Tombenson portfolio1 by tom benson

TOM BENSON l MArch Architecture l SAMPLE PORTFOLIO University of Westminster +44 7824396230 bensonjtom@gmail.com

MArch YEAR 2 STUDIO PROJECT Datascape: Instrumental Wetland University of Westminster

This was my final year project at the University of Westminster and site was based in the Pallikaranai Wetland in Chennai. The wetland has lost its capacity to act as an ecosystem to absorb monsoon rain and also provide the local communities with freshwater. What I designed was an adaptive ecological system that is able to act and change dependent on unpredictable situations and scenarios.

Pallikaranai Wetland - 2016

Distinction Nominated Portfolio of Year Prize Award

for

Frame 500 Of Realflow Particle Simulation Looking At Flow And Erosion

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrTLveWn4rk This simulation looked at the phenomena of flow and how fluids will affect the form of a object, this could be classed as acid rain that erode objects. The below image is showing a vector field created in Grasshopper from the data created from the Realflow simulation.

Rapid Prototype 3D Printed Model

Mapping Data From The Simulation In Grasshopper To Show Vector Force Field

A image to show a series of species to remediate the water in the wetland. Algae was the chosen tool for remediation and using this metabolic material and convert it from inert to living matter.

Hyper-Accumulating Species In India

Master Plan Of Islands Deployed

Prototype 1.0 - 35m Diameter

Prototype 2.0 - 35m Diameter

Prototype 1.0 main function is to remediate the waste water the marshland. The floating structure will remediate the water by taking the water into the central algae pond and once the waste water is converted to algae freshwater within 7 days, it freshwater will be than separated with a solid/liquid separating membrane.

Prototype 2.0, similarly to 1.0 in the function, but the difference being in design with the central algae pond in 2.0 being a circular flow of water instead of the racetrack design that 1.0 has. The water will be mixed with the algae by using a rotating arm that will be powered by a solar panel.

Prototype 3.0 - 25m Diameter

Prototype 4.0 - 23m Diameter

Prototype 3.0 will offer the project not only just a public and social element but also an short time economic value with producing the animal feed fodder. Fodder historically was grown on the marsh but however since the marsh the growing stopped which then saw a decrease in the amount of fodder grown which became a problem for the local community.

As freshwater is a source that is problem within the local community around the marsh, prototype 4.0 will look to bring further water to the community. The freshwater source has mainly become a problem due the fact the marsh is no longer a freshwater source.

Island Typologies

The island prototypes are split up into six different types and represent different stories that the project is trying to achieve. The main islands and larger islands are 1.0 and 2.0 which are the algae bioremediation islands. These two are the ones that will collect water, treat it, and then harvest or release. Islands 1.1 and 2.1 are smaller versions of its parent . These will be smaller

and easier to move around the marsh. 3.0 will be a place for fodder, the animal feed and fish farming. 4.0 will be using evaporation to collect water and again, either harvest or release into the marsh.

Rebuilding The Ecology Of The Pallikaranai Marshland

Island Tracking Video - Parametric Masterplan

Frame 000

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpTtlnrNFJE

Frame 033

Frame 066

Frame 099

The islands are deployed throughout the wetland and are deployed depending on the data collected from pollution levels within the water. Algae life span is seven days until the water has been converted from waste water into algae freshwater. The islands will then move to the next point of pollution and remediate. The island movement will be obstructed by unpredictable events.

Public Participation To Maintain The Interface

Underwater - Ecological Algae Remediation

1-100 Resin Model

This is a model that tries to capture the essence of the detail of the project. A quarter of the island was modeled and then a resin cast was built around the plastic 3D printed model. The cast was layered with gradients of pigments of blue to create the different shades. The algae pond was created using a green pigment and the affect to create a algae bloom.

MArch YEAR 1 STUDIO PROJECT Spiritual Rehabilitation University of Westminster

This project was undertaken during my first year at University of Westminster and the project was based in the Maldives. People see the Maldives as a beautiful paradise, however, in reality the social and political problems are shaping the country for what it really is. My project looked at creating place for a spiritual rehabilitation for the heroin users throughout the country. Heroin use in the country has been on the rise for the last ten years and has mainly been a result of Afghanistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship with the drug.

Islamic Cosmology alignments 2017

This drawing shows the cosomoly alignments on certain islamic days in 2017 (when project would be constructed) in relationship with islamdic architecture and cosmology

Global Herion Use Map (Maldives 3rd)

Ground Floor Plan Of Spiritual Rehabilitation

External Prayer Space

Section Showing Grid Shell Roof

Aerial Showing Network

DISSERTATION

Where Will We Go University of Westminster

A critical evaluation of ‘place’ to investigate why the sedentary’s perception of nomadic communities lead to a state of ‘otherness’.

Distinction - Published at the University / Nominated for School Dissertation prize / Selected to represent University of the wall of the years best dissertations

Abstract The notion of nomads threatening sedentary civilisation has existed for many centuries. To understand where and how these narratives were established, I will examine the effect of social theories and media representation, which often denote limited empathy in the depiction of nomadic communities, constructing such groups as ‘others’. Concentrating on nomadic Gypsies and Travellers in England specifically offers evidence of this scenario, where these communities are implied to be out-of-place and aggressive and often stigmatised negatively. The image commonly reproduced, that of the placeless nomad, can be averted by de-constructing the idea of ‘place’ in a way that reveals how place can be used to suggest inferiority, whilst also highlighting how such conflicts between mobile and settled communities are neither intractable nor natural. Adopting a more refined understanding of place can challenge the dominant image of nomads as ‘place invaders’. Generally, this discord is assumed to be acceptable as a result of varying social, cultural and traditional differences existing between these communities; nomads in particular

Dale Farm 2011 - Case Study

are regularly ostracised and segregated for the absence of a permanent home. Nomadic communities are too often excluded and discriminated against for their lack of permanent home. My research differs, as I intend to investigate how, where, why and if, the concept of place affects the way in which nomadism is represented and defined. Despite recent privileges of mobility in social theory, I believe that in examining ‘place’, I can begin to determine whether different conceptualisations of place, the ones that oppose standard understandings, subvert the characterisation of the ‘placeless nomad’, or more specifically in this dissertation, the placeless Gypsy and Traveller.

Mapping Of illegal Gypsy and Traveller sites in England

BURO OLE SCHEEREN

FOSTER + PARTNERS

Stratford Waterfront is the primary gateway site to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park The project comprises the extension of the Victoria and Albert Museum, a black box theatre (Sadler’s Wells), the School of Fashion and Communication of the University of Arts London (UAL) and 80 000 m2 of housing.

The Droneport project in Africa to support cargo drone routes capable of delivering urgent and precious supplies to remote areas on a massive scale. The Droneport offers a new typology for a building which will grow into a ubiquitous presence. The proposal will have a strong civic presence, based on sharing and multiple uses.

Olympicopolis, London

Droneport, Rwanda

The project came to Ole Scheeren from the London Legacy. Me and a fellow college then worked closely with the Legacy in developing the project. We also worked with ARUP for structural proposes. The project was limited largely by height and view restrictions in London, and height restrictions from Zaha’s aquatic pool.

The project came to FP at the start of my tenure at the company and me and a fellow part 1 were part of a team of 3 (with Narinder Sagoo) who developed the project using physical models and sketching. We then worked directly with imperial college for the drone use.

LOOP MODULE: QUALITIES + FLEXIBILITY

LOOP MODULE

NATURAL VENTILATION

DAYLIGHT

SINGLE LOADED

STRUCTURAL GRID

DOUBLE LOADED

OPEN PLAN

SKYLIGHT

ROOF TERRACE