The Museum of Rebellious Genes. Process and Ideas. - Studio 27 Outpost

STUDIO 27 OUTPOST THE MUSEUM OF REBELLIOUS GENES Process and Ideas

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Steve Qingchen Meng / 531549 Studio E. March - June 2019.

Melbourne School of Design

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Studio 27 - Outpost. 2019 Semester One. Studio Leaders: Ariani Anwar, Nick Roberts (Studio Description by Tutors:) Outpost is an exploration of the peripheral, in the hope that it may eventually become central. Commonly deployed by cultural and academic institutions, Outposts are speculative by nature and represent a desire to evolve cultural values and experiment with emerging forms of knowledge. They can be defined by a geographical location, a philosophical position, a commercial model or a new medium of artistic expression. By operating at a distance, the Outpost is a site to promote new ideas, identities,

and modes of representation.

This studio proposes a new Outpost - the Museum of Extinction - to be located at periphery of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. This hypothetical brief will combine a museum and learning space, with a seed bank storage facility and DNA laboratory. As a hybrid building type, the Outpost will be a place for community engagement, experimentation and collaboration.

The studio will encourage students to consider notions of scarcity, contemporary art practice, public education and

civic generosity, in order to develop an evocative design concept that will be presented to community representatives.

The ideas for this studio arose from an acknowledgment that now, more than ever, we need to appreciate the rapid decline of flora and fauna globally.

The Outpost will showcase and share Australia’s existing contribution to the international Millennium Seed Bank Project (UK) through the Australian Seedbank Partnership located in Botanic Gardens across the country.

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In collaboration with:

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Strizic, Mark.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, showing view of lake with Government House in background, State Library of Victoria, 1954.

C O N T E N T S

Part 1. Pre-design, Site Visits, Interventions 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5

Reinvent the Museum From Micro to Macro Somewhere Other Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Museum of Old and New Art

Part 2. Return Brief, Mid-Semester 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

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The Museum of Rebellious Genes Recalcitrant Seeds The Dichotomy of the Act of Preservation Iterative Process Mid-Semester Design

Part 3. Final Design 61 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

Precedents, Readings Process and Iterations Final Outcome Learning Summary

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Appendix I. Bibliography 95

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The disappearing of the Louvre Glass Pyramid by artist JR. Opposite Page: V&A Research and Collection Centre, Diller Scofidio +Renfro.

Part 1. Pre-design, Site Visits, Interventions Reinvent the Museum

Formerly used as the Olympic broadcasting centre, Victoria & Albert Museum London received this building for free and commissioned Diller Scofidio+Renfro to renovate it for a large museum store. The design intent behind this centre is to bring to front what was formerly a back of house. The visitors can view how the museum collects, stores, preserves and researches their artifacts. The building also has multipurpose spaces for performances, workshops and screenings.

My alternative design intervention proposes the museum to be the venue for the World Paintball Championship. The massive warehouse-like archive provides the perfect backdrop for professional paintball competitions.

Can a museum accommodates something aggressive, messy, dynamic and ‘less civilised’? How would that change people’s view on museum which is normally pristine, classy, quiet and sophisticated?

How can the artworks survive

such violent activity? Will the way we see art change if it is not against a clean, white-washed wall, but rather assaulted by paintball bullets and splatters of colours?

By bringing together the ‘sacred’ and the ‘secular’, the V&A East Paintball Ground questions the ‘sacredness’ of a museum.

The fierce paintball game and the peaceful art observers are only separated by thick transparent acrylic walls. Over time, the walls that are marred by exploded paintballs have become part of the museum’s exhibition.

Ladders, rope bridges, platforms and tubes have been designed to open up different paths of travel around the building.

The definitions of floors and levels have been blurred, and so has the museum being the single identity for this building.

From offices to museum store to paintball ground. This design contemplates our normal expectation for a museum.

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1.1

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V&A Research & Collection Centre.

Section drawing constructed from renders.

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V&A Research Collection Centre and Paintball Ground.

Sectional drawing after design intervention i.e. the invasion of paintballers.

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V&A Research Collection Centre and Paintball Ground (Detail).

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V&A Research Collection Centre and Paintball Ground (Detail).

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Burri, Rene.

Badaling (near Beijing). Hanku Pass. Great Wall. 1964.

1.2 From Micro to Macro In collaboration with Jesslyn Humardani

This esquisse exercise contains three parts.

Part 1: each person researched into a type of endangered flora in Australia.

