Design Thesis Journal

Inten(d)sidy Ballarat Thesis Proposal Mark Jesson

Contents Introduction Research Hypothesis Investigation of Ideas

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Design Research Personal Ecosophy Agency An Urban Belonging Exploring the Urban Environment Place & Participation Post Occupancy Participation Public Space Redesign Task What Does Financialization Mean?

Master Planning Approach Site Analysis Precedent Typology Study Master Plan Iterative Design Reviewing Thesis Proposal Defining Community Relationship to Site Testing Ideas Exploring Narratives Design Outcome Reflecting on Thesis Findings

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Covering Notes: This booklet has been produced by Mark Jesson in relation to assignments within ABPL90169 Desing Thesis, taught at the University of Melbourne.

Semester 2, 2020 II

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“Architects have a role to play. Rather than acting merely as building designers, they can be initiators, negotiators, co-managers, and enablers of processes and agencies that strengthen existing civic resilience initiatives.�

- Doina Petrescu

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Research Hypothesis

Current trends within the housing market see the financialization of property and the inflation of prices leading to an unaffordability crisis in many global housing economies. This financialization of housing sees dwellings not as a place of inhabitancy but the capture of financial value (Hulse and Reynolds, 2018, p.1656). Through this evolution of the modern property markets and broader societal factors we have seen the weakening of communities and the communal aspects of life (Lucka, 2018, p.18).

This disconnect between housing market affordability and the creation of community environments highlights the need to explore community lead approaches to providing housing which considers longer-term social, economic and environmental sustainability.

In Ballarat, the abandoned St Andrew Kirk provides the opportunity to form a new sense of community established around common goals of sustainable living.

This thesis will design a new integrated urban housing typology located in Ballarat which introduces social, economic and environmentally sustainable community within the inner urban zone. Using the existing St Andrews church as a platform for the establishment of an approach to urban living that engages with community extending beyond the site boundary.

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A Place to Reinterpret Community St Andrews Kirk as a space of new-found understandings This thesis aims to critically challenge and manifest the way in which communities are established though the exploration of community led practice. In 2016 it was estimated that between 75,000 and 100,000 vulnerable low-income households in Victoria do not have access to suitable housing to meet their needs (Affordable Development Outcomes, 2016, p.11). With general trends of home ownership falling for young and the poor, it has been reported that housing affordability is a high concern for many Australian households (Daley & Coates, 2018, p.11). With current status quo approaches to providing housing falling short of meeting the needs of communities, we must look at empowering communities in facilitating their own housing needs.

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To understand the possibilities of the St Andrews Kirk site as a space that can empower a new approach to community living, we must explore the existing connections the site has with the local population. A heritage report conducted on the site notes that prior to abandonment, the church had served as a continual place of worship since its completion in the 1860’s (Lovell Chen, 2018, p.3). Whilst the congregation has since dissipated, generational connections to the church still remain within the community of Ballarat. Drawing on the churches history as a place of congregation offers the opportunity to the church to become a signifier of reinvigorated community connection, drawing on modern understanding of self-identity and environmental behaviours (Oliver, 2020, p.211).

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Reframing Affordability Alternative approaches to housing delivery We must look to understand current affordable housing issues in order to frame current community issues relating to access to housing. Within modern neoliberal markets, housing has often been a contentious issue within the spheres of government, planning and economics (Beer, Kearins & Pieters, 2007). Debates within these spheres often focus on numbers and statistics with little consideration for outcomes beyond the sale price, this leads to a vast range of societal issues as a consequence.

With status quo approaches to housing failing to meet the needs of communities, we must look to alternative approaches which address the needs of providing positive social and environmental outcomes across the life cycle of the built form.

To understand the possibilities of affordable housing within an inner urban setting, we must look to existing niche models of housing supply which accommodate affordability but also provide community and reasonable access to inner urban facilities. Existing emergent models within Melbourne include Nightingale Housing and Assemble Communities with Nightingale’s first project in Ballarat currently under construction.

These types of projects provide a framework for understanding the delivery of affordable housing within an inner urban location which not only meet financial targets, but broader societal issues which need to be addressed. In the delivery of such models, it is important to explore who and how the development is funded as this can “have significant impact on the quality and diversity of housing� outcomes (Foster, 2019).

Figure 1. Nightingale Ballarat, expected completion 2021

Figure 2.Assemble Communities, 393 Macaulay Rd, Kensington, expected completion 2020

Images retrieved from: Studio Meche. (2019). [Nightingale Ballarat]. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://nightingalehousing.org/nightingale-ballarat Assemble Communities. (2019, April 4). [Digital image]. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https:// assemblecommunities.com/projects/393-macaulay-rd-kensington/

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Fostering Sustainable Communities An ecological & participatory approach to community design When considering alternative approaches to providing housing which address broader social, economic and environmental issues, we must look to urban design to understand these relationships within a broader spatial context. As Jan Gehl states, we must first design for life, then spaces, then buildings (2010, p.198), which suggests that we must first identify the community before we begin designing the space. In this approach, we must identify all potential actors which will be present in the formation of the community, along with their common understandings and aspirations.

In this approach we can look to the emergence of participatory design practices which engage principles of community knowledge within the process of design. This is particularly prevalent in the work of Estudio (Teddy Cruz & Fonna Forman), Atelier D’architecture Autogeree (aaa - Studio for Self-managed Architecture, founded by Constantin Petcou & Doina Petrescu) and Herman Hertzberger where narratives of micro communities can be explored not only to inform public space but also the socio-political protocols which govern the resulting community (Cruz, 2018).

Figure 3. “Casa Familar Housing” Estudio - Teddy Cruz, proposal, 2018

Firgure 4. R-Urban Agrocite Urban farming hub, aaa, 2011

Figure 5. R-Urban system framework, aaa, 2011

Images retrieved from: Cruz, T. (2014, February 5). The informal as inspiration for rethinking urban spaces: Architect Teddy Cruz shares 5 projects [Web log post]. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https:// blog.ted.com/architect-teddy-cruz-shares-5-projects/ [R-Urban Eco hub]. (2015). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from http://www.urbantactics.org/research/rurban/

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Extending Affordance Theory Considering affordance theory through an architectural lens Having defined the emergent community which will occupy the site, this thesis will explore ways in which ‘affordance theory’ (Gibson, 1986) can be applied in a residential architecture setting to facilitate the growth and adaptation of the community over time. Drawing on understanding approaches to affordance within urban design and other typologies of architecture, we can look to project such as ‘The End of Sitting’ which spatializes affordances within an office setting (RAAAF, 2015). The idea of affordances can also be applied in drawing parallels with progressive development-based designs such as the work of Elemental (Alejandro

Aravena) which can be used as a basis for approaching the staging of development of the site.

The site will not look to design a complete development, but rather an initiating response and possible avenues of futures development that may be facilitated through the engagement of the community.

Through this approach, the definition of dwelling will be expanded and considered as a collective infrastructure of shared services and amenities which operate as a community network of systems, providing negotiations and exchanges which facilitate community interaction.

Figure 6. RAAAF and Barbara Visser, The End of Sitting, 2014

Figure 7. Incremental Housing, Elemental - Alejandro Aravena, 2014

Images retrieved from: RAAAF. (2015). [The end of sitting]. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www. raaaf.nl/en/projects/927_the_end_of_sitting/952 Elemental. (2016). Villa Verde Housing in Constitución, Chile [Digital image]. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.architectmagazine.com/design/alejandro-aravena-makes-his-public-housing-designopen-source_o

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References

Affordable Development Outcomes. (2016, September 9). Improving access to affordable housing for vulnerable Victorians (Rep.). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from Affordable Development Outcomes website: http://www. infrastructurevictoria.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AffordableDevelopment-Outcomes-Improving-access-to-affordable-housing-forvulnerable-Victorians.pdf ABN: 56969019423 Aravena, A. (2011). Elemental: A Do Tank. AD, 18(3), 32-37.

Beer, A., Kearins, B., & Pieters, H. (2007). Housing Affordability and Planning in Australia: The Challenge of Policy Under Neo-liberalism. Housing Studies, 22(1), 11-24. doi:10.1080/02673030601024572 Chen, L. (2018). St Andrew’s Uniting Church: Appraisal of Heritage Issues.

Retrieved from Daley, J., Coates, B., and Wiltshire, T. (2018). Housing affordability: re-imagining the Australian dream. Grattan Institute.

Fergus, A. (2019, February 27). Redesigning the Housing Market. Retrieved September 12, 2020, from https://assemblepapers.com.au/2019/02/21/ redesigning-the-housing-market/ Gehl, J. (2010). Cities for people. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/ id/10437880 Gibson, J. J. (1986). The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Hulse, K., & Reynolds, M. (2018). Investification: Financialisation of housing markets and persistence of suburban socio-economic disadvantage. Urban Studies (Sage Publications, Ltd.), 55(8), 1655-1671. doi:10.1177/0042098017734995 Ĺ ucka, D. (2018). How to build a community. New Urbanism and its critics. Urban Development Issues, 59(1), 17-26. doi:https://doi.org/10.2478/udi-2018-0025 Oliver, T. (2020). The Self Delusion: The Surprising Science of Our Connection to Each Other and the Natural World: Orion.

RAAAF. (2015). The End Of Sitting Cut Out. In. Amsterdam.

THEY bklyn (Director). (2018). Teddy Cruz: 2018 Vilcek Prize in Architecture [Video file]. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=R3h9gPkxB3s

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Research and Explorations

Personal Ecosophy What does it mean to be in ecological harmony?

We need to have a wider sense of sustainability, not just environmental but in balance with personal and societal sustainability – The ripple effects of our current decisions, how they shape future decisions, not only personally but for others behind us.

Like Tom Oliver’s train of thought that these issues cannot be solved by individual fields on their own – architecture must expand itself to be an incorporation of everything we know. Although, it is not possible for us to do this alone and we need to work with other disciplines – rather than going down narrow routes, we must expand architecture Coming from working in an architecture firm that worked on both sides of the housing delivery (developer driven and social housing) I realized that a lot of the decisions made do not come from within the architecture itself and we need an understanding of the broader aspects at play – this is why I see urban design and urban planning as highly important and interconnected with architecture.

