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P OR T FO LIO

ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO - STAGE 3 ARCHITECTURE 2020 - 2021 180404753 Benjamin Osta

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Reflective Report

City Ruins

Ruin Lust

Homework

City Grain

City Building

City Threshold

Appendix

112

Cultural Bibliography

114

Thinking Throug Making

124

Thematic Case Studies

130

Sketchbook Work

164

Bibliography & List of Figures

170

New or amender work Group work

I would like to thank my tutors, Harriet Sutcliffe and Jack Mutton for the help they provided me during this difficult year. They inspired me to push my boundaries into this project making it the best learning experience so far. I would also like to mention my parents who supported me throughout these past three years, as well as my girlfriend Ines.

REFLECTIVE REPORT

Considering the current pandemic and the level required, this third year of university has been incredibly stressful and hard, but very rewarding in retrospective. I believe the studio I was in was the perfect match for what I want to do in the future. And what I most enjoyed was that it was a very realistic and grounded approach to a project. It taught me how to explore ruins, grab their essences and apply them in a design idea. I believe this skill will be essential in the future to understand and respect the surroundings and atmosphere of any project whilst exploring my own style. Nature takes over architecture by hiding it or exposing it. The first way I explored this idea was through the sculptural piece from the Ruin Lust brief, and it is what imbedded that idea into my design. What caught my eye on the Albion Row site was the existing buildings bordered by nature as well as the atmosphere surrounding them. Said atmosphere is due to Ouseburn, a gentrifying, fashionable, and industrial neighbourhood in Newcastle. I am particularly keen on preserving existing ruins, but I am not afraid to completely modify said ruin’s appearances to create or celebrate a new active location in the city. Later in the project, and mainly due to the Technology essay, I got really interested into materiality and sustainability through the use of Cross-Laminated Timber (thereafter ‘CLT’). It was crucial for me to understand how to use it and integrate it into my building. Ouseburn is very green and ecology-oriented, so I felt it was mandatory to create a relatively green building. Using a sustainable structure like CLT also allowed some more freedom when choosing the other materials used on the project like Corten Steel. Another sustainable material used on most of the project is re-used railway sleepers; the cladding of most buildings will be covered with this timber, which is also a good sustainable replacement of concrete and gives a similar style.

Visiting Ouseburn multiple times this year, whether going for a photography walk and looking at the many murals or for food and drinks with friends, I really fell in love with the neighbourhood. I enjoy its architecture styles merging together, and its different artistic, historical, and social activities. Indeed, I had to find a way to link my idea of connecting nature to architecture with the industrial look of my site. Thus, to integrate nature into my design, I created a meshed timber cladding resembling vines growing onto the façade. As Ouseburn is quite an artistic area, in addition to the aesthetic problematic, I wanted to create an artistic activity space for the residents and the inhabitants of Ouseburn to use. Moreover, Ouseburn is a very “healthy lifestyle” oriented neighbourhood, so I thought that adding a gym was also essential for the wellbeing of residents. The use of Corten steel for the cladding of the art building celebrates the past of the building as it was a metal factory. It also created a very visible structure on the hill side site of Albion Row. I was born in the south of France and had the chance to visit multiple times Rudy Ricciotti’s MUCEM in Marseille, which is one of my favourite buildings ever. I really enjoy its concrete mesh surrounding most of the building and really wanted to implement something similar onto my residential building. Ricciotti’s ability to incorporate natural elements to architecture does not stop there, indeed, the Jean Cocteau Museum in Menton, France also has algae-like windows and openings all around the building. After the final review I realized that I needed to connect my buildings to give the opportunity to residents to navigate between them as if they were one. Therefore, I connected my residential building with the existing building with a footbridge. This was also inspired by the MuCEM which has a bridge connecting the historic sea front and castle to the terrace of the building. My design has thus been inspired by Rudy Ricciotti, Jean Nouvel, Stefano Boeri and Tadao Ando. Respectively I have tried to merge their artistic styles, use of nature in architecture and brutalist style into my design. Working closely with the work of these artists and borrowing ideas from their projects was challenging but most of all really inspiring.

CITY RUINS (framing)

This studio engages with ideas concerning context, historical narrative and materials. The work is created through a process of researching and attention rather than invention. It is about the attention to details about a chosen site and its surroundings. The architecture created along the brief is timeless, or rather “contemporary yet not isolated in time.” This year revolved around ruins, their meaning, their representation, and their celebration. It was about celebrating ruins through the creation of a more sustainable and re-used oriented design project. There was still a large amount of freedom surrounding this project because we could focus on different aspects of ruins and how we chose to represent them; whether by preserving or celebrating them through a visual representation in our respective designs. I personally chose to depict the inter-relationship between nature and ruins. Nature tends to take over any sort of structure when there is no human activity or care. Through artistic exploration I chose to incorporate nature into my design by representing this idea of duality where nature covers and exposes architecture simultaneously. City ruins is all about discovering the meaning of ruins in the city through a personal exploration. I therefore packed my camera and walked around my neighbourhood and city to discover these ruins with a more curious and critical eye than I did before.

Ruin Photography This first set of photographs was taken in the St. Andrews cemetery, in Jesmond, Newcastle. It was, for me, the first most logical place to visit to find ruins, especially since this cemetery has tomb stones dating before the First World War. I thought that the message given by the photographs of the tombs, the statue of the Mary, and the broken-down chapel created an interesting composition depicting a particular sort or ruin. Said ruin show a more negative or sad image, indeed, representing death and oblivion.

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Fig. 2 Fig. 5

Fig. 3 Photgraph of graves in St. Andrews Cemetery Fig. 4 Photograph of statue on a grave in St. Andrews Cemetary Fig. 5 Photgraph of abandoned chapel in St. Andrews Cemetery

Fig. 1 Photographs of a chapel in St. Andrews Cemetery, Jesmond, Newcastle. Fig.2 Map showing the different areas of Newcastle explored tp find ruins

The Jesmond Dene has lots of ruins scattered in different parts of the park. Some of them are on the public paths, others are completely invisible and secret and can only be found by venturing and walking through the forest. The ruins which I found in the Dene and their inter-relationship with nature really inspired my later work in the Ruin Lust pieces and in my design project.

Doors and windows of derelict buildings are interesting parts of ruins. These three photographs show the different degrees of ruin which give off interesting atmospheres, from frightening to mystical. Indeed, the scary side of a door in ruins is that it is sometimes hard to tell if the building is abandoned or not; it gives a forbidden feeling to ruins. However, when a door is almost completely covered in vines and well hidden, it gives off a sort of magical or mystical feeling to what is behind it.

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Fig. 6 Photograph of a door from an abandoned house in Jesmond, Newcastle Fig. 7 Photograph of a ruined door in Jesmond Dene, Newcastle Fig. 8 Photograph of a window from an abandoned house in Jesmond

Fig. 9 Photograph of a ruin in Jesmond Dene Fig. 10 Photograph of the ruined water wheel in Jesmond Dene

On these two photographs as well as the one on page 8, one can observe nature invading architecture. It indeed camouflages and breaks down the ruin into different details, which forces the eye to take a better look at the visible parts of said architecture. I then thought it would be a good idea to use these details to my advantage. Nature or my own representation of it could help conceal or hide some part of my design.

Fig. 11

Fig. 12 Fig. 11 Photograph of a brick structure in Jesmond Dene Fig. 12 Photgraph of a stone tunnel in Jesmond Dene Fig. 13 Photograph of the window of an abandoned chapel in St. Andrews Cemetery

Fig. 13

RUIN LUST (framing)

This part of the brief was all about representing the observations we made during city walks. We had to work with the photographs made during the City Ruin part of the brief and create 2D and 3D artistic pieces representing what we learned and remembered from this activity. I personally tried to demonstrate how nature can hide or put forward architecture. To do so I chose to use stamping for the 2D piece and casting for the 3D one. I did not really focus on materiality for this part of the project but rather focused on creating something that would represent my idea of ruins. I believe this part of the brief was the first approach of creating a complete A to Z brief: from an abstract idea to the process and realisation, and to finally presenting it. This was the foundation of our design project and development.

Artistic Influences Rachel Witeread

Mike Nelson

Rachel Whiteread is an English artist who primarily produces casted sculptures. She was the first woman to win the Tumer Prize in 1993. I particularly enjoy her ability to reproduce an object or element and represent it through a sculpture. She can successfully represent what is invisible by casting actual negative spaces. For example, the cast of the space between bookshelves really resonates with the idea of nature camouflaging architecture, sometimes making it invisible.

