L u c a s
k o l e i t s
A r c h i t e c t u r a l
P o r t f o l i o 1
Intra Glacial
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Edge Effect
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510 Bourke street
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Resume
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I n t r a G l a c i a l 4
Project Abstract The year is 2045, and 70% of the planet’s accessible mineral resources have been exhausted. Economic pressure pushes mankind to search for the last unexploited mineral reserves on earth, located kilometers beneath the antarctic ice cap. Over the past 50 years, escalation of resource consumption has been paralleled by society’s concern for the environment. Originally protected under the Madrid Protocol, Antarctica was opened to mining in 2041 under the condition that the pristine surface remained unaltered. Mining corporations tunnel deep into the ice caps, creating an intraglacial network of spaces to reach remote mineral reserves. Subjected to subzero temperatures, isolated from sunlight; with no direct access to the surface and constantly unpredictable shifting surroundings, this is Intra Glacial.
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Speculation Through careful study of the political, economical and environmental conditions of Antarctica, a strategy is devised to occupy the continent while maintaining an invisible presence. The mining operations that occur beneath the ice, leaving the ice surface untouched, but pillaging the continent itself for mineral resources begins to question the idea of the pristine. Is this an optimal solution to supplement depleting mineral reserves? Or is this a dystopic environmental disaster? Intra Glacial is designed to be more than a speculation on the future, it is designed to illuminate the conditions of today.
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The model The system was developed into a perspex physical model. 7 layers of perspex were cut using a laser cutter, and carefully assembled to create a three dimensional rendition of the mineral extraction network in the ice. A frame was built around the perspex, with 2 strips of LED lights installed at the top and the bottom of the perspex sheets. The light refractes through the perspex, only illuminating the sections where cuts were made, producing the outline effect you can see in these images. Within the model, small etchings of people, containers, housing structures and machinery were made with the laser cutter to give added detail. For more information on this project, visit http://issuu.com/ lucaskoleits to see the project book and https://vimeo.com/ user30842345 to see the accompanying video animation.
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E d g e E f f e c t 8
Section
East elevation
The edge effect The edge effect is a biological term, referring to the change in community structure as a result of being at the edge of the population. This project addresses this unique condition of the site, and of the issue of permeability in a growing city. Melbourne’s population is growing at an unprecedented rate. This is illustrated architecturally by the rapid construction of apartment towers around the fringes of the CBD. As more towers are constructed, the center of our city becomes less permeable to light, to air, to people. The CBD skyline can be interpreted as a wall, one that many have to fight through in order to reach their workplaces every day. The Edge Effect project seeks to create a structure that minimises a footprint, allows for maximisation of green space and increase the permeability of structures to light and air. North east elevation
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The Japanese screen The building form is inspired by a Japanese screen, which forms a barrier while still being permeable to light and noise. Apartments have an abundance of natural light, with views to both the north and south due to the narrow profile of the building. The zig-zag form of the building, also typical of a Japanese screen, assists with the dirstribution of wind loads. The ground floor has very little internalised space, most of the area given to a public square and park. The two are graduated into each other, making the journey across the site a transition from city to nature, and vice versa.
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Apartments Apartments have minimal party walls, windows on the north and south aspect and a small courtyard. The floor plans are designed to optimise narrow space living, incorporating a corridor along the south aspect with sliding doors that allow you to personalise and alter the space for different uses. The courtyards look to both the north and the south, can open up to the outside and serves and a formal entrance space. Operable window panels allow for the movement of natural air into these spaces, while protecting residents at high elevations from strong winds. Exterior cladding is glass framed by an anodised aluminum frame network, that appears as a mesh from a distance. These frames are extruded away from the building by 200 mm to provide shade in summer.
Three bedroom apartment 1:100
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floor plan 1:500
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5 1 0 B o u r k e 12
s t
The project The project involved the investigation building technologies and techniques. Teams of three worked to design and detail a commercial high rise at 510 Bourke street, Melbourne. The design included serval cantilevers, an externalised diagrid system and the inclusion of photo-voltaic panels. While most components used are existing, the steel diagrid components were designed specially for this project, based on the design of the Swiss RE center’s diagrid connection.
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The model The model was constructed from laser cut box board, designed to assembled without the use of glue. Only the diagrid structure was glued in this model, everything else was clipped in to carefully designed notches in the core and floor plates. This gave us great freedom to work on the model removing floor plates and trying new designs, and became an important tool in the design process. This also allowed us to create a cut down the middle of the model, allowing you to see the inner workings and alternative perspectives of the structure.
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Details of the interface between the externalised steel diagrid and the interior column frame structure.
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Key Ski lls Laser cutter operation Model making Video editing and Animation Critical thinking Excellent team skills Interpersonal skills Customer service Public speaking and presentation Experimental design
Rhino 5.0 3DS Max 2014 Auto CAD Architecture 2014 Revit Architecture 2014 V ray Adobe Suite Google Sketch up Google Earth Pro Microsoft Office 2013 R statistical analysis coding
Achievements Winner Superstudio Victoria, 2014 Golden Key Honor Society, 2012 Antarctic Field Leader, 2012 President, Melbourne University Zoological Student Society, 2010
Educati on University of Melbourne, Masters of Architecture (300pt)
Current
University of Tasmania, Masters of Antarctic Science
2011 - 2012
University of Melbourne, Bachelor of Science
2008 - 2010
Flinders Christian Community College, VCE
2001 - 2006
Experi ence Education Officer, CSIRO Education
2012 to present
Marine Research Assistant, Australian Antarctic Division
2011 - 2012
Tour guide, Werribee Open Range Zoo
2009 - 2011
Qua li fi cati ons Working with children check PADI open water diving license Medium rigid heavy vehicle drivers license Certificate to operate ride on vehicles
Referees Jannette Le, Tutor, Melbourne University
jannette.le@unimelb.edu.au 0433 315 796
Mond Qu, Tutor, Melbourne University
m@mondqu.com 0431 039 988
Chris Krishna-Pilay, Victorian Manager, CSIRO Education
chris.krishna-pillay@csiro.au (03) 9252 6264
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Lucas Koleits 16 Vale st East Melbourne Victoria 3002 lucaskoleits@gmail.com 0433 550 876 Websites: http://issuu.com/lucaskoleits https://vimeo.com/user30842345 With a diverse background, I can bring a unique set of skills to an architecture firm. The ability to use both my scientific skill set and architectural perspective has proved fruitful in past projects. I have traveled extensively, including living in Antarctica for six months. This led to my interest in architecture at extremes, and the notion of speculative architecture. While I like to think about the big pictures in architecture, I feel that architecture is at its most elegant in the finest details, with the final form being expressive as well as functional.
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