Grey Crystal Design for Representation II
Representation II Zilong Ma a1680673 August 2017
CONTENTS
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II
Elevations & Plan of site
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Design idea 1
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Site analysis
3
Design idea 2
13
Site history
5
3D Internal views
15
Photographic study of ambient light
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Design precedent
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Light study: Luminosity
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Light study: Reflection
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III
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Access and Movement
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To-scale structure
31
Plans & Section
23
Construction details
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Aerial and Ground views
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Inside of Grey Crystal
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Light and Space
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Inside of Grey Crystal
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Light study: Opacity
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Light study: Filtration
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Elevation & Plan of Site
School of Computer Science
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wo lawns in between The Braggs, Molecular Life Sciences, Ingkarni Wardli and the Engineering and Maths Sciences building. These buildings influence the site in terms of feeling, emotion and physical relationship like the shade. Besides, the Facade (elevation ) of these architectures plays an important role of the concept design. Barr Smith Library
Petroleum Engineering
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Site Plan in scale of 1: 1000
Maths lawns in between The Braggs, Molecular Life Sciences, Ingkarni Wardli and the Engineering and Maths Sciences building. If you’re looking for a bench to sit on, these lawns are lined by picnic tables. A water bubbler stands in front of The Braggs entrance.
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Site Analysis Access and movement
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he site is located in the north east corner of university of Adelaide, connected by two main roads and several paths. Visitors can easily get into the site by walking and cycling, but not driving as the driveway is not besides. Overall, the site is an attractive place since there is a great number of population go through the site and use it in different way such as holding festival, teaching activities and strolling. Maths Lawns can gather a large population during major campus festival especially in the good weather.
Uni of Adelaide Campus Roads and Paths
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Summer
Winter
Shade and Shadow During summer in Adelaide, the temperature can be quite high and so does the solar altitude. 80% of the site can be lighten from 9am to 3pm. However during winter, only 10% of the site can be lighten form morning to afternoon.
Shade and shadow at three times of the day in summer and in winter (9am/12noon/3pm)
3D views (2 Aerial views and 2 Ground views)
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Historical site
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his site is a relatively large area for people to hold festivals and teaching activites which allowed Maths Lawns being able to reflect the campus value and culture of University of Adelaide. The library located in the west side of Maths Lawns is quite unique. Barr Smiths and the Elders were noted philanthropists, closely interested in the social and cultural development of the Colony. The University of Adelaide was founded in 1874, and Robert Barr Smith served as a member of its Council for 19 years. During his lifetime his donations to the University exceeded £20,000, including £9,000 for the improvement of the Library. In 1899 the University Council resolved that its library should bear the name “The Barr Smith Library”.
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Photographic Study of Ambient light
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he lighting facilities in uni campus is very advanced. During the night time, Mathes Lawns can be lightened very well and people can find various typle of well designed lighting facilities around the Braggs, Molecular Life Sciences, Ingkarni Wardli and the Engineering and Maths Sciences building.
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Photographic study of ambient light (Day time)
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Light Study 1: Luminosity Luminosity is a term frequently used in the art, design and architectural sphere. Linguistically, luminosity can be identified as lightness or brightness. The term is also used professionally in astronomy as the amount of energy that stars and galaxies have, and is also a unit of electromagnetic energy. The following essay touches on the philosophical meaning of luminosity and its architectural meaning through a specific case study. In terms of philosophical meaning, luminosity has different definitions. There exists a special relationship between luminosity, where there exists an illuminator (source of light) and the acceptor of that light source. Normally, people perceive things around them by the amount of light that is absorbed by the light receptors in the human eye. There is always one or more illuminators in the environment which contains luminosity. Whether or not people perceive its luminosity is dependent on light reflection. Thus, it reflects the existential value of the object as well as the acceptors which are affected by the luminosity of the illuminator. If illuminators no longer exist, the luminosity of other objects will disappear as they require light as a medium, as well as the reflection of light. This reinforces the fact that acceptors themselves are unable to produce light.
