Emma Hutchinson 2

2023

EMMA HUTCHINSON

CRAIG MOLLER

PORTFOLIO

AD1 ARCHDES 700

04

Adaptability (definition, possibilities, and precedents)

06

Initial Concept Designs

08

Mid-semester Presentation, discussion and feedback

10

Te Aranga Māori Design Principles

11

Engineering Consultations (discussion and development)

12

Sustainability and climate solutions (materials, systems and resources)

13

Design Development

14

User Access and Movement

15

Detailing (designing and developing pertinent details for realising the project)

16

Final Presentation, discussion and feedback

2023 PORTFOLIO

CONTENTS

ADAPTABILITY (DEFINITION, POSSIBILITIES, AND PRECEDENTS) Defining Adaptability Adaptable Architecture can be considered as architecture that can respond to and withstand fluctuating conditions. As the surrounding environment changes, the building, in some form, can mitigate the effects through either foresight or design flexibility. Furthermore, adaptable buildings should inherit a sense of longevity in structure and purpose of use.

Which aspect of “adaptability” are you most interested in/believe will have the greatest impact on our built environment? How will it manifest in your own design work?

Considering adaptable architecture as a structure, I am most interested in how buildings can adapt to use the natural environment in their design. Instead of trying to keep natural elements out of the building, can the structure and natural environment work together? In my design exploration, I am particularly interested in the prominent Flood Prone Area on my site. Instead of designing to mitigate these effects explore options where architecture can respond to the Flood Prone Area and use this as a key force within my design. Such as heavy rainfall could create a different architectural experience than a dry period within the same structure. Can buildings do more than inhabit people and spaces but also start responding to the immediate context and the environmental conditions around them?

PA G E 4

Focussing on creating residences for young adults, I’m exploring the ability to promote flexibility within a small floor plan. Considering adaptability and affordability are closely related, reducing the footprint while maintaining a flexible floor plan to endure a range of uses and keep the costs down.

Diagrams address the site problems - Flood Prone Area, Lack of daylight, and complex topography.

Minimax Tower - Concept - Proctor & Shaw

Wurru Wurru Biik - Brunswik, VIC - Nightinigale

This design uses communicating rooms to eliminate both private and community corridors - ensuring optimum use of the floor plan. The overall building is organised around a central courtyard, with a staircase at each corner providing entry to the apartments. The private terraces overloooking the courtyard make up the ring of outdoor spaces. The service spaces are laid out in the central ring, while the rest of the rooms - are of undifferentiated use and size 13m2 and accommodate different forms of occupation defined by the user.

High density living - Reducing the floor plan to minimum while maintaining maximum livability. Comprises of 25m2 apartments stacked in a mid-rise tower. Approaches the post-covid world where homes are having multiple uses between living and working. Terraced balconies + ‘sky gardens’ are shared between clustered apartments - as well as a rooftop garden to support community level engagement.

Rectilinear building interfaces an arched facade across the lower half of the development. Structure supports vertical greenery across multiple levels. Rooftop is a communal area supporting veggie patches, communal laundry and bath house. Rainwater is collected for use throughout the building in common areas and commecial toilets. A shared guest house for visitors, bicycle parking and no private car spaces as it is located near public transport. The apartments are space-efficient and prtovide an opportunity of home ownership.

Critical Reflection

Critical Reflection

Critical Reflection

Using a modular system created an efficient floor plan. Reserving the central modules for services allows the living to surround these areas as well as produces flexibility in the floor plan. Undefined room types surrounding the central services creates and allows for a level of adaptability to specific persons needs of a space. Therefore, this typology caters to a range of households and living preferance.

Utilises pre-fabrication methods, and timber construction. Idea is to minimise material use, waste and expense and maintain maximum quality, sustainability, connectivity within a small footprint. The footprint of this building is ideal for a young adult or a young couple transitioning into their first home. Gives an opportunity of ownership and a maintainable space. However, flexibility of this floor plan would be limited in terms of growth of a maximum of two occupants.

