Domesticated Monuments

DOMESTICATED MONUMENTS READER

Samir Gurung Level 6 MArch K1640198 Unit 4

Table of Contents

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Introduction

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Chapter One - Almshouse

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Chapter Two - Fleet Road

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Precedent Study - Tectonics

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Measured Drawing

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Chapter Three - The Proposal

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Fragment - Gutter

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Technical Studies

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Sustainability

55

Unit ethos

Unit 4 engaged in the idea of creating communities and contribute to the community values by creating sociable atmosphere and further enhance the social life of the inhabitant.

By studying social housing precedents, we began understanding the importance of social housing and housing issues. Like Neave Brown, who acted in reaction against the work of Le Corbusier, he pursued in typological solution and value Victorian low rise terrace and its relationship to the street. Likewise, unit 4 pursuit in finding a reaction against current large scale private developments that negate community aspects.

As these gentrified areas in the city create less sociable spaces, unit 4 placed in a unique opportunity to investigate the significance of social housing in the city. The site is on the periphery of the City at Castle Green in Barkng & Dagenham bordered on one side by residential units and the other by A13, highway. The site is currently grass field and there is an opportunity to create an atmosphere for the community.

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Almshouse - Ewelme, God’s house, Oxford

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Ground Floor Plan 0

1m

5m

10m scale 1:100

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Almshouse - Ewelme, God’s House, Oxford The Almshouse, originally accommodated thirteen Almshouses, and were completed in 1455. The cloisters were arranged in quadrangle shape and later the church was added to the adjacent of the building.

The steep journey through the gates and narrow corrider to reach the central courtyard of the building.

The peaceful and serene atmosphere was created by the steep pitch roof. Only the sky and the tall church towering emphaised it’s religious essence in the realm.

The architecture’s journey forces people to walk through narrow spaces and allows to experience. This essence left great impression and the architecture’s experience had strong impact on my project.

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The Courtyard

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Photos of the Almshouse

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Fleet Road, also known Dunboyne Road Estate was the first housing project for Neave Brown at Camden. The brief for Fleet Road was issued in March 1966; in April 1967 the scheme design was completed and permitted, then, the project endured many delays over the years and until 1977-78 it was finally completed.

Initially, the brief specified 69 units, 1 parking space per dwelling plus parking for visitors and communal facilities (children’ s playground, shop and the retention of an existing church hall). Also, the brief called for a pub but it was later omitted.

Chapter Two - Neave Brown

The site was originally Victorian terraced houses, on its north side a 19th century chapel and a railway line on the southern side. The site is bounded on two sides by roads, the chapel and railway line still exist; however, the chapel has been converted into a film production and editing studio in 1994. Next to the ex chapel is a mixed-use building that forms offices on the basement and residential apartments on the upper levels. Currently, the estate is gated but the gates were not in the original proposal and some of the residents are unhappy with it as robbers still climb over.

Dunboyne Road Estate comprises 71 dwellings, with a mixture of 3 bedroom and 2 bedroom maisonettes and 1 bedroom flats, they are arranged

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in three parallel blocks with external courtyards/ amenities between them. Each unit has its own terrace/garden, however, on the upper levels they are open to each other. On the north side of the blocks is a concrete ramp, which is part of an unrealised 1960s development to link Dunboyne Road with other new housing estates, the ramp is connected to an exposed concrete spiral staircase and other stairs that lead to walkways and passageways.

In general, the building is built from concrete block work, it is white rendered externally and in contrast the windows, doors and garden fences are black stained timber.

In 2010, Dunboyne Road became a Grade II listed building, it was designated for the following reasons: the individually planted gardens, which function as Brown has intended; it is one of the first low rise and complex-section housing proposals; modernist character ‘where the simple, bold composition belies the complexity of the steppedsection plan and dual-aspect residences.’ Brown became the first architect to have all his UK projects to be listed, this includes Alexandra Road and 22-32 Winscombe Street.

- reference to Unit 4 Manual

Site plan Scale 1:500

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Address: Fleet Road Estate, Dunboyne Road, CamdenTender Date: 1971 Planning Granted: Apr 1967 Begun: 1971 Completed: 1978 Architect: Project Architects: Client:

Camden Council Architects Department Neave Brown, Sidney Cook Camden Council Architects Department

Main Contractor: Architectural Team:

Camden Council Labour Dept.

Neave Brown, Nick Alexander, David Porter

Listed: Grade II Site Size: Dwellings:

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1.6 acres 71 maisonettes and 1 bedroom flats

Fleet Road was important investigation for our project. Its low rise architecture and relation to typology was key aspect to this building. However, we began discovering many issues with the social housing. The aesthetic of the architecture was disturbed by the steel barriers and had many pocket spaces, which created negative atmosphere. Its underground garage created negative spaces which had bad influences and was forced to negate isolate the community. It became clear that we, as designers, should learn these issues and be cautious with thresholds.

