A Forced Landscape; Intensive Studio

The aim of this studio initially comes as quite a shock to the regimented way in which we are taught to design. There is no brief, no site, no program or function, no client. Instead we are directed to dissolve our beliefs about urban design and rebuild it from a different perspective. Relearn how to design, communicate and understand architecture.
It is with this that I wish to quote Mies, “We refuse to recognize the problems of form, but only problems of building, form is not the aim of our work but only the result, form by itself does not exist, form as a name is a formalism and that we reject." in a way one can look at this studio like this. A Forced Landscape is driven by catalysts that occur during the exploration of a site. Through this an almost story, a language is derived; a site and a context of subject matter begin to emerge and ways of approaching design from a new perspective accumulate. 


It is at this point I will direct you to my own journey through this studio.


“Since reality left the floor, let anyone who has anything to say come forward and keep his mouth shut.” Mies

Forced landscape

Closing the G.A.P. 
Generating Alternative Perceptions

Human nature is to be less attentive to the smallest matters and the smallest things in the world; which as a collective make up the greater, the larger and the more noticeable. In the physical built environment, buildings are constructed through the assembly of smaller segments.

In all spaces there are micro-spaces and micro-objects that are barely discernible. What cannot be perceived or not distinct in fact has a greater function and beauty. Delving into this world we see that what is deemed as insignificant has a great potential. Working at a micro scale reveals the many processes, systems and details that occur without being seen.

URBAN WARFARE VIDEO

Closing the Gap is an analytical exploration of Urban development through the experiential.

Exploration of the relationship that exists between “Micro Spaces” and “monolithic constructs that surround them”. 

Initially this is my response to the site. I tried to present the relationship between the monoliths and a personal experience of the area through warped perspective.

The Micro Spaces, Spaces between spaces or voids within voids can be described as having a nihilistic presence. They exist but any Urban dialogue is crushed by an amalgamation of Micro environments that exist within the space and the sheer urban presence that surrounds them. 

uncompleted model. Representations of two spatial existences that co-exist. both the journey through the area, and a level above in which only the monoliths can pass through. Based on the concept of the Nolli map

The "ven-diagram" explores the relationship between the voids that exist on two planes of existence. The lower spatial areas of the city and the elevated area within the city. 

Ideals of humanity have moved forward into mass production in which these spaces have adapted or been mutilated through changing trends of Urban development and architectural trends. Electrical place, the area itself is an amalgamation of programs, social, business, and pedestrian.  

Forced landscape will circulate around the idea of closing the gap between Urban mass production and the muted spaces within the laneway itself. Through a further mutation of the area and an adaption with the inclusion of the structural visuals found within the glass monoliths. 


Visual and "Ven-Diagram" development

The aim of the Ven-diagram is to initially define the voids that exist within the spacial environments of the Forced Landscape. The visual development is a crucial step in deciding key moments and aspects of the area. The idea of a Forced Landscape becomes more about the mutation of either the tower or the alley.  I aimed to close the gap through flattening the image into a 2dimensional aspect so as to metaphorically bring the building and the alley together. 

Through this visual analysis of the alley I attempted to close the gap even further through a number of visual stimuli in which the gap between the gritty and the clean becomes closed. I approached this through typology in an attempt to both represent the fragility of the relationship but also a sense of hostility as the two separate environments are drawn closer together.

My last visual test was to insert the 3-dimesnsionality of the monolithic structures into the alleyway through stencilling in which they are rendered completely flat and perhaps the gap begins to close and the visual relationship between the towers and the alleyway become stronger and more prominent.

The Nature of graffiti in itself is fleeting. As an art piece it exists only so long as others that interact with it presume to allow it to. Therefore I thought that the placing of the artwork be of upmost importance in which a strong visual relationship could be formed either over a long period of time or a brief moment.

The finalised conceptual idea was to place the graf into the alleyway through key moments and then frame it. It then becomes in itself like the relationship between the alleyway and the monoliths an oxymoron.

The bin is central object within this laneway. It comes and goes but the micro-object exists and functions at all times within the laneway. It is through this insignificant object that I chose to represent the vertical relationship that exists in this alley way. This relationship I found to be the most interesting because it is the most prominent relationship that can be derived from the path so I chose to represent it on the most fleeting object within the Mirco-environemnt.