[DAB510-Reflection] Final design panel and reflection

‘The Mark’ is a conceptual folly designed to introduce users to drawing through the exploration of 2D media mark-making. Located at the bend of the Howard Smith Wharves, this node challenges traditional art teaching through its intriguing architecture.

An understanding that learning to draw is more than just turning up to a class and replicating a still life or landscape, The Mark creates deep experiences for its users by following the concept that learning to draw (and ultimately developing it as a skill) is an iterative process. This is realised with the precast concrete work surfaces being fed with canvas to essentially create a continuous scroll. Gallery users of the node and of the wider parkland can activate the recorded drawings by simply turning the handles on the exterior wall surfaces, whilst students within the folly have the option of backtracking to where they last left off, or continuing on someone else’s work – similar to the Exquisite Corpse game of the Surrealists. This provides users with a deeper learning experience than regular classes where participants take their work home - by exposing them to different interpretations of media use and subject matter, users are encouraged to return to the node.  Whilst subject matter can be the surrounding landscape, a brought object, or simply the user’s introspection, to produce a polished drawing is put aside in favour of experimental line work, interpretation, and the like. Accordingly, the space doubles as a gallery to passersby (both on land and water). Ergonomically, drawing utensils are locked up under each seat, which can then be slid under the work surface on a track to allow for ease of passage through the space.

Design-wise, cardboard tubing features heavily as a nod to the substrates commonly used for drawing. In response to the site, the rolls are coated in polyurethane to minimize expansion and contraction and as a weatherproofer and flame retardant, whilst the heavy triangulation in section gives a nod to the Story Bridge, and the roofing to the neighbouring sheds. In plan, The Mark closes up to the riverfront to act as a wind block, but still allows for framed views through the rippling canvasses, whilst simultaneously opening up to the parkland.

The Mark represents a paradigm shift for Brisbane in its design for an art space dedicated to teaching how to draw and contributing to the local art scene. Users will undoubtedly leave their mark.


__________



I initially wanted a fully sustainable design (both in regards to materiality and socially) and I feel the use of the prefab concrete was a big punch in the face to that. However, after evaluating the options for the workspace, it was easier to use that material than to labour over creating wooden desks. Although concrete is good in terms of longevity and therefore doesn't need constant repairs (also good for the site in terms of flooding - it can be easily cleaned), the fleetingness of the node kind of negates this element. However, I feel the other elements definitely affirm the sustainable element, material-wise and also in the fact that it is very much a community-based interaction node.

Visually, I could have diagrammed a lot more (especially how the canvas works internally, as this wasn't clear due to the pixellation). I had meant to do that over the section but time got the better of me. I used Barnett Newman's Untitled as a background and Carolee Schneemann's Up To And Including Her Limits as an example of markmaking. For the sails, I collaged works by Unica Zurn, Devendra Banhart, and Franz Ackermann.

All in all, this project was really challenging because I prefer designing large and complex spaces, but feel like this proposal works well as a learning/teaching node with deep experiences, engages the site both visually and in terms of the wider parkland's users, and also satisfies the requirements for prefab. I think Shegiru Ban's works really pushed my design along, and the use of cardboard tubing is something I'd really like to continue to explore.

[DAB510-Design] Prefabrication and transport to site

By restricting the number of materials used in my design to just the cardboard tubing, concrete worksurface, canvas and roof sheeting, the parts were easily able to be sectioned and accordingly, could be packed to arrive on-site on a truck.

The prefab components are:

1. Precast concrete workspace, with canvas already inserted and pulled out of the projection slot, glass and handle installed.
2. Structural V tubing to hold the upper canvas roll and roofing. Each V is made off-site simply by connecting the wooden block. They can then be stacked together for easy of transportation.
3. Roofing structure: tubing will be joined off-site. Onsite assembly will only require the roof tubes to be secured to a single piece of wood running the length of the structure at the peak of the roof, then pre-cut sheets of polycarbonate attached.

With regards to transport to site, a 13-tonne Hertz delivery truck can be used, which has a body width of 8.2m, width of 2.5m and height of 2.4m. The 6 workspaces which are only 1m wide and 2.4m long can comfortably fit inside sitting side to side. The other components can be secured in the distance between desk and projection or on top. Access to the site is via the entrance on Boundary St. A forklift will also be required to move the workspaces.

