Z10P15

C0002336

REI MARK SEARES

ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO

SPRING 2020

MARCH STAGE 5 | ARC8052

EDINBURGH

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The site, which is east of Calton Hill, close to the intersection of Easter Road and Montrose Terrace in Edinburgh, is almost triangular. Enclosed by a moderately trafficked road in the east and a pedestrian road in the west, the site is also surrounded by older buildings clad in sandstone. The roads which pass by the two sides of the site differ from each other greatly. Montrose Terrace, which is a road used for cars, is very much larger and more trafficked than West Norton Place, which in comparison is calmer as it is only accessible by pedestrians. Moreover, West Norton Place is basically an alley with the back sides of the building along it are facing. This, and the fact that this back-side alley is lower in topography compared with Montrose Terrace, gives the feeling of unsafety. The characteristics of these two roads give the site two sides where the atmosphere is different from each other.

The analysis of the site showed a duality in charateristics of the triangular site.

On one side, along Montrose terrace is a busy road with several passers-by and eyes that can see what happens in the area. Another side face towards a semiprivate couryard accessed and used by residents of the neighboring buildings. On one side, however, along W Norton Place, is a pedestrian back alley. This analyses lead to the decision of opening the site and creating a square to make the area visible and less claustrophobic.

The difference in ground level between the two streest also contribute to the negative atmosphere of the area as trees on higher ground level cover the place, not allowing anyone to see through, nor letting much sunshine through. West Norton Place, however, functions as as shortcut as Easter Road, is more trafficked and a longer way towards London Road. vBy opening the sight from Montrose Terrase Towards West Norton Plance, The area becomes more accessible and more visible. Having a program that activates the area would help as well. Nearby buildings are on the other hand mostly private residential houses, so caution to what kind of activity to be introduced should be practiced.

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IELD RYF MA

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BRUNTON TERRACE

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London Road • Heavy traffic

LONDON ROAD

EASTER RO AD

W NORTON

PLACE

Montrose Terrace • Moderate traffic • Plausible front • At least 3m higher

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W Norton Place • Pedestrian traffic • Back-alley atmosphere • At least 3m lower 4

PRECEDENT NO. 1

IRISH LANGUAGE CULTURAL CENTRE O’DONNELL + TUOMEY

The project began with an investigation of a precedent which in my case was An Gaelaras Irish Cultural Centre by O’Donnell and Toumey in Derry. The building is a stereotomic building in concrete with seemingly geometric and irregular interior. Almost like a geode, the interior is hollowed out, forming parts that stick out like facets, and areas that are carved in the solid structure. The floorplans give the impression of arbitrary angles to create spaces, but upon a closer look, the concept of how they are drawn become visible.

Working on a set of rules, regularly angled lines are drawn to serve as guidelines and grid from which the plans are derived. In my own investigation, I determined four sets of rules on how the lines are drawn: - The Zigzag A repetition of a 125⁰ angle forming a zigzag pattern along the whole length of the building. Derived from the architects’ design of the movement similar a bouncing pinball, this set of lines are what I supposed to be the main set of rules.

- The Parallels Two parallel lines in an angle, and two others angling to the opposite direction.

- The Perpendiculars.

Lines that are drawn perpendicular to the sides of the building; both on the long and short sides.

- The Offsets Lines that are drawn as offsets of the three rules above, most often of the zigzag.

These rules determined how the floorplans were drawn and the horizontal direction of the walls that were created, which in return created the seemingly irregular spaces. The carvedout spaces created in my abstract model of the building are a product of this study.

IRISH LANGUAGE CULTURAL CENTRE DERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND O’DONNELL + TUOMEY

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RULES: 1 • Angle is places outside the site to open up the space to have visuals on W Norton Place and create a square.

2 • Angle is used vertically to create visual tunells through the volume.

3 • Bridge created by Rule no.2 is removed.

4 • Bridge is replaced by lighter structure hanging on a truss syteom on top of the volume.

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ADDETIVE APPROACH INVESTIGATION Using the angles and the placement of its vertices to generate grids. In contrast to the subtrative approach, this method investigates the addition of volumes created by the grid instead of removing parts of a larger volume.

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RULE INVESTIGATION RESULT Using the Rules as a tool to generate an initial foot print for the building, an opening is created. The vertex of the visual angle is placed on the western side of the side (along Montrose Terrace) to open up the space towards West Norton Place. In this step, the space for the square is carved out from the solid.

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PROGRAM Artists in general lack places to work that are designed to suit their needs.

There are several artist studios around Edinburgh, but these places are in general old offices that are leased to a variety of people. Furthermore, the building across the site on West Norton Place, Abbeymount School (now Abbeymount Techbase) is currently used an artist studio, previously being a school.

Workshop with heavy machinery on ground floor. Lighter workshop and shared space studios on uper levels.

Abbeymount is an artist studio with facilities for diverse kinds of artists and craftsmen. The building houses studios for painters, jewellery designers, fabric designers and several other artistic trade. These workshops, however, like other artist studios, are limited to crafts of smaller scale.

