)

14m2/1

Social Space

(4)

15.8m2/1

Design Studio

122

~10

750mm

15 (15.8)

~14

750mm

Total

19 - 39

750mm

45m (more than one direction)

18m (one direction only)

distance:

travelled

direct

4.7m/7.05m

4.7m

10.6m/15.9m

4.9m

5.7m/8.55m

5.7m

N/A Note: When presented with a direct exit from the room, I have not calculated additional options - including leaving from an inner room to an access room that has a final exit.

Meeting Room

Exit 2

Design Studio

6.5 5m

Exit 3

125ยบ

96ยบ

Exit 4

m/ 14. 7m (9. 5m

Classroom 1

9.8

Exit 1

Exit 5

Exit 8

5m 0. /1 m

)

m (7

Barista

Light Workshops

1 8.

.4m 10

Heavy Workshop

/9. 7

)

6m 7. /1 ) m m .3 .7 14 (11

Exit 9

Workshop (Furniture)

/15 15 .

Exit 6

) .3m (7

Coffehouse

m /11 m 9.5

Exit 7

)

5. 3

) .3m (10 .5m /15 3m 10.

.6m

(10 .1m m/5 3.4

5.3

)

17m/15m (10m)

/9 .6 m

16.9m/15m (10m)

12 .6 m (6 .4 m

Social Space Reception

Exit 10

8.2 m/ 5.5

123

123 Architectural Technology - Second Semester

Distance 1

32.4m to final exit - although it seems like a failing number, is more acceptable when you consider that for measuring purposes (3.37â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note) in this case it is measured to the head of the stair, which would either mean 16.5m - an acceptable number or 23.2m if measured to the first floor - in this case unnaceptable as the walkway is not being considered for fire exit purposes due to its connection directly to a (potentially) closed studio A1. With the latter interpretation (23.2m), an easy solution would be to connect the walkway to the corridor, leading to the outside, and as such, with two ways, increasing the max travel distance from 18m to 45m.

South Wing G

-1 + 0.5 10

1:200 scale Fire Fighting equipment + First Aid kits Final Exit Protected Space Potential Protected Space Open Void / Unprotected Stairs Light and Noised Fire Warning system (manual & automatic trigger) Emergency Evacuation Chair & Fire Emergency Phone

124

Distance 2 14.4m to final exit, completely acceptable

dista

nce 1

4.5m (less than max for no fire door (Diagram 8)

No widths had to be reajusted the mix of breaking up the project into smaller volumes and the straight-forward layouts allowed the widths to check out, with no door/corridor width below 850mm (affording 110 people) on the top floors, and below 1050 (affording 220 people) on the ground floors.

st a

nc e

Exit 4 and 5 were created, and exit 8 flipped, as, considering it was perhaps the most important exit in the building, it works now towards the flow of people evacuating. Exit 7 hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been flipped because, despite being used by the barista, it look better if open towards inside during summer when the coffehouse takes over the public space, with the general public visually distinguishing this private doorway with the public entrance right next to it.

Despite being the sole stair access for the upper floors, and being open in addition to being unprotected, it is in my interpretation of Part B satisfactory, with no need to present any additional precedents. An unprotected stair may be used for escape if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a limited ammount of people and distance (section 4.32 and section 3.8, the latter not applying its 60 person limit for a sole escape route to the ground floor,

as it has 8 exits), and it may be open if it does not connect more than two stories and delivers into the ground floor not more than 3m from the final exit (4.33), which is in evidence here (additionally, only 58 people would be coming down the stairs max, which is 2 people less than the value which would force the stairs to be more than 2 meters from the final exit) . Now, the option is to make the ground floor

part protected (4.33b), which beyond the substitution of the wooden steps for fire resistant ones and an extra door (G1) it already is, although it does have a bit more than 90m2 floor area in its first floor. If this renders the first option useless, then the solution would be to insert a new emergency stair (G2) on the outside of the building, with no need to alter its construction (4.33a).

Architectural Technology - Second Semester

125

Non-Design Work

126

2 Introduction

8 Semester 1

74 Semester 2

126 Non-Design

164 Conclusion

2 Introduction 4 Charrette

8 Apologia 10 At Home in the City

74 Apologia 76 Engineering Experience 82 Exploring Experience

128 Architectural Technology 140 About: Architecture Essay 156 Architecture’s Unconscious 162 Dissertation Proposal

166 Design Doing 169 Journal “snapshot” 173 Feedback Sheets

A Day in the Life of Me (10) 2.3.1 Study Type (14) Edinburgh/Leith Visit (22) 2.3.2 Leith 2026 (26) 2.3.3 Dwelling Plus (32) 2.3.4 Inhabit (32) Architectural Technology (52) Environmental Design (68)

Berwick-upon-Tweed (82) Blackburn & Price Quarter (84) Architectural Technology (120)

