#archtivism_Nyasha Harper-Michon

Think global, act local.

Introducing the Place Responsive Design Method for urban resilience.

Nyasha HarperMichon

27-8-19 M4 thesis project

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#archtivism Think global, Act local Introducing the Place Responsive Design Method to foster urban resilience.

Nyasha Harper-Michon Mentor Marta M Roy Torecilla Graduation Committee Members Chris Noteboom Jo Barnett External Committee Members Bastiaan Jongerius Jan van Grunsven Academy of Architecture Amsterdam Masters Thesis Project 27-08-2019

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contents 7 introduction 17 place responsive design method 27 the brief 37 the place responsive brief 55 the case studies 57 71 97

PRDM data & triggers comparative study drawings & visuals

137 curating the work 149 acknowledgement

photographer: Philippe Sarfati

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Striving for a world where the building industry positively impacts our environment, economy and society.

Introduction 7

#archtivism: what is it?

#archtivism is a contemporary movement that strives for a world where the building industry positively impacts our society, economy and environment.

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#architivism aims to facilitate the transition to global urban resilience by offering tools, starting with the Place Responsive Design Method, to empower actors of the built environment to become catalysts for change.

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#archtivism: Tackling the challenges of the globalisation era

Three effects of globalisation & capitalism on architectural design & production: - Global homogeneity and standardisation due to desire to cut short-term costs and time - tendency to lead to poor quality buildings and erosion of place identity - Prevalent “ecstasy of newness”1 and iconism due to individualism - tendency to lead to shallow ego-centric designs that disregard for tradition and context - Architectural production and a building industry that pollutes and damages the environment.

1- Pallasmaa, Juhani. “Newness, Tradition and Identity - Existential Content and Meaning in Architecture.” 2012 10

Examples of global homogeneity

OMA & Bengler Present PANDA, An Investigation of the Share Economy at the 2016 Oslo Architecture Triennale - ArchDaily article “A montage by Koolhaas as Venice curator, illustrating the conformity of contemporary architecture worldwide� - Architecture Now article by Andrew Mckenzie 11

#archtivism: tackling the challenges of the globalisation era

36%

global final energy use

39%

energy-related carbon dioxide emissions

As of now, the building industry is highly pollutive and damaging to the environment.

Buildings and construction account for 36% of global final energy use and 39% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions2 source: United Nations - The Global Status Report 2017 12

The Place Responsive Design Method is a universal three step tool applicable to any brief or site worldwide that aims to tackle the challenges of the globalisation era and foster urban resilience.

Let’s discover it.

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There plan 14

e is no n et b 15

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universal method, unique resilient designs

A tool for the greater architectural community to foster resilient sustainable cities and sustain place identity.

place responsive design method 17

place responsive design method: the three pillars of place

1 PLACE

3 Three pillars of Place & the Place Responsive Design Checklist The three pillars are to be investigated when starting a new project. Analysing these different elements will help to determine the building’s positioning, form, materiality, structure, relation to its surroundings etc. while anchoring it in its context.

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ENVIRONMENT

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Site characteristics

Local user population

• Geographical location • Site boundaries and buildings with party walls • Neighbouring buildings: distances, heights, uses

• Statistics - Population, Composition, Pattern of change • Socio-economic structure

Behaviour, Habits & Uses

Topography & Geology

• How locals use space in the area • How locals use similar program

• Topography: contours • Underlying geology and thicknesses • Soil types and depths

Past, Present & Future • • • •

Water • • • •

SOCIETY

Existing water bodies: variation and purity Drainage on site: natural and man-made Water table Water supply

History development of site and neighbourhood Historical typologies & architecture related to program Present usage Future intentions for the site

Psychological relationship to the site • Local mental relationship with the site • Symbolic meanings attached to the site • Hopes, fears, wishes or preferences

Climate

• Regional Climate • Solar exposition: sun angles, shading, cloudiness • Wind patterns: prevailing direction and strength, shelter and exposure, local breezes • Precipitation: rainfall, snowfall • Air quality • Natural disaster/issues: flooding, landslides, hurricanes etc.

