IDR

11071356 | Konrad Koltun | Year Two

Integrated Integrated Design Report

Design

Report 1

2

Konrad Koltun

Table of Contents 4 6

26

47

74

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7 9 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 28 30 32 40 42 43 45 48 49 53 60 63 65 67 72

Introduction 2.1 | Dunham Massey Introduction Investigation Texts and precedents Programme Analysis Materialisation Technical Resolution Finishes and Details General Arrangement and final form The competition Finalisation Building logic Details to realisation Reflection 2.2 | White Water Contextual analysis Texts and Precedents Form generation/programme Structural Resolution Finishes General arrangement and key images Reflection 2.3 | Grand Junction Introduction Contextual analysis Generation of form Structural solution Environmental consideration Finishes, Details Drawings Reflection Conclusion

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Introduction I am a 20 year old Polish citizen whose nationality and origins often affect ways of thinking and designing. Having lived in England since 2006 allowed me to grasp a completely different culture and made me richer in those terms. This year was all about grasping completely new ways of designing from the first year and perhaps this was a year in which altogether I made the most intensive progress in my life intellectually.

One of the comments one of the tutors told me after a quite successful year one was that second year is about trying learn and improve skills that we are not good at, bypassing some of the things that we already know. Right there though I decided to rebel against that and I wanted to go through this year the hard way – trying to tackle everything on the way with the best of my ability. This was not about consistency, it was about sacrifices. Merely thinking that I can go through the year without a some kind of strategy in terms of the design process would not be a wise thing to do. Therefore my approach to the design process was such I call 'parametric design'. By that I do not mean Grasshopper, by that I mean passing the design ideas through a series of parameters which determined its function and form, it was a process of elimination of too many possibilities by putting a lot of initial attention on the site analysis. This previously have worked particularly well for me last year when in a week we had to match what third year students from France prepared against us for a competition in three months. Designs therefore become research

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driven and the quality and ambition of the final product depend on the quality and ambition of the initial research both of which I always want to keep to a high standard.

Throughout the year I was interested in the political tensions throughout the world and especially between forms of collective and individual approaches to economy and life. This struggle was almost provoked by Siobhan Barry – my year leader who suggested at the start of the first project in order to be successful we need to sell it like a product. How silly of me was to go against that and treat the project as a test of whether we can sell architecture as a very intellectual piece and still win the competition. This did not happen. I learned a lesson, I would like to thank Siobhan for exposing us to such difficult year and guiding us with such care and sensitivity. Without questioning however I felt I would go into habit of merely following great ideas as oppose to inventing them on my own. My goal was therefore to create something special every time we attempted a project, (despite heavily being diluted in the Graz project). This therefore limited or set me free rather from using precedents as purely formal arrangements I copy and paste into my projects.

At the back of my mind, going through the training of becoming an architect I always remind myself of my origins. My goal on the bigger scale is to get educated, leave my trace on this system and come back to my roots to rebuild them.....

Konrad Koltun

‘Parametric’ design process

Pool of infinate design ideas

www.evolo.us

Research informed ‘parameters’

This design process approach was exploited throughout the year by myself in order to have quick, strong starts at the briefs.

Hierarchical and research integral design

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2.1

SOUND + ChIME SCAPE PHASE ONE:

PHASE TWO:

Winter Garden Pavilion at Dunham Massey

6

Konrad Koltun 2.1

The client.

Introduction

This project design description is relatively simple – the design process following the logic of elimination amongst the group took literally two days from conception to testing certain solutions. The most one could learn from it was of course working in groups of people (in two phases - design and build) to produce a large amount of output and dealing with the client.

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The groups.

Chime Supergroup Soundscape team facebook.com

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Konrad Koltun 2.1

Contextual Analysis Soundscape team on the site.

Photo by Micheal Kennedy

Early sketches done on the site.

The whole year was initially split into small groups of 5-6 people and chose/were given a site in the Winter Garden. We then had a day of site analysis and early thoughts on potential designs.

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The discussion following day amongst our groups involved showcasing those early design ideas and I decided to come out with an initiative to involve everybody in our group in the design process as oppose to making the process autistic by using our own sketchbooks to present ideas. Our group therefore worked on a big sheet of paper where our pens and pencils could move freely and everyone was immediately subjected to them.

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Konrad Koltun 2.1

We want to create a breakaway from our journey

and the city

through using site specific enclous-

re and them.

noises by amplyfying

We want to allow people to be in

control of of theair, process*, which need is ''The need of quiet, the need the appealing to children who don’t of exercise, and..the sight of sky and of often listen, rather they want to be heard. seem human needs, things growing common to all men''

Octavia Hill

''The need of quiet, the need of air, the need of exercise, and..the sight of sky and of things growing seem human needs, common to all men'' Octavia Hill

}

There is an analogy in the digital age for the need of intellectual breakaway similar toapply thein digital need ofthere fresh airneed during Industrial Still era and is a strong of thinking.

Revolution in Manchester.

