A Series of Works by
Architecture, Art and Design
Robinson Yang
2020
Robinson Yang https://issuu.com/robinonsyang/docs/robinson_yang_portfolio_2020 DOB
25th of Novermber 1995
robinson1125@icloud.com
Phone
022 192 1406
Nationality
New Zealander and Taiwanese
Qualification
Master of Architecture (Professional) with Merit
Proficiencies Language
Fluent in English and Chinese Mandarin
Modelling
Rhino, Grasshopper, Kangaroo, Maya, Sketchup
Rendering
V-ray, Enscape, 3ds Max, Arnold, KeyShot
CAD
Revit, Vectorworks, Archicad
Image
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
References Derek Kawiti
Rubent Bryant
Senior Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington
Owner, Good As Gold
Robinson Yang
derek.kawiti@vuw.ac.nz +64 4 463 6057
ruben@goodasgold.co.nz +64 4 381 4653
Jean-Paul Bourdier
Esther Ng
Professor, University of California, Berkeley
Owner, Prix Ltd
jpbourdier@berkeley.edu
esther@prixworkshop.com
Tyler Harlen
Raag Ponnuchetty
Competition Teammate
Manager, Good As Gold tylerharlen@gmail.com
raag@goodasgold.co.nz +64 22 061 9354
Competitions 2020 (Finalist)
Best Awards - Good As Gold With Ruben Bryant and Oscar Mavropoulos
2020 (Finalist)
Brick Bay Folly - Ascent into Limbo With Daniel Fennell
2019
SKYHIVE Skyscaper - Aoraki Archives With Tyler Harlen, Dan Castro and Jesse Ewart
2019
Home Competition - Future Christchurch Home With Scott Michael Harvey
Education 2018 - 2020
Master of Architecture (Professional) with Merit
2018
UC Berkeley UCEAP Program
Victoria University of Wellington
2017
University of California, Berkeley Victoria University of Wellington
2014 - 2016
Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Interior)
2010-2013
NCEA Level 1,2,3 with Excellence endorsement in Painting, Design and Graphics
Victoria University of Wellington Christ’s College
2
Graduate Diploma in Designed Environments (Architecture)
Experience
2020 - Current
Watgunlow Architects Ltd, Architectural Graduate Engaged in multiple residential and development projects from concept to documentation with supervision from the firm director. Tasks included concept design, visualisation, client meetings, resource consent lodgements and building consent lodgements.
2020
Gilbert Fennell (Architect), Architectural Graduate Worked directly with architect Gilbert Fennell on a church renovation project, digitalizing hand drawn documentation to CAD and 3D model. Creating representational renders and walk through animations.
2020
Star Superette, Interior Design Interior design project of contemporary wine shop Star Superette, located on Karangahape Road from Conceptual stage to completion alongside ne other designer.
2020
Prix Ltd, Conceptual Digital Space Design Approached by owner, Esther Ng, during the first Covid-19 lockdown to conceptualise a digital concept store for Prix Workshop to strengthen their online presence. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-SfRbvgLGr/
2019 - 2020
Good As Gold Wellington, Interior Design An interior design project of the Good As Gold store with fellow designer Oscar Mavropoulos from Conceptual to Developed design stage. Best Awards Finalist. https://bestawards.co.nz/spatial/retail-environments/bad-studio/good-as-gold/
Prix Ltd, Interior Design and Visualisation Designed and visualized an atelier located in a warehouse in California for fashion house Prix Workshop. Approached by owner, Esther Ng, to create a representation of the possibilities of an atelier in a specific site.
2019
Victoria University of Wellington, Graduate Teaching Assistant Taught a group of 15 final year Bachelor of Architecture students for ARCI 311, Architecture Design II. As an experimental digital design studio, this course focused on the theme of systems interaction. The teaching surrounded theories of digital design and computation methodologies. Digital and analogue design experiments were executed by students throughout the first and second projects and finally the third project seeked to apply a program to the architectural language provided. Digital programs taught included Maya, Rhino and Grasshopper.
