ctrl-z[oo] - Led by Jessica Simons - RMIT Architecture End of Semester Exhibition Semester 1 2021

CTRL-Z [OO] A STUDIO LED BY JESSICA SIMONS RMIT ARCHITECTURE END OF SEMESTER EXHIBITION SEMESTER 1 2021

PRECEDENTS PRECEDENTS

ZOO IMAGES ZOO IMAGES

RE << WILD

by Kaveen Gallage (s3696969) + Rachelle Yeoh (s3784384) Parc deParc la Villette de la Villette / Bernard / Bernard Tschumi Tschumi

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Bamboo Bamboo Pavilion Pavilion / Penda / Penda

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INTERVENTION PLAN SCALE 1:250 @ A4

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LEGEND 1 2 3 4 5 6

Zoos have evolved from menageries to enclosures and open range zoos, from private exclusive collections to public educational platforms. Though now it protects endangered and vulnerable animals, how do we as architects foster an environment for animals that not only survives? Our response reflects not just only the experience in an open range zoo - but also brings an experience of Native Australian bush life into a temporary place where both animals can live throughout their life and for visitors to spectate without being intrusive in a unique approach to zoo architecture.

waterhole greenhouse foyer information room educational room deck

SECTION A-A SECTION A-A SCALE SCALE @ A1 1:2500 1:2500 @ A1

SECTION A-A SCALE 1:2500 @ A1

INTERVENTION SECTION 18

SCALE 1:200 @ A3

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TYPICAL GROUND FLOOR PLAN

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TYPICAL UPPER FLOOR PLAN

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ENTRY

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RAMP

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MULTI-STOREY TENTS TYPICAL PLANS

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SCALE 1:200 @ A1

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LEGEND 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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outdoor tents communal hall toilets master bedroom living room foyer open balcony open garden space

RACHELLE YEOH & KAVEEN GALLAGE

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COLOUR LEGEND open plains scrubs dense greenery rainforest river waterhole existing landscape

repurposed building existing AB buildings existing buildings tram line

MULTI-STOREY TENTS SECTION

MASTERPLAN

SCALE 1:100 @ A1

SCALE 1:500 @ A1 LEGEND

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1 waterhole intervention 2 kangaroo + wallaby folly 3 emu folly 4 dingo folly 5 koala + echidna folly 6 kangaroo, wallaby + emu landscape 7 animal coriddor 8 dingo landscape 9 dingo folly 10 existing bird aviary 11 campfire 12 camping tent bunks 13 repurposed ticketing booth+cafe 14 australian bush corridor 15 toilets 16 existing wombat enclosure 17 existing tasmanian devil enclosure 18 existing baboon enclosure 19 existing staff office

CAMPFIRE SECTION SCALE 1:200 @ A3

KOALA + ECHIDNA ENCLOSURE KANGAROO ENCLOSURE

EMU ENCLOSURE

CAMPFIRE PAVILION INTERVENTION

CAMPING SITE PROGRAM OVERVIEW COLOUR LEGEND animals + staff animals only visitors MULTI-STOREY TENTS ENTRANCE

Zoos have evolved from menageries to enclosures and then open range zoos, and from private exclusive collections to public educational platforms. Though now it protects endangered and vulnerable animals, how do we as architects foster an environment for animals that allows them to not only survive, but also thrive? During the time of 13 weeks an investigation was undertaken in defining what zoo architecture is with a clear understanding of incorporating narratives and various scripting techniques to help generate geometries from existing conditions.

Using the Royal Melbourne Zoo as the main existing precinct many site conditions were sampled to help architecturalise the generated geometries to help benefit the existing site.

Giving opportunity to architectural spaces for the animals and visitors a small biome was created, with consistent design language and a masterplan generated through several site analysis conditions. The response reflects the experience of an open range zoo in combination with native Australian bush life, where animals and humans coexist in harmony. The animals now reclaim their territory in the zoo as humans spectate without being intrusive. RE<<WILD heavily revolves around unzoo-ing to move forward and speculates on the future expansion of the Australian Bush site through temporary and modular structures. Only time will tell for the zoo to adapt, for plants to grow, and most importantly, for animals to settle in and rewild.

LIN MA & MOLLY GALVIN The proposed redevelopments of the Melbourne Zoo entrances & Australian Bush emphasize education, animal welfare & an architectural experience that links humans directly with the animals. It was decided to design architectural moments along the main path of Melbourne Zoo as a means of connecting each entrance & developing an external interest, along with recreating the whole site of the Australian bush.