The small Teilhaus typology (under 50m2) maintains functionality through flexible spaces and efficient use of floor area. This typology could be interesting to look into as an option for the residential levels.

Furthermore, the integration of shared facilities to save on space and costs such as laundry. As well as the integration of hireable areas for events, shared veggie patches and communal rooftop areas.

PA G E 5

Cornella Housing Block - Cornella, Barcelona - Peris + Toral

INITIAL CONCEPTS

INTIAL CONCEPTS

DESCRIPTION These iterations were exploring the West Facade. Firstly considering the amount of daylight on this facade - using a shadow study on a blank box to see where the exposed and where the shadowed areas were. Using this the first iteration incorporated wooden screens on the exterior to provide privacy and shading to the exposed areas. Keeping the bottom area open - interested to see if there could be some sort of rhythm that would help co-odinate this across the facade.

PA G E 6

The ground Floor sketch looked into the possibility of having stepped terraces for the platforms. Therefore the water could rise over the steps when needed, and when the water level was low these could be used as seating areas for public.

Section considering the platforms of the mixed-use area + access into the residential areas above From left and center of mixed use area.

INITIAL CONCEPTS

Considering the use of the void space for circulation - linear apartment organisation - considering the external staircase as an architectural feature on the facade that works with the steep topography of the site.

More iterations on the floor plan - trying to incorporate communal areas - considering circulation and the void space being central and the apartments surrounding these.

PA G E 7

INITIAL CONCEPTS

MID SEMESTER PRESENTATION PRESENTATION Site Anaysis presented three key concerns for the site - Flood Prone Area, Lack of daylight, especially North Sun, and Complex Topography.

Flood Prone Area As the groundfloor is allocated for the commercial use section of the building this will be the most impacted by the flood prone zone. Initial ideas for addressing the FPA is to allow water into the building rather than build a barrier to resist this from happening. Therefore, encouraging the ground floor to be activated by incoming water from heavy rainfall. Water gained in the building to be used for grey water purposes + watering the communal rooftop garden.

Complex Topography Creating a residential entrance that works with the slope and is separated from the commercial entrance - also using the topography to create an interesting entrance into the mixed-use level.

FLOOR PLANS Floor plans are an L-Shape to connect around the void spaces. Designed for a maximum of two people - 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchen, living, dining & study. Private outdoor space - morning sun. Communal outdoor space - evening sun. Shared Laundry & storage room (for bikes). Communal rooftop garden - gains views to Maungawhau + space fore a veggie patch for residences.

MATERIALITY Idea for a minimal material board - At this stage considering the use of fibre cement cladding with timber accents and rainscreens for the external facade. For the ground floor thinking about the use of a dimpled/rippled metal ceiling to reflect and capture the water aspect as well as the light.

GOING FORWARD

PA G E 8

Thinking of this mixed-use building as a boat. What is the connection between water (commercial area) and the boat (residential areas), how do they connect? Is there a gap, what architecture bridges these? How do you get onto the boat/to the residential areas?

RA

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30M

RE ST ET

MAX HEIGHT 20M 19M

15M

72M

11M

70M

NT VE FT A SH

SELECTED SITE 540M2

68M

7M

3M

GROUND LEVEL

-2M

LONITUDINAL SECTION SCALE 1:100

UPTOWN

0

2

4M

SCALE 1:500 0

5

10

15

20M

Mixed-Use Floor Plan

Longitudinal Section - Void Spaces + Platforms

Taking inspiration from Japanese Street Canals - is there a way to integrate the heavy rainfall into the building and create an interaction between the mixed-use area and the incoming water - Having platforms that rise and fall depending on water levels + bridges to cross between each platform.

Using void space within the design specifically to channel light into the building. These void spaces are interacted with through apartments Playing with void space throughout the building to find the best outcome.