Access for All - Architectural Technology Serralves Foundation Ă lvaro Siza Vieira (Museum), Jacque GrĂŠber (Park), Marques da Silva (Manor) Porto, Portugal | 1999 | PublicPrivate Encompassing the contemporary art museum, the manor and the grounds (including research facilities) of the old Serralves Estate, it is stylistically of contemporary (the former) and art deco (the latter two) nature - and now, the entire complex listed as a national monument. The main building, with three floors, houses a variety of uses, and the foundation received this past year more than half a million visitors (3/4 under free entry programs). Park: 18 hectares Museum: Building: 12,669.80 m2 Exhibition galleries: 4,484.9 m2 Auditorium: 600 m2 Library: 352.80 m2 Public space: 564.80 m2 Museum Shop: 146.9 m2 Restaurant: 222.90 m2 Multipurpose room: 103.20 m2 Education Studio: 233.60 m2 Offices: 537.40 m2 Services Area (closed to the public): 770.50 m2 Car Park: 3,309 m2

128

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) A very common disorder in children (and less common/ diagnosed in adults), itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a mental health problem that, broadly speaking, can be resumed to three distinct strains: difficulty to focus; hyperactivity (or alternatively, lack of impulse control); or a combination of these two types. In my analysis, I enjoyed the company of a friend who suffers from the first type, and has allowed me to share her pictures, but my conclusions will be based on mainly research, as its an ailment that differs a lot from person to person.

Mental issues in general are quite hard to explain through pictures. Unlike a knee injury, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no handy medical illustration explaining them. Metaphors like these, however, can mediate that gap of understanding between sufferers and non-sufferers (during the audit I have found these to be quite useful).

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External Environment:

Name Serralves Foundation (Fundação Serralves, alternatively Serralves) Address 210, R. Dom João de Castro 4150-417 Porto, Portugal Date of Visit Thursday, 20th April 2017 Weather Conditions Clear skies, XXC, 17h-19h (2 hours) Scope Only a part of the main building and the nearby gardens (less than 1/4 of the park) were explored/audited (and still, the magnitude lead me to a selective approach). Additionally, due to the characteristics of the disability chosen, physical access (for example, dimensions of steps) was eschewed in favour of more relevant factors, which included websites, graphical design (for example, outdoors throughout the metropolitan area) and psychological effect of space.

Car Parking

Setting-down points

Pedestrian Routes

Shared spaces

Street Furniture

External Ramps

External Steps

Handrails

Internal Environment: 9

Entrances

Doors – external and internal

Doors – access control systems

Doors – opening and closing systems

Entrance Foyers

Reception desks and service counters

Seating

Horizontal circulation

Surfaces

Internal ramps, steps and stairs

Passenger lifts

Platform lifts

Sanitary facilities

Wayfinding, information and signs

Communication systems and acoustics

Switches and controls

Lighting

Building Management: 26

Building Management checklist

Communicatons: 27

Information Clear print Large print Braille Telephone services Audio tape Digital

130

Websites

Communication services

20m 20m

Audited Space Non Audited Space (whether due to being closed to the public, lack of time/ interest or disorientation) - interior only

1:1000 Scale

Architectural Technology - Non-Design Work

131

art de to the leading

co garde

Pedestrian Routes The pedestrian route report can be divided in two areas - the span from the sidewalks to the main building entrance; and the paths throughout the Art Deco and Contemporary landscaped gardens and estate. From the sidewalk, a high contrast sign helps people trying to decipher the stylized gate writing (a theme throughout the building). The cacophony of a busy street gives way to a more focused environment - and the whitewashed descent to the main door could potentially, in addition to the psychological impact of this sense of refuge/oasis (“being inside the walls”), help someone with ADHD, due to the removal of sensory overload of the street and the balance created by the existence of simple, if enticing views and spaces to the sides (enough to interest, but not enough to distract).

Tendency to get side tracked and loose focus is this way prevented.

lo ok to

th el ef t

to ok lo

ft le e th

loo kt ot he lef t

kt loo r he

“ticket office closed; please head to the museum’s reception desk”

t igh

look back

Despite these spaces being connnected to the route, there is a very well defined direction that provokes no confusion as to where people should be heading, with no need for signage

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Coming out of the main building through this path, however, and the rest of the park is revealed. With works of art spread around, it provides a change from the interior, beneficial for people with ADHD even more because that change is to a natural environment2. Although it might be a little bit disorienting due to the multiple routes throughout the park, helpful permanent and temporary signs direct to noteworthy locations, with the map laying out locations of sculptures in the park. Tendency to get side tracked and loose focus is this way accommodated.

Here are two different kinds of sandpaths, the first nearer the contemporary part and the latter used in the art deco part nearer the manor - despite being done purely for aesthetic reasons, its one example, if discreet, of how to break monotony of space for people with ADHD

setback seating

Permanent signs might be too discreet and lengthy

Temporary signs attract attention though, in this case to a Joan Mirรณ exhibition in the Manor. The fact that, to view this art people have to go through these environments seems to be quite beneficial, reducing sensorial overload from the works.

