tatiana skwarko graduate portfolio
Contents
introduction 4
learning 7 i - geometry & the grid ii - movement mapping iii - physical enclosure iv - spatial typolygies
8 10 12 16
i - initial site response ii - psychological enclosure
20 24
i - analysing the city ii - reclaiming spaces iii - mapping the route iv - intervention typologies
33 34 36 38
i - russian constructivism ii - defining the system iii - the city scale
42 44 53
i - programmable spaces ii - scaffolding iii - iterations
66 72 75
understanding 19 extending 31
arranging 41 adapting 65
3
introduction
The project is conceived as a series of interventions along a carefully constructed route through the city of Sydney. It seeks to reject the current attitudes towards urban development, reinvigorating the city and redefining its public spaces. The interventions create claimable spaces, bringing culture, action and people back to the forefront of the city. The simple geometric forms are inspired by Utzon and the constructivist movement, and can be programmed using scaffolded elements to suit the needs of events, protests, people. Their immutability creates permanent landmarks throughout the city, the architecture remaining as symbols of protest long after people have left. The largest of these interventions is located at 1 Hospital Road, bordered on one side by the traditional gathering place of the City - the Domain. On the other three sides, the site is fringed by traditional symbols of control - courthouses, army barracks, and the old mint. By creating a public space amongst these elements, the project pushes back, providing a place for discourse, protest, culture, and gathering.
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part
1
learning
bagsvaerd church, copenhagen, denmark jorn utzon
i - geometry & the grid
Jorn Utzon’s Bagsvaerd Church in Copenhagen was chosen as a precedent study. Despite the use of rigid geometry, Utzon is able to create an ethereal spatial experience. The concrete roof form is built of intersecting circles, and skylights allow for filtered light to reflect off its curved surfaces into the nave below. To better understand how Utzon used geometry, the church plans and sections were abstracted to deconstruct the definition of spaces and program. The program is accommodated in a series of linked spaces, alternating between enclosed courtyards, and internal rooms. The building was designed around a grid, based on the width of the corridors that link these spaces. The sense of proportion is created through the repeated use of this grid in section. The uniformity of the grid allows for playful expression of the canopy above.
“AD Classics: Bagsværd Church / Jørn Utzon”. 2020. Archdaily. https://www.archdaily.com/160390/ad-classics-bagsvaerd-church-jorn-utzon. 8
bagsvaerd church plan 1:500
bagsvaerd church
bagsvaerd church abstracted section 1:500 9
ii - movement mapping
The critical success of the building can be linked to the relationship between light, geometry and program. The curved ceiling soars above the sacristy, reaching its highest point above the altar. The filtered light in the main processional spaces is balanced by bright corridors and external courtyards, and darker auxilliary spaces. The experience of the building therefore varies depending on the pathway taken. These pathways depend on the program elements that are being interacted with. Priest, parishioner, visitor, each user has a different experience of the internal and external spaces of the church, based on the sequence they are visited in.
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bagsvaerd church lutheran service
lutheran service movement map 1:500
bagsvaerd church
salah muslimmuslim salah
muslim salah movement map 1:500 11
ceiling
wa
ll
iii - physical enclosure
The spatial experience of a particular pattern through the church was measured by mapping the relative enclosure at points where the movement pathway intersects the grid. The area around a point was measured using the radius to the closest wall, combined with the distance to the ceiling, effectively creating a spatial volume around that point. The quality of light was mapped by varying line weight, colour and stroke. The resulting maps provide an understanding of the rhythm of expansion and contraction of space and light throughout the church, which reach a climax above the most sacred space - the altar.
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bagsvaerd church lutheran service
lutheran service spatial experience mapping 13
bagsvaerd church lutheran priest
priest spatial experience mapping 14
bagsvaerd church general visitor
general visitor spatial experience mapping 15
h
d
iv - spatial typolygies
Through the movement maps, three distinct spatial typologies were identified. Auxilliary or serving spaces such as bathrooms and offices were darker, with a relatively low ceiling height compared to area. Performative spaces were expansive spaces, with high ceilings and large areas, characterised by filtered light which compounded the programmatic requirements. Circulation is tall, narrow and flooded with light, creating distinct thresholds between the other spaces within the building. The use of spatial typologies means the function of a room can be implied by its experiential quality, and creates a distinct rhythm as the building is used.
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auxiliary spaces h/d = 0.7
performative space h/d = 1.1
circulation h/d = 6.2 17
part
2
understanding
i - initial site response
Located in the Sydney CBD, on the border of the Domain, the site currently houses a court house. On three sides, it is bordered by Government buildings, some still housing their original functions, others repurposed for cultural institutions and restaurants. The historical character of the surrounding architecture ties back to its colonial history, and the utilitarian nature of the surrounding programs. The front edge of the site is bordered by a strong sandstone wall facing out towards the park. The Domain has a long history as the cultural heart of the city, a place for people to gather, converse, and most importantly, air their grievances. It is an expansion point set against the narrow streets of the city, providing a natural place for people to converge. To this day, it is regularly used for protests, music festivals, and events. However, when the events are not there, it resumes its more important function as a key space within the broader network of public places in the city. To begin to understand how the site is used, the pathways of individuals, groups, families, dogs, children, were mapped. Types of people, places where lingering or hurrying occurred, shadows and trees were all mapped to begin the develop an understanding of the public amenity the area provided.
