PIER PROJECT ALMANAC

Contents

Newhaven

Located on the southern coast of England, Newhaven is a port town known for its routes to dieppe, as well as its history as a fishing community and its contributions during the second world war.

The Pier

The site is specifically the smaller pier located near the mouth of the river quay.

The East Pier operates as a Lighthouse, and a popular fishing spot for local anglers.

Built in the 1850’s

First light added 1862

Large scale expansions and renovations 1878

Cut made through pier through 1940s for defense purposes

1950’s “knuckle” torn down to make space for the entrance of newer, larger ferries carrying more passengers to france

1987 Renovations (metal)

2006 old lighthouse replaced with Light Polew

The pier was first constructed by joining wooden beams with iron bolts, which were pushed into the earth below the surface of the water.

The wooden piles were later replaced with rebar reinforced cast concrete, which methodically replaced the wooden piles by reinforcing the areas inbetween each wooden structure, then the wooden structures were demolished.

The lighthouse was removed during the installation of the new concrete based structure.

Terrain Model

I assigned myself to the role of creating the topographical terrain map, which required the use of government produced LiDar data as well as multiple programs to convert the data into usable 3D object files to be read and printed out into a 3D model.

The model was made available online to be viewed via website-link.

The file was printed out into a one white high resolution model and one grey lower resolution model to the scale of 1:10000.

The high resolution model was used to create an inverse silicon mold, which was then used to create three plaster copies for free use and referencing.

Programs in order used:

1. Chrome - ( downloading .asc files )

2. LasTools ( converting .asc to .LAS/.las/.LAZ/.laz)

3. 3DEM ( converting .LAS/.las/.LAZ/.laz to .dem )

4. ArcGIS ( converting .dem to Obj. )

5. [A piece of custom code to fix a few errors made by some of the older programs]

6. Blender ( viewing )

7. 3Dprint (for Printing out )

Finding The Protagonist

In an effort to create a protagonist, I created a mind-map detailing my thought process from beginning to end.

Process

I started with a video, thinking it would be the best course of action, with the best results, I also went ahead with an animation as my preferred medium of video.

This turned out to be extremely time consuming and tiring.

In the end I had gotten just a minute or so of rough keyframe animation done.

I always thought id do something with my life, something exciting, push away that idea of staying at home forever, but I always put it off, thinking id do it some other day or some other month or next year; I really did think I just hadn’t gotten to it yet.

I’d change it all if I could do it again. Like going to Europe, I always could, I could afford it, and the ferry was only a few minutes away. I wish id actually done it. I wish id taken a lot of opportunities.

I never did, never wanted to step out of that area I was so comfortable with. It scared me, the idea of failure or getting hurt or something.

I guess that kept me safe, but it was fucking depressing; I felt lonely and bored. At least I didn’t do anything I didn’t want to; I don’t think that was worth it. Actually think I would’ve enjoyed someone pushing me into doing something.

It wasn’t all bad though, best times were when I was a child; every week I’d go out to the little pier, fishing with my grandfather, I didn’t know how to, but the anticipation, the sound of the waves, the fresh air, the faint music. He would desperately try to teach me how to reel in my fish, and at the end of it all, I’d get some fish fingers and chips, and I wouldn’t even have to pay. Truly the best of times.

I continued tradition throughout my entire life; it was my only real peace. I later had to start paying on my own, of course.

I still don’t know why I never bothered going on those trips. I never left Newhaven, so why would I have started with France, I suppose, but why wouldn’t I?

I feel like all I needed was a change in perspective.

Funnily enough, the only thing to change my perspective was drowning

I wish I had been resuscitated or saved; I might actually do something with what I had. honestly, I wish I tried drowning sooner if I knew it’d get me somewhat motivated I could keep rambling on, but you’ve probably got a life to get back to I don’t, which is nice. I’ve got all the time in the world.

One last thing I’ve been meaning to get off my chest: I’ve never caught a single fish.

over the camera and submerging the viewer.

The idea was a bit crude but was a stepping point towards the final result.

