AA VISITING SCHOOL Urban Coagulator Xinfu Liu (775489)
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Contents
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0.0 Introduction
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1.0 Precedent Study
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2.0 Site Analysis
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3.0 Design Methods 4.0 Overall Reflection 5.0 Appendix
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5.1 About Me
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5.2 Credits
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5.3 Bibliography
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0.0 Introduction This project is about creating a physical partition that coagulates pedestrian flow to enhance and facilitate leisure activities in a laneway called Centre Place at Melbourne. Due to the linearity of laneways, majority of people pass through them swiftly and hence, are unable to fully experience the richness of these micro spaces. A study of the activities and people movement at Centre Place has helped identify key characteristics of a laneway that serve as ideal nodes for ‘urban coagulation’ , which then informs the design and placement of the ‘urban coagulator’. The precedent study of tensegrity structure provides the hints of designing the urban coagulator. The final outcome organically integrated the tensegrity structure system with the site context.
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1.0 Precedent Study Our study begin with the tensegrity structure. According to Liedl et al 2010, a structure which demonstrates a reliance on a balance between components that are either in entirely compression or completely tension for stability called tensegrity, or tensional integrity. We start with the basic tensegrity structure which is also known as threedimensional prestressed tensegrity structures from DNA (see image below). Through modelling this structure in physics, we understand the fundamental rules of tensegrity. It gains our interests in tensegrity structure which impel us to make a further research of more complex tensegrity structures. One is called three fan, and another is called DNA.
Three-dimensional Tensegrity Structures
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(Pars, M n.d, Three fans)
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Three Fans This structure getting the idea from the conventional fan, and the basement structure is three-dimensional prestressed tensegrity structure. It creates the space in between each fan which brings the extra internal space of this three fan structure. During the process of studying this three fans structure, I start to think the relationship between lines, surface, and massing. As we gain the number of the lines in each arc, it will nearly become a surface in the end. Because the Mass and surface elements inside this structure, it provides this three fans shape an architecture meaning (Corbusier L 1931). The possibility of this three fan structure is the density of the lines can be easily changed which make this shape more adjustable and flexible.
Annotation of Three Fans
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(Pars, M n.d, DNA)
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DNA This is the second tensegrity structure that we studied. It named as DNA on the website, however, we called it “Dragon�. Although the Struts and strings seems messy when you look at it individually, by putting them together, they bring you something fabulous. We were deeply attracted by the endless spiral this tensegrity structure created and also we were wondering how they form each other together and hold stably. Through our study and modelling in Rhino, we found that the logic of this complicated structure was quite simple. The red, green, and cyan coloured struts (refer to the annotation of DNA below) form the basis of the outline. Furthermore the dark blue struts give the structure a depth which blowed the structure up. Also, because of the dark blue struts, it allows the spiral endlessly going.
Annotation of DNA
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2.0 Site Analysis Our site locate at centre place near the flinders lane and Collins Street. It is an active alley where formed by various restaurants, bars, cafes, barbers as well as shops. Also, there are sorts of Melbourne’s street art and attracted some street performers to this vibrant little alley. The site analysis begin with the idea of private and public. By first observing that the people extending out from the cafÊ shop slow down the human flow, we also found that the activities happening in this laneway caused the moving people unhurried as well. Based on the observation, the word coagulation come out in our mind. This word drives us through the entire project, and also gives a name of our design.
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LOCATION OF CENTRE PLACE
9:00AM
9:30AM 9:15AM
10:00AM 9:45AM
10:30AM 10:15AM
Observation from the top: This is the observation from top view of the Centre place (9:00AM to 10:30AM). We pick the photos from every 15 minutes and observed the people who are stand still changes during the different time. Also, it seems they stand inside a certain area. Furthermore, the people who are stand there mostly are waiting for the coffee, which makes part of public space become extention of private space (kiosk). 8
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OVERLAY
Observation from the laneway: These nine photos were picked from a five minutes observation period. It is interesting to see that the people who are coagulated form a space between each other. The reason of this circumstance is because each individual have their own personal space, and they demand others to know how far he could did from other (Sommer, R, 1969). The space between each individual have a kind of potential for us to design with. And the most importantly, how to make use of these space? 9
Coagulated People (In 30min Observation)
Moving People (In 30min Observation)
Activities Causing Coagulation (In 30min Observation)
Sunlight (In 30min Observation)
Observation in 30 min (1:30PM to 2:00PM): By mapping out the frames in 30min. The consequences start to become more obvious. The coagulated people form a certain shape during this period, and the reason why they coagulated is because they attracted by certain activities and the shops (kiosk, cafĂŠ and restaurant) at the side so that they start to wait, rest and chat. Moreover, we found the sunlight also move while the time pass by. 10
Chatting & Waiting & Moving
Performing & Waiting & Moving & Dining
Sunlight in 1:30PM
Sunlight in 2:00PM 11
Overlay of The Data (In 30min Observation)
Overlay of the data (1:30PM to 2:00PM):Through overlapping the data, we can clearly see that coagulated people form a certain shape which direct and to some extent slow the human flow, and also the coagulation trying to avoid the direct sunlight during the noon and afternoon. 12
Site Analysis Reflection Through the observation and analysis, we come up with few questions: 1. How do we make use of the personal space in between each individual? 2. How to attract the moving people’s attention more and keep their pace slower in order to enjoy the rich street experience? 3. This laneway is a public space however the people who queue for coffee makes part of the public street become extension of private space (kiosk). Is there any possibilities to change private space into part of public which can help enhance the street context? Those questions are key elements which help us through the design process and also brings our project to a new stage.
