CUI YUJING NICO 2010800185 THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE ARCH2001 DEBRA CHEUNG FALL 2011-2012
“Isaura, city of the thousand wells, is said to rise over a deep, subterranean lake. On all sides, wherever the inhabitants dig long vertical holes in the ground, they succeed in drawing up water, as far as the city extends, and no farther. Its green border repeats the dark outline of the buried lake; an invisible landscape conditions the visible one; everything that moves in the sunlight is driven by the lapping wave enclosed beneath the rock’s calcareous sky. Consequently two forms of religion exist in Isaura. The city’s gods, according to some people, live in the depths, in the black lake that feeds the underground streams. According to others, the gods live in the buckets that rise, suspended from a cable, as they appear over the edge of the wells, in the revolving pulleys, in the windlasses of the norias, in the pump handles, in the blades of the windmills that draw the water up from the drillings, in the trestles that support the twisting probes, in the reservoirs perched on stilts over the roofs, in the slender arches of the aqueducts, in all the columns of water, the vertical pipes, the plungers, the drains, all the way up to the weathercocks that surmount the airy scaffolding of Isaura, a city that moves entirely upwards.” from Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
NEIGHBOURHOOD ANALYSIS
Kwun Tong is an area situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula. As one of the first new towns in Hong Kong, Kwun Tong was, and remains, a major industrial area. Its population has been growing rapidly, and the demand for housing, medical and educational facilities and services has been increasing. The complexity of forces, from politics, economics, technology to cultural and social value, shape and mould the urban condition of Kwun Tong. All of these factors have a significant relationship with transportation. To have a better understanding of the main project site at Kwun Tong, we started with a selected neighborhood near Ngau Tao Kok MTR Station and looked into the issue of transportation from the human body scale to a larger scale urban territory.
Spreading Area
Means of Mobility
What are the means of mobility? What are the corresponding infrastructural form? How people move through the city? What’s the relationship of TIME SPEED and AREA? How the different kinds of circulation INFLUENCE its neighborhood? Room 10m x 10m
Block 50m x 50m
Neighborhood 200m x 200m
District 1,000m x 1,000m
Metropolis 10,000m x 10,000m
Elevator 5km/h
Bike 10km/h
Automobile 12km/h
Bus 15km/h
MTR 22km/h
Migration Pattern
Infrastructural Form
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
ROOM
10m x 10m Vertical mobility Link of various services in industrial buildings Public space in residential buildings Warehouse upstairs Trucks and carts for upload and download
NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS
Path of Elevator in Residential Building Path of Staircase in Residential Building
Basic Movement inside Residential Building
Measurement of Time in Elevator of an Residential Building
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
BLOCK
50m x 50m MTR railway Busy elevated highway Segregation of residential and industrial Tunnel as the only passage Loop as circulation
NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS
MTR BUS BIKE WALK
Distance Travelled in 5 Seconds
Measurement of Time with Bike Delivery
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
NEIGHBOURHOOD 200m x 200m
Three lines of solid buildings Rare visited by residents nearby Informal passage through car repairing studio Narrow one-way road for logistics
NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS
CAR BIKE
The Area Involved in the Journey Starting from Crossing on Wai Yi Street
Measurement of Time in a Private Car Starting from the Crossing on Wai Yi Street
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
DISTRICT
1,000m x 1,000m Different route between bus and minibus Up-hill residential Area served by minibus Bus for Kwun Tong Road Declining ports Re-development of Kai TAk Airport Praya Relax Garden far from residential area
NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS
BUS
BUS STOP
MINIBUS
MINIBUS STOP
BIKE
The Area Involved in a Journey Starting from Ngau Tau Kok MTR Station
Measurement of Time in BUS Starting from Ngau Tau Kok Station
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
METROPOLIS
10,000m x 10,000m Overlapping Radial Influences from points MTR as attractors Transport Interchange Distance not equal to time
NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS
MTR
MTR STATION
BUS
BUS STOP
FERRY
FERRY PIER
The Area Involved in 30 minutes Journey Starting from Ngau Tau Kok MTR Station
Measurement of Time in MTR Starting from Ngau Tao Kok Station
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
PRECEDENT STUDY “POINTS AND LINES”
“Field conditions moves from the one toward the many, from individuals to collectives, from objects to field To generalize, a field condition could be any formal or spatial matrix capable of unifying diverse elements while respecting the identity of each. Field configurations are loosely bound aggregates characterized by porosity and local interconnectivity. Overall shape and extent are highly fluid and less important than the internal relationships of parts, which determine the behaviour of the field.” “Field Conditions” by Stan Allan in “Points and Lines”
STUDY OF PRECEDENT
Field Conditon Diagram from “Points and Lines”
Overarching Geometrical Schema
VS
“Bottom-up” Field Configuration
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
National Diet Library, Japan From left to right: Site condition Programme Site model from “Points and Lines”
National Diet Library, Japan Archive of Information: Snead Stacks System Distribution of Information: Information Islands System
STUDY OF PRECEDENT
FIELD 1: DISTRIBUTION
FIELD 2: ARCHIVAL
Re-interpretation Instead of figuring out all the functions, I considered the whole area as two fields: archival and distribution. With the perspective of field conditions, a close attention to the production of difference at the local scale are generated. The influences they give to each other can be reflected through the changes in the local level.
