Week 12

Week 12:

Lecture: Design Criteria.

This week’s lecture covered some important points to consider for the presentation. I have decided not to attempt a physical model for this assignment even though I usually would. I don’t believe I have enough time to do it justice this time. The focus seems to be very much on process, blog and back story – so this is what I will focus my time on.

Tutorial: Project Development.

This week I am concentrating on how my sections could work in plan.

 

This plan view spans Latrobe Terrace and includes two large voids along a canyon-like central foyer.

 

Here I have broken the form apart to create three volumes. The round hole will accommodate the automated mechanism. Open green-space is provided on both street corners. Functions (left to right) are transit centre, entertainment centre, distribution centre.

 

Still working with volumes.

 

 

 

This image is beginning to look at how deliveries might be made (in red cross-hatch). Also opens the green-space to Warmington St. I have created a void over Latrobe Tce to allow natural light onto the street below and create a point of interest for the transit area.

 

 

Some more 'form-fondling'. This time the automated mechanism is surrounded by a viewing platform.

 

 

This is a simplified version of an earlier design. It shows the position of the proposed subway mag-lev station (bottom left). I tried a slanted ‘entertainment wall on the carpark/delivery block. It will entertain patrons viewing from the adjacent balconies.

Week 11

Week 11: 

Lecture: Intro to Master of Architecture Course and Beyond.

Tutorial: Project development.

I’m back to working with my actual section again. One of my main focuses this time is getting natural light down to the lower floors and working with my vending mechanism.

 

I have taken a bit of a shining to the top illustration of the second image (with green-roof) as you can see by the extra detail I have added to it. It has some nice features and form that I could work with. The next step is to start to work on some plan views to see how it might function.

 

 

Here I tried a more angular version... but no.

 

Week 10

Week 10:

Lecture: Guest Lecturer: Alexis Sanel.

One of the most interesting points Alexis mentioned was when she suggested that a client is not asking the architect for a rundown of the entire design process – they really just want a solution to a very simple requirement. I believe that if we break this project down to its bare bones we may find a very simple solution to a relatively complex problem.

Tutorial: Project feedback.

I have started to consider some of the events that might take place in my building. Apart from the obvious activity of shopping I would like to create a place where many recreational pursuits can be had.

I used today’s tutorial to bounce ideas off my team members and see if I could broaden my scope with what they were working on. I have started to think about how the building could work in 3 dimensions and how people could navigate/circulate through and around it.

 

 

This scribble shows an early attempt at form, but more importantly it shows that I am exploring the possibility of open public space on the Warmington St side. I am also attempting to find a position for the automated vending mechanism (pyramidal form in centre of site).

 

This illustration is similar but goes into slightly more detail as to how I might propose that the form is broken down and shaded walkways might work for protection.

 

 

This is a very rough sketch of 3D forms and how they might occupy the site.

 

 

Here I am looking at melding the forms back together into one continuous form.

 

 

This plan view explores view points and that I may be able to use the carpark (on right) wall as a point of entertainment for patrons. The smaller structure on the far left is a transit centre.

 

 

 

Previous two images: I am looking at breaking down the forms to allow for ground level exploration.

 

 

Week 9

Week 9:

Lecture: Architecture as Assistive Devices.

The lecture focussed on the human/built environment interaction and some of the many elements that need to be considered in the design; Protection from weather, conflict, privacy. Opportunities for; making, using, thinking, reflecting, learning, taking action, selling, buying, presenting, watching, sharing, collaborating. And play – read – retail of which I will be focussing on Play and Retail as my primary functions.

Yasu also mentioned some interesting points on the relevance of retaining certain places that may become redundant in the future. In my case it is possible that a retail establishment may become redundant in the future unless technology can rectify the current paradigm of on-line shopping by inventing in an entertaining way to encourage back the social shopping outing.

Tutorial: Project feedback:

I didn’t attend tutorial this week due to assignment commitments but have been looking at trying to retain part of the existing ‘bones’ of the structure as well as further exploration into form.

 

 

Solid orange areas depict areas with structure that may be retained.

This week I produced topography of the actual site so I can begin to address a legitimate section with levels to ascertain what is possible for the distribution centre (below ground level at Latrobe Tce). (images below).

 



 

 

 

 

I also conducted some research for an option to resume some of the residences on the north-west corner of our site through pdonline. (Image below)

 

Most importantly this week – I made a short-list of primary points for my project.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Week 8

Week 8:

Lecture: Sustainability isn’t about being green.

This topic fits right in with my sustainability minor in which we have been learning about the financial and political drivers that corrupt the positive notions of the ‘sustainability‘agenda.

The phrase/word “green” is one that has almost lost all credibility since being corrupted by huge conglomerates and small start-up businesses alike, we must now look towards deeper practices to achieve true sustainability. Whole of System of win-win-win thinking is one such method that investigates the possibility of improving each minute step of any given process to make sizable positive gains.

Tutorial: Project feedback

I have been bouncing ideas off my group members and we seem to be heading in the same direction – a facility that provides a recreational outlet for Paddington. One of the more popular ideas that we incorporated in our project 1 submission was the idea of a huge automated mechanism that acted as a dispenser/vending machine for the distribution centre but doubled as entertainment for the facilities patrons. This is something that I have in the back of my mind but I’m not sure how to pull it off yet.

So again this week I am severely snowed under with assignments for my other projects but I have been working on more sections. I really believe that because of the topography it is best to be working in section view and switching to plan view when necessary.

 

 

The scribble at the top (centre) is in section and suggests two separate forms crossing in a scissor motion leaving an interesting space between (2 bottom scribbles in plan view). This could make for some dramatic spaces above and below the cantilevers as well as in between the volumes.

My next step in the process will be to produce the actual topography in Revit so I have some real sections and plans to work with.

 

 

 

Week 7

Week 7:

 

Lecture: Architectural Fiction.

Today we were informed about our assignment 2 assessment criteria, there appears to be a greater influence placed on the background/process than of the finished product.

Tutorial:

I turned up to tutorial today with little to show for my mid-semester break. I haven’t given the project much thought yet due to other assignments taking precedents. I did however manage a quick scribble during the lecture – the first seed of an idea for an architectural entity for the site:

It’s a rudimentary exploration in section of how the building could sit in the site... Not much but it’s a start!

I have however confirmed that my project will be a retail facility with a large on-site distribution centre – targeted at the time-rich community of Paddington. It will act as a recreation/shopping/social hub.

The functions remind me of some of the work by Archigram. Kind of like funhouse?

 

http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_84714_1%26url%3D

 



 

Week 6

Week 6:

 

Interim Presentation:

Photo by Andrew Brown

Final poster for Assignment 1.

The ribbon begins at the news clipping catalysts that describe social, political, legislative and global issues that have shaped the future of Paddington’s retail precinct followed by the sustainability issues on panel 2. The ribbon flows through our characters featured on panel 3 that illustrate ‘a-day-in-the-life” in 2032 and how our characters have assimilated with the new technologies of the time. The final panel depicts a dream-like image that speculates [vaguely] on a form for our architectural fiction.

 

Photo by Andrew Brown

 

Photo by Andrew Brown

 

Photo by Andrew Brown

 

The following images are the illustrated portion of my contribution to the assignment.

Illustration: Dennis Hill

 

 

Scenario 1:

Illustration: Dennis Hill

  

Scenario 2:

Illustration: Dennis Hill

 

Scenario 3:

Illustration: Dennis Hill