Mike Nelson is a British contemporary installation artist. I absolutely love his representation of ruins and dereliction, especially the destroyed room called ‘Re-examined Territories’ he presented at the British pavilion in Venice. It creates a parallel about destruction with my idea of ruins. Indeed, by creating destruction the observer can forget he is in a simple white room, and said destruction creates interesting details. He gave me the idea of using expanding foam in my three-dimensional piece. His sculpture made from constructional steel rods for reinforced concrete created another parallel with my own idea of what a ruin is. One can indeed see the overall shape created by those steel rods but can only see specs of the concrete that is supposed to be casted over. I can also be representing the effect of time on a structure, as if water eroded the concrete and only left the metallic structure. I really enjoy those kinds of parallels with what nature does to an abandoned structure and Mike Nelson’s installations.

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Fig. 14 Photograph of the Ruin Lust sculpture piece Fig. 15 Photograph of the sculpture Ghost of the Past by R. Witeread Fig. 16 Photograph of the sculpture Untitled (Book Corridors) by R. Witeread

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Fig. 17 Photograph of the installation Re-examined Territories by M. Nelson Fig. 18 Photograph of an installation by M. Nelson

Christo Christo and Jeanne Claude are one of the most famous installation artists in the world. They are indeed famous for wrapping structures or nature on a very large scale. Their art has for goal to cover architectural structures or to expose natural elements by covering others. The covering of the Reichstag in Berlin which exposes some of the details poking through the foliage really relates do what nature would do if it “swallowed” an entire building. Their project of the floating piers on lake Iseo also valorises nature by creating a highlight stroke around a small island on the lake. I personally enjoy the duality of exposing or covering their projects in similar ways that nature does with abandoned structures. Fig. 19

Fig. 20

Fig. 19 Photograph of the covered Reich by Chisto Fig. 20 Photograph of Walk on Water by Christo

Fig. 21 Abstract charcoal drawing of the relation between architecture and ruin

Stamping

For my final stamp piece, I chose to invert the bricks on the stamp for a more impactful aesthetic. This emphasized the structural aspect and added more contrast to the effect of camouflaging.

My idea behind the stamping process was to do a one dip into the paint and stamp multiple times on a white piece of paper. The goal of processing like that was to show the sort of gradient effect nature has on camouflaging a brick wall. I chose the brick pattern because it is a universal shape that can be recognized anywhere. It also has a lot of straight horizontal and vertical lines which would be broken down by a vine growing on it.

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Fig. 22

Fig. 25 Fig. 23

Fig. 22 First attempt of stamping, representing nature hiding architecture Fig. 23 Photograph of the stamp made out of foamboard and cardboard

Fig. 24 Photograph of the final stamp piece Fig. 25 Photograph of the stamp used for the final piece

Sculpting These drawings are the abstract of what I wanted to achieve in my sculpture. The goal is to represent the erosion of any natural elements on the geometrical structure. This erosion represents the void that a thick vine growing on a building’s façade would create.

Fig. 27

The realisation of this project was relatively simple but a little dangerous due to the use of extremely flammable and toxic expanding foam. Having used it before, I was not as concerned as my tutors were. The result was surprisingly successful, so I decided to make another one by adding a lot more expanding foam in it to emphasize the effect. Fig. 28

Fig. 30

Fig. 31

Fig. 29

Fig. 32

Fig. 27 Charcoal and colour pencil drawing behind the ruin lust piece Fig. 28 Abstract drawing behing the ruin lust sculpture piece Fig. 29 Photograph of the mold with expanding foam

Fig. 30, 31 & 32 Photographs of the ruin lust sculpture pieces representing nature taking over architecture

HOMEWORK (framing)

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Fig. 34

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Fig. 33 Personnal mood board for the Homework precedent analysis Fig. 34, 35 & 36 Pieces and section for the Homework group presentation

CITY GRAIN (framing)

Following the artistic research done in the first part of the brief, City Grain was our first real interaction with a site and its surroundings. It is all about the understanding of a wider urban strategy and its integration in the city. A thorough site analysis was therefore needed for us to ensure that our comprehension of the site and surroundings we had to work on was as clear as possible. A good site analysis warrants a design project with a good integration within the city around it.

Site I chose the Albion Row site. It is a semi-active site with an abandoned metal factory. The site extends on over 100 meters from East to West. It is located between Ouseburn and Byker on a hillside, offering a great view of Ouseburn valley and the rest of Newcastle.

Fig. 38

Fig. 37 Photograph of the fixed crane in Ouseburn, Newcastle Fig. 38 Plan locating the Albion Row in Ouseburn and Newcastle

History The Ballast Hills Burial Site It is the most important non-conformist graveyard of Newcastle dating from 1609, formerly known as Plaguey Fields or Grannies Park. The name comes from the mounds of ballast which were deposited in the area. The path close to the Ouseburn school, however, was created in 1930 using 200 headstones from the burial ground and was laid out as a play area. The most probable history of this site is that it was where the earliest Scottish emigrants buried their dead. The site used to be much larger for houses and glasshouses have been built over the graves which were outside the present enclosed ground. It contained around 621 gravestones in May 1917 and must now exceed 700. No funeral services were ever read as the ground was never attached to any church. ‘More bodies are interred in this burying-ground than in all the church yards in the city’. Therefore, the site was inadequate to accommodate the occupants without disturbing the remains of the dead and instil distress to the living.

Fig. 39

Fig. 39 Photograph of a tombstone from the Ballast Hill burial ground in Ouseburn Fig. 40 Photograph of a path of the Ballast Hill burial ground in Ouseburn Fig. 41 Map from the 19th century showing Ouseburn

Fig. 40

Fig. 41

Context Ouseburn is a small valley between the centre of Newcastle, Byker, Heaton and Jesmond. It is a very industrial yet gentrified neighbourhood of Newcastle with a lot of inhabitations, activity and commercial spaces. The overall atmosphere is very trendy, and ecology-orientated.

JESMOND

SOUTH HEATON

WALKERGATE

SHIELDFIELD CITY CENTRE OUSEBURN

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

BIKER

RIVER TYNE QUAYSIDE

GATESHEAD Fig. 43

Fig. 44

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

Fig. 42

Fig. 45

Fig. 46

Fig. 43 Diagram showing the different neighbourhoods arround the Albion Row site Fig. 44 Diagram showing the different greenspaces and activity spaces (bars, museums, shops...) in Ouseburn Fig. 45 Satelite view of Ouseburn Fig. 46 Photograph of the toffee factory and the river Ouse in Ouseburn

Fig. 42 Map of the United Kingdom locating Newcastle upon Tyne

Ouseburn is a very social meeting point for people in Newcastle. It is connected to three different neighbourhoods and directly connected to Newcastle through the quayside which makes it a very popular place to be in. The valley of Ouseburn hosts the river Ouse, a little river that flows all the way to the Tyne. The neighbourhood also has a lot of street art graffities and murals all over. There are also many art studios, galleries and shops.

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Fig. 50 Photograph of the many graffiti and river Ouse, Ouseburn Fig. 51 Photograph of gafitti and residential complex in Ouseburn Fig. 52 Photograph of the Tyne Bar, Ouseburn Fig. 53 Photograph of the river Ouse, and a residential building

Fig. 49 Photograph of stairs leading toward the Albion Row site, Ouseburn

These two charcoal drawings are from the site I chose and depict very well the industrial part of Ouseburn. These rough industrial buildings surrounded by barbwire and pile of metals in the depot contrast well next to the photographs of the river, the parks and the art. The photograph on page 44 really shows the roughness of the materiality that is used into those industrial buildings.

The river Ouse is quite polluted and unattractive but works in harmony with the atmosphere surrounding Ouseburn. There are a lot of abandoned buildings which are, for three of them, the available sites for our design project. There are also many trees and green spaces and parks scattered around Ouseburn which contrast a lot with the industrial style of the buildings.

Fig. 54

Fig. 56

Fig. 57

Fig. 55

Fig. 54 Photograph of the Ouse pourring out into the Tyne Fig. 55 Photograph of the abandoned Scrap Metal Works factory, some warehoused and the park, Ouseburn

Fig. 56 & 57 Charcoal drawing showing the scrap metal tip and the buildings on the Albion Row site

The materiality of Ouseburn is quite rough but works in harmony with the overall atmosphere. Most of the buildings are made of bricks or stone. Almost all of them use different types and colours of bricks. Some, however, got their colour because of their degradation through time, some longer than others, which gives each building a unique colour that contrasts perfectly with the large amount of greenery.