2019
Curriculum Vitae
2019
Victoria University of Wellington, Guest Critic Guest critiqued ARCI 312 through three stages of final year Bachelor of Architecture students. The course focused on explorations of the relationship between architectural concepts, structural systems and construction techniques.
2018 - 2020
Good As Gold, Retail Assistant Fulfilled retail assistant duties at a high standard, including handling customer service functions, from POS, sales to daily inventory management. Created and sustained customer relationships, enhancing interpersonal skills.
2018
UC Berkeley (Jean-Paul Bourdier), Research Assistant Assisted Professor Jean-Paul Bourdier in researching for an upcoming course Bourdier was instructing. The focus of the course surrounded Utopian City Drawings, tasks included researching “paper architecture” projects. Collecting relevant readings, data and images were the main tasks.
2018
Yeezy, Preliminary Conceptual 3D Modelling Conceptual stage retail interior design, 3D exploration through Rhino and Grasshopper creating interior iterations which acted as a precursor of an upcoming retail space.
2013 - 2016 (Summer)
Global Village Organisation (Taiwan), English Teaching Assistant Act as an assisting tutor with Taiwanese junior high school students (year 8 - 11) in classes alongside their leading instructor, assisting the students in developing English language reading, writing, and speaking skills. 3
1.1
1.2
3.1
2
1.3
3.2
3.3
4
6
5
11 7
9
8
10
4
1
Configuring Taiwan’s Architectural Extensions
6
1.1
Multi-functional Taiwan
8
1.2
Extension Architectural Language
12
1.3
CTAE
20
2
Good As Gold
32
3
Eximius Series
34
Biotype Analogue Exploration
36
3.2
Biotype Digital Exploration
38
3.3
Eximius Defense Base
40
4
Aoraki Archives
44
5
Melted in the Furnace and the Pit
50
6
Waterfront Hotel
58
7
Traction Stair
62
8
NZSM
66
9
Ascent into Limbo
70
10
PRIX Atelier
72
11
Torso of the Posthuman
74
Contents
3.1
5
6
1 Configuring Taiwan’s Architectural Extensions 2019 Victoria University of Wellington Master of Architecure (Professional) ARCI 591 Architecture Research Thesis Supervisors: Shenuka de Sylva & Daniele Abreu e Lima How urban temporality can act as a stimulant for devising an architecture, providing a vision that portrays a future of architectural extensions in Taiwan that retains the culture and lifestyle of its people?
This design-led thesis research focuses on the informal extension culture in Taiwan and seeks to interpret the phenomenon as a representation of Taiwan’s multi-colonial identity. The extension culture in Taiwan is currently facing the threat of demolition, which disrupts the lifestyle of the people and their endeavor to define national identity. The phenomenon exists as a national identity expression and a reflection of the history of Taiwan. This design-led investigation explores a potential architectural alternative that provides an architectural language that retains the cultural identity whilst speculating and corresponding to the multi-functional needs of the structures. As a result, the thesis developed a phenomenon-specific body of work that transformed the current vernacular architecture into an identity expressive and multi-functional vision of the phenomenon’s future. To effectively address the issue, this investigation divided the research question into four primary components; to understand the phenomenon’s contextual and physical attributes, to develop an architectural language that embraces the phenomenon’s formal condition, to examine and speculate on the multi-functional needs of the phenomenon and finally, to develop an outcome that integrates the architectural language developed and the multi-functional nature of these extensions. These components were reflected in the structure of the investigation. Through three design experiments with multiple interventional tests, this thesis established a body of work reflecting a shared agency of formal and functional embodiment of the phenomenon. The entirety of the thesis investigation can be found at the link below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pkzR-X1pBXTHJwY51PxARYnbRSqqwE2g/view
7
8
1.1 Multi-functional Taiwan
Design Experiment One
The first design experiment is a series of tests at a facade extension scale. The methods applied started with a series of parti models, which provided assistance in organizing the notion of “addition” and “configuration”. Then the method fluctuated between analogue and digital drawings or models creating an iterative and feed forward approach. The process of iterations creates elements that are “self-similar but non-identical”, allowing the tests to push and build upon itself to further address the research question. This preliminary design experiment focused on the multi-functionality and how the notion of addition and configuration could appear.
extensions. The speculations on future typologies were also executed with thought and considerations of issues the current phenomenon possesses. Upon reflection, a large portion of consideration in this series of design tests were placed upon the formal language, instead of solely concentrating on the functional element this design experiment sought to explore. This concern was discussed during the first review, and the correlation between speculative architecture and the phenomenon was made. Thus, driving the structure of the design experiments to direct into creating its own architectural language.
