Tuesday, April 27, 2010

EXPERIMENT 1 COMMENTS

Hi all,

Below is a list of everyone in the group and the comments they received as feedback during the Experiment 1 assessment. Have a look at their work when considering a comment. Feel free to query me with any concerns you may have during next week's tutorial session.

Ken.

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Alexandrou Demetra ( Demetra )
Key strength of the scheme:
Some interesting articulation of elements, consideration of light and orientation.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Animations poorly choreographed. A lot of work still required to develop scheme from representation of sketch to a convincing proposition of architecture.


Deheini Rabieh ( Rabi )
Key strength of the scheme:
Consideration of ground plane, landscape elements is evident. Interesting potential in developing roof form of the upper studio.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The two stairs are a repetition of the same element, not distinctive. Composition reads as a collection of independent elements, lacks coherence.


Huynh Danny ( Danny )
Key strength of the scheme:
Application of textures shows thought and restraint. Serrated roof form of gallery shows potential. Some thought has gone into the placement and composition of window openings.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Scheme still reads like a series of stacked orthogonal containers - feels like an office space. How would a gallery/studio differ from an office building?


Marsden Patrick John ( Pat )
Key strength of the scheme:
Evident that a lot of thought has gone into developing character of spaces, crafting of built elements and development of an architectural language.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Animations give the viewer motion sickness and prevent focusing on the work. Circulation route feels a little convoluted at times, esp. in lower studio.

Rattanajaturon Tharida ( Heather )
Key strength of the scheme:
Exploration of connection between single- and double-height volumes is evident, as is transmission of light into different spaces.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Entrance into the gallery space is underdeveloped. Progression offered by stairs from gallery to studios feels generic, not specific to sensibilities of the artists.

Wilkinson John Matthew ( John )
Key strength of the scheme:
There is a logical connection between the quality of space for each artist and the character of their works.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The entry feels like an afterthought - an annex tacked onto the scheme. Multiplicity of textures on wall surfaces is overpowering.

Barr Martin Patrick ( Martin )
Key strength of the scheme:
The 3 drum forms and the resolution of their connection with the gallery below presents some promising ideas not fully realised. Good consideration of light and nature of openings.
Most significant weakness of scheme:
Entry to the gallery space is weak. Nature of relationship between lower studio to Piccinini and to gallery space not so strong. Sectional video acrobatic but doesn't explain scheme clearly.

Chen Dahua ( Ryhs )
Key strength of the scheme:
Some consideration of light and interaction of larger and small spaces is evident.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
No understanding of wall or floor structure has having mass or thickness. Purpose of upper roof form and timber 'shards' is not clear at all.

Dao Chad ( Chad )
Key strength of the scheme:
Overall formal approach is interesting. Some careful thought in detailing of stairs evident
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
No understanding of thickness to structure - feels kind of careless considering the strengths and the thought that's gone into wall and skylight geometry.

Hamid Nazgol ( Nazgol )
Key strength of the scheme:
Clear relationship between crafted nature of upper studio and Swallow's sensibility. Thoughtful composition of stair elements and application of textures.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Lower studio for Goodwin not as convincing. Don't be afraid to experiment far beyond realm of conventionality at this stage.


Juwono Julie Katrina ( Julie )
Key strength of the scheme:
Roof form of upper studio offers some compelling internal modeling of space. Detail to upper stair also interesting.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Gallery and lower studio not as stront in their development. Glazing to below ground studio doesn?t work.

Leal Patrick John ( Patrick )
Key strength of the scheme:
Solid process experimenting with some interesting themes of form and controlling light.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Lacks some cohesion between formal gestures - eg. shape of skylight and void space to floor in upper studio.

Lu Xiaoting ( Lynne )
Key strength of the scheme:
Sketch sections and textures show a natural aptitude for exploration and experimenting with form.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
This has not translated into the proposed architecture - stairs offer an unremarkable arrival, no clear understanding of how the upper studio would work.

Navarrete Daniel Esteban ( Daniel )
Key strength of the scheme:
Strong attempt to experiment with a family of forms and good structural understanding of the building also evident.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Entry to the gallery space doesn't benefit from the formal exploration - feels a bit domestic in comparison with rest of scheme. Opportunity to explore interaction of lower studio form and rupturing of ground plane would help with cohesion of scheme overall.

Petrovski Petre ( Peter )
Key strength of the scheme:
An inspired upper studio form evocative of the artist and proposing a varied and considered progression of spaces.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Relationship of spiral stair form into with lower space feels very random. The stair ribbon offers more potential here.

So Ka Yee ( Carrie )
Key strength of the scheme:
Sectional study sketches and textures demonstrate inventiveness and exploration.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
The space is not a viable gallery space - no windows, uninspired by artists' sensibility. Stairs are uneventful.

