Reinventing the New Queer Space for the Contemporary Society
Queer Observations
'Right of Light' of Surrounding Building
Author
KIAN-LEK CHOI Tutors
DR. SHAUN MURRAY SIMON WITHERS YORGOS LOIZOS
02
Introtion
duc
01
A rch ite c t u re Te ch nolog y R ep or t
Vauxhall Arcade, Conceptual 3D model demonstrating arcade’s primary structure and architectural elements.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
01 .0 1.01 CLIENT Vau xha ll One Bu sine ss Im prove m e nt Distric t (BID) 01 .0 1.02 ARCHITECT CK L Arc hite c ts 01 .0 1.03 STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Heyne Tillet Steel 01 .0 1.04 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Jomas Associates Ltd 01 .0 1.05 DESIGN CONSULTANTS Dr. Sha un Murray Simon Withe rs Yo rgos Loizois
01.01 P r
o j e c t
Information
I ntro duc tion
The ambition of this document is to illustrate a detailed report start from building context, delivery, construction and performance of Vauxhall Community Centre in Lambeth borough, London for Vauxhall One Business Improvement District (BID).
The report begins with description and discussion of the design proposal and its initial inspiration driven from client’s ambitious. Vauxhall One Business Improvement District is a non-profit organisation owned and led by local business in Vauxhall. Also, Vauxhall One is the major leader now in attempt to bring a strategic approach to the improvement of the area’s places and spaces. As so, based on the client’s ambitious in changing Vauxhall to a new vibrant place, the design proposal continue to respond, reflect and contribute to the queer history, culture and heritage, integrated with fabrication technology with modern building material selection will demonstrate in building construction section. It will draw a clear transformation from proposed design research and ambitious to elaborate with building fragments and details.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
05 12
01.01 Project Information
01.04 Project Description
BUILDING CONTEXT
15
02.01 Master Site Plan 02.02 Vauxhall Site Plan
18 24
02.03 Sun Path Diagram
32
02.08 Site Analysis: Social & Economy
02.04 Site History 02.05 The Present of Vauxhall Queer Stories 02.06 Proposal to Vauxhall Community Building 02.07 Historical Site Analysis
02.09 Traffic Analysis
C ontent Pa g e
BUILDING DELIVERY
35
03.01 Client 03.02 Client Profile 03.03 Client Brief
43 47
03.04 The Design Team 03.05 Case Study A: The Netherlands Embassy, Berlin – Break the security wall! 03.06 Case Study B: Rear Window- Watch me, Watch you
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 04.01 Technology Investigation 04.02 Building Massing 04.03 General Arrangement Drawing - Site Plan 04.04 General Arrangement Drawing - Floor Plans 04.05 General Arrangement Drawing - Section A-A 04.06 Five different voyeurism stages construction plans and details
APPENDIX
04.01 Technology Investigation Iteration I 04.02 Research Method Statement
CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Pr 4 .0 01
on
oject Descripti
“We know LGBT people, especially young LGBT people, have higher incidence of depression, self-harming and suicide,” says Butchart-Kelly (LGBT Forum Deputy Chair/Media and Comms Offer).
“Isolation is a major sauce of stress, and if you remove the ability to socialise, it’s a real issue.”
I ntro duc tion
Vauxhall as an area located in the middle ground of London, its geographical condition benefits itself becomes a demanding mixed commercial and residential district from the past to present. Hence, it becomes a semi-fashionable place because of gathering different types of people, from poor to rich. The outcome of the project is a critique of the dawn period of the Vauxhall LGBTQ Community, which against urban gentrification of Lambeth borough, London.
Research on the queer history of Vauxhall reveals the lack of awareness of contemporary queer culture, which illustrate various unfruitful scenes. For instance, the obvious evidence from the news like rising of homophobic hate crime attack and LGBTQ Community neighbourhoods are slowly priced out because of gentrification. These facts put them into a miserable and isolate status. Perhaps what is vital isn’t access to pubs or bars but to places where LGBT people can socialise and build community. “From squatter’ groups to people organising film nights or reading groups at home. Physical spaces are absolutely crucial, but they don’t only need to be bars”, says cook.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
LGBTQ Community Centre is proposed to Vauxhall One to build a space of unity while architecture itself understands the context of Vauxhall, materiality, historical values and social advancement. Hence, the concept of arcade is introduced to this community project, while the arcade still remains an invention which will respond to the specific needs and desires of a society era of its cultural. This concept also aims to improve the economy development by creating a truly public space where all people who know one another, and share common cultural assumptions, interests, concerns and goals while everyone feels free to be who they are, wherever they are. Through developing the arcade concept, the ethos can be expressed by the building structure, new building space itself acts as education tool to translate the patron’s desires into an architectural reality. This proposal is borned to longstanding empower individuals, to transform institutions, to change hearts and minds or even to change laws. The architecture is presenting a new wondrous spaces at Kennington High Street which to welcome the LGBTQ Community and preserve the queer art and culture of Vauxhall as a united community.
