SUBJECT STUDENT BOOK: SEMESTER 1 2016 ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO 1: EARTH

JAKE BOURKE: 761273 MARK IRVING: STUDIO 7

1.0 THREE RELATIONSHIPS

1.1 POINT, LINE & PLANE

1.2 MASS

1.3 FRAME & INFILL

2.0 CONCEPTACLE

3.0 A PLACE FOR KEEPING SECRETS

3.1 SITE ANALYSIS AND LOCATION

3.2 DESIGN INSPIRATION AND PRECEDENTS

3.3 CONCEPTUAL SKETCHING & PRELIMINARY DESIGN

3.4 PLAN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

3.5 FINAL DESIGN

4.0 REFLECTION

5.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THREE RELATIONSHIPS // 1.0

THE NATURE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS

These relationships can be used to categorize most architectural forms, allowing a viewer to

further understand the concept at a deeper level. All forms generally draw from a combination

of these relationships, and their success relies on the nature of their interaction.

POINT, LINE & PLANE

During weeks 2 & 3 these principles were

explored, This is the work submitted for

week 3.

MASS

During weeks 4 & 5 this principle was ex-

plored, This is a close up view of the sec-

tional drawing submitted.

FRAME AND INFILL

During weeks 6 & 7 these principles were

explored, This is the model from which my

final single point perspective drawing was

modelled.

POINT, LINE & PLANE // 1.1

JOURNEY TO FINAL CONCEPT

Originally I approached the concept of point, line and plane with a literal translation of the

prompt in a sculptural manner, for my final I decided that the prompt could become clearer in

context, so I added a ground plane, then lines and planes. When viewed from above, the aspect

of point becomes apparent, only it is abstracted to represent a missing line. This factor is used

to blur the transition between point, line and plane. This transition is a journey, as is a bridge.

(Adelphi Hotel—Denton Corker Marshall) (Students own work—2016)

PRECEDENCE

The buildings and forms that I researched for this

prompt were generally rather fragile and delicate

in nature, the example above is no exception, with

all planes being as thin as possible.

SKETCH MODELLING

My sketch models, such as the one demon-

strated above generally focused on a journey

through a site, rather than a site itself. The

final design I created synthesizes these ideas

into one coherent journey.

MASS // 1.2

JOURNEY TO FINAL CONCEPT

This concept was far more broad than the other two, because it had only one prerequisite,

mass. I thought about what the essence of mass is, and I decided that the earth as itself is the

greatest example of mass, so my design focuses on connecting the site user with the earth. It

does this by taking the user deep underground, with a large body of earth suspended above

them. The experience is increased by allowing the natural water table to penetrate the soil

and create a pond in the base of the cave.

(Students own work—2016)

PRECEDENCE

I researched a variety of buildings that focused

on extruding forms from a massed block, these

included earth housed build into hillsides and

large floating cube-like structures with what

appears to be cuts and holes spread over their

surface.

(Mark Koehler—IJberg House) (Students own work—2016)

EXPERIMENTAL SKETCHING

Most of my preliminary sketches involved

cave like designs, with a secret at the very

end. This idea was abandoned in the end as it

was too transparent to be the true secret,

perhaps a false secret, but not the true secret

to be found.

FRAME AND INFILL // 1.3

THE NATURE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS

The frame and infill prompt has allowed me to experiment with modular spaces and create an ab-

stract model that represents a concept, rather than a physically coherent and liveable dwelling.

This final model is depicted in single point perspective. The idea of a multi purpose modular space

relates to the final secrets prompt, which asks for a level of non-transparency. This is present with

a modular building as there is more ways to use it than may appear. This is a secret in itself.

PRECEDENCE

The buildings I chose to research as prece-

dence for this exercise were generally frame

structures with open layouts that are free to be

customised at will, a perfect example of this is

Le Corbusier’s Dom-Ino House Project.

SKETCH MODELLING

Unlike other weeks, this week my sketch mod-

elling consisted of only one model, which is

the model which is used for my final perspec-

tive sketch, this is because I chose to deliver a

literal interpretation of the prompt, which was

rather descriptive for this exercise.

(Le Corbusier—Dom-ino Project) (Students own work—2016)

CONCEPTACLE // 2.0

A CONCEPTACLE IS..

something like a diagram: it shows relationships that can be materialized in different ways

something like a model: it shows specific effects that must remain the same in the realized design

something like a toy: it is small, but represents a world and encourages creative play

something like a fragment: it prompts you to imagine how it might become larger, more complex, more specific

(AS, 2014)

LAYERS

This is the conceptacle that evolved from my idea for overlapping pathways on the site. The conceptacle has been

extrapolated to depict a much larger range of pathways, muddying the view of the wooden sticks, which represent

physical pathways on the site. The paper is representative of the natural ground and built up hills, with pathways

running around, over and through the site.