Instrument

After a lot of bumps and cracks, having decided to choose a very small, subtle and transitional site where there were no views to be enhanced, we decided to link the pavilion programme to the initial concept of Dunham Massey which was created for the working class to escape polluted cities. This time tough the aim was to create and outbreak for their minds from the intellectual pollution caused by modern forms of capitalism.

Li

Enc Enclousure

Noise/ Interaction

Brea

Encl Si

The group designing together.

Jour

what seems like

SILENCE brings out initiates

makes anticipate

LISTENING TO SELF

LISTENING

brings out

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11 NOISE

*Sound interact

Texts and Precedents

We wanted to do that through enclosure and sound (both are already present on this particular site, we are just emphasizing them). In fact there are theories to which we referred to which backed our idea of stimulating the brain through those conditions. This was also because the client had three main target groups – 'out and abouters, curious minds and explorer families'. By making the pavilion subtle yet interactive and with some intellectual depth the idea was to target all of our client's target groups as well.

Salomé Voegelin debates ‘Listening as an activity, an interactivity’ and that ‘Noise stretches Listening to an extreme (...) signifying practice of listening that articulates the fragile relationship between experience and communication.’ The Noise makes us anticipate Silence which allows us to be ‘audible to [ourselves]. what seems like

SILENCE brings out initiates

makes anticipate

LISTENING

brings out

LISTENING TO SELF

*Sound as an activity, interactivity.

NOISE

by Salomé Voegelin

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Konrad Koltun 2.1

Programme analysis

FROM THE CITY

FABRIC

SILENCE LISTENING

Z

Z

Z

i en e en ou ges us to isten nd in tu n to e e t e i te nd e t

DUNHAM MASSEY

Diagram explaining the use of the building - an interactive (or simply passive) contemplation space achieved through enclousure and sound. ite

ound x osion

SOUNDSCAPE o ides n es digit o d t e in t e ou ne

it st nd ie do n es e o Beautifully summarised concept by my team members.

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Into 7 frames beams. e sound e ui e oss b

e o t e

t e it t e

LISTEN ood st i oss be s

o d

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Early form development.

Form Generation The form was a simple (to construct) enclousure essentially.

Enclousure

Listen/ Enclousure Enclousure

Breakaway

Listen/ Enclousure

Enclousure/ Silence

Journey 14

Konrad Koltun 2.1

Materialisation

In the mean time I was responsible for technical resolution. One of the concepts was an interactive sound wall which would work when the leaves fall in winter. Along with that I had to work out the structural and some of the assembly resolution.

Testing.

Form derived as a mathematical expression of sound.

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Panel Layout Details:

Technical resolution

Materials for construction:

2

4x(6x2440x1220)mm 4x(3x2440x1220)mm Plywood Sheets

Rope and pegs to secure to panels to the frame

1

42x(3000x75x47)mm 10x(2400x75x47)mm Timber Beams

x8 for: 41 Wood Acrylic

4x(3x1000x600)mm Acrylic Sheets

Detail of the frame being screwed together

3 Plain

570xScrews

4

3

4x Bolts

Detail of rope being used to fix the soundwall panels to the frame Detail of the cross beams being screwed onto the frame

30000x3mm Cord 14x Corner Joints

For the plywood panels

x4

I worked very closely with certain group members in order to ensure compatibility between certain design elements.

For the acrylic panels

x1

Detail of panels bolted together at the top

Detail of the plywood strips being nailed to the cross beams

Detail of panels bolted together at the bottom

Detail of the roof panels bolted together

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Konrad Koltun 2.1

One of the things I learned since I was mainly responsible for the details and technical drawings was the importance of them in the practice. This made me very confident about the details especially towards the end of the year. It was a huge step up in those terms from the first year.

Finishes and Details Integrated Design Report

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myself

General Arrangement and final form

Those plans and sections describe two most important aspects of the design we were trying to ‘sell’ to Dunham Massey which was simplicity and elegance, and the breakaway capabilities by using the Genius Loci of the site to our advantage.

A

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Konrad Koltun 2.1 AA AA

Once the design was worked out technically (self cross bracing structure and a clever and tested use of acrylic and wooden pieces simulating leaves) the need was to put the group in position to build it. The proposition went through the first phase of selection process (online submission) and failed after the presentation to the clients – this is where I started learning that sometimes it does not matter how much effort one put in their work, if they do not focus on delivering it - our presentation was not rehearsed or very coherent and that is one of the main reasons the project failed.

The competition

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Finalisation At this point when six winning design projects were announced, everyone had been put in ‘supergroups’.

Our project team was involved in an exhausting Chime project. There were 60 people in this group (normally 30) and because I had worked on a very successful and well organised project before I could only see what not to do when dealing with such a big group of people. I thought that our team leaders were not using the full potential of such group, however I am sure that they learned from it as much as I did especially when in the end, despite some delay the project was completed.