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Entrance Foyeur The Foyeur space of the museum starts off in a reception space which is not affected by entrance noise levels - and in terms of access and comprehensibility of space it seemed well though out - you enter looking at exhibition fliers and info (1), turn around facing the reception (2) where you usually buy your ticket and are able to see on screens above the prices, possible discounts, etc (although the light from the nearby window caused a bit of glare) and finally can go on your way to the atrium and exhibitions (touched upon on the next section). The reception in the foyeur was working as ticket booth due to it being a weekday, and there was both temporary barriers and a “priority queue” sign to the side - overall, the space didn’t seem to need improvements as far as ADHD is concerned, with the notable exception of there not being any seating (the closest hidden from sight in the next space), although considering the quickness in buying the tickets, a child with hyperactivity waiting for their guardian would not have enough time to cause problems.

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There were no permanent floor finishes highlighting circulation routes, places to queue, etc, as the floor was a single smooth stone finish, continuous throughout the building’s public accessible spaces up to hand or head level - but whilst for most this would be detrimental, for someone with ADHD this simplicity would be positive in this space - as there was already plenty of visual information in the surfaces, including exhibition fliers, publications, a list of sponsors and announcements, and in this space, there was only one direction to go.

Wayfinding, Information and Signs Before we enter the exhibition spaces, the atrium area (where the previous section leads to), is from where all interior routes begin Views here are organized to minimize the need for signage, but this creates confusion if one needs to find a specific place, such as the cloakroom or a WC, as the permanent signage is far too discreet to be seen easily and the unwillingness to change the minimalist character of the building led the staff to place, at a chokepoint leading to the main exhibition rooms and the upper floor, a security guard (in visual â&#x20AC;&#x153;high-contrastâ&#x20AC;?) that in addition to checking tickets, would give directions (which someone with ADHD - more prone to anxiety due to their condition - might not feel comfortable with).

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I’ve only audited the largest exhibition spaces/routes - all were some form of dead-end, which made it impossible for one to lose track of where they are WITHIN the routes. The negative aspect of information and signs came into full view when my friend realized she hadn’t seen any of the exits signs throughout the spaces - and that we had completely ignored one of our favourite exhibitions due to the lack of temporary signage in the atrium, as that specific exhibition was in the library rooms, which by default are more “hidden away”.

Solutions

Unlike the foyeur or the galleries, the atrium’s reason to have minimal signage/ “clutter” is purely aesthetical - which these proposals try to keep undisturbed

Sans Serif Bigger All information Bilingual Upper and lowercase Short and Simple and

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Sans Serif Addition to pictoric High Contrast Short and Simple and Direction signs at high level Takes advantage of first point of divergence of routes Colour Coded

Elevator shown to people on the bottom floor by security guard

It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily the fact that it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t visible - but that it looked more like a light feature than a sign

t one cree s i d the

ination s illum t i o t e od du is go

cont s high t i o t d due s goo i e n ard o tand the s

ras t

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Information The foundation creates, for each exhibition, an A5 leaflet, available for visitors to take in the museum. Font number from 8 to 6 might make it hard to read for some people, but the main concern here is the long and monotonous looking bodies of text, which encourages inattention - unfortunately, unsolvable in this method, both the way it is done, and the length (as it has to explain the entire exhibition). However, the existence of engaging guided tours (advertised at the back of these) makes this issue solvable (although they possess audio books (useful for someone with severe ADHD), theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not advertised at all). It is also heavily invested in promoting these exhibitions with large scale ads and prints, which usually take cues from the leaflet covers (or vice-versa). In general, the layout of promotional material seems to inform well, and are used, for example, in metro stations an trains, which by virtue of monotony attract the eye to promotional material with bold letters on large pictures like Serralvesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Simple but rich in content Impossible to zoom in on works Small font (appropriate for small screens)

Broken UI (possibly in progress work as its only discoverable through google search and not through the website)

una vai l ab le

Videos / short films always present as presentation of exhibition and artist/theme

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FUNDAÇÃO FOUNDATION Along with some printing materials that are not bilingual, the downloadable map simplifies info relating to accessibility of paths and seems to provide outdated info.

ENTRADA PARQUE PARK ENTRANCE

Summary

Bibliography

Providing conditions and a positive environment for people with mental disorders IS a matter of access for all. So whilst this site may not be adapted fully to physical disorders to do with eyesight, it fares very well with ADHD, and possibly other mental disorders that share similar behaviours. The four aspects I analyzed from that list were chosen for their relevancy for this specific disability, and as we’ve seen it has fared quite well, with only some small adjustments to be made. The minimalist interior with its “surprises” (a window here and there, strategically placed), the nature enveloping the museum, and the art itself, in and out, work together to create a space that, by finding a balance between sensory overload that is typical of museums and drabness and monotony of minimalism creates a very good space for people with ADHD, allowing them to truly appreciate art.

