Masters' Stroke I SEM6 I Akshat Pagaria I CEPT University

PORTFOLIO Akshat Pagaria UG180055

MASTERS’ STROKE

L2 Studio Spring’ 21 Tutor - Sachin Soni Nilosha Dave

CONTENTS

SMILJAN RADIC Brief Introduction

THE PORTRAIT Work as a reflection of self

The CUBE Study of physical and ephemeral substances

THE MAZE Study of organizational devices

THE TROPHY Study of making and detailing

DESIGN PROBLEM Context pictures Program study Design proposal

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Smiljan Radic Age - 55 Years Practice based in Chile Radic is a prominent architectural figure in Chile, his work focuses mainly on small scale projects that allow him to use artisanal production techniques. He has a distinct approach to form, materials and natural settings and his buildings often flirt with notion of fragility.

Work as a Reflection of Self Radic is a man resorting his comfort in various kinds of conflicts and tensions like geometry/ organic, heaviness/lightness, permanent/ ephemeral etc. Landscape is very important to him thus he sensitively dissolves himself in it.

DIARY OF ATTITUDES

PHYSICAL SUBSTANCES MASS

MATERIAL

Massing creates a paradox by its apparent weightlessness and by the play between two extremes i.e. light/heavy, fragile/strong.

Materials are selected to create an overall contrast between rough/smooth, light/ heavy and fragile/strong

Yungay Project Performing Arts Hall

Material Palette Palette for heavy/light and rough/smooth

Play between ephemerality and permanence

VIK Winery, San Vicente, Chile 2014

Copper and steel

Concrete and Steel

Fragile materials like fiberglass and marquee when used alongside heavy materials like stone bring out the ephemeral quality of architecture

Serpentine Pavilion 2014

Marquee/fiberglass with stone/concrete

Concrete/steel stone

with

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SURFACE

STRUCTURE Structural elements are articulated in a way to emphasize the conflict between light/ heavy, fragile/strong.

Surface in Radic’s building is play of materials to create contrast between light/ heavy, translucent/transparent/opaque and rough/smooth

Rooted structures Heavy and strong materials transfer the load to the ground making the rest of the structure seem ephemeral.

Bio Bio Regional Theatre, Chile, 2011 Mestizo Restaurant, Santiago, Chile, 2005 Rocks are used as columns concrete and steel are used as beams which supports the thin translucent membrane

Piedra Roja House, 2012 Concrete walls lift the entire structure above ground

Floating Structures Shell-like structures are lifted to sit sensitively on the landscape giving a strong sense of weightlessness Room, 1997

Serpentine Pavilion 2014

House for the poem of the right angle,

Fiber glass shell rests on stone

Steel pegs lifts the concrete shell like structure above ground level

The fragility and thinness of material here makes the surface appear weightless and its transparency makes the surface per-formative.

Serpentine Pavilion 2014

1

Ephemeral Substances SCALE

CONTRAST BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE

Radics buildings try to dislodge by creating a conflicting experience between the perceived scale and actual scale.

The built form either sits heavily on the landscape or very lightly which is contrasted by a different interior experience.

VIK Winery, San Vicente, Chile 2014

Mestizo Restaurant, Santiago, Chile, 2005

From the outside the built form seems low scale while their is depth seen from the inside of the building From the outside the built form seems low scale while their is depth seen from the inside of the building

CONTRAST BETWEEN BUILDING AND LANDSCAPE The built form contrasts itself with the surrounding landscape of mountains.

VIK Winery, San Vicente, Chile 2014

Pite House, Chile, 2005

SPACE MAKING TOOLS Sculptures, windows and other elements are used to add dynamism and tension in the spaces.

Pavilion sort of spaces create transparency

Big stone pieces are used as sculpture to create contrast in spaces and also creates a play of light and shadow.

THE CUBE The cube talks about various tensions that Radic plays with in his built forms.

Some of them being heaviness/lightness, permanence/fragility etc.

Notion of enclosure is being challenged hereby using newspaper which is contrasted by pointy kota stone chips.

The enclosure itself seems to defy gravity against this crude heavy presence of stone.

Organizational Devices GRID AND GEOMETRY

DATUM BY SURFACE

Spaces are organized based on a irregular grid which also in the end has a strong geometry

The spaces are organized under the plane of ceiling which gives out a strong sense of horizontality.

The grid often comes from the structure and the irregularity comes from the sizes of various spaces.

Piedra Roja House, 2012

The ceilings in Radic’s building often becomes a way of aggregating the spaces under one plane. As a result the built form seems to sits on the landscape in a very human way.

