MICHELLE JENNICA GAN
A R T E FA C T V O L U M E _ 0 1 MAJOR PROJECT 2021
Reframing
Ornament
“In the finest of these flourishes, we can read signs of goodness in a material register, a form of frozen benevolence. We see in them evidence of those sides of human nature which enable us to thrive rather than simply survive. These elegant touches remind us that we are not exclusively pragmatic or sensible: we are also creatures who, thrive in elaboration.”
ALAIN DE BOTTON
We find beauty in the revealed dialogues between our occupancy and these handmade fragments but seek a fairer balance. “In order not to mock such details we need a culture confident enough about its pragmatism and aggression that it can also acknowledge the contrary demands of vulnerability at play – a culture, that is sufficiently unthreatened by decadence as to allow for visible celebrations of tenderness.”
Criteria Through Three Lenses
LA BELLE INSEULT WILLIAM MORRIS
Reca Victo Mem
alling orian mory
The houses recall a past they have grown witness to by unearthing depictions in painting. The objects are positioned to serve a purpose and form the identities of their owners, decorating the homes as their humanised proxies. THE REJECTED POET WILLIAM POWELL
Icon grap Abstra
nophic action
Each object is made iconographic to extract its pure geometrical nature, its layers, and its facets. A key to revealing moves that can transform yet sustain its nostalgic visual memory. HELEN MAUSDLEY
Form Funct Disasso
mal + tional ociation
The ornament is altered through mirroring, slicing, bloating, and multiplying to serve a new functionality for the modern resident. These encompass pragmatism, flexibility, porosity and tactile engagement. SUZANNE JONGMAN
Heritage Interiors
Reframing Ornament
01
Cornice – Integrated Seat
05
Archway – Operable Window
09
Ceiling Rosella – Unfolding Table
13
Brick Edge – Rotating Lounge
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Stained Glass – Sunken Lounge
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Stained Glass – Display Case A R T E FA C T V O L U M E _ 0 1 MAJOR PROJECT 2021
23
Bay Window – Entry Portal
27
Wallpaper – Wardrobe
31
Fireplace – Kitchen Counter + Central Heating
36
Iron Filigree – Rotating Stair
40
Iron Filigree – Stair Chest
Cornice
02
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Victorian depictions of cornice and skirting moldings An Evening at Home Edward John Poynter 1870
02
Abstraction - Elongated froms on moldings are exagerated for their linear properties.
01
Skirting and Cornice Molding
02
Take away a section from the bottom of the cornice
03
Attached a rounded pipe of the same material, re-attach the retrieved section from earlier.
04
Find 2 identical chairs, any will work. Saw off 1/3 of from each.
05
Keep ornate elements like legs and arm detailing
06
Use these kept objects to attach the chair to the cornice extrusion made above. Repeat on the other side.
07
Integrated seat formed from a blend of skirting and cornice moldings.
“Rounded profiles break away from cornice and skirtings that once shrouded the convergence of ceiling, wall, and floor. Reaching down, it lends a resting seat for two, its arms reaching for the other to become one.”
03
Integrated seat - plan and section
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Integrated seat view
Integrated Seat
04
Archway
06
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Victorian depictions of a drawing room Corner of a drawing room Emma Minnie Boyd -- 1889
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Abstraction the archway form is mirrored and multiplied to create an oculus
01
Victorian Hallway Arch
02
Extract archway from hallway, separate the two attached corbels
03
Replicate the left archway to mirror the original form. Turn two corbels on their side.
04
Manipulate corbels to create openings for safekeeping.
05
Attach these to the point of convergence of the mirrored arch.
06
Fill the cavity with glazing. Open and close the awning to control privacy.
“Existing archways that once lined tight hallways, now inspire a folding window connecting the bedroom to the outside, opening to allow whispered conferences in the night.”
07
Operable window Elevation and Section
08
Archway window - View in action
Operable Windo
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Rosella
10
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Victorian Depictions of the Rosella - The Contest for the Bouquet: The Family of Robert Gordon in Their New York DiningRoom 1866
10
Abstraction - The Rosella is broken into layers for its radial arraying geometry
01
Ceiling Rosella
02
Separate Rosella into layers by separating the base into 3, detaching the floral pendant and extracting the light fixture.
