Caleb Skene | Portfolio of Works | 2022

Caleb Skene

Caleb Skene Architecture Portfolio

2022 Caleb Skene Architecture Portfolio

Collection of Works Both Professional & Academic

“Architecture is the sculpting of human experience”

Combined with a love for architecture, my confidence and strong design capabilities able me to push boundaries and produce new insight into architecture’s potential within my Master’s education. Architecture for me is not just the creation of buildings as shelters; it is the sculpting of human experience through time and space, developing change towards a greater living and engaging city.

Contents Page

P.4 P.6 P.7 P.8 P.9 P.10

(Professional Projects). Parsons House Cass Bay Renovation Esplanade House Takapuna Alteration

The Sixth Degree. Construction Photographs Renders Architectural Drawings

P.15 P.20 P.30 P.38

(Academic Projects). (Capsule) of Civic Memory. Speculative Drawings and Renders Architectural Drawings

Littoral Dwellers. Speculative Drawings and Renders Architectural Drawings

Formed by the Sea. Photographs

Project Description

Throughout my time in the industry working at MC Architecture Studio under Director and owner Max Capocaccia, I was exposed to a large range of architectural projects focussing mainly on high-end residential design in the Christchurch region, but also including two commercial renovation projects in Central Wellington. Within these projects, I have in-depth experience in all phases of the design process including initial client meetings, contract preparation, concept and developed design, consultant collaboration, detailed design for Building Consent and Resource Consent, and site observation.

Professional Projects.

Project Description

Parsons House is a private home sitting atop Mt Pleasant, privately nestled within the existing dense foliage of the site while maintaining vast views over the estuary and Christchurch City beyond.

The two wings of the house reach inwards north, pivoting around the heart of the home to offer a sense of shelter and protection from the southern environment, whilst opening up to the northern sun and vast views. This enclosing shape creates a level of secrecy and privacy to the home from the southern street front, which is then emphasized by the mysterious entrance hidden amongst the bush.

Project Role

Inital Client Meetings. Lead designer under the DirectorConcept Design. Resource Consent. Developed Design. Initital Detialed Design. Site Observation during Construction.

Parsons House.

Project Description

Cass Bay House is an alteration and extension project to a private family home aimed to connect with the beautiful landscape and wider environment.

Entering down the small access lane, you are greeted to the home by three stark volumes that create a distinct demarcation. To the right, a soft vertical timber-lined box with a hidden garage door stands strong and leads you inwards; to the far left a hard tiled roof and wall contrasts to the soft timber and marks the site boundary, and finally, a sculptural Corten steel portal stands in the centre outlining the entrance point by differentiating against the two strong geometric volumes to either side.

Project Role

Inital Client Meetings. Lead designer under the DirectorConcept Design. Resource Consent Approval. Developed Design. Initital Detialed Design.

Cass Bay Renovation.

Project Description

Esplanade House is a three storey private home and separate rentable dwelling built on Sumner Esplanade, Christchurch, overlooking the vast views of the Ocean and surrounding hills.

The house has been designed for thermal comfort. It is well insulated to minimize the need of heating during winter, and uses cross ventilation for cooling in the warmer summer days. The Cross Laminated Timber panels (CLT) have been insulated from the outside, providing thermal mass that will balance temperature variances. These solid timber panels also provide a high amount of acoustic insulation creating a very quiet internal environment.

Project Role

Esplanade House.

Minor Detialed Design working under lead designer and Director.

Project Description

This alteration focused on reducing some of the complexities in the existing shape of the home to create a more refined and coherent form. To achieve this, emphasis has been put on some of the key protrusions and intrusions of the form by varying materiality of claddings, singling them out as specific features and points of interest of each facade, overall creating a fresh contemporary form.

Project Role

Working under the DirectorConcept Design. Developed Design.

Takapuna Alteration.

Project Description

The theory of The Sixth Degree has used minor angles within the narrow and long site to form and interesting and leading line of entry, drawing the occupant/ visitor toward a glimpse of the water in the distance beyond. The six degree angle of the strong tile wall allows for a sense of narrowing/funneling upon entry, creating a importance sense of privacy and exclusivity where one questions whether they are welcomed.

Once at the apex and narrowest point of this angle, the visitor is greeted with unobstructed views over the water and through the glass boxed living area. This framing of the view is amplifed by the overhead canopy and external steel structure.

The Sixth Degree.

Project Data

Location: Redcliffs, Christchurch, NZ. Size: 120m2 (House) + 56m2 (Garage) + 24m2 (Studio).

Role: Lead Designer.

