Learning how to get ideas...and design with narrative!
A series of approaches
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This is an intense all-rounded studio doing masterplanning, architecture designing, construction drawing tracing, quote writing, essay writing, sketching equipped with multitude references from articles, texts, poems, movies, paintings, architecture site visits, lectures, events.
"I'm teaching you how to teach yourselves."-PC
Dolphin-Human Park (Pair)
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Site: Webb Dock
Based on the research of the nature of dolphin and its relationship with human. This stage involves developing a brief, familiarising with programmes and scale of site.
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Human life is depicted by the rectilinear city blocks at the northeast. Visitors experience the everyday city life, reflect and contemplate the inhumane actions towards dolphin. Few spaces offer glimpse of dolphin life in the Burrunan Cove.
A river axis cuts through from Port Philip Bay to the cove. The axis becomes the first stage of human-dolphin interaction where dolphins are saved from beaching, that is harmful to their internal organs.
The relationship becomes more intimate towards the south of the park. Floating open music theatre dominates at the rounded center. Restaurant and cafes in a form of helix with gardens in between at the west. The east opens to several dolphin entrances for education and research. The south contains pods of different sizes for weekly dolphin treatment while the rounded enclosure beneath serves as autism treatment cove.
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A comic strip is created as a narrative for the Masterplan based on the in-depth study of dolphin and the harmonious relationship with human. A brief is created through an informal letter from Margaret to Peter(the dolphin) after the disconnection of NASA laboratory research programme.
​The Letter
Dear Peter,
I’m sorry we had to part ways; it was out of my control. The funding for our research was cut due to John C Lily’s alternative experiments conducted in the research villa in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, which were perceived as a waste of time by NASA and the US Navy. I write to you today because I wish to tell you about a dream I had. I was in a world where dolphins and humans were among each other. Together, playing, learning and enjoying each other’s company with relationships farming all around. There was a separate space for each species where they can go about their day to day activities.
In the human space the path that they take would educate the humans through a series of emotions, from celebrating what the humans have achieved to pondering the destruction they have caused at a spiral surrounded by walls, filled with horrors of human activity. They are then forced on the walk of reflection leading to a view point, the moment when human is enthralled with ecstacy when a dolphin fly out of water. As they dispense from this, their movement becomes organic, due to the nature surrounding and lack of pathways. Human and dolphin met for the first time, sharing knowledge. Humans learn how dolphins live in the wild.
Understanding strengthened bond. Some people even have dolphin friends, go swimming together in weekend, watch movie at the underwater theatre, play music on music stands! As the space goes out towards the sea the interaction spaces become intertwined; one side for leisure and the other side for research, farming and healing. Out on the edge of water facing the sea was a space where humans and dolphins were able to heal each other, one where the human can cure virus or stitch up a cut that the dolphin had and dolphins helped people with autism to better their interaction skills.
The whole space portrayed the smartest species of land and ocean coming together to educate each other. It was in Melbourne, Australia, the nation known for its mateship, egalitarian nature and the land of opportunity.
With Love,
Margaret Howe
The Conflicting Park (Pair)
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Site: Webb Dock
Article: Cricket by Gideon Haigh; Main Idea: Ownership
Site Visit: Australian Gardens and Royal Botanic Gardens
Sketch: Samurai Sword Shields from 'Bushido' at NGV, Through-window and Statue at MCG
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The Cricket article by Gideon Haigh argues on whether the coach or the player should seek responsibility towards the player’s achievement.
The Royal Botanical Gardens and Australian Garden, both take a character of old and new respectively. Their architectural features are analysed and deconstructed into a list of spatial description.
Working from 3 overture points, both character is introduced with their basic form, then dispense to the west and east peninsula where their traits mix. The mixture represents the ambiguous state of ownership between the coach and the player. The ambiguous state then purifies, to their own distinctive trait at the end, taking autonomy on their character. Both peninsula is separated by the void tension at the center.
