Week 14 - Design Development

View Entering The Building Via Cnr or Elizabeth and George St

Facade Facing onto Queen St

Experimenting with forms that would allows sun to penetrate into the courtyard

New Site Location

After trying many different forms I still found it difficult to keep a gradual gradient on the ramps so I decided to extend the site through to Queen st. This also allows good access from different points into the site, along with inviting pedestrians to use the courtyard space to lunch in etc

Week 13 - Process Sketches

 After speaking with my tutor we discussed that the large ramp leading into the building might be too intruding on the street scape.

I started to play around with different forms trying to take into consideration the gradient of the ramps. I found it difficult to achieve a steady slope in the site I had provided for myself.

Week 13 - Process Sketches

I started thinking about the idea that the bicycles could ride up the entire building to not only make the building a destination for bike parking but a place of leisure and a place for cyclists of all kinds to spend time.

 

Some function that would be included in the building:  

- Bike Recharging stations

- Cafe

- Rooftop Bike Bar

- Vegetable Garden

- Bathrooms

- Lockers

- Reception

- Bike Store

- Bike Workshop

Week 12 - Cycling Building Exemplars

 

Cycling Center

We Are You + Erik Hallberg

This building was designed to promote cycling and also to provide a place for cyclists of all different types to come and enjoy. It is an interesting example for me to look at as the aims for what it is sets out to bring to the city are similar to the ones I am hoping to achieve.

Denmark Pavilion Shanghai Expo 2010

BIG and ARUP

I found the concept of this building very interesting. The fact that both pedestrians and cyclists could go on a journey around the building and not have to sacrifice their chosen mode of transport to explore the building. 

References: Furuto , Alison . "Cycling Center / We Are You + Erik Hallberg" 25 Jun 2012. ArchDaily. Retrieved Oct 20, 2012 <http://www.archdaily.com/246992>  

Basulto , David . "Denmark Pavilion, Shanghai Expo 2010 / BIG" 03 May 2010. ArchDaily. Retrieved Oct 22, 2012 from http://www.archdaily.com/57922

Week 12 - New Direction/Project Development

After slightly altering my future scenario I began to work on the development of my architectural entity. The building was to be focused around the bike riding culture that is going to take off.

I was having trouble thinking of ideas for function to be included in the building and for the form it was going to take so I did a small exercise of drawing 12 sketches in 12minutes, this helped me to narrow down on all the ideas floating around in my head.

Week 11 - Future Scenario Developing

It is 2025 and Brisbane's population has grown from 2million to 2.82 million people. This growth has forced the government to bring in many changes to the CBD. Brisbane has become a more sustainable city firstly by converting many streets into pedestrian only streets, allowing for more street space for infrastructure and stopping traffic congestion. Sophisticated bike paths have been implemented all over the city and leading out into the suburbs. Motorised electric bikes have become a popular mode of transportation and charging station which convert power harnessed to be released back into the cities electricity supply grid. Trams have been brought back into the city and more train lines have been put in place with transport running 24hrs a day.Because of these new changes the city has become run by pedestrians. The need for more recreational spaces in the city has risen due to the number of people roaming the streets. The city is so easily accessible at all times of the day there are more young adults walking the streets day and night.


- make scenario more based around the biking mode of transport

- ideas for building could be docking/bike storing station

- bike workshop

- vegan/healthy cafes

- small community gardens where the cafes/shops grow their food

- concert areas

- talk about infill projects

- not only infill buildings but recreation areas/parks

- sustainable healthy living hub

- bikes generate electricity for the building, food is grown and sold in cafe and shops

- could be a building completely run by young people (helping out disadvantage kids)

- urban power station

- george st site...instead of busway there is a new bicycle highway that comes directly into the building

- only access to the building is through this bikeway...makes it exclusive to bike users

Week 11 - Future of Biking

After doing a great deal of research into the future of our cities and the part transport plays in this, I noticed that bikes played a large role in a lot of future predictions. I started to narrow my focus to this system of transport and what its role will be in the future.

One such role was that the use of bikes would be harnessing energy that goes back into the cities grid. These electric bikes would store the energy created by the rider while using the bike, this bike would then be plugged into some sort of docking station that would release this energy back into the cities electrical grid.

Another new concept which comes from Melbourne firm LAB Architecture in collaboration with others is represented in the video above. It is the concept of attached elevated bike only freeways to existing car freeways that provide faster, flatter and safer paths into the city.

Bikes are becoming more and more popular in cities around the world, they not only are a great way to travel in respects to fitness but they also create sense of community.

Reference List:

http://designmind.frogdesign.com/articles/pedal-revolution.html

http://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/news/industry-news/melbourne-s-riders-in-the-sky-radical-design-propo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk8rJ2XBAwQ

Week 10 - Tutorial Reflection

During studio I was told that I need to think about the link between my architectural entity and the future scenario I had come up with. Why is there need for this new building in relation to a car free city? also what is it about this building that sets it apart from something that could be built today?

At first I went away confused as I thought my idea was related but then I started to think it over more and decided that I needed to do some further research and come up with a solid, more in depth scenario that was more focused and not so generalized. I really need to nut out the scenario before trying to create an architectural entity that exists because of it.

Week 10 - "Cultural Hub"

After deciding to target young people in Brisbane, I had a look at the behaviours and movements of young people in the city. I noticed that there is a large group of young adults hanging around Queen st mall that are into the music scene. They used to hang around the front of Hungry Jacks just sitting on the ground near the bins but now they seemed to have moved to the new seating area on Albert st outside the Rocking Horse music store. 

I came up with the idea to create a building were these young people could go instead of doing nothing, sitting in the mall. The building would be a cultural hub for youth and would include band practise rooms, art studios, stages, galleries, cafe, bar and seating areas spilling out onto the street. It would embrace the new pedestrianised street by having open spaces such as outdoor stages and seating areas. I spoke to a few students and asked them what they thought of the idea and what they would like to see more of in the city. One student responded "sounds like a good idea, would be cool to have a space were you could mingle with people of all creative backgrounds". Another student responded that "entertainment and music could be a good reason for people to populate these pedestrianised streets".

Week 9 - New Site Location

 

I have chosen to change the location of my site as my architectural proposal has developed. I think that this new location is better suited. This site also has allot of opportunity to have an impact on a new pedestrianised street scape. Not only is there an empty lot behind the Irish Pub here but it sits on the corner of two of the busiest car traffic streets of the city. When these become pedestrianised there will have to be a new building activating this space. The park diagonally across from this site at the moment does not get as much use as other green spaces around the city, I think but implementing a new community building there is opportunity to also improve the green space and make it more utilised. This site also has good access from the riverside bike way.

Week 9 - exemplar/inspiration

Peoples Meeting Dome

Kristoffer Tejlgaard & Benny Jepsen 

This public building was designed to be used as a place where citizens could come together and discuss the future of public housing in Bornholm. It includes seating areas and a stage where public talks could take place. 

I like the concept of this building in that it is a simple yet elegant structure which provides more of a private space but to be used by the general public. 

Instead of having to go to the nearest cafe etc there is this free public space that allows meeting and talks to be held.

Badeschiff

Wilk Salinas

The badeschiff is a pool and recreation area.  People can come cool off during the summer then relax and have a drink at the bar or lie on the man made beach. During the winter time the area is transformed into a spa and sauna recreation centre that is enclosed which a think pvc membrane that allows light through but traps in heat. 

This is an example of an intersting public space that adapts and is used in both the long berlin winters and the brief but hot summers. It provides the public with a swimming and recreation area in the middle of their city, a place they would usually have to travel many hours to find. 

Reference List

http://www.archdaily.com/276056/peoples-meeting-dome-kristoffer-tejlgaard-benny-jepsen/

http://wilk-salinas.com/projects?lang=en
http://inhabitat.com/berlins-winter-badeschiff/