Perception o Space TO CREATE CREATE A PUBLIC BUILDING BUILDING WITHIN WITHIN THE CITY CITY CENTRE WHICH INVIGORA INVIGORATES TES THE SENSES
“we fnd beauy no in he hing isel bu in he patern o shadows, he ligh and he darkness, ha one hing agains anoher creaes.” Junichiro anizaki anizaki (2001:46)
INTRODUCTION
inroducion hesis aims
“we fnd beauy no in he hing isel bu in he patern o shadows, he ligh and he darkness, ha one hing agains anoher creaes.” Junichiro anizaki anizaki (2001:46)
INTRODUCTION
inroducion hesis aims
abstract
Perception o Space
Te hesis aims o creae a public building wihin he ciy cenre which invigoraes he senses. Te building is a Naional Faciliy or he Inegraion o Dea and Hearing people. Originally I began research ino Dea sensibiliies and I ound ha Dea people have an acue spaial awareness gained rom visual and acile sensibiliies. Tis is an adapion o a lack o he 3 dimensional passive orienaion which is gained oherw oherwise ise hrough sound. In his book eniled “Eyes o he Skin” Juhani Pallasmaa explains he spaial dierences: “Sight isolates, whereas sound incorporates; vision is directional, whereas sound is omni-directional...I regard an object, but sound approaches me; the eye reaches, but the ear receives.” Eyes o the Skin
Due o curren issues wihin he Dea communiy inegraion was he main driving acor in he choice o sie, along a primary pedesrian roue in he ciy cenre. Te brie has a variey o services or he general public and specialis aciliies or he Dea communiy. My inenion is o creae creae a building which responds o he needs o he Dea communiy, educaion sysem a presen and mos imporanly provide an imporan link beween wo culures. Te brie is a response o his. I inend o provide an increased level o sensory awareness or he general public as well as aiding Dea sensibiliies.
the senses in relation to architecture
hearing sound
touch
taste
texture
odour
smell
light
vision
thesis aims
TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC BUILDING WITHIN THE CITY CENTRE WHICH INVIGORATES INVIGORATES THE SENSES. In order or his o happen here are a number o objecives which mus be achieved.
HEIGHTENED SENSORY EXPERIENCE Reason: How?
1
his is o creae an engaging sensory building In order o heighen a sense - here mus be an aler in he balance o he senses eg. in order o perceive a sound more clearly, vision mus be minimised. Spaces mus have a disinc sensory ocus eg. he realm o sound, he realm o ouch. Consideraion o he user - he building mus invigorae he general publics senses while aiding Dea sensibiliies.
“Anyone who has become entranced by the sound o dripping water in the darkness o a ruin can attest to the extraordinary capacity o the ear to carve a volume into the void o darkness. The space traced byt the the ear in the darkness darkness becomes a cavity cavity sculpted directly in the interior o the mind.”
thesis aims
2
THE CREATION CREATION OF AN INTERNALISED WORLD SEPERATION FROM CONTEXT Reason:
his is o realign ocus rom he chaos o ciy cenre o a space which enhances he senses 1s acion: removal rom he sree - ransiion
How?
2nd acion: orifces (openings o he ciy) “mediaors beween wo worlds” conrolled - each mus have a purpose eg. o gain ligh, direc a view, open o rainall and o omi or consume sound.
Erosion by the Elements light air water
The orm is eroded predominat predominately ely by light, which which shapes the volumes, volumes, and allows or a tremendous tremendous variety o light. Air is reerence reerence to acoustics and wind, and the erosion by nature with water. “In our time, light has turned into a mere quantitative matter and the window itsel has lost its signifcance as a mediator between two worlds, between enclosed and open, interiority and exteriority, private and public, shadow and light” Eyes o the Skin
3
FACTORS AFFECTING PERCEPTION
W O D A H S D N A T H G I L
D N U O S
N O I E T C A N N R O A E B I E N R O T A E S I O R H S V O E E C B I N R R E V
E R U T X E T
H H T G O U O O M R S
R U O L O C
E T C N N E E M N E A H E V M T R P M I O E E T M P D
R E T A W
G N I L E E F
T D L O O H C
L L E M S
“In emple archiecure he main room sands a a considerable disance rom he garden; so dilue is he ligh here ha no mater wha he season...he pale, whie glow scarcely varies...Te ligh rom he pale whie paper, powerless o dispel he heavy darkness o he alcove, is insead repelled by he darkness, creaing a world o conusion where dark and ligh are indisinguishable.” Junichiro anizaki (2001:35)
INFLUENCES
adol loos - raumplan spaial conainmen carving space ower houses sensory space ariss o ligh
The Sound o Silence
Hello darkness my old riend, I’ve come o alk wih you again, Because a vision soly creeping le is seeds while I was sleeping, and the vision that was planted in my brain, still remains ...wihin he sound o silence.
In resless dreams I walked alone narrow srees o cobbled sones, beneah a halo o a sree lamp I urned my collar o he cold and damp. When my eyes were stabbed by a fash o neon light ...that split the night.
