Portfolio 2021 Urban Design and Architecture by meikesw

Meike Wernecke Portfolio 2021 Selected Academic Projects in Urban Design and Architecture

EXPERIENCE

20 Hi, my name is Meike. Already as a child I was fascinated by the beauty of the build environment and its influence on people’s lives. I later fostered my fascination with an education in architecture and urban design. In my studies and profession as an architect I loved exploring atmospheric, social and technical components. When I later studied urban design I was able to learn about the bigger context of design and develop a more sustainable perspective. This is my portfolio with a selection of projects I worked on alone or in teams with wonderful people during my studies. Please don’t hesitate to contact me regarding any considerations on the projects presented here.

TOOLS

JUNIOR ARCHITECT june 2013 - august 2019 at Ingenieurgemeinschaft Cossebaude, Dresden, Germany Intern at the Civil Engineering and Architecture Department TEACHER april 2018 - july 2018 for German at the Language Café of Tohoku University instructing self-structured lessons at A2 level

VOLUNTEER november 2016 - september 2017 elected member of the Student Council of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Student representative of the exam comitee

SKILLS

ArchiCAD

Visual Communication

AutoCAD

Research

QGIS Illustrator

Conflict Mediation

Photoshop

Layout and Bookbinding

InDesign

Photography

Sketchup Office 365

INTERNSHIP june 2014 - august 2014 on a construction site at Bau Dresden Gruna obligatory intership for studies in architecture and civil engineering

Driver’s Licence B

LANGUAGES

German

English

French

Japanese

Swedish

021

EDUCATION URBAN DESIGN august 2019 - june 2021 graduate studies, Master of Science Sustainable Urban Planning and Design at Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

019

018

017

ARCHITECTURE october 2018 - august 2019 undergraduate and graduate studies, Vordiplom Institute for Architecture and Landscape Architecture Technical University Dresden, Germany

EXCHANGE september 2017 - august 2018 undergraduate International Program in Liberal Arts Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan awardée of a one-year JASSO scholarship ARCHITECTURE october 2014 - august 2017 undergraduate studies at the Institute for Architecture and Landscape Architecture Technical University Dresden, Germany

014

012

993

CIVIL ENIGINEERING october 2012 - august 2014 undergraduate program at the Institute for Civil Engineering Technical University Dresden, Germany GYMNASIUM graduation july 2012 Geschwister Scholl Gymnasium Nossen, Germany incl. 6 month exchange at Lycée Arthur Rimbaud, Sin-le-Noble, France

03.07.1993 born in Dresden, Germany

PROJECTS Master Thesis Urban Design MOMENTS OF TRANSITION Transitional Spaces as Agents for Social Change

Urban Design Studio BE_LONGING Places for Intimacy

Urban Design Studio ONCE UPON A TIME IN OXELÖSUND Co-Remediation with Birdlife

Architecture Studio NORDBO Living Lab

Architecture Studio Cooperation with ENSAS WEIN_GUT A vinery and guest house in Alsace

Architecture Studio LAPIDARIUM A New Life Around Old Stones

Architecture Research Project GENIUS LOCI: MACHIYA Urban Dwellings of the Edo Period

Interior Design Project SÜSSGRAS Fair Stand for a Bottle Opener

Master Thesis Urban Design

MOMENTS OF TRANSITION Transitional Spaces as Agents for Social Change in Favour of Youths

This design thesis is situated in Stockholm’s northernmost suburbs of the Järva area. The area was mainly developed during the era of the Million Homes Programme between 1965 and 1974, and is today commonly considered as one of the city’s socially most challenged areas. The idea of Moments of Transitions addresses possible transitions in three aspects: generational, social, and spatial. The key protagonists of this project are local youths who – by growing up and into their urban environments – have a strong stake in the future of the Järva area. As of today, they constitute of a social group which has very

Järva, Stockholm, Sweden in collaboration with Tarek Diebäcker

limited influence in both political and planning processes, and often claim that their needs are not taken into account in urban development projects. Challenging the status quo, this thesis aims to present potentials for social change in favour of youths. As the identities of youths in Järva are strongly tied to their respective districts, bound to local conflicts, the ambivalent landscapes in-between are seen as a common ground to initiate and carry out proposals. This goes hand in hand with respecting the ambivalent character of those transitional spaces and enabling a multitude of actions connected to existing functions. 5

Spatial and Programmatic Concept

Building a narrative throrugh three fictive charcters constructed from interviews 6

This project includes a historic progression of the landscape in the Järva area as well as an analysis of ongoing planning projects and local contexts. Based on a literature analysis, desk-based studies, site visits and qualitative interviews, a conceptual framework for Moments of Transition is set up and further developed in three concrete moments of transition.

