40554 Speculative future

European cities in transition: Venice case

Phase 1A: Structure

Reflection/speculative text - STRUCTURE

This structure is ispired by the Renault distribution centre. The original structure is steel, and they added
several steel-tie in each mast to hold the steel-beam which allows the distance between two columns up to
24m. The large distance between two columns allow the company change the function of each part easier,
the whole building become more flexible.

In the structure texts, I want to explore the maximum span of two much more sustainable material, timber
and bamboo.

WOOD : I kept the same structure priciple but used wood as the main material. In the physical spatial
structure model, the spaghetti means wood, the fiber line means steel ties but it also used as fixed nails
to connect the spaghetti and steel ties. The scale of this physical spatial structure is nearly 1:60 and
the height of the structure is double floor high but the width is not sure. And the maximum width of the
structure is what I want to explore.

BAMBOO : I tried to use spaghetti as bamboo. Bamboo has high tensile strength and flexibility, so in this
case bamboo used as masts (columns) / beams / ties to connect masts and beams. Compare to first text,
this time, I wanted to use bamboo as much as possible and used tapes as fixed nails to connect each part
easier, but the structure principle still similar to the first one.

These two tests are intended to explore the advantages and disadvantages of sustainable materials (wood
and bamboo) compare to the steel structure under the similar structure principle. I will keep exploring the
spatial plasticity of sustainable materials, like using 3/5/6/7/8 columns as a spatial mudule instead of 4.
And try to explore the characteristic of the material and create some interesting spaces.

https://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/renault-distribution-centre
https://www.dezeen.com/2019/11/18/norman-foster-renault-distribution-centre-swindon/
40554 Speculative future
European cities in transition: Venice case
Phase 1B: Place

Reflection/speculative text - PLACE

This physical spacial "map" want to show the coexistence of natural and artificial islands in the same large
island area. And how human beings live together with others.

BEFORE : People are constantly looking for new places to live due to melting glaciers and rising sea levels
which means many habitable spaces are disappearing. At first, in this area, all the islands were natural
but they were too small and random which is not easy for people to live and at risk from sea level rise. In
order to create more space for human beings and keep the characteristic of the islands in the city, people
gathered together and decided to build five larger artificial islands from a bunch of natural islands. Almost
all the soil came from the original islands, but its possible for the residents adding stones and concrete in
some areas to make the foundation stronge enough for building in the future.

NOW : the whole area consist of five artificial islands and a series of small natural islands. People can
build their house on the artificial islands, the gap between two man-madel islands is a very shallow stream
so it is also possible for people build over the gap and have a good view. Since some gap between two
islands is totally enough to set an artificial/natural swiming pool/hot spring and the deepth of the water
also safe for that. About the man-made islands, some are linked together and some are isolated, so it is
human responsibility to consider how to link them together in a good way.

FUTURE : In order to maintain the natural ecosystem, they still kept a part of original islands and try not to
bother the flora and fauna life. So the human beings only allow active on the artificial islands and the gap
between them. Apart from that they also trying to restore the ecology and allow creatures to live free in all
place.

In this text, I want to discuss how people can live harmony with nature? What should we take care of when
we build near/in the nature? And what should we focus on if we want to build an island suitable for human
survival.
40554 Speculative future
European cities in transition: Venice case
Phase 1C: Putting things together

Reflection/speculative text - PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER

This time the task is how to integrate the structural model with the map model. The structural model is a
regular rectangular space and it can extend, but the islands in the map model are randomly distributed.
Therefore how to place a regular shape in an irregular map, and how the space in these two models
meet are the main missions of this task.

ACCESS/ ENVIRONMENT : In the structural model, the size of the space and the form of the roof are
determined, but the design of the floor was unknow. Due to the difference in scale between the structural
model and the map model, the islands in the map no longer look like islands when we put the structural
model on the map. Thus, in this case, the islands works as the bridges to connect the outside world and
the structural space. However when we place the building into the map, they still need to follow the rules
we set in the map model (human only can active in the artificial islands and the gap between them).

GROUNDWORK : As you can see in the map, it's obvious that you can't only place the pilars on the man-
made islands or only in the gap between them. Therefore, the current proposal is to place the column
randomly, but how can we have somehow connection to the map and not just randomly place? That relies
on the ground design, in this proposal the ground floor of the building is not flat, it will change according to
the height of the pilars. It canbe transparent, so you can observe the river changing, plants and animals
when you stay inside. And you can touch the water in some area, as well as used the map and the
structural space features for an exhibition.

MATERIAL : The upper structure are bamboo, the second experiment of my 1A structural model, include
the pilars/beams/ties...Inevitably, metal anchors and concrete foundations will be used. The main material
in the artificial islands are soil, of course the building foundation that touches the map is concrete as well
as the walkway that connects the outside world to the building is stone or concrete.