Fig. 59

Fig. 60

Fig. 58

Fig. 59 Photograph of the Art Boat in the river Ouse, also showing the stone materiality of Ouseburn Fig. 60 Photograph of the Hotel du Vin & Bistro showing a beautiful brick laying and facade in Ouseburn

Fig. 58 Photograph showing the rough industial materiality of the Albion Row Site

Site Model The site model shows the density of Ouseburn, and the aerial photographs show the many green spaces scattered around the site. I had to re-make most of the site model as the first we made as a group had a lot of inconsistencies with the dimensions in between the buildings and the roads. It is important to have a relatively precise site model in order to have a proper idea of what the design project will look like in its original context, with the other existing buildings.

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Fig. 61 Site model and context Fig. 62 Satellite view of the residential area and Albion Row site in Ouseburn

Fig. 63 Site model and context Fig. 64 Satellite view of the residential area and Albion Row site in Ouseburn

Diagrams The site model shows the density of Ouseburn, and the aerial photographs show the many green spaces scattered around the site. I had to re-make most of the site model as the first we made as a group had a lot of inconsistencies with the dimensions in between the buildings and the roads. It is important to have a relatively precise site model in order to have a proper idea of what the design project will look like in its original context, with the other existing buildings.

Fig. 65

Fig. 66

Fig. 65 Map of Ouseburn Fig. 66 Diagrams showing the different elements constituing Ouseburn

CITY BUILDING (testing)

City Building includes all the process work and the application of all the previous activities done before. It was the hardest part of the project for me because I had applied all the theoretical and artistic ideas into a design project. Thus, it took quite some time before I could find a design that reacted and integrated to the site properly. However, I was set on the materiality from the start with the use of Corten steel and railway sleepers. This aspect of the project is where I really learned the most this year, if not since the beginning of the course. Indeed, it did not start exactly like I wanted it to as I had to change the design entirely multiple times, until I finally came up with a building idea that felt like it was part of the site. This was mainly made possible thanks to the honesty of my tutors and peers. In the end, I believe that I found a design which I am proud of, and I learned that the process towards such a goal consists of lots of ups and downs that I had to overcome.

Rudy Ricciotti

Jean Nouvel

Rudy Ricciotti was born in 1952 in Alger. Growing up and still living in the South of France, he developed his work and agency there. For him, ‘architecture is a combat sport’ (2013) and actually represents who he is: an engineer, an architect, and even a philosopher. He breaks the codes of architecture and has been immensely recognized for it by winning several prices: the National Award of the Architecture in 2006 and the Gold Medal of the Academy of the Architecture in 2013. He is a pioneer in the use of concrete. Being mostly interested in the social dimension of building and in projects requiring large amounts of labour, as it is the only credible economic and political perspective in his opinion, the products he uses are always local. This sustainable side of his work leads him to use a lot of concrete as it can only be produced globally. ‘He is a defender of the made in France, at the edge of economic patriotism’ (Chagnaud, 2015).

As a French architect, Jen Nouvel breaks down the aesthetics of modernism to create his own stylistic language. His most important goal is to create a harmony between its buildings and their surroundings; to integrate them as much as possible. He is all about visual and technical complexities and is defined by critics as a conceptual architect. He won the famous Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2008. “Louvre Abou Dabi” The intent of this building is to create a welcoming world which associates the serenity of light and shadows, the reflections and the calmness. The light filters through the dome; it is like a beach umbrella creating a ‘rain of light’. This tribute to nature was inspired by the palm trees of the city.

“Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerrannée” Fig. 68

Fig. 71

The products used for this building, locally called MuCEM, all come from a 50-kilometer radius. The mesh concrete part of this building reflects to the Mediterranean life and surrounding, the sea and nature.

Fig. 69

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Fig. 67 Design project in context Fig. 68 Portrait Rudy Ricciotti Fig. 69 Photograph of the meshed concrete of the MuCEM, Marseille, France Fig. 70 Photograph of the MuCEM, Marseille, France

Fig. 71 Portrait of Jean Nouvel and the interior of the new Louvre in Abu Dabi

Stefano Boeri

Tadao Ando Born in 1941 in Osaka, Japan, Tadao Ando was raised by his grandmother as rigorous, rational and independent man. Brought up in the typical shitamachi of Osaka, he used to frequent the workshop of a carpenter after school. Through this experience, he developed a sensitivity to materials, and even nowadays he always goes back to 0, to the basics when he starts a new project.

This Italian architect from Milan founded his studio in 2008 which is specialized in sustainability, development and research. He seeks to develop inventive solutions for different territorial and socio-economic contexts. “Smart Forest City Cancun” This proposal for the city of Mexico entwines nature and urban fabric. The goal of this project would be to give back occupied areas to nature and to be food and energy self-efficient. It is based on traditional heritage and its relationship with the nature and sacred worlds, all of this within a contemporary city.

“Église de la lumière” In this project, nature is stylized as it is limited to the light which seems to purify the brutalist architectural space. Most of the materials used are in their raw form. This choice was made by Ando because he criticizes a lot the trend to remove materiality and mainly use artificial materials, without character. The intend of this building was to put in contact the believers coming to the church with nature as this one offers simultaneously a contact with the representation of nature – the rays of light coming in - and an abstract nature - the natural materials left in the shadows. Fig. 74

Fig. 72

“Temple Komyo-ji” This project was based on a temple in ruins. Ando did not have any constraints apart from the fact that it had to look welcoming to the community. For Ando, it is more than structural expressionism, therefore, the structure of the temple symbolizes the reunion of the faithful. From the inside, during the day, natural light is filtered by the beams and from the outside, at night, the light from the inside is filtered by the beams and reflected on the water basin. Through this project, Ando accepted the memory of the site, its context and the surrounding climate.

Fig. 75

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Fig. 73

Fig. 74 Portrait of Tadao Ando Fig. 75 Temple Komyo-ji by Tadao Ando Fig. 76 Church of Light by Tadao Ando

Fig. 72 Portrait of Stefano Boeri Fig. 73 Smart Forest City concept, Cancun, Stefano Boeri

Design Process My way of working is quite simple, I must find a shape first, and test that shape onto the site. I feel like its integration to the city is important but I still leave a bit of freedom especially concerning the materiality. The first designs I made were not successful, the overall forms of the massing were way too complex and made the entire project confusing. Therefore, I had to re-start and simplify my ideas to make them more understandable and striking. I am a big concrete lover, but unfortunately, it is not good for the environment, and definitely does not fit in a neighbourhood like Ouseburn where the atmosphere is engaged for ecology and health. I had to find an alternative. So, I remembered a precedent analysis project from stage 2 which used railway sleepers as cladding. I thought I would try it onto my facades and it worked perfectly: it gave it this sort of green brutalism that I love so much. Also, the Corten steel is one of my favourite materials simply for aesthetic purposes. I had to set my design into the landscape as well by giving it something flashy and recognisable: large Corten steel boxed windows. In addition to being quite practical for the user as they can be used for storage, sitting or decoration purposes, they are striking from both the inside and the outside. Finally, the meshed cladding; I started by wanting to use fibered concrete, which, again, is not very environmentally-friendly, and did not really relate to this idea of nature ‘taking back’ and ‘climbing’ onto the façade.

Fig. 80

I then went on to design the studio apartments for which I tried to create spacious and luminous spaces. After collating a few apartments together and adding the cladding and the façade with the boxed windows, I started to feel quite pleased with the design I was developing for this project. However, the last issue concerning the residential building was the cores. At first, they were bulky and angular, so I thought to round them up so that the building could also relate to the river Ouse; I wanted to create a sort of parallel between both. It also gave it a more natural flow and aesthetic integrating it better into the landscape and context. Moreover, I always wanted to work with glass bricks, but never had the chance to in any of my previous designs. I think they are wonderful because the inhabitant can only see a small amount of details through them. They almost act as a cliff-hanger for the large and individual boxed windows inside the studio apartments.

Finally, the activity spaces. As I decided to fully re-use the existing building but change their layout on the inside and the cladding on the outside, I wanted to go all out. Especially for the main building, I came up with a community art centre with a large workshop, many studios, classrooms, and a gallery with a viewing box on the top floor. Additionally, the office and gym use the same timber than the residential building because they need to be more discrete. I really wanted the art centre to be a landmark into its context, hence the use of Corten steel for its cladding, making it unique in the area. I regret not doing the watercolours before the final review simply because they are quite easy and efficient to make, and also because they depict a good representation of the overall colour scheme and materiality. I therefore used them to really display how the materials interact and contrast with each other.

