411 mini thesis by Tasenka

ABSTRACT The struggle between man and nature is abundantly clear at the Owhiro Bay quarry site. The implications of the Quarry have impacted the natural landscape, ecology and water purity. It becomes clear that initiative is needed to preserve and revitalise what is left of the natural environment. Three key theorists have been investigated in relation to working with memory in architecture, the process of design and the idea of loss. These theorists are Douglas Darden, Ilkka Halso and Micheal Ostwaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book Residue: Architecture as a condition of loss. With the landscape already greatly scarred the aim of this design-led research investigation is to make small impacts on the landscape that will positively influence renewal, regeneration and revitalisation. The architectural intervention itself should bring a positive intervention to the natural environment of the site.

Time and space are dynamic co-existing elements of landscape; they are ideologically encoded, culturally threaded. Pieced together in many different ways, they tell stories – stories of the present that may unravel into past, stories not only of now but then, not only of here but there. Imagine landscape as a canvas, freshly painted, but with bits of other older paintings showing through, like a pentimento, and with the colours of the world outside the frame seeping in around the edges. Johnston, Rosemary Ross. “Landscape as Palimpsest, Pentimento, Epiphany…”, CREArTA vol 5 special issue 2005 (13)

PREFACE

The quote on the page opposite, from Johnston, outlines the underpinning concept of the project and helps shape the title of the project. The original landscape is like “older paintings showing through, like a pentimento” - the endeavour to show the importance of history on the site and letting the context of nature drive the design. The quote links to the title the ‘Valley of the Forgotten’ through highlighting the lack of importance placed on regenerating the site back to its original form. The Owhiro Bay ravine is forever a reminder to us of the impact that civilisation has on our natural landscape and waterways. Situated further up the valley is the Southern Landfill which has been slowly polluting the waterways making what was once drinkable water soon become un-swimmable condition. The quarrying of the site has taken away the natural flora, fauna and ecological systems to leave a scar in its place. With all of the devastation to the landscape civilisation is not doing enough to repair, protect or regenerate it. It also implies that the hidden valley has a story to tell that is slowly being revealed over time. Architecture can work as a tool to help to highlight the history of the site and help us to learn from our past to protect our future - creating architecture that will nourish the landscape rather than obstructing its natural beauty.

CONTENTS: Introduction

Site Anaylsis

Programme Analysis

Literature Review

Project Review

Preliminary Design

Developed Design

Conclusions and Critical Reflection

Bibilography

INTRODUCTION The struggle between mankind and nature is abundantly clear at the Owhiro Bay quarry site. The site has been greatly scarred by human intervention with the quarry as well as human recreation along the shoreline and pollution of the waterway. All of these implications have impacted the natural landscape, ecology and water purity. The only attempt to rectify this situation is the regeneration of native plant life. It becomes clear that initiative is needed to preserve and revitalise what is left of the natural environment. Through the ravine Mother Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grid sits at a forty five degree angle, in opposition to the north-south orthogannal grid that is typically applied to sites. The third grid acting in the site is the radial, which pivots its way through the ravine acting to repair the site. Three key theorists have been investigated in relation to working with memory in architecture, the process of design and the idea of loss. These theorist are Douglas Darden, Ilkka Halso and Micheal Ostwaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book Residue: Architecture as a condition of loss. With the landscape already greatly scarred the aim of the project is to make impacts on the landscape that will positively influence renewal, regeneration and revitalisation. The architectural intervention itself should not be intrusive on the landscape and instead bring a sense of healing. The proposal of cleansing the waterway along with bringing back native plants and birds can be executed through the implementation of dam structures and a key architectural feature that will act as a DOC research facility. The Observation tower and walkway access will place visitors in a position of spectators to the natural environment, where it is not until they inhabit the dams or the main building that they can start to reconnect. The idea of the spectator is to get people to realise as a society we are often disconnect with nature and oblivious to how much harm we cause on a daily basis.

Site Analysis

RADIAL: Dams

PIVOT: observation tower

45 VALLEY ANGLE: DOC research centre

Case Studies

Louis Sullivan: The Living Dam

Daniel Libskin: Alpha

Literature Hewitt, Daniel: Implication of Pause

Micheal Ostwald et al.