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Konrad Koltun 2.1

Building logic Tessellations

In Chime my involvement consisted of a few things, including detailing foundations (which were not quite implemented in the end), constructing and the aspect one would be most proud of – persuading at least a slight waste reduction caused by a not efficient design of such a form. The quick solution (there was no time for implementing anything more radical) cut the amount of plywood sheets used from 60 to 38 and therefore waste material from 70% to 52%. This is still not a result one can be really proud of, however I could only suggest so much at this point (if I was on the initial design team I would suggest solutions with no waste at all). This was when my tessellation skills came into architectural practice as well, which started contextualising my sustainable design approaches.

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Details to realisation

My involvement stretched further onto the detail team where I tried to implement similar concepts of using a big sheet together to work out the details.

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Konrad Koltun 2.1

Despite 60 people in the team, being in the details team I was still involved in prefabrication and later the construction of the scheme.

This gave us vital experience in taking the idea from paper into the real life.

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Reflection It was in the end a great experience to

work with a sensitive client, and whole lot of people I did not quite know in person up until now. It formed a lot of stances that I only started to notice towards the end of the year and hopefully there will be more to come. I understand how vital to use every opportunity to get hands on to a real project, no matter what scale it is.

Despite some huge costs involved with this particular one, I regret nothing and despite not being the biggest fan of ‘DUCKS’ in architecture I managed to use the skills I previously learned on another live project I was involved in and understand the hierarchy and how people co-operate on such big teams whilst trying to achieve a common goal,

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Konrad Koltun 2.1

References Salome Voegelin, 2010. Listening to Noise and Silence: Towards a Philosophy of Sound Art. 1 Edition. Continuum.

Caleb Kelly, 2011. Sound (Whitechapel: Documents of Contemporary Art). 1 Edition. The MIT Press.

The amount of references in this project seems embarrassing now that I think about it, however, there was not much time for referring to many books throughout its duration.

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AN

SC HL OS S

2.2

White Water (graz)

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

2.5hrs flight

Liverpool

Warsaw London (Stansted)

1.5hrs flight

12.5hrs bus

Vienna

Introduction My approach and design process once more

2.5hrs train Graz

followed a strong research. Thanks to my tutor Dominic Sagar I explored separating form from function and generally the final output was quite formal as oppose to my pragmatic take on the briefs. This one required us to create a kayaking centre in the city of Graz.

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Contextual Analysis

Perceptions of the city

Without a doubt experiencing a new city and having a project set there interrelated with each other. Graz is a surprising city as it is not overwhelming and it lets one focus on details. The constant dialectic between historical and contemporary reveals them even more. The whole year was highly encouraged to look at the details and explore buildings far beyond their aesthetic. Many of them, I suppose just like any Austrian architecture, were delightful because of how clever they were functionally. Yet there was one building in particular that broke that rule slightly – the Kunsthaus was an example of purely formal design and it stood out from the Austrian rigour. Therefore there have been constant tensions in terms of many different aspects of the city very well hidden underneath an image of Unesco protected old town. In the video on which I collaborated with James, Matt and Nick we focused on that exact image of the city and advertisements challenging how city is perceived by particular members of the community and how the city is sold to the outsiders.

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

Whilst doing the site analysis and considering its wider context it seemed as tough a lot of social tensions such as a hidden discrimination towards the poor and ethnic minorities were shoved under the carpet.

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Analysis of texts and precedents Our site was the culmination of those tensions and it was reassuring to hear from one of our tour guides on the trips around the most influential buildings to have heard the story of G端nter Brus who have once in the 60s identified and stood against those kind of tensions who he understood to be the still living Nazi spirit in Austrian nation which was not put down due to Austrian denial of the guilt of that terror.

Little more research took to prove that this spirit was still not healed in the every day life. Little more research took to find out that our site was at the edge of the tensions, as one side of the city was poor and multicultural (the left) and the other was conservative and rich (the right).

G端nter Brus

Selection of books I read/referred to during the initial development.

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

Alexanderplatz masterplan triggered my own masterplan strategy.

The Vietnam War Memorial features the quality of message subversion I used later on.

Spatial devastation Sacret geometry

Tito’s memorial sculpture buildings in Yugoslavia.

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Form generation/programme

Subverted message - manifesto

Extending the canvas to fight the persisting hidden Nazi spirit in Austrians with existing graffiti scene

Nishes to encourage graffiti

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

It therefore meant to me that in order to produce a seemingly bourgeois development on the site where upsets are expressed by the poorer side of the city I had to attempt to solve the tensions between the two sides, otherwise the poor and foreign would be even more upset.

The project therefore started with overview of obvious precedents in the work of Daniel Libeskind who deals with memory in architecture and urbanism (Libeskind, 1997). He is notorious of coming up with systems of interrelations within the cities and I thought that approach was a good way of stitching the two site of the city together.

At the same time, seeing historical and cultural (Hip Hop) parallels between Eastern European cities I thought that an idea of extending the canvas – expressing ideas, expressing roughness and devastation is appropriate to provoking responses – the way to solve problems is to provoke reactions and getting to know them. Subverting messages fulfilled the entire concept and a lot of formal and technical development based purely on form and constant testing of it.