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3.0 Design Method Despite developing the material system first, this project in fact heads to another approach. In this case, we come out with the design concept first, then we develop our structure system based on the concept. We chose the three fan tensegrity structure as the basic structure system. However, when we combine it with our concept during the development process, the structure system seems changed a lot from the basic. It even change the logic of tensegrity structure. We are surprised by the changes of the structure system, beacause our system had been developed according to the site context, in another words, our system is unique. We scale up our design to a certain height according to the height of human rest their back and arms. In the meanwhile, we start to break the boundary of private and public, inside and outside to enhance the street experience. In the end, we realised that we are trying to achieve a new form of public space located in private spaces (Dehaene, M, & De Cauter 2008).
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New opening for the clothing store. Hang up part by using the existing structure to create a shading. The breaking through arc design blur the boundary of private and public which brings the part of inside out to act as part of street. The middle of the arc offered the best point for performer to attract people’s attention, by which coagulate the people in this street. The arc break through the glass wall which at this side provide the place for hanging and exhibiter the clothes.
New opening for the clothing store.
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The arc at this side provides the resting, waiting and chatting place. Also, it attracts the people’s attention to the performer.
Design Concept By the reflection of site analysis, we find our design agenda: Create a physical partition that coagulates pedestrian flow to enhance and facilitate leisure activities in a laneway. Our concept is based on the activities (waiting, resting, performing, etc.) on Centre Place. Furthermore, we break through the wall of clothing store. By doing that, on the one hand it enhance the coagulate the human flow, on the other hand it create a heterotopia which brings the inside of clothing store (private) to outside (public). From the concept, we start to develop the three fan tensegrity structure and think about how we can transform the structure to suit our concept.
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1:5 testing model
a
a
Potential for bending and hanging
Potential for resting
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Personal Space
Make use of personal space between individual
Structure System Development The challenge of develop the structure system is how to create flexibility for it to bend which can form the arc shape and also to have the possibility to attract people to coagulate. As the results, we break the round shape of fan and use a twist surface to connect two different components which allows the structure system to bend. Moreover, the twist surface also form the space for people to lean their back and at behind, it provides the opportunity for clothing store to exihibit their clothes. In addition, the broken fan components can make use of the personal space between each individual people. As mentioned by Sommer, R 1969, the personal distance become less even disappear when it locate between individual and object. Also, the fan components provide another resting spot for people coming from different directions.
Annotation of New System 18
Tensegrity + Ruled Surface
Possibilities
Hanging Structure
- Clothes can be hung from the
- Act as a sun-shading device by
wall for display.
increase the number of strauts.
Wall - Takes up an area of the clothing store. - A blur of retail (Private) and
- Placement location according
- Opens up another entry point
Public spces which also create a
to the sunlight analysis shades
for the store.
heterotopia space.
noon and afternoon sun.
Coagulation - People encouraged to slow down/stop. - Tensegrity/surface wall facilitates street performers to gather the audience. - Structure provides resting spots for pedestrians. - The three fan elements also make use of the personal space in between eachindividual.
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Negotiate with Site The situation become more interesting when we try to negotiate our structure system with the site. We decide to use the existing structure at the site such as the street light and advertisement to support our structure. Also, we designed a ruled surface combined with our structure system to take place of the original glass wall of the clothing store so that our design flows countinuously. By incresing the numbers of struts to the hanging part, it helps to block the direct sunlight more effciently. In this stage, we are trying hard to find the balance point between the structure system and the site itself. In my point of view, this process is more like the negotiation between our design and the site.
