Directed Studio Abroad Helsinki 2014

ŠAzrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, Carleton University, 2014 Booklet design: Ema Graci, M.Arch candidate No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, Carleton University.

Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism Carleton University 202 Architecture Building 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6 t. +1 613 520 2600 f. +1 613 520 2849 e. architecturegrad@carleton.ca www.carleton.ca/architecture http://issuu.com/azrielischoolofarchitecture

This booklet showcases work by Master of Architecture students on a Directed Studio Abroad (DSA) in Helsinki, Finland, during the first winter months of 2014.

The DSA is a crucial component of the M.Arch program at the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism. It allows students to engage a world city over the course of an entire term, thereby learning from and contributing both to an important local architecture culture while exploring the myriad global links – whether in terms of climate, building techniques, or geopolitics – between Canada and other nations.

Through these experiences, students contribute in lasting ways to graduate education at Carelton University. In many cases, the DSA provides a foundation toward M.Arch Thesis projects in the final year of the program. In all respects, it offers another path along the myriad forces shaping the built environment and human needs around the world.

The New Academy Tuomas Toivonen and Nene Tsuboi, NOW Office, Helsinki “Education, not entertainment for the masses is the answer! I say, send back the elephants and hippopotami. (Already I see lions and elephants strolling off decks into the foothills of Africa, amazed.) No subject will be too minute. Your garbage man will address you in a dead language, barbers’ razors will describe a philosophical point.” Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus (AD 15-68) The studio will run several parallel projects. A Stair Compendium I: collection of interesting stairs from the city compiled into a small publication; each student selects, documents, and describes three stairs of their own choice. Merihakaniemi: an unsolicited proposal for the transformation of the urban waterfront between the Hakaniemi Market and Kulttuurisauna. Mirabilia Helsingiensis (...continued): an expanding set of postcards depicting non-canonic architectural wonders of Helsinki in the spirit of Gianbattista Piranesi’s work on the magnificence of Rome; each student produces one postcard. A Personal Architecture: a joint studies course with Aalto University department of architecture theory.

Tim Burwell 100800543

Past: Church Revitalization - Taken from a 3rd year project which I have recently revisited, this project showcases my interest in the merging of historic and modern architecture.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Tim Burwell Life: If I am to look back on my life the most predominant events which have shaped who I am today relate to my family. Being the eldest of 7 kids, I have grown up looking after and being looked up to by my younger siblings. This has taught me the importance of leadership, responsibility, and character, all of which I strive to carry out even when not at home. I believe this has shaped me immensely in my work ethic and goals for my future. I understand how to work and get along with people, how to work effectively, and how to enjoy the process. I strive to do my best in everything, and in my architecture work I strive to always improve and outdo myself.

Work: For a number of reasons I have not yet had the opportunity to work in a professional architecture setting. Therefore much of my work focuses more on the visual portrayal of my buildings projects rather than a technical viewpoint. I am a perfectionist in my schoolwork, and am always seeking to continually improve upon my skills and design sense. The creation of a portfolio showcasing my work has been a long drawn out affair, which I have very much enjoyed. I am constantly seeking not perfection, but to continually push myself to produce the best work that I possibly can. In this way my work has become my passion, and a great source of joy in my life.

Future: Inspirational Work - The work of Bjarke Ingels Group has had a large influence on the way in which I view and approach architecture and each architectural project.

Motivation: I believe I have a very strong design sense, and am passionate about transferring my love for design into the work world as an architect. I do not have a specific direction in which I hope to aim towards, however I do know I want to do architecture for a purpose. Having grown up in a small city, I am slowly becoming accustomed to large city living, and in doing so I have become intrigued with public urban space.

I hope that the projects I do in the future will benefit the urban environment, and have a positive impact on the cityscapes they reside in.

Thesis: My thesis topic has gradually shifted over the course of this last semester, and I am still very unsure at this point just where I will go with it. Inherent within all of my undergraduate work has been a theme of sustainability through recycling and reuse, and I see this translating most evidently to a thesis topic in the area of adaptive reuse. I am fascinated with the renovation and conversion of historic and sometimes dilapidated architecture into buildings which encompass modern living with historic beauty. The city of Helsinki seems to me to be a perfect place from which I can soak up an understanding of what it means to live in a historic city, and how modern architecture can improve and accentuate the existing fabric. My future thesis project will hopefully showcase this kind of approach to architecture, merging the old with the new.

Presentation on Reijo Jallinoja and Terassitalo, an apartment building that he designed in Helsinki. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Tim Burwell

Axonometric drawing of Kuninkaanportti stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Tim Burwell Kuninkaanportti Location Suomenlinna Completion 1754 Architect Carl Hürleman Material Granite, sandstone, marble Built as the monumental entrance gateway to the island fortress on the site where King Adolf Frederick of Sweden landed in 1752 to inspect the ongoing construction works. The King’s Gate links bastion Lantingshausen and the Kustaanmiekka shore fortifications, and is set in a semioval concave section of the wall. The ascending convex steps invite up from the pier to the drawbridge and the rusticated gateway.

Beside it is an inscribed weathered marble plaque that reads: From wilderness have these wolf-isles been transformed into a Sveaborg. Posterity, stand here on your own foundation, and do not rely on foreign help.

Axonometric drawing of X stairs.

X stairs Location Käenkuja, north-west from Sörnäisten rantatie Completion Unknown Architect Unknown Material Stone, concrete The X-shaped staircase bridges the height differential between the two levels of the narrow Käenkuja street making accessible Katri Vala park from Sörnäisten rantatie. Its unique shape allows pedestrians to enter from all four corners, and converge on the central landing.

Right: Final poster.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Tim Burwell Task: A metropolitan high-rise that includes everything for the contemporary individual - incorporate element of faith into urbanity… “Downtown [Athletic/Bible/Night/Science/Food/Family] Club” ---- Read Koolhaas’s Delirious New York: “Down Town Athletic Club” and Hugh Ferriss’Metropolis of Tomorrow “Churches Aloft” --- make your project as an homage to these to two seminal NYC projects. Battery Park Tower: Tower Power: Battery Park Tower is designed as homage to two seminal NYC projects; “Downtown [Athletic/ Bible/Night/Science/Food/Family] Club”, and Hugh Ferriss’ Metropolis of Tomorrow, “Churches Aloft”.

The challenge arose as how to incorporate a modern church design into a high-rise tower, whilst still maintaining a connection to the public realm below. The answer was simply to connect the two. The project incorporates an incredibly large range of program, split between public and private functions. Thus Battery Park Tower quite simply is two towers meshed into one. A full height atrium stretches the entire 117 stories, vertically connecting all public amenities to one another. Residential and office spaces occupy the other half of the tower, preserving their own privacy whilst still maintaining a connection via the incredible glass elevators which make up the buildings core.

Ben Connolly 100763254

Past: Weathered Barn. 10 July 2012, Whitewater County forests, Ontario. HDR Photograph.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Ben Connolly Life: Is architecture intricately linked to a cultural identity? I believe so. For this reason I have sought travel and discomfort in an effort to find exposure to the Genuine. My travelling emerges from a fear of stagnation and a desire to understand other cultures through a lens on their lives – reaching under the skin, rather than looking from above. In travelling I have come to appreciate the act of living out of a backpack, literally taking only that which you can physically carry. There is a freedom in how one can simply decide to leave for a destination, and then simply go there. I find solace in not knowing what will happen in the journey, but being at peace knowing that I will reach a destination. I seek the discomfort to find the rewards of the unworn path, to appreciate the oneness it provides and the solace it instills.

Work:: At the time of this writing I have two years of professional architectural experience. The majority of this took place at Shoalts & Zaback Architects Ltd. in Kingston, Ontario as a Junior Designer/Intern Architect. There I learned the complete consultation/design process outside academia, and was given my first set of responsibilities to projects that will be breaking ground. Outside of architecture, I have officiated ice hockey for ten years, seven at the junior level below the Canadian Hockey League (top non-professional league in the world). At this level, athletic careers can be made and lost in the split-second moments on the ice – by virtue of both the players and the referees. The pressure in the heat of the game can therefore be a heavy load at times; hoawever, this is what I have now decided to seek out for the satisfaction that comes with ensuring the integrity of the game is upheld. I hope to gain employment in the EU for the summer months to expand on my domestic work experience in Canada and to broaden my views of architecture and design through this.

Future.

Motivation: I have two essential interests in the field of architecture: 1) Vernacular Architecture & Critical Regionalism: I spent much of my undergrad studying these topics under Brian MacKay-Lyons, and have come to appreciate the way it can project the essence of a people/ community outwardly. I advocate for the “plain modern” approach to designing with conviction for a genuine architecture.

2) Parametric Design: As the world becomes more complex via exponentially increasing relationships between people/communities/countries, the global network is constantly strengthening and requires an architecture that can react to it and provide the commensurate level of design complexity management. I have only been exploring parametric design for about eight months now, but have come to appreciate its efficiency in the design process and its ability to create forms that might otherwise not be possible.

The key criticisms of vernacular architecture are its small scale, the risk of kitsch, a lack of contemporary technological solutions, etc. while the criticism of parametricism is its divergence towards style, lack of realism, unresolved details, etc.

I’d like my contribution in the field of architecture to search for the benefits of both vernacular architecture/ critical regionalism and find a common ground between them. In this, I hope to establish an architecture that holds the meaning of a place within the parametric design. The parametric design should not look to create a complex image – rather, the parametric design should be the complex image.

Thesis: With Scandinavian architecture, I am particularly interested in how the different nations design their urban fabric to enhance the connection to land based on their vernacular traditions within the realm of critical regionalism. There are inherent benefits to continuing their tried-and-true methods of building design and construction. However, it is impossible to ignore the fact that the contemporary technological revolution offers alternatives that can significantly enhance many processes of building. Parametric architecture has emerged as a viable design process that can address many problems resulting from computational data related to site, form, intent, etc. How then can one incorporate a process of parametric design that will still respect the vernacular traditions of a people that will preserve and respect their identity?

Presentation on Reima and Raili Pietil채 and Dipoli, a student assembly building that they designed in Otaniemi, Espoo. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Ben Connolly

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Ben Connolly

Axonometric drawing of Kotiharju stairs.

Kotiharju Location Harjutorinkatu 1 Completion 1928 Architect Uno Valhelm Material Concrete, wood The stairs inside Kotiharjun Sauna serve prominantly as a communal seating area; wood slats are used to make a distinction between the steps and the seating area. Built in 1928, the sauna has maintained its original architecture throughout its history, and is the oldest functioning wood-burning public sauna in Helsinki. In the men’s sauna (pictured), an additional balcony-like structure called piippuhylly has been added to offer an even more elevated spot for those bathers who are seeking the hottest lÜyly.

Museum of Finnish Architecture Location Kasarmikatu 24 Completion 1899 Architect Magnus Schjerfbeck Material Marble, stone, concrete, wrought iron An initial design proposal included a grand butterfly staircase but was later rejected. As the stairwell space had already been created to fit larger, more complicated stairs, the current staircase was designed to fill the available void. Now the staircase functions as the central circulation at the Museum of Finnish Architecture, leading all the way to the former gymnasium hall on the top floor that now serves as the museum’s archive.

On the one of the lowest landings, Reima Pietilä’s large wooden sculpture, Jättiläisen jalka (Giant’s Foot), is shown in its current position. It seems to have been forgotten there, and due to its heavy weight and fragility, it remains in limbo, forgotten on its way either towards immortality or oblivion.

Above: Axonometric drawing of Museum of Finnish Architecture stairs.

Right: Plan of Museum of Finnish Architecture stairs.

Left: Photograph of Museum of Finnish Architecture stairs.

Above: Axonometric drawing of Large Meeting Place stairs.

Left: Photograph of Large Meeting Place stairs.

Large Meeting Place Location Kampintori square Completion 1998 Artist Ernst Billgren Material Brick, stone, concrete, cast iron, bronze, metal panels This short set of stairs stages a platform that overlooks the Kampintori square. The little brick house anchored in the stairs is a reinterpretation of mountain cabins by Swedish artist Ernst Billgren. It is meant to serve as a point of orientation at the human scale in a square that is surrounded by large buildings.

Section cuts of 3-D model.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Ben Connolly Task: Design a smoke sauna for 20 people in Seurasaari. Study history of Sauna and Kiuas (sauna stove) and the vernacular architecture collected in Seurasaari- based on research, construct and present an argument for design of a new sauna on the island. The drivers for the design are: traditional building techniques, dynamics of heat, steam and air in the sauna bath and stove, experience and atmosphere of building, energy system.

Final poster drawings in progress.

Above: Appendix A: Sauna energy diagram.

Right: Final poster.

at (møs) phere : Seurasaari Island, Helsinki, Finland How can a smoke sauna in Helsinki create a sense of place and communal introspection? The secluded area of Seurasaari Island presents a microsite in the city that can serve as a test proposal. The project revolves around the fire and stones as the centre to all aspects of the sauna cycle. The parti is developed from the simplest building elements on the site: stone and wood. Two split pieces, one as the central sauna and one covering the rest of the building program, arranged to offer a secluded intermediate area between them.

The major axis are oriented towards the existing access path from the North, and towards the water in the West as the representative elements of both cooling and steam (löyly). The form is based on vernacular traditions reinvented with contemporary ideas and materials. The master section was developed after creating a schematic section drawing on the progressive technical aspects of necessary sauna standards (Appendix A).

