CLOUDS O BSERVATO RY J o u r n a l o f t h e S k y
C LO U D S O B J o u r n a l o
B S E RVATORY o f t h e S k y
Khushali Chawda | MA Theiss Tu t o r : G r a e m e B r o o ke r Platform: Obsolescence Interior Design Royal College of Art, London Ye a r 2 0 1 7
C L O U D S J o u r n a l
O B S E R V A T O R Y o f
t h e
S k y
P R E F A C E
Obsolescence to un-obsolescence, the opportunity to repurpose and re-imagine an obsolete interior/ architecture was the emergence of the Clouds Observatory. The site is a subterranean reservoir in Greenwich Park, and the proposed programme is that of an Observatory for Clouds. An interesting juxtaposition of using a space that is subterranean to observe something in the sky. The close proximity to the Royal Observatory provided an opportunity for it to be intervened into as an observatory. As Rabindranath Tagore puts it, “Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset
sky.” The journey is programmed in a way to let you appreciate, experience and observe clouds, a step by step process to immerse oneself completely into the beauty of clouds. Watching clouds is known as a day dreamer’s science, this project aims to make people enjoy the beauty of the cumulus to cumulonimbus. It is an attempt to encourage people to pause for a moment from their busy lives in the city and look up and either choose to identify the category of clouds or build castles in the clouds. As G.K. Chesterton said, “There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.”
C O N T E N T
02 |
BRIEF
04 |
ANALYSIS Greenwich Sun Analysis Proximity
16 |
CONCEPT Function Analysis Artefact Programme Spatial Configuration
26 |
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT Quality Analysis Landscape Moments Intervention Spatial Distribution Quality Analysis Landscape Moments Intervention Spatial Distribution
66 |
PROCESS - MAKING
80 |
CONCLUSION
B R I E F
Obsolescence : The state, process, or condition of being or becoming obsolete. Grown old or worn out.
B r i e f
-
C l o u d s
Un-Obsolescence - Re-porpose the obsolete.
O b s e r v a t o r y
Architecture is an attempt to separate one from the weather. Artificial weather conditions are created to make one feel more comfortable, which is leading to the gradual obsolescence of the natural weatheric conditions. We are highly dependent on technology today to watch the weather, but in the earlier days, people would observe clouds to forecast weather conditions.
the weather conditions. Observing clouds is not only a science but an inspiration for art as well. Observing clouds is what led to being the guiding point. Clouds are poetic as well as scientific. They give you information about the weather and inspire you to imagine at the same time. Gavin Pretor-Pinney, said, Clouds are nature’s own Rorschach Blots.
Watching weather is a crucial part of our daily routine in London, today we use technology to keep us updated with the weatheric conditions outside, but a few decades ago, we would observe the movement of the clouds and forecast 2
ANALYSIS
G R E E N W I C H
Royal Naval College
Maritime Museum
Royal Observatory
Reservoir
A n a l y s i s
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
6
S U N
A N A L Y S I S
A n a l y s i s
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
340°
350°
N 0°
10° 20° 30°
10°
330°
40°
20°
320°
30°
310°
50° 21 Jun Solstice 21 May - Jul 60°
40° 300°
50°
70° 21 Apr - Aug
60°
290°
70° 280°
80°
80° 90°
W
E
260°
21 Mar - Sep
100° 21 Feb - Oct
250°
110°
240°
120°
21 Jan - Nov
21 Dec solstice 130°
230° 140°
220° 210°
150° 200°
190°
S
170°
160°
8
P R O X I M I T Y
A N A L Y S I S
Conncectivity
Public Buildings
A n a l y s i s
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
Royal Park
Residential Buildings
1 0
S I T E
Subterranean Reservoir in Greenwich Park. Built in the 1840’s, to supply and store water for the Naval Hospital which is now the Naval College.
