BDES2026 Studio 2A - the chasm.

design book the chasm.

introduction.

The Chasm is an architectural project that combines the exuberant energy of the nightclub with the dynamic athleticism of the skatepark. Inspired by the topography, it forms a flexible and dynamic collection of spaces. The Chasm is not just a building structure, but an engaging, multi-sensory experience that seeks to blur the lines between movement, light, and space.

In The Chasm, I have attempted to respond to the needs and activities of the target users of both sites through a public space that integrates multiple functions while retaining their individual features. The architecture isn’t just a backdrop but a stage, both for the participants and the observers, conducting, facilitating and shaping the experiences within its walls. The topographical features within the structure are not merely for aesthetic need, but crucial design elements that shape the atmosphere and influence the flow of movement. These undulating landscapes serve as the arteries of the complex, guiding the skaters’ paths and dancers’ steps, creating a dynamic interplay between user and space.

The Chasm also makes clever use of natural light and shadow shifts to self-define itself. The narrow skylight running along the roof allows sunlight to enter the building at the selected moments, while the interior of the building has a correspondingly shaped glass atrium to ensure that the light reaches all the way down to the bottom. This architectural

element is more than just a visual installation, it also demarcates the boundaries of the two co-existing spaces within “The Chasm”, the sunlit skatepark and the shadowy nightclub, and acts as a temporal indicator, changing in brightness and position with the passing hours and thus keeps the division of the interior spaces fluid and transforming.

The nightclub in the shadows is a self-contained social gathering, a place for solace, escape and uninhibited expression.

While the skatepark, bathed in sunlight, is an open space of motion and adrenaline. The distinct qualities of these spaces were brought together and found a reasonable coexistence pattern in the topographic structure, crafts a unique, symbiotic narrative that amplifies the sensory experience in The Chasm.

The Chasm embodies an architectural ambitions to create spaces that are not just physically engaging, but also emotionally resonant. It invites everyone to step into the space, to experience the thrill of the skatepark, the energy of the nightclub, all within the ever-flowing chasm topography.

It is an appreciation of the contrast and harmony between movement and stillness, exhibiting and concealment, light and darkness, as well as a call to embrace the unexpected and to see the possibilities that lie in the intersection of disparate worlds.

brief.

The Chasm, has been conceptualized to accommodate two architectural programs: a skatepark and a nightclub. These two seemingly disparate programs are brought together through a unifying architectural language, and are both the reflection and the catalyst of movement and energy.

The skatepark is not just a recreational space, but a vibrant community hub that nurtures the spirit of creativity and freedom. Key spaces for this program include the main skating ramps, bowls, lanes, seating and viewing spaces and bathroom. The design encourages a flowing movement pattern, where skaters can seamlessly navigate through different levels and spaces, fostering a dynamic and lively atmosphere under sunlight.

The nightclub, on the other hand, is a celebration of music, dance, and social interaction. It encompasses a large dance floor, a DJ booth, bar counters, lounge areas, and bathroom. The nightclub spaces surround the skating area and are covered by the shadow. Designed to be an immersive sensory experience, the nightclub blends into the shadow and pulses with music, setting the mood for an unforgettable night.

skating lanes lounge areas

bar counter

seating & viewing space

dance floor

skating ramp

leisure spaces

bathroom dj booth

skating bowls

site analysis.

The site is located at 142 Clarence St, Wynyard, Sydney. The Wynyard area was originally named “The Wynyard Quarter” in the 1820s, after General Edward Buckley Wynyard, a former Commander-in-Chief of British forces in Ceylon. It has a significant history of commercial development, with many iconic buildings constructed in the 1930s. It houses significant structures like the Menzies Hotel and Shell House, and Wynyard Park, featuring a statue of influential clergyman, John Dunmore Lang. Overall, Wynyard holds a rich blend of history and urban life in the heart of Sydney. Its architectural heritage and public spaces add to the cultural fabric of the city.

