our awareness of being surrounded by water results in us producing the best swimmers in the world;
australian pavilion_venice
basing our cities around water;
australia is an island sydney 2008_victoria bolton
2008_australian pavilion_venice_victoria bolton
venice is also is surrounded by water
melbourne
2008_australian pavilion_venice_victoria bolton
conceptual sketches
hobart
victoria bolton portfolio extract
hobart
and propels out love of water sports – predominately sailing venice
but it is more inwardly focused, the movement along the water is more placid.
2008_australian pavilion_venice_victoria bolton
2008_australian pavilion_venice_victoria bolton
2008_australian pavilion_venice_victoria bolton
1
contents curriculum vitae 03 higher education work
04
architecture 13 art installations 31 community 38
victoria aniela bolton v.a.bolton@gmail.com
+81 (0) 80 3585 5556 (Japan) Born: 9th of June, 1983, Canberra, Australia
education Woodhead Scholar, Education Portfolio “some stuff [ed]”, 2010 Bachelor of Architecture, University of New South Wales 2001-07 Scholarship: Ben Lexcen Sports Scholarship (Rowing), 2001 North Sydney Girls High School (HSC 96.5, Honour Roll for 3U Maths)
registrations: Registered Architect NSW #8424 Green Star Accredited Professional
computer skills: Highly Proficient >> Mac and Windows XP Highly Proficient >> MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint Highly Proficient >> AutoCAD 2D, SketchUp Proficient >> Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator Proficient >> REVIT, Premiere (Video Editing) Literate >> Rhino, Microstation, File Maker Pro
courses: Carbon War Room: Creating Carbon Wealth, Sydney, July, 2011 Informa: Learning Commons, Queensland, 2011 Labs21: High Performance Low Energy Lab Design, Alb., USA, 2010 Labs21: Conference – Sustainable Laboratory Design, Alb,USA, 2010 SCUP Conference: 2020 Vision: Planning for the Future, Cincinnati, 2010
recent employment history
art installations
architect, woodhead
theatre installation, ‘i love todd sampson’
September 2007 - Current. I have worked for Woodhead for five years during which time I have become a registered architect. Whilst at Woodhead I have worked in the design team across the portfolios of residential, retail, transport and more recently in education with ARINA Consulting. Over the last five years I have become interested is sustainable community development and how the shifting pedagogy paradigm towards learner centric education manifests architecturally in our universities.
We designed the “Memory Room” for the interactive theatre piece “I Love Todd Sampson” , which was performed by the Living Room Theatre at Hickson Wharf, Sydney, March 2013.
February 2011 to December 2012. I taught communication skills to first year Interior Design students at the University of New South Wales. The course was an introduction to manual and digital presentation skills. Manual skills taught included hand drafting, constructing perspectives and model making skills. We also taught AutoCAD, SketchUp, Photoshop and InDesign.
architect arina consulting December 2010 – October 2011. I was seconded to ARINA, a specialist education consulting company, for 10 months in 2011 to develop my knowledge of higher education from the client side. In this role I developed an Audio Visual brief for the teaching suite of the College of Arts at UNSW, a Retail Action Plan for La Trobe University’s Bundoora Campus, conducted a utilisation audit at the University of Technology Sydney, and assisted in the development of the Research Space Calculator – a tool designed to help universities assess how to allocate space for researchers which we trialed at RMIT.
architectural assistant, pad architects
National Architecture Conference: extra/ordinary, Sydney, April 2010
July 2006 - August 2007. Documentation and general studio assistance.
Australian Timber Design Workshop, Tasmania, 2003
other interests: Life Drawing, Live Theatre, Yoga, Running and Cooking
cloudscape, May 2012 This was a 16 sqm installation standing 4m high which illuminated when people held hands to connect the sensors. The more people involved the better the light display. alf: artificial light form, May 2011 ALF was a prefabricated amorphous light form which responded to movement in the crowd.
pro bono sydney architecture festival, 2011-2012 I have written a number of reviews for the SAF which were published on the website. In 2012 through “Make Space for Architecture” we organised a talk critiquing the Private Public Partnerships in Sydney. architecture and the hsc, 2011 Collaborated with Annette Maurer of Object Gallery, the NSW Board of Architects and Paul Berkemeier to develop a syllabus for introducing architecture into the high school certificate as an Art elective.
esl tutor, scholani education college February 2005 - July 2006. English tutor for high school students.
cantoo, 2010 Ran a half-marathon and raised $1200 for Cancer Research.
referees
global studio, 2009 I was one of 40 designers chosen to attend the a hands-on participatory design, research and planning studio, in the township of Diepsloot, RSA. This work was exhibited in “Parallel Cases” at the 4th International Architecture Biennale, Rotterdam.