Fig. 77 Drawing and space analysis of the Albion Row site Ouseburn

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Fig. 77

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Fig. 78 Design iterations on site Fig. 79 Programmatic study diagram (on page 58) Fig. 80 Iterations for the patern on the meshed cladding for the north facing facade Fig. 81 Iterations for the boxed widows, and first use of Corten steel in the project

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Fig. 86 & 87 First concrete meshed cladding for the north facing facade Fig. 88 Design of the studio apartments, the 2 bedroom apartments came later in the project Fig. 89 & 90 Skethup iteration with the organisation for the activity spaces

Fig. 82 & 83 First sketchup massing Fig. 84 & 85 New layout massing of the residential buildings

Circulation Studio Apartments Cores Gallery / Cafe / Rentable Art Art Workshop

Offices

Gym

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Fig. 91 Diagram shwoing the change of shape for the cores of the residential building Fig. 92 & 93 Final sketchup model of the design Fig. 94 & 95 Sketchup model of the Art building, Offices, and Gym

Fig. 97 Materiality exploration diagram Fig. 98 Watercolour from the coridor in the residential building Fig. 99 Watercolour looking at the contrast between the corten steel from the art building and the timber cladding of the residential building

Fig. 100 Watercoulour of the Art building and the north facade cladding covered in Clematis and Whisteria

Floor Plans Ground Floor -1

Ground Floor

First Floor

Fig. 101

Fig. 102

Fig. 101 and 102 Sketchup model showing the overall building and the activity complex

Second Floor

Fig. 103

Fig. 104

Fig.103 and 104 North facing facade and detail

Third Floor

Fig. 105

Fig. 106

Fig. 105 & 106 Sketchup model showing the footbridge connecting the art building and the residential building

Inhabitations

Second Floor inhabited residential building

Fig. 107

Fig. 108

Fig. 107 & 108 Renders of the 40 m2 studio apartment

Bridge between the third floor and the art gallery

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Fig. 109 & 110 Renders of the footbridge between the residential building and the art building

Detailed Ground floor -1

Fig. 111

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Fig. 111 Render of the light well on the roof of the office building Fig. 112 Render of the gym in the renovated warehouse Fig. 113 Render of the workshop on the ground floor of the art building

Hawthorn

Horse Chesnut

Whisteria

Silver Birch

Oak

Ivy Common Lime

Clematis

Fig. 114 Planting plan for the park and the north facing facade

Winter Solstice 11.52°

Equinox 35.02°

Summer Solstice 58.2°

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Fig. 115 Diagram showing the advantages of boxed windows at different times of the year Fig. 116 Sunpath diagram and solar panels

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UV cleaning system Water Tank Water Pump

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Fig. 122

Fig. 117 & 118 Water re-use diagrams

Fig. 119, 120 & 122 Circulation diagrams

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Fig. 123 Hierarchy diagram Fig. 124 Geometry diagram

Fig. 125 Parti Plan diagram Fig. 126 Parti Section diagram

1.q 1.a 1.b 1.c 1.d

1.e

1.f 1.g 1.h

1.i

1.j 1.k 1.l 1.m 1.n

1.o 1.p

2.a

2.b 2.c 2.d 2.e 2.f 2.g 2.h 2.i 2.j 2.k 2.l 2.m 2.n 2.o

3.a

3.b

3.c

3.d

3.e

3.f

3.g

4.a 4.b 5.a

4.c

5.b

4.d

4.e

4.f

Section Keys:

4.g

1. Roof

2. Wall

3. Floor

1.a 50mm Bitumen mat 1.b 25mm plywood sheet 1.c 75mm hard sound insulation 1.d 5mm waterproof layer 1.e 140mm CLT panel 1.f 50 x 50mm Glulam beams 1.g 30mm battens 1.h 200mm Wool insulation 1.i 50 x 300mm Timber battens 1.j 100mm Hard insulation 1.k 2 13mm Plaster boards 1.l 100 x 100mm Timber supports 1.m Seal joint 1.n Metal bracket 1.o Waterproof membrane 1.p Metal gutter 1.q Solar Panel

2.a Double glazed window 2.b Aluminium window frame 2.c 100mm CLT panel 2.d 2.5mm Corten steel 2.e 100mm Wool insulation 2.f Vapour control layer and wind proofing layer 2.g 50mm Railway sleepers cladding 2.h 20mm Pine boards interior cladding 2.i 340mm Vertical timber frame for cladding 2.j 45mm Hard insulation 2.k 450 x 450mm timber support beams 2.l 200mm Wool Insulation 2.m 100mm CLT wall panel 2.n Seal joint 2.o Metal bracket

3.a 30mm Wood parquet 3.b 2 13mm sound insulation and support mat 3.c 22mm Plywood sheet 3.d 130mm CLT floor panel 3.f Plater coating 3.g Timber and steel curtain pole

TECHNICAL SECTION AND ELEVATION STUDY Benjamin Osta 180404753 30th April 2021

4. Foundations 4.a Waterproof membrane 4.b Metal bracket 4.c 500 x 250mm Timber support 4.d 130mm PVC drain 4.e Reinforced concrete 4.f Support gravel

5. Crawlspace

Fig. 127 1:20 Technical section and materiality study elevation

5.a Electrical sheath 5.b Drainpipes

Fig. 128 South Facing elevation and integration into Ouseburn

Integration into the City

Fig. 129 City and project section

Fig. 130 Master Plan

CITY THRESHOLD (synthesis)

2.a

2.b 2.c 2.d 2.e 2.f 2.g 2.h 2.i 2.j 2.k 2.l 2.m 2.n

This final part of the project was all about showcasing, almost selling our project through 2.o curated renders. It was personally the most enjoyable part of the project because it was all about celebrating what I had done. The final review was also extremely insightful. Because of COVID-19, interacting with other students was quite hard, but the final review really permitted us to interact, criticise, and appreciate each other’s work. It was very useful to update and create more work after said review. It is after this feedback from the tutors and my peers that I produced, I believe, my most successful and celebratory pieces.

3.a

3.b

3.c

3.d

3.e

3.f

3.g

4.a 4.b 5.a

4.c

Fig. 132

Fig. 131 South facing elevation Fig. 132 North side Art building render

Fig. 133

Fig. 133 North side Art building render and residential building

Fig. 134

Fig. 134 North facing cladding with ivy climbing the facade

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SECTION AA

Fig. 135

Fig. 135 AA section

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SECTION AA

Fig. 136

Fig. 136 BB section

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Fig. 137 Materiality study of the Art building elevation

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Fig. 138 Materiality study of the South facing cladding of the residential building

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Fig. 139 Celebratory render of the connection between the art building and the residential building

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APPENDIX

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CULTURAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

My main hobby is photography, and it influences almost every artistic piece that I have and will produce. Indeed, I put a lot of attention to any sort of visual representation because as my grandfather would say ‘a sketch is worth a hundred words, a photograph is worth a thousand sketches’. I mainly like artistic, architectural, and animal photography in comparison to portraits because I find more captivating to capture these subjects than people. In terms of architectural photography, I have a preference for ruins and historical buildings especially when they contrast with a more modern context. I find modern buildings more successful when they complement and support historical structures. I am passionate about animal and nature photography because I was able to travel around the world to many exotic countries, and photography was the only way to ever remember every little detail of these journeys. The current world situation and growing population leads us to need more and more inhabitations, hence using nature’s space and sometimes destroying it. Preserving this nature is essential and I believe that as an architect student and individual I have a duty to participate in this protection. A good way of helping this cause is to create eco-friendly designs, use green materials, re-use buildings, add nature into designs and plant trees.

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Carriere des lumiere, Beaux de Provence, France, 2019

La Bastidone, France, 2020

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Bruge, Belgique 2020

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Costa Rica,2019

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“The size of a comfortable little tearoom, and the alcove pillars and ceiling glow with a faint smoky luster, dark even in the light of the candlestand, as I gazed at the trays and bowls standing in the shadows cast by that flickering point of flame, I discovered in the gloss of this lacquerware a depth and richness like that of a still, dark pond, a beauty I had not before seen.” (J. Tanizaki, 1933, p.22)

I am not an avid reader, but I definitely need some sort of visual and philosophical inspiration for me to create and reflect on my work. My favourite inspirational book is In Praise of Shadows by J. Tanizaki. It is a book about Japanese culture and the appreciation of darkness and contrast, from everyday objects, like cutlery, to the shades of shadows needed in a traditional Japanese house. It also describes the importance of materials and what they represent in the Japanese culture compared the European culture. The entire piece is written in a very poetic way:

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THINKING THROUGH MAKING

This part of the project was all about making something. It is only after the final review that I realised I did not use the workshop at all this year (mostly because of the sanitary restrictions), but more importantly that I had never used a laser cutter before. I decided I had to go into the university and learn how to use it to make the cladding that covers the north facing façade of my residential building. The result of the cut out was more successful and actually looked even better than on the Sketchup models I had made previously. In a theoretical making of this façade, and with 150 to 250 millimetre timber, the manufacturer would probably use an industrial size CNC cutter rather than a laser or plasma cutter due to the thickness and dimensions of the material. The façade would also be divided into sections to ease the transport and later on be assembled on site. On a model scale, the use of the laser cutter gave it a more weathered look, as if it was on an exterior facade.

