The Architect is an important part of my education, and significantly influenced the path that I have taken since. Aims for my term as editor are to return the journal to a printed form, whilst retaining an online version, and to finish the archiving of the magazine, which Brad Cook began.
The Architect is an important part of my education, and significantly influenced the path that I have taken since. Aims for my term as editor are to return the journal to a printed form, whilst retaining an online version, and to finish the archiving of the magazine, which Brad Cook began.
The Architect is an important part of my education, and significantly influenced the path that I have taken since. Aims for my term as editor are to return the journal to a printed form, whilst retaining an online version, and to finish the archiving of the magazine, which Brad Cook began.
The Australian Institute of Architects: WA Chapter
Factory House(s) Professor Simon Anderson Review by Simon Pendal Balcatta Courtyard Houses iredale pedersen hook Richard Weller Interview Community or Privacy Martin Dickie Sustainability, Universal Access and the Premises Standards Student Work Byron Last Emily Van Eyk Heather MacRae India Collins Pavilion Project Review Daniel Juengling
ARCHI TECT ARCHI TECT THE The Architect May 11 2 EDITORIAL This is the rst issue of The Architect for 2011, and it is an honour for me to take over the role as editor from Brad Cook, who has done a fantastic job over the past few years, and should be applauded for his work. The Architect plays an important role in our community, and has a long and rich history, something which I hope to maintain and strengthen during my term as editor. The Architect was an important part of my education, and signicantly inuenced the path that I have taken since, and I hope to be able to continue the legacy and build upon its success. One of the longest running publications in the country, the importance of the magazine in creating and documenting our built history cannot be underestimated. I hope the journal can continue to facilitate discussion amongst the WA architectural community, providing a forum for critique and commentary. The aims for my term as editor are to return the journal to a printed form, whilst retaining an online version, and to nish the archiving of the magazine, which Brad Cook began. With these objectives, I hope to build on the readership and interest so that the journal can continue into the foreseeable future. The Architect exists for the members, and can only continue and grow with support from its readers. Please contact me, or the Institute if you have any comments, suggestions or if you would like to contribute in anyway. This issue contains no building rates; but these will return next issue. Andrew Murray May 2011 WARRANTY Persons and/or organisations and their servants and agents or assigns upon lodging with the publisher for publication or authorising or approving the publication of any advertising material indemnify the publisher, the editor, its servants and agents against all liability for, and costs of, any claims or proceedings whatsoever arising from such publication. Persons and/or organisations and their servants and agents and assigns warrant that the advertising material lodged, authorised or approved for publication complies with all relevant laws and regulations and that its publication will not give rise to any rights or liabilities against the publisher, the editor, or its servants and agents under common and/or statute law and without limiting the generality of the foregoing further warrant that nothing in the material is misleading or deceptive or otherwise in breach of the Trade Practices Act 1974. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER The material contained in this publication is general comment and is not intended as advice on any particular matter. No reader should act or fail to act on the basis of any material contained herein. Readers should consult professional advisors. The Australian Institute of Architects, its ofcers, the editor and authors expressly disclaim all and any liability to any persons whatsoever in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by any such persons in reliance whether in whole or in part upon any of the contents of this publication. All photographs are by the respective contributor unless otherwise noted. PRODUCED FOR Australian Institute of Architects WA Chapter 33 Broadway Nedlands WA 6009 t (08) 9287 9900 e wa@raia.com.au f (08) 9287 9909 w www.architecture.com.au/wa COVER PHOTO: Factory House(s), Rob Frith EDITOR Andrew Murray AIA e wa.editor@raia.com.au EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE Trent Woods AIA DESIGN Clare Wohlnick PUBLISHER Australian Institute of Architects WA Chapter ADVERTISING Kim Burges Australian Institute of Architects WA Chapter t (08) 9287 9900 e kim.burges@raia.com.au The Architect May 11 3 PRESIDENTS MESSAGE Since taking on the role of State President of the Institute at the beginning of March, I have been pleased to receive messages of congratulations and offers of support from many members. Encouragingly, many members have expressed genuine interest in the activities of the Institute and have indicated a willingness to participate in the ongoing development of our organization. This is a good sign for my focus for the rst part of my 2 year term as State President that is to engage the membership more directly in the strategic development, organization and execution of the activities undertaken by the Institute here in WA. We are very fortunate in WA to have excellent staff to support the goals of our Institute and its members. Meino, Kim and Voula do a fantastic job representing the Institute, managing day to day business, coordinating our committees and organizing our events. They do everything we ask of them, and more. But it is not their Institute it is ours. We, the members, own the Institute and we need to take responsibility for its ongoing strategic development and subsequent activities. As with all member based organizations, the output for members is only as good as the input from members. So if you think things at the Institute can be done differently, or better, dont just comment to your friends about it, get involved and help make a difference. You may ask why is my focus on member engagement when there is so much work to be done in promoting the importance of design to the community, advocating the interests of the profession to government, property groups and contractor organizations, and participating in public dialogue regarding signicant public infrastructure projects? The Institute has over 11,000 members nationally, with about 1,000 members in Western Australia. That represents a great resource largely untapped. Whilst continuing to address our outreach objectives as best we can, my intention is to develop our organizational structure and to leverage the input of our members in order to maximize the extent and effectiveness of the activities we pursue in the future. It is early days, but already we are identifying key Institute activities where we will be engaging more direct member input into planning and execution of our future programmes. These include our Awards programme, Architecture Week and Member Communications (including this magazine). If you want to participate directly in these or other activities of the Institute, or you have ideas you wish to share, then we look forward to hearing from you. Together, we can continue to develop the effectiveness of our Institute so that ultimately we can make a meaningful contribution to improving our community through architecture. One such member that has for many years been highly engaged with the Institute is our immediate past state president, Rod Mollett. On behalf of all members, I wish to congratulate and thank Rod for his outstanding contribution to the Profession thorough his roles with The Architects Board, the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia, and of course the Institute in particular for the last 4 years as State President. In his time as State President, Rod has ably represented WA members in lobbying government regarding: Development Assessment Panels, Residential Design Codes, the Multi Unit Housing Code, Cathedral Square, the Urban Design Framework, Strategic Planning and Governance of the Capital City, the Central Metropolitan Perth Sub Regional Strategy, the Outer Metropolitan Perth and Peel Sub Regional Strategy, as well as being instrumental in gettingThom Mayne to Perth and pushing for further international speakers to visit WA. Rods efforts on National Council and National Executive have contributed to benecial changes for the WA Chapter. I look forward to continuing to work with Rod on Chapter Council and will value his experience and advice. David Karotkin David Karotkin The Architect May 11 4 Hello there We have said a sad farewell to Rod Mollett who has stood down as State President after four years. A special thanks to Rod who has worked extremely hard for the Institute over those years. He was an inuential voice in having WA better represented nationally and locally regarding WA government issues on urban design and tendering issues. We are very appreciative of Rod who has supported the staff so ably and considerately. He has made our lives much easier with his encouragement and assistance. Luckily, Rod remains as Immediate Past President and will continue to support us and the incoming State President David Karotkin. A warm welcome to David Karotkin who will be overseeing the Chapter for the next few years. We look forward to the changes he envisages which he has itemized in his message. Sponsors A big thanks to our sponsors whose assistance allows us to hold such large events as the Awards Exhibition and the Awards Night. They are: Colorbond BluescopeSteel Mondoluce AECOM Scoop Publishing Laminex Midland Brick, Total Project Solutions Corporate Theatre Public Creative Brand Design Consultants And new supporter FMC Australasia Pty Ltd (HomeGuard and termite protection) STATE MANAGERS MESSAGE Awards Exhibition night on 14th June 2011 We have had 141 entries for the Architecture Awards the most ever. Most of you would have received your invitations and we hope to see you on the night so you can view the A1 Boards and enjoy convivial company with your peers. As you know it will be free to members and $35 to non members. We will also be awarding the EG Cohen Medals and the Emerging Architect Prize. Awards Night 17th June 2011 The above will be held at the Burswood on the 17th June. We will have Vince Sorrenti as the Master of Ceremonies so it should be a funny night. We are having a committee look at the whole Awards procedure so you may nd next years awards may be completely different. If you have any ideas for this please let me know. CPD With 20 hours CPD being compulsory for architects in WA, courses ll up fast. Do keep an eye out for upcoming courses in our email news and enrol as soon as possible so you dont miss out. Thats all for now. Cheers Meino Meino Mirkva The Architect May 11 5 PRESIDENTS COCKTAIL PARTY 29 MARCH 2011 Peter Hunt Prize Winner- Alexandra Mackenzie The Architect May 11 6
