Dawei Zhao Portfolio

ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

DAWEI ZHAO

A MANIFESTO FOR HOUSING NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STAGE 3

CONTENTS REFLECTIVE DIARY

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THEMATIC CASE STUDY

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FRAMING

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TESTING + SYNTHESIS

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THINKING THROUGH MAKING

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CULTURAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

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BIBLIOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATION LIST

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APPENDIX

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A MANIFESTO FOR HOUSING ”The built form of housing has always been seen as a tangible, visual reflection if the organization of society. It reveals the existing class structure and power relationships. But it has also long been a vehicle for imagining alternative social orders. Every emancipatory movement must deal with the housing question in one form or another. This capacity to spur the political imagination is part of housing’s social value as well.”

Madden, D. J. and Marcuse, P

“Architecture or, more precisely, space aff ects and eff ects social relations in the most profound ways, from the very personal (in a phenomenological engagement with stuff , space, light, materials) to the very political (in the way that the dynamics of power are played out in space). Adoptingthe feminist maxim (“the personal is political”) buildings conjoin personal space and political space. ... The key political responsibility of the architect lies not in the refi nement of the building as static visual commodity, but as a contributor to the creation of empowering spatial, and hence social, relationships in the name of others.”

Awan, N., Schneider, T. & Till, J.

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The 2020-2021 academic year is a very special and challenging year for me. This is not only in terms of architectural design, but has far-reaching impacts in many dimensions and various aspects. There are positive and negative effects. I have benefited a lot this year.

In this academic year, the cruddas park project is the only architectural design project, and the time span is very large. This project allows us to study, think, and feedback from the shallow to the deep, from the inside to the outside. From society, history, and politics , Culture, climate, and humanity to understand this site systematically in all dimensions, it is necessary to feedback and solve existing problems, and lead me step by step to my final design.

REFLECTIVE DIARY

The design approach of the building is inside out, through the users experience and the context of the site, to create an interesting, sustainable, shared spaces. In this way, the layout of the existing buildings and the needs of residents can be combined to the greatest extent, so that the entire design is more specific and pragmatic.

This project located in the southeast of Newcastle city center. Project based on a existing building which was built since 1960s. It has a podium that have a shopping center, library, and other commercial activities, and have a car park at the basement. There are lots of greenery around the site.

My proposal is that to give the site, the residents inside the building a new experience, and life, that is to have a harmonious, vigorous, and sustainable community in this area. To give not only the residents here, but also the neighborhood, everyone around the site a opportunity to relax, have fun, and work positively.

My initial design approach was thinking the function. A couple days later, after researching, studying, i made a decision that the primary function of this building is still the residential. However the new residential area become more like a residential community. Within this community, the residents and other people could join together. Then I keep exploring the function and what the people really need. When i got the idea that the function of the building, i start to arrange them into the building, and tried to criticize the arrangement of the existing tower block. However, a multi-functional building is complex to design, I underrated the challenge i faced. The circulation part is the most difficult for me at that time, and after looking at the precedents, i had a understanding what a multi-used building should be.

After testing plenty times, I had this 'wings' form eventually. The residential area on the two side of the 'wings' , and the communal area, co-working area in the middle of the building. This form is really efficient way to arrange all the function.

Function, form, arrangement had done (maybe change a bit in the future) , Then i started to research structure and material. I wanted the structure and the mterial to fit in my design concept. I realized that a mix of steel-frame and CLT structure might be the most suitable for my proposal concept, and also is environmental-friendly. Later on, i did research on energy use, lighting, ventilation, roof garden etc.,

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THEMATIC CASE STUDY Sergison Bates Case Study Urban Housing Vienna, Austria 2013

Located in the city of Vienna, Austria. Sergison Bates Architects designed this Urban Housing block for social housing developers ‘Neues Leben’ along with Werner Neuwirth and von Ballmoos Krucker Architekten. The building is situated 4.5km away from the city centre on a former railway yard surrounded by other high density residential buildings. Figure 1 shows a map of vienna and the circle marks where the site is situated.

Figure 2 shows a closer look at the different zones surrounding the site. The building is situated in an area consisting of high density residencies mainly consisting of appartment blocks no taller than 6 stories. The area is also very close to many businesses and shops allowing the site to be in walking distance to these facilities.

The site is situated in a high density area surrounded by other apartment blocks and offices. Although the neighbourhood may be seen as dense, the spaces between the building allows for comfortable movement.

The building is positioned near other apartment blocks and green spaces are intergrated between the different appartment blocks and streets to provide spaces for the local community to use. There is also a park located very close to the site which allows for residents to have access to green spaces and especially allows families to make use of this space when entertaining their children. This is particularly important as the apartments only have a small balcony area, so being close to a large green space allows for plenty of opportunities for children to play.

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When looking at the building as a whole, it is apparent that the building is made up of different flat types that are stacked ontop of each other showing the same flat type in the same position on each floor. Each floor has 5 different flat types that all feature a loggia in the central living space.