The project seeks to present an atmosphere of solitude in the natural environment that reflects the ethos of the traditional sauna in a contemporary way.

“We believe there is a shared Nordic Common Ground, best understood as a profound relation to nature and an understanding of our social responsibilities.” - Haugen/Zohar Arkitekter (NOR)

Linda Dervishaj 100739934

Past.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Linda Dervishaj Life: Growing up in Toronto was something like traveling around the world without ever leaving the city; A city with a broad multicultural population – it taught me a lot about the world, and inspired a love for traveling and exploring different places, cultures and languages. Visiting new places, offers me a new perspective on the world and they I view it; it gives me inspiration and is my favorite way to learn about history, cultures, myself and of course architecture. Travelling speaks to the impulsive side of me, a leap into the unknown at a moments notice. I’ve always very active, making competitive sport an important part of my life. It provides me with discipline, teamwork and energy that is difficult to find elsewhere. I also have a great appreciation for art, in many forms – literature, film, music, dance. I regularly work with different professionals and artists to participate in exhibitions and am continuously seeking opportunities to learn and new ways of self-expression.

Work: Since completing my undergraduate studies in architecture in 2007 I have had the opportunity to work with several architecture practices in Toronto, gaining a wide range of experience and developing my skills and understanding of architecture and construction. In March of 2009 I joined a multidisciplinary team of architects, urban designers, landscape architects and planners at Brook McIlroy, where I became involved in a variety of exciting projects. My experience with projects varying in scale from small renovations to large scale urban design has given me a thorough and sobering understanding of architecture and the demands of our urban centres. I have a very strong design background and am very well versed on all phases of design and construction from conception to completion. I’m experienced in managing architecture and urban design projects. My exposure to the practice has shown me that good architecture comes from a place of collaboration between different disciplines – something I believe will continue to carry importance in my future research and development in the profession. I am fluent in digital forms of representation and have a strong understanding of the preparation of construction documents, contract administration and closeout procedures and can confidently see projects through completion. Most importantly, I am very passionate and dedicated to making good architecture and urban spaces and enjoy working with likeminded people. I am interested in continuously learning, exploring and pushing the boundaries of how we design and build our cities.

Future.

Motivation: I am interested in continuously learning, exploring and pushing the boundaries of how we design and build our cities. What drives me in architecture is the challenge of understanding and shaping the way we live, the way we design and shape our buildings and our cities. My journey in architecture has grown to a deep interest in the relationship between people and buildings, cities and nature. I believe my work will continue to grow through the exploration of the relationship between architecture and other professions, to focus on the needs of our urban centres today. My work and study of architecture continues to grow through constant collaboration with artists, designers and a range of professionals, something that keeps me inspired and motivated to continue to evolve.

Thesis: As the population of our cities is rapidly increasing and space becomes a valuable commodity, it presents us with an opportunity to rethink the way we design our buildings and the changing face of our cities. Taking note of current needs created by climate change, over population, economic uncertainty and political turmoil in many parts of the world, architecture and urban design strategies can provide greatly needed solutions to the current challenges we face. As designers of buildings, neighbourhoods and cities, we have a responsibility to the places that we help shape, and the people that will inhabit them. I believe that an understanding at the urban scale gives us the opportunity to design better buildings, and vice versa. The best communities are those where the dialogue between these two scales is always open; where one always respects the other. As part of this area of study I would also like to delve further into better ways of building sustainable ‘places’ within our communities, where architecture is a catalyst for that community and the people that live, work and play within it. This research would consider social and political conditions surrounding re-imagining urban space, solutions for deteriorating/abandoned neighbourhoods, the relationship of architecture to nature and the role of architecture as a vehicle for human experience.

Presentation on Aarno Ruusuvuori and the modernization of the Helsinki City Hall. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Linda Dervishaj

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Linda Dervishaj

Axonometric drawing of Eduskunta stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Linda Dervishaj Eduskunta Location Mannerheimintie 30 Completion 1931 Architect Johan Sigfrid Siren Material Granite The grand stairs leading to the main entrance of the Parliament of Finland in Helsinki have a way of making one feel small. Spanning the entire length of the Parliament House, simple and unapologetic the steps are integral to the whole of the building. Here, the approach is the drama; the procession up the red granite treads, towards the colonnade is a unique part of the experience of the building.

Above: Elevation drawing of Kaupungintalo stairs.

Left: Axonometric drawing of Kaupungintalo stairs.

Kaupungintalo Location Pohjoisesplanadi 11-13 Completion 1970 Architect Aarno Ruusuvuori Material Marble, concrete The stairs at City Hall flank the main atrium on the east and west side framing a space used for events and exhibitions. The elegant staircases are placed away from the wall, allowing for a small reveal, a moment of separation from the rest of the building. The shallow marble steps lead to the upper level by way of a confidently cantilevered landing.

Above: Photograph of Spaghetti stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Spaghetti stairs.

Spaghetti Location Mannerheiminaukio 2 Completion 1998 Architect Steven Holl Materials Concrete, steel The elliptical stairs of the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art connect all levels of the museum through alternating steps and ramps that curve and curl continuously as the visitor makes his way up through the galleries. The ‘Spaghetti stairs’ constantly change direction offering different views and points of approach at every turn.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Linda Dervishaj Task: Design a small hotel and design office in a single building. Situate the building in two cities of your choice. Study Elia Zenghelis’ Hotel Sphinx, did Celine Dion have an exact replica of her home built in Vegas when she was a voluntary prisoner of the Colosseum?

Preliminary sketches.

Left: First iteration of final poster.

Left: Preliminary sketch.

Right: Final poster.

Hotel Janus: The Janus hotel exists in two cities, Toronto and Buenos Aires. It begins in one and ends in the other, occupying a transitional space that belongs to both cities and neither at the same time. The four legs of the arches contain the hotel rooms and suites, while the upper floors – above the arches – belong to the communal spaces and shared amenities. These spaces include restaurant, bar and lounges, music and event spaces, an art gallery, rooftop garden and pool. An architecture/design studio occupies the top floor of the building. The hotel is accessible from both cities, and its archways become a lens – a view from once city to the next. The Janus hotel is both a destination and a passageway between Toronto and Buenos Aires.

The hotel takes its inspiration from the Roman God Janus; the god of beginnings and endings, transitions, gateways and portals, he was the protector was Rome. The temple of Janus was built as a four-sided arch, whose doors were open during times of war, for the Roman armies to pass through to receive Janus’ blessing and to allow him to intervene in their favour if needed. In times of peace the doors were kept closed.

Vikki Drapeau 100923270

Past: Collage (Fall 2009). An investigative assignment produced to generate spatial and experiential qualities.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Vikki Drapeau Life: I was born in Thunder Bay, a small city in northwestern Ontario. Growing up, I always enjoyed challenging myself by trying new things and meeting new people. I was involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities from soccer and bowling to cadets and playing guitar. I took to expressing myself creatively early on (drawing, painting, fort making, etc), and although I have had the opportunity to try many things in life, I only continued on doing the ones that I was truly passionate about. I believe that for me to feel comfortable traveling, working, living, or designing, there must be a proper balance of personal interest, confidence, and a certain degree of difficulty. Once I pursued a career in architecture, I knew that I was doing something that would challenge me personally, professionally, and creatively. I have not had the chance to do much traveling, so I would have to say that most of my life experience has come from working, and being involved in my community.

Work: I have a very broad resume, which I think has helped me to develop a multitude of professional and personal skills. In chronological order, I have been employed as a ‘Day Camp Leader’, a ‘Historical Interpreter’, a ‘Hostess’, a ‘Waitress’, a ‘Retail/Sales Associate’, and an ‘Architectural Designer’. Through these job opportunities, I have developed skills such as compassion, patience, historical knowledge, respect, accountability, and good customer/colleague relations. I am very grateful for all the wisdom I have attained through these experiences. One day I hope to try a very physical, and/or hands on job such as tree planting or carpentry.

Future: Photograph. Wallpaper depicting relationship of people to their surroundings.

Motivation: The architectural profession excites me, especially in its capacity for creating something that can potentially solve problems and enhance peoples lives. I am interested in thinking critically when designing, always questioning why I’m doing something and what effect it will have. Although I know the motivations for design are different from person to person, I am a strong believer in ‘form follows function’. I think that minimal solutions to complex spatial and environmental problems are the most successful. To me, the greatest design opportunities are found within the selection and combination of connections and materials.

The quality and beauty of a building comes from these factors, in combination with a degree of flexibility and an awareness of the connection to the landscape. My personal, professional, and creative motivation comes from the challenge of designing within the above mentioned requirements.

Thesis: My architectural inquiry is directed towards how people create a sense of place within the framework of changing environments. It is inevitable for people, at some point in their life, to move. For me, it is the excitement that comes with the challenge and unfamiliarity of moving from one place to another and choosing a place that best suits my lifestyle. I am intrigued by the ways in which we begin to make these places that were not designed specifically for us, more comfortable by establishing spatial, personal, and social relationships with the elements (people, objects, climate, etc) in our surrounding environment. The focus of my research will be outlined by the reasons for moving, the ways spatial qualities attract certain personalities and lifestyles, the role of the location of the dwelling and it’s relationship to the site, and finally, ways in which we personalize space. I believe that the success and progression of a individual, culture, or society is directly proportional to its ability to adapt to change and to identify within it’s surroundings; which can be achieved by redefining the current role of ‘home’ in our society.

Presentation on Timo Penttil채 and the Helsinki City Theatre. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Vikki Drapeau

Photographs of Kaisa stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Kaisa stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Vikki Drapeau Kaisa Location Fabianinkatu 30 Completion 2012 Architects Anttinen Oiva Architects Material Marble, painted steel The dynamic spiral staircase in the centre of the new library is a successful meeting point. Being wide enough to allow people passing to stop and have a conversation, and its deep treads and shallow risers allow for a casual pace when climbing or descending. This stair seems to be the only place where students allow themselves to talk inside the library, echoing life and movement throughout the quiet building.

Photographs of Meritullinkatu stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Meritullinkatu stairs.

Meritullinkatu Location Meritullinkatu Completion Unknown Architect Unknown Material Granite This public staircase connects the pedestrian north end of Meritullinkatu to the south end of V채likatu below, running adjacent to a long stone retaining wall alongside Kristianinkatu. The rough granite masonry volume bridges the two different levels in the urban topography with a rythmic series of five landings.

Photographs of Kaupunginteatteri stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Kaupunginteatteri stairs.

Kaupunginteatteri Location Ensi linja 2 Completion 1967 Architect Timo Penttil채 Material Marble, steel, leather The dramatic marble stairs of the Helsinki City Theatre Lobby span the whole width of the space. The handrail is the strongest feature of the staircase; the elegant metal structure cantilevers far beyond its supports, its underside is lined with metal fins concealing lighting fixtures that emanate soft light on the polished stone below and radiate gentle warmth to the metal, topped with a generous soft grip upholstered in black leather.

Right: Final poster.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Vikki Drapeau Task: A walled compound in the city (of your choice), comprising of an Alpaca farm, woolworks and fashion workshop, an edible garden, an architecture office and a home. Study alpacas, wool processing, Nils-Ole Lund and etymology of “paradise�.

Life Factory: This is a place where I create and facilitate creation; a place where humans, animals, and plants cohabit and rely on one another to sustain life. The building functions through stacking program and sits on stilts that allow the structure to hover and provide shade and shelter over a grazing field. This field is where the alpacas have freedom to move throughout the site and spend their days doing what they enjoy most in life: sunbathing, eating, and socializing. The first occupied level of the building is dedicated to wool harvesting and processing. Here, the fibre is removed from the animal, cleaned, aligned into strands, spun into wool, and the finally woven into textiles and garments. The next floor is a design office where inspiration, creativity, and knowledge converge. The top level of the building is my residence. Home for me, is a place to unwind and spend quality time by myself and with my large family and group of friends. This is where I enjoy entertaining, cooking, drinking tea, playing scrabble, and getting some much needed rest. There is a roof garden which is out of reach from the grazing camelids where I grow all my own vegetables and herbs.

Thaly Drouin-Crespin 100902907

Past: This image was produced for my bachelor’s final project at UQÀM. The scheme was to conceive an environmentally and culturally adapted housing solution for the inuits in Kuujuuaq, Québec, where a housing crisis occurs presently.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Thaly Drouin-Crespin Life: I grew up in Montréal northshore’s suburb with a french-canadian mother, norwegian father, two sisters, one brother, twelve cats and two dogs. I moved to Montréal’s island while I was doing my bachelor’s degree and fell in love with the city life. Coming from the suburbs, I trully enjoyed the fact that I didn’t need a car for transportation, I valued the diversity that the cityscape offe¬red and I discovered many artisans, from coffee makers to book publishers, that produced locally. I did my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design at University of Québec in Montréal. This experience was an awakening for me as the program was a multi-scale exploration of built environment. Thus, I’ve had the chance to design within a hollistic approach that integrated architecture, urban design and industrial design. Also, the design school housed a graphic design program and was very active with a variety of exhibitions, events and lectures, which immersed me quickly in the design sphere. For my Master’s degree, I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and to study in an English-speaking environment. I was led to Carleton University by the new M.Arch 1 program that, similarly to my Bachelor’s degree, was an invitation for students that came from a broad range of fields. Travels have been for me a chance to confirm my passion for architecture. I’ve had the chance to visit my family in Norway, I explored center and southern Spain, I did an exchange on Italy’s east coast and participated in a summer school in Berlin that gave me the chance to visit Germany, Denmark, Czech Republic, Austria and France. Those, as well as smaller scale wanderings within North America, were always mind opening experiences that greatly contributed to my architectural culture and reflexion.