Ilkka Halso

Douglas Darden: Oxygen House

Program

Water Filtration

Observation decks

Nursery

Native Gardens

Lodges/ Apartments

Swimming/ Recreation

Research Facilities

SITE ANAYLSIS

The site location of the Owhiro Bay Quarry site, which is nestled into the Te Kopahou Reserve, is abundant with signs of its rich history. The scars left behind from the quarry site are the most prominent feature when arriving at the beach. The two sets of terraces reveal the extent to which the land was defaced and has still yet to have healed. The basalt lava embedded between sediments, that are 50 million years younger, can now be seen sitting at a 45-degree angle. The sharp angle is a clear reminder of how the land of New Zealand was formed and shows the enormous power that the tectonic plates hold when they scrape against each other. The clearly darker lines of basalt lava where

literally scraped off one tectonic plate and buried into the opposing plate. The quarrying at the site was only stopped in 1972 when the local community realised the red rocks themselves were being quarried. It was then that the Red Rocks Scientific Reserve was created and the quarry shut down. The now bare terraces where once abundant with native flora and fauna of New Zealand. The plants once brought with them a large variety of birds that were able to nourish and sustain the plants through their feeding cycles. By attracting the birds back to the area the plant life would also have a better chance at flourishing in this barren

environment. Historically the Karaka plant was found in large groves on the site. The plant existing in the area shows that the site was home to a Maori settlement. The plant itself is highly poisonous unless it has been steamed for hours. The Little Blue Penguins once nested along the shoreline in great numbers. However the roadway that was formed giving access to motorbikes and 4wd vehicles has created an immense deterrent for the penguins. There were also large seal colonies along the coastline but were killed for their pelts leading to a great decrease in their population that has still not recovered. There is now a Marine Reserve to give the marine life a chance to rejuvenate after the over poaching that has occurred.

MARINE RESERVE

Vis u

Co n

cti

to S

Isl an

Red Rocks

Tsunami Safe Zone Bsalt Lava embedded in youger sediments Attract bird life to enrich ground Protect penguins nesting site Anticlockwise Tidal current Reesetablish Karaka Plant Haape Stream Dam Fresh and salt water connection

From the site analysis it can be concluded that there has been a lot of devastation to the natural environment over the years. There are some attempts to rectify the scars on the land created by the quarry by restabilising the native plant life but it is clear this will never be enough to return the site to its natural form. The location gives off a rugged and rough sense with the strong winds and wild seas. It creates a sense that this is a place to be respected especially because of the disrespect it has been given in the past.

SITE DYNAMICS

ILS

Dynamic lines within the site formed from the quaryying of the site and the natural form of the land, from a perspective view.

Dynamic lines drawn from the natural contours of the site as well as sight lines postioned from the opening of the ravine.

PROGRAMME ANALYSIS

Proposed Programme: The proposed program for the site comes in a duality. The prominent programmes are the creation of a dam system through the ravine and a research facility for the New Zealand Department of Conservation. The research facility will enable the close monitoring of the water condition in the ravine and the deterioration of the coastline through erosion.Additional programme such as accommodation and a functional nursery will be inculded to supplement the DOC research facility. The Nursery will encourage public and community involvement and allow for a public space for people to populate.

DUAL PROGRAMS Dam System

DOC Research Facility

Water Filtration and Purification

Small scale nursery

Wetland ecologies

Potting Space External open planting

Gardens Dry plantings - Native plants - Friut and Vege Plots

Recreation - Swimming Area - Seating and gathering point

Office and Research Facilities Sleeping Quarters

LITERATURE REVIEW

LITERATURE REVIEW Nigel Coates presents a theory of architecture as a narrative wherein he establishes different methods of how narratives have been created through the ages. The chapters in his book Narrative Architecture, and Narrative Awakenings will be focused on. It is set up initially that all narratives, however they are established are “a means to give it (architecture) meaning based on experience” (Coates, 15). The way in which people realise narrative is based upon their own personal, cultural and political experiences. It is crucial that one realises this before trying to create a narrative that is too prescriptive. It would be best to develop narrative in a way that the whole architecture has layered meaning rather than trying to establish a sequential pattern to the experience. Therefore it brings forward Coates’s idea that narrative will often work better when it is “hidden rather than overt” (p. 18).

A specific point that stood out and related to the objectives of the project was that “narratives enabled phenomena powered by the unseen forces of nature to be explained” (p. 15). The idea that narratives or stories have been used to explain the unknown has been around since the beginning of time. The creations of these narratives are often so that the unexplained phenomena become less intimidating or scary. One of the project’s focuses is nature’s natural ability to change the landscape through erosion. Thus illustrating the power that nature holds can be ultimately intimidating in itself. The link between nature and the narrative is that nature itself will be the storyteller in which it aids in revealing an architecture that once was.

