PORTFOLIO / STAGE 3 Xavier Smales BA Architecture Newcastle University 2015 - 2016
stage 3 academic portfolio author: Xavier Smales student number: 120194900 year: 2015/2016
CONTENTS
semester 1
charrette
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studio introduction 6 disassemble exercise 8 social ritual typology 10 daily ritual 13 contraption 14 semester 2
thinking through making 24 graduation project site research brief development concepts design proposal
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1.50 to build
CHARRETTE WEEK In Newcastle architecture school’s annual charrette week, I took part in the Optical illusions group, aimed at building installations that play tricks on the human eye. We used various locations on campus and around the school to set up interesting and eye catching pieces that generated a lot of interest. The main piece I worked on was ‘gravity shift’, a huge sculpture built entirely from natural materials found in parks in Newcastle. Inspired by the work of artists Anthony Goldsworthy and Richard Long, we created the illusion of doorway by suspending sticks on fishing wire and filling the room with autumnal leaves (and insects). The room was mood lit, creating a atmosphere of the unreal. People walked through the door, making their own judgments on what this could signify.
Anthony Goldsworthy, Working with Time 4
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INFRASTRUCTURE & RITUAL
Infrastructure Definition The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (E.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise Ritual Definition A sequence of activities involving gestures, words, and objects, performed in a sequestered place, and performed according to set sequence. Infrastructure & Modernity, P. Edwards ‘Technology talk rarely concerns the full suite of sociotechnical systems characteristic of modern societies. Mature technological systems — cars, roads, municipal water supplies, sewers, telephones, railroads, weather forecasting, buildings, even computers in the majority of their uses— reside in a naturalized background, as ordinary and unremarkable to us as trees, daylight, and dirt. Our civilizations fundamentally depend on them, yet we notice them mainly when they fail, which they rarely do. They are the connective tissues and the circulatory systems of modernity. In short, these systems have become infrastructures.’
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‘Infrastructures simultaneously shape and are shaped by — in other words, co-construct — the condition of modernity. By linking macro, meso, and micro scales of time, space, and social organization, they form the stable foundation of modern social worlds’ ‘Building infrastructures has been constitutive of the modern condition, in almost every conceivable sense. At the same time, ideologies and discourses of modernism have helped define the purposes, goals and characteristics of those infrastructures. In other words, the co-construction of technology and modernity can be seen with exceptional clarity in the case of infrastructure’ ‘Studying infrastructures on different scales of force, time, and social organization produces different pictures of how they develop, as well as of their constraining and enabling effects on social and individual life. Different scalar views also lead to different pictures of the solidity of the “modernist settlement” that separates nature, society, and technology’ ‘To be modern is to live within multiple, linked infrastructures, and to inhabit and traverse multiple scales of force, time, and social organization’
Social Infrastructure Bjarke Ingels of BIG refers to the notion of ‘Social Infrastructure’, an idea that new infrastructure should not only fulfill a functional purpose but should also enhance the environment in non-conventional ways. In their large scale infrastructure project the ‘Dry Line’, the brief outlined the need for a substantial sea wall to protect South Manhattan from future flooding but the neighborhood didn’t want a barrier that segregates the life of the city from the water surrounding. The 12 kmlong infrastructural barrier incorporates public space with the high-water barrier doubling as parks, seati ng, bicycle shelters or skateboard ramps. From the get go, the sea walls and the areas around them are designed to have positive social and environmental side effects; the infrastructure actually becomes an amenity, enriching the public realm. BIG turn ‘rational and rigorous analysis of the architecture to force out extremely expressive designs’
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DISASSEMBLY I disassembled a cheap, digital alarm clock to study the systems and mechanisms that drive the device. A series of simple injection molded plastic parts are moved by a small battery powered circuit to push the clock hands at a controlled pace. Different sized cogs interlock to transfer energy around the inside of the clock, each coloured slightly differently. I grouped the parts by function- ergonomic casing, clock face, clock mechanism, screws & fixings, circuit. Interestingly, the consumer would only ever see less than half of these objects. The hidden parts are the purely functional, whereas the bits on display have no affect on how the clock or alarm works. In an older, more traditional alarm clock the mechanism might be celebrated with a glass piece displaying the internals.