I then came up with an idea, and a script which involved a monologue from a dead protagonist, remeniscing over regrets about how theyd lived their lives, I was going to then outsource the voice and combine it with shots of the ocean, with waves crashing

Final Product

The final result was to rethink the medium entirely, and focus on something more grounded and less on-the-nose in terms of message and idea.

I decided to go with a diary detailing some of the characters everyday life as well as thoughts and actions. It would slowly illustrate a mundane repetity, as well as hint at what the protagonist would actually want to do with their lives.

The character would be given opportunities to do something with their lives, but the opportunities would be blown off out of a lack of will or effort to get out of what they are comfortable with.

This cycle would continue to the end of the book where a realisation that nothing of significant value or interest has happened throughout the entire diary

Thought Process

FAISAL

I intended to bring something to the table that would illustrate how the general audience would interact with my final piece.

Initially, I wanted to use a long aluminum sheet, which was shiny enough to reflect the person interacting with it, which I hoped would make an impact on the audience.

This idea changed as Id moved along the design process.

Process

I decided to move forward with this being my Hybrid Drawing, using a large piece of aluminium, I bent it into an L shape using the magnabend for it to stand freely.

I then assembled a miniature person which I stuck to the end of this figurative pier, as if looking out to the ocean, representing my protagonist and their semi daily ritual.

Then, using the magnabend, I bent a piece of oxidised copper into a shape thats remeniscent of the edge of a pier.

I then placed a frame onto the up-standing wall of the Hybrid drawing, highlighting the reflection of the protagonist, and how looking out to the ocean represents a look inwards to themselves.

The People

initials (M.A.S.)

initials

(Ted) First attempt to create something permanent (Adhesive, Powder, Scratch)

Hardened Steel centerpunch used to scratch, scrape and Emboss into the Plate.

written in ink with ballpoint pen, lasts surprisingly long.

(Susie) Red Spraypaint, rough paper stencil.

(left) (Pete, Chris, Simon) written in erasable whiteboard marker.

(Dani) Gouache Acrylic Jelly Paint, Layered.

(Monique) Scratched on with a stainless steel screw.

(Ahmed) Scratched on with Hardened Steel centerpunch

(Yousef) Scraped on with Hardened Steel centerpunch.

(F.A.S.) Embossed/Punched on with Hardened Steel centerpunch.

End Result

The piece ends up being a miniature of the interactive aspect of the final design, as well as being a representation of what this means when relating to the protagonist.

Materials

I took five metals: Tin (Top Left) , Brass (Top Right) , Aluminum (Lower Left) , Steel (Lower Middle) , and Copper (Lower Right) And soaked them in a Saline solution then let them rest for two weeks to test the effects of salt water on the corrosion and weathering of different metals.

Brass stayed relatively unweathered and uncorroded in comparison to the other metals, despite its thinness. This could be attributed to it being a Copper-Zinc Alloy, both metals known for their corrosion resistance and anti-rusting properties.

Aluminium is notoriously corrosion resistant due to the creation of a protective, impermeable layer of Aluminum-Oxide on the surface.

Tin corroded due to the saltwater which created oxidisation layers on the surface.

Steel was the metal that corroded and rusted the most out of all of them, this could be due to the iron reacting with the saltwater, which causes accelerated rust and corrosion due to the presence of chloride.

Copper creates an impermeable layer of Copper-Oxide and Verdigris, protecting it from weathering and eroding for long periods of time, this explains its historical use as roofing and as a skin for permanent installations such as the statue of liberty.

Structure

trying to understand how to make a self supporting structure from rusted metal wire, representing rebar at 1:50 scale.

Water

I designed a small exploratory model of how marker pens would react to showers of water onto a large metal slab.

This unfortunately did not work due to the water being low pressure and only coming down in a small amount of droplets

Thought Process

The idea manifested itself when thinking about what a monument is, something that blends itself into the architectural landscape, that usually doesnt mean to, a structure with an intention to get a message across, or tell a story, but does not because it is ignored and forgotten.