Critical Reflection + Feedback

Critical Reflection + Feedback

Critical Reflection

Consider the approach into the building + how this interfaces with the existing landscape. What draws people in? The ground floor being a closed rectangle needs more resolution to where the entrances to public are and a softer connection to the landscape.

Keep exploring the idea of having water come into the building. Think about the uses of the building + practicalities. Rainwater is not clean water - is this something that needs an architectural solution? Consider the use of wetlands and the use of biopholic processes e.g., Phytoremediation - natural process to clean water.

Going forward keeping the void spaces and working out the best solution for the building. Does there need to be three void spaces or one central void space. Could this include the circulation spaces instead of having the stairwell and elevator on the exterior? Consider the acoustics between apartments + how these void spaces deal with this.

Site plan if the selected site. Taking note of the three free edges of the building, only having one neighbour to the north. Also showing how the site is integrated into the masterplan. Important connecton between the large green strip and the interface of the mixed-use level.

Consider the entrance from the perspective of someone looking up.

Platforms showing when the building has allowed water into the buiding - these platforms sit on top of the water - Showing bridging between spaces + excavation into topography to allow water storage.

PA G E 9

Site Plan

TE ARANGA DESIGN PRINCIPLES This design promotes ‘Whakawhanaungatanga’ as a social network to create relationships between people, place and the environment. In response to facilitating the community’s growth is considering multiple housing options suitable for different household sizes and affordability. Promoting affordability will attract new residents to the area and diversify the range of residents, with the support of various amenities such as community and culture centres to establish connections and relationships between people, places, and the environment. The design implemented is conscious of the context and sensitive to the landscape and how they interact. Furthermore, recognising the limitations of the steep topography and the topographical depression inducing the risk of flooding, designs must ensure they respond and adapt effectively.

Confronting the effects of climate change and subsequent environmental fluctuations, making meaningful connections between people, places, and the environment is crucial for the future development of conscious buildings. Building on these relationships to create a community actively aware of the environment’s challenges on buildings empowers a sense of Manaakitanga, referring to providing for the community visitors and needs - instilling a deep understanding of collective responsibility. This building aims to focus on the collective rather than the individual such as reducing flood risks to the entire masterplan not only the building itself. Appreciating the masterplans axial connection from Basque Park to Maungawhau, emphasising the importance of vitality and life force (Mauri) and Kaitiakitanga, emphasising guardianship of the land, respect and responding positively to the surrounding landscapes. This site has presented a natural landscape that shows a challenge to the stability of the built environment; however, a chance to physically integrate the community into the natural landscape. As buildings, people and the natural environment are all interconnected, maintaining strong relations ensures the wellbeing of the overall community and environment.

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DUN

SYM

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Bars Bike Trail Historical Overlay

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OUT

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Cafes

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ALD

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Grocery Stores BASQUE PARK

Building Frontage Control

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Bus Routes & Stops

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View Shafts

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Flood Areas

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DEN

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Flood Prone Areas

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BOSTON RD

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NT VE FT A SH

WA TER

PA G E 10

AKIRAHO ST

ENFIELD

ST

UPTOWN

SCALE 1:2000 0

20

40

60

80M

ST

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING CONSULTATIONS Floor System and Excavation Questions: • Necessary floor structure and depth to fulfil load and span requirements?

• Basement excavation feasibility?

Floating Pod Questions: • Feasibility of using the steel frame system to support the movement?

• Ability to be bi-functional, static and mobile?

• Height requirements, void space above?

Critical Reflection + Feedback

Critical Reflection + Feedback

Critical Reflection + Feedback

This design is informed by the building’s steel frame system. The regular grid system implemented the micro apartments’ organisation and the floating pods’ positioning, each affecting the appropriate level’s overall user movement. The micro-apartments position within the steel structure meant the walls could be tied to the structural frame and avoid the need for diagonal bracing. As the spans were no more than six meters and the micro-apartments followed each floor’s exact positioning, there were sufficient shear walls. However, possible bracing options were suggested if spans changed.

