Xueqing Zhang

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN PORTFOLIO

S TA G E 5 / S E M E S T E R T W O

XUEQING ZHANG 160488070 ARC8052: THE BIG HERE AND THE LONG NOW

CONTENTS:

00:

INTRODUCTION: LEGACIES OF INDUSTRIAL RUINATION

01:

CONTEXT

02:

CATALYST / returning to nature

03:

INITIAL RESEARCH / erosion and architecture

04:

SYMBIOTIC RELTIONSHIPS / materials / working with tidal power

05:

MATERIAL MAKING: nature is alive

06:

THE LIVING BULIDING

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TECHNICAL PORTFOLIO

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REFLECTIVE CONCLUSION

00: INTRODUCTION: LEGACIES OF INDUSTRIAL RUINATION

From the outset, I wanted to understand and explore the idea that ‘cities are a great testing ground for creating opportunities to test new systems of material use and ecology cycles, while creating new infrastructures and building typologies’.

Cities are great constructs of economy, ecology, built environment, and society, which present a complex urban environment to explore. However, the great web of cities often overlook the people and the community as one of the lesser concerns in the race towards expansion and prestige to set itself apart from the rest of the world.

One of the themes I wanted to tackle within my project is the ruins of urban environments left behind by this rapid race towards industrialisation, scars on the land that have been abandoned as well as the dwindling communities that were the backbone of the great machines of manufacturing. The consequences of the decline of industrialisation can still be seen to this day, however, this decline also meant that cities that had to rely on manufacturing now had to find innovative solutions to keep prospering.

I started semester one by taking a more abstract material to study; water, and the shipbuilding industry’s relationship with it in the context of the city of Newcastle.

I wanted to focus on the assemblage of the components that made Newcastle a major shipbuilding city, especially the cultural and community aspects of it since there is such a strong collective memory of shipbuilding, yet many people do not know that Newcastle produced some of the most famous ships in the world. In addition, the Tyne influencedd some of the greatest engineers of the world, such as William Armstrong who invented hydraulic power after being inspired by the movement of water when fishing one day.

Readings from the work of James Corner and the situationist movement helped me to understand the importance of mapping ‘situations’ and deliberately constructing moments of life.

The discoveries I made helped me highlight key themes for my project, and development of the concept followed further research into a specific site in Newcastle to base my urban intervention. The voids left behind from the shipyards provided space for analysis and interesting encounters between history and the future, which is where my interest lies.

On one hand, the old buildings and piers represent the city’s great legacy, but there are also eyesores that need to be rejuvenated, and it sometimes feels like the community is hanging on to the last vestiges of the memory of the past.

I also wanted to explore the thought of letting nature take over, to wash away the landscape and to see how we, as architects, have to work with nature instead of against it. A thinking exercise I used in my initial strategy was to imagine the river shaping a new course into the land, based on the rising sea levels from global warming and the natural erosion of the riverbank. How would this affect the site, and how could it be used in a beneficial way?

Therefore, with this in mind, the proposal for the site aims to raise awareness of the history of shipbuilding and Newcastle’s relationship with the Tyne, whilst creating a sustainable landscape that interacts with the community, for the city to continue its growth using modern technologies.

The focus from semester 2 was on the topic of sustainability and erosion, which led from the catalyst of semester 1, wherein I created a scenario that changed the shape of the river bank due to natural proccesses and climate chane, which would cause a rise in the water level and create more opportunites to implement sustainable energy sources such as hydroelectricity. I researched into various types of hydropower, in the end settling on tidal stream generation, which has many projects around the world but not as of yet in the UK. The other theme of erosion was interesting for me, since it is a process that all things are subjected to. Further research into how erosion can shape architecture led to interesting topics of debate, since it is usually seen in a negative manner and something to avoid. However, I was interested in how we could work together with these natural processes to create something that is man-made but finished by nature and has a relationship with time, that shifts and changes with each iteration.

01:

CONTEXT

WATER: THE ‘LIFE BLOOD’ OF NEWCASTLE After deciding upon shipbuilding and water as my focus, I first started with a broad outlook into the trading of ships, workers, and materials to and from Newcastle across the world. This trade created vital relationships with countries such as Japan and Russia, bringing in many visitors from other places. Immmigrants as well sought out Newcastle as a place to work, since shipbuilding created many jobs in different fields such as a draughtsmen, plumbers, blacksmiths etc. Businesses also brought their workers with them to Newcastle to settle down.

At the height of the trade, there were countless shipyards up and down the Tyne, from building small scale to record breaking ships.

Through this exploration, I thought of other mapping explorations I could make; maybe I could choose just one ship and follow its journey down to the scrapyards, or possibly track steel as a material in the armaments on board the ships. However, I decided, after seeing the strong bonds made between the workers, I decided to explore the historical narrative of the industry.

site education historical public green space city centre metro

’SCARS’ INTO HEALING The site that I wanted to focus on is the Wallsend and Hebburn area. The sites were home to two of the major shipbuilding yards on the Tyne, Swan Hunter’s in Wallsend and Hawthorne Leslie in Hebburn. Leslie created a community for his workers who followed him from Scotland, and Hebburn was known as ‘Little Aberdeen’.

Many of the buildings were demolished to make way for newer developments, but the church that he built for them still remains and is today used as a Buddhist temple.