I try to make a comment on how people don’t appreciate the mechanisms behind modern technology. In this piece on the right I celebrate these parts by arranging them into the radial form of a clock-face to show the hours of the day instead of the clock hands.
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A SOCIAL RITUAL TYPOLOGY: ALLOTMENT This was a group learning exercise to share knowledge about a social/ communal ritual. I chose to document the ritual of going to an allotment, as it is a interesting activity reliant on a community with knowledge, rules and etiquettes. It can be a very social place full of people and events or it can be a private place of solitude. Some of the reasons people have allotments is the joy of being outside, a sense of belonging within a community, a way of keeping healthy or a way to save money. A particularly interesting aspect of the ritual of going to the allotment is the reliance on the four seasons. The time of year dictates the type and amount of work people have to do on their allotment- for example when
to plant seeds, when to fertilise the soil, how much watering, whether people can be outside and much more. Therefore people need a good understanding of weather and time. Another notable aspect is division of space within the allotment. A division between public and private spaces is clear, even though there are only a few walls and it is a shared space. Markers such as raised beds, netting, polytunnels, signs are the cues for separation and more permanent divisions of space include sheds, greenhouses and offices. Thresholds are not just defined by physical things but a mutual respect for each others sequestered spaces.
Who
What
Where
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Start
Materials
Sound
When
Etiquette
Sequestered
Dress
Details
Light
Equipment
Threshold
Control
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A DAILY RITUAL I diagrammed my daily ritual of choosing what food to eat for lunch in order to understand the inputs, outputs and decisions that were involved. I normally buy a meal deal, which is a combination of a main, a snack and a drink. It is not a set sandwich or a set drink, so I always have difficulty choosing what to eat! Often the decision is influenced by what I have eaten for breakfast. For example, If I have eaten a large greasy breakfast then this will encourage me to choose a healthy lunch. Conversely, If i have had light breakfast, I’m normally more hungry so will choose the biggest option. Other variables include the options on display in the shop, how long I have to decide and packaging. This diagram tries to show the daily complexities of choosing lunch! ‘A diagram is made of symbols and is about concepts. It is abstract and propositional: its elements and spatial relations can be expressed as a set of statements. It explores, explains, demonstrates, or clarifies relationships among parts of a whole or it illustrates how something works (a sequence of events, movement, or a process)’ Ellen Yi-Luen The infrastructure studio has taught us about the importance of diagramming as representation in architecture for carrying an idea from conception to construction. Diagramming a daily ritual relates to architecture in terms of looking at the systems that influence how a building functions on a micro, meso and macro scale. I have tried to use diagrams to rationalise rigorous research that can be hard to communicate. Representation helps communicate the interests and ideas of the architect. The more we can create a relationship between architects and society, we will become much better at manifesting what society is today and what we would like to be tomorrow.
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CONTRAPTION We built a contraption as a development of diagramming daily rituals. This contraption is something that also involves an input and output and a number of variables. However the aim is to make a comment on, or help resolve problems involved in a daily ritual. The fictional contraptions drawn by Heath Robinson and those modeled in Wallace and Gromit were key inspirations as they are sophisticated mechanisms presented with humility and humour.
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CONTEXT: CONFUSING HEALTH GUIDELINES Calories, grams, balanced, charts, proccessed. All words we hear or read every day that are meant to guide us on how to eat a healthy diet. When choosing a chocolate bar, you might look at the packaging in the hope that somewhere it will tell you that it is ok to eat- a percentage, a graphic, a GDA that will let you have what you really want. Someone later that day might tell you how dark chocolate is actually good for your health as it contains vitamins and antioxidants whereas milk chocolate is just full of sugar. You then see an
advert telling you to eat 5 pieces of fruit and vegetables every day, and by eating fruit for a snack would be a good idea. You end the day feeling confused about all the guidelines you have seen, so eat another chocolate bar for comfort. The guidelines were meant to help you but there are so many to follow that you end up trusting your own judgement. But what if there was a contraption that helped make these decisions for you?!
