2

WESTON WILLARDPERFORMANCE // CHALLENGING THE GRID

DECEMBER 2012

A B C

00 // INTRODUCTION

01 // PERFORMANCE // QUALITATIVE VS QUANTITATIVE

BUILDING // THE GRID

FACADE // ETFE

02 //

03 //

04 // INSTALLATION // KINETIC FACADE

01.a // QUALITATIVE VS QUANTITATIVE 01.b // COMMUNITY, FLEXIBILITY, & EDUCATION 01.c // STRIKING A BALANCE

02.a // TIMELESS DESIGN 02.b // MASSING MODELS 02.c // INFRASTRUCTURE

03.a // TIMELY DESIGN 03.b // ADAPTAPLE CONFIGURATIONS 03.c // MATERIAL ANALYSIS

00.a // PREFACE 00.b // SITE INTRODUCTION 00.c // DEMOGRAPHICS

01.a // QUALITATIVE VS QUANTITATIVE 01.b // COMMUNITY, FLEXIBILITY, & EDUCATION

01.c // STRIKING A BALANCE

02.a // TIMELESS DESIGN 02.b // MASSING MODELS 02.c // INFRASTRUCTURE

03.a // TIMELY DESIGN 03.b // ADAPTAPLE CONFIGURATIONS 03.c // MATERIAL ANALYSIS

00.a // PREFACE 00.b // SITE INTRODUCTION 00.c // DEMOGRAPHICS

00.b // SITE INTRODUCTION

BOUNDARIES

AU

THE GIVEN PARAMETERS OF THE PROJECT STIPULATE THE LOCATION AND THE TYPE OF FACILITY. WITH REGARD TO LOCATION, THE PROJECT SITE IS IN THE SYDNEY SUBURB OF PYRMONT. THIS LOCATION IS SITUATED ON AN INTEGRAL STREET, WHICH SERVES AS THE SPINE OF THE COMMUNITY: HARRIS STREET. ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES REQUIRE THE TYPE OF FACILITY TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL CENTER. HOWEVER, THE TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITY WAS DETERMINED BY CAREFUL RESEARCH TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT TO FOSTER THIS CULTURAL AND GEOGRAPHIC CENTER. THIS ANALYSIS YIELDED THE DECISION TO CREATE A CULINARY EDUCATIONAL FACILITY.

SYDNEY -33° 52’ 6.26’’ S , 151° 11’ 34.86’’ E

SYDNEY CBDPYRMONT

SITE

CURRENT (2006) PROJECTED (2031)

PROFESSIONALS

MANAGERS

CLERICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

COMMUNITY AND PERSONAL SERVICE

TECHNICIANS AND TRADES

SALES WORKERS

LABOURERS

MACHINERY OPERATORS AND DRIVERS

38.4%

20.3%

13.6%

8.0%

6.9%

6.4%

3.1%

1.2%

0 3,000

MALES

FEMALES

CHILDREN (0-9)

CHILDREN (10-19)

47.7%

42.5%

5.2%

4.6%

2.8%

0.2%

2%

0.9%

44.9%

42.3%

7.2%

5.5%

0 10,000

15,731 18,988

0 10,000

TOTAL 20.7%

00.c // DEMOGRAPHICS

NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUSPROVIDE NEEDS

PYRMONT MUST NOT BECOME CHARACTERLESS-CITY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2005

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL BALANCE

INTEGRATED:TRANSPORTATIONFOOT TRAFFIC COMMUNITY FACILITIESPROMOTE COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