MERGE 2011 Architectural Events Calendar January July 1 Public Holiday - New Years Day 4 MERGE ABWA APE Briefng 3 Public Holiday - New Years Day 6 Refuel WA - Contract Law Negligence 11 MERGE Meetng 1 12 MERGE Meetng 7 26 Public Holiday - Australia Day TBC MERGE - Talk on a Practce 3 February August 8 MERGE Meetng 2 2 ABWA APE Enrolment 9 MERGE ABWA APE Briefng 9 MERGE Meetng 8 16 Refuel WA - Environmental Contaminaton and Implica- tons on Human Health and Building Design TBC MERGE - Talk on a Practce 4 TBC (23) MERGE - Talk on a Practce 1 30 ABWA APE Writen Examinaton 28 Refuel WA - E-Tools Sofware for Sustainable Design March September 1 ABWA APE Enrolment 12 Refuel WA - Liquidated Damages 4 WA Architecture Awards Closing Date 13 MERGE Meetng 9 7 Public Holiday - Labour Day TBC MERGE - Small Bar Tour 8 MERGE Meetng 3 TBC MERGE University Presentaton Curtn / UWA 12 EmAGN Natonal Competton Part 1 17 Refuel WA - Property Acquisiton Pitalls 24 Dulux Study Tour 2011 Emerging Architect Awards 2010/ 11 April October 2 EmAGN Natonal Competton Part 2 10 ABWA APE Oral Examinaton 5 ABWA APE Writen Examinaton 11 MERGE Meetng 10 6 Refuel WA The Stainless Edge Using Stainless Steel to Maximum Efect 17 Aust. Inst. of Architects - Architecture Week 12 MERGE Meetng 4 18 Aust. Inst. of Architects - Architecture Week 13 Refuel WA - Geothermal Power 19 Aust. Inst. of Architects - Architecture Week 14 - 16 Natonal Architecture Conference , Melbourne 20 Architecture Week - 3 Over 4Under 22 Public Holiday - Good Friday 27 Natonal Architecture Awards 25 Public Holiday - Anzac Day 28 Public Holiday - Queens Birthday 26 Public Holiday - Easter Monday May November 9 Refuel WA - Copyright and Intellectual Property TBC MERGE - Talk on a Practce 5 10 MERGE Meetng 5 15 MERGE Meetng 11 TBC SONA MERGE Film Night TBC MERGE University Presentaton Curtn / UWA 17 WA Architecture Awards Presentaton 23 ABWA APE Oral Examinaton June December 6 Public Holiday - Foundaton Day 13 MERGE Meetng 12 - Wrap-up 14 MERGE Meetng 6 25 Public Holiday - Christmas Day TBC MERGE - Talk on a Practce 2 26 Public Holiday - Boxing Day The Architect May 11 7 Professor Simon Anderson, Faculty of Architecture, Landscape & Visual Arts, UWA FACTORY HOUSE(S) Project Credits Practice Team: Simon Anderson, Diana Goldswain, Sarah May, Domenic Trimboli Structural Consultant: Andreotta Cardenosa Builder: Michael Bradshaw Photographer: Rob Frith Project Summary Our clients are both academics and own a 360sqm R40 medium density site on a corner beside the university. They have two children and have elderly parents living with them for six months every year. They wished to build an affordable, multi-generational, low energy use, contemporary house for their own long-term occupation, yet preserve the options inherent in the duplex zoning of their site. The local government authority allows two storey developments and has no streetscape policy given the heterogeneity of the location. R40 zoning permits two dwellings and requires maximum 55% site coverage, 1m and 4m street setbacks for corner sites, setbacks of 1-2.5m for all other neighbours for walls containing non- major openings, two car parking bays behind the setbacks for each house. Given the budget our design is fully compliant with all authorities. The house(s) are designed and built like factory buildings. Off-form full height insulated concrete panels standing on slab-on-ground form the structure and external walls. Precast panels in various, but limited number of, sizes are used to not only allow for building efciency but also provide the variety needed to accommodate residential design. A light weight steel roof structure ties the panels together and supports a low- pitched Zincalume roof lining. The design allows for industrial building sub-contractors to complete the earthworks, concrete footings and slab-on-ground, panel manufacture and erection, steel roof framing and erection, steel wall and oor framing, suspended ooring, roong and insulation, paving and driveways. All internal walls are cold formed steel framing and plasterboard allowing a single sub-contractor to bring the house(s) to lock-up, apart from the aluminium external joinery and sun- shades which are manufactured and installed by a single sub-contractor. Cabinets were installed by a carpenter using at-pack cupboards and bench tops. The planning maximises northern exposure and puts parents and children upstairs and over cars at opposite ends of the house(s) separated by kitchen and living rooms and numerous doors with the grandparents accommodated downstairs and self-contained. Residential design requires architecture of exibility and variety within a similarity of means. We tried to design a complex ordering of spaces from a limited palette of materials. The scale and solar intensity of our city and state suggest a spreading logic of deep shade. We tried to capture this horizontal scale. In the future the house(s) may be split to produce two independent houses of various possible conguration and the panels were engineered to accept a third oor should this one day be permitted. The Architect May 11 8 Review by Simon Pendal FACTORY HOUSE(S) Simon Andersons most recently completed commission, a new house, sits atop a corner site along Nedlands Fairway, ringed by a narrow perimeter garden. The new building houses three generations of the same family- Grandparents within a self- contained one-bedroom apartment on the ground oor, Parents on the rst oor above, while the two adult children occupy the other end of the house above a ground-oor studio and workshop space. Between these sleeping wings two cars are parked within the body of the house while the large living, dining and kitchen space operates as an open plan apartment at the rst oor level. The academic client couple had a simple brief we wanted a shoebox. The house has been carefully designed with economy and efciency in mind. It is fabricated primarily from repetitive insulated pre-cast concrete wall panels, a concrete ground oor slab and steel framed rst oor and roof. Internal walls and external inll panels between the perimeter pre-cast wall units are light steel framed. The roof is metal and windows are standard aluminium. Floors are either exposed concrete or particleboard. Walls and ceilings are painted plasterboard, while the external sunshading is simple bolt-on steelwork. The project was designed to be made watertight using the minimum number of general trades, especially wet trades. The house cost less than $1500/sqm, an extraordinary feat in Perths market of recent times. The rooms are simple, well lit, and are oriented and ventilated for passive thermal comfort. The palette of steely-coloured concrete, white plasterboard (and cabinetwork) and blonde timber is subtle. The interior surface of concrete is almost velvety. This project is the rst full realization of Andersons work as described in his co-edited book Take-7 where he establishes an agenda in stark opposition to what he considers to be the regressive forms of production of Perths residential market; Yet one area of small-scale building provision, the commercial factory building, does show signs of the advances in industrial building techniques. Why? Because the commercial imperative allows one to ignore history, style and aesthetics, and to concentrate on buildings as physical systems expected to have certain measurable outcomessuch as affordability, sustainability and exibilityare essentially quantitive topics and warrant rational attention. 1 Review by Simon Pendal The Factory House(s) addresses all of these criteria, and rationally so. The critique of this house however, needs to consider the broader body of Andersons work over the last two decades. Early projects such as the Wherehouse 2 and Her House 3 are those by which students, practitioners and academics at both a local and national level know the author. The inclusion of the Wherehouse in the Australian exhibition curated by Shane Murray and Nigel Bertram at the 2006 Venice Architecture Biennale (Micro Macro City) occurred twelve years after the Wherehouses completion and attests to the gravity of this work. For the Venice Biennale Anderson writes; The Wherehouse is a manifest rejection of the structural and material excesses, hyper-aestheticism and wastefulness of contemporary residential architecture. It is a rhetorical and living monument to the death of the houseAnti-form, anti-craft, anti-techtonic, but hopefully anti-dote. 4 Promoting the idea of just space in deance of what he considers to be the laboured, irrelevant and misguided attentions of contemporary practice, Anderson has held to this gritty and provocative position for two decades. The Architect May 11 9 Citing Robert Venturi and Marcel Duchamp, he seeks to have his work arise out of the cultural circumstance from which it is conceived and to y an intellectually and physically irreverent ag in opposition to the pervasive aesthetic views of contemporary practice and established thought. In his own words his work has consistently been direct, inexpensive and as big as possible given the varying constraints of a project. He decries the fetishism of the overly complex craft-basis of contemporary practice as being regressive and for failing to be culturally relevant. To nd accord or fault with this position is not the point. Andersons position comes out of substantial effort, erudite criticism, immense knowledge and constant practice. The question is; how well does the Factory House(s) reside within his own musings? If we judge the work according to his Take 7 text it would marry neatly with his published intentions- it would be a successful built experiment much like that of Charles and Ray Eames own house of 1949 which exhibits simplicity, efciency, directness and resourcefulness. The greater question is whether the Factory House(s) is a critical advance upon (or at the very least an equivalent to) the more polemical works of his earlier practice The Wherehouse and Her House those projects considered capable of sustaining Anderson as of one of Perths most formidable educators and advocates for what is a distinctly original school of thought capable of inviting sustained conversation nearly two decades later. These early works solved problems, were crude and outrageously inexpensive to build, could be made within the skill limits of an average tradesperson, accepted contingency and ultimately realized the pursuit of just space. But these works were more than just the sum of these parts- they were loaded and witty works of architecture in spite of their modest means. In respect to the Factory House(s) I lament the absence of the plays on local culture and precedent that are so much more than the pursuit of efcient construction techniques as learnt from factory construction. The Wherehouse calls to mind the Hearth Stair of the Vanna Venturi House, the BBQ kitchen (instead of a standard hotplate, Anderson installed a standard BBQ in a brick benchtop), the cross of concrete paving slabs marking the place of the original house that was demolished to make way for his Wherehouse - X marking the spot. Does this garden arrangement