Work: Younger, I’ve had a wide variety of jobs, ranging from ski-instructor to waitress. Those were all service-based so they gave me a lot of experience with the public relationships. My first work in architecture was at Studio Cube, a research and creation workshop with my former professor Börkur Bergmann and two other graduate students from UQÀM’s Design School. We were hired by St-Léonard’s district of Montréal to rethink their industrial area. We proposed an urban reorganization of the 1,2 km2 area with a more efficient circulation system that would allow a greenery infiltration within the city fabric. The whole project integrated the urban, architectural and outdoor furniture scales with sustainable energy systems.

We proposed a livable space for the workers and an innovative area for the district. The project is now still being processed by the city in terms of feasibility. Last summer, I had an internship in a small office in Montréal named Raouf Boutro Architecte. The office was working mainly on social housing projects, which was a new field that was very appealing to me. I had the chance to be involved in a wide range of tasks, from conception to construction drawings, which was really enriching for me. This work gave me a great opportunity to understand how things are built and how the building process can influence the concept and vice versa. Finally, I have been a Teaching Assistant for Carleton University’s architecture first year students for the past two semesters. Discussing with the students every week about their projects in studio helped me develop my critical thinking and taught me a lot about myself.

Future: The Skaters.

Motivation and Thesis: My interest in architecture is to create spaces that foster community, invite for appropriation and promote an intelligent lifestyle. I think that the notion of ‘green living’ that has been brought up in the past decades must be integrated radically by changing the way we live and consume. In the metropolis, public spaces and buildings must provide quality urban living by offering active appropriation and a community sense. In the case of suburban living, the urban fabric should be organized to reduce the use of cars by creating walk able cores and integrating mixed-use buildings. I wish that throughout my professional career I will be able to change the way we live in North America, by providing elegant yet meaningful designs to create cities that are livable, appropriable, green and community oriented. As modernist movement in architecture triggered a rethinking of built environment, it reconsidered structure, experience and materiality in a visionary way. Negative space left in the city however was not integrated to foster an appropriation of public space by the citizen. Also, the universality of modernist architecture lacked meaning and did not respond to the context in which the architecture was inscribed. These popular criticisms raise a question that could be further addressed; how could public spaces be appropriated by citizen in the specific context of northern cities? Metropolis densification urges a response to urban appropriation, especially in northern countries where the engagement with public space should be meaningful all year round. Radical gestures need to be considered to promote urban planning that is responsive to extreme climate conditions.

At a time where urban sprawl is growing outward, architects and planners should position themselves and try to generate quality spaces (from the scale of the dwelling to scale of the city) in order to invite inhabitants to stay in the city and animate the streets. Recently, Copenhagen pushed forward new urban planning strategies to address urban sprawl. The new neighbourhood of Ørestad, in southern the southern periphery of Copenhagen was developed as a place for community lifestyle and social interaction. The emplacement of the new suburb used to be a gigantic field when architect Daniel Liebeskind drew a master plan of a city that would later be populated by high-density housing structures mixed with offices, cultural buildings and commercial areas. The urban strategy was to minimize car traffic by creating a linear city that follows an outdoor metro line connected to Copenhagen’s city centre. The planning also includes a variety of programs in order for residents to have nearby services to accommodate all their needs within walking distances. Interesting urban spaces such as docks along the city-long canal, parks and outdoor gyms were established to invite citizen to inhabit the public space all year round. Although Ørestad’s example is appealing, the new buildings in that area are so gigantic; it becomes disturbing for the human scale to occupy the public spaces. Also, it should be considered that Copenhagen’s climate is milder than cities such as Ottawa or Montreal. Montreal seems to be reaching towards solutions to wintry urban appropriation with the 30 kilometres-long ‘RÉSO,’ world’s largest underground network, planned by Montreal’s mayor Jean-Drapeau in the 1950s. Also, the multiple celebrations found in the city during winter (Igloofest, Nuit Blanche, Fête des Neiges, Montréal en Lumière, etc.) seem to promote social activity in public spaces successfully during wintertime. By taking part in the Helsinki DSA, I aim to analyze design strategies used in one of Europe’s northernmost metropolis. Using this analysis, I will attempt to hypothesize regarding planning of public spaces in urban context for social appropriation under Nordic weather conditions.

Presentation on Carl Ludvig Engel and The Senate Square, a public square that he designed in Helsinki Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Thaly Drouin-Crespin

Above: Axonometric drawing of Tuomiokirkko stairs.

Right: Photograph of Tuomiokirkko stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Thaly Drouin-Crespin Tuomiokirkko Location Unioninkatu 29 Completion 1852 Architect Carl Ludwig Engel Material Granite The large set of broad, precipitous stairs on the south side of Tuomiokirkko is a 1838 revision of the Senate Square design. Under direct orders from the Czar, Engel reluctantly replaced the main guard’s colonnade of the original design with the abrupt stairs, linking the church and the square. The opening scene of the 2002 music video Sandstorm by Darude features people running down Tuomiokirkko’s stairs.

Axonometric drawing of Malaparte stairs.

Malaparte Location Mallaskatu 2 Completion 1974 Architects Jaakko Kontio, Kalle Räike Material Paving stone, painted concrete The wedge-shaped staircase linking Hietalahdenranta to Sibebrychoff Park sits before a car tunnel on Mallaskatu. Its shape is reminescent of the staircase on top of the iconic Casa Malaparte in Capri. In turn, Malaparte built his villa’s stairs as an allusion to the church stairs on the island of Lipari where he had been kept under arrest for five years.

As you climb the stairs heading to Sinebrychoff Park, you may catch yourself daydreaming of a naked Brigitte Bardot or Curzio Malaparte laying on the highest landing.

Axonometric drawing of Kamppi stairs.

Kamppi Location Intersection of Tennispalatsinaukio and Salomonkatu Completion 2006 Architects Helin & Co Architects, ARX Architects, Kirsi Gullichsen Material Stone This staircase linking the Tennispalatsi square to Fredrikinkatu is part of the Kamppi complex in Helsinki’s city centre. The stairs are intersected smoothly by a ramp that takes full advantage of the site’s topography.

At a larger scale, the stairs participates to create a continuous flow of people and invite for all kinds of appropriation of urban space.

Left: Main image for manifesto.

Below: Manifesto text.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Thaly Drouin-Crespin Task: The city as a project of resistance and independence. Read Comité invisible’s L’insurrection qui vient, Stéphane Hessel’s Indignez-vous! and City as Project (TUDelft) essays- informed by the viewpoints they present, propose a sketch of a series of interventions / proposals / ideas to transform Montreal into the city it could / should be.

Manifesto: Montréal comme projet de résistance et d’indépendance In response to gentrification process, irresponsible decisions by governance and money-ruled policies, this manifesto claims the city as a project of resistance and independence. It lists guidelines for architecture to be used as a sensible and relevant social tool. The manifesto is a trigger to provoke radical society shifts at a time where individualism is no longer possible. It is a statement of belief that acts as a point of departure to guide city builders towards a socially responsible approach to architecture. It is not a finite solution but rather an invitation for architects to create and multiply exciting urban nodes. Its operation process recognizes that the city would become a whole greater than the sum of its parts. It suggests that we provoke a quiet insurrection where society and builders gradually take over the city space. As we imagine the future, we can change it.

1) Architecture will lead towards an equality of social strata.

The city will be a place for everybody. The planners will offer every citizen the same quality of life by turning urban opportunities into community shared properties. Arising from this, architecture will also provoke the encounter of various social group by providing the city with unsegregated spatial conditions where every citizen is equal. Architecture will dismiss social and economical status as influential data.

2) Architecture will celebrate the gathering of community through adequate public space.

Public space will be planned as a place of discussion and freedom. City builders will be responsible to create spaces that invite to appropriation by their inclusiveness. Public space will encourage dialog and gathering between citizen as it will be considered a fundamental right and a civic duty.

3) Architecture will promote intelligent and quality urban living.

Planning will encourage comfortable density living through mixed use urbanism and quality spaces. Architecture will provide citizens with intelligent dwellings that respond to contemporary issues. Housing will be green, will be suitable for families, will respond to aging population phenomenon and will be adaptive.

4) Architecture will counteract extreme consumerism by promoting alternative lifestyles.

The shortage of resources is no longer an avoidable issue. Architecture will respond to extreme consumerism by promoting alternative lifestyle. Architecture will provide solutions to counteract the extreme consumerism and mass media manipulation. Means of transportation, daily habits and production processes will be radically changed by the influence of architecture.

5) Architecture will serve as a stage for cultural diffusion.

Architecture will imperatively serve as a platform to reinforce cultural identity. Culture is a common wealth that will be considered as the core of urban identity. Culture will be shared and diffused in civic space to become more accessible. Architecture will also be inviting and interactive to encourage citizens to be culturally active.

6) Architecture will respond to public needs and demands, regardless of mindless bureaucracy.

Architecture choices will be guided by the citizens. Dialog platforms will be organized to allow discussion between the builders and the inhabitants. Thoughtless decisions based on money-ruled policies will no longer be considered in the process of building the city. Architecture will serve the civic space and therefore architects will be interacting with the ones affected by it.

7) Architecture will be utilized as a multiscale and multidisciplinary tool, not as a finite response.

Architecture will be better than a mere object in space. It will be thought of as an open response to a given condition and will decline itself through a variety of dimensions in time and space. Architecture will sometimes be ephemeral and at other times permanent. It will respond to the scale of the city as well as the scale of the human body. Architecture will be opened and holistic.

8) Architecture will countervail the societal state of apathy by being tangible and responsive.

Architecture will be responsive to citizen needs. Planning will be done in parallel with community dialogs.

Architects will be constantly discussing with representatives of the city’s community. The designed answers will be oriented directly towards the needs of the population and therefore, the citizens will be in sync with the urban space condition.

9) Architecture will consider the city space as a space for expression and insurgency.

Architecture will consider the city fabric as a canvas for civic insubordination. In this line of thought, it will be a tool that counteract the actual state of submission to power by providing a platform for freedom of expression. Architects will use planning to encourage citizens to be active parts of the city space.

10) Architecture will be better than what it replaces.

Architecture will be aware of the architectural heritage the city contains. It will use urban wounds as opportunities to make the city better. Architecture will participate to make the city better at a whole, by being inclusive of interesting existing spatial conditions.

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Above: The locations correspond to the adjacent photographs, depicting proposed intervention settings.

Strong imagery to reinforce the manifesto text.

Render of a proposed intervention in MontrĂŠal.

Final poster to accompany the Manifesto.

The single image accompanying the Manifesto depicts the citizens in movement, reappropriating the city space. Simultaneous manifestations start from various points of the city; down Berri street, on the Van Horne Viaduct, near the Silo no.5 , by the waterfront. They are all leading to the city center, where bureaucracy is about to be surged. Citizens are also literally taking over the city by carrying mythical buildings ; the Aldred skyscaper, the Place Ville-Marie, the plan of the Westmount Square, the CafÊ ClÊopâtre, the Olympic stadium, the elevation of the Bonsecours market, the Orange Julep building and the Schubert public bath. The citizens use those iconic buildings as points of departure to remake the city as their own. The title of the Manifesto is scattered in the manifestation on the signs that the insurgents are holding as the Manifesto was the spark to provoke change through social movements.

Ema Graci 100739934

Past: I completed this painting in 2012. The flexibility of oil paint lets me experiment with freer forms. My objective is to express this element of painting through architecture.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Ema Graci 100739934 Life and Work: When I asked my family to describe what I was like as a child, they recalled my slightly odd, and meticulous nature, and tendency to obsessively rearrange furniture around the house. I would insist that they respect the new uses I assigned to different rooms, whether they made sense or not. I was also fairly serious and reflective. I was once found crying over a photo album, upset with the fact that I was no longer three-years-old, but four. At the time, my mom had no patience for my distress. She said that I should appreciate the fact that I am getting older, as my only two options were to grow up, or die. Although this statement throttled me back to reality at the time, my tendency to worry about the inevitable followed me into my early adult life. This heightened sense of awareness and concern has been a hindrance in situations that require me to let loose. However, it has also been a motivating factor to work hard at various interests in my life, such as soccer, running, playing music, and drawing. Drawing consistently stood out as the most natural means of self-expression growing up. For me, it required careful focus while facilitating a unique release. My tendency towards sketching eventually evolved to oil painting. I can easily tap into my creative mind through painting, and I wish to use it as a tool for designing more organic and expressive architecture.

As I grew older and began to consider my future, it made sense to choose a career in architecture because of its fusion of math and art, two high school subjects that I excelled at. However, I soon realized that architecture was infinitely more interesting and multifaceted than I initially understood. My undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto provided me with a strong theoretical and conceptual basis, but I grew increasingly frustrated by my lack of practical knowledge towards the end of my studies. I knew that I wanted to continue to pursue a career in architecture, but needed to adjust my path. Over the past three semesters, I have developed a stronger sense of style and tendency to think for myself. My architectural work experience consists of summer internships and TAships. I first worked at a high-end residential firm called Taylor Hannah Architect. Here, I assisted the primary architectural technologist and principal architect in preparing plans, sections, and elevations. I also constructed three-dimensional digital models for clients. Last summer I worked at DePM, a Toronto-based interior design firm that specializes in corporate office spaces. Taylor Hannah Architect produces lavish designs and high quality products, while placing a strong emphasis on client satisfaction. In contrast, DePM designs efficient and inexpensive spaces in a timely fashion. Here, there was less of a focus on aesthetics, and more of an interest in efficient circulation and healthy workspaces. I value both experiences, but feel it is important to strike a balance between these two extremes. Additionally, I began TAing while studying at Carleton, and have assisted with three courses; History of Modern Architecture, History of Building Structures, and Introduction to Architecture. For each course I held tutorial sessions, and weekly office hours to assist students in their research and studies.