Spanish, 2005 - 2007 Japanese 2012 - present
we see saw, May 2013 (currently under development) Designed in collaboration with VML, this is a series of see saws which creates light in response to movement. The more people work together and synchronise their movement, the better the light show.
tutor, unsw, b. interior arch, year 1 comms
Informa: University Planning and Design Forum, Sydney, June 2010 Nanjing Studio, SEU, 2007
interactive light art installations, ‘vivid’ 2011-2013
Phil Bowen, Principal, Woodhead Juliette Churchill, Architect, The University of Sydney Geoff Hanmer, ARINA Consulting Trent Schatzmann, The University of New South Wales Contact details are available on request.
1983 - now | victoria bolton
cirriculum vitae | 3
higher education work
uws A new 10,000 sqm Maths and Science Building at the University of Western Sydney. This project included a 400-seat auditorium, four teaching labs and 1,000-sqm of research laboratories. A major part of this project was working with the academics and project managers to advocate for new paradigms in pedagogy. In particular creating versatile teaching labs which allowed for the different disciplines, and integrating technology into the laboratory spaces.
Proposed north elevation
Moreover as this is the first building on a new site, we saw that it was important that the building was a destination that encouraged students to stay there beyond their class time. Thus the building was designed to facilitate social interaction. At ground level there is a cafe and the building is linked through a giant staircase that rises up through the central atrium, off which hinge informal learning spaces. View through atrium
View from south west corner
In addition the laboratories themselves were designed for sustainability, using natural light, reduced fume hoods and adaptable furniture. The DA for this project was submitted for Council’s preliminary approval. It is currently shelved due to land dispute issues.
Proposed west elevation - entry
2010 | education
Proposed section through auditorium and atrium
uws maths + science building | 5
Extract from conceptual study for the atrium - looking at creating informal learning opportunities and ‘sticky spaces’
2010 | education
uws maths + science building | 6
2010 | education
uws maths + science building | 7
Map showing location of enrolled overseas students in Australia
Proportion of overseas vs. domestic students
Break down of enrolments by state
res In 2011 I was seconded to ARINA for 10 months to develop my understanding of higher education from the client side. This move came as a result of the firm’s recognition of my aptitude for design, attention to detail and interest in pedagogy.
AUSTRALIA Map showing location of enrolled overseas students the USA
Proportion of overseas vs. domestic students
Break down of enrolments by state
ARINA is a specialist architecture consultancy focusing on higher education. The company specialises in project definition and briefing, space utilisation and master planning. In this role I worked on a range of projects including an Audio Visual Brief for the teaching suite of the College of Fine Arts at UNSW and a Retail Action Plan for La Trobe University’s Bundoora Campus.
USA Map showing location of enrolled overseas students Canada
Proportion of overseas vs. domestic students
Break down of enrolments by state
In addition we helped universities evaluate their building stock through space audits and utilisation studies. I helped co-ordinate a utilisation audits at the University of Technology Sydney. In addition I assisted in the development of the Research Space Calculator – a tool designed to help universities assess how to allocate space for researchers which was trialled at RMIT. The diagram on the left was part of a presentation we developed on the strategic importance of overseas enrolments in Australia, particularly from Asia. The extract on the right demonstrates Australia’s dependency on OS enrolments for funding compared to other OECD countries. Nearly a third of enrolments are overseas students, compared with less than 4% in the USA.
