THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
YEAR 2 ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO ECOLOGIES: THE FUNCTION OF ENVIRONMENT IN ARCHITECTURE STUDIO SU CHANG
STUDIO FOLIO FALL 2018
Every building is bound to a specific environment, which is influenced by all kind of natural phenomena. Standardization and proprietary solutions of the construction industry have negated the specific relationship of a building to its surrounding with the result that we build similar in nordic climates as we build in tropical environments. Our studio reflects upon the function of environment in rendering architectural ideas. The natural environment of sub-tropical Hong Kong is ambiguous and even imprecise; its diffused sunlight, blurred shadows, densely humid air and layered greenery are all parts of an overlap of mixed dynamics, leading to a wide array of unregistered techniques, different and simultaneous sense of time, and diverse subjective journeys. A qualitative technique of measurement and design for the making of architecture in such environmental conditions will be the focus of our studio. The goal is to explore how environment can amplify architectural ideas through the interaction between atmosphere (quality of place) and tectonics (ways of making). After all, nature is unintentional; artifacts are not. Studio Instructors: Ulrich Kirchhoff, Geraldine Borio, Su Chang, Wallace Chang, Sunnie Lau, Rosalia Leung Assistant: Vivian Xu Wei
RENDERING IDEAS
Exercise 1 - Site + Topic: Discovering Ideas Students explore techniques to discover and represent the essential idea of environment. The goal is to discover how architectural ideas are embodied in the environment’s atmospheric and tectonic characters, to develop 2D and 3D techniques to represent the relationship between environment and ideas, and therefore to make architecture.
Exercise 2 - Topic + Concept: Prototyping Ideas In the previous exercise, each group approximates a type of architectural elements - foundation / retaining structure / skylight / glass wall / addition. In the second exercise, students iterate and develop prototypes via different tectonic systems. The goal is to understand that architectural idea can be presented in diverse formal and materialistic expressions through iterations of tectonic systems.
Exercise 3 - Topic + Concept + Site: Projecting Ideas The last exercise focuses (only) on 4 fundamental design tools for an architectural project: 1. Section; 2. Model; 3.Perspective; 4. Plan; Discussions are facilitated through weekly seminars and pinups. These tools should construct and present our ideas in a synthetic manner, i.e. to make a project.
STUDENT WORK
HUI TSZ NAM THOMAS / ALVINA LEE TIN WING
LANDSCAPE OF LIGHT
Lighting Study 1/5
HKU University Art Museum
Skylight Prototypes 1/50
studies of winter and summer light conditions
Design Plan, 1:100 Scale Extension of Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre
Greenhouse
Lecture Hall
Reception & Toilet
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Plans 1/100
Partial Section 1/20
Section 1/50
CHERYL LEE CHING TUNG / VIVIEN LEE CHUN KI
RETAINING POROSITY
Retaining Wall Analysis 1/5 HKU Lok Yew Hall
Retaining Structure Prototypes 1/50
Design Plan and Section
LEE HAE JIN / KIM MINJOO
GROUND SUPPORT
Groundwork Analysis
HKU Kadoorie Biological Building
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Site Analysis
Infrastructure and Ecology
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Design Plan and Section
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Model 1/50
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Material 3 Masonry
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Reverse-Hierarchy
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Material 5 Steel
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Iteration
Design
PHASE 2
ENVIRONMENTAL PAVILION Continuous Iterations
Compilation of design iterations 6\Y ÄYZ[ P[LYH[PVU ^HZ HIV\[ JYLH[PUN H QV\YUL` HIV\[ NYV\UK IL[^LLU 3\UN -\ :OHU ,U]PYVUTLU[HS *LU[LY HUK the University Road, offering a ceremonial pathos to enchant visitors and leading them to the exhibition center. The second iteration was to excavate the ground and to create a sinuous and acclivitous promenade of concrete platforms on top of the exposed soil. From excavation, multiple layers of telluric nature are exposed and are able to be felt by visitors. ;OL ÄUHS P[LYH[PVU PZ HIV\[ WYV]PKPUN ]PZP[VYZ H \UPX\L WLYZWLJ[P]L [V [OL Z\YYV\UKPUN SHUKZJHWL PU H JVU[PU\V\Z journey of serendipity: presenting the landscape at certain platform moments while placing various sizes of rocks VU [OL ZPKL [OL NHIPVU YL[HPUPUN ^HSS [V YLTPUK OPT VY OLY VM [OL NYV\UK ;OL ÄUHS KLZPNU PZ H JVTIPUH[PVU VM [OLZL P[LYH[PVUZ ;OL ^HMÅL Z[Y\J[\YL VYPNPUHSS` [V KPZZPWH[L ^LPNO[ MVY [OL = ZOHWLK JVS\TU OHZ ILLU HKKLK HUV[OLY program. It is now a grid for tree planting, contributing to the conservation and restoration of Hong Kong habitat. The design is inspired by the seed trays commonly used in glass houses for the plants’ germination stage until ready for transplantation.
