Project 2: Folie to building.....and so it begins.....

Our tutor, Brett Hudson, gave us some extra constraints for this next project:

• learning space (which we know about)
• for children and young adults, 6 - 18 years old
• material to be presented in black, white and (shades of gray?)

Initial constraints are outlined on the project brief:

• 500sqm, maximum footprint
• no higher than the cliff, but a small entrance from the top is ok, as long as it is not obvious
• can assume a ferry terminal is somewhere, or can be incorporated
• no structures can be demolished, but can be included in the design
• don't worry about car parking, but encourage other access routes, bus, ferry, foot, etc

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In the brief, the lecturer advises us to 'define parameters' to study and to identify the quality of the subject studied.

This is the abstract part that can really 'throw' me. What 'parameter', how do you define it, what relevance to Project 2, how is it relevant, and so on.

One ‘parameter’ I thought might work, is water or the river.

Some aspects to consider:

o   movement - tides, boat wash

o   mood - different times of day, different seasons, different weathers

o   human connectivity - through boats, ferries etc, the bridge, walkways

o   flooding, and its power to destroy or could it be thought of as 'cleaning out', like giant dredge

o   what was the human relationship to the water/river before any bridges, wharves or buildings were built, or even before European settlement

Using the Seven Principles for Learning Places found on previous research, including comfort, aesthetics, flow, equity, blending, affordances and multi-use *, further refinement of the concept using water should be possible.

When asked what is needed to produce, Brett advised, the key concepts behind the original folie, plans, sections, vignettes, scale, form, light, etc, through diagrams, with little text.

I now have some idea of what to do and in which direction, so here’s hoping it’s ok.

*See post from March 28.