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INITIAL CONTRAPTION IDEA 1: ‘SHAPERS’ box
INITIAL CONTRAPTION IDEA 2: the blubber ship
INPUT: physical action of pulling, winding & bending down OUPUT: healthy or unhealthy snack VARIABLES: laziness, guilt
INPUT: reaching into holes to get the snack OUPUT: healthy or unhealthy snack VARIABLES: unpleasant unhealthy route MATERIALS: MDF CLEAR ACRYLIC PLASTIC DRAINPIPE STRING WEIGHTS SN SNACKS
MATERIALS: METAL LEGS VACUUM FORMED HDPE BRUSH HAIRS RUBBER SNACKS LIGHTS LIGH
COMMENT: the contraption aims to make it physically difficult to get the unhealthy snack. You have to earn it by bending down to an awkard level, then wind up a door to to reveal the snack.
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COMMENT: the unhealthy route is less ergonomic and more difficult. The inside is lined with a blubber like material to replicate the feeling of fat. The entrance to the hole is lined with coarse brush hairs. The fruit is well presented- well lit and on a plinth to make it look more appealing
- a clinical aesthetic to make the food feel scientific, quantifiable - everday food packaging painted white - confusing government initiatives on labels - interactive, life size vending machine - end product is just as confusing as the start - emphasise the mechanism for humour
Damien Hirst, medicine cabinet
Andrew Miller, branded objects in white
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PROTOTYPES
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THE MECHANISM - The input is loading a weight into the vending machine (fruit) -The amount of weight turns the cogs to control the placement of a dispenser -Where this dispenser ends up dictates how much healthy (nuts) and unhealthy (chocolate) snack you will receive. The more fruit you load into the machine the more chocolate you are receive! -A separate mechanism releases the snack from the vending machine. Is controlled by turning a handle one full rotation - Mechanism only works with smooth parts to minimise the friction
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1. Pick your cup based on a confusing food guideline. Place it under the dispenser.
2. Load up the fruit you have eaten that day, remember to keep all your banana skins!
3. Watch as the contraption weighs your fruit and adjusts the dispenser.
4. Rotate the handle 180 degrees.
5. Fruit or eclairs?!
6. Watch your cup fill up with appropriate snacks! Or not..
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scan to see video of the contraptions working
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THINKING THROUGH MAKING modern concrete casting
bamboo / steel experimental forms
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RECYCLED DOOR HANDLES Taking the theme of reclamation, I looked at the idea of using materials found after the demolition of a building to make door handles for the new artist’s studios. I made three prototypes made from a drainpipe, a branch and a piece of bamboo, imagining they have been reclaimed from the site. I experimented with simple ergonomic handles secured with metal fixings, creating cheap yet strong objects. These prototypes showed that recycled materials can be reused as door handles, but if developed they would need to be treated for durability so they could resist wear and tear.
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GRADUATE PROJECT Redeveloping the Watermans Art Centre
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‘I AM NOT A CAR PARK’
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The UK
London
national context.
reigonal context.
West London context of the the town.
THE FUTURE OF BRENTFORD
THE SITE Brentford is a town in West London at the confluence of the River Brent and the Thames, 8 miles from central London. The intersection of these two waterways provides distinctive historic character and waterside environments and uses. The site lies on the edge of Brentford town centre and the Watermans park, with a prominent ‘gateway’ location. 6 mins walk to the east is Kew Bridge with a train station and to the west is Boston Manor underground. The site has great views down the river, towards Kew monument and across to the small island (lots Ait). THE LOCAL PLAN The Hounslow regeneration plan aims to rejuvenate the waterfront, and securing the future of Watermans art centre is a key aspect of this. Preserving the character and context of Brentford is highlighted in the plan, so any new build must be in keeping with the history and the immediate surroundings. Working with the local communities, any new development must promote positive and active lifestyles and try to improve the economy of the area. EXISTING MASTERPLANS There are many ideas for the future of Brentford, with architects including Will Alsop, GHA, AHMM and Maccreanor Leavington producing visionary plans for the area. Reinstating the character of the industrial yards, opening up the waterside for public use and enjoyment, and reconnecting the high street are some of the key features. There will be thousands of new homes built and as London expands, the density in fringe towns like Brentford will increase, so there is a clear case for a expansion of the art centre as it will need to provide for a lot more people.
