Week 12: Progress

Progress

Since the program has been finalised, I moved on to developing the floor plans.

So far I have used AutoCad to cad up the floor plans and sections. I have a 3dsMax file of the site massing ready to have  my building massed into it. From there I can render the building and or form of the site together. Problem with this is regarding the format of each of the programs. Merging the file type will be a problem. The images below are jpeg's of the CAD files.

Floor plan

Walls at the rear end of the building. Partition curved wall to separate the spaces. Extra partition wall to guide users to navigate the space. leading to the presentation space at the bottom.

Lvl 1

Cafe to the left of the building, lots of glass will enable natural lighting. Ramps were not doable to connect to the roof top garden, therefore a staircase was put in.

Roof

 I'm not particularly happy with the form of the building. Functionally I know all the spaces are there and they somewhat flow from one space to another. But it looks a little sparse and evenwhen rendered in 3dsmax, very bare and too simple.

section

On top of this, I had begun a physical model.
I am quite happy with the mock model. This really helps me understand the building and physically see how people move through. It was intended to have a atrium down the middle of the building, bringing daylight in. But scrapped that idea.

Flooring and assembling the walls

 \

 Level too short

Hmm... still needs to be resolved. A lot more.. kind of stuck at the moment.

Week 12 - Improving on Programs

Defining Programs

Defining the program spaces will then allow me to know which programs lead on to what.
The relationship between program and theme of the learning center as a whole.
Aim: A journey to allow users to see and learn from things (animals/environments) that are different in scale.

It was my goal to keep as many original programs from previous assessment.
I really needed to re-think my the animals that I incorporate into my building, so I started there. 

Digital Research about various animals:

(AD, 2012)

(Tangient, 2012)

(The online Anteater, 2012)

From image one, I saw an animal I didn't recognize... turns out it was an anteater. I wasn't interested in the anteater itself, but rather the ant. I had sketched out this linear diagram and started to do a brainstorm of ideas regarding the different elements (varying in size) of the environment. 

Image 1

Therefore, rather than coming up with an animal, and making it fit within the space, the search lead me to Ants. I think ants aren't regarded very highly because they're so common. Further research will be needed to develop this idea further. 

Land: Something that relates to land.
-At first I thought the relationship with land and water... which is site relevant as well.
-I thought of ... water... reserve, looking at water as a theme... but I thought that was too boring.
-Looking at the site, the cliff is so obvious... so Geology came to mind.
-How our land is formed over time. Whether it be from volcano, or natural resources?

Urban Dev:
-This would be for the historic play space for kids.
  urban: mobility? => trains was what I had earlier. but space allocation did not allow this.
  cars? busses? Buildings? .... made from blocks... lego.
-The activity for kids is a big lego building exercise. 

However, rather than having unlimited lego pieces to build with, they are able to request a specific set to build specific things. Therefore this caters for different age groups visiting the center. 

Sky:
- This was quite easy because I already had a program called "the space place". 

Image 2.

Conceptual sketch of diagram. An exploration and learning of things in various scales. 

New Program

Entry Plaza 10m x 10m

Lunch Area 10m x 10m

                   Utilizing the site to its potential, the lunch area will be on the second level facing the Story Bridge.

Presentation Space 20m x 20m
"Face of the Earth: Looking at Landform"

• Interior screening space
• split section. one half will be for digital presentation about how landform
• Guided workshop where presenter talks through and shows exemplars of different stages of land formation

Exhibition Hall (1) 10m x 20m
"Underground Colonies: Ants"

• Existing site reflects heavily on the restoration (land) and preservation (buildings)
• Looking at what is below the ground.
• Space will reflect the layout of ant colony therefore self guided spaces with partition walls (texturality reflecting underground ant-esk... earthly. etc)

Exhibition Hall (2)
"The Space Place"

• Standing at the site, one cannot miss the Story Bridge, it is inevitable that one will look toward the sky. Taking inspiration from this (sky as a space), exhibition hall 2 aims to focus on astronomy. 

Outdoor Exhibition Space 10m x 20m
"Rooftop Garden"

• Rejuvenation of the Howard Smith Wharves. Rejuvenation of what? -> life = plants
• The walkway to rooftop garden is walk through exhibition.
• Outdoor Space acts is a rooftop garden.
• Visitors are welcome to participate in watering the plants (certain times only)

Historical Learning Space 10m x 20m
"Urban Development: Build your own with lego" 

• engage in childrens creativity. 
• There will be a table filled with lego pieces and awesome lego made buildings as centerpiece.
• before children go inside, they request a specific building to build.
• caters to all ages. 

Next Step is Ordering the programs. From this, spatial arrangements within the floor plan can be made. 
how would a user walk through the programs? 