CANADA
2011 | education
research with arina | 8
mqu-lt
Extract: Learning Space Focus In order to reinforce the student campus experience and to provide a ‘sticky campus’ where students choose to spend time on campus outside formal tuition, ARINA recommends that learning seats be provided at a ratio of 1 learning seat per 5 EFTSL. This equates to approximately 5,000 seats based on current EFTSL, with reviews of provision depending on curriculum development and the amount of self-paced web delivered learning material to be delivered in the campus environment. The existing library provides about 1,270 seats and this will eventually improve to 3,000 seats in the new library. Considering there are approximately 1,200 learning seats beyond the library, there remains an immediate deficiency of 800 new learning seats and this will increase with student growth. To promote collegiality between undergraduate postgraduate and HDR students, the new learning seats should ideally be provided as ‘learning lounges’ and be easily identifiable within the circulation network across the expanding campus. These learning hubs should be expandable to accommodate growth; have identifiable relationship to the various academic departments; and be serviced by technology and food and beverage services.
Macquarie University were concerned about the adequacy of their building stock to meet the enrolment targets set out in the Bradley Report. Thus they commissioned ARINA Consulting to write a Learning and Teaching Space Planning Brief that would discuss options and make recommendations as to the right type and quantity of space required to support future growth in student numbers at Macquarie.
Map showing learning and teaching seat distribution
Extract: Room Utilisation To determine utilisation of the existing building stock each room was assessed across the whole week in terms of Occupancy, Frequency and Utilisation. These terms are generally defined as: • Occupancy: the total number of audited occupants divided by the total capacity as a percent. • Frequency: the total number of periods that had occupants divided by the total available expressed as a percent. • Utilisation: The resultant percentage of the product of Occupancy and Frequency. The Utilisation is then benchmarked against the guidelines on room typologies as per the “TEFMA – Space Planning Guidelines Edition 3 – 2009”
The brief included a study into the physical impacts of new pedagogical techniques that could allow the University to improve Learning and Teaching outcomes while still providing opportunities to manage future capital expenditure. This paper evaluated Macquarie’s campus using a number of tools including: • Macquarie’s Learning and Teaching policies • a review of type and location of teaching and learning spaces. • a room utilisation study • PCG and User Group Meeting with academic and facilities management staff • benchmarking of current pedagogical trends
The summary of this data is shown on the right. From this we can see that the average weekly frequency rooms with a capacity between 25 and 199 are below the TEFMA guidelines for space utilization. This data was compared to a room suitability survey which identified the equipment in the room (projectors and AV, type of furniture, whiteboards, etc). This basic analysis allowed for identification of “low hanging fruit” - i.e. rooms which could easily be retrofitted to increase utilisation without increasing building stock.
Extract of Room Utilisation study
2011 | education
macquarie university learning + teaching white paper | 9
lt-rap The La Trobe Retail Action Plan provided a strategic framework for the future retail development of the Bundoora Campus. The process included: • analysis of the master plan • critique of ‘Success Cycle’ report • inventory of the current retail and supplementary amenities • a study of the delivery and waste removal systems, (including grease traps) and • review with Facilities Management At the end this process we proposed three options for development. The preferred option was developed into a four-stage plan. In addition there were some preliminary guidelines for a new retail standard and recommendations for new signage and environmental graphics.
Proposed retail staging plan around the Agora
Proposed schematic for Phase 4 - an option to demolish the existing theatre
2010 | education
Proposed typical foodcourt tenancy
la trobe retail action plan | A
uq-sl This is an extract from strategic campus development paper we wrote for the University of Queensland’s St Lucia Campus. The university was concerned about its transportation and building stock (it has a low UFA/EFTSL in comparison to other Australian universities). As a part of the transportation review we explored two possible nodes for public transport and studied the parking situation. Firstly we analysed the quantum and location of existing parking. We overlaid this data on the teaching and learning spaces on the campus. This informed the next phase which was looking at strategic consolidation of the parking into paid parking lots. In addition we benchmarked the number of parking spaces per EFTSL against comparable regional Australian universities.
