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Concept & Enquiry - Start of Spring Term

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Concept & Enquiry - Start of Spring Term

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Research Map

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New and up coming material discoveries from the book 'Why Materials Matter' by Seetal Solanki

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Monday 02/10/23

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Up until the start of this week I had had so many different research questions come into my head which I would settle on and then feel like there was a potential dead end. I have now however come up with a topic that I am very intrigued by and have been for a while.

My research idea mainly focuses on the theme of invisibility, looking at ways in which buildings can reflect and knit into nature rather than counteracting its power by replacing it with unsustainable structures. One of the main issues around this theme is the urban sprawl, the demand is rising for urban living, as well as the desire for an increase of living space, which all ultimately contributes to urban expansion. Now, I don’t believe that we can or should stop building, as an Interior Design student that’s not something I can really say. However, there is most definitely plenty of initiative ways around this problem without destroying our remaining rural landscape.

I would like to explore the concept of invisible homes both for new builds rurally, and for expansion within the city. Expansion within the city doesn’t have to spread into rural areas, sky scrapers address this for example, they don’t solve urban sprawl but they do create density within the city which some might argue to be a positive thing, as surrounding rural environments aren’t being taken over.

Another topic I would like to delve deeper into is subterranean buildings, this is increasingly becoming more of a known thing despite the underground structures having been around for thousands and thousands of years. Through briefly reading up on this concept I have discovered that subterranean living has a lot of positive environmental and economic factors going for it.

The idea of Invisible architecture could take me in many different directions, and I believe there is a lot of freedom for innovation, as it’s a rising consideration amongst architects and designers at the moment, due to the realisation that construction isn’t necessarily having a positive effect on the earth. Mirrored Buildings, a solution for invisibility, could potentially be a bit controversial, which is why I would like to investigate this concept further.

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Over the summer I had thought about the idea of looking at social housing and ways in which it could be made into more of a luxury for the people having to live in council houses.
Since coming starting back after the summer I have changed my idea, and now focusing on the research question of invisibility.

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An Experiment

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- Create Visual Essay (Up to 10 images with critical captions highlighting key ideas and interpretations).
- Create Petcha Kucha and Record.
- Write 200-300 words of review for this week.
- Start writing Research report.
- Ask 3-5 research questions.

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An Experiment

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What we need to do
+
Feedback

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Invisibility studies
Camouflage - sits within a system
Hidden and revealing
Element of surprise

Techniques for materiality

twinning and repetition mirroring
Look materially at structures and systems

Twist Museum reference

Artist reference
Olafur Eliasson
Escher

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Weekly Reflection - Key Research Narrative 

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Weekly Reflection - Key Research Narrative 

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Over the past week I have been collecting research resources and looking deeper into the question that I would like to ask based around my themes.

I would like to focus my current research on the theme of camouflage, looking both at specific case studies that use this concept as their design focus, and investing in depth the types of materiality used through structures and systems within architecture that have the intention to harmonise with its surrounding landscape.

This concept to me is about the changing relationship between the visible and invisible. The structures built to sit within contemporary culture, potentially draw a huge amount of attention to them, yet their whole purpose is to disappear into its surroundings, pretending and mimicking their existence. For example, ‘The Invisible House’ in Joshua Tree, CA. A completely mirrored building, designed to resemble a 22 floor New York skyscraper on its side, camouflages into its surrounding dessert allowing you to connect with the mesmerizing location. A building designed to disappear, still it has attracted so much human engagement.

As well as the idea of architecture being playful with an element of surprise through the materiality and shapes used to camouflage, I would like to look closer at subterranean structures, not always meaning completely underground, even though this is something I would like to focus on, the term camouflage comes into act also through building set into existing natural landscape, such as caves, mountains, hills, etc. the face of these buildings essentially is the landscape, with the interior having its own personality if desired.

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​

The Golden Section - Theory ​

Spatial Verbs - Create a Typlogy - Actions ​

Reference - Basilica Cistern, Istanbul​

Reference - Hawa Mahal, India​

Petcha Kucha​

Put the person into the idea - present information as an experience.​

Make a journey about my language, and then at the end talk about possible places that this context could go. ​

EXPLAIN UNDERSTANDING OF EACH SPATIAL VERB

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1. How can spatial verbs shape our design?

2. With a focus on materiality and structure, how can we design innovative buildings that aren't obtrusive in the natural landscape?

3. Is designing with sympathy to the natural environment sustainable?

4. How do humans live in harmony with nature?

5. Is designing camouflaged building actually necessary?

6. what effects does nature have on our health?