I also marked student work, including research papers, tests, and exams. Because of my previous design experience, I wish to create uplifting spaces for regular people, rather than catering to the elite, while also incorporating my newfound excitement for teaching.

Future: Painting informs architectural design. These spaces are then designed to enhance artistic and cultural knowledge.

Thesis: I chose to focus on a thesis titled, “Painterly Conception of Architecture,” by Maiss Razem, a Masters of Architecture student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Painting informed the expressive possibilities for Razem’s architectural designs. She began by looking at Wassily Kandinsky’s painting “Yellow, Red, Blue,” and captured and sketched elements of interest. Lines and planes transformed into the intersecting volumes and spaces of a Contemporary Art Centre on the Virginia Tech campus.

Razem transformed architecture into a tool for observing and contemplating art. I especially admire the use of art as an inspiration for architectural design. I will emulate this process in my own thesis, especially for designing public exhibition spaces. Nearly everyone in Toronto seems to have an opinion on Daniel Libeskind’s addition to the Royal Ontario Museum. Although this bold statement stimulated an increased interest in Toronto’s architecture, many Torontonians and visitors view the building in a negative light.

Some leading complaints are its “ugly” aesthetic quality, confusing circulation patterns, irrational dead spaces, and dangerous buildup of snow and ice during the winter. These issues express a lack of attention paid to the site, environment, and community. Constructing bold, artistic gestures is not sufficient; the architect must design buildings that react to the needs of the community. I have studied the work of Gehl Architects, a Copenhagen-based firm that specializes in the research of public space and city living. This gathering of knowledge and deeper understanding of the human dimension allows architects and urban planners to make informed design decisions, suitable to the everyday public. For my thesis, I also wish to emulate the human-centered approach practiced by Gehl Architects, in order to design a building that will stimulate widespread interest in art and culture.

Motivation: Internships and educational experiences have helped me to realize my architecture-related interests and ambitions. After interning at a high-end residential firm, I decided that I would rather focus my energy on designing uplifting spaces for the general public, rather than for the elite. Also, during my comprehensive studio class last semester, a significant portion of my research was done through personal interviews. Various people within the community shared ideas on how architects and urban planners could potentially enhance the neighbourhood’s cohesiveness and sense of community. As a result, I realized the value in understanding the complex viewpoints of community members when designing public buildings.

In the future, I wish to continue this mode of research in order to design welcoming, community-oriented buildings. I am also interested in enhancing public knowledge of art and culture, and making them less intimidating and more accessible to the general public. I intend to accomplish this by designing exhibition spaces with a humanistic approach. Lastly, my experience with oil painting has inspired me to approach architecture through art, by using it as creative tool for discovering the formal and aesthetic qualities of a building.

Presentation on Hilding Ekelund and Taidehalli, an art gallery that he designed in Helsinki. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Ema Graci Hilding Ekelund: Nationally celebrated Finnish architect, Hilding Ekelund, was born on November 18, 1893, and died in Helsinki at 90, on January 30, 1984. He studied at the Helsinki University of Technology, where he was trained in the Nordic Classical style. Ekelund graduated in 1916, and began working as an architect. As a young adult, he traveled and studied throughout Europe. He worked for various architects, including Eliel Saarinen, Hakon Ahlberg, Ivar Tengbom, and as a result gained experience designing in different styles, namely Art Nouveau/Jugendstil, Nordic Classical, and Swedish Neoclassical styles.

Ekelund and his wife Eva toured Italy for a year in 1921. Here, they produced travel sketches of the Italian landscape and architecture. They called these sketches “Italia la Bella”, and had them published in the Finnish Architectural Review. In 1927, Hilding and Eva established an architecture firm in Helsinki. From 1929-1930, Ekelund regularly contributed to The Finnish Architectural Review, and was the editor-in-chief from 1931-1934.

Taidehalli: Taidehalli has been a prominent centre for temporary art and architecture exhibitions since 1928. From 1906-1917, there was an interest in creating new exhibition spaces in the area that Taidehalli is currently located. In 1927, a competition by invitation took place, and Jarl Eklund and Hilding Ekelund were commissioned. Jarl Eklund mainly designed the building’s floor plans and Hilding Ekelund designed the facades. Taidehalli was therefore designed earlier in Ekelund’s career, during his transition from Nordic Classicism to Functionalism. During this time, economic factors and urbanization influenced classicism. Although there was a building boom in Finland in 1928, architects still found it necessary to save on construction. Buildings focused more on function, rather than ornamental forms. The remaining ornamentation was stylized and mainly influenced by cubism, and it was counterbalanced by untreated wall surfaces. In Taidehalli, there is an aesthetic balance between ornamentation and non-decorative elements.

The monumental, decorative façade entrance attracts visitors. Octagonal recessed ceiling elements are decorated with golden stars. The decorations in the exhibition rooms are limited to overlapping squares of the clerestory windows. Taidehalli differs from Ekelund’s later work in scale and focus, but it is comparable to Töölö Church in Helsinki, on which he worked simultaneously. Some similarities include exterior ornamentation, and a modest interior with bare walls, recessed ceilings, and a general balance between these elements. As a result of Ekelund’s working experience and Helsinki’s urbanization during the 1920s and 1930s, his style evolved from a Nordic Classical approach, to a Functionalist approach, with Mediterranean influences. Taidehalli is a relevant work because it marks a transition point to Ekelund’s more functional buildings. It is radical in how it increasingly rejects ornamentation, and fascinating in the way the ornamentation serves to bring visitors inside, and enhance the art viewing experience. Traditional elements are skilfully used in a contemporary way.

Above: Photograph of Porthania stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Porthania stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Ema Graci Porthania Location Yliopistonkatu 3 Completion 1957 Architect Aarne Ervi Material Steel, vinyl, concrete Porthania’s lobby staircase creates both points of access to multiple levels of the adjacent main auditorioum, and functions as a dynamic social terrain enabling casual encounters between students and faculty. The building used many ground-breaking concrete construction techniques such as prefabricated elements and a combination of pre- and post-tensioned structures, enabling long spans and an overall lightness, also evidently reflected in the staircase’s general elegance.

Above: Photograph of Stockmann stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Stockmann stairs.

Stockmann Location Aleksanterinkatu 52 Completion 1930 Architect Sigurd Frosterus Material Wood, drywall, vinyl tiles, steel Completed in the midst of the great depression, this pair of stylish spiral staircases span all eight original levels of Stockmann, the largest department store in Scandinavia. Since their construction, the store has over countless iterations become increasingly larger and more complex. The two mirrored stairs can prove confusing to frenzied shoppers, who lose their orientation amid the constantly changing building, find newly built floorlevels, get distracted by temporary obstacles, surprising discounts and alluring displays, getting forever lost in the shifting sands of the rapidly expanding universe of retail.

Traveling exhibition destinations in major cities across the world.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Ema Graci Task: Design an international travelling exhibition on The Group Of Seven. You are free to develop and expand the concept and format of the exhibition.

Research Phase: While researching the Group of Seven, I became especially interested in their Algoma phase since it defined their style, which ultimately became a national art movement. During this time, the group travelled to uninhabited landscapes to obtain a sense of solitude away from the city, and to capture the beauty that they observed, through a unique use of colour and a freer technique.

Mapping Phase: The Group of Seven is not well known internationally, despite playing a key role in the history of Canadian art. While locating destinations for the traveling exhibition, I chose 25 major cities across the world, in order to educate as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time.

Traveling exhibition destinations in major cities across Canada.

Etobicoke, outside the main core of Toronto.

A photograph of Thomas Riley Park, Etobicoke.

Left: Sketches of possible tent configurations.

Right: Axonometric drawing: Preliminary design for a communal table as an installation.

Introspective Phase: After some reflection, I realized that my wish to make art more accessible and less intimidating to the public stemmed from a desire to better the suburb where I was raised. I become conscious of the lack of culture and dissemination of information in Etobicoke after I left and began living and traveling in larger cities around the world.

Brainstorming and Sketching Phase: Art is an effective tool to spread information and connect with others.

As a child, I was drawn to the process of making art, as well as the rewarding result of accomplishing something creative. For me, it triggered a focused sense of solitude. My first idea for this studio project was to design an enjoyable, buildable installation. A local artist would direct community members on its construction process. The installation would then travel to different cities across Canada and the world, while taking on different forms unique to each place. Some of my ideas included constructing an installation with large Lego blocks or playing cards. However, I wanted this built form to also facilitate a social community event after its construction. I sketched ideas for a tent-like structure, guided by a local artist and built by community members. The spontaneous construction of the tent would determine the night’s event. It could also act as a projected surface for viewing art. Instead simply viewing art, people in the community can build a structure to facilitate themed dinners, lectures, and discussions, in relation to the Group of Seven. These tents would naturally be assembled differently at each location, reflecting the originality of each place.

Because my values stem from time spent in Etobicoke, it will house the first location for the traveling exhibition. The Group of Seven chose to paint in places of solitude outside of main cities, and therefore a scenic park in a suburb outside of the main more of Toronto seemed appropriate.

The Group of Seven theme was ultimately discarded, as I felt I could achieve the same outcome through a simpler, more effective process- a communal dinner. However, this research guided me to realize my passion in bringing life to the outskirts.

Above: Perspective drawing: Communal table with overhead lights.

Right: First iteration of final poster.

Left: Chair with a button on its seat, which activates an overhead light.

Right: Final poster.

Final Phase: Sit to See: Sit to See progressed from a wish to improve Etobicoke, a suburb outside of Toronto’s dense core. Uninspiring condominium and retail developments along the waterfront, IKEA, and the local cinema, are among Etobicoke’s few notable attractions. Here, I spent my childhood and early adult years. In the Greater Toronto Area, a divide exists between people who frequent galleries, and other types of educational and cultural events, and the remainder of the population. This split is especially evident in Etobicoke. By encouraging a culture that frequently shares information and creative ideas, this suburban region can gain a stronger sense of community, and a more cultured and open-minded mindset.

Sit to See is a temporary structure designed to illuminate a space within the outskirts of a city. The structure is a long, communal table in Thomas Riley Park, situated behind the Toronto subway and surrounding main roads. It is easily accessible, but also not an obvious place for gathering. Community members who wish to participate can provide another guest with one meal of their choice. Each chair is wired to a pole, which supports LED lights suspended above the table. Once a visitor sits, a button on the seat of a chair is pressed, which is connected to, and ultimately activates, a light situated directly above each place setting. The result of more participants is a more intensely illumined space. The dinner is a collective act, as increased participation leads to a more strongly lit space. Also, while providing individual meals, guests can connect on a more personal level. This event provides a platform for a night of collaboration and celebration, in order to bring light to the unique characteristics of the community.

Rachele Gunderson 100777500

Past: Time - Through the Eyes.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Rachele Gunderson Life: I, Rachele Gunderson, was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta but left western Canada to pursue architecture at Carleton University in Ontario. Although I have a love for the design side of Architecture, I majored in Conservation and Sustainability for my undergraduate degree, which focused on adaptive reuse, retrofitting and utilizing sustainable methods and materials. I think understanding history is essential in designing our future. I proactively enrolled in the Ottawa Eco-logical Competition and Carleton and Queens Universities’ Solar Decathlon team to increase my creativity, proficiency, and teamwork skills.

I am very close with my family and consider them a fundamental part of my character. My sister recently graduated from Veterinary medicine and my mother is a general practice lawyer. Our diverse interests are linked in a love of learning and traveling and are fused with a common curiosity and desire for a rich and meaningful life. I have been fortunate to travel around the world to Japan, Barcelona, France, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Monaco, and many parts of the United States and Canada. I adore traveling: learning a country’s history and experiencing its culture. I love trying new food, although I am a terrible cook. I try to be optimistic but I know I can be very hard on myself.

Work: Complimenting my Major in Conservation and Sustainability, I worked for Heritage Conservation Directorate and Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS). At CIMS, I researched and documented various building construction methods on Canadian Heritage sites through the Cultural Diversity and Material Imagination in Canadian Architecture (CDMICA) initiative with the intent of examining ethno-cultural character of materials and methods of construction essential to Canada’s heritage architecture. I also produced 3D Revit Models of various log structures using Revit. At Heritage Conservation Directorate, I assisted with the completion of Material Condition Assessments and Heritage Recording Projects for various federal heritage properties. I analyzed the state of deterioration and alterations conducted on the properties with sufficient research for recommendations on appropriate conservation methods. From working at CIMS and Heritage Conservation Directorate I developed research skills and methods to digitalize, record and adapt heritage structures for modern use. I have also worked at a small residential firm in Calgary where I assisted in the completion of presentation drawings, schematic designs and drawings, working drawings, computer models as well as 3D printed models for high-end residential housing.

Future: Lady Architecture surrounded by Virtue and Vice.