For one example the third, Moment of Imaginations, employs creativity and spaces for experimentation as tools to empower youths to build their own future. Small interventions as places for day dreaming are connected to specific landscapes in the field. In addition a local youth parliament is established to forward the voice of young people and an annual budget is at their hands to realize their ideas.

Urban Design Studio: Urban Ecologies

BE_LONGING Spaces for Intimacy

This project revolves around the topic of urban loneliness. The paradox of the city is that people are more lonely despite the fact that there they are physically close to many other people. This feeling stems from a lack of connection and sense of belonging as we day in day out live side by side with strangers. We investigated in a central area in the city of Stockholm how the buildings interact with the streets. The concept is to step into people’s daily routines and connect new activties to these routines that one would usually do alone to bring people together. The spatial method was to open part of the ground

Kungsholmen, Stockholm, Sweden in collaboration with Boyang Kai and Chefen Ou Yang floor areas as people naturally pass these spaces in their daily routines so inaction can become a part of daily tasks. The the ground floor would house different common activities for residents of the buildings but also people visiting the neighborhood. All those ground floor areas connect into a greater network that makes it possible to walk through the area experiencing the different activities and meeting each other. We think doing things such as doing your laundy while listening to a music rehearsal has the potential to mediate the feeling of loneliness one might experience in the anonymity of the city. 11

Conceptualization framework While ground floor areas now often are service areas or rented out as commercial spaces we developed a framework that allows the condomonium association of each building to use half of their ground floor area for common programs. In our the area around Kronobergsparken we observed four main building typologies. 12

Those typologies were named to express their compassionate potential (see below) which was then transferred into a proposal.

The diagram to the left visualises our thoughts on how different activities can be shared and coexist. For that we considered the degree of calmness as well as the the potential soundscape. We considered as well which programs can be transformed into other activities during the eveing. For example, a coworking space and library can function in the evening as a small lecture or workshop area. When the framework for the condimonium associations is started, only some spaces would be available. Though with time we imagine that the single spaces grow into an intimate neighborhood network. This walkable loop around Kronobergsparken would give people a chance for activties beside commercial ones to come in contact with other residents and visitors while not disrupting their daily lives or their sense of safety. 14

While the interventions take place on the ground birds will use the air space above the corridor

Black-throated diver Gavia arctica

Peregrine falcon

Falco peregrinus

Scaup

Aythya marila

Ships go at lower speed and without motors

Razorbill

Alca torda

Eider

Somateria mollissima

Tufted duck

Scaup

Aythya fuligula

Aythya marila

Ships go at lower speed without motors in dema areas surrounding the co

The corridor continues beyond land into the archipelago

Arctic tern

uropean herring gull

Sterna paradisaea

arus argentatus

Common guillemot Uria aalge

Great tit

Parus major

Great spotted woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Noise reducing trellis materials to amplify pecking

Carrion crow Corvus corone

stes leus

Common raven

Corvus corax

Willow grouse

Lagopus lagopus

Nut crow

Nucifraga caryocatactes

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

House sparrow

Passer domesticus

Intensive roof greening to cleanse air and temperate

Black grouse Lyrurus tetrix

Willow tit

Poecile montanus

Po m

Inhibit unused spaces to connect wood islands

Urban Design Studio: Situations

ONCE UPON A TIME IN O. Co-Remediating an Industrial Landscape with Birdlife

In this project we made use of a narrative from a bird’s perspective. Before the start of the proposal we constructed a brief in the form of a short story around the current life of a song bird in Oxelösund. Oxelösund is a city near Nyköping that has a charming old town with a harbour but also a big scale industrial area for steel production. We choose birds as the main actors of the proposal as they have a potential for a bird’s eye view but are often small and fragile beings that are easily impacted by changes in their surroundings. Around Oxelösund are already various nature and bird life reserves, so connecting this aspect of protecting what