The flats on each level are all different sizes to accomodate different size families and allow a diverse and mutually supportive neighbourhood. Each floor consists of between 1 and 3 bedroom flats allowing for a wide range of family sizes. The rooftop also further supports the idea of building community by offering communal allotment areas and an outside eating area. Therefore creating environments for interaction within the building.

When designing the 3 building blocks, a number of design principles were agreed in order to allow all three architects to design independent blocks that all act as a collective.

The buildings are arranged so they appear as a compound element despite being a cluster of individual buildings. The defining element is the paved space that lays centrally between the three buildings. This space connects all 3 buildings together and allows them to be seen as collective, despite being designed by three different architects.

The entry to the building is through a loggia into the entrance hall on the corner of the building. The entrance is well defined by a change in form to the rest of the building. This allows a clear indication of the entrance to the building.

The building consist of a multi-functional room on the ground floor, allowing the space to be used for a childrens playroom or other communal activitities. Helping create a strong sense of community within the block.

Typical Floor Plan Inbetween Space

This drawing shows a detail of the window construction also showing the contrast of colour between the window and the exterior render.

Bates included a parapet on each of his windows to allow the window to also act as a balcony when opened.

Ground Floor Plan of Each Block

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Section showing units

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RESPONSIBILITY Focussed on details and creating a better experience for everyone, Sergison Bates Architects are committed to creating playful buildings of very high quality produced in response to social demographics.

Looking at the Urban Housing project in Vienna is no exception to the firm’s principles. The architectural form of the building is well considered with harsh geometric patterns to draw the eye up the podium structure. This is followed through with the consideration of materiality and texture in the structure, the buildings use a stucco render mostly for the outer walls. Unlike normal stucco render this one is much thicker and based on a mineral compound which gives it that green hue. The quartz render is paired with small amounts of grey-dyed precast concrete which is used primarily at the base of the podium to give a sense of weight to the bottom and create an almost envelope that the render can tuck underneath, making this detail incredibly clean cut and beautiful.

The interior materiality is very clean yet experimental and playful in parts, the main stairway flooring is clad with red brick like tiles, they are cut and placed with great care especially on the stairs where the tiles vary in size. The wall renders mimic the outside render making it still feel like an exterior, public space. The thin wooden bannister is a similar language to the wooden window frames.

Moving inside one of the apartments we see the interior language become a lot more private, white render walls allow someone to personalise the rooms however they want, and the wooden floor adds a sense of warmth to the building. The kitchen is almost Japanese in minimalism, the large steel sheet allows easy cleaning, and the smart use of the loggia makes the space seem much larger than it is.

Studio house, London Inner city housing and crèche, Geneva Suburban housing, Zurich Welcome centre and offices, Shanghai

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Sergison Bates have a clear focus on improving the social aspects of life when designing their building. The apartments in the building are designed around a central stair hall which is lit by natural light, the structure is designed to house multiple different family types by creating many different sized apartments within the building. Apartments are mainly designed with dual aspect and high ceilings to promote a better living. The apartments also generally are laid out in such a way which allows them to be easily modified for wheelchair access.

The interior has been designed to be light and airy, one of the ways this is achieved is through ceiling heights being taller than average and walls being lighter in colour. This was made possible by the legal maximum floor area being favourable to the max building height.

The project did not use balconies to reduce the buildings invasiveness to the external factors and help keep its architectural language, this led to there being loggias created in its place.

These loggias in the Sergison Bates building are cut into the apartments splitting the living room, kitchen and sitting areas to separate volumes and stretching the use of space, the loggias are glazed on the outside

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Each apartment has a different number of rooms to promote a more diverse living area.

Fig.17 Above this text is a plan of the pillar layout in one of the communal rooms. It shows the playful nature that sergison bates tries to achieve with the buidling creating a much warmer feel.

A key aspect of the design and Sergison Bates principles is the attention to detail. This can be seen in the junction between the concrete and the render on the pillars. The render ‘tucks’ underneath minimally detailed concrete cladding which intersects with the floor. This attention to the small details, making sure that the junctions fit as cleanly as possible epitomises the firms design process and their deep consideration of architecture.

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The housing complex, which consists of three cubic building volumes, occupies a corner site near the southeastern edge of rudolf bednar Park. Although essentially free-standing, the buildings have been positioned so close together that they appear as one compound element.

The rotational figure of the Vienna project’s composition and the precise, off-set positioning of the buildings make the gaps between the three structures one of the ensemble’s defining characteristics, While the project falls outside the traditional housing categories of perimeter block, court or free-standing block , the complex nonetheless embodies certain qualities of each typology. the result is an urban form that feels familiar yet simultaneously possesses an unusually monumental openness.

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The integration of the three blocks in the city is excellent. It is not obtrusive or loses its characteristics. The color of the facade is similar to the surrounding buildings, giving the block a new sense of integration.The three buildings are scattered and created, and a new pedestrian path is created between the buildings, which reasonably connects the blocks and the green space with the park. Give a good experience to those who travel in the city. Another advantage of this It maintains the ecological balance and allows the natural wind from the northwest to enter the block.