Motivation: Architecture is one of the few careers that fuse design, engineering, the environment and history with the luxuriously simple need for shelter. Throughout history, architecture has reflected the demands and the desires of people, reflecting their values and opinions. Today, architects must address the issue of sustainability but must still consider the needs and desires of people, often within the body of a previous structure and within the context of an ever-changing urban setting. Architects have the ability to reframe and enhance moments within a building worn with time but rich in stories. I find this intriguing and imperative to world development. I would further like to grow and develop skills to integrate a more detailed sustainable design focus with my knowledge of heritage conservation and sustainability. I wish to become an architect who gives back to the community and the environment.

Thesis: I am unclear as to the exact topic of my Thesis Project and I hope this semester will help pinpoint my interests to form a thesis subject. I am very interested in heritage conservation, sustainability and urban planning and I do question if a heritage structure could become a net zero building but I am also interested in understanding computer modeling more and analyzing parametric architecture.

Presentation on Elsi Naemi Borg and Lastenlinna, a children’s hospital that she designed in Helsinki, Finland. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Rachele Gunderson Elsi Naemi Borg: Borg’s style was a combination of art and architecture. Her draftsmanship is legendary and her drawings can be recognized by their distinct dark lines.

Lastenlinna (Children’s Castle) Hospital 1938-1948: Lastenlinna was commissioned by the Mannerheim Society for the Protection of Children, for kids in need of special health or social care. It also operated as a children’s nurses training institute, with staff and student housing placed within the building. The structure was built in Taka Toolo, in order to replace the old hospital in the Kallio district of Helsinki. The design was originally sketched by Architect Kaarlo Borg. He drew the plans in 1938, but died soon after.

The design was then continued by his sister, Elsi Borg, in collaboration with Olavi Sortta and Otto Flodin.

Construction of the hospital was intertwined with the stages of World War II. Excavation started just before the war broke out in 1939, but actual construction only started in 1946. Because of the war, there were financial problems and shortages of material. Money was Fundraised to help pay for the construction of the hospital. Lastenlinna was finally inaugurated in 1948. The building is a synthesis of functionalism and romantic trends of the 1940s. The rational floor plans and the character of volumes are a link with functionalism, while the decorative facades are romantic additions of the 1940s. The façades of Lastenlinna are some of the most richly decorated from that time. Borg created an atmosphere in which the natural surroundings contributed to the building’s function. Housing employed unobstructed views of the natural surroundings, like her churches. The aim was to capture the most amount of early daylight, through passive design. The facades were originally planned to be white plaster, but Borg proposed coloured mineral plaster to liven and decorate the building. The decorative stucco work of the facades was completed by the stuccodore, Yrjo Kyllonen, and the building was decorated with embossings, reliefs, and sculptures, which were sculpted by Skari Tohka. This later raised criticism among strict functionalists. The facade of the expansion portion was also made of mineral plaster, however, the decoration was less than in the old part.

Now, the operation of a modern hospital in the building is not working and the future of the hospital is unknown.

Impact: Lastenlinna proved relevant because of its large sense of fun, with fences shaped like gingerbread men and flower vines. I believe that this influenced many architects in understanding the conceptual space of a structure, and helped to move functionalism to be beautiful, even in a hygenic space.

Above: Photograph of Ooppera Amphitheater stairs.

Right: Perspective drawing of Ooppera Amphitheater stairs.

Far Right: Axonometric drawing of Ooppera Amphitheater stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Rachele Gunderson Ooppera Amphitheater Location Hesperian puisto Completion 1993 Architect s HKP Architects Material Stone, wood, earth Located in Hesperia park beside the National Opera House, the outdoor amphitheater overlooks Töölö Bay. The low, semicircular stairs enclose a stage where informal events, gatherings and plays are held throughout the year. Sometimes before the evening’s opera performances begin, you can hear the prima donna or primo uomo warming up from their dressing rooms, overlooking the amphitheater.

Above: Photograph of Crevasse stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Crevasse stairs.

Crevasse Location Kaivopuisto Completion propably 1830–50’s Architect Unknown Material Living rock Kaivopuisto Spa was established in 1834. These stairs, carved into living rock, were part of the romantic attractions, follies and curiosities scattered in the park surrounding the spa. The narrow and steep stairway enters an oblique crevasse, leading the visitor’s body to experience the close proximity of the rock, before emerging out of the chasm on the other side.

Right: Preliminary sketches.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Rachele Gunderson Task: Develop a toolkit / strategy / plan for making heritage buildings into a net zero emission building without compromising their architecture. Present the toolkit and sustainability indicators as starting points for developing a set of new products and processes for sustainability in modern heritage. Use iconic buildings to illustrate the impact of the toolkit (i.e. Habitat 67 as net zero).

Exploring options to reduce heat island effect, energy consumption, and heat transfer, while developing and enhancing the community. The main focus is to generate electricity from a geothermal park close to the Toronto Dominion Centre, and explore design options to use the 6 rooftops of the complex.

Toronto Dominion Center A Sustainable & Net Zero Energy Proposal The Toronto Dominion Center is a cluster of 6 towers and a building pavilion located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. Architect, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe in conjunction with Bregman + Hamann Architects and John B. Parkin Associates constructed the most well known towers: TD Bank Tower, TD North Tower and the Banking Pavilion. Bregman + Hamann Architects would later design the TD West Tower, TD South Tower and the Ernst & Young Tower. The towers were built and completed between 1967-1991 and serve as the global headquarters of the Toronto Dominion Bank while also providing office and retail space for other small businesses.

In 2003 the City of Toronto designated the TD Bank Tower , the TD North Tower and the Banking Pavilion under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, declaring the structures as: “ an outstanding example of the International style of architecture.” Mies’ character defining elements include the concrete foundation; load bearing, black painted steel frames and bronze tinted glass curtain walls with mullions on a grid system; as well as the interior material finishes. The buildings are an iconic landmark demonstrating the Modern Movement in Canada and set the standard for future urban development in Toronto.

Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission offsets: Currently, the 6 towers and the pavilion use 104,343,362 ekWh a year in combined energy consumption (natural gas, oil, and electricity). In order to make the 6 towers and the pavilion net zero, 35 V112 3.3MW Wind Turbines need to be installed offshore in Lake Ontario to neutralize the energy consumption the buildings use each year.

The buildings release 22,000tCO2e of green house gas emissions each year. It requires the carbon dioxide intake of 973,451 mature trees or 18,033 acres of forest in one year, in order to sequester the emissions of the buildings each year.

22,000tCO2e

=

2,475,526 gallons of gasoline consumed

OR

2,007 homes energy use for one year

Left: Site map.

Below: A sustainable and net zero energy proposal for the Toronto Dominion Centre.

Building Envelope Retrofit windows: use triple glazed low ‘e’ thermal insulated glass, tinted bronze, to remain in harmony with the original design. Retrotitting windows will improve tenant comfort, save energy while still maintaining the original design intent. Using Roller shades to reduce direct daylight and reduce energy consumption Radiant Floor Heating: Circulating hot or cool water through high strength coiled tubing buried in concrete floor slabs.

Radiant floor heating is more energy efficient than traditional forced air systems, and provide a more comfortable environment while reducing indoor air pollutants White Roofs: Light coloured roofs have high albedo or high reflectivity, helping to reduce the thermal load on the building.

Green Roofs: Green roofs have a better insulation value and reduce the need for air conditioning in the summer. Pollution and air-born particles in the atmosphere are filtered by the substrates and vegetation on a green roof. A vegetated roof also creates a sound-insulating barrier. Green roofs shield the roof from ultraviolet radiation and temperatures thereby extending (often doubling or even so much as tripling) the life of the roof membrane.

Water consumption: Replacing plumbing fixtures with low flow technology as well as replacing or limiting irrigation systems Rain Water Collection for irrigation or to create a heat sink Worker Habits and Innovative Technology: Daytime cleaning: Allowing lights to be turned off during the night, reducing night time energy consumption Supporting alternate transportation: secure bicycle parking and facilities, including a change center; partnering with Zipcar sharing; encouraging Public transportation and supporting low carbon transportation Recycle materials and compost waste Monitor and report progress on energy consumption using Smart Meters: an advanced electronic meter that records energy usage on an hourly basis.

Encouraging employees to turn off computers and lights after work. Using Energy Efficient LED lights and full cut off lighting fixtures.

Above: First collage iteration of final poster.

Right: Final poster.

Sarah Hormann 100949417

Past: This is a map of Manitoba, It is a geographical representation of the history of Manitoba and how the land was divided up and settled.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Sarah Hormann Life: I have lived most of my life in Manitoba, growing up in a town with a population of 400. I have always been curious about the world. Having a father from Germany gave me the opportunity to travel to Europe to visit relatives at a young age. Ever since, I have loved traveling and exploring, even my own town and other cities in Manitoba. My favorite part about traveling is interacting with the locals and learning about their lives.

I like any activity outdoors that challenges me, including my most recent excursion, skiing up a mountain in a blizzard and snowboarding down in the fresh powder. I always wanted to be an architect. However, after finishing my undergraduate degree I was no longer sure. It wasn’t until I started working at a firm that I became passionate about architecture as being something more than a career. I started taking on side jobs just for the experience because I didn’t want to let an opportunity pass by.

Work: During the summers while attending University, I worked for the Winnipeg Police River Patrol. This gave me a glimpse into the civic services of the city, the politics that occur, and their effect on the city. It also put me in a position of enforcement and decision-making, which until then I generally tried to avoid. After finishing my undergrad in Manitoba, I worked at a small architecture firm. I started out doing site layouts, conceptual plans, and project proposals for commercial and multi-residential projects. I learnt very quickly how the city’s regulations and planning department affects design, more than I would have imagined. It was fun to figure out how to make good design work with the city’s planning, however good or bad the regulations were. I worked on a multi-residential building from the initial design to construction drawings, and acted as the project manager throughout construction. I enjoyed that every day was different and presented new challenges to work with and figure out. I volunteered for 3 years with Architects Without Borders on various local and overseas projects. I also started my own business doing renovation projects and custom furniture design.

Future: This drawing was inspiration of how to create interaction in a vertical living complex. The project was to inďŹ ll and ally way.

Motivation: My motivation is to create good design and understanding for the ordinary person’s daily life, not exclusively for designers and architects. I am interested in renovations and reusing materials in a way that saves money and extends the lifetime of the products and buildings created. I am also interested in the effect that a building has on the street, and how people interact as a result of the building. My work is leading me to design buildings that inuence and focus on public spaces, such as community centers or residential buildings within a dense urban fabric.

Thesis: The beginning of my thesis project is based on the social aspect of architecture and cities. How architecture affects the politics that occur in the streets and public spaces of the city. I am most interested in the streets, as they only are the truly public and free spaces of a city anyone can inhabit.

Presentation on Finnish architect, Eliel Saarinen. Displayaed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Sarah Hormann “Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context - a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan”. – Eliel Saarinen Eliel Saarinen lived from 1873-1950. He was born in Finland and moved to the United States in 1923.

Saarinen was an architect, furniture designer, and city planner.

One must consider the effect that design has on its surroundings, as nothing is experienced alone. Saarinen’s interest in furniture at a human scale helped with planning for the masses and the individual. This is evident in a lot of his work. The presence of his furniture would fill a room. Saarinen’s buildings connect with the landscape, and he includes drawings of people in his large-scale city drawings.

Saarinen became famous for his Art Nouveau buildings. His early style was christened as Finnish National Romanticism, an architectural style that expresses the social and political customs of a nation. After Saarinen moved to the United States, his approach became more modern. He designed and taught at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Some of his colleagues included Charles Eames and Edmond N Bacon.

I most admire the work that he designed in the United States. Also, his ability to adjust his style to respond to different cultures is rational and impressive. For instance, the style of the Helsinki Central railway station could not have been applied to the Cranbrook Academy of Art. After winning a competition in Tallinn, Estonia, he was hired as a city planner with the task to modernize the city. His submission consisted of detailed drawings for the main town squares. WW1 inhibited the project’s completion. However, some of his ideas were later implemented in the 20th century.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Arppeanum stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Sarah Hormann Arppeanum Location Snellmannikatu 3 Completion 1869 Architect Carl Albert Edelfelt Material Cast iron, steel, wood, alabaster The Arppeanum was built to house Helsinki University’s Museums, the Department of Chemistry, and the residence of the Professor of Chemistry. The architecture synthesises influences Edelfelt amassed on a Grand Tour trough Europe that took him to Venice a few years prior to designing the building. This cast iron staircase is Arppenaum’s most impressive interior space, with its richly ornamented metalwork, valuable materials and state-of-the-art technology such as gas-lit alabaster lamps.

Above: Axonometric drawing of Kolera stairs.

Left: Photograph of Kolera stairs.

Kolera Location Market Square Completion Early 19th Century Architect Johan Albrecht EhrenstrÜm Material Granite The stairs lead to the harbor basin just south of the Market Square where boats arrive to the Herring Fair, an event that has been taking place annually since 1743. In October 1883 Johannes Mickelsson, a skipper from the Nauvo, died from cholera during the Herring Fair. Authorities found out the crew had been dumping the ill man’s feces and vomit into the harbor basin. As a safety precaution the other boats were towed out of the basin and the fair was closed.