My counter monument would turn that table, it wouldnt be easily accessed, nor would it try to advertise a certain message violently, it would need you, the audience to interact with it, with effort, and then it would forget you.

In this scenario you would need to grab the monuments attention, you would need to get your message across, you would try to be remembered.

(above) A notebook scan of my first sketch and concept. A monolith that would urge people to write their names on it, then be dropped into the waves below via some sort of trapdoor or chain mechanism. This would either be brought back to the surface with all the names washed off, or forever be swallowed by the ocean.

"You WIll Not Be Remembered"

(above) a Scan of the miro on which I documented some of my work. This time the monument is placed in between the high median water level and low median water level, this removed the need for a clumsy mechanical aspect to the monument, and added the passage of time via the rise and fall of the tide. The coloured notes are speculation of how and why the audience would interact wth and leave marks on the monument, as well as how the interactions would slowly fade away.

(above) A look at the monument sitting at the end of a path, considering sculpting it into a hand, so come high tide, a large metal hand would be coming out of the water, as if drowning.

(below) a concept inspired by Italo Calvinis waves, where the monument would be a giant wave cresting, and engulfing the audience visiting or interacting with the monument

(above) a continuation of the wave concept that eventually turned into an igloo, where even if the tide is higher than the road to it, the monument would have a pocket of air, making it habitable despite the ocean swallowing it for hours at a time.

(below) A long and winding road leads off the edge of the pier, a journey with smaller monuments that ends with a final large canvas. The long and winding road aspect of this design would inspire more to come.

(above) scans of a sketchbook. The idea of the parallax effect was inspired by the journey in previous iterations, where when looking at the monument at a certain angle, it would allign into a large rectangle, framing the ocean and horizon line, I’d like to call this “The Big Picture”, a look back at the journey youve been through all together. The big issue with this design is that I didnt know how parallax worked, and how to design with it in mind, however i continued with this being a signifiant part of the project due to the interesting and appealing design aspect. I was ready to take on the challenge.

Process

In an effort to create a parallax projection model, I started with moving angled pieces of paper around a wooden board, with my viewpoint being stationary at the very end. This proved difficult as it was very unwieldy and ultimately too inaccurate of a process.

I then moved to a digital medium (sketchup) in order to change thicknesses, and move objects precisely. This was the most successful way of testing the parallax effect as I was able to gain full controll of the model, redo, undo as well as do it at 1:1 scale.

I needed to have the structure below high mean water level in order for the tide to affect and submerge the structure completely

Red line shows the High mean water level (too high)

Ended up being below the lowest horizontal beam on the pier head.

Trying to find a good way to create a pathway, entrance and exit to the structure below the pier.

(above) Steep staircase completing the round head of the pier.

(above) Long Ramp, slow ascent and descent towards the monument

(above, left) a curved downwards staircase taking you into the monument, starting the journey. (above, right) A long footpath leading all the way to the beach. A look back will cause the parallax effect to take place, showing the “ big picture” after the journey and interactions.

Moving onwards to the physical plane, I started creation of the section of the pier displayed in my model. first cutting pieces out on the lasercutter, then moving forwards and assembling them.

I decided on creating the footpath of the pier monument on a laser cutter as creating it by wrapping wire mesh wouldnt have been aesthetically pleasing, and would look confusing. The footpath is made of cardboard laser cut and etched with many scribbles symbolising the rebar skin wrapped around a steel frame. (1:50)

Original scale rebar skin

Cut out, bent, and attached metal pieces onto the footpath.

Finalised Physical Model

Model

The sketchup model was tweaked over and again.

An entrance was put at the top of the Pier Head which leads down to the end of the frame, once past the frame and surfaces on which to interact, a look back reveals the “Big Picture” - The frame presenting the horizon.

the journey is only over once you walk all the way back to the shore. leaving the ocean and the pier alltogether.

Finalisation

A change of textures and addition of a beach and ocean was the last step towards creating a photorealistic inhabited space via Enscape for Vectorworks and Sketchup.

A walk to the head of the pier

Walking through the frame, interacting, stepping at the spot.

A look back at the big picture.