A snake pattern was mimicked as a reference to the reptile house while the winding paths of the zoo are also reminiscent of serpentine behaviours. These act as the main character of the entrances which then continue down the central path as an architectural connection with a central point. The main zoo entrance introduces the snake, followed by the snake structural pavilion in the centre of the zoo, then the train entrance ends at the other aide with the tail of the snake protruding out of the building. People walk through the final feature to get out of the zoo, continuing the effect of them exploring the zoo through the path of a snake.

In re-negotiating the Australian Bush section, the Australian map that was skewed to fit in with the existing zoo layout of the area with the extra inclusion of the elephant enclosure that is being vacated. Australian map features were referenced such as major rivers, lakes, highways & topography to develop the enclosures and landscapes. Each animal enclosure was separated then aggregated based on their real distribution in Australia along with how they would interact with each other when homed together. Three campsites were designed, each located in a different animal area of the Australian Bush.

The main aim for this project is to provide spaces for visitors to walk through creating an educational experience and observe how those animals may behave through architecture, as well as give zoo campers an interesting & unique camping encounter. Each campsite was developed from existing zoo architecture that has been deconstructed, reconstructed & merged to investigate unique formal outcomes.

Collectively, this project has un-zooed & re-zooed to come up with spaces that reflect the natural behaviours of Australian animals & projected these into architectural moments that intrigue & educate visitors along with maintaining a constant interest in the zoo landscape when making their way from one end of the zoo to the other.

CHAOHANG LIN & YIFAN LIAO This project aims to give the zoo back to the animals using multiple levels as a planning and design devices based on animal studies including a wombat’s digging behaviour and kookaburra’s territorial sense. In this project, three different facilities were focused on: the pathway, campsite and entrance.

For the pathway and entrance design, the idea of a broken wall was used based on a wombat’s destructive behaviour. When wombats are facing any obstacle, they will go directly through it rather than around it. This creates an architecture that evokes a feeling of being destroyed by a wombat’s burrowing behaviour.

When people experience this architecture, they will discover the animals through the “burrows” which serves practically for the viewing experience as well as creating a curated architectural experience. This allows people to explore the architecture to find the animals they want to see, enriching the architecture through an educational understanding of the habitat.

The entrance deign takes on a different language, prioritising program and functionality. The existing brick here uses three different layers, which are brickwork, blockwork, and interior finish. Therefore, the new design for the entrance evokes a feeling of a wombat having destroyed the different wall layers, not only the bricks. In addition, the aim of entrance design is to provide the visitors a good preview of zoo and the strong educational atmosphere. This is demonstrated through the design of the new corridor on the ground and the new viewing area on first and second floor.

The new campsite design has been located under the bird enclosure to bring the animals closer to people. The form was inspired by bird wings and nests. It has six wing like roof pieces intersecting with each other and create a large shelter for campers. Under the roof structural elements suspended from roof seek to mimic the form of a bird nest and provide rest space for birds to perch. The accommodation consists of tree houses above ground connected by bridges with a dining hall on the ground level as well as communal area in the centre.

At the very end of the tunnel, there is additional accommodation, which separates the public and private space. Language from the tree house roof has been used again, changing the material to stone creating seating opportunities in the same formal gesture. This creates choice for campers, allowing them to select from a wide variety of camping experiences.

cmd: crtl+r[un] c:\user\lucas_gauci\ctrl-zoo > run growth.script [site] data initialised > running grid.script \\ Tutor: Jess Simons

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Rail Entrance Top View 0

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Rail Entrance Axonometric

Main Entrance Top View 0

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LUCAS GAUCI

Rail Entrance East Elevation

Rail Entrance West Elevation

Main Entrance Axonometric

Shower Block Plan

Toilet Block Plan

Adapted from existing enclosure

Main Entrance South Elevation

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Corrugated Roofing

Existing Timber Columns

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Water Refil Station

Water Run-off Garden

15m Eucalyptus

This proposal intends to negotiate the existing flora, enclosures, and architecture of the Melbourne Zoo with a renewed Australian Bush section, camping areas and connected entrances. The zoos dense planting and lush vegetation is important to preserve with many design cues being taken from the natural forms of native flora.