Winnipeg Home Expectations Year

Population

Average House Size (m2) Persons per Household

Livable Space per Person (m2)

1840

100

55

5

11

1869

215

41.8

5.8

7.2

1898

39,000

52.63

5.5

9.57

1927

202,900

63.46

4.7

13.5

1956

250,500

74.3

3.8

19.55

1985

590,000

99.87

3.2

31.2

2014

850,000

111.48

2.5

44.59

2043

1,201,306

120

2

60

2072

1,697,808

90

1.8

50

Data: Winnipeg Home Expectations.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Sarah Hormann Task: A new plan for Winnipeg 2050, that outlines a toolkit and roadmap to transform and develop urban form, public space, social equity and community engagement. Study Cedric Price’s Pottery Thinkbelt and other urban strategies.

Preliminary sketches.

Below: Text accompanying Winnipeg Streets poster.

Right: Final poster.

1840 - Native Living: Social politics: No land divisions or ownership exist, survival and lifestyle was structured around community living. The community lived, hunted, and traveled together. Tepees were light and easy to move, when required.

1869 - The Settlers and Métis: Social politics: A province is created and importance is placed on self sufficient families, Land is divided up in equal parts and given to any family who will develop it. A leadership struggle between the Métis and the new Canadians creates divided neighbourhoods in Winnipeg.

1898 - Establishment: Social Politics: The introduction of the first horse/carriage public transportation.

Immigration, and new settlers try to establish the self as the economy in Winnipeg booms from the trading posts.

1927 - Winnipeg: Social Politics: The electric street trolley replaces the horse and carriage city transportation.

The first cars make their way to the streets of Winnipeg, belonging to the relent and hobbyists.

1956 - Post war: Social politics: Introduction of suburbia. Development is focused on the house and family life, ownership, and “keeping up with the jones”. Cars are becoming more popular and garages appear on the scene.

1985: Social Politics: The arrival of a garage attached to the house. Street trolleys are phased out and replaced by busses.

2014 - A garage subdivision (with houses): Social politics: Houses are attached to the back of a double or triple car garage (1.5 cars per household) The first stages of Rapid transit and bike lane development are completed.

Families are divided, creating a greater reliance on social organizations. Zoning regulation passed that no new areas can be developed in the surrounding area of Winnipeg.

2043 - Connected Community: Social politics: Focus is on community and global identity and competition.

Completion of rapid transit system and bike lanes. Car tax is so high because of increased population and commute time. Cars per family reduce to 0.5. Homes are joined and often spit into multiple units. The decrease of private exterior leisure space has put a lager importance on public parks and public buildings.

2072: Social politics: Personal living space decreases as real estate prices increase. Multiple different transportation networks develop as the family car becomes extinct.

Luisa Ji 100796998

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Luisa Ji

Past: Proud Moment.

Life: I was raised playing music, to be precise, the violin, most of my life, but I have chosen architecture the path I follow. It is a blessing that I have learned to communicate with music, and to appreciate a world invisible to the eyes. A group of friends of mine and I have a secret music project back in Ottawa . Music has shaped my traits more than any school I have attended. While playing music requires extra sensibilities to listen and to feel the tiny differences in sound, the passion and tenacity needed to learn an instrument have always kept me strong. I fear the unknown, but I love to explore as a solo traveler. The world is different when nothing around you is of familiarity. The solitary moments keep the instincts sharp and alert, and at the same time forces interactions with the locals to be established. Maybe it has helped getting myself out of the introvert category, but I am not sure. I do not particularly like to talk about life in detail, therefore I am putting the period here.

Work: I make art , and I make architecture in my dreams. Photography is one of the ways for met to see the world. I have done a number of darkroom projects in the past few years. It is an emphasis of time, therefore nothing can be hurried, and nothing can be delayed. To keep the timing right is the most important guideline in the darkroom , then comes the aesthetics. I work with digital mediums for sure, and I do know the Adobe Suite quite thoroughly. I make music with a group of friends, constructing psychedelic imagery from books of stories to the seas of sand. We have performed once in a tiny bookstore, and that was so far the only performance. We managed our sound, and it was not as easy as playing music.

Future: Motivation: I am fascinated with the parallel characteristics in architecture and music: the bodily senses regarding the spaces sculpted by the everlasting movements and events. The opportunity of spending three months in Finland is precious to what I am exploring as my approach to architectural studies since it is home to many great inspirations of the topic of architecture and bodily senses. I would mainly focus on the issue of the appreciation of sound in architecture. In my future career, I hope to stretch the concept of good aural experience in architecture beyond concert halls and opera houses. Every individual deserves to live and work in a space that is acoustically appropriate for its functions.

Thesis: Sound is greatly affected by culture and memories. In my explorations towards my thesis of sound and architecture, I will sample ambient sound in different spaces and work around the notion of memorable sound that gives its space identity. My goal in this approach is not to reproduce the space trough sound but to capture the movement that is unique to the spaces recorded. I also hope to make a sound collage to further explore the linkage between the soundscape and the architectural spaces in the case where information is rearranged to form a new imagery like collages in their visual form.

Presentation on Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and Temppeliaukio Church, which they designed in Helsinki. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Luisa Ji

Photographs of Whirlpool stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Whirlpool stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Luisa Ji Whirlpool Location Suomenlinna Completion Unknown Architect Unknown Material Wood, steel The precipitous staircase is located near the Kustaanmiekka strait. It allows visitors to descend to the shoreline and enjoy the peaceful scenery of the Baltic Sea. However, if the visitors happen to go swimming on the shallow rocks by the channel in the late afternoon when the Viking and Silja ferries leave the harbour, displacing colossal volumes of water as they pass the shallows, creating strong rapids and whirlpools as the massive ships move through the sound.

Above: Photograph of Bio Rex stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Bio Rex stairs.

Bio Rex Location Mannerheimintie 22 Completion 1936 Architects Viljo Revell, Heimo Riihim채ki, Niilo Kokko Material Painted concrete, painted steel This outdoor staircase is the only access to the projection room at the Bio Rex Cinema. At the time the cinema was built, highly flammable nitrocellulose film stock was still widely in use, and this unique stair solution was designed to isolate the projection room from the rest of the building to prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Today, the cinema is fitted with modern analog and digital projection equipment with significantly lower risks of fire, but the external access staircase still remains. Occasionally projectionists escape the repetitive monotony of the booth and use the stairs as a place to enjoy a cigarette while staring at the neon lights glowing against the darkening skies.

Below: Text accompanying final poster.

Right: First iteration of final poster.

Next Page: Final poster.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Luisa Ji Task: Design the Shenzhen Biennale 2017 theme, program and venue. Study the history of architecture biennales (read: Architecture on Display). Try to maximise the cultural impact of the biennale on the city of Shenzhen, taking it into a direction you feel it should develop towards.

UABB 2017 : A Line of Reflection: We are proudly announcing the theme of the 2017 Shen Zhen Hong Kong Urbanism and Architecture Bi-city Biennale to be “A Line of Reflection”. “At the age of 30, a person should be established; at the age of 40, a person should live without hesitation”, says the old Chinese saying. Shen Zhen as a city is stepping into its 40s, and it is a chance to reflect on what the city has established and to push the city forward with no hesitation. The city has a strong symbiotic relationship with its residents. The positive synergy not only established Shenzhen as an economically competitive city, but a place called home to those who contributed to build the city with years and decades of hard work. To reflect is to learn from the past and to re-imagine the future. To reflect is to see the self through a critical eye, so the self will continue to thrive.

Standing at the line of reflection, it is the time for the residents to voice their opinions. Architects do not build the city. It is the people who build the city.

Venue: Main exhibition space will occupy the public square at the Shen Zhen Civic Center, featuring materials that reflect Shen Zhen’s growth over the past 40 years and architectural pieces that envision the future outlook of Shen Zhen as it steps towards maturity. The main venue is composed of a grid of 10 meters by 10 meters, which can be sub-divided to accompany the exhibition materials and the mobile pavilions. It will be sheltered by a system of adjustable scaffoldings. Throughout the 3-months period, the main exhibition will incorporate a compilation of visual art, performance art, and music in addition to the architectural and urbanism materials to attract a broader scope of audiences. Six mobile pavilions positioned within the landmarks of the city not only display the innovations and creativity of the architects, but also serve as a mobile lecture space. While the architect of the pavilions are obligated to give lectures about their works areas of studies, the local intellects are also welcomed to host public discussions on social issues or innovations in the future inside the pavilion. The footprint of each pavilion stands between 5 meters by 5 meters to 10 meters by 10 meters, and has to be easily transportable to the main venue. While the pavilions are absent from the main venue, activities in each pavilion will be streamed live and projected as part of the main exhibition. Every two weeks, a pavilion will return to and reassembled in the main venue and the last pavilion arrived will mark the end of the event. The traveling pavilions not only give the residents of Shen Zhen to experience architecture as a social catalyst, but also a work of art for people to appreciate the process of a city being built from the most basic elements. The scaffold will evolve to be fulfilled over time, and mark the end of the event at full blossom.

Vedrana Maric 100768962

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Vedrana Maric Past: Life: I was born in Bosnia in 1990 right before the outbreak of the war, the second of two sisters. My family and I immigrated to Canada in 1994 because my parents recognized that the country we lived in would not provide us with the opportunities that one such as Canada could. My dad is a smart man with a good education, which I am sure is the primary reason we were allowed to immigrate when many families as well as the rest of our extended family did not have that opportunity. For that reason throughout my childhood I have returned to Croatia and Bosnia during most summers in order to visit aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, and I believe this has strongly shaped my way of thinking about life and culture. I like to think that although I have been raised as a westerner in Canada, I retain many of the Eastern European cultural values of my family. We first moved to Quebec in Canada, which is primarily French speaking.

Upon moving to Toronto a year later, which is primarily English speaking, my parents enrolled my sister and myself in a small French school which is where I stayed until my first English speaking educational experience for undergrad, at Carleton University.

Work: During high school, I have balanced the commitment and focus required by the rigorous academic curriculum of the International Baccalaureate diploma with the demands of several extracurricular activities.

My roles as social chair on the student council and head of the graduate event planning committee have helped me develop strong organizational skills as well as a keen sense for leadership. I was involved in many activities, ranging from volleyball, soccer, to the yearbook committee. Moreover, I have developed my creativity through the completion of the Associate of The Royal Conservatory (ARCT) piano teacher’s diploma. The Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism where I am currently completing my B.A.S, has provided me with unique opportunities to explore a wide range of approaches to the architectural process.

This school has taught me how to think and design conceptually, and critically analyze the responsibility which architecture holds to meet the needs of any given demographic. I have taken it upon myself to complement the teachings of the traditional Carleton curriculum by becoming well versed in an arsenal of different computer programs. I am also very interested in learning new and different modeling techniques as a way of better illustrating my ideas. Through Carleton, I have also had the opportunity to spend the second semester of my third year studying abroad in Paris, and the summer of 2011 visiting sites of architectural heritage throughout Europe. It was an experience which has shown me a different insight into the world of architecture and design from the one taught in Canada and, importantly, has enabled me to develop a more holistic approach to architecture.

Future: Motivation: My immediate goal and area of interest is to complete a Masters of Architecture, but in the long run I wish to have acquired enough skills and knowledge required to run my own firm, and contribute directly to the development of a big city such as Toronto. I consider myself to be enthusiastic, goaloriented, and highly disciplined in all my endeavors, and able to interact and work with people of different fields. I wish to immerse myself in an integrative environment where individuals with a common drive for success collaborate with, and challenge one another; ultimately generating the highest quality of architecture possible. The opportunities I undertook as an athlete, musician, and leader required perseverance, discipline and focus, qualities which I feel are indispensible in the pursuit of a career in architecture.

Thesis: One aspect of religious I have not had the opportunity to explore as much throughout my undergrad, and one I am very interested in, is that of adaptive reuse. The process of adaptive reuse often involves several criteria for the decisions that surround it. These criteria involve aspects such as the societal value of the site, the potential for reuse, the historical importance of the site and the building on it, etc. More specifically, I am very interested in the adaptive reuse of religious buildings, and the act of going from sacred to secular.

In present times, more and more churches and other religious buildings are abandoned and deconsecrated due to decreases in congregation size and financial constraints. Since then, we have seen a spike in adaptive reuse of these buildings, often initiated to preserve these buildings and their rich cultural and historical significance. Abandoned churches and religious buildings can be converted to suit several typologies, but what is it about the architectural features and spaces in religious buildings that make for desirable and functional readapted uses, and how do we go about maintaining the integrity and respecting the past of the buildings we are reusing?

Presentation on Alvar Aalto, his furniture design, and the Aalto House in Helsinki. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Vedrana Maric

Above: Photograph of Forum stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Forum stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Vedrana Maric Forum Location Mannerheim tie 14-20 Completion 2012 Architects SARC Architects Material Concrete, metal, wood This spiral staircase in the Forum Shopping centre was completed in 2012 as part of the latest renovation of the complex. Comprised of concrete with metal and wood accents, the stairs cantilever and float in a large open space of the atrium as a sculptural piece.

Above: Photograph of Olympiastadion stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Olympiastadion stairs.

Olympiastadion Location Paavo Nurmen tie 1 Completion 1938 Architect s Yrjö Lindegren, Toivo Jantti Material Concrete The Olympic Stadium Tower was completed in 1938 for the 1940 Summer Olympic Games that were never held. The height of the 72,71 meters tower was determined by Matti Järvinen’s gold medal-winning javelin throw at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Right: Final poster.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Vedrana Maric Task: In a post-internet world, the city has been radically transformed by “disruptive� technologies and innovations, leaving all public buildings empty. Re-imagine and propose an approach for new uses of formerly public buildings: the department store, post-amazon / the hotel, post air-bnb / the library, post-wikipedia / the film theatre post-netflix / etc...