Build-
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02.01 Ma ste r Site Pl a n
0 2.02 Va ux ha l l Site Pl a n
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
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02.04
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e t i Hi s t o r y
Bu i ld i ng C onte x t
John Cooper, known to his friends as Princess Seraphina (q.v.), regularly went to the masquerades held at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens and attended the first-ever “ridotto al fresco” given there in June 1732. He regularly went to these masquerades dressed as a woman, earning money by prostitution, and by arranging assignations between sodomites. He also enjoyed dancing with men and fooling them about his sex. These masquerades were quasi- carnivals first organized by the impresario John James Heidegger at the Haymarket Theatre from 1717 onwards. His “Midnight Masquerades” were tremendously successful, and provided many people -- women as well as men -- with the opportunity to explore fetishism and transvestism. Men disguised
themselves as witches, bawds, nursing maids and shepherdesses, while women dressed as hussars, sailors, cardinals and boys from Mozart’s operas. In the early days of the fashion, the journalist Richard Steele went to one where a parson called him a pretty fellow and tried to pick him up, and Horace Walpole the antiquary passed for an old woman at a masquerade in 1742. It stands on the site of the Vauxhall pleasure gardens, which from 1661 to 1859 were a place of fun, fantasy and a bit of filth. The pub was built right after the gardens closed as the flagship building in a Victorian streetscape. By the post-war years was a favourite of LGBTQ people and known for its
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
The Long Bar at the Trocadero, Piccadilly, London was a male only preserve, popular with middle class gay men during the 1920s and 1930s.
Royal Vauxhall Tavern as entertainment venue after Post-War.
LGBTQ parade, asking for a scrap of Section 28.
drag performance. It has been an iconic queer space from before the decriminalisation of homosexuality, through the AIDS crisis and into the 21st Century. By the 1960s acts were famous for using the pub’s large curved bar – long since gone – as a stage, sometimes running along it sending pints flying. The RVT was one of the only buildings to remain when the Victorian terraces that replaced the pleasure gardens were demolished. It stood at the apex of two terraces – their clearance left it as the isolated structure we see today. It has long been an important part of the community, holding charity events since the 1970s, including the famous annual sports day. Of the recent RVT’s Grade II listing, Roger Bowdler, the director of listing at Historic England, said: “The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is an enduring and impor tant venue for the LGBT community. Built on the site of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, it carries on the tradition of alternative and bohemian entertainment which is bound up in this part of London’s history and identity.”
For most people the Sixties was a time of sexual awakening and experimentation. But it wasn’t unitl 1967 that gay and bisexual men could share the freedom. On the 40th anniversary the decriminilisation of homosexuality, we revisit the appallingly repressive atmosphere of the Fifties and Sixties that ruined lives, destroyed reputations and finally sparked a campaign for a change.
Bu i ld i ng C onte x t
5 .0 02 Homophobic Hate-Crime is Increasing
Pink News, 12 June 2014 Chief Superintendent Richard Wood, Lambeth Borough Commander said after homphobic bleach attack in London: “Lambeth police understand that although unusual the assaults in Vauxhall may leave some communities in particular the LGBT community anxious and concerned however we will together with our partners to protect and serve this community. The Guardian, 8 October 2016 Hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people increased 147% during July, August and September compared to the same period last year, according to the LGBT anti-violence charity Galop.
t o r i e s
Pink News, 19 December 2013 150 people Vauxhall walk against homophobia hate crime and bullying. A gay couple were forced to take shelter in a London pub last Sunday evening, after being pursued and threatened by a gang of teenagers who shouted homophobic slurs and threatened them with a weapon.
h au x a l l Qu e e r of V S
The Present
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Gentrification caused LGBTQ Neighbourhoods Priced Out The Guardian, 13 January 2016 Is gentrification destined to make so-called gay villages a thing of the past? Many western cities have nonetheless been faced recently with an epidemic of LGBT business closures. In London, more than 10 have pulled down their shutters permanently since 2010. Richard Battye owned the George and Dragon, a pub in London’s Shoreditch said: “Then the rents crept up, the affordable spaces to live in were no longer available. I feel bad for the LGBT community for their places closing down. The Guardian, 4 February 2015 Cliff Joannou, who edits London gay listings magazine QX, estimates that 25% of LGBT venues have closed in the capital since the recession. “And the gay community is small. Losing four or five in the space of a year is a big impact. And the more places that are threatened, the harder it is to maintain community.
Community effort to preserve LGBTQ Herritage & Culture The Guardian, 4 February 2015 “People still want gay venues to socialise in,” says Butchart-Kelly, who is 31. “I still feel uncomfortable holding a boyfriend’s hand or kissing him goodbye in predominantly straight places.” Travon Steadman is a 20-year-old student and Black Cap regular. “As a young gay boy, I still feel the need to connect with other people who understand where I’m coming from,” he says. Perhaps what is vital isn’t access to pubs or bars but to places where LGBT people can socialise and build community. “From squatters’ groups to people organising film nights or reading groups at home. Physical spaces are absolutely crucial, but they don’t only need to be bars.” , says Cook.