We need to be able to operate across these fields and the broader issues of society if we want to have agency and make a difference in the way architecture shapes our societies. By working at the broader and holistic scale, we create direction of channels which can shift architectural discourse.

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Key Considerations:

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Being mindfully aware of the natural environment around you.

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Having experience of the natural environment and its changes over time.

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Connection to the environment, bringing the changes to the forefront of the mind – seeing the relationships which form in nature. – interacting and influencing our operation.

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Interaction of changes – Climate – longer-term trends – Seasons – mid-term changes – Weather – Day to day changes – connected to the natural cycles of plants animals.

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Being mindful of our biological and social evolutions, how they interact and where they may be out of synch.

Ecology What does it mean to be connected to our environment?

“A Love Letter to the Forrests of the World”

Cloud Atlas Cloud Atlas (2012) makes us think about how our relationships and actions interact and cause influence across time, this is captured with the line “Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future”, this highlighting the sense that we must think of ourselves within the holistic whole of society and how our actions may cause echoes throughout history.

This is particularly prevalent in current societal discourse as our individualistic tendencies and movement towards instant gratifications can lead us to forget our place within the collective whole. This has made me think of the analogy of the wake created by boats on a lake, as multiple boats create a wake, these waves interact

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and begin to dissipate as they get further away but they form a ripple which extends further than the immediate path the boat has taken, this could relate to our thinking of how our actions influence beyond their immediate visible response.

Relating this to architecture, we can use this to understand the longevity of design as designs we create in the current time will often remain in place for many years to come. When taking this into considerations, we must have the foresight to think how the footprint we make today will shape society in the future, this is particularly important when related to issues such as urban sprawl, as these types of developments continue, they set the path for high dependency of fossil fuels for many years to come.

David Haskell provides a perspective which makes us realize our collective underappreciation for the forest as one of the key features of the planet which sustains life – touching on the abstraction of the forest which is distilled within our cultures “Our language remembers what our everyday minds forget” – we often take for granted the rich ecological systems which function within the forest – make us understand that we often think within the ‘visual’ or visible realms of what we can physically see within our field of view, not factoring the deeper systems which may not be visible to the naked eye.

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The Self-Delusion The Self-Delusion was particularly thought provoking as it challenges us to restructure the way we approach our personal decision making in a way that connects us directly to the core issues that society has to face. This challenges the individualistic approach that most of society currently hold through the idea of ‘causal chains’ where disconnection between the choice and consequence cannot often be directly seen or even quantified.

The argument made by Oliver follows the line of Arne Naess who states, “To solve environmental problems, our conception of selfidentity needs to expand from and ‘egoic self’ to an ‘ecological self’ that encompasses all of the earth’s living systems”, along with understanding human evolution through a genetic and cultural

lens. Whilst the argument for this is clear, I find it difficult to see how this can be widely implemented within society as it would require a collective cultural shift which may see reluctance from some members of society. Despite this, there are strong implications within architectural thinking and lends itself to ideas around expanding the practice of architecture to emphasize the site, not only as individual land but the entire global systems in which we operate.

This would frame architecture to consider wider political, economic and social implications which cannot wholly be achieved within singular spatial interventions but can collectively address efforts to shift a societal approach to recognizing the ecological self.

Diagramatic understanding of the self within current society, highlighting the missing links which need to be considered in the approach of Naess and Oliver.

“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.”

- David Mitchell “Our language remembers what our everyday minds forget” - David Haskell

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Agency How can we influence wider societal change through archtecture?

Personal Approach to Agency Fundamentally, I believe agency is the ability to act independently from the constraining structures of society. As discussed by Dana Cuff, this involves being the mediating force between structured organization of how society operates and the testing and refinement of ideas which offer alternative approaches in the aims of improved outcomes, reframed as ‘augmentation rather than challenging’ (2017). Approaching agency in this way can be seen similarly to a braided river where there may be a main path of flow which sifts over time as other channels expand, in this way, as the agent we shift the flow of discourse away for the ‘main’ path, influencing the existing structures which are in operation and transforming them to provide alternative routes which expand the knowledge and relevance of the field. In terms of personal approach, this means working across fields, becoming knowledgeable in other areas which have implications for architecture and vice versa in order to form stronger bonds between architectural outcomes and other spheres such as social, political and environmental realms which make up our societies.

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Spatial Agency: Other Ways of Doing Architecture Nishat Awan et al.

Nishat Awan et al discuss spatial agency in terms of a dialect pairing with structure, where agency is described as the “ability of the individual to act independently of the constraining structures of society” (2011, p.30). Through this notion it can be suggested that the architect does not act at solely either end of this dialect but negotiates between them, this can be justified as for agency to have a place, it must respond to an existing structure which is critically examined. Another key aspect discussed is the idea that the “agent is the one who effects change through the empowerment of others” (Awan et al, 2011, p.32), this is important in relation to the creating meaningful agency which extends beyond the sole agent as a key aspect of creating lasting change in the implementation of structures which ensure their longevity, this can only be done through empowerment of others to sustain the ideas beyond the input of the initial agent. I see this relating to some of the work around participatory design where the architects acts as an agent to implement systems which empower communities to continue initiatives in a way that is self-sustaining. This highlights the importance to time within agency and the importance of considering how to sustain such interventions.

Awan, N., Schneider, T., & Till, J. (2011). Spatial Agency. In Spatial agency: Other ways of doing architecture (pp. 30-34). London: Routledge. doi:https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315881249

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Agency: Working with Uncertain Architectures Florian Kossak etal.

In the discussion by Kossac et al on Agency, the reference to Tchumi which discusses this ‘zone of uncertainty which is maintained by “calling into question and arresting the inexorable march of rationality and the epistemological context” provides a key understanding of what agency can mean in a holistic sense. This highlights the idea that uncertainty sits at the edge of architectural theory and looks to open the possibilities of architecture to “engage with expanded economy”. Specifically, agency can operate to create social political and aesthetic transformation. This somewhat aligns with my pre-held ideas that a key aspect of agency in architecture is a notion that we must operate across disciplines in order to create effective change which extends beyond existing systems. This is highlighted in the work of Teddy Cruz who is referenced in the text, the work of Cruz is something I will be looking into further throughout this research for insight into operating across fields to create meaningful and sustained development practice.

Kossak, F. (Ed.), Petrescu, D. (Ed.), Schneider, T. (Ed.), Tyszczuk, R. (Ed.), Walker, S. (Ed.). (2010).

Agency. London: Routledge, https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203860298

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An Urban Belonging What does it mean to be apart of the urban community?

The Uses of Sidewalks: Safety

Social Life of Small Urban Spaces

Jane Jacobs (1961)

William.H. Whyte (1979) The social life of small urban spaces is a fundamental documentary which highlights the basic principles of what it means to dwell in an urban setting through recorded tracings of everyday users of urban spaces.

A key aspect which is highlighted early in the documentary is that the fundamental principles of urban public life which are experienced within plaza spaces are also present within well-functioning streets. This suggest that whilst we often jump to provision of open square type space as a means of creating public space, we should also consider the street as a public space and apply the same urban design principles of placemaking.

Another key aspect discussed by Whyte is the notion that we must make public space ‘sit-able’ in order to attract people to dwell within a space. This is highlighted in the juxstaposition with many of the unsuccessful plazas discussed in the documentary. Features which could allow people to sit are designed out, either purposefully with added feature to detract from sitting or through poor dimensional relationships. In order to design successful public spaces we need to consider how interfaces of surfaces relate to each other and how they can be utilized as spaces of seating.

The Uses of Sidewalks is an important text which highlights the key qualities of urban space and how it functions. This text has strong links to the observations made by William Whyte in The Social Life of Small Urban Space, giving context to the details of user experience and what it means be in urban space. Jacobs describes sidewalks with reference to the idea of the ‘street ballet’ which, whilst unplanned, is the general interactions which play out within the space over time. This relates to a wider context when stated “If a city’s streets look interesting, the city looks interesting” (Jacobs, 1961).

Jacobs identifies three main qualities which must be present for a city street to be successful, these include clear demarcation between public space and what is

Whyte, W. (Director). (1979). The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces [Video file]. ~Owned Content University of Melbourne. Retrieved August 27, 2020, from Kanopy.

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private space, eyes on the street from ‘natural proprietors’ and finally a fairly continuous number of users. Though these aspects do not guarantee a successful street these precursors are likely to suggest that the street will be reasonably safe and a positive place to inhabit.

A key aspect that can be raised around the ideas of Jacobs is that they are specific to an urban setting where there is a critical density of population to allow for natural overlooking to occur, thinking specifically to Ballarat, it may be difficult to emulate these qualities due to the relatively low density of population within the inner areas of the city. This will mean further consideration around the interaction between the public and private elements of the street and how passive safety measures can be incorporated.

Jacobs, J. (2011). The Uses of Sidewalks: Safety. In R. T. LeGates & F. Stout (Eds.), The City Reader (pp.

149-153). London, UNITED KINGDOM: Taylor & Francis Group.

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Architecture and Public Space Alberto Perez Gomez (2009) Perez-Gomez discusses the changing nature of urban public space, identifying the consequences of conceptualizing cities as “efficient systems of circulation and consumption” which has led to hostility and unmanageable urban spaces. He highlights that configuration of public space is an important aspect of architecture which needs to be considered within any project citing modern trends of privatization as a threat to proper consideration of the public realm. A key justification for the importance of public space is linked to the idea that it holds much more than just common circulation paths and that it is also a political and ritualistic space.

In order to consider urban spaces as more than just circulation, Perez-Gomez states that we must look to alternative forms of mapping which ‘have nothing to do with geometric precision’. This is useful to consider within the framing of this project as it provides and opportunity to break from the precise grid which Ballarat’s street grid is based on and look at what other spatial qualities should be prioritized over pure geometrics.

