REFLECTIONS IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

SUPERVISOR: DOINA PETRESCU

REGISTRATION NUMBER: 200202462

01 Introduction

The essay aims to reflect the design process and methods used in the design procession in studio F, which is a research-based design. ‘High street regeneration in Tyldesley’ is the theme of our studio, the site of the project is in Tyldesley, Manchester. The street we aimed at is Elliott street, the centre of this small town, which is quite normal and deeply influenced by the industry revolution second. Since Tyldesley has several conservation areas, we also explored how heritages coexist with modern high street and city lifestyle.

Starting from the definition of 'high street', combined with the theory of feminism, and based on the analysis of our site, I focus on the group of residents and the community they construct. Considering the specific group of female consumers, using the theory as a tool, and regard female as a bond between high street and local community, I insist the interior activates the flame of the city originated from its citizen. Exploring how to stimulate the interior potential of the local community and make responses to the specific history of Tyldesley, I developed architectural interventions at a range of scales to enhance the built environment and make attempts in aspects of cultural, social, environmental, and economically sustainable.

Because of the wide range of Elliott street, and the holistic identity of high street regeneration. We divided the site into three pieces, completed our 3D model in collaboration, and had general cognition of the site. Affected by the pandemic and lockdown rules, only a few of us go to the site, shared photos, also their feelings about the journey to enable others to have an comprehensive view.

We shared our design every studio day, although most of our studio days are online and some of us suffer from jet lag, we pitched constructive thoughts and comments from others and have some individual concepts gradually. Otherwise, we use the way of quick sketches to share ideas that are effective for communicating.

02 Collecting and Mapping

Collecting

Collecting can be the first step after we defined the theme. To have a general view of the objective situation, since we cannot come to the site at the beginning, I started collecting data from inquiring local official information through the internet.

To have a clearer definition of today’s high street, I walked in the high street of Sheffield and chatted with passersby, comparing the basic data between Sheffield and Tyldesley, it helps me build general cognition of their dilemma before going to the site. When we came to the site, as most of the shops are closed, observation has become the main method of our site visiting journey. We talked to local people and asked about the situation before the pandemic, and feelings on their high street.

Walking in the city, which is promoted by Michel de Certeau, is an important method for collecting and researching. He described the sense of the procession as a ‘fiction of knowledge’, a ‘totalization produced by the eye’,1 which means a subjective view by authors and spectators.

I collected data as much as possible to have an entire view of the objective at the beginning and omitted redundancy data after I turn to my design and think more about Ethnography and the real world. When I try to organize those data visually, I’m not making a general statement of background information, I try to make it as an introduction of story background. Like the collage I made to have a statement of ‘high street’, it shows the general history of high street and questions towards their history. (image 3)

Ethnography

Ethnography is a research method in the field of anthropology.

1 The essence of Ethnography is more like observe the relationship between people and society, observation is also the most fundamental approach in ethnography for gaining insight in consumer behavior. 2 One of the principles of architecture design is to make users satisfied, which is quite difficult. The Ethnography research of people’s internal attribution is necessary for architects to comprehend others’ demands. Not only focus on the directly demands, but also think of potential demands and make respond to possibilities in future.

1 Paul Dourish, ‘Implications for design’, In Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human Factors in computing systems , ACM (2006), 541-550 < https://doi. org/10.1145/1124772.1124855 > (pp.541-50)

2 Christina Wasson, ‘Ethnography in the field of design’, Human Organization, 59.4 (2000), 377-388 (pp.384)

Mapping

“Mapping has emerged in the information age as a means to make the complex accessible, the hidden visible, the unmappable mappable.”1 diagram of the site, which from co-drawing from my joint group in semester1. Using several icons to describe information like functions and sunset surroundings.

As students major in architecture, mapping is the basement of our design. A traditional topographical map that shows physical terrain with scale, details, geospatial objects but also the surroundings situations such as street and other buildings, is the start of the site exploration.

I found the detailed map from the official website and other materials like distance and time use from several websites. Using those materials to produce the locational map (image 5), introduce the site and enable readers to connect with their own experiences. The map I produced is not a topographical map since I deleted many useless details, remained the information that can highlight the points and enhance its narrative. It is more like a topological map to give others an intuitive feeling.

