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ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO
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CONTENTS 4
INTRODUCTION
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ARCHITECTURE STUDIO WATER
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ARCHITECTURE STUDIO AIR
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DESIGNING ENVIRONMENTS
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SELECTED WORKS
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INTRODUCTION Hello! I am Melissa and I am third year architecture student from the University of Melbourne. Since young, I have always loved the visual arts. It first started when my mom gifted me a crayon set from Crayola. I was opened up to a whole new world, and my 5-year old self poured out all her emotion into drawing, on practically anything. It turned my mom’s life upside down as she watched her carefully selected furniture destroy one by one, in a matter of months. Nonetheless, seeing how my eyes dazzled each time I complete piece, she went to enrol me in weekly oil pastel classes which eventually led to painting lessons. I was seven and from there, painting has been a big part of my life. Other than painting, I went on to explore fashion design and makeup. Architecture sets itself apart from the rest as it involves space, giving me an infinite canvas. It reaches far beyond the human scale which challenges me to design environments, in hopes of creating memorable experiences.
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO : WATER Under the guidance of our tutor, we spent a semester analysing and applying architectural precendents onto the Studley Boat house in Yarra Bend Park. The architect I have chosen was Tadao Ando and I have decided to look into his Koshino House and The Water Temple. 3 weeks into the semester, we started embarking on our individual projects and the title of mine was ‘Embrace’. My main aim was to bring the visitors ‘closer’ to the river. To provide that experience, I have decided to bring water into my structure, manipulate its scale, circulation and path.
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The Koshino House 8
Model
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ouse Plan
e seen rather explicity across these s his composition by using ord rectangles. However, under the y, he incorporates complicated 3D through the exteriors and intericy to ‘force’ individuals through a Koshino House ence to the Water temple, he brings First Floor Plan te with an intention of encouragto the ideals of Tantric Buddhism. is his use of reinforced-concrete. g Le Corbusier feel, he manipulates Ando’s formal style could be seen rather explicity across these projects. Firstly, he purifies his composition by using orPRECEDENT 2 STUDIES hat it appears soft and elegant. ganic shapes like circles and rectangles. However, under the Ando purifies his composition by using organic shapes like circles and rectanguise of his simple geometry, he incorporates complicated 3D ceilings to relieve its heaviness, gles. However, unde the guise of such simple geometry, he incorporates complex circulation paths that weave through the exteriors and interiess. A blend of regionalism could 3D circulation paths thatalso weavehas theough the exteriorsto and interiors. He also has through a ors. He the tendency ‘force’ individuals tendency of forcing individuals a prescribedto path. reference prescribed path.through With reference theWith Water temple, he brings e L-shaped exteriorwalls andthis the visitors through a longer with anwith intention to the Water Temple, he brings visitors throughroute a longer route, an inten-of encouraghout the building. It allows partial ing aself self-reflection, parallel to the idealsBuddhism. of Tantric Buddhism. tion of encouraging reflection, parallel to the ideals of Tantric Another notable trademark is his use of reinforced-concrete. meate through the building, similar Another notable trademark is his used of reinforced concrete. Instead of giving Instead of giving off a strong Le Corbusier feel, he manipulates off a strong Le Corbusier feel, he manipulates the material in such a way that it n, following the Japanese concept the material in such a way that it appears soft and elegant. Koshino House First Floor Plan
appears soft and addsingaps in the walls and ceilings to relieveits the Heelegant. adds He gaps walls and ceilings to relieve heaviness, ‘heaviness’, making it appear somewhat weightless. A blend of regionalism could making it somewhat weightless. A blend of regionalism
could and the calculated incisions throughout the building. It perallows partial incisions throughout the building. It allows partial silhuottes and sound to silhuottes and sound to permeate through the building, similar meate through the building, similar to how shoji screens function, following the to how shoji screens function, following the Japanese concept Japanese concept of privacy. of privacy. also be identified throughexterior the L-shaped exteriorwalls also be identified through the use of L-shaped walls and the calculated
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ARCHTECTURE DESIGN STUDIO WATER
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The Water Temple Ground Floor Plan
The Water Temple First Floor Plan
The Water Temple Ground Floor Plan
Koshino House East Elevation
Koshino Koshino House House East Elevation East Elevation 11
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EMBRACE A mother hugging her child. Her unconditional love is so massive, overpowering and to some extent, a little daunting. She creates this unformidable fortress, whose insides are unexpectedly warm and soft, just like cotton, allowing her child to cuddle snuggly in this blanket of security. I wanted to bring warmth into this large empty space. I wanted to make the visitors feel as though they are being held in a mother’s embrace, which brings in the paradoxial idea of closeness within a huge area. Thus, in hopes of single-handedly encapsulating these contrasting elements, I have decided to introduce small intimate pockets, that suspends within a space. This arrangement exudes warmth whilst maintaining its robust and majestic character.
