Remote Sensing: Amplifying Awareness by Kate Holbrook-Smith

Katherine Holbrook-Smith

REMOTE SENSING - amplifying awareness

remote sensing:

amplifying awareness

Remote Sensing: Amplifying Awareness Katherine Holbrook-Smith

New Technologies, Ecologies + Networks Arch 692: Thesis Research and Design Studio 01 Professor Ila Berman Fall 2015 University of Waterloo, School of Architecture

Table of Contents

02. Collapsing Distance a. Ecological Status b. Remoteness c. Size of Threat vs Land d. Yukon Peel Watershed 03. Crafting Experience a. Recovering Landscape b. Designing Ecologies c. The Well-Tempered Environment d. Phenomena of the Non-Visual e. The Air from Other Planets 04. Desired Effect a. Inputs & Methods b. Coming into Focus c. Carving Ground d. Horizon Line

17 19 21 25 29 31 33 39 41 43 45 47 51 53 57 61

05. Moving Forward Precedents

amplifying awareness

01. Our Relationship to Nature a. Henry David Thoreau b. The Three Ecologies c. Hyperobjects

5 7

remote sensing:

Thesis Abstract Introduction

lexicon

REMOTE SENSING General Definition The scanning of the earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it. Re-appropriated Definition The transposition of authentic experience from one geographical location to another. A method of rendering visible temporal dissociations.

REMOTE SENSING

- thesis abstract Is it possible through the amplification of the invisible forces which act on the body to heighten our perception and environmental awareness of remote and threatened territories in Canada?

The conceptual framework of this thesis consists as a series of contrasting relationships, since the aim of remote sensing is to cross both temporal and spatial boundaries. These relationships encompass and begin to define the focus of various areas of research from theory, to site, to design. The theoretical framework of the thesis focuses on our relationship with nature as both mythological and rational. Whereas site addresses specific and contrasting locations both urban and remote. It is only by understanding each site separately that the perceptual distance between the two sites can begin to be collapsed. Finally in relation to design where, elements of the atmosphere, whether they are material or forces, can be used either biologically or technologically to craft the experience of remote sensing for both political and experiential results.

amplifying awareness

The idea to re-appropriate the term remote sensing, as a means to amplify awareness and stimulate environmental consciousness, stems from the general emotional and perceptual detachment of urban society from remote and threatened landscapes. This mental and emotional detachment is a critical issue which can not only be addressed through an intellectual understanding of the issues which threaten the remaining ecologically pristine areas within Canada. It is a philosophical dilemma, which seeks for new methods, architectural and otherwise, to begin linking the urban to the remote through sensory experiences in order to eliminate spatial and temporal disassociations. For this reason

this thesis proposes the development of architectural tools and interventions which allows us to remotely sense these endangered environments, rendering these inaccessible territories tactile and sensory to all Canadians.

remote sensing:

The driving motivation for this thesis is to discover by designing either an architectural device, installation or immersive space if it is possible through the amplification of the invisible forces which act on the body to heighten our perception and environmental awareness of remote and threatened territories in Canada, in particular the Yukon Peel Watershed.

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process of reconciliation

- an introduction

amplifying awareness

Therefore, the conceptual framework for my thesis addresses how architecture and design can begin to enable individuals to rethink and comprehend their relationship to the invisible surroundings both immediate and distant, at scales ranging from the psyche to the global. Addressing these relationships seeks to propose methods which re-invent the way society approaches the protection of remaining pristine and ecologically important areas in Canada. The perception of these geographies through sensory experience is an

important method to raise environmental awareness, and foster environmental consciousness. The Yukon Peel Watershed as a site can be considered a testing ground for such concepts drawn from critical sources, where theoretical concepts are used as strategies to mediate the perceptual gap between urban and remote locations. The Peel Watershed, like so many threatened and remote territories, sits outside societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boundaries of environmental awareness. Geographically separated from most of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population it succumbs to our fatalistic passivity towards issues outside our physical perception. The method proposed by this thesis for raising environmental awareness is an alternative definition of remote sensing, where it is used to mean the transposition of authentic experience from one geographical location to another, and aims to render temporal and spatial dissociations visible. The concept of remote sensing can be further understood through the supporting concepts of subjectivity, apprehension, and amplification. All are integral in order to craft the experience of remote sensing since they all address the issue of human perception from two critical vantage points â&#x20AC;&#x201C; environmental philosophy, and architectural theory.

remote sensing:

Growing up with a biologist as a father and an artist as a mother. I was raised with an appreciation for the duality, or multiple facets, of the natural landscape. For me the poetics and natural beauty of landscape has always been underpinned by an understanding of the intricate ecological cycles which define them. These cycles self-regulate as a means of survival and adaptation, and each component within these systems is of indefinite value. This rational, while also poetic, understanding of the natural world is something I would like to create through architectural experience. Especially since, in a continually urbanized society opportunities to experience wilderness are, for many, rare. These experiences are important in order to bring awareness to environmental issues.

SUBJECTIVITY

- environmental philosophy

amplifying awareness

remote sensing:

1. The Three Ecologies, 41 2. The Three Ecologies, 28 3. The Three Ecologies, 68 4.Ibid.

The first critical concept addressed through remote sensing is subjectivity, which refers to how an individual’s judgement is shaped by personal opinions and feelings instead of outside influences. Similarly in reference to Felix Guattari, in The Three Ecologies, collective and individual subjectivity can be considered the successful product of environmental revolution or ecosophy which calls for the linking of mental, social and environmental ecologies1. Each of the three ecologies reference a specific series of issues, informing practices of reinvention at every level of society. Therefore in order for an authentic and sincere response to the ecological crisis of the anthropogenic era, revolution must take place at both the macro and micro scale, moving transversely between the mental, social and environmental ecologies.² The concept of subjectivity becomes a key term as it expresses the desire for the analysis and production of individual and collective thought which results in authentic change. Change emerges from the collective conscious instead of being applied through exterior influences.³ In the words, from exposure to experiences which realign the individual and the collective conscious to: the socius, global ecological flows and cycles, aesthetic and technological universes and a ‘pre-personal’ understanding of time, of the body, of sexuality.� The intent of remote sensing proposes the creation of these subjective experiences as a way to link the individual to a particular location and issue, resulting in the linking of the psyche to the socius, and to ‘nature’.

Apprehension

- understanding the issues

remote sensing:

amplifying awareness

Apprehension is a feeling which draws together “the domains of perception, emotion and action.”¹ It looks more critically at the affect of subjectivity, and the resultant reaction. It also challenges how we approach problems which are complicated and difficult for an individual to comprehend. Timothy Morton refers to these issues which are difficult to apprehend as “hyperobjects” - things that are past the ability of human comprehension, since they “are massively disturbed in time and space relative to humans.”² Global warming ,or climate change, can be considered a hyperobject, it inflicts slow violence making it a difficult problem to address since until recently there has been a lack of urgency. Especially since the effect of global warming can only be seen or experienced in the form of isolated interactions between the hyperobject (global warming) and the physical objects that surround us.³ If we consider the Peel Watershed as a victim of the slow violence, where the complexity of the issues surrounding the site can be understood rationally but are difficult to perceive in a meaningful way, it brings the concept if subjectivity to another level. The subjective experience must attempt to amplify the effects of the slow violence as a way to ensure the apprehension of the issues at hand.

1.Slow Violence, and the Environmentalism of the Poor, 14. 2. Hyperobjects, 1. 3. Hyperobjects, 133.