Perez-Gomez, A. (2009). Architecture and Public Space. In M. Kingwell & P. Turmel (Eds.), Rites of Way : The Politics and Poetics of Public Space (pp. 47-53). Waterloo, ON, CANADA: Wilfrid Laurier University Press.

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The Open City Richard Sennett (2008) In ‘The Open City’ Richard Sennett discusses the failures of our modern cities, tracing this back to “over determination of the city’s visual form and its social functions” (2008) as the route cause of many of the systemic issues we face. A key argument made by Sennett which is particularly relevant to the project site is the notion that buildings are “overspecified in form and function” (Sennett, 2008) which leads to demolition rather than adaptation. Whilst it is a vague parallel that can be drawn, as the intention of erecting a church is for the particular program it is intended for, the same fundamental issue still persists with the site. In the case of the Old St Andrew’s Kirk, we have the opportunity to explore radical adaptation of the church building in a way that provides a multitude of uses which cannot be addressed within the current building form.

Drawing on the ideas of over determination, Sennett relates this to the idea of ‘The Brittle City’ which represents a view that society itself is a closed system, where “every part of the system has a place in the overall design” (2008). As a response to this, the idea of ‘incomplete form’ in the way buildings respond to their context. This is an interesting concept to consider in relation to lower density urban form such as Ballarat.

Sennett, R. (2008). The Open City. In R. Burdett & D. Sudjic (Eds.), The endless city (pp. 290-297).

London: Phaidon Press.

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Selection of Urban Mapping Studies Geelong

Exploring the Urban Environment

Copenhagen

How can analysis of other cities urban form influence Ballarat?

Copenhagen and Geelong Through this task we explored the urban space through the local example of Geelong and the European example of Copenhagen.

These urban spaces were explored at scales ranging from 200m to 10km, through this analysis, a range of distinct differences were found within the composition of urban space but when explored at a street level, key similarities of how people were using space could be highlighted. This analysis is useful when considering the project site of Ballarat as comparisons of urban form and its relationship to life on the street can suggest possible qualities which could be incorporated within the project site.

Street Networks at 10x10km scale

Green/Open Space at 10x10km scale

Street Networks and Figure Ground at 1x1km scale

Group exercise undertaken by: Joel Falconer, Laura Rawlings and Mark Jesson

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Aerial Imagery at 200x200m Scale

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Place and Participation How can community participation play a role in wider outcomes of spatial design?

Aterlier D’architecture Autogeree Atelier d’architecture autogérée (aaa - Studio for Self-managed Architecture) was co-founded

by Constantin Petcou and Doina Petrescu in 2001 with a philosophy of research and experimentation through collaborative networks within the existing community structures. Many of aaa’s projects explore experimentation of temporary reuse of leftover urban space through setting up enabling infrastructures which can be transitioned to be sustained by local residents over time, resulting in community self-management.

This bottom-up approach see the architect as a negotiator and facilitator, allowing the community to set the direction for their particular local systems.

A key project undertaken by aaa is R-Urban which was first implemented in Colombes, France in 2011. The key principles of the project and philosophy behind the work of aaa includes: - Identifying and creating short circuits in urban production chains - Express ecological cycles in tangible ways - Using adaptation and resilience thinking as a catalyst for urban activation, innovation and creativity - Providing tools and space allowing the manifestation of existing resilient initiatives within the community - Focus on understanding the networks and cycles which occur between facilities

Under the structure of R-Urban three key spatial outcomes were implemented which compliment the establishment of social community frameworks that drive the desired outcome.

- Recyclab - Recycling and eco-construction unit - social enterprise - Ecohab - cooperative eco housing – partially self-built, shared facilities - Agrocite - community garden/urban farming initiative

R-Urban Agrocite - Urban farming hub, aaa, 2011

R-Urban system framework, aaa, 2011

- Architect becomes the initiators, negotiators, co-managers and enablers of processes and agencies

Framing the sphere of architect as civic enabler to encompass all aspects of community and outcomes

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- Aid in strengthening existing civic community initiatives with spatial interventions

Hensel, M. (Ed.), Nilsson, F. (Ed.). (2019). The Changing Shape of Architecture. London: Routledge, https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315284095 Spatial Agency: Atelier d’architecture autogérée. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www. spatialagency.net/database/why/political/aaa

Using the process of aaa follows an understanding of systems and interactions at play, defining spatial outcomes which can facilitate future community initiative, curating boundaries of framework with adapts as the community evolves.

Images and Information from: Harvard Design Magazine: R-Urban: Resilient Agencies, Short Circuits, and Civic Practices in Metropolitan Suburbs. (2014, Winter). Retrieved August 29, 2020, from http:// www.harvarddesignmagazine.org/issues/37/r-urban-resilient-agencies-short-circuits-and-civicpractices-in-metropolitan-suburbs

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EStudio (Teddy Cruz & Fonna Forman) EStudio is a practice located in San Diego which focuses on the issues surrounding the border communities of Tijuana and the relationships which can be formed with United States resources. A key aspect of their philosophy is the participation of border communities within their design and transgressing the top-down process often imposed on urban poor communities. They aim to tackle not just spatial issues but issues surrounding employment, cultural and community empowerment and political inequalities imposed on vulnerable societies.

Through their work, Cruz and Forman identify the tensions between physical and political outcomes and attempt to bridge the gap between them. Using a bottom-up approach, the details of how the community will inhabit the space are a key consideration before spatial outcomes are imposed. In relation to housing, Cruz highlights that it must be embedded with in an infrastructure of support (2018). The infrastructure being discussed does not only relate to physical infrastructure but also the networks of systems which aid in equitable social and political outcomes.

THEY bklyn (Director). (2018). Teddy Cruz: 2018 Vilcek Prize in Architecture [Video file]. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3h9gPkxB3s

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The above diagram traces the design process undertaken by Teddy Cruz for “Casa Familiar Housing�. In this process, the project evolves around the provision of a church which is existing on the site, a commnity is then established through the provison of outdoor amenities. After this, consideration of different household types are considered with their relationship to the broader community site in a way that forms a cohesive community structure - reaching beyond the spatial aspects, this design factors in social interdependencies and needs of the occupants in a way that fosters a community living approach.

Images retrieved from: Cruz, T. (2014, February 5). The informal as inspiration for rethinking urban spaces: Architect Teddy Cruz shares 5 projects [Web log post]. Retrieved August 29, 2020, from https:// blog.ted.com/architect-teddy-cruz-shares-5-projects/

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Post Occupancy Participation Ideas of how space can develop over time

Herman Hertzberger A fundamental approach taken by Herman Hertzberger is to provide a framework in which the occupants of the design have the freedom to modify the space as they see fit for their use. This was often achieved through a regulating grid structure which provides opportunities for subsequent additions.

This is seen within the design of De Drie Hoven elderly housing in Amsterdam where residents the residents were encouraged to modify their environments to suit, particularly with structure being left with an unfinished appearance to foster customization. This approach particularly aligns with the ideas of creating affordances within the architecture and specific approaches are taken to provide cues which can encourage occupant participation.

An approach to incorporating this into the design process could be to design with an intended outcome in mind and the pull the design apart based on questioning what aspects could be left to the occupant to decide whilst maintaining a level of suggestion to what the object could be.

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The structure allows for a double height space with infill panels above creating a mezzanine

The wall of the building breaks away from the grid of the structure and provides and entry alcove and small planter.

Diagrams of Diagoon houses, showing how spaces could be reconfigured free from the structure to suit the occupants, example, the ground floor shows configurations for a range of car sizes, allowing for spatial effieciency relative to the occupant

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Public Space Redesign Task Looking at participatory design within Bridge Mall Park of Ballarat For this design task we were asked to consider how we would redesign a public within the CBD of Ballarat, through this investigation, Bridge St Park was highlighted as a key visible space within the city that could be used as a catalyst for further community change. The park is sited at the pivot point between the two main axis of Ballarat and is a visible location when entering the CBD from the east. As this park space had redeveloped within recent times, rather than completely remaking the space, using the ideas of participatory

design that interventions do not need to change the entire space, a set of two small buildings were added to the space to facilitate the forming of a community that could extend beyond the bounds of the site. The intervention includes a small pavilion structure as a symbol of a meeting place and a small bike maintenance shed which would be run by the community. These interventions would facilitate wider community engagement and act as a steppingstone to engaging in large participatory projects.

Top: Site Plan Center: Section of pavilion intervention Bottom: Perspective looking east from Little Bridge Street

Site analysis of Bridge Mall Park - Highlighting weaknesses in current design Group work undertaken by: Jaymin Saliya, Yuqi Tao, Si Nga Wong and Mark Jesson All drawings displayed were produced by Mark Jesson

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What Does Financialization Mean?

Framing the housing delivery spectrum

As stated by Andy Fergus “who funds development has a significant impact on the quality and diversity of housing” (2019), this means it is important to first situate the design within an understanding of finance frameworks for residential development and where these the project may diverge from existing models of providing affordable housing strategies.

Based on the identified models, the project will explore the approaches of Baugruppe and co-housing strategies as a basis for the design. Through both of these models there is a common financial approach of collective finance and a development delivered by a co-operative or organization. The nature of such approaches invites the implementation of participatory design practices within the development as individuals have a vested interest in creating an outcome which accommodates their needs.

Through these models the question of ‘can we design in a way that provides a low-cost step into suitable housing that meets the residents changing needs incrementally?’ can be explored as an alternative to ridgid design outcomes which may not adapt to the changing needs of the founding residents.

This diagram clarifies the spectrum of housing approaches in relation to financing models and their intended output. This is critical to understand as typological outcomes can be influenced by the selected financial model that is being undertaken Fergus, A. (2019, February 27). Redesigning the Housing Market. Retrieved September 12, 2020, from https://assemblepapers.com.au/2019/02/21/redesigning-the-housing-market/

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Images retrieved from: Oehr, A. (2019). Redesigning the Housing Market [Digital image]. Retrieved September 12, 2020, from https://assemblepapers.com.au/2019/02/21/redesigning-the-housingmarket/

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Co-Housing Model

Baugruppe Model

A key aspect which the co-housing model relies on is radical democracy (Fergus, 2019), this means that there is a strong and constructive process of solving issues within the community and an understanding of negotiation through living situations. The idea of radical democracy as well as spatial ideas of how spaces transition between semi-private and private will all be important considerations within the development of the design.