Bu i ld i ng C onte x t
LGBTQ venues are closing remains a concern given how few new spaces are taking their place. “We know LGBT people, especially young LGBT people, have higher incidence of depression, self-harming and suicide,” says Butchart-Kelly. “Isolation is a major source of stress, and if you remove the ability to socialise, it’s a real issue.”
a s l o t p o o r Va P u 6 0 x . 2 0 A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
hall Community
Bu i ld
i ng
Vauxhall Garden Community Centre
Proposed Site
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Community, a word derives from the Latin “communis,� meaning common. A community formed when a group of people know each other and sharing different culture and knowledge. We have this communit y centre building which located quietly behind the Vauxhall Pleasure Garden. It is subtly located in a merely visible corner of the site. Unfortunately, it is far from the main train and bus station, it makes it a bad social exchange location for all the people. In Kennington High Street, as a focus social mixing area, it is indeed an excellent idea to have such a community centre along the street. Firstly, it has incredibily historical value within the area. Secondly, the relocation improve the convenience of accessing to the transportation link. Furthurmore, come af ter the current development planning from the government make us to see this place as a new potential site for economic. A new VGCC aim to build communities that are trusting and supportive, and that can reflect and embrace the diversity of backfgrounds, etnicity,race and culture that make up of today and future’s society. Besides that, it also a place where all technology, social exchange and new economical strategies happends.
Aim to achieve a socially interactive platform. A new pleasure garden where highly adaptable to the shifting cultural and conditions of its time and place.
Bu i ld i ng C onte x t
nalysis
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A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
The Time Loop “A new time loop is created by the site location itself, connected by the past, present and projewcting to the future.�
Lambeth, it was a centre of production salt graze stonware back to 1800s. Royal Doulton, which is one of the head company in this field during the chemistry industry. They specialised in producing salt graze stoneware and electrical telegraph insulators. Their company founded in 1815 but unfortunately ended in 1956 due to the consequences of salt graze stoneware production did to the urban environment. Lambeth School of Art (3), a place where Henry Cole from Royal Doulton funded during his time. This building has it own values reflects to the salt glaze industry. This school introduces new types, techniques and lines to the industry, of course with the vital collaboration from Royal Doulton. Facing to the main road, St.Peter Church (4) has the same architect with the Lambeth School of Art. Furthermore, beside the church, there is old manager’s house of The Pleausure Garden, which is a significant landmark no matter back in century or now. Further more, beside Lambeth was a focus location for the salt graze production stoneware, Vauxhall in Lambeth was also a place where people went for amusement, a place where people went to see and be seen, especially Vauxhall Pleasure Garden. Back to the drawing, focus the main traffic junction before enter the Kennington High Street, a 150 years old gay pub (1) just located on the left side, beside the main entrance of Vauxhall Pleasure Garden. This building it recently given Grade II listing as LGBT Heritage Building in UK. With these four buildings along the street actually introducing me how buildings reflect the site history. They are not only architecture interest, also the venue itself has a longstanding historic role as a symbol of tolerance and alternative entertainment.
I intended to look for a proposed location for my project, in which to let my project tie tightly with the history of the site. Hence, I found 369, Kennington Lane, a company name Szerelmey (6). They founded in 1855 and specialised in stone restoration and construction. They have also restored architectural decorative and faience work made by Doulton which is really concidence and link back to my research of Doulton Company. These facts actually demand me to put my project site in middle of them within Kennington Lane and opposite the main road. Aim to fabricate a link between them by historical, from the past to present. Therefore, the new location formed them a triangle relationship, not only historical is presenting my project, but it is positioning a future from the past and the present. A new time loop is created by the site location itself, connected by the past, present and projecting to the future.
Bu i ld i ng C onte x t
02
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s i s y l a n
A e t Si Social & E c o n o my
The New Pleasure Garden is where a group of people who knew one another, and shared common cultural assumptions, interests, concerns, and goals. “These improvements have huge potential to bring about a significant, and hopefully positive change for the high street and surrounding area, with clearer signage and graphics to boost the appearance of individual shops” - Vauxhall One CEO, Bernard Collier
Vauxhall One CEO is proving the improvement of Kennington High Street. £43,000 is funded by Greater London Authority to refurbish awning boxes, install new shop signs and window graphics as well as repaint shop fronts in an effort to create a unified parade of shops. In some cases, the shops will be brought back to life by stripping the shop fronts back to their original features and then adding a modern touch with new signs and vinyl window graphics.
BEFORE
The action aims to create a unified parade of shops along the high street since it is only recognised high street by Vauxhall One. A place where group of people who knew one another, and shared common cultural assumptions, interests, concerns, and goals • Enhance the visual appeal of the shopping parade • Increase the footfall within the area • Enhance the area reputation • Support local business Sum up the development by the authority above, Kennington Lane High Street convinced me it is a new potential and essential place in the future between economically and socially.
AFTER
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Lambeth School of Art
Offices
Services
Churches
Food & Beverage
Residential
Bu i ld i ng C onte x t
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
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Pedestrian Walkway
03
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Vauxhall One is the first group of non-profitable organisation with a management committee of 12 people, mainly drawn from local business. They formed to change, p ro m ot e , p rot e c t a n d i m p rove the Vauxhall area. To achieve a better Vauxhall and convince the public that Vauxhall is a potential commercial destination, Business Improvement District (BID) has joined the community/Vauxhall One since 1st April 2012 by following a successful BID ballot. By the cooperation between Vauxhall One and Business Improvement District (BID), a figure nearly to £4million is able to invest to develop and improve Vauxhall community in the coming five years. Furthermore, the money is also one of the key factor to attract further funding from other potential foundations. In a vision of providing a better Vauxhall in a safer, smarter and cleaner way, Vauxhall One are targeting on 4 major sector in order to perform a better Vauxhall which are safe, day and night, together and change. Moreover, to turn their Vauxhall One’s vision into reality, they aim to solve the community’s with also 8 pledges other than the 4 major focusing sector. (“Services | Vauxhall One - The Vibrant Place”) By proposing the Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre, the following diagrams illustrate how the intention and objective of the building fits into Vauxhall One Business Improvement District’s vision and mission in shaping a better Vauxhall while considering the issue of minority group, the LGBTQ community.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
03 . 02 Cl ien f ro tP
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Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
Vauxhall One's Themes & Pledges T THEME T1
Va ux ha l l Safe 1. 2. 3. 4.