SITE ANALYSIS

site

Community was sustained by family, kinship and faith networks, and because poverty limited people’s travel outside their neighbourhoods and made them more dependent on each other because they lacked the means to buy goods and services in the private market. Nowadays, there are cheaper means of public transport that allow for greater mingling between the wards of Newcastle. Running along the site is the Hadrians Wall cycleway which reaches from North Shields through Newcastle, all the way to Carlisle.

I realised that the legacy of shipbuilding has left behind green corridors that follow along shipbuilding yards. Although the view is marred by the demolition, the greenery offers a healing experience as you walk along the river.

public vs private

green space

From the site analysis, my main aims were to reconcile the distinction between public and private, introduce more green space, and capitalise on the connection to the water to draw more people to the riverside.

This influenced my decision to choose two sites on opposites sides of the river, both on derelict former shipyards, to create a better sense of ‘cnnection’ not only to the community, but to the water. connection to water

Wallsend is still an area that is heavily dominated by private industries and manufacturing. Looking at the surrounding the area, there is a strong sense of private industry blocking the way to the riverside for the public, which is a shame because the site is well connected by the Hadrian’s Wall cycleway, main roads, and has historical attractions nearby.

New proposals for the site are still focussed on the private sector. The land is under discussion to be turned into an offshore energy park, again driving away the public from the site that has a long history for the people in the area.

WALLSEND

activity

HEBBURN

activity open land

public vs private

open land

public vs private

02:

CATALYST RETURNING TO NATURE

1850

1910

1950

‘an act of co-creation’ Historical mapping of the site, demonstrated the changes of the river which has been dredged many times to allow for the passage of bigger ships, and that many islands along the Tyne were taken away. One of the major islands was Kings Meadows island, which held regattas and livestock in the past but was artificially excavated to make the river deeper and straighter.

This historical analysis provoked my exploration into speculation. What if we were to let the Tyne run its course and let nature take over the land?

I want my proposal to create ‘soft edges’ between the buildings and their surroundings to allow for a successful public space connected to the city and the community.

1960

present

FUTURE?

“Time reflected in change and change reflected in time may just be the key to understanding the natural world and our place within it.”

- Marc Treib, Nature Recalled

To maintain the depth, the river needs to be dredged two or three times a year. The Tyne is not a natural river, having the imprints of natural process and human intervention stamped across its course.

A - as the river flows downhill there is an increase in vertical erosion. The channel is shallow and narrow because there is not a lot of water in the channel.

B – as the river flows into the middle course, there is some vertical erosion but more lateral erosion. The channel is wider and deeper as a result.

We change the course of the Tyne for our needs, so I wanted to explore the idea of working along with nature, renewable energies that are emerging in the area, to create a new community for the residents and introduce a symbiotic relationship with nature.

projeced erosion wearing away of the riverbed

Creation / unearthing of islands that had been dug out becuase of dredging. If we let the natural river flow, chunks of lands would re-emerge from the Tyne.

“Rewilding recognises that nature consists not just of a collection of species but also of their evershifting relationship with each other and with the physical environment.

It understands that to keep an ecosystem in a state of arrested development, to preserve it as if it were a jar of pickles, is to protect something which bears little relationship to the natural world” - George Monbiot, Feral, p.12

REWILDING Before, the sites had a disconnect to them. I wanted to alleviate that by creating walking and cycling zones along the river front, and connecting the two sites with a cycling bridge to promote activity and connection.

The new land that emerges from the erosion of the Tyne will create a vantage point and a connection between the two sides of the river, making use of the natural proccess of dredging.

buildings

MASTERPLANNING green areas

footpaths

cycle path

returning to water

site

FOCUSED MASTERPLANNING

main entrance park boulevard outdoor activities // allotments park centre // hydropower plant // hydroponics hydropower turbines // foot bridge hydropower plant

outdoor activities

My proposal for the chosen strip of the masterplan site would introduce more public spaces for the community, as well as incorporating research and development spaces for the future of renewable energy instead of just focussing on one but neglecting the other.

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axis

the chosen strip of the site has a strong connection to the water, not only in physical placement but in the axis generated by the placement of existing buildings on both sides of the river, which I want to reinforce with this proposal.

fastest river flow

since the site is located by the river where that fastest water flow is, I wanted to use that proccess in further research of hydropower

erosion

the site also is the place where the most erosion and dramatic change in the landscape will occur

crossroad connections

existing roads and footpaths cross the axis along its entirety, making the axis a major line of activity

unobstructed views towards the river

since my masterplan proposed two hydropower plants, this site was chosen for its unobstructed view towards the rest of the river

surrounded by nature

the foliage surrouding the site will act as an urban breaker that will disrupt the continuation of industrial buildings around the masterplanned area

centres for activity

the chosen site is situated in the middle of the rewilded landscape, which would make it a main focal point amongst the natural surroundings

prevailing wind

summer solstice sunrise: sunset:

since the prevailing wind is from the south west, the proposal should be used as a windbreaker that shields the public from strong gusts

4:30 21:50

since there are no buildings surround-ing the site, my proposal will have unobstructed sunlight

winter solstice sunrise: sunset:

8:30 13:30

shadows caused by the sun at different times of the year must be taken into account, as it will create shade in public areas that may be unwanted

pathways

growing areas

outdoor activities

buildings

diagramming the different activities that will occur around the site, and finding where the best position / orientation of the building will be.

I wanted to make use of the axis that has been created, continuing it along the river to the floating island in the middle of the river.