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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.

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The building has a lot of openings, including doors, windows, and balconies,bring a large amount of natural wind from the northwest, reducing the pressure of mechanical ventilation and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

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The section drawing illustrates big oppening of the flats to enable ventilation which is very important in a multi story building . Locating the roof terrace on the south of the building facing the sun. This communal area is accessible to all resident to experience and enjoy for social events.

A fully recessed balcony protects from the wind however has less sun exposure. compared to cantilever balcony and semi-recessed balcony .

Recessed balcony is a good design move due to Vienna’s climate.

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The loggia places a big role in the social aspect of the design of the building. It enables a relationship to form between the three individual buildings to share a common language yet be represented differently. The massing of the three building and its location of the loggia creates an inner open air spaces that isn’t intimidating and inviting for pedestrience to weave through. It provides a sense of protection. The logia themselves are a great communal area for the residence.

(Left to right; van Ballmoos Krucker, Sergison Bates and Werner Neuwirth)

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Modularity also means some of the construction is prefabricated. The building’s ground floor where the loggia is made out of prefabricated concrete panels,beams and posts. There was no construction detail available for the rest but it is assumed that the rest of the building is constructed in precast concrete.

The diagram on the right illustrates majority of the flats have different floor heights and changes in levels.

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Modularity is using the same module in multiple configurations. Which enables a large variety of designs without using many component types.

The floor plan demonstrate a module that is repeated in all the flats. Where the Kitchen, dining room and the living room are all surrounding and distributed around the triple-glazed person loggia/balcony.

In the more wider context of the surrounding building designed by other architect they had that same module to fulfil an open are space in a form of a loggia or small balcony

The surrounding buildings not only are similar in heights but similar in material and colour palletes.

As seen in diagram on the left .

Stucco is cost-effective,versatile and durable. it is porous and adheres well to concrete and masonry surfaces. It can produce variety of surface textures. Stucco is fire resistant. However Production has extremely high embodied energy compared to other alternatives like lime render and earth render.

Although it scores in the high end of the scale in terms of life cycle environmental costs.

The exposed prefabricated concrete construction on the lower floor contrast to the floors above it which are covered with stucco is an interestingcomposition.

It looks as though the following floors above it are sitting on a pedestal making it look very monumental.

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The key themes that this case study will be comparing across similar building types: - Site Context - Architectural Language - Spatial Strategy - External Space - Sustainability Three projects with which I chose to compare sergison bates Vienna project include two other european social housing projects, aswell as one of the other two ‘Three Houses in Vienna’

The three buildings that will be comparing with Sergison Bates housing in Vienna are: Ballmoos Krucker housing in Vienna E M B T ’s B a r a j a s S o c i a l Housing in Madrid Tecton and Tact Architects’ collaboration on Zellige Social Housing in Nantes

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Sergison Bates and Ballmoos Krucker are located on the same site in Vienna. Since they were designed as part of the same project for the same client, they have a lot of thematic similarities.

The buildings are almost identical in scale, with the same site constraints they were designed to have simmilar external elevations.

The Three Houses in Vienna are situated on a small site in a relatively built up urban area of Vienna.

The relatively small paved external space between Bates’ and Krucker ’s buildings deters public activity. Whereas EMBT’s housing in madrid surounds a courtyard, creating and outside space that residents are encouraged to use collaboratively.

Figures 19 and 20 show the volumetric similarities between Bates’ and Krucker’s two Houses in Vienna, however identical rendering and similar facade spans distract from quite significant architectural differences. Sergison Bates chose a simpler facade, using the windows as gentle openings slotted into the facade, and the complimentary private balconies creating a variation in depth. Whereas Ballmoos Krucker chose an offensive pale concrete to extrude from the facade below private balconies and on the ground floor level. Whilst the timber frames that Bates’ chose bring warmth and an organic feel to their building, the exessive use of grey concrete in Krucker’s building, brings a much more cool toned, heavy and dated feel.

Similarly to Bates’, Textone and Tact Architects chose a sophisticated volemtric approach to their housing in Nantes. The indows and balcony spaces give the illusion of being punched into the facade, and the similar use of timber frames again warms the otherwise pale and cool facade cladding.

In contrast, Barajas housing by EMBT has a much more playful and abstract language, the predominantly white facades common in spain, allow minimal thermal energy from the sun, keeping the internal spaces as cool as possible. The introduction of muted colours conveys a fun yet stil tasteful environment, whilst Sergison Bates’ housing feels more resreved and mature.