SUPERPOSITION: EXCHANGE
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
KWUN TONG EXCAVATION In Kwun Tong, I started to consider the urban conditions in different scales as effect of interactions of fields. Circulation or migration patterns, only involved with infrastructural form is usually under a neutral state until the participation of another field formed by fragmental objects such as stores, parks and stalls. The two fields influence each other and the force could be seen from the results of superimposition, such as stretching, flowing. The dynamic urban conditions can be analyzed in this way.
1:1500
1:2000
1:3500
MARKET WEAVING
STORE STRETCHING
STATION INFLUXING
1:5000
KWUN TONG EXCAVATION
Field 1 Neutral Infrastructure
Field 2 Fragmental Object
Superimposition Change
GARDEN COLLISION
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
Interaction of fields generate new relationship and define the shape Field of Relaxation
Field of Commercial
Superimposition
NEW TOWN CENTER The main site is Yue Man Square next to Kwun Tong MTR station. The existing urban fabric is facing a series of problems: the dilapidated buildings; lack of public space and traffic congestion. Despite the re-develpment undertaken by URA, an alternative urban model, which need better understanding of existing urban context, is anticipated. The previou study of “Points and Lines� and the re-thinking of Kwun Tong in the perspective of field conditions provide a intergrated understanding of the site and the urban strategy. For the new town center, what I want to realize is to reject the method of zoning but to start from the local system and fulfill the highly-fluid urbanism. Radial Impact Re-Orientation
Highlight of Fields
SITE INVESTIGATION
DISTRICT PLAN Streets that have potential to be transformed into “street market” and “relax walkways” are illustrated, as well as the “magnetic points” connected.
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
EXISTING SITE
SITE INVESTIGATION
Field of Relaxation Field of Relaxation
Field of Commercial Field of Commercial
Superimposition of Fields Superimposition of Fields
Re-orientation of Fields Re-orientation of Fields
FIELD AS GENERATOR
Field of CommercialField of Commercial Field of Commercial ofSuperimposition Fields of Fields Re-orientation ofRadial Fields Re-orientation of Fields ofSuperimposition Fields Re-orientation Re-orientation of Fields Impact nld of Relaxation Field of RelaxationField of Relaxation Field of Commercial SuperimpositionSuperimposition of Fields of Fields Impact Radial
Field of Relaxation
Field of Commercial
Superimposition
Radial Impact Radial Impact
Radial Impact
Re-orientation
Radial Influence
Proposal:Vertical Proposal:Vertical Connectors Proposal:Vertical Connectors Radial Impact Proposal:Vertical Connectors Connectors
Connectors Proposal:Vertical Proposal:Vertical Connectors
Proposal: Vertical Connector
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
Conceptual Model Photo
Conceptual Idea
SITE INVESTIGATION
PrototypeofofWeaving Weaving Prototype Prototype of Weaving Prototype of Weaving
Prototype of Weaving
LOCAL SYSTEM and the MECHANISM of WEAVING The “Bottum-up” design process, developed from field conditions, suggests establishing a local interconnectivity as the first step. The local system for Kwun Tong (right) focuses on the superimposition of two major fields on the site, one is commercial activation, another is flow from MTR station to the residential areas. This kind of local system insert the vertical mobility as the link of the two fields and try to create a new urban fabric by expanding through intervals, repetitions and connectivities. The form of “Weaving” can achieve the future expansiion of a local system in a rather flexible way. It is adjustable to the variety of levels, different ratio of solid and void and the complexity of scales. Moreover, the enclosed open space is highly-fluid functionally and provides a courtyard-like space as transition from public space to the private space.