Amplification

- architectural methodology

amplifying awareness

remote sensing:

1.The Phenomena of the Non-visual, 39. 2. The Phenomena of the Non-visual, 41. 3. The Phenomena of the Non-visual 43. 4. The Phenomena of the Non-visual, 46.

In architectural terms, amplification is used in reference to the intensification of physical experience, making the invisible, visible and tactile. The concept of amplification can inform a series of methods which provide architectural tools which can be applied to both the site and design: boundary, scale, dynamic response, shift in threat and juxtaposition. The first three methods (boundary, scale and dynamic responses) were drawn from The Phenomena of the Non-visual, where Michelle Addington states that current design methodologies focus heavily on the materiality and form of architecture, seeing them as the primary design drivers, while phenomena and the human experience of space are secondary and unpredicted, though idealized, results of the carefully crafted architectural form.¹ Boundary is the first method of analysis where boundaries are defined as dynamic thermodynamic thresholds between energy fields.² The methodology of scale requires designing for perception or phenomena at a scale much smaller than a traditional building. An ideal scale would address how the built form can create energy boundaries which are perceptible to the human body.³ Lastly the method of dynamic response uses an alternative frame of reference to account for the unpredictability of a dynamic system.� Applying these methodologies to the Peel Watershed, requires the understanding that nothing is static and in order to represent the dynamics of phenomena new methods of representation must be developed.

lexicon

Authentic Experience A conscious feeling of oneness within the larger ecological cycle, an authentic experience can be both positive and negative.

Our Relationship to nature

- mythology vs rationality Nature is simultaneously a beautiful and terrible thing, and it is important to recognize that we are just as dangerous to it as it is to us, for we are one in the same thing.

amplifying awareness

To rationalize nature is not to dominate, it is to recognize that within the anthropocene we must realign our relationship with ecology. As Felix Guattari states in The Three Ecologies we must begin to think â&#x20AC;&#x153;transversely,â&#x20AC;? relating the individual, to the society, to the mechanosphere as a way to rationally understand how we have transformed the world. Similarly Timothy Morton writes in Hyperobects that the scale of global warming in terms of its size and duration is impossible for human society to comprehend, it is only through its interaction with physical objects around us that we are able to perceive it. In this way the mythological and rational understandings of wilderness do not have to stand in opposition to one another. Though the rational approach to ecology does require that we allow ourselves to reinvent our relationship to the natural environment. My thesis aims to give form to these invisible, perceptual, and emotional connections between the individual and remote territories as a way to architecturalize concepts drawn from environmental philosophy.

remote sensing:

Concepts pulled from ecological philosophy, art, and literature have offered a rich theoretical foundation for my thesis. By examining societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s place within the environment and the role we play in its natural equilibrium an ambiguous and malleable idea of nature has resulted, though it is clear that we are never outside of nature and that a larger system always prevails. The longing for an authentic experience with nature is not a new one. The idea and allure of the mythical wilderness to mankind is undeniable - for centuries it has been the source for poetic and artistic inspiration. By examining works by writers (Goethe, Thoreau) and artists (Turner, Friedrich, the Group of Seven) I can begin to relate my own sentiments of nature to those who have come before me. Instances where the importance of nature does not necessarily stem from its aesthetic beauty but from the power it can exert over us, its potential for personal transformation, and the ability for the individual to understand their place within space and time.

yalepress.yale.edu

a. henry david thoreau

- on nature and wilderness

1.“Life and Legacy.” Life and Legacy. Accessed October 28, 2015. 2.“Reading Room.” Reading Room. Accessed October 28, 2015. 3. Walking

Thoreau was one of the most influential nature and political writers during the 19th century. His thoughtful writings and observations of nature as a means to understand his place in the world, have inspired the environmental movement for generations.¹

mythological vs rational

Walden, Excursions and Walking will potentially be the most influential texts by Thoreau for me to read and analyze in relation to my thesis research. These texts focus on Thoreau’s experiences and personal observations in relation to nature, and serve as the foundation for the American environmental movement starting in the 19th Century. Thoreau’s second book, Walden, is an in-depth documentation of Thoreau’s “experiment” of living in the woods, building his own cabin and subsequently his perception of nature during that time of his life. The essay Walking, is a culmination of various journal entries written by Thoreau about his experience of traversing the countryside, and his observations on the culture of civilized society. Similarly Excursions is a book compiled from essays written by Thoreau (including Walking) that contain his personal insights into natural history.² These texts will provide insight into the origin of environmental thought, and offer a historical basis for creating designs which enable a heightened perception of nature.

relationship to nature:

“Life consists with wildness. The most alive is the wildest. Not yet subdued to man, its presence refreshes him.”³

www.amazon.de

b. The Three Ecologies

- Felix Guattari “The increasing deterioration

In The Three Ecologies, Guattari draws from Steps to an Ecology of Mind, by Gregory Bateson, laying the with the socius, foundation for the concept of ecosophy. Guattari the psyche, and ‘nature’, is due not only to conceptualizes that the rationalization of nature can environmental and objective pollution but is begin to work as a way to regain harmony, or in other also the result of a certain incomprehension words reconnect, with the natural landscape. It can also be used as a method to create empathy towards and towards ecology. The more we able to experience the easier it these issues as a whole, among both is to empathize, connecting the individual to the larger individuals and governments.”3 ecological cycles. With this, individual and collective subjectivity can be considered the successful product of environmental revolution. Furthermore, in order for an authentic and sincere response to the ecological crisis of the anthropogenic era, revolution must take place at both the macro and micro scale, moving transversely between the two.1

human relations

Ecological philosophy or ecosophy – is a theory developed by Felix Guattari referring to an ecosophical ethics which focuses on the relationship between the three ecologies (mental, social and environmental). It is this rationalization of nature which is essential in order to reinvent society’s relationship to nature as the only way to repair the environment2. Though, through this process of rationalization human society does not stand apart from nature – it is actually essential that we once again become a part of it. While nature may well be able to heal itself, it is truly a matter of time which requires human intervention within these natural systems.

relationship to nature:

1. The Three Ecologies, 43 2. The Three Ecologies, 66 3. The Three Ecologies, 41.

mythological vs rational

fatalistic passivity

www.upress.umn.edu

c. HYPEROBJECTS

- Timothy Morton something on us, something that affects some core ideas of what it means to exist, what Earth is, what society is.”4

The End of the World

Morton states that the difficulty of global warming is that as a society we did not discover it until it was already here. We can only see global warming in the form of isolated interactions between the hyperobject and the physical objects that surround us. As such, the more we post-pone The End of the World, the less we force ourselves to confront the enormity of global warming - that every object that comprises our notion of the world has already been affected by it, and must begin adapting.² mythological vs rational

“Hyperobjects seem to push

Hypocrisies

relationship to nature:

In this chapter, Morton identifies the primary issue of dealing with global warming as a “super wicked problem” – an issue that intellectually we can understand, but are unable to find a rational solution to. He continues to elaborate on how the scale and duration of Global Warming as a hyperobject makes it an extremely difficult issue to deal with, especially during an age of consumer capitalism.³

The Age of Asymmetry

1. Hyperobjects, 133 2. Hyperobjects, 160 3. Hyperobjects, 201 4. Hyperobjects, 15

In the final chapter of the book, Morton addresses the philosophical gap between what we know, especially in a time of scientific discoveries, and our actions. This primarily stems from a disconnect between human and non-human objects, which needs to be broken down in order for us to understand what hyperobjects are communicating to us.�

lexicon

Temporal dissociation Physical and emotional detachment of occurrences which take place outside the extent of human perception, due to the distancing of time and space.

