Stage 1 Portfolio

POR TFO

2019-2020 is an important time to me as this is the first year of my universi ty education. After finishing the foundation course from the INTO campus, I have moved to the old university campus to continue my architecture stud ies. I enjoyed the studio environment, with much better equipments, facil ities and new inspiring people. This academic year would be no doubt an

Covid-19 pandemic affect much of me and my peers’ studies, yet this would not stop us from learning. People are adaptive. Since I have left Newcastle in the last few months of this academic year, I have start focusing on the digital presentation aspect. Design methods has changed, so would be the world. During the making of this portfolio, lots of things are happening in the world, most of them are sad and frustrating. Yet be the best of myself. Used what you have learnt to change the world into a better place in the future.

Thanks everyone who was with me in this year, my groupmates, my peers, tutors and especially Assia, my design tutor for the entire year.

Project 1.3 Sketch of the repair workshop Project 1.2 Section

Showcase of inhabitation in design Skills of orthographic drawing and rendering

Project 1.3 Prospect and Refuge

Whitley Bay Cyclist’s Hostel

This project is to design an activity space for touring cycling in Whitley Bay, focusing on programme arrangement and site respond. As Covid-19 pandemic outbreaked during this project, works are more digital oriented and less actual sketchbook work. Despite this, this project trained me on digital software like Autocad and Sketchup.

Project 1.3 Prospect and Refuge: FINAL REVIEW 28 + 29 May 2020

Feedback Sheet for GABRIEL AU -YEUNG

F(0-25) E(25-35) D(35-45) C(45-55) B(55-65) A (65-75) X (75+) Preliminary Letter Grade: A- ?

Dear Student

Following the receipt of your submission on 27 May, please find below feedback regarding your design to-date, together with some key areas to focus on over the coming 2 weeks.

05 DESIGN PRESENTATION

The effective and persuasive use of drawings, models, photos or other media :

00 OVERALL PROCESS & PROGRESS

▪

1 page 200 word summary + design diagrams: YES

▪ 1 page summary of key SITE RESPONSES : YES

▪ 1 page of key BRIEF/PROGRAMME RESPONSES : YES ▪ 1 page of key PRECEDENT/LANGUAGE RESPONSES : YES

▪ Site plan (500/1250): YES

▪ Plans + Section + Elevation (100/200) showing context: YES ▪ Spatial exploration (model photos/renders/perspectives) : YES

▪ Larger scale (50) work (language/materials/atmosphere): YES

EXCELLENT/VERY GOOD

04

DESIGN RESOLUTION AND INTEGRATION:

The success of your final spatial and volumetric design solution and the appropriateness/extent of your contextual consideration

EXCELLENT/VERY GOOD

03 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & ELABORATION PROGRESS

Your willingness to develop and supplement your initial design intentions and to successfully test and evaluate these

EXCELLENT/VERY GOOD

02 Early Design Progress (Site Massing, Programme & Language exploration)

▪

Site Massing (Building placement and exterior shape & form) YES ▪ Programme Design (Interior layout and zonings; entrances and routes) YES ▪ Language Exploration (spatial forms, materials and larger-scale design) YES

EXCELLENT/VERY GOOD

&

EXCELLENT/VERY GOOD

EXCELLENT/VERY GOOD GENERAL

FEEDBACK/COMMENTS:

Well resolved proposal that has gone through various iteration and testing Reasoning for decision making is provided throughout.

WHAT WORKED WELL:

Excellent use of diagrams and massing to test ideas. Very good process work that suggest a wide range of viable options

ANYTHING MISSING/AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT OR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT:

Don’t forget to include the 3d model of your training area! Work on dining area proposal further to make it fit the design, more likely to end up with a bench rather than sofas. Continue working on orthographic drawings and include more of the interior design and finishes. Interior drawings of repair area, sleeping accommodation, bicycle stand design and reception desk needed.

Task 1 concept sketch

The picture contain 2 parts: the darker viewing space and the brighter water tank, they represent refuge and prospect respectively. It was inspired by an experience visiting an aquarium. The person in the middle is me and the people besides is my parents. The place where we were staying was quite dark making it difficult to see each so the warmth from my parents was more noticeable. The water tank itself was relatively bright so it was easy to see everything inside like the coral reef, tropical fishes and sharks. This symbolized the good and bad things happening in the world that I would face in the future.

Programme Analysis

I first listed all the spaces required by brief and its dimention in 1:100 scale as well as the details of each spaces in Sketchbook. Then i cut out these 1:100 spaces and arrange it together the is related to each other. I also put them on a site plan to rearrange them again in consideration of the site.

Annalysis on the activity

Types of touring Cycling

Cycling route in Northen England Bicycle and equipments for touring cycling

Site Annalysis

The site is located on the promenade in Whitley Bay, facing the North Sea. The site is quite isolate from other buildings giving it an unobstructed views to the surroundings.