Sculpture park

Duality of expression - Kayaking in motion and devastation Integrated Design Report

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The masterplan - further form generation

INTERRELATION GRID

6 Degrees of Separation

Graz 0

500 km

Graz 500 km 45°

0

2 Degrees

4 Degrees

4 Degrees

6 Degrees

Jerusalem

38°

45°

Mecca

Jerusalem

38°

Mecca Grid of interrelations shows how through relating to certain people we don’t hurt each other , as essentially through doing that we might be hurting our close ones and ourselves.

A combination precedents conceived an idea of further tackling social issues within the city fabric, this included a masterplan of sculptures connected visually and ideologically. This was to stretch the canvas even further into the city in order to allow graffiti writers to project their voices and noble ideas. A ‘sacred grid’ was created which responded to what I think is the main cause of tension between the two sides - religion.

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

MASTERPLAN

MASTERPLAN Reducing the Rat Race

Stiching the Sides

0

1000 m

0

1000 m

These diagrams were develop to show how the grid has the potential to affect the city if only exploited.

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Function - form compromise

Further, more precise development in terms of both form and programme.

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

3D form development in context shows my disregard to the ‘expensive context and rather focuses on the building itself and its real meaning in terms of the graffiti scene.

More 3D development at bigger scales allowed to explore more experiential qualities including the climbing - staircase - lift tower.

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Because I was compromising the function for the form and vice versa I needed to constantly test the spaces in 3D in order to test whether or not they worked/gave the right experience.

Notice how the context wasn’t completely disregarded, rather, how both physically and visually I was attacking it.

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CED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED

Final tests

Konrad Koltun 2.2

Form generation strip

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

ESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT Even more tests had been made in terms of 3 dimensional qualities of the spaces I was creating, not to mention the final form which needed to both compromise the aesthetic, experience and functionality.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT Integrated Design Report

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Structural solution

Unfortunately we were not informed much about reinforced concrete structures a lot in the technologies apart from the fact that reinforcement is needed and that for the structure that I am making a lot of it is required.

Apart from that the structure and the envelope would be fully load bearing which of course isn’t very common for contemporary buildings.

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

Environmental Performance Eco-social vs technophilia

This project was about breaking free from the function a little bit (Venturi’s paradigm of form accommodating function) this was almost inspired by my tutor Dominic Sagar who really set our minds free in terms of treating function and form quite distinctively at times. The buildings designed by myself have always been quite pragmatic, this time I sort of kept them parallel. In terms of the environmental and programmatic design I really wanted to implement ideas learned in humanities in terms of sustainability and environmental design. At the time I was writing an essay that touched the topics like fostering a sustainable behaviour and I wanted my programmatic design suggest and affect that. This of course was complemented with technology in terms of PVs and whatever approach I took I wanted to be integral with the form so it didn't look like an awkward addition.

That also was part of my constant questioning of what sustainability is and the idea was to have fun with it and use design concepts similar to actual concepts used for designing the actual buildings – this concept was exploring hibernation, which was quite contextual as we were at the end of the day in the part of Europe where animals do hibernate for winter to save energy when it's not quite needed.

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Wet areas separated and kept at the bottom level is another environmental consideration in terms of flooding.

Passive solar gain and PVs on sloped roofs designed with respect to the site.

The wet areas

Hibernation concept which works with splitting the building into the functions was exploited.

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Finishes

Attention had been put to design a fully workable exposed concrete roof both on the inside and on the outside. This is yet again another piece of detailing I managed to bring in from technologies unit.

The contrast had been created between the inside and the outside in order to provide at the end of the day a comfortable and rewarding interior for those who choose to come in.

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

General arrangement and key images

This image showcases the main approach to designing the kayaking experience which is through framing it and distinguishing between the ‘performance’ and training.

The site plan shows a rather imposing sitting of my design in its context

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The approach to the site as I gathered on the trip starts further out in the city, therefore my masterplan took care for connecting my design with the city.

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Again, sections showcasing a rather imposing and contrasting position of my building with regards to its context especially in terms of the sharp edges vs Kunsthaus smoothness. This is both a physical and environmental contrast.

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

Reflection

In the end I am not satisfied with this project completely, I was excited about it all the way through and I am excited about the final outcome. However there are two main areas where this project should have gone better. The details, despite learning the technology behind in situ concrete systems (taken from technologies) were not explored to the level I should have and would like to have gone into. Another issue is how the building sits on the site. Because the paradigm of modern disrespect for the context was explored by myself and because at the same time the building was broken up to take the circulation outside of it in order to create a sort of a 'non-building' (Eisenman, 2011) a contradiction was conceived. The building is imposing, yet it tries to be seaming-less. And whilst that works quite well with my concept, site analysis etc. in the end it just doesn't seem right. In comparison, my friend Alistair Hume designed a complete 'non-building' using similar materials to me, and he managed to fit it in its physical context so well it would not work anywhere else. That taught me that ignoring physical context is not the best of modernists ideas and certainly it proved to me that the design process by elimination does not work all the time. Yet those are the lessons I was yet to really understand in the upcoming project.