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BRENTFORD INFRASTRUCTURES
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INFRASTRUCTURE AT DIFFERENT SCALES
‘linking macro, meso, and micro scales of time, space, and social organization, [infrastructures] form the stable foundaion of modern social worlds... To be modern is to live within and by means of infrastructures, and therefore to inhabit, uneasily, the intersection of these multiple scales’ The infrastructure studio teaches us to look at architecture from the human scale as well as the broader context, such as the systems dictate our cities. The synthesis of infrastructure and architecture is increasingly important in modern society, as the term infrastructure could encompass technology like the internet. On a micro level, the project should try to enhance the immediate infrastructures including the high street and river. On a meso level, the project should look at ways of using the existing transport, look at the local community infrastructure and support systems for an art centre. At Macro level, the project should look to how art centres operate when there is technological change in the future. I will also explore whether Waterman’s could become a new infrastructure for the arts, providing fundamental support for the arts.
PRECEDENT: POTTERIES THINKBELT Cedric Price’s proposal was to take the whole rusting and decaying industrial infrastructure of the Potteries, and turn it into a High-Tech think-tank. It was to be a new kind of university, called the Potteries Thinkbelt. It was not a “building”, but a kind of circuit, or network, with mobile classrooms and laboratories using the existing rail lines to move from place to place, from housing to library to factory to computer center.
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The river is a prominent feature of the site. Physically, the tidal range means that for large parts of the day the river bed mud is exposed, making the site inaccessible by water. However, on high tide there it is possible for boats to move to and from the building. According to the council, many of the boats moored on the river are used as permanent residences. This community is said to be very close, with directors, photographers, barristers and a doctor among the floating residents. The diagram shows the locations of the house boats.
S
I T
E
There are a few significant buildings on Brentford High street including the steam and music museums. Along with Watermans art centre, this group makes this an area of cultural significance. The new art centre should develop the relationship with the all these local groups, providing space for or collaboration. Located on the edge of the park, the site exposed so could standout and become a landmark for all these public buildings in Brentford. 37
THE WATERMANS ART CENTRE
Watermans Opens to public
1984
THE BARBICAN CENTRE
1,800,000 people
1,800,000 people
124 seat cinema added
1994
Refurbishment
250,000 people
WATERMANS ART CENTRE
250,000 people
BATTERSEA ART CENTRE
100,000 people
CAMDEN ARTS CENTRE
60,000 people
2001
100,000 people
Proposed move to new building
2015
60,000 people
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A COMMUNITY DRIVEN BUILDING
Children & young people
Creative People & Places
Watermans works closely with schools, clubs and other organisations to inspire children and young people through the arts, delivering creative projects, work experience programmes and more.
Creative People & Places is a major Arts Council England funded project to engage new audiences in the arts in areas of low engagement, which Watermans leads in Hounslow.
Disability
Community cohesion
Watermans is committed to equal opportunities for all, and has high expectations of what all groups can achieve. They work with all ages from young children through to adults.
Watermans is embedded in, and especially committed to, its home borough of Hounslow, one of the most diverse in the UK. It is known as a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together and have a sense of collective identity, a shared understanding and trust. Watermans contributes to this community cohesion by developing arts programmes that promote shared interests and positive interactions that provide a basis for solidarity.
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ISSUES WITH THE CURRENT DESIGN
The Waterman’s art centre attracts 250,000 people per year but is in need of a redevelopment to cope with the demands of a modern art centre. The building has some enjoyable spaces such as riverside foyer, terrace and restaurant. However the exhibition space is small and restricted, the theatre is limited to smaller shows and the studio spaces are modest. Furthermore the building is falling into disrepair- leaks, vandalism and high maintenance costs
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make the building more difficult to use. Despite being refurbished recently, the building layout causes the design to have inefficient circulation. For a building with so many functions and large number of people flowing through it, the orientation is a little unclear and does not celebrate how much this centre has to offer. Walking around the building you feel a little unsure what is meant for public display or what is private office or functional space.