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In short, both the illuminator itself and object or acceptor can all contain luminosity. Nonetheless, the illuminator can directly affect other objects. This key factor is what changes people’s awareness of objects around them.
In the field of architecture, the contact between it and luminosity is direct and obvious. Many architects and designers like to relate their design concept with lighting and brightness, and luminosity plays a significant role in terms of expression. Similarly, the awareness of shape, material, size and even space in architecture can be reshaped by varying luminosity. It has become a technique for helping designers to express themselves and create more impressive and attractive buildings. According to Zaha Hadid’s works, she used a more direct way of show the meanings of luminosity in architecture. She cleverly used her skill to create buildings in a unique form, placing both natural light and artificial light inside in order to render and strengthen the feature of her design concept. Line works can be easily found in her design since she intuitively revealed the appearance of lighting and luminosity. Especially in her late career, this feature became much more obvious. Some key examples of her work include the Guangzhou Opera House (China, 2010), Heydar Aliyev Centre (Baku, 2012) and Nanjing International Youth Cultural Centre (Nanjing, 2016), where light is shaped directly on the building line and becomes the major part of building.
meantime. In conclusion, luminosity is an indispensable element in architectural design. It can be used directly and indirectly to enhance the awareness, feeling and understanding of space and lines. Too much or little luminosity cannot be a good thing, it really needs to be controlled and varied as a highly stylized and personal expression technique.
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ouis Kahn realized the power of luminosity as well, but much earlier and in a different light compared to Zaha Hadid. He highlighted the importance of shallow or said darkness, an opposite character and also a derivative of light. In his work, shadow always weigh more than luminosity. The illuminators are usually hidden; an exposed illuminator can be rarely found. The point is that he wanted people to pay more attention towards the effect of luminosity on the building and how it shapes the space around it; not on the origin of the illuminator itself. Neither the Indian Institute of Management or Salk Institute designed by Louis Kahn can be a good instance of showing the effect of shadow. Large size windows and open space did not invite much light into the building due to its closed roof which creates another type of luminosity in these buildings. As Kahn referred to in architecture, shadow is more like a precious material of a building, instead of being a result of shelter. He tried to keep the shadow inside of building and try to protect the cool shadow as he said. In other word, Louis Kahn kept a low profile of utilizing luminosity and expressed elegance of his concept at the
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he design idea 1 focus on attracting the light into the underground rooms through separated blocks with different angles. It is inspirited by the concrete blocks in campus. Using the transmission of light, and referencing the inside design of Ronchamp church, the contour of light projection can be changed into interesting shapes.
Design Idea 1
A-A
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Plan in scale of 1: 200
Section in scale of 1: 200
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Light
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Spatial diagrams
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Elevation in scale of 1: 200
Aerial view
Ground view
Internal view
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Design Idea 2
he design idea 2 focus is inspirited by the angled glazing faรงade around the site. Using the transmission and reflection of light, and referencing the phenomenon of crystallization of light, the contour of light projection can be changed into interesting shapes.
A-A
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Plan in scale of 1: 200
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Section A-A in scale of 1: 200
Light
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Toilets
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Spatial diagrams 1
Spatial diagrams 2
Elevation in scale of 1: 200
Aerial view
Re lax ing
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Library
Ground view
Spatial diagrams 3
Internal view
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3D Internal view of idea 1
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3D Internal view of idea 2
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Design Precedent Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut Ronchamp Le Corbusier
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orbusier wanted the space to be meditative and reflective in purpose. The stark white walls add to this purist mentality that when the light enters into the chapel there becomes this washed out, ethereal atmosphere. The effect of the light evokes expressive and emotional qualities that create heightened sensations in tune with the religious activities.