HIGH STREET REGENERATION RESEARCH STRUCTURE

THEORY RELATED INTRODUCTION

POINT AT CIVIC SPACES

POINT AT COMMUNITY

TECHNOLOGY

WALKABLE CITY

TIDAL BLOCK

SITUATEDNESS

ETHIC CARE

FLUID CREATIVITY

ECOLOGIES

FEMINISM

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

CONSTRUCTION METHOD

BUSINESS STRATEGY

DESIGN PROJECT

DEMANDS

HIGH STREET REGENERATION IN TYLDELSEY

CONCLUSION

Image and are the entirely flow chart and the logical map derived from primary site analysis. They are network maps, which shows others the design procession and reasons for concepts. I used logical map commonly in sort out my ideas in a program, traditional, simple, and effectively.

Actor Mapping

Image 9 is an actor mapping from the joint group’s work, simulating the example of AAA- ecobox project, which shows the connection between people, actors and elements in spaces.

Learning from the material occupation diagram, we produced a similar one (image 10) for the elements of conceptions, which shows the relationship between objects, people, and space.

Maps can also be as possibilities, image from joint group work is another stimulation of diagram from the program Ecobox. It is based on possibilities to narrate the relationship between people’s activities and the location. It shows an interesting phenomenon that the function and site residents will go, and make us think more about the relationship between ideal functions and real demands.

Timelines, narrative, and history map

Historical analysis can be an important role in the design, historical knowledge can we understand the local culture and city memories. Following the suggestion of our tutor, I began analysis from the topographical maps in different years, compared and found the changes and marked the time, to explore the reasons and try to make connections with important historical junctures.

To summarise the information, I produced the image to show its typical objects in different periods, followed by the example from Bucharest: the city as an agglomeration of open space, which Maria Alexandrescu showed in the lecture Frame-of-Frames.

To make information more narrative, I use collage to transform the points into a more vivid way. Omitting details of the physical map and just focusing on the conclusion and representative elements, it became clearer which impacted Tyldesley deeply.

03 Analysing

“To analyse something is to release, to unloose, to expose for assimilation its constituents and working – its powers.” 1

The studio project is focused on ‘design by research’, we used many methods for analysing and producing, and most can be classified as a scenario analyse. We worked as a group to find out the problem of Tyldesley, make system analysis to identify relevant external influences and discuss solutions from various aspects, which inspired me a lot.

We also used the methods of quantitative analysis and quality analysis, using the integrated methods of deductive and summarize, and visualized the conclusion ultimately. Image is the visualization after the demography analyse.

Typological Design

One of the design-thinking I have used is typological design, in which I start the figure from geometry abstract. The image is the description of the typological characteristics.

04 Representation

Representation can be the most important part of the design concept. It used to be thought of as simple drawings, but to be diverse with the mature of digital techniques. Not only line graphs, renders, and prototype models can be used, but also montage, digital models, and films. To explain projects and design concepts, designers must focus on creative representation techniques instead of redundant words to attract viewers’ attention.

I have used various visual representation methods throughout my design project. We built a digital 3D model of the whole high street in group work, and make our own models afterwards. Based on the model, the visual representation major in renderings and collages which can describe special feeling and design concepts vividly. During the discussion, we used sketching to communicate with each other and serious plans and sections to specify the concrete program as well.

Drawing

Drawing is an irreplaceable role in my studio design methodology. It necessarily precedes building and its subsequent codification of the norms of social behavior and civilization from Schinkel, a neoclassical architect’s view.1 Drawing is a specific language between architects, for design representation, it could be thinking through drawings, conceptual drawings, sketches, collages, photomontages or even renderings.

Most of researches adept at using drawings to represent their design concepts. The well-known diagram of Yokohama Masterplan is from OMA office,(image 17) they graphically illustrate the flow changes of Yokohama for various activities between weekdays and weekends. Another example is the collage of Exhibition “Anticlimax” (Libson,2013) from FALA Atelier, which used to express themselves by narrative collages. (image 19)

1 Stan Allen, Practice: Architecture, technique + representation , (London; New York: Routledge, 2009), pp.5

Image19 : Exhibition “Anticlimax” ,Libson,2013, FALA Atelier https://www.archdaily.com/889487/from-digital-to-reality-acomparison-of-fala-aleliers-collages-to-the-actual-buildings

Image18 is the diagram I produced to analyse the effected elements of high street, and image 20 is the concept collage of my design.

Section drawing is another important drawing in the design process, I have used sections to think about activities possibilities in different scenes and levels, also the building scales. Section drawings are vivid to illustrate the relationship between different objects, not only physical space dimension but also a narrative description.

Image21 is from Helsinki central library design competition produced by Chloe Blain, the section drawing shows the relationships not only between different height but also relationships between surrounding environments and user activities.

