‘GLENDALE,’ KOSCIOSZKO RD, COOMA/BERRIDALE, NSW
CONCEPTUAL INTENT
unique to this landscape and distinct to the conceptualisation of my architecture, stand large granite tors. in rising faithfully from their underground hiding spots, cracking into shape and harnessing homes in clusters amongst the vast australian bush, they lend themselves to their environment .
benjamin walter states:
“i set myself in the space and the space settles me.”
in seeking to create an architecture of place, i allowed the landscape to guide the evolution of my design, aiming to enhance the experience of the surrounds by capturing and elaborating the existing nuances with particular attention to that of the tors:
form: the tors perceived weight and size document the landscape by offering a gesture of navigation in which the land seems to hang off.
frame: erosion over time has created negative space between the tors. peering through the resulting passages, they create focus and remove context allowing the observer to capture a moment that would otherwise remain unnoticed.
shelter: in clusters the tors act as a refuge, a shelter from the elements, claiming the trees as their own, not only nestling them between their cracks and crevices but on their surface, creating a transient plane between the horizontal ground and their vertical stature where the trees cast their shadows.
hence the resulting architecture aims to offer refuge, aspect and prospect to develop space which contemplates the tors proposed function as well as the need for human scale to be introduced on a site where this can so easily be lost.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
SITE - "Glendale" in Berridale, rural NSW
CHANGE IN LANDSCAPE
Once you have past the urban sprawl of Sydney and into the increasing vastness of outer NSW, the shifting greenery and sun bitten valleys of the Australian bush, see patterns of flora and fauna become evident. Clusters of leafy trees, some strategically placed acting as wind breaks sheltering their surrounds like an oasis in the desert giving a glimpse of life in the thirst stricken landscape. Heading towards Canberra, this landscape becomes more flat and dry, shades of green turn to shades of yellow and then signalling another change is the leafless trees and large Tors which dot the landscape, along with the increase in presence of cattle in larger groupings. The Tors or boulders become the distinctive feature distorting any perception of scale and distance, which proves to be somewhat alienating from a far.
Our architecture will have this as its backdrop. An opportunity for people to engage and experience this out-of-this-world landscape, bringing it up close and personal for it to seem more real; something that would usually be reserved for view behind the glass of a speeding car.
BERRIDALE
Not only will our architecture have to contemplate the landscape but also the community, or potential community of Glendale and Berridale. This small isolated part of NSW is a place always in transition. It hosts people who are not staying for the purpose of enjoying Berridale as such, but rather as a resting place on the fringe away from the ski slopes or farm life. The motels, winery, connivance stores, and pubs, mark this isolated community halfway between the larger town of Cooma and the Snowy Mountains. The few permanent residence enjoy the ever changing landscape of people arriving by the bus and car load for several days then disappearing just as quickly as they came. The quietness is broken only temporarily with the uneven waves of people, where the local hospitality seem ill fit to equip.
In consequence this then places the question of how our architecture will impact on this social landscape. How will it fit in? Will it become a monument like the Big Ram of Canberra that people will want to stop at and visit? Or should it rather fit seamlessly reclusive in the shadows of its isolated rocks and trees?
TORS
On site the rocks confront you with their reality of size, quantity and form. Instead of alienating as they did from a distance, up close they rather animate the landscape. Taking on multiple roles of the documenter, sculpture, and protector. The tors document the site, faithfully rising from their underground hiding spot determined to monument the vast now dry landscape. As sculptural elements, together in clusters, the rock formations huddle in families following the rise and fall of the naturally occurring gradients bringing the hill tops to life and breaking the flatness of the valley bellow. As Protector they can be seen as a refuge, a shelter from the elements, claiming the trees as their own, Not only nestling them between their cracks and crevices but on their surface, creating a transient plane between the horizontal ground and their vertical stature where the trees cast their shadows. So even if the tree tops are unseen through a potential opening, these projected shadows which are seen deny the trees absence.
TREES
The trees, in naturally occurring between the rocks, break the horizontality which seems to dominate the landscape, further rationalising the land as a nurturer of life, and allowing a comprehension of scale. The junction where tree and rock meet sees a reciprocation of mutual accommodation. The rocks crack into layers surrounding the trees and the trees bulge and lean on them.
This could have implication on the structure of the building where it seems to call for a discrete structure which works in harmony with all the building components, yet every now and then reveals itself; a column, an arch a grid beam system, like the odd stand alone, bare trees. They are time conscious blowing in the wind they go from vertical structures to lay low on their rock surroundings only to be persuaded to go back the other way as the wind revives them. They slowly sway in silent chorus both in tune with sun and wind their life cycle is clearly seen.
GROUND COVER AND FAUNA
The ground cover seems to be composed of layers that don’t belong. Amongst the patches of red berry, thorn riddled weeds, cattle manure, rotting carcases, and bones and dehydrated grass and soil, some life resumes existing. Without noticeable insects or birdlife for this time of year, the cattle manage to continue to graze. They rotate around the field like the shadows of the trees, creating and keeping track of time.
