Project on autonomy. Measuring own fascinations.

THE PROJECT ON AUTONOMY MEASURING OWN FASCINATIONS

booklet #1/2015

This booklet you keep in hands offers a brief presentation of a working process and effects on a concept of dream house which resulted through the struggle of self-analysys on authors conscious fascinations. It was developed during Atelier 2C Manifestos e Utopias in School of Architecture at University of Minho, in Guimaraes,

by Rafa liwa under criticism and guidiance of Pedro Bandeira and Joaquim Moreno. It all happened during months february-june in year 2015. It was a road though unknown, where author was lost to be found.

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table of contents: 3

THE PROJECT ON AUTONOMY

5

MEASURING OWN FASCINATIONS

13

SEVEN ROOMS

29

ASSEMBLAGE

37

THE FINAL HOUSE

47

THE FINAL HOUSE ON TOUR

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T The Project on Autonomy How do you make a house in a vacuum? Where do you start from? What do you do when you can do everything? Without any limitations? Given such outline human can only start from himself, from his very subjective point of view. This project attempts to criticize authors fascinations and desires which by the moment of beginning weren't really understood, remaining in a state of fragmentary memory, images, traces of imagination and unconscious.

To reach the clear form of fascination there is a necessary attempt for autonomy in process of creation in order to reach autonomy of designed forms which assumes that every room which has defined state is designed separately from others as independent form. Solely for itself. In finest case there is a chance for reaching an absolute effect where decisions on individuality of the room precedes given architecture. By the process of self-analysis house was divided in general three groups of resting, working and discovering. First two are given full autonomy of expression as primary object-like rooms within subjective process where last one is an aligned supporting area that depends on rooms just mentioned. In these spaces various activities are supposed to occur, not specified whether of work or rest. It is ambiguous space, intermediate one. Its form may take part from more important autonomous room of work or rest, like part of wall, line, curve and so. Therefore main rooms are supposed to be temple-like celebrations of their own purposes. Process of design was based on sketches, modeling, finding a photographic representation of idea, but most of all it was meant to be emotional, subjective expression of feeling on concept of space possibly later rationalized. The expression of rooms is simple, presented as very geometrical volumes and shapes, but since each of them is standing for it's own individuality, the variety produces complexity. Finally rooms are assembled basing on different principles of interiority, communication, public-private relation (within domestic scale) in order to find most wanted assemblage in possible reach for autonomy of spaces themselves. Rooms could be slightly stretched, modified, multiplied for proper alignment. If a house is designed in vacuum then where does it belong to? Contextual principles where never present in consideration. Could it be everywhere? If whole process succeeds, such building has attempt to be like a Temple structure, which if was situated wherever in the world still will remain its character and standing point for its own principles. It's a non-contextual building. Various proposals of location appeared, from ancient lands of Giza in Egypt to endings of Manhattan avenues in New York, in order to verify predicted effects. After all it's a question, does architecture without context exist? It seems that yes, and then, can it find itself within real world? Or maybe it is the world to be challenged if can fit itself to the subjective creation of human.

H l c f a c d e d d n a i e a t d o l w a i s w u a n t m e t i l i s x e h i e r R b b s c

The Project on Autonomy

How do you make a house in a vacuum? Where do you start from? What do you do when you can do everything? Without any limitations? Given such outline human can only start from himself, from his very subjective point of view. This project attempts to criticize authors fascinations and desires which by the moment of beginning weren't really understood, remaining in a state of fragmentary memory, images, traces of imagination and unconscious. To reach the clear form of fascination there is a necessary attempt for autono my in process of creation in order to reach autonomy of designed forms wh ich assumes that every room which has defined state is designed separatel y from others as in dependent form. So lely for itself. In fi nest case there is a c hance for reaching an absolute effect w here decisions on individuality of the room precedes giv en architecture. By the process of selfanalysis house was divided in general three groups of rest ing, working and discovering.First tw o are given full aut onomy of expressio n as primary object like rooms within s ubjective process where last one is an aligned supporting area that depends o n rooms just ment ioned. In these spac es various activitie s are supposed to o ccur, not specified whether of work or rest. It is ambiguo us space, intermedi ate one. Its form m ay take part from m ore important auto nomous room of w ork or rest, like par t of wall, line, curve and so. Therefore main rooms are sup posed to be temple -like celebrations of their own purpos es. Process of desig n was based on ske tches, modeling, fin ding a photograph ic representation of idea, but most of al l it was meant to be emotional, subject ive expression of fe eling on concept of space possibly later rationalized. The e xpression of rooms is simple, present ed as very geometr ical volumes and s hapes, but since eac h of them is stand ing for it's own indi viduality, the vari ety produces complexity. Finally rooms are assembled basing on different principles of interiority, communication, public-private relation (within domestic scale) in order to find most wanted assemblage in possible reach for autonomy of spaces themselves.