Scheme

1

entrance

1 2

4 3

park

5 2

promenade

3

allotments

4 Axo view of the rewilding stage of the proposal, leading people to the main building. hydropower + footbridge

5

03:

INITIAL RESEARCH BUILDING LIFESPAN

CHINA

35 100

USA

74 110

“the transformation of a buiding’s surface can nalso be positive in that it can allow one to recognize the necessity of change, and to resist the desire to overcome fate”

UK

80

Period of Use vs Building Lifespan

132

- David Leatherbarrow & Mohsen Mostafavi, On Weathering, p. 120

Why are buildings not designed for the actual usage period? Most materials cannot be reusued or recycled, and most buildings use materials that have a life-span that outlives its actual usage time.

Modern society is characterized by patterns of fluid social and economic change, and buildings now have to meet rapidly changing functional and technological demands.

New buildings need to be designed to allow for future functional changes and retrofitting, and there is a need to examine the nature of changes that can be expected to occur in buildings over time. There is a need to develop specific design strategies that can accommodate change.

‘Shearing Layers’, Stewart Brand, in How Buildings Learn: What happens After They’re Built?

‘Shearing Layers’ adaptation

INITIAL RESEARCH

Rainfall / Surface Runoff

The impact of raindrops creates craters in the soil, breaking off particles and transporting them away by water flow.

Rivers and Streams

Deepens and extends the valley, depending on the rate of water flow and the size of the sediments in the water.

Coastal

Shaped by the continuous currents of air and waves against the shoreline.

Glaciers

Carries debris from the frozen bed which wears away the surface, like sandpaper on wood.

Wind

Loose particles are carried away and surfaces struck by the particles are worn away.

Mass Movement

Downward and outward movement of rock due to gravity.

Human Activity

Increases 10-40 times the rate of erosion, due to agriculture, deforestation, roads, and climate change.

ARCHITECTURE THROUGH EROSION

‘EROSION’ the process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents. the gradual destruction or diminution of something.

The research topics were focussed on the major types of erosion that occur, and within that the emphasis of researhc was on the natrual form that is created by water.

“It was a most extraordinary and terrifying sight. The floor consisted of some greyish material, glazed and shiny, which rose and fell in slow palpitation. The throbs were not direct, but gave the impression of a gentle ripple or rhythm, which ran across the surface. This surface itself was not entirely homogeneous, but beneath it, seen as through ground glass, there were dim whitish patches or vacuoles, which varied constantly in shape and size. We stood all three gazing spell-bound at this extraordinary sight.”

- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the Earth Screamed, p. 22

KANNESTEINEN, NORWAY

Water always finds the esiest way despite obstacles, which demonstrates how deisgn should be made to create a seamless building of inevitability.

3m high rock shaped over thousands of years by crashing waves, ice, and stone. It creates an effortless design through the power of nature, which will in the future be worn away completely, letting something else take its place. Impermanence is the truth of nature.

MATERIAL EXPERIMENTALITY RAMMED EARTH

Rammed earth process diagram

If architecture is conceived with a fixed image, it will require maintenance and replacement to maintain its aesthetic value. If architecture is conceived as an impermanent, living thing, then its aesthetics are in the appearance of its ageing.

I wanted to explore the ‘aliveness’ of materials that challenges the architects view of an eternally pristine form.

Oupost House, Arizona

Matter has its own force, fate, and will. The form that the building takes is partly my will, and partly the material will.

I decided to experiment with erosion, since my catalyst of returning to nature would assume that the Tyne would erode away the banks of my site.

Therefore, to simulate working together with nature, I started to research rammed earth structures as they offer a rawness that creates a relationship with the very soil that you are building upon.

In addition, since it is made using soil, I thought it would offer some insight into how exactly the banks of the Tyne would be worn away.

Museum Goldkammer, Germany

Rammed Earth Sculptures, Briony Marshall

different soil types

To test out the strength of different formulas against erosion, I made five different types of rammed earth, each from two moulds 60mm width x 250mm length, one of which has smooth sides and one with ridged surfaces. This was to test out how external factors can change the course of water flow, and how that would affect the shape of erosion.

What was also interesting was that the type of earth greatly affected the finished brick. The compound for rammed earth should have an ideal percentage between 45 to 80% of sand, 10 to 30% of silts and 5 to 20% of clay. The portion of clay may vary depending on the cement content if the compound is stabilized, and can change the colour of the brick instead of a regular grey / brown colour.

I also mixed in cement to some of the tests since it is regularly used in small amonts to strengthen the rammed earth. In addition, I added a layer of plaster to test out the protection it would offer from weathering.

WAVE SIMULATION

°

90

45

°

RAINFALL SIMULATION

experiment 1.02

I wanted to experiment with twi different types of water erosion that may occur at the site. One is a rainfall simulation and the other is a wave simulation.

I set up the experiments by placing the blocks at a fixed 45 degree angle to allow the water to travel across the surface. I kept a continuous strem of water by attaching a garden hose to constantly drop onto the surface of the block for a few days to allow for the build up of the different paths that the water may take.

As for the wave simluation, I left the blocks in a tub filled with water, and used a hose to constantly move the stream of water around the block. experiment 1.01

MATERIAL EXERIMENTS

RAMMED EARTH

REINFORCED RAMMED EARTH

REINFORCED RAMMED EARTH

RAMMED EARTH / CONCRETE

- SMOOTH

- SMOOTH

- TEXTURED

- SMOOTH

RAMMED EARTH / PLASTER / CONCRETE - TEXTURED

EXPERIMENT 1: RAMMED EARTH

1.01 RAINFALL SIMULATION I started with the pure rammed earth block made of different types of soil. Inside I also buried a few rocks to see how they would affect the structural integrity of the block. The areas with big rocks were where the most erosion occured, as it was not as compact as the rest of the block. This led to interesting patterns and ideas that erosion can reveal hidden beauty within a structure.

