Manifestations of the Hidden Site - Process Book

APRIL - MAY 2015

MANIFESTATIONS OF THE HIDDEN SITE

>> Welsh School of Architecture <<

VERTICAL STUDIO PROJECT Tom Draper / Rhianna Bailey / Lauren Bearman /Nia Comley / Seb Davies / Jessica Gregory / Paige Songporn Luanpreda / Constantina Sammouti / Eleni Varnavides / Lydia Wozniak / David Wyles / Jung Soo Yeo

Manifestations of the Hidden Site

A documented log of research and experiments undertaken by the following students during the Welsh School of Architectureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vertical Studio 2015: Rhianna Bailey Lauren Bearman Nia Comley Seb Davies Jessica Gregory Paige Songporn Luanpreda Constantina Sammouti Eleni Varnavides Lydia Wozniak David Wyles Jung Soo Yeo Studio Leader: Tom Draper

More work available at: thehiddensite.blogspot.com

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Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Site analysis is one of the most informative aspects of approaching an architectural design challenge. Finding alternative methods of undertaking and presenting this key stage helps to drive designs to have a strong relationship to their context.

This studio aims for a group of students to undertake a survey of leftover space within the Cardiff University campus and discover its hidden physical attributes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as light, sound or heat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; using environmental modelling software. The research will culminate in the construction of a scaled physical model, or other object, that will abstractly convey what is considered the most engaging site attributes.

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Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Can secret attributes of a site be revealed through a digital model?

Can we convey this insight through the creation of a beautiful physical object?

Part of the Cardiff University Campus forms the site.

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Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Using a combination of digital environmental modelling and physical modelling, investigations where taken into various properties of light across the site.

This included looking at shadows and direct light, general brightness of the spaces, and reflections. These characteristics were studies across different time periods ranging from spans of a few hours to whole annual cycles.

Lauren Bearman Lydia Wozniak

Jessica Gregory Constantina Sammouti

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Ecotect daylighting levels 6

Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Shadow range studies 7

Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Physical model testing in the heliodon - a composite image showing the shadow range over a day.

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Heliodon shadow studies

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Shadow extents drawn on the model

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Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Ecotect shadow studies with reflection shown in orange

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Reflective materiality of the site

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A composite image of several ecotect studies including reflection and overshadowing.

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Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Heliodon reflection studies

Sketchup site studies

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Environmental software was used to expose the behaviour of sound working its way across the site. Recordings made at the site gave clear indications of differences in volume of the background noise caused by the neighbouring road.

Within the model, the route and direction of this sound was discovered and able to be manifested into a physical sculpture.

Rhianna Bailey Paige Songporn Luanpreda

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Audio recordings and figures taken from across the site showing a variety of noise volumes.

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Ecotect sound analysis of the site using a digital model. The diagrams show direct sound, reverberations and echoes.

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Model tests for representation of the sound attributes using yarn to define the negative space of the site.

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Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Initially beginning with looking at the solar attributes of the site, some studies led on to see the behaviours of people as they travelled across the campus. This involved comparing the environmental model with on site recordings taken during various times of day and in differing weather conditions.

Investigations were also undertaken in digital models of pedestrian movement and flow, looking at how digital agents move and can create bottlenecks when the capacity of a site is reached.

Movement Nia Comley David Wyles Jung Soo Yeo

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A range of ecotect derived forms highlighting dark and bright areas of the site. This data began creating topography.

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Contour study of site light levels.

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Recording pedestrian movement on the site.

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Plaster test of representing the light level forms.

Clay form building.

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Mesh topography construction test.

Additional pedestrian movement studies.

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Manifestations of the Hidden Site

Complex digital analysis software was able to reveal the hidden properties of wind passing between, around and over the site. In parallel with this, physical model tests were also tested with the assistance of the Architectural Science Group.

The effect of wind was studied on a site-wide scale and down to a microscale between the buildings and within the courtyard spaces giving a variety of findings.

Seb Davies Eleni Varnavides

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WinAir digital analysis of wind flowing across the site.

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Vasari software visuals of wind speeds and vectors.

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Helium bubble wind tests on a physical 1:500 model of the site using focussed project light to detect patterns.

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Process work undertaken during the three week Vertical Studio group project for first and second year students at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University.