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When comparing the spatial arrangement of Sergison Bates’ Housing in Vienna with similar housing types, it quickly became apparent that there are many unique spatial qualities about this building. Similarly to Bates’, Ballmoos Kruckers Vienna building has a central circulation, surrounded by a combination of one two and three bedroom apartments. Aswell as this EMBT’s housing in madrid is also made up of as collective of the same sixed apartments Collectively, the ‘Three Houses in Vienna’ have approximately 100 apartements, with Bates’ and Krucker accomodating a third of these each. EMBT created a much larger scheme in Madrid with their social housing scheme comprising of the same sized apartments, but a larger quanitity.

Segison Bates

Communal Space and Ammenities Tectone and Tacts’ housing has some spaces unique from Sergison Bates and the other comparative buildings. Both Sergison Bates’ and Tecton and Tact’s bulding have multipuropse communal areas for the residents. (labelled B and D) and 32 (labelled no.2). The drawing in left side, label 3 shows DIY workshops for the residents.

EMBT

EMBT Ground Floor plan at Scale 1:800 Sergison Bates Apartment Floor at Scale 1:200

Tectone and Tact

Ballmoos Krucker Plans at Scale 1:400

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EMBT Housing

EMBT Courtyard

Whilst the schemes offer a variety of access to external space, all building provide access to balconies. Sergison Bates, Ballmoos Krucker and Tectone and Tact all provide private balconies for each apartment, whereas EMBT have used the open access to individual apartments to provide social and communal balcony spaces

Tectone and Tact Ground Floor

Sergison Bates Ground Floor

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FRAMING

The aim of the first phase FRAMING is to develop an understanding of the context in which the site, to extend historical, cultural and socio-economic understanding of the architecture of the suburban estate,to elaborate an understanding of your selected element as part of a lived domestic environment, to compile a set of objectives for future housing.

In my proposal, cruddas park house itself attracts my attention more. The atmosphere, environment, history, and humanities here make this area interesting. I prefer to create a community, and I want to provide a multifunctional community with residents and neighbors, allowing people to gather, communicate, and interact with others.

This project is more inclined to the collision between the old and the new, so in the process of exploration, I paid more attention to how to combine the new with the old, and how to make this collision better reflected in the architecture.

Many features of the site itself are exciting. Surrounded by a large area of parks, and many height and level changes make the site more dynamic. I was always looking for a balanced and harmonious way to deal with this interaction between man and nature.

3.1

CASE STUDY: ALTON ESTATE Like Cruddas Park, Alton Estate is built up on grass inside Richmond Park in West London. A mixed development scheme buit in response to the housing shortage in London after the Second World War (1955), including Terraced Housing, Maisonettes and two collectives of ‘modern’ tower blocks (West & East). Designed as a modern solution to a contemporary issue and was praised as the “new world” due to the variation of modern influences expressed in the West and East tower blocks. The large-scale buildings embrace a sensitive relationship with both one another and the sloping landscape, enhanced in the Western Estate tower blocks that “float” above the ground. This study can help inform us on how to investigate Cruddas Park, its sensitive relationship to both the built and natural environment and how tower blocks respond as part of a mixed collective development scheme.

Also an example of how spatial organisation within a collective of towers impacts behaviour and interactions.

Alton Green will deliver well-designed homes for existing and new residents, two new community centres with fantastic facilities, public realm improvements and a better connected estate with improved links and pedestrian and cycle routes.

Overall, the regeneration will make Alton Green a place where people of all ages want to live, work and spend time.

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The Eastern tower blocks were designed in an attempt to formulate a British verison of modernism, one that was more sensitive to context and referrenced a traditional vernacular. Organised in a dotted formation of tall, slender towers among housing terraces and low blocks of two-story apartments, as well as retaining trees from the Victorian gardens of the site. The accomodations are connected by a network of footpaths that expand into the rest of the park, making use of the sloped gradient of the site.

The Western tower blocks, instead influenced by Le Corbusier, are an example of using organisation and geometry to define spaces, while simultaneously maximising sunlight and views. They could inform us on how to analyse the spatial organisation of Cruddas Park original development and explain the positioning of the Cruddas Park House. They also offer a good example of a development that is cultivated to its site and is “sown” together by the picturesque landscape and exciting variety of housing.

Strengthening focal points

Strengthening outer edges and retaining a ‘green buffer’

Mending the urban fabric

Activating the landscape

Greater permeability, legibility Activating the landscape and connections

Revealing and creating landmarks

https://www.altonestateregen.co.uk/assets/regeneration/documents/june-2019-submission/5-masterplanstatement.pdf

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Alton Estate provided well-designed houses for residents, Alton estate located on a large area of green space, the new tower block did not damage the existing landscape, rather than provide a good example of how the people and nature combined.

And have two new communal centers with good infrastructure, improved facilities in the public realm, and have better connected sidewalks and walking and bicycle routes. In general, this new regeneration will make Alton Green a place where people of all ages want to live, work and spend time. I incorporated the characteristics of Alton estate into the Cruddas park house through collages, and the collages showed the collision between two different regions. More discussion about the construction of outdoor site and how carry out a human-centered architectural design and how to deal with the relationship between humans and nature.