Oxelösund, Sweden in collaboration with Gaudy Orejuela

is fragile across a functioning industry and tourism was the challenge we were presented with. Right now Oxelösund is presented with different scenarios as to what will happen to steel production there. We accepted a scenario where the steel production would be coal free and therefore the big coalfields to the south would be removed and make space for new functions as well as industries that are connected to recycling leftovers from steel production. Here, we considered birds as main drivers of remediation processes that would take place after parts of the industry receeded and new functions requiring clean soil and air would come in. 17

Noise reducing trellis

Noisereducing reducingtrellis trellis Noise ind

materials to amplify pecking

materialstotoamplify amplifypecking pecking materials

2020

Corvus corax corax Corvus

Lagopus Lagopus lagopus lagopus

Segregated Urban Area Segregated Urban Area

Additional Trees

Urban & Urban & Social Life Social Life

Insects Residents Coal dust

Local Parks Gardens

Residentail Gardens Residents Area Residentail Area

Nutcrow crow Nut

Nucifraga Nucifraga

Identiy

Aquila Aquila StrengthenStrengthen Brannäs Wetlands Brannäs Wetlands

Identiy

Birds

chrysaetos chrysaetos

Pocket Rare Parks species

fly

Additional Trees

Pocket Parks

Parks

Urban farming Parks

ing

high n

Urban farming

Observation poles for predatory Lakes Sea Birds birds to overlook open spaces Lakes Nesting Helps

GoldenEagle Eagle Golden

Aquila chrysaetos

aded chickadee ded chickadee

Insects RareInsects species

Insects

Service Industry Service Industry Local Parks and Education and Education

Golden Eagle caryocatactes caryocatactes

cinctus cinctus

2060

Pernis apivorus

Commonraven raven Common

Corvus corax

Coal dust

2060

2040

Honey buzzard

Common raven

Willowgrouse grouse Willow

2040

2020

Cyanistes Cyanistes caeruleus caeruleus

Corvus Corvus corone corone

Bluetittit Blue

Carrioncrow crow Carrion

Corvus corone

Carrion crow

Nesting Helps Birds

Observation Observation birdstotooverl ove birds

Sea Birds

Housesparrow sparrow House

Cargo Ships

Lyrurus tetrix

Humans

Cargo Ships

Collect water Electricity

Water Hydrogen

Scrap Metal Water

Scrap Metal

Furnace

Sponge Metal Furnace

Forming Sponge Metal

Steel Plate Forming

Limestone Collect water

Cargo Ships

Freight Trains

Goods

Limestone

Willowtittit Willow

Furnace Pellets

Pellets Pelletizing

Forming Molten Metal

Cooling Water

Sludge Cooling Water

Sludge

Permeableheavy heavyduty duty Permeable pavementininworking workingarea area pavement Water

Streams

Wetlands

Water

Tourism

Hiking Trail

Rain

Rare Species

Air pollution

Air

Coniferous Trees

Soil

Camping

Brannäs Wetlands

Air pollution

Sea and Islands

Tourism

Hiking Trail

Brannäs Wetlands

Air

Natural Elements & Flora Natural Elements & Flora

Sea and Islands

Streams

Wetlands

Electricity Carbon

Electricity

Iron Ore

Pelletizing Iron Ore

Pellets Pelletizing

Pellets Develop into Hydrogen Develop into Hydrogen based steel production based steel production Reduce danger

Repurpose structures

Bridge over

Inhibit unused spaces to connect wood islands

Hydrogen storage Water Hydrogen storage Reduce danger

Reduce space Repurpose structures

Streams Reduce space

Redesign streets Bridge over

Permeabilty Redesign streets

Trees

Camping

Rare specis

Streams

Permeabilty

Poecile Passenger Trains Busses Delivery Busses montanus

Stations

Permeable Surfaces

Eurasian nuthatch

Redesign Streets Passenger Trains

Bike roads Redesign Streets

One-way Bike roads Streets

Shift to transport europaea Shift Sitta to transport alternatives alternatives

New technology Steel Plate

New technology

Clean air

Water

Sludge

Reduce danger

Clean air

Water

Reduce space

Reduce danger

Sea and Islands

Bike lanes

One-way Streets

Rental Boats

Tourism Inhibitunused unused spacestoto Inhibit spaces connectwood woodislands islands connect Education