Water Supply & Treatment Services

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Wastewater Garden Mens Showers

Main Entrance East Elevation

Entrance

Womens Showers Female

Wastewater Garden

Existing Shiplap Walls

35x190mm Timber rafters Corrugated Roof Above

Communal Area Plan 0

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Rail Entrance Earth Mound

Earth Mound

A grid pinching script has been applied across the whole site and used at various scales as an organisational device, a disruptor, and a form generator. The script uses several site data packages as input depending on the context of the application.

The campgrounds are situated in the heart of the Australian Bush section and projects out to the Kangaroo and Emu grasslands. Using planting data of this area as input, the inherent qualities of the script allowed the highlight of open spaces with the least planting density.

These areas form the camping pads of built-up earth and ‘lean-to’, ‘sheep shed’ qualities with rusted iron and fragmented roofs, arranged in canopies that resemble the native Tea Tree flower. Boardwalks connect the site in a serendipitous pathway, with a ‘shortest walk’ quality akin to animal tracks. An existing bird enclosure was retrofitted into a shower block and an existing interactive maze of corrugated iron was modified into a toilet block.

BBQ Trees Corrugated Roof

Timber Roof Entrance

Greater Site with Script overlay Input data from large tree map

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Baboons Corymbia citriodora (Lemon-scented Gum) 15m+ Trees

Eucalyptus haemostoma (Scribbly Gum) Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) Eucalyptus regnan (Mountain ash) Angophora costata (Sydney Red Gum)

Eucalyptus viminalis (Manna Gum) 12-15m Trees

Marram & Barraimal (Kangarooo & Emu)

Corymbia maculata (Spotted Gum) Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood) Magnolia grandiflora (Magnolia) Melaleuca quinquenervia (Paperbark)

Corymbia ficifolia (Flowering Gum) 8-12m Trees

Alloxylon flammeum (Tree Waratah) Banksia integrifolia (Coastal banksia) Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle)

Gatherin Space

Gurrborra (Koala)

Marram & Barraimal (Kangarooo & Emu) Gurrborra (Koala)

Camping Pad 1 Bulluk (Swamp)

Warrin (Wombat)

Toilets

Wilam (Camp)

Showers

Orangutans

Great Flight Aviary

Wilam (Camp)

Toiletblock

Camping Pad 2

Showerblock

Input data from detailed planting map 5

Great Flight Aviary

Camping Pad 3

Main Entrance

Marram & Barraimal (Kangarooo & Emu)

Walkway

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Tigers

Dururu (Kookaburra)

Camping Site with Script overlay 0

Dirabadin wugup (Orange Bellied Parrot)

Communal Space

Shading for aviary

Camping Pad 4

Camping Pad 5

Communal Seating

Site Masterplan with Plant Mapping 0

Camping Entrance

Communal Area

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Medium Trees 2-8m

Shrubs and Bushes 0- 2m

Large Trees 8m+

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New Enclosures Existing Enclosures Existing Structures Existing Canopies Exterior Fence

Kangaroo Grass

Victorian Christmas Bush

Tea Tree and Acacia

Wattles and Manna Gums

Banksia Varieties

Eucalyptus Varieties

Corymbia Varieties

Axonometric

Red Gum Varieties

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Shower Block

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An expanded Koala enclosure includes three large eucalyptus trees existing on the site, surrounded by a boardwalk featuring a bridge formed with the grid pinching script.

The outcome resembles eucalyptus leaves, continuing the native plant notion.

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Toilet Block

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Top Left: Camping Pad 2 and Water station Top Right: Communal Area Middle Left: Koala Enclosure and Toilet block Middle Right: Boardwalk, Shower block and Camping Pad 4 Bottom: Camping site view from grassland

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At the entrances, the script becomes a form generator, preserving the historically significant structures. The script is used as a softening ornamentation, a growth on the relic masonry, akin to the dense growth of the plants across the site. In certain moments, the script forms bike racks, lettering and lighting structures, creeping across the site, connecting the surrounding context.

SIWEI ZHANG & ISABELLA WESTWOOD The overall intention for this project is to create new opportunities for both the animals and the visitors. Key ideas were examined such as the experience of the viewer throughout the spaces. The context of the Melbourne Zoo was researched thoroughly in addition to the animals that will inhabit the spaces. Key structures were taken from the existing site and ‘re-birthed’ to maintain a sense of reflection on the growth and progression that the zoo faces and will face for many years to come.

Throughout the investigation and regeneration of the Australian Bush enclosures, processes that were explored during the semester were further investigated. This generated new and inspired geometries that correlated directly to the site and its history.