The first design exploration focused on understanding multi-functional spaces through understanding of the potentials of balcony and facade
Design Experiment Two
0
60 0
60 0
60 0
60
1750
0
60
9
10
1 Sleeping Space 2 Shell with Sky Light 3 Primary Framing and Spotlights 4 Billboard Structure 5 Storage
1
5
2 3 4
11
12
1.2 Extension Architectural Language
Design Experiment Two
The second design experiment focusses on the development of a new architectural language derived from the phenomenon. This is initiated through the creation of an empirical vocabulary extracted from photographs documented during the “Flaneur” section of the thesis. A series of tests through the methods of collage, tracings and palimpsest were conducted to emphasize the soul of the extension culture Taiwan. The process of collage experDesignin Experiment imented with spatial and formal juxtaposition, it Three in creating an unique interpretation of assisted the extension culture. Then each collage or photomontage is traced upon to emphasize certain formal qualities, palimpsest drawings were also implemented to further illustrate characteristics of interest. The process of this on photomontage consisting of perspective images penetrates the structure internally and externally. Through analogue and digital sketches, a series of three-dimensional iterations dictated by two-dimensional forms formulated from the initial tests is developed. This showcases a new architectural language of Taiwanese extensions that are self-similar but not identical.
surrounding architectural language. The multiple processes applied enabled the resulting interventions to reference the phenomenon without simply imitating it. The architectural language established was one of complexity and identity expressiveness. This series of design explorations also tested the limitations of two-dimensional and three-dimensional exploration. The findings exhibited the value of form-making to develop an architectural language and pushed the formal capabilities of the phenomenon. Despite all its success, the main flaw of this series resides at the moderately convoluted nature of the various methods. It successfully created an architectural language that references the phenomenon during the process, but the critiques of the review evidence that the relationship was challenging to identify in the outcome. This issue facilitated the decision to choose a specific site preceding the next design exploration. Which will provoke functional responsiveness in the architectural language enabling a more distinct relationship to the phenomenon.
Theis design exploration was extremely valuable in terms of addressing the aims and objectives
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
1.3 CTAE
Design Experiment Three
The final design experiment initiated with another series of Parti models, following a similar process to Design Experiment One. An intersection in Taipei’s Da’an district with three corner sites is chosen, and a more specific site analysis is conducted to further accentuate the site responsiveness in terms of functions. With the needs of each site in mind, a series of design tests are done through iteration fluctuating between digital and analogue drawings. The typology of the three sites were determined by the site analysis, whether providing an alternative to the existing extension or speculating on a new typology. The investigation proposes the intervention on the South-Eastern corner to be a Studio Apartment Complex extension, the North-Western corner to be a two-bedroom Dwelling extension and finally the South-Western corner an Urban Farmhouse Restaurant extension. To push the ap-
plication of the architectural language, the nature of the three interventions range from the intimate to public. The site and chosen typology enable different advantages and suitable applications of functionality. Following the interpretation of John Hejduk and Plug In City’s interpretation of architecture as components, operable spaces within the architecture were considered as interrelated elements. The final design exploration seeks to integrate the findings from the entirety of the investigation. The predictions from the previous design exploration were confirmed, the site chosen provoked functional opportunities. The development of operable multi-functioning elements following the architectural language successfully presented a more distinct relationship to the phenomenon. Thus, providing a convincing alternative for the extensions culture in Taiwan.
