University of Melbourne, Architectural Design Studio: Fire. Spring 2012

Site Plan - Refer to submitted document

“If one looks back over time and runs a memory record of a proj-ect through one’s mind, a diary of sorts takes shape. In serial fashion, key events milestone the project - changes, dead-ends, parallel lines of enquiry, the conclusion and the ambitions of that first inception - mo-ments of importance that turn into only a few days of recollection.... With each day the long hours of criticism, the short seconds of inspi-ration, the tug of all those movements that push and pull each way as what we call ‘The Project’ ticks on.”

- Cecil Balmond

“Architects always pretend the scheme we are presenting is with-in such a conviction and as if it comes out of magic. But of course we tested so many schemes before we arrive to the final scheme”

- Shohei Shigamatsu

Site Visitand

Analysis

The studio started with some normal work - addressing the brief, site visits, production of nec-essary materials such as site map and site model. Search of inspiration followed as site analysis and lengthy research were conducted.

Street scape - La Trobe Street

View towards Mackenzie Street

Interior - current carpark View from Mackenzie street

Parking signageGrant LaneTower adjacent to site

Site Visit

Views

Context Study

Production of site map

Renderings - Study of shadow and view

Streetscape on La Trobe Street

Rear Entrance

North-South Section

Volumetric Context

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Winter

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Sun Path

Sun Path

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Autumn

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Winter

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Sun Path

Analytical Diagrams

Vehicular Circulation

Melbourne Centra

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Royal Exhibition Build

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Sunset

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View Corridors

Initial Thoughtsand

Concepts

“You see fields of African mountains based on red Afri-can earth that at first sight look like junk yards and at sec-ond sight perhaps look like cemeteries for cars but that on closer inspection turn out to be incredibly integrated systems where individual people have tiny little sheds in which they are able with incredible precision to maintain, to restore or to recompose from the wreckage of other cars completely new cars like the Volkswagens seen in the background. So what is actually amazing is that what at first sight looks like a completely disorganized field with abandoned objects is actually a productive unit where local people are able to orchestrate endless streams of false spare parts from Taiwan and Mexico, from Mercedes and Peugeots, without any kind of infrastructure through the simple device of pure organiza-tion. So currently more Mercedes are driving in Nigeria than in the whole of Germany.”- Bigness and Velocity, Rem Koolhaas

“The city in th ereflection of the moving object”“ The very surface of the car is able to capture the reflected image of the city”- Concept for a car showroom, Enric Miralles

“In the beginning I looked around and could not find the car I dreamed of, so I decided to build it myself ”- Ferry Porsche

Concept for a car showroom - Enric Miralles, 1995

Research and concept graphics

Initial thoughts - deformation & graffiti in car park

Concept sketches

Street Racing and Drifting

Not that the original thoughts were bad, but Barlow, the client for this brief, was an adventurous man who challengd the shortest possible time driving from Darwin to Melbourne, and crashed a plane just to buy a new one a fortnight later. The mentioned serious ideas needed a more exciting and flamboyant translation.

Let there be speed, freedom, style, pride!

Let there be STREET RACING and DRIFTING!

Fast and Furious - Tokyo Drift

Need for Speed Underground - Video game about street racing

Plot study

Preliminary Design - Sketches

Form finding - intended to be a car but ended up too alike with a duck

Showroom - Option 1

Showroom - Option 2

Showroom - Option 3

Office Floor

Section & Program

Openings and Facade Expression

Conventional

PossibleScenario

Public

Racing

Car Park Tower

Section/Elevation Plan Plan

Concept diagram for Car Park Tower

Parking layout - Maximized efficiency

Preliminary Design - Diagrams

Apartment Circulation Block

Showroom,Parking,Service CentreComplex

Massing

Program

Neon Light Signage

Being rather unfamiliar with neon lighting, I’ve done some simulation in Photoshop examin-ing the use of color and lighting effect, trying to understand how the graphic should look like for my neon signage design. I was particularly happy with the gradation of ambience and the visual similarity of neon light tubes. Different type faces were laid out as an exercise to determine the font for Barlow’s signage.

Color Simulation - Nissan Skyline GTR34

Color and Font Study

Color Simulation - Zonda

Barlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow Motors

Barlow MotorsBarlow Motors


Barlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow MotorsBarlow Motors


Test of font for neon light signage

Screen Capture from Initial D the movie

Making of...

Sketch and draft image of neon light signage

When the theme of drifting was confirmed I re-turned to one of my favourite car movies called Initial D. It was originated from a Japanese fici-tion about downhill drifting, the D was of course the initials of these two words. There was a scene where the legendary Toyata AE86 overtook a monsterous Nissan GTR32 with the skill called “Inertia drifting”. The abstraction of road into higlighted lines, the motion of the car according to the perfect drifting line, the backlight rail all served as key inspiration of the neon light signage design.

