Architectural Portfolio Sherry Ng
University of Melbourne 2011-2014
SITE ANALYSIS THE CONAN DOYLE MYSTERY THEATRE
The Conan Doyle Mystery Theatre is located in the central prime location of all public tranportation systems. The Parti demonstrates how the design of the building was achieved by observing both macro and micro analysis of the context. The intersection of tram lines at where the theatre is, convergence of lines are much like Sherlock Holmes convergence of mind when solving a mystery.
The Conan Doyle Mystery Theatre is a new theatre located on Spencer Street, Melbourne and is named in honour of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes detective stories. From the onset my design for the Conan Doyle Mystery Theatre has focused on engaging the user on a journey of discovery. Just as Sir Conan Doyle does in his Sherlock Holmes stories. The concept is also directly related to Sherlock’s Holmes method of peripheral thinking in solving his detective investigations. Sherlock’s method of peripheral thinking and deductive reasoning has been the main driver of this design outcome. I have also related his method of processing thoughts and ideas directly to the context of Melbourne urban fabric. After closely analysing the macro and micro scale of Melbourne public transportation layout, my design will unravel both physical, visual, and experiental qualities of Sherlock’s macro-micro scale thinking.
Location of site is accessible from the Skybus which is linked to 55 countries around the world
SHERLOCK HOLMES
Parti Diagram 1: The facade is aimed to suggest the Metlink Melbourne Tram line system onto the exterior of the building. The facade has a centre core which is located in the middle of the buiding on level 3. Sherlock Holme’s intellectural character is represented along the third level of the building. As he was an intellectual man, I have dedicated this space for a library. The library is located at the central core of the building to symbolize the central system of Sherlock’s brain. Much like a transportation system, the brain is the central nervous system of a human’s body; Melbourne City is also the central system of the Victoria region.
PARTI DIAGRAMS
Parti Diagram 2 : The layout of the floorplan is aimed to suggest the intersecting transportation system of Metlink Tram line. It is a symbolic representation and not a literal reference. Parti Diagram 3: The two colour schemes chosen for the exterior facade is directly derived from the respective colours of the tram which crosses the site on Spencer Street and Bourke Street. (Tram 86 and 96) Location of site is accessible from Southern Cross which is a transportation hub for every suburb in Melbourne
This multilayered concept explores the the intersecting tram lines into Melbourne CBD and it’s relationship to the facade, floorplans and experiential qualities of the theatre. Similar to the public transportations of Melbourne; every tram route will converge into a central location of Melbourne CBD while returning back to their respective suburbs. My building will express this convergence and central core concept through it’s serpentine staircase which will spread out to the main activity areas of my building. The main areas of my building includes The William Desmond Theatre (Proscenium Theatre, The Harry Plimmer Cinema. The Black Box Theare , and dining areas such as a restaurant and cafe.
THE CONAN DOYLE MYSTERY THEATRE
PERIPHERAL THINKING
The site is located on Bourke Street and Spencer Street. Tram 86 and 96 is a frequent tram line which passes the site.
Diagram 1
Diagram 2
I will demonstrate the application of Sherlock Holme’s peripheral and macro/micro scale thinking in relation to the facade, floorplans, and the walk-through of my building.
SHERLOCK HOLMES PERIPHERAL THINKING
CONNECTIVITY MACRO-MICRO SCALE
APPLICATION
Diagram 3
GROUND FLOOR
LEVEL 3
Serpentine Stairs Diagram
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 4
LIBRARY
CORE AREA
DINING AREAS
Entertainment Spaces
ENTERTAINMENT AREA
LEVEL 5
LEVEL 2 PHYSICAL MODEL (CONAN DOYLE THEATRE)
FLOOR PLANS
WEST ELEVATION
SITE PLAN
EAST ELEVATION
SECTION A-A
NORTH ELEVATION
INTERIOR STAIR VIEW
RESTAURANT VIEW
Design Studio Air Wyndham City Gateway Project Wyndham is a developing city, it is aspiring to be a point of focus within the broader spatial context. It is also aspiring to be a place that portrays its own cultural identity within Victoria. As Wyndham city is a place of development and change, it is important to portray its development through its physical environment. As this gateway project encourages innovation and exploration that will ultimately generate attraction by its social context, I believe that Wyndham city requires a thought provoking sculptural statement that will ultimately enable Wyndham to convey a sense of identity across Victoria. This sculptural statement will encompass the use of parametric modelling that represents a new era, the current age of architectural progression. It will epitomize modernity and technological advancement. As Wyndham City is a new suburb located on the fringe of its urban context. I have decided to create a space that is not only sculptural but it is also functional for the users of the space. The design will also be inspired by natural formations of structures to highlight the importance of sustainability for present use and future generations.
The main driving force of the design is the natural formation of the coral reef. The coral reef only flourishes in a healthy ecosystem, I intend to integrate this concept into the design. The fundamental drive to the sculpture will be minimal surfacing. The main concept of the coral reef is to represent that Wyndham is a city of growth and sustainability. It is also a symbol of purity, greenery and growth. The overall objective is to create a coral-like structure that is recognisable as well as functional to users. The concept will be designed in the choice of using minimal surfacing. The techniques we have chosen to explore is geometric patterning, open and closed branches, and voids to symbolize the intended coral effect of the structure.
