Po r tf o l i o 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
Ru f ar o Nata l i e Mata nd a Stag e 3 Academ ic Por tfol i o Newcastle U nivers i ty 2016//17
Po r tf o l i o 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
Phase 1:
Charette // Primer // Prip
In this world that we live in, its sometimes difficult for us to understand they environment that we place ourselves in. Spaces can be stressful and with the way our emotions can take control of our behaviour, many methods are being created to reduce our levels of anxiety and stress. “Can you ISOLATE negative emotions and MEDIATE the tension? Can this pent up energy be used to ANIMATE the space?� Architects are being encouraged to design and construct buildings that unleash and process emotions. Working as a group, we were encouraged think beyond our emotions and construct a space that isolates the user with our chosen emotion, mediate the emotion so that the user interacts with the space and animate the emotion in order to establish how negative emotions can be treated and encouraged. With the chosen emotion being SERENITY and SUFFOCATION, we had to allow for a fair balance between the emotions . Both emotions required a particular space and with the negaitve and positive , the space was to be designed in order to show tranlucency of the serenity and the solidity of the suffocation. By creating the structure below a white light, it allows the installation to be luminated and remove the negativity of SUFFOCATION and restore the positivity of SERENITY. Experimentation with joining and weaving techniques, the structure allowed for a elegant fabrication through using unconventional materialas .
C h a r r ette 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
T a n tCr iut m y
“ Tem p e r t a n tr u m s, h owever f u n th ey m ay b e t o t h r o w, r a r e l y s o l ve w h a t e ve r p r o b l em i s ca u s i n g th em .” D a n i el
H a n d l e r
C h a r r ette 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
C h a r r ette 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
Method : Thin sheets of chipboard stripswere cut in even heights of 3m. The strips were joined with black gaffer tape with spacing between each strips of 300mm. 3 strips were placed horizontally to the vertical strips in order to support the strips.
Joining: The strips were then lifted up in order to create the ‘beehive’ structure . Circular bases were created from large strips of the chipboard and the structure was then joined and hung from the ceiling.
Weaving: After the structure was securely hung and mounted onto the ground, strips of black binbags, newspapers and see-through white plastics were cut and weaved through the structure. Several wood strips were also weaved through the structure as extra support.
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“ W e f a n t a c a p e r a t e i
d o n ’ t c r e a t e a s y w o r ld t o e s e a li t y . W e c r e t t o b e a b le t o s t a y . “
L y n d a
B a r r y
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C h a r r ette 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
With the use of the ceiling light and several spotlights within the structure, the emotions were evoked within the installation. The use of the ‘white light’ shows serenity and purity. As this light reflected off the white plastic sheets at the top of the structure, it created this idea of a heavenly space; a space that escapes reality and into fantasy. Suspending the structure from the ceiling enabled it to be secure, making the space more controlled and emotive. The weaving effect of the unusual materials created the appearance of a bird nest; a safe and secure environment that is self contained.
C h a r r ette 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
Serenity: Escape the crowds. Serenity: Escape the Escape crowds.the crowds. Serenity:
Serenity: Escape the crowds. Escape the crowds. Serenity:Serenity: Escape the crowds.
The studio ‘Material Poetics’ focuses on the culture and politics of materials. This is derived from understanding materials that surround us, even if it is not just a building material. This studio allows us to re-invent the way we think about materials. Through developing a relationship between design and making, these materials can inform and develop form . With this, by choosing a material such as flax plants, this allows a further understanding of the techtonics of the material. Flax plants create fibers that can be woven into linen fabrics. on a hot summer day, the fabric “flaxes” to the skin. These are usually created in cooler climates, such as Scarborough. With the interesting processes of the fibre production from flax, this material interested me from the word go. 1. Unique colours of flax (red, orange, green) 2. Creation of line fabric from flax fibre 3. High tensile strength, not easy to snap 4. Can be used as decorative pieces 5. Long plants that are easily identrifiable 6. Not yourr typical plant that you would see on an everyday basis
Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
M a t e r i a l Poetics
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M a ter i a l
Po eti cs
2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
m a n i p u l a ti o n . n a tu r e.
M a ter i a l
Po eti cs
2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
m a n -m a d e.
l eaves.
M a ter i a l
Po eti cs
2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
M a ter i a l
Po eti cs
2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
From the primer, the outcomes were successful in terms of understanding the processes of natural flax in the production of the man-made textile: linen and the fabrication of leaves in terms of weaving the flax plant. I was able to realise the differences between natural and man-made products in terms of building materials within architecture. The New Zealand flax (which was the natural. material I was focusing on) had great tensile strength which enabled me to experiment with weaving. Through weaving with flax, I was able to understand the different characteristics of the flax that could be an alternative in building materials. In addition to the flax weaving, I was able to understand the processes of linen: the by-product of flax fibres.
