Studio 41 Journal: The Art of Nerikiri

lauren nguyen 913286

Create|Curate: Sensory (Re)treat Journal

|Contents week 01

04

week 02

09

week 03

18

week 04

25

week 05

34

week 06

43

week 07

52

week 08

59

week 09

65

week 10

72

week 11

81

week 12

87

references

93

2

3

01

|week one

4

vanilla lily bares fruit

week one studio 41: create | curate 2021

main hobby favourite building favourite place

abstract physical diagrams of the self There were some liberties taken when interpreting the concepts into physical diagrams, especially in the craft outside of architecture. Viewing aikido as a ‘craft’ goes against the usual connotations of the word, but I believe its integral values of refining muscle movements and manipulating a material are very similar to that of crafting. Much like artistic crafting, there is a meditative quality imbued within the movements of aikido as the idea of ‘kokyu (rotation + extension)’ and ‘awaze (blending)’ are similar to that of respecting and understanding the paper while painting. There is a limit to the material, just as there is a limit to the body.

personality

craft in life

The moments I seek to capture within each model are mainly to do with sensations that I strongly remember, especially in that of the favourite place, building and main hobby. Embrace, seclusion and risk are all factors that I enjoy within my experiences, and have often been innate in my prior design projects. Perhaps I’ll extend into a different realm for this project, depending on my choice of craft.

5

week one studio 41: create | curate 2021

carol’s lookout - transcending the river bend The components of the lookout were taken quite literally from the concepts given to me by Carol when discussing her ideal place such as origami, promenades and rivers. The inclusion of Le Corbusier’s promenade was a new concept for me to include into this mini project, and it took some quick research for me to understand its architectural implications. Its application in this case feels somewhat successful, albeit quite simple. The program settled itself into the river as well as floated over the top of it, which surprised Carol since she hadn’t thought of that but greatly enjoyed the idea.

Ideas involving intermittent layering and reservation were represented with both green textured paper card and black foam core, not because of its material implication though. As structural elements, they were good materials to use because of their density but it felt misleading as a representation tool. It’s something to be wary of in the future, as it may not communicate the same ideas that has been intended.

6

week one studio 41: create | curate 2021

creative critical reflection - previous projects - What do you think are the weakest parts of your project?

• The overuse of architectural ideas in varying iterations across multiple projects, which leaves little room to explore other aspects/ideas.

• The resolution of the architectural outcome in relation to the brief, occasionally prioritising the architectural exploration over client needs and contextual relation.

• The literal translation of metaphorical concepts that are complex, rather than distill it to its main components.

- How would you like these aspects to be improved?

• Most of these can be improved with broader and more thorough research as well as implementing an evaluation/reflective process to determine success and relevancy.

- What do you think was the most successful part of your project, and what was your creative &/or design process?

• Graphical representation has been a huge improvement through the repetition of one style (determined by the studio pedagogy).

• The design and study of atmosphere and phenomenology throughout the entire building as well as its constituent parts. Most of the inspiration came from readings, especially that of Pallasmaa and Zumthor as well as visual precedents such as Tadao Ando’s Process and Idea.

- Are there patterns you can identify in your creative design process that have particularly proven successful for you?

• Technical tutors outside architecture have always proven very useful because besides looking in depth at their specialties, it approaches the design from a different angle. Especially when caught in a creative block, it really helps shift the perspective.

• Mindless sketching on trace paper whilst alleviating the pressure to produce an outcome makes it seem more like a design exercise rather than project sketching. It opens the idea to more possibilities even when they don’t seem related to the project.

• Taking time away from the project, often doing sports because it leaves no room to think about anything so it becomes a full reset of the mind.

- What is your biggest overall weakness in architectural design? What is your biggest overall strength in architectural design? Acknowledging your creative patterns, weaknesses and strengths, what is your creative strategy for this semester?

• Biggest overall weakness would have to be indecisiveness, often switching ideas last minute and not committing to the original idea.

• Biggest overall strength would be conversion of abstract concept/metaphors into a viable form with atmospherical properties at the forefront.

• The strategy for this semester would be to gather an inventory of all possible elements of the craft and devise a set of ideas from them. From there it becomes a process of elimination or amalgamation to refine the set into a singular core concept, all the while reflecting its success with the client, the context and the brief. Regular breaks, whether it be doing other electives for inspiration or taking a proper break needs to become a routine.

7

week one studio 41: create | curate 2021

weekly reflection Design Decisions: The rapid nature of creating the models based on myself really forced me to make decisions, even if I wasn’t sure about the outcome. This does raise some anxiety, especially as someone who can have really mundane perfectionism at the worst times. It helped greatly to have sketched the preliminary ideas down first because it provided some sort of foundation for the model. When it came to designing the lookout, the decisions came from available model making materials and then trying to get them to conform into a shape that resembled the concepts. As adaptable as that may have been, it was more about efficiency than design. It became more about ‘pleasing the eye’ and alluding to the intent of the lookout, rather than truly focusing on the client brief.

Iterations: I found myself half heartedly working on one of the models, the main hobby (rock climbing) well after the time to make them was complete. It was very difficult to distill rock climbing into a singular feeling, and it went from trying to mould a piece of paper into a rock climbing shoe to having a vertical piece of paper perpendicular to the ground. In the end, both were disregarded because of how abstract they were and their reliance on verbal communication.

Success: The lookout was successful based on the client feedback, despite having quite a clumsy approach to its manifestation. Some models created for the abstract diagrams for the self were far too small and unreadable, requiring the person to be centimetres away to understand what was going on. Therefore it would have been far more successful if it were three times the original size.

Knowledge Acquisition: This whole process just reaffirmed an ongoing trend of my indecisiveness, especially in the first exercise. Similarly, I’ve completed rapid model making over the span of two weeks, which was so intense and somewhat overwhelming. It felt more like a challenge, rather than a design exercise. But also these exercises showed me that I needed to be clearer with my decisions and what I want the outcome to portray, rather than drawing what I think it should look like.

Future Decisions: The most important factor I’d like to bring in to my process would be to let go of ideas easier, as well as to let go of the idea of failure. Just because I do not pursue an idea, does not mean it’s a failure. Instead it becomes a part of a bank of ideas that may become relevant in the future. Also to try and speak more to my classmates, as it often pushes me outside my comfort zone (socially and design-wise).

8

02 |week two

9

heat shimmers on the plains

week two studio 41: create | curate 2021

the multiplicity of wagashi - so why nerikiri? the strongest expression of colour and design, abstracting the natural knowns into a singular edible art piece

10

week two studio 41: create | curate 2021

three main processes-

1. cooking

1. amalgamation

1. forming

2. refining

2. kneading

2. sculpting

3. rinsing

3. colouring

3. decorating

process from left to right - shiro-an (白あん）, nerikiri-an (練り切りあん) and sculpting

11

week two studio 41: create | curate 2021

tsubu-an making

shiro-an making

nerikiri-an making

sculpting

final touches five critical processes The development of these diagrams was done with the intention of concisely analysing the main movements, energy transfers and state changes that the components of nerikiri go through. The origin of nerikiri, the red or white azuki bean, must go through rigorous refinement through rinsing and sifting as well as heating and cooling to achieve the melt in your mouth texture. This exploration through diagram in my recent design processes has aided me in distilling complex concepts into lines and shapes, which have really helped me see the direct connection of action to architecture.

12

week two studio 41: create | curate 2021

tools + motions of the craft -

It was from the tools that I became aware of the synergy between hand, timber and metal. The sheer diversity of available tools to craft nerikiri varies from craftsman to home cook, many able to create the designs with only two or three tools. Similarly, the architectural ‘movements’ could also be limited to a few motions to avoid overcomplexity as the craft outcome often focuses on simplicity as beauty.

The body in nerikiri making is fairly static, the motions being confined from shoulder to hand with the rest of body only really used to navigate to other areas within the workshop. This brought up the idea of ergonomics and comfort that I’d need to consider when designing the workshop, thus reducing any possibilities of muscle fatigue or restlessness.

13

14

geo-enviro relationship

historical roots

materiality

embodied output

week two studio 41: create | curate 2021

embodied process

week two studio 41: create | curate 2021

parti as artefact -

top left - guided cloth, bottom left - knead + cut, right - seasonal adaptability The culmination of the first five models (previous page) led to the existence of these three artefactual parti diagrams. There was a lot of textural diversity in the first five studies, all represented literally within the models themselves. However it took away from the formal expression of concepts such as layering, draping and carving since there were so many materials present. Therefore the three concepts of guided cloth, knead + cut and seasonal adaptability were done with only two materials to better represent the ideas. These in a sense, look more closely towards the possible architectural devices that can be used within the project, rather than display metaphorical concepts. And interestingly, they also began to indicate an atmospherical quality with the play of light and shadow, something I had not anticipated until I looked closely at the photography.

15

week two studio 41: create | curate 2021

contemplations on creativity - spaces cultivating creative environments I seek an environment that has the balance between environmental factors and comfortable proximities to amenities. Even the smallest details of temperature, chair comfort, the pen I can use, the view I can see outside my window and if there’s a microwave to heat my lunch become somewhat critical in my decision of study spaces. There’s nothing more that I love than to be outside but logistically with all the computer equipment needed to complete tasks, it’s impossible to study outside. Therefore the next best thing is to have the view framed in front of you.

My eyesight has been getting worse and as an exercise, I’m supposed to stare at far away objects for at least 20 seconds every 10 minutes or so. These intermittent breaks feel better when I’m studying away from home, because of the diversity of things I get to see while I’m on my eyesight breaks. It sparks my motivation or it may simply elevate my mood. productivity and the subjective experience More often than not, I complete most of my work at home, on my desk in my bedroom. The desk is pitifully small, and the noises from my family downstairs has become the norm to when I study. Yet my productivity is the best in this environment, but only sporadically. If I were to be in this study space 24/7, it would be horribly suffocating. The proximity with my bed and the comforts of my books can make it very difficult to be productive and form a routine of study and rest. So I often go to a library, especially Library at the Dock, to change my environment.

It quite easily takes an hour or sometimes more to commute to, but it has the perfect balance between gentle white noise and table space that I require. But for my motivation, the time dedicated to traveling reminds me that I cannot waste my time procrastinating at the library because it’d be a waste of my efforts. I’ve studied alone for the majority of my degrees, I only really meet others for collaborative or feedback purposes. But it is where my creativity gets to be harnessed and allowed to flourish, because I am no longer just bouncing ideas in my own mind. So it is often critical for me in the beginning of my projects to have as many interactions as possible, and it often dwindles towards the end of the process when I’m working consistently in producing drawings. productive + creative space overlap They overlap but only based on necessity. During the lockdowns, my confinement to study in my room forced me to find ways of being both creative and productive with very minimal collaboration. But some of my biggest progressions in both drawing skills and design process understanding occurred then. In an ideal world, my creative space usually is in libraries or in studio when I’m discussing ideas whilst my productive space is at home where there feels like there’s no pressure from the outside world. In a sense, the boundary between the two merges when I make it merge, or I can also function when the option of multiple study spaces are available.

