2015 09 27 thin 06

PUSH PLANAR

06

RACHEL MEI-LAN TAN

PUSH PLANAR WEEK 05 09/30/2015

00 THINNESS 01 LEAF 02 PROGRAM 03 STRUCTURE

4

THINNESS

01

LINEARITY - MINIMAL IMPACT ON THE GROUND 5

6

7

There is an evolution from the intuitive sense of building solid structures and massive walls: which is to develop an architecture that pushes the thinness to its limit (becoming a limit) and, therefore, producing a tectonic of efficiency.

TRAVERTINE : THE PYRAMID OF CESTIUS : PYRANESI 1750-1758

8

Elements become ambiguous: surface becomes structure, structure becomes void, space exists and is inhabited wherever it can be.

9

CLEAR NYLON : ON SPACE TIME FOAM : TOMAS SARACENO, MILAN 2013

SURFACE AREA : VOLUME RATIO | 729M2

.8

.7

.6

.8

.8

.8

.8

.5

.6

10

.8

.8

1.5

1.4

2.3

11

THE IDEA WOULD BE A TRULY PLANAR ARCHITECTURE +

THAT IS AT ONCE VOLUME & APPROACHING SURFACE +

IT EXISTS IN ONE DIMENSION BUT IS INVISIBLE IN ANOTHER +

AND HOW CAN IT STRUCTURALLY SUPPORT ITSELF?

12

13

EAST-WEST/WEST-EAST : RICHARD SERRA, DOHA, QATAR 2014

THINNESS IN PLAN NATURALLY LEADS TO LOOKING TO ELEMENTS OF A WALL AND IT’S FUNCTION AS A DIVISION OF SPACES

14

15

RUNNING FENCE : CHRISTO & JEANNE-CLAUDE, SONOMA, 1972-1976

PARTITION WALL

NATURE

limitless

NATURE

MAN

defined

NATURE

partition

divided

C

MAN

inhabitable

constrained limited

NATURE

OTHER

MAN

16

OCCUPIABLE WALL limitless

NATURE

MAN

defined

NATURE

partition

divided

C

MAN

inhabitable

constrained limited

NATURE

OTHER

channeled

17

MAN

partition subdivision

MATERIAL THICKNESS

WOVEN WALL COTTON FIBER 1 MM THICK

WOVEN - FIBER : 1MM

GLASS WALL 1.3 CM

GLASS : 1.3 CM

SCREEN PAPER + WOOD 2.5 CM THICK

SCREEN - PAPER + WOOD : 2.5 CM

STEEL PLATE 5 CM THICK

STEEL PLATE : 5CM

WOOD WALL 10CM

TIMBER : 10CM

CONCRETE WALL 15CM

CONCRETE : 15CM

BRICK WALL 21.5CM

BRICK : 21.5CM

MUDD WALL 25CM

STONE : 25CM

MUDD WALL 40CM

MUD : 40CM

18

MATERIAL

19

360

13

390

90

PROGRAM + MATERIAL DICTATING FORM : DEFENSIVE WALL : DEFENSIVE + DIGITAL WALL

33 160

200

90

WEST BERLIN | EAST BERLIN

40

USA |

OTHER |

| MEXICO

128

BERLIN WALL

SECURE FENCE ACT

AUERILIAN WALL

1961-1989 Length: 155km Width: 23cm Height: 3.6 m Total Width: 1.2m Material: Concrete Panel

2006-current Length: 1125km Width: 3mm Height: 6.4 m Total Width: 1.2m Material: Concrete Panel

2006-current Length: 52km Width: 3.5m Height: 8 m Material: Brick faced concrete

20

550

800

706

389

100

DEFENSIVE WALL + GATEWAY + AQUADUCT : DEFENSIVE WALL

600

160

335

90

OTHER | ROME

| MEXICO

SELF | OTHER

128

E ACT

m

2m rete Panel

21

AUERILIAN WALL 2006-current Length: 52km Width: 3.5m Height: 8 m Material: Brick faced concrete

GREAT WALL OF CHINA Length: 8852km Width: .6m Height: 5-8m Total Width: 5-6m Material: Stone, brick, tamped earth, wood

THESE TWO POSSIBILITIES OF THINNING & THICKENING BETWEEN IN_BETWEENS

PUSHING TOWARDS A VOLUMETRIC PLANARITY -

BECOME A TANDEM OPERATION STRATEGY _

22

23

TORQUED ELLIPSES : RICHARD SERRA, 1996

24

LEAF

02

THINNESS WITHIN NATURE 25

HOW THIN?