Layer 1/ rammed earth mixture: 5 : 1 dirt

sand

Layer 2/ loamy rammed earth mixture: 2 1/2 : 2 1/2 : 1 regular dirt

gardening dirt

sand

Layer 3/ clay rammed earth mixture: 5 : 1 : 2 dirt

sand clay

1.02 WAVE SIMULATION Again, the areas with biigger rocks were where the most erosion occured. However, instead of breaking away small chunks, large portions of the brick were swept away by the concentrated flow of the water instead of spread out.

EXPERIMENT 2: REINFORCED RAMMED EARTH

2.01 RAINFALL SIMULATION Small pockets of the block that were not as compact led to erosion shaped like caves, that formed from the inside of the block and then forced chinks out. The smooth texture meant the erosion was more spread out across the block which created non-uniform shapes.

reinforced rammed earth mixture: 7 dirt

: 2 : sand

1

cement

2.02 RAINFALL SIMULATION The ridges in the blcok helped to guide the water in a more fluid pattern than the smooth block, which demonstrates how I am able to influence the course of erosion.

EXPERIMENT 3: RAMMED EARTH +

Layer 1: rammed earth: 5 : 1 dirt

sand

Layer 2/ plaster: 5 : 2 plaster water Layer 3/ concrete: 5 : 1 cement sand

3.01 WAVE SIMULATION Instead of mxing the three elements together, I wanted to test out how durable plaster and concrete would be to protect the rammed earth from erosion. Most of the exposed ramed earth was swept away, but cracks also started appearing in the plaster which was connected.

EXPERIMENT 4: RAMMED EARTH +

4.01 RAINFALL SIMULATION

Layer 1/ reinforced rammed earth: 3 1/2 : 1 : 1/2 dirt

sand cement

Layer 2/ plaster: 5 : 2 plaster water

4.02 WAVE SIMULATION

Layer 3/ concrete: 5 : 1 cement sand Layer 4/ plaster: Layer 5/ reinforced rammed earth:

Experiment to see how other materials will affect the pattern of erosion. The rammed earth acted as a mould for the plaster, and when it was worn away it created an indent in the other materials.

PATTERN APPLICATION ON SITE

1.01

2.01

2.02

4.01 CONNECTION // EXPANSION

1.02

3.01

4.02 EMERGE // SHIFTING

These material experiments opened up other avenues of thought for how a building or site can expand over time. With the rainfall experiments, I could see that the erosion is connected, and if one avenue for the water flow closes up, they create a path in another direction. The wave experiment demonstrated sudden emerging of new forms instead of a continuous flow.

These diagrams explore how a building form could be made based on these observations.

One proposal could have a series of connected expansions that build upon the existing structure.

The other building form would continually emerge and shift away from the site to create more pods of activity.

PATTERN APPLICATION ON SITE

The experiments provided thoughts on how the proposal could have aspects that are only able to be used during different periods of the day as the tide rises and falls.

Balance between man made and nature

Balance between man made and nature

04:

SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS SITE ANALYSIS CHANGES IN THE TIDE

“Architecture is situated between the biological and the geological - slower than living things but faster than the underlying geology.

Resistance and change are both at work in the landscape: the hardness of the rock and the fluid adaptability of living things.”

High tide / low tides time for the River Tyne

Height of tide taken at Wallsend

Low tide - Dunston Staith

High tide - Dunston Staith

- Stan Allen, Landform Building

These previous examples of working with erosion allow us to take a back seat and just let nature run its course.

However, is there a way to work together with nature in a way that we can anticipate?

This led into research on hydropower / tidal energy since the river Tyne is tidal for the last 14 miles of its journey, with a difference of 5.4m at its highest and lowest tides.

TIDAL BARRAGE

tidal range at Wallsend

TIDAL STREAM ENERGY

The movement of the tides can be used to turn turbines that drive generators to produce low carbon electricity.

The energy for tidal power stations is reliable and renewable, being caused by the movements of the earth, moon and sun.

existing installations / projects

As the earth spins, the gravitational pull of the moon and sun causes the seas and oceans to ‘bulge’ which in turn creates huge, predictable ebbs and flows of water around the world.

Tidal stream energy is as of yet a largely untapped resource with no commercial size application, although some are very close. The world’s accessible tidal stream resources are around 90GW, representing 3% of the total tidal stream energy, which is less than the globally installed wind capacity (2010). The best sites can be found in Korea, UK and North America. In the UK alone there is potential for 5 - 16GW that could account for up to 15% of the UK’s electricity.

possible sites for tidal energy usage

Maintanence

Walkway

Maintanence

Steel structure

Pontoon Bridge

Research into tidal turbine forms and structures allowed me to develop my own proposal for a turbine system based on a smaller verson of deep sea tidal turbines. The steel structure will be enough to keep the turbine in place without having to drill into the riverbed.

In addition, I wanted to allow the turbine and the platform to float and move up and down with the tide, so that during low tides it will not be sticking up out of the river.

Tidal Turbine

Turbine Base

LOW TIDE

HIGH TIDE

Attatched to the maintenance platform will be pontoons that will allow a bridge to form between the turbines. This provides a crossing for the workers and public instead of an obstructure bridge that connects the Wallsend shore to the floating island.

