Thursday, 30 August 2012
Individual Project One Statement
Setting the Scene
Set in the years proceeding 2040, when the strategic dispersal of densified urban nodes throughout South East Queensland (SEQ) resulted in a controlled, connected framework of civic centres. This allowed for the decrease of personal car use, localised living and the increased use of efficient transport modes and systems.
Coupled with the technological advancements of the time and the increased adoption of online tools, a complete symbiotic relationship of a publicly accessible virtual overlay and a physically connected and wholesome built and natural environment now exists.
After a decline in the replacement of the ‘working-age generations’ some thirty years previous, it was identified that there was a desperate issue regarding the maintenance of the professional and skilled workforces necessary for the sustainable expansion and growth of the Brisbane area.
It is this educational sustainability that the architectural intervention aims to address with the implementation of a cross-generational, collaborative learning and facilitation Space.
Paddington Central Intervention
Through the combination of existing and new built form, greenspace and the addition of integral ‘social facilitators’, this intervention is not only a distillation of Paddington’s unique bohemian-esque identity, but will also be a gathering space for the Paddington community as a connected, interactive whole. A Place they will want to Be, and a Place that ensures a sense of belonging for all.
A vital component to the success of this intervention is its connections to other civic nodes throughout Brisbane, as well as the main CBD. It is these connections that provide the all important framework for the Brisbane area and later for SEQ and Queensland as a whole.
Not only will the spaces inherent to the intervention embody ideals of; humility, detail, conversation, facilitation and honesty, but they will also be flexible and adaptive to the changes Paddington will inevitably experience over Time.
First implemented in 2030, this is a Place designed to evolve with its community over Time, thus ensuring its place at the heart of Paddington and its citizens. It is a Place for experience, the passing of knowledge and community interaction. This architectural intervention is a Place for all and for all Time.
Project One PanelsGroup: Sian Farrel, Thomas Grist, Adelle Hanmer and Helen Ma
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
People and Lifestyles
Using the questions posed by Yasu regarding People and Lifestyles, I have aimed to address these in the simplest form possible. One can see from this exercise (however crudely executed) that even in the simplest form, complications arise when one increases the number of people one is designing for. I found it difficult to apply the same methodology used for 2 people, to 10,000 people which highlighted the importance of knowing the Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? How Many? of any design situation.
Filtering of Future Scenario Ideas
As I mentioned in the previous post, a process of filtering through the copious and varied scenarios put forth was necessary to attain the most logical and believable ones to include in our presentation. As our Paddington site exists; in a suburban context - in a regional context - in a state context - in a national context - and also in a world context - it was necessary therefore to have a heirarchy of possible scenarios for each of these contexts. I'm not saying that the scenarios and images listed below all exist simultaneously (although some could), I'm merely suggesting that all of these scenarios are possible and are tailored to each degree of Context.
World
 |
| Service Robots |
 |
| Extreme Weather |
 |
| Sea Level Rise |
National
 |
| Future Transport |
 |
| Over Population |
 |
| Renewable Energy Sources |
State
 |
| Food Factories |
 |
| Effect of Industry on Water-ways |
 |
| Unemployment |
Regional
 |
| Physical demands of the Virtual |
 |
| Higher Density Living |
 |
| Urban Sprawl |
Image References
Service Robots
Sea Level Rise
Extreme Weather Events
Future Transport
Over-Population
Renewable Energy Sources
Food Factories
#2 - http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/08/photogalleries/future-fish-farms-pictures/index.html
Future of our Water-ways
Unemployment
Urban Sprawl
Physical of the Virtual
Higher Density Living
Discarded Future Scenario Ideas
Having filtered down to a select few scenarios in each of the categories of; world, national, state and regional, the following dot-points aim to show the extent of which I started my brainstorming and research into 'future scenarios' when we didn't have a site or set parameters.