T2
T4
Young Pe ople C hristm a s Appe a ls The Giving Me nu Me et Our Choic e Cha ritie s
Cha nge 1. 2. 3. 4.
P1
Prom otiona l Ca m pa igns Visitor Eve nts Busine ss Bre a k fa sts Dr.Bike
Toget he r 1. 2. 3. 4.
Ra il Arc h Re ge ne ration Gre e ning Va uxha ll Wa lk Urba n Gre e ning Va uxha ll Ga lle ry Distric t
_ We will employ wardens to work with the police and others to improve safety and security, and to welcome customers, clients and visitors to the area.
P2
_ We will transform the area’s railyway arches and bridges - introducing CCTV, better lighting, attractive art and creative installations.
P3
P4
_ We will fight for the interests of local employers in the future development of the area, insisting on top-quality public realm and substaintially improved amenities.
_ We will promote Vauxhall’s worldclass clubs, hotels, restaurants and visitor attractions to London and the UK, joining us to the rest of the South Bank.
Lic e nsing Pa rtne rship Re cyc ling Se rvic e S92 Polic e Offic e rs Va uxha ll One Te c hnic ia n
Va ux ha l l Day a nd Night 1. 2. 3. 4.
T3
P PLEDGE
P5
_ We will create an area-wide incentive scheme, offering discounts to employees in local clubs, bars, restaurants and shops.
P6 _ We will help bussinesses to get to know the local community, by supporting education, employment and environmental initiatives. P7
_ We will use our members’ investment to attract further funding from other sources, with an aim of 1:1 matched funding within five years.
P8 _ We will seek better value from services paid for through your business rates.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Vauxhall One's Team & Board T TEAM T1
B BOARD
C hi ef Execu t i ve
T2
Bernard Collier 0 2 0 31 79 2072
T4
P rogramme Man a ger A aro n G ro ves 0 2 0 31 79 2070
B3
Oran ge G ro up P hill ipe Ch iarel l a
B 6 Walker B o o ks S haro n Kelly
B1
Environm e nt a l Se rvic e s Ma na ge r Javie r Flore s 07944 274 784
T3
Ba se Assoc iate s
B2 Va ux hal l City Far m
Luke Smi th 02 0 3 179 2 07 1
Aseem Sheikh C ha irpe rson
B4 Com ic Re l ief Mic he le Settle
B7 La mbet h Counc il C llr Ja c k Hopk ins
Comm u n ic ation s an d Ma rketin g Offic er
Fa ith B oard man Tre a sure r
B5
Roya l Vau x h al l Taver n Ja son Di ck i e
B8 CLS Ho l d in gs P LC Sim on Wi g ze ll
03 . 03
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
Br
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ief
Vauxhall is undergoing a process of transformation, good and bad.
Vauxhall is normally a quick-stop point for whoever is going to Waterloo station since it is just few minutes away; or it is just one of the many stations from Victoria Lines. (Move bubble, Vauxhall London Guide) In addition, Vauxhall is a well-development and with high potential for both transport and digital communications. Unfortunately, it is rare for people to talk about this fantastic place even it is located in the near centre of London. With the relocation of American Embassy in a £620 million budget in the near future, housing developments are raising up dramatically. In addition, Vauxhall is a great location of transportation and links for those developments between Vauxhall and Battersea. (Evening Standard) Hence, London has started to pay attention to Vauxhall to create a new business and cultural district, as well as Vauxhall One Business Improvement District (BID), our organisation is targeting in a mission to achieve “A Better Vauxhall” together with the local committee. On the contrary, overwhelming of stormspeed developments around Vauxhall and Nine Elms has caused gentrification problem to the existing community. In relation to the gentrification, a term “gaytrification” is applied to Vauxhall community and this issue has caught our organisation’s ears. () As a result between gen-gaytrification, Vauxhall gay community has been claimed that they are threatened by soaring business rents due to the area regeneration. (Evening Standard) Nonetheless, as a supportive organisation to minority community, we noticed the community is lack of awareness of contemporary queer culture and knowledge by comparing how rich the queer history was. For instance, the obvious evidence is the rising of homophobic hate crime attack nowadays. Concerned of revolutionary energy of past site/queer history and controversial issues of minority community (LGBTQ), Vauxhall One is looking for a proposal to reclaim the future by providing a truly public space. This proposal is
a relocation project for the existing Vauxhall Community Centre to Kennington High Street due to the primary focuses of organisation within these five years. This project is a glaring chance to educate and raise the knowledge and awareness about minority community (LGBTQ) to the public. In a bigger aspect, Vauxhall One is looking for a proposal where the building can be fitted into this brief’s objective as well as considered of Vauxhall economy development to be integrated to shape a better community in London. The building requires the complexity of two main domains with its appointed landscape, and each has unique functional facilities as well as education purpose and architectural philosophy quality. The relocation proposed site required along Kennington High Street and distributed into the new Vauxhall Community Centre as following two building domains. New Vauxhall Community Centre (The New Performance) 1150 sqm Community Library, Community Meeting Space, Vauxhall History Archive Room, Food & Beverage, Local Designer Kiosks, Bath Houses Landscape Garden (The Pleasure Garden) 1000 sqm Restaurant & Bar, Performance Stage, Garden Walk As an architecture piece to represent the Vauxhall Community identity, the materials and construction methods must represent the combination of today’s advanced technology integrated with site’s context and historical values. As well as the aims of this project in creating awareness both to the gentrification and gaytrification are not just for Vauxhall but all of London should start to think next much like the aims of this proposal.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
03 . 0 4 The
Desig
n Team
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
VAUXHALL ONE DESIGN TEAM
CONSTRUCTION TEAM
Architect
Main Contractor
01 Environmental Engineer
01 Sub Contractor
02 Structural Engineer
02 Nominated S. Contractor*
03 Mechanical Engineer
03 Specialist
04 Other Designers
04 Domestic Suppliers
05 Quantity Surveyor 06 Specialist Sub Contractor* * PCSA (Pre-construction Service Agreement) will only apply in the beginning of the project, this is aim to cooperate with the main contract which allow the client to procusre specific contractors to fisrtly join the design team. It will allow the specific contractors to contribute to the design process, advice on buildability, packaging of work as well as developing cost plan and construction programme at early design stage.