In this way our architecture too should behave differently with the passage of time throughout the day and year. For example the shading devices could move with the shifting sun or more obviously each faced dealt with differently, so that the North West winds of winter are minimised. Just as the rocks freeze and crack when heated, the architecture should respond by minding this differentiation.
NUANCES
Time has created erosion and creation of negative space. Peering through the resulting passages they create focus and remove context allowing the observer to capture a moment that would otherwise go unnoticed. These naturally occurring spaces project a safe, intimate setting, which opposes the free immenseness of its surrounding reality.
This further has implications on the solid void relationships of our architecture, where views and space should either be denied, allowed or suggested through simple architectural devices such as half walls, vegetation walls, column systems, layers of openings.
HUMAN INFLUENCE
The evidence of our human activity on the site is finally the most relevant to us, as our architecture is going to be the definitive gesture of this artificial intrusion or inclusion upon this landscape. No matter how untouched it seems to appear there are traces which are easily overlooked.
Once you have past the urban sprawl of Sydney and into the increasing vastness of outer NSW, the shifting greenery and sun bitten valleys of the Australian bush, see patterns of flora and fauna become evident. Clusters of leafy trees, some strategically placed acting as wind breaks sheltering their surrounds like an oasis in the desert giving a glimpse of life in the thirst stricken landscape. Heading towards Canberra, this landscape becomes more flat and dry, shades of green turn to shades of yellow and then signalling another change is the leafless trees and large Tors which dot the landscape, along with the increase in presence of cattle in larger groupings. The Tors or boulders become the distinctive feature distorting any perception of scale and distance, which proves to be somewhat alienating from a far.
Our architecture will have this as its backdrop. An opportunity for people to engage and experience this out-of-this-world landscape, bringing it up close and personal for it to seem more real; something that would usually be reserved for view behind the glass of a speeding car.
BERRIDALE
Not only will our architecture have to contemplate the landscape but also the community, or potential community of Glendale and Berridale. This small isolated part of NSW is a place always in transition. It hosts people who are not staying for the purpose of enjoying Berridale as such, but rather as a resting place on the fringe away from the ski slopes or farm life. The motels, winery, connivance stores, and pubs, mark this isolated community halfway between the larger town of Cooma and the Snowy Mountains. The few permanent residence enjoy the ever changing landscape of people arriving by the bus and car load for several days then disappearing just as quickly as they came. The quietness is broken only temporarily with the uneven waves of people, where the local hospitality seem ill fit to equip.
In consequence this then places the question of how our architecture will impact on this social landscape. How will it fit in? Will it become a monument like the Big Ram of Canberra that people will want to stop at and visit? Or should it rather fit seamlessly reclusive in the shadows of its isolated rocks and trees?
TORS
On site the rocks confront you with their reality of size, quantity and form. Instead of alienating as they did from a distance, up close they rather animate the landscape. Taking on multiple roles of the documenter, sculpture, and protector. The tors document the site, faithfully rising from their underground hiding spot determined to monument the vast now dry landscape. As sculptural elements, together in clusters, the rock formations huddle in families following the rise and fall of the naturally occurring gradients bringing the hill tops to life and breaking the flatness of the valley bellow. As Protector they can be seen as a refuge, a shelter from the elements, claiming the trees as their own, Not only nestling them between their cracks and crevices but on their surface, creating a transient plane between the horizontal ground and their vertical stature where the trees cast their shadows. So even if the tree tops are unseen through a potential opening, these projected shadows which are seen deny the trees absence.
TREES
The trees, in naturally occurring between the rocks, break the horizontality which seems to dominate the landscape, further rationalising the land as a nurturer of life, and allowing a comprehension of scale. The junction where tree and rock meet sees a reciprocation of mutual accommodation. The rocks crack into layers surrounding the trees and the trees bulge and lean on them.
This could have implication on the structure of the building where it seems to call for a discrete structure which works in harmony with all the building components, yet every now and then reveals itself; a column, an arch a grid beam system, like the odd stand alone, bare trees. They are time conscious blowing in the wind they go from vertical structures to lay low on their rock surroundings only to be persuaded to go back the other way as the wind revives them. They slowly sway in silent chorus both in tune with sun and wind their life cycle is clearly seen.
GROUND COVER AND FAUNA
The ground cover seems to be composed of layers that don’t belong. Amongst the patches of red berry, thorn riddled weeds, cattle manure, rotting carcases, and bones and dehydrated grass and soil, some life resumes existing. Without noticeable insects or birdlife for this time of year, the cattle manage to continue to graze. They rotate around the field like the shadows of the trees, creating and keeping track of time.
In this way our architecture too should behave differently with the passage of time throughout the day and year. For example the shading devices could move with the shifting sun or more obviously each faced dealt with differently, so that the North West winds of winter are minimised. Just as the rocks freeze and crack when heated, the architecture should respond by minding this differentiation.
