Architecture Undergraduate Folio

e ite p a s c s o t d nt n a e l o m t n e o r r u nvi d t c e t E loy i L h w c r t t he a M A

Contents Introduction I Collective Forms 1

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Imagery to Generate Architecture

Precedents 2

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Precedents

Investigation 4

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Investigation

Process 5

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Process

Translation 8

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Translation

A Square in the Round 10

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The Shrine and Cathedral

Precedents 11

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Precedents

Investigation 12

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Investigation

Process 13

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Process

Translation 15

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Translation

Conclusion 29

Idea Strain Diagram

Influences Diagram

SHADOW TESTING BLURRED

Introduction

CONCENTRIC

PRECEDENTS DEFINED SHAPE-MAKING MOOD

‘Architecture to Landscape, Environment to Site’ is a narrative based on my way of working towards design. I am discovering through my work that I enjoy blurring the relationship of what is architecture and what is landscape. The seamless integration of an artificial form within a natural landscape is an idea I have been pursuing throughout my design career. The embodiment of these two key ideas also build upon another important strategy I have been developing which is the incoporation of both public and private space.

FORMAL CURVES

SITE RESEARCH

PATTERN-MAKING

COLOUR

NATURE

ORNAMENTATION

IMAGERY

DIAGRAMS

My work has been influenced by Morphosis, Tezuka Architects and Jun Aoki. These practices I believe tend to reside around a common idea of how they approach landscape, site, environment and architecture. The process they used to investigate and resolve architecture was something I developed similarily, by that I mean diagrams. The diagram was a tool I used to help myself understand and extract the simplest elements of a design.

I Have categorised the portfolio into four key design stages. These stages are Precedents, Investigation, Process and Translation. The subheadings give a brief scoop on each of the projects design process within the timeline of a semester. As a way of reflecting and comparing ideas of each projects design stages I have developed a referencing system which can be seen on the left hand side of each subheading page (except the first project). This will allow the viewer to compare project against project in a categorical manner which refers specifically to the subheading your looking at.

AESTHETICS

SITE BOUNDARIES

The realm of public and private space was an interest developed from the idea of dealing with architecture and landscape. I incoporate and seamlessly connect or interchange public and private spaces to create a fluid and efficient moving environment. You will begin to see these two key ideas emerge within the folio.

Portfolio Structure

MASS TESTING

FORM-MAKING

IDEA ENHANCING CIRCULATION

MATERIALS SITE PRIVATE SITE CONTOURS

EXPERIENTIAL SPACE

SITE RESPECTIVE PUBLIC PROGRAM

PUB VS. PRIV

PROCESS CONTROLLED CIRCULATION

Legend This diagram represents my entire thinking strain from 2010 to present 2012.

The ideas I am referring to here are my adaptations and learning abilities over the past 3 years.

You can clearly see benefits of different studios and how they have evolved my process and thinking on a multitude of levels.

DIGITAL MODELLING SKETCHING MASS MODELLING

DIAGRAMMING

Collective forms Design Level 4

Project: Primary School and Nursery Site: Docklands, Melbourne The Docklands Primary Shool and kindergarten followed the Montessori pedagogic principles.

In other words the architecture, the design of the classrooms, and above all the environment are all very important. The task lied in helping children to grow up through their own efforts.

An environment in which the children are aware of the seasons and can gain their own basic experiences. The school wants to educate them to be considerate in their dealings with other pupils and to learn to stand on their own two feet. Children need scope and adequate space to occupy themselves intensely with the things that interest them. It is the only way they will be content and be able to develop self-assurance.

In the school I wanted to avoid automatic controls that are so common in buildings today ie, light switches. This enforces the development common sense. You close the door because there is a drought. You understand how a light goes on by pulling the cord of the lamp. Turning an old-fashioned tap serves to teach children that they can control the volume of water in this way and that they’ll get wet feet if they if they leave it on too long. As a result of this children learn to turn the tap on and off themselves. Earth, trees, water and air all form part of this reality. The building is a plaything and also a tool that is instrumental in the children’s development.

The most important thing is the atmosphere in which they are immerses. In addition, the openness of the architecture helps them to learn everyday manners. Children learn to observe a certain order by themselves; for examples, by placing their shoes in the proper place. It could be said that the architecture compels children to do this, because otherwise they wouldn’t find their shoes anymore.