ADDitude. (2013). Uncomfortable Truths About the ADHD Nervous System. [online] Available at: https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-in-adultsnervous-system/ [Accessed 22 Apr. 2017].

(Word Count: 1223 words)

Grant, A. (2012) Designing for Accessibility, 2012 Edition, London: RIBA Publishing Grant, A. (2013) Access Audit Handbook, 2013 Edition, London: RIBA Publishing Muller, A., Muller, A., Severt, C., Muller, A., Gregory, A. and Moreira, R. (2015). Discover Exactly What ADHD Feels Like On A Daily Basis. [online] ADHD Collective. Available at: http://www.adhdcollective.com/what-does-itfeel-like-to-have-adhd/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2017]. Urist, J. (2016). The Psychological Cost of Boring Buildings. [online] Science of Us. Available at: http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/04/thepsychological-cost-of-boring-buildings.html [Accessed 15 Apr. 2017]. Van den Berg, A. and Van den Berg, C. (2010). A comparison of children with ADHD in a natural and built setting. Child: Care, Health and Development, 37(3), pp.430-439 Images: Fundação Serralves (unknown). Mapa de Fundação Serralves, 1:2000, Porto, viewed April 2017 <https://www.serralves.pt/documentos/mapaSerralves_parque.pdf>. Fundação Serralves (unknown). Planta do Museu Serralves 1:1000, Porto, viewed April 2017 <https://www.serralves.pt/documentos/mapaSerralves_museu_casa. jpg> Guerra, F (unknown), Fundação Serralves, Álvaro Siza, Portugal, photograph, viewed April 2017 <http://prints.ultimasreportagens.com/new-products/museu-serralveslvaro-siza-portugal>.

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Architecture’s Unconscious - Dissertation Studies “Animal laboran is, as the name implies, the human being akin to a beast of burden, a drudge condemned to routine. Arendt enriched this image by imagining him or her absorbed in a task that shuts out the world, exemplified by Oppenheimer’s feeling that the atomic bomb was a “sweet” problem (...). In the act of making it work, nothing else matters; Animal Laborans takes the work as an end in itself. (...) Thus in her view, we human beings live in two dimensions. In one we make things; in this condition we are amoral, absorbed in a task…” 1 The moment I first read this text, a recurring image (inhabiting for quite a while my imaginary) flashed in my mind, almost blinding and taking attention from the rest of text. Hiroshima obliterated by a crafted product, a “sweet” problem, with the (now famous) dome hinting to today what has happened there. Although I do not agree with Arendt’s ideas and binary (Animal Laboran vs Homo faber, Ammorality vs Morality, etc), considering even in this example Oppenheimer was troubled by constant doubts about the ethics of his life work, it still serves as a cautionary tale in architecture: ego, disregard for context or regulations, and such many times lead to disastrous (physical, social, political) situations. 1 - Sennett, R (2009) The Craftsman, p6, London, Penguin House

Work as an end in Itself, and so dark grey skies Fall in Hiroshima day an haiku, by myself

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“The brink of a cliff affords falling off; it is in fact dangerous and it looks dangerous to us. It seems to look dangerous to many other terrestrial animals besides ourselves, including infant animals. Experiment studies have been made of this fact. If a sturdy sheet of plate glass is extended out over the edge it no longer afford falling and in fact is not dangerous, but it may still look dangerous.” 2 This image/work intends to touch on that misperception of affordance, taking the example given as visual inspiration. Additionally, as Gibson puts it, an “object” has in itself all the possibilities it may afford (even those we have no way of knowing), but we only perceive or experience some of them. A cliff edge for us might be dangerous, but for peregrine falcons, it’s the exact opposite. And whilst we can indeed change that reality (the glass sheet example), we still naturally feel that nothing has changed at all our perception (like on the image) is of bewilderment, finding it highly surreal. 2 - Gibson, J (1986) The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception, p.142, New York, Taylor & Francis Group

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or as Freud explores linguistically, a sense of unhomeliness, that (and more subtle and interesting when we don’t understand it at first) not everything is exactly right. Represented above is the reflection of a human in the form of a cyborg (here coming into play matters of how we see ourselves, that Freud also explores), which in reality would produce a violently uncanny feeling. Nowadays, this matter is more relevant than ever, not just in visual terms as was conceivable by Jentsch and Freud (cyborgs) but also in terms of Artificial Intelligence and for the world’s efforts to pass the “Turing Test” (whether a machine is identified as a human more than 50% of the time). 1 - Sennett, R (2009) The Craftsman, p6, London, Penguin House