Rooms could be slightly stretched, modified, multiplied for proper alignment. If a house is designed in vacuum then where does it belong to? Contextual principles where never present in consideration. Could it be everywhere? If whole process succeeds, such building has attempt to be like a Temple structure, which if was situated wherever in the world still will remain its character and standing point for its own principles. After all it's a question, does architecture without context exist? It seems that yes, and then, can it find itself within real world? Or maybe it is the world to be challenged if can fit itself to the subjective creation of human.

Measuring own fascinations. 'Without imagination things wouldn't be projecting themselves. In presented things there has to be an inborn insistent whisper of projection and in re-presentatio

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on, on the other hand, always a possible fold of imaginary. Any of these conditions can not do without the other, they mutually fulfil and face each other.' Everything that exists has a certain pr

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roximity or distance to every other thing by one of four forms of resemblance (suiting[convenir], emulation, analogy, sympathy) and in some cases things are even identical. Form of feel

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ling present as quasi-reality of imagination finds it's expression in existing image, a historical one, a happening event, present in closest reality. If we are to go further with that we will fi

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ind that associations are being made as well with images and experiences recalled from memory, which were already interpreted and categorized by subjectively selective mind. If such

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relation wouldn't exist all the experiences in time would be separated from each other, never having the possibility to be recalled and to recall similar experiences for possible compariso

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on. An absolute difference would keep them apart. Things would exist as autonomous, not related nor ordered to each other, non hierarchic for that reason. It wouldn't allow the possib

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bility of re-interpretation of these and mark with a new meaning in relation to previous. Things would exist solely for themselves, always perceived in the same, same, same manner.......

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SEVEN ROOMS

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REST room for sleeping and resting

a c

d b

d b

a c

the plan - scale 1:200

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axonometry of room

sections a-a, b-b, c-c, d-d - scale 1:200

Heterotopic garden hidden within labyrinth of rooms, namely house, deep wild flora, grass, trees, bushes, flowers, herbs. Garden is generous, it has potential to become heart of the house but doesn't have to. It has potential to host small objects, like toilet. But garden is also divided by non symmetrical setting of the room which creates two spaces - open, generous and more secluded, intimate. Room is condition of duality defined by intermediate door: either opens corridor to sleeping room or encloses it leaving garden accessible; corridor is narrow, it cuts out space for bed and therefore allows wider view when lying, it allows much space for mess, which you don't see from bed.

The room for bed is small, cozy and forces bed to the outside creating feeling of almost sleeping in garden.

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b

a

WORK duality of ateliers

c d

b

a

c d

the plan - scale 1:200

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axonometry of room

sections a-a, b-b, c-c, d-d and side elevations- scale 1:200

There were always two areas of work - dirty workshop and clean atelier for focusing. both are equally important spaces within any working process, therefore both are given same outlines. Nevertheless there is a necessity for a degree of separation. circles are tangential, when enclosed in squares create rectangle. when half shifted out of their boundaries one becomes smaller other bigger, it is expression of used space within quality of a room. Clean atelier is to focus in cozy space with a terrace. Dirty workshop receives more space with inner garden. You never get only a circle as a borderline in room. Only floors and ceilings maintain symbilolicaly boundaries of space.

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a

REST room for gathering

b

b

a

c

the plan - scale 1:200

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c

axonometry of room

sections b-b, c-c, a-a - scale 1:200

A space with a canopy - that is the protective shelter for outdoor resting, one that was transfered to the interior space of bedroom as a bed , formally celebrating activities of a bed-time; extended to a space of a whole room it provides cozy variations of time spending, with it's skylights illuminating the hanged material gives warm, soft from ceiling; floor descends down from a small water source through main table to the bottom full of sand where we reach chimney and a carpet in nomadic atmosphere; two tangential circles, both enclosed within squares, when shifter out of their frames one becomes cut, other receives space.