21
22
1 km 2 km 3 km 4 km 5 km
N
1 2 3
N
23
24
5 4 9 6 2
3 10
1
1
Entrace to Hydroponics Level
2
Micro Hydroponic System
3
Water Storage
4
Entrance to Apartment Level
5
Kitchen Attachment
6
Extendable Dining Table
7
Sleeping Area
8
Dehumidifying Closet
9
Ensuite
10
Storage
8
7
25
26
7
2 4
10 4
6
5 8
9
3 1
1
Entrace
2
Billboard Bedroom
3
Living Area
4
Service Unit
5
Bathroom
6
Kitchen
7
Nano Hydroponic System
8
Ensuite
9
Master Bedroom
10
Office
27
28
7
7 Host Building Core
9 8 5
6 9
4
10 1
1
Mega Hydroponics
2
Water Storage
3
Kitchen
4
Offices
5
Restaurant Area
6
Bar
7
Signage Produce Lift
8
Aquaponics
9
Private Dining Rooms
10
Rain Collecting Roof
2
3
29
30
31
32
2 Good As Gold 2020 Good As Gold Best Awards 2020, Retail Environments (Finalist) 20 Bond Street, Te Aro, Wellington Client: Ruben Bryant
Over the past 17 years, Good As Gold has relocated its retail space a number of times. ‘Always moving but never going anywhere’ has become a catchphrase for this and something we referred to as a brief for the design of the new location. The brief was reflected through the selected materials, modular plinths and racking system. The use of “mover’s blanket”, which was made from recycled fabrics, was one of economical and ethical nature, whilst aligning with the underlying concept. The yellow rail ends where it started, as it disappears into the fabric wall. What originally started as a ‘conveyor belt’ like concept, evolved into a playful continuous rail that directly relates to the moving path the company has been travelling along for the past 17 years.
Walkthrough Animation: https://youtu.be/07-Mk_gd7E8
33
34
Eximius Defense Base
Biotype Digital Exploration
Biotype Analogue Exploration
3 Eximius Series 2017 Victoria University of Wellington ARCI 311 Architecture Design Instructor: Derek Kawiti
The eximius series is the product of an experimental design process, focussing on systems of interaction and iteration. The approach of the series can be perceived as breeding of forms adopting a biotype’s natural system of formation. The structure of the series is in three parts, from complete abstraction to a speculated architecture. The first component of the series is an analogue exploration of the chosen biotype, the second is a digitization of the findings applied to a specific site, the third and final component is the realization of the formal investigations in a speculated typology. A “disruption” is introduced in each portion to create a reaction of formal interrogation; biotype, site and typology.
35
36
3.1 Biotype Analogue Exploration
The chosen biotype is the Anelosimus Eximius Spider, the Eximius spider is a species of social spiders. The Eximius spiders engage in shared care and cooperation in capturing their prey through their social spider webs. The multiplicity nature of this process results in enormous three dimensional spiderwebs unlike generic two dimensional localised spiderwebs. The system of these spiderwebs are the focus of the analogue exploration component, through abstracted models, the nature of these three dimensional spider webs are investigated and the tensile nature of the process is emphasized. Using stockings and structural members of various lengths, three dimensional webs are constructed with multiple tension points. These forms are then stabilised by applying epoxy resin.
37
38
3.2 Biotype Digital Exploration
The tensile nature of the eximius spider web is further explored through a preliminary series of digital experiments, considering points of restraint, tension and compression. A set of architectural elements with the aim of reproducing the analogue models in a digital arena are developed. The second stage also chose a specific site; the Karori reserve, this provided another factor in pushing the findings of the biotype. Consideration of wind direction and force joined the experiment, giving the forms reactivity to the context. Finally, the geometric nature of the site was applied to the experiment, which created “glitches” that were of interest and provided skin like surfaces that gave the intervention more volume and context adaptation.
N
1 2
41°17’28.82”S 174°45’08.03”E Lower Karori Reservoir
39
40
3.3 Eximius Defense Base
The Eximius Defense Base is a speculative military defense base that aims to protect and house refugees and military personnel against the fictional aliens of satirical sci-fi cult film “Starship Troopers”, the “Arachnids”, an insect-like alien species. The intervention consists of housing, holding cells, labs, airstrip and an outer defense system. Following in radical sci-fi manner, the skin of the architecture adopts an active camouflage system, which uses cameras to capture the surroundings and projects onto itself, concealing the base from attacks. This final stage of the eximius series applies the typology of a military base to the findings of the formal experiments. The formal outcome follows the previous two sections with the addition of multiple functions that reacts to the fictional situation speculated.