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“...we can find out the what the meaning has come to be attached to the word “uncanny” in the course of its history; or we can collect all those properties of persons, things, senseimpressions, experiences and situations which arouse in us the feeling of uncanniness, and then infer the unknown nature of the uncanny from what all these examples have in common...”4 Uncanny Spaces: As an output for this seminar series, I’ve decided, inspired by Freud’s “method” in his work on the uncanny (quoted above), to take the same route and collect properties (particularly impressions and experiences) of spaces, architectures and atmospheres I’ve encountered and that relate to some of the themes dealt with in this series, with a focus on the uncanny. I went through an exercise of searching the recesses of my memory where these sort of sensations can be felt - those that come back stirring our entire body - and brought back certain spaces that are still deeply imprinted on me. One of those is most body of work by Richard Serra, with his Matter of TimeE series made for the permanent exhibition at the Guggenheim Bilbao (itself an extraordinary building) being an eerie artscape of curved rusted metal sheets, the towering wide and narrow spatially disorienting us, but also in the matter (of how we perceive) time. I bring up this example first Image D.1

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to concede that, in this personal approach to writing, I cannot at all assume that these views would apply to all, as they’re affected by unconscious factors that might not relate to others5. The work represented here is inspired by Siza Vieira’s FAUP campus, specifically the ground floor connecting corridor. This wasn’t chosen at random from the catalogue of spaces mentioned earlier, as it ends up relating, and adding to, the essay written as part of this module on this same architect’s work. This corridor seems, at first sight, a typical Sizian spaceF - attention to craft and detail (even if minimal) and relation to the want for seclusiveness and unconsciously present in every portuguese person6. However, as we experience it (or perhaps we see a representation in plan of it) we come to realize it’s a very odd space. Whilst remaining functional (and in fact, expressing that functionality in a way, considering the further we go the less people will take that route) the corridor gets tighter as we go through it, gently enough so we don’t realize it fullyG - although we’re subtly aware, and we could say, feel uncanny as we walk what should be a much longer space quickly - until we reach the end of this funnel. At this point, a sense of full on claustrophobia hits us (it might be possible to establish a tipping point from the pleasure brought by the seclusive in this culture to the unnaturalness of such tight quarters), the

uncanniness (hidden) revealing itself as terror. I’ve attempted at representing this spatial experience through a similar illusion, almost an inverted visual cliff - instead of it having a seemingly negative but actually positive affordance, it provides the opposite. What seems to be a natural perspective (like in real life), reveals itself by the human presence as an illusion. It is perhaps useful to come back to Freud’s quote presented at the start, and what he follows up with: “...both courses lead to the same result: the uncanny is that class of the frightening which leads back to what is known of old and long familiar.” It was not the tight quarters that made this space and experience uncanny, but rather the way it was presented an ordinary thing at the start.

4 - Strachey, J (1919) ‘The Uncanny’ The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume XVII (19171919: An Infantile Neurosis and Other Works, p.219, London, The Hogarth Press and The Institute of Psycho-analysis 5 - Blom, K (2017), Architecture’s Unconscious - Seminar 1 6 - Costa, A - ‘Scandalous Artisticity’, in Figueira, J et al. (2008) Álvaro Siza - Modern Redux, p.36 Ostfildern, Hatje Cantz Verlag

Image D.2

Image E

Image F

Image G

Images A to D - Figueira, J (2017) E - RAFA RIVAS/AFP/Getty Images. (2011) F - Soares, F (2007) G - Murta, B (2013) Corredor

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Islands of Porto - Dissertation Proposal Name: José Figueira Name of Tutor: Kati Blom Title: “The Islands (Ilhas) of Porto and a reflection on its two current models of renovation”

1- “Porto - An Island in St. Victor’s Street, Arnaldo Soares / J. N. B, 1930s

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Description of Topic The topic of research touches on a kind of urban model existent particularly in the city of Porto and its urban outskirts, in northern Portugal. These are usually deadend pedestrian alleys, extending typically within an urban quarter, surrounded by dense, low-rise residential buildings (similar in morphology to others in many urban settlements, such as the London Mews, the Leeds Back-ToBack houses, or Northern China’s Hutongs). Although reports date these as far as the 13th century (cite), they were only particularly mass-replicated with the industrial revolution, with small property owners (including the bourgeoisie and aristocracy in the city centre) taking advantage of the previous centuries’ public works programme and draconian laws concerning residential regulation (synthetized to “out of sight, out of mind” to, at a great profit, build shedified miniscule rows of housing in what would otherwise be the typical long and narrow

townhouse plot. These houses, with at most 16m2 in total, would sometimes house a family of 10, with no sewage, water, ventilation and little illumination, shared with machinery and animals (at the time housing one third of the cities’ population). This “out of sight out of mind” policy changed in the 40s, when the social housing policies en vogue throughout Europe consisted in moving people out of low-condition housing into lowcost mid and high-rise council housing, dismantling communities along the way – however, till this day, after factories have given way to apartment buildings, 1130 islands and 7654 houses are still spread around the city (Jornal de Notícias, 2008), down from 1152 in 1939, mostly due to the voluntary relocation measures –many people in one of these alleys might have gone, but the fact that some still remain in each counters physically this social exodus)