Industrial heritage Reduce space

Car restricted area

Education

Open space Identiy Identiy Industrial heritage

Reuse rails

Industrial scale

Wetlands

Brick Industry

Aquaponics

Extent Rails

Birds from other areas

Brick Industry

Aquaponics

Stations

Balanced density

Industrial scale

Poecile Poecile Co-living montanus montanus

Bike lanes

Rental Row houses Rental Boats

Open space

Pedestrian paths

Permeable surfaces

Two step blocks

Sitta e Sitta

Small industry

Birds Two step blocks

Birds

n e sti n

g help

Image:The TheView Viewof ofth th Image:

Permeable surfaces

Sightseeing areas

Research centre New ecologies

Eurasia Eurasian

Rental Row houses

Rail Small industry Car restricted area Rail

Sightseeing areas

Extent Rails

Establish New Industries Establish New Industries

Balanced density

Willowtittit Willow

Co-living

Pedestrian paths

Reuse rails

Sea and Islands

Coniferous Trees

Soil

Tourism

Image: The View of the Birds ©MW

Wetlands

Trees

Birds from other areas

Sludge Water

Delivery

Streams, Wetlands Streams, Wetlands & Archipelago & Archipelago

Carbon

Poecile Poecile palustris palustris

Repurpose Lyrurus Lyrurus Structures tetrix tetrix

Marshtittit Marsh

Blackgrouse grouse Black

Repurpose Structures

Hedges

Permeable Noise Barriers Surfaces

Electricity

Steel Plate

Residents

fl y

Electricity

Steel Plate Forming

Noise Barriers

Residents Play for Birds

Fossil fuel based Fossil fuel based steel production steel production

Molten Metal Furnace

Goods

Hedges

Play for Birds

Willow tit

Poecile Poecile montanus montanus

Recycle and Resuface Water

Coal

Recycle and Resuface Water

Pelletizing Iron Ore

CO Coking

Overlap and Reconnenct

Iron Ore

Coking

Overlap and Reconnenct

Coal Fuel

Archipelago Landscape

Industrial Industrial Processes Processes

Fuel

Archipelago Landscape

Poecile montanus

Freight Trains

Residential Area

woods

Electricity Humans

Hydrogen

Residential Area

Predatory Birds

Interlace Performative building typologies

Limestone

Willow tit

Black grouse

Predatory Birds Small Mammals

Move & Orient

Limestone

Storage

Bikes

Small Wetlands Mammals

Wetlands Outdoor Activities

Interlace Performative building typologies

Storage Cargo Ships

Individual Cars Bikes Public Transport Delivery Individual Cars Public Transport

Outdoor Rare Specis Activities

Rare Specis Decidous

Move & Orient

Delivery Goods

Decidous Coniferous

Remember the Industrial Heritage

Cargo Ships

Goods Freight Trains

Coniferous Birds

Remember the Industrial Heritage

Freight Trains

Birds

Residents

Intensiveroof roofgreening greening Intensive Sailing boats Sailing boats cleanse airand andtemperate temperate totocleanse air

Connect Green Areas and Pockets through Urban Corridor

Residents

Air pollution

Noise

Intensive roof greening to cleanse air and temperate

Connect Green Areas and Pockets through Urban Corridor

Passer domesticus domesticus Passer Air pollution Noise

Traffic & Traffic & Transport Transport

Co-working

Research centre New ecologies

Decidouos Trees

Small Birds

Predatory Birds

Mammals

Small Birds

Small Mammals

Mammals

Sea Birds

New spaces for wildlife

Fish

Predatory Mammals Small Mammals

Predatory Mammals

Fish

Decidouos

Coniferous

Fruit Trees

Decidouos

Rare species

Wetlands, ponds

Fruit Trees

Rare species

Existent green

Predatory Birds

New spaces for wildlife

Sea Birds

Mammals

Predatory Birds

Mammals

Wetlands, ponds

Existent green

Sea Birds

Adapt water based remediation

Predatory Birds

Coniferous

Soil Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation park

Fauna

Phytoremediation park

Insects

Fauna

Adapt water based remediation

n a Upon Time in Oxelösund nce a Time in Oxelösun Soil Phytoremediation

Insects

ting landscape together with birdlife ry onindustrial co-remediating industrial landscape together with bir Small Birds