Contractual Links Info Exchange
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
VAUXHALL ONE DESIGN TEAM
PCSA
Architect
Nominated S. Contractor Nominated Suppliers
01 Environmental Engineer 02 Structural Engineer 03 Mechanical Engineer 04 Other Designers 05 Quantity Surveyor 06 Specialist Sub Contractor Contractual Links Info Exchange
Timber Joineries Stone Masonry
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
N
t e
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Em ba s s y CASE STUDY A：BREAK THE SECURITY WALL
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
The Netherlands Embassy, designed by Rem Koolhaas / OMA, is where architecture aims to portray how a building is needed to reflect the understanding of the context, such that the compulsive ideas about the identity, complexity, transparency, and solidity of a city is provoked. As a result from the architecture discourse between the former West Berlin and former East Berlin planning officers, OMA adopted an obedient approach (completely fulfilling the block perimeter) with a disobedient strategy (building an isolated cube). Hereafter, the objective of The Netherland Embassy chosen as the case study is due to its clever, provoking ideas and complex design by incorporating requests of conventional civil service combined with traditional Dutch transparency consideration (Anon, 2017).
Structural and Considerations
Diagrams illustrating how two cubes led to a view throughout the spatial design.
Spatial
To investigate how this case study might value this technology dissertation, building structure strategy will be one of the focuses and inputs to the design consideration of Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre. Introducing ARUP, a world well-known engineering consultant, also acting as the consultation group to OMA, a phenomenal result with exceptionally intricate structural system was in placed in order to archive intersecting load-bearing elements for the reinforcement and transferring of weight. Together with the structure’s complexity, The Netherlands Embassy itself represents an extraordinary architecture and structural challenge together with the steel and reinforced concrete framework.
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
Moreover, the consideration of the context has been applied into the interior layout of the embassy. “Meandering path� concept has been embraced by OMA. The design of asymmetrical floor plans associated with various thickness of reinforced concrete wall elements secure the space occupants and embassy departments, thus staying distinct from each other despite the impression of vertical transparency (Anon, 2017). Additionally, the embassy designed into two primary parts namely the offices and a wall (27m, as regulations command); and a semi-opaque cube accommodating the embassy residences, therefore forming a protected internal courtyard between these two cubes. For a deeper analysis between the two cubes and the protected courtyard, the access between these essentially picture a panoramic and strategic view of the Spree, and the television tower. As a consequence, the embassy somehow provoke itself as a building of promoting a specific view.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
By learning how to facilitate the various thickness of reinforced concrete wall in order to construct certain level of space interaction, as well as how the embassy consider its spatial design together with the context, it has inspired me to create the spatial relationship between the queer observation construction. Through the consideration of Vauxhall Community’s identity, complexity, transparency and design, some spaces capture the specific space performances and practices, which reflects back to my main queer research.
Pictures to show how embassy’s interior and exterior capturing specific view.
03
.0
6
B y d u t S e Ca s
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
West 10th Street Greenwich Village, New York Color Paramount, 1954 Filmmaker / Non-Architect: Alfred Hitchcock Art Direction: Hal Pereora Joseph MacMillan Johnson Set Decoration: Sam Comer Ray Moyer
REAR WINDOW - Watch me, Watch you
f l A
d e r
Hi t c h c o c k ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
To explore how voyeurism might contribute in promoting the building of queer observations for LGBTQ Vauxhall Community Centre, a strong link between the space occupants, site context, technology, and architecture itself must be considered. A film, Rear Window written and director by a ‘Non-Architect’, Alfred Hitchcock, will become the instrument in guiding this technology dissertation. Alfred Hitchcock is well known as a ‘Non-Architect’ filmmaker because he is never satisfied in the idea of set dressing. Additionally, he believes that an art director must be exposed to a wide range of architecture knowledge. Hence, through the knowledge of how he master in the manipulation between the architectural motif and audiences’ mind, a door handle and a staircase from his other films, as an example, can be reimagined as one of the many “fetish object” that enact a moment of suspense or psychological fracture (Medina, 2017).
