ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: EARTH S1, 2016 SECRET RELATIONSHIPS Zech Loh
728541 Andrew Ferguson Studio 11
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CONTENTS POINT/ LINE/ PLANE Precedence Design
MASS
Precedence Design
FRAME & INFILL Precedence Design
THE SECRET OF HERRING ISLAND History Site Analyis Concept Perspective Sketches Orthographic Sketches Physical Model
REFLECTIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY
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POINT / LINE / PLANE Point, line and plane are the fundamental elements of design. Sketches or Computer Aided Drawing software used to create designs begin with a point. A line is essentially a series of points and therefore when a point is extended outwards, a line is formed. When a line or lines are joined to form an enclosed shape, which is then filled, a plane is formed. Thus, as discussed in lecture 1 by Selenitsch, there is a hierarchy where planes are made of lines which are in turn made of points. The view point of an observer in relation to the object also affects one’s interpretation of point, line and plane with regards to the elements of the object or the object itself. An example would be a column, where if one was given a zoomed imaged of its surface, it would appear as a plane. However, viewed at a distance, the same column would appear as a line and viewed from the top, it would appear as a point.
Southern Cross Station, Australia Architect(s): Grimshaw Architects Description: The roof structure of Southern Cross Station features lines that are joined at various points, creating frames that support planes that rest on them. Utilizing point, line and plane, the roof is divided into units that complement the organic structural members, thus contributing to the fluid overall form of the roof. This fluidity achieved with point, line and plane seemingly challenges conventional designs of roofs that are constructed with flat planes and straight lines.
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The Corner
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Finger Pressed Against Lips
The Hallway
The Room
This model for point, line and plane was based on the theme of secrets and the overall form was inspired by a finger pressed against a pair of lips. The modular design comprises of triangles placed at various positions to create three different internal spaces that attempt to replicate and heighten the atmosphere and environment in which hushed secrets are whispered. Utilizing planes, the three areas within the model are created with varying degrees of openness to the external environment, reflecting the desire for privacy when secrets are shared between people. The order of descending exposure to the external begins with The Corner, followed by The Hallway and lastly, The Room. The edges of the triangles, that form lines, are used to cut into the internal spaces thereby creating discomfort and contributing to the unease felt by users sharing a secret within the space. The points found on the triangles and joints are pushed outwards towards the external environment to create an uninviting form, representing the secretive users’ desire for privacy and discouraging approach from others.
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MASS Mass is a volumetric, and often compressive, structural element of architecture. As discussed by Selenitsch in lecture 3, there are several construction methods for mass including articulated construction, representational construction and cementic construction. Focusing on articulated masonry construction, Selenitsch mentions that precision is a problem when mixed materials are used and when stone precision is expected. These problems in this aspect of mass construction contributed to the inspiration for my design.
Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe, Germany Architect: Peter Eisenman Description: The memorial is formed with 2711 concrete stele blocks of varying heights. In an interview, Eisenman describes that the memorial is focused more on the kinesthetic experience and the imposing presence of these blocks. Through this, Eisenman uses the spaces between masses to create a solemn atmosphere.
Espaรงo Cultural Porto Seguroto, Brazil Architect: Sao Paulo Arquitetura Description: From an external point of view, the Brazilian Cultural Centre appears to be a windowless mass with few small entrances, giving the building an impenetrable appearance. Within contains a large volume separated by walls and panels of concrete that invites curious users to explore the spaces within.
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Section of Mass Design
Dominus Winery at a Distance
Close Up
As mass in architecture is about dense volume, I utilized this quality as a means of protection for the theme of secrets. Furthermore, the precision issues discussed about articulated masonry construction for mass inspired the idea of gaps and irregularitiesof secrets. Additional precedent research led to the Dominus Winery by Herzog & de Meuron where gabion walls were used. Gabion walls from a distance, appear as imposing mass forms. However, upon closer inspection, holes between the boulders in the walls allow external users to peek into the internal space. The mass of gabion walls from a distance, is representative of the desire to protect secrets while the holes between the boulders allowing external users to peek into the internal space, symbolizes fear, guilt and the desire to share when one has a secret. By allowing external users to see into the internal space of the design, it piques their interest. Entering into my design through a curved pathway, users are led to a forest of glass tubes containing optical fibre cables. Further exploration of the space would have users discovering hidden entrances to subterranean spaces. These underground spaces are not connected to each other and have varying heights, floor area and lighting from the glass tubes to reflect the different levels of intimacy in a secret conversation between users and the desire to be hidden. The mass of the ground encompassing the subterranean spaces fools users into a false sense of security as each space is located near another, such that voices from other users in the neighbouring space can be heard. This false sense of security and eventual discovery reflect and heighten the insecurities one has when hiding secrets.