Cathy Ganoe article on A Theory of Inhabiting Interior Space verifies Coates’s idea that narrative is subjective to the viewer or inhabitant, however it can also change its meaning over time. Therefore narrative can be seen as never being static. The ever changing narrative will intertwine with the aims of the project. The views and level of pro-activeness within communities will change over time so as to add to the architectures meaning, while still having its fundamental issue of highlighting climate change, which can be reinterpreted over time as views change and develop. Ganoe points out that is also important to realise that “design typically reveals meaning on three levels: behaviour and function, power and status, philosophy and worldview” (p.13). While designing with narrative the project will endeavour to create meanings on these three levels with the idea that it will be relatable to a wider audience. The viewer may not see the meaning on all three levels but to understand at least one through the architecture would be an achievement. Again this is of course a subjective experience. Mattew Potteiger and Jamie Purinton’s book Landscape Narratives illustrate that while there is not a set special environment landscapes still hold narrative power. Instead of having a narrative constructed for them there is often one already naturally applied. These narratives can be discovered through the events of the place (p. 6). The story itself is there to be

discovered and interpreted. The powerful history of Owhiro Bay creates a story in itself regardless of the other implied narratives through the architecture. To enable the architecture to continue to tell the story it is important that the architecture does not become so overbearing that the story is lost. Ilkka Halso presents his work on ‘The Museum of Nature’ wherein he illustrates his speculative architecture of looking at nature as something that needs to be preserved. He challenges our perspective of nature through his architecture by presenting it to use in unexpected ways. He looks at “restoring single nature objects in means of technology and building skills” while creating a standpoint that “nature becomes a joyride for tourists” (Halso). The idea of looking at nature by forcing people to be a spectator would draw into the idea of making people aware of the harm that mankind has already imposed on the site. It would highlight that nature needs to be protected and preserved.

Daniel Hewett writes in his thesis about the ‘Productive Implications of Pause’ and uses Mary Miss as a case study. The creation of pause is outlined to occur by “challenging our common understanding of relationship(s)” (Hewett, 8). The act of pausing itself allows us a “unique creative authority over the commonplace experience we might have expected” (p. 9). Halso’s idea of enforcing people as spectators could be heightened further by creating unexpected interven-

tions of relationships along the person’s journey. Peter Schneider offers an in depth analysis of the design process Douglas Darden undertook with his ‘Oxygen House.’ The process he undertook involved a sequence of inquiries into theoretical pieces that he categorised through ‘pre-texts,’ ‘con-text,’ ‘archi-texts,’ ‘sub-texts’ and ‘epilogue.’ The vast amount of material creates “an archai-text that sets out to tell a range of intertwined tales, with interwoven plots, that show forth the basic elements out of which all real experiences is made” (Schneider, 22). The process of gathering all this information and ideas is a crucial tool that can be applied to addressing the objectives of this design-led research investigation.. By drawing ideas from a multitude of sources it enables a unique approach to the design process and a complex layering effect to the meaning of the design. The endeavour is to be able to use Hewett, Halso and Schneider’s texts together to help achieve the design objectives set out in the above texts.

PROJECT REVIEW

Cliff House bt Modscape was designed in 2014 and is situated in Australia. By adapting a parasitic nature the interevention will have the least negative impact on the environment. The architecture appears to only just touch the landscape while still have a significant contextual connection.

The photograph taken be Magnus Astrom depicts a project with opposing grid patterns established in the water. The process of creating these grids could be drawn form the Owhiro Bay site to establish a repetitive rythm that harmonises with the landscape. The grid will then allow an ordering device to be able to find the postion for the architectural interventions

The Apline Shelter below the Skuta Mountain in Slovenia has used natural materials to help blend into its context. Creating an intervention that blends into the surroundings will allow the project to be less harmful on the natural beauty of the landscape.

Les Cascadeurs Installation by Laurant Gongora shows how an intervention can interacte with the natural site quailities. Therefore highlighting site qualities that might otherwise go unoticed to the normal occupant.

Kinetic Structure by Najjar & Najjar Architects for the shoreline of Beirut. Potential for multiple interventions to contribute to the sustainability of the site. Focusing on the fresh water running through the ravine, the invention could work as a form of purification .

PRELIMINARY DESIGN

EXPERIMENTATION 1: Parasite Trial Elevation

EXPERIMENTATION 2: Parasite Trial Elevation with altered angle

EXPERIMENTATION 3: Suspended Bridge Structure

EXPERIMENTATION 4: Vertical Slice Trial

EXPERIMENTATION 5: Water Tower Trial

EXPERIMENTATION 6: Vertical Trial with complete building

EXPERIMENTATION 7: Applying grid at 45 degree angle

EXPERIMENTATION 8: Applying grid at 45 degree angle in perspective

EXPERIMENTATION 9: Parasite Trial in perspective

EXPERIMENTATION 10 & 11: Mapping site curves with circles and then their negatives

EXPERIMENTATION 12 & 13: Placement of interventions following 11 mapping layout

EXPERIMENTATION 14 & 15: Investigation of site lines in linear form and creation of nodes from these points

EXPERIMENTATION 16: Aerial view with trial placements of inteventions from mapping results