Map showing learning and teaching Spaces overlaid with parking spaces
Comparison of effective full time student load to useable floor area
2011 | education
Comparison of parking per 100 students at australian universities
university of queensland study | 11
[ed] In 2010 I was awarded the annual scholarship for $10,000 to study university master planning and scientific laboratory design in the United States of America. The trip commenced at the end of September with the Labs21 Annual Conference on Sustainable Laboratory Design in Albuquerque, and concluded with the SCUP Conference “2020 Vision: Planning for the Future� in Cincinnati at the end of October. In between these dates I travelled via airstream to Arizona, California and New York looking to look at case studies and meet with staff to understand their concerns in the changing learning & teaching landscape. To capture the experience I created a purpose built website www.somestuffed.com and a minibook published online at http://issuu.com/victoriabolton/ docs/130414_scholartrip_ issuu_a?mode=window
2010 | education
woodhead scholar-trip | 12
architecture
ww Wynyard Walk was a design competition for a new $154M pedestrian link from Wynyard Station to Barangaroo in Sydney’s CBD. Our consortium included Ferrovial, Watpac, Urbis, Point of View and Artscape. My role in the prject was working with the design team to integrate the art and light design stratgies into the architecture and urban design. Our proposal focused abstracting the natural elements of Sydney - it’s sandstone crevices - into a seamless art exhibition from city to sea.
Concept sketch
2012 | transport
Concept for sandstone shaft with Jade Oakley’s kinetic sculptures
3D Render for shaft
From the city the pedestrians would decend through the natural sanstone shaft with its kinetic Jade Oakley installation. Through an interactive pedestrain tunnel before arriving at the portal to Napoleon Plaza. The revitalised Art Plaza linked to the Sussex Street bridge which flows down to the Barangaroo ferry terminal and waterfront restaurants.
wynyard walk competition | 14
Flow of the bridge from Barangaroo to the Portal
Perspectives of the bridge
2012 | transport
Perspectives of the Napoleon Plaza Portal and feature public artwork
wynyard walk competition | 15
pound 1 Pound Road is a residential development located in Hornsby. The project is located on a triangular site adjacent to the highway and in close proximity to the train station. It was designed to meet the SEPP65 requirements. I was involved in the Section 96 redesign of the apartment block to change the apartment mix, structural grid and external finished in order to make the project financially viable. The there are 11- levels of residential units sitting atop a podium of retail, and serviced by 3 levels of parking. The mix of apartments is 60% 1-bed, 30% 2-bed and 10% 3-bed apartments. Typical floor plan
Typical layout for 1-bed apartment
2010 | residential
Typical layout for 2-bed apartment
Perspectives from the street
hornsby residential development | 16
aldi We were commissioned to design the extension for ALDI’s Regional Head Office in Minchinbury NSW. As a part of the design development we produced 7 options for how the company could increase the yield on the site and meet their projected growth requirements for the next 10 years. My role was to liaise with the project manager and client to develop the options and lead the co-ordination with the sub-consultants. The options developed ranged from $20-$50 million. In the workshopping of the design proposals we pushed the sustainability, agile workplace and community prospects of the site including advocating for a gym and cafe for the employees. Whilst not all of the initiatives were accepted by the European Head Office, due to the focus on standardisation. There was an interesting discussion and a genuine appreciation by the client. Our strategic approach meant that we were able to increase the final approved budget from $25M to $32M.
2012 | commercial
aldi minchinbury | 17
bunya This was a three week design competition for a new office building in the NorWest Business Park of Sydney. Our key point of difference was adopting the current thoughts on pedagogy to workplace. We approached this design from the inside out - focusing on creating a “sticky� building which facilitated informal meetings and chance encounters through a grand central staircase, and created a series of places for them to dwell outside of the traditional office space. The central communal space was envisioned as bright and light. The fenestration of the glass is an interpretation of the pinecones from the local bunya pine forest located around the NorWest Park. In addition the design looked to the future pedestrianisation of the area. Unlike many building in the park Moreover, unlike other buildings in the area which focus on the car, we looked to the future train station and developed an active street frontage with a business centre and bar. We located the parking towards the rear of the building, but kept it above ground so as to save on ventilation. We won the competition and the project is in development. Due for construction in 2014.
Extracts from client presentation
2012 | commercial
Render of the Bunya’s atrium
the bunya, norwest | 18
kbpd The Kirrawee Brick Pit Development is a $220M new shopping centre and residential project located in the Sutherland Shire. This project hinges off the railway station and creates a new retail hub for the area. The project is located on a 4.5 hectare site which used to be the local brick pit in the mid 20th century. The remaining pit is now a substantial water body measuring 230m long, 80m wide and 16m deep. The original Council guidelines for the redevelopment of the site were for a low-height residential area that ignored the waterbody. After the initial DA was refused, the client approached us to redesign the site to create an icon for Kirrawee.