General Approach Why people would have stayed, and what this implies (socially, culturally, economically and politically) will be analysed as well, before giving way to the context nowadays, and the two models of renewal currently being practised (Vázquez et al, 2015). These models, which can arguably be divided into the “gentrified” and “participative” opposing sides have flaws and strengths of their own – with the role of gentrification played out by mostly by tourism, paramount to Venice and Barcelona (Grande, 2013). I will analyse these two models (one represented by the multiple projects of multiple firms, and the second one by a specific organization’s participative architecture’s project) and analyse its methods, its effects, and how they fit in with the urban morphology of these kind of settlements – for example, whilst the participative, anthropological, low-cost, architecturally and socially concerned approach might seem perfect, there are ethical issues to be dealt with. It’s quite important to acknowledge here the role these have played in the small communities that make up each of these “islands” – both on tangible and intangible (phenomenological) sense.

After this analysis, and me trying to pin down which model of renovation would be most successful (which I will most likely fail as there are almost no completely successful schemes), I will go into proposing a new way of approaching these settlements – until now completely open to what conclusions I arrive from my first analysis. The first possible outcome of this analysis would be the aforementioned case –finding a decisively positive method. If this is achieved (almost certainly with the participative architecture’s example, if I end up considering issues such as the ethics concerning keeping people in such small dwellings, even if renovated not important in its context), I will dwell more in that particularly successful scheme, explaining how it might be replicated, what could change in the social/economic/political context to help thrive these projects – simulating how these projects could be replicated in some other places around the city. Most likely an 8000 word research dissertation, as the work produced would not be enough to warrant a full on project. The second proposal would be a 5200 word dissertation project, which if I felt that the mainstream binary was not satisfactory, would

have the intention of breaking this, through substitution or addition. It could be through a researchthrough-design (cite conference), choosing one particular example (after mapping out all islands, showing some relevant typologies) and simulate what a project based on my findings could look like – not straying into turning the dissertation in a purely design project, but instead suggesting an outline of all these factors I’ve mentioned before: legislation, social and political approaches, methods of resettlement/participation, and finally, if appropriate, coming down to some design factors that would be a good idea to emulate, as a means for research (Rendell, 2017) – most likely taking the form of a “manual of good practice” (worth noting however that the participative architecture example is run by a self-titled Basic Housing Laboratory, and so, it’s both philanthropic and research driven.). Depending on the outcome of the first analysis is whether this takes a more architect-based path, or if it’s something that people inhabiting them, or intending to, could possibly think of themselves, as a sole entity, or as community (Alexander et al, 1977).

The third possible outcome of this initial part of the second portion of the essay, if the research done so far that would apply seemed to be unsatisfactory, would include scrapping much of the work done here, and starting this portion again, but in a very different direction: for example, a study focusing on the rituals, social, economic and spatial experience, possibly in a very phenomenological way. This would be then my contingency plan, as it aligns with the theme of the dissertation elective, it interests me quite a lot and might improve with the hindsight provided by being a couple of weeks away from last experiencing the place in question (8000 words). In terms of research project chronology (below) this means there’s two points (August in Porto, September in Newcastle) where I can make decisions about the research paths above.

Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S., Silverstein, M. and Jacobson, M. (1977). A pattern language. 1st ed. New York, NY: Oxford Univ. Press. Carvalho, P. (2017). As ilhas do Porto entraram na rota do alojamento turístico. [online] PÚBLICO. Available at: https://www.publico.pt/2017/04/15/local/noticia/esta-de-visita-ao-porto-e-quer-dormir-numa-zona-de-ilhasa-partir-demaio-ja-pode-1768738 [Accessed 18 May 2017]. Cunha, A. (2012). "Da minha ilha não se vê o mar" As ilhas do Porto: património, práticas e representações. U. Porto. C.M.Porto. (2017). Domus Social. [online] Available at: http://www.domussocial.pt/ [Accessed 18 May 2017]. Grande, N (2013). A cidade, entre o efeito Barcelona e o efeito Bilbao, Revistapunkto.com [online] Available at: http://www.revistapunkto.com/2013/04/a-cidade-entre-o-efeito-barcelona-e-o.html [Accessed 18 May 2017]. Jornal de Notícias (2008). Ilhas de afectos preservam espírito comunitário. [online] Available at: http://www.jn.pt/ local/noticias/porto/porto/interior/ilhas-de-afectos-preservam-espirito-comunitario953264.html?id=953264 [Accessed 18 May 2017]. Matos, F. and Rodrigues, R. (2009). As Ilhas do Porto - Lugares de Resistência. U. Porto Paginas.fe.up.pt. (2017). Arnaldo Soares / J. N. B.. [online] Available at: http://paginas.fe.up.pt/~jmf/apc/as/as.htm [Accessed 18 May 2017]. 2 Porto.pt, 2015 “The island is a sort of meaning place, as it’s a space organized by actions, by words, by gestures in a way of expressing the context of those living in community. A space with a complex performative action, representative of the daily rituals that have been structured and ritualized as actions of collective identification” (Rodrigues, 2017 [Facebook])