Part 2: each person researched a garden type. I was assigned with gardens of Chinese Ming Era. Part 3: design in pairs an intervention for Royal Botanic Gardens, reflecting upon the previous researches.

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Me: “Put your pen back there for a sec...”

Jess: “Why?” Me: “Just to take a cool photo.”

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Caladenia Oenochila.

Commonly named: (Wine-lipped Spider Orchid).

Family: Orchidaceae Size: 19-36 cm high Flowering Time: August to October Conservation Status: Vulnerable in Victoria to continued depletion.

views’ - using fenestration to frame certain composed landscaped, and ‘borrowed views’ - incorporating views outside of the garden into the landscape. The names of the pavilions (and other architecture) often imply a certain atmospheric qualities that the visitors are invited to experience.

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Ming Era Garden The Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou, China.

(Literally translated as ‘The Unsuccessful Politician’s Garden’. One feature of the Chinese Gardens is that they are often against having any straight paths or views.

The designs often incorporate elements such as ‘framed

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Design intervention to the Royal Botanic Gardens: Spectaculum Botanica

Spectaculum Botanica This design intervention combines the extensiveness of a herbarium with the ephemerality of an art exhibition.

Spectaculum Botanica means ‘a spectacle of botany’. The design unfolds the existing Herbarium, and showcases two endangered flora at different life stages, from seeding till death. The exhibition may last several months, after which two new species may be exhibited instead. To achieve this the architecture is enclosed allowing the control of climates to sustain the plants. The pavilions indicate locations where composed views of the plants can be seen, sometimes with a ‘borrowed view’ from outside the garden. Before exiting the structure, visitors are offered to walk through the Victorian Seed Bank to observe the current preservation of seeds.

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Presentation Pin-Up.

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Spectaculum Botanica (Detail).

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Spectaculum Botanica (Detail).

1.3 Somewhere Other

Peter Bennets, John Wardle Architects, Somewhere Other, 2018.

Visit to ‘Somewhere Other’ installation exhibited at NGV Australia.

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One thing that stood out for me about this installation is the number of surprising views contained in such a small space. There are the unexpected contacts with a stranger (top photo opposite page) reflected from a mirror; the view inside a meticulously crafted glass cone; small penetrations that intrigue people to peep into; and a screen that projects images of Australia. These design details all have enriched the project, and encourages visitors to actively engage with the architecture.

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1.4 Royal Botanic Garden Victoria

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Path to the top of Guilfoyle’s Volcano.

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Textures around Royal Botanic Gardens.

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E B Heyne, Plan of the Government House Reserve, Botanic Garden and its Domain, 1864.

Prepared under the direction of Dr F von Mueller.

From top left, clockwise: William Guilfoyle (director), Plan of the Melbourne Botanic Garden, 1864.

William Guilfoyle (director), Botanic Gardens 1901, showing alterations and improvements effected since 1873.

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Guide Plan to the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, 1924.

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1.5

Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart

On 30 March, I took a trip over the weekend to Hobart, and I decided to pass by MONA, even though it was not originally in my plan.

This mostly-underground art precinct can make one easily spend hours wandering around.

The building was designed not to have a strict set-out visiting path. Visitors should explore the building, just as they would the artwork. There are different routes to get to the same point, as well as less-obvious entrances, doors and passages that can lead to a hidden artwork.

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The underground experience is enhanced by leaving the cut in the earth exposed. Although I found being underground for too long make me lose the sense of orientation and time. And I absolutely appreciated the moment I came back above ground, back to the light and the landscape again.

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An example of return brief: Left and Middle: Ecce Homo (Behold the Man), original fresco by Elias Garcia Martinez, c. 1930.

Right: Ecce Mono (Behold the Monkey), improvement by Cecilia Gimenez, 2012.

Part 2. Return Brief. Mid-Semester.

2.1 The Museum of Rebellious Genes

Jonas Bendikson, Entrance to Global Seed Vault, Svalbard, Norway. 2016.

During the process of developing the Return Brief, I was imagining a building that has both a utilitarian quality of scientific infrastructure, as well as a certain quality of surprise and delight of a museum.

It should be able to both hold and exhibit whatever it is keeping.

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Peter Zumthor, Kolumba Museum.

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The Museum of Rebellious Genes (MORG) is a dedicated seed reserve and a living museum for Recalcitrant Plant Species. Located in Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, next to Guilfoyle’s Volcano.

building closes and the gene bank becomes the centre piece of the museum. Here, the museum is not limited to curating an appealing sensual experiences, it also fulfills a critical scientific function, namely, to preserve the endangered recalcitrant seeds.