3D view from Oak Road
Overall Site Plan
Existing waterbody
Render of the proposal
2011 | residential/retail
Elevation along Flora Street
Thus we developed a new concept for the site which involved developing the existing brick pit into a water feature, reconfiguring the units into more streamlined apartment blocks, and creating a new urban plaza. Key to this redesign was working with urban planners and the client to ensure the project was feasible from both a community and cost perspectives. We submitted this to court as a Part 3A development and were successful. The project includes 500 apartments, 13,500 sqm of retail and 1378 car spaces.
kirrawee brick pit development | 19
metro We were part of the team MetOne selected to develop the IMO Bid for the Sydney CBD Metro. The consultant list included Grimshaw, Tony Meadows & Associates, Norman Disney & Young, A.W. Edwards, Laing O’Rourke and Artscape. Woodhead was responsible for the REVIT modeling and co-ordination of all the Metro stations from Central to Rozelle. My role was to architecturally co-ordinate the proposed Rozelle & White Bay Stations; and to go through the brief compliance with all stations.
Overall strategic development for cbd metro CBD metro bid - the first stations from rozelle to central
The White Bay Station (pictured) is an urban precinct with a long history of industrial and port-related uses and includes a number of historically significant buildings such as the White Bay power station.
Perspectives of the proposed white bay station
The station was designed to: • Retain and celebrate existing heritage buildings • Provide opportunities for future adaptive reuse and interpretation • Provide continuous public foreshore access and continue existing adjacent street grids down to the water to create and enhance ease of movement for public transport, pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles. • Maximise future connections to bus and ferry services and provide connections to a future overseas passenger terminal complex.
Typical section through the station platforms at inner city stops
2010 | transport
cbd metro - white bay station | 20
Site Analysis
Plan at ground level of the white bay station
Section through the white bay station
2010 | transport
Axonometric through white bay station
cbd metro - white bay station | 21
kvmu Kellyville Mixed Use Development (KVMU) was a $220 million project to create a regional hub on an old flower market in outer New South Wales. Part of my role was to develop the residential strategy and feasibility for the project. Typical level of apartments
Pictured on the left is the two week feasibility study conducted to determine the yield and conceptually present a strategy to Council for discussions on re-zoning.
Basic apartment layouts for project Podium level with community gardens
Extract from conceptual presentation for client
Our process involved: • Benchmarking study on the size and cost versus sale price of apartments in the area • From this analysis we developed our base modules for apartments • We then planned out the site using the local planning guides and SEPP65 The regional location combined with its current use as a flower market led us to develop the concept of the “glasshouse village.... a full spectrum of life”. Using colour and communal gardens to give a sense of identity and facilitate community. The final design included 270 apartments anchoring off a supermarket and speciality shops at ground level. This was approved by Council and is in construction.
Ground floor plan with supermarket
2011 | residential/retail
kellyville mixed use: the glasshouse village | 22
terrace Woodhead was commissioned to design and document the new Stockland Merrylands Shopping Centre; a new two level centre costing approximately $250 million that is being completed in 4 stages. This was a Design and Construct Contract. I worked on the food court design from concept to construction. I developed the furniture, fit out and equipment (FF&E) package for the 12 tenancies, 3 kiosks and 720 seats. The concept for the food court was to create a large ‘Terrace’ - a space which was large, airy and green, distinct from the main mall concourse. The food court palette included timber, earthy tones and stone. The seating was arranged around a central timber ellipse which was framed by planting and became the central meeting place.