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Inside of Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut
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Light Study 2: Reflection Reflection is commonly identified as an optical phenomenon and physical term which is always connected with mirror and water. In short, it is the change in direction when light go through one medium to another. The reflection of light can either be diffuse or specular depending on the material of the interface. The following essay will discuss the philosophical meaning of this specific term and its meaning in architecture through case study. Basically, according to the light reflecting back into people’s eye, things can be felt and comprehended. Then reflection of light helps people to perceive the colour, shape and texture of common objects. In terms of philosophical meaning, it means embodying: presenting both the existence and character of the medium and also presenting the feature of other surrounding items. For instance, a piece of glass would not perform the same lustre when placed in desert and forest respectively. Thus, it is a kind of cooperation between objects, and reflection needs to work in an environment of mutual influence. If there exists only one independent object, the reflection will not work as it requires an object to assist in the reflection. In addition, it can be also identified as repeating, copying and distortion when the characteristic of presenting surrounding items’ feature dominates.
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For example, people always notice the images reflected by the mirror, although it has contained the feature of itself. Overall, with reflection, the links between things are often strengthened, objects reinforce the value of existence and features of each other through reflection.
When taking about reflection in architecture, the first thing coming in mind is usually glass, steel and such materials with smooth surface. These materials are widely used in modern architecture and they are more frequently fund as façade of building instead of inside structure. The uniform glazing façade was quite popular in the past, famous examples like Seagram Building by Mies van der Rohe. And such building can be easily found in every developed city when modernism became dominant after World War II. These typical design all focused on reflecting the light and presenting the self-character: revealing the gloss of the glass, while other building materials cannot achieve the desired effect. Nowadays, architects pay more attention on the outlooks, shape and structure of façade since the public had been bored by those square glazing buildings. Different type of glass, steel and even plastic are integrally used in façade, presenting light reflection in a various way. The outside structure of architectures became more complex and unconventional.
In conclusion, reflection is an attractive element that designer like to use in architecture. It is not good to reflect things around too directly and completely. With certain choice and plan, it can be a great tool of contacting the surrounding environment, subjectively emphasizing the character of building itself and the idea of coordination of environment.
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ccording to one of Herzog & de Meuron’s work named Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the curvy glass façade is very special compared with other surrounding architectures. It was harmoniously integrated into the local scenery. The designer cleverly used his skill to create a mirror façade in a unique form, reproducing the sense of Hamburg in an unreal and distorted way, and effectively point out the relationship between the environment and the architecture. Additionally, one of Arnaud Lapierre’s design called the ring installation in Place Vendôme in Paris is also a fantastic example of how reflection can be introduced in architecture, it used scattered mirrored blocks to copy and re-join the surrounding environment, presenting an experience of disorientation. Through reflection, images in mirror is not necessarily be complete or consistent but also can be transformed and given new distinctive features, adding interest to the building.
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Access and Movement B-B
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he design contains both stair and lift system (the disable access), allowing visitors to reach different levels easily. Although lift is more convenient than stair, the stair system is still the main way to access. Walking alone the high wall in the middle air can always render visitors a rich experience of perception.
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A-A
D-D
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B-B
Lift Access
Plan 1:200 (Groud Level)
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D-D
Stair Access
Spatial diagrams C-C
Spatial diagrams D-D
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Plans & Section
Ground Level
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Section A-A 1:100
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1. Reception area 2. Exhibition space 3. Relaxing space 4. Small library 5 & 6. Reading space 7. Relaxing space 8 & 9. Seminar rooms 10. 3 Toilets (M/F/D) 11. Storage space
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Plan 1:200 (Ground Level)
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Section B-B 1:200
Plan 1:200 (Level 1)
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Plan 1:200 (Level 2)
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Plan 1:200 (Level 3)
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Ground view 1 Facing the School of Computer Science
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Aerial and Ground views
Ground views 2
Aerial views 1
Aerial views 2
Aerial views 3
The design style of Grey Crystal is able to coordinate with the surrounding landscape and the view of architectures of campus. More specific, the glass surface and low height of the structures keeps the integrity of other buildings’ façade.
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Light & Spaces Internal views of the pavilion Showing how light defines spaces
Internal view 1
Internal view 3
I Internal view 2
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nside of the Grey Crystal, the light comes through the glass structure group at the top. The feeling of space can be expressed and enhanced by the polygonal shape of the bright side, the shadow and the highly expressive interior wall faรงade.