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
“Rear Window” becomes one of the two case studies for this building technology dissertation is because it creates an initial three dimensional contribution to the following theory and practice. This notion critically examines the social representation, architecture, and its dialectic behind the coded forms of voyeurism and exhibitionism (Jacobs, 2013) In this regards, the investigation and exploration between the relationship of the three contributions as mentioned has led the building to build up a queer observation dynamic within the Vauxhall site context and the space occupants from Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre. This film deals with a voyeuristic theme, as the audiences, we have been put into a position that explores the subjectivity and objectivity of the opening scene of the film. This contributes to the first point of view from the protagonist, Jeffries, and his apartment rear window towards the courtyard in addition to his neighbouring apartments’ rear windows. This supports Alfred Hitchcock’s intention of priming the audiences’ view point from inside the apartment to the activity of the courtyard as distant viewers. Drawing upon the second scene where Jeffries sneak around the courtyard in the opposite apartment, the scene portrays an adventuresome free-lance photographer confined to a wheelchair in his tiny apartment, as he was injured during his photo shooting.
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
On a deeper analysis, to unpack the relationship between the rear windows, voyeurism and spatial dynamics, two apartments’ rear windows are precisely chosen to analyse the voyeurism action from this film. This apprises the murder incident between Jeffries, the professional voyeur, and the salesman, Thorwald. The suspense is created when Thorwald’s usual routine of nagging his wife suddenly became a silent scene, as his wife became ominously absent from the scene. Moving from watching this film as a depiction of common urban society life scene, as an architecture student, this single architectural construction, “rear window”, reveals the hidden density and society diversity. The analysis between these rear windows will be classified into five different levels of voyeurism based on how Jeffries’s optic instruments level up the intimacy between-space relationship and also the level of privacy that Jeffries interfered into Thorwald’s apartment without his acknowledgements.
In this spatial dynamic, this perception inspired me to invent new types of rear window as a magisterial viewing device. Starting from rear window, I would like to coordinate and address the architecture discourse which I am working on, “Reinventing the New Queer Space for the Contemporary Society”. My intention is to build up a queer observation based on the relationship between the urban alienation and visual power within the Vauxhall Site Context and result in the enactment of a new development and social context or new urban way of living.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
REAR WINDOW’S MURDER CASE & VOYEURISM
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Bu i ld i ng Del iver y
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Build-
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Bu i ld i ng C onstr uc tion
Going further on the two analysis of case studies, the following documents are illustrated and decisions are made to reflect on the architecture of Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre. Façade no more, as a mask to preserve queer identities. How can we still secure the space occupants and space programs that stay distinct from each other despite the impression of vertical transparency without having a solid façade? Break the solid wall! Referring to the architecture theory dissertation, “Reinventing the New Queer Space for the Contemporary Society”, Royal Vauxhall Tavern has been analysed as a historical place where it used to be or still treating façade as a mask to preserve queer identities. Due to the history and culture back at the old Vauxhall time, this is a complete gay embassy to secure the LGBT community to remain distinct from each other between the inside and outside of the building. Inspired by the Netherland Embassy case study, I take the initiative to design and divide the building structure into different layers of building skins, from how the embassy informs the security of the space by applying different thickness to reinforce concrete wall.
In the matter of observation/ voyeurism architecture, Adolf Loos defined the overall architecture as an envelope of human body. By adopting the asymmetrical floor plans with different thickness of reinforced concrete wall, Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre holds a notion to break through all these solid reinforced concrete wall into different heights and thickness, while still securing the space occupants and the space programs which is active inside the building. Hence, the first skin of the building still functions as to secure the space occupants and space programs inside, but also elevates the transparency and exposure of the space. This can be hypothesized that the community has no need for a façade to preserve the queer identities as before, but develop a new social dynamic and create a welcoming space to the community. Unlike the conservation of Vauxhall Royal Tavern architecture, where its façade is treated as a mask to preserve the queer identities in Vauxhall.
The first layer of building skin physical model for Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre, different thickness and heights of concrete wall reveals the space level of privacy & visibility under a secure situation.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Bu i ld i ng C onstr uc tion
A MAGISTERIAL VIEWING DEVICE TO PROMOTE BUILDING OF VIEWS An intensive study through Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Rear Window”. It reveals the hidden density and society diversity through a single architecture construction. The case study illustrates five spatial dynamics of voyeurism as portrayed a connection of exterior and interior through the protagonists’ rear windows. Begins with a murder case, the analysis between these rear windows will be classified into five different levels of voyeurism based on how Jeffries’s optic instruments level up the intimacy between-space relationship and also the level of privacy that Jeffries interfered into Thorwald’s apartment without his acknowledgements. In this spatial dynamic, this perception inspired me to invent new types of rear window as a magisterial viewing device. Starting from rear window, I would like to coordinate and address the architecture discourse which I am working on, “Reinventing the New Queer Space for the Contemporary Society”. My intention is to build up a queer observation based on the relationship between the urban alienation and visual power within the Vauxhall Site Context and result in the enactment of a new development and social context or new urban way of living.