05:

MATERIAL MAKING: NATURE IS ALIVE

Part of the studio was a material making exercise. Continuing on with my research on water erosion / technologies, I wanted to focus on bio-materials that could be grown with water to make sustainable products.

With a material such as leather, there are many different processes it has to go through which produces toxic wastewater and pollution. However, there are alternatives to leather, and for this exercise I explored the process of brewing kombucha to produce a leather-like substance that has many of the same qualities as animal leather, whilst being biodegradable.

PROCESS

1. store bought kombucha

2. store in warm + dry place, allow to ferment 2-4 weeks START: 06/11/2020

a. store bought

a. store bought

thickness after 4 weeks: 15mm

b. home brew

OR home brew black tea distilled water + black tea + white sugar

When kombucha is fermented, it creates sedimentary layers of SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) on top of the liquid, which is usually thrown away, but in this case is what the leather is made of. I started the fermentation process in November 2020, which allowed me time to experiment with two variations, using store bought kombucha and a home brew of tea , sugar, and water.

The main difference was the colour, however not much else was different, which means it is a material that ben be easily made at home without specialist equipment.

b. home brew

thickness after 4 weeks: 18mm TOTAL INCUBATION TIME: 51 days

PROCESS 3. keep adding tea + transfer to bigger container START: 29/12/2020

a. store bought

I wanted a bigger surface area to work with, so I transferred the SCOBY and topped up with more tea. However, the skin of one batch started to grow mould, which means different bacteria other than the one I wanted had contaminated the mixture.

b. home brew

Sediments and strands created by live yeast. As it dies, it sinks to the bottom.

Air bubbles created by aerobic respiration from bacteria and yeast cultures

TOTAL INCUBATION TIME: 37 days

PROCESS 4. leave to dry

5. tan leather - rub coconut oil onto surface for moisture/waterproofing + let sit

START: 04/02/2021

START: 07/02/2021

i. coconut oil solid

ii. coconut oil liquid

iii. oil in spray bottle

Once the SCOBY has grown to an adequate thickness, it is dried and tanned, and then cut into the desired shape.

TOTAL DRYING TIME: 3 days

6. references / shaping / assembly

Kombucha has many of the same properties as animal leather, as well as other properties such as an opaque skin that creates interesting lighting affects, which I developed into a lamp shade for the final product.

TOTAL TIME: 4 days

FINAL MODEL

The entire lampshade is made from konbucha leather, including the string that ties together the shape, created by trimming the leather in a circular shape and twining it together to from a string.

05:

THE LIVING BUILDING Q: What are salliers?

A: The waves of a passing ship, tug or boat

‘SALLIERS’ s’allier

to form an alliance, to go well together

sal·lied, sal·ly·ing, sal·lies

to rush out or leap forth suddenly to set out on a trip/excursion

Words change meaning over time. Above is the dictionary definition and North Tyneside residents’ definition of the word salliers.

The aim is to produce a temporal architecture, one that every user experiences in a different way depending on the time of year, the weather, and the flowing tide of the Tyne.

LANDFORM BUILDING

Landform Building challenges and rethinks the idea of organic on the level of larger, “geologic” processes. In this much broader view, the question of process is shifted from the design phase to “the long life of a building, city or landscape over time, enmeshed in complex social and cultural formations.”

As stated before, I wanted my building to also be open to the public realm instead creating a harsh disconnect between the location and the industry.

The building programme will contain private spaces such as energy storage facility and maintenance area, but also create spaces for the public to wander through the building galleries to learn more about the history of shipbuilding on the tyne and a hub for learning about renewable energies.

TSUNEHISA KIMURA, VISUAL SCNADALS

horizontal erosion / expansion

Infromed by the previous material research and thoughts of landform building, I started a proposal that emerges from one form into a fully fleshed building.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

link across the river

public gathering

offset components

public vs private

views out

battery power storage

The erosion procces always seems to be eroding down into the material. Therefore, my expension also follows this idea of wearing away into the ground in tunnels that connect and expand.

vertical erosion / expansion

The building will be constructed in phases since the most important part of the structure and programme is the battery storage facility that will store the excess energy generated by the continous tidal flow. This will follow an upward expansion as though water flowing out of a hole in the ground.

Ma il ma vendand aeperumet adicia velit audaeceris et aut aceatem hilit, explaboreped excea idenim estorum corro quatiae voluptas atio eost faccus doluptatem eos audaepr ernam, inullesto doloremostis que lam, unde conserum nosa ium et que res invel iume nonecate laceperitate res aliae Iautemolor wanted parts of aut the volorerionet building to seem as though solorit alicabo ratat. it is reaching towards the river.

Materiality wise, I Mi, con porro ipsae et, aut im repro moloribusam wanted to use the ‘heavy’ materials further nonsed molorios doluptis eum vel ium destisaway cum from the shore, and lighter timber elements, piers, quid explignimint essum eosanimil eictisit que qui and tidal actuiderumque as a connection to theCone river net ea autturbines aborumq prat fuga.

GF //

gallery entrance

GF //

information centre

GF //

information centre

GF //

GF //

‘tunnels’ entrance

- 1 //

labs exhibition hall journey through tunnels

- 1 //

labs exhibition hall journey through tunnels

information centre access to pier

- 1 //

- 2 //

exhibition hall

labs exhibition hall journey through tunnels access to pier

- 3 //

maintenance

- 2 //

exhibition hall

- 4 //

battery storage facility

- 3 //

maintenance

- 4 //

battery storage facility

As the tide changes, user experience of the building also changes. Areas of the buliding such as the extended pier will become covered as the tide rises, and prevents access to that space.