The Baugruppe instills the ideas of community led housing within the process of delivery with long term outlooks towards fostering the development community beyond the design and construction phase of the project.

As the co-housing model typically does not include strata-titling (Fergus, 2019) there is limited individual freedom of modification within the space. Understanding the differences of negotiating space between the co-housing and baugruppe models will provide the oportunity to explore how aspects of each model can be incorperated within designing relationships of private and semi-private space.

This model has been adopted within Melbourne by groups such as Property Collectives who act as ‘enablers’ within the process of forming the collective and aquiring land through to the building and delivery of the project.

Whilst this model provides an opportunity for prospective residents to attain a property suitable to their needs at the time of the process, it could be argued that prospects of future growth within the building is an area that is not always possible to achieve.

Nightingale WOW has been designed by WOWOWA Architects as part of the Nightingale Village following the Baugruppe approach

Framing my design process of exploring ways to provide this flexibility of growth provides an architectural area of focus which can be explore within the thesis design investigations.

Fergus, A. (2019, February 27). Redesigning the Housing Market. Retrieved September 12, 2020, from https://assemblepapers.com.au/2019/02/21/redesigning-the-housing-market/

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Fergus, A. (2019, February 27). Redesigning the Housing Market. Retrieved September 12, 2020, from https://assemblepapers.com.au/2019/02/21/redesigning-the-housing-market/ Property Collectives. (n.d.). The Model. Retrieved September 12, 2020, from http://propertycollectives. com.au/the-model/ Ring, K. (2016, November 2). Reinventing density: How baugruppen are pioneering the self-made city.

Retrieved September 12, 2020, from https://theconversation.com/reinventing-density-how-baugruppenare-pioneering-the-self-made-city-66488

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Masterplanning Design Approach Finding common ground

Undertaking the master planning exercise involved the negotiation between the trajectory of the group members individual design ideas and the common themes which could be emphasized in the master planning to create a cohesive and viable approach which we could build on individually.

In our initial discussions we found common ground with ideas relating to communal space with each of the members seeing shared spaces which foster community interaction extended beyond the basic amenities typically offered within a residential development.

Using this as a starting point for further discussion, we began to get an understanding of the programmatic aspects that could be incorporated beyond residential space and how these could be integrated in a way that creates an intensity of interaction within the wider planning of the masterplan.

Public

Semi-Public Coworking Space

Street Space Markets

Green Space

Commercial/ Retail

Semi-Private

Communal workshops

Communal shared spaces

Community children play spaces

Community Childcare

Private Other Shared residential ammenities

Community Laundry Facilities

Private Residential Space

Diagram of the range of spaces that could be provided within the scheme and their intended level of privacy relative to other spaces. This allowed the group to understanding the spatial relationships that could be formed within the site and how these could be layered and linked to create clear definitions of space using urban design principles as a guide. (Diagram originally produces by Han Jiang, adapted by Mark Jesson).

Through a process of individual thought explorations followed by in-depth group discussions, we incrementally worked through a process of weaving together the base ideas and common spatial planning ideas we could see emerging within our proposals to create a cohesive vision for the site.

Masterplanning group work undertaken in collaboration with Han Jiang, Damian Shannon and Wessi Wu. All drawings completed by Mark Jesson unless otherwise stated.

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Perspective vision for the main pedestrian street scape of the proposed masterplan.

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Site Analysis Understanding the site conditions

Building on the group ideas of establishing intense community space for interaction to occur, we focused our understanding of the site within the context of the entire city block to provide opportunities for future connection and interaction with the existing building sites located to the north and east.

Through understanding the existing open spaces for the block as a whole, as well as considering the heritage value of existing buildings we found the west and south boundaries to be the location for the main intervention of the master planning. Whilst this would see the demolition of some of the buildings located on the site, this is a relatively small concession whilst enhancing the usability of the remaining existing buildings.

Other layers of understanding explored in the research highlighted the importance of the dialogue of the Church buildings located on either side of Sturt Street, the church buildings and the space around them provides a reprieve from the street fronting building typologies on either side along Sturt Street.

This is something we looked to retain within our proposal. Additionally, we explored the existing private vehicle spaces within the site to understand how this could be leveraged for providing negotiated access through the block and opportunities to create residential laneway space.

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Site

Residential

Commercial

Education

Medical

Green Space

Site situated within context. Overlaid with predominant land use information from census mesh block data. This shows the site located on the fringe of the main commercial heart if the city and along the commercial spine of Sturt Street. The site is situated within proximity to a range of educational and medical facilities.

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Site Area

Site Area

ea Total Site: 22042 sqm22,042sqm Total Block Area: Heritage Building: 3111 sqm

Total Site: 22042 sqm Total Site: 22042 sqm

Heritage Building: 3111 sqm

Heritage Building: 3111 sqm Heritage Buildings

Existing Building: 6225 sqm Existing Buildings

Site Area Existing Building: 6225 sqm

Existing Open Space: 12706 sqmwest Analysis of the existing buildings and open space highlights the low density of buildings to the south

area of the block which contains the heritage buildings of the St Andrews Kirk site. Relatively dense built Existingalong Building: sqm perimeter and form extends the6225 northern the northern end12706 of thesqm eastern perimeter. Additional Existing Open Space: buildings located on the west of the site have been identified as buildings which could be removed in order toExisting propose a cohesive master Open Space: 12706 sqm plan for the whole city block. (Diagram produced by Wessi Wu, adapted by Mark Jesson).

Existing Views Total Site: 22042 sqm Heritage Building: 3111 sqm Existing Building: 6225 sqm Existing Open Space: 12706 sqm

Looking at the existing buildings from street view shows brick as a dominant material of the existing buildings.

To the northern end of the block, built form is relatively dense which limits the potential for Issues access through the block in this area. The established buildings, whilst some were originally residential incorporate small office and medical facilities. To retain the established character of this end of the block, it could be beneficial to leave these as the serve their current functions and draw visitors 1. The Block is less visible and buildings accessible to the location. (Diagram produced by Wessi Wu).

2. The area lacks vitality and attraction 3. The density of the area cannot meet the population growth of Ballarat 2040

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Land-Use Map

Armstrong St

Midland Hw y

Dawson St

Lyon St

Ragian St

Errard St

Mair St

Sturt St

Site Area 0-5m

5-15m

15-30m

30-60m Dana St

Site Area

Analysis of surrounding building heights shows that buildings are relatively low in height around the area where residential buildings are located. Along the main corridor of Strut Street there is a prevalence of slightly taller buildings which aligns with the retail typology which occurs on these sites. Within the vicinity there selected taller buildings which are associated with the State Government Offices, the town hall and new GovHub building. (Diagram produced by Wessi Wu).

Height

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0-5m

15-30m

5-15m

30-60m

Total Site: 22042 sqm Total Site: 22042 sqm22,042sqm Total Block Area: Heritage Building: 3111 sqm

Heritage Building: sqm Existing Vehicle 3111 Access

Site Area

Existing Building: 6225 sqm Existing vehicle access through the site highlights the possibility to create connections through the block which allows movement through. This could provide opportunities to integrate the existing buildings to Existing Building: 6225 sqm the north of the block with the scheme at a later dateOpen if they have12706 shared Existing Space: sqmaccess to the street networks within the site. This could be incorporated through a negotiation with the existing owners of the buildings where they would benefit greater Existing Open Space:from 12706 sqm accessibility to their properties.

Exist Building Height

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Onehunga Mall Apartments

ISTHMUS ARCHITECTS

Heller Street Park & Residences SIX DEGREES ARCHITECTS Ground FLOOR PLAN 11x 2-bed apartments 2 x commercial spaces

The Heller Street Residences is arranged with parking and bedroom at the ground floor, living spaces on the first floor and bedrooms and study space at the second floor.

The living spaces at the first floor are open plan with a large terrace of the living space. This allows for a strong connection to the outdoor space as well as access to cross ventilation within the living spaces.

The Stairs are split either side of the kitchen which provides an interesting entrance when coming from the ground floor into the living space.

Precedent Typology Studies Understanding Building Forms

Onehunga Mall Apartments

Onehunga Mall Apartments

From the way the building sits with the landscape outdoor space has been provided at the ground floor and the first floor. The site is also situated with a park space in front of the houses which allows for additional active outdoor amenity.

This apartment complex makes use of smaller building typologies in order to provide high levels of amenity to all apartments. This also creates interesting inbetween spaces and a main outdoor thoroughfare space to service access to the apartments

ISTHMUS ARCHITECTS

The units can be access from both the ground and first floor with the main entrance being located at the first floor at living space.

Overall this plan provides 3 bedrooms and an additional study space, there is also 2 bathrooms and an ensuite, located on the ground and second floors.

Heller Street Townhouses

All plans being orientation in the same direction allows for privacy with the living spaces open to the entry walkway allowing for visual connection.

Zavos Corner

Zavos Corner provides an unconventional plan for a small apartment block. The way the site is laid out allows for dual aspect to all apartments as well as an individual style to each apartment.

All units are accessed from the shared courtyard at the center of the site, with upper floor apartments having private stairs immediately at the unit entrance.

This provides a greater community within the complex as it allows for residents to cross paths more frequently.

To deal with privacy, the units step deeper into the site along the length of the site, this allow for increased privacy and mitigates overlooking from the other side of the site.

Balconies alternate between the masses of the block meaning minimal stacking of balconies and increased privacy.

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Zavos Corner

Overall Zavos Corner provides a individualistic way to dealing with multi unit housing

The plan of these apartments allows for dual or triple aspect to each of the apartments, this is achieved by splitting each level to cluster around smaller cores which service only 2-5 apartments per floor. This breaking down of form also allows increased sunlight to all apartments across the site as there is more external wall space for each apartment and also sunlight can be accessed between the blocks.

underground car parking which is accessed at the lowest part of the site, this works well as it provides almost level access to the courtyard from the street.