Image22 shows the section of my design, which focus on more to express the relationship of the building and surroundings, and I think about more inside spaces and human perspective through the section drawing.

3D-Models and rendering

Modelling is essential for designers, modified the model run through my entire design process. Models can be different in the different design phase, when I start the program, I made an original digital model to understand the site, and I have another concept model to test and represent my concepts. With the concepts improved, I make more details and add them into models previously, and I named it ‘working model’. To represent the ideas to others also need some alterations like add appropriate angle and movement paths, since it is hard and unnecessary to complete all the details in a model with limited time. The reality of handmade 3D models can be more helpful for detail thinking, however, we don’t have enough materials and only made digital models because of the pandemic.

Image 23 is a perspective of my design.

05 Conclusion

Architecture design starts from problems, it can be related to the specific site or social phenomenon, and the core of architecture design is the response to those problems. I use collages most of the time to represent my design instead of sketches this time, it is not convenient and directly. That needs explicit viewpoints and clear expression to exchange views with others.

Communication and building relationship are important parts this year, design cannot be separated from life or people, we need to collaborate and communicate with others. Not only between colleagues but also views and critical voices from the client and potential users.

Another important perception is about feminism used in the architecture field, which is new for me. ‘High street’ is special, it cannot be simple equivalent to ‘business circle’ in Chinese. I used to focus more on consumers in a position of strength, they have sufficient shopping capacity and well educated, and the topic for designers is how to attract them and satisfied their needs. Feminism made me pay attention to the vulnerable groups and marginal groups, not only women but also the one needs to be taken care of. Spirit of ‘Consumerism’ and ‘Amusing to death’ is not the unique solution of the high street.

Bibliogrphy

Certeau, M. de et al., ‘Walking in the City’, in The Practice of Everyday Life , ed. by Luce Giard (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1998), pp.91-110

Dourish, Paul, ‘Implications for design’, In Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human Factors in computing systems , ACM (2006), 541550 < https://doi.org/10.1145/1124772.1124855 >

Wasson, Christina, ‘Ethnography in the field of design’, Human Organization, 59.4 (2000), 377-388

Abrams, Janet., and others, Else/Where Mapping: New Cartographies of Networks and Territories, (Minneapolis, Minn. : Bristol: University of Minnesota Design Institute ; University Presses Marketing, 2006)

Unwin, Simon, Analysing Architecture, (London; New York: Routledge, 2009)

Allen, Stan, Practice: Architecture, technique + representation, (London; New York: Routledge, 2009)

Kaijima, M., and others, Architectural ethnography, (Tokyo, Japan: TOTO Publishing (TOTO LTC.), 2018)

Yaneva, Albena, Made by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture : an Ethnography of Design, (Rotterdam, The Netherland: 010 Publ., 2009)

Koolhaas, Rem., and others, Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large, (New York: Monacelli Press, 1995)

List Of Image

Image 0: Concrete sculpture by David Umemoto https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/629729960396067695/

Image 01: Long Lost Histories: Hindsford House, (Paddy’s Hump), Atherton/Tyldesley https://ifthosewallscouldtalk.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/long-lost-histories-hindsfordhouse-hindsford-athertontyldesley/

Image 02: Aerial View of Whole Model - Individual work

Image 03: High Street General Analyse - Individual work

Image 04 : General User Analyse of High Street - Individual work

Image 05 : Mapping of Tyldesley - Individual work

Image 06 : Mapping Diagrams - Joint group's work

Image 07 : Flow Diagram

Image 08: Logical Map

Image 09 : Actor mapping - Joint group's work

Image 10 :Concept diagram - Joint group's work

Image 11 : Activities mapping - Joint group's work

Image 12 : History mapping - Individual work

Image 13 :History analysis - Individual work

Image 14 : Demography analyse - Individual work

Image 15 : Elements analyse I - Individual work

Image 16 : Elements analyse II - Individual work

Image 17 : Yokohama Masterplan, OMA https://oma.eu/projects/yokohama-masterplan

Image 18 : Diagram:effected elements analyse - Individual work

Image 19 : Exhibition “Anticlimax” ,Libson,2013, FALA Atelier https://www.archdaily.com/889487/from-digital-to-reality-a-comparison-of-fala-alelierscollages-to-the-actual-buildings

Image 20 : Collage - Individual work

Image 21 : Section drawing, Helsinki central library design competition, Chloe Blain

Image 22: Section drawing - Individual work

Image 23: Perspective view - Individual work