2011 | retail
the terrace: merrylands food court | 23
Floorplan for the foodcourt showing finishes and furniture
2011 | retail
the terrace: merrylands food court | 24
Reflected Ceiling Plan for the foodcourt
2011 | retail
the terrace: merrylands food court | 25
danang This was a luxury residential development located on the beach front of Danang, Vietnam. To the north of the site is a Greg Norman Golf Course, and to the south is a five-star hotel. This project began as a 21 hectare site for 160 villas (with 5 variants) plus beach club and bar in 2007. We were responsible for the design of the overall master plan, villas and Clubhouse. We co-ordinated with the structural and services engineers, and oversaw the documentation with our partner firm AIC in Vietnam. This was an interesting project as it was subject the GFC. As a consequence we had to significantly value engineer villas and re-consider the master plan several times to make the project financially viable. Once we had approval the popularity of the designs meant that our site was increased by 7.5ha to 28.5ha in 2009 to accommodate the demand.
2007-2009 | residential
ocean luxury villas, danang | 26
2007-2009 | residential
ocean luxury villas, danang | 27
2007-2009 | residential
ocean luxury villas, danang | 28
aeb Woodhead was short listed for the Australian Embassy Bangkok design competition. The project involved the design of a consulate for 100 Australian staff, function space and an on-site residence for the Ambassador.
2008 | commercial/residential
bangkok embassy competition | 29
type | |year 2008 commercial/residential
bangkok embassy competition | 30
art installations
ilts “I Love Todd Sampson” was an interactive and experimental theatre piece performed at the historic Hickson Wharf in Sydney. Unlike traditional theatre, the audience followed the protagonist through the experiential installations which were designed by 10 architectural teams. The play is a narrative journey through the mental breakdown of the protagonist Laura. Her demons and personalities are played by other actors and her salvation is her obsession with Todd Sampson (the star of the TV show ‘The Gruen Transfer’). Our team “Carte-Blanche” designed the Memory Room. It is in this scene that her childhood abuse is revealed and this stage is revisited later as Laura’s madness escalates. The scene uses the interaction between the textural qualities of fabric and light to reveal or obscure the memory. At the beginning of the first scene diffuse light washes down over the fabric and the silhouettes of the 3 figures - Laura, the cellist and the abuser - are cast onto the fabric from within. As the action intensifies, the light becomes yellower and harsher this is complemented by the score of the cellist.
2013 | theatre installation
i love todd sampson | 32
cloud Our team was a collective of local and international creatives from a mix of disciplines interested in developing a unique urban installation responsive to the city and the people. For us a key paradox in interactive art is that people gather to interact with installation; but not with those around them. They have a singular experience within the collective. We sought to challenge this paradigm. Cloudscape was an interactive light installation exhibited at VIVID 2012. The Cloudscpe’s ‘lightening’ sequence was activated by people holding hands to complete the circuit. The greater the number of people holding hands the more responsive the lighting. “Over the past few decades there has been a paradigm shift in the way we as humans relate to the weather. It is no longer just a question of “what is the weather doing?”, but rather, with the advent of ‘global weirding’ we ask ourselves “what are we as humans doing to the weather?” CLOUDscape is an interactive installation where the people control the lightening by interacting with eachother. Together we can change the weather. Power to the people.”
2012 | interactive light installation
cloudscape | 33
alf >> prototype
>> cnc cutting
>> test assembly
aLf: (artificial Light form) is an artificial biomorphic entity that glows when you physically interact with it and sleeps with a subdued blue pulse when it is solitary. aLf is inspired by the symbiotic nature of the bluebottle. When awakened aLf engages in a visual conversation with the public acting as a catalyst for the activation of public space.
>> assembly on site
Our team is interested in contextual performative design and digital fabrication. aLf: is an experimental application for environmental responsive structures and faรงade systems. aLf was selected for the 2011 VIVID light festival and exhibited next to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney. http://artificiallightform.wordpress. com/ Promotional material
2011 | interactive light installation
Children playing on alf
Team: steven brims, victoria bolton, cathy kuok, guy hanson, kim nguyen ngoc
alf : vivid light festival | 34
2011 | interactive light installation
alf : vivid light festival | 35
2011 | interactive light installation
alf : vivid light festival | 36
wss “We See Saw” has been selected for exhibition at the 2013 VIVID Light Festival. This has been designed in conjunction with our team CarteBlanche and the digital advertising agency VML. “Life is about balance, finding time to play together. People are increasingly playing in an individual way, connected only digitally to other people. ‘We See Saw’ aims to use physical interaction to bring people together with a digital output that is shared, that blooms and grows as more people interact.” Three see-saws sit along a common fulcrum/axis connected to a LED screen at one end. The see-saws are ‘activated’ ie light up when two people sit on either end. The pulse of the see-saw then appears on the screen. Collectively these patterns overlap and intertwine creating a pulse of play. This becomes a group-activated immersive environment reflecting the energy and variety of the group. As the players travel up and down through the air they are immersed in these bright pulses of play. There are several levels of connection; the users of the see saw, the group collective and then between the performers and the audience.
