Labyrinth-M, A Platform for Homo Ludens

LABYRINTH-M Platform for Homo Ludens

Chloe Snoeks Tutors: Francesco Apostoli, Alessandra Covini

Introduction As part of the KABK IST curriculum, Platform for Homo Ludens is a Research Lab that brings students to expand their preconceptions of the existing playground. The freedom of playfulness is brought back to the city typology and material understanding.

During this course, one becomes familiar with the forms, materials, and tradition of play equipment, with refrences to Aldo van Eyck, Isamu Noguchi, Pierre Szekely, and post-war British playgrounds.

These examples blur the lines with the domains of city (work) and play.

Through one’s own research in the city, an understanding of form, scale, and material come to assist one into the process of their own playground deisgn. Throughout this course, every student becomes acquainted with affordances in a specific space.

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Reference Study

Waterline Museum, Studio Anne Holtrop The museum describes how the Dutch waterline has been used as defense during 1588 to 1940 The walls of the museum follow the pre-existing landscape. You enter through the fort and make your way thorugh shadowy and bunker-esque hallways.

The form is clearly organic and defensive. Not only does the form follow the landscape, but height plays a role in the “playground� as well. This way, visitors can truly travel along the waterline. Water is used to demonstrate the story of the purpose and effectiveness of the waterline.

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Higher platform Lower platform

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Concrete walls are the main feature of this museum, echoing the material of Fort Vechten. The lengths vary, but up to 70 meters long. Water is also a major feature used, creating dynamic and complex arrangements to play with. Glass is also used, often in combination with light and the water. The combination is quite humble and mature.

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Affordances The wall height is 8 meters of curved concrete. The maquette length is 50 meters, consisting of concrete and a water system.

Collective actions may consist of running (marathon), yoga, performers and other musical events , ball games that involve a net or wall-type surface, and picnics. Individual actions may consist of studying, reading, drawing, biking, flânerie, fishing, and sleeping or napping.

The deeper one goes in the maze may lead to more secretive actions. These might include kissing, arguing (a taboo that displays an alter ego of yourself or exposes private issues), and smoking (an action where you ‘hide’ from others or move away to smoke), 12

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Standards and affordance

De Bijenkorf entry

Apartment staircase

The 1920s ornamental wall piece is pure stone, craftsmanship style. The colour is beige, but overtaken by some mossy green elements.

The apartment staircase has 9 steps. The steps are made from a yellow terrazzo. Tiles around it are a brown ceramic material. The rails are steel. Walls are textured (bumpy).

Overall, the round “soft� stones at the bottom are enough space to sit or lounge on temporarily.

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Overall, it seems cheap and made to last. The materials suggest that it is easy to maintain.

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Bridge wall over a river

Spui tram stop

This wall was mainly made from deteriorating bricks. The ‘posts’ on both sides were from smaller size bricks and stone. Colours were the same as surrounding houses (grey-brown/yellow in tone).

The tram stop stairs are stone tiled on top of a concrete structure. The handrail is steel. Glass walls run along the sides of the staircase, but only until halfway.

Overall, there is a “strong” atmosphere.

Overall, the length and width of these steps are atypical. The size makes it particularly challenging to utilise.

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Bus stop frame The majority of the wall is made from glass. It has a steel L-shape frame. From a distance you might mistake the steel frame to be free-standing. The bench is aluminium.

Overall, it seems quite permeable and thin. Glass is effective for oncoming busses or trams.

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Tram moving extension The wall is made from rubber, but formed and supported by some steel accents. The handrail is possibly aluminium. The tram body is steel and has an anti-corrosion coating.

Overall, you can imagine this space to be quite explorative out of its current context. A rubber wall would be interesting to play with.

Note: “170cm� is for double, not single.

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50

175

37.5

62.5

87.5

100

175

115

225cm

How big does public space have to be?

How small can private space be?

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150 170

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Affordances Using Neufert’s Architect’s Data, I considered some basic measurements of certain public and private spaces, but specifically the distance between walls and people. This allowed me to have strong general knowledge to proceed into the process of my playground.

First, I had a chart of simple distances and body dynamic in between walls. Then I looked at library spaces and the measurements of bookshelves as walls, the space between them, and the space in the shelves.

I moved on to resting spaces: between cemeteries, saunas, and beds. This general outlook helped me consider the tension between other people and wall-like structures.

