Studio E Gallery of the Anthropocene

SUSPENDED A Mine and Fossil Museum Experience in Mount Isa, Queensland Bolun Zheng 837101

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Studio 04 Suspended Conventional architectural and urban design strategies generally view the city as static, when in fact the urban environment is a dynamic field of interrelated elements that are in a constant process of change, resulting in the continual production of new hybrid architectural types and forms.

During the first half of the term students will perform a series of tasks aimed at building up their set of design techniques in order to formulate a clear understanding about the site and the conceptual framework of the studio. During the second half, students continue to develop their projects focusing on developing their ideas through the study of precedent, program allocation and drawing iteration.

Rigorous and bold experiments will be rewarded.

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The studio will examine the relationship between the architectural object and the urban field and begin to test how different techniques of editing and deformation can result in the production of new architectural types and formations.

Testing of these speculations will take place in Mount Isa, a major centre for mining in north-west Queensland. The studio will engage with the specific material culture of the site and begin to speculate on techniques for the hybridisation and production of new architectures.

More broadly the studio will examine emergent design technique, both digital and analogue as a means of working with and acting upon existing fields of matter and material – both through editing the existing and speculating through the architectural element to the scale of architectural typology.

The studio is structured around a live project currently being developed by Common and Enlocus for Mount Isa City Council. The project involves the adaptation and reconfiguration of the Outback at Isa tourist precinct, including an underground mine experience & museum, Riverslea Fossil Discovery Centre and Indigenous Cultural Centre. Students will work with the project team to develop concepts for 1) a precinct and landscape strategy and 2) conceptual propositions for a museum of mining investigating the role of experience, education and entertainment in the contemporary museum and the relationship between the existing underground mine shafts and aboveground infrastructure on the site.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Field Unbalanced p5

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Float and Anchor Movement and Flow 3.

Above and Below Ground Graveyard of the post-industrial 4.

Final Project Mine and Fossil Museum The Memorial of the Anthropocene p 46

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1.

FIELD Overview

we studied about Mount Isa, we were attracted by the city’s mining elements. The kits of parts collected items in the city that is related to its mining history and operation.

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1.

FIELD Kit of Parts

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FIELD Overview

The impression drawing shows the dilemma of Mount Isa. Mining operation brings wealth to the place, which attracts people to settle in the city. In the meantime, it generates problems that push people away. The town structure creates this come-and-go phenomenon that we would like to research about the mobility of the place.

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FLOAT AND ANCHOR Overview

We focus on the concept of mobility of mount isa. We did four mapping based on city mobility, social mobility, mineral mobility and tourism mobility. Combining these concepts,the model of our group is mount isa flow.

The first mapping is about the circulation of the city activities, the south to north vertical stretching by the mining industry and the city developed from west to east like things pulling them. The second mapping is about social negative circulation,by analysis why population loss and the renders for these two concepts is basically descript extend and pressure.

The rest map focuses on the mobility of minerals and tourism.

The third mapping talks about how the minerals flow. The ore was firstly mined and then concentrated and smelted into rough processed minerals, and then transported to other places. On the eastside of Queensland, the government are planning to further develop renewable energy, such as wind, solar to utilize advantaged natural resources, and this also has become an emerging opportunity for those mineral products. The production of minerals started out as a dirty and polluted process and ended up being a clean energy, this change in the flow is both dramatic and fascinating.

Tourism: According to some statistics, there are around 10 times more domestic visitors than international visitors. This drawing maps out some touristic spots and potential interesting place to visit and famous events. Events mainly happen From June to October and outdoor, which is cooler and drier weather compared to other months.

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Migration of the City Mount Isa has a vast acre of land, yet with few residents scattering on it.

The disconnection gives kinetic to migration, but the city stays the ‘same’.

The city manifests along 2 axes. The economy of mining forms the strong vertical driven force that stretches it in length way, where immediate migration by from y-in-y-out people takes place.

The formation of the community forms another axis. A pulling force aggregated by community, where people who wants to permanently stay in Mount Isa escape away from the mines.

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FLOAT AND ANCHOR The Migratory Force

Mount Isa is a mining town of transition. Each year, 20% of people move to a new place for home. Amongst them, people come, stay and leave the site frequently.

At the end of 2019, 18% of people have left for good. In the mapping, it depicts both the instantaneous fly-infly-out newcomers as well as the people who dwell for long. The fast movement of people are denoted by the swifty curves whereas the slow transition of residents are notated as organic, horizontal lines.

These two very different situations are caused by invisible force, whereas the mining industry has stretched the city vertically [Past and Present] and the constant; and the vigorous horizontal pulling force caused by the development of a community [Present and Future]. The disjunctions between these immeasurable forces have shaped the city till this day.