theatre cinema
cou
rtya
rd
The courtyard isn’t connected with the rest of the building and feels inaccessible
The park is cut off from the building via a void space
HIG
H ST R
EET
The entrance of Watermans can be mistaken for a car park
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INTERVIEW WITH THE MANAGER There are real ongoing plans to develop a high quality replacement of the Watermans arts centre, but opinion is divided as to whether it can be redesigned on the present site with up to date facilities or moved to a new site in the centre of town. I wanted to get a real opinion on the redevelopment so I spoke to Rachel Francis from Watermans. I summarise the conversation below: - A developer bought the empty Max Factor office and wants to demolish Watermans as well. They agreed to build a new theatre for Watermans in the Old Police station in central Brentford. -Building has limited space for the amount of visitors it recieves per year (250,000). -Theatre should have double the capacity (500) with much deeper stage. Existing stage is 6x12m but not deep enough. - 2x cinemas as it the main area of income. -Gallery is rectangular and small. Want ‘media cube’- capable of hosting modern exhibitions involving large screens -Studio space for teaching / workshops -Building is in disrepair -bad leaks -poor roofs -walkways are prone to vandalism/ crime -can’t be managed by the council -Entrances are failing- they have attempted to energize the main entrance with new signage but ultimately it is the architecture which is failing -Would like to host outdoor exhibitions -She would demolish it and start again… However aspects of the building such as the restaurant work well
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Rachel Francis General Manager of Watermans Art Centre Thoughts on potential redevelopment
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bright entrance
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community garden
studio
classrooms
covered decking
entrance to theatre
cycle route
My initial ideas were a direct response to the managers ideas on redevelopment and I attempted to rationally expand the building. I planned to reuse the existing concrete grid and double the size of the existing performance spaces. The roof of this space effectively became an extension of the landscape, with various studio spaces with a more public relationship. However I decided against a straightforward expansion of the existing space as I wanted to challenge the brief.
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CHALLENGING THE BRIEF ‘Clamour often arises from the public about whether it Is really necessary to spend all those millions on the arts and another clamour from the cultural sector about whether after the expenditure of all those millions on the building there will be anything to run it with’
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE ARTS Waterman’s Art Centre was purpose built in 1984 and has outgrown its function just 32 years later as there are real existing plans to redevelop. This isn’t a sustainable lifespan for a building because of the amount of wasted energy and money. London’s population is rapidly expanding and is projected to reach 13 million by 2050 , so inevitably areas on the fringes of central London like Brentford are likely to become denser and more populated. Furthermore, a lot of studio space is being bought up by developers to build homes, which could have an effect on the amount of people choosing to develop creative skills because of lack of resources. Rohan Silva argues that artists bring immense economic benefits to London, as the creative industries generate £21billion each year in the city, creating 1 in 6
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jobs. Many larger institutions are expanding- CSM has just moved to a brand new campus and both the Design museum and Tate Modern created new gallery space. Arguably, providing infrastructure for the arts is an asset in the future as we look to diversify the economy of the UK and remain a leading country for creativity. Art centres are especially important in more deprived areas of the UK, acting as a social enterprise that bring communities together through cultural participation. It seems as though the requirements for art buildings will be different in 2016 than in 10, 20 or 50 years’ time; a future Waterman’s could have very different functions that are hard to predict. Perhaps in 50 years’ traditional theatre will have evolved to incorporate more technology such as giant screens or interactive performances. Perhaps there will be a shortage of space for specialist crafts so Waterman’s may become a home for practicing and learning a specific skill.
FRAME OF POSSIBILITIES To justify replacing an existing building an expensive new structure, the design needs to accommodate change through planning flexible and adaptable spaces to extend the lifespan of the building. As I have argued, the functions of an art centre in the future are unclear, so I believe that the most sustainable long term strategy is to imagine the building as a frame of possibilities. Full adaptive reuse of large parts of the building mean that this structure could fulfill an entirely different purpose in the future. To achieve flexibility I need to design: - For indeterminancy: designing spaces to accommodate diverse functions - Raw space: design of a specific frame and general space allowing for no over-designed spaces - Excess or slack space: spaces that are not predetermined but allow the user to employ at a later time
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This idea was more developed than the initial designs and features a radial theatre and bold landscaping. However the design isn’t flexible enough and functions too similarly to the existing building. I wanted to challenge the brief and look for innovative ways to use the space.
+1 theatre, studios
0 box office, bar, office, green room
-1 foyer, exhibition space, cinemas, services
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concept model exploring the idea of three main flexible spaces
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CONCEPTS: A JOURNEY
When people visit Watermans for the theatre, they should experience much more than the show. The periods before, after and during breaks are just as important in creating an enjoyable evening, as people get to socialise and see other interesting things. Therefore the design will encourage people to move round all the spaces in the building on a variety of levels. Moments where people catch glimpses of interesting spaces/ views will stimulate people to walk through the building.