The site is a famous tourist spot as it is right on the Whitley Bay beach, closed to Spanish city and in between Tynemouth and St. Mary’s Lighthouse. Not to mention the site is also near two metro station, Whitley Bay and Monkseaton.

The surrounding buildings are mostly residencial and commercial use. Noise pollution are low with car noise as the main source. Such noise would greatly reduced if in Central Lower Promenade.

The site is right on a major cycling route, Route 1, going to Edinburgh with other route connection in Tynemouth going to Newcastle and as far as Irish Sea.

Site Sketches

Located on the platform of Central Lower Promenade in Whitley Bay, the site has a spectacular view of the coest line. These are coloured sketches I drawn during the site visit.

The top sketch is my favourite view from the site as it not only included the majority of the beach but also the skyline of Whitley Bay, not to mention the lighthouse creating a balance to the highrise on the left. This would be the view of the viewing gallery.

Observational drawings on site

Neue nationalgalerie

Berlin, Mies van der Rohe

Panel glass walls allow transparence, creating window shopping effect.

Proportion of the roof and building Language

Precedents 1

The brief wanted our activity space has a ‘window shopping’ effect so the pedestrians understand the activity this building is happening as well as understanding the activity itself. This reminds me of Neue nationalgalerie by Mies van der Rohe of its window facade, allowing people to look inside the building. I decide to adopt this language.

Precedents 2

Villa Meijendel, Hague, VVKH Architecten Material Use

Spatial Atmosphere created by charred timber: the building looks rough and strong like the activity for our design

Interial space atmosphere: the concrete wall and flooring continue the rough and strong felling of the exterior but the wood decorations and celling added warmth to the space

First reiteration of massing

Design focus: Threshold & view

This design main feature is the tunnel going to the lower floor. The tunnel is cladded with charred timber to creat a dark lighting effect, justaposing the brighter outdoors. To the users that exit the bulding, this effect would give them a refresing, energized and a moral boosting effect. To the users that enter the building, going to a darker environment meaning the end of the day’s journy and it’s time to rest. The exterior cladding is changed to charred timber to symbolize the wild, rough character of touring cycling. Glass panels are to let people have a glimpse of the activity itself.

Disadvange of this massing:

Ramp took up a lot of space

Original ramp that passes through the site is blocked.

Second reiteration of massing, Final design

Design focus: circulation

This design focus on the ramp passes through the site, creating a showroom corridor of the activity. Final design adopted massing on step 6 as later steps damaged the language of the building (1.)Administrative Part: Reception, First Aid Room, Shower/ Chaing Rooms (2.) Accommodation Part: Bedrooms, Food Prep Space, Wet Room, Drying Rooms (3.) Multi-purpose Part: Storage, Teaching and Repairing area (4.) Flat walkway: connecting the ramp to central lower Promenade (5.) Flat Roof (6.) Roof Opening: Letting sunlight through (7.) Viewing/ Look- out space: Facing the beach (8.) Roof Opening: Access to roof via climbing wall from Multi-Purpose part (9.) Weather Shelter: covered by Roof (10.) Ramp: Continuationof the original ramp to lower cetral Promenade. The lower right corner showing the abandoned design of of viewing gallery and lookout space as these massing damaged the language of the building.

Development of massing 2

When plotting the orthographic drawing of the developed massing 2 design, few issues appeared. The staircase going to the basement (accommodation Part) does not have enough head height but also the visibility of the reception when approaching the building. The plan shows the pedestrian (red arrow) has to go through the administrative part given the pedestrian know where exactly the reception is. To cyclist, they have to go through the existing ramp which takes about a minute to reach the reception.

I made 3 different options for this, shown on the bottom. The first one (the left) turned the original administrative part to the Activity space with a reception and a few shower rooms. The other two are only just storage and repair workshop with reception and showers plus a staircase to the basement. Difference between option 2 and 3 is shower rooms seperating storage and repair workshop.

I chose option 2 (middle) as the final design as it has a better continuity between storage and repair workshop. The placement of the staircase next to the recetion can help securing the access to the private part of the building.

Accommodation Part: Bedrooms, WC Food Prep, Showers Storage (bags)

as intended at the beginning.

I also tested out the orientation of the celling beam and found out the direction in the middle right sketch can increase the depth of the area visually.

1. Elevation from the beach on a note

2. The note when designing the activity space

3. Process of the activity space on sketchbook

4. Sketch of activity space if option 2 & 3 was adopted with the celling beams faceing vertically

5. Sketch of activity space if option 1 was adopted with the celling beams faceing horrizontally

Perspective sketch of Viewing gallery

View of the repair workshop from the walkway

View inside the bedroom

View of the interior space of basement and the bespoke storage

The basement follows the same material use but with concrete as the major wall material. The bespoke storage includes a niche with a seat. A modual of storage has 4 lockers each large enough to store tents and backpacks. The door of the storage use black wood as an alternative to charred timber as it creates smudges when touched.