- 4 //

battery storage facility

- 3 //

maintenance

- 2 //

growing underground exhibition area

- 1 //

exhibition hall hydropower information centre

A A

GF //

main entrance hydropower information centre teaching rooms

0 section AA

10m

MATERIAL HEIRARCHY

light

I wanted to use rammed earth wherever possible for a more sustainable building construction, and for the process of weathering to become apparant on the building. Part of the wall on the ground floor will be made of ramed earth, which allows for non-uniform shapes as long as there is a mould for it, in constrast to the linear lines created by the timber battens on the outside of the other part of the building.

In addition, rammed earth pillars will be used inside the building for structural support of the timber frame, and it will be used as a finish to the interior walls to create a cave-like atmosphere.

As erosion occurs on the outside wall, it will reveal hidden materials underneath the surface, creating a different expression upon every visit.

heavy

light

North East elevation

GF

CIRCULATION

-1 tunnels -2

-3

The aim for the circulation was to allow anyone to be able to experience walking hrough the ‘tunnel’ area that leads to the -2 exhibition space.

Therefore, there is a series of ramps that lead down.

I addition, there is also a central lift that reaches all floors, mainyl used by the private workers, and alos a lift that connects the ground floor with the -1 level for public users.

private circulation public circulation

-4

A main staircase also connects all levels, however, again it is only for the private users for the last two floors.

PATH OF A PULIC VISITOR

perspective elevation

GF

ground floor atrium information centre + learning space

GF

tunnel gallery leading to main exhibition

GF

-2 exhibition space

- 2 basement

TECHNOLOGY

01:

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT CONSIDERATION

Wallsend cloudy / sunny / precipitation days

Wallsend average temperatures and precipitation

Wallsend is a city with significant rainfall, when in the driest of months. The average annual rainfall is 718mm, with most of it falling in August.

Wallsend maximum temperatures

As well as rainfall, Wallsend sits right by the river Tyne and is 28m above sea level. The average water temperature in Wallsend gradally increases from 1°C, from 6°C to 8°C. Classified as Cfb in the Köppen-Geiger system which stands for: temperate, whitout dry season, with warm summers.

Situated by the Tyne, which is tidal for the last 14 miles, Wallsend experiences a tidal difference of 6m at its highest.

High tide / low tides time for the River Tyne at Wallsend

Remenants of the dry docks are still on site, although again not used. They act as striking landmarks amonst the flat topography of Wallsend.

IMMEDIATE SITE CONSIDERATIONS

summer solstice sunlight prevailing wind water features

natural features

masterplan boundary roads hadrian’s wall cycle path metro site

Wallsend is connected by metros, main roads, and is also passed by on the Hadrians Wall cycle path.

As a part of the natural proccess of erosion and weathering, the banks of the river will wear away in the future, which will inttroduce more water to the site.

green features

roads / cycle lanes / footpaths

projeced erosion wearing away of the riverbed

swan hunter

hawthorn leslie

Close to the site are historical buildings such as Segdunum, which houses the remains of a Roman fort. The area recieves heavy traffic from schools and visitors learning about Rome.

Since the site was home to industrial activities, there are few green spaces around the immediate area, which makes in unlikely for the public to enter the site to view the river.

historical buildings

buildings

In addition, old office buildings for the shipyards are still on site, left to decay since the shipyards closed.

green spaces

EXPLORATION IN RELATION TO THE THESIS

tidal turbine

introducing nature

revive industry

ventilation

Given the need for more sustainable sources of energy, I wanted to make use of the access to the tidal nature of the Tyne to investigate tidal generated energy.

The site has been left derelict for many years since the passing of Newcastle’s shipbuilding industry. Given the prime location by the water front, I shall aim to provide more public spaces to the area which is currently dominated by the private sector.

Many people in wallsend are workers in the construction industry, and there are university buildings around the site that focus on renewable energy / offshore turbine research. I shall try to re-introduce a more sustainable form of industry for the people in the area, which would improve their emploment status and encourage more learning.

Many former workers in shipyards fall ill due to exposure to dangerous chemicals such as asbestos. I shall aim to provide a safer working / public environment for the people who visit the building.

LIGHTING STRATEGIES

summer solstice June 20th, 2021 14:20

orientation studies These studies demonstrate the design proposal to be placed towards the lef of the site, since it would cast large shadows over the more public open spaces towards the east of the masterplan.

In addition, it helped inform the orientation and massing of my design, since I did not want to obstruct the view towards the river, therefore I started developing a building that is long rather than wide, and to start researching moving below instead of buiding up.

equinox March 20th, 2021 9:37

winter solstice December 21st, 2021 15:32

A

C

lighting strategies A. the design incorporates skylights that are oriented to be best suited to allow sunlight into the buiding. In addition, ther are placed where there is a mezzanine floor that will allow light to reach the lower floors.

B. the ground floor of the building uses floor to ceiling windows which timber shutters that will provde natural light.

C. the use of hanging lights to provide a dimmer atmosphere in the gallery tunnels, so that it will allow people to see as they navigate down towards the gallery.

B

site location within masterplan

FOLIAGE ON SITE

current site

solar shading offers repsite from the sun for enjoyment.

urban break / noise buffer there are still many private industries in the area, so it is important that there is a break in the landscape for public users.

visual block since there will be visitors coming into the site, foliage is used as a cover from the main roads and traffic that will enter the building.