2013 | interactive light installation
we see saw | 37
community
gs09 Global Studio is an action research program where international interdisciplinary students, academics, and professionals in the city building professions come together to collaborate on community-based projects. Informed by the UN Millennium Development Goals the program promotes participatory forms of education and practice that will benefit under-served communities and facilitate bottomup, collaborative partnerships. In 2009 the studio focused on was in Diepsloot’s Extension 1, home to an estimated 50,000 people living in shacks. Our projects emphasised support for local employment opportunities and income generation through projects, an important consideration given that unemployment is over 50%. The projects included WASSUP [Water, Amenities, Sanitation Services, Upgrading Program] community based program that repairs and maintains communal ablution facilities in Diepsloot’s Extension 1, home to an estimated 50,000 people living in shacks (www. wassupdiepsloot.com). I worked with a team to design a new arts and culture building which retrofitted an existing builing in three stages. The proposals were presented and a report submitted to the City Planning Department and representatives from Wits, Johannesburg and Pretoria universities. They have now received funding.
2009 | global studio
diepsloot arts + culture building | 39
2009 | global studio
diepsloot arts + culture building | 40
2009 | global studio
diepsloot arts + culture building | 41
hsc I collaborated with Annette Maurer of Object Gallery and the NSW Board of Architects to develop a syllabus which introduced architecture into the NSW High School Certificate as an Art elective; this was piloted in 2012. As a part of this elective we have included Tadao Ando’s Chichu Art Museum in Naoshima as a case study. In October 2012 I spoke at teachers’ conference at the Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney on the new elective – the subject of my talk was ‘How to Draw Architecture’.
2012 | education
nsw hsc syllabus 2012 | 42
saf willkinson lecture: andres jacque “The project failed at the moment the corruption became transparent”. This off-the-cuff comment made in an impromptu conversation on transparency and politics prior to the Wilkinson talk set the tone for the evening. This sort of astute observation is typical of Jacque’s work which is an open conversation on architecture and politics. In his talk “Architecture is Rendered by Society” Jacque explored the notions of political and collective domesticity. His discourse explored architecture in atypical areas including construction sites and share-houses looking at the beautiful and the banal. Of the several notions of domesticity that he spoke on the three that struck a chord for me were the idea of the homes being engaged in multiplicities, homes being the site of political activity and Home = City. Homes are engaged in multiplicities. There is a collective narrative that forms from people’s social network that underpins where they feel at home. Compared to the singular experience of “Little House on the Prarie” where the family’s domestic life revolved around the single house, today’s modern life/family engages with multiple places. This idea was explored through the
2011 | writing
experience a single mother in Madrid whose notion of home was not limited to her 40sqm apartment, but rather extended to engage her office, the downstairs café and apartments of friends and relatives. Thus the city itself becomes a big fragmented house.
During the Sydney Architecture Festival 2011 I volunteered to do some writing for the NSW Board of Architects. The next two pages are extracts of the words submitted for publication on the website.
This idea of domestic life fragmenting into the city is not just limited to one’s social network, rather it is being out sourced. In cities such as Seoul, Korea the domestic needs of the city folk have led to the creation of an industry of domestic sized spaces for super-short term rent. The individual leases an apartment of less than 40 square metres; and then hires rooms of approximately 4x6m at an hourly or daily rate where they can perform traditionally domestic activities such as cooking collectively, singing karaoke, studying or making love. Thus City = Home. This idea was manifested architecturally in the creation of the My Sweet Parliament Home. Andres Jacque is a Madrid based architect who runs two offices – the commercial “Andres Jacque Architectos” and the riskier OIP, Oficina de Innovacion Politica (Office for Political Innovation).
sydney architecture festival reviews | 43