Flow of Elements and New Strategies Flow of Elements and New Strategies

2020

Small Birds

2040

2020

Insects

2040

Fish

Insects

2060

©MW

Fish

©MW

- Once Upon a Time in Oxelösund -

Shrinking of the industry

©GO ©GO ©GO

SUPD Studio 1.2 Situations - Spring Term 2020 a- Gaudy Orejuela & Meike - Once Upon Time in Oxelösund - Wernecke SUPD Studio 1.2 Situations - Spring Term 2020 - Gaudy Orejuela & Meike Wernecke

Opening and transformation

Programming of the territory

Programm Programmi

Habitats of birds Apart from the brief the proposal was conceptualised through a programmatic diagram that explored how changes in the industry would affect other aspects of life in Oxelösund. The project was then developed in three different situations placeed around the town. As for the first situation we explored the different human-bird cohabitations. In the urban area of the town the proposal includes flight corridors, green pocktes and secure streets for people and birds. It also reevaluates the relation of humans with birds by creating moments of encounter and encouraging benefits for both. 19

The second situation investigates how the shrinked industry can integrate the local flows of water and industrial water to reduce waste water that would otherwise end up in the baltic sea. We proposed different new industries that clean and make use of the waste water. We also suggest ecological corridors along new waterways that lead into and through the industry to filter substances on the spot.

In the third siutation we were considering how the former coal fields could be reused but could heal at the same time. Starting from the city we propose a research and residential park. The research would be centered around the new industries in connection to the changed flow of steel production. The buildings are formed in a way that reduces big facades and has multiple roof levels accessible to humans and birds. Further to the west when walking towards the old town one will cross an industrial heritage park whcih uses some elements of the coal storage such as the big scale fields and old transportation bands.

Architecture Studio: Residential Buildings

NORDBO Vesterbro, Copenhagen, Denmark

The site for this project was located in the lively Vesterbro neighborhood which is chracterised by a closed block structure with commercial uses in the ground floor. Typically many back yards can be entered and a secondary path network leads through semi-private gardens. The first task was to imagine a user profile for collective living and conceptualise from this. Who would live here? What is their passion? What brings them together? My chosen users were young design students for interior, furniture and industrial design that could use the building as a dorm but also a site to build ideas, test-live prototypes and

exchange experiences. The building would therefore include collective apartments, studios and a library, a workshop and a showroom. Apart from the users the studio also discussed how people live together. What is the relation of public and private programs? How can we differentiate between accessing, observing and passing to create hues of privateness? How can materials and plan layout support the desired relations between inhabitants? During our site visits we were able to observe the fragile relationship of the inhabitants and visitors using the paths leading through the backyards. 23

Ground Floor and Landscape Plan 24

In the tradition of the connected backyards the building was to provide access to the neighboring yards. The workshop and the showroom are located in the ground floor to give passerbys insight into the house while facilitating access for deliveries of materials or machinery. A staircase leads up into the collective apartments. From the staircase it is possible to look into other common areas via a glass panel and see how others make use of their space. The apartments are puposefully left blank to be filled by their inhabitants creations. Beside private rooms each apartment has a flexible libero for sports activties, meetings, extra storage, guests etc.The private rooms are small as they need only provide space for a bed and closet. A desk is in the studio under the roof, there is a shared kitchen and two parties share one bathroom.

Staircase and entrance

Interior common space

Typical Floor Plan with proposal for felxible use 25

Model city scale, yard facade

Section Street-Yard 26

On the street facing side the buidling has a rather sleek multi-layered brick facade, each opening is accompanied by a tile bond brick panel. On the yard facing side the apartments extend into balconies that can as well be accessed from the staircase creating a semi-private outdoor space to be shared by multiple apartments.

Section Model Apartment

Brick was chosen as a material that is very common in Copenhagen and lets the building blend in. Special attention was given to the windows of the private rooms to provide a broad seating by the window and a tiny private balcony. This makes use of the broad wall and gives the opportunity to further indivdualise.

