Architectural Apprenticeship

This blog is intended to deliver the observation, designs and presentation linked to DAB310 Project 1-The Architectural Apprenticeship. This project aims to establish an understanding that architectural design is informed through the availability and analysis of exemplary knowledge. The 3 interrelated House Design concepts; a house is an environmental filter; a house is a container of human activities; a house is a delightful experience, all are crucial to the grasp of architectural excellence.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Part B: Bamboo Wall House Analysis - Diagram

The diagrams below are to identify and extrapolate the three Key Design Elements within my Exemplar House - the Great Bamboo Wall, which represent my Architect's Approach to 'Delight', 'Commodity' and 'Firmness' in design.

'Delight' in Design, how the Great Bamboo Wall acts as a 'Delightful Experience'.

The Great Wall historically partitioned off two cultures, but this bamboo wall not only demarcates but also unites like and culture. Skin of Bamboo, Spirit of Bamboo in Japan there is a famous children's tale about how Princess Kakuyahime, the Moon Goddess, was born inside a stalk of bamboo. People could believe this story because bamboo has a special skin, and a soul. [1]

'Firmness' in Design, in Design, how the Great Bamboo Wall acts as an 'Environmental Filter'.

The main idea of the Great Bamboo Wall was to learn from the formality of the Great Wall of China - runs almost endlessly along the undulating ridgeline, and is integrated into the surrounding environment.[1]

'Commodity' in Design, how the Great Bamboo Wall acts as a 'Container of Human Activities'.

Approaching the Space (circulation)

Function of Space

Part C : Application - Cabin Design

The proposed Cabin Design for my Exemplar Architect - Kengo Kuma.

Ground Level Floor Plan

First Level Floor Plan

Section 1

North Elevation

Exterior Volumetric Representation

Part C : Application - Idea + Analysis

Delight : separates a truly well-designed house from the medicore.

My approach to 'Delight' in Design and how this house acts as a 'delightful Experience'. The following diagrams are to identify and overlay the three design elements in my proposed cabin design.

Locating a bamboo wall, a layer of wall, is an important issue to 'Delight' in Design.

Spaces created with bamboo are steeped in a feeling of tension, a unique sense of the stretched presence of the bamboo skin. Just sitting inside such places, the soul is in a different state of being. Furthermore, skin and outer surface are different things. Concrete has an outer surface, but no skin. The soul within is never revealed. However, bamboo has particularly beautiful skin and a soul residing within. The role of this delicate, highly functional bamboo screen/wall is to facilitate the interaction of the natural world inside the structure with the natural world on the outside. Through the skin, the natural world on the outside filters into the natural world on the inside.

Commodity : A design to fit my Exemplar Architect's practical meeds.

'Commodity' in Design and how my Cabin acts as a 'Container of Human Activities'.

My Cabin is 75m²in total for internal enclosed space. Also, a 36m² covered external space is provided in addition. Indeed, the design includes the following spaces :
space for living;

space for working;

space for reflecting;

space for dining;

space for preparing meals;

space for sleeping; and

space for abluting.

My proposed Cabin is designed to accommodate my Exemplar Architect and his partner only - no additional accommodation for other members of the family or friends is to be provided.

Approaching the Space (circulation)

Function of Space

Firmness : A design to conform to all pragmatic requirements such as structural, electrical + environmental soundness.

Mu approach to 'Firmness' in Design and how my cabin acts as an 'Environmental Filter'. The following diagrams are to identify and overlay the three design elements in my proposed cabin design.

My Cabin design not only consists of systematic design logic, but also is a climatic filter, the above picture explains.

Part C : Application - Site Context

Location/Context Q & A

The followings questions have been considered especially for my Exemplar Architect, Kengo Kuma, when choosing the site.

1. Where does Mr Kuma want to live? Suburban community

2. What type of people like to live in the community? Architects

3. Are there adequate utility services available - water, electricity, gas, sewer, fire control? Yes

4. Is there an adequate shopping area? Yes

5. Is transport available - to work, to shops, to other areas, or will Mr. Kuma has to depend on private vehicle? Private vehicle

6. Are adequate social utilities available - libraries, parks, clubs, recreation facilities? Yes

7. Are the other houses in the immediate vicinity well maintained? Yes

8. Hence, are the houses neglected because a proposed highway is planned to pass nearby? No

9. What development plans, if any, are proposed by federal, state or local government bodies for the area - airport, highway, garbage dump? My Cabin proposal will be the latest addition to this architectural location.