The usual rectangular classrooms has a lot of disadvantages; that in a spatial continuum where there is no real end – that’s divided into zones simply by mobile elements – one could obviate the nasty habit children have of picking on each other. Above all, the clear overview that’s provided in this way is in the interest of the children’s safety, because the teachers can constantly keep an eye on them. That’s particularly reassuring, since the primary school also houses a kindergarten with smaller children.

As a result of the architecture, which affords clear lines of sight from courtyards and unhindered view of the children.

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Fuji Kindergarten Architect: Tezuka Architects Location: Tokyo, Japan Project Year: 2007 Project Area: 1095 sqm

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This precedent was a pivotal influence in my primary school project. It taught me the idea that a boundary does not have to be a definite line or specific shape such as a circle. The aspect of using curves as ways to create seamless movement and a less harmful environment.

Giant Group Campus Architect: Morphosis Location: Shanghai, China Project Year: 2010 Project Area: 253,300 sqm

I extracted the idea of incorporating public and private space from this precedent. I discovered form following the landscape could become a generator for dealing with both public and private programs.

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Private Space Public Space

Investigation

Site

Above: I began my research into the site by begining to unpack the idea of incoporating public and private space. The site afforded me the opportunity to do this by using the steep inclination of the landscape to peel back and reveal private spaces underneath while allowing the public to occupy the space above.

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Above: Taking the peeling strategy further I began to manipulate the true site contours and construct a playdoh model to allow me to playfully experiment with the landscape and gain an understanding of the spatial qualities to be revealed within.

Process This strategy is the combination of 2 key ideas. Peeling and Collective Forms.

Group Form Above: While attaining the Peeling method as a way of dealing with public and private space. I began my process of investigating collective forms as a way to programmatically arrange the school classesrooms.

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Mega Form

Compositional Form

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7&8 Neighbourthood

Above: Preceding Mid-semester I decided to re-examine the idea of incorporating both the public and private space as one. While still retaining the two key ideas of peeling and revealing.

Roof Littered with triangular glazing to match the floor below

Facade dictated according to program Art Space Glazing, held in by sculptural window frames 7 year olds teaching space courtyard Private reading time

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Left: The new site condition is more elevated than the previous design which allows the classrooms to sink into the landscape giving the site a seamless relationship to its architecture.

Translation

Right: The embodiment of ideas such as the Peeling strategy and group form begin to evolve in this diagram. As you can see the peeling diagram and the manipulation of the site condition diagram are pushed together to create the above drawing. This drawing now highlights the augmented landscape as a public zone while the childrens circulation spaces are retained underneath in a series of tunnels.

Below: The school now retains a proper playground and play area for the kids. The school classrooms are sunk into the fringes of the school landscape to create a boundary for the kids and to allow the public to engage and use it as recreational space.

Left: This model conveys the idea of how public and private blend as one. The public can use the school roof as recreational space while the children reside underneath.

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Left: The classrooms all relate to each other and are based off the group form idea as a way of arranging the programs. Instead of a hierachical language being setup the school encourages mixtures of ages to play and learn together as a way of experiential learning.

Right: Perspective render of school in its entirety.

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A Square in the Round Design Level 3

Project: Annexe and Gallery Space Site: Arts Precinct, Melbourne This project is about re-activating the sturt street spine and in specific the NGV backspace.

The outdoor space of the NGV was ill used. A few sculptures and garden ornaments garnished the backspace yet seemed subservient to the NGV. Accompanied with this project of redesigning the backspace was the speculative FJMT ramp design. Which extended from the Arts centre to Alexander Ave. This was a project aimed at re-uniting and bridging the cultural district into a single pedestrian ramp. ‘A Square in the Round’ addresses Roy Grounds unfinished geometry. He once had the view of completing the NGV with three clear geometries in mind. Triangle, rectangle and the circle. These ideas came from the Rooftop House, Leyser House and Henty House. While the rectangle and triangle were realised through the site the circle however was unfinished or non exisitent, this is where my design came into play.

The circle was a direct response to Roy Grounds obsession with geometries and an appeal to tradition in regards to the arts precinct. The interior however was a juxtaposition of shapes to fulfill Grounds investigations into insetting shapes within one another. I was interested in testing this idea. I drew upon SANAA and Roy Grounds precedents to help develop and solve the interior spatial confliction.