AN UP-AND-COMING VILLAGE “

“

CHINESEENGLISH SCOTTISHIRISH

1,5612,000 518733

14.1%18%

NATIONALITY

POPULATION

% OF TOTAL POPULATION 4.7%6.6%

AUSTRALIAN

1,625

14.7%

PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN ARCHITECTURE IS A STRATEGIC ATTEMPT TO CREATE A BUILDING, WHICH MEETS OR EXCEEDS OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE GOALS. WHETHER DESIGNING WITH SUSTAINABILITY IN MIND AND ACHIEVING SPECIFIC TARGETS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, THIS MODEL EMPHASIZES QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE FACTORS. THIS CAN BECOME PROBLEMATIC IF A BUILDING DESIGN BECOMES SOLELY MOTIVATED BY MEASURABLE, QUANTITATIVE ELEMENTS AND CEASES TO EXIST FOR INDESCRIBABLE, IMMEASURABLE QUALITATIVE ELEMENTS. THE INEXPRESSIBLE NATURE OF QUALITATIVE TARGETS MAKES THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING AND DESIGNING FOR THEM LENGTHY AND CHALLENGING. FAR FROM A SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL FORMULA, COUNTLESS CREATIVE BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS ARE MERELY THE BEGINNING OF A COMPLEX PROCESS TO YIELD QUALITATIVE TARGETS. AFTER CREATING, ALTERING AND MODIFYING THE SEEDLINGS OF AN IDEA FOR THE SITE, THE FOLLOWING QUALITATIVE TARGETS WERE EXPOSED: COMMUNITY, EDUCATION AND FLEXIBILITY.

01.a // QUALITATIVE VS QUANTITATIVE

COMMUNITY CAN BE BROADLY DEFINED AS A GROUP OF PEOPLE UNITED PHYSICALLY BY LOCATION AND MENTALLY BY IDEAS AND GOALS. TO IMPREGNATE THIS NOTION IN THE PRESENT DESIGN, EXTENSIVE DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED TO WEIGH THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE GOALS OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF PYRMONT. PYRMONT IS A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY WITH LARGE PERCENTAGES OF PERSONS FROM ENGLISH, CHINESE, AUSTRALIAN, IRISH AND SCOTTISH HERITAGE.

THE COUNCIL OF PYRMONT ADDRESSES THE TWOFOLD DESIRE TO BRING ACTIVITY TO HARRIS STREET AND ALSO TO CREATE A BALANCE OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS. TO UNDERTAKE THESE AIMS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF EDUCATION, A CULINARY INSTITUTE WAS SELECTED. A CULINARY CENTER FOSTERS COMMUNITY AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HOW TO COOK AND EAT FOOD. WITH VAST CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, THE SITE SERVES AS A VENUE FOR SHARING AND CONNECTING THESE DIFFERING SOCIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS THROUGH FOOD.

FLEXIBILITY IN DESIGN CAN BE SOUGHT BY STRIVING FOR THE BALANCE BETWEEN TIMELY AND TIMELESS ARCHITECTURE. THIS CONTRAST CAN BE EXEMPLIFIED IN A TENT VERSUS A CATHEDRAL. A TENT IS THE EPITOME OF NECESSITY IN DESIGN AND SERVES A FINITE PURPOSE FOR A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME. BY COMPARISON, A CATHEDRAL IS GRANDIOSE AND DESIGNED TO BE CLASSIC, AGELESS AND ENDURING.

01.b // COMMUNITY, EDUCATION, & FLEXIBILITY

// COMMUNITY

// EDUCATION

// FLEXIBILITY

http://australiandanceawards.net.au/images/uploads/award-winners/tivoli-gloom-glitz.jpg

COMMUNITY

[flex·i·bil-i-ty]

EDUCATION

FLEXIBILITY

[ed·u·ca·tion]

[com·mu·ni·ty]

1. a. Capable of being bent or flexed; pliable.

b. Capable of being bent repeatedly without injury or damage.

2. Susceptible to influence or persuasion; tractable.

3. Responsive to change; adaptable: a flexible schedule.

1. The act or process of educating or being educated.

2. The knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process.

3. A program of instruction of a specified kind or level: driver education; a college

education.

4. The field of study that is concerned with the pedagogy of teaching and learning.

5. An instructive or enlightening experience: Her work in the inner city was a real education.

1. a. A group of people living in the same locality and under the same government.

b. The district or locality in which such a group lives.

2. a. A group of people having common interests: the scientific community; the international

business community.

b. A group viewed as forming a distinct segment of society: the gay community; the

community of color.

3. a. Similarity or identity: a community of interests.

b. Sharing, participation, and fellowship.

4. Society as a whole; the public.

5. Ecology

a. A group of plants and animals living and interacting with one another in a specific

region under relatively similar environmental conditions.

b. The region occupied by a group of interacting organisms.