Collapsing distance

- urban vs remote The juxtaposition of urban and remote conditions is essential as means of intensifying the spatiotemporal relationship which exists between the two sites.

Last of all, the urban site to host the installation/exhibition will be in Toronto, Ontario. As Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest and most urban city it is arguably the Canadian city which is most detached or far removed from the Canadian identity, and the national ideal of wilderness. Furthermore, events such as Nuit Blanche, Come Up to My Room or Grow-Op could serve as publicly accessible venues and offer a list of potential urban sites within which an installation could take place.

amplifying awareness

The following site analysis is conducted at three different scales: international, national, and local (remote and urban). By outlining the immense and intricate network of protected land across the globe in relation to Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Park system a brief introduction is provided as a way to frame the rest of the site analysis. At a national scale a series of criteria were used which examined the ecological

health, remoteness, and scale of threat versus quantity of land of all the National Parks in Canada alongside the Yukon Peel Watershed. Through these three sets of criteria the site selection was narrowed and it was determined that the most ideal remote site is the Yukon Peel Watershed. From there the history of Yukon Peel Watershed was examined through both a political and geological/ecological lens.

remote sensing:

In relation to the idea of remote sensing, where remote sensing is the transposition of authentic experience from one location to another, site encompasses two contrasting settings especially in terms of scale, accessibility, and ecology. The first setting, the remote site, offers inspiration and environmental data while the second setting, the urban site, provides a location for the architectural intervention to take place. This juxtaposition of urban and remote conditions is essential as a means of intensifying the spatiotemporal relationship which exists between the two sites.

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Ecological status

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From the first series of analysis the site selection could be narrowed to include only nine sites â&#x20AC;&#x201C; those where an ecosystem within the park has been given a poor rating. These sites (moving from west to east) include: Gwaii Haanas NP, Pacific Rim NP, the Yukon Peel Watershed, Waterton Lakes NP, Wood Buffalo NP, Point Pelee NP, Kejimkujik NP, Prince Edward Island NP, and Gros Morne NP.

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collapsing distance :

210 000 km2

25.1%

urban vs remote

377 000 km2

38%

Percentage of land covered by protected areas in each zone

The first criterion examined in relation to the remote site was the ecological status of the prevalent ecosystems in each of the National Parks. Through this analysis the ecological health of each National Park (NP) and the Peel Watershed was related to their specific geographic location, this allowed for comparisons to be made between adjacent parks. This hightlights the location of parks currently experiencing poor or declining ecological health.

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North & Central American National Parks Area of land National Parls in each country Percentage of land protected by National Parks in each country

Park ecosystem status

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Gros Morne Wood Buffalo Yukon Peel Watershed

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Gwaii Haanas Kejimkujik Pacific Rim Point Pelee Prince Edward Island Waterton Lakes

Gwaii Haanas Wood Buffalo Yukon Peel Watershed

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Canada’s Population & Density Ideally - Removed Gwaii Haanas Wood Buffalo Yukon Peel Watershed

Gros Morne Kejimkujik Pacific Rim Point Pelee Prince Edward Island Waterton Lakes

Canada’s Pipeline & Mining Network Ideally - Fringe Gros Morne Kejimkujik Wood Buffalo Yukon Peel Watershed Pacific Rim

Gwaii Haanas Pacific Rim Point Pelee Prince Edward Island Waterton Lakes

Canada’s Major Road Network Ideally - Removed Gros Morne Gwaii Haanas Wood Buffalo Yukon Peel Watershed

Kejimkujik Pacific Rim Point Pelee Prince Edward Island Waterton Lakes

b. Criteria 02:

Remoteness

The second criterion consists of a series of spatial parameters which served as a method to further narrow the list of potential sites. Each of the parameters dealt with the idea of remoteness in a specific manner, whether in terms of accessibility or proximity to certain amenities or ecological features. The sites which met these parameters, where remoteness is the ideal condition, are marked with the large pink dot in the accompanying figure. The top four sites to most successfully fulfill the series of parameters were then further analyzed in relation to the size of territory and the severity of environmental threat. The six parameters that were used to determine which sites could be considered most remote are as follows: 1] Sites which exist within the fringes of the forestry industry in Canada. urban vs remote

2] Sites which fall within the forest eco-zones of Canada. 3] National Parks with low visitation numbers. Prince Edward Island National Park

Gwaii Haanas National Park

Waterton Lakes National Park

Kejimkujik National Park

Wood Buffalo National Park

Pacific Rim National Park

Yukon Peel Watershed

4] Sites which are removed from the heavily populated areas of Canada. 5] Sites which exist on the fringes of pipelines and mining areas in Canada.

collapsing distance :

Gros Morne National Park

6] Sites which exist outside or at the edge of the Canada road network.

Point Pelee National Park

Compiled Tally

yukon peel

wood buffalo

watershed

national park

Court sends Peel watershed planning back to the drawing board

Anthrax confirmed in bison at Wood Buffalo National Park

Hot, dry weather created prime conditions for an outbreak, official says

Judgment represents 'important victory' for First Nations, but means there is much work ahead

Fort McMurray Today July 1, 2015

CBCnews November 04, 2015

UNESCO to investigate Wood Buffalo National Park

Peel Watershed foes prepare to square off in Yukon court

Yukon Government appealed a Supreme Court decision that struck down its management plan for the region

Fort McMurray Today July 1, 2015

Mikisew First Nation takes Wood Buffalo concerns to UNESCO

CBCnews August 16, 2015

Peel watershed: Yukon government files appeal

The Globe and Mail June 26, 2015

Minister Scott Kent says government must 'have final say' regarding Crown land CBCnews December 30, 2014

Yukon Government Opens Vast Wilderness to Mining

Indigenous leaders, conservation groups vow legal challenge. National Geographic January 25, 2014

Gros Morne National Park and the war over fracking Global News November 14, 2013

Anti-fracking buffer needed around Gros Morne park, UNESCO urges Ottawa The Globe and Mail June 19, 2014

Gwaii Haanas National Park a finalist for National Geographic travel award

Temperate rainforests, abundant sea life and cultural treasures offer glimpse of Haida way of life

Other National Parks

Aboriginal Land Claims 3

Artists press Harper for buffer to spare Gros Morne park from fracking

CBCnews October 30, 2014

The Globe and Mail January 12, 2015

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Sites of Particular Interest 3 Ecosystems in Decline

1 Ecosystems in Poor Condition

National Park

gwaii haanas

gros morne

national park

c. Criteria 03:

size of threat vs land The final criterion of analysis that was used to determine a single site to move forward with was the size of the territory or national park in relation to the size of threat each site is facing. As such a comparison of the areas of site, the protection status of each site and media attention were the methods used to form the analysis.