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WATER BODIES I wanted to take the concept of ‘being at one with the river’, to another level, by literally bringing the river into my structure. Introducing pools of water into the building emphasizes the presence of the river and also helps maintain consistency with the environment. Long pathways were also used to further enhance the feeling of ‘walking through the river’.
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FIRST FLOOR PLAN 1 BOAT HIRE 2 TOILETS (WITH SHOWER AND LOCKERS) 3 KIOSK 4 OFFICE 5 KITCHEN
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For the cafe and the restaurant, the tables are located above a pool of water, in hopes of bringing the customers ‘closer’ to the river. The elevated dining area in the cafe allows park users to reach the other end of the river without compromising the customers’ view. Likewise, for the restaurant, the tables are arranged in a cascading manner for privacy.
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GROUND FLOOR PLAN 6
BOAT MAINTENANCE
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BOAT STORAGE
8 DECK 9 CAFE 10 RESTAURANT 11 TOILET
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FRAMING OF VIEWS Giving ‘bite-size’ views of the river, prompts visitors to pay greater attention to each part. Thus as a whole, it unknowingly ‘magnifys’ the scale of the river.
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ARCHTECTURE DESIGN STUDIO WATER
PROXIMITY Currently, contrary to its name, the Studley Boathouse is set rather far back from the river bank. Therefore, to further engage with the Yarra River, I have decided to literally bring my structure closer to the river.
PROXIMITY
To further engage
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PROXIMITY Currently, contrary to its name, the Studley Boathouse is set rather far back from the river bank. Therefore, to further engage with the Yarra River, I have decided to literally bring with the Yarra River, my structure closer to the river.
I have decided to literally bring my structure closer to the river.
ARCHTECTURE D
Church on the Water
Church on the Water
SHAPE Elongating its shape gives visitors more exposure to the river
SHAPE Elongating the shape of my structure gives visitors more exposure to the river.
o its name, use is set the river further rra River, I rally bring to the river.
hape of my sitors more iver.
SHAPE Elongating the shape of my structure gives visitors more exposure to the river.
SCALE
Church on the Water
The vastness of the landscape overwhelms the river, making it seem miniscule in comparison, sometimes to an extent that we forget its presence. Thus, similar to how Church on the Water Ando plays with scale in the Church on the Water, I have decided to the reduce the size of my structure, in SCALE hopes of maginifying the river.
SCALE
The vastness of the landsc whelms the river, making it miniscule in comparison, so The vastness of the landscape overwhelms the river. Thus, times to an extent that we f its presence. Thus, similar similar to how Ando plays with scale in the Church on the Water, Ando plays with scale in th I have decided to reduce the size of my structure, in hopes of on the Water, I have decide reduce the size of my struc hopes of maginifying the riv magnifying the river.
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user’s xperience.
COMPRESSION
ways so as to frame views and to feel tightness.
WIDTH The width of each walkway were carefully alternated and sequenced to emulate the feeling of being embraced through the warmth and tighthness exuded.
ARRANGEMENT
Narrow and double-storeyed to allow both public and private occupants to be close to the river
SUBTRACTION
Spacing compartments for permeability.
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EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED To maintain a homogeneous atmosphere with the surrounding tranquility, my structure rests quietly at the bank, camouflaging the river.