The result was an interior which mirrored both the ground and first floor. This in tern generated a directional path to create the Annexe which left the gallery spaces to become seperated into two types of spaces, one being dark and the other light. The facade is a visual aesthetic as much as its a piece of signage. The linear direction points pedestrians and occupiers in the direction of Alexander ave and NGV. The contrast of materiality is a response to Roy Grounds contrast in ideas, the white facade against the dark granite facade is another play on these ideas to both symbolise and embrace the architectural influence Roy Grounds had on the Arts Precinct.

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Reference: Precedents

Circulation, Undefined Form

21st Century Museum of Modern Art Architect: SANAA Location: Kanazawa, Japan Project Year: 2004 Project Area: 17,300 sqm

SANAA’s museum of modern art was a useful generator for ideas when designing the spatial relationships inside the circular form. The simple yet effective method SANAA used was testing many randomised square block models, which were then cut out by the desired form. I began to harness these ideas and develop them through a series of light and shadow models.

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Reference: Investigation

Contours

Investigation L

Interference diagram

Interference diagram 3

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G

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N

D

Vehicular Access

Traffic Noise

Pedestrian Paths

Tram Station

Bike Paths NGV Paths

Proposed Annexe

Tram Lines Pedestrian Access to site FJMT Ramp Buildings on Sturt St Surrounding Context Pedestrian Access NGV Sculpture Garden

The purpose of these diagrams was to identify how you would circulate around the building if the exterior juxtaposed against the interior.

Right: Rooftop House by Roy Grounds

Right: The interference diagrams were used as a tool for deciding the location of the gallery and to gain an understanding of the site.

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Reference: Process

Revealing / Group forms

Process

Amalgamate of Squares

Utopian idea: The octopus’s head is the central hub for connectivity while the tentacles flow and move in an out of the landscape to reach key points of the site.

Right:Testing SANAA’s theory of amalgamating randomised squares and cropping to attain spatial divisions.

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Cropping the Arrangement of Square Blocks using the Geometry of the Circle

Spatial Division Obtained

Conceptual Planning Strategies

Concept 6 Concept 8

Concept 1 Concept 7

Circulation

Concept 2

Left: investigating the properties of attaining spatial divisions through light and shadows created by laser etched perspex models.

Concept 9

Program Diagramming Precedent Research

Gallery Spaces/Exhibition Circulation Space Shop Cafe/Bar Reception/Offices Storage Space/Cloaking Multi-Level Courtyards Fire Escape Elevators

Material Samples

Dome House Mcbride Charles Ryan

Bluestone Tiles

Circulation

Villa Bordeaux OMA

Concept 3

GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete)

Steel/Aliminium Circulation

SANAA Museum of Modern Art Sejima

Concept 4

Gallery Space Cafe Services/Offices Entry/Reception/Transgress Area

Circulation

Reformed Access to Site

Concept 5

NGV

Circulation

Above: Testing different ideas for interiors through projecting the cropped roof design into the circle to create the spatial divisions.

FJMT RAMP

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Below: The solid blocks represent the program and the perspex or clear areas represent the courtyards and circulation spaces. This was the key moment in the project when I could begin to translate the idea into a built form.

Translation

Ground Plan

Right: The orange filled areas are the designated program for the gallery spaces and other light grey areas represent circulation space.

Right: NGV garden render. Shows the square facade juxtaposed against the circular form.

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First Floor Plan

Detail of Curtain Wall Facade Section 125mm diameter powder-coated stainless steel glass fixing

Pre-case custom aluminum facade panels Aluminum housing for LED’s Facade glazing: 2x 5mm laminater safety glass Silicone joint Waterproof membrane Suspended precast concrete slab 225 (6mm Rebar @ 200mm spacing) 300mm concrete retaining wall

Right: Detail diagram of how the rubix facade connects to the glazing. Also highlights the gallery space in the lower level.

Far right. Render depicting the upper level gallery space, the spaces are lit by the central courtyard and LED lights that follow the facade over the roof.