Gros Morne 1,805 km²

Wood Buffalo 44,807 km²

Yukon Peel 77, 000 km²

So, what does this mean for the Yukon Peel Watershed, which is as yet unprotected and under development threat? The Yukon Peel Watershed plays a unique role is ensuring successful ecological adaptation in light of global warming. Large intact territories of wilderness, such as the Peel Watershed, are crucial in the creation of an expansive network of protected lands which allow for the migration and adaptation of many plant and animal species.

collapsing distance :

Gwaii Haanas 1,470 km²

urban vs remote

This final process led to the Yukon Peel Watershed as the chosen site with which to move forward. It is the largest territory of land, biological very diverse and for the past decade there has been political controversy surrounding the Peel Watershed. The Peel Watershed was an anomaly in relation to the other sites examined - all of which were either a National Park or Reserve. From this an interesting comparison emerged between an unprotected yet still pristine territory of wilderness, the Peel Watershed, and Canada’s National Park system. It is interesting to note that even while the National Parks are theoretically under protection they are still vulnerable to ecological degradation whether this is in relation to global warming, resource extraction or land development.

Relative Area

Protected Areas

Peel Commission Plan 55% Special Management Plan - permanent protection from mining and oil and gas exploration and development. Exisiting mining claims continue but no surface access to them. Yukon Government Plan 29% Protected Area - No new mineral staking or oil and gas exploration. Existing mining claims continue and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;temporaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; surface access to them is allowed for advanced exploration and mine development.

Wilderness Area

Peel Commission Plan 25% Wilderness Area - Interim protection from mining and oil gas exploration and development. Existing mining claims continue to exist but no surface access to them is allowed. Yukon Government Plan 44% Restricted Use Wilderness Areas (RUWA): New claim staking, roads and mines allowed within a .2% surface disturbance limit. No oil and gas development allowed at this time.

Integrated Management Area

Peel Commission Plan 20% Integrated Management Area: Roads and industry are allowed. Yukon Government Plan 27% Integrated Management Area: Roads and industry are allowed.

Active Mining Claims Oil, gas and coal interests *data collected from CPAWS

Peel Watershed Planning Region

d. Yukon peel watershed The Peel Watershed is a 77,000km2 (68,00km2 planning region) tract of nearly intact wilderness located at the northern tip of the Yellowstone to Yukon Corridor. Under pressure for resource development, a decade long planning process was undertaken by the Yukon Government with no resolution. Protecting the Peel Watershed from development is important to ensure ecological integrity in the face of climate change. 2004 - Formation of the Peel Watershed Planning Commission. 2008 - Draft Recommended Plan released by Planning Commission, submitted to Yukon Government and First Nations Government for revision and consultation. 2009 - Revised Recommended Plan released by Planning Commission, subject to further review. 2010 - Public consultation conducted by Yukon and First Nation Governments. urban vs remote

2011 - Final Recommended Plan released by Planning Commission, accepted by First Nations. 2012 - Yukon Government announces intention to modify the Final Recommended Plan, proposes new land use designations for the region.

collapsing distance :

2013 - Public consultation continues until February 25, discussions with First Nations groups continue. In the spring of 2013 controversy begins as First Nations groups challenge the Yukon Government due to bias during final consultation. 2014 - Yukon Government scraps the Final Recommended Plan. First Nations and Environmental groups state that the modified plan is a violation of their Land Claim Agreement, and launch legal action as of January 27. December 2 the Supreme Court of Yukon sent the Yukon Government “back to the drawing board” – a victory for First Nations and Conservation Groups. December 30 Yukon Government announces that they will appeal the court’s decision.

www.protectthepeel.ca

2015 - November 4 - the Government’s appeal is not successful. A final Land Use Plan has yet to be resolved.

Delaminating wil

By extracting the various layers of the Peel Watershed, different aspects of the site can be seen in relation to one another. The Peel Watershed Land-Use Planning can be seen in context to the glacial and ecological history of the site along with important geographic features.

pro tec ted der are nes a s ar ea

29% Protected Area - No new mineral staking or oil and gas exploration. Existing mining claims continue and ‘temporary’ surface access to them is allowed for advanced exploration and mine development. 44% Restricted Use Wilderness Areas (RUWA): New claim staking, roads and mines allowed within a .2% surface disturbance limit. No oil and gas development allowed at this time. 27% Integrated Management Area: Roads and industry are allowed.

2014 land-use plan - yukon government

sp e cia

lm ana g

wil

em ent der are nes a s ar ea

we tc dry c

onif

ero us

dry shr ub sub

dr y as/ dw ard roc k/e xpo

we t sh r ub

-alp ine shr ub

ero us

fore s 7%t

55% Special Management Plan - permanent protection from mining and oil and gas exploration and development. Exisiting mining claims continue but no surface access to them. 25% Wilderness Area - Interim protection from mining and oil gas exploration and development. Existing mining claims continue to exist but no surface access to them is allowed 20% Integrated Management Area: Roads and industry are allowed.

2011 zoning proposal - planning commision

fore st 8 %

10%

11%

shr ub 10%

20%d

taig

taig ap ac lain or d s ille ra Taiga Plain Ft. McPherson Plain, Peel River Plateau

lau lau ren tide lau cord

cord ille

ran

pre -re

kath

ren tide a

ille ran mcc on

cord ille ran

reid

ren tide tu

nell

erin

ll ti me

tsie ta

ree kp

Taiga Cordillera British-Richardson Mountains, Eagle Plains, North Ogilvie Mountains, and Mackenzie Mountains. lak e 13 phas 000 e

ecosystem classificaion & biodiversity

22 ha 000 se BP

30 exte 000 nt BP

22 exte 000 nt BP

200 exte 000 nt BP

3 0 id ex 00 ten 000 t BP

Within Canada the Peel Watershed stands at the junction of the Beringia, a land bridge which connected North America and Asia, and the ice-free corridor which ran along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains allowing for the distribution and exchange of organisms during the Pleistocene and Holocene – resulting in the biological and ecological diversity of Peel Watershed. Many of the species found in the Peel Watershed are Beringian relicts meaning they have a higher genetic or morphological diversity.

glacial history & Bio-diversity

land form and river network

oil/ exis g as ting exp min lor atio ing n cla ims

mining and fossil fuel potential

INTERVENTION POINTS

Capital

ivvavik national park 10 168km2

The potential ‘path’ of remote sites to serve as inspiration for the urban intervention. Points are determined by the following criteria:

Towns Small Communities Active Mining Species of Special Concern 50

100

- boundaries of 2014 of Land Use Plan

vuntut national park 4 345km2

- eco-zone boundary - intersection with major river network - intersection with mining claims

old crow 67°34′N 139°48′W pop. 245

1870s

tombstone territorial park 2 200km2

Dawson 64°03′36″N 139°24′39″W pop. 1 319

1896

urban vs remote

mayo 63°35′35″N, 135°53′44″W pop. 226

1930s

collapsing distance :

faro 62°13′59″N, 133°19′59″W pop. 344

1982

carmacks 62°05′20″N 136°17′20″W pop. 503

1984

kulane national park 22 013km2

haines junction 60°45′10″ N, 137°30′24″ W pop. 593

1943

whitehorse 60°43′N 135°03′W pop. 20 276

1898

teslin 60°10′2″N, 132°43′18″W pop. 122

1903

watson lake 60°7′0″ N, 128°48′0″ W pop. 802

1930s

lexicons

Apprehension A feeling which draws together the domains of perception, emotion and action.

Amplification The intensification of physical experience, making the invisible, visible and tactile.

