p or t fo l i o Olyvia Tam BA (Hons) & MArch
stage 6 | gateshead tyne bank
g ate s h ea d tyn e bank mas terp l an Gateshead, U.K. Co-developed with studio colleague Stage 6 | MArch | Material Change Studio, led by FaulknerBrowns Architects The current Gateshead Riverside Park has struggled to see the locals’ embrace due to its lack of identity. This speculative masterplan seeks to respond to this by reconciling competing site identities (Industry & The Arts), a result from the council’s previous placemaking approach of location branding. Co-developed with a colleague, this masterplan centers around collaboration and stakeholder engagement - a critique on the traditional architect’s topdown attitude towards masterplanning. A technological strategy - Adaptable Timber Block (ATB) - is designed as a means to allow end-user autonomy (p.4). It is integrated within catalyst projects of the masterplan to enable community engagement. 2
| Collages | Critiquing ‘The Architect as the Individual Genius’ and presenting our approach of ‘Architects as Conscientious Designers’.
| Masterplan | Creating a network of proposals that work together to placemake Gateshead as a prosperous place for future communities
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stage 6 | gateshead tyne bank
| Joint Isometric of Catalyst Projects | My colleague designed surrounding the theme of Industry whilst I designed for The Arts. This took form in a Creative Re-Use Hub aimed at improving community wellbeing. 4
| Adaptable Timber Block | Based
on
elements
of
disassembly,
adaptability, and autonomy, this Block comprises of six CNC’d faces that can be easily assembled with its castellated edges and timber brackets. Negating the need for glue, bolts, screws, or nails, Blocks are joined together with mortise & tenon joints and butterfly key joints to form flexible walls, seating, furniture etc. It serves to be the starting point to multiple configurations that anyone can take on and make their own. Users can also clip on interchangeable wall panels that can be customized to the type of activity and user within a space.
| 1:2 Working Prototype | 5
stage 6 | wellbeing through waste
we l l b ei n g thro u g h wa s te
Creating spaces for private discusssions
Creative Re-Use Hub Part of Gateshead Tyne Bank Masterplan Stage 6 | MArch | Material Change Studio, led by FaulknerBrowns Architects
Customizing internal space to suit sensory needs
This project seeks to study the psychological and nurturing qualities of timber through the
sensory
exploration
of
a
flexible
Dowel Laminated Timber (DLT) system.
Closing spaces off completely if needed
The Hub aims to be a dedicated space for service users of Arts-on-Prescription (NHS social prescribing), in hopes of improving community wellbeing and interaction. It will do so through artistic activities that take non-recyclable waste as base materials for
sustainable
artwork,
reframing
the
perception of waste. The implementation of the Block allows interchangeable textured wall panels to be clipped on, allowing service users to customize the internal space based on various sensory profiles. 6
Opening up spaces to create ‘spill out zones’ to facilitate shared activites/ conversations
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stage 6 | wellbeing through waste
p roje c t n am e
| Timber Textures Exploration | Sensory exploration of timber’s tactility through a collection of hand-carved timber panels. Lighting and colour study conducted by photographing them under various lighting conditions to reveal different emotive opportunities of timber. 8
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stage 6 | wellbeing through waste
| Programme |
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As part of my research, I investigated the two established Dowel Laminated
Adapting Brettstapel to incorporate Adaptable Timber Block
Timber (DLT) systems and studied how they could be adapted. The principle of both concerns layering individual softwood timber pieces and joining them using hardwood dowels. In line with reducing waste through standardizing components, I looked into how only one layer of each system would need to be adapted. Respective joints would be CNC’d onto the surface of the adapted component to enable the Block and textured panels to be clipped on. Adapting Thoma to incorporate Interchangeable Textured Timber Panels
The following two drawings will illustrate how they are integrated into the design of the building. 11
stage 6 | wellbeing through waste
| Inhabited section detail | Illustrates the integration of the Adaptable Timber Block
Build temporary partitions or 1:1 pods
Close off or open up spaces
Timber Concrete
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Create moments to dwell & socialize
| Plan of key space | Customizing internal spaces to suit sensory needs with Interchangeable Textured Wall Panels
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stage 6 | wellbeing through waste
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| A Day in the Life of Dave | This series of visuals follow Dave’s journey around the Hub. He is a service user of Arts-on-Prescription who visit the Hub to help with his low mood. 15
stage 6 | wellbeing through waste
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| Long section | Demonstrates how the Creative Re-Use Hub is situated within the topography and actively incorporates it as a design feature.