[DAB510-Design] Materiality

Shigeru Ban's use of cardboard tubing as a structure really intrigued me as I had never seen this done before. After some research, some basic knowledge about its use became apparent:

• Firstly, it must be weatherproofed. This is done simply by coating the tubes in clear polyurethane to water- and fireproof them. The additional benefit of this is that it restricts contraction and expansion in areas with high humidity, making it usable in sub-tropical climates like Brisbane.
• Secondly, the joining of the tubes: This would have to be achieved with a strengthening component that would prevent the tubes from deflecting. Shigeru Ban's method is to use a wooden block with a cylindrical bit inserted into the tube. This cylinder would need to fit snugly, and then bolted in on multiple sides. I noticed that they weren't secured with one bolt all the way through the diameter, and this is due to this method weakening the structural integrity of the circle. Ban had previously used a hexagonal section but found the circular insertion would allow greater purchase for the parts.

 

Image source: http://clarewashington.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/paper-dome_cover.jpg?w=640&h=392&crop=1

Cardboard Tube Pavilion by UNSW students
Source: http://inhabitat.com/sydney-architecture-students-build-pavilion-from-2000-recycled-cardboard-tubes/cardboard-tube-pavilion-12/

• I had also found a design by UNSW students using cardboard rolls, but their form of structural stability was in the form of sheets of ply in which the rolls sat. I think this design would be more suited for taking heavier loads, but would be ill-suited aesthetically and practically with my proposal.

• Insulation was used inside many of Ban's projects but is not needed in mine as it is an open space. It could help to regulate the internal temperature to minimise contraction/expansion but the polyurethane should be enough considering it was used in snowy conditions as well.

• The diameter and thickness of the tubes also was also considered. A high thickness to diameter ratio means that it would be stronger and able to transfer loads vertically without buckling. Obviously a greater diameter would allow for increased length in the rolls, and this was noted in Ban's use of the material in Paper Dome, where shorter spans for the peak of the dome were smaller in diameter compared to the longer and wider tubes used to transfer the loads down.
  In my design, the only loads the tubes would carry would be the canvas roll at the top of the sail, and the roofing structure. For this reason, I have used two rolls to span the distance connecting the work surface to the top roll: the join in between also accommodating a connection to the roofing structure. As the vertical load of the top sail canvas is distributed in two ways, the supporting tubing running up from the concrete projection would not need to be split in to smaller lengths given that it is of sufficient thickness. This said though, the tubing holding the roof would need to be significantly thicker.
   
• The tubing also means I can run LED lights with the cabling hidden inside for a clean finish.

• Weaving of the canvas allows for a soft lighting which I've incorporated into the roof. Tubes running perpendicular add strength and they are finished with a corrugated polycarbonate sheeting in clear green. Again, this is a reference to the sheds but also allows for light to penetrate and create a soft lighting effect as above.

For the workspaces, the use of precast concrete will achieve the desired form. I initially wanted to use environmentally friendly materials, but to get the form I wanted from using crates and pallets for instance would have been very difficult. A major lesson this taught me was that in prefabrication, it is oftentimes quicker to produce something with a higher standard of quality than it is to repurpose found objects. Because my design is essentially a workspace replicated 6 times, the precast concrete would be the easiest and quickest option, and I guess this is what readings suggested was the advantage compared to regular on-site construction. However the downside of this is the obvious cost, both financially and environmentally.

[DAB510-Design] Process

My design process reflects the activity of the node in the sense that I work directly on a roll of trace and in doing that, it's a very iterative process where I can see the progression of my ideas. That said, I'm a very messy worker and my sketches are oftentimes small, rough, on top of each other, and all over the place. Below are snippets of process that aren't totally unreadable. I flip between plan, section and elevation as I draw, but for the purposes of coherency, I've grouped the images by type.

(I also toyed around with other elements for the design, such as foldable covers and structure but won't include them on here as they were done before I found the concept images as detailed in the post previous, and thus scrapped those ideas and went down a different path).

Sketch design in plan

1 and 2: Simple curved working surface with canvas (indicated by heavier line) in front with walking space between. Angled canvas protrusions in 2. Although I like the idea of people being able to walk through the space whilst users are drawing, I recanted after realising it would be very distracting. Also having one work space was something I wanted to avoid.