CRAFTING EXPERIENCE

- biological vs technological Focus on creating spaces which engage the human sensorial envelope and result in the amplification of human perception to their surrounding environment. From the analysis of the following texts certain methods of amplification have been identified. Shift of Threat - Placing an individual outside their realm of expected experience. Boundary - Space as gradients of energy opposed to the strict delineation of space. Scale - Designing for sensory perception at the scale of the human body. amplifying awareness

Dynamic Response - Changing environments which respond to environmental parameters/ data. Juxtaposition - Two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

remote sensing:

What are the methodologies that could be implemented in order to bridge the perceptual gap between the need of preservation in the Yukon Peel Watershed and the urban core of Toronto? It would seem from examining a series of precedents and architectural concepts, that focusing on creating spaces which engage the human sensorial envelope results in the amplification of human perception of their surrounding environment. In this case methods of amplification can apply to both the biological and the technological. Where the biological refers to using specific materials as a way to create atmospheric effect, while the technological refers to the removal of organic systems, instead using the mechanical manipulation of energy flows as a way to create a unique sensory experience.

http://www.aleksandra-jovanovic.com/blog/

a. Recovering landscape

- James Corner “Landscape architecture has traditionally sought to recover sites and places,

site phenomena as generative devices for new

employing

forms and programs”�

Agency of Landscape

The agency of landscape comes in the form of developmental process where the geometry and form of a designed landscape addresses a specific interest or produces a certain effect. This strategy is efficient and produces convincing evidence that landscape architecture can evolve our perception of the natural environment.¹

The Idea of Landscape

biological vs technological

Landscape is by nature dynamic, and not just ecologically – landscape is both a space and an idea. Every society, every culture, every person has a different relationship to landscape, thus landscapes accumulate layers of interpretation which are constantly shifting. ²

20th Century Landscape

crafting experience:

Corner claims that the craft of landscape requires cultural understanding and cannot only simply find basis in ecological restoration of the environment. Balancing the visible and invisible interactions of the landscape and representing them through design lies at the center of landscape architecture as a profession.³

Recovering Landscape

1. Recovering Landscape, 4-5 2. Recovering Landscape, 5-8 3. Recovering Landscape, 8-10 4. Recovering Landscape, 12-14 5. Recovering Landscape, 12

Recovering landscape must address how our relationship to nature has been irrevocably changed due to advances in technology, but in turn how as designers new experiences of landscape can be crafted to heighten our perception of landscape and the environment. �

projectiveecologies.com

b. Designing Ecologies

- Christopher Hight much in the way that history was in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.”5

1. “Designing Ecologies,” Projective Ecologies, 85 2. “Designing Ecologies,” Projective Ecologies, 92 3. “Designing Ecologies,” Projective Ecologies, 98 4. “Designing Ecologies,” Projective Ecologies, 99 5. “Designing Ecologies,” Projective Ecologies, 95

Christopher Hight examines the epistemological framework of the word ‘ecology,’ and how over time ecology has come to encompass everything, but means almost nothing. This is true especially as ecology moves from the purely scientific definition to one which is now so heavily entwined with our culture.1 By tracing the roots of ecological thinking through the discipline of design, Hight reveals an uncomfortable pattern where culture, technology and nature sit in-opposition to one another. The development of landscape urbanism, on the other hand, aims to resolve these issues, though this process results in a series of paradoxes.2

biological vs technological

is a central epistemological paradigm

Hight then sets about establishing the framework for a new design methodology – that of projective ecology. Hight describes this new approach as a “biopolitical practice” which mediates the unreliability of the everyday flow.3 This can be related to the idea that ecosystem resilience is more important than equilibrium - a static ecosystem equilibrium is indeed less natural because its ability to adapt and change is limited. Projective ecology relies on a multiplicity of interweaving systems (social, subjective, natural), which traverse the natural and cultural, resulting in hybrid solutions.4 Furthermore, this hybridity is an effective, and possibly the only, means for designing in an anthropocentric world, where the actions of humans and nature are inseparable.

crafting experience:

“…ecology

press.uchicago.edu

c. The well-tempered environment

- Reyner Banham range of spatial experience and cultural

civilized countries, a lack of

responses that nomad people have always enjoyed.”�

In the Architecture of the Well-Tempered Environment, Reyner Banham outlines a historical look at the relationship between structural innovation and the innovation of environmental control within the architectural profession. Banham is critical of what he perceives as an imbalance between the two, where the latter is under-appreciated, especially by those at the forefront of Modernism and International Style.¹ Banham uses many case studies of modern and classical buildings as a way to measure the success of the environmental systems employed for each project, identifying both ‘evil’ and ‘good’ projects in terms of their interior environment.²

biological vs technological

“...with environmental management in

1. “On Reyner Banham’s The Architecture of the WellTempered Environment.” Oppositions, 86 2. “On Reyner Banham’s The Architecture of the WellTempered Environment.” Oppositions, 86 3. The Architecture of a Well-Tempered Environment, 20 4. The Architecture of a Well-Tempered Environment, 40

crafting experience:

The most important aspect of this book is its influence within the current discourse on smart materials and means of environmental control. Both Michelle Addington and Sean Lally reference Banham as a key figure when it comes to designing for perception and rethinking how design methodologies need to shift to begin designing for a more diverse range of interior environments. Within the beginning chapters of the Architecture for the Well-tempered Environment Banham uses aspects of vernacular architecture as a method for understanding alternative approaches to designing livable environments.³ These sorts of insights into how we craft habitable environments will be most influential to my thesis research.

www.calpoly.edu/~rgordon/vent/ashrasc.html

d. Phenomena of the Non-Visual

- Michelle Addington “…architecture as a construction of

subjective effects rather than an assembly of objective artifacts.”�

Boundary

Addington defines boundary within the framework of physics, where a boundary acts as a thermodynamic threshold between energy fields. The boundary layer of interest is not the physical form of a space but instead the dynamic layer which forms between the object and its surrounding environment.¹

Use of Scale

biological vs technological

Designing for perception or phenomena requires designing at a scale much smaller than a traditional building. A scale which addresses how the built form can create energy boundaries which are perceptible to the human body, this ideally requires designing at the tiny scale (micron) of these interactions.²

Frame of Reference

crafting experience:

To design in terms of phenomena the frame of reference must shift from a Cartesian or Eulerian frame of reference, to a Lagrangian frame of reference. Here the Eulerian reference frame is objective and the Lagrangian frame of reference is subjective - where subjectivity equates to simultaneity.³

Representation

1. “The Phenomena of 2. “The Phenomena of 3. “The Phenomena of 4. “The Phenomena of 5. “The Phenomena of

the Non-Visual”, Softspace 41 the Non-Visual”, Softspace 43-44 the Non-Visual”, Softspace 45-46 the Non-Visual”, Softspace 47-48 the Non-Visual”, Softspace 40

Computational Fluid Dynamics is a tool that allows designer to begin designing for our invisible surroundings, or as Addington refers to it the nonintuitive space. Developing means to represent the objective, and the sensory, is important if designers are to begin designing for perception.�

www.archdaily.com

e. The air from other planets

- Sean Lally “Sensorial envelopes comprise a quantifiable series of sensory perceptions for detecting and defining

the shape of space.”�

Amplification

By intensifying existing conditions, climatic or otherwise, energies could be amplified to the point that they become materials themselves - defining spatial boundaries. This requires an increased understanding of the properties of energy, to allow for designers to manipulate them.¹

biological vs technological

Material Energies Three ways in which material energies affect the human body and our perception of space: Physical energies - the atmosphere is an unavoidable constant which affects the human body. Informational energies – non-restrictive, influences the decisions we make. Tropic energies – affects the metabolism of the body.² Sensorial Envelopes

crafting experience:

Induced sensory perception is allowing for increased range of stimuli available to the human body. This increased perception of our surroundings will begin to affect the way we design space, both physically and psychologically.