Why Recalcitrant Seeds?

Critical Programmes in the Building

Of all the plant species in the world, 8% are recalcitrant, which means they cannot be stored in a conventional seed bank, as the seeds lose their viability during the drying process of seed banks.

Many important food resources are recalcitrant, such as coconut, avocado, mango, cocoa, and many other tropical trees.

According to the paper published by Kew Gardens, around 36% of the ‘critically endangered’ species are recalcitrant, which means much effort needs to be put in for the conservation of these ‘rebellious’ species.

Cryopreservation Vault Reserves and displays seeds that are stored at - 196 C in Liquid Nitrogen.

Key Design Ideas Human activities occupation is of primary concern within the Museum. The two gene banks (living and frozen) present the dichotomy of preservation, one is to safeguarding a copy by freezing, the other is to keep improving the species to develop against climate change.

Rather than permanently inserting different building programmes, the design focuses on a solution that helps minimise waste spaces. The building opens up to accommodate temporal exhibitions and activities. When there is no such activity, the

CryoLab The laboratory that operates the in vitro processes before freezing seeds into LN2.

Living Gene Bank Living plants that are reserved inside individual incubators for research, cross-breeding and propagation. It opens to public viewing infrequently.

MORG Gallery Holds more long-term art exhibitions, also provides high level views to different parts of the building, the garden and beyond.

Multi-programmed Space This space holds temporary exhibitions, installations, performances. It can also act as public plaza and market.

Children’s Gallery A dedicated tree house for children and families, overlooking the garden.

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Overview

2.2 Recalcitrant Seeds

Coconut is a recalcitrant species - it becomes inviable after water is dried out.

Diagram above showing how many of the plants facing extinction are recalcitrant.

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Recalcitrant is not a common word, its basic meaning is “rebellious, insubordinate, unorthodox.� These seeds cannot survive the drying process for storage, their viability also decreases rapidly under 10 degrees C. Therefore, they cannot be preserved in a conventional seed bank. Recalcitrant species include some important food resources, such as coconut, coffea, cacao, mango, avocado etc.

More than 36% of the endangered plant species are recalcitrant, according to the IUCN Red List.

There are only two ways to preserve these seeds, one is by cryopreservation (using liquid nitrogen), the other is by a living gene pool (i.e. keep growing them). Currently there is no dedicated seed reserve for the conservation of these seeds.

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Seed banking not an option for many threatened plants The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation requires 75% of threatened plant species conserved ex situ by 2020.

Currently, ex situ conservation focuses on conventional seed banking, yet this method is unsuitable for many threatened species. The 75% target is unattainable without urgent investment into alternative techniques.

Sarah V. Wyse, John B. Dickie and Katherine J. Willis

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lthough fundamental for life on Earth, plant diversity is under considerable threat, and is currently being lost at a rate unparalleled in recent geological history1. In a bid to halt the continuing loss of global plant diversity, the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) in 2002 (updated in 2010). This Strategy contains 16 global targets set for 20202. Target 8 requires that at least 75% of threatened plant species be conserved ex situ, with the aim of at least 20% available to be used for recovery and restoration programmes. In addition, Target 9 calls for the conservation of 70% of the genetic diversity of crops, their wild relatives and other socio-economically valuable plant species.

Ex situ techniques involve the preservation of plants or germplasm away from where they naturally occur, using methods such as: the cultivation of plants in botanic gardens and arboreta3; cryopreservation of seeds, embryos or other tissues in liquid nitrogen; and the storage of seeds that are dried and then deep-frozen in seed banks1. Of these techniques, the latter, often referred to as ‘conventional seed banking’, is most widely employed. This is the preferred method because it allows the preservation of high levels of genetic diversity at relatively low cost, in minimal space and for comparatively long periods4.

There has been a recent groundswell within the scientific literature concerning ex situ methods, and especially seed banking, for the conservation of threatened plants3–7; especially given the rise of novel plant pathogens as a threat both to plant populations and in situ conservation efforts7.

However, it has long been recognised that conventional seed banking is not suitable for all seed plants, with some species having recalcitrant (desiccation-sensitive) seeds unable to survive the drying process and therefore incapable of being frozen.

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In addition, some orthodox (desiccationtolerant) species can be dried and frozen, but are too short-lived (<10 years) in storage for seed banking to present a viable option for their conservation1.

A key knowledge gap, therefore, is in knowing which of the world’s most rare, endemic and economically important plant species will not be suitable for ex situ conservation in conventional seed banks.