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Imagery to Generate Architecture Design Level 2

Project: Library Site: Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne This project was about exploring a range of imagery through research and development as a way of generating architecture. The imagery could be raw or manipulated, it was about generating an aesthetic through these ideas and developing a process in how you may generate architecture through imagery. The program was a library located within the heart of flagstaff gardens.

In this project, I found it difficult to research and develop the initial imagery due to my inability to architecturalise them. It was only untill I stuck to a specific theme regarding nature that I began to properly grasp what was going on inside the studio. I looked into coral and ocean life initially to generate a source of ornamentation however this was unsuccessful, mainly due to the images, they lacked a certain flare in my opinion.

So I instead turned to nature as whole and began researching birds and specifically wings. A birds wing structure is based on the principle of tension and compression to keep and maintain flight. I used this as an analogy to investigate the tensegrity properties of the bird wing.

I had begun investigating the bird wing and understanding the idea of tensegrity, after numerous tests the idea of a structural form stemming from the tensegrity idea was a more convinving proposal. I manipulated the source tensegrity image diagram to obtain a starting form and through that development I refined the form each week till it was resolved to a scultpural form backed by a strong formal aesthetic.

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Reference: Precedents

Circulation, Undefined Form

Insetting Shapes within Shapes

Imagery Nudibranch

I began by investigating nudibranchs due to there beautiful colours and the stigma that is usually attached to slugs, by that I mean they are ugly. I was particularly interested in diffusing the colours of the slugs to obtain the unique pattern which is seen on there bodies.

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Reference: Investigation

Contours

Interior Movement

Investigation

Above: Resulting from my precedent study on nudibranchs I began to investigate other means of marine life due to the extravagant colours they ivoke and mysterious nature that surrounds them. I began diffusing the images of corals and applying filters to search for something that drew my attention. However this was unsuccessful.

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Above: I was unsuccessful in the previous study, however I still wanted to pursue my obession with nature so I turned to the idea of tensegrity architecture, which means tension and compression. I was intersted in this idea due to its connection to nature, its ability to generate a structure aswell as providing an aesthetic.

Reference: Process

Revealing / Group forms

Amalgamating and Cropping

Process

Above: Began looking at the idea of Tensegrity architecture as a source of imagery rather than understanding the mathematical formulas of the tension and compression systems. This diagram highlights a typical structural system held up by tension and compression properties. I was inspired by this piece of imagery and began to trace over it.

Right: After tracing the source imagery I began to manipulate the levels of each curve and think of it as a structural aesthetic. The pink rods are in tension while the Red rods are in compression.

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Right: Formal studies of Tensegrity structural systems. Looking at ways to create forms while working within the limits of tension and compression.

Translation

Right: Evolution diagram of how the structure fits together. The library’s structure is contained within the exterior steel tubes which feed off each other similiar to the tension and compression idea.

Far right: The finished stucture for the library. The sculptural form demanded a secondary structure to keep the large glazing panels in check.

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Left: For a secondary structure I decided to turn to the original source image to draw inspiration. I wanted to use a technique which would add to the sculptural identity of the library. I looked into cropping the original image to generate the secondary structure. The scaled back croppings would become ample for holding the glazing and add a further layer of detail to the building.

Right: Final render of the Library sitting within its context. The sculptural form makes a statement of its own and prides itself on the highest point of ths site.

Right: This image depicts the raw structure, without glazing and interiors. The white tubing marks itself as the primary structure while the secondary structure can be viewed as the darker grey webbed tubing.

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The Shrine and Cathedral Design Level 5

Project: Shrine and Offices Site: St Patricks Cathedral, Melbourne The Shrine located in the heart of the St Patricks cathedral site, followed a role that both enhanced the cathedral and rejected it. The sculptural form which surrounds the shrine serves as a protector and privacy enhancer. The embodiment of programs within this form also begins to address other key features of the site and in specifc the cathedral. The form which begins to coil around the cathedral is the renewed priests quarters, at all times the priests will be able to see there beloved cathedral and easily move from one building to another.

The formal responses to this project came from the massing and site tests I begun to undertake as a way of addressing certain pressures and influences on the site. I was aiming to setup a series of relationships with the occupiers as a way of holistically creating a reflective space for the shrine. The shrine garden on the right of the egg shaped library performs the same role, It is used as a privacy screen to block noise and traffic views into the shrine.