Multi-Levels and Courtyard Space Multi-Levels and Courtyard Space Multi-Levels and Courtyard Space Multi-Levels and Courtyard Space
Multi-Levels and Courtyard Space
Flexibility of Lower Level Flexibility of Lower Level Flexibility of Lower Level Flexibility of Lower Level
Flexibility of Lower Level
Flexibility of Upper Level
Flexibility of Upper Level Flexibility of Upper Level Flexibility of Upper Level Flexibility of Upper Level Methodology of Weaving
Methodology of Weaving Methodology of Weaving
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
Vision Plan
Stradegy
Program Diagram
NEW TOWN CENTER
EXPERIMENTATION on MASSING
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
This scheme of Kwun Tong New Center is an experimentation of practicing the theory of “field condition”. The lower levels, generated from the expansion of local system, provide a vibrant “Weaving City” which balance the commercial force and the idyll experiences. Towers on higher levels respect the existing orientation and grid system to achieve a smooth transition. New office towers and civic center reinforce the relationship of local and wider community, and show the identity of Kwun Tong. Greening area is increasing and flexible open space pave the way for future plan.
NEW TOWN CENTER SITE PLAN
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
Site Plan on Ground Level (top) and Roof Level (middle) The Form of Weaving ( bottom)
NEW TOWN CENTER
Lower levels: a vibrant network of the neighborhood
Interaction of fields generate new relationship and define the shape Field of Relaxation
Field of Commercial
Superimposition
Center of the Site Identity of Kwun Tong Highlight of the Field Re-Orientation
Radial Impact
Highlight of Fields
NEW TOWN CENTER Figure of Kwun Tong
Total Site Area Gross Floor Area Plot Ratio Site Coverage Land Use (m2) Residential Retail Office Civic Greening Transportation Interchange Flexible
Existing
Proposal
40,000 m2 100,000 m2 2.7 (approx) 36%
40,000 m2 175,700 m2 4.39 30.9%
62,000 34,000 ------2,000 1,400 4,000 600
33,730 27,300 93,000 7,600 10,200 4,200 3,900
A Panorama from Office Tower on Yue Man Square
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER SITE CONDITION
SOLUTION
SITUATION
SOLUTION
SITUATION
SOLUTION
RETAIL
GREENING
COMMERCIAL
Uneven Distributed
Penetrated
COMMERCIAL
Uneven Distributed
Penetrated
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
Blocked
Linked
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
Blocked
Linked
MTR
MIGRATION
Flow
Dissolve
NEW TOWN CENTER SITE CONDITION
WALKWAY
SOLUTION
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
Blocked
Linked
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
Blocked
Linked
MTR
MIGRATION
Flow
Dissolve MTR
MIGRATION
Flow
Dissolve
Collision
Transition
Collision
Transition
MASSING
BUILDING TYPE BUILDING TYPE
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
The section shows how the scheme responds to the preexisting roads and Yue Man Relax Garden. The 12 meter height difference within the site provide creative utility and variation in the weaving.
NEW TOWN CENTER
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
1:200 Fragment Model showing the “the Form of Weaving” (above) A series of sections showing the relationship of topography, openings and “Weaving” (Left)
NEW TOWN CENTER
A PHOTO of WEAVE
The fragment detail-model shows how the local system function in the scheme and how the form of weaving can be adjusted to the appropriate scale.
KWUN TONG TOWN CENTER
NEW TOWN CENTER