PERFORMANCE[per·for·mance]

http://www.monash.edu.au/assets/images/research/education1.jpg

http://static.fairfaxrural.com.au/multimedia/images/full/1998651.jpg

http://www.ausbt.com.au/photos/view/maxsize:640,480/4e93df877f78450d91785fd8767f2254-flexible-yoga.jpg

1. The act of performing or the state of being performed.

2. The act or style of performing a work or role before an audience.

3. The way in which someone or something functions: The pilot rated the airplane's

performance in high winds.

4. A presentation, especially a theatrical one, before an audience.

5. Something performed; an accomplishment.

6. Linguistics One's actual use of language in actual situations.

COMMUNITY

EDUCATIONFLEXIBILITY

COMMUNITY

EDUCATIONFLEXIBILITY

COMMUNITY

CUISINE

COOKING ENVIRONMENT

THE CLASS SYSTEM THE ARTS RURAL LIFE SPIRITUALITY COLLECTIVISM NATIONAL IDENTITY

FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST ROAST BEEF PLOUGHMAN’S LUNCH FUJIAN SOUP

DOUBLE BOILING RED COOKING STIR FRYING

DIM SUM DEEP FRIED MANTOU

THE SUNDAY ROAST PUB FOOD AFTERNOON TEA

01 02 0403

16

31 32 33 34 35 36

17 18 19 20 21

05 06

SPORT & ATHLETICS MULTICULTURAL SIMPLE LIFESTYLE RURAL FARMING LIFE

IRISH STEW

CODDLE STEWING BOILING

BOXTY CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

PARISH VILLAGES PUB CULTURE SCOTS LAW

HAGGIS

STEWING & BOILING SOUP BOILING AND FRYING FISH BAKING

OATCAKES (BANNOCKS) PORRIDGE

TRADITION SPORTS & ATHLETICS

KANGAROO TENDERLOINS MINCE MEAT PIE PAVLOVA

BARBECUE STIR FRYING BRITISH COOKING

07

22

37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

23 24 25 26 27 28 3029

08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

TIMELESS

VS

TIMELY

COMMUNITY

EDUCATIONFLEXIBILITY

01.c // STRIKING A BALANCE

A QUEST FOR UTOPIA IN ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN:

IN THE PURSUIT OF UNDERSTANDING THE TENANTS UNDERLYING GREAT DESIGN, THERE ARE AN INFINITE NUMBER OF FACTORS WORTH CONSIDERING. THE MECHANISM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLEASING PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL RESPONSE FROM AN IMPRESSIVE DESIGN IS NOT EASILY DISCERNABLE. BRUNO ZEVI EXAMINES THIS PARADOX, “ALL THE TECHNIQUES OF REPRESENTATION AND ALL THE PATHS TO ARCHITECTURE WHICH DO NOT INCLUDE DIRECT EXPERIENCE ARE PEDAGOGICALLY USEFUL, OF PRACTICAL NECESSITY AND INTELLECTUALLY FRUITFUL; BUT THEIR FUNCTION IS NO MORE ALLUSIVE AND PREPARATORY TO THAT MOMENT IN WHICH WE, WITH EVERYTHING IN US THAT IS PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL AND, ABOVE ALL, HUMAN, ENTER AND EXPERIENCE THE SPACES WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING. THAT IS THE MOMENT OF ARCHITECTURE.”

THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO ADDRESS THIS TOPIC IN THE CONTEXT OF TIMELESS AND TIMELY ARCHITECTURE. TIMELESS ARCHITECTURE CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS THAT WHICH IS ENDURING AND IS NOT RESTRICTED TO ANY PARTICULAR TIME. IN CONTRAST, TIMELY DESIGN IS OPPORTUNISTIC IN NATURE AND EXPLOITS POPULAR CULTURE AND THE AVANT-GARDE. HEREIN LIES THE ARCHITECT’S DIFFICULT TASK IN

SANDSTONE BASE. THE MATERIAL SATISFIES CLASSICAL ELEMENTS OF TIMELESS DESIGN AND ALSO BLENDS INTO THE AESTHETIC CONTEXT OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AND ENVIRONMENT. THIS FIXED INFRASTRUCTURE WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED AND SEEKS TO WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME.