1. Entry plaza

2. Exhibit Hall 1: Underground Colonies

3. Presentation Space: Face of the Earth: Land-form

    upstairs to

4. Exhibit Hall 2:The Space Place

5. Cafe

6. Historic Play Space: Urb Dev: Build your own with lego

7. Walkway through to Outdoor Exhibit Space: Rooftop Garden

Week 12 - Re-Examining The Brief

Project 3: Attempt 2

Reflection

What is it?:

Children's Environmental Educational Learning Center

Target: 
Children, proposing 10-15ages, adults.

Concepts:
Scale and Views

Metaphor: 

"The processes of learning is a roller-coaster which everyone has to go through"

Strong association between roller coaster and views.

For example, imagine you are on a roller coaster with a camera, at a different spot on the ride, you capture an image that has a unique view. Concept Image and Sketch:

However, rather than a literal interpretation of the building being in the shape of a roller coaster and different physical views....

.... The flow of the building is more like a journey where the spaces allow people to view/learn things of different scales. 

This gives direction:
1. Programs
2. circulation of programs. 

I wanted to aim for something quite organic, similar to image below.

My progress:

Week 11/12 - Project 3 Requirements

510 Project 3 Brief

Your submission should include the following:

1. Detailed Site Plan including Entry / Exit Sequence

2. A Site Elevation

3. Complete Floor Plans showing appropriate development of every briefed area.

4. 2 elevations Showing Materiality of your Building

5. 2 Sections

6. Exterior Facades with Materials

7. Detailed Massing

8. 2 Detailed Spaced (Minimum 1 Exhibition Space – interior or exterior)

9. 2 Detailed Exhibits

10. 2 Rendered Views (Interior or exterior)

11. A Circulation diagram or facility map

12. A Narrative maximum 300 words capturing your core concepts and metaphor and relating them to your facility.

*you can combine elements above.

Week 11 - Feedback and Exemplar

Feedback from Tutor

during the studio, tutor looked at my attempts at form and program spaces
his feedback:
- program spaces not really resolved, couldn't wrap mind around it, seemed a bit random
- problem with circulation spaces
- if it's so high up, how are kids going to get to the top? stairs may be tiring
- time to steer away from this "boxy forms" I've been using.
- it's not too late to start re-developing ideas


Therefore:
suggested to look at Guggenheim Museum and other exemplars
suggested alternate methods of accessing the top level, not just with stairs.


Exemplar
Guggenheim Museum 1959- NYC
by Frank Lloyd Wright

Guggenheim Museum New York (unknown)

The Guggenheim Museum is known for its unique and spectacular shape. This spiral structure was designed by the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1959. The spiraling building has become a NYC landmark. It consists of 6 floors, plus a tower of permanent galleries located at the rear of the building. 

Solomon (2012)

An escalator takes visitors to the top and they walk down the spiraling levels.

The building is a single continuous curved wall; inside the Guggenheim resembles a sloping spiral ramp with various elevators serving different levels. 

Solomon (2012)

NYT (2012)

Week 11 - Progress: Attempting Form + Detailed Brief

Scribbles - Attempting Form

Using the pre-existing draft of the spaces and a sketch of the building against the cliffs, it is clear that the boxy representations of rooms need to be pushed further. Building against the height is a good idea, one I want to retain but it doesn't need to be three levels and reach the top. Walking up the levels is a big design issue, you don't want to be walking so much. This is where Dan suggested looking at examplars and see how others have resolved this problem.

Image 1.

Image 2.

Image 2 explores the process of forming the building envelope. I think the analysis and process is good, but
perhaps looking at the form is pre-mature because the spatial arrangements are not yet fully resolved.

Detailed Brief for "The Space Place" 

- 10m x 25m 

- proposing 2/3 stopping areas in the space.
- include slight partitioning

Transitioning between the rooms

walkway or hallway, the transition between the space place and the rooftop garden is important because the rooftop garden is a predominantly outdoor space with living plants. I want to counterbalance this with an area where information is presented in an indoor setting -> info-mural.  Below are some exemplars.

Detailed Brief for: The Rooftop Garden

- 10m x 20m

- Clear walkways
- Places for rest and shelter

- Stair which connect existing site at New Farm  no longer needed.

This is only a draft up of the spaces. Further work is needed.

Week 11: Learning Center Exemplars

Exemplars of Learning Centers

Indian Springs Metropolitan Authority Program, Environmental Discovery Center by SmithGroup

(Maconochie, 2012)

Reviewed it because it was also situated on the lake. Not exactly the same condition but intersting to see how  examples with similar context.

Warren Skaaren Environmental Learning Center at Westcave Preserve by Kohn Peersen Fox Associate PC

(Bardagj, 2012)

Really well done in it's presence and integration with the site

Most of the center's educational exhibits stem from and are integrated into its design and a "sky map" embedded in the terrazzo floor of the main orientation room illustrates Earth's relationship to the sun. 