A n a l y s i s
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
1 2
S I T E
A n a l y s i s
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
1 4
G R E E N W I C H
CONCEPT
G R E E N W I C H
F U N C T I O N
A N A L Y S I S
Obsolete Site
Proximity to Royal Observatory
50 m above Sea Level
Subterranean Reservoir
New Function
Juxtaposition
Observe Clouds Observe
C o n c e p t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
50 Meters Proximity Royal Observatory
Observe Clouds
The site is an abandoned subterranean reservoir. Located in the Greenwich Royal Park, the obsolete brick structure is completely hidden below the park and the simple yet powerful structure provides an opportunity to make the site un-obsolete. The juxtaposition was intriguing, wherein we are proposing to use a subterranean site to observe and enjoy the beauty of clouds.
1 8
A B S T R A C T
An understanding of the qualitative analysis of the brief and the site combined together and represented via a model. Features: - Subterranean Site - Observatory - Proximity to Royal Observatory
C o n c e p t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
2 0
P R O G R A M M E The function proposed for the site is that of observation. Clouds can be observed from any exterior space, one does not need to go to a specific place. Thus the clouds observatory would need additional functions so as to make the whole experience of observing clouds more educationally enhancing. Taking into these criteria of enhancing the function of the space, the purpose of the space was divided into - Appreciate // Experience // Observe
OBSERVE APPRECIATE
EXPERIENCE
C o n c e p t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
PRIVATE Back of House Offices
PUBLIC Observatory Experiential Spaces Clouds Appreciation Centre Atlas of Clouds Library Water Dispencery
2 2
S P A T I A L
C O N F I G U R A T I O N
Spatial configuration for the proposed programme dwells upon a contextual approach, where the existing architecture can be experiences both from inside as well as outside. The intervention into the site follows a set of functions through which the form has been determined. The programme is divided primarily into three categories - appreciate, experience and observe.
C o n c e p t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
Learn About Clouds Atlas of Clouds Library of Clouds
OBSERVE
Observatory
APPRECIATE
Head in Clouds
EXPERIENCE
Mediated Clouds Magnified Clouds
OTHER Back of House Cafe
2 4
G R E E N W I C H
G R E E N W I C H
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
G R E E N W I C H
Q U A L I T Y
A N A L Y S I S
The Site
Heavy
Light
Appearance
Disappearance
Clouds
Observatory Spaces Casting
D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
Carving
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
Analysing the features of the site and its proximity and the programme being incorporated into the site certain keywords were kept in mind so as to formulate better the design for the programme. Starting with the site, the questions raised, if the site is this heavy looking structure, we intervene with something light - cloud like.
Clouds have a quality of appearance and disappearance, to try and incorporate that into the design. The spatial quality of the site and the feature of observing, almost demands the spaces to be carved or cast.
2 8
L A N D S C A P E The site is a subterranean reservoir, the journey towards the clouds observatory would have to be gradual and inviting, thus taking into consideration, not only the site but its proximity of landscape. Brutally cutting the doughnut into a half, so as to expose half the site as though it’s emerging from the ground, from obsolete to un-obsolete.
D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
3 0
M O M E N T S The proposed observatory would be in fragments, giving the visitor an experience of not only observing clouds but also understanding and learning about clouds. Moments of visual and physical contact with the clouds would be experienced. To utilise the advantages of the site, which are: - Landscape - Height (View) - Juxtaposition Site
D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
Focusing on Views
Elevated View
A moment
Look Up 3 2
I N T E R V E N T I O N
D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
3 4
S P A T I A L
D e s i g n
D I S T R I B U T I O N
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
OBSERVE
EXPERIENCE
A P P R E C I AT E
C I R C U L AT I O N
3 6
A P P R E C I A T I O N
The purpose of this space is to educate and introduce one to the world of clouds. There are 10 major types of clouds. This is the reason for the 10 voids in the architecture, each representing a type of cloud. Below each void is a Cloud Display Box, preciously displaying a cloud and giving you information about the cloud. One is invited to look up through the D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
void to identify the type of cloud in the sky above them.