Facade Details Elevation and Sections 27

Architecture Studio: Constructive Design

WEIN_GUT A vinery and guest house in Alsace

This project is located in the dreamy village of Ribeauvillé in the north-eastern region of Alsace of France. The Alsace is a mountainous landscape located near the border to Germany. The area is famed for their wines and sparkling wines. The studio was preceeded with a field trip to Ribeauvillé and Strasbourg where we participated in introductive workshop with students of the ENSAS Strasbourg School of Architecture. The students would have the same studio in France, then visited to present their projects by the end of term. The task was to design a building that could be used to press, ferment and store wine as

Ribeauvillé, France in collaboration with Laura Telschow and Sarah von Lukowitz well as accomodate visitors and overnight guests. There was as well a heavy focus on researching and applying appropriate constructive solutions. For the design we realised that even though the building is partly industrial we would like to respect the scale of the village’s single family houses and historic core. The site can be reached from the market within a ten minute walk and any building there would be quite prominent walking up into the mountains. The buildings have three floors that are partially underground to limit the height. The height of the building can also benefit the natural flow of fluids in wine production. 29

View from the village

West elevation 30

Vinery

and Sto

rage

and Tasting ouse Guest H

Ground floor plan

The concept for the design was to divide the functions for guests and workers into two wings that are connected by a terrace and an underground passage. Considering the local climate the design makes use of the slope and sinks two thirds of the productive building to temperate the vine storage via the coolness of the surrounding ground. The guesthouse which is angled towards the production building is only underground with one quarter. It consiits of guest rooms, a small restaurant, and a tasting room that looks out over site to the village.

Basement floor plan 31

Tasting Room

Section Guest House 32

The facade consists of vertical wood lattice. As part of the outer shell is in contact with the ground, the core is made from concrete this also keeps the building dry and cool in summer, which is important to the long-term storage of wines. The wood lattice is reminisent of farm buildings that are common in the area and makes the industrial function easily recognisable. At the same time it provides a warm environment for the guest house that will age gracefully over time - just like the wine will.

Constructive Section Guest House

Architecture Studio: Public Buildings

LAPIDARIUM A Hortus Conclusus Around Old Stones

This project site is located at the edge of the park Sanssouci in Potsdam. The park is a baroque compound with axes, symmetry and, beside the castle, various small buildings for entertainment purposes. Nowadays the park is public and is used for museums and small festivals in the summer. When we visited the site we encountered a two meter high wall surrounding a temporary storage for findings from archeological excavations around the city. The task was indeed to give these stones and ornaments a new home. The requirements were to design a site to store the stones, accomodate research, but also exhibitions and a visitor centre. The

Potsdam, Germany in collaboration with Josephine Galiläer

encounter with the wall inspired us to work with the concept of a hortus conclusus, an enclosed garden hidden away in plain sight. To the existing three walls of the yard we added a fourth “wall” in the shape of an alongated building. On the garden side the building can be accessed by more public functions, the other side offers space for the shipment of heavy objects and access to clean rooms and labs for research. Both functions overlap in the main building and can come in contact voluntarily by moving walls or via windows. Like this reasearchers can have an appropriate work environment while the work is not entirely closed away from the curious eyes of the public. 35

Fragment Storage and Administration

Horticulture

Special Exhibition

Open Exhibition

Canteen Laboratory

Foyer

Nature Playground

Lecture Hall Shipments

Workshop

Climatised Storage

Site Plan 36

The main entrance is reached where the main axis turns 90 degrees towards the castle. To not take away from the experience of viewing the castle the existing wall was kept and the entrance is small. There are three smaller entrances to the park, the city and the gardener’s house. The visitor then passes the visitor centre and reaches the main open exhibition via the gardens.

To expand on the topic of a lapidarium preserving objetcs found in the area we saw the gardens as an opportunity to collect and represent traditional gardening techniques and plants. The exhibition building can showcase objects that do not need special climatic conditions as well as those that do.

Open Exhibition Lapidarium 37

Under a progession of arched roof elements carried by pillars are a number of structurally independent rooms (see section above) to create differnent conditions regarding climate and various work environments. Another element are the exhibition and storage shelves that provide a depgree of transparancy while preventing access if necessary. This project was my very first studio project. We had barely learned to work with digital tools and as everyone was struggeling our teacher suggested to use model photography rather than 3d renderings to create atmospheric perspectives.