All apartments in this development have two bedrooms, with many apartments having one bedroom with dual aspect. Living, kitchen and dining space are configured around private open balconies creating an L-shape configuration, this naturally divides the spaces into a kitchen and dining area and a living area. Balcony space provide ample room for outdoor living furniture and where situated on the corner, allow for maximum exposure to sunlight throughout the day.

11x 2-bed apartments slope of the boundary has been used well to provide 2The x commercial spaces

In addition to private living spaces a communal ground floor garden space is also provided. This is situated at the center of the long north face of the site which allows for optimal sunlight access.

Across the site, bedrooms look out to the exterior of the site with living spaces focusing towards the middle, this allows for semi-private activities to take place where most exposed to overlooking.

From the way the building sits with the Parsonson Architects landscape outdoor space has been Zavos Corner provides an unconventional plan for a small provided at the ground floor and the first apartment block. The way the site is laid out allows for aspect to all apartments as well as an individual style floor. The site is also situated with a park dual to each apartment. space in front of the houses which allows All units are accessed from the shared courtyard at the for additional active outdoor amenity. center of the site, with upper floor apartments having private stairs immediately at the unit entrance. This The units can be access from both the provides a greater community within the complex as it ground and first floor with the main allows for residents to cross paths more frequently. entrance being located at the first floor at The majority of apartments with the block are 2 bedroom with a single bathroom. There is also a 3 bedroom unit and Ground FLOOR PLAN living space. a single bedroom unit within the complex.

Overall this is a positive scheme which provides high levels of amenity to residents whilst increasing density on the site.

During the early stages of group discussions, exploration of a range of typologies was undertaken to get an understanding of how residential space could be configured within the site. The typologies explored included row townhouses, hybrid medium density approaches, low rise apartments and tower block type apartments. During this stage personal vision of the site was for townhouse and low rise apartment typologies as this would create a transition from the mainly standalone housing of the area whilst constraining the bulk of the site.

Zavos Corner

Parsonson Architects Zavos Corner provides an unconventional plan for a small apartment block. The way the site is laid out allows for dual aspect to all apartments as well as an individual style to each apartment.

All units are accessed from the shared courtyard at the center of the site, with upper floor apartments having private stairs immediately at the unit entrance. This provides a greater community within the complex as it allows for residents to cross paths more frequently.

The majority of apartments with the block are 2 bedroom The of these apartments or triple withplan a single bathroom.

Thereallows is alsofor a 3dual bedroom unit and aspect each of the this is achieved by a singletobedroom unitapartments, within the complex. splitting each level to cluster around smaller cores which service onlyof2-5 perbeen floor.used Thiswell breaking down The slope theapartments boundary has to provide of form also allows increased sunlight to all apartments underground car parking which is accessed at the lowest across asthis there is more wall space part ofthe thesite site, works wellexternal as it provides almost level for eachto apartment and also can be accessed access the courtyard fromsunlight the street. between the blocks.

To deal with privacy, the units step deeper into the site All apartments in of this development have bedrooms, along the length the site, this allow fortwo increased privacy with apartments having one bedroom with and many mitigates overlooking from the other side ofdual the site. aspect.

Living, kitchen and dining space are configured Balconies alternate between the masses of the block around private open balconies creating an L-shape meaning minimal stacking of balconies and increased configuration, this naturally divides the spaces into a privacy. kitchen and dining area and a living area. Balcony space provide forprovides outdooraliving furniture way and where Overall ample Zavos room Corner individualistic to situated on the corner, for maximum exposure to dealing with multi unit allow housing sunlight throughout the day.

In addition to private living spaces a communal ground floor garden space is also provided. This is situated at the center of the long north face of the site which allows for optimal sunlight access.

Across the site, bedrooms look out to the exterior of the site with living spaces focusing towards the middle, this allows for semi-private activities to take place where most exposed to overlooking.

Overall this is a positive scheme which provides high levels of amenity to residents whilst increasing density on the site.

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Master Plan Iterations

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Exploring the spatial arrangement

Moving into the planning of the scheme, the group decided to individually explore the spatial opportunities of the site and then compare the approaches to find common ground that could be used for developing the scheme.

The initial response to the site explored the existing built form to find the existing open spaces within the site that could create opportunities for intervention. From this, it was simplified to separate the northern part of the site where existing building density was well established. This was then used to propose potential access routes through the site, considered alongside the important aspect view of the church building. This was then developed to form areas of potential built form which were proposed to the group. This was used as a basis for further development of the site and exploring the vertical possibilities of the site.

Key urban design strategies which were considered through this process included, permeability and visibility in order to allow connections through the site to remain safe and inviting. Additional consideration was given to the hierarchy of spaces, considering the main north-south axis as the predominant public/semi-private space of the site.

1: Locating existing built form within the block 2: Identifying existing access points to the site and areas of open space 3: Highlighting aspects of view towards the church that are important to retain, indicating the possibility for view interaction with the existing building mass to the north of the site.

4: Identifying main space for the development of new form as well as the possible main gestural routes through the site.

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Phase 02 Phase 01 Phase 02 Phase 01

5: Indicating potential breaking up of mass and identifying main sense of address/outlook, rationalizing access routes through the site 6: Indicating potential green spaces, parking and private outdoor space locations 7: Rationalizing the proposition within the site of the St Andrews Kirk as an initial proposition of the site 8: Indicating a focus of space within the internal courtyard of the scheme 9: After group discussion, identifying the core community space within the wider proposition, exploring options of extending south mass towards the church

Spatial Intervention Plan, 1:2000: Reviewing the plan development of the site, this was solidified to indicate the extent of intervention within the master plan for the block (Hatched) The next step is to explore the potential built form within the areas indicated for development and their interaction with the access routes which have been distinguished.

10: Reviewing connections across the site and defining vehicle access through site/pedestrian access

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Massing Defining the master plan dimensions

As we became confident with the direction of the planning of the block, we began to explore this further in three dimensions.

Whilst this had already been a point of discussion throughout our planning, this was our first attempt in drawing the ideas we had been discussing. Following earlier processes, we undertook individual exercises to explore mass before deciding as a group on the direction to progress.

During this process, a fundamental understanding of the massing had progressed through stages to configure the spaces within the site. This was started by visualizing the site as the three-story mass across the proposed area, opportunities for further height within the site were identified at the centre of the site.

Following the understanding of dimensions drawn from the typology precedence, this was proportioned to the mass locations and situated at optimal locations to enhance sunlight accessibility and provide suitable proportions for spaces between the buildings.

Defining the proposed plan as mass of 3 levels above ground

Indicating the potential for further height within the proposed scheme, setting main bulk at the center of the block.

Proposed breakdown of mass based on typology dimensions explored. Proposing a podium linking structure in the middle of the scheme

Exploring the potential for further built form to be added to the massing. Linking across the parallel blocks.

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Proposed Master Plan Group Master Plan Proposal

Alongside the previous development of the massing, an approach of splitting the central block in the north south direction was also explored. As shown in the parti diagram below, this was predicated on the middle block remaining permeable at the ground floor, creating a synergy of shared spaces located around the main outdoor space of the development. Breaking down the massing in this way provides free access throughout the site whilst maintaining a hierarchy of the access routes through the site.

Concept ‘parti’ for masterplan (Produced by Damian Shannon)

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Axonometric view from south west corner of site

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Consultant Address Address Phone Fax e-mail Consultant Address Address Phone Fax e-mail

A key aspect considered within the master plan is the provision of green space along the Sturt Street end of the site, this maintains view lines of the church along Sturt Street but also provides the opportunity for an interface between the community residents and the wider Ballarat public as it could be designed to be an inviting park space. This is particularly important as there are limited quality park spaces within the area within walking distance for residents. This will also provide the opportunity for a synergy with the church building as they can be used for hosting community events.

Consultant Address Address Phone Fax e-mail Consultant Address Address Phone Fax e-mail Consultant Address Address Phone Fax e-mail

www.autodesk.com/revit

Consultant Address Address Phone Fax Project Address e-mail Enter address here Consultant Address Address Phone Fax e-mail Consultant

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Consultant Address Address Phone Fax e-mail

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1 - Residential, 2 - Communal spaces, 3 - Community multi-use space, 4 - Community based space, 5 - Refurbished existing church - wider Ballarat community hub, Projectretail/commercial Number 6 - Community Square - Outdoor event space Issue Date

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Site Sections

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Responding to Developed Master Plan

During further discussions of the group master plan, further analysis was undertaken to refine the direction of the master plan.

The outcome of these discussions was a framework of shared principles that could be used within the individual projects to ensure the design relates to the general ideas the master plan intends to achieve for the site.

Reviewing this framework in relation to this project, some of the key ideas which were intuitively followed from the master plan can be identified and considered further as the project progresses.

Respect church site lines and open space This is an important aspect for this site as the building will have a direct dialogue with the church and the open space, this will mean considering the way the building presents towards Sturt Street and how this relates to the church.

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Consideration of visibility through the site In considering visibility through the site, it will be important to consider the relationships of internal and external space at the ground floor to maintain clear visibility through the site.

Preservation of existing planting and land conditions Consideration of the existing established trees surrounding the building location will be important, maintaining existing trees can provide additional shading and protection to the building.

Consider relationships of public and private functions with respect to wider community connections and heritage

Provision of transitional outdoor spaces that provide a sheltered outdoor environment

Intensity of visual connection and passive surveillance to main outdoor gathering spaces

As this building will sit at the Sturt Street end of the site, there is an inherent opportunity to integrate commercial activity into the building which can draw in people from the wider community.

This will be an important consideration particularly with the climate of Ballarat as it will allow usability of outdoor spaces for longer periods of the year.

Creating a visual connection, particularly at the ground floor between the main outdoor space of the site will foster passive surveillance, contributing to the wider success of the scheme.