EXPERIMENTATION 17, 18 & 19: Three mapping patterns drawn from site dynamics

EXPERIMENTATION 20: Exploded axo of three mapping patterns

EXPERIMENTATION 21: Resulting nodes of intersection from mapping patterns

EXPERIMENTATION 22: Aerial view of three patterns overlaid

EXPERIMENTATION 23: Perspective view with placement of interventions on site

EXPERIMENTATION 24: Aerial view with trial placements of inteventions from mapping results

EXPERIMENTATION 25: Aerial perspective view of interventions in diagram form

EXPERIMENTATION 26: Perspective view of interventions in diagram viewed from ravine

EXPERIMENTATION 26: Aerial view of interventions in diagram form

CONCLUSIONS The main building in the ravine was orginally designed to house a nursery to enable the regeneration of native plants in Owhiro Bay. The point was made during the review that access and justification of the building could be problematic. The resolution to this was changing the program of the building to be a Department of Conservation research centre that also housed the nursery. The importance of the damsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; program also became more established. The adpation of the dams having different uses starting with water purification, then plant generation and finally recreation. The access to the site comes from an already established road to the east of the site enabling direct car access to the main building. Access can still be gained via the Owhiro Bay beach front by walking along the swing bridges connecting the dams. The ability to draw peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention and interest to the intervention was resolved by realigning the pivot point of the site to the peak of the hill, thereby allowing visual connection and provocting a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curiosity to discover. The building and the dams need to be developed from the diagramatic place holders into realisable design. The scale of the site and the elements within need to be considered so that it does not take away from the natural beauty of the area. The emphasis on discovering that the elements are connected into a greater system needs to be portrayed in the design. This could be achieved through tanslating the pivot point into a vertical diagram where it is not until you reach the pivot point to observe what is happening below that the gesture is realised. The concept of the public being a spectator to nature needs to evole throughout the design. The achievement of this could take place through separating the public from the ravine on suspended walkways as they travel through the ravine. At the final destination of the main building the public is then connected back into nature within the nursery. Hopefully then the realisation of the importance of human intervention to protect and revitalise the natural environment will be realised.

DEVELOPED DESIGN

DEVELOPED DESIGN 1: Approach into the Ravine

DEVELOPED DESIGN 2: Radial Intervention within the Ravine

DEVELOPED DESIGN 3: Underneath the Research Facility Main Buildings

DEVELOPED DESIGN 4: Entrance walkways to the first building

DEVELOPED DESIGN 5: Connecting Bridges between the two buildings

DEVELOPED DESIGN 5: Perspective looking down into the ravine from obsevation towers

DEVELOPED DESIGN 5: Aerial Overall Plan

DEVELOPED DESIGN 5: Plan Level One

DEVELOPED DESIGN 5: Plan Level Two

DEVELOPED DESIGN 5: Longitudinal Section

DEVELOPED DESIGN 5: Transverse Section

The main focus for the aims of the architectural intervention has shifted from renewal, regeneration and revitalisation to realising how removed mankind has become from the natural environment. The idea is highlighted by treating the user as a spectator to nature, by firstly removing them from the natural environment and then immersing them back into to it through the nursery and then the ravine. The user also has a choice as to which order this experience takes place through the way they approach and enter the building. The journey through the ravine is immersive in the environment, whereas accessing the building via the road, from Island Bay, allows you to remain in an urban setting right to the entrance of the building. The nursery is a threshold space where user can reconnect with nature and the idea of the importance of regenerating our natural flora and fauna within the ravine. The transition of the building as a monumental feature allowed the realisation that the walkways where no longer required to emphasis mankindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s separation with nature. The use of the building as the key separation and the creation of access to the building via already established roadway system, accessed from Island Bay, validated the removal of these bridge walkways. The observation tower acts as another platform for removing the user from the natural environment, however it has an immersive experience at the same time. It also allows the viewer to overlook the whole scheme of the architectural intervention. The user is then able to realise that the dam systems all radiate from the pivot point of the observation tower and it also lines up on the forty-five degree angle of the main building. While the damâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s structures were reduced in scale, the emphasis of water purification is still a significant feature. The user is able to experience and interact with these small interventions along the way of the journey through the ravine to the ultimate destination of the nursery and thereafter the research facility.

CONCLUSIONS AND CRITICAL REFLECTION

BIBILOGRAPHY

Coates, Nigel. Narrative Architecture: Architecture Design Primers Series. John Wiley. 2012. Print. Ganoe, C. Interior Design: A Theory of Inhabiting Interior Space. Vol. 25 No.2. 1-15. 1999. Hewett, Daniel Merritt. Architecture and the Productive Implications of Pause. Rice University. 1992 Ilkka Halso. Museum of Nature.Halso. 2012. Web. 14 April 2016. http://koti.phnet.fi/halsilk/pagenglish/gallery_e.html Potteiger, M & Purinton J. Landscape Narratives. John Wiley. 1998. Print.