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Terrassenhaus THEMATIC CASE STUDIES

Brandlhuber+ Edme, Burlon and Muck Petzet Architekten Berlin 2018

SITE AND CONTEXT Terrassenhaus Berlin is located in Northwestern Berlin, Wedding. The district is one of the pooerst areas of Berlin and the foreign population accounts for 30 percent. The inexpensive rent amounts for houses and studios attract many artists to settle down. The building’s multi-use space form came from a regulation from 1958. It allowed the construction of commerical buildings only, however, the areas should remain a residential zone as to a granfather clause. Terrassenhaus Berline was designed as a combination of commercial and residential building in this context.

Q1: How does the case study relate to the Studio Specific Criteria .01? - Contributing to an ongoing dialogue with the surrounding city

Jiyeon Ryu

Q1: How does the case study relate to the Studio Specific Criteria .01? - Contributing to an ongoing dialogue with the surrounding city

SITE HISTORY

RELATIONSHIP WITH SURROUNDINGS

The site was a scrapyard in the past but completely to be a lively place by providing public spaces for occupants to encourage communication with each other.

Considering the adjacent buildings, which are 1900’s dwellings and a climbing hall, the project arouses their typological renewal. The architects wanted the building to contrast to the remnant area of Berlin.

Indeed, Brandlhuber+ Edme, Burlon and Muck Petzet Architekten designed the building against Berline’s high-priced propoerty and construction costs. The architects believed that these conditions may result in tiny, less social spaces. To avoid inappropriate pressure, the architects considered the project as an exchange of economic benefits for the common space. The variety of space contribution such as a gallery, co-working spaces, offices, studios and residences maximise the use of the building.

Unlike the typical rectangular form of neighbouring buildings, Terrassenhaus Berlin was created in a zigurant-like shape. Its unique shape naturally forms wide communal terraces on each floor. The appearance is clearly differenciated from others around it.

Jiyeon Ryu

Q1: How does the case study relate to the Studio Specific Criteria .01? - Contributing to an ongoing dialogue with the surrounding city

Jiyeon Ryu

LOCATION

MATERIALITY AND FORM

On the south side of the building, there is a suburban railway track. The roof terraces and the semi-public space on the ground floor are facing onto the railway track. Due to the windows across the whole width without walls, the benefits of the direction provide a wide view to the occupants. The south facing facade also allows more sun in the roof gardens. The sunlight could contribute to growing plants, gathering people for social activities or giving additional work spaces to artists.

The Terrassenhaus has a simplistic heavy form with the use of an external staircase to connect each floor together and facilitate the journey between the shared ground floor garden and roof terrace. The main focus of the design of the building was to maximise external space and make the building accessible to users and the neighbourhood. 4 Main Material Components: Reinforced Concrete Cluster Pine Laminated Timber Panels Triple Glazing Polyethylene Curtains When analysing the buildings materiality, the Terrassenhaus uses a simple combination of volumetric and neutral coloured materials. The buildings envelope is built out of mainly reinforced concrete and plywood, only including central cores with elevators and bathrooms. The simplistic design allows for customisation of studio and exhibition uses within the building, complimented by the restrain design gesture of the loft-like spaces.

Q1: How does the case study relate to the Studio Specific Criteria .01? - Contributing to an ongoing dialogue with the surrounding city

Jiyeon Ryu

Q2: How does the case study relate to the Studio Specific Criteria .02? - Detailed resolution and communication of tectonic language

Bethany Rungay

ANALYSING MATERIALS

STAGGERED BUILDING LEVELS

1 - Roof Construction 400 mm smoothed waterproof concrete to falls 2% 240 mm mineral foam panel thermal insulation 5 mm spacking

Since the main focus of the client was on minimising internal space, the architects referred to a zoning plan from 1958, which allowed the maximum construction of a five-story structure for commercial use.

2 - Floor Construction, Studio 65 mm heating screed PE foil vapour barrier 20 mm rigid impact sound insulation panel 35 mm thermal insulation 300 mm reinforced concrete

The design updates the typology of the terrace house as a contemporary and site-specific form, replicating the ground five times in the form of stepped terraces. The platforms are created by setbacks, defined by the length of the exterior staricases, following the German trend ratio of 19:26 cm. The stepped terraces on the building’s rear facade therefore produce a negative form on the street side, creating a covered public space.

3 - Wall Construction 260 mm reinforced concrete 160 mm mineral foam thermal insulation panel 20/60 mm wood framing 22 mm cluster pine laminated timber panel

The sketch drawn below highlights the social design aspect of this building. The stepped terraces allow for communication between each floor. The drawing suggests that the design of the buildig creates a more welcoming facade from a street perspective. This, in turn, will influence those walking past to explore the building with ease.

4 - Fixed Glazing Triple glazing in aluminium frame

Q2: How does the case study relate to the Studio Specific Criteria .02? - Detailed resolution and communication of tectonic language Bethany Rungay

Q2: How does the case study relate to the Studio Specific Criteria .02? - Detailed resolution and communication of tectonic language

Bethany Rungay

LIGHT ANALYSIS

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SPACES

The front facade of the Terrassenhaus is south facing enabling light to enter throughout the building at all times during the day. With windows only on the south and north sides of the buildings, this directs the light smoothly throughout the building.

The interior and exterior of Terrassenhaus are durable due to its mono-materiality of concrete. The use of concrete for the main material of the building has a negative effect on the environment and climate change. Cement, used in concrete, is one of the main produces of carbon dioxide which is a potent greenhouse gas; this causing damage to a layer of the earth. Concrete also can cause soil erosion, water pollution and flooding and in turn is an extremely damaging material to use for the environment. Concrete has a negative impact on the environment and therefore is seens as being damaging towards the future of climate change.

Since there are no west and east facing windows, the floor to ceiling windows south facing facade creates maximum access for light to effectively fill the interior space. This creates a much more inviting and pleasant environment to be in when visiting the building. Alongside this, the polyethylene curtain dresses the building creates a reflective material for the light to bounce off. This not only will filtrate light from being too harsh on the south side but will also reflect the light in order for it to reach spaces within the building that would not have had much access to light prior.

Q2: How does the case study relate to the Studio Specific Criteria .02? - Detailed resolution and communication of tectonic language

Bethany Rungay

The use of one material however for the building does mean that the separation of interior and exterior as well as public and private spaces are ‘erased’, enabling flexibility with regards to the use of the building. The integration of the building into the location can therefore also be seen as positive as it introduces a design that contributed to a contemporary urban context.

Q3: How does the case study relate to its environmental / climate crisis context?

Malaika Javed

TEMPERATURE REGULATION WATER DRAINAGE

The building features external sun protection curtains which are made of semitransparent, shimmering polyethylene sheets. Polyethylene is produced from renewable resources, it is mostly acquired from petroleum or natural gas, which therefore is seen as being bad for the environment. The use of polyethylene can also cause waste problems if it not recycled as it is not biodegradable and could in turn accumulate in landfills. Despite this, polyethylene sheets are durable and regulate temperature well, meaning an increase in thermal efficiency for the building. In turn, this is a positive aspect of the curtins as they do not contribute to global warming however there is a chance if the sheets are not recycled correctly it could play a part in the problem with plastic waste.

The building’s surfaces are all inclined slightly enabling the drainage of water into the garden area, meaning an extra drainage system is not required for either the roofs or patios. This inclination of water similar to the appearance of a ‘cascade’ allowed the water to seep into the vegetation that is present in the garden below, in turn encouraging the growth of the plants of the grounds level and the terraces to go together, to form into a large garden as part of the building; this highlights the incorporation of the environment on site. The accumulation of rainwater is then drained into the ground with the use of a gutter, seeping into the property. Däung Multipor, an ecological-mineral composed of raw materilas sand, lime, cement and water, and is used as a natural insulation board for flat roofs. This is a sustainable option as the minerals included are nonflammable meaning that in the event of a fire, toxic fumes and smoke are eliminated. In conjuction with this, during the process of instillation and usage period the minerals are harmless both to the building biology and health and is free from harmful subsances like formaldehyde.

For the generation of heat energy within the building, the integration of locally available energies are used, this being a geothermal system with geothermal probes with a depth of around 0 are needed on site. This type of heat energy contrasts to other renewable energy sources for example water, wind or sun as geothermal energy is continuously available despite ‘the weather, time of day or season.’ The building uses energy that is generated entirely without using fossil fuels and it does not use ‘any new mobility flows’. This highlights that the site positively responds to the climate change crisis as no additional energy is used.