(all images on this page are student’s own work)

A PLACE FOR KEEPING SECRETS // 3.0

FINAL DESIGN PROPOSAL– MISDIRECTION // LEVELS

SITE ANALYSIS AND LOCATION // 3.1

HERRING ISLAND

Herring island is located in the Yarra River, in the suburb of Richmond, just north of South Yarra. The main point of

access to the site is a ferry that launches from Como Park in South Yarra, and lands on the jetty visible in the first

image. This ferry is unable to run all year, and is inefficient in terms of human energy and fuel. Because of these

reasons, my design proposal aims to connect the island to South Yarra with a bridge, whilst adding a pavilion, a

series of viewing platforms and a secret, the location will not affect the parts of the island unspecified.

SPECIFIC LOCATION

My design response will be located close to the

main entrance to the island, due to its interesting

topography and links to circulation. This site is also

important as I intend to include a bridge, which will

need to connect to the cafe in Como Park.

(Nearmap—2016) (Interactive Map—Land Channel—2016)

PATHWAYS & IMPORTANT SITES

Yellow: Access points

Turquoise: Existing structures

Pink: Sculptures

White: Pathways through the island

NOISE

This map shows the origins of noise in the ar-

ea, with darker shades of orange representing

noise origins, and lighter shades representing

approximate earshot of the noise, which

mostly originates on busy roads.

VEGETATION

The lighter shades of green represent sparsely

vegetated areas, while the darker shades

show denser areas. Often consisting mostly of

gum trees with little vegetation at ground lev-

el, other than a few small bushes.

(Nearmap—2016) (Nearmap—2016) (Nearmap—2016)

N

DESIGN INSPIRATION AND PRECEDENTS // 3.2

INTERACTION WITH THE LANDSCAPE

The main focus of this design is to utilise the beauty of the Native Australian landscape whilst creating an

immersive and interesting experience for the site user, rather than creating a single space to attract visi-

tors, this design seeks to accentuate the existing space available, being the river and the landscape itself.

The site achieves this whilst also enhancing the experience, through the use of features such as barbeque

areas, vista viewing platforms and the underground theatre.

UNDERGROUND SECTIONS

The underground section must be misleading to tie in with the secrets portion

of the design. The user must also feel the effect of mass, so the space will not

be wider than two meters, this invokes a slight amount of claustrophobia, which

discourages loitering and moves users through the space. The feeling of mass

will be amplified in the theatre, when the user looks out of the large skylight.

(Light Lab, 2014)

SPANNING THE RIVER

Contrary to the underground sections, the initial bridge to the site is

designed to be light and inviting, which gradually becomes more

close to the earth and the landscape as you travel down. The railings

on this section are minimal, to increase the thin and light look of the

design. As the levels descend, the pathways become more bulky.

CURVING THE PATHWAY

The curved sections of the pathway on level 1 and 3 seek to achieve

two main goals, the first being obstruction of the users line of sight, to

increase the effect of misdirection, secondly, to lessen the visual impact

of the angular design on the site, further enhancing the prominence of

the landscape as opposed to the architecture.

(Nearmap—2016) (Ne

arm

(Nearmap—2016)

(Wyss, 2005) (Mackay, 1889)

CONCEPTUAL SKETCHING & PRELIMINARY DESIGN // 3.3

ORIGINS OF THE FINAL

This area of exploration continues from the conceptacle’s idea of layering and levels. Horizontal planes are

spaced evenly across four levels, then cut to create pathways. These snake around the site, directing the site

user to different areas. Each pathway represents a line, each square represents a point and the topography

represents the plane onto which these are imposed. The four levels will each have a different, yet similar cross

section. These will begin with light and thin construction, and finally become heavy mass construction in the un-

derground section. These will draw mainly from the work of the mass and point line and plane sections of explo-

ration. This leaves frame and infill which will be covered by the pavilion.

PLAN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT // 3.4

ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT

The development of this design requires splitting the design into sections. These sections will be linked by the

series of walkways, which articulate circulation through the site. These walkways are the focal point of the de-

sign in terms of the layering theory, but exist to serve a variety of functions such as allowing year-round access

to the island, allowing access to the pavilion, and facilitating the secrets hidden in the plan.

PLANS WITH DIMENSIONS

These plans presented here show some design detail of the main enclosed spaces in the area, from right to left

these are the underground cinema, walkway dimensions, central elevator and service spaces in the rear of the

pavilion, These spaces are relatively simple in nature, and so they could be modelled quite easily, there is little

chance that these dimensions will be altered for the final.

FINAL DESIGN // 3.5

1:200 scale

1:200 scale

1:100 scale

PLANS AND SECTIONS

The sections and plan on this page show two main features, a pavilion and an underground theatre. The

adjacent page shows the final site plan in 1:500 scale, this describes the layout and shows the relation

of the additions to the existing topography, of which will not be altered greatly. The design is intended

to showcase the site and take advantage of the existing vistas. The walkways also provide access to

vistas that were not available before.

