Isabelle Morgan

Friday 28 June 2013

FINAL SUBMISSION- EXP 3 THE ART-ARCHITECTURE COMPLEX - a school for architectural theory and practice

MASHUP

http://isabellermorgan.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/mash-up.html

PERSPECTIVES

http://isabellermorgan.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/18-perspectives.html

TEXTURES

http://isabellermorgan.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/36-textures.html

ELEVATOR

My elevator is reminscent of loud building signage atop skyscrapers in the city but also of out-there architectural design that gives little consideration to a building's function. It was inspired by an artwork of stolen signs (see elevator pos thttp://isabellermorgan.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/elevator-draft-and-developing.html). The students and dean can ride their elevators (the two lower parts form platforms with gates that the students and dean can walk onto)by walking up the round ramp that wraps around the front and side of the complex. I decided to make the elevator loud and exciting, everything an elevator is not. Unconventional in its form and relatively unchanged from my original abstract drawings on purpose because I want the students to consider the notion of practicality in design and how it has been opposed here. Elevators are usually practical, this one is still practical but its appearance also creates an experience.

FOLLY

I developed my folly according to the theory less is more. This relates back to my mashup that is about the art-architecture complex and questions whether architecture should be art or whether in fact it has a responsibility to respond to practical needs first. The folly is a 1:1 scale model of the Barcelona pavilion as where the dean can meet with the students. The folly's design and false nature will prompt discussion about theory and practice, what purpose architectre should have but its positioning on the ground top of a skyscraper also allows the best views to nearby designs. For more information see: http://isabellermorgan.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/folly-draft-and-developing.html.

ARCHITECTURE - IMAGE CAPTURES

The bridge that forms my school of architecture is integrated with the highways of a somewhat futuristic urban valley in the Sydney CBD. It is an emphasized version of what I already believe to be the great dynamics of Sydney's harbour-wrapping highways such as the Western Distributor and Cahill Expressway. These interact with the surrounding buildings and harbour, making the chaos of the city, congestion and the roads not always such a negative thing (as is often implied., e.g. some people hate the Cahill Expressway). In this school I want students to feel immersed or drenched in the city. With the continuing rapid growth of cities today there is no denying the rise of many more skyscrapers. Many of these will probably be built by Western starchitects and may resemble micro-biotic creatures or unidentifiable UFO's plonked into the Earth's surface. The way in which this road rises and forms the school above and amongst the buildings allows students to closely observe the construction and design around them, as well as the way people live in the city. Whilst students learn, discuss and design down below, vehicles zoom over above.

This is the entrance to the school, there is a lot of natural light and open space to see out to the buildings surrounding. Upon entry there is a foyer space that forms a meeting area and potential cafe/lounge spot for people to relax. It is possible this middle space could be a public space allowing not only the students but other members of the public to pass by and see the student's work in the gallery just below. The stairs lead up to the lecture theatre, studios,meeting rooms, staff and student common room (joint) and staff office. The library is on this level, the access door is just beyond the stairs. Off the library you can access the staff research area and the downstairs computer labs.

This image looks back towards the entrance ramp (that descends from the roadway/roof). The ramp leads down to the lowest level which is the open gallery space (on the right) and student workshops on the left. This configuration makes it convenient for students to transport their models and design work for exhibition in the gallery. It also allows people in the galleries to encounter students at work. The textured wall in the middle forms a ramp that is part of the curved structure of the exterior form. This ramp is important as it is where the students and dean access the elevator. It is a fun experience, as it winds around there is a sense of anticipation of an exciting experience that is about to occur, it reminds me of a ride at a fair. This elevator ride is also meant to be an experience. This school engages ideas of both practicality and creativity in its design and philosophy.