1 & 2 - http://www.globalchange.com/futureenvironment.htm
4 - http://www.globalchange.com/future-of-energy-wind.-solar-gas-oil-energy-industry-trends-in-europe.-keynote-speaker.htm
5 - http://www.globalchange.com/what-if-we-stop-ageing-impact-on-society-future-pharmaceutical-industry-health-care-keynote.htm
6, 7 & 8 - http://www.globalchange.com/clonech.htm
9 - http://theconversation.edu.au/2050-our-future-state-of-the-environment-report-2972
10 - http://foodforfuture.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/is-this-the-future-of-food-japanese-plant-factory-churn-out-immaculate-vegetables/
11 - http://www.gamefreaks.co.nz/2011/08/19/anno-2070-gc-trailer-uncovers-brave-new-world/
12 - http://www.environment911.org/55.Hydrogenase_Airship_of_the_Future
- sea level rise
- desertification
- embodied effect of the manufacturing and running of computer chips
- renewable energy sources
- slowing ageing process
- human cloning
- new race of genetically superior people
- transgenic species (animals, animal + human)
- extreme and varied weather events
- plant factories, animal factories, and water factories
- no longer inhabitable land (due to pollution, weather, desertification, nuclear war)
- futre transport
- dirty bombs
- Idiocracy-style society
- extinction of life on earth (plant and animal)
- robots (good or bad)
- totalitarian government
- aliens (good or bad, in control or under control)
- teleportation devices (personal) and affect on built environment
1 & 2 - http://www.globalchange.com/futureenvironment.htm
4 - http://www.globalchange.com/future-of-energy-wind.-solar-gas-oil-energy-industry-trends-in-europe.-keynote-speaker.htm
5 - http://www.globalchange.com/what-if-we-stop-ageing-impact-on-society-future-pharmaceutical-industry-health-care-keynote.htm
6, 7 & 8 - http://www.globalchange.com/clonech.htm
9 - http://theconversation.edu.au/2050-our-future-state-of-the-environment-report-2972
Thursday, 23 August 2012
Project Aim
The following paragraphs outline our group's underlying ideology and aim with regard to our future scenario and subsequent architectural interventions:
It has come to our attention over the past two weeks that there is a desperate need to change the perception of the urban sprawl prevalent in South East Queensland. There seems to be a negative mentality out there regarding the quality of what we design and plan.
The built environment and subsequent expansion of this through suburbia and into regional areas had continually come under unnecessary criticism, resulting in the current belief that whatever we build, design and plan if os sub-par, poor quality.
Instead of attempting to re-design and build new solutions to these problems, it would be far easier to first shift people's perception in a more positive manner. It is this paradigm shift in the way we see and approach Urban Sprawl as it is currently labelled, that can result in the steps being taken, and strategies and design interventions implemented to actually produce sustainable urban growth and expansion that is not only welcomed by society as a whole but also encouarges civic interaction.
Urban-http://www.mattsimner.com/2009/04/27/urban-oasis-t-shirt/
Renaming "Urban Sprawl"
Dictionary Meanings according to the Macquarie International English Dictionary (2004):
Urban - 'relating to or belonging to a City'
Urbane - 'showing sophistication, refinement, or courtesy' --> wouldn't it be nice if our cities and towns were sophisticated, refined and courteous? Perhaps thats what we should aim to achieve as Designers?
Urbanite - 'somebody who lives in a City or Town'
Urban Sprawl - 'the expansion of an urban area into areas of countryside that surround it' --> not neccessarily having negative connotations in its meaning, therefore we have applied negativity through malpractice?
Sprawl - 1. 'extend in disordered way. To extend over or across something in a disordered, awkward, or ugly way'
2. ' unchecked growth of urban area. The scattered, un-planned, and unchecked expansion of a town or city into surrounding coutryside'
--> so it is the addition of 'sprawl' to 'urban' that provides the negative connotations, therefore we need to replace this word.
Urban Synnonyms - civic, city, inner-city, metropolitan, municipal, town, built-up
Now to combine the two:
Urban - 'relating to or belonging to a City'
Urbane - 'showing sophistication, refinement, or courtesy' --> wouldn't it be nice if our cities and towns were sophisticated, refined and courteous? Perhaps thats what we should aim to achieve as Designers?
Urbanite - 'somebody who lives in a City or Town'
Urban Sprawl - 'the expansion of an urban area into areas of countryside that surround it' --> not neccessarily having negative connotations in its meaning, therefore we have applied negativity through malpractice?