Legal restrictions and constraints • Ownership and rights • Building code Legal restrictions

Infrastructure

• Circulation Networks: roads, sidewalks, pathways, • Accessibility to site • Infrastructural lines: electricity, drainage, telephone, substations, sewage

Ecology

• Local flora and fauna - prevalence, relative stability and vulnerability • Vegetation and Trees: positioning, species and quality and health • Biodiversity goals in the region • Local examples to foster biodiversity in the region

Sensory Properties and Qualities • • • •

Visual spaces and their quality Neighbours: openings and visibility onto site Views, sight-lines and focal points Quality of light, sound and smell: air and noise pollution issues

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ECONOMY

Materials & Construction practices • Prevalent construction practices • Local materials • Local construction practices

Craftsmanship

• Local craftsmanship

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place responsive design method: work flow

Two ways to acquire information: Through a site visit where you use your own observations and senses and a desktop study to gather complimentary and statistical data

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Resilient Design

architect

place

A simple universal method empowering architects to combine their unique artistic voice with that of the place or site, leading to unique resilient designs.

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Place responsive design method: Work flow

Designer’s interpretation using personal vocabulary and design aesthetic and values

DATA Collect data and information for place/ site/context conditions and classify based on (non exhaustive) PRDM checklist

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DESIGN TRIGGERS Interpret the information and make pre-design responses or ‘design triggers’ for the (sub) category of the PRDM to determine implications for design

PLACE DIAGRAM Create a hierarchy of the design triggers that are most important for this proposal. Let your creative juices flow to create a cohesive design routed in its context.

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for a he society econom environ 24

ealthy y my nment 25

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three different sites in the world

kum ba

live. share. connect.

consistent user & brand experience

costs & time efficiency/optimisation

Kumba is a global co-living chain for starters fostering human interaction and connections through the combination of private bedrooms and unique communal amenities and experiences.

the brief 27

the brief: Kumba co-living, between private & public

Individual house meets collective housing for a healthy, social and urban place for starters, aged 25-35, to call home

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private

bedroom with bathroom

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=

semi-private

kitchen living space

public

lounge / working space restaurant

Rooms (80-100): Private

Shared Kitchen & Living room: Semi-private

Exterior Space (Garden/Roof Terrace): Semi-public & Public

Laundrette: Semi-public

8-10% 25-30% 45-50% 20-25%

Gym, Games room & Event spaces: Public

Bicycle/Car parking: Public

Lounge & Restaurant: Public

private : bedrooms

semi-private: living/dining/kitchen

public: public facilities

green spaces: gardens

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the brief: Kumba going global

Different parts of the world - different continents

Sites undergoing urban renewal, gentrification and/ or subject to homogeneous global architecture

Cities that have played an important role in my life

A choice of three sites across the globe, undergoing urban renewal and in cities that have played an important role in my life.

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kum ba

Paris France

Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago

Washngton D.C. United States of America

Three new locations with Kumba’s signature style with a local twist.

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the brief: the sites

Dense urban fabric within the Quartier de la Chapelle in the 18th district in Paris

P a ris

In the Newtown neighbourhood on the edge of Port-of-Spain’s largest park: ‘Queen’s Park Savannah’

Por

t o f S p ai n

Grid urban fabric within the Logan/ Shaw neighbourhood of Washington DC

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s h in g t o n D C

1:2000

1:2000

1:2000

• 581 m2 footprint • Includes existing buildings • Site within the dense urban fabric along narrow street

• 556 m2 footprint • Between city and park • Along a busy road that runs alongside the Savannah

• 541 m2 footprint • Corner plot between commercial street and residential street

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ethics before aesthet 34

e tics 35

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Reinterpreting the brief through the place responsive lens coupling a standardised global design with localness in a sustainable manner through digitalisation.

the place responsive brief

kum ba pod

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The case studies Place responsive brief

Brief

8-10%

20-25%

45-50%

25-30%

private rooms

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45-50%

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remaining program

25-30%

8-10%

Standardized same at each site

20-25%

Unique according to place

Creating a business model that takes the benefits of the local and the global for a smarter design.

private : bedrooms

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semi-private: living/dining/kitchen

public: public facilities

green spaces: gardens

A simple and functional concept that explores minimising the footprint and maximising the quality of life to address the increasingly limited space available for urban living as urban populations worldwide are growing at lightning speeds.

