STR E T C H Exploring design methods of mass and void/conceal and reveal through a phenomenological lens to offer a multiplicity of experience at Edgars creek YUXIN LIU 831225
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RESEARCH QUESTION How do the mass and void method create constricted or expanded spatial experiences that elicit people’s emotions? The picturesque understanding of landscape still informs the way many people perceive landscapes and their values to this day. The use of mass and void/ Conceal and reveal was used extensively by Capiblity brown, Repton and Olmsted to elicit excitement, awe and curiosity for the users of their landscapes. COVID 19 has revealed that despite living in a digital world we are still seeking landscapes of wonder curiosity and excitement. My project explores how this could be achieved using the aforementioned methods to evoke a richer experience for the users of Edgars Creek.
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CONTENT 1.0 DESIGN ANALYSIS
1.1 Precedent 1.2 Edgars Creek Statement 1.3 Mass and Void Map & Ratio
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2.0 DESIGN PROCESS
PRELIMINARY DESIGN 2.1 Master Plan 2.2 Perspective Drawing 2.3 Zoom in Areas Plans 2.4 Zoom in Areas Location 2.5 Sections
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2.6 Emotion Vs. Space 2.7 Activity Vs. Space 2.8 Final Design Process
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3.0 DESIGN OUTCOME
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STRETCH 3.1 Plan 3.2 Sections 3.3 Plants and Material Selection
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3.4 PERSPECTIVE Enter to Edgars Creek Sunken Lane Sunken Stairs Viewing at Hill Under the Hill Undulate Path Overview
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QUOTE “White space is to be regarded as an active element, not a passive background.�- Jan Tschichold, designer, typographer
PRECEDENT Literary Precedent The literary precedent diagram explains the void design will frame and accentuate mass, also lend more weight to the mass area.
Void framed the Mass
Connecting The Void
Design Precedent where the river runs....
Mass among the Void
Mass reflects a place to hide, represent danger or security. Void is an open area that reflects either exposure or opportunity. (David, K. 2017. Design Outside the Box) The project Where The River Runs raised the certain topography height to form the gentle hills and valley. Using the river flowing form to cut into the landscape that creates a walkway for visitors to pass various landscape formations, like a narrow shore, natural cave, or high cliffs. My design is inspired by the undulating landscape formation.
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EDGARS CREEK Location: Study area focus on Edgars creek from Jenkin St to the Ronald St at city of Moreland Site Statement: the existed site mass ratio creates a specific spatial experience that majority are composed by native evergreen trees and scattered understory plants.
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The composite map, shadow analysis determines how the mass quality will affect at the two-specific date in summer and winter. When the shadow casts longer, making plants appear to be greater in mass. The varying trail width design along the site slows the pace, wider areas and open observation square provide opportunities to note the mass significance. LEGEND
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Designed Pathway
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Existed Pathway
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River
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Trees Shadow/ 3pm.21.June.2019
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Shadow/ 3pm.21.Dec.2019
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Mass and void map gives a quick explanation of site spatial condition, the focal design concentrate on the north side with meander transformation. The area has diverse mass ratio changes that deliver various spatial transformation, which could be stimulating peoples’ emotions in more aspects.
MASS AND VOID MAP
Mass Void
The mass ratio types represent different site quality. 0% is open space, 20% is transformed from open space to the site entry, 40% is a wider trail with less surrounding plants, 60% is narrow pathway among medium plants density, the 80% is a very narrow trail pass through the dense plants, and the 100% demonstrated the conservation area that no trail could pass.
MASS RATIO 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
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PRELIMINARY DESIGN The illustrative master plan, shows the trail width changes and effect to the surrounding mass, the 1.2m wide pathway leads people from Norfolk Street to enter the site, the sudden spatial change offers the experience for people feeling transform from urban to natural. The creek front, residential side pathway penetrates through the mass and define the spatial changes.