The Shape of Energy

1. The Air from Other Planets, 36 2. The Air from Other Planets, 88 3. The Air from Other Planets, 148 4. The Air from Other Planets, 38 5. The Air from Other Planets, 148

It is important to think about how external forces will act on these new material energies. A dynamic relationship will have to exist where the material energies are able to change their intensity depending on the exterior environment which acts upon them.�

lexicon

Subjectivity Refers to how an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s judgement is shaped by personal opinions and feelings instead of outside influences

04. desired effect

- political vs experiential How do you begin connecting an individual to something which is

distant in terms of both space and time?

amplifying awareness

Ultimately, it will be important that the political and experiential begin to merge into a single space, which will hopefully amplify the effect of the installation, or proposed architectural space. I feel there is also potential for these spaces to begin taking on very simple programmatic uses which will begin to inform the way they are designed and how they are meant to be experienced. The spaces I am trying to create could in principle be related to the function of sacred spaces, as both of them rely on architectural language to create experiences which link the individual to the unseen. As such the programme of each space references aspects of scared places; whether this be a place of passage, of gathering, a place for meditation, commemoration or communion. While by no means a direct translation it is used simply as a method to begin imagining how these spaces could potentially be occupied and navigated. It is important to direct the design decisions based on the desired user experience and to explore the potential range and variety of potential installations.

remote sensing:

By providing both an intellectual (political) and subjective (experiential) understanding of the Yukon Peel Watershed the spatial and temporal disconnect between the urban and the remote can begin to be resolved â&#x20AC;&#x201C; allowing us to act ethically towards things unseen. An intellectual understanding could be achieved by placing the political agenda of the Yukon Government in relation to the geologic and ecological history of the Peel Watershed. This could take the form of a didactic model or dynamic cartography where the layers of the site are delaminated in order to understand the intricacies of the Peel Watershed. In terms of the creation of sensory experiences which embody the concept of remote sensing - connecting an individual to something which is distant in terms of both space and time, methods of photographic and material manipulation can be used as means to begin designing these spaces. These methods aim to capture the subjective experience of the Yukon Peel Watershed, by focusing on the atmospheric and aesthetic values of the natural landscape, opposed to a purely data-driven analysis.

shift of threat

boundary

scale

dynamic response

Juxtaposition

placing an individual outside their realm of expected experience in order to mediate spatial dissociation.

space as gradients of energy opposed to the strict delineation of space.

designing for sensory perception at the scale of the human body.

changing environments which respond to environmental parameters/data.

the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

01.

02.

03.

04.

05.

temperature

wind

light

precipitation

Materiality

the degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object.

the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction.

the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.

rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground.

the quality or character of being material or composed of matter.

30C

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Vulnerability

fragility

resilience

forcefulness

vastness

exposure and susceptibility to something that is potentially harmful or dangerous.

intricate systems and structures at risk of disruption or harm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the potential to be placed in a state of imbalance.

the capacity for an ecological system to adapt and recover from environmental disturbance.

the assertive power of both natural and human forces which act against one another.

expansive and seemingly endless surroundings.

01.

02.

03.

04.

05.

a. INPUTS & METHODS

qualities

temperature

shift of threat

vulnerability

wind

boundary

fragility

humidity

scale

resilience

light

dynamic response

powerful

materiality

juxtaposition

vastness

remote site

urban site

Methods refer to strategies of amplification determined from examining a series of precedents and architectural concepts which focus on creating spaces that engage the subjective human experience - as outlined in the previous section, Crafting Experience. Phenomena refer to the weather and climatic conditions of the Peel Watershed - using the invisible elements of the natural landscape as a strategy to engage the senses. By focusing on the invisible phenomena of the site it is possible to move away from a purely visual or aesthetic depiction of the natural landscape. Similarly, the last set of parameters, qualities, refer to the effects that we have on the landscape and vice versa. The qualities outlined focus on the paradoxical reading of the landscape, and can also be applied to the human emotions which are evoked when surrounded by nature or wilderness.

Political vs experiential

methods

desired effect:

phenomena

As a way to structure my design methodology, a series of site and design parameters were established which describe architectural methods, along with phenomena and qualities of the Peel Watershed to be expressed through the following design iterations. By combining the three sets of parameters along with information from both the urban and remote site, potential design iterations can be developed which begin to translate the experience of the Peel Watershed to an immersive sensory experience.

ITERATIONS

b. Coming Into Focus

- a space of passage the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

03.

05.

temperature

Materiality

the degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object.

the quality or character of being material or composed of matter.

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Dry Shrub

Wet Shrub

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Rock/ Exposed

-30C

7% Wet Coniferous Forest

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10% -20C

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-10C

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01.

05.

Vulnerability

fragility

exposure and susceptibility to something that is potentially harmful or dangerous.

intricate systems and structures at risk of disruption or harm – the potential to be placed in a state of imbalance.

01.

02.

Coming into Focus is imagined as a series of semi-transparent walls or partitions which obscure and blur the materiality of the green wall which sits at the other end of the space. When first entering into the space it is not possible to visually sense the green wall which inhabits the room. It is however possible to sense it’s environment, it’s smell – it’s atmosphere. The growing conditions for the organic material fill the space with an unique atmosphere; moisture, temperature and light is all highly calibrated. The organic life and it’s living conditions are inspired by the characteristic, often unique, species which are found in the Peel Watershed. It is this juxtaposition of the visible versus the invisible which creates an atmosphere of apprehension – where the human body becomes vulnerable to the surrounding unfamiliar environment.

Political vs experiential

Juxtaposition

designing for sensory perception at the scale of the human body.

As a space of passage the partitions guide the visitor through the space. After each layer the intricacy and fragility of the living wall is revealed. This progression forces the visitor to intimately experience the organic life, amplifying it’s scale.

desired effect:

scale

Blurring The manipulation process for this sequence of images was simply a gradual blurring of each image, where each texture was abstracted and reduced to a minimal colour palette. In the other two series of photos each row functions individually. The purpose of this exploration was with each line to investigate the texture morphology of a single rock face. Each stratification of the rock face takes on a different texture, quality of light or colour.

Political vs experiential

desired effect:

x02

x03

c. CARVING GROUND

- a space for gathering boundary

scale

dynamic response

space as gradients of energy opposed to the strict delineation of space.

designing for sensory perception at the scale of the human body.

changing environments which respond to environmental parameters/data.

02.

03.

04.

temperature

wind

Materiality

the degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object.

the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction.

the quality or character of being material or composed of matter.

30C

7m/s

20C

20%

6m/s

10C

5m/s

Carving Ground is imagined as a landscape of temporal ice forms whose presence and materiality shapes the temperature and climatic profile of the surrounding space. As the form of the ice begins to shift and melt it also begins to shape the ground around itself - carving out a history of its existence. In this way the forcefulness of itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s materiality is expressed through itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imprint on the ground or surrounding surface. Similar to the way glaciers have shaped the topography Peel Watershed resulting in ecological and biological diversity.

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forcefulness

exposure and susceptibility to something that is potentially harmful or dangerous.

the assertive power of both natural and human forces which act against one another.