Oddly I dealt with levels in the first year and did design a 'non-building' as such before, which was very successful, yet I did not quite understand why that was the case and it seems that I needed to take a step back in my personal development to understand this, which in itself was very valuable as it my designs will be more informed rather than luckily intuitive.

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PROPOSAL BY ALISTAIR HUME ABOVE showcasing his perfect sitting against my imposition BELOW. This piece of peer work I think is an exemplar solution for the White Water brief in contrast to my unrealistic proposal.

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References Arnulf Meifert. Gunter Brus (Monographies). Centre Georges Pompidou Service Commercial, n.d.

“BBC NEWS | Programmes | More Or Less | Connecting with People in Six Steps.” Accessed December 3, 2012. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/more_or_less/5176698.stm.

“BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Austria Still Haunted by Nazi Past.” Accessed December 1, 2012. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/Europe/7283899.stm.

Daniel Libeskind. Countersign. London: Academy Editions, 1991.

Daniel Libeskind. Radix-matrix: Architecture and Writings. Munich: Prestel, 1997.

“European Election Database - Austria.” Accessed December 1, 2012. http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/austria/.

Gavin Stamp, and Heinz Gallery. Silent Cities: 1914-1919: An Exhibition of the Memorial and Cemetery Architecture of the Great War. London: Royal Institute of British Architects, 1977.

James Edward Young. At Memory’s Edge: After-images of the Holocaust in Contemporary Art and Architecture. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2000.

Jan Birksted. Landscapes of Memory and Experience. London: E. & F.N. Spon, 2000.

Jan C Scruggs, and Joel L Swerdlow. To Heal a Nation: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. 1st ed.

New York: Harper & Row, 1985.

Kimberly Elam. Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition. 2nd ed. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2011.

Kimberly Elam. Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition. 2nd ed. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2011.

Malcolm Green. Writings of the Vienna Actionists. London: Atlas Press, 1999.

Neil Leach. Rethinking Architecture: a Reader in Cultural Theory. London ; New York, NY: Routledge, 1997.

Nigel Pennick. Sacred Geometry. Newbury: Capall Bann Publishing, 1994.

Plowman, John. The Sculptor’s Bible: Surface Effects and How to Achieve Them. London: A. & C. Black, 2005.

Rolf Steininger. Austria, Germany, and the Cold War: From the Anschluss to the State Treaty, 1938-1955. Berghahn Books, 2012.

Sébastien Marot, and Architectural Association. Sub-urbanism and the Art of Memory. London: Architectural Association, 2003.

“The Far Right Is on the March Again: The Rise of Fascism in Austria | Mail Online.” Accessed December 1, 2012. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1160972/The-far-rightmarch-rise-Fascism-Austria.html.

“The Vietnam Wall Controversy - About - Overview.” Accessed November 20, 2012. http://digital. lib.lehigh.edu/trial/vietnam/.

Tony Deifell. Seeing Beyond Sight: Photographs by Blind Teenagers. San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle; Enfield: Publishers Group UK, 2007.

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Konrad Koltun 2.2

2.3

Grand Junction

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Introduction This semester was the first one in our archi-

tectural education where we got to chose a unit. I chose the 'Coexistance... in theory' which exploited the application of Hegelian dialectic logic in architecture. The design process introduced to us by tutors Maryam Osman and George Epolito informed our projects a lot and allowed for forms to be conceived that our studio group would never have thought of doing having followed a standard design process.

This consisted of seemingly unrelated tasks that were accumulating into a coherent whole with every step we took our designs further.

The humanities elective I chose for the term parallel to doing this project was also lead by George and informed and constituted a lot in the project.

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Konrad Koltun 2.3

Contextual Analysis As usual the design was precedent by a prag-

matic site analysis. This in this case included obvious measuring of the existing building and the usual group work which was stressed at this point of time.

PlayHOUSE

My HOUSE

150mm Running Bond interiour cavity wall

Timber

Brickwork & Blockwork

Timber framing system with diagonal bracing

Structural Materials

600mm English Bond loadbearing exteriour walls

& Iron

l Stee

Iron columns with Gothic foliage supporting balconies

Rafter flat roof system, partly in ruin

Two-way floor system: steel beams and rods bolted together

Two giant, fluted Ionic demi-columns supporting a straight entablature frames the proscenium

Balcony, ceiling & roof beams transmitting load to columns

Structural diagram of the Playhouse by Max Downe

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

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More Pragmatic

This part of the analysis featured obvious pieces of analysis our studio group tackled together so there wasn’t an area uncovered by it. This was obviously vital later on in our projects but also inspired certain pieces of more specific analysis directly affecting our proposals.

