DS4 Voices of Yanesen
Catherine Wheater Leeds School of Architecture Masters of Architcture Year 02 www.cathwheater.co.uk
Cinematic Commons | Japanese Interstitial spaces
Japanese Interstitial spaces
As the relationship people have with traditional architectural typologies became apparent, -through interviews whilst in Tokyo, and the reading of Yanesen Magazine - it became neccesary to investigate how Japanese anti-spaces could inform the developing design. This developed both in the locating of these details, but then the re-design and re-definition of architectural spaces in support of the programmatic and strategic proposition in key spaces in the Memory Workshops and Memory Factory Within traditional Japanese architecture - as highlighted in my research in my DS3 portfolio - the architecture is designed as a series of transitional spaces. Within Yanesen these spaces become the moments of most importance, where users define the social and communal activities of the everyday that the project acts to preserve and utilise. By integrating these details in to the functional aspect of memory collection and cataloguing it adds an additional environment through which users can continue to develop and share the local histories and memory of Yanesen.
Cinematic Commons | Locating the Vernacular Details
Proposed Memory Factory Location
Proposed Memory Workshops Location 5.
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Proposed Washi Paper Production Factory
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Existing Site Map Location of Existing Details
The Vernacular Palette Through observations and sketches taken whilst in Tokyo, I was able to locate and define, 8 key architectural details that I felt shaped spatial charactertistics that would be used along the site of the Memory workshops, and internally within the memory factory. Some of the details are used as access points to existing buildings, whilst others are extruded out along snake street to define new spaces to continue development of communal memory space.
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Porch As commented on within Yanesen magazine, the porch space is typically the intial point of entry to the home. The space acts as a transition in to public and private, and through the use of the shoji doors as a part of the entrance desgn it gives the illusion to the user that they are about to enter the space more freely, and annouce their arrival to their neighbour. The space all doubles up as an area for seating and conversation whilst users take off their shoes on entry.
Corridor
High Veranda
Engawa
The corridors within Japanese buildings often emulate the winding alleyways that define traditional neighbourhood streets. The corridor is seen as the space which defines the journey between key moments within the traditional layout of a building. Spaces coming off from the corridor are at varying heights within the timber frame ; creating small and larger openings for hide- aways and access to move in to rooms.
Adaptations to the front of existing buildings have become a feature within the neighbourhood palette of Yanesen. Given the premium of land within Tokyo, families are beginning to make use of what little space they have by creating overhangs with materials into spaces for household activities from hanging personal objects and washing, through to the development of these areas as a social space.
The Engawa is typically described as the wooden s raised platform that creates the veranda space around rooms, and often as a transitional space from the garden to the private space of the house. As people are beginning to live in smaller environments each house can no longer have it’s own garden and so this space creates a closer relationship between the user and their external environment as it is adapted to become a personal private garden for the user.
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Space between homes Whilst walking around Yanesen I became drawn to the spaces between homes. Homes and alleyways are already micro versions of themselves when applied to tokyo, but even the smallest gaps are utilised. Often these space are for the storage of material and ‘life junk’ .It becomes a collection point of hanging materials and forgotten objects your not quite sure where they came from. In this space the homes window faces out on to this area, creating a viewpoint in to this collection of accumulated items.
Neighbourhood Palette
Staircase The Machiya The machiya is defined as the most common architectural typology within Japan, it represents the merging between public and private space doubling up as commercial and residential space all in one. These changes in space functionality are definied through the use of shoji screens.
Within Traditional Japanese homes staircases are more exadurated than within western homes with higher risers and shorter treads, along with cut on head height. These spaces often double up as storage and hidden space again trying to utilise the small areas that traditional homes occupy.
Tatami Room The Tatami Room was picked as the last choice, as thought within japanese architecture this space is the one clearly defined as a room, this space can be transitional in itself. All points within the Japanese home are orientated around this tatami sized rooms, and so that become a focal point of reference and bring occasion and arrival to their use.