Separate the technical and closed functions of the room from the space needed to live

Technical and closed functions needed to live Space to live (host space for pod)

kum ba pod

A concept that allows for a standardised global design to be coupled with localness in a sustainable manner through digitalisation.

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the case studies place responsive brief

Process: from the digital design to physical Pod 18mm

open source digital design of the pod that features all cutting files

all the parts are now ready to be dry assembled following the assembly manual

sheet material for the pod depends on the location and availability

files are sent to the CNC laser cutter to cut the parts of the pod

dry assembly can be done on or off site depending on feasibility

once dry assembled and installations integrated, the pod is ready for use

The benefits of such a building method

• • • •

Digital design eliminating freight transportation and related emissions Simple design enabling flexibility and future-proofing Dry assembly optimising time efficiency & allowing for cheaper unskilled labour Opportunity to use local materials supporting local economy

kum ba pod 40

Flat-pack parts

CNC machine production and simple dry assembly

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the case studies: Place Responsive Kumba Pod

The Kumba pod answers the client’s budgetary and scalability demands, creating a strong customer and brand experience anywhere in the world through a local sustainable and resilient approach.

kum ba pod 42

Electrical cabling

Kumba Pod exploded axon

Acoustic insulation

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the case studies: Place Responsive Kumba Pod

Kumba pod

kum ba pod 44

Chair design by Leo Salom for Monstrans

Features

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kum ba pod 46

Kumba pod model Chair design by Leo Salom for Monstrans 47

the case studies: Place Responsive Kumba Pod

Section

kum ba pod 48

min.

Flexible space left over to live - to relax, work, lounge

min.

Pod containing all services

Plan

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for a res & Sus built env 50

silient stainable vironment 51

kum ba

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Paris Fr Port of Spain t&t Washington d.c. USA

the case stud es Demonstrating the Place Responsive Design Method’s ability to empower architects to create sustainable and resilient designs.

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Paris fr port of Spain t&t Washington d.c. USA

the case stud es prdm data & triggers The following pages are a comparative study of the three case studies to identify how the Place Responsive Design Method helped to create unique sustainable and resilient designs.

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the case studies prdm study excerpt

The following pages feature excerpts from the book above which compiles all the research/date from the Place Responsive Design Method checklist as well as design triggers that instructed the design of the three case study Kumba buildings.

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the case studies prdm study excerpt

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the case studies prdm data & design triggers - examples

Overhangs & Terraces In order to create shaded interiors and reduce the solar gain indoors, the floor plate to create large overhangs that can have planters to additionally decrease heat gain.

Solar Panels Great solar exposition for the incorporation of photovoltaic panels on the roof to enable the use of solar energy.

Continue on to see how the idea of the planted overhang terraces and green roof to reduce heat gain comes back in the final design.

port of Spain, trinidad & Tobago 60

Climate Climate (Köppen) - Tropical Savannah (wet and dry) Dry Season (January to May) | Rainy Season (June to December) Average High Temperatures

Green/Blue roof Green/blue roof can also be incorporated in the design to lower the temperature of the building and store rainwater.

source: nounproject.com, icon created by adrien coquet statistics: https://www.weather-atlas.com - Paris, Port-of-Spain, Washington DC

Average sunlight hours per day

statistics: https://www.weather-atlas.com - Paris, Port-of-Spain, Washington DC icons: nounproject.com, by linseed studio

Sun angle

Planted terraces The planted terraces create pleasant exterior spaces for residents to rest and offer a nice view from within the building.