16

week two studio 41: create | curate 2021

weekly reflection Design Decisions: The choice of nerikiri as my craft stemmed from my love of food not just in the enjoyment sense, but also how its process influences the architecture and the community. Food enriches the space sensorially because of its visual and flavour profile, which became the connection between nerikiri and the Daylesford site.

The decision was also influenced by my prior interest in wagashi in general, due to the precision in which each variant is made and the amazing diversity that is available in each season. It also helped to extensively brainstorm to discover key words that relate back to nerikiri especially when it came to justifying that it would work in the context.

Iterations: Even before the studio commenced, I was already interested in pursuing food as my craft because there lay some ambiguity in how it could influence the architecture that I wanted to explore. Initially I wanted to do fish sauce, as it is intertwined in my day to day life and is a huge part of my culture. The complexity of its olfactory profile as well as the process to achieve the purity of colour and taste was extremely intriguing, but there was next to no relation with the site. It was over two hours from sea and the restaurants in Daylesford would have no need to incorporate it into their cuisines.

Success: I had no real prior technical or historical knowledge on nerikiri so it took a lot of time to acquire a depth of research on the topic. The inventory of knowledge and tools is definitely a success, however their possible interpretation into an architectural or atmospheric profile wasn’t covered in depth. I was only really able to start considering the spaces required to house the tools and the process due to the emphasis on research.

Knowledge Acquisition: The research of nerikiri was very engaging but quickly became the main task rather than exploring conceptual ideas. The ideas were represented well in some of my models but I feel as though I haven’t fully digested which ideas are most applicable to the context and my own visualisations of the final outcome.

At the very least I have large database to work from in future weeks of design exploration.

Future Decisions: My presentation for the week in my own personal review felt too dense, especially in terms of the representation of process and materials. It’s definitely to do with the hierarchy of information I’ve detailed so for my next mini presentations, I’d like to be spread the information out and practice how I verbally communicate it to an audience.

17

03

|week three

18 cicada call to falling leaves

week three studio 41: create | curate 2021

in praise of shadows - junichiro tanizaki Reverance ties very closely to the subtle but powerful implementation of gold within temple spaces. There is something innately grounding when being submerged in shadows but the light that strikes through the shadow is made even more potent and holy. There is no other setting where light is more beautiful than in the realm of shadows.

The usage of gold is distributed sparingly, whether it be in the fine detailed patterns of shoji screens or in the broken lines of lacquerware. This sensitivity to how much light is available within spaces is distinctly different to a lot of other typologies (such as Western churches) where there is an emphasis of pure illumination. Tanizaki makes it clear that there can only be intrigue when there is contrast.

In terms of nerikiri, visual accessibility holds precedence when working on the dough (あん) and sculpting the nerikiri itself, so task lighting is a must. But that’s not to say that it would need to illuminate the whole body, rather it can be confined from shoulders to the hands. In a spiritual sense, it represents the focussing of the mind to the singular task, emphasising a meditative quality about the craft. For the task of worshipping the craft, it made perfect sense to implement these techniques. It doesn’t necessarily need to be with gold but it can also be done the metal used for nerikiri tools such as the saikuhasami (scissors) which connects it more closely to the craft. yoshijima house - takayama, japan

19

week three studio 41: create | curate 2021

Bruder Klaus Field Chapel Mechernich, Germany Peter Zumthor, 2007

Zumthor’s Field Chapel incorporates a certain theatrics to the architecture through construction as well as architectural moments. The rise of the pinnacle feels monumental, perceiving the person as subservient to the blinding lights of the heavens.

This sensation is something I want to recreate within my place of nerikiri worship to symbolise the god-like figure of the head craftman.

Much like nerikiri, there is a distinct difference between the internal and external layers of the chapel. The ritualistic-like burning of the original timber structure has hollowed out the mass, leaving behind these walls of solidity. With thoughts of submerging the scheme within the sloping grounds of the site, these walls would be structurally and phenomenologically impactful. There is also this smooth contrast of the exterior to the interior walls, disguising and almost misleading those entering the site.

20

week three studio 41: create | curate 2021

concepts

flux of layering

embedment

knead + cut

amalgamated conceptual diagrams - from sketch to diagram The process of converting these preliminary sketches to diagrams came from how I developed the sketches to begin with.

Initially it felt easier to imagine how the spaces would feel atmospherically, what type of sensations would I be trying to evoke with my architecture? From there the form was informed by my prior artefactual parti diagrams (page 13), which started to give me an inkling of where the form would head. This type of process has felt far more comfortable to me in recent years, rather than starting with what tectonic would inform my interior spaces, I begin by setting out a schedule of atmospheres. The listing of possible form transformation through layering, embedment and knead + cut were all done under the umbrella of celebrating seasonality as nerikiri is driven by the changes of the microseasons.

21

week three studio 41: create | curate 2021

articulated conceptual models The first and third concepts began to look at reflectivity of materials within varying volumetric spaces. ‘In praise of shadows’ brought about the idea of using gold to absorb light within darkened spaces. Therefore to show the progression of pilgrim to high temple, the steady suggestion of reflective material increases towards the more holy spaces.

22

week three studio 41: create | curate 2021

figure 3.1 tentative planning

figure 3.2 descriptors of space

development of spatial conditions - of the highest order I’ve maintained the same process of developing spatial conditions for the past two projects, relying on the key terms or phrases to help conjure an image of the space within my own head. For this Planet Nerikiri project, I found it best to use phrases to begin with, before going in with tentative sketches. More often than not, these sketches will be in section so I’m able to begin to visualise how wall, floor and ceiling come together to create the spatial condition. The planning of the program and the progression through the space is developed concurrently with the atmospheres, but for me, its importance in the process is less pronounced compared to atmosphere. I’ve found myself fixating on these atmospheric profiles because it’s become my prerogative about how spaces inherently feel, rather than appear. This appearance is what determines the number of choices given in this project, the atmosphere goal is the same but its potential expression and planning will be different. Just in the case of this Planet Nerikiri worship, ideas of flux and knead + cut gave me a stronger potential of materiality flexibility for the ideal atmospheric section (as shown in figure 3.2).

23

week three studio 41: create | curate 2021

weekly reflection Design Decisions: The main spine of design iteration has come from brainstorm mind maps to try and conjure up as many connections between common threads as possible. Especially when it came to evaluating which three concepts to pursue for this place of worship. In terms of the form generation, the entire process has really been guided by the week 01 models yet it is taking a long time to really distill the ideas.

Iterations: Due to the amount of iterations produced over the span of three weeks, it has felt difficult to make concrete decisions on which ones to pursue. I was torn over which concept to pursue in this week since I enjoyed each but neither perfectly conveyed what was needed for the site and the craft. The second concept was visually interesting but practically inefficient due to the spread of the craft process in multiple small rooms.

Success: The combination of both 3D representation through models and hand drawn conceptual diagrams has felt particularly successful when approaching the brief. I was able to envision the space volumetrically as well as in spatial progression due to the number of available drawings/models. The plan and section outcome felt uncomfortable, as I’m not accustomed to doing circular or arc based forms. It may have been taking the idea of the circular layered nerikiri too literally, instead of finding a more suitable way of showing the complex textural layering.

Knowledge Acquisition: I’ve somewhat lost the thread of my concept generation, in the sense of evaluating and increasing the resolution of concepts steadily. I’ve found that by just scribbling down dot points or re-reading my hand written journal to refresh my mind has helped immensely.

Future Decisions: The site and context of the project needs more investigation in order to understand the impact of the architectual intervention. The project felt as though it needed some more guidance from the geography and the surrounding area in order to make more sense programmatically.

24

04 |week four

25 glow of the fungi

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week four

1:1000 site model -

1. wood selection

Chose Victorian Ash as it is a native to the Daylesford context and has a warm neutral tone

4. clamping

Evenly distributing the glue and making sure the timber pieces aren’t shifting while it dries

7. planer

Smooth off and make all sides parallel

2. rotary saw

Cutting the original timber section into six pieces using the rotary saw

5. band saw

Cutting the laminated timber block to size

8. table sander

Sanding the edges to make them smooth and even

26

3. laminating

Spreading a thin layer of wood glue onto each piece

6. table saw

Trimming timber block so that all sides are square

9. cnc

3-axis CNC milling to create topological contours and building insets

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week four

ecological networks - daylesford spas This network of aquifers and the spas surrounding them are integral to the nerikiri becoming a part of the Daylesford community and businesses. Aside from the nerikiri being able to be sold at markets or in local stores, there is an opportunity to incorporate them into the act of spa relaxation. There is usually a moment after spa treatments to enjoy tea and sweets as a final moment after relaxing so the inclusion of a formal or informal tea ceremony with nerikiri would harmonise well with the current process. The map above was part of the evidence to support nerikiri within its new context (also as income generation) and show the possibilites of reaching out far into the bounds of Daylesford.

27

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week four

eyes of the skin - juhani pallasmaa The idea of the five senses has always been somewhat separate in my mind, especially in the way I considered my architectural spaces sensorially. I’d find myself considering materials, atmospheric spaces and programmatic layouts with a very list-like approach to how the human senses would awaken within the architecture. The intermingling of senses and the ideas of ‘sensory systems’ suddenly made the idea of phenomenology far more enriching, instead of my previous approach that felt very surface level. The extension of touch as an ‘unconscious vision’ with ‘hands being the sculptor’s eyes’ ties in seemingly perfectly with nerikiri sculpting with Tanizaki’s beauty of contrasting light and shadow principles. Perhaps the crafting space can be narrowed down to only the very necessary actions, where nerikri sculpting is limited to only the gaze and hands.

Multisensory space has been part of my design process for only the time I’ve been completing my masters’ degree (just over a year). It’s a relatively new approach that I have found a good degree of success in, mainly due to my predisposition to creating very introverted and self-driven spaces. Pallasmaa in The Shape of Touch brings in the concept of home and its function as a container of ‘ultimate intimacy and comfort’. Nerikiri as an informal art is usually crafted at home as opposed to an upper class confectionary store.

So it’s imperative that the senses engaged within the home setting emulate a similar welcoming aura. Its limited motion also gives it the possibility to be partaken in nooks and crannies, furthering this sense of gravity felt in our skeleton. It was also complementary to how we predetermine ‘floating boundaries’ of comfort space and I wondered whether or not our innate comfort within dense greenery (as opposed to the open field) could be applied to generate a similar sensation. Similarly, this has been explored in Hasegawa’s ‘House in a Forest’.

‘In our houses we have nooks and corners in which we like to curl up comfortably, and only those who have learned to do so can inhabit with intensity.’

Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Reverie

28

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week four

Life House Llanbister, Wales John Pawson

The idea of framing came to me far before the studio, when I was made to write a manifesto for another subject last year. It wasn’t just framing in the architectural sense either, but how a person’s gaze and peripheral vision frames each space as well. It’s not too dissimilar to a photograph taken of these spaces either but the interplay of background to foreground to periphery was something I only had a chance to explore in this studio so far.

The use of neutral tones and textures throughout really highlight how verdant the landscape outside is, but from my previous explorations into contrast, it feels as though an element of darkness could be more applicable to my interpretation. This celebration of the craft would rely more heavily on focusing the gaze to the singular point of the nerikiri which in a light filled setting, would not be nearly as impactful.

29

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week four

brief - 結

び (musubi)

home

retreat

create

There is a fine line between home and work for the Noguchi family and their two employed staff.

Both homes are in close proximity to the store front as well as the workshops meaning it could feel difficult to differentiate the two spaces. Therefore there is a need to disengage the senses by the redirection of the gaze elsewhere, but not truly losing the essence of the craft such as tea ceremony space. The children will also need spaces to be away from both their parents work and a place to study but not so disconnected that they aren’t in view or accessible by their parents.

The four short term accomodation amalgamate themselves into a permeable ryokan. Each are amenity independent, with the connecting walkways being the only ties between each unit.

They all capture the view of both the extensive treeline beyond the borders as well as the produce gardens dotted around the site.

The boundary between interior and exterior is melted away as each space extends into the garden in the shape of tokonamas. There is a culture of recycling and composting meaning that each patron must be agreeable to following with the practices.

There are two main workshops required for the program: one to hold classes and another for the production of nerikiri destined for the market or the spas. In each there is a celebration of storage, there is a pride in having the many tools and ingredients on display for both staff and patrons to gaze at. In addition to the workshops, a showroom precedes the class workshop that is continually updated with illustrations, photographs and samples of the flavours of that season. A partitioned kitchen allows any patrons to catch glimpes of the production staff at work.

spatial progression as atmospheres These elements have been directly derived from traditional Japanese tea house architecture, and is a study of the shadows and light that are possible. However there is still a need to translate into the Daylesford context which has begun in the mizuya sections, where the connection between host and patron can shift from seated to standing.

30

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week four noguchi family dwelling

workshop

apprentice’s permanent dwelling short term accommodation (ryokan)

The brainstorm still lies at the heart of my spatial investigations, as these speculative floor areas as well as their potential adjacencies. My time was held up by the need to finish the site model, so I took a risk by haphazardly working out the floor area, but it may have worked out. I get a real sense of the program revolving around a key space much like how nerikiri has its skin wrapping around a filling. The heart of the building is encompassed by moments of reprieve much like the taste of the nerikiri.

31

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week four

nerikiri tasting experience -

Ordering these nerikiri solidified why I chose the craft; the absolute delicacy of the detail with the richness of the nerikiri-an and fillings just made it an absolute delight to observe and eat. It was almost heartbreaking to have to make the first cut to distribute the portions. But it was more than just the experience of getting to try the nerikiri, the true weight of the process of the craft and the precarious nature of the ingredients dawned on me. The precision it takes to make these would require a space that centred on balance and efficiency but also a sensitivity to the geographical elements. It would be a task in itself to develop a series of possible re-interpretations of nerikiri using Daylesford flora with flavours more available to the area but it may make the whole project more tangible.

32

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week four

weekly reflection Design Decisions: For the most part, the area requirements of the each space was done based on educated guesses. Drawing to scale meant that I could see the proportion of every adjacent space which helped refine whether or not it was plausible. The brief was also developed by visualising space as a series of atmospheric spaces, in which the works of John Pawson were amazing to reference. It felt far easier to imagine what the space should be and then moulding the physical forms around the thought to generate the atmosphere.

Iterations: A few of the atmospheric sketches felt too vague at this stage, and didn’t really mesh well with the concepts that I was trying to represent. It may have just been a poor sketch, but could have also been a lack of sleep and evaluation. The CNC digital file itself has gone through many variations due to the lack of predictability with the wood, which has added a lot more time to the process.

Success: The imagery in my mind (or at the very least the description of it) of the plays of light, shadow and interior material expression is very clear to me. But it almost feels as though the form has become secondary, its exterior expression as well as the construction process is definitely something I’ve yet to fully uncover.

I’m also yet to really explore the potential of translating tea house architecture into a Daylesford context which will need more visual studies and connections to the site context to be able to uncover.

Knowledge Acquisition: The new knowledge of nerikiri at its final outcome has really motivated me to look further into the possible reinterpretations into an Australian context. Similarly, the CNC process has been incredibly rewarding but far more time consuming than expected. It does have a very luxurious feeling to it once completed.

Future Decisions: This has shown me that good outcomes take time, therefore leaving sketches to the night before perhaps isn’t the brightest idea. I also may need to start a schedule of spaces with just detailed descriptions as I have a lot of ideas in my mind but no current place to store them.

33

05 |week five

34

dusting of the manna gum

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week five

Wengawa House Anjo, Japan Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates The very traditional A line roof has been simplified into these rhythmic roof beams under a dark roof sheet that show off the beauty of the timber grain. But in turn, it narrows the view of landscape outside. What if I were to mirror and invert the roof to create the sense of revelation of opening up to the view? The downturn of the roof could be used for more public interfaces as it has a narrow frame. Alongside the section, the derived plan is very centralised, leading to the amenties being along the peripheral edges with an emphasis on bathing.

35

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week five

Loft Buiksloterham Amsterdam, Netherlands Heren 5 Architects

The compactness of this project (it stands at a mere 45sqm) is due to the clever usage of the walls as storage as well as the elevation of the bed into the kitchen unit. I really enjoy how there is still open space to roam in and there is a quaint tidiness and efficiency that would suit the short term accomodation. Not only that, the filleted edges of all the joinery is a detail I wish to incorporate, something as simple as smoothing off corners adds a softness to the space without losing the rectilinear planes.

36

A

6

5

4

2 3

1

A

0

1

2

37

3

4

1:50 week five

studio 41: create | curate 2021

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week five a sunken plane, lined with soft timber walls housing storage, the second frame draws the eye down the corridor to the window encasing the garden outside

crossing rough terrain, passing under a timber structure symbolising the renewal of the mind + first frame shrouded by foliage

strip windows running along all 3 axes to catch glimpses of the surroundings whilst bathing with the water reflecting the sky weightlessly

preparation and consumption have connections to the garden, with the plants permeating through and entering the frame

a hideaway, with shelving wrapping around the bed to darken the surrounding walls, the embedded shelving containing tools of the craft

a sitting area buried beneath the forms of the living space, curtains of shadows and dappling from the structure and the plants outside

atmosphere progressions Similarly to previous weeks, the starting point for the apprentice ai house was to sketch out the ideas of atmosphere and what the gaze would be drawn to. However the guidance from the precedents began seep into the drawings themselves, and there is more of a tectonic representation in these drawings compared to previous ones. I rarely use colour, which has been a habit of mine for years. Exploring with colour and different media has worked well in the past by I rarely go back to it because of its accessibility. When I’m wanting to sketch something, the ease of one pen is far more appealing than a palette of colours. But for this case, I wanted to begin to show the line blurring between exterior and interior and how the garden begins to blend into the walls of the architecture. As this is a space for developing further nerikiri designs, it made perfect to sense to be in a close proximity to the inspiration at all times.

38

studio 41: create | curate 2021

the procession of framing -

week five

the series of framing moments of the space, especially the nooks into the building and their connections to each other visually between each frame is a disconnect, whether it be through a shadow gap or a material change (or directional change of the material) the transformation of sinking, elevating or concealing This diagram, like many others, is done with the specific purpose of abstracting an idea which I hope for my own viewing, will spark more inspiration on the topic.

Framing on its own has begun to wear thin for me, and it hasn’t really translated the properties and feel of nerikiri architecturally. It still feels like I’m searching for an overarching concept, I have these architectural elements that have been flowing around without being tethered. As to why framing isn’t working for the project and for me, it still feels too shallow in capturing the effects of nerikiri because nerikiri is so multi-sensory.

There were many potential spatial organisation bubbles that I explored whilst planning the Apprentice Ai House. This planning and investigation stage is purely on paper, with the evaluation and refining being predominantly done digitally. I often flicker between the two when going through later stages of refinement, since digital drawing has this ‘no risk’ element to it. I’m able to accurately devise my spaces, and begin to understand how each space will work volumetrically. And when I have so many ideas like the bubble diagrams to the left, I can quickly cull the ideas that won’t contextually and/or conceptually.

In this case, idea two and four were amalgamated because they began to show a closer relationship to the structure of nerikiri. They also spoke a style of compactness that wasn’t suffocating and spaces began to blend into one another. This lack of solid threshold could be taken to the exterior environment as well, so these atmospheres could be linked to a state of flux, where the interior could be guided by the conditions outside.

39

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week five

The beginning of the inverted roof massing and as well as the first look of an erased boundary. This was a rather simple detail to begin to indicate how openings could determine restricted light. It was a very fleeting moment of achieving specific task lighting, and severely lacked consideration in regards to lighting during other times of the day, night and weather conditions.

40

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week five

landscape as protagonist - bruce pascoe The incorporation of native plants has already been somewhat considered in my project, but only at a level of what may be able to influence the design and flavours of nerikiri. Pascoe brings up one of my major concerns with the inclusion and consideration of indigenous agriculture, inadvertently becoming tokenistic. It’s hard to truly evaluate how respectful a scheme is without first person feedback and/or anecdotal evidence. At the very least, the principles of indigenous horticulture should be widespread within the gardens, especially that of seasonality. Although only briefly mentioned in the text, seasonality is a huge part of both nerikiri and indigenous gardens. The idea of a sweet reflecting the constant flux of weather and plants would also tie in with the garden being a place of agriculture and not just beauty.

Community plays a huge role in the education of how native land can be reintegrated into architectural/landscape projects. The blurring of boundaries between interior and exterior intended for the project would help immensely with bringing those visiting or staying on site to really immerse themselves.

The team of creatives alongside the main family would be surrounded in the very inspiration for their craft, but more importantly the public can experience a multicultural spin on a traditional craft.

41

Native Edible and Flowering Plants

Finally, Pasoce brings the idea of accessibility and the multigenerational aspects of indigenous horticulture. The built structure themselves will need to be adaptable to multiple generations residing within them, but in general the garden space will have to be accessible by all. The plants within garden itself will also be cyclical, representing the past ‘burning and nurturing’ of the plants (located in a bush fire zone, so there cannot be any literal burning).

Every season there will be new life, and of course, new flavours.

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week five

weekly reflection Design Decisions: The clarification of my ideas has come from evaluating the last couple of weeks in terms of their drawings, presentation and common threads. Due to the flurry of projects due and the many iterations produced because of it, there was a lot to look back on and find themes that reoccurred consistently. The process of starting with atmospheres will definitely stay for the next building typologies on the site as well as the inclusion of precedent studies.

Iterations: There were no real major iterations for this project, probably due to the time constraint I placed on myself to get it finished. Aside from the angles of the roof plane changing but that needs more refinement to be suitable for the orientation (i.e sun access).

Success: Process wise, it was definitely successful because the result was a good start to what I was envisioning in my mind. The thumbnail sketches proved to quickly demonstrate the ideas of blurring the boundary of interior and exterior. However the plan and section at the time were done in great haste and lacked the refinement of spatial qualities that I wanted to achieve because there was no opportunity to evaluate their success after time.

Knowledge Acquisition: Evaluation of my work before presentation needs to be done at least one day prior, because my ability dwindles when it is done within even hours of the completion of my work. I need to rest, or take my mind elsewhere in order to be fresh enough to begin to observe what can be improved.

Future Decisions: Time has not been on my side as of late, but there needs to be opportunities of rest in between each of the stages of my design process. If I’m able to discover what there is to be improved, it’ll save me from having to solve the issue down the line. Colour is most definitely something that should be incorporated, and the best way of doing that is by using other media such as watercolours or goauche. My interest in gouache may be a good tool to represent opacity in my drawings.

42

06

43

|week six rain dews on moss

studio 41: create | curate 2021

Viewpoint Lane

2A Viewpoint Lane, Daylesford - Plan 1:500

week six

site plan

A

3

1. Entry 2. Celebration of Craft 3. Apprentice Ai Houses 4. Noguchi Dwelling

2

1 4

A

Candlebark Court 1:500 10

20

40m

site section

0

2A Viewpoint Lane, Daylesford - Section 1:500

mid-semester review: a thumbnail compendium

1. Entry 2. Celebration of Craft 3. Apprentice Ai Houses 4. Noguchi Dwelling

This presentation taught me that conceptually, this project has many components that aren’t arranged into neat categories. In order to form a narrative, there needs to be a continuity between concept to manifestation, which in my mind isn’t that clear. So how could I expect an audience viewing my work to understand that too?

1:500 0

10

20

40m

530 3

workshop plan

A

1 2

1:20 Plan

531

4

Celebration of Craft - Plan 1:100

9

1. Entry 2. Storefront 3. Kitchen + Storage 4. Exhibition 5. Showroom 6. Sculpting Workshop 7. Components Workshop 8. Tea Room 9. WC

The drawing quality itself is of a standard that I’m pleasantly content with, but due to the pacing of my presentation, I wasn’t able to spend very long on each. The colour scheme has been pared back and is of a style that I’ve been attached to for years now. Green is inherently a safe colour to use, and is supportive of most of the schemes I’ve chosen to explore. But it’s begun to show its weaknesses, with seasonality beginning to emerge as a main driver of the project, colour is inherently a key indicator of that. So I’ll need to begin to show more and more of that colour diversity, which is something I’m afraid I won’t achieve because of its unfamiliarity.

5 7

532

6

533

8

540

539

A 534

538

1:100

workshop section

0

1

2

4

537

56

535

10m

Celebration of Craft - Section 1:100

2

3

1. Entry 2. Storefront 3. Creative Space 4. Sculpting Workshop 5. Tea Room

1

4

5

1:20 Section

1:100 0

1

2

4

10m

44

nothing goes through the filter, everything is allowed its home on the paper

45

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week six

A large part of my design development still resides in drawings that explore any and every possibility, trying to get a feel of what I want to achieve. It’s chaotic, looks slightly unhinged but I find it’s the best way of letting all of the ideas out of my head. From there I can begin to rationalise the possibilities in a more succinct way.

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week six

workshop plan + section

1

forlo rn co

d a rk e n e d p e r i p h e

nfront ation

ra l

2

3

Celebration of Craft - Plan 1:20

ecision of pr

exch ange of

ght ve thou

awe

cti prospe

1. Entry 2. Kitchen + Storage 3. Exhibition

Celebration of Craft - Section 1:20 1. Tea Room 2. Sculpting Workshop

1

ga ze

1

1:20 0

0.5

1.0

1:20

2.0

0

0.5

1.0

2.0

apprentice ai house plans

4

A

1

4

2

Apprentice Ai House - Plan 1:50 1

1. Entry 2. Sculptor’s Desk 3. Kitchen 4. Bedroom 5. Cleansing

2 5

3

Apprentice Ai House - Plan 1:20 1. Entry 2. Sculptor’s Desk 3. Kitchen 4. Bedroom

3

1:20 Plan A

1:50

0

1

2

4m

1:20

apprentice ai house sections

0

0.5

1.0

2.0

Apprentice Ai House - Section 1:50 Apprentice Ai House - Section 1:20

1. Kitchen 2. Bedroom 3. Cleansing 1

2

1. Kitchen 2. Bedroom

3

1:20 Section

1:50

1

1:20 0

1

2

0

4m

mid-semester review: a thumbnail compendium

46

0.5

1.0

2.0

2

magnolia wood

forge weld steel

fragrant hinoki cypress

Bruder Klaus Field Chapel by Peter Zumthor Mechernich, Germany Carbon remains of timber on the interior of concrete

Elevon Campus by Dissimilar Metal Design Los Angeles, USA Corten Steel

Quarry Studios by Moxon Architects UK Polished and Painted Steel to Dressed Timber Roof

Brick House by Andrew Burges Architects Sydney, Australia Victorian Ash glulam + Peterson’s Kolumba brick

Bathhouse of Fireflies by TAKASAKI architects Ogawa, Japan Sand Blasted Concrete, fine aggregate

47

studio 41: create | curate 2021

Taking the illustrations of the key tools explored in Week One and their traditional materials shows that there are more direct possibilities of translation from Japan to Daylesford. The endemic species of both have unique qualities of fragrance, medicinal capabilities and stunning foliage. Therefore, the material palette for the mid-semester presentation could begin to root the craft further into the context. However the exact expression, position and variation of the translated materials has not been finalised.

week six

material translations - step towards connectivity

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week six

self reflection - design process

how does this work best for you?

biggest strengths

biggest weaknesses

- Which drawing and/or design feature you think was the strongest part of your presentation?

• The 1:20 plan and section details of the apprentice ai house felt the most resolved and vivid in my mind, especially with the detailing of the kitchen and workshop alcoves. I think it gave everyone the strongest indication of the direction I want to take the rest of the schemes on site, with components of tactility and tonality being evident in both of those drawings.

- Which was the weakest and outline how you might improve on these.

• The weakest design features were both the depiction of atmosphere using linework as well as articulation of the roofs in the workshop.

• Linework has inadvertently become my best method of graphical representation and I now have the tendency to do every type of drawing in that style. It is very difficult to get powerful ‘pure’ line and hatch atmospheres because of the rigidity of the tones in digital lines. The fix for this in the next submission would be using analog media, in the forms of either watercolour or gouache since I’m accustomed to both. They both can capture the mix of ethereality and solidity that I was aiming to demonstrate in my scheme.

• The roofs in the workshop were articulated in the same that the apprentice ai house was done, but on a larger scale and a different program, it may have seemed too arbitrary.

There may have needed to be more sculpting of the roof plane to change the volumes of the interior space, and perhaps a closer connection to the overall context with the drastic slopes.

48

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week six

the architecture of natural light - henry plummer

With any amount of time, it’s nigh impossible to capture the spectrum of results of the lighting decisions of a project. But like Plummer says, architecture has gone beyond its own inpermanence and has begun to see the ‘fourth dimension, a temporal one in which light and time are one and the same’.

Especially in the deepest recesses of my design process, where I am no longer really able to design on form and function alone. Architecture is now a progression of a multifactorial decisions, all of which are based on speculative feel and quality of space. The physical expression is bent at the will of these decisions, where the external expression perhaps takes a secondary role. The very best examples that Plummer brings in (very specifically works of both Tadao Ando and Alvar Aalto) all have been able to orchestrate the evanescent properties of light, and how they radically morph volumes into a variety of phenomenological spaces.

This in turn has made me wonder how much my own design/s have been able to command with the lightest of touches, the potency and quality of celestial light. It suddenly make the project vastly more complex, where every decision of form may present pleasant or unpleasant outcomes, in which it feels like I’ll need to provide a solution to why it is the way it is.

49

Villa Mairea by Alvar Aalto, the golden light that never ends

Every orthographic drawing captures exactly one moment of conceptual purity, it’s the exact moment in which the lighting concept is at its strongest.

And it’s easy to forget that it only occurs with a very set and finite list of conditions, such as a perfectly ideal 11am day with not a hint of cloud or rain. All the other times within the day may be disregarded in thought entirely, which is perhaps the biggest flaw of these drawings.

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week six

Japanese Pavilion Venice Architecture Biennale Junya Ishigami

KOU-AN Glass Teahouse Kyoto, Japan Tokujin Yoshioka

teahouses - the Achilles’ Heel of a Temporal Fare.

During the mid-semester review, there was an inconclusive end to the nerikiri workshop program. The teahouse typology severely lacked development, and through the critics’ suggestions, I wanted to explore how teahouses were designed in a more contemporary manner. Traditionally there are many regulations that determine the design of a teahouse, but that expression wouldn’t necessarily work in the Daylesford context with such vastly different cultural appreciations and environmental factors. Therefore, using these two precedents above to begin my investigations, I began to see that there are abstractions of these ancient practices that could be used in this project. The first of which was seen in the concept of ‘humbling one’s self ’ when entering a teahouse, what were to happen if that feeling was exposed to the world? Glass as a materiality presents vulnerability in its most heightened form, with the person needing to be sensitive to every action they take.

50

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week six

weekly reflection Design Decisions: For this week they were formed by time and intuition, in which neither are reliable. When it comes down to time, it becomes a ‘first come, first serve’. It is the idea that I’ve explored most to know that it’ll work, whether or not it is the best idea is something that I find out later through refinement. Intuition comes down to more of a preference than anything else, I prefer designs that take the simplest moments and elevates them in the most direct way possible. So for the workshop and the short term accommodation, I let myself design the key moments I’d want to experience myself.

Iterations: The pages of scribbles of miscellaneous debris in my mind, are all iterations. They’re often illegible to anyone else but me, but they’re quickly spat out so I can have room in my mind to refine. There were architectural forms in these scribbles that were not suitable for both programs needed for mid-semester review, as they were inappropriate to the siting and positioning of these buildings. But I’ve included them as I think they can be repurposed for the permanent dwellings.

Success: Aside from the ones listed in the earlier reflection (page 48) the other major success was how the drawings had begun to communicate my design concepts without me even having to say much. The physical details were there, albeit not the softer atmospheric details that I wish to present for finals.

Knowledge Acquisition: My research using the critics’ feedback after the review definitely enlightened me to move away from the clearest expression of Japanese architecture, rather I can now see a way of using the same principles but in a more contextually appropriate way. Materiality seems to be the strongest way of doing that so far, I still need more research and refinement of my form to do the same.

Future Decisions: The decisions I take now seem to be with a lens of ‘translation not replication’. I need to research the way these typologies have been altered and abstracted as it is not as effective to directly replicate the same architectural expression in a different context. It may have been because of how daunting it is to have to successfully translate a design concept without appearing tokenistic or disrespectful.

51

owls nesting above

07 |week seven

52

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week seven

landscape concept + materiality

volcanic scoria pebbles variety of size (from pebble to boulder)

biodiversity to phrase to nerikiri

victorian ash timber decking + lighting noosa boardwalk, queensland

secondary framing

duality of planting

Although I didn’t present my landscape scheme this week, I decided to determine the major landscape concepts as well as precdent materiality. Since nerikiri already derives its form and flavour from the seasons, the landscaping will be integral to the project in presenting that connection without doubt. Simplicity is the key to nerikiri and because of its vibrancy, it doesn’t need much to enhance the features. I’ve decided to go for a material/colour palette that is neutral and without a large amount of tonal variation, rather I’d want a solidity in these elements to offset the texture and colour of the planting. The plants themselves will all be indigenous to Daylesford, and they often have uses in cooking and/or medicinal qualities already. I’m rather excited to design but I’m not sure where to begin.

patinated metal grate walkways farum midtpunkt, ramboll architecture

basalt paving hunters hill residence, harrison’s landscaping

53

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week seven

Dr Anna Hooper had such a wealth of knowledge that it made sense to take down the general feedback for landscaping. There were so many considerations that I’d never have thought of, especially with things like drainage and accessibility with landscaping. Since there’s no landscaping core subjects, there’s a severe lack of knowledge when it comes to designing that portion in architectural projects. I’ve been fortunate enough to take landscaping electives previously, but they’re often to do with very specific cultural landscaping such as Japanese or Indonesian gardens. I’ve yet to really include the usage of water on site since it’s either really deep (50m to the water table) or requires off site delivery. But Daylesford does go through a significant amount of rain so the usage of rain catchments and water tanks might be sufficient for my project. It might be worth collating a compendium of landscaping tactics for this project and future projects, since it truly is integral to any project.

54

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week seven

the works of gunther vogt

FIFA Headquarters Zurich, Switzerland

Novartis Campus Park Basel, Switzerland

Novartis Campus Park Basel, Switzerland Gunther Vogt is my go-to landscape architect, since he seems to fluctuate between structured and curated landscapes/planting to wild and tumultuous designs. It’s incredibly evocative, and he really utilises either the ground as a fluid tectonic or the planting for their individuality to dictate very specific moments. But also there’s a very close understanding of how each plant evolves over days, months, years and how their life and death propels the momentum for other plants in the biosphere. That’s the most notable difference I discovered whilst studying his works, I don’t have any real understanding of the plants I wish to use in my scheme. I may know their appearance during full bloom, but I don’t know what they’re like in dormancy, or withering away. Nor do I really know what fauna they’d attract, which at the moment is a huge pitfall in my project.

55

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week seven

1.

January

Small Vanilla Lily

2.

February

White Elderberry

3.

March

Scrambling Coral Fern

4.

April

Red Stringybark

5.

May

Manna Gum

6.

June

Pink Bells 250

50

7.

July

0

Red Box

8.

August

Milkmaids

9.

September

Moss Dew

10.

October

Wattle Mat Rush

11.

November

Silver Wattle

12.

December

Blackwood

100

1000m 750

1:15000

iteration of phrases 01: • • • • • • • • • • • •

january: ‘vanilla lily bares fruit’ febuary: ‘elderberry ripens’ march: ‘ferns lay shut’ april: ‘stringbark bleeds’ may: ‘dusting of manna gum’ june: ‘pink bells drop’ july: ‘silver cast on green fields’ august: ‘milk in a bowl’ september: ‘the chasing rains’ october: ‘fire of mat rush’ november: ‘wattle petal sheets’ december: ‘wrapping of blackwood’

Most definitely need to look at the whole ecosystem for phrasing rather than planting only, especially following that of the Japanese microseasons (and beginning at spring specfically).

56

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week seven

principles of ecological landscape design - travis beck What nature allows is what nature gives best.

I’ve definitely been guilty of trying to design gardens with plants that aren’t native to the region. The two reasons for this is because I’ve had a preconcieved image of my head of what plants would work with the architecture as well as not doing my due diligence in researching what is contextually available. It seems rather obvious to choose native plants but since landscaping often takes the backseat in designing, there’s rarely any time to even consider what plants go into the project. So it’s not unlikely that a lot of my prior projects contain foreign species.

Beck makes a very strong point in landscaping providing a very distinct character to the context, and alterations to that not only cost dearly and take up a lot of resources to alter, but it radically diminishes the quality of planting quality. The endemic species are built for the conditions of the areas, whether it be temperature or soil conditions, and by introducing species outside of that zone it weakens the overall biosphere. By ‘following the same rules as nature’ we make our lives easier designing, caretaking and expanding our projects. With the region already having that very specific character and look, it is strange to think that my favourite landscape in Daylesford was Lavandula Farm (pictured to the right). Lavender was brought to the area by Swiss Italians and cultivated here as a reminder of home, but inherently is a stranger to the lands. Lavandula Farm also brought other species that have their home back in Europe, which creates even more conflict. Ethically, is this something we should be doing now?

Appreciation of non-native species most definitely has its place but it’s hard to gauge what reasons would be appropriate. For many architectural projects I’ve done, it seems as though there has never been a perfect reason.

57

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week seven

weekly reflection Design Decisions: Research has been the main driver but the decisions this week have felt somewhat uncertain. It felt as though I only really briefly scratched the surface of what I need to understand about landscaping and specifically the planting. It helped greatly to have finally settled on an overarching concept of seasonality, I’ve got no clue how I’ve not settled on it previously since it’s everywhere in nerikiri. The expressions of seasonality were discussed during desk crits, and how the short term accommodation can begin to embody one season in particular.

Iterations: The phrases written for each month have made their weaknesses very clear, and since I’ve not done enough research, they’re definitely going to be an iteration until I’ve completed my explorations. It felt as though this week I’ve stumbled across the right precedents in the right order. It helped a lot to have established a sense of colour and texture in the mid-semester review so that the landscaping material board could harmonise with the architectural expressions.

Success: Research was a start but not conclusive, which is slightly demoralising. There’s parts of my project that I feel are missing, and I’m not sure exactly what they are. I’m hoping my landscape presentation next week may begin to shed some more light into how I can use more than just planting to connect my concepts to site.

Knowledge Acquisition: Beck’s reading solidified not just for this project, but for every project I do about the importance of picking plant species carefully, and the implications of those choices. My laziness has only been highlighted in this project because I’ve had to really focus into getting my planting correct to continue rooting my craft of nerikiri, which I’ve never really needed to do before.

Future Decisions: These concepts are not neccesarily confined to this project, seasonality and emphasis to detail is something that I can continually bring to my projects, even in a subtle way. For me, any project I do will need to find its feet in its context, and those two concepts are some of the strongest ways of communicating that.

58

08 |week eight

59 lichen blooms in cool air

studio 41: create | curate 2021

anna hooper feedback • •

idea of seasonality, look up language group of the Indigenous people at Daylesford for seasonal palettes understand the concept of seasonality through different aspects related to the indigenous aspect of Daylesford

iteration of phrases 02: • • • • • • • • • • • •

january: ‘vanilla lily bares fruit’ febuary: ‘heat shimmers on the plains’ march: ‘cicada call to the falling leaves’ april: ‘glow of the fungi’ may: ‘dusting of manna gum’ june: ‘rain dews on the moss’ july: ‘silver cast on green fields’ august: ‘moon drifts over the sun’ september: ‘wood ducks on home’ october: ‘fire of mat rush’ november: ‘wattle petal sheets’ december: ‘hyacinth orchids pry paths’

Anna’s feedback was exactly what I needed to fill in the gaps for seasonality, taking in the Indigenous connectivity and sensitvity to not only the landscaping, but also to the flora and fauna that are deeply engrained into the site. I was totally unaware of how the seasons were described in Indigenous culture, using six seasons to describe the year. Each tribe also had a different take on the seasons depending on where they were located, for example the Woi Wurrung Wurundjeri people in Melbourne used entirely different names as well as flora and fauna distinctions for each season. So it was integral for me to find the correct seasonal calendar in order to base my landscaping and phrases on. I wonder where I can also use these phrases in my architecture, to describe spaces are phrases rather than a singular functional word.

60

week eight

indigenous seasons - dja dja wurrung or the jaara people

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eight

creative living - a constant home The most difficult decisions were how to devise the permanent residency whilst using the same conceptual components, but with a different expression of architecture and landscaping. The goal was to keep the buildings on site within a specific architectural language, but everything couldn’t be a ‘copy and paste’ of form at varying scales. Programmatic decisions made for the workshop as well as the short term accommodation were specific to their needs, but the permanent residents needed a reprieve from the specific programs relating to nerikiri creation. So after desk crits and help of another subject (Design Approaches and Methods), it was found that the overarching concept of seasonality could be divided into that of either unity or simulatenity. This meant that expressions of seasonality such as materiality, structural elements, site orientation and planting could be done to either express one season or multiple. In particular, the permanent dwellings would be able to observe multiple seasons and their transitions as the spaces are used consistently.

61

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eight

House in Tsukimiyama Kobe, Japan Tato Architects

There’s a real vulnerability in this home, utilising a softer core that is malleable and sensitive to the ever changing climate. It’s distinctly sheltered, peeling back any excess layers to leave the very bare bones of a canopy. The inhabitable spaces can seal themselves to juxtapose this core, allowing the owners to determine when they wish to open the bridge between interior and exterior. There’s also the experiences of viewing and being within greenery in a set of different ways. The sudden threshold from concrete to soil gives the opportunity of being directly adjacent to planting, or the walkway above sets the viewer to look down onto the forest below. That’s an element to the archtitecture to landscaping connection that I haven’t had a chance to thorougly explore in my other buildings, which I’m thoroughly intrigued to explore for the permanent dwelling.

62

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eight

the book of tea - kazuko okakura

If Okakura were alive today, perhaps he’d view the modern interpretations of tea (especially that of matcha) as particularly sacrilegious to its origins. The inclusions of milk of all variations, sweeteners of artificial nature and odd shaped ice are the norm in Melbourne, taking away the clean complexities of the tea leaves themselves. It’s far easier to consume mentally, simplifying a deeply meditative experience into that of a brief bliss of sugar and the faintest hints of matcha.

These drinks are widely available in most cafes nowadays, none of which provide the purest form of just matcha powder and hot water at 80 degrees celsius. The steps of preparation are done behind counters, usually handing the final product to the customer through the hands of a bored waiter. The appropriate time for green tea is now universal, whether it’s out and about in the busy city streets or sitting at renovated townhouse-style cafe. So can tradition be brought back?

The same could be said about teahouses, and their application in today’s world.

The poetics of their appearance being that of refined shabbiness is a comment towards our fixation on arrogant consumerism. We lack humility and we lack mental silence, and we forget that the world continues in ways beyond our enclosed bubbles. So the teahouses I envision fall in line with that of Okakura’s era, capturing the moments of unadulterated spiritual modesty.

palette. in north melbourne, serving matcha and hojicha lattes.

63

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eight

weekly reflection Design Decisions: I took the time this week to enjoy moments outside of my project, and look more expansively to the landscaping components of my project. I’ve been caught in somewhat of a rut with my design, obviously taking in more than I can chew in some senses. But seasonality is everything to my project, its entire essence is deeply engrained into the aspects of the people and the land, which I’d like to pay homage to as respectfully as I can. And I’ve found a significant amount of direction in Dr. Anna Hooper’s feedback and my research in the Dja Dja Wurrung seasons.

Iterations: My phrases for each nerikiri are still going through iteration to be more inclusive to the weather patterns, indigenous animals and the sensations that come with these changes. I discarded some of the less poetic ones from the previous week and replaced them with the newly inclusive phrases. As a 12 month set, they now cover a wider range of biodiversity of Daylesford. And similarly, the design has begun to see beyond the planting but I’ve yet to make architectural moves that really enhance those features.

Success: The real success has been getting that ‘aha’ moment of how to begin to complete my interpretation of seasonality within the project in more inclusive ways. I think having technical tutors provides so many solutions, even if they can’t be used directly, the different opinion and expertise in another discipline is so valuable. I can’t count all the times that technical tutors have gotten me out of a creative block.

Knowledge Acquisition: My time at the cafe when I was thinking about the project and reading The Book of Tea showed me how much I dwell within my own comforts. A part of me considered just accepting that seasonality would be represented purely by materiality and the play of light and shadow, without really searching for an answer that was more fulfilling.

Future Decisions: The project would have been significantly hindered had I not tried to dig deeper into the core concept, and the barrier I had to break was retaining a level of motivation to do better. Which for this week, it was to look away from the architecture and look more into the concepts. Even though it felt like I needed to constantly refine and evaluate, the reprieve from the architecture gave me a fresh mind to look at it after.

Towards these final weeks of semester, I need to start considering this process as a marathon and not a sprint.

64

09 |week nine

65 cod springs from rivers

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week nine

thinking architecture- peter zumthor ‘Jun’ichiro praises shadows. And shadows praise light.’

The chapter of light in landscape quite literally illuminated me to how one dimensional I’d been considering implementing light within my scheme. The method in which we consider light has been rather reductive and simplified, I feel as though the goal has always been to capture the purest of daylight, completely unfiltered and untethered to the program within. There are so many variants of light, only to be increased with the surface or air they mingle with. And like Tanizaki, Zumthor chides our sensitivity to the darkness, to the lonely corners where light cannot reach.

One light in particular is never really considered. Moonlight, in all its literary and musical worship is never really studied in architecture (at least to my knowledge). Its light is more delicate, fleeting but fills the room with a silvery shimmer that is a world away from sunlight. As the antithesis to the sun, the moon can be intepreted as eerie and cold, more akin to a horror filmscape than a romantic scene. But it’s rather stunning in its white brilliance, a coolness that becomes ethereal and transient to the warmth of life. The lights of the city have burnt away the glow of the moon and stars but in Daylesford, they still have the ability to illuminate the sky. There is a way to harness it, even for a season, or certain days of the month. Taking in Zumthor’s example of ‘dots of light’ perhaps this can be taken in at a multiplicity of scales.

66

clair de lune, moonlight, with my own annotations for playing

- stars in the clear sky - buildings on site illuminated in the evening - white flowers absorbing moonlight - lights within from room to room - moonlight reflecting off the clear aggregate of concrete

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week nine

a seasonal discussion how can each season be represented purely but retain usability for all seasons? what distinct features of the season be translated into architectural expression?

67

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week nine

unity and simultaneity - seasons observed These diagrams are meant to be used in place of plans for the short term accommodation and teahouses in which their seasons are not represented in orthographic drawing. Whilst the short term accommodations are derived programmatically, concentrating a certain space for the season (i.e winter and the kitchen, spring and the courtyard), the teahouses are derived strongly on atmosphere from materiality and structural expression. That isn’t to say the accommodation doesn’t do the same, but the teahouses are a more theatrical version of these concepts as they are not lived in.

68

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week nine

a culmination of tactility the nerikiri table

3

4

1 2

5

Unfortunately, there was no single precedent for what I wish to achieve in for the nerikiri table in the patron workshop. The traditional ones found in confectionary shops in Japan are often very simple, and lack the textural elements I wish to include that allude to the craft and context. Therefore I took a cluster of precedents that had traits that I wished to detail (shown in next page) and presented a collage for inspiration.

Because the product of craft is edible and lasts a matter of days, it presents many opportunities to include local craftsman into the project.

Especially that of carpentry and metal smithing (similarly to the craftspeople of Ruby, Nathaniel and Kalli’s projects). These tables are critical to nerikiri making in their own right, as the entire process can be confined to this one table. Their tonal neutrality means that they do not interrupt the process of designing or creating these nerikiri, rather the materials elevate the vibrance of the product.

69

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Ginshariya Restaurant under counter lighting In Situ Restaurant, free form timber table Akari 45D lighting lantern, Isamu Noguchi Udukuri with Lacquer, Schemata Architects Flat Lock Seamed Brass Sheet with Patina, hand beaten over linear finish, Custom Industrial

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week nine

details of the combined It was far easier to look closely at the particular joins within the nerikiri table, which were a lot more than expected. There were definitely areas that I still have reservations about, especially to do with the mobile storage joinery as well as how I would task light the table. The idea of using a table made from the natural cuts of wood with all their mountainous texture makes it very difficult to incorporate any storage underneath. And a small cupboard with wheels isn’t particularly accessible either. I’m hoping to ask Josie about the task lighting for this specific scenario, as I’m not entirely sure how to approach it.

70

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week nine

weekly reflection Design Decisions: The reading of Zumthor’s Thinking Architecture was a monumental discovery into a realm that I had never ventured into before. I could now pursue my refinement with a new perspective entirely, with sunlight and moonlight. But a lot of clarity was gained from the desk crits this week, as I realised that I hadn’t really been able to voice my ideas out previously. That talk alone was enough to shuffle the ideas within my head into an order that I could process.

Iterations: When compiling the detail palette for the nerikiri table, I was overwhelmed by the number of variations within the materials I was looking for. It took quite a few attempts to achieve a balance of colour and texture that I was confident in. Eventually I was guided by well known confectionary stores with their lighter interiors to base my own decisions on. The darker variations were intriguing in their own way, but took away the sense of playfulness that I was aiming to achieve, it was rather moody and brooding instead.

Success: It feels as though the past couple of weeks have been mainly concentrated on refining my ideas and finding a strong direction to pursue my design. Which I have found to be successful through verbal discussions in particular, as well as communicating as much as I can through my own sketches. What is unsuccessful however is how this has stayed within the realm of discourse and sketches. I’ve yet to apply this into my drawings in a meaningful way.

Knowledge Acquisition: At this stage of the project, it feels as though there is a lot of pressure whenever you edit even the smallest of details. And because the majority of the form has been decided, it’s difficult to stay motivated when the changes are so miniscule. And that has caused me to shy away from editing my drawings, even though I know exactly what to fix. It’s this anxiety that is being exacerbated due to interim.

Future Decisions: It’s been proved time and time again that verbal discussions are how I sort out the ideas out in my head, when there are so many vying for my attention. Even if it’s through email or social media, I need to have these conversations more often to explore more of the boundaries of my work. And this anxiety in editing my own work is a new one, perhaps it’s because of how many programs there are to contend with and I’m overwhelmed in where to start. Should I start with the known or the unknown?

71

10

72

|week ten fire of mat rush

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week ten

interim review: a thumbnail compendium

Winter

Autumn Summer Spring Spring Winter Summer

Autumn

site - placed delicately on the plate In the previous iterations of the siting of the buildings, each formed amalgamations on site and were huddled close to the eastern entry away from the treelines. But a comment from a critic during mid-semester about how the site could be thought of as a plate and how each building could be ‘served’ sparked more of a holistic approach to siting. Studying the terrain as well as using the prior research on seasonality’s effect on architecture, the buildings for interim were placed with more sensitivity to how the architecture could be enhanced by its context.

73

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week ten

interim review: a thumbnail compendium

A

4

4

7

5

Craftperson’s Dwelling531 - Plan 1:100 1. Entrance 2. Living Space 3. Kitchen 4. Kid’s Bedroom 5. Bathroom 6. Main Bedroom 7. Study Space

1:20 Plan 5 1

2

3

6

permanent dwelling - noguchi home A

A new addition to this interim was that of the permanent dwelling, which mysteriously sprung up from the ashes of many experiments (and into this journal). The ideas for this dwelling came from the many tried and failed architectural elements from both the workshop and short term accommodation. Since they didn’t work in those buildings, I had a bank of ideas that I could rely on for this dwelling and could implement. The outcome is still somewhat unrefined but it allowed me to use ideas I really wish had worked in the other two buildings, and create moments of the same concept elaborated in another way. The language could be shared in all buildings but with slight variations, much like a language spoken with different accents.

1:100 0

1

2

4

10m

1

4 2

Craftperson’s Dwelling - Section 1:100

3

1. Master Bedroom 2. Living Space 3. Kids Bedroom 4. Study Space

1:20 0

0.5

1.0

2.0

74

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week ten 530

3 A

1 2

Celebration of Craft - Plan 1:100

6 4

5

1:20 Plan

7

workshop - nerikiri vessel

533

540

The removal of the teahouse and into its own entity radically altered the form of the workshop. Previously, it was incredibly linear, hardly deviating from a straight path with barely a kink in the curve. It didn’t mesh well with the other forms on site, which were more condensed and cyclical in circulation. This revised version takes on that feedback, and begins to wrap its program and circulation around a core space instead, which in this case are the gardens for inspiration.

Similarly it begins to focus more specifically into the views that are looking towards areas that assist in the journey from biosphere to phrase to nerikiri. Sectionally the biggest challenge was the roof plane, since it needs to look more carefully into articulating based on shadow and light.

539 534

538 A

537

56

1:100 0

1

2

4

535

10m

Celebration of Craft - Section 1:100 1. Entry 2. Storefront 3. Walkway

3

2

1:100 0

1

2

4

10m

interim review: a thumbnail compendium

75

531

1. Entry 2. Storefront 3. Kitchen + Storage 4. Exhibition 5. Showroom 6. Nerikiri Workshop 532 7. WC

1

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week ten

interim review: a thumbnail compendium

A

4

3 1

Apprentice Ai House - Plan 1:50

5

1. Entry 2. Kitchen 3. Sculptor’s Desk 4. Bedroom 5. Cleansing 2

1:20 Plan

1:50

A

short term accommodation - ai house 0

1

2

4m

Apprentice Ai House - Section 1:50

1

1:50

0

1

2

2

1. Bedroom 2. Bathroom 3. Sculptor’sDesk

3

4m

76

The summer ai house stays closest to other public buildings but creates its own quiet retreat using the shroud of trees and terrain. It’s taken the seasonal adaptation of the program to focus on a centre space discussed in prior weeks and translated that into a compact form. It does share a few structural similarities to the mid-semester iteration, but it doesn’t fret around as much with that expression, focussing solely on that centre space.

This was also specifically chosen to demonstrate the possibilities of making these compact houses DDA friendly, promoting an equality of architectural experience no matter the physical capability.

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week ten

josie white feedback • • •

correlate certain colours, lighting and scents for different seasons mino washi paper to be integrated into architecture quality of timber grains reflected in tactile materials

Discussions at desk crits really furthered my concept of using moonlight, as well as dictate what was and wasn’t possible. I never realised how fragile moonlight was, and that I could only really harness it on very few days of the year. Up until now, I hadn’t really seen beyond displaying seasonality in my lighting scheme beyond natural light and shadows. But Josie was able to guide me to an Isamu Noguchi-esque paper lanten light that could have many pattern variations that could be changed for each season. These patterns could be projected by the frosted light bulb onto the interior surfaces to further add a layer of texture during the evenings. The colour of this could also be changed for each season. The situation with task lighting with the nerikiri table was also solved, creating a switch that could control between direct and diffused lighting with the paper lantern.

This has really aided me in my detailing pursuits, not conceptually but in terms of realism. The number of times I’ve detailed with a worry that it wouldn’t work has been numerous, so it was really satisfying working with someone with so much experience.

77

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week ten

central illumination, from the guide of the nerikiri

the centre is the warmest, so warm that its light bleeds into its skin, its embrace, its hold

the thinnest of layers, allowing illumination from the centre to the periphery

when it can hold no more, it lets go, where the softest of lights touch the periphery

78

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week ten

atmospheres - peter zumthor The alchemy of material composition is daunting, and it’s a process that still surprises Zumthor even with all his experience. There is something so beautiful about discovering a material that fits the image in your mind so perfectly. And then facing the crushing defeat when it unfortunately sticks out like a sore thumb when putting it together with the other material choices.

The one thing that is incredibly lacklustre is looking for a material palette in the digital realm, as I found myself realising whilst compiling a hoard of real stone samples. Photos do not do any justice to the genuine physical properties of a material, it is something that cannot be communicated verbally either. The weight, the clarity, the density are discovered only when you can hold the material with your own hands. The complexity builds when you are dealing with multiple materials intersecting, and their disparities are made even more evident. But it is something you cannot never understand digitally.

Another real challenge of materiality is the vast opportunites of finishes that are available, and it feels like you’re sifting through thousands of options. Where could you even begin to choose? Zumthor mentions this idea of ‘prescence’ in which the architect must be so careful and considerate of the individual and the assemblage of materials. But this prescence I feel is impossible to understand through photos, which was the predominant way of my access to these materials.

However I now understand that I need to have and feel each material to truly comprehend its nature.

bathhouse of the fireflies, a favourite example of materials working harmoniously

79

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week ten

weekly reflection Design Decisions: I think taking a step back and studying what it was about the craft that made me choose it in the first place helped. And more importantly, instead of focussing on components of the craft that needed to be abstracted, I looked at the nerikiri as a design of its own. I studied its own properties and let myself simplify it down to its essence, rather than seek out an architectural solution from the get go. And that allowed me to bring my design forward.

Iterations: The nerikiri table when workshopped with Josie smoothed out a lot of doubts to do with the lighting details, as well as concluding that the storage system was incredibly awkward so that iteration was scrapped for that reason. I overly simplified my roof plane in the interim presentation, as I had not come up with a valid reason for its articulation. But I know that its current form will not stay either, it has become both arbitrary and lifeless.

Success: Josie’s suggestion of drawing a lighting plan for each building helped me consolidate my vision. I wanted to have this focus on the centre of each main space that would slowly soften towards the edges, simiarly to the nerikiri with a darker centre and light thinner exterior (and vice versa is also possible). You could get these hints of the internal colour bleeding through, but it would be very muted. And those drawing demonstrated to me that it could work.

Knowledge Acquisition: It’s very telling me to how I’ve neglected readings mostly up until this semester. And it’s not because I don’t love reading, there was this pressure when reading architectural novels to be constantly aware of how these ideas could be useful. And then unsuccessfully cramming them into my brain to be there for later.

But by taking each book by its most relevant chapter took away that fear, so I now could narrow into what I needed to learn about. And these readings have been so integral to helping me do every exercise and drawing.

Future Decisions: For the final few weeks of this project, I think it’s integral that I refer back to the journal, because of all the reflections I’ve stored away. I’ve found that I cannot continually remember every last detail of my decisions, therefore I should be looking back to where I myself have recorded it for later use.

80

11

|week eleven

81 heath petal clusters

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eleven

perspectives and models - imagining the moments I hit a slight road bump when trying to decide how to do my conceptual model, because how could I combine such a multidimensional concept into one object? In the end, there was an allowance of breaking my model into a series of four components that could work separately, but could be brought together to form an overall image. The debate remains whether each component is indicative of season, or perhaps an architectural strategy of seasonality.

iteration of phrases final: • • • • • • • • • • • •

82

january: ‘vanilla lily bares fruit’ febuary: ‘heat shimmers on the plains’ march: ‘cicada call to the falling leaves’ april: ‘glow of the fungi’ may: ‘dusting of manna gum’ june: ‘rain dews on the moss’ july: ‘owls nesting above’ august: ‘lichen blooms in cool air’ september: ‘cod spring from rivers’ october: ‘fire of mat rush’ november: ‘heath petal clusters’ december: ‘hyacinth orchids pry paths’

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eleven

Takayanagi Community Center Takayanagi, Japan Kengo Kuma and Associates

The conditions of Daylesford may not allow me to completely emulate the same materiality as Kengo Kuma but there are lighting and waterproofing opportunities that I can learn from. This wonderfully warm and luminscent glow from the internal light shining through washi paper can be achieved using the current materials that I’ve been investigating. The washi paper in Japan is usually treated in a process called kakishibu using konnyaku (plant based usually) and persimmon tannin which waterproofs it as well giving it a soft reddish brown colour. I could do the same with beeswax as both plants mentioned above aren’t native to Daylesford, but also gives a similar stain to the paper.

But it’s this lightweight steel structure that I’m also intrigued about. The addition of the steel rods doesn’t interrupt the traditional timber structure, if anything it gently emphasis this delicate texture of the washi and slithers of timber framing.

83

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eleven

teahouses of the moment - capturing a season Despite unfortunately not having the time do plans and sections for each and every season, I did still want to draw how each seasonal teahouse may have come to fruition. I wanted them to have the same square plan but different expression in section, harking back to the overall architectural forms of the rest of site. These were meant to be very theatrical and slightly outlandish compared to their seasonal apprentice ai house counterparts. Since they were used purely for tea ceremonies with the nerikiri, I felt as though they could afford to be more dramatic and less functional.

84

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eleven

the thinking hand - juhani pallasmaa ‘A world in which, if eyesight fails, my fingertips see the movement and the continuous emergence of geometrical forms.’

Tapio Wirkkala

There is a safety in the hands that the eyes cannot match. A tangibility that the hands can guarantee, it’s something that can be trained to a level that the eyes could never achieve. Reading Pallasmaa’s excerpt about the ‘The Working Hand’ reminded me of this nishijin-ori (a traditional silk textile) master artisan, and how he would constantly brush his hand over the weaving to make sure it was perfectly even. Even the weight as he pulled the loom was just a feeling that he had honed, a feeling that I could not even begin to replicate (as seen by the red textile sample above that I completed).

Nerikiri and nishijin-ori are vastly different technically, but they share the need to use the sense of touch rather than sight to determine the quality of the product.

Therefore the tools have been crafted and honed to be as simple as possible, to allow the hand the closest interaction with the あん(dough). But I think like nishijin-ori, this sense of touch extends beyond hand held tools, but also to the journey of the craft process.

Pallasmaa does not make much note of this (understandably he focuses brilliantly on all aspects of the hand) but when such crafts demonstrate tactility, the moments to and from should be equally as tactile. It brings about this excitement and enthusiasm, just as I felt when seeing examples of nishijin-ori in the lobby. I couldn’t wait to try it myself.

85

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week eleven

weekly reflection Design Decisions: The safest process in my mind, has always been sketching and precedents. No matter where I am in the design process, these are the two that protect me from making bad design decisions. In moments of refinement, it is sketching that helps me derive a particular solution from a precedent, but also lets me discover better alternatives as well. But when do precedents stop being useful? Perhaps it can begin to warp your design decisions by presenting solutions that may not be better, just different.

Iterations: I had to definitely discard some of the conceptual model ideas when I was working through the possibilites. The ones that didn’t make it to refinement were far too literal in their expression of seasonality, say using the tree as a silhouette for example. And the others that didn’t make it were overly complex, and wouldn’t have been discernable as representing seasonality for anyone besides me.

Success: The biggest success was how the teahouses were developed, especially the autumnal design as this is the one that will be translated into a model and drawings. It has alleviated my earlier fears of being tokenistic with Japanese architecture, and that it is very possible to reference a style of architecture without being disrespectful. I feel as though I haven’t drifted so far from the ideas that it’s unrecognisable either.