Foyer Room and Garden

Cross Section with a View on Castle Sanssouci 39

Architecture Project: Genius Loci

MACHIYA Vernecular Architectures of the World: The Case of the Japanese Townhouse of the Edo Period This project was really a passion piece for me. After having lived in Japan for one year and studying social sciences I was very eager to apply my knowledge to architecture as well. I agreed happily when offered this research project for the Genius Loci catalogue that documents vernecular architecture all over the world. Machiya is the town house typology of the urban mercant and crafts men class of the Edo period (1603-1867). In many regards Japan was shaped after Chinese example such as government, caste society, currency, military technology but also urban design. The bigger cities such as the emperial cities

Kyoto, Japan

would be centred symmetrically around a nobility palace, streets would be organised with t-shaped crossings and certain parts of the cities belonging to ceratin castes. This morphology can still be found when looking at the contemporary city such as Kyoto which was, compared to Tokyo, not destroyed by earthquakes or fires. The plan above still shows small plots and the Edo quarters in some areas. But unfortunately Machiya is a dying typology. Most buildings of this type preserved today stem from the Meiji period already and even those have to make place for new bigger scale apartment complexes. 41

Principle 42

bath

veranda

kitchen

family room

garden Upper Floor

entry way

room for business

earthen hall

hall

storage room reception room

The machiya type is one of two vernacular minka typologies from the Edo era; the other one being the rural nouka. In the scope of the course the term vernacular encompassed buildings of people with a lower societal status, excluding buildings of nobility or religious buildings. The goal was to document one specimen in detail and describe the cultural context the type emerged from. The plot of the building has with 4.7m width and 22m lenth a typical shape. The side-gabled building would usually fill the plot wall to wall leaving a small area for a decorative garden in the back. This morphology gives a maximum amount of buildings access to one street, which was advantegous for the various bussinesses.

Ground Floor 43

GSEducationalVersion

Cross Section

GSEducationalVersion

Longitudal Section

The architecture reflects a number of social norms and daily routines of the Edo and Meiji periods some which even persist until today. One example is the low entrance that prevents dirt from getting into the building when one changes their shoes here. This clearly marks the shift from the public sphere of the street to the private sphere of the building. Bussiness matters were a man’s responsibility while housekeeping and family where the women’s. The structure of the building clearly reflects this; the bussiness rooms are in the front while functional and famility related rooms are in the back. Both functions intersect fragily as the women will serve tea to their husband’s or father’s guest or the men will reatrat to eat or bathe in privacy. 45

Architecture Project: Interior Design

SÜSSGRAS Designing a Fair Stand for a Bottle Opener

For this exercise in interior design we were given the task of designing a 6x6m fair stand for a rather mundane household item. The item our group received was a bottle opener. Instead of basing our concept on the shape or material of the product we focused on the use. From the function of a bottle opener to open bubbly drinks we aimed at creating an atmosphere of freshness for the fair stand. We also decided on the material bamboo as a fastgrowing and warm alternative for the handle of the tool instead of using full metal. The material would be repeated in the decor with living bamboo plants creating a rainy but cooling environment with water

Dresden, Germany in collaboration with Daniel Emrich and Torsten Bölle running down the walls and along a path on the ground. We thought this might as well be interesting to bring the concept of an oasis to the world of hot and stuffy fairs. The visitor would be invited to pop open a water bottle and enjoy it with a feeling of freshness from the inside and outside. From the outside of the stand the fair visitors would see a bamboo forest encased by a hovering glass stone facade where water is running down on the inside. On the outside of the facade sits the fictional branding. When entering from one side of the stand one can follow a path inside and rest on one of the seats in the middle of the forest. 47

Cross Section

Floor Plan 48

Elevation Front

Ceiling Plan

Detail Attachment Bottle Opener

The diagram above shows the constructive elements of the stand. We decided to use materials that could be disassembled and reused after the fair; such as screwed metal beams, glass stone in a metal frame system, stones of varoious sizes and the life bamboo plants taht could be replanted.

Detail 49

CONTACT Meike Wernecke meikes.wernecke@gmail.com 0046 73 268 96 05 LinkedIn