Darling Harbour, a waterfront precinct in Sydney, evolved from a commercial port to a recreational hotspot. Adjacent to Sydney’s city center, it hosts iconic landmarks and offers a blend of diverse cultures through events and global cuisines. It symbolizes Sydney’s transformation and ongoing role in international trade and tourism.

Architectures at Clarence St generally share the New York style character feature, with a blend of historical and modern apperance, reflecting the city’s evolution and cultural diversity.

Sydney Town Hall, an iconic 19th-century building, is located in the heart of Sydney. It not only serves as the seat of the Lord Mayor of Sydney but also hosts cultural events and exhibitions.

Characterized by its Victorian Second Empire style architecture, it contributes significantly to Sydney’s historic and cultural landscape.

142 Clarence Street is a prominent boutique commercial property strategically located between Wynyard and Town Hall Stations. Its proximity to the upcoming Barangaroo and Wynyard Walk developments positions it in a significant growth area, this allows for a higher footfall and a denser and more diverse activities, providing a good environment and prerequisite for the integration of this multifunction project into the neighbourhood. It must be noted, however, that precisely because of its prime commercial location, the original building is of a compact structure and is relatively insufficient for my project and many compromises had to be

Myer is Australia’s largest department store group, founded by Sidney Myer in Melbourne in 1900. It has grown into a national icon, with stores across Australia, contributing significantly to Australia’s retail culture. Known for its diverse product range and seasonal events like the Myer Christmas windows, it shapes Australian consumer experiences.

made in the design process. In addition, the area is more commercial than entertaining and the overall atmosphere is not very compatible with my project.

Hyde Park, Sydney’s oldest public parkland, is renowned for its central location and historic significance. Originally an Indigenous meeting place, it was later transformed into a public park.

Featuring the Archibald Fountain and ANZAC War Memorial, it serves as a cultural hub for relaxation, events, and memorials.

week 1 Pre-liminaries.

For pre-liminaries, the truck of a skateboard and a spotlight were chosen to represent each of my program, and this also conveys the main concept I extracted from each venue, which are the movement and the focus.

In the concept model, I explored the materials and forms that symbolizes two programs. I used grey clay in substitute of concrete to symbolize skatepark, and mirror shards for nightclub. The shape of mobius ring stands for an ever-lasting movement, and the glass shards on it somehow breaks this one-sided cycle and emphasizes a visual focus.

week 2 Dispositions and Encounters.

In my atmosphere collage, I tried to delve further on the initial concepts. I used the arch and slope elements to create a space that encourage movements, and light beams from disco balls that highlight the desired activity. Together they create an atmosphere full of dynamic and unsettling elements, and attempt to show the possible forms of the two sites when they are fused together.

week 3 Spatial Planning 1: Investigations.

Before commencing the spatial planning, I analyzed the main activities in the two venues and generalized their characteristics. Skatepark movement is linear, single, and collected, while nightclub movement is disorganized, interacting, and dispersed.

This showcases the distinct qualities of each programs and the need for an open, inclusive, and connected space for both types of movement.

A list of possible places for each program was made to better understand the space planning.

Lounge

Sitting Area

?

?

Sitting Area

Bistro

Bar Bar

Rooftop pool

Graffiti Wall

Booth

Seat

In the following spatial diagrams, I decided to introduce a new architectural concept, the atrium. The atrium is an open space that is vertically void and surrounded by functional areas, and it fits well with my design needs and concepts. The presence of the atrium allows isolated, scattered functional spaces to be linked and together form a multifunctional entity. This provides opportunities for activities from both two programs to meet and generate possible new activities that would not be seen in either of two seperate venues.

week 4 Spatial Planning 2: Experimentations.

Based on the precedents work and design development, three massing models that display the volume of spaces from two programs were made.

model work

week 5 Access and Routes, Thresholds and Passages.