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3.2

CASE STUDY: LILAC LILAC means Low Impact Living Affordable Community. It is a member-led, not-forprofit Cooperative Society registered with Financial Services Authority. They are building a community of twenty beautiful homes in Bramley, west Leeds on an old school site. Their community will include a mix of one and two bed flats and three and four bed houses. Most will have private gardens, and the upper flats will have balconies. The homes will be self contained with kitchens, bathrooms and living space, and finished to a very high standard. A common house will form the heart of the community, offering shared facilities.

My second case study is LILAC, LILAC means Low Impact Living Affordable Community. It is an ecologically significant building. First of all, it is a co-living environment, which to some extent alleviates the local housing crisis, and can provide a good living experience for different people. Secondly, it has a very small impact on the surrounding ecology. The materials used by LILAC are renewable or have very low carbon emissions. Finally, it is a low-cost house. LILAC uses a lot of Low-cost materials reduce the impact on the environment while reducing costs, which shows that lilac can be provided to some special groups, which in a sense is also a manifestation of people-oriented ecological thinking. These three can help me understand what is ecological or what is ecological in architectural sense.

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Low Impact Living Super insulated superstructure (Strawbale and timber - self build element) ModCell System Approach – Good design comes first – PassivHaus standard – super insulated, air tight, low thermal bridges – South facing, passive solar gain, oversized glazing Living lightly – Behavioural change (through Society’s lease and educational activities) – Recycling, composting, car restraint/sharing, consuming less – Shared facilities in Common House (reduces neighbourhood footprint) – Solar water heaters, MVHR units, wood burners – Grey water recycling, rainwater harvesting, solar PV if affordable

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I and my group integrated the interesting moment from LILAC into the Cruddas park house by using collages. Some details of the sharing space in LILAC are reflected in the podium of the Cruddas.

LILAC, the concept of ecological architecture runs through it., Architects do not want the green space to be just green, it may be the ecological meaning that people participate in it. As mentioned at the beginning, the combination of nature and people is the key of sustainable development. There are many activities in the lower left corner of the collage. For the crops to be picked, residents can have their experience from the harvesting of crops and enjoy it.

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3.3

CASE STUDY: BOSCO VERTICALE Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) is a pair of residential towers in the Porta Nuova district of Milan, Italy. They have a height of 111 metres (364 ft) and 76 metres (249 ft) and contain more than 900 trees (approximately 550 and 350 in the first and second towers, respectively) on 8,900 square metres (96,000 sq ft) of terraces. Within the complex is an 11-storey office building; its facade does not include plants.

The concept behind the Vertical Forest, that of being a “home for trees that also houses humans and birds”, defines not only the urban and technological characteristics of the project but also the architectural language and its expressive qualities.

On a formal level, the towers are mainly characterized by large, staggered and overhanging balconies (each about three metres), designed to accommodate large external tubs for vegetation and to allow the growth of larger trees without hindrance, even over three floors of the building. At the same time, the porcelain stoneware finish of the facades incorporates the typical brown colour of bark, evoking the image of a pair of gigantic trees in which to live and which are rich in literary and symbolic implications. The contrast with a series of elements in white stoneware – the stringcourses of the balconies and some modules on the front of the windowsills – introduces a syncopated rhythm in the composition which breaks up and “dematerializes” the visual compactness of the architectural bodies and amplifies the presence of the plants even more. More than just surfaces, the façades can be viewed as three-dimensional spaces not only because of the denseness and function of the green curtain but also in aesthetictemporal terms, due to the multi-coloured cyclical and morphological changes in the size of the plants.

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The Vertical Forest helps to build a microclimate and to filter fine particles contained in the urban environment.

The diversity of plants helps to develop the microclimate which produces humidity, absorbs CO2 and particles, produces oxygen, and protects against radiation and noise pollution.

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Following micro-meteorological studies, the calculation of irrigation requirements was carried out by examining climatic characteristics and was diversified depending on the exposure of each façade and the distribution of vegetation on each floor.

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By combining architecture and plants, it brings people in the city a new experience. This "vertical forest" structure greatly reduces the carbon emissions of the entire building. Plants can regulate the surrounding humidity, absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. The building has a structure with many cantilevered balconies, which can maximize the arrangement of plants. This direct symbiosis of man and nature gave me a lot of inspiration.

I combined the cantilevered balcony structure of Bosco Verticale with the Cruddas Park house through collage. The new balcony gives residents access to the external natural environment and arranging plants on the balcony is also an option for residents.

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3.4

SITE ANALYSIS: CRUDDAS PARK Cruddas park located in Elswick in newcastle upon tyne.

Cruddas Park is a residential area in the West End of Newcastle, usually considered part of Elswick / Low Elswick. The area was redeveloped in the early 1960s, when some of the rows of terraced houses built for the factory workers were demolished and replaced by high-rise tower blocks. In recent times 5 of the 10 tower blocks have been refurbished and renamed as Riverside Dene. Five of the high-rise blocks (The Poplars, Willows, Beeches, Haughton Court and King’s Meadows) were demolished to make way for new homes after private developers pulled out of the refurbishment scheme. Newcastle College have their Riverside Dene Campus in the Cruddas Park Shopping Centre building. Cruddas park is surrounded by large green areas.