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Reviewing the Thesis Proposal Reflection and further steps

After reviewing the the preliminary proposal phase of the project, it was important to write down my thoughts in order to refine and structure of my ideas. This has aided me in defining the direction and transitioning from philosophical ideas to testing these through architectural exploration. The first question I asked myself were what will this project be? and How will I progress this to spatial design?

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What will this project be?

How will I progress this to spatial design?

I see this being a built form which instill the growth of the community within the architecture.

In this approach, the building will be designed ‘lightly’ with built-in potentials for adaptation and growth over time through a democratic community negotiated process. This is where I see the ideas of participatory design as well as affordance theory come in as affordance will be instilled as architectural gestures which suggest where the building is meant to grow and where spaces are expected to be filled in or adapted. From this vantage point, this could almost be seen as designing the spaces in between.

Through the ideas I have been looking at in my research, particularly concepts of participatory design, there is a particular importance on defining the clients/actors as well as the situation in which the design is occurring. This will be done through defining target residents with particular narratives that can be weaved into the design.

Additionally, it will be important to define the financial situation in which the spatial design will occur as this will impact the structuring of spaces in relation to the private or semi-private uses.

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Who Will the Community Be?

Through understanding the emerging demographics within Ballarat, it is proposed that a focus on three main groups are explored for their attributes and qualities. Through these actors, this project will explore the strengths each of these groups brings and the interdependencies that can have with each other to provide a connected community.

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University Students – As students will be a key part of increasing the intensity of the Ballarat city center – I see this as an opportunity to provide for students who have limited choices currently within Ballarat

•

Artists – focusing on the community side, artists often need space with limited means, so I see this as a way of developing the creative scene of Ballarat

The Artist

•

Exploring the realm of the private and semi private spaces, how could the space allow for varying levels of privacy dependent on the needs of the occupant? Where spatial uses may be shared between multiple residents at a level that they feel comfortable with or is within their means of affordability.

The Professional

Young Professionals – Targeted at expected growth of young professionals associated with Gov Hub jobs as well as young start ups

The Student

•

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In order to progress the project, it is important to narrow down the target residents in the first instance of the design. In previous iterations this has consisted of three groups which has made it difficult to find a driving narrative of how the development will progress. Reflecting on this, the project will be narrowed to focus on young couples more broadly, who are looking to establish themselves within the Ballarat community with the intention of raising a family.

This is an important group to focus on within the context of the site

Bedroom Bedroom Bedroom Bathroom Kitchen Living Laundry Workspace

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as it will provide an opportunity for family housing within close proximity to the Ballarat CBD, fostering a greater intensity through increased family density.

Considering young couples as the residents for this design, the key goal of this project will be how to provide and affordable step into higher density housing which allows incremental growth as it is needed, evolving with the residents as their housing demands change over their lifetime.

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Household 1

Household 2

Shared housing or ‘micro co-housing’ Individual household

Individual household

Incremental Development

Incremental Development

Family Housing

Family Housing

Based on the identified residents needs, a framework of how this may be accommodated incrementally has been resolved in respect to the delivery methods of Baugruppe and Co-housing previously researched.

Through the proposed model, an approach of ‘micro co-housing’ will be explored as a way of providing

shared amenities to residents as an affordable approach to purchasing a first home. From this micro cohousing the ideas of incremental housing will be explored through the steps of splitting occupancies into private units and then developing further to provide additional family spaces as they are needed.

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This diagram considers what the requirements of the residents may be across their lifetime. Darker blocks identify spatial requirements which will be private with lighter blocks identifying spaces that could be semi private or communal. These requirements may change across the residents lifetime as demands of family shift.

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Baugruppe / CoHousing Approach

Refining the target and relevant actors

Incremental Development Approach

Reviewing the Occupants

Additional reflective thoughts around the time of refining the resident community Today I was grappling with the context of my project with the confines of my research, mainly, how will the formation of the residential architecture provide an alternative approach to creating affordable homes within a medium density context? – Having recently been thinking along the lines of situating the design between the approaches of Baugruppe and Co-housing, it has been difficult to picture what this may become. Having dwelled on these thoughts, I feel that the idea of providing a rigid overall structure to the building may not be the right approach to providing these possibilities. Moving forward I will think about how an approach of ‘micro co-housing’ as an approach which will allow the establishment of family homes in the future may be an approach.

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Parti Diagramming

The initial thoughts of exploring a parti diagram look at the ideas of creating a structured form to the site which built form can be weaved through to create a collaborative and participatory intervention within. This follows similar ideas to that of Herman Hertzberger’s approach to design.

Within the design I am looking at the idea of an off-square grid with provides opportunities for variable dimensions to be created within the spatial interventions of the structure.

Other ideas look at exploring the connection and separation of private space from the ground plan, creating open and flowing shared spaces which next under the private spaces of the development.

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Relationship to the Site Implementing ideas within the site

Following a path of a hybrid model of Baugruppe and Co-housing as a basis for the project, from a participatory perspective I see this as a project that will develop and evolve over time, beginning with a small and highly engaged group community that will establish the site and it’s fundamental values on which it can grow.

Relating this to the master planning exercise as well as ideas on the opportunities for existing buildings within the site, the church could be used as a space for creating and engaging a new community that plans to live on the site. To form and establish connection of the community, the first project would be to develop the landscape intervention to the south end of the site, forming a park and gardens which connects and sustains the community. Through the connections made the first residential intervention can begin to evolve, targeting the southern space of the master plan.

After establishing the first spatial intervention within the site, the community can engage new potential residents in further growing the site and fulfilling the other interventions cited in the master plan as opportunities arise.

Establishing a community connection through the common interest in developing a communal garden and park within the site

Developing the first residential community within the site through a baugruppe/co-housing approach

Building further community program and residential space through the conversion and addition to existing school building on site

Undertaking development of the main community and shared building within the site following the model used for the first residential space

Continuing the development of the site as opportunities arise

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Testing of Ideas

Drawing on the ideas of establishing the corner of the site, exploration of how this could form spaces within the building focusing circulation at the core of the space and aligning with the proposed space in between the masses in the master plan scheme was explored.

Exploring the constraints of the site

Focusing on the south block as the testing ground for ideas, a series of sketches show how this site may be approached thinking about the core question of ‘How can we design buildings which suggest their future growth potential within the architecture?’ whilst understanding the conditions present for the specific intervention within the group master plan. This process began by sketching some of the fundamental conditions which occur in the site providing a sense of the overall gesture that could occur within the built form. A key aspect of this is the angular corner which creates the pivot point within the master plan scheme. This corner creates a dialogue with the church and is a prominent point within the masterplan scheme.

Plan 04-07: Exploring ideas of how apartments could be arranged at the upper floors of the building - Plan 05 circulation to the north - Plan 06 - circulation to the south.

Playing with voids between circulation.

Section 01: Identifying the building could be split into two forms woven together with circulation in between with an open and transparent ground floor which displays the community spaces.

Plan 02: Looking at view lines throughout the site, north south view between the two northern blocks could provide an opportunity for transparency through the building and create circulation. The green arrow identifies this corner as a prominent pivot point.

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Plan 03: Along with the shift in access, at the ground plane, this space have opportunities for interaction with the intended community facilities of the church and the proposed garden space to the south of the building.

Perspective 01: Drafting ideas of how the building could be governed by a overarching structure with a gap through the middle which provides the transparency.

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Reviewing the Concept Proposal How will the project progress?

Reviewing the process undertaken so far within this project, it is important to again take a moment to reflect on what was achieved within the previous phase of the project and where progression needs to be made moving into the sketch design.

From the preliminary phase, a strong distinction was made when identifying the type of development model this project will be framed within, this will guide the project and can draw on the Baugruppe and Co-housing models to find a mediation between the two. This will also be useful to consider reframing the thesis statement as the project moves towards focusing on the intersection of these two models, finding a middle ground between sole private ownership and progressive shared model such as co-housing.

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Whilst the aspect of progressive development was set out in the last phase of the project, this was not conveyed strongly and needs a more critical view and interpretation within the context of the site. This could be explored through the idea of the off square grid further, but with a more critical response to how this may manifest within the selected intervention of the site.

To find a pathway forward, the areas which need to be explored within this project have been outlined in relation to their scale within the project. Working between these areas of focus and allowing them to inform one another and will ensure the ideas are developed consistently across scales.

Wider Urban Design Scale

Programmatic Scale

Detailed Scale

Detail project timeline, how will the project unfold?

Define the programmatic interactions and how spaces fit together.

Understand the different types of relationships that could occur between interfaces

Fitting the initial intervention into the context of current and future site

Define the core elements which shape the initial building

Fitting a refined mass structure into the site which responds to the initial context

Explore a reductive approach to the building volume, what could be offset

Link back to ideas of accessibility to housing

Design to be all inclusive and then reduce to the minimum functional build

Look at detailed sections of building form which is ‘top light’ for apporach to infill

Create indicators/ targets of public and private to show how these could change

Explore how interfaces could alter over time to adjust interactions of public/private

Explore different typologies from co-housing through to private

Think about outdoor spaces and how this could be negotiated over time

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Drawing on the grid idea, the initial approach has been to form units which slot into the grid structure. The set out of the grid allows for a rectangular space of 3.5x5m within the gridded module as a base with extended forms based on intersecting points of the grid. The structure has been capped within a roof which sets back at every second bay along the south façade in order to break down the height of the form. Whilst this is reasonably successful, the form still appears.

Further explorations will explore how the overall form could be broken down with elements removed to form a the transitional and incremental nature of the building.

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Based on the current massing, the building could accommodate approximately 20-25 units within the grid structure, this will be useful when considering further iterations of placing units within the suggested mass of the building.

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A quick exploration of approaches to incrementally adding space to units with consideration of outdoor space based on common unit dimensions

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Whist this was a useful first attempt at inserting units within a structured form, the provision of semi-private/common spaces feel as though it is left over space, this will be something to focus on in further iterations of the massing, with greater attention to the in-between spaces of units may allow for an improved outcome.