Sprawl - 1. 'extend in disordered way. To extend over or across something in a disordered, awkward, or ugly way'
2. ' unchecked growth of urban area. The scattered, un-planned, and unchecked expansion of a town or city into surrounding coutryside'
--> so it is the addition of 'sprawl' to 'urban' that provides the negative connotations, therefore we need to replace this word.
Sprawl Synnonyms - ramble, spread, straggle, trail, cover, plaster, expand, extend
Now to combine the two:
- Urban Growth -->boring
- Urban Expansion --> not bad
- Urban Seep -->sounds grose
- Urban Permeation --> too long
- Urban Spread --? edible?
- Civic Cover -->insurance?
- Civic Expansion -->quite like
Tutorial: People and Lifestyles
After presenting our ideas regarding Urban Sprawl and ways to combat and improve this issue, it became evident that if we are to make Urban Sprawl a positive thing through the implementation of cultural and community-based Nodes, then we first need to change the way people perceive, feel and talk about Urban Sprawl. The first and main issue was the term itself. In today's society the prevalent Urban Sprawl is a negative thing because there is insufficient infrastructure, connectivity and cultural and community identity. If however we were to change this through wholistic design interventions (project 2?) and would use the current Urban Sprawl framework to provide a positive outcome, then the term itself would have positive connotations and could remain in use. However, a bad reputation is always a difficult thing to shake off so therefore a whole new term would be needed to satisfy the public that it really is a new, shiny positive urban situation. The following posts will take you through the process of this renaming, and the outcome will hopefully catch on through repetitive use and the 'goods to back it up' in time.
Urban-http://www.mattsimner.com/2009/04/27/urban-oasis-t-shirt/
Lecture: People and Lifestyles
Although this lecture was perhaps more relevant to Project 2, it was extremely helpful in providing a starting point from which to approach the Architectural Possibilities inherent to our site and future context. A number of questions listed below were put forth, and ideas regarding storyboarding and other representation techniques were conveyed. I would really love to do something other than the standard comic-style storyboards and perhaps make all four panels speak one cohesive story. We will have to work on this in our group however and I look forward to coming up with something I haven't attempted before. Following are questions about designing a space for 2 or more people in our future scenario...
- what will affect these people's lifestyles?
- are these people friends? colleagues? strangers? family?
- what to they want to do? their desires? their goals?
- what do they need? and how can they be provided for?
- are they there to eat? sleep? drink? enjoy? shop? rest? survive? to be separated? to be protected?
- what would 1000 people need?
- what would 10,000 people need?
- what happens to the space when scale of people increases?
- what if you don't know exactly who they are or what they need?
- how do we deal with 'indeterminacy'?
- how can we 'future proof' this space?
- what do people carry around with them?
- what if people could change parts of the space?
- how can machines contribute?
- how can we activate existing systems?
So many questions and so few answers right now. The following images portray how architects Jagnefalt Milton have tried to answer some of these questions in the past. The project is called A Rolling Masterplan.
Rolling-http://www.dezeen.com/2010/12/22/a-rolling-masterplan-by-jagnefalt-milton/
Thursday, 16 August 2012
#8 - Social Media
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, social networking sites have grown in popularity with 37% of users accessing these sites in 2009, up from 26% in 2008. The average age of social networkers was 35 years, and those who didn't use social networking site had an average age of 53 years. As can be seen by the graph below, the main modes of on-line communication consist of email, social networking sites and news feeds taking the top 3 spots. Bringing up the rear include; news feeds, instant messaging, blogs, internet phone calls and wikis.
Social networking with regard to smartphone use, shows that 61% of total smartphone use is for social networking by males, and 65% by females. The two graphs below are of great interest when comparing with each other. They show the marked difference in how and what males and females use their smartphones for.
 |
| http://blog.marginmedia.com.au/Our-Blog/bid/81865/Smartphone-Use-in-Australia-The-Advantage-for-Marketers |
#7 - On-Line Shopping
 |
| Internet User Increase since 1990 |
- 31% of people 65 years and over.
- 74% of people 15 years and over.
- 68% access from home.
- 35% access from the workplace (made up of 25-44yr olds).
- 84% of people aged 15-17yrs accessed from an educational institution.
In 2009, the domestic online retail sales for all sectors of the economy were estimated to have totalled between $19 and $24 billion. The most popular online purchases as of 2009 (as seen in the graph below) were travel goods, followed closely by entertainment events, concerts and movie tickets. The main reasons for making online purchases were; convenience, lower prices and wider availability of products. So the questions now remains, what physically shop?