Subterranean Spaces
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FRAME & INFILL Frame and infill is about the relationship between the two and the representation of frame as permanence and infill as temporality. Selenitsch in lecture 5 describes the permanence of frame as having static and stationary qualities while the temporary infill has transient and dynamic qualities. Together, frame and infill have a thinness and elegance that expresses transparency, lightness and antigravity attributes. The tectonic system also requires efficiency of its components and exhibits its assembly method.
North Rose of Notre Dame de Paris, France
Shoji & Fusuma elements in a traditional Japanese house, Japan
Architect: Jean de Chelles Description: While reflecting on frame and infill, the idea of stained glass came to mind when lecturer Selenitsch mentioned how the frame was permanent and stationary while the infill was temporary, dynamic and colourful. The stained glass windows of Notre Dame de Paris such as North Rose was removed during World War 2 in fear it would be destroyed.
Architect: Unknown Description: Considering other examples that were not modern and post-modern, I recalled the form of a Shoji and Fusuma where a timber frame has an infill made of paper. It expresses the attributes of permanence and temporality where the paper infill can be replaced if damaged. Through the use of Shoji and Fusuma, traditional Japanese houses have thinness and elegance, which contribute to the architecture’s anti-gravity qualities.
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Internal Space
Exploded Axonometric
Top View
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Side View
Drawing inspiration from a confessional used in catholic churches, I sought to utilize the qualities of frame and infill, to reflect and explore the social contract of personal secrets between two people. The experience of having personal secrets and sharing them can be expressed in three qualities of frame and infill –temporality/ permanence, transparency and anti-gravity. The two unconnected tunnels placed side by side, each have a different internal lighting quality and geometric solid forms for seating within. A translucent infill only revealing silhouettes, separates the two tunnels where the listener’s side is dark with a slit of light from above while speaker’s side is brighter with light from all around. The solid form for the listener is a triangle prism on which he sits on an edge, while the speaker sits on a flat surface of a rectangle prism. The brighter area was designated to the speaker so as to heighten the experience of feeling exposed when revealing a secret. The edge on which the listener sits on was intended to heighten the level of discomfort in taking on the burden of the speaker’s secret. The quality of temporality and permanence is used symbolically in the design. The permanent frame represents a person who is a vessel containing information while in contrast, the temporary infill is symbolic of secrets which is continually transitioning. This leads to the quality of transparency where the speaking of secrets slowly lifts the burden on the speaker and he becomes more transparent to the world. This is reflected in the increasing translucency of the infill on the side of the speaker to the eventual frame with negative space as an infill. The quality of anti-gravity is reflected in the ascension and eventual plateau where the view at exit of the model is unhindered giving the user a feeling of floating which heightens the experience of having a burden lifted and a new beginning.
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HERRING ISLAND Secrets are often thought to be whispers between people about hidden information. However, with regards to inanimate objects, these objects are the embodiment of the secrets they hold and one needs to decipher the hidden information within. The secret of Herring Island is its transition from the past to the present which reflects the relationship between humans and the natural environment.
HISTORY
In 1928, a river channel was cut through the Richmond Quarry to form an island, then called Como Island. In 1930-76, levee banks were formed on Como Island by dumping silt from the Yarra River. In 1950-60, scouts were loaned the island and was renamed Herring Island thereafter. Presently, Herring island is a conservation site for indigneous flora and fauna, and is the location for Melbourne Festival’s “Environmental Sculpture” Park.
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SITE ANALYSIS The only island found on the Yarra River, Herring Island is a conservation park for indigenous flora and fauna and is also used as an exhibition site for 9 sculptures that express a deep connection with the island, the Australian landscape and the aboriginal history. Focusing on six of these sculptures, the ideas that they embody were a source of inspiration for my design. The sketches accompanying the photographs were also done to highlight the elements of the sculpture that contribute to the meaning of the sculpture.
Steerage is a knowledge which
metaphor for would be later
Falling Fence was constructed to be absorbed by nature, expressing the idea that whatever resources man may take, nature would always be able to reclaim it.
journeys, water and reflected in the design.
Stone House represents a sense of discovery and concealment that inspired the design to be constructed into the ground.
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A Hill, A River, Two Rocks And A Presence expresses a sense of place and recognition of the island’s source reflecting the importance of the history of the island which contributed to the concept derived for the design.
The textures of Scaled Stem reflect the “inseparability and interdependence between notions of nature and culture�, displaying the connection between humans and nature.
Tanderrum is a sculpture made of different materials including Mt William greenstone, and expresses the values of land, water and sky found in the aboriginal culture.