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In terms of spatial planning, this approach gives a high level insight into how many units may be accommodated within the current mass of the building which will be useful moving forward in consideration to the feasibility and the number of occupants which could be accommodated.

Supplementarily, explorations of how modules of space could be formed across additional ‘infill’ phases has been explored to engage the ideas of how a unit could evolve incrementally. Whilst this has not had a major influence on the current massing, this is something to be considered further within the design.

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Massing Reflection and Analysis

Having explored an initial approach to designing and overall massing on the site, at this stage it is important to reflect on the current position and explore how this may inform a different direction to designing the space. Additionally, there are aspects of conceptual approaches for structure and ESD that need consideration and tested against the design.

An aspect that will be important within the design moving forward will be how the narrative of users ties into the architecture of the building. To consider this further the target residents and how their situation may evolve across different

phases of their life will be explored and refined in relation to how this could influence the establishment of the program within the building.

Drawing on previous investigations of the work of Teddy Cruz, this will provide insight into adjacencies of program and relationships within the building. Referring back to the knowledge gained from the initial massing approach, this will give a sense of the scale of community that could be implemented within the building, allowing for a more detailed understanding of how many residents may be accommodated within the proposed building.

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Section through building at vertical circulation shows the irregular formation of the internal space

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Axonometric showing massing of each level Within the initial massing approach, the section shows that the common spaces within the building appear as ‘left-over’ space, this means there is a large amount of unusable space which has a sense of awkwardness to it. Further consideration of these in-between spaces and how they can be designed to foster the community relationships will be an important aspect of consideration moving forward.

Persepctive of circulation space with walkways above

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Initial Structural Concept

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The structure is an important consideration within the concept for this project as it will impact the potential of how the building can adapt over time. As with the direction from the conceptual phase of the project, there is an intention to provide a type of framework for which infill can occur, as this will also be an aesthetic element to the design, this will need consideration in selecting a suitable method.

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The general concept is to have a main superstructure which is then infilled, allowing for additional spaces to be added over time.

In relation to this, the structural concept is to have a grid of pillars and beams which provide a framework for light-weight timber framing to be infilled. This would be braced with cross braces which are intended to be expressed on the exterior of the building and internally where necessary.

In terms of materiality, a consideration of either timber or concrete for the pillar structures with expressed timber beams to form the main structure. With steel tension cross braces which would be integrated with a steel joint which connects the elements in an expressive way.

Typical plan setout of grid for the structure

An approach of creating an offsquare grid with infill square to the grid in one of the directions provides an opportunity to create variable dimensions within the uniform grid.

Whilst this approach is useful, further exploration of how this grid could be broken down or manipulated in areas to provide a stronger architectural gesture.

Axonometric showing the basic approach of a beam and pillar system wirh cross bracing elements

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Refined Approach to Planning Refining the planning based on the targeted resident community Based on the revised framework, the planning was reconfigured based on the idea of providing units which could be split to incrementally evolve into family sized units. The basis for this is that a unit could be purchased between two couples, allowing a first step into housing through a shared ownership model, as they acquire additional funding, there is a possibility of developing the units into two separate onebedroom units. As space is required for additional family members, bedrooms could be added to create suitable family sized units.

As the development evolves the initial structure would be infilled limiting the necessary building work to be undertaken on site.

In this incremental approach, the architectural aesthetic may be kept somewhat informal with input from the residents as to what they believe the building should look like. Additionally, strategies for reusing elements throughout the incremental changes could be used to reduce wastage and create efficiencies of the materials used.

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Wider Community Connections Refining the planning based on the targeted resident community An important aspect of this project is the integration of residential community and fostering interaction with wider Ballarat.

In considering this interfacing of the communities, the ground floor space of the building provides an opportunity to incorporate a range of communal and commercial spaces which engage the residents with the wider community.

Drawing on the ideas from the master plan, this space provides the opportunity for a cafĂŠ space and commercial workspace or workshare environment that could be leveraged by the residents. These could provide additional sources of income within the collective build model, allowing the offset of some of the costs required for the project.

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Cycle Storage/ Workshop Potential Commercial Workspace/ Workshare

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Initial approach to distributing ground floor space. The cafe space will provide a prominent interface to the main outdoor area, aiding in providing passive surveillance as mentioned within the master plan.

Additional spaces could offer shared laundry and bike storage facilities with bike storage containing workshop facilities which allow bikes to be refurbished and distributed within the community. This would foster a connection of community members and provides a positive contribution to the wider society.

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Alternative Planning Approaches Testing of spatial planning ideas

Reviewing the approach to how to simplify an incremental process to the design, the following precendent of ‘23 Dwellings’ by MUOTO Architects was explored.

The formal arrangement of this design detaches the external envelope from the floor plate two provide semi-open spaces within the building. This approach was investigated within the parameters of the design project to explore how this may be used in an a way of allowing for the simplification of incremental development throught infill between established floor plates.

Exploring a ‘complete’ floorplate approach through the parameters of the site. Plan identifies the potential volumes of space that could be created.

Axonometric shows how this volume may be stepped at the upper levels to follow the master plan principles

.This approach was then tested with the explored typical unit arrangements.

One of the difficulties with this approach is creating access sunlight within the internal spaces. Due to the location at the south of the site and the climate of Ballarat, this approach could be unsuitable for the location.

Images of the 23 Dwelling project show the expression of the floor pates with variations to wall treatments, this also ties to possible ideas of resident appropriation of the facade.

Images retrieved from: Pintos, P. (2015). 23 Dwellings/MUOTO. Retrieved 10 November, 2020, from https://www.archdaily.com/939792/23-dwellings-muoto

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To rationalise the approach to incremental development, it is important to understand the relationships and modular sizes of spaces which will be used in order to piece together the development.

An exploration of how bedroom spaces maybe be defined and their relationship to a modular living and service space module have been explored. The dimensions for these spaces have been used to inform the structuring of the grid, mediating between the site dimensions available and the requirments of the unit sizes.

The typical unit dimensions were explored within the dimensions of the site to find how they could relate to form circulation or shared spaces.

This plan arranges the units around the perimeter to the north. Whilst this provides suitable dimension, it lacks consideration of the communal spaces and how interaction between residents could be fostered.

This plan looks at arranging the units as each side allowing for the design of a shared space and the middle of the building. Whilst the shared space is important within the scheme, working within the grid formation appears to be over constraining the planning of the building, making it difficult to form interesting shared spaces that will encourage use from the residents. At this stage an alternative approach to planning within the confines of the site may allow for clearer definition of a community core to the building.

Plan exploration of unit module proportions and relationships

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With difficulty around incorporating communal space within the scheme, an alternative approach to the arrangement was explored using the same unit typologies.

In this scheme the units faces on angles to the east and west. Whilst this provided an interesting urban form to the design, particularly with the incorporation of the courtyard between two glazed spaces at the ground floor, this did not provide a strong rationale for the growth of the units as excess floor plate somewhat offset the efficiencies of incremental growth. In future explorations and emphasis on the balance between how the building sits within the context of the site and how the building addresses the thesis research will need closer attention.

The series of perspective images show how incremental changes my be made in with space free from the structure, the arrangement of walls could be configured to suit the required dimensions of the residents.

Left over space may be infilled over time to add additional space

Phase 1 plan

Phase 2 plan with additional bedrooms added

Perspective from south of the site showing relationship to master plan massing to the north of the building

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Whilst this proposal does not satisfy the intended goals of incrementality of the project, the development of the ground floor spaces provides insight into how the ground floor program may progress. A strong aspect of this is the transparency focusing to the south. This allows visibility into the spaces and engages with Sturt St, this is important in providing a language which invites pedestrians into the development.

It also provides program which can provide passive surveillance over the site, particularly as the cafĂŠ space wraps to face the internal courtyard of the site. Additional service spaces are accommodated in solid blocks towards the north which anchor the floor plan.

Perspective from the west side of the building

Ground Floor Plan

Perspectives of the courtyard space showing the visiual relationship between the two wings of the building

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Looking to return to a modular approach which focuses on the incrementality aspect of the project, massing based on the exploration of the unit typologies was undertaken with a focus of not getting caught up in the grid aspect of the design. This allowed the form to step in a pattern which suited the internal relationships. This also provided a chance to explore how the overall form of the building may be broken up to reduce the bulk of the building. This was tested through a range of iterations and found to be a successful approach.

To progress this further, consideration of how this fits into the context of the master plan is needed combined with a consideration of the communal and circulation space provided.

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Having defined the plan arrangement for the scheme, further exploration how the incrementality of the plan may operate and how this may guide the approach to the faรงades of the building. This was also considered in the context of the shared spaces with an attempt the regulate the faรงade of the building to be a strong gesture towards Sturt Street, this provided a series of communal spaces of varying sizes which provide circulation but also act as a series of rooms. Further exploration of the qualities of this space and the opportunities it provides will be an opportunity in incorporate the narratives of the residents into the space.

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Exploring Narratives How does the residents inform the design

A key aspect in engaging with the ambiguities of the shared spaces within the building is to explore the narratives of how residents may interact with these spaces. This will inform how further development of how the spaces are formed architecturally and what details may be needed to foster the quality of space that may be desired by

the residents. This will be explored thought the ideas of how the resident community may operate within a democratic framework where collective decision making, and negotiation will inform how the space will operate. This may mean varying layers of privacy within these spaces dependent on their use at the time.

As part of fostering a strong democratic process within the working of the development, providing a shared dining space will provide an opportunity for the residents to engage on a regular basis and raise issues they may need to discuss.

One possible intervention within the shared space is the inclusion of table tennis, this provides an activity for the community to engage around and provides a space for social engagement of the residents, allowing them to get to know each other in an informal setting.

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Incidental gatherings of residents will also be important in fostering relationships. The stairwell to the building sits at the centre of the building, with a view towards the space between the two north buildings in the master plan, this will allow sunlight to fill the space and provide an inviting space to stop for conversation.

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In the initial phase of the project spaces may be used for private appropriation such as an office space to start a new business. This allows the residents opportunities to use the space in a way that gives them personal advantage.