The setting takes place a few short decades from now. Life as we once knew it has been transformed and re-adapted to suit the earths drastic and unbearable climate changes. Global warming, in recent decades, has spiraled so far out of control that human beings are no longer able to dwell and roam free in the open air. In order to survive, all human life and interaction takes place underground, in a series of tunnels and chambers, connected by former metro systems and underground passageways. The setting above ground has become a barren desert, populated only by the decaying ruins of architecture as it once was.

The scene depicted shows a section cutting through several passageways and chambers, giving us a glimpse into life underground. All previous technological advances which were deemed frivolous and intrusive have been cut off in an effort to revert human life and interaction back to its former, simple glory. These advances include, but are not limited to; the internet, cable television, smart phones, cars, etc.

This the reality, the consequences, and the gift we are given in the not so far future.

Iva Mihaylova

Past: This is a painting I produced a few years ago, as part of a series of sketch studies of the horse figure. Although the sketch only took about thirty minutes to complete, I think it captures the movement, grace and behaviour of the animal. The brown and gold ink I used to paint this with, mixed together to produce a sheen that replicates the texture of the horse fur as it moves with the body of the animal.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Iva Mihaylova Life and Work: I was born and raised in Bulgaria - a small Eastern European country with a large cultural and historical background. During the school year, I lived in the capital city of Sofia, where I learned to follow rules, adapt to schedules and remain cautious of the unknown. Every year, during the seeminglylong summer breaks, my brother and I traveled to my great-grandmother’s house in the countryside, where monetary earnings were replaced by the crops and animals yielded in our backyard. There, I broadened my independence, curiosity, creativity and modesty. For eleven years of my life, I constantly journeyed across Bulgaria with my family and friends and explored its natural terrain. In the year 2000, my family and I moved across the world to Canada. Losing most of my family and all of my friends led me to become more reserved and timid. I slowly adjusted to the new culture, made new friends at school, and focused on expressing myself visually through art. As I matured, from a child to an adult, I imposed different roles onto myself. The stage of life I was in, as well as surrounding external forces, determined what roles I would assume over the course of my existence. To an outsider, it may have been evident that I would thrive in an environment where I could express myself artistically, through drawing and design. However, as human nature prevails, I did not remain convinced that I should confine myself within one field before having explored other avenues of potential. Consequently, after some experimentation, I finally convinced myself that I obtain consistent satisfaction through the creation of a physical object whose form flourished from an idea harbouring in my imagination. I am currently perusing a career in architecture with the hope of attaining that satisfaction. I have worked a variety of jobs over the past several years that have contributed to shaping my personality, skills, knowledge and instincts. During my very first job in high school, I was involved in the labour industry, where I learned that hard work does not guarantee a reward. However, even as part of a team, the amount of work and level of effort I exerted into completing a given task was evident and quantifiable. Upon commencing my post-secondary studies in Biochemistry, I acquired a co-op job in the chemical industry field. I was appointed numerous tasks involving addressing regulatory issues with customers and suppliers, as well as producing and supplying important documentation for the manufacturing and transportation of materials. I learned the importance of attaining a quick understanding of all sectors involved in the the industry, as well as keeping a close relationship with the principal staff.

After transferring into architectural studies, I was able to work in relation to the design field. As a publication clerk for a multicultural council in my city, I was involved in not only designing cultural events posters, but also helping to organize events for the youth. I worked as part of a small team of university students, and was able to see the difference five people can bring into a large community of individuals who are in need of support. Following this, I worked as a web designer for a furniture company. When starting, I had minimal knowledge in the web design field. Over a few weeks, I was able to build a website from scratch, and learned that new and unfamiliar skills can be attained in a short period of time with some determination and persistence. Currently, I am working as a Teaching Assistant, and am able to personally help students with challenges that I have tackled myself previously.

Future: Past and Future Association.

Medium: pencil on paper.

Motivation and Thesis: Health care facilities play an essential role in modern society. Most individuals require medical service numerous times throughout their lifetime. Presently, hospitals in developed cities are designed to provide patients with the necessary treatments for improving their physical health, but often fail to address the psychological needs of the individual being treated, as well as the additional members affected by that individual’s ailment.

I have personally been affected by an incident that required serious medical intervention over a period of time, and have witnessed some of the processes involved in the daily care of patients. Additionally, I have experienced and observed the psychological changes inflicted by long-term and short-term stay at a number of health care facilities in Canada and Bulgaria.

Hospitals often lack adequate spaces for receiving patients under emergency circumstances. Emergency rooms are always packed with individuals waiting long hours to receive medical treatment. As a result, the patient’s sense of individuality is quickly stripped with the exposure to countless other patients who are in a similar situation. All sense of privacy is lost between the thin curtains that separate the patients placed on beds, lined up in endless rows. Rather than instilling a feeling of comfort and security, these turbulent spaces leave the patient feeling like a mass taking up the spot of the next potential visitor who might have a more urgent need for it. Among all the chaos, accompanying family members and friends are separated from their loved one, and left to wait outside for an undisclosed period of time.

Long-term patients are also subject to a similar fate. Hospitals often lack a sufficient number of beds to accommodate those visitors who are staying for longer periods of time. Patients of different ages and suffering from different illnesses are placed together in rooms. They are left unable to share a common understanding of each others’ situation, including the accompanying fears and physical struggles, which is necessary in forming close psychological bonds, and a sense of community and support.

As a former and future patient of medical facilities, and as an individual involved in the field of architecture, I would like to conduct a research and design project based on the implementation of psychologicallyoriented health care facilities into communities. The future design of hospitals needs to accommodate the fast-paced inflow of new patients in a discrete and efficient manner. Individual treatment rooms should not only provide for the well-being of the patient, but also for the patient’s family members. The design of the core structure of every health care facility should facilitate the expulsion of harmful substances in an environmentally-friendly manner. A well-designed hospital should function as a temporary home, a work place, a welcoming and visitation center, a rehabilitation space, and a flexible storage unit for the hundreds of machines and equipment used in the medical field.

Presentation on Heikki and Kaija Siren and the Otaniemi Chapel, which they designed in Otaniemi, Espoo. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Iva Mihaylova Heikki Siren was a Finnish architect, born in 1918. He attended the Helsinki University of Technology, where he met his spouse Kaija Siren. Heikki and Kaija married in 1944, and continued on to have four children. After receiving their architecture degrees from the Helsinki University of Technology, they set up their own office in Helsinki in 1949 (Arkkitehtitoimisto Siren & Co). The two architects worked as a team in designing projects in Finland as well as abroad.

One of the buildings on campus designed by the Sirens is the Otaniemi Chapel, which was completed in 1957. The chapel was commissioned by the Christian student association, who established the country’s first mini-golf course in Helsinki to obtain the funds needed for its construction. In 1976, the chapel was badly burnt in an arson attack. Over the next two years it was reconstructed to exactly match the original design that was proposed by the Sirens. Ownership and management of the Otaniemi Chapel currently belong to the Parish, while the surrounding site belongs to the state and to the university. Once you enter, to the left you will encounter utility and service rooms. Proceeding straight ahead from the entry is the main gathering area. There is a small organ up ahead as you enter, and the visitor’s gaze is then turned diagonally towards the glass altar wall. There are no hidden spaces or tricks in the design of the Otaniemi Chapel.

Instead of the traditional religious iconography that is usually placed at the altar, the architects included the large glass wall to highlight the dominance and presence of nature. The Sirens’ were very concerned with maintaining a link between architecture and nature. A large white cross stands in the middle of the forested landscape, beyond the glass wall. The forest backdrop always remains subject to change according to the seasons, day cycles and weather conditions.

The architects used a limited palette of brick, timber and glass in the design of the Otaniemi Chapel. The ceiling has a wood and steel rod structure. Timber trusses absorb the compressive stresses. The Otaniemi Chapel is a place where nature, architecture and society come together. The elements that are present in its design, such as space, time, light, materials and site, only become activated with the presence of a community. The chapel serves to not only bring communities together and to showcase the link between man and the material as well as spiritual world. The work of Heikki and Kaija Siren is defined by clarity and restraint. The buildings they design do not strive to be grand or to isolate themselves, but rather to associate themselves with the surroundings. In addition to designing buildings, Heikki also built sailing boats, as sailing was a big part of his family’s lifestyle. Designs are often simple and modest, with a focus on the manipulation of natural materials. There is a continuous focus on the configuration of the building, the climatic and light conditions and the economic constraints. Heikki believed that emotion should always play an important role in the planning process of a design.

Above: Photograph of Antti Korppi stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Antti Korppi stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Iva Mihaylova Antti Korppi Location Antti Korpin tie 4 Completion 1972 Architects Into Pyykko, Pentti Lehtiluoto Material Concrete, steel The AnttiKorppi residential buildings accommodate foreign students and families who are staying in Helsinki for a pre-determined period of time. Each residential building in this complex is divided into two mirrored halves, each containing a main entry floor and six residential floors above. A single semi-circular stair and an elevator are the only means of transition between the floors on each side of the building. The triangular shape of the stair steps is narrow on one side, hindering the passage between residents moving in opposite directions. The open design concept of the stairs allows views onto each floor.

Above: Axonometric drawing of Dope Steps.

Left: Photograph of Dope Steps.

Dope Steps Location Itäinen Papinkatu 2 Completion 1912 Architect Lars Sonck Material Grey granite The Kallio Church is located on an elevated point in Helsinki, standing as one of the city’s most prominent landmarks. The main stair of the church marks the end of the longest straight street axis in the city. It subsequently diverges into two separate, but identical semi-circular stairs that contrast the rectangular design of the church.

The original design of the Kallio Church included an urn vault and a rock tomb built underneath its main floor. The main stair elevates the church over these sanctuary spaces. The exterior semi-circular stairs echo the original design of the semi-circular, stone altar within the church. The Kallio Church is also a popular center for music. The duality of the stairs signifies the two distinct types of organs, the French Romantic and the Baroque, located within.

Final poster in progress.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Iva Mihaylova Task: Study Hindemith’s Wir bauen eine Stadt. Design a concept, scenography and cast of characters for an animation film based on the opera.

Above: Final poster in progress.

Right: Final poster.

Let’s Build a City: This piece is based on the Hindemith’s opera “Wir Bauen Eine Stadt,” in which children gather together and begin building a city. The construction of the city is only possible through the cooperation of the children and their willingness to work as a team, and take on different tasks. A city constructed by children is unlike any city constructed by adults. It not only provides for basic needs, such as shelter from the elements and an abundance of natural resources, but also allows the children to play out different roles and identities. Children are young adults, but differ from them in their ability to appoint numerous meanings to single objects. An adult usually has one profession and one role on a daily basis, while a child can imagine being a doctor one day and a wife to a wealthy merchant the next. An adult may use a window to let fresh air and sunlight into a room, while a child may imagine it as a portal to an alternate world. This piece represents a child’s relentless imagination. The image is filled with children’s images playing out different roles and taking part in different scenarios. Two main characters, a boy and a girl, represent some of the many alter egos of a child. Impossible scenarios, shifted scales and skewed perspectives enforce the absence of rules in a child’s imagination. In essence, a city constructed and used by children will not only serve all their basic needs, but also allow them to construct any reality conceived within their imagination. Anything is possible in a children’s city.

Nilakshi Roy 100763275

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Nilakshi Roy Life and Work: As a child, traveling had continuously been a part of my life. I was so often at sea, it felt odd to be on land. Nonetheless, it was the experiences of exploring several countries visited by foot, that captivated my heart and instigated my passion towards architecture. These experiences for me in particular, involved cargo ships, oceans and seas, and innumerable cities worldwide. My father, being a marine engineer, would take my mother and myself for trips annually, most of which were a minimum three-month period. During my travels, I would always find myself with a pencil and sketchbook at hand, sketching anything scenic or interesting that I came across. This love of art continued to broaden throughout the years and started to include painting and multimedia, though architecture was always the heart of my interests. Because of my past travels, Helsinki, Finland will be the beginning of an adventure like no other, a start towards the formation of new sensorial memories and stories that will last a lifetime. I not only want to be a fascinated tourist, but I also want to find out what it is like to become a local in Helsinki. I want to become accustomed to the culture, the people, and their ways of habitation. The thought of residing in a new city for four months whilst becoming more knowledgeable about European architecture, is beyond exciting. With this chance to explore the architecture embodying the beautiful city of Helsinki and its neighboring cities and countries, I will be able to utilize all the tools needed to become inspired for my thesis and future endeavors as an architect: my senses, and of course, my pen and sketchbook. During the summer of 2011 and 2012, I worked as a summer student in an architecture firm in Toronto. This experience was extremely beneficial, as I was given the chance to meet with clients, prepare working drawings, attend meetings, and help with the design process. While gaining experience in an office setting, I began to reflect on my own professional incentives. I started having a firm understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of architecture. My experience as a summer intern at Yabu Pushelberg, a well established international interior design firm, during the summer of 2013, has allowed me to participate in complex and dynamic environments where my interpersonal skills, proactive attitude, and confidence in working with others has been highly valued. I gained extensive experience using AutoCAD, Photoshop and Sketchup. I also created multiple sample boards for numerous projects which required constant coordination between manufacturers/suppliers and myself. Some of the projects I was involved with include: Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Beijing; Yihwah, Taipei; and Siwilai Clothing & Accessory Store, Bangkok.

