ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO 2020_Ta-Hsin, Chang

The Trolley School The educational field for children to build a connection with nature in urban area

TA-HSIN, CHANG

01 MANIFESTO

02 RESEARCH. LICHENS

03 SITE ANALYSIS

04 DESIGN PROCESS

05 Final Drawing

01 MANIFESTO The Trolley School It is a school for students to have the opportunity to establish a connection with the natural environment in urban areas, learning with a focus on the natural world.

The value of this project is to establish a connection between lichen, the environment, fresh air, and humans.

Be a space to provide fresh air and education meaning to society through a lichen-based ecosystem.

As the economy dev elops and the population increases, the key factor closely related to human health-clean air is becoming more and more precious in the city.

Base on the research of lichen, I was able to extend its characteristics through an educational perspective by using landscape design and materials that lichen can grow easily. Moreover, the easy-to-move trolley system allows students to study under the fresh air and comfortable sunlight.

Lichens, plants, and architecture together create a comfortable and healthy learning environment, allowing people to have a harbor in the city to alleviate air pollution.

02 RESEARCH. LICHENS The pioneers and the pollution indicator

LICHEN

LICHENS, Biology in Action, 1966, John Tyler Bonner.

highly polluted

moderately polluted

slightly polluted

no pollution

Lichen as a pollution indicator

Lichens 17000/ world 1800/ uk 0.5mm-50mm/ year 40% a- 70%/ humidity 9,000 years old 6% of Earth's land surface -78C for several days

Lichens are symbiotic organisms consisting of a fungus and an alga growing together. They play integral roles in keeping our natural world working.

Pollution indicator Lichen needs clean air to grow. They are not able to tolerate pollution.

Therefore, to grow they absorb everything from the air including carbon dioxide and heavy metals. lichens are dying in one site due to harmful pollution, it can be considered as the initial warning or signal that the level of pollution is increasing at that place.

Types of Lichen in Brompton Cemetery

Lichens, growing environment

Water - Lichens needs a humid environment. Because lichens do not have a waxy cuticle like plants, they cannot conserve water during drought periods.

Nutrients - Lichens need nutrients to survive and grow. The main nutrients include nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen.

Light - Similar to plants, all lichens photosynthesize.

Substrates - Every lichen lives on top of something else. The surface is called a substrate. Just about anything that holds still long enough for a lichen to attach to and grow is a suitable substrate. The most common natural substrates are trees, rocks, and soil.

Distribution of lichens in the UK

Brompton Cemetery

Welford Road Cemetery

Brompton Cemetery

Lichens, City

The climate of the UK is suitable for lichen growth. From the chart, we know that there are a certain number of lichens in most parts of the UK. Due to the increase in population density and air pollution, the number of lichens in the city has greatly reduced. But there is an interesting phenomenon in urban area. Cemetery becomes the best growing environment for lichen.

Tombstones provide a good growth surface. Also, a ventilated environment and high-density of vegetation are more conducive for lichen to growth.

Foliose lichens

Pioneer

Removable and expandable

Crustose lichens

Different cores

Unitization

Fruticose lichens

Functionality

Lichens, types and structure

Structure

Analyze the three main types of lichen. It is a pioneer of the environment, and the structure will change with the expansion of time. Lichen can have different cores, each developing in different directions. Each branch of lichen can have independent structural behavior and complete functions.

o3

Co2

pm2.5

Air pollution, London

Nearly 9,500 people die each year in London because of air pollution.

The worst locations in London tend to be enclosed streets with large amounts of diesel traffic.

Exposure to poor air quality is associated with both ill health and premature death, especially in terms of respiratory health and heart.

Openluchtschool, Amsterdam, Jan Duiker en Bernard Bijvoet.

Open Air School, Goirle, Jos Bedaux.

École de plein air de Suresnes, Eugène Beaudouin et Marcel Lods.

Learning, The Open-Air School

In the early 20th century, open-air schools became fairly common in Northern Europe, originally designed to prevent and combat the widespread rise of tuberculosis that occurred in the period leading up to the Second World War. Schools were built on the concept that exposure to fresh air, good ventilation and exposure to the outside were paramount.

the sketch of lichen growing pattern

The first year

after 10 years

after 20 years Time, the final step to complete the design

Research summary

Lichen is an important contributor in nature and an important air pollution indicator. The number of lichens in a city is directly proportional to the cleanliness of the air. In other words, with appropriate vegetation and design, the surrounding air quality can be improved. With the accumulation of time, lichen has the opportunity to rebalance the environment.

03 SITE ANALYSIS Camden Highline

Site and surrounding environment

Camden Market, Camden Town, London

In the early 20th century, the borough of Camden was a hub for goods from all over the British empire, with Kings’s Cross railway station next door and Regent’s canal alongside, the area was crammed with industrial and railway activity.

Way before Camden Market became one of the most famous markets in the world, and even before it became a market at all, the whole area was an industrial site, including many a distillery. Situated in the heart of Camden Town, alongside Regent’s Canal, it is a colorful community composed of diverse street food traders and independent stores. So it will come millions of people from all over the globe every year for this vibrant market attracts.

Noise and air pollution

Camden Highline

The site is a section of an abandoned railway next to the Camden town station. The height of about seven and a half meters gives the view just above the surrounding street houses. Its excellent location just becomes the best place for people, animals, and plants to breathe in this city. In other words, the higher terrain allows people to avoid the exhaust emissions from cars on the street and become a comfortable urban green belt.

The advantage of railroads is connecting various intersections can become a new daily walking path for people.

Physical environment analysis

Site Strategy

The site is located between the two intersections of Camden town station. Busy traffic jeopardizes the air quality of this path. After analyzing the surrounding physical environment, and trying to avoid buildings around the site. The principle of the plan is to pursue maximum sunshine time and ventilation area.