3: Here the individual work spaces alternated in the direction they faced. This allows for easy communication and ability to see each other's work. However, for the purpose of teaching, it'd be very annoying for the teacher to navigate around these desks.

4: The work surfaces were turned in to trapezoids and the canvasses protruded from the shorter ends. This meant two students to one desk, but they would have their backs to the other desk. Did not like.

5 and 6: Circular desks arranged around a central point with a canvas that could pivot. The formation meant that it would be easy for the teacher to get to everyone, but once again, students didn't really maximise their communication.

7: 6 desks facing each other in a somewhat rectangular pattern (with the two dots on each corner). I wanted to be able to have a flow through the middle for passage but given size restrictions this couldn't happen. My final design ended up utilising this idea of desk clumps facing each other but also next to each other.

8 and 9: This is the final plan I decided to go with. With the prefabicated desk units being able to join up, this allows for face-to-face communication and easy view of everyone else's work. I originally had them in a rectangular formation as in 7, but with site considerations, I fanned them out to act as a wind block along the river elevation and opening up to the parkland on the other side. The sails can be loosened to move in the wind and thus still provide views out to the east and south-east whilst still remaining as a wind break. The plan opening up to the parkland means that passersby can still see in to the node and marks the structure as a public space rather than a closed up semi-private one. In a previous photo of the site in Week 1's visit, the setting sun significantly impacted the site's natural lighting. Where I placed the node on site was still in a prominent area of direct light and thus allows for natural lighting to penetrate the canvas to create a warm glow within. I also consulted the Equal Access poster to determine my desk heights and thoroughfare widths to allow for disabled access to the node:

The process of drawing for me is best done in a space that clearly has a defined line of privacy (as simple as a work surface with edges) in which I can work freely whilst also being able to see and communicate with others. Having a shared work surface tends to be very distracting and cluttered. For this reason, having singular work spaces planned to face each other feels like the best option, rather than just one large workspace.

Taking in to account Cedric Price's reading about the need for customisation in prefab, and after consultation with Zuzana, I've decided to create a prefab component that is highly customised or detailed in its parts, but will be used repeatedly throughout my design, as opposed to many different shaped pre-cut parts. Zuzana stated that the majority of parts must be made off-site, but that they can be as intricate or time-consuming to construct as required, as long as minimal construction is done in-situ.

As a result of this, I've decided to play around with the drawing surface as this is one of the key spatial considerations for my users. I initially had a flat work space for the substrate to be placed on, but wanted to see how far I could push it. The concept that I want to run with is the idea of drawing as an iterative process of experimentation, and in the context of the revitalised parkland that is HSW, to really create a deep experience for users by encouraging them to return, but also as a (wider) community experience, to connect with others using the space. I've decided to change the drawing surface to a roll of canvas which not only becomes part of the structure's skin, but allows users to see not only what they have contributed, but also other users through a scrolling system that allows for the users to choose where they want to work on the substrate. They can wind the canvas to find their last lesson and continue from there, or (in most cases) add on to someone else's. This way, it becomes similar to the 'Exquisite Corpse' game of the Surrealists, allowing for accidental or deliberate mark-making that creates new ways to look at lines, connections, positive and negative space, etc - something that cannot be quickly realised or deeply explored in typical life-drawing classes.

Workspace design

1: A shared canvas and workspace with foldable benchtop. Did not work.

2: Canvas looping back into the workspace and under. This process was developed after ruling out the canvas being in front of the user.

3: Addition of sliding seat on a track to allow the space to double as a gallery when not in use.

4 and 5: The internal route of the canvas in the workspace was explored and different shapes were played with in order to minimise bends as it would become trickier to wind the canvas with more corners inside. Tiny rollers would be installed on the bends to aid smooth motion but I decided that the less the better. The Z formation was used because the 45 degree angles would mean less force would be needed to wind the canvas. Different seat shapes were also considered in regards to ergonomics and smooth assimilation with the underside of the workspace. I liked the trapezoidal form as it followed the Z of the canvas, but would have been very uncomfortable for users, thus the rectangular prism was used and this allowed for it to double as a storage space for materials.