I also worked as a summer student in WBA Architects and Engineers during the summer of 2011 and 2012.

Some of my tasks included the re-designing of: a wellness centre, a façade of a church, and locker rooms and washrooms. I was also responsible for creating and managing ex-reference files; editing drawings based on changes made by architects; and, drawing various sections, elevations and details for different projects.

In the projects and competitions I have worked on and taken part at Carleton University’s Azrieli school of Architecture and Urbanism, I have demonstrated advanced knowledge in digital modeling and visualization, using Revit, Sketchup, and Adobe Creative Suite. My strong understanding of these programs has allowed me to advise and assist many of my peers with 3-D modeling and architectural visualization.

Past: ESPOIR - School of Arts for Orphans: Studio 7 Carleton University, Azrieli School of Architecture.

Future: Motivation: Since traveling has been a part of my life since I was ten months old, not only have I seen beauty, but I have also witnessed despair- especially in the lives of children in third world countries. Having traveled to Calcutta, India, several times during the past few years, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit and spend time with children at Mother Teresa’s Orphanage. Not only did I notice the helplessness in their mind, body, and soul, but I also realized that the significant factor that blocks their self-growth is the miserable environment they are embodied in. The institutions that kindly take in these children may provide a room for them to sleep in, and food to eat, but they do not provide spaces that encourage personal growth, self healing, and spiritual rejuvenation. With this in mind, I want to research and write my thesis based on topics involving the psychology of architecture; can architecture/interior architecture cause healing?

Thesis: Orphanages, nowadays referred to as children’s homes or asylums, are devoted to the care of orphanschildren whose birth parents are deceased or unwilling to take care of them. When relatives of these children also refuse to care for them, they are placed under the care of orphanages. In many countries orphanages are the only way of providing shelter and food for the children. Western society is now dependent on the foster care system, which are believed to be a safe and healthy alternative to orphanages”. Third world countries in Asia and Africa however, do not have this luxury. Foster care expanded because it was presumed to offer a lifestyle that would incorporate family life, whereas orphanage care was depicted as institutional and relatable to an asylum. Since orphanages are a lifestyle for many children in third world countries, it is important to find ways to provide a sense of permanence through healthy and comforting ways of living. Color, playful shapes, and open spaces integrated within the architecture of the orphanage will allow a child’s senses to be stimulated, which will gradually transform the psychology of a child in a positive manner. The modern day procedure of moving an orphan from home to home, is far more damaging to a child’s mind and soul.

The procedure makes a child feel unwanted even further, as oppose to living in a permanent location (the orphanage) that may be able to provide healthy and affordable settings in which young people can live for periods longer than a few months. They may also begin to believe that they belong and matter to a community.

The impermanence of mobility builds an unstable psychology, whereas orphanages provide much more than material assistance to young people in need. They provide companionship, love, instruction, responsibility and a sense of permanence and place for children who otherwise would have lacked these important ingredients in growing up. Given the absence of truly permanent and suitable placements for an orphans’ mental health, people wonder why so many disadvantaged children today wind up in a mental or emotional rehabilitation program. Therefore, how can an architect mold an orphanage to accommodate the mental health of the different age groups that inhabit an orphanage?

Presentation on Olli and Eija Saijonmaa and White Lady, a building in Helsinki that contains a restaurant with children’s playrooms. Displayed are key images from the presentation.

Meet the Finnish Architects: Week 1: Introduction Nilakshi Roy

Above: Axonometric drawing of Finlandia stairs.

Left: Photograph of Finlandia stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Nilakshi Roy Finlandia Location Mannerheimintie 13 Completion 1971 Architect Alvar Aalto Material Stone, concrete On the east side of the Finlandia Hall, sandwiched between the retaining wall built of rough granite and the pristine white Carrara marble facade of the building is a nice stair, very rarely used by anyone.

Above: Photograph of Zeppelin stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Zeppelin stairs.

Zeppelin Location Kalevankatu 5 Completion 1931 Architect s Bertel & Valter Jung Material Steel, wood Helsinki’s miniature skyscaper Hotel Torni has a unique and complex history. Presently, the Ateljee Bar (situated on the 13th floor) can be accessed from below via two spiral stairways. In the centre of the bar, if one looks upwards, there is a circular aperture in the ceiling, fit for a third identical stairway. These missing spiral stairs would lead to the topmost roof terrace and the pinnacle spire of the building, which has been attributed to have been designed for the mooring of airships.

Left: Preliminary sketches: Program and space planning.

Right: Preliminary layout design.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Nilakshi Roy Task: To design an orphanage in Canada. The orphanage as an alternative to the foster home system, incorporated into the city. Study Aldo van Eyck’s orphanage, and select some of its aspects as a point of departure for your design. Choose a suitable site in a Canadian city (in a park?).

Process: Orphanages have always been a lingering interest and passion. It is only recently that I realized I can help with the improvement of these institutions. Given the opportunity to design based on our future thesis proposals, I decided to start thinking about ways to improve the architectural environment of orphanages and how one can add or deduct current aspects to further improve the living conditions of the home. I started with an overall design of a prospective orphanage in Ottawa, Canada , but soon after realized it would be much more powerful to show a perspective image of a space that would be occupied by all the children for public events and activities. I decided to focus my design on the dining space of the orphanage, taking inspiration from ‘The Last Supper’ painting. After distinguishing the architectural components and materiality of the space, it was a matter of situating children of different age groups and personalities around the dining table, which really put the image together and created a playful and childlike atmosphere.

PARTI

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Above: AutoCAD drawing.

Right: First iteration of final poster.

Next Page: Final poster.

Ms. Roy’s House: A sanctuary. A playground. A school. A home. A place of rest.

These are the main elements that compose Ms. Roy’s Children’s Home. Playful gestures integrated with the architecture and interior design of the orphanage creates moments that distinctly separate this children’s home from any other. The main feature is its dining quarters; it is a space for all to gather and dine and spend time with one another. There are three different levels in the dining space to separate the three age groups that live in the children’s home. This division stirs up curiosity within all the age groups and allows them to mix and mingle rather than separate. On special occasions such as Easter, Christmas, and birthday celebrations, the three levels come together to become one platform, allowing the tables to join into one large dining table.

Each meal is cooked with home grown vegetables and fruits the children planted in the large garden in the backyard of the home. Carrot cake is specially a popular desert; they love eating the cake just as much as they love pulling the carrots out of the ground. The children had a fascination with planting carrot seeds solely for the pleasure of pulling them out. House rules include: what is pulled out of the vegetable garden must be eaten. Unfortunately, the children planted and pulled out a little too many of this particular vegetable.

Ms. Roys Children’s Home, provides a space for the children to grow up in an environment that encourages involvement with the arts, community living, proper nutrition, and the importance of education. Just as every child deserves, the children at Ms. Roy’s House are given the proper care and attention to thrive in their future.

Tim Stanley 100764282

Past: Habitat for Humanity – affordable, sustainable housing summer project with Professor.

Task 0: Week 0: Past and Future Tim Stanley Life and Work: Throughout my life, I have always perceived architecture through different lenses of understanding and bias. At an early age, I had a predisposition to believe the world was like a big mystery, not truly understanding something until I was exposed to the answer. As I went through later phases in life, my curiosity got the best of me and I became obsessed with finding the answer to all things that life has to offer. When years unfolded and time went on, I curiously began attending world religion classes to see how people of different nationalities lived. I developed a profound interest in how others celebrate life, and its true meaning. A truly deep religious understanding for the world arose to my comprehension when I began traveling. Slowly, I felt as though I was piecing the puzzle together – in hope to understand the cultures of the world and its characteristics. Subsequently, I further studied various languages, assorted building types, diverse methods of construction around the world, and world religions. All things considered, I believed that architecture offered a sense of place and sustenance for all types of human activity. Moreover, I comprehended that architecture was the unifying element, which brings the human-built world and the natural world together. It harmonizes both dualities while endorsing health and well being, improving lives aesthetically and internally, reflects culture, and provides innovation for new ways of living. At that age, I understood buildings to be a reflection of cultural identity. During the time of my early high school years, my grandfather and I attended an architectural forum held by the alumni of Carleton University’s architectural community. In attending this event, and meeting several faculty and guest lecturers, I became exposed to the field of architecture for the very first time. These lecturers struck my fascination for the architectural field when they described their international experience, subject of practice, design principles and ethics. Till that point in my life, in a technical sense, I viewed buildings as only bricks and mortar – nothing more than just face value. I became enlightened when the speakers spoke of intriguing topics such as: forces acting upon a structure, time effects on materials, the cosmos in relation to our realm on earth, the poetics of a concept, the story of a building, and the psychological impacts a building or city has on a society or individual. I believe that my previous unfamiliarity with this profession, and attending this particular event, allured my curiosity and led me to grow a fascination for the world and architecture.

At this age, I noticed that buildings began to have meaning beyond what is observable. My undergraduate studies taught me the fundamentals of architecture and the proficiencies to pursue a career in the field. I will continue to refine my design skills and develop my comprehension for the world around me. Through the Master of Architecture program at Carleton University, I will move forward in my pursuit of aiding the natural world we built upon for our own benefit. During my undergraduate studies, most of my projects were tailored to sustainable and efficient design, using readily available, reusable, and recycled materials, and designs that have a low carbon footprint. My professional career has provided me with much exposure to the nature of the field we are in, dealing with design, consulting and research. Both my undergraduate and professional careers have amalgamated my skill sets into establishing a strong passion for this field.

Future.

Motivation: My interests in architecture lie within the preordained byproduct of exchange between the production and consumption of materials and building products. I have a strong interest in innovating the way we think of using/re-using materials, resources, products and building components. This inevitable exchange between consumption and disposal can be rethought and repurposed in common architectural practice to help reduce landfill waste, carbon emissions, and project costs. For example, If there is for some reason a local surplus of a certain resource or material laying about, we can ask ourselves: are there any ways in which these materials or items can be implemented into a building to meet a desirable aesthetic or achieve a certain level of structural performance? Are there any attributes of this material that we find interesting? Unique? Flexible? Adaptable? Culturally appropriate? Reusing universal materials and waste material can bring forth a multitude of overlooked possibilities and start simulating new interpretations of how we can repurpose materials to conserve natural resources and possibly reclaim its embodied energy.

Thesis: Among all of the design techniques which range from low-tech passive solar design to high-tech monitoring systems, there is one design strategy that targets our consumerist society and environmental transgressions; Design for Disassembly (DfD). DfD involves designing a product and/or building to be disassembled for easier maintenance, repair, recovery and reuse of components/materials. I believe that we should portray buildings as an extension of ourselves; a built physical manifestation of the world we live in parallel with and how we live our daily lives. I imagine a world where we as humans see buildings as temporary structures that we coexist within the fabric of time, nurturing our symbiotic relationship that we have with the constructed world around us. It is essential that architecture imparts a dutiful task to the user to construct, preserve, and re-use its building components to retain that coexistence and relationship between the shell and its inhabitant. If architecture was designed to be able to adapt to a users need i.e. upgraded, expanded, or re-assembled to suit the lifestyle of the user, I am confident that the building would be a more consumable product – as well as a learning device of understanding how impermanent we are on this planet, and the implications we have on this world. If there is one thing that I would like to reveal to the world through my architecture, is that we are only temporary on earth, and that architecture is merely a byproduct and reflection of what we believe in. Architecture should manifest only what we believe in, while retaining the practicality of what functions it needs to support within. Understanding that the one truth in the world is that everything has an expiry date, my goal is to find a system where housing and humans can benefit from one another and prolong the lifecycles symbiotically.

Photographs of Tennispalatsi stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Tennispalatsi stairs.

Stair Compendium: Weeks 4-8: Details Tim Stanley Tennispalatsi Location Salomonkatu 15 Completion 1999 Architects Nurmela-Raimoranta-Tasa Architects Material Laminated hardwood, steel Tennispalatsi cinema’s main lobby stairs serve not only as an entrance to the theatre halls, but this transition space is also utilized as a sitting and gathering space for cinephiles. The stairs’ profile is shallow and elongated to maximize comfort while walking down or sitting on the steps.

Above: Elevation of Pyramid stairs.

Right: Axonometric drawing of Pyramid stairs.

Pyramid Location Hakaniemenranta 17 Completion 2013 Architect Tuomas Toivonen Material Concrete The pyramid conceals a seven-stepped void, created by four concrete tapering stair elements and a capstone.

Within the pyramid chamber, a collection of architecture models based on unbuilt projects in Helsinki are kept: a department store, a parliament house, a radio tower, a kiosk, a university, a church, a railway station, a bank, a motorway, a museum, a factory...

Above: Preliminary Sketches.

Right: Final poster.

Personal Project: Weeks 7-12: A Personal Project Tim Stanley Task: Design a ‘NEW GOLF’ course on an artificial island. Includes an assessment of what is ‘NEW GOLF’ and how it impacts design of the course and surrounding facilities. Design of course, distribution of services, activities and buildings on island.

Designed as half building - half golf course, the development exemplifies how architecture and the sport of golf can co-exist to bring forth a new dimension to the game. In comparison to traditional golf courses, the play style in this format has changed tremendously. Rather than reading the landscape and managing your shot shape according to foliage, rocks and lateral hazards, one will adjust to playing around building entities, openings and prevailing winds. The golfer wants the most direct line he can find to the hole, while I, the architect use structures and other hazards to create risk and reward options that suggest the ideal line for the player, or the line of charm.