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a

b

REST room for cleaning and bathing

c

a

b

c

the plan - scale 1:200

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axonometry of room

sections a-a, b-b, c-c, glass elevation - scale 1:200

Bathing is not a ritual within this house. There are two rooms and three spaces with possibility of opening to fourth space - the exterior. It was as simple as square divided in two to create duality - space of fast hygienic use of cleaning separated from part left for longer relaxation of bathing. Corner of resting area is opened widely, marking third space surrounding bathtub, left for possible greenery, open onto exterior articulating its different spacial aspect, which is regulated by horizontal window. The further you go the more time you intend to spend inside.

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DISCOVER intermediate room - guests, storage, entrance

b

a

a

b

the plan - scale 1:200

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axonometry of room

section b-b, side elevation - scale 1:200 section a-a, front elevation - scale 1:200

It is an entrance, it is a storage, it is a guestroom, it is a resting room, it is enclosed working space, it is a space for reading and writing, it is a space for cinematic projections, it is a cloakroom, in other words it is a variety of possibilities. It is an intermediate space, one aligned to the curve of main room - resting in bed. Its purpose is to serve autonomous rooms, changing its function depending on necessity in assemblage. The five rooms are enclosed by doors but access is regulated by intimate inverted arch that covers view. Rooms are irregular geometrically of equal area. The complexity of this space derives from its alignment to circle that clarifies structure.

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b

DISCOVER corridor as library

a

b

a

the plan - scale 1:200

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axonometry of room

side elevation, section b-b - scale 1:200 section a-a, front elevation - scale 1:200

The corridor and then the library - priority of communication. Two spaces to communicate, to areas to connect.

Arch is taken from circular space of resting separates two sides. Corridor is a space to spend time in, it is not wasted, it serves as library, hosting books, albums, magazines, archives, documents. Two spaces at both ends are dedicated to sit, rest, read, write, contemplate, enjoy in cozy secluded area in proximity to books. The inverted arch allows a slight view and gentle light, while wall itself serves as exhibition space. As other rooms of discovery its geometrical purpose is to serve autonomous rooms in their alignment to main circle of ber-resting space.

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DISCOVER library as corridor

b

a

a

b

the plan - scale 1:200

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axonometry of room

side elevation, section b-b - scale 1:200 section a-a, front elevation - scale 1:200

First library and then a corridor - priority of a room. Its purpose is to store, archive, gather and by that it encourages the user to stay within place. The curve embraces the wall, creating a focal point after it, strengthening the intention to create more of a room but nevertheless - it communicates by both open sides. But it may serve other functions as other rooms of discovery - it may be cloakroom, storage room, working room for reading and writing, a space for gathering, space for watching cinematographic projections. As other rooms of discovery it serves the alignment of autonomous spaces within house, therefore its function is given after assemblage of all.

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ASSEMBLAGE

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proposal #1 central: garden - rest - sleeping rooms with autonomy communication: outside 550 m2 scale 1:400

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proposal #2 chosen one for development central: garden - rest - sleeping rooms with autonomy communication: inside 400 m2 scale 1:400

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proposal #3 central: room - rest - sleeping rooms aligned to axis of bed communication: by alignment 320 m2 scale 1:400

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proposal #4 central: axis outside rest - sleeping rooms aligned to separate axis communication: by axis 320 m2 scale 1:400

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proposal #5 central: room - rest - sleeping rooms aligned to axis of bed communication: by alignment 250 m2 scale 1:400

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proposal #6 failed central: room - rest - sleeping resting inside working outside communication: by alignment 230 m2 scale 1:400

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THE FINAL HOUSE

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b WORK clean atelier

WORK dirty workshop

WORK vestibule

WORK inner garden

REST/WORK intermediate room

REST sleeping

+ 0.30

+ 0.45

REST cleaning and bathing

DISCOVERY corridor as library, clothes

a

REST garden

DISCOVERY corridor as library

DISCOVERY entrance, guests, storage

DISCOVERY cooking dining resting

guest bathroom

+ 0.20

REST room for gathering

the final plan central: garden - rest - sleeping rooms with autonomy communication: inside 400 m2 scale 1:100

- 0.60

b

a

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+ 4.25

+ 3.30

+ 3.30

+ 0.65 + 0.45

+ 0.45

+ 0.45

+ 0.30 + 0.15 - 0.10

section a-a scale 1:200

+ 4.25 + 4.05

+ 3.30

+ 3.30

+ 0.80

+ 0.30 + 0.20

- 0.10

section b-b scale 1:200

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- 0.10

axonometry without roofs

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axonometry with roofs

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'Any direction I would decide on I found a garden which takes me to her, and she will guide me to the garden.'

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THE FINAL HOUSE ON TOUR

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left for a reference to location concept

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left for expression of upcoming location of house

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