The floor system was initially a steel composite floor to support the micro apartments and building circulation areas. The six-meter span of the steel structure meant a conventional steel tray deck was unsuitable and required a slim-line steel tray deck with a thicker profile.

The primary basis of this project was to create a ground floor that would respond to environmental weather fluctuations without damage to the building structure and maintain usability.

A concrete retaining wall is required as the main design feature relied on the site’s excavation. The concrete retaining walls surround the basement floor and maintain a gap between the steel structural system. The basement floor’s objective was to collect water, so the area acted more like a pool and didn’t require waterproofing precautions.

The adaptable floating pods showed how the building could create dynamism when needed. This required lightweight construction, buoyancy, a supporting structure, and adequate moving space. The construction of the pods would use timber framing and polycarbonate cladding for the physical lightness of the form and spatial lightness through the polycarbonate. The floor of the pods is based on pontoons, using hollow plastic volumes to produce buoyancy. The structural steel frame system would support the pods similarly to the ties at ferry platforms, restricting unwanted movement. Also noted was the requirement for sufficient headroom for the floating pods to move into as they rose with the water level.

PA G E 11

Structural System Questions: • Are the spans outlined feasible for a steel structure?

• What/is bracing required for these spans?

• Necessary column and beam dimensions and types?

SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS (MATERIALS, SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES) This design focussing on well insulated apartments and minimal openings to reduce the heating and cooling demands of the building. Furthermore, the light void through the centre of the building produces cross ventilation and natural circulation of the air throughout the building. Timber shading is applied to the West Facade to prevent overheating during the summer months and excess solar gain. As for water collection, the building uses the roof to collect rainwater and be stored for reuse throughout the building for plants and grey water (the water collected from the terrain after heavy rainfall is not reused). Planting located on the West facade is deciduous allowing shading to the translucent pavilions during the summer months and however enables access to winter sun.

Materials and building elements: The roof is a Nuralite Hybrid Warm Roof System for our roof design. These roof system have a sustainable focus as they look to reduce construction waste, carbon emissions, and use non-toxic materials. Furthermore the floating pavilions consist of polycarbonate sheets, timber framing and a buoyant sub-structure that supports the pod with the rising water levels. As a more sustainable option, the polycarbonate facade uses the Rodeca Savenergy Panel, which is reused or recycled into new building elements. As for the micro-apartments, this facade uses Equitones fibre cement panels. This product is cradle-to-cradle certified, employing zero waste to landfil, circular design, and the lightest possible environmental impacts. The steel building structure was chosen for its excellent structural properties as well as the ability to be recycled and reused at its end of life.

PA G E 12

Micro-Apartments Integrating micro-apartments into my design was influenced by the thinking of building for what you need. For this design I was determined to optimise a floor plan that was fully functional for a maximum of two people on the smallest footprint possible while maintaining comfort and livability. By minimising the footprint, materials, emissions and waste are subsequently reduced.

'1

MIXED USE AREA ONE

MIXED USE AREA TWO

'1 '1

'1

83

MIXED USE AREA THREE

MIXED USE AREA FOUR

83 '1

'1

BASEMENT PLAN SCALE 1:100 0

1

2

3

4M

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT The implementation of the steel structure located the micro apartments into a regulated grid. Image showing the micro apartments overall organisation and the central circulation staircase and elevator.

The micro apartments are organised on either side of the building.

This allowed for a central void space, creating light in an otherwise dark location. Furthermore, this also gave the opportunitu for a central walkway protected from the weather, and central circulation area. The central circulation was advantageous over the previous location as it gave a higher ease of accessibility to all apartments.

The development of the mixed use area included the integration of the central void to gain access to daylight as well as the capacity for four floating pods. These would be shelters for the community and accessed via the accessible ramp on the right hand side or via the circulation cores located on either side of the building. The development of this floor also interrogated the floodable areas versus the non-floodable areas. Such as the circulationa areas were unable to flood due to the elevator. Furthermore there would also be the inclusion of a service room on the left hand side of the building (darkest end) to house all of the pumps to release the water after a heavy rain event, as well as where building services for the apartment would be housed. This service room also covers an underground tank for the collection of rainwater from the roof and necessary filtration systems.

