MODERN + POST-MODERN IDEALS

PRECEDENT STUDIES

The experience Id like to create for my client is one where she is able to freely engage with this urban backdrop in a meditative way as she is an artist and a keen yoga practitioner with a freedom brought about by a sense of private space, indoor and outdoor that extends far beyond to the cityscape.

Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe

For House 1

For this project, Farnsworth House addresses many of the ideals identified by the client - "...I would like you to create a place with lots of natural light and large open space so I can use the home to make art and relax in."

As my client is an artist where freedom of expression is paramount, my proposed design looks at a single room that can easily be zoned in any way with freedom  to change the use of spaces, where the mode of living is not dictated by walls and the sense of space is not hindered within this narrow block.  The floor to ceiling glass curtain wall of my proposal for House 1 would also create an openness that confronts an intense connection with the outdoor and the views beyond. The main rooms would be as open as possible for the extension of the living space into the garden and similar to Farnsworth house, structural framing should be located where possible at the exterior.

Also, my split level design should bring the spaces together and create more comfortable transitions from one level to the next for my client's comfort in her daily movements.

Union Hotel Parasite Roof by Richard Goodwin

For the Building Facade + Gallery Space

As the front of my proposed building is a gallery and faces many of the social and cultural issues surrounding the Victoria St precinct, I intend to have a more exuberant facade that is also largly reflecting the client's more gregarious character and my skewed view of this urban jungle of old money and its grunge subculture...

(- a subculture that brings to mind an amalgam of the typical scenes of a laid-back, retro-hippie attitude, nomadic backpackers, the pseudo-intellectual locals and street harlots mingling in espresso bars and organic cafes drinking wheatgrass and macchiatos! Add to this, we see the more affluent descending from the top of the street with their purebreds to take part in this urban fusion. )

- hence, in my proposed architecture we'll have a fusion of modern + post-modern ideals.

Similar to Richard Goodwin's Parasite Roof, my proposal shows 'a struggle of structure through space' which is in some way parallel to the idea of a break in tradition through the sea of Victorian relics and where the symbol for this grunge subculture takes root and becomes a permanent part of this fusion.

PARASITIC DYSTOPIA - the proposal  

This architecture represents a skewed view of the paradox within the cultural boundaries of urban grunge and bourgeois high society, and symbolises the oscillation between their extremes that is deeply ingrained within the Victoria St precinct.

We see this analogy as the surrounding high cultural arrangements and proportions are disturbed by this parasitic inspired structure repressed and squeezed between Victorian bricks and mortar but overwhelms an otherwise simplistic form and establishes itself therein.

As a tribute to the area's lush vegetation, the network of steel frames mimics a system of orthotropic growth as it (ironically) attempts to assimmilate within its streetscape.

As well as aesthetics, this network of steel holds structural qualities as it supports and defines part of the building's roof.

PROPOSED SPACES

 

TENANT'S CIRCULATION

OWNER'S CIRCULATION

 GALLERY VISITOR

GALLERY WORKER

PROPOSED PLANS:

STUDY ON ORTHOTROPIC GROWTH:
some parameters on orthotropic development:
(random variables ware also added to the structure used in the proposed model)

qwerty

WORKING DRAWINGS:

CIRCULATION:-

The client's interview revealed and helped identify ideal sequences during her daily routine and daily scenarios.  The studio, the bedroom and the garden play a major role in her day to day activities.  A sense of space and a tranquil environment are also highly valued hence large open spaces but with privacy should be achieved.  The movements of the tenants should also remain separate but with an option of sharing the outdoor garden.  The gallery should play a major role towards the front of the site and possibly visible from the street.  This should also inform on the design of the building facade.  An option to conjoin the private spaces of the client with the garden and the gallery should be an advantage especially during exhibition events.

