Danning Zhu Final Magazine Stage 2

SILHOUETTE

TREE HOUSE DESIGN - DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 -------- A TREEHOUSE BUILT AMONG THE TREES SERVES AS A SILHOUETTE OF NATURE

CONTENTS

SITE

DESIGN

FRAME

SITE ANALYSIS

3-4

NATURAL THINKING

7-8

STRUCTURAL FRAME

11 - 12

TREE SURVEY

5-6

DESIGN CONCEPTS

9 - 10

DESIGN CONCEPTS

13 - 14

1

FROM

COMMUNITY

THE FORM

15 - 16

COMMUNITY

19 - 20

FORM DETAILS

17 - 18

COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES

21 - 22

2

THE SITE

DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 1

Wirraparinga natural trail throughout the entire Brownhill creek recreation park

Wirraparinga The Wirraparinga Trail Loop meanders along the Brownhill Creek valley, through Brownhill Creek Recreation Park. The Wirraparinga Trail traverses the southern side of the valley, and the Shared Use Trail the northern side along the creek. It’s easily possible to combine the two trails in to a loop, starting at the caravan park and turning around at the Manure Pits.

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Fauna and Flora Large river red gums line Brown Hill Creek while blue gum woodland climbs the valley slopes which are dotted with golden wattle. Much of the native vegetation was cleared for crops and sheep grazing, along with the introduction of exotic species such as willows, oaks and poplars. Revegetation with native species is gradually progressing. Creek valley functions as a natural corridor allowing wildlife to move between the foothills and the plains. More than 40 species of birds and mammals visit the park while others are permanent residents.

Kookaburras, bats, possums, water rats, frogs, eastern brown snakes and occasional koalas can be seen in the park.

History The park's narrow creek flows through a steep sided valley with majestic river red gums, (some more than 300 years old). This area was once a favourite camping, hunting and gathering ground for the Kaurna Aboriginal People.

Brownhill Creek was a favourite camping, hunting and gathering ground for the Kaurna (Gar-na) Peoples, who called it Wirraparinga (scrub and camping place). As many as 150 people inhabited the area at one time. The first European to settle in the area was Pastor William Finlayson who arrived in 1837. By 1840, agriculture, market gardening and quarrying were important local industries.

Concrete pits were used to store horse manure for the market gardens and to prevent pollution of the creek, while stone quarries provided sandstone and slate for buildings. Remnants of these pits and a colonial keystone arch bridge can be found in the park. In 1915, the area was declared a National Pleasure Resort, becoming the Brownhill Creek Recreation Park in 1972.

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DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 1

TREE SURVEY

Vegetation Distribution : Red gums on the site

N

Site Toppgraphy : the highlands on the north and the creek on the west Cliff

Chosen Red Gum Tree Diameter: 46cm

510 cm

720cm 615cm

Chosen Tree 5

The location of the tree house sites in an open field of the eastern side of the park, not far from the trail with a highland about 15M height to the northwest and a ravine about 8M deep to the south.

Ravine

Site Plan: the tree is near the creek, located at the Southeast of the site

Sunrise angle 3D modeling illustration

Sunset angle 3D modeling illustration

Potentials Tourism Today, this 51 hectare park offers an escape from the city with the breathtaking landscapes. Car parking is provided throughout the park. The Mitcham Lions Club picnic area, located within the park, has shady picnic tables and water available.

The park also provides walking trails of various lengths and a horse exercise area. Sites of interest on the hike include the Monarch of the Glen, a 400 year old river red gum. Its hollow trunk once sheltered Kaurna Aboriginal people and colonists until as late as the 1950s. Several settlers even gave birth inside the tree.

Vistas from the site 6

NATURAL THINKING DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 3

The shadow of the tree trunk, design tree house in the same form

The chosen tree grain

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The chosen tree is the Red Gum, which has a reddish bark with a natural texture and is called the Red Gum. I like the grain could be used as a cladding for the interior walls or roofs. The main part of the tree is inclined towards the north by about 20°, and the whole trunk tend to collapse.

I want to place the main building on the south side of the tree, facing the creek.This not only lessen the pressure on the tree, also achieves an aesthetic harmony.