When designing the threshold, I originally intended to have a long, straight staircase spanning the entire ground floor, connecting to first floor, which would leave enough space for the skatepark. During the iterative process, I decided to integrate the staircase with the flowing terrain of the skatepark, making it part of the activity space as well and offering some possibilities for new types of activities.

In the later design development, the topographical feature has become yet another architectural element that helps to bring the two programs together and create a cohesive and consistent fusing environment.

week 6 Face / Interface.

I demonstrated the concept of focus in our façade design. In the first version of design, A full unobstructed glass facade was used to fully reveal the movement of people inside, while a semi-circle was used to emphasise the design of the half tube on the first floor, making it the visual focal point of the entire façade. The terrain element has also been incorporated into the façade design to make it more consistent to the overall architectural design.

phase 1 panels

The building is divided into five levels, including a ground floor and a rooftop.

The ground and roof levels are mainly used as skateparks and are designed as open public spaces. The ground floor is used both as a threshold leading to first floor as well as courtyard, and a skating area with two bowls. A small part of the unused space behind the building has also been transformed into a courtyard connected to the ground and first floors, while the main circulation, an outdoor staircase, has been placed here to allow users to freely access the skatepark from the ground to the roof. There is also a glass skylight on rooftop to allow light shines in and generate communication between two programs.

The three interior floors in the middle are mainly used for nightclubs. Visitors also use the outdoor staircase to access different floors. The front half of the ground floor is a semi-circular ramp structure, which can be used both for skateboarding and as a characteristic dance floor. ramp and the void space above it form the main element of the interior architecture: the atrium. The space is designed in such a way that people from different floors can readily participate in activities to promote communication. Landscape terrain elements can be found everywhere and act as a part of activity areas.

week 9 Structure, Systems, Skeletons II.

After several iterations of the design, I made adjustments to the internal structural space of the project. The first major change from the previous design was the decision to extend the topography element to all floors to give the overall interior a more dynamic and fluid feel. As a result, the functional areas became less independent, and each occupied a part of a large open space.

Another change was the adaptation of the skylight design. I decided to change the skylight to a long, narrow slit across the entire roof to allow more light into the building and to create a strip of light that defines and indicates the function of the different areas. Each floor also has a corresponding glazed floor in accordance with the shape of the skylight to ensure that light can pass unobstructed through the centre of the building.

week 11 & 12 Part and Whole: The Critical Detail and Production.

To better accentuate the topographical design of the interior, I have changed the façade and roof openings to regular geometric shapes to contrast with the predominantly irregularly streamlined interior spaces and to achieve visual harmony.

For the critical detail model, I chose a corner on the fourth floor which contains glass light-transmitting part of the skateboard lane, as well as the concrete nightclub area and the resting space beneath it, showing the specifc interplay between light and shadow in the interior space.

Light shines in through the roof skylight and is blocked by the solid concrete structure, leaving only the central glass lanes to be illuminated and penetrated, creating a vertical space of light at the centre of the building that defines the functional areas of the two sites.

revised works

phase 3 panels

The Chasm Project reimagines the interplay between natural light and man-made space, creating a harmonious union that melds the

energy of a nightclub with the dynamism of a skate park. The architectural design, inspired by natural topography, employs an elongated skylight that serves as a river of light, illuminating the interior landscape and offering a shifting spectacle tied to the rhythms of the day and seasons. The undulating terrain encourages exploration and personal engagement with the space. Beyond merely constructing a building, the Chasm represents an immersive, transformative experience that juxtaposes energetic vibrancy with tranquil introspection. Embracing fluidity over rigid norms, it stands as a testament to architecture’s potential to inspire and transform, celebrating the variations of light, the exhilarating spirit of human endeavor, and nature’s captivating beauty. This project, intended as both a recreational space and a catalyst for architectural dialogue, signifies a daring exploration of space, light, and movement, ultimately aiming to inspire a deeper appreciation of architecture’s transformative power.