5 and 6: The connection to the structural cardboard tubing was also considered. I initially wanted them to be embedded in the workspace, but because I changed the shape to jut outwards, creating a bent roll wouldn't have worked. For that reason, I returned to Shigeru Ban and studied how he made his angled joints in Paper Dome:

Image source: http://clarewashington.co.uk/2012/12/10/shigeru-ban-building-with-paper-paper-dome/#

Sketch design in section

1: I initially wanted to use the sails to enhance the verticality of the site, and thus have my node placed on the cliff face with the sails dropping down to ground level. The plan of the desks would have been in a semi-circular formation, but attaching them to the cliff would have eaten up a lot of floor space.

2: I then turned to triangulation for easy structural stability and as a reference to the Story Bridge. However, this section would have meant the workspaces wouldn't have faced each other due to the shelter aspect.

3: Two rows of workspaces each facing opposite directions. Again, the lack of communication negated this design as well as the sails being in front of the user blocking the views.

4: I liked the formation of this section in plan as the users could face each other, and by moving the structural support to the centre and the sails to the back, it opened up the space for communication and movement within. However, weatherproofing became an issue as there was minimal roofing.

5, 6, 7, 8 and 9: I then went on to invert the cardboard tubing to bend outwards to open up the interior a bit. Roofing structure was then experimented with and I finally decided on a triangular roof in 9. This was mainly to evenly distribute the water runoff and also as a visual connection to the shed behind. A small decline for drainage was then put in at the base of the wall section where the canvas protrudes.

[DAB510-Design] Initial concept inspiration

What is important about the whole learning process is the continuity and iteration that builds a competence in an ability. For this reason, I've become very intrigued with incorporating this idea of continuity in to my design. An integral part of this is the drawing surface as a running catalogue of sorts of the drawing process of all involved.

To show this in form, I was particularly inspired by this process image from Ball-Nogues Studio's Rip Curl Canyon installation for Rice Gallery, and thus I wanted the idea of big canvas sails that twisted in the wind to feature prominently in my design as part of the gallery component of the space:

Source: http://www.ball-nogues.com/#project-108

Additionally, the work of Shegiru Ban really struck me with its clear structural use of cardboard tubing and light skins allowing for a sense of openness within. I was particularly drawn to his Hermes Pavilion and Paper Dome, both pictured below.

Hermes Pavilion elevation

Hermes Pavilion materiality

Paper Dome

Paper Dome structure. Also pictured are the parts ready to be fixed together.

 

[DAB510-Fabrication] Pallet Pavillion Learning Cube

This project was completed in 2010 by Studio HT as part of a class of the Design Build Program at the University of Colorado. It utilises a simple framing structure and pallets as infill. More than just a sleek design, it acts as both a shading device and a windbreak, which are both important elements to consider for the HSW site.

Detail of construction

The detail above indicates how the structure is made of repeated forms, and these are probably made off-site and transported in to be tied together.

The project's structure was composed of pallets, concrete, and iron I-beams

The Learning Cube provides a very good case study for a basic shelter and multi-use prefab pallet structure. It is aesthetically pleasing, and environmentally conscious, but the main thing I have taken away from this is that response to site conditions are as important in a small design as a large one, and that this can be achieved quite simply with orientation.

[DAB510-Fabrication] Pallet installation

As I want my design to be sustainable as possible, my ideas for prefabrication immediately went to repurposing crates and pallets as the main structural material used. Further reasons for this include the fact that they can be easily transported to site without requiring large trucks (and thus reduce embodied energy), ease of disassembly, and with the site being prone to flooding, damage to the structure will not be costly to repair.

The following is an installation by Flemish sustainable practitioner Oglev Vlaminck* in the entrance hall of an administrative building for the Flemish Government. The user required desks and display space, and the pallets were taken apart after a few months and repurposed for another installation.

I like how the use of a column immediately creates an intimate space, inviting users to walk through and around the small gallery area. There's also a strict division of spaces, with the form articulating the spaces' uses.

Whilst this is a great design incorporating two spaces I need for my node, it is still an interior installation, so weatherproofing will need to be considered.