These paintings symbolizes the overall mood and atmosphere that is intended to convey through the design. The concept of purity in form and the illusion of entering an underwater reef. As part of my design concept, I will be focusing on three main areas in my design. 1) Asymmetrical and Geometric Patterning, 2) Branching, 3) Open Brain Coral Structures. I will also be exploring related existing projects such as The Green Void by Lava and Marc Fornes nonLin Pavillion Project. These two precedents have been inspired by the natural formation of coral reefs and conveyed their concept through minimal surfacing and patterning. The objective of this design is to create a glowing underwater seascape that illuminates on our existing site as a symbol of Wyndham City.
In deciding the method and materiality of the construction. I have experimented with wood, polypropylene, Perspex, paper to explore the different outcomes they create. I have also concluded with a translucent, durable and cost efficient material to convey this design concept I have also identified the most cost effective way to construct this large scale structure on site. The sculpture will be constructed by a central frame with branch like structures that radiates from the centre, panels will be affixed to the branches. These panels will act as a shell that wraps around the branches. This method of construction allows the panels to be replaced if damaged/deteriorated.
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CASE STUDY
NonLin/Lin Pavilion project
Accessibility
Concept Development
Spatial Depth
Visual Illusion
The void structure is based on the final design. After several attempts in prototyping (wood, paper, polypropylene) I have decided to include the use of light to the polypropylene material. It created an interesting outcome when the light reflected the surface. The void-like structure resembles the opening brain structure of the coral reef. The relaxing surface technique was also incorporated in the design as it reflects the concept visually. Throughout the algorithmic explorations, one of the exoskeleton component was able to transport simple wireframe lines to thicker forms. By drawing curves along the forms, I could produce solid forms that consists of several pipes and spheres. I decided to use this structure as the base form of the coral design. The thickness of branches and struts can be manipulated into the structure as a shelter canopy in the concept design. By altering the inputs of struts, nodes, sizes and faces; the design achieved different branching structures.
Prototypes
As part of the development of this design, I created a voronoi divided space to build up tubes that is similar to a trumpet. The more points that was available in the plane, the more division the form concluded with. This technique was later applied to create a canopy-like structure. We concluded with a canopylike structure as it created an accessible pathway for the users while containing a roof-like shelter for its users.
The sculpture is also positioned next to the petrol station as this will encourage users to engage with the sculpture along the site. As the sculpture is also accessible to the public. The coral-like sculptures will be scattered across the site to evoke a sense of irregularity and asymmetry. This sculpture will signify as a signpost along the entrance of the freeway indicating that visitors have entered the City of Wyndham. In conclusion, the Gateway project epitomizes the main attraction of Wyndham City and it is also a symbol of purity and growth that strives for a sustainable future.
Wyndham City aspires to be a point of focus within the broader spatial context in Victoria. It also aspires to create its own cultural identity within a society of development and change. This project enables designers to reimagine what a gateway project should be or should reflect to generate an architectural discourse. I want to create a design that attracts visitors to Wyndham City, or give travellers something different to remember the City by, a memorable experience. To generate public interest to this new project, I decided to create an imaginative back story to the design concept. The Wyndham City Gateway Project will be named “The Rabbit Hole” after the children’s fictional book “Alice in Wonderland. The aim is to produce a threshold into the City that evokes a sense of absurdity and hallucination to the travellers. It serves a space in time that transports people from one place to another, to Wyndham City, a place of curiosity and wonder. To achieve this outcome, I have decided to focus on three main themes: visual paradox and visual deception, space and depth, recursion and infinity.
Yayoi Kusama played an integral role in developing the visual elements of the design. Her art installations reflects the use of recursion and reflection throughout her work. She uses repetition to create an almost obsessive illusion that goes on forever. She also utilized mirrors to exemplify the concept of repetition and recursion. I have decided to incorporate the use of mirrors to enhance the sense of depth that can be created in recursion.
I continued to generate possible forms with the mini recursion sculptures in grasshopper, experimenting different attractor points, mesh manipulations, lofting curves and surface patterning.
Different possible orientation, position and layout of the mirrors on site to create different recursive effects through its reflection. After a several attempts in algorithmic explorations, we decided to change the positions of the prisms, in order to sit well with the site topography and existing features. From the mirror experiments it is important to note that the plane of the iterating sides must be perpendicular to the ground, the ensure the best angles for the reflection iterations to be produced.
The circular motif represented the theme of recursion, loops and cycles quite accurately. I decided to use web connecting rings for each ‘fold’. The size of rings increases in each sequential ‘fold’. The resulting form is a far more complex form, the arrangement of circular rings give a greater depth and tactility than the planar folds from the previous version. The arrangement of circle also reflects the design theory seen in Yayoi Kusama’s work. The form evokes a sense of repetition and optical illusion. Especially from a distance, the unfurling ‘folded’ of rings create a strange little spot of curiosity that repeats itself through the mirroring prisms on the either side.
The diagram of the prism connections on site, intersecting with the mini sculptures that is to be reflected, creating ‘moments’ of recursion at specific points.
Diagram of the prisms (filled dot) and sculptures (circled dot) on site marking out the recursive reflections.
Although the Rabbit Hole narrates a whimsical children’s story, the theme and design technique of recursion speaks of a much deeper message; that every change, era, movement in society is essentially a product or reaction to its predecessor. The architectural discourse is a closed loop, forever recycling ideas and concepts. It is a way of moving forward without foregoing history and identity.