As the residents begin to raise a family, the space may be used for lookig after the children after school.

This provides and opportunity for family connections and the chance to teach the resident children the values of community and social resilience. In the phase, the shared space provides an opportunity for the children to interact and learn.

As the development establishes and residents attain their own unit, there is the possibility to adapt the entry of the apartments through small interventions. Here residents may choose to form a seating space for their entry or inforperate additonal elements for privacy.

In the intitial phase of the development, residents will share a unit with another couple. With open plan living and kitchen areas this provides a space for private socializing between the residents

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Design Outcome Reviewing the final proposal

The Driving Principles Synthesis of key ideas

Drawing on the thesis research, the design outcome aims to provide a balanced approach to providing housing which evolves with the residents over time. To achieve this, it is important that the resident community has a longterm commitment to establishing themselves not only within the site but within the wider community of Ballarat. As part of this, the residents will be provided the opportunity for the building to meet their needs as their house demands change rather than requiring residents to find a new property that suits their situation.

Emerge: This will be the initial phase of construction, here, the resident couples will share a unit with another couple in a share house type arrangement

Emerge

Establish: As additional funds are available for the growth of the development, additional units are added, providing an individual unit to each of the couples Grow: As the residents may turn to having a family, additional bedrooms will be requires, in this phase the development provides additional bedrooms to create family homes

Establish

These changes in demand are instilled in the development through the three stages of emerge, establish and grow. In each of these stages additional space is added to the development which may adapt to the demands of the residents.

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Site for Exploration Defining the site within the master plan

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The spatial intervention of this proposal is focused on the south end of the Old St Andrew’s site, providing a showcase to the Ballarat community of the emergent community it will house. As the existing church dwelling remains a key part of the site and a fundamental space for community activity. The proposal respects the church building, stepping back from Sturt Street to provide open space which invites community use of the site. This gesture also creates visual access into the wider site, inviting community to venture further and interact with the range of uses at the ground plane.

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Axonometric site view from south west corner - identifying site intervention and proposed massing for further development within the master plan.

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Site intervention placed within the masterplan - the proposed building frames the south end of the site, forming a courtyard space within the centre of the block

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Fostering an Agonistic Engagement Encouraging constructive relationships

Through the balance of flexibility and interdependency, the proposal embraces an agonistic approach to community engagement.

For the development to successfully progress, strong relationships and community connections must be fostered which form around strong democratic processes. This will draw on methods implemented within co-housing developments where decision making requires valuing and considering the range of opinions present.

An important intervention within the emergent phase of the development will be foster community discussion. This will be achieved through providing a community table. This will be where discussions are held on a regular basis and provides a platform for raising concerns. This will also provide opportunity for shared meals and connection on neutral ground within the building.

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A strong focus of the emergent phase will be fostering and providing opportunities for interaction on a social level. This can be providing through spaces of social activities such as a space for table tennis.

These spaces allow residents to connect on a personal level.

As the residents move to the growth phase, this provides and opportunity for family connections and the chance to teach the resident children the values of community and social resilience. In the phase, the shared space provides an opportunity for the children to interact and learn.

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Evolving Needs Architecture that adapts to the residents

With typical housing movements from shared housing to private housing and the establishing a family home, the development aims to capture this cycle within the growth of the building. Through the shared ownership within the emergent phase, residents will share a unit. When financially able, through the growth of the building,

residents will be provided with their own unit, allowing a stronger sense of ownership and the establishment of greater personal space. Finally, the space can provide the space necessary for raising a family, allowing residents the ability to age in place and maintain a strong network and connection to community.

In the initiation of the proposal, resident couples will share a unit, reducing the cost of providing a first financial investment. Whilst residents may be financially limited at the stage this provides the necessary requirements for privacy within a shared living setting.

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As residents attain their own private unit this provides an opportunity to define their private space with their own design sense. This will mean opportunities furnish the space to how they would like. As the residents begin to mature, this also provides valuable privacy to the residents.

As the families of residents grow, family living space will be an important factor in the function of the home. The living spaces have been designed with generous proportions which can accommodate additional family members as it is needed.

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Spaces of Potential Opportunities to Influence Environments

With communal circulation space providing an opportunity for appropriation by residents, allowing them to leverage the space for personal or community endeavours, the space has been designs as a series of variable sized spaces which create differing levels of privacy throughout. These spaces may be used for different activities throughout the different phases of the building, this will tie to the general life positions of the residents and what their demands for space outside of their private living space may be desired.

In the initial emergent phase of the development, residents may be in the process of establishing their own business. Through the appropriation of the end of the communal space, they may choose to set up a space where they can work and meet clients.

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As residents establish themselves within the community of Ballarat, the space may be used for invited activities which incorporate the wider community. Here, the space is temporarily appropriated for an artist group, set up by one of the resident community members.

As residents move to occupy their own private units, this not only provides and opportunity for their own private space, it will also allow them to appropriate the entry to their unit to suit how they would like it to be designed. This could be through furniture of small interventions in the space.

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Opportunities for the Wider Community Fostering a wider community connection

A key aspect of integrating the proposal in the master plan is the use of space at the ground floor.

Here, the space is split into two commercial spaces which may act as an office or retail space as well as a cafĂŠ or dining space. These sit either side of the main residential core of the build which would

house shared bike parking and laundry facilities for the residents.

With the ground floor kept relatively transparent, this provides visual access through the side and allows for passive surveillance and sight lines through the site to invite the wider community.

The proposed cafĂŠ space to the east side of the building provides an opportunity to appropriate the outdoor space around the master plan courtyard. This type of use will also allow for overlooking to the courtyard providing passive safety to the site.

The pedestrian connection to the north of the site is and important opportunity to break down the grain of the city block. This connection maintains a sight line between the streets. Additionally, the staggered balconies provide oversight to this laneway for safety.

Ground Floor Plan in Context

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Planning for Growth Incremental Approach to Planning

The typical plan for the building consists of two units per floor that will be shared by two couples in each unit, this is replicated across the three upper floors of the building.

Surrounding structure is provided for the growth of the building over time.

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In the second phase of the development, additional living spaces and bedrooms will be added to each end of the building with one of the bedrooms from the initial units being transitioned to the new unit. This will provide an additional six units to the development.

Whilst in this phase both sides of the plan have been developed, this may be done in two stages dependent on the demands of the residents. With this incremental change it is intended that one couple from each of the original units will occupy the newly formed units, allowing each couple their own household.

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In the final stage of development there is an opportunity to provide additional bedrooms to each of the units. This will change the unit composition from six one-bed and six twobed units to six two-bed and six three-bed units. With the provision of the additional bedrooms, it is intended that the units will be suitable for families to live in.

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Adaptive Incremental Development Change which responds to the demands of the resident As a means of addressing issues of affordability, the scheme provides a trade off for creating a first step into ownership through a collective model. In the first instance, the project will be delivered through a group build type model where collective financing would be sought in order to initiate the project. As the scheme grows and the space within the building develops, it would be proposed that each member owns a proportion of the building relative to the amount of space they occupy. This will also be a means of dealing with appropriation of the communal spaces when they may be used for private use.

Whilst it is intended that residents will have their own private dwellings through the second stage of development. It is expected that through the strong engagement of the community, the incremental changes to the building will reflect the user demands as needed. In this sense, the phases of development may not suit some residents and therefore will not take place simultaneously.

Phase 1 - Emerge

Phase 2 - Establish

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Axonometric identifying the stages of incremental growth to a typical unit. Here, the unit is split into two units at the second phase with additional bedrooms added at the third phase

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Working Within Construction Methods Providing foresight within existing means of constructing buildings The aspect of incrementality within the development will operate within existing methods of construction. This will be achieved through the foresight and inclusion of measures to accommodate incremental change. In the first phase of the project, the structural frame will be provided as an external element, as this is a necessary element and difficult to provide within subsequent stages this will allow the minimization of upfront cost. Additional foresight will with wall framing to incorporate removable openings where needed and using cladding systems which are relatively easy to remove and potentially reuse. As the incremental change is made, the space use timber framing to infill the existing structural elements. Additional roof will alight with existing to reduce difficult junctions between existing and new building elements.

1 – External wall claddings removed where additional room is to be included.

2 – Floor and roof framing installed and opening to existing formed in wall.

3 – Flooring and roof installed with new external wall framing and windows added.

4 – External and internal wall linings installed

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Perspective view of intervention from Sturt Street - highlighting the relationship if the building to the church, providing an inviting gesture to pedestrians

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Reflecting on Thesis Findings Concluding summary of the findings throughout the design process Through the explorations of this thesis, the design outcome shows how an incremental approach to development and constructive agonism can provide opportunities for fostering strong communities within residential architecture.

This has been provided through the incorporation of affordances within architecture in two ways.

The first is instilled in the nature of the development to grow over time, this is achieved through providing structural elements which provide a vision to residents as to what spatial interventions may be made within the parameters of the building to suit their changing needs for housing. The second aspect is the provision of generous shared space which extends their use beyond circulation. This is achieved through breaking up the circulation space into a series of volumes which act individual spaces. This provides varying levels of privacy and opportunities for intervention by the residents. As this space is non-linear in form, it reads as rooms rather than circulation, this provides a welcoming feel to the space, fostering residents to engage within it as an extension of the private living space.

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In the incremental approach of the proposal, it also addresses the aspect of affordability within housing as it provides and opportunity for ownership through collective means with the opportunity for private ownership as the scheme progresses. As the intention is for the project is to be a long term commitment of the residents, it also allows for adaptation of housing demands over time to be accommodated, mitigating the need for residents to operate within the housing market for the duration of their lifetime.

An additional bonus of this is the sustained communal network which will be foster within the site, allowing for strong connection to be formed which reach beyond the resident members.

In summary, this thesis emphasizes the ability to foster community through the incorporation of incrementality and affordances of space within architecture, through the inherent interdependences required for the growth of the architecture, a strong grounding is established for the engagement of the residents to participate in constructive interaction.

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