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FLOAT AND ANCHOR Migratory Mapping Making

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FLOAT AND ANCHOR The Migration

The render of the drawing depicts a sense of fragmented, moving and flowing regards to our vision for the future of Mount Isa. The strong sense of direction represents both the migratory direction towards the east along Barkly HighWay, as well as the current fragile transitioning of the city.

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FLOAT AND ANCHOR Mnemonic Model

Our group model captures the dynamism of Fragmentation, and (Stock and) Flow. The city it self is floating to symbolize the sense of remoteness and isolation of the geographical location. The turquoise coloured obelisks are anchors of mining related activity that primarily shape this city. The stages on the other hand highlighted the commercial area of the city, simultaneously where criminal acts take place.

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Social Mobility -Population loss driven by high crime rates.

-From the current status of the city to potential problems.

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The ore was firstly mined from underground mining pits and then was concentrated and smelted into concentrates and rough processed minerals, and then they will be transported to townsville where near the export port on the east of Queensland for further refining. After refining, those highly processed minerals including copper cathode, silver, lead bullion, gold will be exported to other countries or transported to other areas of the country. On the eastside of queensland, the government is planning to further develop renewable energy, such as wind, solar , hydro and biotech energy. Facilities for producing renewable energy depends on those productions of minerals, renewable energy has become an emerging opportunity for those mineral products. The production of minerals started out as a dirty and polluted process and ended up being a clean energy, this change in the flow is both dramatic and fascinating.

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City content and culture have a sense of division

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The middle indicates the status quo of the city, a fragmantised city that stays in the shadow of illegal activity. Mount Isa has a significant higher crime rate in comparison with other regions of Queensland.

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FLOAT AND ANCHOR Minerals by Nim Zheng

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Mainly concentrated in 20-40 years old

FLOAT AND ANCHOR Crimes by Dongyao Zhang

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The number of young people is much higher than the number of older people

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Recreational and cultural facilities reflect the economic level

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Ex ist ing P

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High unemployment leads to high crime

This moment is under a mixture of crime scenes that blows-up. The broken forms are created following the same logic of the mapping task; an unstablised and fragmrntizied environments that freezes time and space. As, at least for now, few changes in the past dacade.

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The lower left section represents the cross-sectional distribution of different mineral deposits, while the right route through the city is the main circulation and transportation route for minerals, and the end of the road represents clean energy and hope for rebirth Viewed from the map plane, the vertical flow of layers of natural minerals and the horizontal flow of the city form a sharp contrast, but also to shape different spatial forms, which is quite similar to our site.

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FLOAT AND ANCHOR Tourism by Venus Lee

According to some statistics, there are around 10 times more domestic visitors than international visitors. This drawing maps out some touristic spots and potential interesting place to visit and famous events.

Events mainly happen From June to October and outdoor, which is cooler and drier weather compared to other months.

In the model, tourist points of interests are highlighted in copper. The pink balloon and bird create a scenography of popular culture. Contrasting to the status quo, the intention is to [re]imagine Mount Isa as a popular tourist destination with welcoming and even romantic atmosphere.

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ABOVE AND BELOW Overview

We focus on the concept of mobility of mount isa. We did four mapping based on city mobility, social mobility, mineral mobility and tourism mobility. Combining these concepts,the model of our group is mount isa flow.

The first mapping is about the circulation of the city activities, the south to north vertical stretching by the mining industry and the city developed from west to east like things pulling them. The second mapping is about social negative circulation,by analysis why population loss and the renders for these two concepts is basically descript extend and pressure.

The rest map focuses on the mobility of minerals and tourism.

The third mapping talks about how the minerals flow，The ore was firstly mined and then concentrated and smelted into rough processed minerals, and then transported to other places. On the eastside of Queensland, the government are planning to further develop renewable energy, such as wind, solar to utilize advantaged natural resources, and this also has become an emerging opportunity for those mineral products. The production of minerals started out as a dirty and polluted process and ended up being a clean energy, this change in the flow is both dramatic and fascinating.

Tourism: According to some statistics, there are around 10 times more domestic visitors than international visitors. This drawing maps out some touristic spots and potential interesting place to visit and famous events.

Events mainly happen From June to October and outdoor, which is cooler and drier weather compared to other months.

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ABOVE AND BELOW Sketch and Process

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ABOVE AND BELOW Case Study - Landschaftspark Duisburg Nord

To form the landscape strategy, I was interested in how to recreate a sense of belonging by use (un)familiar elements in a newly established state. The intention behind the Landschaftspark not only used the abandoned facilities as a way to articulate an interesting landscape journey, but the gigantic scale of the industrial ruminants sublimes to some monumentality. In a way, nature, and machines for once, sits in harmony, a scene that composite an imagery depicts a strange quality of Eden.

This weird perception from scale and rustic creates a pathos of things, which gives some identity to our site in Mount Isa, something that inspired my overall design strategy.