refer to the conguration of a paradise garden or taking it a step further was he saying RIP to the original dwelling? In the case of Her House, setting aside the obvious references to the Vanna Venturi House and the similar relationship between Client and Architect, there is the mythology of the place that has arisen out of Andersons direct, no-fuss but wry approach. This house was constructed as a fake, an arts and crafts house of red brick with a white colorbond gable broken up with uncomfortably thin strips of shiny PGI or zincalime to mimic its tudor roots. This house was required by the local authority to remain in keeping with its neighbour in an attempt to appease the local heritage lobby of the time. Anderson relished the making of a fake in this situation. The irony of this tale is that the original house, so precious at the time, has since been demolished and now the fake is the thing that remains. If you are a fan of myth and narrative in works of architecture they dont come better than this in Perth. The above could be construed as esoteric games in architecture, but like it or not Anderson was building a name and a body of work in direct pursuit of something specically Perthian. This is to be admired. The question that remains is whether the Factory House(s) is an extension to Andersons body of work or a departure from it. As a house it manages to deliver its clients a generous, efcient, rational and inexpensive house far better in quality and passive performance to its rival - the McMansion. This alone it to be applauded. By housing three generations of the same family, six people in total, it champions cross-generational care, community diversity and humane and dignied aging. Andersons approach here, as well as with the Concreto Houses (Mt Lawley 2009) addresses housing affordability, sub-letting and alternative superannuation or income streams by using such strategies. All these facets of the Factory House(s) show an insightfulness worthy of consideration throughout contemporary house building. FACTORY HOUSE(S) Review by Simon Pendal The Architect May 11 10 The hallmarks of vintage Anderson, the language and idea-based witticisms of his earlier work - those that have kept him on the margins of practice but within the national critical consciousness - are absent from this latest project. These imbued projects with myth, narrative and joy in buildings that were sometimes brutally tough and in need of such embellishments. These made the work culturally relevant. The pursuit of cost and constructional efciency seems to have marginalised these earlier experiments within Andersons working consciousness. The Factory House(s) is economically and socially sustainable but is it culturally so? A merging of the devices and thinking of the earlier work with this recent advancement in his practice would, in my view, complete what is an incomplete triad. Simon Pendal
1. Anderson, S. (2008) Take 7, Housing Australia- How Architects can make a difference: Edited by G.London and S.Anderson, ACT, Australia, AIA Publishers. 2. Anderson, S. (1994) The Wherehouse, Transiton No. 44/45: Edited by P.Brew, Melbourne, Australia, RMIT Publishers. 3. Nordek, M. (1995) Her House, Transition No. 48: Edited by P.Brew, Melbourne, Australia, RMIT Publishers. 4. Anderson, S. (2006) Micro Macro City: Edited by S. Murray N.Bertram, ACT, Australia, AIA publishers. FACTORY HOUSE(S) Review by Simon Pendal Pendal and Neille Architects Lecturer, Department of Architecture and Interior Architecture, Curtin University The Architect May 11 11 FACTORY HOUSE(S) Review by Simon Pendal The Architect May 11 12 FACTORY HOUSE(S) Review by Simon Pendal The Architect May 11 13 iredale pedersen hook BALCATTA COURTYARD HOUSES Balcatta Courtyard Houses IPH were engaged by the Department of Housing to design a 2 bedroom courtyard house under the standard Homeswest brief and specications. This project was instigated by Geoffrey London, Government Architect, to explore the possibilities of such a housing type within the context of Perths suburbs. The intent was to provide a well designed alternative housing model for public housing tenants, responding to their needs and to sustainability principals. The context for the project is that of a 1960s suburb largely re-developed in the 1980s and 90s- where most of the original houses have been demolished and replaced with grouped dwellings from sand or red colour bricks with hip roofs. The project responds to this context by inverting the hip roof to provide delight and sensible eaves heights to the courtyards. Delight is created with the use of brick in relation to the suburban context, bands of red and cream bricks dialogue with horizontal lines of neighboring buildings and create a substitute for the missing roof. The common driveway is located to the south of the complex, providing a breeze corridor between the neighbouring properties allowing cooling breezes to reach openings in the units. The driveway also provides additional privacy to the outdoor living areas of the southern neighbours, and prevents over-shadowing. A verandah and screening element to the street provides a counterpoint to the simple masonry forms of the development. The design teams response was to create a courtyard design that provided a home for a variety of tenants with varying levels of privacy within the context of a restricted site. The most private space is the shaded courtyard in the centre of each house, with the required carport spaces forming a second more public outdoor space, and the common access driveway providing the communal space for informal interaction between tenants. The kitchen windows are located to provide surveillance along the common driveway, and an entry porch is used to form an entry vestibule in the east wall of each unit. The courtyard design makes for a dwelling with a small footprint but with a generous feel that provides spaces that take advantage of Perths mild climate. The design provides good solar access in winter and effective breeze paths in summer, without compromising acoustic privacy. The wall cavities and roof sheeting are installed with Aircell Retroshield, with batts on the ceiling plane. The Department Ofcers advised that the likely occupants would be single mothers with 1 or 2 children, older people without ambulant disabilities. With this possible occupant make- up audible privacy both between units and to the adjacent neighbours was seen as a critical issue. This was addressed by the use of masonry dividing walls between units and the buffering of living spaces with laundry areas. The roof forms also reduced the amount of sound transfer. Interaction between inhabitants is encouraged by planting lemon and orange trees in the courtyards with the hope that householders will swap produce from their trees. The Architect May 11 14 1 0 6 2 4 GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1. ENTRY 2. KITCHEN 3. LIVING 4. COURTYARD 5. BEDROOM 6. BATHROOM 7. STORE 8. BEDROOM 9. LAUNDRY 10. TOILET 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A A iredale pedersen hook BALCATTA COURTYARD HOUSES W
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U E 1 0 6 2 4 FIRST FLOOR PLAN The Architect May 11 15 0 3 1 2 FRONT ELEVATION 0 3 1 2 SECTION iredale pedersen hook BALCATTA COURTYARD HOUSES The Architect May 11 16 RICHARD WELLER INTERVIEW TA - Richard, can you briey outline the role of the UDC RW - Its role was dened by the people who worked hard to set it up, and then in particular by Professor Ruth Durack who directed the UDC for its rst 5 years. Its mission was and remains to teach, research and practice urban design as best as possible. What aims do you have for your time as director of UDC? The highest. I want it to be interdisciplinary, vital, experimental, contentious, rigorous, professional, inuential, prestigious, open, rich, international and happy. What are some of the projects the UDC are undertaking right now? At the moment we are looking at Brendan Grylls notion of Supertowns, we are doing our homework on Activity Centres (as these are a key bi-partisan component of Perths inll urban policy) and we are scoping national settlement patterns to accommodate population growth out to mid century. But more than that, the UDC, which I plan to rename as the AUDC (Australian Urban Design Centre) needs to be active around the Indian Ocean Rim. Do you see room to move and expand your role in the community/how do you plan on doing it? Enormous room. The UWA has moved Future Cities toward the top of its priority research area list and the general public are really interested in the future of their city and their state so my job is to bring the university and the public into the same space as often as possible. The UDC is strongly connected to UWA, including researchers and designers from the Faculty; are current students involved with the centre and research assistance? There are no students doing research or design in the UDC right now but the door is wide open and on a project by project basis I always make a point of trying to involve the students. What changes do you hope to see during your time as director of UDC, which direction would you like to see it take over the next few years? By now everyone has now realised that the city needs to be appraised holistically so urban design, which by denition tries to do this, is fashionable. As a term Urban Design was coined at Harvard in the 1950s. Since then the discipline and profession has suffered from vagary and has therefore been easily appropriated by anyone who wants to add a bit of cache to their otherwise relatively narrow service. Through teaching, research and practice the UDC s role is to signicantly elevate what is meant by urban design. What is the biggest issue facing Perth at the moment that the UDC is involved with, or hope to be involved with? Perths long-term resilience in the face of environmental limitations and population growth and the fact that sprawl is all we really know. This also has to be understood as part of a global situation where we will have a stable (and even declining) population of about 9 billion people by mid century and most of them will live in cities, many we havent even designed yet and which all will face problems of basics such as food and water. In Boomtown 2050, you discuss the idea Landscape urbanism, how this might be integrated or shape the work and research being undertaken at the UDC? Landscape urbanism is one of many urbanisms vying for attention but I think its quite important and certainly Harvard have staked quite a bit on it by appointing Charles Waldheim as their new Chair of landscape architecture. What it means is that you try and shape cities from the ground up instead of from the top down. Landscape systems rst, infrastructural systems second and cultural systems third put them all together carefully and you have a resilient 21st century city. It also follows on from Koolhaas who pretty much said architectural objects are useless in terms of the urban issues we face. How important is it to have an organisation like the UDC for our city, especially a city that is growing as rapidly as ours? I think its the right thing