MASTER PLAN AREA 3
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1. 1.2m wide Pathway 2. Observation Square 3. Cliff Observation 4. Conservation Area 5. Stepping Stone 6. River Front Pathway 7. Residential Side Pathway
ENTRY AT AREA 1
CLIFF VIEW AT AREA 3
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AREA 1 PLAN
EDGE DETAILS A
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Norfolk Street
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AREA 3 PLAN
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ZOOM IN AREAS DESIGN The 3 interest areas explain the edge between mass and void in details, the area 1 plan demonstrate enter from the main road to the site, the rock seat design at the below corner increase the playfulness and more spatial changes opportunities for people chose to stand or sit on it. The Area 2 plan treat as an observation square, for people decide to walk from the trail to the grassland for meditation, resting, observing purpose, a steppingstone for people crossing the river, and change the spatial experience in height. Area 3 has a cliff side bring both spatial and visual significance for people, the pathway is seamless connect to the cliff side for people to touch and play with the cliff. Area 2 and 3 have a wider pathway for people exploring their own destination and self-interest among the mass site at stable topography that ensures their safety.
ZOOM IN AREA LOCATION AREA 3 +70
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AREA2
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SECTIONS Approximate Mass Ratio
80% Building
Plants
70%
1.2m Trail
Tree +Shrub
1.5m Trail
Fence
SECTION AA
80% Tree+ Shrubs
70%
1.2m Trail
1.5m Trail
Tree +Shrub
Rock
SECTION BB
0%
Grass Observation Area Meditation Area Resting Area
20%
Transform From Trial To Grass Area
Tree +Shrub
60% 2m Trial
Creek
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0%
20%
40% Conservation Area
Grass Observation Area Meditation Area Resting Area
Trial Lead to Stepping Stone
40% Stepping Stone
Bank
SECTION DD
50% 3m wide Trial
30%
30%
Self-Explore Area
Bank-side Plants
5m wide Trial
Creek
SECTION EE
60% Tree +Shrubs
30%
Trial Linked with Cliff Side
Bank-side Plants
5m wide Trial
Self-Explore Area
Creek Cliff
SECTION FF
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EMOTION VS SPACE At Home
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MASS RATIO +/- 10% Variable Factors
20%
40%
Time - Dark (+10%) - Bright (-10%) Season - Winter (+10%) - Summer (-10%)
80%+-10%
40%+ -10% 30% 40%
70% 90%
100%
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Beautiful sky
Height - Tall (-10%) - Short (+10%)
The surrounding space might affect people’s emotions due to individual personality, height, time, and weather difference. An adult might perceive the surrounding space in order size, children might feel things bigger caused by their height. The storyboard explains the grandpa (Owen) bring his grandson (Lucas) to explore the Edgars Creek, Lucas feels the plants are dense and intensive that feel scared, not willing to move forward. Owen experiences excitement to explore the new site with rich mass qualities and hidden spaces. Owen encourages Lucas to continue the adventure, they came to the cliff side. Owen allows Lucas to sit on his shoulder to view the landscape from a higher point. The moonlight cast on Lucas’ face, he feels the moonlight veiled the sight in mystery and charm.
OWEN’S PERCEPTION 70% Mass Ratio Feel excitement and curious
LUCAS’ PERCEPTION 90% Mass Ratio Feel sacred and unsafe
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ACTIVITIES VS SPACE
The draft design ideas explore the activities for people who visit the site.
CONSTRICTED PLANTS MASS VIEWING PALTFORM
CLIFF VIEW
SUNKEN LANE + STAIRS
DECIDUOUS CENTER
SUNKEN LANE GRASSY SLOPE
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DESIGN PROCESS Testing the landscape potentiality, shifting and cutting the topography that use stairs to connect pathway on steep slope, enrich the understory plants and deciduous tree for visual obstacle. Creating raise and down paths to offer excitement and curiosity through movement. Existed Site Spatial Condition
Design Process
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FINAL DESIGN
STR E T C
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The spatial experience from constricted to expanded (or another way around) might affect persons’ motor and psychological reactions that measure the potential movement against the surrounding spaces. Someone might feel insecure or private at the sunken lane; powerful or scared on a hilltop; curious or hesitant for the hidden place. The usage of mass and void method controls the site mass quality (soft mass: vegetation & Hard mass: stone, rammed earth wall), observers walk to gain new sensations, seeing the new potential for movement at Edgars Creek.