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Diagram showing stages the build up to a performance. Inspired by the style of Cullen’s Serial Visions & Frits Van Dongen’s concept diagram.
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PRECEDENT: KUNSTHAL, REM KOOLHAAS
I was inspired by Dutch architects Rem Koolhaas and Frits Van Dongen who are masters of creating innovative circulation to dictate how people flow through the building. In the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, Koolhaas clearly separates the public, private and service routes to infuence how people experience the space. A sloping route from the street to the park is the central circulation linking the spaces, but visitors are encouraged to visit all the galleries on a spiraling ramp that wraps around the whole building. Koolhaas’ background as a screenwriter helped form ideas that architecture is much like a story that the users inhabit. Encouraging people to circulate around the Kunsthal allows vistors to experience and appreciate every space.
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study models exploring circulation around the foyer
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CONCEPTS: ACCESSIBILITY / TRANSPARENCY
The existing entrances of Watermans don’t draw people in because it is not clear what goes on inside the building. Revitalizing the high street entrance with colour and energy is one way to counter this. Creating covered spaces for events is another way, especially on the Waterman’s park side. The building should feel inviting, welcoming and transparent with views all the way through to the river.
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PRECEDENT: TATE MODERN, HERZOG & DE MEURON
The insertion of a ramp into the former turbine hall has transformed the space. It draws people into the building by becoming an extension of the public realm. People don’t feel intimidated by the building as they have space to hang out. I think this simple open space is one of the main reasons for the popularity of the Tate. Even though it is unfinished and not particularly well lit, artists are allowed freedom to inhabit and bring it to life.
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CONCEPTS:PLAY SPACE / SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
It is important that the building will feel accessible and open to everyone so the addition a sloped park entrance will provide new indoor/ outdoor public space for people to just hang out. The building will celebrate the outdoors, opening out onto the river and the park facades in an attempt to create a more social building. Festivals, dance classes, workshops, markets and 56
boating are just some of the potential activites, drawing in people with diverse interests. It is about providing a stage for encounters and exchange, generating a liminal space. Enriching the public realm around the building would develop Watermans’ connection with Brentford and bring the community together through participation.
P R E C E D E N T S : P E C K H A M L I B R A R Y, W I L L A L S O P & D R Y L I N E , B I G Playful Spaces elicit a lightness of being that opens up lines of communication between people, helps them try new things and lift spirits. My aim is to elicit play through designing interactive and engaging spaces in and around the building. Johan Huizinga observed that during play we learn many of the fundamental forms of social life. He argued that through play society expresses its interpretation of life and the world, and that civilization itself arises and develops as play progresses. Play is essential to everyday life and as players of life we are Homo Ludens, meaning ‘man the player’. Play is a necessary condition of the generation of culture, and our society progresses as we play more.
Peckham Library has a playful aesthetic as well as sheltered public space, encouraging informal activity and bringing joy to the building. The Dry Line in New York is about changing how we perceive infrastructure by designing play space on sea defences. Both precedents actively encourage playful activity, something I believe a large public building should achieve.
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CONCEPTS: FLEXIBLE / ADAPTABLE SPACES FOR EVERYONE
In order to fully justify building brand new performance, cinema and exhibition spaces, I believe that they should be used all week, not just during shows. They should be adaptable spaces that can be used by the community on a day to day basis by youth groups, charities, disabled groups. Therefore it is important the spaces are built to be changed quickly and easily, so Watermans can benefit everyone.
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PRECEDENT:WYLY THEATRE, REX
The old Wyly theatre prided itself on hosting a wide range of performances, but every time they changed the layout of the theatre it cost a lot of money. This new hi tech design uses hidden mechanics to quickly change the layout of the theatre. When not used as a theatre , the flat floor is glazed on all sides, creating a naturally lit room fit for any function. The materials are durable and modest but the atmosphere in the theatre is created by fantastic lighting and the ability to adjust the stage and seats to the exact specification of the director of the play.
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SITE STRATEGY
Push the services to the back of the site, extending from the car park underneath the max factor office building. Create a new service entrance so trucks can be driven directly into a loading bay and large service lift up to the theatre.