The main structural massing is on the side of the Camden town station, and the west side of the site is an outdoor learning space.

04 DESIGN PROCESS open-air learning sketches trolley system site strategy material structure

Outdoor Learning Bring Back the Open Air School

Around the 20th century, many thought it important to get pre-tubercular city children out into the open air and away from crowded cities.

It seems like we have a similar situation now; kids who need some fresh air and sunlight. Perhaps it’s time to have another look at the idea of the Open Air School.

Through the combination of vegetation and environment, children can learn in a comfortable and healthy environment.

Floor plan based on the lichen growth pattern

Giant umbrella-shaped structure introduces light

Initial sketches

Starting from analyzing the sketches of lichens. The structure of lichens and its variability are the basis for development.

The concept of the site plan is that the lichen expands like a pioneer, and different spatial functions can overlap like different types of lichens can overlap and symbiosis. The umbrella-shaped structure that creates an open space for the second level.

Introduce the largest area of sunlight and create the largest ventilation area.

the sketch of the trolley system

section structure and vegetation distribution

First version: single-track trolley system

Second version: two-track trolley system

The final version of the trolley system

The section of the trolley system

Design process

Based on the original railway on the site and the understanding of the open-air school, produced the concept of the trolley system. It combines the concept of the pioneering nature of lichen growth and variability.

The initial design of the trolley system was a single track with a large trolley classroom unit, which later modified to a two-track small trolley teaching unit, and finally, add a circular track to improve the mobility of the trolley.

Form a two-way open-air teaching space.

300cm 1 Teacher

5 Student

The Trolley System

x 25 200cm

The trolley classroom teaching system is based on the railway trolley in Taiwan. The trolley is light and easy to move. Each trolley unit becomes an outdoor teaching space, which can be used by a teacher and five students.

The trolley can be switching from indoors and outdoors through railway, allowing students to have the opportunity to study in the urban green belt and under the sunlight.

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Trolley Units

There are 5 basic forms of trolley units. Through the different teaching attributes, a total of 25 units have been developed.

Each trolley has a different form, which can provide different types of teaching activities, such as static teaching courses, dynamic physical education classes or transformation into a performance stage.

lecture

Playroom

Fair

Skatepark

Seminar

Carnival

Party mode 01

Party mode 02

Theater

Cinema

Connectable Trolley

The characteristics of combining different types of lichens with overlapping and symbiotic correspond to the possibility that the trolley can be merged with one or two other trolleys.

To form different forms of teaching activities for more people to use.

two-sides stepped classroom structure

roads and buildings which higher than the site

trolley teaching systems

trolley teaching systems and stepped classroom structure

Site Strategy Diagram

plateform structure

Considering the environment around the site, the principle of the plan is to pursue maximum sunshine time and maximum ventilation efficiency, with two trolley teaching systems running through the site as the main axis.

The main stepped classroom structure is no obvious boundaries between various spatial attributes, and it can define by the user.

The indoor space is a semi-open field, and the platform-like structure allows different units to be connected to each other, to form a large indoor multiple activity space.

Outdoor teaching space Indoor multiple activity space

Outdoor Semi-outdoor Indoor

Outdoor Semi-outdoor Indoor

Open space after class

Street pick-up entrance Station pick-up entrance

Teaching space Teacher space

Space analysis Diagram

Indoor and outdoor define the spatial attributes. During class time, the space property changes with the trolley unit. The user can define its spatial attributes (static, dynamic, independent, combination, etc.). After class, the trolley unit moves back to the platform, sharing the ground floor for surrounding residents as playground.

Material, Environment

Rock and wooden are the most suitable surface for lichen growth in nature. The ground floor uses rock as the main material, with a large amount of vegetation. Making the entire site environment is suitable for lichen growth and trying to create a complete ecosystem to produce fresh air.

The main building materials are timber and rock, with the goal of using minimize man-made building.

Stepped classroom structure

Implanting different functional spaces

Time and vegetation to finish design

Partly transparent roof

Wooden structure ventilated skin construct

Rock platform structure

Material, Structure

Outdoor stepped structure Through the change of massing, stepped structure become teaching area and main flow. There is no obvious boundary between the various spatial attributes and space is defined by the user.

Main structure The main structure is a semi-outdoor space. Through the extrapolation of the facade, and the combination of light-transmitting materials to achieve the purpose of ventilation and lighting.

The ground floor is made of stone, and the second floor and above is timber structure.

05 Final Drawing The open-air learning experience with fresh air and sunlight

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Ground floor plan

Final Plan 1:200

1. Class torlley 2. Street entrance 3. Railway/Sports Ground 4. Main entrance 5. Entrance office 6. WC 7. Forest corner 8. Tunnel 9. Outdoor theater 10. Step classroom

11. Indoor multiple activity space 12. Teacher's office 13. Meeting space 14. Observatory

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Class torlley Railway/Sports Ground Tunnel Outdoor theater Step classroom Indoor multiple activity space Teacher's office Meeting space Observatory

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Class torlley Railway/Sports Ground Outdoor theater Step classroom

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Main Structure 1. Indoor multiple activity space 2. Meeting space 3. Observatory

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Class torlley Indoor multiple activity space Teacher's office Observatory

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Outdoor Learning Space - P.E. class 1. Class torlley 2. Tunnel 3. Railway/Sports Ground

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Outdoor Learning Space - Music class, Lecture 1. Class torlley 2. Railway/Sports Ground 3. Step classroom

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Final visual 01 The circular track classroom

Final visual 02 The indoor multiple activity space

Final visual 03 The open-air theatre