26

SURFACE AREA DETERMINED BY ABSORPTION OF SUNLIGHT

27

PROGRAM OF SURVIVAL : SYSTEMICAL & MOST EFFICIENT SYSTEM FOR CIRCULATION

SUN

ENERGY

CO²

ENERGY

H²O SUGAR

ENERGY

28

LEAF GENERATES ENERGY WHICH NETWORKS IN A LARGER CONTEXT FOR REPRODUCTION

ENERGY ENERGY

CO²

ENERGY

FLOWERS FRUIT REPRODUCTION

SURVIVAL

29

LEAF VENATION: RADIAL FORCE

30

LEAF VENATION : LADDER | FEATHER

31

FORM : SURFACE AREA IN RELATION TO WIND + SUNLIGHT + WEIGHT

32

CIRCULATION : GATHERING POINTS + STRUCTURE

33

PERIPHERAL DIVISION OF SPACES : CIRCULATION

34

NETWORK OF LEAF : COVERING AREA

35

AT THE SCALE OF A CITY BLOCK

36

LEAF : AMSTERDAM CANAL

ANNE FRANK’S HOUSE

WESTMARKT

LELIEGRACHT

RAADHUISTRAAT

HARTENSTRAAT

WOLVENSTRAAT

RUNSTRAAT SECONDARY

37

KEIZERS RIVER

PRIMARY

TERTIARY

THE LEAF VARIES ITS FORM AND STRUCTURE ADAPT TO UNIQUE ENVIRONMENTS WHICH DEFINE RESTRICTIONS

38

7 BIOMES

ARCTIC

TAIGA

GRASSLAND

JUNGLE

DESERT OCREAN / RIVER

39

BLADES

JUNGLE WET LACK OF SUNLIGHT

40

SURFACE AREA DETERMINED BY ABSORPTION OF SUNLIGHT

ABUNDANT RAINFALL

ABUNDANT RAINFALLY, LACK OF SUNLIGTH

WIND IS STRONG

FILTERED SUNLIGHT

2% SUNLIGHT IN BOTTOM CANOPY EXTREMELY RICH SOIL

41

DRIP TIPS AND WAXY SURFACES ALLOW WATER RUNOFF TO DISCOURAGE GROWTH OF BACTERIA AND FUNGI. CONCAVE CURVE TO DEFLECT WATER

SOFT, FIBROUS TISSUE LEAVES WHICH FACE HORIZONTALLY TO CAPTURE LIGHT FOR MORE PHOTOSYNETHESIS SHED WATER THROUGH STRUCTURES CALLED STOMATA

MOSS & LICHEN PHOTOSYNTEHSIZE UNDER EXTREMELY LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, CAN GRAFT ON SURFACES.

CONTAIN A PIGMENT CALLED ANTHOCYANIN WHICH REFLECTS RED LIGHT, ABSORBS BLUE LIGHT. IT PROTECTS THE PHOTOSYNTEHTIC MECHANISM

LEAVES AREUP TO 8 FEET LONG TO ABSORB AS MUCH FILTERED SUNLIGHT

42

43

44

45

DESERT DROUGHT

46

DRY SOIL IS SANDY AND UNABLE TO HOLD WATER

DRYNESS

WIND IS STRONG

LACK OF WATER

INTENSE SUNGLIGHT

47

WATER IS STORED IN THE STEM, SWOLLEN AND REPLETE LEAF WITH LOW SURFACE AREA : VOLUME RATIO

STEMS ARE SEPERATED INTO SEGMENTS THAT STORE WATER, ALLOWS EACH ARM TO SEPERATE SO THAT THE WATERSOURCE IS NOT COMPLETELY GONE. IF AN ARM FALLS OF IT ROOTS ITSELF AND GROWS

