ALL UNDER ONE ROOF
Can private enterprise subsidize affordable housing? Can rampant commercialism deliver social space? And can heavy retail survive the lure of online shopping? In her project, Shu tackles all these questions head on through the exploration of ‘hybrids’ by tackling a real development in the mid metropolitan suburb of Doncaster. Shu imagines a housing/ commercial/public space development where DIY morphs into unitised housing that is built by Bunnings and then lifted into place atop a submerged warehouse with public space at the ground plane. But in another twist, Shu proposes one part of each unit becomes a display home where customers can visualise ‘in-situ’ the opportunity of each product sold by Bunnings. units would be subsidised by the corporation and in Shu’s mind, the unaffordable may accessible. Other units overlook the ubiquitous aisles as vetrines of homemaking
visiting These become desire.
The concept is extended further- the big garden centre becomes an urban park, the kid’s playground becomes the focus of a broader local community garden and the DIY auditorium an outdoor venue for the local school. Could this really happen and are we uncomfortable with such an overwhelming grab by the private sector of the public realm? Some of us may be understandably a little squeamish but Shu has demonstrated that architects and architecture can tackle these issues through a thoughtful understanding of the issues and a thorough exploration of how building types may hybridise into the future to tackle real world issues. Text by Stefano Scalzo
prologue
The concept of hybridisation originates from genetics and refers to the cross breeding of different species.
concept
Doncaster
Melbourne CBD
site
pedestrian trajectory
Civic & Edu Precinct
counci
public transport hub
l st
Westfield Doncaster tower st
d sons r m willia
prop os walk ed ing path
doncaster rd
connector
typical mixed use
cross breeding
intermingling
overlapping
cross informing
experiential hybrid definitions
Ponte Vecchio,Italy Taddeo Gaddi
Vitrahaus, Weil am Rhein Herzog + De Meuron
precedents
Lyons Housemuseum, Kew Lyons Architecture
Bryggehusprojektet, Copenhagen OMA
precedents
Precinct 3 North East DoncasterBoulevard Forecast dwellings - 563
Civic & Education Precinct Westfield Shopping Town - Retail - Commercial
-
Primary School Community Theatre Library Town Hall
Residential Blocks
project brief
Brief : Satisfy the needs of
?
Bunnings Warehouse + The council + perform a Civic Duty ?
project brief
The project also addresses the future of retail: the move to online shopping & subsequently the lack of tactile experiences of a product before purchase, using this opportunity to suggest the possibility of privately subsidzed housing.
project brief
intent
intent
design considerations
High Rise
Apartment living Garden
Slightly Elevated
Bunnings
Housing
Display/ “Tacitile Shopping�
Cafes
Public park
Ground Level Water Feature
Civic Square
Timber Yard
Basement Car Park
design considerations
t
ee
gh
hi
r st
design considerations
Communal park
design considerations
design considerations
design in progress
design in progress
design in progress
outdoo livingr
bunnin cafegs
btoim arbe dsr
paint kids playground to civi c prec inct
ti pots dryamrbe iv d r admin e centre
landsc aping tr hiail reer loadin g bay
ng hti lig
bunnin cafegs audito rium
co mm un /npvaeg a urtcie seh l ry
co gammu rd na en l
nursery
bunnin gs aisles
water plants w es tf ie store ld
ca rp ar k
li nk
design in progress
design in progress
design in progress
design in progress
bu
nn
in
gs
st
re
bu po nn ol in gs
et
civic & edu precinct link
car
par
k
ri to au di
bu co nni mm ng un s al pa ga rk rd en
um
bunning & high s aisles street
we
st
fi
el
d
ca
rp
ar
k
li
nk
design in progress
SmartSpace Catalogue
5x5m modules catalogue impression
upper & basement floors
KIDS PLAYGROUND
TIMBER YARD DRIVE THRU
NURSERY AUDITORIU
M DISPLAY UNI
TS
DISPLAY UNI
REET
TS
DISPLAY UNI
TOWER STREET
COUNCIL ST
TS
INDOOR PLANTS DISPLAY
MAIN ENTRY
CAFE & LIGHTING DISPLAY CARPARK ENTRY
DONCASTER RO
AD
ground floor
schematic section
outdoor auditorium
“suburban street” & display units
dusk view from doncaster road
sausage sizzle at main entry
“human ant farm�: view from warehouse/high street
What if
a private corporation could subsidize affordable housing? It seems Bunnings Warehouse is moving towards a display-heavy retail outlet just as main competitor Masters Home Improvement has launched their impersonal, flash-heavy online shopping service. Would YOU let your home be open as a display unit from 9am – 7 pm? Sharing a part of your house with the Wesfarmers Group might rightly give you the creeps… But what if you could finally own property and meet more friends in return? With your neighbours’ door open during business hours, you could sheepishly step into their front door, hoping to bump into that chatty fella you saw cooking last night through your Tahiti Mahogany blinds you purchased on a residents’ discount. You’ve heard of a couple who met at the Poolside after she slipped on the ash coloured non-slip tiles into his arms, they held a lavish wedding ceremony amongst the fern display with their cash saved on body corporate fees. A few windows of the display units face onto the Bunnings Warehouse below, that Mr. Pradesh, a regular passer-through, calls the human ant farm. It draws the customers upwards into the corridors above, snag sandwiches and curiosity in tow. Their kids are running amok at Bunnings’ nursery picking ladybugs off the Petunia plants. Your elbow rests on the acrylic island bench top as you recall the solitary corridor of your old 15th floor apartment unit… Perhaps it’s not so strange having your front door wide open at 3 pm on a fine Sunday arvo.
epilogue
Major Project RMIT Master of Architecture Program Special thanks to Supervisors: Stefano Scalzo Nicholas Ling
SHUYEN PHOON 2012 shuyenphoon@gmail.com