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Konrad Koltun 2.3

Dialectic

Apart from pragmatic analysis which involved an extensive approach to the social and cultural history of Hulme with regards to Manchester, as a studio group we were encouraged to carry out a dialectic site analysis. The pragmatic part was essential for the project to be successful functionally, whereas dialectic looked at interpretations and to inform the narrative of our buildings. This was supposed to look beyond general studio approach to site's 'Genius Loci' and allow 'Zeitgeist' into our forms.

My interpretation of this exercise down to qualcollectivecame coexistence ities of collective and individual.

As the readings went parallel with the humanities lectures, we were paired up with a person from other humanities electives. I was paired with Holly.

Main reading serving as basis for this exercise was ‘On site: architectural preoccupations’ by Carol Burns

This exercise was done in pairs and formed the basis for our concepts.

Exposed

subject

Detail

Hidden

Inconsistent

subject

Facade

Rigorous

Cohesive

subject

Context

Fragmented

addition compressed attached Filled

coherent

junction

subject

Massing

Hollow

1:5

subject

Proportions

5:1 Ornate

subject

Inside + Outside

Plain

1:5

Individual coexistence controlled

Elevated

subject

Plane

Sunken

Loose

subject

Urban Scale

Rigid

Passing

subject

Circulation

Arriving

diverse subtraction

detached Junction

parallel

subject

Residents/Users

Parallel

Addition

subject

Context

Subtraction

Introverted

subject

Entrance

Extroverted

tension 5:1 natural Attached

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subject

Residents/Users

Detached

Controlled

subject

Planting

Natural

Compressed

subject

Planting

Tensed

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Wider Context

The main topic of my humanities essay affected my view and ideas throughout the project.

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It didn't take long for the contextual analysis to start affecting the precedents, the main theme I gathered from the site analysis was collective vs individual in terms of experience, wider context etc. Conveniently I was writing an essay on that exact dialectic on bigger scales and that gave enough reading to support this wider theme.

Konrad Koltun 2.3

Generation of form (function and form struggle)

Form was generated bottom-up through the encouragement of the 'accident in the design process' in form of a detail and conventionally from top down to the bottom in terms of the concept. In a way the form is generated where the two approaches meet.

Top-down

Concept

programme

Form

Detail Bottom-up

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Detail

The detail was self imposed on ourselves as a precedent taken from a list of American architects. This initially wasn't to refer to our project and was to be developed at 1:1 scale. Later on we were encouraged to use the detail throughout in our form development – we needed to interpret it around our concepts.

Precedent

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Konrad Koltun 2.3

Montage

Simultaneously the second device for form generation was used in form of the site analysis montage. My attempt included finding a common theme in the chosen dialectics in order to compile with the Hegelian logic, that the opposites need to be conceived at their nature. I also interpreted the idea of a montage in terms of film or theatrical play. In those cases the montage is a set of scenes or plays related to each other through composition not only in regards to 2D or 3D positioning, but also with regards to time. The 'box' I created also expressed a tunnel from which the common theme of collective and individual was taken, and it also expressed a dialectical argument. Altogether a new form was conceived – loose in a rigid, which could be interpreted as the synthesis for the argument.

Collective vs Individual - Loose In a Rigid

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Studio session where the montage is presented.

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Very quickly I saw the dead ends the montage encouraged the reviewers to enter as design opportunity – in the similar way I was to design the three most important spaces in the scheme as of collective experience to which a transition was to be made from individual outside. The form itself therefore was to be flexible and accommodating those and other qualities. The different pieces of analysis – whether pragmatic or dialectical intertwined and got accumulated in the common theme. From the wider context struggle I gathered that the programme of the building in order to be successful has to involve local educational centres making it space efficient. The building is rigid, the programme is loose, yet there was nothing to express it. The paradigm of 'form follows function' was out fashioned ages ago, and the 'decorated shed' carried kitsch with itself. The need of 'decorated ducks' flipped

by Eisenman in 2011 at Rice University lecture was interpreted by myself and the aesthetic of loose in a rigid was quickly related to theatre. This was in terms of curtains, curtains related to cotton in my mind and that obviously relates to Manchester's history. Yet the fabric used within the building functionally to alter their environment is used on the outside as a space making device in accordance to the way Peter Eisenman describes it.

The design grows to the site boundary to increase the flexibility.

Square system is an obvious choice for steelwork structure.

Capitalising on decay featured one of the most important themes in my design aesthetic.

The two precedents feature an inside out house - and highly flexible theatre, which is what I was trying to achieve with this design.

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Fabric was to be therefore the expression of the loose - of tension – of individual.

Without a doubt that also stimulated to put emphasis on the compression of the existing building. Playhouse was therefore further altered to accommodate the new theme, the new way of transition and experience. Previously it featured a rather homely entrance, when it needed a civic dignity.

Those are some options for how to make the entrance to the Playhouse much more dignifying.

The experience defined by volumes in the Playhouse.

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The form was generated mainly using the detail and conceptual individualistic and collective spatial qualities supported by similar qualities in terms of the materiality.