In the 19th century, industrial developet rapidly in tyne riverside, As the century progressed, more and more homes were built in Elswick for the ordinary families who worked in the growing industries.

With the development of the times, these houses built during the industrial period have become less and less livable.

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By the 1950s these had become run-down residential areas and the housing was considered to be low-amenity slums. The slums were cleared and new flats were built

by Wimpey to a Swedish modular design.

This 1960s housing estate, comprising mainly of tower blocks, replaced a small park and some terraced housing previously on this site.

the local goverment demolished five of the housing blocks , kept 4 housing blocks. And have a new claddng onto the tower blocks The area’s existing shopping centre are transformed into an enterprise centre offering training and business opportunities.

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John Vainola has lived alone for more than 20 years.

But recently he said he has been struggling to cope, as social distancing guidelines leave him stuck on his own inside a two-bed flat.

The 66-year-old said: "Living here during lockdown is terrible, there’s not a lot that you can do.

"I’ve been reading papers, trying crosswords and listening to music just to try and pass some time away. But there are some fantastic views and park across the road to walk around too which helps.

"Everything is so depressing what you watch on TV and I’m not scared to admit it tears have been running down my cheeks."

Another resident who is living is Lesley Slaherty who lives on the seventh floor.

Lesley said she feels isolated shut inside and misses being able to go out to talk to friends and neighbours.

The 66-year-old said: "It’s not very good living here at the moment. We only have only one lift working and people are having to wait a lot of time for it. It’s been like that for over a month - it’s just horrendous.

"I’m not in poor health and I can manage the stairs but I need the lift to get back up so if the lift broke, we would be snookered.

"It's hard not having any areas to sit outside in. I wish we had a communal garden because we can't do anything we are just stuck in these four walls. I can’t visit my friends or to a garden to talk to my neighbours."

Lesley has been helping her 70-year-old neighbours, Margaret and Dennis Spence who are unable to leave their flat.

Recently Margaret has been diagnosed with foot cancer and is recovering from two operations.

But the husband and wife, who have lived at Cruddas Park House for over 20 years, said they are coping well with the lockdown.

She said: "I’m coping very well. I can't go out anyways so I'm resigning self to stay in - that's why I'm coping so well.

By Rachael Nichol Community Reporter 2 MAY 2020

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'I've had tears running down my cheeks': Newcastle high-rise residents speak of lockdown struggles

The coronavirus lockdown has proved difficult for the best of us but for residents living in high-rise flats across the North East it can be even more challenging.

With one trip outside a day for exercise and with no outdoor space to enjoy many residents in Cruddas Park House, in Elswick, have found themselves stuck in the same four walls for hours at a time.

ChronicleLive spoke to residents about what life like living in a block of high rise flats during coronavirus lockdown.

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The demographics show that Cruddas Park House is heavily made up of males who are out of work. With no provisions or community for children it is not suprising no children live in the block. With only 25% of the residents employed it means m the rest of the residents will be spending a lot of time meaning provisions of adequete housing size and community facilities should be a priority.

HOUSING TENURE FOR THE TRELLICK TOWER

HOUSING OCCUPANCY IN CRUDDAS PARK

HOUSING OCCUPANCY IN THE TRELLICK TOWER CYCLE SHOWING THE LACK OF DIVERSITY WITHIN THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF CRUDDAS PARK HOUSE

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CRUDDAS PARK COMPARRISON WITH THE TRELLICK TOWER

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section diagram shows the level change of the site

Elevation of the exsting tower block

Site image show the level change

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INITIAL MASSING

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New commercial space (one more level above)

lead to the residential tower block

existing commercial space

Open entrance of the shopping mall Creating a external shopping walking street

existing Library New outside public space (cafe, pub, etc.

Existing Tower block

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Site proposal

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Existing plan of tower block proposed connection of tower block and shopping centre (roof level)

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TESTING+ SYNTHESIS The purpose of this project is to refabricate and design an existing tower block building in Newcastle, to create a sustainable, shared and active residential community, so that improve the living conditions and overall atmosphere of the current site. The space created in this project is mainly Including co-working space, co-living space and single living studio. Hope to bring a new community experience to residents and surrounding neighbors through the newly designed ‘community'.

By Researching on the history, politics, economy, and culture of the area, to respond to the site and the tower block itself. This building will serve as a new landmark and commercial center in this area, connecting the surrounding communities.