Although the majority of crop species are known to have orthodox seeds, storage behaviour is unknown for most wild species8. It is estimated that the incidence of recalcitrant species is around 8% of seed plants globally9, with a higher prevalence in certain habitats9,10. However, seed storage behaviour has only been assessed for a small proportion of these species, and to date there has been no method to predict the storage behaviour of the many untested species.

Recent work11 has developed a set of models that predict the likely seed-storage behaviour of species for which this trait is currently unknown. These models are informed by existing data on seed and plant traits, the climate of the species’ habitat and the seed-storage behaviour of the species’ relatives (see ref.11 for further details of the models and assessment of their success rates). The development of these models now allows us to estimate the proportions of orthodox- and recalcitrant-seeded species of conservation and socio-economic value, and thus evaluate for the first time the extent to which conventional seed banks may be capable of contributing to the GSPC targets.

We therefore use these models to ask two questions: are conventional seed banks capable of achieving the threatened plant diversity aims of Target 8; and how much can they contribute towards Target 9 and the conservation of 70% of the genetic diversity of crops, their wild relatives and other socioeconomically valuable plant species?

Looking at the likely ‘bankable’ proportion of species on four species lists —

the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List), the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew’s Medicinal Plants database, the Crop Trust’s inventory of crop wild relatives (CWRs), and all known tree species as per the GlobalTreeSearch12 — the highest incidence of recalcitrant species is in the ‘critically endangered’ category of the IUCN Red List. At least 36% of these Red List species are likely to produce recalcitrant seeds (Fig. 1) and thus cannot be conserved in conventional seed banks.

The other threatened categories of species on the IUCN Red List (‘endangered’, and ‘vulnerable’), as well as the global tree species list, also contain high proportions of species that are likely to produce recalcitrant seeds: 35% of species in the ‘vulnerable’ category, 27% in the ‘endangered’ category, and 33% of all tree species (Fig. 1). In contrast, the prevalence of recalcitrant species is likely to be comparatively low among the remaining groups of species. This is particularly so for the species classified as being of ‘least concern’ on the IUCN Red List, CWRs and medicinal plants, where the proportions of probable recalcitrant species are likely approximately equal to the global background incidence of the trait (Fig. 2).

Previous research has suggested that the majority of recalcitrant species constitute canopy trees from the later stages of forest succession in tropical moist forests and mangrove habitats9,10 — situations where both the highest plant diversity and the highest frequency of threatened species also occur. Examining this, we can see a positive relationship between the proportion of a species list that is likely to produce recalcitrant seeds and the proportion of the list made up by tree species from these tropical habitats (Fig. 2).

Conventional seed banking as an ex situ conservation strategy is well matched to contributing to the delivery of GSPC Target 9, being an appropriate conservation

Nature PlaNts | VOL 4 | NOVEMBER 2018 | 848–850 | www.nature.com/natureplants

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This journal article published by the scientists at Kew Gardens UK became an important piece for my research on the conservation of recalcitrant seeds.

2.3 The Dichotomy of the Act of Preservation

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Above: School of Athens.

Opposite Page: Dead Sea Scroll (earliest manuscripts of the Old Testament).

One way is to safeguard the original seeds, and to keep it as long as possible, just like the Seed Bank in Svalbard.

The other way is to keep growing the plant, and thus it develops resilience against the climate, new diseases etc.

To use another analogy, there are equally two ways to preserve ancient scripture and wisdom. One is to safe keep the original manuscripts for as long as possible, but this makes it easy to be forgotten.

After a certain time, people may longer be able to understand what the manuscript says. The other way is to keep translating them to the modern equivalent language, and keep teaching them. This way the knowledge is kept in a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;liveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; way. It is constantly being talked about, being interpreted and acted upon.

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The research on the conservation methods of recalcitrant seeds lead me to a conclusion, that there are basically two ways of preserving something.

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2.4 Iterative Process

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More sketches on tracing:

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The entrance tower via Guilfoyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volcano (and the underwater tunnel) has been the most persistent idea of the project. It was almost there from the very beginning, no matter how the rest of the building changed.

The sketches at the top are from a design session with Stefan Mee of JWA. It illustrates the idea of a living gene bank becoming like rows of squashed-together greenhouses.

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The bottom sketch shows the process of the building becoming more consolidated, rather than scattered separate entities (shown in middle sketch).