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Konrad Koltun 2.3

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Thinking about the construction sequence in the design proved valuable later on in terms of detail development.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Strip foundations are a reasonable solution for this kind of structure as they provide a deep anchor into the ground with a foot that stops them from tripping especially in terms of free standing columns.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

post and beam steelwork using reclaimed materials. That obviously had an affect on my environmental stance and the project description. Moving from detail up I was extremely confident about this design area. The construction sequence followed this bottom-up design logic and at last I reached the rigid structure that grows to the size of the site.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Structural Solution The structure follows the detail. It its a

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

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I used the physical spatial model to learn about post and beam structures as well.

Visiting a derelict post and beam structure building was the best way to learn a system I was unfamiliar with before.

Making the spatial model and looking at Bareclona Pavilion helped me understand and use the freeplan.

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Whilst typically beams in those kind of structures can span 10-12m most of my spans are kept to 4.5-5.5m and the reason for that is to ensure stable structure for weakened material and to reinforce the idea of flexibility in this building. Another reason for such high post density is that the structural grid is also quite distinctive in order to achieve an aesthetic of a naturally growing forest. The solution for the structure is such that it can accommodate any programme and spatial organisation which allows for the concept of the loose in a rigid to take place.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

The logic of assembly of reclaimed columns might be quite spontaneous if we consider then would have to be dissembled.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Natural Constructed

Le Corbusier had a considerable impact on my project in terms of tectonics.

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Environmental Consideration I wanted to keep this area of the design integrated with the overall concept as I felt confident that my wider theme of collective and individual can cover this area. The balance was to be kept between environmental design for the commodity and sustainability. I specifically wanted to focus on experiential areas of the topic and more functional such as acoustics since it has a big impact on performance and theatrical spaces.

I already discovered the solution to those problems with designing the transition from individual to collective spaces. In similar way this kind of transition was to be featured environmentally from natural to controlled ventilation, from extreme to controlled temperatures, from exposed to enclosed acoustic areas of the building.

Many of these issues were covered by the programmatic and formal development such as the basic idea of following the Playhouse solution of having acoustic absorbing rooms in between the street and the main performance spaces.

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The facade not only makes space but also affects the building in terms of not allowing any direct light reaching performance spaces which could be vulnerable to direct sunlight not necessarily desired in those kind of spaces. They also incorporate an innovative PV solution which pushes the exploitation of the fabric – material Manchester was once known for.

Services are taken care for through the programmatic design (through aligning like functional rooms in plan together) and by the fact that the building features an honest design, therefore any service pipes etc. can be lead throughout the building randomly and that only constitutes to the beauty of it.

The environmental concept: from extreme to comfortable.

PV fabric

by Sheila Kennedy

Aligning service areas together and having an exposed, honest structure makes services part of the buildings narrative.

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The environmental section following the principles.

The acoustic diagram.

Konrad Koltun 2.3

Finishes, details The idea for the finishes and details was so that they spoke the same language. The material composition in itself was to express the transition from materials of compressive and tensile qualities.

The images from the portfolio should speak for themselves in this case.

Details speaking the same language...

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Fabric is Good in tension, Steel/Timber is good in both, Brick is good in compression

The precedent of Barcelona Pavilion was kept in mind throughout the design process.

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Construction logic informing more sustainable material usage.

Constant dialogue between the materials.

Konrad Koltun 2.3

Drawings In the production of the drawings I tried to

use architectural devices such as line weights or distinguish between sketch and drawing in order to showcase the hierarchy and the concepts in the building. With the usage of proper line weights and intelligent design informed by the hierarchy allowed in the end for the drawings to speak for themselves in that matter.

The visualisations also feature enhancements which allowed to tell the story of the loose in a rigid and so on.

The ‘sketched’ lines represent flexibility and the contrast between rigid and loose.

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In the plans I wanted to reflect the hierarchy I tried to establish and carry throughout the project.

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Konrad Koltun 2.3

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The sections were purely used for occupational and experiential spaces.

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Konrad Koltun 2.3

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Reflection The methodology and experimentation was lead by

our tutors, which allowed us to focus on the particular tasks and make the most out of them as oppose to trying to come up with the methodology itself. This means that we learned an exciting and unpredictable design process, because since the methodology and experimentation was the same in the group, the actual development went in different directions.

The most important thing perhaps, the thing that introduced me to the architectural theory accompanied my project and this was what allowed me to comprehend this year of architectural education in terms of theory. The nature of the studio sessions and sub assignments pushed me to match the amount of output from previous semesters. This linked with more concrete issues in terms of the politics pushed me to the boundaries of my intellect.

In terms of reflecting upon the process itself I have to admit that I was extremely lucky in terms of the way this project settled for me. Perhaps the biggest issue I would put more time and attention to would be the initial pragmatic site analysis, constantly having in mind the fact that it has to refer to the more sensual dialectic analysis too. I am not entirely satisfied with certain things, such as the time and the delivery of the concept. I do not feel that I delivered it in the most clever and efficient way, perhaps I made it too overwhelming. Perhaps it would have been more successful if I delivered some of the drawings and diagrams at the same time, as oppose to relating them in time of the reading. Also, for my educational purposes I feel that the environmental issues should be considered with a greater attention, however this wasn't an issue in the case of this project, as the point was to get introduced to the theory, which I would not otherwise comprehend.