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Wet Coniferous Forest

Dry Shrub

Wet Shrub

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Vulnerability

Dryas/ Dwarf Shrub

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The ice forms which act as a place of gathering respond dynamically to their immediate environment and to the presence of the user within the space. The temperature gradients which form invisible thermal boundaries through out the space interact with the sensorial envelopes of those who gather at Carving Ground. Allowing for the perception of the space to be initiated at the scale of the human body.

Political vs experiential

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desired effect:

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Temperature profile

Political vs experiential

This sequence of photographic manipulation tests the idea of thermal mapping and imaging as a method that could be applied to elements of the landscape as a way to produces spaces which are fully informed by a remote landscape and climate. While the gradients used in this particular sequence are purely representational. It would be interesting to test this method with thermal imaging equipment which would reveal the temperature profile along with the relative intensity of a particular environment.

desired effect:

d. Horizon line

- a space for meditation Juxtaposition

changing environments which respond to environmental parameters/data.

the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

01.

04.

05.

temperature

wind

light

the degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object.

the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction.

the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.

30C

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forcefulness

vastness

the assertive power of both natural and human forces which act against one another.

expansive and seemingly endless surroundings.

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The aspiration of Horizon Field is to create an enclosed space which feels infinite - amplifying the vastness of the Yukon Peel Watershed. Through the juxtaposition of scale an endless horizon will appear to fill the room, enveloping the visitor in a surreal experience. Those who engage with the installation will discover a space where the forces of the natural landscape - temperature, wind and light- are flowing and responding dynamically to the conditions of a location within the Peel Watershed. By reversing the exterior-interior relationship the individual is placed within a disorienting space where the conventional logic of a volume slips away, resulting in the shift of threat. Where the remote climate becomes an immediate sensory, visceral experience.

Political vs experiential

dynamic response

placing an individual outside their realm of expected experience in order to mediate spatial dissociation.

Imagined as a place for meditation and contemplation it is the solitude of the experience which also lends itself to the amplification of vastness and the recognition of the forcefulness of these remote places. Solitude also enables the consciousness of the individual to extend its spatial and temporal boundaries.

desired effect:

shift of threat

Horizons

desired effect:

Political vs experiential

Through photographic manipulation the context of each horizon was eliminated in order to abstract the landscape into a non-subjective image. where distance and space are seemingly endless - accentuating the qualities of vastness in each of the images. The most successful in terms of the manipulation of vastness are the sequences where all recognizable figures and forms are abstracted to the point of non-recognition. This evokes only an emotional response to the image instead of a rational understanding of what is observable.

05. REMOTE SENSING

- reflections for moving forward

My initial test drives were extremely helpful as a way to begin developing methods of representation and alternative methods of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;site analysis.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Using photographic and material studies as mediums to explore aspects of the natural landscape, allowed me to begin crafting the experience of remote sensing. What was lacking from these investigations was the integration of the political into the experiential. Instead of imagining these as two separate design problems, the overall experience of remote sensing would be heightened if the two can be combined in a way where they amplify the effect of one another. Furthermore, as I mentioned earlier, staring to apply the new methods of site analysis to the Peel Watershed will be critical - in order for me to begin developing design iterations that deal directly with the remote territory of the Yukon Peel Watershed. It is also important to start embracing the slime and the muck of natural landscape, showing both the terrible and beautiful aspects of Nature and also our effect on Nature.

amplifying awareness

In terms of my site analysis, it is a matter of diving deeper into the Peel Watershed, understanding which site information is important to my thesis and which is not. An emphasis on the weather and climatic patterns within the Territory I expect will prove particularly useful. Because of the remoteness of the site I may find that I need to develop my own means of collecting this data or begin reaching out to local groups in the area to see what is available. Also collecting a comprehensive set of images of the Peel Watershed will also be

integral. The distanced view of GIS and google maps has only proved useful to a point, and I think it is now time to begin organizing a research trip to the Peel Watershed. Along with gathering more local knowledge and cultural iconography, which can feed into the subjective experience I am trying to create.

remote sensing:

Reflecting on the work I have produced over the past term, I feel that the conceptual framework for my thesis has been successfully integrated into my design methodology. When I look back to the beginning of the term I find that my original idea is still present in my work but has been brought to a much deeper level, since I have provided myself with a theoretical foundation to work from. However, I do need to work on being more articulate and specific about where these concepts are coming from and how I am deploying them, especially through writing. It was not until the end of the term that I discovered a number of primary sources which proved to be integral to my thesis concept, and so I need to begin compiling a series of annotated bibliographies which will help organize the theories drawn from these new sources.

1. Blind Light, Antony Gormley 2. The Weather Project, Olafur Eliasson 3. Forest Megaphones, Estonia Academy of the Arts 4. Zee, Kurt Hentschlager 5. Oak Leaves and Holes, Andy Goldsworthy 6. Horizon Field, Antony Gormley 7. Cloudscapes. Tetsuo Kondo Architects 8. Bruder Klaus Chapel, Peter Zumthor 9. The Rotunda, Citylaboratory

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remote sensing:

amplifying awareness

PRECEDENTS & CASE STUDIES

Digestible Gulf Stream

-Philippe Rahm Venice Biennale 2008 The Digestible Gulf Stream functions with a very simple manipulation of air and space. Two metal plates are placed in a specific configuration which by prescribing different temperatures to each plate creates a convection current. The upper plate is cooled to be 12Ë&#x161;C while the lower plate is heated to 28Ë&#x161;C, working with the principles of thermodynamics the air from the warm plate rises as it has a lower density while the cool air falls resulting in the constant exchange of hot and cold air. Through the creation of the convection current Philippe Rahm begins to determine the programme or activity of the installation based on the temperature gradients or zones created by the movement of the hot and cold air. In this way the actual form of the architecture is invisible as the desired outcome is the creation of various temperatures and atmospheres. Rahm refers to his design methodology as meteorological architecture, which, as previously mentioned, is the craft of the invisible spaces through various elements of the atmosphere which become the main driver for many of his designs. The effect of the Digestible Gulf Stream is also amplified with gastronomy. Rahm identifies flavours and food which relate to various temperatures. These flavours have a direct impact on the temperature of the body, or at least the perceived temperature of the body. Rahm challenges our normal connotations of architecture by allowing for the physical feeling of a space to be augmented and crafted by our perception of space and our ideals of comfort.

Descriptive Drawings

ELEVATION

PLAN

Cfd Simulation Process In order to fully understand the movement and temperature of air within the boundaries of the installation a simulation was run using Autodesk CFD (computational fluid dynamic) simulation software. This allowed for the invisible elements of the atmosphere to be visualized - the temperature and intensity of air could be evaluated based on unoccupied versus occupied scenarios. In this way the effect of bodies in the space could be studied, and it was made clear that the presence of bodies in the installation resulted in ‘double movement’ where interaction with the installation begins to act back on the installation creating yet another layer of experience. Step 01: Remodel Installation Use drawings and photographs to create a 3D model of Philippe Rahm’s installation. Step 02: Assign Boundary Box The boundary box limits the simulation air and creates a volume of air which will be studied during the simulation.

step 01

Step 03: Assign Materials Materials are assigned to designate thermal and physical properties which will be used during the installation. Step 04: Assign Boundary Conditions Boundary conditions define the conditions applied to the environment or objects within the scenario. Step 05: Run Simulation & Cut Planes In order to fully understand how air and heat was moving through the installation a total of 15 planes were cut and extracted from the simulation. Step 06: Test Scenario After running the first scenario in a static situation (without people or disturbances) the simulation environment can be tested in order to understand how the experience of the installation changes as bodies are introduced into the environment.