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Using aggregate from the demolition of the old building, create a 1:12 ramp 40m long, making a new entrance from Watermans park. Landscape the front of the max factor office, creating a river walkway through the building and a new square for the workers in the adjacent building.
Insert large steel frame as the primary s needed to support heavy loads.
structure. Deep pile foundations are
Float the key space, a 35 x 25 x 20m events space, 8m from the floor using deep trusses and hidden structure.
Other large permanent spaces within the frame- cinema, artists studios and an exhibtion space.
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THE EVENTS BOX: A POINT OF DESTINATION EVENTS BOX:A POINT OF DESTINATION The key space in the building is the 400 seat performance space. The distinct orange timber cladding acts as a navigation tool - a memorable feature in the landscape, and a point of destination within the building. The primary function of this space will be a theatre capable of hosting large productions as it has a 10m stage and enough support space to accommodate the performers, staff, equipment and props. The innovation lies in the mechanics above and below the space, which can pull and push up both scenery and seating, thus allowing the space to have a number of different layouts (see opposite page). One of the main restrictions of having one traditional
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theatre layout is you are limited to set types of performances. Inspired by the Wyly theatre, this events box can cater a wide range of performances by adjusting the seating, stage, lighting height and orientation to create the suitable space and atmosphere. The floor can become a huge flat floor space when not being used for performances, as the seats can be stored in a service floor underneath. This flexibility allows this space to be used when a show is not on or simply throughout the day, for workshops, exhibitions, classes council meetings. This way the community will be able to benefit not just from a modern theatre, but from a functional flat floor space.
2.2m deep roof truss, supporting the suspended seats, acoustics, fly tower, lighting & polyefin flat roof
700m2 flexible events space, seating up to 400 people
3m service floor containing hydraulic butterfly lifts to raise and lower sections of the floor, mechanical ventilation system, seat storage
proscenium
thrust
arena
traverse
bipolar
flat floor
centre stage
exhibition
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scan for full video
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Brentfo rd
High St
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Max Factor Office building
River
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Tham
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Water m
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There is emphasis on the main events space by expressing the box as a seperate element from the structure and the outer skin. Offsetting from the facade allows people to view the sides of the box from below.
The building is dissected by a long route along the river and bridges over this space. The thresholds are open and feel accessible from the street and park.
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RIVER LEVEL 16. flexible events space 17. cafe / restaurant 18. gallery 19. kitchen 20. storage 21. plant room 22. service entrance
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STREET LEVEL 10. cinema 11. box office 12. exhibition space 13. office 14. shop 15. teaching space
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UPPER LEVEL 1. flexible events space 2. terrace 3. performer’s rooms 4. office 5. costume / make up 6. scenery store 7. foyer 8. artist studios 9. flexible studio
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The main events space has multiple functions, the informal stage has two functions and the cinema is purpose built. This flexibility allows the building to cater for a broad range of events, and adapt in the future.
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PARK ENTRANCE
This entrance is about creating a smooth transition between a public park and a public building. The circulation forms a figure of eight, encouraging people to move through all the exhibits and experience a build up to a performance.
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DYNAMIC SPACE This is the heart of the building, connecting all the other spaces. It will be busy and buzzing with activity. An informal stage will be the main focal point, people can sit on the ramp seating or watch from the bridges. The space is big enough for large installations, but there are also 2 galleries to host exhibitions. The terrace protrudes from the cafe and opens up the space to the outdoors, with great views down river.
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DETAILED SECTION The theatre is emphasised as a separate element in the building, floating above and protruding out of the roof. In order to achieve this, deep floor truss’ allow 25m column-less spans underneath. The theatre is offset 1m from the structural grid to create a gap so people can look up the orange cladding until it meets the sky. The structure is hidden by offsetting the theatre beams from external columns, and the gaps in the floor are filled with 40mm glazing panels that can support the load of a person.