Overall, the impact of the drainage system and Däung Multipor have a positive effect on the environment and climate change cintext as they highlight sustainable aspects of the building.

Q3: How does the case study relate to its environmental / climate crisis context?

Malaika Javed

Q3: How does the case study relate to its environmental / climate crisis context?

Malaika Javed

OPTIMISED FUNCTIONALITY Brandlhuber+ Edme, Burlon and Muck Petzet Architects designed the building with optimal functionality as a guiding aspect. In fact, every design decision seems to be based on optimal application of building law (D). Further, the simplicity of the concrete shell allows for unobstructed space ready for maximum occupation. The circulation is places on the outside to save space inside (A). The mixed-use program also fits into this design intention, effectively maximising building use.

THE GARDEN A vertical garden was included in the building in order to preserve as much plantable area as possible on site, which has been highlighted with the creation of several terraces and roof gardens. The architects were challenged with a brief of creating a “brutalist hanging garden of Babylon” which responded to the surrounding environment. However the inclusion of greenery on site was not purely for decorative reasons but to follow the idea of urban agriculture relating to the buildings neighbouring climate.

The lower levels were shifted back to achieve maximum building density while also providing public space (A). Neither the terraces or roof have extra drainage. The terraces are simply slightly inclined for the water to flow down the building in waterfalls (E). This avoids all unnecessary elements.

There were many motives behind the purpose of the garden and its content. One being for urban agricultural reasons through vegetable cultivation, fruit trees, chicken and beekeeping for food production in the city. It also could be used as a means of socialisation for the community as it was open to the neighbourhood and its residents including children. The garden also encouraged the idea of garening and up-cycling within the community as well as organic food produce within the region, in turn having a positive impact on the environment towards climate change.

Q3: How does the case study relate to its environmental / climate crisis context?

Malaika Javed

Q4: How does the case study relate to the architects’ theoretical position / how does it explore their ideas / preoccupations?

Taddeo Toffanin

REDEFINING SOCIAL INTERACTION

PUBLIC SPACE

The staggered terraces are semi-public spaces and yet are also the means of access to the units. The users therefore constantly interact with the public just outside their windows.

The architects, by giving the district much-needed public space, contribute seemingly positively to its livability (A). Yet the scheme, through its unusual design, attracts many creatives and polarises the area (E). This caused controversy and even protests in the surrounding community, as the building was percieved as the first step towards gentrification (E).

“Its a challenge when you’re at your kitchen window and total strangers can appear on your terrace at any time. You must get used to this.” (E) The main circulation stairs, on the exterior of the building, become a key trigger of complex social interaction used by both the residents and the public (A). The connection between the public terraces and the interior is amplified by the continuous materiality of raw concrete. The seamless link can be highlighted when the residents open their full heigh glass doors on a full wall of glass onto the public terraces. (B) The design “provokes a closeness that one either wants or has to learn” (D) and blurs the line between living and working as well as public and private. Although the silver curtains can be drawn for visual privacy, the proximity and sound scape are a permanent part of Terrassenhaus life.

Q4: How does the case study relate to the architects’ theoretical position / how does it explore their ideas / preoccupations?

Taddeo Toffanin

According to the architects, Berlin’s rising propoerty prices and construction costs have led architects to design smaller less social spaces to maximise financial profit (C). Terrassenhaus responds to this trend, “exchanging economic benefit for collective space” (C). The terraces create interconnected and complex public space. Connected both visually and by the exterior staircase, the public space could become a community hub for the district. By shifting back public plaza is exhibition space of place and

Q4: How does the case study relate to the architects’ theoretical position / how does it explore their ideas / preoccupations?

the lower levels, a 7.5 meter semicreated in front of the ground floor (B), which contributes to the sense street scape of the neighbourhood.

Taddeo Toffanin

FLEXIBILITY

MULTI-USE

Through mixed-use, Terrassenhaus provides a lively and ever-evolving environment. The open spaces can be configured into anything from an apartment to an office, to an expansive exhibition space using Allep pine panel partition walls (A). Similarly, the terraces can host a huge selevtion of events from a convivial yoga clas to a much larger event. The staggered terraces provide connections between levels, providing and unusual but dynamic space for large events. The building is ready to evolve with its surroundings.

The Terrassenhaus Berlin can be considered as a multi-use project. The regulation of the site only allows a commercial building hence the atelier and gallery, but another clause also says that it should remain a residential zone. “In this context, the special status allows for a new building to be constructed, which serves as a commerical building but could become a residential site in the future.” (ArchDaily)

Mixed-use is also a great way to ensure the scheme’s success. Not only can the different uses compliment eachother and render the scheme more attractive, its success no longer relies on a single use; if one use fails, the building can rely on its other uses.

It is quite rare to have a building that has a possibility to transform into a residence. But, one of the common point with the Unite d’Habitation by Le Corbusier in Marseille is the gallery and atelier added on top of the roof. Indeed, on the photographs on the left-hand side, and delimited in black is an art school, gallery, and workshop for artists living in the building. Le Corbusier pushed the multiuse inside Unite d’Habitation to its limit by adding a commercial centre, a school, some doctors office, a dentist, a small clinic etc.

The mixed-use aspect of the scheme reflects the complex heterogeneity of surrounding Wedding, described as “a bit undefined and rough” (E). It seems like a charmingly random agglomeration of urban fabric.

What makes Terrassenhaus Berlin so interesting is a possibility to evolve, change, and modify itself to accommodate Berlin-Wedding.

Q4: How does the case study relate to the architects’ theoretical position / how does it explore their ideas / preoccupations?

Taddeo Toffanin

Q5: How does the case study relate to other buildings of its type?

Benjamin Scott Osta

MULTI-USE

MASSING

Some other examples of multi-use buildings are the Lingotto Car Factory in Turin as well as The Barbican in London.

The unique massing of the Terrassenhaus building is very similar in shape and style to The Alexandra Road estate in London. It is a brutalist building built in the 1970s near some railway tracks. It is possible to spot the difference between the two buildings in these sections. Indeed the counter lever is more important on the Terrassenhaus building than The Alexandra Road Estate, due to the age of the buildings.

The Lingotto building was renovated and transformed by the famous architect Renzo Piano. I originally was the biggest car factory in Europe with the particularity of having a testing track on its roof. R. Piano renovated it by creating a commercial center with hundreds of shops, a cinema, a gallery, a pavillion, a hospital with helipad access. He also added light by re-designing the metal structure to accommodate a glass ceiling on some parts of the building.

The Terrassenhaus is a modern building from 2018. The exterior flights of stairs on the Terrassenhaus also pushes the design to a more modern aspect in terms of structural engineering. The Alexandra Road estate needed reinforcements on the side of the tracks for the counter lever whereas Terrassenhaus does not.

The Barbican is a residential complex with a strong community and multi-use aspects. Indeed, it posseses a theatre, an opera house, a cinema, a church and many other amenities for the locals. Terrassenhaus Berlin has yet to set the amenities it offers, but its advantage over other multi-use is that is has a choice to change and transform to accommodate the inhabitants of Berlin Wedding.

Q5: How does the case study relate to other buildings of its type?

Benjamin Scott Osta

But the main quality that the building in Berlin has over the one in London is the fact that there are glass panes on both sides of the building, which make the interior much more luminous and adapted for an art studio as well as a housing project.

Q5: How does the case study relate to other buildings of its type?

Benjamin Scott Osta

TERRACES The building on the left is the Rokko housing project in Japan, designed by Tadao Ando. It shows a brutalist approach to terraced housing. On the right is a plan view diagram of the terraces in Terrassenhaus. As we can see the two main differences are the overall shapes of the terraces. Indeed the Rokko housing project, the terraces are smaller but individual to each apartment. In the Terrassenhaus building, the terraces are formed from the entire width of the building. The downside to this kind of terrace is privacy, but then the space for families and children to interact is greater. Terraces also offer a private or semi-private safe space for an apartment or a house. Both buildings have a similar design except the Rokko housing development is against a hill instead of using a counter lever feature. It also has a common feature which is a central staircase and elevator, except that in the Terrassenhaus project it has unique stair access from the outside of the building.

Q5: How does the case study relate to other buildings of its type?

Benjamin Scott Osta

IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF EXISTING

Urban housing and studios, Vienna Sergison Bates architects LIGHTING

“Never demolish, never remove or replace, always add, transform, and reuse!”

The building has a large number of openings, including doors, windows, and others, using a lot of glass, It is roughly estimated that the external openings account for 30% of the four facades of the building, which makes the entire building use the maximum natural light and reduces the lighting power consumption of the building. It greatly reduces the power consumption. Pressure, and reduce the carbon emissions of the entire building.