THE FAÇADE OF THE BUILDING IS CREATED THROUGH CONNECTED, INFLATABLE UNITS OF ETFE MEMBRANE, WHICH CAN QUICKLY FORM DIFFERENT SPACES DEPENDING UPON THE NEEDS OF THE CURRENT SITUATION AND INHABITANTS. THESE UNITS ALLOW FOR UNCOMPLICATED AND QUICK FORMATION OF ENVIRONMENTS TO SUIT DEMANDS AND TRENDS. THIS TEMPORARY AND TRANSIENT COMPONENT IRONICALLY YIELDS TIMELESSNESS BECAUSE THE BUILDING WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE A PLETHORA OF PURPOSES FOR THE FUTURE.

CHOOSING EITHER TIMELESSNESS OR TIMELINESS AS THE GUIDING BEACON FOR DESIGN.

RATHER THAN CHOOSING ONE PRINCIPLE, THIS DESIGN EMPLOYS AN ALTERNATIVE THEORY OF BLENDING ELEMENTS OF TIMELESSNESS AND TIMELINESS. MORE SPECIFICALLY, ONE CAN CREATE A FIXED, PERMANENT STRUCTURE THAT IS ALSO ENTIRELY CAPABLE OF BEING RECYCLED AND RENEWED IN RESPONSE TO TRENDS AND NECESSITIES. THE SPACE SHOULD BE BOTH PERMANENT AND IMPERMANENT TO MEET DEMANDS OF POPULAR TRENDS AND CULTURE WHILE MAINTAINING AN EVERLASTING QUALITY. THE BUILDING MUST BE EASILY RECONFIGURED AND RECYCLED TO CREATE A LASTING AND MEANINGFUL SPACE. THE CURRENT PROJECT SEEKS TO UTILIZE THIS ALTERNATIVE THEORY WITH A FIXED GRID INFRASTRUCTURE AND A MODIFIABLE FAÇADE. THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONTAINS THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS TO SUPPORT AIRFLOW AND INFLATE AN ETFE MEMBRANE.

THE PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE ADDRESSES FUNDAMENTALS OF TIMELESSNESS. THE DESIGN OPERATES ON ELEMENTS OF MATHEMATICAL PROPORTIONS AND AESTHETIC PRINCIPLES IN GRID FORM WITH A

THE GRID WILL SERVE AS THE PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE BUILDING. THE SANDSTONE WILL BLEND EFFORTLESSLY INTO THE SURROUNDING SCENERY AND ENDURE AS A CLASSIC WORK OF ART.

02.a // TIMELESS DESIGN

02.b // MASSING MODELS

UP

PLAN

ELEVATION

PLAN

ELEVATION

PLAN

ELEVATION

04 05

07 08

01 02

06

09

03

05// THE RECONNECTION PROVIDES A SOCIAL THRESHOLD FROM THE

STREET, HELPS SOLVE SECURITY ISSUES, AND MAKES THE

CHURCH HAVE A STRONGER CONNECTION TO THE REST OF THE

SITE

06// CIRCULATION PATTERN

07// DISLAYING THE VOID THAT CIRCULATION PATTERNS CREATED

01// MASSING EXTENTS OF BUILDABLE LIMITS

02// BRINGING CORNER DOWN TO CREATE BETTER JOINING WITH THE CHURCH

03// ALLOWING SPACE IN BETWEEN THE HISTORIC CHURCH AND THE PROPOSED

BUILDING

THIS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A COURTYARD AND

AVOIDS DWARFING THE CHURCH

04// BRINGING THE FACADE BACK TO CONNECT TO THE CHURCH

THE SITE’S CIRCULATION INCLUDES THREE PRIMARY NODES - ONE FOR

THE COURTYARD, ONE FOR THE WOODED PARK ON THE UPPER LEVEL,

AND ONE IN THE UPPER TRANSITIONAL AREA THAT CONNECTS THE

VARYING TOPO AND THE PATH FROM THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE SITE

AND THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SITE, FOR WHICH IS NOT SHOWN.