Internal view 5 Internal view 4
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Light Study 3: Opacity Opacity is usually a relatively strange word, which is normally identified as one physical term of describing the ability of items of stopping the light from penetrating through. Overall, it is an impenetrable measure of electromagnetic radiation or other radiation in terms of optics. The following essay will discuss the philosophical meaning of Opacity and other meanings in architectural design through specific case study. The light can be reshaped and changed through various ways, but transparency and opacity usually appear together when descripting the light experience of one space. In terms of philosophical meaning, opacity means decreasing, reducing and even removing, being the barrier between the inside and outside of objects. On the other hand, transparency is the gap and the void instead of solid of an object, attracting the light to come inside. Although transparency and opacity is two very different term with different function, they play significant role and effect each other like the solid and void, either of them cannot exist without the other. If one object has the characteristic of transparency, it also contains features of opacity. For instance, there exists a space, which has a window or a gap to encourage the sunlight, thus the rest the space should be surrounded by wall, blocking the sunlight. The space can never
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be simply formed by only wall or gap, they need to appear at the same time in same place, and otherwise the space is not complete and reasonable. In terms of architectural design, Opacity is a fancy tool to use for designers, it is a good way to control the “amount “and “hardness”
of interior light. A great number of materials can be effectively used, rendering various effects to the design. In modern architecture, this kind of technique of expression is now getting more attention. The sunlight can no longer directly shine into the room but through refraction and diffuse reflection and so on. Using the different materials of glass, such as frosted glass and indirect lighting design. These methods control not only the amount the light but also the direction and the volume of light. According to the FAHOUSE by Jean Verville architecte in Canada, this architecture effectively exploit the contrasts between light and opacity, shrinking the size and number of the windows. The natural lighting system of this whole building is not advanced, using the limitation of windows to emphasize the enjoyment and mystery of this space because of the dreamlike aspect of this architectural theme. The site is located in the forest, large amount of wall block the strong direct sunlight, each room was lighted by the reflected light supported by additional artificial light.
In conclusion, opacity is not a way to strict the inside lighting but also a helpful tool to enhance the sense of space and structure. Like the void and solid in architectural design, the relationship between opacity and transparency is mutual, they influence each other and these two elements can be effectively used in design by architects.
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n addition, whiteness is another element frequently used when talking about the opacity and transparency of one architectural design, and it is another kind of opacity. According to Richard Meier’s words who is well known for his white building and abstract design concept and philosophy, “Whiteness allows the architectural ideas to be understood most clearly—the difference between opacity and transparency, solid and void, structure and surface,” he said. “They have a greater clarity.” When it comes to the Scandinavian countries, where the weather gets extreme and the daylight decreases a lot during winter months, the application of whiteness and opacity is quite often and popular, white surface is a good solution of enhancing the interior light through a day and counterbalancing the dark winter days. Besides, with the cooperation between white surface and well-designed lighting system, the transition between light and shadow can soft and gentle, the shape, size and structure can be better understood compared to the other light effect with the Clear demarcation between shadow and light in rooms. For example, in the 1930s, Alvar Aalto introduced the concept of white diffusion for Paimio sanatorium, using white paint coating, white steel and white linoleum. Shadows cover the walls, floors and ceilings, as well as daylight scoop. It is a great experience of opacity and transparency, which stressed the space sense of the room.
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To-scale structure Ground Level
Exploded perspective 1 Exhibition space Reception area
Exploded perspective 2 Storage space Reading space Seminar rooms Small library 3 toilets
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Structure 1:300
3 1. Reception area 2. Exhibition space 3. Relaxing space 4. Small library 5 & 6. Reading space 7. Relaxing space 8 & 9. Seminar rooms 10. 3 Toilets (M/F/D) 11. Storage space
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Exploded perspective 1
Exploded perspective 2
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Construction Details
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he ground floor of the structure is formed by grass and soil layer above the waterproof coating, and it is supported by steel beams. The Grey crystal glass structure is formed by 10mm single glass and each side is linked by stents. 3D Construction detail 2
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he floor of the first underground is formed by double-glazing frame (10mm for each side) and supported by steel beams (80mm thickness). Separated glass pieces are all fixed between beams (2080mm spacing). 3D Construction detail 1
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Inside of Grey Crystal Internal views of the pavilion Showing textures and materials
Internal view 1
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ainly, the structure of Grey Crystal is formed by Concrete and steel beam, which is able to make the design strong and stable. The grey colour of concrete is very effective to express the concept of this design.