41
42
Site
Circulation / Airstrip
Dwelling
Shell
Defense
43
44
4 Aoraki Archives 2019 SKYHIVE Skyscraper Challenge, International Architecture Competition Teammates: Tyler Harlen, Dan Castro and Jesse Ewart Norway’s underground ‘Doomsday vault’ on Svalbard archipelago is under risk from climate change, scientists have warn. The world’s largest repository constructed to protect crops and plants from natural and man-made disasters, after melting permafrost caused by abnormal warm temperatures risked flooding the vault last year. Described as ‘a safe repository for world memory’ for storing up to four and a half million duplicate crops from all over the world. By preserving duplicate samples of seeds held in gene banks worldwide, the vault provides a ‘fail safe’ against loss of crop diversity caused by climate change, natural disaster or war. Aoraki Archive operates as an alternative seed vault, responding as a secondary repository stored backup for duplicate genetics and digital data. Located under the mountain topography of Aoraki/Mount Cook within New Zealand’s Southern Alps. An idealised environment, formed through shifting glacier fields, sky-scraping peaks, and perpetual snow; distant from urbanity in the remotest region. Addressing issues of preserving genetic diversity and offline data material; with concerns of global anxiety towards a symbol of preparation, in foresight of an end game event. Placed within the elevated Southern Alps environment, the tower from a distance appears as an augmented geological object into the glacier face. Folding geometry form the outer layers of the
Skin
Cylindrical Core Structure
Excavated Vaults
building’s exterior, responding as a defensive hull from solar and climatic conditions - photo voltaic cells scatter the surface for renewable energy. Casing the six cylindrical cores of the towers structural anatomy. These cylindrical vaults are excavated at the base forming vaulted sculptural columns towards the entry within the towers inner voids, responding to the active glacier field to drift in between. The levels within the cores are embodied by researchers and scientist, facilitating the observation and formatting of deposited genetic and digital materiality. Within the innermost core of the vaults is the archive domain – a storage repository apparatus. The archive deprived of human interaction, solely performed through robotic automation processes within this time preserving spatial condition. Algorithmic procedures of maintenance and extraction with fragile samples - moving between the researchers deposit terminals. Inner void of the archive conditions are sustained through distilling glacier water derived from the mountains reservoir, retaining low temperatures. Responding towards a visual aesthetic and coexistence with its surrounding locality- an invulnerable vault structure for the sake of human preservation.
Archive Domain
Floor Levels
Structure
Overall Form
45
46
47
48
1
2
3
4
5
1 VIEWING PLATFORM 2 DATA / SEED DEPOSITORY
6
3 ARCHIVE DOMAIN 4 MECHANICAL PLANT 5 LABORATORY 6 ATRIUM
49
50
5 Melted in the Furnace and the Pit 2018 Victoria University of Wellington ARCI 412 Architecture Design Research Instructor: Dan K. Brown
Located at Lyttelton’s Collett’s Corner, Melted in the Furnace and the Pit is a mixed-use community hub including a Roman Bath House, Cinema, Bar, Restaurants, Apartments and Co-working spaces. The intervention embraces the intricate intersecting of the urban and cardinal grids whilst capturing the industrial characteristics of Lyttelton’s history. Emphasizing on the techtonical, dynamicity and reaction of a machine, by interpreting the intervention as a segment of the larger entity of Lyttelton. The industrial port often referred to as the underbelly of Lyttelton possesses various industrial cores, between the oils services, dry docks, cranes and the Lyttelton harbour quarry, the underbelly is the backbone of Lyttelton. The architecture aims to bridge these elements into the town of Lyttelton, using the industrial formal language as a stimulus to derive both the formal qualities and the top down configuration of the intervention. In plan, the two cores act as anchors of the intersecting grids
and instruct the circulation between the multiple functions at play. Though adopting the industrial formal language at heart, the architecture evolves towards an expression of dynamicity through undulating outshells and various scaling of elements as exaggerated components of the machine. Melted in the Furnace and the Pit operates as the connective tissue between the underbelly of Lyttelton and the people of Lyttelton. Providing a reminder of the backbone of the port town and represents a place for gathering of the community. The project was accompanied by a set of construction drawings of the cinema and bathhouse, alongside a structural and services design report. The full document can be found at the link below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VJT5R2ErTEt6ep2LG8wievqHKlY7s3KQ/view?usp=sharing