I didn't find it surprising that men were more likely to make online purchases than women, as it is pretty widely known that the majority of men don't enjoy shopping as much as women. Perhaps this is an area if further investigation as to why do women shop? and why do they prefer to shop physically than virtually?
#6 - Technology
I find it quite fun visiting Futurist Blogs and websites and found one by Dave Evans 'Chief Futurist, CISCO IBSG Innovations Practice' to be of great interest and relevance to this project. He has listed his Top 25 Technology Predictions, however I have listed below only the ones of interest to me. You can find the whole list by following this link http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac79/docs/Top_25_Predictions_121409rev.pdf.
- By the end of 2010, there will be a billion transistors per human - each costing one ten-millionth of a cent.
- By 2020, a $1000 personal computer will have the raw processing power of a human brain.
- Today, we know 5 percent of what we will know in 50 years. In other words, in 50 years, 95 percent of what we will know will have discovered in the past 50 years.
- By 2010, 35 billion devices will be connected to the interent (nearly six devices per person on the planet).
- By 2020, universal langauge transition will be commonplace in every device.
- In the next five years, any surface will become a display. -> like Minority Report?
- By 2025, teleportation at the particle level will begin to occur.
- By 2030, artificial implants for the brain will take place.
- "People Power" - capturing kinetic energy from doing any number of activities.
- No passwords - use of biometric data such as facial recognition, retinal scans and voice files will make passwords obselete.
- Mind reading - headsets with sensors to read brain activity and recognise facial expressions. -> interesting possibilities for 'positive advertising' as touched on previous post about last week's tutorial activity
- No more digital divide - the gap between the haves and have-nots will cease to exist.
- Junk mail no longer 'junk' - spam will be so personalised, one will find it relevant to daily life. -> like our 'positive advertising' idea?
#5 - Migration
The two components that are used to determine population statistics include Natural Increase (the number of births minus deaths) and Net Overseas Migration (NOM). Coming under the Natural Increase heading are the components of fertility and life expectancy. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia's fertility rate has fluctuated greatly since 1961 to 2010 and is still below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman:
- 3.6 children per woman in 1961
- 1.9 children per woman in 1979 -> Baby Boomers?
- 1.72 children per woman in 2003 -> Baby Bonus?
- 1.98 children per woman in 2009
- 1.89 children per woman in 2010 -> end Baby Bonus? Enter GFC?
- 79.6 yrs for a Boy born in 2010
- 84.1 yrs for a Girl born in 2010
 |
| Character of Migration http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/15population.htm |
#4 - Economy
I found the Structure of Employment by Industry graph, courtesy of the Australian Bureau of Statistics below very interesting. It conveys what percentage of Australia's overall employment is taken up by each industry, with health, retail trade and construction taking the top three percentiles. It also shows predictions for these industries in the year 2040. Manufacturing and agriculture are the biggest losers in the future. These drops could be a result of a number of factors, both positive and negative, however one likely cause of manufacturing decrease could be a result of out-sourcing (something we are seeing more and more of today, as it is cheaper). Agricultural decreases could be due to urban sprawl, destruction of arable land or even the importation of food sources crippling the nation's own food industry. Whatever the cause for these future predictions, and the scenarios they suggest for our society in years to come, this graph gives a unique insight into these issues and allows us now, to generate as many possible future solutions as we can.
 |
http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/15population.htm
|
#3 - Urban Sprawl
Taken from the Queensland Government's Greenspace Strategy http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/greenspace-strategy-2011.pdf, the following images and graph paint a very poignant picture about the current state of our greenspaces and their relationship to the built environment. As shocking as a I found the first of these images to be, when coupled with the following graph and images, it becomes apparent as to why there is so little greenspace left in South East Queensland. These four images are reason enough to implement strategies now in order to preserve what South East Queensland is best known for.
 |
| SEQ Existing Community Greenspace Network |
 |
| Natural VS Built Environments |
 |
| SEQ Accessibility Factor |
 |
| SEQ Attractiveness Factor |
#2 - Climate
Taken from the CSIRO State of the Climate (2012) Report http://www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/documents/resources/TR_Web_Ch4.pdf, the following points of interest have been extracted from 4 scenarios that outline our possible future situation based on human activities such as: energy generation, transport, agriculture, land-clearing, industrial processes and waste production. Although each separate scenario as defined by the CSIRO resulted in different outcomes, I have extracted the best parts from all of them to make my own, hopefully sustainable, future scenario.