03
Turn separated set of objects upside down, with the light facing the ceiling.
04
Flatten base ridges into an even plane for the top layer, duplicate the silhouette for two more layers beneath.
05
Subtract top surface with Rosella floral pendant.
06
Re-attach extracted light fitting to the center.
07
Extract petal forms from floral pendant and scale up for a seat. At point nearing the bud, extrude down to create a standing support.
08
Fold out the Rosella table to increase capacity from 4 - 12. Pull open the central floral pendant for a rising platter to hold dishes and candles.
“A ceiling rosella that once adorned a chandelier is overturned into a dining table, unfolding its layers for a group of 4 or 12. It lifts its petals upwards to hold lit candles and warm dishes.”
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Unfolding table - plan
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Unfolding Table view - in action
Unfolding Table
12
Brick Edge 13
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Depictions of the brick edge - Hill End Residency - Russel Drysdale 1948
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Abstraction - the brick patter nation is multiplied and repositioned as an object that tessellates
01
Ceiling Rosella
02
Separate Rosella into layers by separating the base into 3, detaching the floral pendant and extracting the light fixture.
03
Turn separated set of objects upside down, with the light facing the ceiling.
04
Flatten base ridges into an even plane for the top layer, duplicate the silhouette for two more layers beneath. Subtract top surface with Rosella floral pendant.
05
Re-attach extracted light fitting to the center. Attach a rounded surface to its midpoint.
06
Extract petal forms from floral pendant and scale up. At point nearing the bud, extrude down to create a standing support. Array these around the edge in sets of 3.
07
Take the bottom most layer and place it on top as an enclosing ceiling.
08
Extrude its outline down to create semi private walls around the created space.
09
Take the form of the edge bricks and project them onto the extruded surface.
10
From opposing sides they latch open and close to create the rotating lounge. A semi private interior, ready for flexible use.
“Moving through, the house presents its patterned bricks that once embellished the corner as a latch system. It is enclosing a rotating lounge for private conversation over a rosella table within.”
15
Rotating lounge - plan and elevation
16
Rotating lounge - View - in action
Rotating Lounge
16
tained Glas 17
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Victorian Depictions of Stained Glass Mariana - Sir John Everrett Millais 1851
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Abstraction - the stained glass ability to tell tales is graphically distorted as a metaphor for a fluid narrative
01
Stained Glass
02
Extract stained glass from door frame
03
Lay the stain glass plane on the ground, map out its geometry
04
Duplicate and mirror around pattern to desired arrangement.
05
Lift edges in a 45 degree angle to create back rests for the sunken lounge.
06
Take the outline of the pattern as form for cushions and upholstery.
07
Inflate the form accordingly.
08
Arrange and rearrange the loose cushions to your liking. Create infinite variations to this mosaic.
“Upstairs, a living room allows space for restorative thoughts. Stained glass, once telling a tale of a painted picture offers itself as sunken lounge of mosaic puffed cushions, to be formed and formed again to the residents’ desires.”
19
Sunken Lounge - plan and section
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Sunken Lounge - View in action
Sunken Lounge
20
01
Stained Glass
02
Extract stained glass from door frame
03
Lay the stain glass plane on the ground, map out its geometry
04
Create a glass blown form accordingly.
05
Take the same outline to form a support to hold the glass form created.
06
Join these two objects with a frame and legs.
07
Select a part of the stained glass mosaic.
08
Create light fixtures in their pattern.
08
Arrange the created objects accordingly. Attach handles to each container to open, close and store possessions within.
“In the corner, it too becomes an inflated display case. It transforms in colour as it opens to lock away an invaluable heirloom inside. ”
21
Display Case - Plan and elevation
22
Display Case - view in action
Display Case
22
ay Window 23
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Depictions of the Victorian Bay Window - Afternoon Tea - Emma Minnie Boyd - 1888
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Abstraction - The bay window is drawn as a portal through rather than a buffer from the outside.
01
Victorian Bay Window
02
Replace the top valances with a cast form.
03
Take away the stained glass, map and carve out shelving to its two side angled walls.
04
Split the day bed and angle them against the wall, emptying them out for shoe shelving within.