51
52
N 53
54
55
56
57
58
6 Waterfront Hotel 2015 Victoria University of Wellington INTA 312 Interior Architecture Design Integration Instructor: Philippe Campays
The Waterfront Hotel is a refurbishment and repurpose project of the heritage landmark located at Wellington’s Queen’s Wharf. Wellington Harbour Board Shed 7 stands between the harbour and the city, constructed in 1896, the building is of regional significance for its contribution to the heritage area. The exterior has maintained many of its original fabric with the exception of reconstruction of the copper dome and windows in 1994. The interior on the other hand has been altered numerous times. This project proposes to strip the interior back to its bones of brick and masonry, re-exposing the original structure. Adopting a material palette consisting of concrete, marble and brass, it aims to reiterate the original materials with a refreshed agenda. The conceptual stage consisted of a new lobby area and a typical suite. The lobby possesses a vast atrium reaching all the way to the roof, whilst the suite utilizes the height advantage of stripping the current interior fit out and creates a one bedroom suite with a mezzanine office.
Suites
Pool
nd Waiting Area
59
60
61
62
7 Traction Stairs 2018 University of California, Berkeley Master of Architecure (Professional) ARCH 160 Introduction to Construction Instructor: Dana L Buntrock, David Jaehing Group Members: Zhongyuan Luo The Traction Stair was a construction project to further understand the characteristics of steel whilst following California Code of Regulations. The expression of steel’s strength in both compression and tension was the focus of the project, which resulted in the elongated pyramid treads and the cantilevered suspended landing. The construction process was broken into two parts, the treads and the frame which provided the stringer, baluster and handrail. The two components of construction were to be executed simultaneously in order to rivet the treads onto the frame before finishing the enclosure of the treads.
designed to be one piece of folded sheet metal with spot welded connections. Due to the size of the landing, the upward facing piece needed to be a seperate piece of sheet metal with riveted connections. The frame was made out of cut and welded square hollow sections. Due to the nature of the design, angles had little tolerance. Connections were to be cut as precise as possible in order to create a level tread. Tensions cables were installed last with generic cable hardware bolted onto the frame and pulling the landing back.
The monolithic appearance of the treads allowed the treads to possess an open riser without exceeding the clearance allowed in Code. The treads were
63
64
Traction Stairway ARCH160 Assignment 2: Steel Staircase UC Berkeley Robinson Yang (Other Team Members : Luo)
The concept for the Staircase came in two parts, one from me and the other from Luo, I wanted to create a geometry that is interesting and uncommon in steel fabrication, whilst emphasising on steel’s tension and compression strength, this was the drive for the pyramid-like treads and the tension cable cantilevered platform. Through the Pyramid-like treads the stringer was naturally added to enhance the form. Luo wanted a light and elegant feel to the frame, so we made a simple light frame to accompany the treads. We both agreed on a industrial aesthetic to the finish as we ARCH160 Assignment 2: Steel both found raw steel andStaircase raw steel connections attracUC Berkeley tive.
Traction Stairway
Robinson Yang (Other Team Members : Luo)
The concept for the Staircase came in two parts, one from me and the other from Luo, I wanted to create a geometry that is interesting and uncommon in steel fabrication, whilst emphasising on steel’s tension and compression strength, this was the drive for the pyramid-like treads and the tension cable cantilevered platform. Through the Pyramid-like treads the stringer was naturally added to enhance the form. Luo wanted a light and elegant feel to the frame, so we made a simple light frame to accompany the treads. We both agreed on a industrial aesthetic to the finish as we both found raw steel and raw steel connections attractive.