NUANCES
Time has created erosion and creation of negative space. Peering through the resulting passages they create focus and remove context allowing the observer to capture a moment that would otherwise go unnoticed. These naturally occurring spaces project a safe, intimate setting, which opposes the free immenseness of its surrounding reality.
This further has implications on the solid void relationships of our architecture, where views and space should either be denied, allowed or suggested through simple architectural devices such as half walls, vegetation walls, column systems, layers of openings.
HUMAN INFLUENCE
The evidence of our human activity on the site is finally the most relevant to us, as our architecture is going to be the definitive gesture of this artificial intrusion or inclusion upon this landscape. No matter how untouched it seems to appear there are traces which are easily overlooked.
Friday, September 25, 2009
COOGEE APARTMENTS
BRIEF
Multi-residential and Commercial building:
- Underground(Beach Street access) : Jazz Cellar
- Ground(Beach Street access): Cafe
- Ground(Arcadia Street access): Parking
- Ground(Arcadia Street access): 2 x 2 bedroom apartment, 1 x 2 storey 2 bedroom apartment
- Level 1: 1 x 2 storey 2 bedroom apartment, 2 x Studio apartment (including 1 with disabled access)
- Level 2: 1 x Studio apartment both connected and separately accessible to the 2 storey 2 bedroom apartment below.
PRECEDENT STUDIES
CONCEPTUAL INTENT
Concepts of public and private, outdoor and indoor realms come to the forefront of this mixed use building . The parking acts as a buffer separating the public access to the site via Beach Street and the residential access on Arcadia Street.
The Residential apartments deal with aspects of intimacy gradients and a tapestry of flexible living catering for a variety of prospect residents and promotes outdoor to indoor variation and control. The commercial spaces focus on the experience. The Cafe is a fish and chip take-away by day and a vivid upper market dining by night, while the Jazz cellar as a wine bar allows an immersion into a complete sensory experience.
The form of the building picks up a commonality of the surrounding architecture which is an elaboration of openings through framing. Here the horizontal slabs sandwich the vertical planes and erode into the site following the slope in which it sits. The sandstone mirrors its use in the surrounding corner blocks continuing to meandering around the building. It also acknowledges the heritage nature of the site as it is time conscious.
Context becomes the opportunity for a layering of architectural language that aims to provide a lifestyle coherent to the present, past and future life of Coogee.
DRAWINGS
Site Analysis 1:200
Jazz Cellar Floor Plan 1:100
Cafe Floor Plan 1:100
Ground Floor Plan 1:100
Level 1 Floor Plan 1:100
Level 2 Floor Plan 1:100
Level 3 Floor PLan 1:100
Roof Plan 1:100
Cross Section 1:100
Longtitudinal Section 1:100
North Elevation 1:100
East Elevation 1:100
Perspectives
Multi-residential and Commercial building:
- Underground(Beach Street access) : Jazz Cellar
- Ground(Beach Street access): Cafe
- Ground(Arcadia Street access): Parking
- Ground(Arcadia Street access): 2 x 2 bedroom apartment, 1 x 2 storey 2 bedroom apartment
- Level 1: 1 x 2 storey 2 bedroom apartment, 2 x Studio apartment (including 1 with disabled access)
- Level 2: 1 x Studio apartment both connected and separately accessible to the 2 storey 2 bedroom apartment below.
PRECEDENT STUDIES
CONCEPTUAL INTENT
Concepts of public and private, outdoor and indoor realms come to the forefront of this mixed use building . The parking acts as a buffer separating the public access to the site via Beach Street and the residential access on Arcadia Street.
The Residential apartments deal with aspects of intimacy gradients and a tapestry of flexible living catering for a variety of prospect residents and promotes outdoor to indoor variation and control. The commercial spaces focus on the experience. The Cafe is a fish and chip take-away by day and a vivid upper market dining by night, while the Jazz cellar as a wine bar allows an immersion into a complete sensory experience.
The form of the building picks up a commonality of the surrounding architecture which is an elaboration of openings through framing. Here the horizontal slabs sandwich the vertical planes and erode into the site following the slope in which it sits. The sandstone mirrors its use in the surrounding corner blocks continuing to meandering around the building. It also acknowledges the heritage nature of the site as it is time conscious.
Context becomes the opportunity for a layering of architectural language that aims to provide a lifestyle coherent to the present, past and future life of Coogee.
DRAWINGS
Site Analysis 1:200
Jazz Cellar Floor Plan 1:100
Cafe Floor Plan 1:100
Ground Floor Plan 1:100
Level 1 Floor Plan 1:100
Level 2 Floor Plan 1:100
Level 3 Floor PLan 1:100
Roof Plan 1:100
Cross Section 1:100
Longtitudinal Section 1:100
North Elevation 1:100
East Elevation 1:100
Perspectives
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Photography, Society and Enviornment
"Sydney Take-Away: Cultural Seeing"
Photo Documentary - my inquiry into the cultural plurality within the suburbs of Sydney.
Photo Documentary - my inquiry into the cultural plurality within the suburbs of Sydney.
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