Contour map of the site

The above picture shows the contour of the preferred site. It is ideal for placing the Great Bamboo Wall House and my Cabin. The gradient is gentle and suits the structure of the Bamboo Wall House. As well, there are also suitable spaces for C House and the Brookes Street House.

After considering the immediate neighbourhood of the preferred Site Location. Immediately adjacent to my Cabin Site, the following are the locations for the three Exemplar Houses that I researched in Part A.

This site slopes gently towards the East side, to the river. Indeed, it suits each of my Exemplar house, the Great Bamboo Wall House, C House and Brookes Street House.

Placing the exemplar houses and my Cabin to the best location at the right scale and facing the right orientation.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Part C : Application - Site Location Analysis

The Cabin is located in an imaginary ideal architectural location and urban utopia - Mount Methodology in Charrette City, where an available small site is located within a group of existing exemplary houses.

Preferred Site Location

Location

Generic Gardens, Mount Methodology, Charrette City

Latitude : -27.39

Longitude : 153.12

Elevation : 15 metres (above sea level)

After investigating the given site of urban utopia and site of the Great Bamboo Wall house, I found that the Generic Gardens is a fairly applicable and proper location for my exemplary houses and Cabin. The main reason for choosing the Generic Gardens as a site location is a high level of vegetation. Thick vegetation provides a natural and organic surrounding which best suits my Cabin design as an environmental filter.

Climatic Filter
Sun

Charrette City is located in a Sub-Tropical Climate and in the Southern Hemisphere,

the sun path of the is site is as below,

http://www.luxal.eu/resources/daylighting/docs/sunpath_27_south.pdf(accessed March 19, 2010)

From the above sunpath diagram, it can be seen that a notable amount of sunlight comes from the North. The chosen site disposition allows penetration of winter sun and avoid some summer sun. There are a fews tree at the site, but the views and sunshine won't be blocked off by nearby trees or existing buildings.

Wind

Wind is one of the most highly variable meteorological elements, both in speed and direction.

The four wind frequency analyses (Summer 9am and 3pm; Winter 9am and 3pm) of the preferred site are shown below,

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/cgi_bin_scripts/windrose_selector.cgi(accessed March 24, 2010)

The above wind roses show the frequency of occurrence of wind speed and direction. In fact, wind directions are divided into eight compass directions. From the above diagram, we can see that Winter wind is in the South-South West-West sector. Summer Breezes are in the North-East, South-East sectors. Indeed, the chosen site is exposed to wind from different directions moderately.

Project 1 Part C : Application - Requirements + Outputs

In Part C, I will design a Cabin for my Exemplar Architect - Kengo Kuma.

The Cabin is located in an imaginary ideal architectural location on Mount Methodology near Charrette City, where an available small site is located within a group of existing exemplary houses. Indeed, my Cabin proposal will be the latest addition to this architectural location. The Cabin incorporates all the necessary studio and workplaces for my Exemplar Architect - Kengo Kuma, as well as living accommodation.

Moreover, the size and arrangement of the spaces is reflecting the lessons that I have learnt through studying my Exemplar Architect/Practice namely Kengo Kuma & Associates (Bamboo Wall House), Donovan Hill (C House), and James Russell Architect (Brookes Street House) and their House Design in Part A and B. My Cabin is 75m²in total for internal enclosed space. Also, a 36m² covered external space is provided in addition. This Cabin design is reflecting the unique utopian architectural location and the local environmental influences.

Site plan of Urban Utopia.

Moreover, my cabin design will include the following spaces :

space for living;
space for working;
space for reflecting;
space for dining;
space for preparing meals;
space for sleeping; and
space for abluting.

My proposed Cabin is designed to accommodate my Exemplar Architect and his partner only - no additional accommodation for other members of the family or friends is to be provided.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Part B: Bamboo Wall House Analysis - Site Analysis

Location

The Great Bamboo Wall is located in Badaling, Beijing, China.

Badaling, Beijing, China
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=34.860491,108.26688&z=3&t=h&hl=en(accessed March 17, 2010)

Badaling is one of Beijing's biggest tourist destinations. It lies on the edge of the North China Plain in the northeastern part of the country. Kengo Kuma’s Great Bamboo Wall was part of an initiative to develop a series of houses, all by Asian architects along the Great Wall of China. It is near the Badaling section of the Great Wall.[1]

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.338524,116.04964&z=17&t=h&hl=en(accessed March 17, 2010)

1. Shared House designed by Kanika R'kui.
2. Cantilever House designed by Antonio Ochoa.
3. Airport designed by Chien Hsueh-Yi.
4. Distorted Courtyard designed by Rocco Yim.
5. Commune Club designed by Seung H-Sang.
6. Kid's Club in Commune.
7. Forest House designed by Nobuaki.
8. Bamboo Wall 2 designed by Kengo Kuma.