SPATIAL ARTICULATION:-

I find that rating the importance of each major space allows a more efficient and ideal arrangement within the site.  The major spaces are those belonging to the users - the client, the tenant and the visitors to the gallery.  The site also can be divided according to what can be achieved within that particular portion of the site.  A site analysis reveals that the middle portion of the site is ideal for the clients private spaces as it can easily achieve privacy, large open spaces with best views from a higher vantage point.  Towards the rear of the site has a lower vantage point and where views may be slightly obscured by surrounding vegetation.

INTERVIEW WITH THE CLIENT:

ME:  How do see yourself within the Potts Pt Victoria St precinct in all its culture and eclectic mishmash? 

Dr ONACLOV:  I love the atmosphere in the Victoria street precinct! Especially the mix between bourgeois high culture and jaw dropping sites like transvestites waiting on street corners. I adore the blend of high cultural aesthetics alongside the seedy strip show atmosphere. It is very cosmopolitan, but at the same time trashy. This mix is very alluring to my sense of humour!

ME: Please describe your social life within your home

Dr ONACLOV:  I like to keep my home free to work in and normally socialise out of my home. I sometimes have dinner parties and enjoy spending time with friends over a cup of tea!

ME: Can you give me a scenario of how you work when at home

Dr ONACLOV:  In my home I wake up every day, have coffee then do my yoga practice in the studio. Afterwards, I eat a bowl of fresh fruit and plan my day. I work in my home so it is important to surround myself with a sense of space to give room for creativity. After a day painting and making art I usually go for a long walk with my dog or visit my boyfriend in Bondi.

ME: What 2 things do you value most in your day-to-day life?

Dr ONACLOV: I value my art space and the tranquil environment I need to make work and do yoga.

ME: In a few words, please give me a directive as your architect.

Dr ONACLOV: I would like you to create a place with lots of natural light and large open space so I can use the home to make art and relax in.

interview venues:

Newtown, King St (literally, off kerbside!, insert: me on asphalt)

Glebe apartment

 

THE SITE

Site Context - modelled from Google Earth and GIS data
From this model, it is apparent that the site sits on a ridge that stretches along Victoria St.
The crucial elements would be the uninterrupted city views on the west or the rear boundary, (ironically) the side that would also have maximum sun exposure and produce extreme temperatures during summer. Great consideration and solutions should be developed during the design process. The 3 storey adjacent building on the North side will also cause overshadowing to 3 quarters of the site.  (Find solutions to ensure the clients wish to have natural lighting throughout is achieved.)

here is the contour plan of the site derived from GIS data:

the site is very steep and there is a 14 metre change in level from the street frontage to the rear boundary.  Limestone and hard sandstone rock is typical of the ridge area.

POTTS PT AREA

The myriad faces of Victorian homes along Victoria street boast a more gentrified history compared to its
neighbouring suburbs as it had been home to the 19th century affluent.

Canopied Victoria Street

Street elements that tell a story

CLIENT: onacloV 

(Dr. Caitlin de Berigny) is a visual artist

"trained at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris and Marseille, and the ANU School of Art.

She has exhibited extensively and been the recipient of numerous awards and grants.

Her artwork addresses crucial environmental issues.

She has led and facilitated enriching artistic, scientific, and cultural collaborations.

Resulting in large-scale collaborative installation artworks.

She is also a lecturer and researcher at USyd." http://onaclov.net/


image credit:
Canberra Times City News,
http://citynews.com.au/2012/arts-entertainment/art-arts-entertainment/art-inside-the-volcano/

BRIEF: Double House + Garden

House 1 – for the client

House 2 – for lease to artists, writers

Inclusions:

5m high gallery

smaller gallery

10sqm office

Adequate outdoor

SITE:

Abstractions: 

Here are concrete forms and representations of abstract ideas formulated and generated from a more intuitive and phenomenological point of view explored through my investigations of the many facets of Villa Mairea's architectural quality.