IMPORTANT AREAS OF CIRCULATION ALSO INCLUDE THE SPACE

PARRALEL WITH HARRIS ST, WHICH IS DESIGNED ACCORDINGLY WITH

THE “CITY OF SYDNEY” ACTIVE STREET REGULATIONS. THE AREA WHICH

IS AT THE BASE OF THE STONE CLIFF IS ALSO RESERVED FOR HIGH

CIRCULATION TRAFFIC.

08// RAISING THE AREA OPPOSITE THE COURTYARD TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE TWO

STOREYS, AND TO RESPECT THE NEIGHBORING CONTEXT

09// PROPORTIONATE GRID = VOID + NEGATIVE SPACE + REPITITION

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

14

02.c // INFRASTRUCTURE

2 2

FIRST FLOOR

8

9 94

1 1 12 2

3

3

4 45 6

GROUND FLOOR

7

SECOND FLOOR

10 10

10

11

11

11

1110

12

KEY 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 //6 //

ENTRANCE WAY SEATING / DININGGREEN SPACE + SEATINGADAPTABLE COMMON AREA BATHROOMSLIFT / STORAGE / MECHANICAL

7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 //12 //

ENTRANCE WAY SEATING / DININGCOMMON AREASCLASSROOM + COOKING EQUIP.EXPANDED CLASSROOMACCESSIBLE GREENROOF

HARRIS STREET

BB

AA

SECTION AASECTION AA

11 2

3a 3b4 4

5

SECTION BB

KEY 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 //

COMMON AREAS ADAPTABLE COMMON AREAEXPANDABLE CLASSROOM NOT IN USE IN USECLASSROOM + COOKING EQIP.

5 // 6 // 7 //

GREENROOFADAPATABLE SEATING/DINING/COOKING SCHOOLSEATING/ DINING

SECTION BB

1 1

1

5

5

6

7

ab

+ 20’

+ 32’

+ 44’

3GROUND FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

TO ADAPT TO CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS AND OCCUPANT NEEDS, ETFE MEMBRANE CAN INFLATE TO YIELD AN INFINITE COMBINATION OF SPACES. THIS NON-PERMANENT FAÇADE IS FLEXIBLE, ADAPTABLE AND FUNCTIONAL..

03.a // TIMELY DESIGN

HARRIS STREET HARRIS STREET

HARRIS STREET HARRIS STREETHARRIS STREET

HARRIS STREET

03.b // ADAPTABLE CONFIGURATIONS/CIRCULATION

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF ETFE (ETHYLENE TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE)

EDEN PROJECTWATER CUBEMEDIA ICT BUILDING

// ETFE

// BACKGROUND

// PRECEDENTS

// PERFORMANCE PROPERTIES

ETFE AS AN [ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFER] AND A CATALYST FOR FLEXIBLE SPACES

LIGHT TRANSMITTANCEHEAT TRANSFERMANUFACTURINGSTRUCTURAL ELASTICITY

03.c // MATERIAL ANALYSIS

H H F FCF

C C CH H F n

BACKGROUND ALTHOUGH PATENTED IN THE 1940S AND COMMERCIALLY USED SINCE THE 1970S, ETFE IS A RELATIVELY UNDERUTILIZED AND POORLY UNDERSTOOD MATERIAL. IT IS AN IDEAL MATERIAL FOR THE CURRENT PROJECT BECAUSE OF ITS LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIAL COMPOSITION, COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY. TO OFFER AN UNDERSTANDING OF ETFE IN BUILDING DESIGN, THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL ANALYSIS YIELDS MATERIAL QUALITIES OF ETFE, MANUFACTURING CONSIDERATIONS, AND PRECEDENT BUILDING STUDIES FOR CONSIDERATION. .