in the right place at the right time. In regards to urbanism and infrastructure there is a lot happening in WA but there isnt a lot of directly related research or genuinely innovative and creative thinking. Its not because we dont have talented people, its because in a boomtown no one has any time. The UDC should be a place which can make some time for a range of experts from university and industry to come together so that they form ways of leading and underpinning the developmental changes going on in this state. As witnessed by the recent Waterfront discussion, Urban Design on such a large scale faces a lot of public backlash; do you nd the work and research you present are met with much resistance? No. At the research end of things I use scenarios and people like being presented with options. But thats easy. The real work begins when we get serious about implementing a particular design. Then there will naturally be some resistance. Resistance is a fundamental part of democracy and urban evolution and designers have to work with it to improve their product. The problem is when you meet resistance for ulterior motives apart from the quality of the design in question. Further to that the really BIG problem for Perth is that someone can propose a 4 storey building in Cottesloe and World War 3 will break out, but start bulldozing the landscape and building a suburb for 40,000 people on the outskirts of the city: no one blinks. Richard Weller recently took over from Ruth Durack as the Director of the Urban Design Centre (UDC) in Perth. The Architect spoke to Richard about the work being undertaken, and the plans for his term as Director. The Architect May 11 17 COMMUNITY OR PRIVACY Martin Dickie Are privacy requirements reducing neighbourliness? In 2002 WAs Planning Commission introduced a new form of planning code, incorporating a performance approach which mirrors that in the Building Code of Australia. Adjustments to what are called the Residential Design Codes (or R Codes) were made in 2008 but difculties remain. The Big Issue in WAs R Codes is Privacy. When considering an elevated oor, a planning ofcer may well spend more time considering privacy than any other of the Codes issues. Certainly, when laying out a home, privacy has to be one of the rst considerations; some houses have been designed solely to avoid a submission due to privacy questions. Provisions for visual privacy were rst introduced with the Performance Approach in the 2002 Codes, and required four pages of information to support one page of provisions. A further ten pages were issued subsequently in the form of an Advice Note. The present version still has eight pages to explain the issue and the suggested requirements. What is privacy? One reason for the complexity and confusion is that there is uncertainty about what is being protected. What is privacy; is it desirable and what is a reasonable level of protection in the suburban context? The dictionary denition suggests that privacy is not a quality to be sought: privacy n LME The state or condition of being withdrawn from the society of others or from public attention; freedom from disturbance or intrusion; seclusion. (SOED) Should planning codes encourage withdrawal from society? The R Codes in their insistence on surveillance of the street suggest that their objective is instead engagement. Element 6.2.4 requires buildings to be designed to provide for surveillance between dwellings and the street, and 7.3.2 asks for buildings designed to provide surveillance of the public domain and communal spaces... Witold Rybczynski in his 1986 book, Home, A Short History of an Idea, points out that there was no concept of privacy within the house in the Middle Ages; one room was used by many people for living, dining and sleeping. In 17th century France the life of the family continued to take place in one room. Nevertheless, a desire for a greater measure of privacy was evidenced by the separation of the masters from their servants... At this time the separation of living from working places meant that the house was becoming a more private place. ....Within the home however, personal privacy remained relatively unimportant. In their seminal 1963 book Community and Privacy, Serge Chermayeff and Christopher Alexander state Privacy is most urgently needed and most critical in the place where people live... They go on to suggest: It is our further contention that to contain this No Desire for Privacy - The owners of this house in Scarborough obviously value the view more than being seen from the street kind of dwelling, and to develop both privacy and the true advantages of living in a community, an entirely new anatomy of urbanism is needed, built of many hierarchies of clearly articulated domains. The sledgehammer of the R Codes deemed-to-comply provisions provides no hierarchy, no articulation and no consideration of the subtleties within which a sense of community grows. Performance criteria are only a little more nuanced: to site and design buildings to meet projected user requirements for visual privacy and to minimise the impact of development on the visual privacy of adjoining residents in their dwellings and private open space. A concern for privacy may well come to WA from an English heritage. But in the UK, a desire for privacy is mitigated by recognition of the value of community. A 2003 study Perceptions of Privacy and Density in Housing, prepared for the Popular Housing Group by Mulholland Research and Consulting in the UK examined higher density housing. There are no density gures but some types examined appear to resemble Perths suburbs. Some excerpts: .... quotations paint the English as a peculiarly private nation: curmudgeonly characters who prefer to skulk in their homes behind drawn net curtains rather than socialising with their local community in continental style street life. Our research indicates that this is only a half truth. The English do value their privacy in their homes. In higher density living, however, this privacy is necessarily underpinned by a strong sense of community responsibility. The most successful developments in our research were those where the values of privacy and community were seen as complementary parts of a complete whole: the yin and yang of a harmonious neighbourhood. Windows faced one another across the courtyard but there were no privacy The Architect May 11 18 problems. This is because they were, in the main, kitchen windows where privacy was not of primary concern; also the neighbours were on friendly terms and unembarrassed to acknowledge one another. Most of our sample wanted their private garden, patio or yard to be fully screened by high fencing or walls so that outsiders could not easily see in. They had often replaced or fortied existing barriers to ensure they were at least head height. Bushes and trees were also planted to give extra privacy. There was a minority of people, mainly located in the North, who did not want their garden or patio to be such a fortress. They liked the opportunity to chat across the garden fence and to be aware when their neighbours were in. They preferred to have a more open design of screening, using spaced wooden slats or trellising. Their territory was clearly marked but they felt in close contact with their neighbours. There were some aspects of higher density living that were seen as advantageous to security. The closeness of living in terraced housing made it easier to summon help in an emergency, particularly as the degree of sound insulation often was poor. The fact that properties overlooked one another to a degree, and were often grouped around courtyards or squares made it easier to spot intruders. Do we need community? The term community is used in both broad and narrow contexts. I suggest that it should include a sense of belonging and pride, a common bond and shared identity, the willingness to help neighbours and support them in times of need and perhaps also the suspicion of outsiders. (Rudlin & Falk: Building the 21st Century Home 1999 p101). The R Codes appear to embody this view, referring to street setbacks as providing the opportunity for casual and safe interaction (which) enhances a sense of community. Referring to privacy they also point out that differing community expectations in different situations also should be kept in mind. In the minds of the Codes compilers a sense of community keeps us safe. A habitable room window with a clear view of the street avoids undesirable events. But we should not be allowed to look into neighbouring spaces behind the street setback line. This has allowed undesirable activities such as drug labs to take advantage of the privacy of our suburbs. The Codes standards are meaningless The following is from Lewis Keebles 1952 book Principles and Practice of Town and Country Planning: Most people do not seek complete visual privacy in an uncurtained room, but like to feel that they are not under detailed observation from the opposite side of the street and there is a tremendous difference between 50 feet and 70 feet..... I feel condent in saying that to a person of normal sensitiveness a distance from facing windows of 70 ft provides a general feeling of comfort, while a distance appreciably smaller than this gives a general feeling of discomfort. Neighbourly Spaces - An illustration prepared by CABE showing how outdoor spaces in the UK can be overlooked by neighbours COMMUNITY OR PRIVACY Martin Dickie Seventy feet is 21.3 metres and it must have been Keeble or some similar authority that the committee drafting the 2002 Codes had in mind when they remarked in the Guidelines: .... side setbacks alone cannot, realistically, be deemed to achieve adequate standards of privacy, because the setback distances required to achieve privacy are much greater than those provided in the Codes. Indeed it is inconceivable that any practical setback, even on a large lot, could achieve absolute visual privacy. In the case of active habitable spaces, including outdoor living areas, balconies, etc an effective privacy separation distance would be of the order of 15m or more. Clearly, this is not realistically achievable. An acceptable compromise setback, where intervening screening is not provided, would perhaps be of the order of 7.5m. The Codes objective is stated as to achieve an effective privacy separation distance but then it is admitted In practice, some degree of compromise is necessary. Distance-to-boundary requirements are reduced to 6m if views are through a window and to 4.5m from bedrooms, the most private rooms. There is but one indication of the purpose of the provisions; in discussing screening the Guidelines say: .... the objective of protecting visual privacy. A reasonable test of this is whether the screening prevents recognition of persons or the precise nature of private activity. Inappropriate Screening - Strict enforcement of Codes provisions means that this balcony has an obtrusive screen but the glass-enclosed room behind has an unrestricted view. But both only look at the neighbours solid wall The Architect May 11 19 So the Codes intend that I should not be able to tell if the person next