Fill, Flow, Track: An Architecture of Erosion - 3rd Year Architecture Portfolio

Fill, Flow, Track: An Architecture of Erosion

Guiseppe Ferrigno

erode: to gradually wear away

This project aims to address and bring under question architecture’s role in relation to erosion, the architecture of time, the juxtaposition between micro and macro and architectural form finding.

Initial studies into the wearing of varying materials, followed by an on site study into factors effecting erosion rate and patterns, develop a language of forms and processes.

This language then informs a design proposal that aims to address the key themes while facilitating a program of material erosion studies.

Water: Action, Reaction, Response Here we explored the action of water upon three base materials, namely plaster, timber and metal plate. These we ‘attacked’ with water in different ways to create patterns of erosion, speeding up and exaggerating the process where necessary. Refer to video, Water: Action, Reaction, Response.

Drip | Imprint | Hollow

Drip | Dimple | Depression

Downpour | Displace | Relief

Sloosh | Gauge | Gash

Pour | Displace | Impress

Jet | Gauge | Rupture

Dribble | Bleed | Stain

Dribble | Bleed | Stain

Dribble | Bleed | Stain

Dribble | Bleed | Stain

Dribble | Bleed | Stain

Drip | Bite | Corrosion

Dribble | Bite | Corrosion

Flow | Bite | Corrosion

Drop | Bite | Corrode

Deluge | Bite | Corrosion

Sprinkle | Bite | Corrosion

“It is the wildest and most repulsive of all the islands� John MacCulloch, 1824 The Isle of Rum was created through volcanic activity, has traveled across oceans in its lifespan and resides off the western coast of Scotland, resulting in a unique geology, ideal for exploring a range of erosion patterns and weathering conditions.

The Survey On the island we identified two sites to explore erosion on the macro scale within each site we located three points to investigate on the micro scale. The first site, Loch Scresort, showed a coastal condition where river meets sea, with the main erosion factor being tidal shift supported by a salty water condition. The second site, Kinloch River, is mainly concerned with river flow and acidic run off.

Within each micro site we performed a series of tests into the conditions that facilitate and effect the rate of erosion of rock and soil. Full details of this can be found in ‘the survey’ book. We also took a series of castings on site in order to observe the effect of the erosion.

This information was then translated onto a survey drawing, using the micro site data, in combination with studio based research to start to speculate conditions on the macro scale.

57˚00’52.64 06˚16’46.90

57˚00’53.13 06˚16’46.75

57˚00’53.63 06˚16’46.63

57˚00’56.63 06˚17’14.79

57˚00’58.44 06˚17’20.85

57˚01’01.84 06˚17’27.03

Peat

Mildly Acidic

Sandy Soil

Acidic

Sandy Clay

Highly Acidic

Sandstone

Soil Stability Class 1

pH 5.2

Soil Stability Class 6

pH 5.6

Rock Hardness 3.5-5.1

pH 6.0

Rock Hardness 3.5-5.5

pH 6.4

Rock Hardness 5.5-6.5

pH 6.8

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57˚00’52.64 06˚16’46.90

57˚00’53.13 06˚16’46.75

57˚00’53.63 06˚16’46.63

57˚00’56.63 06˚17’14.79

57˚00’58.44 06˚17’20.85

57˚01’01.84 06˚17’27.03

The design proposal is a material erosion research centre.

‘Testing walls’ are suspended within the river and exposed to the erosive forces of the river flow, wind driven rain and solar radiation.

Using forms from the micro site studies, a series ‘testing walls’ where extracted from one study and a bridging strategy from another. These where then tested and evaluated against site conditions and the forms developed into an architectural design.

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The building proposal is a one man research centre to test the erosion of rate and pattern of building materials. On the macro scale monolithic testing walls are suspended in the river and primarily ‘attacked’ by the water flow. These are periodically raised up into the laboratory space where they are analysed by an electron microscope that tracks around the wall allowing a complete mapping. Physical plaster casts are also taken of the eroding walls, these act as display pieces within the laboratory and are then stored in one of the outbuildings.

The outbuildings, which are primarily concerned with dwelling, are clad in small panels of varying materials, akin to those tested in our initial research. These are located on the southern end of the building complex to maximise exposure to solar radiation and wind driven rain.

Although it is acknowledged that the building will impact upon the environment and surrounding landscape it aims to be as subtle and autonomous as possible, to this end it utilises a micro hydroelectric dam connected to kitchen space.

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Microtecture Archive plaster casts of testing walls, cladding samples

Laboratory observing and analysing testing walls and cladding panels, casting of testing walls, displaying castings, instrument and equipment housing

Dwelling sleeping, relaxing, cooking, eating, washing, working

Mediation Sealed enclosed archive Open exposed Permeable buffers, protects

Open exposed

Sealed/Permeable enclosed dwelling/buffered intermediate space

Autonomy

Micro hydroelectric dam generates power and filters water from the river

Composting toilet

Apertures, Lenses and Occuli Archive keeps a catalogue of castings and worn cladding panels Open Views walkways allows open view of surrounding river and landscape Semi Exposure laboratory electron microscope tracks around testing walls allowing full observation castings display unit allows observation of erosion over time laboratory is semi exposed allowing view up and down river and partial connection to surrounding landscape Semi Exposure living space allows selected view in and out to landscape

Enclosure utilities openings are internally orientated for privacy and enclosure

Rain Dripping | Dimple | Depression

River Flow Sloosh | Gauge | Gash

Wind Driven Rain Downpour | Displace | Relief

Rain Dribble | Bleed | Stain

Rain Dribble | Bite | Corrosion

Water Flow Flow | Bite | Corrosion

Wind Driven Rain Spray | Bite | Corrosion

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The section detail on the left shows a prediction as to how a concrete testing wall may erode over time. Once these walls are depleted beyond there use as a testing material it is proposed that they be used as retaining walls to support a stepped agricultural farming scheme, as outlined on the survey drawing on the next page. Above I show how the laboratory space may be reconfigured for a new series of testing walls. The steel frame supporting the new testing walls would remain a new lightweight boardwalk would replace the old one supported upon the existing grid of columns.

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