Pereira, G. (2013). As ilhas no percurso das famílias trabalhadoras do Porto em finais do século XIX. U. Porto. Porto.pt. (2015). Reabilitação nas ilhas do Bonfim. [online] Available at: http://www.porto.pt/noticias/pequenareabilitacao-nas-ilhas-do-bonfim-a-fazer-a-diferenca [Accessed 18 May 2017]. Porto.pt. (2017). Rui Moreira: as ilhas do Porto são "uma oportunidade de repovoamento" e "não um mal a erradicar da cidade". [online] Available at: http://www.porto.pt/noticias/rui-moreira-as-ilhas-do-porto-sao-uma-oportunidade-derepovoamento-e-nao-um-mal-a-erradicar-da-cida [Accessed 18 May 2017]. Da minha ilha não se vê o mar. (2011). [film] Directed by C. Rico. Porto: SIC. Rendell, J et al S. (2017). Creative Practice Symposium. [Conference] Rodrigues, F., Fontes, A., Silva, M. and Varela, S. (2017). Cidade da Participação. [Conference] Rodrigues, F., Fontes, A., Silva, M., Fontes, A. and Varela, S. (2017). A Cidade da Participação. 1st ed. Porto: Edições Afrontamento. Rodrigues, F., 2017. Ilha do Zé do Afonso. [Facebook]. 13 May 2017. Available from: https://www.facebook.com/fernando.m.rodriguescanditura.2013/posts/10208880853121661 [Accessed 15 May 2017]. Vázquez, I. and Conceição, P. (2015). 'Ilhas' do Porto - Levantamento e Caracterização. 1st ed. Porto: U. Porto

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Conclusion

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2 Introduction

8 Semester 1

74 Semester 2

126 Non-Design

164 Conclusion

2 Introduction 4 Charrette

8 Apologia 10 At Home in the City

74 Apologia 76 Engineering Experience 82 Exploring Experience

128 Architectural Technology 140 About: Architecture Essay 156 Architecture’s Unconscious 162 Dissertation Proposal

166 Design Doing 169 Journal “snapshot” 173 Feedback Sheets

A Day in the Life of Me (10) 2.3.1 Study Type (14) Edinburgh/Leith Visit (22) 2.3.2 Leith 2026 (26) 2.3.3 Dwelling Plus (32) 2.3.4 Inhabit (32) Architectural Technology (52) Environmental Design (68)

Berwick-upon-Tweed (82) Blackburn & Price Quarter (84) Architectural Technology (120)

Drawing Precise & Drawing Loose - Design Doing “Drawing loose”, for me, is an opportunity to advance a project creatively. Used in conjunction with digital (and to a lesser extent, physical) modelling, these sketches and mixed media drawings start painting a picture of what my project will look like - and so, due to their inherent speed, these are paired up with simple digital models. They’re also, sometimes, capriciously conceptual (and perhaps underworked), like the “framed” site analysis perspective to the right. This year, I’ve explored two different ways of approaching “finalized” representational atmospheric drawings. Below, on the left, the Leith project was characterized by delicate, coloured-line drawings, mixed in with CAD and 3D line drawings, with a few scanned watercolour areas. On the right, the Berwick project involved very precise line CAD and 3D drawings mixed with coloured atmospheric areas, in a sense, quite graphical renders (influenced by Amara Roca’s workshop)

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Design Doing - Model Making at Different Scales One of the main issues when modelling physically seems to be the wastefulness and slowness of the process. Even when doing sketch models (such as Leithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iterative site model) the time lost, in a tutorial to tutorial basis might seem far too high. However, there is incredible value in not only presenting, but also making and studying the models. For me, embracing a mixed laser/ scalpel cutting method made it possible to, in a very quick way, build models, modify only certain parts, and in the Berwick project specifically, make possible to develop repetitive structures and facades digitally, and then cut all the different things I had been developing at the end of the day. Cardboard, in my opinion a very humble material, holds very well even with fine detail, due to the lack of pressure whilst cutting (and so, the internal structure of the material is not compromised). This ease in terms of fine cutting led me to explore detailing, at different levels in different scales, in what I can only call a precise version of drawing on models. Engraving substituted many times media-based materiality, for example.