GROUND HUGGING SHRUBS, GROW IN CLUMPS TO PROTECT EACH OTHER FROM WIND AND COLD

LEAVES WITH HAIR ALLOW DEW TO COLLECT AND FUNNEL DOWN

LEAVES WITH HAIR HELP SHADE THE PLANT AND REDUCE WATER LOSS

48

49

BLADES

DECIDUOUS FOUR SEASONS HOT SUMMER FREEZING WINTER

50

SURFACE AREA DETERMINED BY ABSORPTION OF SUNLIGHT

FREEZING WINTER WET SEASON

MAXIMUM SUNLIGHT ABOSORPTION BEFORE LEAF IS SHED

MAXIMUM SUNLIGHT ABOSORPTION BEFORE LEAF IS SHED

ENDURING FREEZING WINTER

ABUNDANT RAINFALL IN SPRING & SUMMER

51

LEAVES TURN COLOR BECAUSE PHOTOSYNTHESIS DEGRADES CHLOROPHYLL FOR SHORTER DAYSAND SHED TO PREVENT ENERGY LOSS

BROAD LARGE LEAVES TO MAKE FOOD FOR THE TREE

FAN SHAPED LEAVES THAT BEAR THE REPRODUCTIVE STRUCTURES, STEMS WITH SECONDARY GROWTH

RESILIENT LEAF LIFESPAN: 3 YEARS WAXY, ELIPSOIDAL SHAPE, VERY UPRIGHT, POINTY EDGES, THICK, LEATHERY

NEED MOISTURE FOR REPRODUCTION GROWTH - VASCULAR TISSUES, SPORE PRODUCING ORGAN ON UNRDERISE

52

53

BLADES

CONIFEROUS (TAIGA)

W

54

SURFACE AREA DETERMINED BY ABSORPTION OF SUNLIGHT

FREEZING WINTER

LACK OF SUNLIGHT IN FALL / WINTER

MAXIMUM SUNLIGHT ABOSORPTION BEFORE LEAF IS SHED

ENDURING FREEZING WINTER

ABUNDANT RAINFALL IN SPRING & SUMMER

55

NEEDLE LIKE LEAVES WHICH SHAPE LOSES LESS WATER AND SHEDS SNOW EASILY LARGE SURFACE AREA TO VOLUME RATIO WHICH ALLOWS THE LEAF TO PHOTOSYNETHSIZE RIGHT AWAY

DARK COLOR LEAVES TO ALLOW MORE SOLAR HEAT TO BE ABSORBED

FAN SHAPED LEAVES THAT BEAR THE REPRODUCTIVE STRUCTURES, STEMS WITH SECONDARY GROWTH

RESILIENT LEAF LIFESPAN: 3 YEARS WAXY, ELIPSOIDAL SHAPE, VERY UPRIGHT, POINTY EDGES, THICK, LEATHERY

NEED MOISTURE FOR REPRODUCTION GROWTH - VASCULAR TISSUES, SPORE PRODUCING ORGAN ON UNRDERISE

56

57

JUNGLE

58

TAIGA

DECIDUOUS

DECIDUOUS

59

60

SITE + PROGRAM

04

ADAPTATION TO PROGRAM AND SITE 61

WE BEGIN TO LOOK BACK AT THE LEAF AGAIN TO RETROFIT THE STRUCTURE TO DIFFERENT SITES AND PROGRAMS

62

63

FAVELLA : SAO PAULO

UNORGANIZED DENSITY FASTEST GROWING POPULATION IN THE WORLD ORGANIC GROWTH MEANDERING ROAD NETWORKS INTERSPERSED NODE ACTIVITY.

GROWTH

GROWTH GROWTH

GROWTH

64

DIAGRAM STUDIES OF INFRASTRUCTURE

65

NODES BASED ON EXISTING FABRIC SMALL AREAS TO TOUCHDOWN

PRIMARY WATER CIRCULATION SECONDARY PATH CIRCULATION

TERTIARY ARE MORE LOCALIZED CIRCULATION

NATURAL SEPARATION OF ENCLAVES PRODUCES DIFFERENT IDENTITIES WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALLOWS NEW NODES TO BE MADE

MULTIPLE WATER SOURCE STRATEGY

SEPARATION OF ENCLAVES

BEACH

TOURISM - URBAN EXODUS AND DENSITY OF PEOPLE, NOT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT BREAKWATERS - PREVENTING EROSION OF SAND PORTS WILDLIFE

66

BEACH : BREAKWATER

PROGRAMMED WALLS THAT ALLOW WIND TO PASS THROUGH AND PROVIDE MINIMAL AMENITIES TO THE BEACH.