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PLAN 1. Raised 3m wide Pathway 2. 1.2-1.5m wide Sunken Lane 3. Sunken Stairs 4. Standing Platform 5. Viewing Hill 6. 2-3m wide Gravel Path 7. 3-5m wide Grass Path 8. Deciduous Centre 9. Open Square 10. Stone Steps 11. Creek front Gravel Path 12. Hidden Cliff 13. Steeping Stone 14. Mulch Path 15. Undulant Path 16. 3-4m Height Plants Group
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For the designed site, the sunken lane and stairs cut the existing topography that offers a constricted space that only allows people to see the sky and covered the surrounding environment. The shifted topography creates raised path and observation hill that compose expansion experience for people viewing the whole site at a higher standpoint. Adding the plants to the scattered and barren understory that enrich the soft mass quality for developing new constricted environment. The open square and deciduous centre will offer various open experience and transition during different weather and for people who are walk out from the constricted area.
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SECTIONS The mass ratio changes through movements, visitors could explore their own mass ratio definition in certain areas. Norfolk St
Factory
3m Enriched wide Understory Raised Plants Path
Sunken Stairs + Bench
Sunken Path 2m Enriched connect to Gravel wide UnderPath Gravel story Path Plants + Existed Tree
Creek
Bank
SECTION AA
Factory
1.2m wide Sunken Lane 3m Enriched Enriched Understory wide Understory Plants + Existed Tree Raised Plants Path
2m wide Gravel Path Enriched Understory Plants + Existed Tree
Grass Path + Bank Retaining Stone
Creek
Bank
SECTION BB
3m Enriched Standing wide Understory Platform Enriched Factory Raised Plants Understory Path + Existed Plants Tree
SECTION CC
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Enriched Understory Plants + Existed Tree
Gravel Path
Enriched Understory Plants
Gravel Path
Enriched Understory Plants + Existed Tree
Creek Front Path Creek
Creek
Bank Retaining Stone
Grass Path
Gravel Path
Open Square
Hidden Cliff
Bank Retaining Stone
Creek
Bank
SECTION DD Standing Platform
Viewing Hill
Deciduous Centre
Hidden Cliff
Bank Steeping Retain- Stone ing on Stone Creek
SECTION EE Factory
Undulant Path + 3-4m height Plants
Deciduous Centre
Open Square
Stone Steps
Creek Front Path Creek Bank + Dense Plants
SECTION FF
Factory Mulch and Undulant Path + 3-4m height Plants
Grass Path
Stairs connect Cliff Side
Open Cliff
Creek
Bank
SECTION GG
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PLANTS AND MATERIALS LIST Order in height EXISTED TREE
Eucalyptus Acacia camaldulensis melanoxylon h x w:20-45m x h x w: 12-25m x 15-20m 6-10m
Acacia mearnsii h x w: 8-15m x 4-6m
Acacia retinodes h x w: 6m x 3m
The deciduous plants offer the seasonality changes and different weather spatial experience to the site.
EXISTED SHRUB
Hymenanthera dentata h x w: 4m x 3-4m
Maintaining the existed tree, enrich and re-vegetate the scattered understory by using the existed plants and add with other native plants to create a visual obstacle and mass experience.