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South Elevation
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ENCLOSURE Here, I played with the paradox of embrace. I wanted to show how one could ‘embrace’ the environment despite being seemingly locked out from the world. From the exterior, the lack of windows suggests its isolative nature, however, in reality, the unsheltered walkways and gaps within the ceilings forces visitors to be constantly exposed to environment. It allows rain to come
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Longitudinal Section
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SHARED FUNCTIONS The other end of the structure opens up to the river, where it is full of life and energy. Functions are elevated to different heights to provide privacy and to allow the river to be shared.
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North Elevation
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Perspective - Interior
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO : AIR This studio aims to explore a possibility for using hanging gardens as a means of retrofitting dense urban environments: turning the Lincoln Square tram-stop into an ecological corridor, reducing the urban-heat island effect, and supporting biodiversity in the city. With ladybirds as our insect client, we were tasked to recreate their habitat within our tram-stop, in hopes of fostering greater harmony. Grasshopper was used to develop a parametric approach to the design of a tensile tramstop; stimulating structural perfromance based on the specifics of site.
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CIRCULATION Other than the trams, the T-intersection and the narrow single lanes in both directions often create a bottle neck for cars during peak hours. In addition, Lincoln Square is often used as a shortcut for many university students that wish to gain convenient access to the law and commerce buildings. Lastly, a single bike lane that stretches from the city is squeezed into the narrow road, making Lincoln Square all the more densely populated.
TRAMS FOOT CAR
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SEPERATION To reduce the urban heat island effect, shade and fauna is to be brought into the concrete areas. This is based on the heat map that was derived from the population density.
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BLANKET Drawing inspiration from her reference to Mother Mary, we wanted to emphasise her graceful yet extensive wipeout of aphids during the droughts. Thus, we wanted our form to mimic a blanket. Blanketing reminds us of a gentle yet vast shield that ensures tight security, an apt representation of her graceful demeanour and the extensive protection she gives. Parametrically, with reference to the hotspots from the heat intensity diagram, we used the method of sectioning to create radial curves. These controlled curves were used to create panels, which functions as a shading device and a habitat for the ladybirds. The proximity between each panel reduces as it reaches the central, allowing air to be entrapped more effienciently so as to increase insulation within these areas. The concentration of panels towards the centre also provides more shade, which aims to increase alleviate the urban heat island effect in these hotspots. Using the method of patterning and graphmapper, perforations were created onto the panels, allowing Nasturniums and Angelicas to grow through. The perforations mimick the wall cracks in which ladybird often huddle and hide away in to protect themselves from the cold.
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Section
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ET
SWANST ON STRE
PELHAM ST
REET
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Site Plan
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Portion showing intersections between two perpendicular panels
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Structure on site
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DESIGNING ENVIRONMENTS This introductory studio brought us through a process where we conducted site analyses of the Union Lawn in the University of Melbourne and eventually create a structure, as a response. Through the semester, we created models under given themes : Spatial Composition, Landforming and Assemblage.
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LAYE
Everyon
environm
we adop
We also
persona Thus, it colours
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B
A
B
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I used the layering technique to conceal and expose different materials, which is parallel to how we intuitively suppress and expose different characteristics under different circumstances. To depict the ‘organic’ personalities that we began with, rough and textured facades were used. They are partially covered by clean surfaces to bring across the idea of refinement, that we take on upon maturity. At different angles, we see different forms and varying compositions of rough and smooth surfaces, which could be identified with the complexity of human
ERS
SPAT
W I T T H E A T S A W H j S
ne starts off raw, and as we grow in different
ments, our mentalities change. Unknowingly,
pt new traits, layering them up one by one.
o learn to conceal them, presenting various
as at each time. We are constantly evolving. is almost impossible for us to see one’s true despite close observation and time.
FINAL PROJECT
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Assemblage Model
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Final Model
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FINAL PROJECT B - FULL SECTION 1 : 100 ON A1
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SELECTED WORKS In my spare time, I do alot of painting, graphic design and illustration. The following pages contain a few of my favourite art pieces that I have accumulated across the years.
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L A Y E R ING 雪がかすかな高さ、
ミストシュラウドスロープ： 今春の夕方。 イリオ・ソギ （1421-1502）
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L A Y E R ING 雪がかすかな高さ、
ミストシュラウドスロープ： 今春の夕方。 イリオ・ソギ （1421-1502）
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