Vina Vik Hotel Cabin, Chile 2009

ABSENCE OF GRID AND GEOMETRY At times the form and spaces are guided by intuition or the landscape around, this results in irregular forms

Mestizo Restaurant, Santiago, Chile, 2005

Serpentine Pavilion 2014

ORDER THROUGH HIERARCHY Circulation spaces are arranged either on the periphery or around the courtyard, thus it always has outside connection.

Circulation without courtyard

Circulation with courtyard

MAZE Maze reflects the duality seen in Radic’s approach towards organization. One side is arranged in strict geometrical order from there the circulation ramp situated in center takes the ball to the other side where the organization is done with intuition.

MAKING AND DETAILING STRUCTURAL EXPRESSION

BREAKING THE GEOMETRY

Structural details in Radic’s building are exposed, thus one can figure out the transfer of forces.

Some details stand out from the over all built form because of their bold articulation which breaks the overall design theme and creates tension.

The structure is articulated in a way that it gives the built form a sense of order. One can understand the process of construction by walking around in Radic’s building House for the poem of the right angle, 2012

THE DETAIL AS A JOINT

Chilean House 1, 2005

WOODEN INSTALLATION

The joinery between the ceiling and wall is often expressed by lifting it up and showing them as two separate independent members

This joinery is often used as a way of getting in light and ventilation, this also gives the built form a strong sense of horizontality which makes it seem more connected towards its surrounding.

The wooden installation adds a sense of dynamism to the space. It charges the environment by ts peculiar form, play of light and shadow and its texture.

THE TROPHY The material used for making a trophy speaks of various contradictions like smooth and shiny surface against the rough and crude stone. The process of construction and the load transfer can be seen but still gives a sense of wonder.

Design Proposal

CONTEXT PICTURES

The contrast of sky and white marble Railing or the walls here are made by mines is fascinating to look at. assembling marble stones, extracted from the mines nearby. They were quarried by aadivasis almost two centuries ago. The marks left on the white marble speak of their time, aadivasis and their process of extraction. The shadows created due to the uneven surface of marble and the curved staircase creates a narratively charged and theatrical route to the temple above.

The use of stone as lintel and railing Various elements are coming together The stone present on the landscape is while the walls are made of brick harmoniously in this landscape. used to create a boundary wall. An creates tension between heavy/light and elegant solution by using material that is permanent and ephemeral. available in hand.

DESIGN CLUES FROM PROGRAM AND SITE

Google Earth View - The red area is our site and the yellow area is the 30km long stretch of existing mines which can be seen from ridge of the site.

Conceptual sketch, dividing program in two blocks.

1.

Block 1 is sited such that it gets views of the 30km long stretch of existing mines.

2.

Block 2 utilizes the lake and enclosure of overall site to create a relaxed and contemplative space

3.

Circulation becomes a way to engage with the overall site by creating a loop around the hill.

PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE ENTIRE BUILT FORM

4.

Main Hall deals with macro and micro views of site. Displaying the existing stretch on one side and the immediate mine on the other.

5.

The hall becomes a free flowing space allowing possibilities for various organizations of exhibits.

6.

The exit ramp takes one through the landscape where planted vegetation and rocks becomes a exhibit in itself.

7.

The laboratory block is tilted to break the linearity of the form above, also it faces the residence block.

8.

The ramp is shaded by trees and one can also experience the working of laboratory thorough the glass.

9.

The strong horizontality of the built forms creates contrast with the surrounding curves of Aravali range.

10.

The exhibition block is lifted from the ground giving it a hovering effect, doing minimal damage to the site which creates a contrast with the crude and heavy feel of site.

11.

The materials are use such that they speak of various tensions between heaviness/ lightness, transparency/opaqueness and permanence/ephimerality.

12.

The 15mm marble ceiling brings in diffused light and it also speaks of the history of the site.

13.

The long window gives a panoramic view of the afar site, simultaneously limiting the light coming in to create a dark atmosphere for the marble ceiling.

14.

The deck opens onto existing mines without taking support from it which makes one feel the weightlessness of the built form.

VIEWS OF EXHIBITION SPACE

Cutout exhibiting existing mine

Renders of Main Hall

VIEW OF BLOCK 1

15.

Rooms are arranged in formal layout while the rest of the space becomes free flowing and informal.

16.

The I beams vanishes in the hill creating a semi-enclosed space with play betweem light and shadow.

ENTRANCE VIEW OF RESIDENCES

Refer diagrams 5, 7 and 18.

17.

A gap is seen in between cafe and residence block which accentuates the feeling of a floating mass.

18.

Rubble masonry in cafe is placed on the slope creating a curvilinear wall.

19.

Residence block provides shade to cafeteria space.

Refer diagrams 9, 10 and 11

VIEW OF BLOCK 2