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Internal view 2
Internal view 3
Inside view 4
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Inside of Grey Crystal Internal views of the pavilion Showing textures and materials
U Seminar room
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sing plain colour for the furniture and stairs in pavilion renders emotion of calm and relaxing. The Concrete surface can gently reflect the light from above and improve the inside lighting.
Sitting inside of the Grey Crystal (Relaxing area)
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Light Study 4: Filtration
Filtration is a term frequently used in chemistry. It is a unit operation that separates the particles of solid matter suspended in a gas or liquid, and for different media, different filtration equipment should be designed. Nevertheless, it is still able to be used in lighting system, utilizing in the architectural design as well. The following essay touches on the philosophical meaning of filtration and meaning in architectural design through specific case studies. In terms of philosophical meaning, filtration has various definitions, it is an operation of reducing things on the one hand. When filtrating an object, usually a part of the object should be removed and some people hold that the result of filtration is negative according to the shrink of amount and diversity. Such as filtrating the cloud in the sky and removing the leaves on a bunch of flower. But, it can be also an operation of changing by increasing and improving. For example, filtration is able to turn things complex and tedious into a more reasonable and easier to comprehend thing by removing the unnecessary elements and emphasising the significant characteristics, which can get a better result and feedback. Like removing the disturbance term in the calculation and filtrating the advertisement popover on the web page. In short, filtration is an operation with
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double-sided influence. More specifically, it can be explained as a way of intervening the object and changing the original characters such as shape, colour and even the physical principle. In the field of architecture, filtration is always considered as a tool to improve the design of lighting and a great way to vary
the awareness of shape, material, space and even emotion of one building as the lighting design plays a significant role in architectural design. Filtration of light can be present in various ways through reflection, transparency and always filtrate the original features of light. Many architects like to relate their design concept with light filtration, expressing themselves and creating more impressive and attractive space, which can be interpreted as “Less is more�. Le Corbusier is known for his great skill of light expression. Church at Firminy (1963), Convent of La Tourette (1960) and pilgrimage chapel at Ronchamp (1954) are three typical design of religious architecture by him with his strongly stylized and personal design concept. In terms of the light expression technique, he used direct way of showing the meanings of light filtration and cleverly used his skill to create buildings in a unique form, placing both natural light and artificial light inside in order to render and strengthen the feature of his design concept. Especially the window design, he added frames on large windows and glass wall and played with orientation, openings and textures.
In conclusion, filtration is an operation with double-sided influence, and in architectural design, filtration of light is an indispensable way of design, which can be used directly to increase the diversity of design and make it more interesting (change the shape and colour of light). Effectively and reasonably using filtration of light is important and it needs to be controlled as a highly stylized expression technique by considering the balance between unity and diversity.
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n the Convent of La Tourette, he transferred one large bright side into light squares of different size, making the interior lighten area a rich and inspiriting image. As same as the Firminy church, the beautiful light strip came from holes on the wall, which representing the stars in the sky. Inside each round hole there are four rings of aluminium, separated by a black coating, so that each hole reflects four bands of light when the sunlight bounces off. Both directly gazing the light through the windows and watching the light sprinkled on the wall and ground can render people an enjoyable experience. In addition, colour changes of light can be also found in his design, using the multi-coloured glass to filtrate the extra colour of light. In Ronchamp chapel, France, the light has been rendered in warm colour like red pink and yellow, adding comfortable atmosphere in the space. Overall, the filtration of light can be presented through many ways like reshaping the light and shadow on the internal building surface and so on, which reinforces the diversity of light and make the whole sense of view more interesting. Nonetheless, the filtration of light can also ruin one design if there exists too many ideas without one unified concept. It is important and more than “Less is more� sometimes.
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