- Initial Client Meetings

- Concept Design

- Developed Design

- Resource Consent

- Detailed Design

- Building Consent

- Construction Observation (Remote)

Project Brief

The proposed brief for this porject was for a 2 bedroom + office home with open plan living area looking, a large garage , and seperate self contained studio space. The main objectives were to take full advantage of the seaside views, connect directly with the waters edge, form multiple outdoor living areas for wind protection, and create privacy from the road front and neighbouring properties.

Due to flood management restrictions, the home is required to be lifted approx. 1.3m from the existing ground level.

FLOOR PLAN SCALE:

EAST ELEVATION SCALE:

WEST ELEVATION SCALE:

CROSS SECTION B SCALE:

CROSS SECTION C SCALE:

2m 1m 2m

UPPER WINDOW/STACKER DOOR HEAD SCALE: 100mm 50mm

PORTAL FRAME SADDLE FLASHING SCALE: 100mm 50mm

PARAPET / STUDIO WINDOW HEAD SCALE: 100mm 50mm

STUDIO WINDOW SILL/GARAGE DOOR HEAD

PLAN DETAIL - TILE SCALE:

Project Description

The theory of (Capsule) attempts to acknowledge and preserve Civic Square’s time stamps by encapsulating and celebrating them within the design intervention, ensuring the safegaurding of their architectural history and embodied stories. This aligns with the Māori interpretation of time, around the idea of “mua”, meaning “past” and “in front”, clearly demonstrating a strong regard for the past and their ancestors.

Project

Data

(Ca.2144) “Only traces of these historic sites now remain, and without intervention would have been lost forever”.

The title of this project speaks to the encapsulation of Civic history - an architectural time capsule preserving the physical memory of site for future generations to decipher in a postapocalyptic world.

Three varying sentinels anchor themselves to the site, representing the three stages of time (past, present, and future). Hinging away from one another in a performance of unison, they lift the central capsule from the earthprotecting it and it’s preserved contents from environmental demise.

Design Intergration

The proposed design initially integrates with and encapsulates a section of the existing Wellington Town Hall. It acts as an architectural Time Capsule to ensure a section of the building is preserved and brought into the nearing apocalyptic future. The design ideology of this project responds to the imminent climate crisis, including: sea level rise; increased tsunamis; heat waves; and increased seismic activity, by utilising strategic design approaches and material selection. These strategic design approaches include lifting the capsule from the ground, utilsing a strong concrete raft and pile foundation, concrete shear walls and steel structure, and proposing a protective metal rain screen atop the building envelope to protect the critical areas of water and air-tightness from environmental erosion.

(Capsule) of Civic Memory.

Site Model

Legend:

Restaurant Seating Area

First Floor Outdoor Area

Vertical Gallery

Look-out/ Obervation Tower Bridged Walkways

Architectural Time Capsule Seed Archive (Airlocked +++) Mechanical Services

Town hall Facade Vertical Circualtion

South Elevation (before)

South Elevation (after)

FLOOR PLAN / TWO SCALE:

FLOOR PLAN / THREE SCALE:

SOLAR PANELING:

SOLAR PANELS ARRANGED AT THE TOP OF THE 40M TALL TOWER, FACING NORTH FOR MAXIMUM SOLAR GAIN. THIS IS PROPOSED AS A FORM OF ENDLESS ELECTRICITY CREATION FOR THE HVAC SYSTEMS IN A POST APOCOLYPTIC WORLD.

CONCRETE TOWER BUILD-UP:

400mm THICK PRE-CAST CONCRETE WALLS WITH CAST IN-SITU 400mm THICK CONCRETE FLOORS, SUPPORTED BY 4m DEEP CONCRETE RAFT FOUNDATION WITH CONCRETE PILES TO BEDROCK (APPROX. 50m DEEP)(TO S.ENG SPEC).

BRIDGE BUILD-UP:

50mm THICK STEEL GRATE FLOORING (50x50 GRID); FIXED TO 300UB JOIST STRUCTURE @1.2M CRS (AS PER MANF. SPEC); BETWEEN 450UB PRIMARY STEEL STRUCTURE @600 CRS (TO S.ENG SPEC); WITH SLIDING SEISMIC JOINT TO CAPSULE END AND FIXED JOINT AT CONCRETE TOWER END. 200UC COLUMN AND 300UB BEAM STEEL FRAMING WITH TENSION CABLE BRACING.

AIRLOCK BUILD-UP:

6mm TITANIUM PANELLING RAIN SCREEN; FIXED TO 316 MARINE GRADE PROPRIETARY SPIDER CLAMP SYSTEM; SUPPORTED BY 60mm STEEL CHS; NURALITE 3PM DOUBLE LAYER TORCH-ON BITUMINOUS MEMBRANE; TRIPLE SKIN BOAT HULL CONSTRUCTION FROM MARINE GRADE H6 3x12mm PLYWOOD; 150RHS WALL BUILD UP; 300UB ROOF BUILD UP; 140mm R6.8 ARDEX PIR FOAM INSULATION; PRO-CLIMA AIRTIGHT MEMBRANE; GIB RONDO 310 METAL BATTENS @600 CRS; 2x13mm FYRELINE GIB WALL LINING; AIRSEALED STEEL JOINERY DOOR WITH BACKFILLING.