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300

30

2000

Cemetary as the in-between of public and private space

1200 60 bookshelves

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75

aisle

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180 22.5 30 25

Mnemosine

Untitled, Rachel Whiteread

Shelter Abrigo, Ponto Atelier

Zuri WC, MeierHug Architects

Teshima Art Museum, 2010

War and Architecture, Lebbeus Woods

Neuendorf House, 1991

Great Labyrinth of Egypt, 19th century BC

Stone labyrinth of Bolshoi Zayatsky Island

Freeway Park, 1976

Guido Geelen

Twitch, Konstantine Dregos Pully, Ted’A and Rapin Saiz Architects

Qasr Farid Tomb, 1st century AD

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Walls of Change, Lebbeus Woods

Jan Albers

Landscape ii, David Umemoto

Acoustic mirror

Plaza de los Fuertos, 1979

BMW Museum, Beijing

Bruegel, Garden of Praise, 1559

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Materials

Potential materials Due to COVID-19 and being overseas, there was not much potential material I could use apart from paper.

With the paper I had, I experimented with cutting, gluing, tearing, and additing other materials to create an emulation of the texture I wanted.

I considered the materials that could be a part of the playground, and catergorised them in relation to the degree of public or private atmosphere that the space inhibits.

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Forms

DIAMOND

DIAMOND-CYLINDER

TYPE 1 WALL

TYPE 2 WALL

Performers “wall-seat”: for total public use

Yoga/football/picnics/classes: for organised and semi-public groups 3.3m (6.6cm)

4m (8cm) 55cm (1.1cm)

130cm (2.6cm)

0.65m (1.3cm)

4m (8cm)

TYPE 3 WALL

Sports/passageway: for separation or hallway to intimate space

DIAMOND-CYLINDER-LINE 6m (12cm)

50.5cm (1.01cm)

4.5m (9cm)

TYPE 1 CYLINDER

First development With this first experiment of forms, I played with quite complex forms. There was no doubt that I undervalued the complexity of these forms. Looking back, I can recognise some techniques that are used in the final floorplan.

Diamond: The corner as embracing or aggressive.

Diamond-cylinder: Flexiblity of embracing or aggression.

Diamond-cylinder-line: Long walls as intervening elements in the bubbles of private and public space.

Low intimacy/smoking: semi-circle structure that allows some room for public interactions 2.4m (4.8cm)

TYPE 2 CYLINDER

High intimacy/arguments/personal discussion: a small slit to enter, taller walls 3m (6cm)

3m (6cm)

6.25m (12.5cm)

Scale of drawings (p.39)- 1:50

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INTIMATE ONLY Going through a tall and narrow hallway to open up into a cynlidrical space.

MIX OF PUBLIC SPACES Varying heights of walls for different activities (e,g, lower walls for football, higher walls for yoga). Longer lengths of walls for biking and running alongisde.

PUBLIC AND SMALL INTIMATE SPACE Bench height seating ‘wall’ that is optimal for performers. Secret smoking area around the corner.

PUBLIC AND INTIMATE SPACES Varying heights of walls for different activities. Adjusted arrangement 4 with a new intimate space that can only be accessed from the outside of the public spaces (maze-like interventions).

SEMI-PUBLIC AND INTIMATE SPACE Walls are taller (not seating), area for arranged meetings e.g. classes, picnics.

Other tests

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80cm tall

Low (public)

2.5m

Medium (transition space)

4m

High (private space)

Second development Rushing into the process, I deeply developed one single labyrinth typology. I decided to stick with the square/diamond shape.

In this stage, I decided on the heights of my walls that varied according to the degree of intimacy in that room.

The problem with this design was that I kept attempting to plot the next ‘event’ for the person to experience, which is why it became too overwhelming.

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Sketchup modelling I used Sketchup as a basis to help me develop and build the models. Until the last model, I jumped back and forth with Sketchup and physical models.

I felt that using 3D programmes helped me to visualise the potential and size of an area without wasting materials. It was an important factor in my development of process.

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Walking route/ points of entry

Public spaces

Public-private/in-between spaces

Private spaces/ gardens

Third Development This time I tried to reduce the complexity of the model. I created a basic schema using squares and followed that. For the final playground, I merged aspects from the two floorplans on the right.

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Final floorplan

Water - supplies the rest of the gardens (public), exceptions included

Concrete - stiff with slight texture (public)

Broken brick - instability, loose pieces (in-between)

Sand - formless, free (private), exceptions included

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Scenes

ENTRANCE

Public - main water garden Before one experiences the whole of the labyrinth, they must cleanse in shallow water.

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HIDDEN GARDEN

Public-private - brick garden A secretive retreat from the public area near it. Only those who are brave enough to jump the wall can enter this brick garden.

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INTIMATE GARDENS Private - sand garden

In the most intimate spaces of the playground, this small area is reserved for a few people - or just yourself.

Who knows what goes on behind the walls of the sand gardens.

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CROWD SPACE

Public - concrete garden The crowd comes to enjoy the low walls and open space. With the potential of large group activities, the concrete garden is the most accessible to all users.

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Colophon Photographed and produced by: Chloe Snoeks Tutors: Francesco Apostoli, Alessandra Covini Course: Platforms for Homo Ludens Institution: KABK Year: 2020

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