Proposed position of neon signage

Week 4 Submission

Neon Light Signage0 0.5 1 2(m)

3

Final Design

Golf Hazard

To carry through the concept of racing and drifting I have been researching through Formula 1 and a car racing game called Gran Turismo to collect reference for racing courses. The idea was to create golf hazards in the form of tracks, to race or challenge the fastest lap time with golf ball would be the rule for the games.

Track maps from racing game Gran Turismo 4

Research on racing tracks

Track maps from Formula 1

Computer Modelling

Screen Captures during computer modelling

Week 7 Submission

Theme 1 - Ring

Theme 2 - Drag

Theme 3 - Dirt

Theme 4 - Glacier

Main Building

Returning to earlier sketches I could not withstand the shock of having my design looking like a faceted swan or giraffe, it has nothing to do with drifting, architecturally it was not appro-priate and intelligent, and it does not suit my taste. The car park tower must be axed. The axed prking lots have to be relocated so I returned to something my hometown, Hong Kong, specializes in - utilizing floor area and stuffing in parking lots.

It was a lateral process, with parking, circulation, structural layout and various functions being juxtaposed simutaneously. Ve-hicular circulation enjoyed a slightly higher priority as the drift-ing track was the soul of this design. Detailed design of strategic spaces such as entrance, showroom and rooftop apartment then fell in place. Facade was confirmed last when programming ap-peared satisfactory.

The volume this building encapsule is in cubic form, but the very openness and slenderness of structure presented a new ar-chitectural language to me. The tilted facade walls came together as a dynamic structure, excitment and livliness of events radiates from the interior. The way the structural system presented itself gave a sense of lightness to the building.

The spaces are also usable.

Layout and Programming - Development

LGEntrance Level

Basement

L1

UG

Development Sketches

LG - 27 Parking Lots

B3 - 49 Parking Lots B2 - 80 Parking Lots B1 - 67 Parking Lots

UG - 6 Parking Lots

Change of plans up to 11th September

Changes of plans up to 17th September

UG - 5 Parking Lots

B3 - 47 Parking Lots

L1 - 9 Parking Lots


L2 - 39 Parking Lots




Change of plans up to 26th September



L4 - Showroom

UG - 5 Parking Lots

L5 - Apartment

L1 - 9 Parking Lots

L6 - Apartment


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Final Floor Plans(Refer to submitted documents)

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BARLOW'S CAR LIFT

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GOLF TERRACE

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BARLOW'S TEST DRIVE

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BARLOW'S TEST DRIVE

COURTYARD

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Circulation/Drifting Track

BasementParking/START

ServiceCentre

MacKenzieEntrance

La Trobe StreetEntrance/TURN

Cafe andGolf Terrace

Showroom/FINISH

Barlow’s Rooftop Apartment

Programming and circulation

Showroom

The showroom is meant to be the highest level the public can access, it is also the finish-ing point of race. At first it was a mix of parking and display zones. It seemed to offer a better flexibility and also tackled the problem of insufficient parking space on lower levels. However it was too rigid in terms of geometry, presenting a less spectacular and pleas-ant nevigation experience. The intended flexibility could as well ended up as uncontrolled mess. Another option was explored where the entire floor is occupied by free-form dis-play hubs and golf terrace. The program mix offered a sense of fluidity. The idea of a space with no walls remained as the hubs are defined by light tubes, shorter than human height and separated wide enough for people to walk through them freely. It should now offer a more pleasant user experience.

Option 1 - Showroom and Parking Option 2 - Display hubs and golf

Test rendering on ceiling lighting effect

Precedent study for light tubes - Hello Stranger by Vehovar + Jauslin Architects

Preliminary sketches, showroom layout

Showroom - Day time

Showroom - Night time

Barlow’s Apartment

Form construction according to floor plan

Opening and framing patterns

The idea for Barlow’s apartment was to create an iconic single house on the roof top, where spectacular views over the city can be enjoyed. As the entire roof level is surren-dered to Barlow, the provision if an exclusive driving field is in fact possible. The sense of privacy and hierarchy, along with the convenience of enjoying a private test track, should fit Barlow’s pursuit of an extravagance life.

Front of apartment and Barlow’s driving field

Back of apartment and Barlow’s driving field

Form, Expression and Appearance

Massing and La Trobe Street Entrance

Braced structural Expression on facade

Bracing replaced tilted sheer walls

Confirmation of form, expression and lighting

Elevations and Sections(Refer to Submitted Documents)

From Top: East Elevation, South Elevation, West Elevation

From Top: North Elevation, Side Section, Rear Section

Model Making

Vector drawing files for laser cutting and fabrication of model materials

Preparation

Photograph Collection

Physical model of building, rooftop apartment and golf hazard

Finish Line

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