door is my neighbour or a robber! No wonder evaluation of performance criteria is inconsistent when the standards are so compromised. Since it is unclear what is intended it is pious but unrealistic to hope: In many cases, a more effective, more mutually benecial outcome can be achieved through the application of good design, directed at meeting the Performance Criteria. (Guidelines p26) Suburban Mores Our suburbs appear to be dominated by a mindset that reduces community, that means that we have only a nodding acquaintance with our neighbours in the few seconds that we drive our cars into or out of a garage. In our gardens, as a result of the near-universal use of 1.8m SuperSix fences we have come to expect complete visual separation: an outdoor cubicle farm. I can hear my neighbour but cannot see him, so I have no relationship on which to build community. Worse, I cannot see into his property to check if the screaming I hear is childish exuberance or domestic violence; if the breaking noise is a dropped plate or a thief. but by a desire for separation. People, while paying lip service to the idea of community, have sought, through the location and design of their home, to reduce contact with others. when we look to the future it may well be that our reliance on the family rather than the community will become less tenable. ..... the family is much less common than it once was and will become even less so in the future. .... we believe that the concept of community will be a potent inuence on the twenty-rst century home. (p101) Seeing and being seen Viewed objectively, the Codes privacy standards seem to be inverted. If someone with voyeuristic tendencies wants to watch his neighbour he is well served by a 4.5 setback in his (or her) bedroom. Concealment behind glass and curtains encourages illicit viewing. On a balcony such anonymity is not possible; a person is exposed to view and is part of the external scene. Despite the Codes contention that these active habitable spaces are of most concern, balconies are likely to be inhabited for a signicantly shorter part of the year than a glazed indoor space. Why then should they be set back an ineffective and wasteful 7.5 metres? Protected View - Here the local planner still required balcony screening to protect this view. Outdoor living areas are almost invisible It is also unrealistic to not take impervious balustrades into account. Since users generally sit down on balconies, a solid balustrade blocks views in or out and provides good privacy for neighbours and the balconys residents as well. Pressures on Performance In the way that they are presently used, the evaluation of performance criteria appears to be no more than the exercise of personal preference. Yet this should not be so: the criteria should be seen as standards that are interpreted with an understanding of their objectives. The Codes Guidelines attempt to set some reasonable limits: ..... it must be understood that absolute privacy cannot be expected in all cases. Often it may be achievable only at too high a cost in terms of orientation, access to winter sunshine, security or some other desirable objective. Nevertheless, a reasonable level of privacy can usually be achieved through good design. However it is nearly impossible to convince a planning ofcer to accept a performance application on this basis. Who decides? In conclusion I would like to quote Matthew Cremona in a 2003 article on Public Places, Urban Spaces. Despite the rather confused syntax, I agree with his opinion that The permeability of the public/ private interface should be controlled by private users. In practice, however, the necessary degree of control is often absent: instead of enabling users to choose how much privacy they want through the use of adjustable lters, by making permanent physical and visual barriers, designers often decide for them. Designers and Western Australias planning authorities should just withdraw from this area and let the residents decide how much privacy is appropriate.
Martin Dickie is an architect in private practice and his opinions carry no legal or statutory weight. These interpretations and suggestions should be discussed with the relevant local authority to establish its position. COMMUNITY OR PRIVACY Martin Dickie The Usual Solution - Thousands of similar slatted screens have arisen on side walls of balconies in recent years We should enjoy the benets of suburban densities, which include a degree of neighbourliness, community and surveillance which helps to ensure safety for ourselves and our property. These days, the neighbours burglar alarm is more likely to signal a defective battery than a break in. We all seem to have accepted that we will eschew any of the benets of living only 2-3 metres apart. According to Rudlin & Falk urban trends over the last hundred or so years have been driven not by the desire of people to live in communities The Architect May 11 20 SUSTAINABILITY, UNIVERSAL ACCESS AND THE PREMISES STANDARDS Building Regulations and Standards are being developed progressively in response to changing demographics and needs within society. The population is increasing, we are living longer, are getting taller and there are more obese people now than in preceding generations. To accommodate future generations buildings should cater for these trends. This will make our emerging building stock easier to use, more durable and have a longer working life. Future generations will not be forced to pay for modications and adoptions as frequently if our design standards seek to cater for people with greater exibility and differing abilities. The Access Regulations and Standards have been developed to provide safe environments on the basis of equity of use and to sustain the quality of human life in a dignied way. The Disability (Access to Premises Buildings) Standards 2010 (Premises Standards) is due to come into operation on the First of May 2011. They are the logical outcome of the operation of the Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA92), which prohibits discriminatory action. It extends its scope to include the principle of dignity of individuals in their use of spaces in buildings and requires building owners and managers to provide a safe and equitable environment. It is enforceable by complaints being heard by a Federal Court. . Most buildings serve to house the activities of people with a wide range of ages and abilities and tness for purpose is of primary importance in achieving satisfaction and aesthetic pleasure. Buildings designed with sustainability in mind generally have a longer life than their occupants with the result that it is close to 100% statistically likely that, at some stage, a number of their occupants and visitors will be either temporarily or permanently disabled. Accessibility is therefore an important aspect of sustainability. When implemented correctly it allows people to be where they need to be independently, efciently and with dignity and in doing so frees their own and others time resource. Further it allows for building use when a transitory disability occurs and provides a less dangerous environment. Retrotting to meet individual needs can largely be avoided and in any case suitable structural provisions should be made so that retrotting, if required, is least costly. The Building Code of Australia and associated Australian Standards have progressively introduced requirements to improve access but improvement in the overall level of access has been slow. There has been little evidence of a proactive approach from the building industry to fully address its responsibilities under the DDA. Use of the DDA complaints mechanism with resolution (or otherwise) on the basis of isolated legal disputes has not delivered an holistic approach to access. Systemic change has therefore not been possible, as people who have been discriminated against have reportedly found the complaints and Federal Court process too daunting. At long last the perceived need for all people, irrespective of their ability/ mobility, to be able to enter and move freely in and around buildings has been codied. There are many examples of what is proposed already extant in numerous regional shopping centres and cinema complexes. In these buildings the owners and operators have seen a commercial advantage in providing the means for people to be able to enter and move freely in and around their premises. Transport infrastructure has similarly been progressively upgraded an accordance with the provisions of the Transport Standards that have been operating since October 2002. Our communities include a huge range of people, with a wide range of abilities. Some disabilities are permanent, others are temporary due to accidents, illness etc. and include such limitations as those experienced by parents with young children in pushers etc. All people have the basic human right to participate in the broadest range of social activities. In addition to providing access through building solutions there is a need for adequate provision for waynding, both inherent in the design by logical ow of spatial arrangements, and by readily identiable, clear and intelligible signage. It is incumbent upon building designers to make provision for this broad range of building occupants and visitors. The DDA92 in Section 32 says, simply, It is unlawful to contravene a disability standard. Therefore to comply with Federal Law, all buildings identied in Section 2.1 of the Premises Standards which are the subject of an application for a building permit on or after 1st May 2011 must meet the Access Code, regardless of the version of the BCA which the building surveyor uses to assess the application. It should be noted that there is no provision for a period of grace. An important aspect, which is often overlooked, in respect of the legal relationship between BCA 2011 and PS 2010, is that it is not BCA 2011 that requires compliance with PS 2010 but the Federal Act DDA92 through PS 2010 that in Clause 2.1 (1) (b) and Clauses 2.1 (4) and 2.1 (5) requires relevant buildings to meet the Access Code, which involves compliance with BCA2011 where it is applicable. None of the foregoing affects the right of persons who consider they have suffered discrimination on the grounds of their disability to complain about a building design. This remains enshrined in the Act but compliance with the Premises Standards will mean a complaint in respect of matters covered by the Standards cannot be upheld. Australian Standards AS 1428.1 & AS 1428.4, both of which have been updated over a number of years, were re-published in 2009 and amended in 2010 as part of an agreement to align the technical requirements of the BCA, DDA & Australian Standards. AS 1428.4 was renumbered as AS 1428.4.1. The updated standards were altered to accommodate a wider range of the population than was included in previous editions and are now reference documents to the Access Code and the BCA. AS1428.1 & AS1428.4.1 address the built environment; internal tout is also covered by the DDA. AS 1428.2 which will be re-written to include furniture, internal tout and equipment is currently on the agenda of