The suburban buildings shown in the above picture are freestanding objects in space. These outdoor spaces are negative spaces because the buildings are not arranged to lend shape to the space in between.

The contour map of the site.

http://int.kateigaho.com/mar04/architect-kuma.html(accessed March 14, 2010)

Climate
Beijing's climate is defined as "continental monsoon". The four seasons are distinctly recognizable.[2]

Climatological Information for Beijing, China

Location of weather station: 39.8N, 116.5E, altitude: 54M

* denotes number of days with at least 1.0mm of rainfall[3]

From the above information, it can be seen that the four seasons are very clear in Beijing with a temperate Spring, rainy Summer, clear Autumn and cold Winter. The average temperature throughout the year is 11.8 degree Celsius (°C). The coldest month is January with an average temperature of -4.3°C and the hottest month is July with an average temperature of 25.9°C.

Moreover, the Great Bamboo Wall house is located on 40°20'N 116°02'E,
the sun path of the site is as below,

http://www.luxal.eu/resources/daylighting/docs/sunpath_40_north.pdf(accessed March 19, 2010)

Therefore, the Great Bamboo Wall House receives the least amount of sunlight from the North.

Part B: Bamboo Wall House Analysis - Drawings

All drawings below are completed by hand. They represent the characteristics of the original Design Architect and are in my response for Project 1 part A and B.

Drawings of Great Bamboo Wall

Lower Level Floor Plan scale 1:200

Upper Level Floor Plan scale 1:200

Exterior Elevation scale 1:200

Section - 1 scale 1:100

3D Volumetric Exterior Representation

Part B: Bamboo Wall House Analysis - Further Research

Architect: Kengo Kuma 隈研吾

Kuma established Kengo Kuma & Associates in 1990. His numerous residential works, museums, and other public facilities have received on-going critical acclaim and have won him several national and international awards. Renowned projects include the LVMH Group Japan headquarters, Great (Bamboo) Wall, Water/Glass, also the Spa at Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay.

[1](accessed March 4, 2010)

(accessed March 10, 2010)

Project 1 Part B : Analysis - Requirements + Outputs

Based on my research findings, brainstorming and contemplation, I decided on Kengo Kuma's Great Bamboo Wall House to be my precedence for further research, analysis and representation, over the other two exemplar buildings.

Furthermore the identification of discreet concepts in architecture; a house as an environmental filter; a house as a container of human activities; and a house as a delightful experience; all reveal themselves to be aspects essential to the understanding of architectural excellence that is argued to constants in the discourse of the discipline. As mentioned, I will focus on these three crucial and interrelated House Design Concepts in the remainder of the project.

Part A: Archetype - Brookes Street House

JAMES RUSSELL ARCHITECT:
BROOKES STREET HOUSE, 2006

Brookes Street House - Surrounding area

http://www.jamesrussellarchitect.com.au/(accessed March 15, 2010)

A close-up

http://www.jamesrussellarchitect.com.au/(accessed March 15, 2010)

Lounge in Brookes Street House

http://www.jamesrussellarchitect.com.au/(accessed March 15, 2010)

Kitchen and living area

http://www.jamesrussellarchitect.com.au/(accessed March 15, 2010)

The narrow bridge

http://www.jamesrussellarchitect.com.au/(accessed March 15, 2010)

HOUSE AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL FILTER

Carefully inserted between two heritage-listed nineteenth century ecclesiastical buildings. Great care has been invested in its choice of materials and assembly, as well as in ensuring it takes maximum advantages of the subtropical environment. The central courtyard, with a grass floor elevated above parking, provides a green sanctuary for the family, and visually connects the living and sleeping areas.[1]

A simple yet elegant of screens, frameless glass panels, flaps and louvres provide an ambiguous boundary between inside and out. The section is carefully modulated to ensure the penetration of light and control of sun, while giving a compact sense of vertical scale.[1]

HOUSE AS A CONTAINER OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES

Above the living areas are the sleeping areas, the children's above the playroom, and the parents's suspended over the kitchen and lounge. A narrow bridge connects the two bedroom wings and overlooks the grass. Bathrooms and the laundry are concealed in cupboards running along the side of the bridge.[1]

HOUSE AS A DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE

Timber structure, flooring, lining, screens and journey lend a wonderful sense of craft to this spatially expensive yet intimate house. New and old coexist happily with borrowed spaces between. A robust exterior defines a more delicate and enriching interior.[1]