I have deliberately chosen to add more foliage and public allotments onto the site, given that it is currently derelict and bare. With the introduction of more nature and public spaces, I intend to draw more people into the site.

proposal

TIDAL STREAM ENERGY

Further research into the use of tidal energy in Wallsend led me to the British Oceanographic Data Centre, which records tidal data in the UK. As mentioned, the highest tidal differences of the Tyne at Wallsend is 6m, which is enough to constantly provide a stream of energy to be stored within my building and further passed on to the electricity grid for the residents in the area.

The battery storage facility will be located at the basement, away from the public so that it is better protected and offers underfloor heating to the building.

There are currently no tidal powered projects in the UK, although a proposed tidal barrage in Swansea may go forward.

There are many types of turbines that can be used for tidal stream energy. Research into tidal turbines allowed me to design this turbine structure which is a scaled down version of deep sea examples, which could be free standing or connected by a series of pontoon bridges.

recorded tidal data

VENTILATION

lower basements / tunnels Areas needing more ventilation are grouped together towards the basement and back end of the building since they require the most consideration. The double height basement will help to circulate the air flow and there will be gas extraction pipes working under the basement floors and mechanical extraction ventilation to keep relative humidity so to not damage equipment.

An indoor pool will help to carry away the heat, and ventilation shafts are concealed within the landscape to avoid blocking views towards the buiding and the river.

ground floor / -1 level Since this is the main area for visitors, it needs to be kep within comfortable temperatures. It will be supported by natural ventilation systems, natural daylight, cooling, and heating, supported by the underfloor heating system provided with energy from the tidal generation and glass skylights. It will be supplemented by local mechanical systems and energy efficient LED lighting controlled by motion/ daylight sensors.

The atrium that go to the -1 level will help tp circulate air by using the natural stack effect and help keep the area cool.

areas needeing high levels of ventilation

areas needeing medium levels of ventilation

power storage facility

exhibition spaces

areas needeing low levels of ventilation

gallery space

information centre

tunnels

maintenance

toilets labs

teaching spaces

02:

LIGHTING & ATMOSPHERE ANALYSIS OF GALLERY ATMOSPHERE

‘tunnel’ gallery space

The lighting aims to enhance the experience of going underground, so it cannot be too bright or artificial. It should create an atmosphere of being exploration and performance, as people travel from the light into the darker gallery space.

Therefore, the deisng incorporates hanging lights from the ceiling at different levels to create an unpredictable atmosphere, which reflects differently due to the hanging triangular timber panels and the irregular shapes of the ramed earth walls.

‘tunnel’ gallery space

non-uniform rammed earth wall finishes

suspended timber panels + lights

03:

ACOUSTICS APPLICATION B

Given the use of part of the building as an energy storage facility, there needs to be sufficient acoustic protection for the rest of the users especially since there is a gallery space above.

loud

quiet

The noise must not exceed the limit set for each battery unit, and it should be similar to background noise. There are a few steps that can be used to ensure sound prortection: power storage facility

1. Enclose the machine 2. Create a sound-proof room for the workers 3. Use acoustic insulation 4. Provide workers with suitable noise-cancelling equipment The use of factory soundproofing products such as high performance acoustic building boards fixed to the walls and ceilings

information centre

exhibition spaces

gallery space

maintenance labs

teaching spaces

tunnels

04:

MATERIAL RAMMED EARTH

This research was aimed to better understand erosion and how a material such as earth can be used to create interesting atmospheres and challenge our perception of time as the material erodes and revels patterns or other materials hidden beneath the surface.

Rammed earth is not typically used in the UK, as it is most suitable in dry, arid landscapes such as Australia or parts of America. However, there are ways to integrate other materials to not only help strengthen the rammed earth but also to reduce the amount of other buiding materials, such as concrete, in a structure.

wallsend

brick

tarmac

steel

stone

water

influences

The building material of Wallsend is typically brick and steel, being a residential and industrial area.

I wanted to introduce new materials onto the site, as a way of rejuvenating the built landscape away from the history of heavy metal shipbuilding.

brick / stone

Rammed earth has low embodied energy, and has a high thermal mass. It can be classified as a non conbustable material, and a 3oomm wall is capable of providing fire resistance of at least 90 minutes.

brick

It also has good acoustic separation, which will be useful in separating the gallery spaces from the rest of the public building.

steel

steel / timber hebburn

material heirarchy The basement level will use ‘heavy’ concrete, and as the strucutre moves up towards the ground floor, it uses ‘lighter’ materials light timber to create an open area for the public use.

05:

STRUCTURAL JUSTIFICATION

I wanted to use less concrete in my structure, but most sources advised against using rammed earth for a deep retaining wall. In addition, the building has four floors underground, which will need strong foundations to avoid structural failure.

The lower basement is created with a contiguous bored pile wall, which would provide a strong foundation for the rammed earth wall above ground, and also provides moisture control so that the air quality remains good.

As the soil is excavated, it can be re-used in-situ as part of the mixture for rammed earth, which will reduce transportation costs and reduce carbon emissions.

Locally sourced concrete will be used to reduce transportation costs. The closes manufacturer is less then 1 mile away, with other services such as engineering companies and other material manufactureres nearby.