ETFE

OUTSIDE

INSIDE

ETFE

AIR SUPPLY

1INFLATE

DEFLATE

2INFLATE

DEFLATE

3INFLATE

DEFLATE

AIR

ETFE

AIR

ETFE

AIR

LIGHT TRANSMITTANCE

HEAT TRANSFER

MANUFACTURING

STRUCTURAL

ELASTICITY

VERY TRANSPARENT, TRANSMITS LIGHT ACROSS THE ENTIRE VISIBLE REGION (370-380NM)

FOR THIS REASON, ETFE IS AN OPTIMAL CHOICE FOR BIOMES AND GREENHOUSES WHERE PLANT SPECIES REQUIRE THE FULL RANGE OF UV TRANSMITTANCE FOR HEALTH AND GROWTH

IF UV LIGHT IS UNNECESSARY OR UNDESIRABLE, THERE ARE A RANGE OF OPTIONS TO GAIN SOLAR CONTROL, INCLUDING FRITTING OR TINTING

COMPARABLE TO GLASS IN THERMAL INSULATION

THERMAL PROPERTIES CAN BE MAXIMIZED BY ADDING LAYERS OF FOIL (UP TO 5) TO INCREASE INSULATION PERFORMANCE

CAN ALSO TREAT THE FOIL WITH SPECIAL COATINGS, PRINTS OR PAINT TO ENHANCE THERMAL PROPERTIES

REQUIRES MINIMAL ENERGY FOR TRANSPORTATION AND INSTALLATION

EXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 1/10 WEIGHT OF GLASS

HIGHLY SUSTAINABLE, 100% RECYCLABLE

AT THE END OF ETFE FOIL LIFE, CAN BE MELTED AND REUSED IN NEW FOIL

CAN EXPAND TO 3 TIMES ITS NORMAL LENGTH WITHOUT LOSING ELASTICITY

DOES NOT LOSE ELASTICITY OVER TIME

NONSTICK SURFACE, RESISTS POLLUTANTS AND NATURALLY SELF-CLEANING

WILL NOT BREAK DOWN, DISCOLOR OR WEAKEN OVER TIME

MINIMAL WEIGHT

CAN SPAN UP TO 30 FEET WITHOUT ANY INTERNAL FRAMING

FIRE-RESISTANT QUALITIES

SKIN CAN BE USED TO DISPLAY LED LIGHTING FOR PROJECTIONS, GRAPHIC, OR INFORMATIVE DISPLAYS

// PERFORMANCE PROPERTIES

TWO PLANT BIOMESFIRST LARGE SCALE ARCHITECTURE PROJECT TO UTILIZE ETFE

OPTIMAL ENERGY USENITROGEN CHEMICALS ACT AS UV REPELLANT IN ETFE BARRIER

DESIGNED TO MIMIC WATER MOLECULESEXTERIOR ETFE CUSHION ENVELOPE

PROJECT NAME: EDEN PROJECT: CORNWALL, UKARCHITECT: NICHOLAS GRIMSHAWYEAR BUILT: 2000

PROJECT NAME: MEDIA ICT BUILDING: BARCELONA, SPAINARCHITECT: CLOUD 9YEAR BUILT: 2011

PROJECT NAME: WATERCUBE (NATIONAL AQUATIC CENTER): BEIJING, CHINAARCHITECT: PTW ARCHITECTSYEAR BUILT: 2008

// PRECEDENTS

TO EXPLORE AND DESIGN A DEVICE RELATING TO AND INTERACTING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PHENOMENOA. RESPONSIVE TO ENVIRONMENTAL FORCES.

THE SURFACE OF THE INSTALLATION CHANGES COLOR BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF RADIATIVE HEAT IT RECEIVES THIS REACTION TO THE SUN (PHYSICAL PHENOMENON) CREATES AN ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT TO PASSERBYS WHO MAY NOTICE THE TRANSITION FROM AN OVERCAST DAY TO A SUNNY DAY.

// PROJECT AIM

// GOALS RESPONSIVE TO LIGHTRESPONSIVE TO WIND

THE [RESPONSIVE] KINETIC FACADE

SENSITIVITY TO SOLAR INPUT WIND RESPONSE

THE SURFACE // EACH PANEL PIVOTS AT ITS CENTER AXIS IN RESPONSE TO THE DIRECTION AND MAGNITUDE OF PREVAILING WINDS

PIVOT //HOT COLD

WIND

FLEX

04 // INSTALLATION

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

PANELS ARE CONNECTED AT ALL VERTICES TO CREATE A FLUID-LIKE AESTHETIC AND A DYNAMIC SYSTEM OF ELEMENTS. THIS ALLOWS FOR A WAVE-RESEMBLING “WALL” RATHER THAN PANELS DANGLING INDEPENDENTLY.