And ouched he sound o silence. And in he naked ligh I saw en housand people maybe more. People alking wihou speaking. People hearing wihou lisening. People wriing songs ha voices never shared No-one dared ...disurb he sound, o silence. “Fools”, said I, “you do no know, silence like a cancer grows.” Hear my words ha I migh each you. ake my arms ha I migh reach you. Bu my words like silen raindrops ell, and echo he wills o silence. And he people bowed and prayed o he neon god hey made. And he sign ashed ou is warning in he words ha i was orming. And he sign said: “Te words o he prophes are writen on he subway walls and enemen halls. And whispered in he sound o silence.” Paul Simon
“Poetry has the capacity o bringing us momentarily back to the oval and enveloping world. The re-oralised word o poetry brings us back to the centre o an interior world. ‘The poet speaks o the threshold o being’, as Gaston Bachelard notes, but it also takes place at the threshold o language. Equally, the task o art and architecture in general is to reconstruct the experience o an undierentiated interior world, in which we are not mere spectators, but to which we inseperably belong.” Juhani Pallasmaa (2005:25)
Adol Loos - Raumplan
space plan connecions
conainer conep 3 dimensionally ecien use o space
maerial plan reinorces he auonomous spaces hrough he use o maerials assymerical enrances in order o survey space cenriugal use o space o view cenre o he room
Adol Loo’s work is about creating contained space which is compact and ecient spatially. The term Raumplan which is a container concept is used to describe his work. In the book Raumplan versus Plan Libre, Johan van der Beek (2008:52) states ways in which to defne Loos work. This defnition consists o layers which describe the space created. These include:
Raumplan/Space Plan: the manner in which a sort o 3 dimensional or vertical space is ordered, is compounded.
Living Plan:
the way the ground plan, a sort o 2 dimensional or horizontal space is ordered.
Material Plan:
the way the various building and surace materials are employed to provide texture and thus sensation and atmosphere.
Loos creates spaces which connect to each other, these spaces are complex and need to be experienced to perceive the connections made ully. Thereore the connections created at frst do not clearly explain themselves in plan. This is important to note when presenting my proposal. The space plan is the 3 dimensional space created. This consisted o split levels, the gradient o the site was used as much as possible to give this multi-level eect. “Adol Loo’s dwellings are marked by a maximum o three dimensional compactness and a concentration o length, width and height...compactness is the rule” Johan van der Beek (2008:53)
Within these three plan types there are other subtleties which defne Loos work:
The introduction to the main space is treated as theatrical and dramatic. Circulation incorporates lateral movement. There is one space which is given importance (living area/salon), this is the dominant space in the whole building, the auxillary spaces respond to it and are located around it. The organisation o the programme is based on privacy ie. living area is placed to the back, urthest area rom entrance. The spaces created are centriugal, in that the urniture is organised around the edge in order or the person to view the centre space. Also to reinorce this idea, all entrances into spaces are assymetrical, this allows the person to survey the room. Within the spatial plan heights are used to defne spaces, this is the ceiling to oor height in relation to other spaces. This in combination with the material plan reinorces the spaces as autonomous spaces within a building which has complex spatial connections.
Adol Loos - Moller House
music and dining rooms seen cenral
view rom music room o dining room
connecing spaces orm laeral movemen
symmericaliy o acade cenriugal use o space connecions and movemen
sea sigh line connecion beween music room and dining
To understand Loos work I will frstly consider the Moller House. The principle reception rooms are the dining and music room located at the back o the house. There is contrast o these spaces, the dining room is light and open to the outside whereas the music room is dark and introverted. This contrast continues with surace treatment. “Light reected into the dining room rom the adjoining terrace makes the room brighter, while the balcony above the music room window casts a shadow which enhances its seclusion”. The connection between these rooms consists o a square opening, however the dining room oor is 600mm higher than the music room. The connection here is visual, this variation in height orms part o the lateral movement. The hall also has spatial objectives. This space gets its light rom the ront o the house. A bay window above the street level which contains a u-shaped built in seat. From this position the person takes visual command over the space, can look out across the music room and down into the garden. From this position the person seated with the light to their back can perectly see another person coming towards them, however or the person moving towards the alcove, the seated person appears as a silhouette against the glare o the opening.
Adol Loos - Muller House
laeral movemen inroducion o he living area relaionships wih he ouside
grid which makes up he ‘living plan’ coninuous space connecions beween spaces
view o he dining room rom he living area
This is the Muller house by Loos. The introduced to the living area is via an alcove approached by a short ight o stairs, the entrance is dramatic and theatrical. The living area/salon is the dominant space. The rooms around it orientate towards it. The main connections here are with the dining room (which can be seen in the image above) the mistress’s room and the library. There is no break in this space. The spaces are ordered in heirarchy by their relationship to the living area. As mentioned previously the living plan (2d plan) is ormed on a grid based on this living area, the dining room relates to it in proportion. The centre point o the mistress’s room and the dining rooms run on the midpoint o the plan. Again these connecting spaces orm the lateral movement through the building. As the dining room is lacking defning boundary walls (to make the connection with the living area) it is defned in the material plan (as previously shown). Connections include rom the mistress’s room down into the living area. The dining room to the living area and the dining room through the living area to the outside.
containment - spatial eciency
slash lines
one large opening
inerior ull o ligh This ecient use o space can be seen in a lot o modern domestic Japanese architecture today. Instead o an architectural language or exploration, this containment is a necessary response to the size o available sites and regulations such as slash lines (taken rom the distance o the opposite street edge) and material restrictions. Ecient use o space is critical! This results in imaginative solutions to maximise compact space. An example o this is the Tread Machiya by Atelier Bow-wow, which uses multi-level space to serve the main living area, this servant space is used to its maximum capacity regarding the limit o use o materials due to fre regulations (a space created which is less than 1400mm is not considered a oor level - it is not habitable, but can be used or storage, which is main concern when creating small space). The main living space is placed central in section which responds to the exterior environment the only view on the site is at a height. Upward movement in this space also incorporates integrated seating. Every area in this tiny house (50sqm) is considered and its design is the optimum response to the conditions and actors aecting it.