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
C L O U D D I S P L AY B OX
3 8
G R E E N W I C H
G R E E N W I C H
E X P E R I E N C E
EXPERIENCE SPACES: The experiential journey is subdivided into 3 categories, - Head in the Cloud - Meidated Clouds - Magnified Clouds
D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
4 2
G R E E N W I C H
Head in the Clouds Put your head among a mist of clouds and experience the feeling of being in a cloud
G R E E N W I C H
Mediated Clouds
Magnified Clouds
Digitised Clouds, projections of clouds acompanied with sound of thunder and rain.
See the clouds and the sky closer to you as you see them throught the magnifying glass in the skylight.
G R E E N W I C H
O B S E R V E
The Observation chamber is accessed through the ramp wrapped around the conical building, which takes you into a space only letting you look up through the void above. Before one embals on the journey to the observatory, D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
the floor of the observatory configuration is an Atlas of Clouds, showing onto the floor a live projection of the cloud cover around the world.
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
4 6
G R E E N W I C H
G R E E N W I C H
L I B R A R Y
G R E E N W I C H
O F
C L O U D S
G R E E N W I C H
V I E W
D e s i g n
F R O M
D e v e l o p m e n t
L I B R A R Y
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
5 2
D E T A I L S
D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
Architecture Details - Insertion into the existing architecture - Carving and Casting
Railing Detail Inserted into the architecture
Library Furniture Overlaping Surfaces and materials. Wood and felt, materials that emote the feeling of warmth and comfort.
5 4
E X T E R I O R
D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
E L E V A T I O N
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
5 6
S E C T I O N
D e s i g n
N O R T H
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
S O U T H
O b s e r v a t o r y
5 8
S E C T I O N
D e s i g n
E A S T
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
W E S T
O b s e r v a t o r y
6 0
G R E E N W I C H
G R E E N W I C H
P L A N
D e s i g n
D e v e l o p m e n t
-
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
6 4
G R E E N W I C H
PROCESS MAKING
G R E E N W I C H
P R O C E S S
The process of making as thinking was highly important for the journey through design development. The Craftsman, by Richard Sennett was a highly influential read for the process of Making as Thinking. This section of the documentation shows glances of the making process which led to the final Model.
M a k i n g
P r o c e s s -
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
6 8
M a k i n g
P r o c e s s -
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
7 0
M a k i n g
P r o c e s s -
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
7 2
M a k i n g
P r o c e s s -
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
7 4
M O D E L 1:100
M a k i n g
P r o c e s s -
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
7 6
M O D E L 1:100
M a k i n g
P r o c e s s -
C l o u d s
O b s e r v a t o r y
7 8
C O L C L U S I O N
C o n c l u s i o n
To conclude the journey of the project which started with the theme of Obsolescence, where an obsolete peice of architecture was to be re purposed to give it a new purpose. It would lead the Obsolete to Un-Obsolete. The site was a subterranean reservoir and the programme proposed was that of a Clouds Observatory. A new intervention in terms of the types of observatories around the world. The challange was to tackle the circular brick structure to the advantage of the programme. It was an interesting journey to work with as well as against the geometry of the structure. The subterranean site would require the journey towards the architecture to be devised and also the journey through the space.
The circulation almost being a natural path and not a forced directional one. Taking one on a journey of appreciation - learning, experienceing and observing. All these qualities are naturally formulated while you walk through the space. Learning about clouds and learning how to observe them gives one the feeling of joy. And this project attempts to do that. Encapsulating you in the world of clouds not just through observing but educating one about them. It aims to encourage you to take the time out of your busy schedule and observe clouds, day dream a little. Look Up and build Castles in the Clouds. As G.K. Chesterton said, “There are no rules of Architecture for a castle in the clouds.� 8 0