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Personal Reflection of Current Design Our current design only focus on one part of the laneway. If we zoom it into the entire laneway, things will definitely become more complicated and interesting. The followings are my personal reflection of current design stage: First, the structure system need to be develop. The more we promote the structure system, the more possibilities we can find for our design. Second, people act differently in different area. It required us more research on it which can rich our design content. Third, the material for this design has not been decided yet. In order to give our design a certain quality, it is important for us to think about what material we should use in our design. Fourth, we did not include the dinning people into our design which is the most common activities in this area. It is another hint for us to grow up our design as well as structure. Fifth, the personal distance between individuals should be explored more, rather than simply put the fan structure in between, I do believe there are more potential inside which may increase the details of the design. This design so far is more like a conceptual idea rather than a mature project. There are much more potential in this laneway. From my point of view, it is just a start point of the design.
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1:1 prototype model: We scale up the testing model to 1:1 so that we can test how people will experience the partition in real scale. There are some problems during the process: the material is not strong enough, the twist surface between 2 fan components need a longer distance so that it will start to twist and new structure system required tension at both side in different direction. 24
4.0 Overall Reflection This project gives me a new angle to look at the design, which also makes me rethink about the relationship between site and structure systems. Honestly, before attending this AA visiting school subject, I dislike the form finding process. In my point of view before, fantastic forms are just like objects which make no sense. As space designers and architects, I think we only design things basing on the site context first. However, during the process of design, I noticed that the structure systems we developed or studied before we had done the site analysis in fact provide us a lot of hints during the actual design process. The form finding outcome offered me a lot of idea after I came up with the design concept. I completely change my view of form finding process and I even wonder if I could have as many different knowledge of form and structure as possible, it will definitely facilitate our design when we come to a new design in a new site. Also, I think the tensegrity structure system in this project in a way limit our design and personally I do not think this is the best structure system for this project. It is a fascinating process when we start to merge our structure system into the site which to me is more like a process of negotiation. When we facing the real site, we start to change our structure system again and again. I feel like we are making the agreements between site and the structure systems. This is what attract me most and make me enjoy all along the way.
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5.0 Appendix This part contains some sketch drawings during the design process. Also, there is some information about myself. Best wishes to all the people who join our design process. Special thanks to my group member Eugene Kua and our tutors : Paul Loh, Pavel HladĂk, Brendon. Again, thank you so much for your time to read this design journal and hope you enjoy it. Best Regards,
Xinfu Liu 25/02/2016
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Sketches of connection ideas
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Connections: This is our design ideas for the connection of our model. The image 1 is a test connection when we study the DNA tensegrity structure. The other two image is the connection that we used for our three fan tensegrity structure as well as the 1:1 mock up model. 28
Skecthes of concept process
Skecthes of concept process: This is our original skecthes of concept process. Along with the learning and understanding of the site context, we transform the concept gradually. The shape and the content of our design become more and more rich.
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Group photo with 1:1 model From Left to right: Eugene Kua, Xinfu Liu
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5.1 About Me My name is Xinfu Liu from Chengdu which is a city located at south west of China. I graduated from Nanyang Polytechnic (Singapore) with diploma of Space & Interior Design in 2015. During the diploma study, I gain a strong interest in architecture which leads me to pursue a further study at University of Melbourne with Bachelor of Environment (Architecture). With my previous knowledge in space and interior design as well as the working experience in Kingsmen design pte ltd (Singapore) as assistant designer, I approach architecture in my own direction. Besides focusing on the shape and structure, I more interested in the relationship between architecture and urban context, interior and exterior. I always view my designs as story books which translate the context of the site to my design language.
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5.2 Credits Note: The page numbers in the table below are according to the actual number of pages. Xinfu Page
Drawings
Eugene
Model Fabrication Model assembly
Gajan Photography
Writing
Graphic Design
Cover 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 Back 32
5.3 Bibliography Allweil, Y., & Kallus, R 2008. Public-space heterotopias. Heterotopia and the City: Public Space in a Postcivil Society, 191. Corbusier L. 1931. Towards a new architecture. Courier Corporation. Dehaene, M., & De Cauter, L. (Eds.) 2008. Heterotopia and the city: Public space in a postcivil society. Routledge. Liedl, T., Hรถgberg, B., Tytell, J., Ingber, D. E., & Shih, W. M. 2010. Self-assembly of three-dimensional prestressed tensegrity structures from DNA.Nature nanotechnology, 5(7), 520-524. Pars, M n.d., DNA, sculpture, viewed 17 February 2016, <http://www. tensegriteit.nl/e-simple.html> Pars, M n.d., Three Fans , sculpture, viewed 17 February 2016, <http://www. tensegriteit.nl/e-driewaaiers.html> Sommer, R 1969. Personal Space. The Behavioral Basis of Design.
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