12°C temperature 12°C temperature film co-efficient pressure variable

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air (variable environment) steel

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Scenario 01 - unoccupied While a true convection current was not achieved within the static scenario simulation it is still interesting to observe how the intensity of temperature change is focused around the two metal plates. The purpose for defining the area of each temperature zone (next page) was it allowed for information pertaining the optimal temperature levels in relation to programme to be examined. It is interesting to note that the larger areas would in theory contain the most programme.

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SCENARIO 02 - occupied With the addition of human bodies within the scenario the distribution of heat begins to shift as the heat of a person begins to warm the spaces adjacent to the 12Ë&#x161;C plate creating a more dynamic temperature profile. By examining the combined area of each temperature zone (next page) the effect of adding people into the installation is clear. Smaller pockets of heat begin to emerge and in turn reduces the area of the colder temperature zones. S3 S2 S1

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Temperature Gradients By isolating specific sections within the each of the plans and then translating the change in temperature to a gradient individual moments within the larger system can be compared to one another in a simpler format. Once again the interaction of people with the installation can be perceived through the change of temperature.

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Intensity Gradients By simply adjusting the temperature gradients to greyscale the intensity of the two scenarios can be easily inferred. Removing colour allowed for the darker shades of blue and red (the two extremes) to be identified as higher intensity and lighter shades as less intense.

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Temperature & Intensity Using a similar method as the previous series the intensity of the temperature gradients is overlayed over the temperature profile of each section to show temperature and intensity simultaneously. This shows that experience of the installation is more intense as you move further into the installation compared to the fringes of the installation.

occupied

mediated motion

-Olafur Eliasson Kunsthaus Bregenz 2001 The mediated motion transforms the Kunsthaus Bregenz by Peter Zumthor into a sensory experience in which visitors traverse a path â&#x20AC;&#x153;of experience and awareness of experiencing.â&#x20AC;? By recreating and transposing elements of the landscape to the museum, Eliasson curates not only a very specific visual experience but also engages the others senses of the visitors, through scent, sound and touch. The engagement of these senses in turn engages the memories and emotions of the visitor creating a physical and emotional journey through time. Each level contains a specific element of the landscape and thus a particular memory, idea or experience associated with in. On the ground level of the museum sits a series of logs from which mushrooms were sprouting. The entirety of the first level is filled with a shallow plane of pond water with floating duckweed and circulatory pontoons. From the first to the second level a secondary wooden staircase was built on top of the existing to create a continuous material experience from one level to the next. The second level was contains a sloped earth floor beginning at 140cm above the floor and ends back at grade. The third and final level is a fog filled space with a suspension bridge which leads to a dead end and forces the visitor to return the same way they came.

Programme

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Circulation & Movement While the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s floorplan on each level remains uniform, Eliasson through the introduced elements of landscape also curates the movement of visitors through the space. The circulation on every level has different degree of control, offering direct paths or the opportunity to wander within the space. These varied paths of circulation attribute to the overall experience of the exhibition, where the length of time is takes to move through the exhibition is integral to the overall effect of the work. In fact the volume or magnitude of experience is better measured by the means of time, certain spaces or moments take on greater significance due to the duration the visitor is in the space or the ability to move freely within the floorplan, allowing for longer moments of contemplation and observation.

Level 03

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Unfolded Circulation

Sensory Experience The Mediated Motion is essentially a stratified landscape, where on each level there is a highly curated experience of landscape or of nature. The experience of the installation becomes bodily, where engaging the senses of the visitor is vital. The Mediated Motion is not only a visual experience, differences in scent, sound, temperature, and atmosphere become incredibly important as visitors move from one level to the next. How does the sound of your footsteps change from a wooden pontoon to the earth floor? What does the earth smell like compared to the pond water on the floor below? By separating each element of the landscape Eliasson engages the visitor with each element as its own entity with its own set of physical traits.

Stratification

LEVEL 03 MIST & SUSPENSION BRIDGE

LEVEL 02 EARTH FLOOR

LEVEL 01 WATER & PONTOONS

GROUND LEVEL LOGS WITH MUSHROOMS

SENSES ENGAGED:

Aurora Project Future Cities Lab Van Alan Institute 2009 Aurora Projects uses the new tool of dynamic cartography to create an interactive installation which visualizes the remote arctic. Sets of data and mapping were overlaid and given physical form resulting in a model which captures the temporal nature of the Arctic Ice Shelf - as its boundaries are always shifting due to seasonal and climatic changes. To further accentuate the temporal and fragile nature of the Arctic Ice Shelf the model is hooked up to a series of sensors which, as observers move closer to the installation, trigger the lighting of the installation to change. This preforms as a metaphor to the human effect on the Arctic sea ice.

LAYER 01 UNDERWATER BATHYMETRY

Plaster cylinders ( ) indicate the bathymetry (depth of water) underneath the arctic ice caps. They are also used as the structural foundation for the model, stabilizing the suspeneded ice formations above.

LAYER 04 ICE AGE & DENSITY

Perforations in the laser cut components of the model indicate the age of the arctic ice and also its overall density. Naturally the interior area of the model comtains older and thus more dense arctic ice.

LAYER 02 STRUCTURAL SUPPORT

LAYER 03 MEAN WATER TEMPERATURE & ARCTIC ICE SALINITY

LAYER 05 THE HUMAN EFFECT

LAYER 06 SEA ICE EXTENT RECORDED IN 2009

Stainless-steel tripods create a structural network which suspends the the glowing translucent surface of the arctic ice caps. This layer does not contain any data relating to dynamic cartogrpahy and instead is a purely structural component of the model.

Motion/distance sensors ( ) are placed along the edge of the installtion. As observers move closer to the installation the sensor triggers light within the model to move upwards into the rods ( ) which extent up from the model. The movement of light indicates the effect of human interaction on the arctic at a larger scale.

The heignt and thickness of the modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface indicates the mean water temperature and salinity of the arctic ice.

The edge of the installation marks the recorded edge of the arctic sea ice in 2009, as the boundaries are constantly shifting due to seasonal and climatic changes the installation marks a particular place in time, while the lights of the installation create awareness to the dynamic nature of artic sea ice.

- full bibliography 01. Addington, Michelle. Phenomena of the Nonvisual.” In Softspace: From a Representation of Form to a Simulation of Space, edited by Sean Lally and Jessica Young, 38. New York: Taylor and Francis. 2006. 02. Bateson, Gregory. Steps to an Ecology of Mind. New York: Ballantine Books. 1983. 03. Banham, Reyner. The Architecture of the Well-tempered Environment. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984. 04. Corner, James. Recovering Landscape: Essays in Contemporary Landscape Architecture. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1999. 05. Guattari, Félix. The Three Ecologies. London: Continuum. 2008. 06. Lally, Sean. The Air from Other Planets: A Brief History of Architecture to Come. Lars Muller, 2013. 07. Morton, Timothy. Hyperobjects : Philosophy and Ecology After the End of the World. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. 2013. 08. Nixon, Rob. Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. 2011. 09. Reed, Chris, and Nina-Marie Lister, eds. Projective Ecologies. Boston, New York: ACTAR, Harvard Graduate School of Design, 2014. 10. Thoreau, Henry David, and Joseph J. Moldenhauer. Excursions. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2007. 11. “On Reyner Banham’s The Architecture of the WellTempered Environment.” Oppositions 7 (1976): 86-89.