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I want to explore the theme 'camouflaged' through material and structures. looking at different ways that buildings can blend in with their surrounds. I am aiming to look more directly at ways in which building can be designed with sympathy to nature, for instance if a boxy white building was placed in the middle of a forest then I would say it had quite an arrogant personality, it doesn't care for its natural surroundings, and its very obtrusive to the eye. However, if you put a building made from wood in the middle of a forest then it instinctively has respect for its natural landscape, its not trying to shout at anyone or disturb nature.

The concept of 'camouflaged' buildings can be researched a lot deeper, their are possibilities for different materiality and systems that can disguise a building into nature.

I don't want to specifically look at just the UK, so rather than looking at solutions for urbanisation which is what I initially found myself asking, I want to look at it from a wider point of view, and focus on ways in which buildings can be designed to be none obtrusive to rural landscape, this then allows me to look at the issue of obtrusive structures not having respect for the beauty of nature.

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Here are more prompts to help you:

1.Define your terms - Concept (3 slides)

1 slide on each concept definition and 1 slide for conclusion

What does inclusive design mean? (concept 1)

Show us your understanding  of the term inclusive

make a contribution to this definition where possible

evidence your personal thinking

Unpack this term with references, case studies and interesting comparisons perhaps in different sectors

eg can you see an example of this in another field that is not design related

What does Multifunctional mean? (concept 2)

present the  idea of multifunction

why is it important? how does it solve issues

make connections with inclusive design and multifunction

2. Define context - Contexts where we see your ideas

1 slide on each concept context and 1 slide for conclusion

show these ideas in context eg benchmarks and case studies

explore current debates and issues eg human factors

what are the significance of these eg precedents that are useful

3. Application

1 slide on each concept application and 1 slide for conclusion

apply your idea to possible outcomes - use imagination

what can it do, where can it go

what is your intention / design objectives

eg I would like to explore a framework of inclusive design that brings equity to the environment for all users, including users with disabilities

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Photo Essay + Critical Captions

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Mead Fellowship Award

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Thresholds - what is the boundary between the natural and built environment.

Create taxonomy of a few case studies, and then make one for a test of a space (maybe where I live - Petersfield).

Maybe look at hygge.

Create a physical and Digital taxonomy.

Use clay to model architectural organic space.

Look at ways in which the built environment has been built in from the landscape.

Synergy.

Don't set on a site in human terms - Look at a type of landscape.

Look at gardens.

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Create texture from natural materials.

design some graphic papers inspired by nature.

photograph natural elements and transform into a liveable space.

start writing brief.

create some taxonomies.

artists not just designers.

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title, open the portfolio with a specific aim or intention

conceptual opening image

typeface, font speak to digital

break your writing into section - key themes that each part of the text deals

spatial verbs - expand on this to create images that are discipline specific

drawing - think about how you represent emotion/ feeling in sketches (use of chalk/ tone/ weight..)

use appendix for descriptions - aim for analysis on each page

testing - Olafur Eliasson

conceptual modelling

watch the film Nomadland!

David Adjaye - Africa

situate this work, perhaps start with Californian modernism, the Light and Space movement

why is this important and where are you going with this? think about future models for designers and future ways of living, circular economies, ecosystems, the anthropocene

think about entropy and decay

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create more taxonomies of different districts in London, then different counties and then different landscapes (desert, rainforest...)

take photographs of everything that i see to do with bringing nature indoors or vice versa (painting of the landscape inside), then put at the start of pfolio.

do some design sketches.

make some models from clay, (Ball of clay, split into two, model a structure and then photograph the two pieces next to eachother).

print natural materials into the clay.

From sue:

Phoebe Cummings - floral ceramics

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Formative Grade: C

Enquiry

Serious enquiry into a broad topic

Knowledge

Good use of Richard Serra’s materials verb list and harmony and nature.

More references to early building processes, clay, mud, etc and new alternative technology - Machynlleth Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales.

Process

More testing of materials, especially related to your camouflage research and recycled materials and waste products.

Communication

Well laid out and accessible but more of your own images required.

Realisation

Ref -Nature and Ecology workshops at Machynlleth Centre

A site will help to develop your research

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This research report evidences a very good understanding of documenting and recording a key aspect of practice and theory of biophilia. The research has been carried out well using relevant resources and analysis, demonstrating the distinctions between your ideas and those of others.

The report has been communicated very good, realising ideas in consolidated position, although the coherence of the work can be polished further. I would suggest focusing on theory of biophilia from the very beginning, in the introduction and shaping further the clarity of the argument.

The process of realisation of clear and articulated conclusion is very good too.