Tran Duc Phuc ( Peter )
Key strength of the scheme:
Spiral ramp form offers potential for a dramatic connection between upper studio and gallery that could drive the whole scheme.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Overall, the scheme lacks cohesion - a collection of unrelated gestures and forms. The glazing to the lower studio would not work under ground.

Wu Dongying ( Ireen )
Key strength of the scheme:
Detail of stair to lower studio is an interesting experiment in repetition and rotation of form.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
No clear understanding of how the studio spaces work above - are they connected by glazed galleries? How/why do the three spaces differ? No understanding of light into the lower studio spaces.

Yau Chui Ting ( Pansy )
Key strength of the scheme:
Interesting forms in roof structure of upper studio and walls/floor in underground studio.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Would have liked to see more rigorous exploration of these forms to create some spatial variation. Stairs to lower studio don't resonate with formal gestures.

Cowie Laura Frances ( Laura )
Key strength of the scheme:
Clear understanding of spatial relationship between upper studio and gallery. Interesting displacement of stair to side of volume.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Lower studio requires a lot more resolution due to the 'invasive', fractured nature of the forms in order to work successfully.

Lu Xing Ru Vivian ( Vivian )
Key strength of the scheme:
An interesting collection of ideas and gestures - stairs show consideration, lower studio space some exploration in spatial progression.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
No intuition of mass or thickness of materials or how they work together.

Wang Ruo ( Amy )
Key strength of the scheme:
Some understanding of materiality and notion of procession through spaces. Gallery space the most developed of the three.
Most significant weakness of the scheme:
Underground studio space has no sense of enclosure or how light would enter the space. Upper studio appears to be made entirely of glass. How does this work as a studio space?

Monday, April 19, 2010

OTHER WEBSITES

Hi everyone,

Have added a list of websites that are useful for scoping out other architects and their works.

e-Architect has a fairly comprehensive list of Architects in current and past practice and some examples of their works.

BDLG BLOG and Supercolossal offer interesting discussion and links to a myriad of other websites and blogs about Architecture.

You won't find everyone and everything on these sites, but they're a good diving board to start your own investigations....

INTERSTITIAL SPACE

Spaces created in between...

Moshe Safdie: Habitat 67 - Montréal, Canada
















A basic unit is varied and repeated as a motif





















Schematic axonometric of unit
















Section
















Public outdoor spaces enclosed by surrounding volumes

ENGAGING WITH LANDFORM

Some expamples of engaging with topography that you might want to consider....

Alvaro Siza: Casa Tóló, Portugal




































Conceptual sketch















Plan and section

Peter Zumthor: Thermal Baths, Vals, Switzerland
















































Conceptual Sketch























Plans















Sections

Monday, April 12, 2010

ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

A form can be built up by adding (or subtracting) smaller (or larger) volumes from each other....





















Creating a volume in this manner is called 'Boolean' geometry.

DEVELOP A FORM FROM SIMPLE TO COMPLEX

Start with something straight-forward, such as an L-shaped prism...





















And then build onto the shape...





















Until you have something more complex.

MOVE ONTO SOMETHING MORE COMPLEX

When you're a little more comfortable with the technique, increase the complexity of the





















Choose one set of planes in the form that are parallel and apply a neat hatching pattern to each to accentuate the 3-dimensionality. Simple hatching schemes seem to work best.

SOME TIPS FOR WORKING IN AXONOMETRIC

First, start off with a relatively simple form...





















Remember, you will need to make 2 drawings of each form - one from above, and the other from the opposite point of view from below.

AXONOMETRIC DRAWING IN ARCHITECTURAL THEORY

Several architects throughout history have used the axonometric projection as a specific drawing tool to explore theoretical ideas.


















Peter Eisenman developed a whole suite of house schemes and explained them in axonometric projection.

INTERIOR AXONOMETRIC VIEWS

Interior axonometrics are created by projecting the floor plan up into the vertical dimension.
















The building doesn't have to be an orthogonal plan - axonometrics can be created for any shape.

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC

Different elements of a building can be pulled apart or 'exploded' to enable each element to be read separately whilst still understanding how they fit into the whole composition.





















Floor plane, wall elements, vertical circulation, window elements, roof plane can all be read separately in this drawing, and yet you can still see how the whole building fits together.

ARCHITECTURAL AXONOMETRICS

Axonometric drawings are used in architecture to explain the 3-dimensional qualities of a space using parallel, scalable projection. Think of an axonometric drawing as an amalgamation of plan, elevation and section in one drawing.

Note that all lines that lie in the same plane of orientation (X, Y or Z axis) in this drawing are parallel to one another.