Micro-scale modelling

Meso-scale modelling

Macro-scale modelling

Process & Reflect - Conclusion

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Editing/Curating/Presenting - Design Doing I attempted, during this year, to curate all my design and nondesign work with an underlying graphical approach to it. For example, the two closest images show the same style used in this portfolio being used in other documents, with minor modifications. In the case of review material however, I believe there is a need for me to move beyond merely thinking of good layout when it comes to posters, but also in relation to models, experiences, curated sketchbook, and framed work. And although it was a commendable effort, it lacked that same focus on the development work itself, and on thinking ahead for the portfolio - which meant a lot more time curating and editing the portfolio document. Next year, due to the nature of the “year long” project, this will be of the utmost importance, and producing the portfolio as the work is produced seems like the best option which is quite similar to the type of curation I do on my journal as I work (the sketchbook being both a creative and presentation tool). During Charrette week, I took on a role of curator for our studio, finding ways to transform each small groups installation without compromising their intended interpretation.

Architecture’s Unconscious - Outtakes of a Seminar Series

“Animal laboran is, as the name implies, the human being akin to a beast of burden, a drudge condemned to routine. Arendt enriched this image by imagining him or her absorbed in a task that shuts out the world, exemplified by Oppenheimer’s feeling that the atomic bomb was a “sweet” problem (...). In the act of making it work, nothing else matters; Animal Laborans takes the work as an end in itself. (...) Thus in her view, we human beings live in two dimensions. In one we make things; in this condition we are amoral, absorbed in a task…” 1 The moment I first read this text, a recurring image (inhabiting for quite a while my imaginary) flashed in my mind, almost blinding and taking attention from the rest of text. Hiroshima obliterated by a crafted product, a “sweet” problem, with the (now famous) dome hinting to today what has happened there. Although I do not agree with Arendt’s ideas and binary (Animal Laboran vs Homo faber, Ammorality vs Morality, etc), considering even in this example Oppenheimer was troubled by constant doubts about the ethics of his life work, it still serves as a cautionary tale in architecture: ego, disregard for context or regulations, and such many times lead to disastrous (physical, social, political) situations.

“The brink of a cliff affords falling off; it is in fact dangerous and it looks dangerous to us. It seems to look dangerous to many other terrestrial animals besides ourselves, including infant animals. Experiment studies have been made of this fact. If a sturdy sheet of plate glass is extended out over the edge it no longer afford falling and in fact is not dangerous, but it may still look dangerous.” 2 This image/work intends to touch on that misperception of affordance, taking the example given as visual inspiration. Additionally, as Gibson puts it, an “object” has in itself all the possibilities it may afford (even those we have no way of knowing), but we only perceive or experience some of them. A cliff edge for us might be dangerous, but for peregrine falcons, it’s the exact opposite. And whilst we can indeed change that reality (the glass sheet example), we still naturally feel that nothing has changed at all - our perception (like on the image) is of bewilderment, finding it highly surreal.

“Jentsch has taken as a very good instance “doubts whether an apparently animate being is really alive; or conversely, wether a lifeless object might not be in fact animate” and he refers in this connection to the impression made by wax-work figures, ingenously constructed dolls and automata.” 3 Despite Freud desconstructs Jentsch’s theory, as it is not as black and white as Jentsch puts it (with Freud giving the example of children and their love for dolls), it still rings true in some cases. As humans, we over and over again feel a dissonance between what is real and what is not when presented, and interacting with life-like manequins, body parts, corpses, dolls, clowns, among others. These produce in us an uncertainty, a break with the usual, or as Freud explores linguistically, a sense of unhomelyness, that (and more subtle and interesting when we don’t understand it at first) not everything is exacly right. Represented above is the reflection of a human in the form of a cyborg (here coming into play matters of how we see ourselves, that Freud also explores), which in reality would produce a violently uncanny feeling. Nowadays, this matter is more relevant than ever, not just in visual terms as was conceivable by Jentsch and Freud (cyborgs) but also in terms of Artifical Intelligence and for the world’s efforts to pass the “Turing Test” (whether a machine is identified as a human more than 50% of the time).

Work as an end in Itself, and so dark grey skies Fall in Hiroshima day an haiku, by myself

1 - Sennett, R (2009) The Craftsman, p6, London, Penguin House

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2 - Gibson, J (1986) The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception, p.142, New York, Taylor & Francis Group

3 - Strachey, J (1919) ‘The Uncanny’ The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume XVII (1917-1919: An Infantile Neurosis and Other Works, p.225, London, The Hogarth Press and The Institute of Psycho-analysis

Journal Snapshot - Process+Reflect The journal/sketchbook is, in my creative proccess, one of the most important development tools. As opposed to spreading development along several pages, I feel most confortable working in layers and at a small scale - as mentioned before, good in the sense that the sketchbook becomes in itself a curated (but still spontaneous and fostering of creativity) document,

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Feedback Sheets

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