65
66
8 New Zealand School of Music 2017 Victoria University of Wellington ARCI 312 Architecture Design Integration Instructor: Daniele Abreu E Lima
Located within the creative hub of Wellington, Cuba street quarters, the proposed New Zealand School of Music understands itself as a place for education and production of talent. Paying homage to the site’s previous functions as the industrial district, the surrounding structures of factories led the intervention’s formal language. Factories provide an implication of assembling and producing, the architecture of the school takes influence from deconstructing a grand piano. Without a literal imitation, the volumes and structural members assume the formal decisions following the inner workings of a grand piano. The project required a large number of different functions within the
building, the proposed school chose to embody this complexity, and expresses it through scaling and transformation of exterior elements reflecting its internal function. Two wings extrude out from the main circulation and create a courtyard for the entrance. The main circulation and air bridge that connects the two wings acts as vertical plazas, encouraging interaction. The school attempts to encourage collaboration in public areas and allows incubation in private rooms.
67
68
69
70
9 Ascent into Limbo 2020 Brick Bay Folly 2020 (Finalist) Teammate: Daniel Fennell The folly has consistently played an important role in informing the debate concerning the role art plays in architecture and vice versa. These functionally obscure structures are often inserted into a garden or landscape, enhancing the surroundings externally and internally. ‘Ascent into Limbo’ adopts this notion of enhancement of it’s surroundings and contextualizes the folly within a contemporary scene. Adolf Loos argues in his 1910 essay “Architecture”, that ‘only a very small part of architecture belongs to the realm of art: and that is the tomb and the monument’. ‘Ascent into Limbo’ is a monument, a dedicated structure. Built amongst a landscape of monuments and sculptures with various agendas, ‘Ascent into Limbo’ makes a different kind of memorial, not one dedicated to a moment in time, a person, or an event. Instead it is dedicated to an altered spatial perception and imagined future landscapes. The prospective folly sits on the sloping landscape at the entrance of Brick Bay as a towering sentinel. The use of galvanised steel mesh as the primary material creates an ephemeral structure which stands proud whilst allowing its environment to bleed through. The structure serves as an investigation into the dialogue between the built and the land. The folly establishes a journey through the compression and expansion of space whilst the surrounding landscape is framed and curated. The compression and expansion of both space and one’s perception of space are intensified and challenged. ‘Ascent into Limbo’ begins within a compressed cubic volume consisting of three integrated seating compartments penetrating into the walls, positioned opposite a horizontal threshold framing the landscape creating a trajectory towards the horizon. As the journey continues, the compressed volume heightens gradually morphing into the tower. Eventually leading to a seat mirroring a circular opening at the top of the tower, drawing connection to the oculi of the classical era. The deliberately sculptured internal volumes coax the occupant through an intimate journey of both introspection and assimilation of the landscape.
71
72
10 Prix Atelier 2019 Prix Ltd 3828 S Santa Fe Avenue, Vernon CA Client: Esther Ng
The Prix Atelier was a visualizing project for potential atelier space for the company. The project was during an extremely early stage of property scouting, the brief was to create visual representation of what the prospective property would appear if decided to lease. The visual representations were for the investors of the company to consider. The project followed a selected list of design criterias and provided the exact amount of space and elements outlined in the brief.
73
74
11 Torso of the Posthuman 2019 - Ongoing Personal Project
Torso of the Posthuman is an ongoing project speculating the physical climate post achieving singularity. The project explores the technological epoch of AI reaching singularity, and it poses the question of what the initial physical formal language of the AI would appear if it chooses to possess a physical presence. Due to the fast paced technological revolution within the past 50 years, a vast amount of waste consisting of outdated machinery and technology had been disposed of. This project envisions the MK 1 of the AI physicality to utilise this waste in ways unthought of before. The irony of an advanced man made entity adopting outdated man made waste was the crux of the outcome, the project portrays this through the process of digital “kitbash”.
75
Thank You
Robinson Yang Architectural Graduate