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Sketches on finding the overall buildingform. The original box form stayed for its efficiency. The other parts of the building become like rectangular strips inserted into the box from different directions.

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2.5 Mid-Semester Design

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Sketch Models for Mid-Semester.

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Inside William Tell Rest House, RBG.

Part 3. Final Design Outcome 3.1 Precedents, Readings

Tadao Ando.

Water Temple. (1990-91).

Awaji, Hyogo, Japan.

Dramatic Moment.

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The entrance into the Water Temple inspired me to place an entry into Guilfoyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volcano. It is an unusual and dramatic way to enter a building. Visitors are also directed to walk around the periphery before entering the building.

Tadao Ando.

Chichu Art Museum (2004) Naoshima, Kagawa, Japan.

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Composition.

Pure geometric shapes can be arranged to form a reciprocal relationship to each other, without having direct and hard contacts.

Craig Ellwood.

Art Center College of Design, 1975.

Pasadena, CA, United States.

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Infrastructural.

The building may appear to be brutal and unapologetically monumental.

Yet it can be designed to sit considerately upon the landscape.

OMA. Maison Ă Bordeaux, 1994-98.

Bordeaux, France.

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Operability.

The ability to operate certain parts of the building provide opportunities to create different programmes in the same space. I tried to incorporate a certain level of operability into different areas of the building.

Top: Peter Zumthor.

Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, 2007.

Mechernich, Germany.

Bottom: PropellerZ Architektur.

Weinegut Claus Preisinger Winery, 2014.

Burgenland, Austria.

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Object versus natural landscape.

There are different ways a man-made structure can sit upon a natural landscape.

Some blend into the surroundings and conceal the building to become part of nature; whereas some stand out

Atelier Bow Wow. Graphic Anatomy 2, 2014.

Echo of Space / Space of Echo, 2009.

Representation. Narratives.

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Atelier Bow Wow’s ‘Graphic Anatomy’ has completely changed the way I looked at line drawings. Now I see that line works can be both very informative and emotionally rich. The occupation and activities of humans in the drawings play an important role, they should be specifically placed in order to communicate a design idea. ‘Echo of Space’ is a series of short essays on the everyday activities and architecture, the authors have acute senses to connect seemingly mundane situations to a design philosophy. It was really a delight to read.

Tadao Ando.

Process and Idea, 2010.

Iterative Process.

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The process behind these selected works shows that even Tadao Ando couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get his design right at the first go. The final project is always built upon many strenuous reiterations of sketches, drawings, writings, model-makings and decision-makings. And I have learnt to appreciate the beauty of the design process, though it is messy. The final project is but the tip of an iceberg.

Sketches by Tadao Ando.

(From Process and Idea) These small sketches fascinated me, as they were apparently sketched on whatever Ando could find around him.

The top one was drawn on a newspaper (or magazine?), the bottom one was on a hotel check-in receipt.

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These sketches, though simple, captured very key moments of the architecture. They may be important turning points for the project, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why he included them in the book. From these I learnt about the importance of using sketches to think and develop the project.

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3.2 Process and Iterations

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Opposite Page: These pages from the sketchbook were actually written at an earlier research stage (before mid-semester). It was fun to look back at what key ideas were there at the infancy of the project. Even at this later stage, they are quite helpful in deciding what drawings I should produce in order to best communicate these ideas.

Sketch Model: This cardboard model was made quickly at a scale of 1 to 250. As I became stuck at resolving certain parts of the building. This also helped me to get away from the computer for a couple of hours.

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This model proves to be incredibly helpful in explaining the project and its parts to others, which made me think I should have made it earlier.

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3.3 Final Outcome

Opposite Page, left to right, top to bottom: Return Brief, Operational Diagram, Recalcitrant Seed, Sample Specimen.

Below: Site Plan at 1.500 scale.

Reception / Ticketing Ground Floor Children’s Gallery Entrance to Underground Guilfoyle’s Volcano Botanic Garden Gate C Arid Garden Anderson Street Fairlie Ct Birdwood Ave Eucalyptus Lawn Guilfoyle’s Lawn Eastern Lawn

THE MUSEUM OF REBELLIOUS GENES SITE PLAN 1:500 0

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Studio 27: Outpost Studio Leaders: Ariani Anwar, Nick Roberts Drawn by: Steve Q Meng

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M

THE MUSEUM OF REBELLIOUS GENES AXONOMETRIC 1:250 0 1

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Studio 27: Outpost Studio Leaders: Ariani Anwar, Nick Roberts Drawn by: Steve Q Meng

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Above: Axonometric at 1.250 scale.