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site sketches 1 hospital road, syd 22
saturday 05 sep 20 1330-1430
movement mapping 1 hospital road, syd 23
ii - psychological enclosure
The mappings identified that users rarely strayed off the defined pathways through the park. Similar to Utzon’s corridors, these narrow pathways provided clear movement patterns, however were signified through texture, rather than enclosed using walls. People generally paused in the more open areas of the Domain, underneath the filtered light of the trees. There were large areas of the Domain where people hurried through and rarely paused. Despite being fairly open, and well shaded, the character of these places was not inviting. These areas were bordered by restrictive signage, security cameras, and fences. Whilst these restrictions did not apply to the areas themselves, it was clear they exerted a psychological influence, tainting the neighbouring spaces. The site itself is not accessible to the general public.
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angry signs 1 hospital road, syd 25
site
angry signs
key access points
control mechanisms
control mechanisms key access points angry signs sitesite mapping initial 1 hospital road, syd 26
control mechanisms key access points
The impacts of signage, restrictions and neighbouring Government buildings on key access points on or the near the site was mapped. The influence circles from these points are most concentrated on the areas that were previously identified as least friendly or accessible.
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The need to open up the site was therefore identified. Nestled between the hospital, court house, army barracks - all traditional forms of societal control - the site provided a unique opportunity to fight back and reclaim public space.
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site
angry signs
key access points
control mechanisms
control mechanisms key access points angry signs site reopening the site 1 hospital road, syd 29
part
3
extending
angry signs
control mechanisms private space angry signs
control mechanisms private space
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i - analysing the city
Having understood the imbalance between publicly accessible and controlled space at the site, the mapping was now extended to cover the entire CBD. The vast majority of the City is characterised by skyscrapers with key-locked lobbies, privately owned and controlled. There are small areas of publicly accessible spaces, connected by the narrow corridors of streets and footpaths. As development continues to devour the city, further encroaching on the fringes of the Domain, Sydney’s surviving public spaces slowly disappear. The spaces that remain public are unfriendly, surrounded by the same control points first mapped at the site. Interspersed by police stations, court houses, and government buildings, the City’s cultural institutions are also pushed to the fringe. The result - a city centre that becomes a ghost town outside of the 9-5. Once the suits have left, the streets empty out. The tall office buildings enclose the city. Over the weekend, minimal movement occurs.
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ii - reclaiming spaces
To combat the steady dissolution of public spaces throughout Sydney’s CBD, the project proposes a protest route of interventions through the City. The route passes through swathes of private land, confronts the control points such as police stations and court houses, and most importantly creates a network of public spaces. The route is publicly accessible at all times and at all points, close to public transport hubs, and finishes at the Opera House. It proposes a landmark of sorts, where people become the attractions and architecture becomes the facilitator. It aims to draw people back in to the city, and reclaim the streets and spaces, protecting parks and nature from future development.
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key landmarks proposed route
transport links public spaces site
key landmarks proposed route
transport links public spaces site
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iii - mapping the route
The interventions are planned for regular intervals along the route. At each point, the distance to the closest control point is mapped, to understand the relative psychological enclosure experienced. The size of the intervention at that point is inversely proportional to this distance in order to combat this influence. The site at 1 Hospital Road is surrounded by control points, and is therefore the largest and most complex intervention on the route. The contraction of the route through the city’s streets is punctuated by the expansion experienced in park’s and public spaces. The rhythm creates a journey throughout the city that varies based on the route chosen.
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key landmarks proposed route site
key landmarks proposed route site
mapping the route distance and orientation of control points 37
performing
spectating
exhibiting
iv - intervention typologies
The basic components of a protest were identified - aside from needing to be places that allow gathering, these interventions needed to include places to yell or perform from, places to observe, stop and listen from, and places to display posters, art advertisements. The individual components were therefore broken down into their simplest forms. A stage became flat surface, distinguished by height or materiality. A gallery is simply an extruded wall to pin up against, and a seat is merely a stepped surface that provides a viewpoint. To ensure that the route was considered as a whole program, these individual parts needed to read as the same language. Simple geometries that could be combined in different iterations, the complexity generated from the overarching scheme.