The Deciding Points (Individual)
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Site: Webb Dock
Text: French Revolution; Main Idea: Power
Sketch: ULM Stool from ULM School of Design Exhibition, Frei Otto's Pavilion of the Federal Republic of Germany
Quote: by Marchall Berman and Karl Marx
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The study of French Revolution brought my interest into the character of Robespierre, whose personality changed from a socialist to a terror. He conducted mass massacre and believed that terror and punishment could reform the society. That absolute autonomy is portrayed in the dreadful curvaceous long walk visitors are forced to walked into reaching a destination. It is surrounded by inaccessible lawns so no shortcut can be taken.
An axis cuts the center to varied destination allowing people to make choices. Another axis stretches to the south dividing the autonomous and the democratic(rectilinear). Diverging path emerges from the contemplation points(vast red) leading to both destinations.
A central voice at the highest point of the park is the confluence of the autonomous and democratic forces, where balance of ownership results.
The Dolphin Dilemma (Pair)
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Site: Webb Dock
Article: 'Selling Point' by Peter Schjeldahl; Main Idea: Unexpected Ordinary
Detail drawing exercise: 1:5 wall detail
Movie: The Shining by Stanley Kubrick
Quote: by Julian Barnes
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The ‘Selling Point’ article by Peter Schjeldahl describes the way Jeff Koon as an artist works. Koon uses everyday objects and manipulate them with subtle move yet provokes thought. A set of issues are raised in concern with the role of a dolphin park;
Should the park be a dolphin park? Should dolphin be trapped for human entertainment? Should dolphin species be hybridised to prevent its extinction? Should theme park and global harbour be set against the dolphin?
Visitors entering the park have a preconceived idea to watch dolphin, to be entertained, but they are drawn to a vast empty lake. Dolphins are the central character of the park instead of human. Dolphins are given choices to be entraped in the cove or to roam freely(red). Dolphins roam at the west of the park to explore stages of human life at child care, theme park, church and cemetery. The exploration creates awareness of human threat and decides whether to stay in contact or to live independently. New Zealand species have a special entrance for hybridization with local dolphin species.
No Turning Back (Pair)
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Site: Webb Dock
Excerpt: 'War and Peace' by Tolstoy; Main Idea: Taking risks
Sanatorium Plan based on the analysis of The Overlook Hotel from The Shining
Sketch: Medieval garden, Renaissance garden, Baroque garden, 20th century garden
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The ‘War and Peace’ article by Tolstoy discusses the difference of life by those who chose to take risk and those who decided to remain safe in harbour. ‘The Leopard’ by Visconti shows the change in administration from old fashioned aristocracy to a modern unified Italy. A young man from Ted Talk inspired the audiences on the beauty of following his dream despite challenges faced in space exploration.
The park encourages hospice patients to take part in a series of adventure with dolphin. The encounters naturally builds optimism which is important in the acceptance of their own sickness and treatment.
A sunken research centre dominates the center. An axial walkway crosses the bay, focussing on a single viewpoint at the center. It is similar to Versailles garden due to the horizontality of the low-lying flower beds. Dolphin jump across at the walkway unexpectedly. Waterfall and dangerous whirlpool at the center of the bay are other adventurous spaces in the park. Yarra river is kept from mixing with the bay to maintain the content of freshwater.
Army's Half Way Home (Pair)
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Site: Webb Dock
Poem: 'Auguries of Innocence' by William Blake; Main Idea: Immortal
Text: 6X Epigrams
Sketch: Samara Adamson-Pinczewski's 'Green Slide, 2012', Abstraction 13
Section Drawing: Ledoux's Water Authority, House of Agricultural Guards, Woodcutter's House
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A few excerpt is taken from the poem ‘Auguries of Innocence’ by William Blake to improve an existing Masterplan developed by our classmate, Mr. Benson. He sees death as immortal. Frame at the perimeter separates the park from the surrounding waters, creating a mini utopia.
Our improved proposal is a transition for armies from war back to the normal life, strengthening the idea of vitality. Spaces at the south includes the harbour for armies to dock and camp, followed by religious and sacred spaces to commemorate death. The north caters daily activity where market, fishing, backyard and picturesque garden, amphitheatre prepares them to normal life. They also provide opportunity for the army’s wife and child to sustain independent life while he is on duty. The west portion is where armies take pride of their duty by conducting dolphin training.