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stage 5 | sustainability through sustanence
s us tai nab i l i ty thro u g h s us tan en ce Community Culinary Hub Newcastle Upon Tyne, U.K. Stage 5 | MArch | Material Change Studio, led by FaulknerBrowns Architects Housing all stages of the food chain, this hub aims to tackle food poverty and waste through the education of food sustainability. This project responds to the rising food poverty rates resulted from the Covid-19 pandemic. The design surrounds principles of adaptive re-use and biodiversity, demonstrated by the re-design of the existing shopping centre’s brick facade to include spaces for insects and bees to nest. Lightweight, translucent polycarbonate
envelopes
the
volumes
housing the growing vegetation, expressing the greenery and ‘growth’ as the identity of the building through the facade.
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| Perspective Section | Different stages of the food chain
| Detail | Designing an olfactory experience on food growth
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stage 5 | sustainability through sustanence
| Night Visual & Gutter Detail | Expression of the facade as a growing chamber.
N
fa
S
fa
A
fa
20
Northern
acade
Southern
acade
All
acades
| Adapting existing facade |
| Atmospheric Exterior Visual | Interaction between the existing brick colonnade and new timber volumes. Rooftop connections are established to create one continuous elevated landscape.
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stage 1-3 | design approaches & processes
| Stage 1 | 1:50 model of a market hall
de s i g n ap p roa ch es & proces s es Throughout
my
architectural
journey,
traditional methods of exploration such as, hand-drawing
and
model-making,
were
imperative to my design process. I found that physically creating something with my hands extremely fulfilling; as it allows the translation of a theoretical design to something tangible and interactive. As alluded to earlier in the ‘Gateshead Tyne Bank’ masterplan, I view the process just as important as the final output. The right comprises a collection of drawings and models from my undergraduate degree. Most models that I created were conceptual or specifically hones in on a particular design feature - I found this to be most communicative of design concepts.
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| Stage 2 | Atmospheric drawing of a residential design
| Stage 3 | Conceptual model expressing connections between the old and the new
| Stage 2 | Material exploratory model investigating light
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professional experience | 10 Design & Aedas
p rofes s i onal expe ri en ce
10 Design Hong Kong Office | Summer Internship July - Aug 2018 During my time at 10 Design, I participated in working on luxury casino and hotel retail projects based in Cotai, Macau. The team I collaborated with focused on facade design using Revit. By refining and editing technical drawings on Revit, I was able to better understand the software’s tools and commands. I also developed a greater understanding of architectural conventions when setting up plans, sections, and elevations on presentation sheets in preparation for client meetings. As I was part of an international team, I had the opportunity to work in a multicultural environment with team members from all over the globe, being an incredibly enriching experience that developed my communicative skills.
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Aedas Hong Kong Office | Summer Internship Aug - Sept 2018 In contrast to 10 Design, I worked with a local Hong Kong team at Aedas, and was introduced to a different way of working and office culture. As my architectural education has been in English, the suddent shift in languages challenged me to discover more creative methods to communicate with others. The team and I worked on various retail projects in Hong Kong, and Shenzen, China. Similar to 10 Design, we focused on facade design, and my main role concerned developing multiple design options to be presented to clients. The team predominantly used Sketchup, hence I was able to enrich my understanding of Sketchup by building 3D models of different facade options for internal and external walkways in shopping malls. As part of preparing documents for client meetings, I also focused on using Photoshop to edit renderings, and Indesign to update the graphical display of plans for presentation booklets.
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personal interests | writing, art, dance
p ers o nal i nte res ts As someone who is always experiencing an amalgamation of cultures, I am particularly interested in studying and writing about hybrid cultural identities between the East and West through an architectural lens, being key themes explored in my undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations. | MArch dissertation |
To maintain a healthy work-life balance, I also take interest in art and dance. I particularly enjoy exploring natural forms; a recurring theme in the artworks created over the years. My training in fine art has pushed me to develop a keen attention to detail, along with the patience and persistence required to hone a complex talent.
My interest in
many dance styles has also led to various teaching opportunities at both school and university, allowng me to understand the nuances of communicating my vision to audiences of different cultures, and working collaboratively to achieve a product that all can be proud of. 26
| Painting | Acrylic on paper
| BA (Hons) dissertation |
| Model | 0.5mm silver wire
| Painting | Pencil, watercolour, acrylic on paper 27
p or t fo lio
Olyvia Tam BA (Hons) & MArch
Email : olyviatam0514@gmail.com