FLUIDITY //

PREVENT SOLAR HEAT GAIN BY BLOCKING SUNLIGHT FOR THE NEIGHBORING BUILDING. THE UNDULATING TILES CREATE A FLUID MOTION WITH WIND MOVEMENT AND CREATE EVER-CHANGING SHADOWS WITH SHIFTING SOLAR POSITION. THE AESTHETIC FAÇADE ALLOWS THE ONLOOKER TO INTERACT WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AND THEREBY ENHANCES HIS OR HER UNDERSTANDING OF PHYSICAL PHENOMENON.

TO DEMONSTRATE THE UTILITY OF PHYSICAL PHENOMENON, A BUILDING SKIN HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO HARVEST SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY THROUGH A SERIES OF PANELS. IN ORDER TO CAPTURE WIND POWER, EACH QUADRILATERAL TILE FUNCTIONS INDIVIDUALLY BY PIVOTING AND MOVING BASED UPON WIND PATTERNS. THE TILES ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER TO CREATE A FLUID APPEARANCE AND ALSO TO MAINTAIN DESIRED STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. THE TILES INTERACT WITH SOLAR ENERGY BY CHANGING COLOR BASED UPON THE PRESENCE AND INTENSITY OF UV-RADIATION AND SUNLIGHT. THIS PROTECTIVE SKIN SERVES BOTH TO CAPTURE WIND ENERGY FOR CONVERSION AND TO

THE SHIFT TOWARDS FINDING ‘GREENER’ AND MORE SUSTAINABLE FORMS OF ENERGY HAS BEEN OF GREAT INTEREST TO SCIENTISTS AND DESIGNERS ALIKE IN RECENT YEARS. IRONICALLY, THIS TREND IS NOT ENTIRELY NOVEL AND CAN BE VIEWED AS A RENAISSANCE TO HOW EARLY CIVILIZATIONS WOULD RELY ON NATURALLY OCCURRING PHENOMENON TO UNDERSTAND THEIR WORLD AND UTILIZE NATURAL RESOURCES. AN ICONIC EXAMPLE IS THE SUNDIAL: A SIMPLE TOOL TO YIELD TIME OF DAY BASED UPON THE SUN’S POSITION AND SUBSEQUENT SHADOWS. THIS REBIRTH IN PHILOSOPHY GENERATES AWARENESS OF ONE’S PHYSICAL SURROUNDINGS AND ENVIRONMENT. AS SUCH, THE FOLLOWING DESIGN INSTALLATION EMPLOYS THE POWER AND INTERACTIVE NATURE OF PHYSICAL PHENOMENON.

N

THE CULMINATION OF A SEMESTER’S RESEARCH AND STUDY OF THE ROLE OF PERFORMANCE IN ARCHITECTURE; THIS PROJECT SERVES TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN DESIGN. PERFORMANCE CAN BE MEASURABLE AND IMMEASURABLE. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. THE FOLLOWING PAGES EXEMPLIFY MY EFFORTS IN GAINING A COHESIVE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PERFORMANCE IS, IN ITS ENTIRETY. MY APPROACH WAS COMPLEX. MY DESIRES AMBITIOUS. AND MY PROCEDURE WAS EXHAUSTIVE.

00.a // PREFACE

00.b // SITE INTRODUCTION

BOUNDARIES

AU

THE GIVEN PARAMETERS OF THE PROJECT STIPULATE THE LOCATION AND THE TYPE OF FACILITY. WITH REGARD TO LOCATION, THE PROJECT SITE IS IN THE SYDNEY SUBURB OF PYRMONT. THIS LOCATION IS SITUATED ON AN INTEGRAL STREET, WHICH SERVES AS THE SPINE OF THE COMMUNITY: HARRIS STREET. ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES REQUIRE THE TYPE OF FACILITY TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL CENTER. HOWEVER, THE TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITY WAS DETERMINED BY CAREFUL RESEARCH TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT TO FOSTER THIS CULTURAL AND GEOGRAPHIC CENTER. THIS ANALYSIS YIELDED THE DECISION TO CREATE A CULINARY EDUCATIONAL FACILITY.