Sanatorium at the center takes the temporal structure of Frei Otto as a symbolic meaning towards seeing death and healing sickness as a temporal condition. There is an afterlife.
Dolphin Bend (Individual)
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Site: Webb Dock
Article: Surrealism and Don Watson's article The Bush
Masterplan + Sanatorium + Dolphin Research Clinic based on NASA Research and Picasso's Minotaur
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Park designed based on Surrealism and Don Watson’s article, ‘The Bush’. The entire park is separated from the mainland, as floating peninsulas. Entrance to the park is mysterious, as the overview is blocked by a massive hill. Visitors walk along the ridge, then to the cave. Coming out from the cave gives a sudden burst of light. The experience is similar to when climbing from the crypt to the observation point in The Shrine.
The journey begins with a sense of lost in desolation. One explores the place in the spirit of bushranging at camping, picnic and garden areas. They then reach to dolphin and human memorial points before approaching the visitor interpretive centre. Flippers and underground trenches are underwater lookout points to wild and captive dolphins.
3 parallel axial lines draws the main sacred spaces together; the dolphin’s arc line of the visitor interpretive centre, the sanatorium (scarlet) and dolphin research clinic(scarlet), and the dolphin memorial.
Sanatorium in Webb Dock (Individual)
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The project takes the idea of symbolism from Water Authority (1773-1779) by Ledoux. Water gushing the heart of the sanatorium where the doctor and nurses’ office are located symbolizes the tireless effort of the doctor and nurse in providing optimism for the patients towards the battle of their sickness.
Journey in the building begins from the double volume darkness that is dimly lit only by little gaps between the radiating individual spaces. The brightness increases into a burst of light at the end of the axis in the shape of a loop. The end features a diving spot into the deep lake wheren patients can dive experiencing the same excitement as speed swimming dolphins have. The tall shaft at the Chamber of Secrets is where their confession letters are left buried.
Dolphin Research Clinic in Webb Dock (Individual)
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Picasso’s Minotaur exemplifies the duality of nature with opposing, but equally compelling forces of power and tenderness.
This is represented by the opposing front and back faces of the research clinic. An authoritative, symmetrical front represents the raw power of minotaur with the groping desire to see. It faces the open sea where wild dolphins live. The lightweight shelter at the back side of the research clinic represents the tenderness of the girl and her brave desire to see. It faces the captive dolphin pool.
Power and tenderness portrays the duality in the upbringing of dolphin; being self-trained in the danger of wilderness and being human-trained in captivity respectively. Despite the different upbringing, both faces similar degree of challenge.
Wandering If I'll Be Invinsible One Day by Patrick Doherty
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Top Left: A ruler in colourful dotted pyjamas, standing in front of a rose window in a Medieval castle tower watching people falling from the top. It shows the subconscious state of the ruler, unaware of the downfall of his own society. Rose window unveil his status as a person in the top of the medieval social hierarchy.
Bottom Left: A demon in red shines and uncover the bad conduct in society. Hybridized human with ears of an elf and antlers, sitting on tiger-headed decorated throne drowning the weak. Commoners are set to punishment at the background.
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Top Right: A man of an older generation at a distance looking towards younger generation under a waxing crescent moon. It shows the neglect of older generation by younger generation. Waxing crescent is the moon phase that is expanding in illumination symbolizing growth and hopes put in the child. The hero in mask is the saviour of humanity from sins but is slowly disappearing. Viewers are provoked to reflect on the Australian society today.
Bottom Right: Nature and human shifts role. Indoor shows the duck being upscaled, defeating the harmful snake. Human is downsized into a decor on the tree. Outdoor shows human living on branches, in the wild.
Pavilion of the Federal Republic of Germany by Frei Otto
Balsa Wood Model and Section Drawing based on Article Fair Play by Alan Bennett
Balsa Wood Model based on movie L' Avventura by Michelangelo Antonioni and song 'I Get Along You Very Well' by Goagy C.
Samurai Sword Shields from 'Bushido' National Gallery Victoria
Claude Nicolas Ledoux's Woodcutter's House, Agricultural Guard's House and Water Authority
Ned Kelly's Helmet
With's Park by Mary Stevenson from Melbourne State Library