Opposite page: Detail section at 1.25 scale.

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Unrolled Section at 1.100 scale.

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Schedule of Spaces B.01 B.02 B.03 B.04 B.05 B.06 B.07 B.08 B.09 B.10 B.11 B.12

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Above: Underground Floor Plan.

Opposite page: Ground Floor Plan.

Cafe Reception, Ticketing Cloak Room Underground Tunnel Quarantine Room (Staff Only) Examination Room (Staff Only) MORG Management Office Kitchen & Lunch Room Meeting Room 1 Meeting Room 2 Laboratory Plant Room, Storage Space

THE MUSEUM OF REBELLIOUS GENES (MORG) Studio 27: Outpost Studio Leaders: Ariani Anwar, Nick Roberts Drawn by: Steve Q Meng / 531549 / Studio E

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Schedule of Spaces Children’s Gallery Reception, Ticketing Entrance (via Guilfoyle’s Volcano) Parents Room Loading Path (Asphalt) Outdoor Decking Dark Exhibition Room Cloak Room Space in use: Exhibition Space in use: Farmers Market

THE MUSEUM OF REBELLIOUS GENES (MORG) Studio 27: Outpost Studio Leaders: Ariani Anwar, Nick Roberts Drawn by: Steve Q Meng / 531549 / Studio E

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G.01 G.02 G.03 G.04 G.05 G.06 G.07 G.08 G.09 G.10

Schedule of Spaces 1.01 1.02 1.04

Dark Exhibition Room Gallery Space Living Gene Bank

THE MUSEUM OF REBELLIOUS GENES (MORG) Studio 27: Outpost Studio Leaders: Ariani Anwar, Nick Roberts Drawn by: Steve Q Meng / 531549 / Studio E

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Above: Level One Floor Plan.

Opposite Page: Render showing south elevation.

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

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Above: Guilfoyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volcano entrance on a stormy night.

Opposite Page: Inside Level One Gallery on a Melbourne cloudy day.

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Above: In the early morning, the cleaner sweeps the entry of reception before the museum opens.

Opposite Page: Showing the building at night with lights off, and a beautiful starry sky which cannot be real at the Botanic Garden.

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3.4 Learning Summary

The chief end of a design studio is not to end up with a great project (although everyone should of course aim to achieve a design that he/she is satisfied with), but to keep improving on design thinking and methods, which are to be brought into the next design exercise. I have briefly summarised what I learned from Studio Outpost this semester.

Research and Problem-Finding The first step into a new project is to find the problem. There may be many problems present, but this studio taught me not to be satisfied with the obvious. Often one can find that a problem is a result of many other unsolved issues, this is also known as a ‘wicked problem.’ A well-defined question is often the starting point for an interesting project. The more specificities, the easier it is for the designer to start. The design would even show itself amongst the research.

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Design Process As I said before, the design that’s shown on the panels is but the tip of an iceberg of research and works. This studio

taught me to document the design process, and diligently archive sketches and models. Making a portfolio such as this one is also a great exercise to review all that I’ve learnt in the past semester.

Representation Every drawing on the presentation wall should aim to communicate specifically an idea. No drawing should be done just because “it would look great.” Drawings without a purpose often look vague and insecure. Also, drawings should try to construct a story on the page, much like a scene captured from a film, which implies that there is a bigger story behind what you can see.

Communication Design is a collective effort. I really appreciated the great learning environment of the class. Some conversations with the tutors and colleagues become quite important turning points for the project.

Appendix I. Bibliography

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Atelier Bow Wow. Echo of Space / Space of Echo. Tokyo: INAX, 2009.

Atelier Bow Wow. Graphic Anatomy 2. Tokyo: TOTO, 2014.

Ando, Tadao. Process and Ideas. Tokyo: TOTO, 2010.

Franklin, Adrian. The Making of MONA. Melbourne: Viking, 2014.

Jodidio, Philip. Ando: Complete Works 1975-2014. Melbourne: Viking, 2014.

Kundig, Tom. Houses. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2006.

OMA. S, M, L, XL. New York: Monacelli Press, 1998.

Zumthor, Peter. Thinking Architecture. Basel: Birkhauser, 2010.

The Museum of Rebellious Genes: Process and Ideas.

Steve Qingchen Meng. 531549. Studio E. Melbourne School of Design.

Studio 27. Outpost. Semester 1, 2019.

Studio Leaders: Ariani Anwar, Nick Roberts.

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In collaboration with:

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