Design Sketches
Foundation
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Material 1 Wood
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Elasticity Fractal
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Material 2 Bamboo
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Rigidity
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Material 3 Masonry
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Hierarchy
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Geometrical
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Modular
Structure and Material Prototypes 1/50
Iteration
Prototype Models 1:50 Cardboard Models
We derived different sketch models from the original V-shaped column, corresponding to the research on functionality, availability, materiality, different perspectives, and underground. We modeled the foundation structure of current Lung Fu Shan environmental center exhibition hall, previously a colonnial workmen’s bungalow since 1916.
Design
WU XIAOYE / THOMAS WAN HOI LUNG
TRANSLUCENT VOLUME
Lighting Analysis
HKU Ming Wah Complex
Lighting Analysis
Design Section
Design Prototypes 1/50
SHAO YANG / REGINA TANIA
BAMBOO-SCAPE
Site Plan
Design Sections
Bamboo Structure Prototypes 1/50
Sectional Perspective
This lecture discusses the function of section as a tool to formulate relationship between building and its environment.
SUPPLEMENT 1: STUDIO LECTURE
7 SECTIONS 7 IDEAS
São Paulo Museum of Art, Lina Bo Bardi, 1968
Maravillas School Gymnasium, Alejandro de la Sota, 1962
Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, University of São Paulo João Vilanova Artigas and Carlos Cascaldi, 1961
Helsinki University of Technology Auditorium, Alvar Aalto, 1949-66
FRAC Dunkerque, Lacaton & Vassal, 2013
FRAC Dunkerque, Lacaton & Vassal, 2013
Dule Temple, 984
This list of references serves as a visual guidance for the studio’s production of drawings and models. The standardisation of drawing and modelling techniques is pedagogical in a way that it provides a shared platform for discussions focused on ideas beyond aesthetics.
SUPPLEMENT 2: REFERENCE
VISUAL REFERENCES
Fall 2018 HKU Architecture Studio Year 2 Studio Su Chang
I. SECTION: “ENCLOSING RELATIONSHIP” Tasks Create sectional line drawing to describe the key idea of the design. The drawing has to capture the essence of the project through description of relationship: solid/void, access/exit, open/enclosed, compressed/relaxed, dark/light… Deliverables 1:50 black and white sectional drawing on A0 paper; Use only 3 types of (heavyweight cut line, lightweight line, and dashed line); References
Johnston Marklee - Vault House
Barozzi Veiga - Museum of Fine Arts, Chur
Rafael Moneo - Wesley College Art Museum
Ricardo Bak Gordon - Escola Secundária Garcia
Fall 2018 HKU Architecture Studio Year 2 Studio Su Chang
II. MODEL: “CRAFTING REALITY” Tasks Use grey cardboard to make a 1:50 model with site context. The model should be crafted with care, and easy to cut, alter and re-craft. The model is a working model for us to physically iterate ideas with our hands. Deliverables 1:50 model and site context, grey cardboard. Minimum pieces; maximum Information. References
Paulo Mendes da Rocha - Osaka Expo Brasil Pavilion
Alvaro Siza - Fundacion Manuel Cargaleiro
Barozzi Veiga - HQ Ribera del Duro Wine
Fall 2018 HKU Architecture Studio Year 2 Studio Su Chang