BREAKWATER THAT PROVIDE PROGRAM AS SMALL OCEAN POOLS

67

BREAKWATER : PORT

BREAKWATER ORIENTED TO PRODUCE MORE SHORELINE SMALL AMENITIES FOR BEACH PROGRAM

BREAKWATER FOR A PORT SIMULTANEOUSLY A DOCK OR OTHER

68

BREAKWATER : CORAL REEF

BREAKWATER WHICH IS SIMULTANEOUSLY AN UNDERWATER WALL WITH EMBEDDED STRUCTURE THAT ATTRACTS REEF LIFE - NEW AREA FOR CORAL REEF ATTRACTS ANIMALS, WHICH ATTRACTS PEOPLE

SECTION

69

TOKYO & NY EXEMPLIFY CASES IN A CITY WHERE SPACE AND REAL ESTATE ARE PRIME, AND SUCH OCCUPANCE HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE IN BETWEEN SPACES

REALITY PROPERTIES: FAKE ESTATES, LITTLE ALLEY BLOCK : GORDON MATTA-CLARK, NEW YORK 1974

70

THESE IN BETWEEN SPACES ARE PRIVATIZED HOUSING THAT RANGE FROM DIMENSIONS THAT ARE DETERMINED BY THE SPACE BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS AND THE RECENT NEEDLE TOWERS THAT HAVE BEEN RISING IN NYC TYPOLOGICALLY I DONT THINK EITHER OF THESE AS PRECEDENCE ARE RELEVANT, BUT THEY ARE EXISTING EXAMPLES IN TESTING THINNESS

71

SAN GIMIGNANO, ITALY : PRIVATE FAMILY TOWERS

PRIVATE RICH PROGRAM

COLLAGED OVER DIAGRAM : UNTITLED : DONALD JUDD 1982

72

73 MIDTOWN ci. 2018: NEW YORK TIMES

ADJACENCY

157 W 57th St.

432 Park Ave.

53 West 53rd St.

111 West 57th St.

217 W 57th St.

220 Central Park S

74

MIDTOWN SPIRES : PAUL GOLDBERGER : VANITY FAIR 1000’

One World Trade Empire State

75

Chrysler

53 West 53rd St. Time Warner

157 W 57th St.

111 West 57th St.

432 Park Ave.

43 E 60th St

217 W 57th St.

TOO RICH TOO THIN TOO TALL

76

77

217 W. 57th St. : ATELIER CHRISTIAN de PORTZAMPARE

1000 ft.

4000 ft. LONG SHADOW

217 W. 57th St.

SHADOW LENGTH WILL BE 3/4 OF A MILE LONG.

78

AFTER

79

SHADOWS ACROSS THE PARK : BEFORE AND AFTER DEVELOPMENT (4PM sEPTEMBER 21ST)

BEFORE

THIS ASKS TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS HOW THIN CAN WE GO AND CAN WE PRODUCE A THIN ARCHITECTURE THAT CATERS TO THE PUBLIC INSTEAD OF THE SMALL POPULATION OF PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD SUCH LUXURIES

80

IN LOOKING AT THE PAST PRIVATIZATION CAN WE LOOK AT MAKING THE PUBLIC SQUARE VERTICAL -- SEAGRAM PLAZA

81

MANHATTAN : DENSITY IN THE GRID

ONLY 15% OF MANHATTAN IS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SPACE THE STREET IS 49% OF IT’S TOTAL AREA MAKE THE STREET PUBLIC ALSO SHIELDING VIEWS

AVENUE

STREET

82

BREAKWATER

83

PRIVATE PROGRAM VIEWING INTO PRIVATE PROGRAM WITHIN “STREETS”

GROUND LEVEL: ESTABLISH SMALL POINTS

10TH FLOOR : VERTICAL GARDEN ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR PRIVACY CURTAINS

20TH FLOOR : GARDEN ONLY CONTINUES WHERE VIEWING IN IS POSSIBLE

ADJACENCY

COLLAGED OVER DIAGRAM : UNTITLED : DONALD JUDD 1982

84

85

ASSORTED FACADES : NEW YORK

OBSTRUCTION OF VIEW

VERTICAL GREENWALL

86

SECTION DIAGRAM OF CIRCLATION

WATER NETWORK - SIMILAR TO THE LEAF

87

IF THE COMMUNITY IS WHAT TIES TOGETHER THESE THIN STRUCTURES, WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS CAN YOU BEGIN TO EXPLORE, AND WHAT CAN THINNESS ACCOMODATE IF CIRCULATION IS LOOKED AT AS STRICTLY PATH BASED AND LINEAR