Eastern view of the treehouse

Northern view of the treehouse

Material harvesting Red gum produces a reliable timber suited to a wide range of uses. The timber is highly durable with an extremely high density. It displays a tight interlocking grain alongside its lush red colour, making it excellent for applications where appearance and durability are important. As the name suggests, forest red gum is a medium to tall forest tree. Trees of this species grow to a height of 20 to 50 metres, with a girth of up to two metres. The trunk is straight and is usually unbranched for more than half the total height of the tree, with limbs that are more steeply inclined than other eucalypt species. The bark is shed in irregular sheets, resulting in a smooth trunk surface, coloured in patches of white, grey and blue. Rough dark grey to black dead bark is retained at the base of the stem. Versatile timber, forest red gum can be used in wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers, cross-arms and mining timbers. It is suitable for all building members including posts and poles, framing, flooring, lining, decking and cladding. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor furniture. As well as sawn and round applications, forest red gum is suitable for the manufacture of structural plywood.

Red gum grain drawing

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DESIGN CONCEPTS DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 3

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Spatial Programme 9

The main part of the tree house is located in the south of the tree, free- standing above the ground.

Functionally independent, with bathroom, bedrooms, and kitchen.

Open decking for balcony concept design drawings

Treehouse structural bracing inspirates from the pattern of natural tree branches

Final concept sketch: open decking, large glazing, polygonal roof, protection of chosen tree

Final Concept The final design comes from the patterns of nature, and a good design should be an imitation of the way nature works, and respect it. Considering the fragility of the tree and its heavily slanted torso, my tree house was designed to stand on its own, but has some communications with the chosen tree, but I won't use the chosen tree to transmit load to the foundation.

Open balconies of a certain size are needed around the eaves to provide users with an opportunity to relax and get closer to nature. Designing the stable truss framing system, with large size glass opening as a solution for more natural light. Thinking about the open balconies are needed around the tree house to provide users with an opportunity get closer to the nature, and relax from the interior narrow space.

The concept of roof pattern is from the shape of natual polygons: hive and lemon

Radial pattern of structure for bracing

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STRUCTURRAL FRAME DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 5

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My treehouse framing is free-standing, independent of the tree, transmitting load vertically to the foundation. I mainly used the simple truss framing system and notched joints to ensure the Structural stability, all the framing materials are made by Red-gum wood.

Southern View: the columnar structure at the bottom is an imitation of the natural tree structure, and the reflection is also in the same form

Free-standing structure with the chosen, to protect it

Main Structure framing: timber diagonal bracing, transmit the load to the decking

Secondary structure interior, bracing framing

Western View: the relationship between the treehouse and the chosen tree

Main structure interior, rigid framing

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DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 5

CONSTRUCTION DETAIL

7. Roof top metal joint 6. Roof panel system 5. Top beam crossing

9. Southern side of tree house

8. Roof lateral bracings 4. Main framing of tree house

1. Stilted pillar transmit load to the ground Metal joint

3. Decking

1. Stilted pillars to footing 2. Stairs from the north Ridge beam

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Construction stages: from 1-9

7. Roof top metal joint

3. Decking

Bottom view of stilted framing, as an imitation of the natural tree trunk, similar silhouette between the nature and tree house

6. Roof Beam crossing

5. Roof panel beam crossing joints

8. Roof bracing metal joint joint on the decking

Roof beam joint on roof panel

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THE FORM

DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 7 The dual-structural form ensures that adults and children can enjoy different private spaces and provides different perspectives to the site.

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Southeastern Elevation

Water tank Southwestern Section

Northwestern Section

Roof Plan

Plan

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FORM DETAILS

DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2

Kid room

Adult room

Water tank

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Exploded axonometric illustration

Adult room, queen-size bed, storage space, kitchen bench

Bathroom, shower, sink, closestool

Entrance of the adult room, space for fridge, wood heater

Room for 2 children, space for bunk bed, sofa, study area

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COMMUNITY DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 9

The path of the site, which divides the northern and southern part of the community, approaching the highlands in the south and the creek in the north. Each household in the community is of different sizes. There are single structures for youung couples and dual-structure tree houses for families of 4 people (children room + adult room).

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The community increases the density of the site, and creates more shadows to the ground

The house types in the community are different, according to the family demand

There are three tree houses with excellent experience to the stream

Residents on the southern side can access water source by timber trails

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DANNING ZHU GROUP 1 REPRESENTATION 2 EXERCISE 9

EXPERIENCES 21

At night, the community is illuminated by artificial light, quiet and peaceful

Community residents can observe other buildings from the interior, which increases the sense of security of users, let them not be alone in the wild

Artificial light might change the activities of local creatures, it also brings warmth and beauty to the night

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REPRESENTATION II 2020 DESIGNING WITH NATURE DANNING ZHU A1760370