3-DIMENSIONAL DIAGRAM

Axonometric drawings are often used to explain how components are assembled to form a whole...


AXONOMETRIC DRAWINGS

Axonometric projection is a 3-dimensional drawing showing X-, Y- and Z - axes, using parallel projection...

The upper image shows a cube viewed from the top.





















The lower image shows the same cube viewed from below, and from the opposite side...

JOURNEY

Consider the journey through the spaces you create - both the studio spaces and the gallery space. How do you enter? Is there a sense of progression from one space to the next? Is there a sense of arrival? How can the artist move artworks through the spaces? How can you use this to create interest in the spatial arrangement?

Frank Lloyd Wright: Guggenheim Museum, New York City

Frank Lloyd Wright:  Guggenheim Museum, New York City
The progression through this gallery space is paramount. The gallery spaces are arranged around a central drum-shaped void.

Guggenhiem: Gallery spaces

Guggenhiem:  Gallery spaces
Each space is linked to the next via a ramp that circumnavigates the central void.

Guggenheim: Circulation

Guggenheim:  Circulation
The fluidity of the circulation route and its progression throughout the gallery imbibes the experience of the space with a sense of continuity and calm - ideal conditions for contemplating the artwork on display.

Importance of Light in gallery and studio spaces

Keep in mind for both of your studio spaces and the gallery space in between, the introduction of natural light can be crucial to the success of the space. Consider orientation - the direction the light is coming from, its intensity and the amount of light entering the space.

Herzog + de Meuron: Sammlung-Goetz Gallery, Munich

Herzog + de Meuron:  Sammlung-Goetz Gallery, Munich
Positioning of window openings will determine how light falls into a room.

Sammlung-Goetz Gallery, Munich

Sammlung-Goetz Gallery, Munich
This is a two-level gallery building. Note the ceiling height. The gallery space is below ground level. The high-level windows you see in the interior shot are at ground level outside.

Sammlung-Goetz

Sammlung-Goetz

Kahn: Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas

Kahn:  Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas
A gallery comprised of an assemblage of vaulted spaces arranged side-by-side.

Kimbell: Section Detail

Kimbell:  Section Detail
The vaults drawn in section - the light source is located at the apex of each vault.

Kimbell interior

Kimbell interior
The result is an even, indrect light that falls down the sides of the vault providing ideal lighting conditions for viewing the art.

Materiality and Texture

Hi All,

Following on from some of the discussion in today's studio, some images to consider about material qualities and different textures that are related to different materials. Think about the work of each of your artists and their process. Think about the characteristics of different materials and the process that is involved in working with that material. Is there a connection to be made between artist/process and material/process?

Concrete

Concrete
A 'plastic' material - traces of its process are left in the surface finish...

Nervi: Orvieto Aerodrome

Nervi:  Orvieto Aerodrome
Nervi experimented with the structural actions of the building that resulted in a visceral, textured surface.

Nervi: Palazzo dello Sport, Rome

Nervi:  Palazzo dello Sport, Rome
Plasiticity can lead to moulded geometric arrangements that explain the structural activity of the building

Hadid: Phaeno Science Museum, Wolfsburg, Germany

Hadid:  Phaeno Science Museum, Wolfsburg, Germany
Hadid uses concrete's plasticity to create a hyper-smooth architecture, 'cool' and 'fast'.

TIMBER

TIMBER
Fujimoto's 'Final Wooden House' uses timber in an elemental, massive sense. Structural and textural characteristics of the material lend an organic, human quality to the space and light entering that space.

ZUMTHOR: SWISS PAVILLION, HANOVER EXPO 2000

ZUMTHOR:  SWISS PAVILLION, HANOVER EXPO 2000
Stacked timber used to expore notions of transparency vs. enclosure...

PIANO: KANAK CULTURAL CENTRE, NEW CALEDONIA

PIANO:  KANAK CULTURAL CENTRE, NEW CALEDONIA
Timber doesn't have to be straight...

Kanak Cultural Centre, New Caledonia

Kanak Cultural Centre, New Caledonia

RSP Architects: Henderson Waves, Singapore

RSP Architects:  Henderson Waves, Singapore
An aerial walkway through rainforest national park makes incremental use of timber to achieve a fluid result.

RSP: Henderson Waves

RSP:  Henderson Waves
Floor plane, wall plane, ceiling plane morphed into one element...

Glass and Steel

Glass and Steel
Nouvel: Institute of the Arab World, Paris. An active steel shutter wall under a glass skin.

Nouvel: Institue of the Arab World

Nouvel:  Institue of the Arab World
The shutter system repsonds directly to external light levels and references traditional arab architetural screens.

Nouvel: Institute of the Arab World

Nouvel:  Institute of the Arab World
The screen generates a mosaic of light on the building's interior.