The shrine focuses not on a religious belief but something that can involve all people from all parts of the world. This intern was hard to create due to the amount of beliefs and cultural differences that are instilled in todays society. So I turned to something which resided above that idea, I looked into humanity as a whole and began my research into this idea. The three shrines located within the square blocks on the siteplan all ahere and appeal to different ideas of humanity. One is good fortune the other is morals/values and finally luck. These are all ideas which can enhance and involve the community as a whole due to its resignation of appealing to everyday aspects.

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Reference: Precedents

Circulation, Undefined Form

Insetting Shapes within Shapes

Pattern Generation by Diffusing

Omiyame Sports Facility Architect: Jun Aoki & Associates Location: Suginami-ku, tokyo Project Year: 2010 Project Area: 5,783 sqm

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The Omiyame Sports Facility was an important driver in this project due to its enomity in scale and its approach to site. Although the design didnt neccessarily have much influence it was more the diagram to the far right which was the main instigator for the ideas. Jun Aoki did this through generating forms based on site information.

Above: The redifined circulation which is established through site influences and pressures dictates the programmatic arrangment. This way the program directly responds and relates to the site.

Reference: Investigation

Contours

Interior Movement

Imagery

Investigation

Above: Due to the sites presence of one of Melbourne’s most iconic landmarks. I first approached the design with a sense of purity and submission to the church. This siteplan represents my first study into the idea of the Golden Ratio to create perfect forms and program arranging to reflect the cathedrals tradition and purity.

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Above: A montage I used as a tool to decide on placement and locations of programs.

It builds on the context and site pressures to help define circulation points through the site.

Reference: Process

Revealing / Group forms

Amalgamating and Cropping

Abstracting Tensegrity Imagery

Process

Left: The siteplans and massing mode strategies to the left and above were investigations on different types of forms and programmatic arrangements on site

Above: I decided to approach the site in the same way Jun Aoki did in his diagram. The diagram is a conceptual site plan which begins to build upon the idea of circulation as the key generator for form and program.

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Translation

Above: The massing models and siteplans led me to this idea. This refers to the shrine as the dominant program while three other supporting programs cushion the shrine and address the three points of the site.

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Above: The tranlsation of the program placement and form can be seen in this diagram. The three blobs supporting the inner shrie was taken one step further by connecting the three supporting blobs into a singular form.

Above: This section begins to illustrate the suttle form-making of the shrine and surrounding programs. The design is not meant to compete with the cathedral, it instead address’s and compliments the cathedral with its formal gestures.

Right: Model of the shrine and surrounding programs.

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Key Design Idea

Key Precedent Diagrams

Key Investigation Diagrams

Key Process Diagrams

Translation

Conceptual Planning Strategies

Concept 6 Concept 8

Concept 1 Concept 7

Peeling back contours to create both public and private spaces

Concept 9

Circulation

Precedent Research

Primary School + Nursery Design Level 4

Material Samples

Concept 2

Dome House Mcbride Charles Ryan

Bluestone Tiles

Circulation

Villa Bordeaux OMA

Concept 3

GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete)

Steel/Aliminium Circulation

Insetting and testing primitive forms within the geometry of a circle

Conclusion

SANAA Museum of Modern Art Sejima

Concept 4

Gallery Space Cafe

Gallery + Annexe Design Level 3

Services/Offices Entry/Reception/Transgress Area

Circulation

Reformed Access to Site

Concept 5

NGV

This portfolio has reflected my passion by manufacturing form within a landscape. I hope you begin to understand my way of thinking towards architecture. I have undertaken medium to large scale studios in my time at RMIT. I believe I chose these studios due to my interest in commerical architecture. I have found that many of my architectural precedents also share this tendency.

Circulation

FJMT RAMP

Using circulation strategies as a driver for dictating programmatic arrangement

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Library Design Level 2

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Shrine + Multi-purpose spaces Design Level 5

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Below Ground

Tensegrity imagery as a method to generate architecture

I believe I need to improve on my conceptual skills, the concept of space and architectural resolution. My conceptual ideas arent as robust as they could be.

The spatial quality aspect I believe comes down to the scale in each of my projects, in-order to address this idea I will need to consider smaller scale design projects in an effort to develop the concept more thoroughly.

Kids