These facets include the spatial articulation with respect to focus areas of center-perimeter-outer, construction and materiality along a semi-circular elevation viewed from the center, and formal devices located in areas that give direct access to the center of Villa Mairea.

[Perhaps it is quite valid to criticize this study (i c ur pt nic) and the direction it has taken that have led to creating such forms that may seem indistinguishable from its original conception. 

It is my intention though that these forms capture some persistent essence and add a new dimension to understanding Villa Mairea - from looking beyond the tangible and validating the ripples of ideas created by its very existence, to finding a poetic standpoint and finally to formulating a concrete manifestation of these abstract theories]

Hopefully this brief study would add to the existing body of knowledge, provoke a thought, create interest and stimulate further exploration into the multi-faceted characteristics of Villa Mairea.

PROJECT - EXPERIENCING VILLA MAIREA - (part 2)

Esoteric Sentiment

To what degree would Aalto credit the creation of Villa Mairea to Vitruvius’ myth of ‘a clearing within the forest’?

Was there an unconscious effort on his part to have believed the couple to hold such social prominence within their circle of designers and industrialists that Villa Mairea is to be a testament and a symbol of their status?

The 'clearing' is after all where ‘decisions are made’, where anything of importance is borne and where leaders congregate.  The central as the seat of power, hence, whoever controls this dominion controls the seat of power.

Or, did Aalto consider Maria Ahlstrom the epitome of everything superior? Everything points to Aalto putting Maria on a pedestal. (to be explored in study 2).  Why Villa Mairea? Why not Villa Gullichsen or Villa Noormarkku?  To Aalto, Maria is the center of the universe and connects the past to the future as far as the ridge stretches from North to South.  She is the key.  The Ahlstrom name is as strong as the roots of the norway spruce.  To Maire do we credit one of Aalto's finest creations and the beacon of his brilliance.

THESIS:

Aalto had in mind to create a symbol. 

A symbol for influence and prestige.

BACKGROUND:

One would say that the Ahlstrom/Gullichsen names would fall in the upper echelon of the Finnish social pyramid if one did exist; more due to the success of generations of Ahlstrom industrialists and designers.  Maire Ahlstrom and Harry Gullichsen are protagonists for and believed in a type of social utopia and Villa Mairea would be an expression of that vision and aspiration.

METHODOLOGY:

Establish patterns of heirarchy.  
To distinguish one from the other and map out a kind of sequential superiority I believe, would be to see an underlying evidence that suggests a sense of hierarchy exists in Aalto's mind and a hierarchial structure was influential in the development of Villa Mairea whether achieved consciously or otherwise.  Hence, it alludes to a kind of distinction and acknowledgement of a ranking.

STUDY/ANALYSIS 1: ELEMENTAL HEIRARCHY

Villa Mairea located within the forest must emote such feeling of overwhelm in a way that captivates one to feel a certain connectedness and being a part of a megacosm.  One cannot avoid but to focus on the natural elements overwhelming Villa Mairea.  In this regard, this study will analyse the dominant fundamental elements that exist within the identified focus areas of Central - Perimeter - Outer.

STUDY/ANALYSIS 2: CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALITY 
Another study from a planar perspective is the apparent hierarchial pattern of construction and materiality. (A gradual increase in the level of treatment and refinement can be observed from the Central position)

STUDY/ANALYSIS 3: TRANSITIONAL INDICATORS

Formal devices that would distinguish between being in the inner sanctum and along the fringes.  Similar to being on the fringes of this seat of power that before one is taken into confidence, there are transitional indicators of crossing over this threshold.