_______________

* Vlaminck is an interior architect who practices 'maximalism', "a new art movement which uses the excesses and oversupply of our society, in an ethic (sic) way or not, to reshape the sterilised aesthetics off mass production, and to create a new way of thinking in the digitally fouled society" (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maximalisme/174965135847517).
This mission statement can relate directly to prefab architecture as described by Kieran and Timberlake in Week 2's reading, in which they also dismiss traditional prefab as sterilised, "banal, non-descript shoeboxes" (p106).

[DAB510-Fabrication] Examples of prefab construction

Crater Lake by 24° Studio

 

 

The images show how the use of one material can be effectively used to create an interesting prefabricated design. Each section is made off-site, and due to the regularity of plan, parts can be secured in to one larger structure. Frames are individually constructed according to the above matrix, and the same timber panelling can be quickly affixed to each frame. As stated by the architects, factors that influenced the design included "overall surface expression, production schedule, and transportation method (vehicle bedsize)". This a great example of how structure can be complex but due to the same plan and panelling, can be easily prefabricated with transportation in mind as a key design factor.

Source: http://www.archdaily.com/200967/crater-lake-installation-24%C2%B0-studio/

__________

 London Art Fund Pavillion by StudioEfra

 

 

 

 

This proposal was submitted for a semi-permanent summer pavilion in England, with one major aspect of the brief requiring that it be able to be constructed on site within 72 hours and disassembled in 24 hours. The articulation of parts in this prefab is clear, with the structure also determining the form. Construction method is made clear in their diagrams as well, with framing going up first with the roofing and walls to follow.

Source: http://studioefra.com/2009/02/london-art-pavillion-2008/

__________

Prefab 20*20 by Shift

 

 

Again, the function of parts is clearly defined, with this one having a lot more materials than the previous two. However, this allows for the customisation of spaces as indicated by the options in the last two images. Although there are more complex systems in place (such as air ducts, tracking, lighting etc), the modules having identical exterior box forms allows for ease of construction in regards to linking rooms and vertical and horizontal attachment.

Source: http://www.architizer.com/en_us/projects/view/prefab-2020-shift/4526/#.UVU0lRnyDS4

__________

Push Button House by Adam Kalkin

 Although I'm not terribly fond of shipping container architecture, this design uses the prefab shell and deconstructs it and redesigns it in a way that obliterates the enclosed space usually found within typical container designs. Computer-controlled hydraulic cylinders allow the opening and closing of the walls, with internal furnishings being secured in place to allow for full transportability without deconstruction and reassembly. 

Source: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20070623&slug=popuphouse23

[DAB510-Users] Spatial requirements for users

Spatial requirements for the node at its most basic will include:

• Comfortable seating, suitable for both adults and children.
• Work surfaces, again, suitable for adults, children, but also accessible by those in wheelchairs or the disabled.
  Additionally, the site itself will provide an interesting backdrop and a host of subject matter to inspire participants. Some activities will require users to venture out of the node and engage with elements of HSW itself, such as that of frottage. Frottage is the process of taking a pencil or other drawing tool and making a rubbing over a textured surface. Pictured below is an example of this technique and its use in pieces by surrealist and frottage pioneer Max Ernst. 

8B graphite on Yorkshire flagstone

Max Ernst, La Forêt Pétrifiée (1929), graphite on paper

Max Ernst (c.1935)

• Display space
  A vital part of the learning experience, this allows for users to see what others have done (both in their class and from previous participants), providing a forum for feedback and more importantly, a feeling of accomplishment at creating something and thereby encouraging users to come back for more lessons. At this stage, I feel like internal AND external displays on the facade are the most feasible, as this not only gets participants actively engaging with the node and HSW by walking around and through the node, it also acts as a sort of advertisement for passersby to see what is going on in the space. The fleeting nature of the displays (as classes will ideally be run a few times a week, both during the day and at night) draws people back to the node to see what new drawings have been produced. I also think the fleetingness of this adds a very informal and community-based atmosphere to the node, which is a very important element for this design - this is by no means a gallery for the accomplished artist.
• Adequate lighting, both inside and out for workspaces and displays.