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This is perhaps the most important thing i learned from doing this project - how to design a building using proper architectural qualities to evoke specific experiences, rather than expressing those experiences in shape of forms.

Konrad Koltun 2.3

References Bergman, J., 2001. Darwin’s Influence on Ruthless Laissez-Faire Capitalism. Institute for Creation Research.

Ching, F., 2008. Building construction illustrated, 4th ed. John Wiley, NJ. Deleuze, G., 1997. Postscript of the Societies of Control, in: Rethinking Architecture: a Reader in Cultural Theory. Routledge, London and New York, pp. 293–299.

Doreen, M., 2000. Space-time and the politics of the location, in: Architecturally Speaking: Practices of Art, Architecture and the Everyday. Routledge, London.

Eisenman, P., 2010. Lateness and the End of Crisis. Rice School of Architecture.

Harvey, D., 2006a. Spaces of Global Capitalism: Towards a Theory of Uneven Geographical Development, 1st ed. Verso, London and New York.

Harvey, D., 2006b. The Political Economy of Public Space, in: The Politics of Public Space. Routledge, Oxon.

Harvey, D., 2012. Rebel cities: from the right to the city to the urban revolution, 1st ed. Verso, London.

Jameson, F., 1997. The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, in: Rethinking Architecture: a Reader in Cultural Theory. Routledge, London and New York.

Jameson, F., 2003. Future City. New Left Review.

Leach, N., 1997. Rethinking architecture: a reader in cultural theory.

Routledge, New York.

Leech, L.V., 1972. Structural steelwork for students. Butterworths, London.

Loomis, J., 2011. Revolution of Forms: Cuba’s Forgotten Art Schools, Revised edition. ed. Princeton Architectural Press. muf, Shonfield, K., 2000. Public territory, in: Architecturally Speaking: Practices of Art, Architecture and the Everyday. Routledge, London.

Nozick, R., 1997. Why Do Intellectuals Oppose Capitalism? Socratic Puzzles 280–95.

Read, A., 2000. Architecturally speaking. Routledge, London.

Sayers, S., 1980. On The Marxist Dialectic, in: Hegel, Marx and the Dialectic: A Debate. pp. 1–24.

Smith, B.J., Owen, S., 1996. Acoustics and noise control, 2nd ed.

Longman, Harlow.

Smith, K., 2012. Introducing architectural theory: debating a discipline. Routledge, NY. Wayne, J., 1987. Editor’s Introduction, in: The Communist Manifesto.

Canadian Scholar’s Press, Toronto.

West, E.G., 1992. Adam Smith and Modern Economics: From Market Behaviour To Public Choice, First. ed.

Edward Elgar Publishing Company, Newcastle upon Tyne.

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Conclusion The year was extremely heavy and stressful in order to attempt to fulfill the requirements expected of us. This means however that I have made probably the biggest improvement in my life in terms of just about any professional aspects of it. The constant need to meet deadlines at a high standard, the constant need of developing skills and our intellectual capabilities were the drivers for that improvement.

It would prove impossible to list all the things I have learned in the process as many of them haven't been absorbed and used yet. Perhaps in terms of the pragmatic skills I gained a comfortable technical knowledge and I learned to be creative in terms of environmental issues. I tackled social and political issues in depth and application which really allowed me to understand books like 'Rebel Cities' by David Harvey. The biggest challenge in the process was to beat the time and manage a reasonable social life along with the studies. In terms of my strengths I can probably point out endurance and hard work, impatience and very low cultural level along AutoCad related issues when the deadline was approaching being my weaknesses.

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I would definitely try to change my managing skills – I used no calendar what so ever, never mind planning ahead, I just did things and I worked most efficient when the deadline was approaching. Being more consistent in terms of output time throughout the year would probably allow me to get more sleeping time in whilst maintaining my effectiveness levels. Another issue was the software I used – very often I spent far too long on 3D inefficient programmes when knowing Revit or Rhino would increase the efficiency speeds and this is something I will need to look into. I also forgot about hand drawings and designing quickly that way when again I wasted time amending non-parametric models in CAD when changes were needed.

A few ideas for further studies and experience were conceived throughout the year.

In terms of education I will keep exploring the issues with architecture related to their political sitting. In terms of more specific ideas, I would like to do an evaluation of Le Corbusier inspired architecture depending on the spoken language of the designing architect (Towards New Architecture was mistranslated and should read Towards Architecture). I will also become the communication officer in the MsSA next year in order to gain more experience in that matter, which is something I didn’t think I could have done this year

Konrad Koltun

One of my biggest achievements this year was to keep constantly look at the wider context of my projects and to question. I questioned to the point where I questioned not only the permanence of architecture, but permanence and meaning of my projects.

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Thanks for flicking through.

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