PA G E 13

The micro-apartments were driven by a small footprint with high efficency. To each the efficency of the floor plan, the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom were located in a functional core of the apartment. As the apartments had at least 4m of internal height, this allowed for a loft bedroom and a bathroom to be tucked underneath. To keep all the appliances and plumbing of the apartment in one area of the apartment the kitchen plumbing was located on the same wall as the bathroom plumbing. Furthermore, to avoid each apartment being fitted with laundry rooms, a shared communal laundry is located on each floor to reduce costs. Furthermore, each apartment would include all the same fittings, windows, appliances and cabinetry.

Steep Topography

PUBLIC RESIDENTIAL

main ent.

83

'1

MAIN ENTRANCE

PUBLIC Steep Topography

RESIDENTIAL MAIN EXTERNAL CIRCULATION AXIS

USER MOVEMENT FIRE EGRESS

ZONING

This design has a classified use of Multi-unit dwelling, which applies to a building or use with more than one separate household or family. There is an occupancy load of 24 people in the residential areas and, at most, 25 in the mixed-use area. The risk group for this project is SM (Sleeping non-institutional), covering permanent accommodation such as apartment buildings and other buildings which consist of more than one household unit.

Each floor level requires a minimum of 1 escape route to serve the occupancy amount. The firecell floor area limit is 500m2 for this building and is not exceeded. An auto fire alarm system, fire and emergency New Zealand lift control and building fire hydrant system are required for this building. The maximum travel distance per floor on open paths is 40m for this building.

The site is in the ‘Business - Mixed-use’ zone. This zone provides for residential use and smaller-scale commercial use. For this design, the activity status of community facilities is permitted. However, the development of the new building is a Restricted Discretionary Activity. The building height must not exceed twenty meters to allow good sunlight and daylight access to public open spaces and manage visual dominance effects on neighbouring zones. Furthermore, good quality landscaping must buffer between loading or service areas and commercial activities and improve the quality of the street. Rooms must have an outlook and sense of space and maintain privacy, achieved by meaningful positioning and sizing of the windows on the facade.

ACCESSIBILITY AND CIRCULATION

PA G E 14

The circulation of this design integrates the complex site geography to make the ease of access into the building more accessible. The main entrance is an accessible walkway with an appropriate width of 2000mm to maintain accessibility for all visitors. Due to the abundance of void spaces, adequate barriers ensure the building code safety from falling is adhered to. Furthermore, the entrance is located at the most accessible part of the site, where the topography is the least challenging.

BASEMENT PLATFORM -3600

FLOATING POD -4110

60 MM POLYCARBONATE RODECA, LIGHT BUILDING ELEMENTS 250 x 250 MM SHS STEEL COLUMN COATED WITH FX9500 ULTRA DURABLE EPOXY INTUMESCENT 250 UC STEEL COATED WITH FX9500 ULTRA DURABLE EPOXY INTUMESCENT POD FLOOR TIMBER FLOORING TIMBER SUBSTRUCTURE STEEL SUPPORTING FRAME 600MM FLOATS 1150 X 780 X 600 MM PEREBO FLOAT PT03, POLYETHYLENE, 200kg/m² ANCHOR BOLTS STEEL BASE PLATE

BASEMENT GROUND -5000

SELF-LEVELING MORTAR 1200MM X 1200MM PILE CAP CONCRETE SLAB 65MM CONCRETE SCREED VAPOUR RETARDER 125MM CONCRETE DAMP PROOF MEMBRANE 50MM SAND 150MM HARDFILL

VENTED ROOF UNDERLAY EUROTRAY CLIP FIXED WITH COUNTERSUNK HEAD SCREWS 45 X 70 MM TIMBER PURLINS 180 MM FIBRE INSULATION R 3.6