Australian Standards to be complete within a two year time frame. While not legally referenced by legislation, the publication of this standard would provide some guidance for designers and building owners and operators. AS 1428.4.2 relating to waynding within buildings and AS 1428.8 Adaptable The Architect May 11 21 Housing are also listed for nalisation and publication within the next two years. Other standards that may be developed by Standards Australia in the future include access to the external environment. The DDA includes external as well as internal environments, as with AS 1428.2, this information will provide consistent principles for designers and building owners and managers. Similarly to BCA 2011 and the Access to Premises Standard, principles of sustainability are progressively being enshrined in legislation refer to BCA Section J, The Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) and the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS), an initiative of Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments through the Ministerial Council on Energy, whose enhanced sustainability provisions (NSW) are being prosecuted by organisations such as the Green Building Council. There have been many and varied repercussions of recent very signicant steps forward in both the access and the green agendas. An in-depth investigation of the interrelation between these two critical social movements will no doubt be the subject of many more detailed future commentaries and investigations The Australian Institute of Architects is progressively providing, through Acumen, a comprehensive guide for members; including a full range of details from the legal to practical design advice. A guide to the Premises Standards is currently in course of preparation by the Australian Human Rights Commission and will hopefully be available on their website by the time this is published; the address will be: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/ disability_rights/standards/PSguide. html The Architectural profession in Australia has embraced some aspects of sustainability and now faces the challenge of providing universal access. In the words of Daniel Libeskind, Good design should be for everyone. The foregoing was provided by the Australian Institute of Architects National Access Work Group which was set up in July 1998. Reporting to National Practice Committee, the group comprises representatives from all States and Territories Chapters together with representatives of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, the Australian Property Institute and the Association of Consultants in Access Australia; meeting quarterly by teleconference they provide coordinated practice guidance, on matters related to Access to Premises, to the various organisations members. For further information contact the Institute. Edited for The Architect WA by Peter Jones. SUSTAINABILITY, UNIVERSAL ACCESS AND THE PREMISES STANDARDS 22 The Architect May 11 My project is conceived from the May Holman Centre on Salvation Terrace on Perths Salvation Loop, which has been left in a state of ruin following a failed attempt to revitalise the building at the onset of the global nancial crisis. Now, having been devoid of function or event for years, this project begins at its end. The Death of the May Holman Centre. This project proposed a narrative exploration of the buildings re- inhabitation. The narrative, its structure and characters were adoptions of those in J.G. Ballards novel High Rise, in which the established hierarchical and stratied social order of a luxurious high rise apartment building descends into chaos. Similarly this projects narrative is to follow the buildings current state of decline, and the inhabitants entropic decent in pursuit of a new personal freedom. A new truly free life, liberated from the shackles of consumerist social order. An architectural intervention was proposed within the carcass of the May Holman Centre, which was to be generated though the narrative of Ballards High Rise and my previously conceived Salvation Loop. Rather than starting with program and site diagrams as a means of generating architecture, it was proposed that this narrative, its events and characters, with all their inherent meanings were to be the architectural generator. Tschumis Three Square strategy is sited here. Tschumi, rather than examining program, a predetermined set of expected occurrences, examines event, an indeterminate set of unexpected outcomes. The narratives protagonist begins as a participant in his own Salvation Loop. He identies the abandoned 18 storey May Holman Centre, located between Salvation City and Plunder City, at the eastern end of Salvation Terrace on the Salvation Loop, as the appropriate location for his escape from the Loop. Previously occupied by the Magistrates and District Court Rooms and other law enforcement agencies, of which remnants of their existence remain, the building represents the enforcement of the Salvation Loop social structure that our protagonist desires to destroy. However, there lies the paradox in the protagonists liberation. The rejection of the external freedom, the rejection of living within the regulated constraints of the Salvation Loop, revealed an alternate inner consciousness as his ultimate reality. A reality excluded from society. Marking the narratives nale in the protagonists psychological liberation is his complete digression to that of an infant and the ultimate return of his esh to his mothers. In front of him the children in the sculpture-garden were playing with bones...the women were looking intently at Wilder... In their bloodied hands they carried knives with narrow blades. Shy but happy now, Wilder tottered across the roof to meet his new mothers. (High Rise) The ultimate digression and demise of the protagonist coincides with that of the May Holman Centre, and its return to the mother from which it came. And as with the structure of High Rise, the conclusion to the May Holman Centre, having begun at the end, ends at the beginning. Byron Last This is Narratives of Architecture as Entropy RECENT UWA HONOURS PROJECTS STUDENT WORK 23 The Architect May 11 STUDENT WORK 24 The Architect May 11 The project is a new building for Scitech situated in the Perth Cultural Centre. Scitech is an interactive science museum; it is one of Perths most successful tourist attractions and when the lease expires in two years they aim to be occupying purpose built premises. A new building would mean a new identity and an attempt to reach a wider audience; it would promote Scitech as a major science and technology communicator and encapsulate the museums focus of interactivity and experience. The site was chosen for mutual benet, it would gain as much if not more from the venture as Scitech would. The injection of life and fun that an architecture dedicated to Scitech and its patrons would bring to the austere and intimidating cultural centre would be invaluable. The brief encouraged research and experiment into architecture that not only caters for children but allows people of any age to regress or remember what childhood was like. As a result I focused on phenomenology as it appropriately delves into memory, sensation and mien often triggered by level or threshold or a bodily reaction to the surrounding environment. I treated the building as if it were a series of events characterised by their level and sensory clues, rstly a visitor descends into the dark, robotic computer cellar of STUDENT WORK Emily Van Eyk 25 The Architect May 11 Scitech, slowly ascending through the main galleries into more open space to eventually break through to the perplexing, undened playful roof. Technically speaking this proposal offered challenges with tight site constraints and evolving program, the architecture had to literally be experiential and interactive, it was an adage of Scitechs that I understood to be at the crux of my design. This in mind I aimed to constantly design in all dimensions and resisted solely orthographic projection. This proved a fruitful experience and produced some interesting unforseen results like the idea for the sloped grassy terrain of the PCC. This project was a successful one for me, I think the reason being that although I enjoyed the research and the whole process of independent design, most of all I had fun. My supervisor, Sophie Giles, was a constant source of energy and enthusiasm and each meeting was an entertaining one. STUDENT WORK 26 The Architect May 11 STUDENT WORK Heather MacRae ENABLING PLACE: Housing the displaced Sudanese in Perth. This project involved the design of housing and community facilities for the most recent signicant group of migrants: the displaced South Sudanese refugees. The aim was to create an environment that would provide suitable social spaces to enable the refugees to come to terms with their surroundings and achieve a sense of place. The chosen site was in the suburb of Mirrabooka, in the City of Stirling a local government precinct that is home to 50% of the Perth Sudanese community. The Sudanese are a completely new migrant group to Australia. Their tribal backgrounds, extensive years in refugee camps and high levels of trauma and torture have meant that adapting to western ways of living is very difcult. Feelings of isolationism and a lack of place prevail. Studies show that this group nd it signicantly more difcult being a migrant and are less connected with their new home compared with other migrant groups. The question was in this project, how can architecture help this new, signicantly uprooted group of refugees? 27 The Architect May 11 I approached this problem of Sudanese resettlement through a top-down western and a bottom-up Sudanese mode of research. Through consultation with the South Sudanese community, The Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre and the City of Stirling, I developed my brief to include orientation housing, a community centre, a Migrant Resource Centre and a Womens Centre. Signicant focus was to also be on the spaces that lie between the built form with community gardens, gathering spaces and play areas to be integrated. The main focus of the brief was housing for 150 people, to be of an interim nature, allowing for an easing into the landscape of the host city. Acting as a mediator between lost past homes STUDENT WORK and the future Perth home, the housing catered for the specic cultural needs of the community while providing a framework for western living. With an examination of the ideas of movement and mobility, both theoretically (Bourdieu and Iain Chambers) and in the Sudanese way of life, I developed the driving concept of the path and the nook. The path being a productive entity; it is the spine and life force of the site. It weaves inside and outside, through public and private and most importantly, it intersects. It is through this that gradients and thresholds are created and as Bourdieu suggests, it is these spaces that are of most signicance to the migrant. The nook can be seen as the dwelling place, it shelters and protects. It forms part of the therapeutic landscape and restores a sense of opportunity. With Bachelard in mind, it is a space that can encourage day dreaming, an activity that can unlock past memories of home. In the context of this design, it can be seen that a fundamental aspect is to allow for a certain living in movement, where architecture walks the line between the past the future. With guidance from supervisor Phil Goldswain, this project, I believe, successfully dealt with the complicated task of refugee reterritorialisation to enable place through architecture. S I N G L E