March/September Equinox June Solstice December Solstice

105° 80° 56°

PORT OF SPAIN

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the case studies prdm data & design triggers - examples

Incorporate the existing community garden into the design

Courtyard and gardens

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Keeping and enhancing the existing community garden.

Taking the fence away to open up the garden to the street and connect it to the building.

Using the open spaces as a sequence of space from public to private within the housing complex.

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Routing through the courtyards from public to private 1. public - especially for the neighbours 2. semi-public - courtyard for residents/visitors 3. semi-private - garden for residents

Continue on to see how the idea of the collective garden extending vertically connecting the building to its urban and social context comes back in the final design.

Paris, France 62

Behaviour, Habits & Uses

pu

bli

cp

ro

gr am

Inner Courtyards

Connecting the community garden with greater social & urban context

Residents take ownership of the inner courtyards of their buildings by adding potted plants to add to the liveliness of the space. The space however serves more as a backdrop or decor to be seen from one’s window as opposed to a space to be used directly by the inhabitants.

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Connection between the community garden and the public program as well as with the street and urban context.

Community Garden

Community garden run by an association of local residents where they come together weekly to plant vegetables and garden. The vegetable garden is greatly appreciated by neighbouring residents.

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Vertical farming & gardens Bridges aligned with the street facade create exterior spaces for the residents and additional planting surfaces to optimise the capacity for growing produce.

Greening the street

This building is lined with planters that step into the public space and add to the street quality. People seem to appropriate the sidewalk and take on the responsibility of making the neighbourhood more pleasant.

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the case studies prdm data & design triggers - examples

Matching residential proportions Breaking the S street facade into smaller sections to match residential and plot proportions will help the building to be well integrated into the neighbourhood.

Continue on to see how the idea of dividing the facade into residential proportions and create a public front garden comes back in the final design.

Washington d.c., United states 64

Site Characteristics

Subtle divisions Making setbacks is a way to diminish the scale of the building and bring it down to the scale of the neighbourhood.

view from S street

view from 14th street

Front garden

S street facade

Just as the row houses have a front garden, incorporating a planted area in the front of the building, that in this case is accessible to the public, connects the public program on the ground floor to the street, therefore inviting people into the building.

14th street facade

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the case studies: Three Kumba buildings

Kumba Paris, fr

place diagram

kumba port of Spain, t&t

place diagram

kumba Washington d.c., USA

place diagram 66

CONCEPT: COURTYARD LIVING

typical floor

CONCEPT: LIVING IN THE SAVANNAH

typical floor

CONCEPT: URBAN GRID VERTICAL LIVING

typical floor

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Paris fr port of Spain t&t Washington d.c. USA

the case stud es comparative study The following pages are a comparative study of the three case studies to identify how the Place Responsive Design Method helped to create unique sustainable and resilient designs.

The following themes that make up urban resilience will be used to compare the projects:

1 2 3 4

local Economy & Materiality (economy) Healthy Living (social) Conservation of environmental assets (ecology) Climatic Performance and Energy (environment) 69

local Economy & Materiality (economy) Kumba: Paris

Scots Pine wood (pin sylvestre) - Plywood

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Petrified wood chips used for the insulation between upper and lower pod parts.

Insulation

Local materials and resources used for KumbaPod

Kumba: Washington DC

Sawdust generated from CLT construction will be used for wood pellet production

Oriented strand board OSB

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local Economy & Materiality (economy)

Coconut Fibre Board from up-cycled coconut coir

The husks are separated from the coconut and refined into small particle and short fibres, easily done through dry hammer milling. The fibres are then hot pressed into boards without the need for additional binders.

As coconut coir is usually seen as waste, the processing and use of such a product not only dramatically decreases the carbon footprint but also enriches the lives of local coconut producers.

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Local materials and resources used for KumbaPod

Coconut fibre provides excellent thermal and acoustic insulation and due to auto-adhesive properties derived from its intrinsic high lignin content, no additional binders are needed to make the boards.