Leptospermum lanigerum h x w: 4m x 5m
Bursaria spinosa h x w: 3-10m x 1-5m
Enchylaena tomentosa h x w: 1m x 1m
EXISTED GRASS
Phragmites australis h x w: 1-3m x indefinite
Austrodanthonia caespitosa h x w: 0.2–0.9m x 0.12m
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Austrostipa bigeniculata h x w: 1.2m x 1m
Austrodanthonia racemosa h x w: 0.15-0.6m x 0.2m
Schoenoplectus Poa Ficinia Lomandra tabernaemontani labillardierei nodosa longifolia h x w: 1.2-2 m x h x w: 0.8-1.2m h x w: 0.75-1.5m h x w: 0.3-0.4m indefinite x 0.8m x 2m x 0.75m
Microlaena stipoides h x w: 0.3m x indefinite
ADDED TREE Deciduous
Quercus cerris Melia azedarach Quercus coccinea Sophora h x w: 20-30m x h x w: 30m x h x w: 15 m x japonica 15-20m 15m 8-12 m h x w: 10-15 m x 5-6 m
Evergreen
Acmena smithii ‘Sublime’ h x w: 5 x 2-3m
Syzygium australe ‘Big Red h x w: 4 x 3m
Corymbia citriodor ‘Lemon Squash’ h x w: 4-6 x 4-6m
Adenanthos sericea h x w: 3.5m x 1.5m
Westringia fruticosa h x w: 2m x 4m
ADDED SHRUB
Acacia cognata ‘Green Screen’ h x w: 3-4m x 2-3m
Rhagodia spinescens h x w: 0.5-1m x 1.5-2m
ADDED GRASS
Pennisetum alopecuroides h x w: 0.8mx0.8m
Dietes grandiflora h x w: 0.8m x 0.8m
Lepidosperma squamatum h x w: 0.5m x 0.5m
Gravel and metal edging pathway
Mulch pathway
MATERIAL
Rammed earth retaining wall
Lomandra filiformis h x w: 0.2-0.5m x 0.2-0.3m
Scaevola humilis h x w: 0.2m x 1.5m
Due to the site budget limitation, most of the paths chose gravel, mulch, and grass for pavement. The retaining wall is used rammed earth for catted landscape, stairs and steps are used stone to create the beauty of nature. The timber retaining wall only used for the undulant path for aesthetic purpose.
Grass pavement Timber retaining wall
Stone steps
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ENTER TO EDGARS CREEK Enter the site from Norfolk Street, the neat and high quality brick pavement at the entrance express welcome and distinct to the existed factory environment. The raised path using gravel pavement and metal edging to maintain the gravel overflow. The raised height allows people to view the site over the dense understory plants. For a more excited or scared experience, people can choose to walk downstairs that explore the sunken lane.
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SUNKEN LANE The Sunken Lane used the rammed earth retaining wall to save the budget, the narrowed lane offers the enclosure space that only allows people to look up the sky or the linear front sight. The gravel pavement allows the rainwater to filtrate to underground, yet assemble the garbage that builds walking obstacle.
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SUNKEN STAIRS The Sunken Stairs connected the steep slope and offer the terrain difference for people walking down to experience the spatial transformation, the dense shrubs work with the retaining wall build even richer mass qualities. Again, the site has no maintaining management, the rubbishes will accumulate at the sunken areas to create a different mass experience.
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VIEWING FROM HILL Walking out from the sunken areas, the Observation hill builds an expanded spatial experience for people to view the whole site, and decide where to go. The sudden transitions from closure to open might evoke peoples’ curiosity to explore further.
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FOOT OF THE HILL People who chose step downstairs will follow a wider gravel path to the foot of the hill. Climbing the hill could offer a sense of excitement and exhilaration when standing on the top.
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UNDULANT PATH Keep walking to the undulant path, it is surrounded by the 3 to 4m height trees and shrubs group. When people walk on the mulch pavement, the farther you go, the more constraint you got. Until walk up to the undulant path, you could stand above the dense plants to view further sight.
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OVERVIEW The site overview explains people’s choice of the pathway will lead to a different sensory journey, visitors might wonder curiosity, excitement, or feel insecurity.
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