From here, an analysis of building types surrounded the proposed site has been done for the first step to set the best location inside the Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre in order to locate different type of rear window designs, or let’s call it as viewing devices in this technology dissertation. Based on the different building types, nine different specific locations has been selected as the voyeurism target from the Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre. On a deeper interpretation of it, these nine different places are revealing different space performances and practices, from the public spaces to residential building’s toilet, from public to completely private activities. Thus, the study of “Rear Window” provides the idea of how can I design different type of viewing devices and platforms in order to treat the Vauxhall LGBTQ Community Centre as a building of promoting views. Furthermore, five different voyeur stages designed to reveal the relationship between the chosen views from the community centre, as well as the observant and observee.
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Bu i ld i ng C onstr uc tion
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
VAUXHALL PLEASURE GARDEN
V A U X H A L L
L G B T Q
C O M M U N I T Y
C E N T R E
THE NEW QUEER SPACE Q U E E R O B S E R VAT I O N O F ‘ R I G H T O F L I G H T ’ OF SURROUNDING BUILDING
RESIDENTIAL BLOCK
VAUXHALL HIGH STREET CAFE
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
S T ’ A N N E C AT H O L I C C H U R C H
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
FOOTBALL COURT
S T ’ A N N E C AT H O L I C SETTLEMENT HALL
SITE PLAN 1: 500
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
KEY PLAN : NTS
VAUXHALL LGBTQ COMMUNIT Y CENTRE
THE DEVOTED SURVEILLANCE Q U E E R O B S E R VAT I O N O F ‘ R I G H T O F L I G H T ’ OF SURROUNDING BUILDING GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1: 150
1. COMMUNIT Y LIBRARY 2. FOOD AND BEVERAGE 3. ART STORE 4 . J A PA N E S E B AT H H O U S E
VOYEURISM LEVELS
VL. 1 . GENERAL PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS VL.2. OVERALL INTERIOR SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.3. PARTICULAR MOMENT OF THE SPACE VL.4. PEEPING TOMS’ DISCOURSE OF VARIOUS PRIVACY LEVEL OF SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.5. A COMPLETE INTEFERRENCE OF OTHERS’ P R I VAT E S PA C E
KEY PLAN : NTS
VAUXHALL LGBTQ COMMUNIT Y CENTRE
THE SKIN I LIVED IN Q U E E R O B S E R VAT I O N O F ‘ R I G H T O F L I G H T ’ OF SURROUNDING BUILDING FIRST FLOOR PLAN 1: 150
1 . O P E N B AT H H O U S E 2 . P R I VAT E B AT H C U B E S 3. COMMUNIT Y LIBRARY P L AT F O R M / B R E A KO U T SPACE
VOYEURISM LEVELS
VL. 1 . GENERAL PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS VL.2. OVERALL INTERIOR SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.3. PARTICULAR MOMENT OF THE SPACE VL.4. PEEPING TOMS’ DISCOURSE OF VARIOUS PRIVACY LEVEL OF SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.5. A COMPLETE INTEFERRENCE OF OTHERS’ P R I VAT E S PA C E
KEY PLAN : NTS
VAUXHALL LGBTQ COMMUNIT Y CENTRE
THE SKIN I LIVED IN Q U E E R O B S E R VAT I O N O F ‘ R I G H T O F L I G H T ’ OF SURROUNDING BUILDING SECOND FLOOR PLAN 1: 150
1 . O P E N B AT H H O U S E 2 . P R I VAT E B AT H C U B E S 3. COMMUNIT Y LIBRARY P L AT F O R M / B R E A KO U T SPACE
VOYEURISM LEVELS
VL. 1 . GENERAL PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS VL.2. OVERALL INTERIOR SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.3. PARTICULAR MOMENT OF THE SPACE VL.4. PEEPING TOMS’ DISCOURSE OF VARIOUS PRIVACY LEVEL OF SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.5. A COMPLETE INTEFERRENCE OF OTHERS’ P R I VAT E S PA C E
KEY PLAN : NTS
VAUXHALL LGBTQ COMMUNIT Y CENTRE
THE SKIN I LIVED IN Q U E E R O B S E R VAT I O N O F ‘ R I G H T O F L I G H T ’ OF SURROUNDING BUILDING THIRD FLOOR PLAN 1: 150
1. CLOUD WALK 2. EXHIBITION SPACE
VOYEURISM LEVELS
VL. 1 . GENERAL PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS VL.2. OVERALL INTERIOR SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.3. PARTICULAR MOMENT OF THE SPACE VL.4. PEEPING TOMS’ DISCOURSE OF VARIOUS PRIVACY LEVEL OF SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.5. A COMPLETE INTEFERRENCE OF OTHERS’ P R I VAT E S PA C E
KEY PLAN : NTS
VAUXHALL LGBTQ COMMUNIT Y CENTRE
THE NEW PERFORMANCE Q U E E R O B S E R VAT I O N O F ‘ R I G H T O F L I G H T ’ OF SURROUNDING BUILDING ROOF PLAN 1: 150
VOYEURISM LEVELS
VL. 1 . GENERAL PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS VL.2. OVERALL INTERIOR SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.3. PARTICULAR MOMENT OF THE SPACE VL.4. PEEPING TOMS’ DISCOURSE OF VARIOUS PRIVACY LEVEL OF SPACE PERFORMANCES VL.5. A COMPLETE INTEFERRENCE OF OTHERS’ P R I VAT E S PA C E
1
2
4
5
6
7
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0.5M
1M
1.5M
2M
B
C
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D
E
F
G
H
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1
3
N
N
N
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Append i x
TECHNOLOGY INVESTIGATION
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A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
Passive Thermal Control
“ It is a building in which occupants can open windows andn which is designed with effective passive strategies for limiting the effects of the external climate. The passively designed building is utilised to provide acceptable conditions for the majority of the year, and is supplemented by a mechnanical system, either on an ‘as and when required’ basis, or on a seasonal basis.” (Cooper, V.A. 1988)
Append i x
A rch ite c t u re Tech nolog y R epor t