carving space - Eduwardo Chillida
‘How deep is he air XVII’
‘How proound is he air’
‘unorhodox archiecure 1’ 1978 reinorced concree
The artist Eduwardo Chillida considers himsel an “architect o empty space” or architect o the void. His works use a variety o materials however mass and heaviness is always the ocus. This ocus is created by the carving o space (the nothing) which is used to contrast to mass o the material. He creates orchestrated openings rom the exterior o the material to suggest a hollow interior. His pieces “How deep is the air” and “How proound is the air” which are carved onyx and alabaster protray a ocus on empty space, a spatial volume through a orm which reveal and conceal light. What is not there is as important as what is. The pieces draw attention to the direction and depth o the tunnels carved, giving viewers a sense o being able to move through the piece. “orm springs spontaneously rom the needs o the space”. Edwardo Chillida
Other works are aected by rain, wind and other natural orces. It is the elements which give lie to the sculpture. There is a clear communication o mass and space, with no in-between. Along with tower houses... “these are excellent examples o how the using o opposites helps to reinorce the idiosyncrasies o the individual components”. Andrea Deplazes (2005:264)
carving space - Turkish underground cities and airychimneys
undergound passages airychimneys a Goreme
In Turkey there are a three main underground cities which are Kaymabli, Derinkuyu and Ozkonak. These are composed o voids which were created by troglodytes who carved out o the sot volcanic rock. Each city is composed o underground tunnels or passages. However the tunnels incline and size variates rom city to city. The Ozkonak city which was only discovered in 1972 and could hold up to 60,000 people or a period o 3 months! It has a total o 10 oors which reaches a depth o 40 metres. This is the most complex or modern o the three, having a water well, winery and moving stone doors. There are also deence systems integrated similar to Tower Houses in that there are holes above entrances which were used to pour hot oil over enemies. The only limits o these underground cities were the possibility o ventilating their interiors. In the town o Goreme in Cappadocia exists a orm o dwelling, called the Fairychimneys. These are ormations created naturally due to the nature o the rock. These projections were later carved by the people and inhabited, the picture above shows the complexity o internal carving.
carving space - Tower Houses
servan served in plan
organisaion based on deence servan served
services concealed in hickness inernal buresses inernal walkways Mooghane Co. Clare
concealmen o sairwell and rooms held in hickness
Dunguaire, Co. Galway
Clara, Co. Kilkenny
posiive and negaive space
With Adol Loos, Tower houses (1400 - 1600) are the most inuential architectural studies to my proposal. Tower houses appear as internalised solid objects, this is due to their requirement or deense at the time o construction. This concern or security is in every detail and decoration. Deense generates its orm, height, section, thickness o walls, tiny windows, battlements and on a human scale the orientation o the staircase (giving the right hand advantage to the person fghting downwards) with details known only to its owners. Within this deense the orm... “was made habitable by setting additional spaces into the thickness o the walls, so that, although the elevation presented an image o solidity, plan and section were ully inhabited”. A Lost Tradition (37)
The main unction o its armour was to protect the living area. This protection is urther enhanced by its position in section. In plan the living area is the served with auxillary spaces the servant in the thickness around its perimeter. Alcoves act as inbetween spaces in the thickness which link the living area to the outside, through their articulation these spaces may be read as autonomous compartments.
carving space - Tower Houses
schemaic layous (as in consrucing archiecure) enclosed space openings openings a corners
individual chambers various room inclusions maximum use o wall hickness “rue” basic plan exended basic plan sculped suraces
suraces used o carry ligh ino a space auonomous alcove space conained ligh
splayed reveals ower house ruin shows a laer addiion o concealed walkways (behind chimney) wih an increase in heigh Cullahill. Co. Kilkenny
There are two types o light which are admitted into the living area, these are openings with splayed reveals which are sometimes places at optimum light admitting positions in order to carry the light urther into the space such as in Borthwick castle. The second type o light in the living area is that rom the alcoves. These prevent optimum allowance o the incoming daylight. It creates a situation o contrast - which I later reer to as contained light (the image above is a good example o this). The spaces are organised without corridors (one room on top o another), this creates the optimum use o space, like Loos using the space itsel or vertical movement.
Adol Loos work and Tower houses are similar in their heirarchy o spaces. “Tower houses interiors developed rom a unctional to mazelike internal confgurations with a rich heirarchy” and Loos, “rich variety o o spatially complex connections corresponding with classical notions o space heirarchies”. Andrea Deplazes (2005:267)
Tower houses have spatial connections and complexity only in the main living level, in comparison to Loos who continued this throughout. However both have no corridors, both have dominant spaces, both have servant and served spaces, both have many staircases (the vertical movement is not o one main service zone) and they both have detailed internal suraces.
sensory space - Bruder Klaus Chapel
orm o ree runks orm is a response o he process
charred cedar process is similar srong wonderul smell
remains o process a dark rough exure and smell
Shin-ken eahouse erunobu Fujimori frewood spli wih a chisel and atached o ceiling vaul, creaes warm ligh. This chapel was constructed by Peter Zumthor, its consists o a tee-pee shape orm (created with trees elled locally) underneath with an outer ramework o vertical sliporm. The dry concrete mortar was stamped into the cavity between the two orms (rammed earth). Finally a slow burning fre was lit on the oor, drying out and shrinking the tree trunks, disengaging them but at the same time blackening the walls. Along with the rough texture which remains ater the burning process, I would imagine the space smells strongly o burned wood.
I made an investigatory model based on this process (please reer to the “investigation” section) involving a concrete cube with a rectangular shaped matchstick internal ormwork. I ound I had huge diculty in getting the wood to burn as I had to keep the cube elevated (to allow the fre to burn-required air). I had to orce the fre to burn the wood unlike the orm o the chapel which now I understand is generated not purely by a doorway and a main space, but as an air inlet and cone shape to encourage the burning o the tree-trunks. This process and its orm could not have been any other way!! Terunobu Fujimori is also an architect who works closely with natural materials. In the Lamune
Onsen, he uses yakisugi which are charred cedar boards. The process or burning these boards is similar to that o Bruder Klaus, bundles o three boards are held together to orm a triangular confguration, held vertically and a fre lit underneath. The burning takes about 3 minutes and burning must be uniorm. Burning the surace creates a layer o carbon which makes the boards more durable and resistant to weathering. I have witnessed these boards in the esh, which have a antastic smell.
sensory space - Ronchamp and La Tourette
ouside openings inerior eec ligh owers guided ligh in baes
ligh used o highligh he acile qualiy
conained ligh
In these examples Le Corbusier plays with light. He utilises the properties o light to increase its perception and to draw ocus on to its beauty. In Ronchamp openings on the exterior are minimal, the eect on the interior wouldn’t be expected rom viewing the outside. The thick wall is flled with light on the interior, the splayed reveals or baes are used to maximise the light inside, with the angle o the sun creating paths o direct light on the walls thickness. In the towers light is omitted at a height and reected onto the opposite wall, this is also incorporated with colour which creates an atmospheric quality. The light in these towers becomes an object onto itsel, we look upward with a purpose...to see the light! In la Tourette the light is used to highlight the tactile quality o the spaces created. Within the thickness o the openings the light is contained, due to the position o the glass light can not venture into the space along suraces.
sensory space - other
DARKNESS
chapel o s. ignaius - seven holl
rcr archiecs
VARIETY OF LIGHT
sigurd lewerenz churches o s marks and s peri ligh models seven holl
TIME
hermal bahs and works be seven holl WATER
salk insiue louis kahn
SOUND
salk insiue louis kahn
TACTILITY
There have been quite a number o sensory inuences throughout the year, here are images o some o them. The darkness in the churches by Sigurd Lewerentz spurred light boxes to investigate the darkness o a space, and which lead to the conclusion o a particular measure o light (see investigation section). A quote by Louis Kahn in conjunction to reading “In Praise o Shadows” contributed to the light levels in the sound space. “Even a space intended to be dark should just have enough light rom some mysterious opening to tell us how dark it really is” Louis Kahn
This quote works well in describing the light levels in St. Petris and St. Marks. Other inuences include water (in particular creating a situation or light or images to be reected or the sound o water made visible eg. salk institute). It is relationships within architecture between these elements which creates the images shown above - they are controlled and not accidental!
artists o light - James Turrell
secion showing seaing and cenre oculus
sky down ino he space dayime
evening angle creaes acion in space
during he day he oculus acs as he only poin o ocus in he space - i rames he sky acing as a mediaor
James Turrell is an artist who’s work ocuses on light. Many works ocus on the transition rom day to night with a artifcal light show on the interior creating a spectacle o this point in the day. Others which I have shown here are “Skyspaces”...these are spaces (usually cube or cyndrical) which have a centre opening or “oculus” which openings to the sky. The articulation o the opening is depth-less which increases the appearence o the sky as an imagine. Seats run around the periphery o the space in order to view the sky and light. “There is sky above and sky below, the centre oculus bringing the sky down and close to you, the sky is in close contact to the space that you are in, its not over there.” James Turrell
The sky below which Turrell reers to is the direct light reected. It is the evening and the night that most action takes place in the space. During the day action is in the centre oculus. Turrell explains, “ the sublime usually have a dierent time scale and dierent unolding” I eel architecture should create this action and this beauty in a world which is not willing to stop to view ala Turrell!
artists o light - Dan Flavan and Anthony McCall
At the Chinati Foundation in Mara, in order to accommodate Flavans installations, all the windows except two at the end o each long walls have been closed over. Two parallel corridors have been constructed, with walls 86 eet on the outside and 44 eet on the shorter side, which lean making a 76 degree angle with the oor. Passages through these corridors are blocked by eight back to back pairs o eight oot long uorescent fxtures that extend rom oor to ceiling, parallel to the walls. Gaps the width o the lamps are let between each pair o fxtures, allowing one to see through the colour cast by the lamps on the ronts to the dierent colour at the backs. These light barriers are placed at the centre o the corridors so that the colour is largely contained within the leaning walls. In a urther three installations the light positions are at the end o the corridors which allows colour to ood into the long arms o the building as well as the inaccessible interiors o the corridors.
“You and I Horizontal” by Anthony McCall is a composition o white lines o a drawing which slowly move and in the process dragging along entire walls o light, the movement is very slow but ast enough to perceive. These membranes o light moving create strangely shiting spaces within a space. It takes a moment or the eyes to adjust to the darkness, rom this a new experience reveals itsel: SOLID LIGHT - a material light, a sort o radiant, intricately olded membranes or walls which induce the visitor to move caustiously and hesitantly. Fog is required or the beams o light to materialise into solid light. The eect is similar to a beam projector cutting through the darkness o the cinema, which creates an ‘intensely sensual experience’.
artists o light - Persepolis
Persepolis is a animated flm based on the graphic novels o Marjane Satrapi. Due to the style o the graphic the viewer is always aware o the darkness broken by the light. “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” John: Chapter 1
“Te compuer creaes a disance beween he maker and he objec, whereas drawing by hand as well as model-making pu he designer ino a hapic conac wih he objec or space. In our imaginaion, he objec is simulaneously held in he hand and inside he head, and he imagined and projeced physical image is modelled by our bodies. We are inside and ouside he objec a he same ime.” Juhani Pallasmaa (2005:13)
INVESTIGATION
ligh boxes 1 ligh boxes 2 ransparency and reecion ime and movemen sound boxes 1 concree mixures maerialiy (concree) orm (baes)
investigation - light boxes 1
model 1 openings placed in he cenre o he acade
model 2 Kahns ribune Review building ‘’ shaped openings o minimise glare
model 3 ligh well - no direc ligh
These three models are an investigation into creating the most eective even diused light. Model 2 is an exact scaled replica o Louis Kahns Tribune Review building which has opening intended or this purpose. The other two models act as an experiment, all eatures in all models are similar. The suraces are the same, the colour, the recesses and especially the value o area open to the light. Kahns tribune review proves to be most ecient o course. However I was surprised by the lack o illumination rom model 3 o light into the space. Model 1 allows a lot o light into the space however does not carry the light into the space as deep as Model 2(tribune review).
“Te compuer creaes a disance beween he maker and he objec, whereas drawing by hand as well as model-making pu he designer ino a hapic conac wih he objec or space. In our imaginaion, he objec is simulaneously held in he hand and inside he head, and he imagined and projeced physical image is modelled by our bodies. We are inside and ouside he objec a he same ime.” Juhani Pallasmaa (2005:13)
INVESTIGATION
ligh boxes 1 ligh boxes 2 ransparency and reecion ime and movemen sound boxes 1 concree mixures maerialiy (concree) orm (baes)
investigation - light boxes 2
Conclusion:
ligh box 04 Tree openings - varying orienaions
I he ligh is no measured a concenraion o ligh may conaminae he space. Hence he covering over one opening.
Conclusion:
he hickness creaes projeced ligh on he opposie sides o he slis. Despie each sli being difused individually
ligh box 05 Slis rom wo orienaions Grea hickness on he sides o he slis
he hickness in he sli does no ofer difusion in he enire space.
Conclusion:
ligh box 06 wo openings rom var ying locaions One opening conrolled by a ligh sha Te oher diused by reecion
Tis space can change dramaically over he ligh sources posiion. Conras in suraces in eviden When he cube is urned around he ceiling opening illuminaes he space, while he second opening is conaminaed.
These three models analyse varying types o light and the eect the size the opening has on the interior space. The most important conclusion to be taken rom these models is that all openings must be within the same measure o light (how bright it is) eg. in light box 06 I had to cover 1 opening with paper as its brightness out shone the other openings - their quality o light was lost.
investigation - transparency and reection
dayime rom inside ouward looking
dayime rom ouside looking inside
nigh ime rom inside looking ouward
nigh ime rom ouside looking inward
These are images taken considering transparency and reection o a large window in my apartment. I ound that the clearest view existed towards the space which had the greatest amount o light. From the dark side - there appears light space beyond, rom the light space there appears a mirror beyond. This change naturally rom day to night. There is also an inbetween point when both are even - rom both points at this stage o the day a mix o mirror and view beyond exist. I later ound this in researching the installations and spaces which James Turrell creates.
investigation - time and movement
Opposite is a light study taken on 11.02.10. Images were taken every 15 minutes o the blank northern wall in my apartment (Denis Byrne Architects - thankyou!). The duplex apartment is on the top oor with the living space on top. There is are two south acing light openings in the living area (double height space over the stairs) which flls the blank northern wall with light. It is this wall which is the canvas opposite. On the particular day the photos were taken the angle o the sun and the adjacent apartments roo level created a slither o light 5mm thick. Showing the oppurtunity available or accuracy in the circumstance o direct sunlight! Note also the sharpness o the light and its intensity at times...the colour change when the sun is setting. The timeline shows the movement o the sun and the change in its angle throughout the day. Also the intererence o clouds is clearly visible rom the images o a dappled diused light. The light in this space changes by the day, hour and minute. Since the angle o the sun has risen and thereore its patterns on the wall are lower down...at present in the stairwell.
At the beginning o the year I made the sign language alphabet in clay hands as I was sure it would be helpul in my presentation along the line. I placed them on a glass shel along this wall in the meantime to keep them sae. My thesis evolved and the chances o these hands making it into my presentation was unlikely. Until one day (28.03.10) an unlikely moment (@ 2.15pm) o sunlight shone directly on the hands, raming them and casting their little shadows onto the wall.
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A t n i a S
e r u s a e m e h t s i t h g i l . . . t
h g i l n i e l b i s i v s i e . m e i t m y i t a f s I o
investigation - sound boxes 1
absorbing maerial, wih righ angled difusers. dull sound
sound box 01
similar o 01 bu a reecive inerior sharper sound
sound box 02
arc shaped op wih reecive maerial sharper sound han 03
absorbing maerial, no difuser, bu large openings. similar o 01
sound box 03
sound box 04
The above models are sound boxes based on the research I had done concerning acoustics and geometrics o space (see appendix). The models have a tap area at their base (which cannot be seen) and an opening (seen) which is used to listen to the quality o sound created in the space based on its material qualities (absorbing/reective) and orm (tubular/arc). There is also a play with openings to see the eect this has - dark and quite, bright and loud or instance. Despite not simulating actual 1:1 spacial sounds there is a clear dierence rom one model to another in the sound that is created.
investigation - concrete mixtures
1
2
3
4
5
mixure: mix:
1:1 we
resul:
kep all indenaions relaively shiny no crumbly good deail smooh o ouch
mixure: mix:
1:1 slighly drier wih washing up liquid
resul:
kep all indenaions no shiny a litle crumbly good deail rougher o ouch
mixure: mix:
1:1 slighly drier wih washing up liquid
resul:
kep mos indenaions no shiny crumbly los deail (a neck) rough o ouch
mixure: mix:
1:1 medium, dry - we sring ied around bag
resul:
kep indenaions o sring bu no o bag crumbly los deail very rough o ouch
mixure: mix:
1:1 medium decoraive sones inside
resul:
kep some indenaions no shiny crumbly los deail very rough o ouch no sones can be seen
investigation - concrete mixtures
6
mixure: mix:
1:1 medium wih mixed paper
resul:
no real indenaions no a all shiny very crumbly los deail very very rough o ouch can see races o paper
mixure: mix:
1:1 medium sring beween bag and concree wih olive oil
resul:
indenaions o sring only a litle shiny no crumbly los deail rough o ouch kep patern o sring well
mixure: mix:
1:1 very we pourable
resul:
kep indenaions a base only no shiny crumbly a op only los deail a op
mixure: mix:
1:1 very we pourable wih pigmen
resul:
kep indenaions relaively shiny no crumbly good deail
mixure:
2:1 sand : cemen medium wih pigmen
mix: resul:
7
8
9
10
kep indenaions well slighly shiny no crumbly good deail
This was to test the possibilities o concrete to touch. Particularly in its smoothness and its capabilities to pick up detail
investigation - materiality (concrete)
concree cube wih skewers
concree cube - burned ou machsick inerior concree squares - surace as a sound difuser
To test the idea o transparency with such a solid material as concrete, I cast it with a number o skewers. Despite being 100mm thick the tiny clear paths are visible through the model. All the paths are dierent angles, this idea could possibly be used in the fnal design to illuminate a space (leave patterns on the opposing wall in direct light). The burned out model came rom researching Peter Zumthors Bruder Klaus Chapel and its potential or smell. Having made the model, in the diculty o burning out the core I realised Zumthor’s church is perect, its orm is based on the nature o fre to burn out the interior. The doorway providing just enough air to allow the fre to keep burning. Using this process the orm o the church could not have been any other way! The concrete squares are based on texture and the possibility o using the ormwork to diuse (absorb) sound in its spaces. In reality i the texture is too detail it may not be durable.
investigation - baes
model 1 no baes no sense o hickness does no allow opimum ligh ino he space
model 2 baes clearly expresses hickness allows ligh deeper ino he space
shade on souh acade reduces glare
guides ligh in elevaion
privacy on acade
direcs inended views
During the design development (see the next section) I considered the use o baes in the roo as a method o gaining the maximum amount o light into a space to area o the opening (optimum eciency). I made these two models to test this eciency, model 2 clearly shows the light moves deeper down into the space. Excited by the potential by these baes I used these models to consider using this orm throughout the building or other objectives. Bafe: a device used to restrain or to prevent the spreading o sound or light in a particular direction.
“Adol Loos had litle aih in he drawing as an indicaor o archiecural qualiy. He has le no ravel skeches, nor was he enhusiasic abou phoography as a means o conveying archiecure. He did, however, sugges ha good archiecure can be described.” Johan van de Beek (2008:52)
DESIGN EXPLANATION
circulaion organisaion o program user consideraion sensory organisaion connecions environmenal sraegies srucure drawings explained
site and brie
SCHEDULE OF ACCOMMODATION A National Facility or the Integration o Dea and Hearing People space
purpose
breakdown
area in m 2
exhibiton interaction and conversation
250
theatre
lectures perormance
meeting rooms
multi-purpose club space
2 x 50m
100 80
inormation centre
research promote Dea culture
reception book stacks video archive reading, studying and viewing associations 6x 20m board room stor
30 80 100 120 120 30
bar
space or conversation and interaction between Dea and hearing people
cae
50
bar area seating indoors seating outdoors kitchen (shared with cae) toilets (shared with cae) storage (shared with cae)
15 60 60 30 60 30
seating indoors seating outdoors
70 30
15 30 30 15 30 30 15 15
resource centre
support or parents and children
administration waiting area audiological rooms x 2 psychological room paediatric specialist x 2 speech and language therapist x 2 amily counselling room parent guidance and support
learning centre
early years language development sign language classes school inclusion training outreach services and support technology training or digital classrooms dea adult learning acility interpreter training acility50
1 on 1 classrooms (5 x 10m) classrooms or up to 8 people (10 x 20m) classrooms or up to 20 people (4 x 30m)
administration
30
subtotal circulation total
50 200 120
2,200m 25% o overall area
550m 2,750m
site and connections
circulation
2
1
abrup enrance
2
3
ABRUPT ENTRANCE
li 2
dame lane main enrance
li 1
service enrance resource centre learning centre cae inormation 2 inormation 1
central space
3 ROUTEWAY AND SERVICE ENTRANCE
s andrews lane
1 FORMAL ENTRANCE
riniy sree In order or the building to work as a public building the frst hurdle was the circulation. Considering the nature o the space created ie. contained multi-level spaces, the solution took some time. There are 3 entrance into the building which all link the street to the heart (cube volume on the model). One is the ormal entrance which is located at the junction o Trinity Street and St. Andrews Lane. This is a large opening with a huge wooden door (3m x 5m). From this point there is a reception and the lit 1 is on the let. This lit is the vertical access to the heart, inormation centre and cae. The second entrance is along Dame Lane which is visually connected to Dame Street. It is termed the “abrupt” entrance based on its articulation (frst step is built into the wall, the route is quite narrow, and leads the visitor into the heart quickly in one ight o stairs. The third entrance is along St. Andrews Lane which is connected visually to Exchequer street. This is termed the service entrance, however it completes the routeway created rom Dame Street to Exchequer Street. This also connects to the heart. The second lit is located in the centre o the plan allowing vertical access to the club space, learning centre and resource centre. Once is the heart there are our vertical movements (outside o the lits). From the skylit seated area which acts as a stairway there are two movements, right to the inormation centre (clockwise motion) and let to the learning centre and resource centre (anti-clockwise motion this also address the privacy issue o the resource centre). From the heart there is also access to the club space and meeting room downward. At the south side o the heart there is access through the walls thickness to the cae on the top oor.
organisation o program club space circulation band theatre meeting room 1
3
main entrance storage and services area
s t . a n d r e w s l a n e
resource centre
the heart
meeting room 2 alcoves to cae circulation
cae 1
inormation centre d a m e l a n e
2
The organisation o the program is based on spaces requirements o light and that available on the site. The position in relation to peoples entrance into a space and encouragment to use the ull space available is used, eg. the location o the entrance to the cae is on the opposing side on the entrance in order to encourage use o the heart. The cae acts as a lure to use the building. learning centre
user consideration
LEARNING CENTRE user:
hearing people
aim:
increase sensory awareness
how? dark space increased perception o sound utilise rainall in circulation space
CENTRAL SPACE user:
general public
aim:
increase visual awareness
how? controlled light direct light into space contained light in conversation booths - conveys dierence in language RESOURCE CENTRE user:
young Dea children and parents
aim:
teach about Dea sensibilties and aid spatial awareness
how? reection at key locations transparency where required vibration in oor (wood detail - bounce) even diused light where required
The building is now working as a public building, with access and positioned program. The realms o sensory ocus have yet to be defned. In order to do this the user o each area must be considered. This is a means to heighten their own sensory experience based on their sensibilites. For example the resource centre is a specialist actility aimed at Dea children and their parents, thereore the space aims to consider these sensibilities aiding the user which results with a ocus on tactility and vibration. In comparision the learning centre is intended or the use o the general public ie. hearing people, here I hope to increase their own sensory awareness based on sound. The result is a space with minimal amounts o light in which rainall enters the space, the geometry o the space amplifes and so increases the perception o the sound. Having established a user consideration, the sensory organisation can now be achieved.
sensory organisation
REALM OF SOUND (learning centre)
TACTILITY AND VIBRATION (resource centre)
TASTE AND SMELL (cae)
SMELL (inormation centre)
VISUAL REALM - LIGHT (heart)
The realms o sensory ocus each has a purpose to create a relationship with the user o a particular space (learning centre and resource centre as mentioned). In addition to the spaces already mentioned the heart o the building more importantly links all people using the building...its ocus is the visual - light. In this space ocus is created by the use o three dierent types o light. 1. contained light 2. washed light 3. direct light These light types come rom the east and south through a 5meter thickness. Direct comes rom the morning in the east acade, midday rom the southern acade and again in the evening. These direct light passages are guided by the use o baes, in act the direct light which reaches the opposite wall is inrequent, the aim o this light is to rest on the baes throughout the day. Washed light is created by having an opening which can not see through to the outside, instead it only allows light into the space through the thickness, the source not seen, this creates autonomous spaces within the thickness which allow seating or interation. The third is contained light. This is connection rom the heart through to the outside which in-between accommodates circulation and alcoves. The articulation o the spaces, allows the light to be seen but not to move into the space along any suraces. The inormation centre is lined with a concentrated amount o leather books, which allows or the smell to seep through areas in which it is connected. The cae’s ocus is o course taste and smell.
connections
INTERNAL CONNECTIONS aural
heart - learning centre heart - cae
visual physical smell
club space - Dame Lane theatre - St. Andrews Lane heart - east and s outh light
heart - theatre heart - inormation centre
acoustic OUT time IN
heart connection - sky
IN environment
learning centre - rain
IN environment
inormation centre Trinity Street
heart - resource centre
visual
EXTERNAL CONNECTIONS
There are three types o connections.
1. Internal 2. External 3. Mini connections
Internal connections link sensory spaces to one another, this can be a means to increase orientation, all spaces relate to the heart in some connection, physical, visual, aural or smell. The type o connection is not dependant on the sensory ocus o that space eg. the resource centre is connected visually to the heart, however the ocus o the resource centre is tactility. External connections act as mediators between the inside and outside world. For example the theatre space’s screen is constructed in transparent stone, thereore the viewing o flms is based on sunset, this is an idea based on James Turrells work (see transparency investigation) thereore the audience are connected with the outside, aware o time and the movement o the sun. Other connections are less abstract but allow the environment into the building eg. rainall in the sound space and light in the visual realm. The building also omits, in the club space there are a number o open baes which are intended to omit the sound created in the space out on the Dame Lane which has a lot o night activity. This is in order to make a connection with the city, spurring intrigue and wonder o the space within. The mini connections are playul ones which relate on an individual level, these include specifc lines o views which could be missed without the increased perception o the visitor, some o these connections can be seen in the plans.
environmental strategies
task lighting
thermal mass and acoustics
rainall
wind ventilation
The environmental strategies are integrated into all areas o the building. Light is used to its optimum in all directions, the organisation as already mentioned is based on the requirements o the space and the availability o light o the site and its orientation. Thereore no area requires supplementary shading or instance. Task lighting or classrooms is allowed on the northern acade. Early in site analysis I did decibel readings o the noise levels surrounding, the thickness in the walls relate to these fndings, the hearts location central in plan and in section to allow the thickness (servant spaces) to absorb any residual sound on the upper levels. The rainall is harnessed to increased perception in the sound space. Within the lit shat there is a ventilation unnel integrated, this can be seen in the long section. The unnel at roo level points south-westerly to grasp the prevailing winds, this resh air enters the heart on ground level and thus naturally ventilates the internalised space.
structure
primary structure north - south band east - west band external walls
independant compartments within
roo openings
The structure is integrated into the arrangement o the scheme. It consists o two main axes which run north to south and east to west, the oor levels then rest between these bands and the thick external walls. The north south band holds the circulation on the lower oors. These bands create 4 distinct areas which allow the compartments within to be independant o each other and thus multi-levels to exist in each. The lit shats are also part o these internal bands.
drawings
1. entrance points 2. theatre 3. club space 4. heart (visual realm) 5. inormation centre 6. learning centre 7. sound space 8. resource centre (vibration)
drawings
1. entrance points 2. theatre 3. club space 4. heart (visual realm) 5. inormation centre 6. learning centre 7. sound space 8. resource centre (vibration)
drawings
INTUITIVE ORIENTATION PUBLICNESS AND PRIVACY RELATIVE TO OPENING SIZES
LIGHT DETERMINES MOST PUBLIC AREAS 1. main light void 2. heart light and acoustic void
CONNECTIONS TO HEART COMMUNICATE PROGRAM
ROOFPLAN 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
1. smell to inormation centre 2. aural connection to learning centre 3. visual connection to resource centre
Cae outdoor seating Primary light void Heart light and acoustic void Resource light void Inlet to sound space PRIVACY RELATIVE TO DISTANCE 1. inormation centre - public 2. learning centre - specialist 3. resource centre - specialist private
sectional perspectives
A
SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVES
A. HEART cut through conversation alcoves main light void link to inormation centre with reading/viewing spaces above B. THEATRE, SOUND SPACE cut through theatre space showing link to outside perceptible thickness in theatre (walkway is carved into wall thickness) sound space above circulation between sound space and classrooms light link rom classrooms into circulation C. RESOURCE CENTRE cut through resource centre] with visual link to heart light link above service entrance linking outside to heart below sight line cutting through thickness D. INFORMATION CENTRE cut through double height space realm o smell link back to heart through main light void books acting as diusers
B
D
C
1:30 heart model
visual realm - dominant space main connecting space - looking south INTERNAL CONNECTIONS “a consequence o compact living is that internal connections are maximised and external connections are minimised.” Adol Loos “Architecture involves several realms o sensory experience which interact and use into each other.”...“The present and the absent, the near and the distant, the sensed and the imagined use together.” Juhani Pallasmaa
EXTERNAL CONNECTIONS “A powerul architectural experience silences all external noise; it ocuses our attention on our very existence, and as with all art, makes us aware o our undamental solitude.” “An architectural space rames, halts, strengthens and ocuses our thoughts, and prevents them rom getting lost.” Juhani Pallasmaa “to make visible how the world touches us”
Merleau Ponty
specialisation - acoustics
SOUND SPACE ACOUSTICS
The sound space is the Realm o Sound, which is intended to react to the sensibilities o its users, ie. predominantly hearing people.
inlet
Its orm is created as a response to ampliy the acoustic awareness o the space. An inlet allows or rainall to enter into the space with a pool directly underneath which in turn becomes the source o sound. This pool is the primary sound source and above due to arc orm o the space allows or a utter echo. There are 3 positions rom which to perceive this sound, all with dierent acoustic qualities This space’s atmospheric quality is heightened again in its details, with a concrete surace fnish o polished concret. Here the ormer demolished building which is used as aggreagte can be seen.
sound source
inlet
REVERBERANT SOUND
DIRECT SOUND
ECHO
source
C 996cm
D 887cm
C
3
249cm dimensions o the sound space is based on the dimensions o note wavelengths shown
HEART ACOUSTICS the orm o concrete detail in the heart is based on diusion requirements o the space given its cublic dimensions
source drip o water in pool
depends on the absorption in the space
depends on the strength o the source
the more times the sound hits a surace, the more energy that is lost
the less oten the sound meets absorbing suraces the longer the decay time
reverberation is the time it takes or a sound to decay
primary source frst action - water hits pool - sound is reected in the space
an echo is most likely to occur when concave suraces ocus sound rays rom an arc to a point. Flutter echoes can occur when a pair o parallel suraces which are hard and non-absorbing. This can be rectifed by placing one plane out a ew degrees, I will not!
secondary source second action - utter echo created at ceiling height due to geometrics o the space ie. arc in section
detailing - acoustics
SOUND SPACE INLET
screed to give incline 50mm to 100mm 100mm rigid insulation waterproo roo elt seperating layer transparent L channel to enhance sound perception in the sound space aggregate
acoustics requirements o heart created with undulating metal ormwork
detailing
RESOURCE SEATING
(based on vibration) The idea behind this resource centre detail is again like the sound space based on its intended user group ie young Dea children and their parents. The walkway above which allows access to specialist oces is connected by its detail to the seating below on the resource centres main level ie the waiting area. When this walkway is in use the vibration can be elt by the people seated below without a visual connection which increases the likelihood o this tactile perceptible awareness.
3 m x 1.5m x 40mm 7 plywood panels 50mm x 25mm battens inner concrete structure comb chiselled book shelving
THICKNESS RULES FROM EXTERIOR APPEARS AS 1 SOLID MASS MAIN SPACES READ AS 1 SPACE THRESHOLDS (exterior and interior) ARE CARVED POSITION OF GLASS IS ALWAYS AWAY FROM MOST PUBLIC THICKNESS IS ALWAYS TOWARDS MOST PUBLIC
AGGREGATE
4 times stronger fnished again
multi - storey building existing on site
demolished and used as aggregate
detailing - concrete organisation
homogenous exterior very rough textured surace created with sculpted oamglass insulation ormwork
carved thresholds comb-chiselled surace created post-ormwork
OUTSIDE
INSIDE
let to right: sculpted oamglass insulation 250mm concrete outer layer (not including superfcial layer) cavity 150mm concrete inner layer board shuttering
main spaces boardmarked created with rough sawn wood ormwork
CONCRETE RULES REINFORCES THE CONCEPT rough exterior textured main spaces thresholds carved
RESPONDS TO ACOUSTIC NEEDS OF SPACE secondary spaces rammed concrete created with dry mix, packed in ormwork - no shadow gaps
diused orm acoustics requirements o heart created with undulating metal ormwork
heart - absorbing sound space - reective
reective fnish to enhance sound perception in the sound space polished fnish with exposed aggregate
detailing
WALL STRUCTURE outer layer 250mm concrete exterior layer cast with oamglass insulation ormwork 450mm oamglass insulation 200mm concrete inner layer with boardmarked fnish THICKNESS post ormwork concrete comb-chiselled with 80mm chisel 90 degree angle to street OPENING 80mm charred wood door ABRUPT ENTRANCE
FORMAL ENTRANCE
GROUND STRUCTURE concrete layer fne sand coarse sand geotextile mat FLOOR STRUCTURE 100mm concrete fnish C120 100mm screed seperating layer rigid insulation dpm concrete slab
overall project 12 x A1 sheets
BIBLIOGRAPHY