Brainstorm of spaces

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EXISTING MASS

EXISTING MASS

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MAKE THE INDOOR COMMERICAL STREET TO AN OUTDOOR STREET

HAVE A ROOF GARDEN ON THE SECOND FLOOR USE THE UPPER LEVEL SPACE

MAKE THE INDOOR COMMERICAL STREET TO AN OUTDOOR STREET

REDUCE THE VOLUME OF THE MASSING HAVE MORE CONNECTIONS WITH THE TOWER BLOCK

USE THE UPPER LEVEL SPACE

REMOVE A PART OF THE PUDIUM, TO HAVE A SQUARE ON THE GROUND FLOOR

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1 The architect and construction team conduct the site survey before construction and do the final preconstruction inspection.

2 Evacuate people in advance, and then start the partial demolition of the existing building, while strengthening and protecting the undemolished parts.

3 After the demolition, the truck removes the muck and construction waste, leaving the recyclable part (concrete block, used as the bottom facade), 4 Make the site more than flattened that easy to construction 5 Casting steel-frame foundation and CLT foundation, 6 Start to install structural beams and column, using a crawler crane on site, which is fixed on the foundation.

7 Carry out the construction of the main steel structure, and gradually carry out the construction of clt.

8 Compared with the traditional steel structure, clt obviously has a speed advantage.When the steel-frame structure is built 1/4, the clt has already passed half.

9 The construction of the overall structure is completed, of which the clt is almost completed, and the steel-frame part needs to be built for the wall and glass curtain wall.

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GROUND FLOOR PLAN

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FIRSTFLOOR PLAN

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SECOND FLOOR PLAN

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SECTION A

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SECTION B

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RESIDENTIAL AREA PLAN

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EXTERIOR PERSPECTIVE DRAWING

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EXTERIOR PERSPECTIVE DRAWING

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STREET VIEW

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OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACE

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CO-WORKING SPACE

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COMMUNAL SPACE

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RESTAURANT

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FLAT INTERIOR

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FLAT INTERIOR

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MATERIALITY PRECEDENT STUDY In this precedent study, i foucsed more on the materiality, especially the facade material. Due to the special nature of the site and the project is a renovation project, I want to highlight this feature in the materials, so that people can understand the site by reading the facade, and at the same time, I want the new building to give new life to the old site.

The project, carried out by the architects of GROUPWORK, led by Amin Taha, began with the requirement of making a comfortable construction that could accommodate apartments and offices / studios . Due to the historical background of the site, the building uses limestone as the main structural and finishing element.

Using self-finished structural materials, carved and fallen columns, revealed cloisters and mosaic floors 15 Clerkenwell Close at first alludes to a local physical and social archaeology, but also raises questions on architectural heritage and its integration within a broader culture. Reminding us the literacy of the built and broader environment is based on understanding and disseminating through construction the poetic possibilities inherent within the structural and aesthetic qualities of all materials available that make up the vocabulary of all architectural languages.

Material from the site and the refrabrication

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Elevation and detailed setion

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Elevation

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THINKING THROUGH MAKING This model was made for the interior testing of the public space in the building, using different angle of column to have a certain interior shading looking. By exposing the structure of the building to give the shared space a intersting feeling, and the space will have different shadow during different time of the day.

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CULTURAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

Experience the process of making wood products, understand clt and other wooden materials,

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Trip in Yinchuan Contemporary Art Museum

Trip in Hainan, which inspried me play with the shadow.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATION LIST

Gibbons, A., 2017. In Defense of Housing: Madden & Marcuse - Andrea Gibbons. [online] Andrea Gibbons. Available at: <http://www.writingcities.com/2017/07/13/defense-housing-madden-marcuse/> [Accessed 30 May 2021].

Awan., Schneider. and Till., 2011. Spatial agency. Abingdon, Oxon [England]: Routledge.

Sergisonbates.com. 2014. Sergison Bates architects. [online] Available at: <https://sergisonbates.com/en/projects/urban-housing-vienna> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Hicarquitectura.com. 2014. Sergison Bates Architects > Urban Housing and Community Space, Nordbahnhof, Vienna | HIC Arquitectura. [online] Available at: <http://hicarquitectura.com/2013/04/sergison-bates-architects-urban-housing-andcommunity-space-nordbahnhof-vienna/> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Divisare. 2017. Sergison Bates architects, Stefan Müller · Urban housing, Nordbahnhof. [online] Available at: <https://divisare.com/projects/343120-sergison-bates-architects-stefan-muller-urban-housing-nordbahnhof> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Divisare. 2008. Sergison Bates architects, inner-city-housing, Nordbahnhof. [online] Available at: <https://sergisonbates.com/en/projects/inner-city-housing> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Divisare. 20010. Sergison Bates architects,urban-villas-london, Nordbahnhof. [online] Available at: <https://sergisonbates.com/en/projects/urban-villas-london> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Altonestateregen.co.uk. n.d. History of the area. [online] Available at: <https://www.altonestateregen.co.uk/regeneration/history-of-the-area> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Altonestateregen.co.uk. n.d. Alton Green. [online] Available at: <https://www.altonestateregen.co.uk/assets/regeneration/documents/june-2019-submission/5-masterplan-statement.pdf> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Social-life.co. n.d. Roehampton's Alton estate | Social Life. [online] Available at: <http://www.social-life.co/blog/post/Roehampton_alton_estate/> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Altonestateregen.co.uk. n.d. Alton green masterplan. [online] Available at: <https://www.altonestateregen.co.uk/assets/proposals/2014-alton-area-masterplan-documents/alton_baseline_report_20141008.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0MiQCMFp4bcAEywvADBZ hdvaWP3j5Q9477P5BQf4vYhONencw5vynU0aM> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