Cinematic Commons | Vernacular Material Palette Vernacular Japanese Anti-Space Catalogue
The Porch
Space between Homes
The Corridor
Store and Residential
Hanging Veranda
Tatami room
Courtyard Veranda
Stairs
Cinematic Commons | Precedents in Support of Developing Design
The Japanese House, Architecture & Life after 1945 Barbican A key stage in the design development came through the study of the Japanese House Exhibit at the Barbican. The exhibition showcased some of the most influential works through drawings, films and models that have shaped post war Japan. The evolution of Japanese typologies has undergone key movements of change. I found it particularly interesting applied within Yanesen Tokyo, where alot of the area has retained its traditional architecture and not felt the effects so much of post 1945 construction until now.
Peter Salter Walmers Yard
Double Helix House Onishimaki + Hyakudayuki Architects
An exploration in to close spatial relationship in a densely packed area, and the orientation around a central communal space that the architecture overhangs in to. Thought this spatial exploration the spaces interlock with one another in to a series of 4 private spaces. I found this project particularly interesting due to the sense that each of these spaces was jostiling against the other to define its own personal space. The application of these type of relationships can be emulated along the tight streets of Yanesen, with the development of the neighbourhood space overhanging between and among one another to create new spaces.
The Double Helix House is a project located within Yanesen, Tokyo, the area of my Proposition. Given the location of the project in a highly dense area, the architecture looks to exadurate the characteristics of the typical alleyways that provide the communal and social spaces of the neighbourhood. Particularly, I was drawn to how the project presented this idea. Though the building vertically rises in a dense plot of land; in plan and through the spatial layout of the building the user is given the sense they are travelling through spaces along a navigated route through the alleyways. This representation warps the users perspective creating a series of spaces in what would usually be within a tight floor plan.
Living Cities, Tate Modern The Living Cities exhibit highlights a number of personal responses to various cities around the world. Focusing on the social climate and the communities within the incredibly different landscape areas of Beirut, Byker in Newcastle, and Beijjing; artists and architects develop their own personal response to issues impacting an area, and this comes from a personal understanding, an engagement in the social infrastructure of the living city, because what can we really know about a city without engaging with the people who define it....
Cinematic Commons | Defining the Spatial Characteristics of the Memory Factory
Cinematic Commons | Defining the spatial characteristic of the Memory Factory
Memory Factory Design Development through the Layer of spatial Details The Memory Factory is defined programmatically by the requirements of being a space for the exhibition of physical artefacts from the Yanesen area, alongside the development of a space for inscription and sharing community conversation in both public and private spaces. In early stages of design the space could be definied in to three key sections Basement : Archiving, Excavation and Exhibit area, developing a journey through the space with the potential for artefacts to be highlighted and exhibited from above. Ground Floor : Curated exhibition of physical artefacts defined in the physical Yanesen Catalogue, and communal conversation space Upper Floors : Incription spaces for recording local histories, the storage and transfer of this out of the Memory Factory. First Floor
Ground Floor
Basement
Cinematic Commons | Testing of Spatial Details
Adaptation of the Vernacular in curation of Memory Spaces Futher exploration of the vernacular details was tested within the application of how the catalogued details could be used within the Memory Factory, to curate and control a route around the spaces, as well as highlighting key moments to highlight key physical artefacts and conversation. As the Memory Museum acts as the larger site of the architectural proposition it began by becoming the space from which the community could meet as a new local hub for the area. The space has two main functions; the application of details to create areas for conversation, lecture and learning about local histories, as well as becoming the space to house and exhibit local physical artefacts from the area. Key details tested through the set model include the the Corridor, Stairs, & Tatami room
Studio Quynh Vantu The work of Quynh Vantu explores the relationship in how users can portray their physical surroundings. With a particular interest in porch culture, and social exchanges in architectural creations, her work investigates the manipulation of transitional spaces - hallways, thresholds, stairways and how they can be used to exadurate social exchanges. Through reading around her works, I began to test Yanesens transitional spaces to encourage social interchange and focalise moments of importance in the curation of artefacts.