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part
4
arranging
The material formation of the object is to be substituted for its aesthetic combination. The object is to be treated as a whole and thus will be of no discernible ‘style’ but simply a product of an industrial order like a car, an aeroplane and such like. Constructivism is a purely technical mastery and organisation of materials.
i - russian constructivism
The Russian constructivists were a group of artists that rose to prominence during the First World War. They were primarily concerned with the complete abstraction of Art into basic geometries. The individual parts are arranged and combined into a single whole, which can then be easily fabricated and disseminated to the masses. The idea of unity, understanding and order was particularly popular amongst post-war Soviets, and the movement reached beyond art. A key tenet of the movement was that art must exist for more than just Art’s sake, it must play some role in service of society, and at that time, in service of the soviet revolution. The use of strong typography, clashing of red and black made it bold and recognisable. El Lissitzky is one of the most known Constructivist artists. Analysis of two of his paintings was carried out to understand how the abstract geometries were arranged. The use of intersections, alignment of centroids of shapes, textures and lines creates a balanced and simple composition. These same principles were applied to the composition of geometric interventions on the site.
“Constructivism – Art Term | Tate”. 2020. Tate. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/c/constructivism. 42
intersection
midpoint
intersection
midpoint midpoint
midpoint
midpoint
intersection intersection
midpoint
midpoint
intersection
El Lissitzky, Klinom krasnym bei belykh (Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge), 1919, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
midpoint
midpoint
intersection
intersection
midpoint midpoint
El Lissitzky, Kestner Portfolio, Proun 5, 1923, Berardo Collection Museum, Portugal 43
ii - defining the system
The organisation, size and geometry of the permanent interventions at 1 Hospital Road is based around a 2.5x2.5m grid. This grid was selected as the standard size of a footpath, and aligns with the primary access routes through the site. The grid was then populated with a series of points anchoring the elements. These points were old trees, replanted trees or columns. The elements themselves are made of lines - walls and surfaces seeking to define rather than enclose spaces. The simplicity of the individual elements allows for a multitude of uses, which can be adapted using scaffolding to suit the programmatic requirements. Finally, the area surrounding the elements is defined through the use of surfaces manipulating the ground plane. The surfaces can be raised, lowered, angled or textured. The composition of these elements was devised through iterations based on the principles explored through the Russian Constructivist art works.
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the grid 2.5m x 2.5m
points trees, columns
lines walls, benches, curtains
surfaces raised, lowered, materiality
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The primary element is a circular amphitheatre, which can be used to host protests, rallies, concerts or other large events.
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process sketches site compositions 47
1
The existing sandstone wall which previously controlled access to the site was retained and used as a compositional element. It is redefined as a usable surface, and serves as a reminder of the history of the site. 48
2
3
The primary access pathways are reinstated, and used to assist with orientation of the elements.
4
formal plan iterations 1:2000 49
amphitheatre
monotheatre
domain entry
circle pavilion
function space
east gallery
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1:200 model basswood, powder print 51
1:200 model basswood, powder print 52
iii - the city scale
The level of the street and the existing sandstone wall is used as a vertical datum to tie the interventions back in to the city. The consistent height of elements controls sight-lines through the site, and allows for public spaces to flourish beneath the tree canopy, protected from the city scape behind. This also facilitates the design and construction of temporary elements, by creating a level height to scaffold between.
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permanent spaces axo 1:300 54
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permanent spaces long section 1:100 57
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lower ground exhibition space render 59
1:200 model basswood, powder print 60
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1:200 model basswood, powder print 63
part
5
adapting
i - programmable spaces
The interventions are permanent, unchanging. They are immutable objects that will provide public ammenity without specifying how they should be used. However, their simple nature means they can be programmed to suit a variety of uses. Using the 2.5x2.5m grid, scaffolding can be used to customise the spaces, turning them into galleries, stages, bars, cafes. Dictated by the needs of the community, the permanent interventions can be in a state of constant flux.
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1:50 detail model basswood 67
climate rally
open mic
poster gallery
cafe
debate
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ground plan 1:400 69
scaff storage bathrooms
gallery public bookshelf coworking space
seating
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lower ground plan 1:300 71
ii - scaffolding
Set on a 2.5 x 2.5m grid, the scaffolding is made of a combination of equal angles, flat bars and rods. Anchor point footings dot the grid, allowing the scaffolding to be easily assembled The columns are built of four equal angles bolted together, predrilled at regular intervals for easy assembly.
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points anchors, columns
lines beams, trusses
surfaces walls, floors
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1:50 detail model basswood 74
iii - iterations
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public hangout axo 1:400 77
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public hangout elevation 1:100 79
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rally space axo 1:400 81
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rally space elevation 1:100 83
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climate rally render 85
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encircled theatre 1:400 axo 87
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encircled theatre 1:100 section 89
1:200 model basswood, powder print 90
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west stage 1:400 axo 92
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east gallery 1:400 axo 95
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outdoor exhibition render 97
1:200 model basswood, powder print 98
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1:200 model basswood, powder print 100
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