(Bardagj, 2012)

Learning Center The Core by Grimshaw and Partners

(Parker, 2012)

(Parker, 2012)

Week 10 - Working on Detailed Program

Refining the Program 

There are still several rooms where the programs needs to be refined and or changed entirely.
Below are images of scribbles of the 'refining' process. Existing exhibitions are elaborated on for further development, while children playspace and 'survival of the fittest needs to be re-analysed.
Critique from the presentation indicated the programes and spatial arrangements to be dis-jointed. Having appropriate exhibitions relating to the core concept is really important, as part of the synthesizing process.

I have the area's for each rooms, but with further changes, I think the square meterages and totals is something that can be easily solved.
Biggest mind-block is regarding the children's play space.
Taking the mobile railway outdoors is how I will proceed
 Re-analysis of spatial arrangement is needed.




















Site Masterplan - Entry Way/Access

How do people access the site? 

One entry point
Ferry -> stops at terminal-> develop pathway to building

Week 10 - Narrative

Aims

To write up a narrative of a child's experience from start to finish through your facility. From arrival through till the end. It doesn't have to be long, but should be descriptive around what they see, hear, feel, touch and experience moving to and through your facility. 

Fabio (2010)

Narrative - first attempt

As the sway of the ferry comes to a stop at the pier, glimpses of an impressive structure can be seen peeking from  lush green trees. The slightly winding pathway leads to an building, it's big, and the front of it has a bendy wave tipping forward. Staring at the entryway, one can crane one's neck back as far as they can to look up, feeling like they're completely engulfed by the building. The wavy ceiling (roof?) looks like the waves in the water!. The entry facade seems like a wall of glass. Stepping inside the entrance room with double roof height, the first sight is the information desk. From here there are two options. to the left leads to the first exhibition room ("survival of the fittest" - [need to change/refine]), to the right leads to indoor screening space. The two rooms is ... conjoined?

To go to the second level there is a wide and slightly winding set of stairs, looking as if it's suspended from the air! Taking in the view of the Brisbane river through the glassed wall as they trek up the stairs one step at a time, they enter the second floor. Immediately one can see a dining area, encased in transparent glass. There is also an area for people to eat outside. To the left there is a brightly colored wall with painted arrows, spilling onto the floor, the arrows point to an entry way. where does this lead to? following the arrows one walks through a very small hallway with twists and turns... eventually opening up to a big room ~ a mini train circles around the room and makes pit stops for people to get off and play. (can change to outdoor, similar concepts). Leaving the playing room in the other end of the space though a simple portal (wording edit) leads them back to  central area of level two. Stairway to the third level is accessible to the ahead to the left or back to the dining area to the right.

At the top of the stairs which leads to the third floor, there's this huge open entryway. You can see that it's dark inside but there are lots of glowing and light emitted from big screens. Walking into the room one notices that the walls are slightly rough to the touch, a curve wall divide up the room ...

slowly notice the gradient lighting which gets brighter the further one travels down the room. From here,
an info-mural walkway (informational/informative mural) which slopes up leads an outside space! the whole area is filled with plants.. some [I] recognise, some are strange and unfamiliar. There is a  footpaths to guide throughout the area, stopping at particular areas where certain plants are emphasised with plarks of info... some lead to resting areas... we can even help water the plants using colorful water buckets.

Other people are also visitng this place walking down from the stairs which lead up to the park (Wilsons outlook reserve).

Week 10 - Feedback from Interim Presentation

Kamps (2009)

Feedback Straight After Presentation

- Unsure of spatial arrangements

- Some programs are not as strong, for example "survival of the fittest", can see the reasoning
but doesn't integrate with core parameters or metaphor. Something big in scale.. for example, mangroves... maybe an analysis of the mangroves

- Children's play space with the movable train, good idea with the different drop-offs offering different activities, but may want to move to an outdoor setting.

If outdoor, consider 

weather/shelter/shading for during the day, 

how are you going to keep the children in the specific area? Supervision?
     consider safety,

- Consider the spaces must serve a purpose, not just there for the sake of being there. ie, screening room.. what do the kids learn? how to integrate a learning experience?

- Mass model not effective (colors confusing, color association not strongly shown)

- Masterplan: ferry shouldn't extrude so far into the river.

Week 9 - Basic Mass Model

Basic Model 

A basic model was made (1:100) to get a concept of how the space would work together. The aim was to see how it would look against the cliff.

Cliff Height: 22.5m-25m (varying research)
Building Height: 18m

Further development of the form will be needed.

Week 9 - Collage and Masterplan

Collage

A series of images put together to represent the learning center.

Masterplan
Synthesizing all the information in the last few weeks, a conceptual masterplan is proposed.