Focal Tatami Room Application of the Tatami Room is defined as key focal space within traditional japanese architecture. Applied within the Memory Factory space I began to use the space as a focal point from which the exadurated narrowness in the corridors force people in to the side space of the tatami room to observe and view excavation and artefacts below in the lover levels of the memory factory.
Cinematic Commons | Exhibition Focal Points
Exhibition Focal points Through the integration and adaptation of the corridor space the user is drawn in to the focal areas which allow the user to look down in to the archiving, excavation and exhibiting spaces below. The set model explores the relationship between the user and how they will experience this space. This area acts as a key moment within the memory museum ensuring that there is no seperation between the users and the physical found objects, and they are able to see the process of where objects are discovered, rather than enclosing them straight away behind glass screens. The tatami sized space will have an adjustable ceiling to again exadurate how occupants use the space, and place emphasis on the views below.
Cinematic Commons | Defining the Programme within the Memory Factory 6. Curation of Artefacts The Second floor of the Memory Factory deals with the curation and collection of Neighbourhood artefacts into the the space of the memory museum. The larger Memory Factory site has areas of controlled and external archiving space where users of the site are able to drop off their artefacts or stories from the area. The exhibits are housed within this space until they are to be used within the Defining the Programme After the investigation of spatial conditions and the application of physical artefacts from the area, the space is developed in to a curated route with key programmatic activities defined by vernacular spatial architecture.
5. Inscription As the larger site of Yanesen deals with the production of a new magazine to share the spoken word and stories coming from Yanesen, and inclusion of a large writing space leading on from communal conversation and lecture space allows for a record to be made of these moments of shared memory.
4. External Transparency In sections of the memory museum the user is lead past walls made of shoji screen material, the shadows created will act as an additional layer in drawing users in through the space.
4. Focal Exhibition Space After users have taken of their shoes they are drawn through the corridor spaces where the width is exadurated in parts to then force users off in to the exhibition spaces as users make room to pass one another. Within this space the users will be drawn to looking down in to the Jomon pottery exhibits below.
3. Beginning the curated route After users have taken of their shoes they are drawn through the corridor spaces taking them around the Memory Factory site.
2, Seating On entering the memory museum users will be asked to remove their shoes, this space will exadurated in to an area for the projection of local films on the cultural history of the area.
Down in to the excavation space
1. Public Entrance The Yanesen Memory Factory is a resource for all, not just those local to the area. Through the application of the shoji door entrance users are able to gain access to the sight by themselves, emulating how residents once let themselves in to the homes of their neighbours which developed the close communal relationships.
Defining the Route
Cinematic Commons | Curating Yanesen’s Physical Artefacts
Space to house exhibtis
Cinematic commos | Further application of details in the memory workshop
Yanesen Newsroom
Observation Corridor
Story Collection
Printing Workshop
Material Collection Workshops Porch Entrance
Testing Memory Workshops in application of spatial studies The Development of the Integration of the river throughout the site of my proposition played a key part in informing how the ‘Memory Workshop’ spaces woud inform one another, and be used in developing a new cataloguing typology in recording the local histories of the Yanesen Area. Further development of the set model in DS3 began through locating and defining the exisitng details and developing these in relation to one another in a series of functional spaces.
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Cinematic Commons | Curating Site Route through the Composite
Composite Design The development of the composite frame came through developing a drawing that would emulate the production and drying of paper along the site, and an experience for the user as they pass through the spaces from the paper production area in to the memory workshops. Through strategically placing the drawings and cutting through to define new scenes, the added spatial projections of existing set models allowed for the redefintion of spaces through sceneography
Defining the curated route through Voices of Yanesen The Composite drawing model was used to define the curated route along the Voices of Yanesen Thesis project ,through the use of sceneography in the layering of design set model images and drawings. In order to define the response of users travelling through the site, the composite is used as a filming device in the final film, in showing the progression of the user along the unearthed river and through the paper production prcoess, whilst using the layering of tested details to create the spatial environments that the architectural proposition has designed.
Cinematic Commons | Location of applied details Printing Press Workshop
Excavation Changing Rooms
Yanesen Story Collection Newsroom
Wallpaper Detailing Workshop
Memory Factory
Artefact Warehouse
Wallpaper storage
Bicycle Storage
Washi Paper Production Factory
Paper Press Workshop
Paper Layering
Paper River
Location of New applied details
Integrated existing details
Cinematic Commons | Voices of Yanesen Site Strategy
Washi Paper Production Factory Mulberry Tree Groove Bark Stripping & Harvesting Washi Steam Room Dry Bark Storage Bark Drying Softening & Bleaching area
Memory Workshops Washi Paper Layering Washi Paper Press Printing Workshop Yanesen Storie Collection Magazine Wall Paper Shoji Detail
Voice of Yanesen Memory Factory Artefact Warehouse Yanesen Memory Factory Excavation Changing Facilities
Cinematic Commons | Phasing Strategy
Final Film
De-culverting Aizan River
Washi Paper Factory
Memory Workshop
Memory Factory
Unearthing the River
Memory Workshops
The uncovering of the river acts as a starting point in the urban strategy in the architectural proposition within Yanesen. As an urban strategy the river acts a barrier to the re-development taking place along Shinobazu street, alongside drawing users down the site from the main tourist area of ‘Yanesen Ginza’
Through developing a new resource within the area, the paper resource will be filtered in to the further industry on the Memory Workshops.
Washi Paper Production The next stage of the proposition develops the Washi Paper Production Factory. This introduces the development of the new resource of washi paper through Yanesen. Paper will be used within the Memory Workshops in cataloguing and recording new histories.
Yanesen Memory Factory The larger site of the Memory Factory acts as the new communal hub for Yanesen. The proposition develops the spaces in reference to the developed details through the Memory workshops. Alongside this the space houses the found physical artefacts from the area as well as becoming the public conversation spaces.
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Cinematic Commons | Washi Paper Factory
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Washi Paper Production Factory 1. Mulberry Grove 2. Muberry Harvest 3. Bark Steaming Room 4.Mulberry Softening & Bleaching 5. Air drying 6. Bark Dry storage.
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Cinematic Commons | Process of Washi Paper development
Communal Mulberry Grove Harvest
Stripping and seperation of Mulberry Barks
Steaming to make removing of green bark easier
Placement of lightbark within river to wash away impurities and natural bleaching in sunlight
Bark is sorted and air-dried and then either stored for later use or transferred along sight to the next stage of paper layering
Cinematic Commons | Memory Workshops
Neighbourhood Material Collection
Material Corridor
Production Observation Corridor
Printing Workshop Paper Collection
Washi Paper Drying
Paper Production Factory
Cinematic Commons | Memory Workshop Focus
Printing Press Workshop 1. Binding Workshop 2. Print Drying Veranda 3. Washi Paper Collection 4. Printing Press 5. Storage & Distribution 6. Observation Corridor 7. Yanesen Story Collection
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Cinematic Commons | sections Memory Workshops Visuals with axonometric
Magazine Distribution Bicycle Store
Wall Paper Detailing Workshop
Detailing Workshop
Cinematic Commons | Memory Workshops Focus Yanesen workshop
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1 Yanesen Collection Workshop
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1. Story Collection & Drop -off 2. Public Access to News Room 3. Story transfer to Biycles 4. News room 5. Artefact Collection 6 Observation Corridor
Cinematic Commons | Memory Memory Factory Arrival
Arrival to Memory Factory from the Memory Workshops
Cinematic Commons | Yanesen Magazine Exhibit
Yanesen Magazine Exhibitiion
Cinematic Commons | Curated Route
Curated Route
Cinematic Commons | Ribbon Exhibit
Conversation Space & Printing Factory Ribbon Exhibit
Cinematic Commons | Inscriptions
Inscriptions