FINDINGS:

ANALYSIS 1:

Fundamental Elements

Everything in the universe is peceived to be a manifestation of fundamental building blocks -
(in ascending order of power): wood, earth, fire, water, air, void
Embodied within the three focus areas of Center, Perimeter and Outer we can discover a pattern of arrangement that signifies and further reinforces its heirarchial order as intended by Aalto

Order of hierarchy:
center - (open yard, pool) water, air, void
perimeter - (the solid building, fireplaces) earth, fire
outer - (forest of norway spruce and scots pine) wood 

ANALYSIS 2:


From the central position:

We can observe from this vantage the changes in construction and materiality.  There is an increase in the level of treatment and refinement from planes 1 to 4. When unfurled:

ABSTRACTION -

[ref: Juhani Pallasmaa - a Finnish architect and phenomenologist, concerned with phenomenology and multi-sensory architecture.
Pallasmaa, The Eyes Of The Skin: Architecture and the Senses (London:  Academy Editions, 1996)]

Pallasma describes Villa Mairea as "an additive and episodic ensemble that grows detail by detail from below' - not an all-powering, ideal abstract structure dictated from above.  Alto aims at a perceptual impact from the real vantage point of the viewer instead of intellectual formal considerations."

Aalto’s architecture incorporates dislocations, skew confrontations, irregularities and poly-rhythms in order to arouse these bodily, muscular and haptic experiences. His elaborate surface textures and details, crafted for the hand, invite the sense of touch and create an atmosphere of intimacy and warmth. Instead of the disembodied Cartesian idealism of the architecture of the eye, Aalto’s architecture is based on sensory realism; his buildings are not based on a single dominant concept or Gestalt; they are sensory agglomerations”

Alto considered both biological analogies and phychological dimensions in his designs; thus the emotional impact of his architecture is rooted in sensuous, archaic images of shelter, protection, confort, togetherness and familiarity.

The house is thus “archaic and modern, rustic and elegant, regional and universal at the same time. It refers simultaneously to the past and the future; it is abundant in its imagery and, consequently, provides ample soil for individual psychic attachment”

The result, Pallasmaa argues, is that the Villa Mairea "relates to the deepest existential dimensions of life and evokes a powerful architectural lived space"

This additive nature of Villa Mairea is readily evident in the display of materiality and construction from this planar perspective.  I've decided to translate this dynamic changes into its quintessential geometric form using a decomposition process.  The voronoi system is a perfect representation tool as the voronoi cells are similarly dynamic where its cell structures are made up of polytopes with different degrees in their combinations with relation to their vertices, sides and 2-dimensional faces.

The idea that the voronoi can represent the irregularities and poly-rhythms to provoke a response of haptic experiences as described by Pallasma by way of its changeable cell structures will in some way stay parallel to its degree of abundance in its imagery.

The degree of concentration in this diagram increases in conjunction with the level of importance of the spaces within this elevation. 
And Maire's private studio is its crowning glory!

ANALYSIS 3:

TRANSITIONAL INDICATORS

To enter this inner sanctum, formal devices such as columns and railings made to resemble tree trunks are located at certain points to create the impression similar to that of emerging through the fringes of a forest clearing.  

We notice these transitional indicators are concentrated only at areas that provide direct access to this inner sanctum:

1.Doorway along the hallway in the first floor that open out onto the verandah above the dining room exhibits a timber balustrade design of rudimentary arrangement

2.Main access to the private yard from the ground floor living room displays a strong visual element along the stairwell of tightly and irregularly grouped vertical timbers

3.The private yard can also be accessed via the ground floor consevatory. As you move towards the doorway of the conservatory the vertical elements of the bay windows that look out onto the private yard still give the impression of walking along the edge of the forest, finding a break and emerging out onto the clearing)

4.Another break in the perimeter is the basic timber gate made of several horizontal and vertical elements between the stonewall near the sauna and the man-made mound

5.A similar gate as well as the timber pergola along the eastern wall create the same impression.

NB:This study does not regard the dining hall exit and the adjacent door to the servant’s quarters that are both strongly concealed behind the stone constructed outdoor fireplace to hold valid consideration in this process as they seem created out of necessity rather than as part of a larger design scheme.

Within this void, we discover an interesting system defined by these indicators that appears to be made with intent and precision.

 

DELIVERABLES: