EXP 2 Final Model

This is the final model of my light rail stop to be designed for UNSW. With the concepts of sustainability and 'less is more,' I created a space that I thought flowed quite well, and was easy to access and use for the general public. I wanted to hone in on the aspect of realism and create a stop that took up a minimal footprint, both physically and ecologically speaking. I took into account the actual length of the new light rail vehicles and the width of the tracks and the road in order to do so. I think the space works quite well, and I think it has the capability to be a public transport stop that could function well in reality.

-Jack

Evolution of Textures

After drawing the custom textures in my sketchbook, I uploaded images and edited a few that I thought would look good with my final model. I left the first pattern in its original black and white shading, and used it on the main supports of the light rail stop. With the next material, I chose to colour it brown with patches of red and gold to give the model some more colour, imitating copper or possibly a wood product on the model, For the third material, I chose to colour it light grey/beige and used it as the floor (tile) for the light rail stop. I thought the three textures ended up working quite well with the model, giving it added depth and personality whilst fitting into the chosen concepts.

-Jack

EXP 2 Concepts

The Concepts I chose to focus on for EXP 2 were selected from a list provided by our tutor, based on core ideologies from two architects; Mies Van Der Rohe and Studio Gang Architects. I chose to base my design on the 'less is more' approach popularised by Van Der Rohe, as well as creating a space that has simplicity through form and shape. As well as this, I wanted my design to be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable by minimising the footprint and operational costs of the light rail stop. This worked in well with the secondary concept from Studio Gang of minimal environmental impact whilst promoting sustainability. Below, I have included two short excerpts that illustrate the concepts that I chose to follow for my design.

"I felt that it must be possible to harmonize the old and the new in our civilization. Each of my buildings was a statement of this idea and a further step in my search for clarity."

- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

For over the first half of the 20th century, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was famous for his philosophy "less is more", and his "skin and bone" style of building design. Mies favors the use of simple rectilinear and planar form in his building designs. He is not interested in inventing new forms, rather, preferred to present buildings as clear and simple structures in terms of construction and the current technology. He expressed these ideas in these words:

"It is absurd to invent arbitrary forms, historical and modernistic forms, which are not determined by construction, the true guardian of the spirit of the times."

- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Moises Punte, Conversations with Mies Van Der Rohe, (New York, Princeton Architectural Press, 2008)

Sustainability has become an integral aspect of contemporary architectural design.

As climate change becomes an increasingly pressing concern, so too does the need to create sustainable buildings that offer minimal environmental impact and maximum human comfort.

Sustainable considerations such as energy efficiency and water management are now regulated under national and state building codes, allowing today’s architects to conserve resources and materials and construct dwellings that work with their natural surroundings rather than against them.

So, what makes a sustainable building? Simply put, it’s one that has minimal environmental impact while simultaneously meeting its occupants’ various needs. Sustainable design and construction elements can be categorised according to the three pillars of sustainability—environmental, social and economic:

Environmentally sustainable buildings attempt to minimise a building’s environmental impact through energy and water efficiency methods, use of sustainable materials and landscaping that considers a site’s biodiversity and existing natural features.

Socially sustainable buildings are designed and constructed to address their occupants’ and visitors’ needs. They offer a healthy, comfortable, safe and secure environment that’s easily accessible and well suited to its surroundings.  

Economically sustainable buildings offer long-term financial savings thanks to energy-efficient design features, materials and appliances that keep ongoing running and maintenance costs low. 



University of Queensland, Better buildings: Designing solutions for sustainable architecture, (Accessed 26^th April, 2018)

https://sustainability.uq.edu.au/projects/campus-grounds-and-buildings/better-buildings-designing-solutions-sustainable-architecture


-Jack

Gradient Textures

These 6 sets of 6 textures show how the gradient of a pattern can change. I started off drawing quite basic lines, and they slowly evolved into more complex, interesting hatches. The bottom texture is my favourite, as it acts like an optical illusion.

-Jack

Combining Sketches

 This week's task involved combining two axonometric sketches from last week. I began the task by imagining 'exploded' versions of my earlier sketches, then piecing them back together in a different way. I also experimented with different shading techniques, using a solid black instead of hatches.

 I added more colour to one of these sketches, which gave it a more dynamic look. 

 I then attempted to smooth the edges of my sketches, to create rounded, 'organic' shapes. My next task was to create one of these rounded shapes in sketch-up.

 This is the finished result. I used Lumion to capture a rendered image of the original sketch. 

-Jack

Axonometric Drawings

Here are seven axonometric sketches that I have attempted in my journal. Initially, I found this task quite difficult, trying to imagine the opposite view of the rectangular prisms I had drawn in the upper half of the page. This can be seen in the top image, where my lower drawing overlapped onto another page. However it became a fun challenge in spatial awareness, and I improved through the subsequent sketches. My hatching technique started off quite rough and inaccurate, however it became more refined in later sketches. With more practise, I think my axonometric sketches will become cleaner and more accurate.

                                
I eventually figured out how to get Lumion to co-operate with my PC, and had a quick play around with the material tools after importing my sketch-up model.  These models are based on the fourth and sixth sketchbook images.

-Jack