1:500 scale

FINAL DESIGN // 3.5

SECRETS CONCEPT: MISDIRECTION

The island site has many secrets, the main secrets concept is misdirection, which forces the user to act in a

reasonably leisurely way without this being their intention. This is achieved by directing them to experiences

rather than a preconceived destination, such as the pavilion or the island itself. The feature that may be inter-

preted as a secret by children is the viewing windows in the underwater section. The third and final secret is

the underground cinema, which is a surprise for site users.

DESIGN CONCEPT: LEVELS / PURE FORMS

The design of the services space in the pavilion references the pure form of a cube, whilst the ventilation/light

shaft for the cinema and the elevator shaft are simply rectangular prisms erupting from the ground. The pure

square has been disrupted for the picnic and barbeque area to show its importance as a space of gathering.

The pathways are primarily angular, with the exception of level 3 and the underwater tunnel, which flow organ-

ically, to connect the angular design with the site further.

FINAL DESIGN // 3.5

LEVEL BY LEVEL

The site will be experienced level by level, so it is only appropriate to show the fea-

tures of each level in the order in which they will be experienced. The journey

through the site incorporates the secret of misdirection to immerse the user. The

journey begins on level 4.

LEVEL 4

The experience begins by walking onto the bridge at point 1. The user experiences vistas

from 8m above the river as they cross the thin bridge, they then walk in between trees

as they pass the elevator, when they reach point 2, they realise that there is no thor-

oughfare, and stop to experience the view before heading back to the elevator.

LEVEL 3

The user is encouraged to exit the elevator on level

3, and may travel left to enter the main island, or

right to the platform above the services and pavilion

at point 2. The user cannot enter the pavilion from

this point, and must travel back to the elevator.

LEVEL 2

The user exits the elevator and may head towards the

pavilion at point 1 and services block and bathrooms at

point 2. The pavilion has seating, a barbeque area and a

coffee stall on occasion. At point 3 there is space for ca-

noes and kayaks to enter the island.

LEVEL 1

Once entering the underground section, the user is guided by lights to the

theatre at point 1, which shows a short film about the island’s history with

seating for around two families. Once the movie ends, the lighting guides

the user to the exit tunnel under the river at point 2, which has glass pan-

els for viewing underwater. The user then exits the site at point 3.

FINAL DESIGN // 3.5

MATERIALITY AND FEATURES

This design follows a minimalist aesthetic, utilising pure forms and uncomplicated elements strung together to create

an immersive experience. Following the aesthetic, the need for durability against the elements, and structural

strength, concrete has been chosen as the most desirable material. This will be used for all elements, with slight

changes in colour from bright to dark grey added for differentiation. This choice allows the landscape to be the hero

of the design, and seemingly reduces the visual impact of the additions.

2

4

2

1 ELEVATOR

Sole source of vertical circulation

Disabled access

Encourages users to travel one floor down at a time

Central location

THEATRE

Shows short films focusing on history in the area

Square hole in roof provides ventilation and light

Seating for two families at a time

Senses movement and turns on automatically

3 UNDERWATER TUNNEL

Submerged below water to allow rowboats passage

Strip windows at different heights allow views for

children and adults separately

Lights that emulate daylight

4 PAVILION

Coffee stall set up periodically

Barbeques and seating for five families

Just above river level for connection to landscape

Male, female and disabled toilets

Cleaners room, storage and other facilities

1

3

BIBLIOGRAPHY // 5.0

Adelphi,. (2014). Adelphi Rooftop. Retrieved from http://www.adelphi.com.au/images2/about_rooftop.jpg

Glimps, T. (2015). Le Corbusier's Dom-Ino House. Retrieved from http://www.3dartistonline.com/image/29216/le_corbusiers_domino_house

Interactive Map - Land Channel. (2016). Services.land.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 31 May 2016, from http://services.land.vic.gov.au/maps/interactive.jsp

Light Lab,. (2014). Kings Cross Tunnel Light Wall. Retrieved from http://lights.persiamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Lighting-Design-Lab-Blog.jpg

Mackay, G. (1889). Capilano Suspension Bridge. Retrieved from http://www.granvilleislandhotel.com/d/granvilleislandhotel/media/Destination/Vancouver/Capilano_Suspension_BridgeR.jpg

Mark Koehler Architects,. (2008). Mark Koehler - IJberg House. Retrieved from http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/ijberg-ed1.jpg

Nearmap. (2016). maps.au.nearmap.com. Retrieved 31 May 2016, from http://maps.au.nearmap.com/

Wyss, P. (2005). Langkawi Sky Bridge. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langkawi_Sky_Bridge#/media/File:Langkawi_sky_bridge.jpg