PORT OF SPAIN

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local Economy & Materiality (economy) Kumba: Paris

Existing load bearing walls and new steel construction

W N

E

S

South view

Load bearing calcium silicate or sandlime blocks/bricks are used for the party walls

North view

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Local materials and resources used for the structure

Kumba: Port of Spain

Earthquake resistant structural concrete Trinidad is located above an active earthquake zone. It is not an extremely hot zone for earthquakes of great magnitude but earthquakes usually of low magnitudes do hit the island fairly regularly.

Constructions therefore need to be earthquake resistant. The local practice is to use reinforced structural concrete.

The concrete used in this project includes recycled concrete from demolished buildings in the city.

North view

The lack of load bearing walls in the structure allows for flexibility and future programming.

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local Economy & Materiality (economy)

Low carbon Cross Laminated Timber structure Using sustainably sourced timber for this CLT construction reduces the carbon footprint of the project and minimises waste as the parts are prefabricated and easy to assemble on site.

harvesting

pre-fabrication

delivery to site

assembly

Did you know?

50% of a tree’s mass is carbon 1.8mt CO2 stored in 1 metric ton of timber

Bracing

Wall between adjacent construction South side

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Local materials and resources used for the structure

This Cross Laminated Timber structure made from locally sourced softwood is a low-carbon building material that allows for quick construction.

Future-proofing the structure: CLT walls that can be removed and replaced by column and beam system with bracing if the function of the building changes to allow for more flexibility

North side

Structural concrete base to support the timber structure

WASHINGTON DC

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local Economy & Materiality (economy) Kumba: Port of Spain

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Local materials and resources used for the facade

Kumba: Washington DC

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local Economy & Materiality (economy)

Each year over 20 million tons of soil is excavated in the Paris greater area to clear the way for the Paris metro network. We can see this not as demolition debris but as material to be in new construction.

Rammed earth used for the street side facade of the new constructions.

Reference to the ornamental balcony railing as a historical typology in Hausmannian architecture investigated during the historical study.

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Local materials and resources used for the facade The earth excavated to make way for the underground works for the metro network in the greater Paris area offers an opportunity to make use of a sustainable material that is regarded as waste and could not get more local than the earth under our feet.

PARIS

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Healthy Living (social) Kumba: Paris Courtyard approach

• private spaces towards the street • circulation on the ends of the courtyard • shared spaces around the courtyard

N

W

existing buildings

S E

Courtyard Inner courtyards are very common in the Parisian urban fabric and are spaces shared by the residents of the building. This thus inspired the zoning of the Kumba building in Paris where the shared spaces are centred around the atrium courtyard that is the beating heart of the project.

Private rooms 82

Shared spaces

Public

Circulation

Programming and Organisation

Kumba: Port of Spain 2 buildings & edge approach

• entrance to the private quarters through the shared kitchen • circulation outside between the two building • separate building for the public and other shared spaces

W N

Prominent exterior circulation to incite residents to be more active and choose the elevator as a second option

S

E Planted terraces The planted terraces create nice spaces for residents to rest and offer a nice view from within the building.

Edge Inspired by the edge of the Savannah, the place under the trees where people gather. Influenced by the verandah typology.

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Healthy Living (social) A design that uses local street-life as inspiration for the inner horizontal circulation fostering interactions between residents.

Inner Street Approach • private rooms on the north side • circulation through the centre • shared spaces on the south side

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Vibrant Street-life The vibrant street-life in the 14th street area inspires the inner Kumba street with a shifting border between inside and outside where various activities can take place

S

Scenes of street life in the 14th street area

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Private rooms

Shared spaces

Public

Circulation

Programming and Organisation Obesity between 10-25% To battle obesity, an inviting and prominent staircase with ample daylight placed in front of the elevator encourages residents to be more active and choose the healthier option.

N

E

Strategic placement and design of the vertical circulation to incite residents and visitors to lead more active and healthy lifestyles.