SITE CHOSEN
The site chosen for the design is located on a ridge, found on the eastern side of the island that faces the main land from which the island was separated. As it faces east, it is also in the direction from of the rising sun contributing to ideas of time and a new beginning or stage that that the island progresses into.
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CONCEPT
Development of Basalt rock from natural state, to interaction with humans, and its return to nature
Diagram of Material Progression
Inspiration for preservation from insects trapped in amber
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Conceptacle developed
Based on the Site Analysis and History of Herring Island, a concept was formed where the secret of the island is the cyclic relationship between humans and nature as seen in its history and present state. This relationship begins with nature, untouched by humans and progresses to the idigenous civilization that has a deep connection with nature. As civilization further develops, humans begin to exploit nature, leading to separation between the two entities. The following stage when human society’s attempts to preserve the natural environment. Finally, after a period of time, when humans leave, nature reclaims everything and returns to its initial state. Utilizing Basalt rocks in various states and the lighting in my design, I hope to represent this cyclic relationship.
PERSPECTIVE SKETCHES
Entrace from the West
View from the East
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Plan with Shadow Detail
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Section with Shadow Detail
ORTHOGRAPHIC SKETCHES As seen in the perspective sketch of the entrance and section, a slope leads downwards into the dim internal space of the design, where rays of light extend from the various perforations in the ceiling and the sound of water rushing against the exterior can be heard. At the highest level within the design, the sound of water, the basalt and greenstone rock ceiling, and the holes in the ceiling expresses the aboriginal values of land, water and sky. Descending the first ramp, the rock mixture ceiling above turns to one of basalt bricks, and the holes have been sealed with glass panels. The change in materiality and form alters the user’s experience as the bricks affect the spatiality while the glass panels reduce drafts of wind, thus expressing the separation of man and nature. Descending the second ramp, the holes with the glass panels now contain various plants suspended within, representing human civilization’s attempt to preserve nature. At the bottom level, the spatiality is once again altered by the transition from the brick ceiling to a higher ceilings made of boulder. The holes are left open again, framing views of the main land. This creates the effect of Herring Island moving towards the main land, expressing the idea of nature reclaiming its separated member.
Eastern Internal Elevation
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PHYSICAL
Eastern External Elevation
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L MODEL
Eastern Internal Elevation
Perspective of Internal Elevation
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PHYSICAL
Internal View at Top Level
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Internal View at Bottom LeveL
L MODEL
Hole Detail in Roof
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REFLECTION The study of point, line and plane, mass, and frame and infill, in Architecture studio Earth developed my understanding of tectonics. Through the blog entries and the smaller design assignments, it prepared me for the final assignment of a design based on secrets, located on Herring Island. The in-depth explanations and precedent examples both shown in the lectures and research done for the blogs, increased my comprehension of the application of the tectonics and allowed me to apply them in the smaller design assignments. It also developed my ability to analyse and express ideas from my initial literal designs to ones that utilized tectonics to orchestrate spatial and experiential qualities with deeper meanings. The assignments also encouraged me to explore various materials and mediums used to enrich my presentation. While they honed my sketching and model making skills, they also taught me to be selective in the images and the way in which models should be presented. With a deeper understanding of tectonics, I feel that this course has given me a good foundation as an architecture student and has developed the way I design, especially with a greater concern for spatial and experiential qualities that I had lacked previously.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ackerman, S. 2011, Close Up, photograph, viewed 3 June 2016, <https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6077/6137120501_96060ced5d_b.jpg> Coyne, T. 2005, Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe, photograph, viewed 2 June 2016, <https://www.jou.ufl.edu/people/faculty/ jfreeman/01_TCOY.jpg> Dominus Winery at a Distance (n.d.), Maisons Marques & Domaines, viewed 3 June 2016, <http://mmd.ninjacdn.com/images/brandphotos/Image2_12_1365461959.jpg> Hargesheimer, F. (n.d.), Espaรงo Cultural Porto Seguroto, photograph, viewed 2 June 2016, <https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/03/ espaco-cultural-porto-seguro-sao-paulo-arquitetura-brazil_dezeen_936_0.jpg> Ozawa T. (n.d.) Shoji-Fusuma, photograph, viewed 3 June 2016, < http://www.shoji-fusuma.de/cms/wp-content/gallery/Shoji-Fotos/Shojiby-Tetsusan%20(1).jpg> Workman, J. A. 2010, North rose window of Notre-Dame de Paris, photograph, viewed 3 June 2016, < https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/North_rose_window_of_Notre-Dame_de_Paris%2C_Aug_2010.jpg>
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