Artists or craftsmen working on pieces that need larger facilities such as wood workshops, cannot not therefore make use of the space.

The program that I eventually decided on, after my investigation, is a complementary to the existing facilities in Abbeymount. The building will personal and shared space studios for artists, a spacious common workshop for heavy machinery, and exhibition space to draw activity to area and give the artists a possibility to exhibit their works. The size of the site was also an opportunity to place residential spaces for visiting artists who might for example, be in Edinburgh to collaborate with other artists working in the building.

Courtyard

Square

Facilities in Abbeymount: • Workshop for fashion & textile design, ceramics, and printmaking • Co-working spaces with personal desk and storage • A few individual studios

SCHEDULE OF ACCOMMODATION • Workshop for heavy machinery (wood and metal) • Exhibitions spaces • Studios • Casting room • Restaurant • Residential spaces for visiting artists • Common room • Shared kitchen • Square

Exhibition space and possibly administrative offices on upper levels.

Residential block with café/restaurant on the ground floor.

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OPENINGS AND LIGHT INLET STUDY A study on different ways to carve out openings in the solid walls of the building to let light in, led to an analysis of openings created by the Rules. By looking into these systematically created openings, the theme is continued in the process. In this analysis, the shape of the negative space under the bridge became interesting.

Looking closely into the geometry of the trapezoid volume, it is interesting to see the way it directs, allows, and limit views.

Standing on the foot, allows wider views on top, but not as high, whole standing on top allows higher views, but much narrower.

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TRAPEZOID SYSTEM A model created to study the geometry and its spaciality, led to the realization of its possibility to be repeated in alternate pattern and create a system of trapezoid volumes as a result.

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MODELS OF DIFFERENT OPENINGS - THE NEGATIVE SPACE

PRECEDENT NO. 2 CAN LIS JØRN UTZON MALLORCA

The series of models created to the study of different openings that can be introduced in the building made way to a system of trapezoid volumes as a facade. The geometry of the shape made it possible to also be used as space on its own within the wall.

Utzon’s Can Lis was studied briefly to investigate the role of the walls along its outer wall which direct views to the sea. The idea of utilizing the outerwall or facade as a room was similar to the idea I had mind for the Trapezoids.

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VIEWS IN DIFFERENT ORIENTATIONS OF THE OPENING

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COMPLICATIONS OF THE FACADE The side of the volumes that connects to the rest of the building land in different floor levels. This was resolved by cutting through them in the middle.

INITIAL IDEA OF THE MATERIALITY AND USAGE OF SPACE

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FACADE SYSTEM ELEVATION

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GROUNDFLOOR

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WOOD WORKSHOP OFFICE MATERIAL STORAGE ATRIUM METAL WORKSHOP CASTING ROOM ENTRANCE 1 RESTAURANT/CAFÉ KITCHEN STORAGE RESIDENTIAL ENTRANCE 1

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GROUNDFLOOR PLAN & AXO

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EXHIBITION SPACE ENTRANCE 2 ARTIST STUDIOS RESIDENTIAL FLAT 1 RESIDENTIAL FLAT 2 SHARED KITCHEN RESIDENTIAL ENTRANCE 2

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FIRST FLOOR PLAN & AXO

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ARTIST STUDIO EXHIBIT BALCONY RESIDENTIAL FLAT 3 RESIDENTIAL FLAT 4 COMMON ROOM

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FIRST FLOOR PLAN & AXO

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ATRIUM GLAZING

TRUSS SYSTEM

SUPPORTING CABLES

HANGING STAIRCASE AND PLATFORMS

ATRIUM BASE PLATFORM

BASIC SCHEME AXONOMETRY Shown is the basic scheme of the project as a result of the Rules. Visual angles are shown where their vertices are positioned to open the site and create a square, and also to create an atrium. Shown here as well is the development of the Fourth Rule, which was replacing removed volumes with hanging tectonic structures supported by a truss system.

The staircase are hung by suspension cables attached to the truss system on the roof which also supports the glazing of the atrium. The trusses the same time lay on top of the roof supported by the more robust concrete building. The tectonis is therefore supported by the stereotomic.

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FACADE SYSTEM The massive structure of the facade makes it function a load-bearing wall. By general description, the facade system supports the beams which forms a rhombus grid as they follow the direction of the facade structure’s vertical components. on the other side of the building are narrow load-bearing walls that also carry the load of the beams which support the flooring and roof.

In the larger axonometric drawing of the facade scheme above, the idea on how it comes together is shown. different components of concrete slabs enclose the rooms whithin the facade.These connects to the buidling with a triangular beam attached to the building.

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DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOW

SANDWICH ELEMENT

30 mm Protectice concrete coating 200 mm Rockwool Hardrock ElementBatts Concrete framework

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ELEVATION FROM MONTROSE TERRACE

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SECTION PERSPECTIVE