W O M A N
U N I T S 28 The Architect May 11 Australians are coast dwellers. For most, it is the coast, not the outback, which is central to an Australian identity. Metropolitan beaches along the coast are a cultural hub for many Australians, and our white sandy beaches are the most popular tourist attraction for international visitors. Typically development along the coast in Australia, on the threshold between land & ocean, does not connect meaningfully to place. Buildings at Cottesloe Beach are a case in point. Cottesloe Beach Re-imagined focuses on the foreshore precinct west of Marine Parade. For this project the Indiana Tea Rooms building (built in 1996 on top of existing 1983 concrete facilities) will be demolished, as it can be argued the facilities provided; are not in line with what is required from such a heavily used local and tourist destination, and do not connect meaningfully to place. To justify the demolition of this building, what constitutes a meaningful connection to site/place needs to be dened: 1) PORTRAY A UNIQUE SENSE OF AUSTRALIAN SPACE Vast, open, loose, and linear. This sense of space is unique and should be valued and expressed in our built form. As Phillip Drew states, The essence of Australian space is the open boundary. 2) BE SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE Buildings that connect in as many ways as possible with the local cycles and processes, both natural and human (P. Buchanan) Provide a range of experiences, for a range of different users, at varying times of the day and year- people enjoy the beach in different ways. Built form must respond to the climatic conditions of the site. Particularly important to create areas that are protected from the predictable prevailing AM & PM summer and winter winds. Shelter from the sun and wind is key. STUDENT WORK India Collins 29 The Architect May 11 STUDENT WORK The Indiana Tea Rooms building does not full the criteria stated above. Cottesloe Beach Re-imagined replaces facilities provided in the current building, as well as providing additional cultural, social, and recreational facilities - with the above criteria as the key driver. Situated on such an exposed West facing site, orientation becomes crucial. The proposed cafes, restaurants, cultural centre, and beach facilities face North West up the beach rather than due West to minimise glare and protect users from the predictable South Westerly afternoon breeze. The project aims to not touch the earth lightly but instead fully engage with the landscape to create multiple entry points, view points, terraces, and a range of spaces to protect users from the harsh wind and sun at different times of the day and night. Unlike the current Tea Rooms building, which sits above the beach-scape cut-off from its users, the proposed buildings are fully integrated with the grass terraces and boardwalks to connect to the beach- scape and its users in as many ways as possible. TEA ROOMS SITE Skate Park Playground Coffee / bar pavilion STREET SITE Restaurant Cultural / Community Centre Cafe Retail ROCK SITE 50m Lap Pool Wading Pool Change Facilities Spa Bar / restaurant The Architect May 11 30 Daniel Juengling PAVILION PROJECT REVIEW In 2010 the UWA Cultural Precinct held a competition to design a pavilion structure that would be erected in front of Winthrop Hall. Italian architects Elisa Mansutti and Luca Pavarin took rst place. Convocation, the UWA graduates association, sponsored The Pavilion Project. The competition brief required entrants to design a pavilion that addressed the ambitious task of providing shelter for those urgently in need, whilst incorporating green technologies, in remote areas and communities at times of disaster and distress. As food for thought the competition now seems more than appropriate in light of recent disasters such as this years Queensland oods and the Japanese tsunami. The brief required the added complexity of fusing art and architecture and being environmentally friendly. With any disaster response architecture, by implication there is a need for a solution that is easy to assemble and cheap to fabricate many times over. Without addressing this, any proposal is in danger of being outmoded by a more economically efcient version. Short to mid-term emergency shelter responses by architects are commonly overlooked due to a lack of economic efciency and unnecessary complexities. Costs in production and erection snowball and limit their appropriateness to the task at hand. An example is the highly publicised paper housing by Shigeru Ban that recently came under criticism by David Neustein on the Australian Design Review website . As Neustein points out, complex solutions like Bans rarely advance beyond the prototype stage. An obvious conclusion would be that an army specied tent is more appropriate in areas of distress than an overtly aestheticised cardboard structure. If you require shelter in its most rudimentary form why not reduce it to the absolute denominator. The competition brief stated that the shelter was to be assembled by non- skilled workers and without power or lifting gear. The Pavilion Project was to be 100sqm in size, lending itself to more than primarily a shelter and potentially be used as a ceremonial public space. All undergraduate and recent graduates of architecture were eligible to enter. The uniqueness of this competition, and arguably the jewel in the crown for the winner, was the invaluable practical experience offered. The winners had the opportunity to oversee the project through to its physical completion. Beyond exposure to the community, this competition helped establish a professional and independent design direction for the winners. An opportunity to execute a small project distanced from potential liabilities that a larger project might involve. Winthrop Professor Geoffrey London headed the jury. Other jurors included Richard Hassell, Sean Godsell, Abbie Galvin and Peter Corrigan. The jury congratulated all participants. Overall the entries noted were detached from a contemporary parametric stylising that seems so common in recent publications. They were also noted as innovative and poetic though not all were capable of being deliverable, when mass- produced, to developing countries at a cost of US$12,000. This was another key requirement. Regarding Mansutti and Pavarins winning entry, Professor Geoffrey London stated the following in the jury report: This [winning] proposal is a deceptively simple tent-like form capable of meeting the competition criteria and of being developed into an easily constructible signal of hope, a refuge of folded planes. While it will meet the utilitarian needs of basic shelter, its schema allows the potential to expand into a grander and more ceremonial version. The winning concept was based simply on the reconguration and merging of better tent designs to create a new type suitable to the requirements of the given brief. Mansutti and Pavarin devised a solution free from guy ropes. The shelter resembles origami-like assemblage of triangular surfaces xed in tension across 13 near vertical supports. The Architect May 11 PAVILION PROJECT REVIEW Daniel Juengling 31 The spatial layout within the structure hosts a small private sleeping quarter in each corner. These frame a larger central communal area. The bell tent design informed the structures internal common space; the divided rooms of your average camping tent guided the development of the four corner sleeping areas. Their winning competition panel alludes to a larger spatial hierarchy, an idea of aggregating these structures to form a community. Openings occur on all four sides of the structure, providing access to common space between adjacent tents and when assembled en masse larger courtyards may form. To remain environmentally neutral, the designers suggest in their proposal using timber as supports and fabric rejects from factories sewn together to form the skin. cuts of material sewn together sourced from factories around Perth. In maintaining a humanitarian approach one must consider the potential accessibility to such a design. To remember Bucky Fullers adage, it has to be everybody or nobody. Mansutti and Pavarins project could help protect all human life by adhering to Buckys concepts of shared knowledge. The project could remain detached from patents, copyrights and trademarks and be made available as a ready to assemble set of drawings via the Internet, adopted where necessary by those in need. The form of the winning entry has an implicit exibility, adaptable to local construction techniques and readily available materials. One could imagine it on a timber platform supported by piers and bearers in areas of high rainfall, or anchored to the ground in arid clearings, just as easily as it was assembled using 13 aluminium posts in front of Winthrop Hall. Beyond any agreement or disagreement with disaster responsive architecture one must remember the endearing and unique feat particular to this competition. A design by two young graduates was built. There should be more opportunities like this available. It would be lovely to see the architectural profession supporting and promoting young independent ideas and practice more frequently. Daniel Juengling Daniel Juengling is an assistant professor at UWA. Upon visiting the structure in front of Winthrop Hall at UWA one cant help but notice its sturdiness. It is very well made. A factory produced layered fabric stretches across 13 strategically placed, very thick aluminium supports. This differs from the original proposal, though understandably. In its currently constructed state it functions as a sturdy pavilion. It hosts exhibitions and doubles as a shelter prototype. The visitor can easily imagine that in its anticipated state as emergency shelter it could be made from whatever is at hand. I believe this is the strongest characteristic of Mansutti and Pavarins design. The structures implied potential. It can be adaptable to a host of sizes, scales, time periods and functions whilst still maintaining their signature and design intent. However it would have been nice to see the skin as they intended - a collage of random off 1. Neustein, D., A Paper-Thin Humanitarian Ethos. (2011) Available from : <http://www. australiandesignreview.com> [15th April 2011] The Architect May 11 32 Daniel Juengling PAVILION PROJECT REVIEW BEL 1. 2. 2a. 3. 4. CONSTRUCTION 6. 5. zip strip of waterproof fabric waterproof fabric on the ground OUTSIDE INSIDE the zips permit to fix the tents on the ground fabric and stop water flow in case of rain 1 2 fold part 2, sew it up with part 1 corners tents mosquito nets central tent sewing of different fabrics zips to close the tent to the outside diagram of different lenghts of fabric with seams and zips 1 22 RECYCLE REUSE USE WOODEN POLES n4 - 218 cm n4 - 250 cm n4 - 334 cm n1 - 375 cm SCREW used to tie ropes with poles ZIP ROPE lenght: 132 m take production rejects from fabric factories sew together the fabrics collected produce other design prod- ucts reusing tent fabrics MOSQUITO NET surface: 40 mq LINSEED OIL to waterproof the fabric RECYCLED FABRIC (preferably cotton duck) fabric below (pavement) : 144 mq fabric above: 128 mq MATERIALS AND THEIR USE common space between two tents common space between all the tents where there can be the element of union: the fire P R O P O S A L