250 x 250 MM SHS STEEL COLUMN COATED WITH FX9500 ULTRA DURABLE EPOXY INTUMESCENT DIMOND EUROTRAY DOUBLE STANDING SEAM ROOFING, STEEL, 32MM PROFILE, COATED IN GULL GREY GUTTER BRACKET 125 MM BOX FASCIA BOARD

40 MM TIMBER CAVITY BATTEN

200 X 90 MM TIMBER RAFTER

13 MM GIB FYRELINE

20 MM TIMBER CAVITY BATTEN

250 UC STEEL COATED WITH FX9500 ULTRA DURABLE EPOXY INTUMESCENT

1220 X 3050 X 10 MM, EQUITONE FIBRE CEMENT CLADDING PANEL, CHALK 10 MM GIB FYRELINE 90 MM FIBRE INSULATION R 2.2 45 MM SERVICE CAVITY + FIBRE INSULATION R 1.2

DETAILING

PA G E 15

The site is located in central Auckland and has a moderate climate throughout the year. The building is intended to be used for residential and community purposes. The floating pods require a material selection that can withstand water and employ buoyant qualities. However, as these spaces are allocated to the community for temporary use and are weather-dependent, these floating pavilions are more shelters and, therefore, won’t require insulating properties. As the floating pods will have to withstand water and dry periods, the materials will have to withstand both of these. However, the micro-apartments must ensure a level of insulation is met as these are permanent residences.

01 10

09

08

02

03

04

05

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07 06 - ROOF 20000

06 - ROOF 20000

05 - FIFTH FLOOR

05 - FIFTH FLOOR

18440

18440

04.5 - MEZZANINE

04.5 - MEZZANINE

16380

16380

04 - FOURTH FLOOR

04 - FOURTH FLOOR

13830

13830

03.5 - MEZZANINE

03.5 - MEZZANINE

11770

11770

03 - THIRD FLOOR

03 - THIRD FLOOR

9220

9220 02.5 - MEZZANINE

02.5 - MEZZANINE

7160

7160

02 - SECOND FLOOR

02 - SECOND FLOOR

4610

4610

01.5 - MEZZANINE

01.5 - MEZZANINE

2550

2550

01 - FIRST FLOOR

01 - FIRST FLOOR

0

0

00 - BASEMENT PLATFORM

00 - BASEMENT PLATFORM

-3600

-3600

000 - BASEMENT

000 - BASEMENT

-4000

-4000

LONGITUDINAL SECTION SCALE 1:100 0

1

2

3

4M

CROSS SECTION SCALE 1:100 0

1

2

3

4M

FINAL PRESENTATION

PA G E 16

The developement of the building structure informed the building organisation of the apartments and of the mixed-use community spaces.

As the community spaces incorporated floating pods that worked on the same grid as the apartments the building followed a uniform distribution. However, the dynamic character of the floating pods determined the need for overhead space to ascend to when there was a heavy rainfall. Therefore, this presented the need for void spaces on the first floor and the removal of the first floor apartments. Furthermore, two apartments were removed on the fourth floor on the west-side of the building for outdoor use. Removing these apartments gave crucial outdoor areas for community planting gardens and recreational areas.

As the ground floor is presented with the capability to fill - this presented issues around accessibility. The four meter excavation of the ground floor created a long sloping accessible ramp that travelled the entire width of the site to gain access. Furthermore, to protect the elevator services during a flooding event, the serviced level would have to be higher than the max flood level. This presented the opportunity for a rainsed basement platform that would sit permanently above the water level. As this was a raised platform there would be enough of a buffer to protect the circulation cores during a flooding event.

Going forward for the final presentation additional visual aids for the basement levels and interior views are needed to understand the design. A clear outline of the two different apartment typologies would help explain the residential areas clearer. Working on the technical componnent of how these pods actually function. What makes them float?