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Architecture is constantly creating spatial relationship within the building itself and together with consideration of site context. Undoubtedly some situation will come unintendedly when architects design the building. One of the many is where this technology dissertation focus on, to observe and being observed, voyeurism architecture. This can be seen as the most common often acts and occur in our daily life and everyday routine through fundamental human being intrigue and part of attraction. Based on choosing voyeurism as my first technique to design the queer observation in order to map out the urban alienation and power of visual, the rituals of normal daily life to others transform into very interesting scenes when the windows serve as a screen frame or theatre. As we know, nothing is interesting when it is completely perfect or one-sided, as well as architecture. So should the architect invent the scenarios and design the relationship through architecture as it can be sometimes over disturb and offended. Or, is architect has the right to take away the most common act from public and use it in another way? Yes, architect has the right to invent scenarios to map out the diverse social context through architecture. This is not an investi-
gation or technology research into the psychosis of voyeurism, it is more to a study where how voyeurism can be applied wisely in order not to disturb the community but help the community understand better of their living place. Moreover, architect can be explained as “window� to the community, architect frames and map out symbiotic scenes to the public and lift up all the valuable scenes to the public, just like how window does. Throughout the two case studies analysis and investigation based on how these buildings promote specific space performances and views by using architectural elements. For instance, the rear window of Joffrey’s apartments and the spatial/massing consideration from The Netherlands Embassy in Berlin, these two buildings enacted voyeurism through decision. Thus, I can able to articulate which architectural factors and elements encourage them and interpret into my design consideration. By learning how to enhance the subject of voyeurism through architectural elements which inspired from those case studies, I take control of the building materiality and lighting in order to archive the best voyeurism scenario for Vauxhall Community when I designed the five different voyeur stages. Each of the five windows screening different level of atmosphere and privacy layers to inter-
act with the symbiotic relationship between the community centre and site context. This can be hypothesis that architecture is important to invent different spatial relationship and voyeurism scenarios to experience the urban life and our city. As a conclusion, the intention of build up a queer observation based on the relationship between the urban alienation and visual power within the Vauxhall site context, voyeurism architecture, to observe and being observed might be the way of how we can identify and distinguish the situation and moments of Vauxhall Community in order to result in the enactment of a new development and social context or new urban way of living.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anon (2017) Dutch Embassy, Berlin | Arup | A global firm of consulting engineers, designers, planners and project managers, Arup.com, [online] Available at: http:// www.arup.com/projects/dutch_embassy_berlin (Accessed 5 April 2017). Anon (2017) Netherlands Embassy, OMA, [online] Available at: http://oma.eu/projects/ netherlands-embassy (Accessed 5 April 2017). Anon (2017) Netherland's Embassy in Berlin - OMA, Arcspace.com, [online] Available at: http://www.arcspace.com/features/oma/netherlands-embassy/ (Accessed 5 April 2017). Anon (2017) The Importance of Set Design In Hitchcock’s Rear Window, KSA MA Architectural Visualisation, [online] Available at: https://ksamaarchvis.wordpress. com/2015/12/08/the-importance-of-set-design-in-hitchcocks-rear-window/ (Accessed 6 April 2017). Anon (2017) Cite a Website - Cite This For Me, Biblio.ugent.be, [online] Available at: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/1947243/file/6762805 (Accessed 6 April 2017). Anon (2017) [online] Available at: https://www.cct.lsu.edu/~fharhad/ganbatte/ siggraph2007/CD1/content/educators/knox.pdf (Accessed 6 April 2017). Anon (2017) Five Reasons To Study Architecture Through Alfred Hitchcock’s Films, Architizer, [online] Available at: http://architizer.com/blog/architecture-throughalfred-hitchcocks-films/ (Accessed 6 April 2017). Anon (2017) Films & Architecture: "Rear Window", ArchDaily, [online] Available at: http://www.archdaily.com/254649/films-architecture-rear-window (Accessed 6 April 2017). Anon (2017) The Architecture of Thrill: How Hitchcock Inspires Spatial Effects, ArchDaily, [online] Available at: http://www.archdaily.com/775637/six-thrillers-sevenstrategies-of-architectural-design?ad_medium=widget&ad_name=recommendation (Accessed 6 April 2017). Colomina, B. and Bloomer, J. (1992) Sexuality & space, 1st ed, New York, N.Y., Princeton Architectural Press. Rice, L. and Littlefield, D. (n.d.) Transgression, 1st ed. Sanders, James. Celluloid Skyline. 1st ed. New York: A.A. Knopf, 2003. Print.
# thenewqueerisnoqueer #weneedtomakethemseetheotheroption
“This proposal is to grow public consciousness and reinvent places that make minority community feel worth and mind-free living in Vauxhall Community, with the critique of dawn period of the Vauxhall LGBTQ Community, which against urban gentrification in Lambeth borough, London. As a young architect, we have the abilities to speak to people and seek for new solution, then we share to public by using architecture that reveals how simple it could be.” – Vince Choi Kian Lek, Project Architect