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ABOVE AND BELOW Garden of the Post-anthropocene

You reach the communal space, and oasis around the lake, a Garden of post-anthropocene. In examining the existing condition, we found our site has two issues that makes it not welcoming, 1. The lack of shading and resting space, 2. The lack of local people during off-season. Thus, we speculate this area to be a communal gathering space that allows kids to play, people to stay and activate the site use beyond tourism.

This location is both the end of the tourism trail, and a starting point for communal visitors. Not only can they come in vehicles from the north like tourists, but it also encourages the nearby residents to walk in and visit. For the landscape proposal, the precedents explains the relationship between users and the natural elements, and using landscape as a shading device. The two reference images at the bottom depicts our speculation of how we might incorporate the site trash as an artifact to create a point of interest, signifying the monumentality of the past.

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5.

Final Project Mine and Fossil Museum The Memorial of the Anthropocene

The overall of the concept is that: based on our group site study and works of impression, I have decided the building should act as a magnet, not for attracting more visitor (but should do,) but more importantly, to act upon the two invisible force of the site; the stretching by mining and pulling by community.

The form finding process of the building was playful and joyful. Several elements, found on site, was merged and connected through methods of smoothing, disjunction, grafting, attracting and repelling. It results a linear silhouette rooted from the speed and movement of Mount Isa. The use of site geometry not only suggests a way of putting things together, but also suggest a subtle rustic materiality of aging, which add a layer of lost in time to the project.

The concept design phase of the project is crucial in generating both the program and the experience of space later on.

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The testing of ornamental elements of the buidling. It was started in random directions.

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Eventually, two iterations were favoured upon their effect of interaction between light and shadow.

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The testing of layers, depth and light effect through quick rendering. The colour tone suggests vaguely, the atomsphere of the building.

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Testing of materiality in accordance to light and shadow.

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Testing of floor material to examine the refraction and detailing the experience of the occupants.

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Final Project Mine and Fossil Museum Experience Draft

Before conducting and orthorgraphic drawings, the quick renderings are uised as a design tools to craft experience.

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Final Project Mine and Fossil Museum Drafting

Upon pinpointing and fortifying some of the design decisions, I went back to section drawing again. The section drawing was used as a tool to furtherly intoregate the identity of each space, as well as to convey a narrative for the building.

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Final Project Mine and Fossil Museum Final Render Attempt

This part showcases the render attempt that was not used in the final panel.

Initially, the images were rendered in a more realistic manner. However, it was not ideal as such style is not rigours enough to really capture the lonliness of the place, yet not playful at all to express the idea of starting anew from the disturbing mining past.

Then, the render was decieded to be more emotional and atomsphereic, with a kick of playfulness and retain seriousness only in some regards.

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Final Project Mine and Fossil Museum Final Panel The Memorial of the Anthropocene, a memorial that collects the remanences of past, present, and future.

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Final Project Mine and Fossil Museum Final Presentation

Hi, I am Bolen, and this is the Memorial of the Anthropocene, a memorial that collects the remanences of past, present, and future.

ity of what/who once ruled this land.

After, the visitor reaches the Museum of mining underground. The skylight above reveals the rustic garden above the space, by framing a composition of greens and corroded metal work through the glass pane. The huge column inside the space supports the bridge above, skewing past, present and future. Height differences are used to represent the downward movement down the mine in a gentler way. The ramp forms a slow transition of discoveries and artifacts. Upon reach the end of the space, the visitor will find the secret, a place to see through the tower.

From previous site study, our group has identified the site is kinetic and fragmentised. Therefore, the building acts as a magnet of the site to attract and condense the lost cultural fragments of Mount Isa from its own history. We’ve also identified that there are two invisible forces in the city, the mining industry that stretches the city vertically, and the formation of community that pulls the city horizontally.

The strong linearity of the form follows the direction Mount Isa’s metabolism of migration. The building attracts the elements on site, conjunct into a gigantic building that stands on the uncultivated outback.

Climbing up again, visitor reach the Chamber of the Future. Contrasting with the richness and brutality of the previous spaces, this immersive space celebrates clean lines and simplicity just like how we speculated the future to be. When the visitor walks into the elongated viewing chamber, the ceiling height is reduced to 2m, creating a sense of intimacy. The window frames of the view towards the east, in the direction of the stretching force of Mount Isa’s community

Wandering through the communal garden, the front facade of the memorial becomes a mountainous background. From far, the building creates an illusion of mass, where indeed the centre is mostly hollow.

Upon approaching to the building, the visitor is greeted by the entrance hall, where linear elements, lights, and shadow immediately throws the visitor’s vision to the inside, creating the illusion of velocity and movement. The tall grass provides a sense of lost in time.

Then, the visitor will be guided to the Gallery of the ancient, where an exhibition about prehistoric creatures takes place. Unlike a conventional museum of natural science, the pieces will be abstracted, disjuncting and merging with surfaces of the room.

The reflective ceiling extends the 6m height of the hall. The sense of scale intends to change the view and object relationship, creating a sense of brutalil-

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