WASHINGTON DC

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Conservation of environmental assets (ecology) Kumba: Port of Spain

Bronze Anole

Great Kiskadee

aloe vera

Copper rumped hummingbird hibiscus

Tufted Coquette Hummingbird

lemon-grass

Bridging the gap between city and park - incorporating nature into the built environment White peacock

a selection of the local flora and fauna to be incorporated into the design

The lungs of the city The Queen’s Park Savannah - Port of Spain’s largest park is considered the lungs of the city

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heliconia

Supporting local ecosystem and biodiversity

Kumba: Washington DC URBAN HEAT ISLAND IN THE DISTRICT

carolina chickadee swamp milkweed

silver spotted skipper butterfly weed

Cerulean Warbler

Early Goldenrod

Scarlet Tanager

Highbush Blueberry source: Sustainable DC 2.0

DC urban heat map

Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus)

www.sustainabledc.org 107

Witchhazel

a selection of the local flora and fauna to be incorporated into the design

Green and Urban heat Many parts of DC are peppered with large tree.

Many residents consider the city to be a green city.

This is less the case in the built up area in which the site is located but by adding more plants to the buildings in this part of the city, we can go from concrete jungle to urban jungle.

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Climatic Performance and Energy (environment)

blue tit

clematis common black bird honeysuckle

pipistrelle bat meadow sage

chaffinch heart-ofthe-earth

cercopis vulnerata a selection of the local flora and fauna to be incorporated into the design

Appropriating spaces & buffer zones The courtyard is a space shared by residents of different buildings. In existing courtyards in the area, residents have placed potted plants feeling the need to ‘beauty’ the communal areas. This project takes this idea further and creates a vertical garden shared both physically and visually with the neighbourhood.

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Supporting local ecosystem and biodiversity

Incorporating the existing green spaces and community spirit by placing a vertical vegetable garden as a permeable green border between the courtyards that encourages neighbourly relations and adds to quality of life for all creatures.

Community Plot While empty, the plot was used as a community garden for the neighbourhood. This community garden is incorporated into the design in a vertical urban farm on the south side of the building.

PARIS

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Climatic Performance and Energy (environment) Kumba: Paris

N

W

wind rose

Covered courtyard Atrium

S

Covering the courtyard reduces the exterior facade of the building making it more energy efficient.

The stack effect is the ventilation model that is most appropriate for this building. During the spring and autumn months the air from the outside can be used to provide heating or cooling within the building.

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E

Indoor climate - ventilation and solar exposition

Kumba: Washington DC

W

N wind rose

S E

Cross ventilation & natural HVAC As the dominant wind direction is from the south, it is important to orientate the building structure north-south to allow cross-ventilation.

The natural cross ventilation should be exploited especially during the spring and autumn time when bringing in air from outside that is either cooler or warmer than the indoor temperature can be a significant alternative to mechanical HVAC.

th

sou

th

nor

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Climatic Performance and Energy (environment)

Wind rose Designing the plan based on the prevailing wind direction to allow for cross ventilation

33°C

W N

S Open and airy circulation for a breezy and comfortable ‘indoor’ climate

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E

Indoor climate - ventilation and solar exposition

Using the natural resources to reduce cooling needs, save energy and provide a comfortable indoor environment.

CO2 O2 28°C

PORT OF SPAIN

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Paris Fr port of Spain t&t Washington d.c. USA

the case stud es drawings & visuals Explore the different atmospheres of the three Kumba buildings through the drawings and visuals on the following pages.

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Paris Kumba experience: Inviting you to penetrate into the courtyards of the urban city blocks of Paris and discover a vibrant inner world between old and new that embraces community spirit and fosters connections.

PARIS, FR

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Ground floor plan 98

1:150

PARIS

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Typical floor plan 100

1:150

PARIS

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Paris Kumba experience: The charm of an existing Parisian apartment building with its exposed brick walls, views of Montmartre and its plywood KumbaPods.