CAPSULE BUILD-UP:

6mm TITANIUM PANELLING RAIN SCREEN; FIXED TO 316 MARINE GRADE PROPRIETARY SPIDER CLAMP SYSTEM; SUPPORTED BY 60mm STEEL CHS; NURALITE 3PM DOUBLE LAYER TORCH-ON BITUMINOUS MEMBRANE; TRIPLE SKIN BOAT HULL CONSTRUCTION FROM MARINE GRADE H6 3x12mm PLYWOOD; FIXED TO 100RHS PURLIN STRUCTURE @600 CRS MAX.(TO S.ENG SPEC); 10mm R4.8 ARDEX PIR FOAM ROOF INSULATION; 400RHS PRIMARY STEEL DIAGRID STRUCTURE (TO S.ENG SPEC); DOUBLE SKIN BOAT HULL CONSTRUCTION H3.2 2x12mm PLYWOOD; PRO-CLIMA AIRTIGHT MEMBRANE; 60CHS STEEL POLE; FIXED TO 316 MARINE GRADE PROPRIETARY SPIDER CLAMP SYSTEM; SUPPORTING 6mm TITANIUM PANEL LINING.

STEEL TRUSS:

3.6m WIDE STEEL TRUSS SYSTEM (TO S.ENG SPEC); FIXED TO CUSTOM FORMED 800PFC FRAMING; WITH BASE ISOLATION; SUPPORTING EXISTING MASONRY (TOWNHALL).

CONCRETE TOWER BUILD-UP:

400mm THICK PRE-CAST CONCRETE WALLS SUPPORTED BY 3m DEEP CONCRETE RAFT FOUNDATION WITH CONCRETE PILES TO BEDROCK (APPROX. 50m DEEP)(TO S.ENG SPEC); WITH STEEL FRAMED SERVICE STAIRWELL.

The title of this design speaks to the anthropomorphic occupation of two allegorical ‘sentinels’ who protect the site. Passengers disembark from arriving ferries through a gateway formed by the first architectural sentinel’s arms. This sentinel faces outward into the harbour, and represents the guardian of the sea.

The arriving passengers move along a bridge to the second architectural sentinel, who faces inward and represents the guardian of the land. The two guardians never see one another. By residing in the littoral zone, these architectural sentinels inhabit a liminal zone that is neither land nor sea.

Project Data

The aim of this project has been to create a Landmark work of architecture for Wellington New Zealand, following the programmatic requirements of a Ferry Terminal.

A landmark building, in my opinion, must be interesting in form, interactive with the public, large in scale, and utilise futuristic technology.

The proposal focusses on the occupation of the Littoral (mediary) Zone as a form of protection to Wellington City and as an offering of land to the community.

In creating an idea of cause and effect, it can be understood that since the first coming of ships to the harbour, the terminal sentinel has occupied the Littoral Zone. Its mechanical form has prescribed the typology and forms of the now surrounding industrial area. As time has passed the sentinel, standing alone in the sea, has become neighboured by the terracing armature to either side which offer it protection and have created new land for the community to recreationally occupy.

Littoral Dwellers.

13°

SITE PLAN

SCALE: 10 25 50 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.

Entrance

Ticketing and Baggage Collection

Pedestrian Access to Terminal Terminal Waiting Area/Cafe and Bar Ferry Gangways Vehicle Platform Train and Vehicle Platform Yacht Docks

Fisherman’s Wharf Bar and Eatery Ferry Viewing Platform Bait and Tackle Shop Enclosed Market Space Salt Pool Sun Bathing Ring Car Parking Platform Car Rental Platform Train Cart Bay Vehicle Embarkment Queue

Project Description

This ottoman has been designed for The Living Pā within a circular design methodology. The design looked to my whakapapa for inspiration, leading me back to my home city of Otautahi, Christchruch and the ocean where I surf and swam most days as a form of spiritual wellbeing.

I have let the ocean depict my form, curling differing waves from the ground up to a flat gridded platform which supports the seat. This frame has been constructed from recylced reinforcing mesh which was cut into lengths, sanded down, bent into place, and welded together to form a

Project Brief

The brief for this project was to define and communicate a thoughtful and innovative furniture design around the theme of Circular Design from theoretical research and resolve it to a high level of visual sophistication.

This project offered the opportunity to undertake conceptual designs for The Living Pa project, Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington.

Formed from the Sea.