The State of the Climate (2012) Report, drew the following conclusions regarding regional patterns of climate change for the late 21st Century:
- There will be a rapid introduction of new and more efficient technologies.
- There will be capacity building and increased cultural and social interactions, with a substantial reduction in regional differences in per capita income.
- There will be an underlying theme of self-reliance and preservation of local indentity.
- There will be reductions in material intensity and introduction of clean and resource efficient technologies.
- There will be an emphasis on global solutions to economic, social and environmental sustainability, including improved equity.
- There will be local solutions to economic, social and environmental sustainability as well. This will be needed in order for it to eventually work nationally and globally.
 |
| Global Average Warming (based on 4 scenarios) |
- Greatest warming will occur over land and at high northern latitudes, and less warming will occur over the southern oceans and North Atlantic.
- Sea level pressure is projected to increase over the sub-tropics and mid-latitudes, and decrease over high latitudes due to a poleward expansion and weaking of the Hadley Circulation and a poleward shift of the storm tracks.
- Precipitation will generally increase in the wet tropics and over the tropical Pacific, with general decreases expected in the sub-tropics.
- Globally averaged mean water vapour, evaporation and precipitation are projected to increase.
- It is very likely that the duration, intensity and frequency of heatwaves will increase and cold periods and frosts will decrease.
- Instensity of precipitation events is projected to increase.
- Longer periods of rainfall in sub-tropical and mid-latitude regions.
- More frequent, intense tropical cyclones and associated extreme wind and rain are projected.
- A tendency for the drying of the mid-continental areas during summer, increasing risk of severe drought.
- Snow cover and sea ice extent are expected to decrease, glaciers and ice-caps are expected to lose mass and this will contribute to further sea level rise.
#1 - Population
Courtesy of the Australian Bureau of Statisticshttp://www.abs.gov.au/, the following points and graphs (from data attained in 2008) aim to outline the key issues regarding population in Australia and to also convey my thoughts on the issue by their being highlighted and accompanying annotations and thoughts:
- Influencing for better or worse, the structure and size of the population shape a nation's economy, society and environment.
- 'Australia's population in 2006 was 20.7 million people and is projected to increase to 35.5 million in 2056 and 44.7 million in 2101'.
- Australia's ageing population will result in tan overall median age increase from 36.6yrs in 2006 to 41.9yrs in 2056.
- There will be a greater proportion of people aged 65yrs and over in 2056. - there will be a huge focus on Aged Care in the future
- People aged 15-64yrs 'working age' will decrease from 67% in 2006 to 58% in 2056. - who will make up our workforce in the future then? Migrants? Robots? No-one?
- Population projections are based on current trends in fertility, life expectancy at birth, net overseas migration (NOM) and net interstate migration. - change any one of those dramatically and you would have an entirely different story.
- Natural increase in population (ie births, deaths etc) contributed to 139,500 people in 2007-07, while NOM contributed 177,600 people. - If going to increase even more, where do they live? How do we feed them? What kind of strain is this going to put on our energy and water supply?
 |
| Series B goes off current trends and above stats are based on this series. |
8 Key Areas for Investigation
As a result of last weeks tutorial activity and ensuing brainstorming sessions, I have identified 8 key areas of research and investigation. I believe these will aid greatly in defining possible future scenarios that are not only interesting, but are both logical and believable. The key areas are as follows and will be discussed in further posts:
- Population
- Climate
- Urban Sprawl
- Economy
- Migration
- Technology
- On-line Shopping
- Social Media
Reading Response: The Continual Partial Everywhere
With the creation of an 'aspatial experience' or a 'city in a city' this article looks at the effect social media is having on both the physical and virtual worlds. Ideas ranging from simultaneity to polluting electro-magnetic radiation, the only thing that I could really relate to was the need as outlined by artist Sarah von Sonsbeeck for 'aspatiality avoidance' or a 'right to silence' as proposed by her impenetrable tent. It has been a growing concern of mine that I might be getting left behind with regard to technology (especially smartphone technology) as friends, lecturers and even strangers all assume that everyone has a smartphone. For example, important information and required instant knowledge can (in some cases, and recently in another subject's lecture) only be accessed by QR codes...so I miss out? Its almost become a necessity to have a smartphone in order to be considered part of modern society, as in most cases people have done away with 'old' means of communication like calling, emailing, texting, or even face-to-face conversation in preference of social media.