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PARIS

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Perspective Section 104

PARIS

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Facade & section fragment 1:25 106

PARIS

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PORT OF SPAIN, T&T Port of Spain Kumba experience: Bringing the Savannah, the lungs of the city, as well as its collective qualities on the site for a green and community-rich place to call home.

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Ground floor plan 110

1:150

PORT OF SPAIN

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Typical floor plan 112

1:150

PORT OF SPAIN

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Port of Spain Kumba experience: Blurring the lines between inside and outside for a lush and breezy tropical lifestyle featuring rooms with unique coconut fibre board KumbaPods.

PORT OF SPAIN

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Perspective Section 116

PORT OF SPAIN

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Facade & section fragment 1:25 118

PORT OF SPAIN

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WASHINGTON DC, USA DC Kumba experience: Explore the city grid extended vertically into the building creating a vertical village with a network of inner streets that echo the animated surrounding streets fostering interactions.

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Ground floor plan 122

1:150

WASHINGTON DC

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Typical floor plan 124

1:150

WASHINGTON DC

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DC Kumba experience: Enjoy our own lightfilled space, with its OSB KumbaPods, that seems to get even larger when windows are opened and the room extends out towards the city.

WASHINGTON DC

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Perspective Section

WASHINGTON DC

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Facade & section fragment 1:25 130

WASHINGTON DC

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#arch #arch #arch 132

htivism htivism htivism 133

photographer: Gwendoline Harper-Michon

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I like to think that a presentation of a given work is only complete when the environment in which it is given is a vehicle to convey the message.

Curation is therefore a critical part of all the work that I do.

In the following pages, I invite you to discover the first #archtivism exhibition that took place on the 27th of August 2019 at the Academy of Architecture Amsterdam.

Enjoy.

Curating the work 135

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photographer: Nyasha Harper-Michon

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photographer: Philippe Sarfati

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photographer: Nyasha Harper-Michon

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photographer: Gwendoline Harper-Michon

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photographer: Philippe Sarfati

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Firstly, I would like to give a special thanks to my graduation committee: Marta M Roy Torecilla, Chris Noteboom and Jo Barnett. Thank you Marta, for indulging my weekly meetings to your office on Thursday evenings and for your unwavering belief in me and my ideas. You pushed me to go beyond my comfort zone and I am ever so grateful for your guidance and support from day one to the final stage of this process. Chris, thank you for our fruitful meetings at Circl and for sharing your knowledge of structural engineering with me, making the project all the more sound and grounded in reality. Jo, thank you for challenging me during the process and helping me to understand the direction in which I would like to go as a designer.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the following people for brainstorm sessions, insights, references, facts and figures, challenging conversations and support: Mark Raymond, Enny Breure, Ayana Harper, Andrew Manswell, Elise Laurent, Jakub Jekiel, Sean Leonard, Jan-Richard Kikkert, Jo-Ann Murell, Philomene van der Vliet, Vibeke Gieskes, Jan van Grunsven, Bastiaan Jongerius and Philippe Sarfati.

I want to acknowledge my colleagues at OIII Architecten. Thank you all for your encouragement and support. Thank you Maarten Sanders for your patience and understanding. I would also like to thank Kitty Luiken, as you played an important role in the development of my detailing and structural skills during the course of my academic career - thank you for taking the time to pass on your knowledge and for coming to the final presentation to support me.

In addition, I would like to acknowledge the Academy of Architecture Amsterdam and all my ‘invisible’ mentors, those that I did not meet with in person but through books, articles, blog posts and images who inspired this work and guided me through this challenging yet exciting year.

I would like to thank my family for always believing in me. I want to acknowledge my wife, Gwendoline, in particular, who is my biggest supporter. Your unfaltering encouragement and belief in me has played a vital role in this project and in all that I do. Thank you for the long hours, your openness, your dedication, your challenging questions and your patience.

Without all of you, #archtivism would not have been possible. I am extremely grateful and wholeheartedly thank you.

acknowledgements 147

#archtivism #archtivism #archtivism Nyasha harper-Michon