Lacton and Vassal has incredible architectual approach to the importance and value of the existing buildings, as they believe that place has beauties if we are attentive enough to see them. Throughout their creation they prove that every restriction can be positively turned around by reusing, transforming and reinventing what already exists. Each project requires focusing on accuracy, amiability and attention: to people, to uses, to structures and everything that already exists which allows appreciation of the values which already there. In the architects’ oppinion this is the great opportunity for the sustainable development of the cities. Therefore, they believed that Halle AP2’s interior needed to be saved because it still had potential. Filling the building wasn’t just senseless, but as Lacaton and Vassal argued: it was unnecessary. So they decided to propose that new structure, ‘‘twin building’’, of the same volume and shape be erected beside the AP2, one specifically designed to the house the required galleries, cinema, offices, educational spaces, and art storage. Futhermore, the Halle AP2 makes the FRAC not simply a museum or an archive, but a fully-functional complex the architects identified as a “unique and symbolical object”. The building is not only a visual magnet in the post-industrial landscape of the port area but a presenvation of its raw and industrial atmosphere of the area. Lacton and Vassal’s aim to design an architecture that is not standardized but creative, that challenges conventional answers to free the uses of buildings from artificial constraints. They believe that architecture is the freedom to use a space, to innovate a space, to get beyond mere functionality and provide a kind of liberty in the spaces we create that allows many types of functionality. The halle AP2 therefore is completely available space to be ‘‘free in use’’ for creativit, which can work either with the FRAC, in extension of its activities, (exceptional temporary exhibitions, creation of large scale works, particular handlings) or independently to welcome public events (concert, fairs, shows, circus, sport, art exhibitions) and which allows work at several scales of regional but also european and international resonance, which consolidates the redevelopment of the port of Dunkerque.

That project really caught my eye for its layering of materiality and control of lighting to create an interesting and unique exhibition space. It also inpired me into creating an imposing and visible strcuture making it a landmark for Art.

I particularly enjoy the colour scheme of this project as well as its simplicity and integration in the city. Whilst still being quite subtle and low profile, it still has interesting accents and details that make it stand out from “normal” residential buildings.

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Once at the bottom of the hill there are two ways of accessing the site. Vehicular entrances are off Overhill Road. Pedestrians can also access across the natural space that extends along the north hillside. These two different approaches are connected to the different ways the buildings unfold and relate to their immediate context. Along the other side of Overhill Road rows of typical detached, semi-detached and terrace houses look how the building opposite grows.

How does Apartment Building Along a Party Wall contribute to an ongoing dialogue with the surrounding city? TWO LAYERS The façade consists of slender wooden and steel poles. These give depth and an element of permeability to the front of the building, as one can physically walk through and stand in the façade before entering the building proper (Figures 9 and 10). This spatial element of the façade was a key principle in Herzog & de Meuron’s design and as such is relevant to other aspects of the building, such as its structure and relation to the environment. The depth of the façade creates two layers to the building: the building proper, which follows the same footprint as the structure it replaced; and the façade, which protrudes beyond the face of the adjacent stone building. This creates the impression of there being two structures that have been built before the party wall, not just one. Figure 11 demonstrates this where the party wall and two layers of building have been separated to distinguish them from each other.

Dawson’s Heights consists of two blocks of flats; Bredinghurst to the south and Ladlands to the north. There is also a small nature reserve to the north of the buildings, managed by the Dawson’s Hill Trust. It has a modernist style, reminiscent of a ziggurat. The intent of this design was to ensure that twothirds of the flats had views in both directions, including towards centre London. English Heritage described the property as having “a striking and original massing that possesses evocative associations with ancient cities and Italian hill towns”. Despite its unique and imposing architectural style within the East Dulwich area and a strong recommendation from English Heritage, it was turned down for a listing by the Secretary of state in 2012.

I particularly like the layout of this residential building and the way it reacts to its site. I also enjoy the way it imposes itself in the city around it. I hope to achieve a similar feeling and impression with my design.

Again, the layering of materials is what interested me. Indeed, it creates a sort of mental and physical distancing from the outside city.

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Lighting is arguably one of the most important features as it can be tailored to create a spiritual atmosphere. The chapels in seminaries. like churches. place a lot ot emphasis on lighting and it is introduced into the space. Windows Lye limited and if present are often semitranslucent as they are intended to admit light bot does not serve the purpose of a view. often featuring stained glass windows. Subtle or controlled fight is common as it creates a more atmospheric experience Similarly. the plans whilst varying in geometry are intended to place emphasis on the apse. or the head of the church. This is often achieved. with the use of varying heights ot the hoor and/or ceiling, and lighting.

This building feels like it is protected by the nature that surrounds it. I hope to replicate a similar feeling of safety by creating a natural haven around my design. The light well inside the building is quite like the large, boxed widows I am using in the design as well as the light well in the office building.

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SKETCHBOOK WORK

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Bibliography

List of Figures

Aesthetica Magazine. 2021. Aesthetica Magazine - Re-examined Territories: the British Council present Mike Nelson, Venice Biennale. [online] Available at: <https://aestheticamagazine.com/re-examined-territories-the-british-council-present-mike-nelson-venice-biennale/> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 1 Photographs of a chapel in St. Andrews Cemetery, Jesmond, Newcastle.

Fig. 41 Map from the 19th century showing Ouseburn

Fig. 79 Programmatic study diagram (on page 58)

Fig. 42 Map of the United Kingdom locating Newcastle upon Tyne

Fig. 80 Iterations for the pattern on the meshed cladding for the north facing facade

Fig. 3 Photograph of graves in St. Andrews Cemetery

Fig. 43 Diagram showing the different neighbourhoods around the Albion Row site

Fig. 81 Iterations for the boxed widows, and first use of Corten steel in the project

Digimap.edina.ac.uk. 2021. Digimap. [online] Available at: <https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 4 Photograph of a statue on a grave in St. Andrews Cemetery

Fig. 44 Diagram showing the different greenspaces and activity spaces (bars, museums, shops...) in Ouseburn

Fig. 82 & 83 First SketchUp massing

FRAC Dunkerk Lacation and Vassal (2020), S. Afzal, E. Ducker, A. Ding, N. Stasik, J. Bowell, 2020. Unpublished

Fig. 5 Photograph of an abandoned chapel in St. Andrews Cemetery

Fig. 45 Satellite view of Ouseburn

France 24. 2021. Thousands flock to Christo artwork to ‘walk on water’. [online] Available at: <https:// www.france24.com/en/20160618-thousands-flock-christo-artwork-walk-water> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 6 Photograph of an abandoned house door in Jesmond, Newcastle

Ground, B., 2021. Ballast Hills Burial Ground. [online] Newcastlephotos.blogspot.com. Available at: <https:// newcastlephotos.blogspot.com/2009/05/ballast-hills-burial-ground.html> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 7 Photograph of a ruined door in Jesmond Dene, Newcastle

11 Hebelstrasse Apartment Along A Party Wall Herzog & de Meuron Thematic Housing Typology (2020), Isobel Prosser, Benoit Rawlings, Jiwoo Kim Philip Russell, Hana Baraka. Unpublished

Fig. 8 Photograph of an abandoned house window in Jesmond

Artnews.com. 2021. Christo Dead: Famed Sculptor Dies of Natural Causes at 84 – ARTnews.com. [online] Available at: <https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/christo-dead-wrappings-sculptures-1202689250/> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 2 Map showing the different areas of Newcastle explored to find ruins

Fig. 9 Photograph of a ruin in Jesmond Dene

Images.google.com. 2021. Google Images. [online] Available at: <https://images.google.com/> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 10 Photograph of the water wheel in ruin in Jesmond Dene

In Praise of Shadows (1933), J. Tanizaki, Vintage

Fig. 11 Photograph of a brick structure in Jesmond Dene

Louvreabudhabi.ae, (n.d.). About, ‘The Architecture.’

