PROJECTIONS DISSERTATION EPILOGUE

SHRAVAN VAIDYANATH 13001894 Research Led Design P30035

Fig 1: Projective drawings of a Skew Arch

INTRODUCTION
During the nineteenth century, stereotomically determined
masonry was integral to the development of a number of
infrastructure related projects where asymmetric vaulting
was necessitated truly by circumstance. The expansion
of the rail network gave rise to skew arch bridges where
the crossing was at an oblique angle to the valley. Similar feats were achieved in the labyrinthian tunnels of the
London underground but are popularly recognised as feats
of engineering rather than architecture. They possess an
understated beauty that gives the impression that they are
strictly the products of a rational and scientific process.
While the majority of such works of infrastructure proliferate without substantial interrogation or criticism as other
more architectural structures are subject to (Mostafavi,
2001, p4), they have also been the subjects of more theatrical feats of architecture. Typologies such as railway stations
and airports seek to become feats of the engineering world
much like the modes of transport that they house while
submitting to the necessary programmatic needs. My intention is to explore the duality of geometry as an art and as
a technology through projects that are partly architecture
and partly infrastructure as these form exemplars of the
contest between autonomy and self-determinacy.
One of the interesting qualities of both Cohen and Gaudi
is to find and invent problems from within the conditions
that are thrust upon them. As described in the dissertation,
Gaudi chose to follow the Gothic style for the Sagrada Familia as work had already proceeded in that manner. Hence
I believe it would be appropriate here to form a design
project by building on aspects of a pre-existing brief.

DESIGN PROJECT : PROJECTIONS

THE METHOD
The intention is to respond to the brief using a series of
projective drawings as a starting point as certain techniques produce certain results. In the case of Cohen, his
projections produced anamorphic effects. The stereotomic
trait has been shown to be both a means of representation
as well as a formal diagram that is capable of generating
something entirely new (Legendre, 2006, p40). The task will
then be to investigate and experiment with the drawing of
traits to get to grips with the technique. There are number
of different constructions of perspectives that were in use
during the Renaissance (Legendre, 2006, p40). In addition,
such drawings could be explored to develop an individual
exploration of this mode of thought.
A geometric problem will then be developed using conditions of the program, brief and site in order to give a structure and steer the results of the drawing technique. The
drawings will be developed and adapted to the circumstances and to finding the solution to the design problem.
Prototyped models will be used as an additional aid to
investigating between different mediums of working.

THE SITE
The Transport for London has planned an extension to the
Northern Line underground network by extending it from
Kennington and creating two new stations at Nine Elms and
at Battersea Power Station. There are hence two choices
here. The first site at Nine Elms is on an open plot which is
currently used as a car park. The second site is next to the
Battersea Power Station which I consider to be the more
interesting one. There have been proposals to re-use the
power station to provide additional commercial facilities
in addition to the station as it is on a landmark site next to
the rive Thames (TFL). I would however propose a bolder,
more transgressive option to erase the existing Grade II
Listed landmark in favor one which is more expressive and
contemporary. The choice is to be made after site visits and
a further expansion of the program and brief to guage the
complexity of this option.

Fig 2: Route Map of Northern Line Extension

3

Fig 3: Site at Nine

Fig 4: Site at Battersea Power Station

4

PLAN OF WORK

Week -1 (13th Jan) Experimenting with drawing stereotomic

traits
Week 0 (20 Jan)

Field Trip to Morocco

Week 1 (27th Jan)

Experiment with other drawing techniques

Develop the design project brief

Week 2 (3rd Feb)

Week 3 (10 Feb)

Experiment with other drawing techniques

Site visits
Typology study
Developing a geometric problem from
the site, program and typology

Week 4 (17 Feb)

Design development through drawings

Week 5 (24 Feb)

Make models through prototyping

Week 6 (3 Mar)

Design Development
Produce 1:500 drawings

Week 7 (10 Mar)

Design Development
Produce 1:100, 1:20 drawings as appropriate

Week 8 (17 Mar)

DESIGN REVIEWS
Present all drawings and models

DESIGN REVIEWS Design development

Presentation of drawing
exercises
INTERIM REVIEWS OFDRAFT REWeek 9 (24 Mar)
SEARCH-LED DESIGN PROJECT
Week 10 (31 Mar)

Holiday

7 Apr- 14 Apr

Produce final drawings

Formatting, production and binding
of Project Book

14 Apr -21 Apr

Submission of FINAL RESEARCH-LED
DESIGN PROJECT
Week 12 (28 Apr)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mostafavi (2001). Structure as Space in Structure as space:
engineering and architecture in the works of Jrg Conzett
and his partners. London: Architectural Association
Legendre, G.L (2006) Bodyline : the end of our meta-mechanical body. London: Architectural Association
Transport for London, Northern Line Extension, Available
online at http://beta.tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/northern-line-extension, Retrieved on
Dec 22nd 2013
Nine Elms on the South Bank, Northern Line Extension,
http://www.nineelmslondon.com/northern-line-extension,
Retrieved on Dec 22nd 2013

ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig:1 Gregory, R (2011) The art of skew bridges: the technique and its history explored, The Journal of Architecture,
16:5, 615-674,
Fig:2 http://www.nineelmslondon.com/wp-content/
uploads/2012/07/route-overlay.png
Fig 3: Authors version of the image from http://www.maps.
google.co.uk, Retrieved on Dec 22nd 2013
Fig 4: Authors version of the image from http://www.maps.
google.co.uk, Retrieved on Dec 22nd 2013