View when going into the building

Staircase to the Repair workshop with a ramp for bicycle Presentation

Project 1.2 RITUALS IN THE CITY

This project is to design a secret hang out space for 5 12-year-old to play board games and card games. They would enter a secret entrace to play boardgames in an enclosed space, then go outside to do excersie or play, after that they would enter another enclosed space to play card games and exit from another entrace.

Choosing of the site

In project 1.2, we had to choose a place from the route in project 1.1 as the site. As the client wanted a secret, hard to find place, I first select some in the route as possible location and then comparing them with each other to find the best location for my design. These locations are the alley near Mea House, Saville Place Car Park, Hadrian House, Saint Jesus Hospital, NCP Car park, the empty plot opposite to the city library and underneath the wooden bridge next to the city wall. I chose the wooden bridge as the site.

(In depth analysis showing cons and pros of each option are in sketchbook 2. Unfortunately, I don’t have it with me when making this portfolio so I made this map showing each option.)

Photos of the Site

The site is covered by vegetation and the wooden bridge. The fences keep most people away from the site but its possible for the kids to get in with a bespoke entrance. The space underneath the bridge is also quite large. Elevation changes of the site is also very interesting. My changes to the site is removing the supporting columns of the bridge and cleaning out the vegetation on the floor.

Precedent

As I wanted the entrance is hard to find, I took a look at air ducts as a camouflage for entrace. These air ducts reminded my the Pompidou Centre’s high tech style and took its language as the design element. I also looked at rope course for inspiration for activity space for my clients.

First development model

In first phase, I made two separate model as the two enclosed space for boardgames and card games respectively. These two models were more like a dimension investigation as their small body needs less space. The basic layout of the design was also set as show in the notes.

Second development model

In this model, I taken the considerations of the activity space between the board game room and card game room and connect them with rope course to become a unified structure. The original brief require a staircase in the design, yet the idea behind this requirement is to make use of the height of the site and explore circulation in different elevation. Since early teens are active and adventurous, I replace the stairs to climbing wall and traverse wall.

Final Model

The final modei is similar to the second development model but taken the consideration of material. The some elements of the activity space was also change to make it more interesting and challenging.

Post-review changes to the design

The feedback I got from the review about the design is to develop the interior space, i.e. where the kids play their boardgames and cardgames. In the original design, I did not think about the wall thickness and how to close the interior space. The new design solved the above issues by including a wall that has considered the thickness and adding gates to the entrace and exit, plus redesigning the windows. I arranged the windows into a more dynamic design, reflecting the active personality of the kids. I also added window to the other side of the wall

Orthographic Drawing of the post-review design

(All orthographic drawing were finished after the review)

Project 1.1: Routes Into Architecture

This project is an introduction to the year with more freedom on the creation of works. This project includes multiple tasks about a route in Newcastle from campus to the Quayside.

This project enhance my senses to spatial ambience and atmosphere.

Volumetric Model

I played with the wall thickness and openings to increase the heaviness of the model. I liked the shadow created in the interior space. I try different material on the second model as I realized that I spend too much time on the first model using cardboard to make the wall thickness.

Planar Model

Planar is not the most satisfied work among the other two languages. The upper part of the first model looks a bit open frame to me. The planar part of the second model is more of a decoration than actual functional use.

Open Frame Model

The most satisfying result of the language model. I spent more time on precedent studies and I used more than 1 material to create these collage effect. However, the model doesn’t look coherent enough.

1. Overall view of the 2nd open frame model

Closed up view of the 2nd open frame model

Overall view of the 1st open frame model

Closed up view of the 1st open frame model

Hollow object Drawing

Map

I record the materiality of the buildings along the route in the map. I also added sandpaper, cardboard and leaves to mimic the texture of the materials.

Bedroom

I have to make a model and orthographic drawings of my room that I am living now. I also have to redesign my bedroom after that using one of the language in the language models. Since I am living in a studio room. This task is more like about an apartment more than a single room.

Measured Drawing of Bedroom

These are the early orthographic drawings I drew this year. I still haven’t master the control on line weight and missing the celling and floor thickness. I also havn’t finished the plan of my bedroom.

Redesign of Bedroom

The model is still not finished. I adapted the 2-floor-design to create a high celling space near the window (which is not finished) to allow more natural light comes in. There is also no clear elements of any of the languages.

Threshold

This task requires me to draw an orhtographic drawing, a model and a redesign of an existing staircase in the route. The staircase I drew is the Blue Carpet Starcase near the Oxford house. I thought the spiral staricase was hard to do but it took much less time then I expected, same as the model.

Charette week

I joined the plaster tile group during Charette week. The topic of this year was ‘High street’. This was a group project and we try juxtaposing different stage of high street between booming and falling stage. My tile is about the bankrupt of Thomas Cook and the homeless people situation.