88

89

EDUCATION

COMMUNITY

FACILITIES/ INFRASTRUCTURE

STATION BATHROOM MARKET WATER FILTRATION VENDING MACHINE

GARDEN AQUARIUM LIBRARY

CHURCH CINEMA PLAYGROUND PARK CEMETARY STAGE

CHURCH + MARKET CINEMA + AQUARIUM PLAYGROUND + STATION + GARDEN PARK + WATER FILTRATION + BATHROOM

90

WATER FILTRATION

PARK

BATHROOM / FOUNTAIN

RELIGIOUS GATHERING

BACK HOUSE

MARKET

CINEMA CORN DRYING

GRAIN STORAGE

VENDING / DISTRIBUTION

PLAYGROUND

STATION

GARDEN

WATER STORAGE

CINEMA

CINEMA AQUARIUM

RESTAURANT

91

PROGRAMS WHICH REQUIRE A PATH STATION - TRAINS - METRO - PLANE DOCK - BOAT, KAYAK PIER BRIDGE CANAL LOCKS / DAMS BILBOARD AQUEDUCT RUNWAY GEOLOGICAL BORDERS - US/MEXICO MOUNTAIN SPORTS - SKI - SNOWBOARD GONDOLA STAIRS - SANTA MONICA ELECTRIC LINES - TELEPHONE POLES GAS PIPLINE BIKE -PATH HIGH TUNNEL FARMING CONVEYER BELTS SPICE DRYING CLOTH/LEATHER DYING PAPER INDUSTRY CULVERT

92

PROGRAMS WHICH CAN BE CONVERTED TO A PATH CHURCH MARKET - GROCERY STORE - DRUG STORE LIBRARY GALLERY - MUSEUM GARDEN FARM - HYDROPONIC - AQUAPONIC RICE PATTY STORAGE - DATA STORAGE - SHIPPING CONTAINERS - GRAIN SWIMMING POOL SKATE PARK TRACK - HUMAN - BICYCLE - CAR PLAYGROUND CEMETARY PRISON BEEHIVE MOAT

93

DESTINATION/TOURIST ATTRACTION MONUMENT LAS VEGAS STRIP RIO DI JANEIRO BEACH THE RHINE - BASEL - ZURICH HOTSPOTS WIFI WATER FEATURES WATERFALLS VILLA D’ESTE PALEY PARK BELLAGIO HOTEL ZURICH LAKE - PERIMETER LAKE COMO TUVALU - SINKING ISLAND AMSTERDAM - BOAT /BRIDGE CIRCULATION HAMAM - ISTANBUL OLYMPIC POOL OLYMPIC DIVING BOARD SETUP BEIJING WATER PARK MOSCOW - SOVIET POOL - FOUNDATION PENGUIN POOL - OVE 94

PATH - PASSAGE - GATE GREECE - STEPS WITH RESTAURANTS SPANISH STEPS VILLA LANTE - FOUNTAIN STEPS ZURICH - BRIDGE ATLANTIC ROAD - NORWAY WILDLIFE OVERPASS GREAT WALL OF CHINA SI-O-SE POL BRIDGE - IRAN TOWER BRIDGE - LONDON YU GARDEN - SHANGHAI SKATEPARK - SWEDEN AQUEDUCT AURELIAN WALL THAILAND - FLOATING MARKET FOUNTAINS VILLA LANTE - DINING TABLE-FOUNTAIN TRAIN 95

96

STRUCTURE

03

STRUCTURED DERIVED FROM THE ADAPTABILITY OF A LEAF 97

PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON THINNESS : BENDING MOMENT

STIFF!

98

PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON THINNESS : BENDING MOMENT

99

PRE OR POST TENSION

100

PRE OR POST TENSION

101

BOW & ARROW : TENSION BY WEIGHT AND VERTICAL FORCE

102

VARIATION IN FORCE

103

TENSION & COMPRESSION WITH TWO ELEMENTS

104

ELEMENT WORKS SINGULARLY IN TENSION & COMPRESSION

105

SECTIONAL FORCES

106

SECTIONAL FORCES

107

FIXED POSITION

108

FLEXING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FOR STIFFNESS

109

FIXED POSITION

110

FLEXING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FOR STIFFNESS

111

FORM STUDY ON HOW TO PRODUCE A MORE EFFICIENT WAY TO TORQUE A MATERIAL

112

TORQUE

90

113

180

270

360

COUNTER TORQUE

114

COUNTER TORQUE

115

116

WITH THINNESS, A TERM WHICH IS DEFINED AS SPARCE IT ADDRESSES MANY TOPICS AND ISSUES THINNESS

FORM GEOMETRY

EFFICIENCY

PROGRAM

STRUCTURE

MATERIAL

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCE

DENSITY

MATERIAL

ELEMENTS LIGHT-AIR-WATER

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

FLOW OF PEOPLE

ADAPTABILITY

SPATIAL LIMIT

PERCEIVED DIMENSION

HEIGHT

117

UPDATE DIAGRAM

TIME / GROWTH

END