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“ S t u d y
n a t u r e ,
lo v e n a t u r e , s t a y c l o s e w i l l n e v e r f a i l y o u . ” F r a n k
L l o y d
W r i g h t
t o
n a t u r e .
I t
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M a ter i a l
Po eti cs
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M a ter i a l
Po eti cs
2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
Flax techtonics: Flax fibres are the strands that are extracted from flax plants and through several chemical processes, results in strands of thin fibres that are spun to make linen. Through experimenting with the processes of the biotextile, it enabled me to create this boundary of natural vs man-made materials and the factors that each represent: the natural being the organic flax plant and the man-made being the linen biotextile.
Flax extraction: Although the flax itself is a plant and there are concerns of the durability in terms of exposure to heat, this could be avoided with the addition of another building material as a surface coating. Bioplastics was another material I experimented with.
M a ter i a l
Po eti cs
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M a ter i a l
Po eti cs
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f a b r i ca t i o n .
m a n i p u l a ti o n .
For the final primer project, a pavilion design was required after the material experimentation. Scarborough was the coastal town that was the town to which the pavilion was to be placed. Through site analysis of the town and establishing were the most natural environments were, St Nicholas Gardens became a potential site for the pavilion. Whilst I conducted the material explorations, the process of weaving with flax became the main topic of interest.
Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
PPr ai m e r . vilion
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Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
wi n d
ca tch er.
Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
p l a ce
o f
n es t.
Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
f a b r i ca t i o n .
Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
With the idea of wind catchers, experimentation with creating wind catchers from flax was conducted and seemed to be a success. With this, the flax was weaved through strands of bamboo that were malleable in order to re-create the shape of a leaf. This idea seemed to work very well on the site it was located as it blended with the natural environment of the leaves and greenery. Since the pavilion was a temporary seasonal exhibition, the flax weaving would allow the wind catcher structure to move according to the direction of the wind, which was the purpose of the pavilion: the experience of a man-made structure made from natural materials.
n a tu r e.
Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
“T h o ugh t is t h e wi n d, kn o w ledge t he sa il, a nd m a nki n d t he v es s el� . Au gu s t u s Hare
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p r i mer
ex h i b i t i o n.
p r i m er
ex h i b i t i o n .
Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
“ S t u d y na tu r e , lo v e n at u re, s t ay close to na t u r e . I t wi ll n ev er fai l y o u .� F r a n k Llo y d Wri ght
Pr i m er 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
p r i m er
ex h i b i t i o n.
p r i m er
ex h i b i t i o n .
“ Imagination is always the fabric of social life and the dynamic of history. The influence of real needs and compulsions, of real
interests and materials, is indirect because the crowd is never conscious of it.
Simone Weil
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B a r cel o n a 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
STt ruidpy The Material Poetics studio ventured out to the city of Barcelona, Spain, for a study trip to understand the use and culture of materials. By understanding the materials within Barcelona, the same principles could be applied when understanding material use within the UK. The differences in climates results in a more expressive use of unconventional materials within Barcelona which enabled me to utilize uncommon building materials.
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B a r cel o n a 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
B a r cel o n a 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
Antonio Gaudi: Park Guell The park is surrounded by ceramic work which has been hand-painted and decorated. Within the walls of Park Guell, gardens are placed strategically to ensure the users interact with nature. Uncommon shape for a park however, very intuitive.
Antonio Gaudi: Sagrada Familia Such a n extraordinary building that pushes the boundaries within gothic architecture. The pointed arches and the smooth surface materiality allows the Sagrada Familia to stand momentous within the skyline of Barcelona.
“Color in certain places has the great value of making the outlines and structural planes seem more energetic.� -Antonio Gaudi
B a r cel o n a 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
B a r cel o n a 2 0 1 6 / / 1 7
Enric Miralles: Santa Caterina Market A market that has been placed withina timber ‘shell’ this design focuses on the intention of making separate spaces that are onnected and protected by the shell. With this design, the market is a vibrant place full of activity and there is a high chance of interaction with the building material ).
C r i ti ca l
Ref l ecti o n
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ci ti c a l
r ef l e cti o n .
C r i ti ca l
Ref l ecti o n
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Phase
1
Stage:
Complete.
The processes that were conducted within this phase ensured a greater understanding of the various uses and suitability of materials. Unconventional materials do ot ony need to be used in weatherproof climates however, can be reproduced to adapt to the local climate. Using flax as the material for the design project, ideas such as form and detailing will be established. A greater appreciation towards materials has been unlocked and with this, a link between designing and making can help to inform the design of a building.
n a tu r e.