The new architecture is intended to promote both human and animal engagement in a way that is educational and enriching for all, with an open range layout that allows for the animals to roam freely and be given the opportunity of choice in an effort to take their wellbeing a step further towards the future. One of the key elements was the new Australian Bush which aims to create experiences more specific to the animals, expanding the enclosures to the boundaries of the newly vacated giraffe and elephant enclosure while taking advantage of the new opportunities this allows for such as camping amongst Australian animals.

New Australian Bush + Melbourne zoo Intervention Isabella Westwood Lvl 3 + Siwei Zhang Lvl 4

Our overall intentions for this project was to create new opportunities for both the animals and the visitors. We looked at key ideas such as the experience of the viewer throughout the spaces and researched thouroughly into the context of the melbourne zoo as well as the animals that will inhabit the spaces. We took key structures from the existing site and ‘re-birthed’ them to maintain a sence of reflection on the growth and progression that the zoo faces and will face for many years to come.

Throughout our investigation and regeneration of the Australian bush we took on processes that we had been exploring throughout the semester in order to generate new and Inspired geometries that correlated directly to the site and its history.

We hope that our new architecture promotes human and animal engagement in a way that is educational and enriching for all, our layout alows for the animals to roam freely and be given the opportunity of choice taking their wellbeing a step further towards the future.

One of the key elements was teh new australian bush which aims to cater more specifically to the animals, expanding the enclosures to the boundaries of the giraffe and elephant enclosure and taking advantage of the new opportunities this allows for such as camping amongst australian animals .

Transport Entrance

Main Entrance

Intervention

Masterplan 1:1000

NIKOLAOS FLOROS How does one un-zoo a zoo? Creating a place where animals “thrive, not survive”, is our biggest priority to give back the zoo to the animals. There live two different attitudes towards the future of zoos. One of which is to be protecting and the other to simply create the visitor satisfaction. When the latter is pursued the true residents of the zoo remain a mystery to the human guests that occupy their space. How do we design for beings that we neither hear nor completely understand?

This proposal attempts to merge both worlds into one by embracing the independence of these typologies without majorly impeding into one another through a set of skybridges created using pre-existing architectural elements found throughout Melbourne Zoo’s current Australian Bush.

Zoo Master Plan Scale 1:2000mm

North Point

Back Entrance Melbourne zoo

Front Entrance Melbourne zoo

Back Entrance Melbourne zoo

Front Entrance Melbourne zoo Plan ground floor of the front entrance Scale 1:200mm

ROBERTO CONDE & ALEXANDRA BREUER

Plan first floor, front entrance main entry way to zoo Scale 1:200mm

Plan of back entrance Scale 1:500mm North Point

A space designed for the animals to thrive.

Section main entrance Scale 1:100mm

Section of Back Entrance Scale 1:200mm

Pavilion education centre

Master Plan of Aus Bush Scale 1:1000mm

Front Entrance, Melbourne zoo

Melbourne zoo Pavilion Education Centre

Section of the middle of the zoo Scale: 1:2000mm

North Point

Back Entrance Melbourne zoo

North Point

North Point

Front Entrance, Melbourne zoo

Ground Camp site

Section main entrance Scale 1:100mm

Ground Camp site plan

The masterplan overlay is based on the interpretation of contrasting effects. The intimate relationship between history and the present. The opposing factors of an eventful gridded city and the calmness of an open range zoo. Flowing lines around the proposed site were created by a grasshopper script that uses the abundance of tree growth as input data. The intent was to create a space that moved with nature and allowed the unrestrained growth of the environment to dictate the architectural space used for program.

Tree walk way and tree top camp plan

Tree walk way and tree top camp section and Perspective view

The different areas of the zoo were combined using this script overlay so that the animals could occupy a true open range and the zoo could give back to the animals. The animals were individually researched leading to the discovery that kangaroos, emus, wombats, and koalas would benefit from an open range layout whilst also posing little threat to humans. This made an open range zoo where people can walk through the bush among the animals a perfect fit.

The camp site was created with the intent of integrating nature and modern-day comfort as much as possible. Allowing for all the animals to roam as they please and for the campers to feel immersed within the Australian bush whilst remaining in the comfort of their accommodation.

The site plan and the architecture considered the historical context of the site as well as the nature which covers the land. The architecture complements nature and encourages it to continue to grow. This place is where the old and new meet, where nature and animals roam free and where a completely different world can be experienced away from a bustling city like Melbourne.