The lecture theatre sits inside the curved ramp and the elevator looms over top. I like the idea of elemnents cutting into each other in this building, things are purposefully plonked and out of place, like many crazy designs often seem unfitting in a city. This alludes to an age-old trend of architecture being a statement, beyond human-scale and becoming classified as a work of art. These elements should prompt students to consider what are the consequences of such ideas, is this a positive or negative thing? Does architecture being art mean that it not longer does its job or serves its purpose? Or does architecture taking on the status of art mean that it is serving its purpose better. Perhaps architecture need not serve any purpose at all? This goes back to the idea of the folly...

This is a view looking into the top level of the school from above. There is a long open circulation area that doubles as a space for students to study and do group work. Although the studios are enclosed, the top of the lecture theatre (far left) and central corridor are left open to optimise views out to the city skyline. The exterior facade creates a fun facade, whilst the building also serves a practical purpose as both a school, bridge and highway (ontop). This combination of form and function will be inspiring to students studying here and by their own experience of space here they will be encouraged to think about the way architectural ideas feed into real-life practice.

PLAN AS SECTION: SEE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION

LINK TO CRYENGINE ENVIRONMENT
https://www.dropbox.com/home/ISABELLE%20MORGAN%20EXP%203

LINK TO SKETCHUP MODEL IN 3D WAREHOUSE
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=8a3cfadbce60aea055c913f036d328da&result=4

Sunday 23 June 2013

COOL HIGHWAYS/ INTEGRATED ARCHITECTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Saturday 22 June 2013

PLAN, DRAFT, PROGRESS

I chose the Slow House by Diller & Scofidio (D&S), designed in 1989 for a Japanese art investor. I chose this plan for two reasons. Firstly because this architecture firm interests me, now named Diller Scofidio & Renfro (DS&R), the architects tread the line between art and architecture creating conceptual sculptures, installations and performance works as well as buildings. I also chose this house because it was never built. I think there is a certain irony in this as although it does not actually exist, the concept and design remains one of D&S’ most influential projects. The concept for the house is centred on the idea of ‘the view’ and I have already been exploring different views in making my valley in cryengine as I am looking at the different views ofthat can be experienced as you drive along the Western Distributor/Cahill Expressway in Sydney.

ELEVATOR: DRAFT AND DEVELOPING...

My elevator is inspired by an artwork called 'What makes me understand what I know' by Chinese artist He An. The artist has stolen neon signs from the city to create this work that arranges the broken and shiny signs to spell out the names of his father (recently deceased) and favourite Japanese porn star. The artist is fascinated by the contradictions of living in the city in today's world and I felt this related to my mash up about architecture and the contradictions inherent in it. Both art and practical, therefore the elevator is made from these confusing characters, they do not look like an elevator but like an artwork, relating to the way many architects (or starchitects) today create buildings with a signature style (sloping walls, resembling strange organisms..) and often ignore functional considerations.

From perspective 'The Art-Architecture Complex' - Hal Foster

He An 'What makes me understand what I know'

Experimenting with different locations...

FOLLY - DRAFT AND DEVELOPING...

DRAFT FROM PERSPECTIVES - less is more (Mies van der Rohe)

DEVELOPING: THE BARCELONA PAVILLION

Along with help from Jeremy in class I have decided to develop my draft folly from my perspective drawings that explored different theories of architecture in relation to the theory less is more. This relates back to my mashup that is about the art-architecture complex and questions whether architecture should be art or whether in fact it has a responsibility to respond to practical needs first. It is also inspired by Callum Morton's play set of the Kaufmann House (by modernist architect Richard Neutra,see below). The idea that modernist designs such as Neutra's and Mies' have become iconic and seen as 'art' in themselves is ironic when they began with a movement that emphasized design for practical use. By having a 1:1 scale model Barcelona pavilion as the folly where the dean can meet with the students, this will prompt discussion about theory and practice, what purpose architectre should have. I plan to locate the folly either on the ground in the middle of the urban valley (city) or on top of a building (if this can be considered ground) as this will give the students direct view to the designs surrounding (hence lots of conversation topics).