I can appreciate however, the positives associated with these 'viral networks of social-services-in-space' and believe that they could be used to better understand other cultures and diversify our own social strictures. From a retail and marketing perspective, this 'city in a city' idea offers a whole new realm of possibilities. As long as the physical and virtual 'cities' can co-exist and intertwine cohesively, and ensuring that physical interaction and socialising is not completely replaced with the virtual, then I have no issue with people who choose to partake in this 'aspatial experience.'
I can appreciate however, the positives associated with these 'viral networks of social-services-in-space' and believe that they could be used to better understand other cultures and diversify our own social strictures. From a retail and marketing perspective, this 'city in a city' idea offers a whole new realm of possibilities. As long as the physical and virtual 'cities' can co-exist and intertwine cohesively, and ensuring that physical interaction and socialising is not completely replaced with the virtual, then I have no issue with people who choose to partake in this 'aspatial experience.'
Reading Response: How Buildings Learn
I found this reading both enlightening and highly beneficial to my approach to Design. The breaking down of built form and its relationship to Time, into the categories listed below, allows for a simple yet cohesive process to generating resilient architecture:
- Shell (structure - lasts the lifetime of building) - Architect, Engineer, Designer
- Services (cabling etc - replaceable) - Professional, Tradesman
- Scenery (layout and features - 5 years) - re-designable
- Set (furniture etc - months or weeks) - Occupant
" Thinking about buildings in this time-laden way is very practical. As a designer you avoid such classic mistakes as solving a five-minute problem with a fifty-year solution, or vice-versa. It legitimises the existence of different design skills - architects, service engineers, space planners, interior designers - all with their different agendas defined by this time-scale. It means you invent building forms which are very adaptive."
A scale relationship was also outlined that aids in defining who we design for in each particular component of the overall built form ie.
- Stuff -> Individual
- Space -> Tenants
- Services -> Landlord
- Skin -> Public
- Structure and Site -> Community
With regard to my own theme group and research pertaining to Suburban based issues, the following quote supports an idea that Urban Sprawl (identified now as a 'bad thing') might not be such a negative occurrence if we, as designers, can accommodate and design for it right now. Issues around food shortage, decreases in greenspace and agricultural land, and connectivity would be just a few of the areas designers would need to apply their expertise in order to change the way we see Urban Sprawl. I'll let you make up your own mind about what this extract means for you.
"Small lots will support resilience because they allow many people to attend directly to their needs by designing, building, and maintaining their own environments. By ensuring that property remains in many hands, small lots bring important results: many people make many different decisions, thereby ensuring variety in the resulting environment."
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
An Interesting Observation
Have you ever noticed the different colourations of lights in apartment buildings at night?
It is something we as designers have no control over, as we can only design the fixtures and fittings but ultimately it is in the hands of the inhabitant to choose the light bulb. And I have observed that this choice gives an identity and uniqueness to each building.
So much can be gleaned by this one observation about the inhabitants of each apartment block. Some units are glowing in cool, flourenscent blues, whilst others look cosy and inviting in warm yellows and oranges.
If you were an expert on lighting and up to date with what is available on the market, one could even deduce the more energy efficient households and the environmentally conscience inhabitants. From this observation, one could even determine an economic strata across the building or even compare mulitple.
Even the lack of lights or presence of christmas and party lights speaks volumes about the occupants, and therefore the character of the building.
It is something we as designers have no control over, as we can only design the fixtures and fittings but ultimately it is in the hands of the inhabitant to choose the light bulb. And I have observed that this choice gives an identity and uniqueness to each building.
So much can be gleaned by this one observation about the inhabitants of each apartment block. Some units are glowing in cool, flourenscent blues, whilst others look cosy and inviting in warm yellows and oranges.