05
Place a doorway at the center to form a threshold buffer for privacy before entering a room.
“A threshold to the bedroom is shaped from a familiar bay window. A hard layer is cast over is old valances, while a soft curtain buffers for privacy before entering in. Its seats carved out for keeping shoes and slippers, while angled walls carry shelved negatives of windows for vases and coat jackets. ”
25
Entry Portal - Plan and Section
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Entry Portal - View - in action
Entry Portal
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Wallpaper 27
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Depictions around Victorian Wallpaper - The Awakening Conscience - William Holman Hunt - 1853
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Abstraction: The Wallpaper is broken down into sections. Floral patterns are viewed in mass that can be extruded up or concaved down.
01
Victorian Wallpaper
02
Select sections where shelving, a wardrobe, and a bed would be positioned. All remained space is used as a pattern to distort and elongate.
03
Take the first section and extrude backwards to create a wardrobe. Within the space, break the extrusion to create sliding doors. Add handles for ease of use.
04
Take the other sections and extrude a small section out for shelving. Add notches to the vertical facets for small hanging items.
05
At the bottom most section, extrude foam out in that form to create a bed and frame.
“The house prepares itself for sleep after a long evening. From its preserved wallpaper, once holding prints of exotic flora, extrudes a wardrobe encasing a night robe within.”
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Wallpaper wardrobe Plan and elevation
10
Wallpaper wardrobe View - in action
Wardrobe
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Fireplace
32
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Victorian Depictions of a Fireplace - Preparing for a Walk Samuel Baldwin - 1850
32
Abstraction the fireplace, an object for delivering heat is multiplied and connected as a network that can work in conjunction to each other.
01
Victorian Fireplace
02
Retrieve the decorative corbel
03
Turn both onto their opposite sides
04
Place the pieces as handles for cupboards. Do this 6 times, retrieving corbels from elsewhere around the house, or creating replicas.
05
Take the form of the fireplace. Replicate and scale down 6 times.
06
Arrange accordingly.
07
Add desired fittings and fixtures for chosen method of cooking. Seal off fireplace openings with no fixtures with steel mesh to allow heat to flow through the house as you use the kitchen.
08
Attach unit to the space of a fireplace, attach cupboard above.
“In the kitchen, a burst of playfulness breaks from the sterner brick walls outside. An old fireplace that once held trinkets over its mantle, shifts into a functioning kitchen. Scents of burning yellow gum fill the air, its heat both boiling a stew above, and residually moving through from within the walls. ”
33
Kitchen Counter + Central Heating - Elevation and section
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Kitchen Counter + Central Heating - view
Central Heating
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Iron Lace
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Victorian Depictions of Iron lace balustrades - Sofala - Russel Drysdale 1947
36
Abstraction - The iron filigree is overlayed into a form, in this case a stair, and radiated. An object
01
Victorian Iron Filigree
02
Create the outline desired to form a step, in this case a spiral stair.
03
Fill the outline with the pattern of the iron filigree.
04
Extrude the outline down to support the step. Attach a balustrade to the wider edge.
05
Add hinges and notches to the stair chest to allow for movement and storage within.
06
Orient each step around a circle
02
Radiate around for desired number to reach required height.
03
Rotate the stairs around a central pole, folding it open and close to connect and separate levels of the house.
“Across, Iron lacework that once hung from the gutters of a veranda, is now an filagree formed stair. Rotating open and closed, breaking connection from the ground to the upper levels as one retreats upstairs.” “Occasionally, the stair step pleats open to admit belongings of its owners, shifting in hue as it safeguards possessions within.”
37
Rotating Stair - Folding Plan
38
Rotating Stair - View - In action
Rotating Stair
38
09
Stair Chest - Section
10
Stair Chest - View - in action
Stair Chest
40
Each home, each ornament, like each individual is unique. Rooted in my curiosities a process emerged to liberate and reclaim heritage. Through this operation, we are equipped to operate at any time period, any architectural or even non-architectural medium.
We close the cabinet of curiosity, surrounded by ornament readapting heritage for a new intimacy. No longer suffocated by outdated protocols, we begin to impose our identity through the architecture. We look forward to the endless possibilities, wondering what could have been and curious of what is yet to come.