Fig. 12 Photograph of a stone tunnel in Jesmond Dene

Nytimes.com. 2021. Ghosts of the Past, Embalmed in White Plaster (Published 2018). [online] Available at: <https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/arts/design/rachel-whiteread-national-gallery-of-art-review. html> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 13 Photograph of an abandoned chapel window in St. Andrews Cemetery

Pca-stream.com. 2021. Shall we drink a pastis ? Or arrogance disguised as attitude • Articles. [online] Available at: <https://www.pca-stream.com/en/articles/shall-we-drink-a-pastis-or-arrogance-disguised-asattitude-84> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 14 Photograph of the Ruin Lust sculpture piece Fig. 15 Photograph of the sculpture ‘Ghost of the Past’ by R. Witeread

Fig. 46 Photograph of the Toffee Factory and the river Ouse in Ouseburn Fig. 49 Photograph of stairs leading to the Albion Row site, Ouseburn Fig. 50 Photograph of the many graffiti and river Ouse, Ouseburn Fig. 51 Photograph of graffiti and residential complex in Ouseburn Fig. 52 Photograph of the Tyne Bar, Ouseburn

Fig. 98 Watercolour from the corridor in the residential building

Fig. 56 & 57 Charcoal drawing showing the scrap metal tip and the buildings on the Albion Row site

Fig. 99 Watercolour looking at the contrast between the Corten steel from the art building and the timber cladding of the residential building

Fig. 58 Photograph showing the rough industrial materiality of the Albion Row Site

Fig. 18 Photograph of an installation by M. Nelson

Fig. 60 Photograph of the Hotel du Vin & Bistro showing a beautiful brick laying and facade in Ouseburn

Fig. 19 Photograph of the covered Reich by Chisto

Fig. 61 Site model and context

Fig. 20 Photograph of ‘Walk on Water’ by Christo

Fig. 62 Satellite view of the residential area and Albion Row site in Ouseburn

Fig. 59 Photograph of the Art Boat in the river Ouse, also showing the stone materiality of Ouseburn

Fig. 63 Site model and context

Fig. 22 First attempt of stamping, representing nature hiding architecture

Fig. 64 Satellite view of the residential area and Albion Row site in Ouseburn

Fig. 23 Photograph of the stamp made out of foamboard and cardboard

Fig. 65 Map of Ouseburn

to, H. and Skills, O., 2021. British tree guide: how to identify and where to see. [online] Countryfile.com. Available at: <https://www.countryfile.com/how-to/outdoor-skills/guide-to-british-trees-how-to-identify-and-where-to-see/> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 24 Photograph of the final stamp piece

Fig. 66 Diagrams showing the different elements constituting Ouseburn

Fig. 25 Photograph of the stamp used for the final piece

Fig. 67 Design project in context

Furuyama, Masao (2016). Tadao Ando: Géométrie de l’espace humain. Taschen.

Fig. 27 Charcoal and colour pencil drawing behind the ruin lust piece

Fig. 68 Portrait of Rudy Ricciotti

Sergison Bates Architects, Suburban Housing (2020), Zurich, M. Elwy,A. Iman, B. Lee, S. Coldicott, Banu. Unpublished Stefanoboeriarchitetti.net, (n.d.). ‘Stefano Boeri’. Available at: https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/ en/stefano-boeri-biography/ (Accessed: 15 February 2021). Stefanoboeriarchitetti.net (n.d.). ‘Smart Forest City Cancun’. Available at: https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/project/smart-forest-city-cancun/ (Accessed: 15 February 2021). STIRworld, (2019). ‘Smart Forest City concept by Stefano Boeri entwines nature and urban fabric in Mexico’. Available at: https://www.stirworld.com/see-news-smart-forest-city-concept-by-stefano-boeri-entwines-nature-and-urban-fabric-in-mexico (Accessed 16 February 2021). Benjamin Osta (2021), Technical report, Assignment for ACH3013 Architectural Technology 3: Integrated construction, BA Architecture, Newcastle University. Unpublished Terrassenhaus, Bradlhuber+ Edmo, Burlon and Muck Petzet Architekten Berlin 2018,(2020) J. Ryu, B. Rungay, M. Javed, T. Toffanin, B. Scott-Osta. Unpublished Walter Segal, Self Build Houses, Honor Oak, London (2020), S. Poole, H. Allen, R. Gowing, H. Lilic, M. Liu,

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Fig. 92 & 93 Final SketchUp model of the design

Fig. 55 Photograph of the abandoned Scrap Metal Works factory, some warehouses and the park, Ouseburn

Ricciotti, R., Table lamp, .. and Table lamp, L., 2021. Rudy Ricciotti - Nedgis Lighting. [online] Nedgis.com. Available at: <https://www.nedgis.com/en/designers/rudy-ricciotti> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

The Hyatt Foundation, (2008). ‘Media Kit announcing the 2008 Pritzker architecture Prize Laureate’

Fig. 91 Diagram showing the change of shape for the cores of the residential building

Fig. 97 Materiality exploration diagram

Fig. 17 Photograph of the installation ‘Re-examined Territories’ by M. Nelson

Tate. 2021. Five Things to Know: Rachel Whiteread – List | Tate. [online] Available at: <https://www.tate. org.uk/art/artists/rachel-whiteread-2319/five-things-know-rachel-whiteread> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 89 & 90 SketchUp iteration with the organisation for the activity spaces

Fig. 54 Photograph of the Ouse pouring out into the Tyne

Rees, L., 2021. 8 Iconic Artworks That Defined Christo’s Legacy - Galerie. [online] Galerie. Available at: <https://www.galeriemagazine.com/8-iconic-artworks-christo-legacy/> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 88 Design of the studio apartments, the 2 bedroom apartments came later in the project

Fig. 94 & 95 Sketchup model of the Art building, Offices, and Gym

Fig. 16 Photograph of the sculpture ‘Untitled’ (Book Corridors) by R. Witeread

Fig. 21 Abstract charcoal drawing of the relation between architecture and ruin

Fig. 86 & 87 First concrete meshed cladding for the north facing facade

Fig. 53 Photograph of the river Ouse, and a residential building

Pinterest. 2021. Pinterest. [online] Available at: <https://www.pinterest.co.uk/?autologin=true> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Saunders-Watson, C., 2021. Artist Mike Nelson tapped for 2019 Tate Britain Commission. [online] Auction Central News. Available at: <https://www.liveauctioneers.com/news/top-news/art-design/artist-mikenelson-tapped-for-2019-tate-britain-commission/> [Accessed 3 June 2021].

Fig. 84 & 85 New layout massing of the residential buildings

Fig. 100 Watercolour of the Art building and the north facade cladding covered in Clematis and Wisteria Fig. 101 and 102 Sketchup model showing the overall building and the activity complex Fig.103 and 104 North facing facade and detail Fig. 105 & 106 Sketchup model showing the footbridge connecting the art building and the residential building Fig. 107 & 108 Renders of the 40 m2 studio apartment Fig. 109 & 110 Renders of the footbridge between the residential building and the art building Fig. 111 Render of the light well on the roof of the office building Fig. 112 Render of the gym in the renovated warehouse Fig. 113 Render of the workshop on the ground floor of the art building Fig. 114 Planting plan for the park and the north facing façade Fig. 115 Diagram showing the advantages of boxed windows at different times of the year

Fig. 28 Abstract drawing behind the Ruin Lust sculpture piece

Fig. 69 Photograph of the meshed concrete of the MuCEM, Marseille, France

Fig. 29 Photograph of the mold with expanding foam

Fig. 70 Photograph of the MuCEM, Marseille, France

Fig. 30, 31 & 32 Photographs of the Ruin Lust sculpture pieces representing nature taking over architecture

Fig. 71 Portrait of Jean Nouvel and the interior of the new Louvre in Abu Dabi

Fig. 33 Personal mood board for the Homework precedent analysis

Fig. 72 Portrait of Stefano Boeri

Fig. 123 Hierarchy diagram

Fig. 73 Smart Forest City concept, Cancun, Stefano Boeri

Fig. 124 Geometry diagram

Fig. 74 Portrait of Tadao Ando

Fig. 125 Parti Plan diagram

Fig. 37 Photograph of the fixed crane in Ouseburn, Newcastle

Fig. 75 Temple Komyo-ji by Tadao Ando

Fig. 126 Parti Section diagram

Fig. 38 Plan locating Albion Row in Ouseburn and Newcastle

Fig. 76 Church of Light by Tadao Ando

Fig. 127 1:20 Technical section and materiality study elevation

Fig. 39 Photograph of a tombstone from the Ballast Hill burial ground in Ouseburn

Fig. 77 Drawing and space analysis of the Albion Row site Ouseburn

Fig. 128 South Facing elevation and integration into Ouseburn

Fig. 40 Photograph of the Ballast Hill burial ground path in Ouseburn

Fig. 78 Design iterations on site

Fig. 34, 35 & 36 Pieces and section for the Homework group presentation

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Fig. 116 Sunpath diagram and solar panels Fig. 117 & 118 Water re-use diagrams Fig. 119, 120 & 122 Circulation diagrams

Fig. 129 City and project section Fig. 130 Master Plan

Fig. 131 South facing elevation Fig. 132 North side Art building render Fig. 133 North side Art building render and residential building Fig. 134 North facing cladding with ivy climbing the façade Fig. 135 AA section Fig. 136 BB section Fig. 137 Materiality study of the Art building elevation Fig. 138 Materiality study of the South facing cladding of the residential building Fig. 139 Celebratory render of the connection between the art building and the residential building

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