The columns inside the building will also be made using rammed earth, which will help support the span of the building and create a stronger sense of nature in the atmosphere of the building.

soil machine dynamics engineering services

shaw mortars

0 1: 50s ec t i on

5m

2 3

1

1: 210mm s t abi l i s edr ammedear t h-r ei nf or c ed 80mm r i gi di ns ul at i on 210mm s t abi l i s edr ammedear t h-r ei nf or c ed 2: met alpar apetwi t hdr i pedgeex t endi ng30mm wat erc ont r olmembr ane pl y wood s pr ayf oam i ns ul at i on pl y wood 3: wat er pr oofmembr ane pl y woods heat hi ng 100mm r i gi di ns ul at i on T y v ekai rbar r i er r ei nf or c edc onc r et es l ab s us pendedt i mberc ei l i ngwi t hl i ght i ng 4: RCpi l ec appi ngbeam 45mm s hot c r et e 20mm pr ot ec t i v ewat er pr oo ngboar d wat er pr oofmembr ane

0 1: 20r ammedear t hdet ai l

5 5: s hot c r et e ni s h wat er pr oofmembr ane 80mm i ns ul at i on r ei nf or c edc onc r et es l ab 6: l t erf abr i c 20mm l t erboar d DPM 500mm c ont i guousc onc r et epi l ewal l membr anepl ug 100mm s hot c r et e wat er pr oo ngaddons pr ay 75mm c av i t y bl oc k wor k wat er pr oofmembr ane 80mm i ns ul at i on r ammedear t h ni s h

2m

4

6

1

1: l t erf abr i c 20mm l t erboar d DPM 500mm c ont i guousc onc r et epi l ewal l membr anepl ug 100mm s hot c r et e wat er pr oo ngaddons pr ay 75mm c av i t y bl oc k wor k wat er pr oofmembr ane 80mm i ns ul at i on r ammedear t h ni s h 2: mi n16mm c ov erofgr av elabov epi pe l eanc onc r et e dr ai nageper f or at ed/por ouspi pef ordr ai ni ng s ur f ac ewat er l t erf abr i c DPM mor t oars l ope/bi odegr adabl ec ants t r i p

3: gr av elbas ec our s e gasex t r ac t i onpi pe s and 90mm muds l abofr ei nf or c edc onc r et e 90mm wat er pr oo ngpr ot ec t i onboar d moi s t ur ebar r i er 90mm r i gi di ns ul at i on 320mm r ei nf or c edc onc r et es l ab 65mm i ns ul at i on 65mm heat edunderoors c r eed

2

3

0 1: 20c ont i guouspi l ef oundat i ondet ai l

2m

0 1: 100s ec t i on

5m

2

1

1: 40/60mm pi ne s t eels ec t i on t i mberbat t ens DPM 20mm OSB 120mm i ns ul at i onbet weenr ammedear t hc ol umns t i mberbat t ens t i mber ni s h

2: 40/60mm pi ne t i mberboar d wat er pr oofmembr ane 100mm r i gi di ns ul at i on 20mm OSB 30mm gl as swool t i mberbat t ens t i mber ni s h

0 1: 20t i mberdet ai l

3: 300mm r ei nf or c edc onc r et es l ab 50mm i ns ul at i on 65mm heat edunderoors c r eed t i mber ni s h

2m

3

2

1

3

1: 40/60mm pi ne 60/22mm bat t ens wat er pr oofmembr ane 100mm r i gi di ns ul at i on 20mm OSB 180mm i ns ul at i on t i mber ni s h 2: met aledgepr ol e 3: doubl egl azedwi ndow

0 1: 25s k y l i ghtdet ai l

2m

06:

SERVICES

battery storage facility

The HVAC system in this buiding is a combination of underfloor heating supported by ceiling ducts systems for air conditioning and ventilation. The underfloor heating is arranged throughout the building depending on the different zones and functions. The HVAC system will be concealed by a suspended timber ceiling.

Energy will be provided by the tidal turbine generators connected to the lower basement, which will allow heating to be sourced to the rest of the building.

Rammed earth also has the ability to store heat; its thermal mass allows it to slowly gain heat during the day and radiate it back at night.

to tidal turbines

07:

ACCESSIBILITY

- 4 //

One central lift that reaches all floors to allow for disabled visitors and private access to the power storage facilities.

The majority of public activities are on the ground floor and -1 level, which will allow anyone to reach via lifts and stairs.

The intention is that anyone who wants to visit the gallery space has to use the connecting ‘tunnels’, so that everyone has an experience of the ‘tunnel’ gallery. Therefore, the descent is made up of ramps that gradually turn down to the main gallery space.

- 3 //

- 2 //

- 1 //

GF

SELF REFLECTION

I have thoroughly enjoyed the wide range of research topics that this studio has offered me the opportunity to explore. It has been interesting experimenting with so many materials and lines of thought, especially with such an open ended studio brief and material making exercises.

It was challenging, however, to try and connect all the research points together into one proposal, which I think could be developed even further, or more focus on one theme instead of the wide variety of themes that I tried to tackle. I feel like there was even more potential for further inverstigation, especially exploring erosion within architecture which opens up timeless debate and many different material experiments that could be made to create an even more dynamic design proposal.

The studio really pushed me to consider aspects I had never thought of to be related to architecture, and introduced me to broader thinking and creating scenarios for the future of the built environment.

I would like to invest more time into model making for the next year, which could be used to create a more immersive experience and explain better the thoughts and procceses behind design decisions.

END. THANK YOU

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XUEQING ZHANG 160488070 ARC8052: THE BIG HERE AND THE LONG NOW