If you were an expert on lighting and up to date with what is available on the market, one could even deduce the more energy efficient households and the environmentally conscience inhabitants. From this observation, one could even determine an economic strata across the building or even compare mulitple.
Even the lack of lights or presence of christmas and party lights speaks volumes about the occupants, and therefore the character of the building.
So when you're out and about at night, take a moment to observe the buildings around you and ask yourself:
"What do my lights say about me?"
 |
| http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiobaker/5075365918/ |
Monday, 13 August 2012
Tutorial: Sustainable Future
The frameworks outlined in the How to Measure Sustainability lecture, where the identification of a fundamental principle, sub-principles and pattern/s aid in the generation of holistic design outcomes, was utilised by our group to start a discussion on the sustainability issues for the key future scenario formed last week. Having chosen the Suburban theme, and therefore Paddington Central and the future of retail becoming our focus, we decided to look into the physical demands of the virtual world on the real world, and how we could more efficiently and effectively design for this. The following diagrams and figures aim to show our process over the duration of the tutorial.
As you can hopefully see from the above diagramming, the pattern of the modern shopping centre changed when we increased number and in-turn proximity of centres or Hubs as we now would like to call them, which resulted in the change of use of the parking areas and centre itself. What exactly these spaces will now look like in the year 2040 we haven't discussed yet, but two outcomes outlined above are two possible directions in which this project could continue.
The overall aim derived from this process, for our project, outlined the need for a paradigm shift in the way people think about and see Urban Sprawl. If we can implement 'something' now to enhance this issue, then there is no reason that Urban Sprawl can't be a very positive thing-resulting in Local Living, Cultural Hubs and the formation of rich Community Identities.
 |
| Above brainstorming identified key principles |
 |
| A Pattern was formed |
 |
| Modern application of Pattern |
 |
| Future application of New Pattern |
 |
| Possible Design Outcome 1 |
 |
| Possible Design Outcome 2 |
The overall aim derived from this process, for our project, outlined the need for a paradigm shift in the way people think about and see Urban Sprawl. If we can implement 'something' now to enhance this issue, then there is no reason that Urban Sprawl can't be a very positive thing-resulting in Local Living, Cultural Hubs and the formation of rich Community Identities.
Thursday, 9 August 2012
Reading Response: Urban Form and Locality
Since this article was written there has been a significant focus on sustainability when it comes to planning strategies of the built environment. Alot of the ideas put forth and discussed aren't new ot me, as DAB610 and previous Regional and Town Planning experience has made me quite aware of these ideas and discourse.
The paper evaluates current and future urban form with regard to:
I found the point that small, childless households are becoming more prominant (in Europe) quite interesting, and it got me thinking about the possible ramifications for the built environment. Alot like the movie "Children of Men" starring Clive Owen and Jodie Foster where the human race has become infertile and face eventual and certain extinction, however I believe it would offer more opportunity to evaluate this film from a design perspective.
I would have to say that the one part of this paper that really resonated with me would have to be the following quote. I just feel that it is an all-encompassing justification for action and for 'greenification' strategies to be put in place NOW, not in 5, 10, 15 years, but NOW!!
The paper evaluates current and future urban form with regard to:
- Dispersal and Concentration (towns vs cities)
- Segregation and Mixed-Use (placement and distribution of industry and commerce)
- Settlement Density (low vs high)
- Shape (depending on transport emphasis and types)
I found the point that small, childless households are becoming more prominant (in Europe) quite interesting, and it got me thinking about the possible ramifications for the built environment. Alot like the movie "Children of Men" starring Clive Owen and Jodie Foster where the human race has become infertile and face eventual and certain extinction, however I believe it would offer more opportunity to evaluate this film from a design perspective.
I would have to say that the one part of this paper that really resonated with me would have to be the following quote. I just feel that it is an all-encompassing justification for action and for 'greenification' strategies to be put in place NOW, not in 5, 10, 15 years, but NOW!!
"Why should we green the cities? Because man needs beauty: he needs nature, trees, greenery, birds, squirrels, the changing of the seasons, the links to the soil. Because we need space for leisure, to recreate mind and soul, to run, play, fish, cycle, relax and socialise. Becuase the green can be productive of food, of timber, of energy, of pure water, of benign microclimates."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)