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1. Thermoplastic Polyolefin single-ply flat roof 2. Blockwork wall construction 3. Stained hardwood timber slats 4. In-situ concrete floor and wall construction 5. Double skin translucent 50mm polycarbonate inner & outer facade 6. Horizontal & vertical shadings fins 7. Steel frame
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SITE PLAN In conjunction with the Hounslow Development Plan, the building connects with the immediate surroundings on all four sides. I want the building to feel open and accessible, drawing people in but encouraging visitors to enjoy the natural landscape. A key part in the regeneration of the area is rejuvenating the waterfront, so I propose the addition of a public walkway through the building to connect both sides of the site. In addition, building two footbridges would create important links with Brentford town centre and Kew. The smaller bridge would connect Waterman’s art centre and the park with the new developments around the river Brent and help create a more cohesive area. A larger footbridge across the river Thames would allow Brentford to develop a stronger bond with Kew gardens. Visitors to Kew Gardens could easily visit Brentford by foot and therefore attract more people to Watermans, the town centre and the museums.
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FACADE CONSTRUCTION
concrete floor is thermal mass that helps regulates temperature in tempered spaces
horizontal fins on east facade
horizontal fins on south facade
vertical fins on west facade
the 500mm cavity in the double skin translucent polycarbonate (50mm) facade acts as a buffer zone
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POLYCARBONATE DOUBLE SKIN The building will employ a clear double skin polycarbonate facade system, to improve the environmental profile. Adjustable external sun shades and ventilation ducts prevent the south and west facades from overheating in summer, and provide warm air in the winter. Multi layered Rodeca Polycarbonate sheets have a very good thermal performance and let 70% light through. This provides a lot of natural light and gives people a sense of the activities going on when outside the building. I want Watermans to feel open, accessible and revitalised so Polycarbonate was a perfect option.
PRECEDENT: Cartegena Auditorium, Selgas Cano Aluminium frame with a double facade of translucent extruded polycarb panels, exposing the building’s structure and adds transparencies and tonalities created by injecting tiny dabs of neon paint into each piece, with different colours and intensities. This type of lightweight structure creates feelings of openess and maximises daylight.
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VENTILATION
mechanical ventilation -required in theatre and cinema spaces -large ducts in the service floor suply air at low level, under the seats through small louvres -air retrun from high level through grilles
natural ventilation -cross ventilation of main space through openings on four sides -air rises though voids in the upper floors to ventilate the foyer
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SUSTAINABLE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
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FLEXIBILITY
RECYCLED MATERIALS
Habraken’s proposal for sustainable building strategy is straightforward: provide a support structure in which units may be inserted and removed over time in order to accomodate growth, decay, change and adaptation. Accomodating for the future needs of the art centre is uncertain, I have chosen a flexible system in the following ways: - designed spaces to accomodate diverse functions, such as the events and studio spaces - raw space: a specific frame and general space allowing with no over-designed spaces - Slack space: some spaces are not predetermined but allow the user to assign function at a later date. The building is slightly bigger than needed in anticipation of growth
Due to the large amounts of construction waste from demolishing the old Watermans, Reusing brick is an oppurtunity. The London Reclaimed Brick Merchants are a company that can come to the site and carefully demolish, clean and reclaim the brick. Potential use could be for landscaping the slope, whole brick reuse or the aggregate going into new composite materials used in construction. Furthermore, the polycarbonate cladding panels can be recycled after use on the building. The usual process for recycling polycarbonate is to sort, shred and wash and then turn into a granulate ready for manufacturers to use again.
PREFABRICATION
LIFE AFTER CONSTRUCTION
Utilising standard of-the-shelf building components is a way to improve economy of scale, speed of constructure on and quality control. The scheme is dimensionally coordinated to ensure to allow for the use of polycarboante cladding systems and concrtete slabs in standardized sizes.
It is important plan for the maintenance of each ‘layer’ of the building so that materials can be replaced, repaired or treated, leading to more durable and cost effective building. The building skin is easily replaced and dismantled, so a different cladding system could be employed in the future. Building material should be reused when it is dismantled- the steel frame that can be bolted together and therefore deconstructed with ease.
ON-SITE ELECTRICITY GENERATION Due to the size of the building, generating heat and electricity would be a viable strategy for providing energy. Utilizing the south orientated site with the implemention of a extensive solar farm on the roof would helpgenerate most the electricity for the building. The solar energy available in South England is around 1300KwH/m2/year.
1000m2 south facing solar farm
PV cells connected to the grid via plant room in the basement
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PRESENTATION LAYOUT FINAL CRIT
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Xavier Smales Newcastle University 07411264300 xaviersmales@hotmail.co.uk