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A G G R E G A T I O N corners tents mosquito nets central tent sewing of different fabrics zips to close the tent to the outside diagram o common space between two tents common space between all the tents where there can be the element of union: the fire m entry t n e t r e n r o c t n e t r e n r o c the tent is fixed to the pole with a cap the ground fabric is fixed in the pole with screws higher than the ground, so there isnt seepage of water BELL TENT It is a simple structure supported by a single central pole and covered with a cotton canvas. The tent is stabilized by guy ropes connected around the top walls and being held down by pegs in the ground. The nomadic tent is covered by some layers of fabric to protect the people against external environment. Type and number of layers depend on territory climate. NOMADIC TENT It is used in areas at time of disaster to shelter people without a home. The structure is simple to made but doesnt provide privacy to dwellings because it is a great single room. EMERGENCY TENT The camping tent is divided in rooms and permit the people remaining alone or staying in group. Clos- ing system is fast and simple to do because is made of zips. CAMPING TENT R E S E A R C H C O N C E P T keep a square sheet fold it like the image below and you obtain the central/public tent then place the private tents in the central tents corners PROBLEM solving the urgent need for SHELTER with green technologies in remote areas and communities at times of disaster or distresses. SOLUTION mans basic instinct are: searching food and providing shelter to protect himself against the environment using avaiable materials and objects. The result can be everything: a cardboard box, a mass of branches or a single canvas folded on a pole. The solution for the problem could be the creation of a tent for its lightness, portability, easiness of construction and little amount of materials. hole the ground for the poles fix the fabric on the ground with pegs place the poles in the holes use the ropes to tie poles together and with the ground fix the fabric on poles and ropes 947926 Construction After digging out the holes for the poles you have to spread one large waterproof fabric on the ground and fx it with pegs. This fabric should be previously provided with zips and openings for the poles. At this time you can thrust poles on the ground and tie them together with ropes. Before disposing the cloth upon the structure you should prepare it, sewing the pieces of mosquito net with the waterproof cloth and fxing zips to close the sheets. The main tent is formed by a unique canvas that is folded as an origami. The number of cloth layers upon the structure depends on the territory climate. The internal space is divided in four closed tents that can be used as bedroom and can be opened to inside and outside. These corner tents are the private part of the pavilion while the central area is public and has four entries. The Pavilion Is designed to be free, in fact the fabric sheets can be moved to create an open high space. Green technologies - the use of recycled material to reduce the cost taking production rejects from fabric factories. These rejects are sew together to make a large canvas that is waterproofed by the natural linseed oil; -To reduce wasted materials all the tents compontents can reused to make other design products; - the use of lightweight materials as ropes, poles and fabric, to allow an easy transporation (because they take up little space) and a quick construction; - the construction doesnt need any kind of power or lifting gear, all the manufacturings can be handmade; -when you dismantle the structure the only signs leaved by the structure are the thin holes used to thrust poles. Winning competition panel
immense social impact they had on the communities they were in. The subtitle, Building Modern Australia, is an important aspect of the book, as the history of community buildings in Australia, parallels the burgeoning modern movement in the mid-twentieth century. Community facilities came to the fore at a time when modernism was in full swing, and the examples illustrated are some of the best works of the time, including James Birrels work to Seidlers Bowling Club. Enthusiasm for modern styled municipal buildings is understandable, helped by the fresh, clean interiors, casting off the darkness and stale air from earlier times. With their clean lines, better articulation of space and improved sanitary conditions, it is easy to see how this style was so widely adopted and promoted for its use in community work. As shown throughout the book, community infrastructure is vital for creating well being and a sense of place in a community, and the last chapter touches upon how this is diminishing in todays world. Because of the shift in housing, and planning approaches, the emphasis has moved away from a need to create community buildings, like communal pools. The absorption of these facilities into the family home, results in less of a perceived need for these civic spaces. This is an essential book for anyone interested in the development of our built and social history, and it is good to see WA is not left behind. It is often at the centre of the discussion, with plenty of illustrated examples from around the state, from early modern work to projects currently under construction. Community- Building Modern Australia, is a new book that investigates the history and social implications of various municipal buildings around Australia in the mid-twentieth century. These facilities, ranging from infant health centres to libraries, signicantly impacted on the development of the nation and constructing a sense of place, especially pertinent in small towns and developing suburbs. The book is edited by Hannah Lewi and David Nichols, with chapters written by themselves and others including Philip Goad, and generously illustrated with photographs and ephemera. The book is broken down into chapters each chronicling the history, development and social impact of a different type of municipal buildings. The types covered are Infant Health Centres, Kindergartens, Libraries, Swimming Pools, Bowling Clubs, Civic Centres, Memorials and Public Art. This is bookended with a broad history and overview at the beginning, and ends with an examination of the 1970s onwards, and the current state of community facilities and attitudes. Each chapter and type unfolds roughly the same way. The circumstances surrounding its foundation, and subsequent versions, usually listing early examples in each state, social impacts and reception within the community, and then a case study or two that examine the architectural qualities of that type. From an architectural point of view, the building analysis is at times a bit light on, it is more a focus on the social implications of the work. Although at times the text is somewhat dry, it is a remarkably comprehensive history of community buildings in Australia, and for that, it is a crucial text. Australian built history is woefully under explored, and this book adds an important part of the puzzle, and furthers the understanding of our built surrounds. For me, it was fascinating to discover how these buildings came to be, the rst libraries for example, and the -Andrew Murray Community- Building Modern Australia Edited by Hannah Lewi and David Nichols. UNSW Press, 2011. 59.95 rrp
Ecological considerations are now an integral part of our everyday lives. But living green demands little more than respecting natural resources, learning from local traditions, and listening to our own practical instincts. For anyone thinking of designing, building, remodeling or furnishing a modern home, this all-in-one publication provides practical inspiration for dwelling stylishly, sensibly and sustainably. New Natural Home Dominic Bradbury with photographs by Richard Powers Thames and Hudson, 2011 ISBN 9780500515617 $49.95, hard cover A Place in the Sun: Innovative Homes Designed for Our Climate Australia and New Zealand Stuart Harrison Thames and Hudson, 2010 ISBN 9780500500217 $69.95, hard cover Narrow Houses: New Directions in Efcient Design Avi Friedman Princeton Architectural Press, 2010 ISBN 9781568988733 $73.50, hard cover Prefab Houses Arnt Cobbers and Oliver Jahn Taschen, 2010 ISBN 9783836507530 $130.00, hard cover Living in Australia and New Zealand is now more than ever about adapting to our unique environment. This collection of cutting- edge dwellings showcases thoughtful design solutions that respond to different climactic conditions to maximize the suns potential. The architects approaches are varied. Some are as simple as north-facing living areas to maximize light, whilst others are more technical, such as passive design to reduce energy use or retrotting. Presents twenty-eight examples of exemplary, newly built houses around the world, including conversions of old structures to new uses and the insertion of new homes (and residential clusters) into an existing urban fabric. Accompanying project data includes site plans, solar orientation, physical footprint, livable square footage and detailed oor plans and interior photography. A comprehensive overview of the practical considerations of designing and planning a narrow house is included, along with a brief survey of the history and evolution of this remarkable housing type. Once regarded as a cheap, easy solution for urgent housing problems, the prefab has evolved to become a synonym for ambitious design and sophisticated detailing solutions. The amazing history of prefabricated houses started in England in the 1830s with a building kit for emigrants moving to Australia. Even today, prefabricated houses provide a high percentage of living spaces in many countries of the world. This book covers prefabs from the USA via Europe to Asia and Africa, giving insight into the various industrially prefabricated components, the difculties of delivery to the building site, and the intricacies of assembly and completion. As well as tracing the liaison between modernism and industrialization that evolved to produce the latest prefabricated solutions, it also features a unique compilation of one-off prefabricated houses by well-known international architects, as well as successful dwellings manufactured off-site for everyday modern living. Reviews provided by Bofns Bookshop 806 Hay Street, Perth t: 08 9321 5755 e: info@bofnsbookshop.com.au www.bofnsbookshop.com.au