Knowledge Acquisition: I think this week showed me that despite nearing the end of the development stage, there were still so many details that could be explored for the finals. And the most difficult part is to stop that nitpicking. It was especially evident in the precedent study of Takayanagi Centre, just studying that building alone made me want to go back and reevaluate all the design choices I made. It feels so hard to keep pushing both the bigger picture and the tiniest of details, and focus on just the most important areas.

Future Decisions: It’s impossible to resolve everything, in the time I have left, I cannot solve every nook and cranny of my buildings. The part I’ve always found most difficult is concentrating on a few specific areas for presentation, because I just want to be able to show everything. So I need to be able to manage the exact amount of effort to each drawing set, without being overly critcal for each.

86

12

|week twelve

87

hyacinth orchids pry paths

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week twelve

added noise, lighter shadow

cool tones increased

original photo (unedited) material assemblage - final selection After what felt like years of deliberation, the final material selection has been finalised. But the representation was not nearly as straightforward, so I’ve been experimenting with a variety of configurations, closeup shots and editing to find a scheme that suits my project. This biggest thing missing is the plant samples, which are going to be purchased closer to the presentation date as they will wilt quite dramatically.

midtones increased (heavier shadows)

lighter tones prioritised (plus curtain)

close-up photo (unedited) close up (warm tones exacerbated)

88

final material board

89 week twelve

studio 41: create | curate 2021

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week twelve overall perspective

Bathroom

Study

Bedroom

Bathroom

Bedroom

Kitchen

Laundry

Living Room

Toilet

Bedroom

landscape perspective

workshop perspective

om bedro hop toilet

works

oom bathr

ce entran

n kitche

permanent residence perspective

teahouse plan + diagram short term accommodation perspective

teahouse perspective

serving within a box - laying out pages Typically, final presentations entail vast sheets of paper joined into one long sheet. The drawings are then meticulously curated across this two metre long display and blend into each other to form one continuous narrative. And quite frankly I’ve neither been good at it or enjoyed curating it. And for this project, it made no sense to have larger sheets with multiple drawings. I’d been experimenting with square sheets from mid-semester and it was a really lovely way of communicating my plans and sections. It framed each drawing in a way that seemed a lot more poetic than a rectangular sheet. I also saw its relation to how nerikiri are served in divided square containers, with each nerikiri sitting centre in its own little space. I’d like the drawings to do the same, with sufficient negative space around them to denote their own boundaries.

90

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week twelve

technology of confusion - the resin print Unlike most 3D printing, resin printing works in the entirely opposite direction to normal extrusion based 3D printing, and takes significantly longer. The results are far more satisfying however, there is no real need to sand the print since it’s usually impeccably smooth and it’s often more accurate than standard 3D printing. As this was the same printing used for the 1:1000 site model’s surrounding buildings, it made sense to use the same technique for the inset. It’ll put the focus on the my scheme (which is going to be completed using white card) and create really interesting contrast amongst all the elements. It’s a shame that I can’t keep the scaffolding on the inset itself, it’s self supporting and has become somewhat of an art piece.

91

studio 41: create | curate 2021 week twelve

weekly reflection Design Decisions: Experimentation was the main driver for this last week of semester. Where the drawings are just about there, it was all about the finishing touches. The material board, the layout and the models were determined through iterating and evaluating, and I went into it without a really clear image. I think it was good to try as many options as possible before beginning to choose a direction, since I’ve never done a presentation in this style before.

Iterations: The photos of the material board were definitely a hit or miss, but it’s still very one dimensional without the greenery or proper photography. I definitely know that I’ll need to set up a more direct source of light for the photos (was relying on daylight for the photos shown in the previous page). And it was surprisingly really tricky finding a configuration that worked, and the ones I’ve taken photos of still don’t have the correct balance of tones, colour and shape just yet. It still feels too heavy or too spread out.

Success: Material board is definitely getting there, but still not to the standard I’m looking for. The layout and site model has been really exciting, they’re totally different stylistically to anything I’ve presented before. The layout in particular, feels really special. It’s a more delicate presentation compared to a really dense A0, where the whole page is curated.

Knowledge Acquisition: This is the first project where I’ve truly dared to look at the deliverables and find an alternative presentation style because it made sense. The previous studios I’ve taken had very set deliverables, and I’ve never questioned it. But in this project, I’ve seen my requirements go beyond what is set, and that’s almost exhilirating because I’ve been given the opportunity to try new things and experiment with the norm.

Future Decisions: Working hand in hand with technology and traditional handmaking techniques has been deeply educational, and has made me see how each improves the other. I’ve always shied away from using CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) but when I was suggesting the idea of CNC-milled site models, I saw so much potential. The same with resin printing, they work so well with craft because of their precision. So I’d like to continue exploring both of these model-making techniques.

92

|references week two: • •

•

•

week seven:

‘The wide world of Wagashi’, 2019, https://www.wagashi. or.jp/japanesesweets-wagashi/en/types/ ‘The most detailed tutorial to make Shiro-an (White Bean Paste) by Simply Oishii Channel, 15 April 2020, https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=qbsdLQpfcZY&list=PLSby2pashDKdGMgqNk1YIWa9QuCFOGTao&index=3&t=478s ‘JAPANESE CANDY ART Traditional WAGASHI Sweets Tokyo Japan’ by Travel Thirsty, 29 November 2018, https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=YstA9bSAJlQ&list=PLSby2pashDKdGMgqNk1YIWa9QuCFOGTao&index=17 ‘How to make Easy Nerikiri dough [Japanese traditional confectionary Wagashi]’ by decocookie, 17 December 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATTnQcxmbT8&list=PLSby2pashDKdGMgqNk1YIWa9QuCFOGTao&index=13

• • • • • •

week eight: •

week three: • • •

•

‘In Praise of Shadows’ by Junichiro Tanizaki, published 1977 Image of Yoshijima House from ‘Light in Japanese Architecture’

by Henry Plummer, published in 2003 ‘Bruder Klaus Field Chapel’ by Peter Zumthor, photos from Archdaily, https://www.archdaily.com/106352/bruder-klausfield-chapel-peter-zumthor

• • •

week four: • • • • •

• •

•

week five: •

• •

•

‘Wengawa House’ by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates, photos from firm website, https://sasaki-as.com/hourencho/ ‘Loft Buiksloterham’ by Heren 5 Architects, photos from https://www.archdaily.com/906864/loft-buiksloterham-heren-5-architects?ad_source=search&ad_medium=search_result_projects’ ‘Considering Landscape’ by Bruce Pascoe from ‘Landscape as Protagonist published in 2020 Plant images all sourced from https://tuckerbush.com.au/ plants/

•

• • •

‘Thinking Architecture’ by Peter Zumthor, published in 1998 ‘In Situ’ by Aidlin Darling Designs, photos from https:// www.archdaily.com/867639/in-situ-aidlin-darling-design?ad_ source=myarchdaily&ad_medium=bookmark-show&ad_content=current-user ‘Akari Light Sculptures’ by Isamu Noguchi, photos from https://shop.noguchi.org/collections/akari-light-sculptures ‘Hammered Brass’ examples found on Custom Industrial Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/customindustrial/?hl=en ‘Udukuri without the Lacquer’, by Schemata Architects, http:// schemata.jp/works/ ‘Ginshariya Restaurant’ by Tsutsumi & Associates, photos from https://www.archdaily.com/878059/ginshariya-tsutsumi-and-associates?ad_source=myarchdaily&ad_medium=bookmark-show&ad_content=current-user

week ten: •

week six: •

‘The Six Seasons of the Dja Dja Wurrung’ by CityOfGreaterBendigo, 27 Feb 2020, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=USKSJBkznMw ‘Wombat Forest Calendar’ by Janelle Purcell, https://www. sutori.com/story/dja-dja-wurrung-nation--Sa7fXnG3ijgWnty3vmWzRUwG ‘House in Tsukimiyama’ by Tato Architects, photos from https://www.archdaily.com/924598/house-in-tsukimiyama-tato-architects ‘The Book of Tea’ by Kakuzo Okakura, published in 1906 ‘Palette. Cafe’, photos taken by author

week nine:

‘Eyes of the Skin’ by Juhani Pallasmaa, published 2005 ‘The Poetics of Reverie’ by Gaston Bachelard, published 1971 ‘House in a Forest’ by Go Hasegawa, photos by https://www. archdaily.com/877694/a-plus-u-2017-01-feature-go-hasegawa ‘Life House’ by John Pawson, photos from https://www. living-architecture.co.uk/the-houses/life-house/overview/ Nerikiri photo (on the left) credit to Mike Lam

• •

‘Farum Midtpunkt’ by Ramboll Architecture, photos from http://landezine.com/index.php/2017/09/farum-midtpunkt-by-ramboll-architecture-and-urban-development/ ‘Noosa Boardwalk’ by Flexure, photos from https://brittontimbers.com.au/projects/noosa-boardwalk/ ‘Hunters Hill’ by Harrisons Landscaping, photos from https:// www.harrisonslandscaping.com.au/project/hunters-hill/ ‘FIFA Headquarters’ by Gunther Vogt, photos from https:// www.vogt-la.com/ ‘Novartis Campus Park’ by Gunther Vogt, photos from https:// www.vogt-la.com/ ‘Lavandula Farm’, photo taken by author

‘venice architecture biennale 08: japanese pavilion’ by Junya Ishigami, photos from https://www.designboom.com/architecture/venice-architecture-biennale-08-japanese-pavilion/ ‘KOU-AN Glass Tea House’ by TokujinYoshioka, photos from https://www.archdaily.com/624930/kou-an-glass-tea-housetokujin-yoshioka ‘The Architecture of Natural Light’ by Henry Plummer, published 2009 ‘Villa Mairea’ by Alvar Aalto, photos from https://www.archdaily.com/85390/ad-classics-villa-mairea-alvar-aalto

• •

93

‘JAPANESE CANDY ART Incredible WAGASHI Traditional Sweets Tokyo Japan’ by Travel Thirsty, October 11 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fp958dtccA&list=PLSby2pashDKdGMgqNk1YIWa9QuCFOGTao&index=15&t=383s ‘Atmospheres’ by Peter Zumthor, published 2006 ‘Bathhouse of the Fireflies’ by Takasaki Architects, photos from https://www.archdaily.com/777998/bathhouse-of-fireflies-takasaki-architects

week eleven: • • • •

‘Kakishibu’, information from https://hiromipaper.com/ blogs/newsletter/about-kakishibu ‘Beeswax Waterproofing’ information from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/TeacherBackgroundInfo?id=56600 ‘Kengo Kuma: Complete Works’ by Kenneth Frampton and Kengo Kuma, published 2018 ‘Tatsumura Nishijin-Ori’, photos taken by author

week twelve: •

‘Material Board’ + ‘Site Model’, photos taken by author

94