The lilac project. [online] Available at: <https://4bfebv17goxj464grl4a02gz-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/drupal/LILAC%20-%20low%20impact%20living%20affordable%20community%20project.pdf> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Lilac.coop. n.d. LILAC – Low Impact Living Affordable Community. [online] Available at: <https://www.lilac.coop/> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

ArchDaily. n.d. Bosco Verticale / Boeri Studio. [online] Available at: <https://www.archdaily.com/777498/bosco-verticale-stefano-boeri-architetti> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Stefano Boeri Architetti. n.d. Vertical Forest | Stefano Boeri Architetti. [online] Available at: <https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/project/vertical-forest/> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

PlaceTech. n.d. PlaceTech | World’s smartest buildings: Bosco Verticale. [online] Available at: <https://placetech.net/analysis/worlds-smartest-buildings-bosco-verticale/> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

The Possible. n.d. Is Milan's Bosco Verticale really an example of Sustainable City Living?. [online] Available at: <https://www.the-possible.com/example-for-sustainable-city-living/> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

En.wikipedia.org. n.d. Bosco Verticale - Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosco_Verticale> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

ArchDaily. n.d. Bosco Verticale / Boeri Studio. [online] Available at: <https://www.archdaily.com/777498/bosco-verticale-stefano-boeri-architetti> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Towerblock.eca.ed.ac.uk. n.d. Cruddas Park Shopping & Neighbourhood Centre, Stage II | Tower Block. [online] Available at: <https://www.towerblock.eca.ed.ac.uk/development/cruddas-park-shopping-neighbourhood-centre-stage-ii> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Nichol, R., n.d. 'I've had tears running down my cheeks' - High-rise residents speak of lockdown. [online] ChronicleLive. Available at: <https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/coronavirus-newcastle-north-east-elswick-18131493> [Accessed 2 June 2021]. meteoblue. 2021. Climate Newcastle upon Tyne. [online] Available at: <https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/historyclimate/climatemodelled/newcastle-upon-tyne_united-kingdom_2641673> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Dezeen. n.d. 15 Clerkenwell Close. [online] Available at: <https://www.dezeen.com/tag/15-clerkenwell-close/> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

Architecture.com. n.d. 15 Clerkenwell Close. [online] Available at: <https://www.architecture.com/awards-and-competitions-landing-page/awards/riba-regional-awards/riba-london-award-winners/2018/15-clerkenwell-close> [Accessed 2 June 2021].

The images and related illstrations are from following website, rest of the drawings, renderings owned by author ,the group work drawings owned by the group * http://hicarquitectura.com/2013/04/sergison-bates-architects-urban-housing-and-community-space-nordbahnhof-vienna/ https://divisare.com/projects/343120-sergison-bates-architects-stefan-muller-urban-housing-nordbahnhof https://sergisonbates.com/en/projects/inner-city-housing https://sergisonbates.com/en/projects/urban-villas-london https://www.altonestateregen.co.uk/regeneration/history-of-the-area https://www.altonestateregen.co.uk/assets/regeneration/documents/june-2019-submission/5-masterplan-statement.pdf http://www.social-life.co/blog/post/Roehampton_alton_estate/ https://www.altonestateregen.co.uk/assets/proposals/2014-alton-area-masterplan-documents/alton_baseline_report_20141008.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0MiQCMFp4bcA EywvADBZhdvaWP3j5Q9477P5BQf4vYhONencw5vynU0aM https://4bfebv17goxj464grl4a02gz-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/drupal/LILAC%20-%20low%20impact%20living%20affordable%20 community%20project.pdf https://www.lilac.coop/ https://www.archdaily.com/777498/bosco-verticale-stefano-boeri-architetti https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/project/vertical-forest/ https://placetech.net/analysis/worlds-smartest-buildings-bosco-verticale/ https://www.the-possible.com/example-for-sustainable-city-living/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosco_Verticale https://www.archdaily.com/777498/bosco-verticale-stefano-boeri-architetti https://www.towerblock.eca.ed.ac.uk/development/cruddas-park-shopping-neighbourhood-centre-stage-ii https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/ https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/coronavirus-newcastle-north-east-elswick-18131493 https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/historyclimate/climatemodelled/newcastle-upon-tyne_united-kingdom_2641673 https://www.dezeen.com/tag/15-clerkenwell-close/ https://www.architecture.com/awards-and-competitions-landing-page/awards/riba-regional-awards/riba-london-award-winners/2018/15-clerkenwell-close

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APPENDIX

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