 As a learning space, the

[DAB510-Users] The needs of a mark-making node

In order to allow for a wide range of people to use the node, the range of supplied drawing materials will be kept to a minimum in order to encourage deep experimentation. For those more experienced or wanting to try something new, they are more than welcome to bring their own medium to play with, however, the minimum materials supplied will include:

• Material to work on/substrate
  This will mainly be discarded paper sourced from surrounding businesses and All Hallows School. However, some bought recycled paper in bigger sizes such as A2 and A3 will also be provided, or even just a big roll of butchers paper like we have in J-block studios which users can tear off to a size of their liking.
  Users are encouraged to bring other materials to work on.

Edwina Ashton, Untitled (2005), pen and watercolour on found envelope

• Drawing media including:
  pencils - 2B and 6B lead, and coloured pencils
  pens - biros and fineliners
  pastels
  In order to provide an inviting learning space, supplies definitely need to be well-maintained and plentiful. There's nothing worst and off-putting than broken stubby pencils and pastels, or dry pens. As there is only a small range supplied, this should be easy to maintain.
• No erasers!
  The one thing that I've learnt to embrace (both from architectural design and art) is that iteration is the best form of learning. In architecture, a wobbly line adds so much more character to a sketch, and in mark-making, a 'mistake' can be experimented with (the whole point of the learning node!). No-one likes using a blackened rubber after someone before them has rubbed off half a page done in 6B, and more importantly, the amount of rubber waste brushed off the work surface and ultimately entering the wider HSW and river environment is definitely something to be avoided.

[DAB510-Users] Drawing, mark-making, and users

The activity I've chosen for my node is simply that of 'mark-making', or learning how to draw.

This is a very broad term and for the purposes of teaching and learning, I will term the activities themselves as 'mark-making', with the final product a 'drawing'. I feel like this distinction should be made at the offset, as 'drawing' as a verb has a sense of formality about it that oftentimes intimidates would-be participants in to thinking they have to produce a finished, formal piece, or emphasises polished skills. My node will be the opposite of that, encouraging experimentation with medium to equip users with a range of drawing skills.

Carolee Schneemann, Up To And Including Her Limits (1976), crayon on paper, rope and harness suspended from ceiling.
This photo for me encapsulates what mark-making is about; a physical recording of the body's movements and of ideas that go beyond just a static subject matter or landscape. That said though, the node will allow for beginners to express their mark-making through examining physical objects and landscapes but with those subjects as a means to an end, not the end itself.

I have just begun my minor in Visual Arts this semester, but have been drawing for as long as I can remember; my earliest memories include using my mum's lipstick to draw on the entirety of a mattress, and hiding under my grandpa's desk and doodling obscenities (such as butts and the like) on the underside of it with my brother when we were kids.

I am currently taking KVB110 - 2D Media and Processes, and I feel this course exemplifies what could be taught in my node. Although it is an introductory course, I still feel like I have learnt how to explore the extents and constraints of a medium despite having used it for years. This has allowed me to produce some interesting drawings with techniques I would never have even thought to use (or forgetten).

Flicked lines using a pen

Experimenting with lines using ink and Copic markers

Playing with perspective and distortion of a skull

As a result, I feel like drawing lessons as taught in the node would be suitable for beginners, amateurs, and the experienced alike. The location of the node means that once HSW is revitalised, a range of people will be able to use the space at different times of the day. These can include:

• Families on the weekend;
• People on their way home after work and needing some down time;
• Those in the Valley or New Farm's cultural precincts looking for an activity after dining out etc;
• Primary and high school students (All Hallows for example), and university students from QUT via Riverwalk or UQ via ferry.
• Exercisers or the general public using the Riverwalk or revitalised parkland.

Additionally, from DAB525, the Riverwalk feeding in to HSW acts as a very defined path along an edge and this makes anything at the end of it very much a landmark or destination, enticing more users to the space.

As I plan on having regular classes, the class size will be limited to about 5 users and 1 instructor, but outside of class times the space acts as a gallery open to the public to peruse.


In relation to unpacking the activity, there are multiple ways in which to draw. The 3 common methods include:

1. Drawing on a flat surface (usually a table)
2. Drawing on an angled surface - an easle
3. Drawing in a book or other substrate that is held or rested on your lap

 All three methods involve a substrate, a support for the substrate, seating, and of course drawing media. I will choose to explore option 1 for my design as this is the most common and ergonomic form for beginners to practice on.