III. PERSPECTIVE: “CONSTRUCTING IMAGINARY” Tasks Imagine the interiority of your project. Produce color mass drawing to express the experiential quality that defines your imagination, describing the relation – hot/cold, soft/hard, compressed/ relaxed, inhabited/imagined… – between those spaces and the environment at large. Deliverables 750x750mm perspectival image on A0 paper; using masses of color, no line is allowed. References
Abalos & Hererros - Recycling Plant in Madrid
Lina Bo Bardi - Casa al Mare
OFFICE KGDVS - After the Party
Mies van der Rohe - Concert Hall in Chicago
Fall 2018 HKU Architecture Studio Year 2 Studio Su Chang
IV. PLAN: “SHAPING ORDER” Tasks Illustrate the spatial order of your project in plan. Is there any hierarchy of these spaces? How to access or exit? How is it related to the surrounding? How to compose these spaces to engender social experience? Deliverables 1:50 black and white plan drawing on A0 paper; Use only 3 types of (heavyweight cut line, lightweight line, and dashed line); References
Valerio Olgiati - School in Paspels
Valerio Olgiati - National Park Centre
Valerio Olgiati - Atelier Bardill
Valerio Olgiati - Residential Building Zug Schleife
REFERENCES - TEXT On Drawing Ferraz, Marcelo. On Architectural Drawing: Lina Bo Bardi and Beyond. March 2017 https://www.drawingmatter.org/writing-and-media/architectural-drawing-lina-bo-bardi-and-beyond/ On Model Maltzan, Michael. “Architecture as craft: After Narrative, Before Memisis”. Architecture As Craft, Michiel Riedijk (Ed.), SUN architecture, 2011 https://www.mmaltzan.com/essays/essay-notes-on-architecture-as-craft-after-narrative-beyondmimesis/ On Section Shu, Wang. “剖面的視野 (The Perspectives of Section)”. Times+Architecture, February 2010. http://wen.org.cn/modules/article/view.article.php/2519 On Nature Mateo, Josep L. Earth, Water, Air and Fire. The Four Elements and Architecture today. ACTAR. Zürich, 2014. http://www.mateo-arquitectura.com/the-four-elements-and-architecture-today/ On the Use of Nature Herzog, Jaques. The Hidden Geometry of Nature, Lecture at Harvard University Symposium Emerging European Architects, 18 October 1988. https://www.herzogdemeuron.com/index/projects/writings/essays/the-hidden-geometry.html
On Bullshit Frankfurt, Harry G. On Bullshit. Princeton, NJ.: Princeton University Press, 2005. https://www5.csudh.edu/ccauthen/576f12/frankfurt__harry_-_ on_bullshit.pdf On Tectonic Frampton, Kenneth. Course Syllabus for Studies in Tectonic Culture. CCA and GSAPP. Fall 1995 https://www.cca.qc.ca/cca.media/files/10622/9600/Studies_in_ Tectonic_Culture.pdf On Typology Moneo, Rafael. “On Typology”. Opposition 13. Summer 1978. https://doarch152spring2015.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/moneo_on-typology_oppositions.pdf Three Lectures (on youtube) on Type, Prototype and Architecture: Moneo, Rafael. “Type and Typology”. Keynote Lecture at AA School of Architecture. February 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EudnQtpTBiA Silvetti, Jorge. “TYPE: Architecture’s elusive obsession and the rituals of an impasse”. Eduard Sekler Memorial Lecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. November 2017. https://www.gsd.harvard.edu/event/eduard-sekler-memorial-lecture-jorge-silvetti/ Ábalos, Iñaki. “Architecture for the Search for Knowledge”. Walter Gropius Lecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. November 2016. http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/event/inaki-abalos-architecture-for-the-search-for-knowledge/