We were appointed to investigate and survery the building. With this survey, we worked alongside Queen’s University of Belfast students. It was challenging to survey the entire building as it had numerous play in levels. We were also lucky enough to get permission to go inside the units and were able to do some measurements. In addition to survey, we were also tasked to draw tectonic structures and details. The simplicity of block concrete construction and other element of the architecture was pleasantly surprising. It became clear that the architecture was very much influenced by its tectoncs strategies.

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Elevation Fleet Road Scale 1:200

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Section Fleet Road Scale 1:200

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16 Section Fleet Road Scale 1:250

Section

Elevation 17

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Axonometric

Axonometric -The garden

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1 Bedroom flat A

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Typical Floor Plans

Typical Floor Plans

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ESTCODE

2 Bedroom Maissonette - Ground Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

DEAD LOAD OF STRUCTURE

GROUND FORCE

ROOF TERRACE HANDRAILS

LIVE LOAD

PRIMARY STRUCTURAL WALL

UPPER FLOOR

STAIRS

GROUND FLOOR

PRIMARY STRUCTURAL WALL

WALL/WINDOWS

LOWER FLOOR

UNDERGROUND GARAGE

Primary Structure Secondary Structure

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The structural strategy of building is composed of block work walls and pre-cast concrete slabs. The materiality of these elements is shown internally and externally. The primary structure are the walls in-between each units, which supports the concrete floor slabs and the I-beams that runs across.

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MEP Perspective Diagram

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Measured Drawing

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Site Map 1:10000 scale 28

The Proposal

As the unit was challenged to create social housings that contributed towards community positively, the proposal of this project began to evolve from the visit to the Almshouse. Although it is a very traditional english setting, its dramatic reveal to the courtyard was very influencing.

Consquently, the project attempts to capture the same architectural moment and essence.

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Initial Idea The initial approach of the project was through model making and sketching. While attempting to imitate the same experience of Almshouse, this model was created and has managed to create a direct path to the final design. The monopitch roof was intentionally overlapping to one another, in order to magnify the transitional space from public to private.

Many unusual architectural elements were forged in this model. The stairs would enter the space occupied by the roof, which later became important aspect of the proposal.

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Further development of the model Influenced by Kazanuri Sakamoto, Sergison Bates and Alvero Siza, the architecture began to develop rapidly. The idea of having space under monopitch roof began to evolve. By resizing a typical size of dormer into habitable space, the architecture became two languages of architecture colliding into eachother. The collision, which Kazanuri Sakamoto playfully harmonizes in his work, allows the architecture to create alternative perspective to walls and circulation. I was interested in the obscure facades and bringing light into the space alternatively.

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Fragment - The Gutter refer to Fragment Document

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The gutter design is a result of the steep undulating monopitch roof. As the elevation of the architecture became a very steep roof that covers the whole courtyard, the entrance became very important.

The idea was to push people further from the eaves and witness the roofs from a certain distance.

Fragment - Gutter

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Sketches Sketch of skylight column

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Sketch of Alvero Siza’s Bouça Housing Complex & the development of site plan

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The Courtyard

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Section & Elevation

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Rendered Elevatuion

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Interior Visual

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Visuals

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Model Timber Framed Structure

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Model Facade & Openings

Model Interior Visual

Model Bird’s eye view

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Structure & MEP The design is integrated with Timber framed structure. Timber frame structure was selected due to the design’s flexible open space. By creating framed structure of heavy timber jointed together, it becomes more efficient to install prefabricated wall panels and floors. The axnometric drawing shows both spatial arrangement and the primary structure of the building.

The rigid structure has not only allowed the architecture to be more flexible, but also allowed architecture to express a particular aesthetic. Inspired by the works of Kazunari Sakamoto, the design dilebrately exposes structure column by centering the column in a window opening.

The drainage of water system is very simple as all of the floors have the W/Cs on the same side. Therefore, the drainage pipes runs through the cavities of the wall.

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MEP Diagram of circuits and Drainage (blue)

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MEP HVAC Flow Diagram

Sustainability Cross ventilation diagram

Sustainability Locations of the nearest Timber suppliers

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Illustrations

Fleet Road - pp.14-21 - Queen’s Belfast Student Group Work

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Tectonic - pp. 23-26 -

Group Work - Samir Gurung, Jason Jennings, Mays Hamad, Olliver Pullan & Sphetim

Fragment - pp. 32-33 -

Refer to Fragment Document

Sustainability - p. 55 -

Refer to Sustainability Design Statement Document

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