Unit 2 2010-11
Shared Topography
This year, Unit 2 will focus on the theme of Shared Topography, combining aspects of urban, landscape and architectural design. We will explore ways in which sharing and living together can be part of a unique and synergetic urban life. Our design investigations will respond to a range of spatial and topographical conditions.
We will start the academic year with a series of induction exercises.
The main sites of interest and student projects will be located around the inner part of the city of Bergen on the west-coast of Norway. For further studies and inspiration, we will visit the Portuguese island of Madeira.
We will start the academic year with a series of induction exercises.
The main sites of interest and student projects will be located around the inner part of the city of Bergen on the west-coast of Norway. For further studies and inspiration, we will visit the Portuguese island of Madeira.
Archipelago and Fjord landscape around Bergen in Norway - Drawing by Peter Dagger
Induction Exercises
To prepare for the year‘s work and to introduce Unit specific methodologies, we will explore diverse urban and architectural case studies from around the world.
By extracting architectural qualities, this will serve as a source of inspiration for a small design exercise of a TOPOGRAPHICAL HABITATION. It is a space that may be part of a topographical situation or pattern, where sharing and living together demands unusual spatial solutions.
To prepare the Unit work in Bergen, we will make a field trip BOOK. This will prepare us to gain access to information that a group of architects would require, prior to working in such uncommon conditions. It serves as a kind of contract of a group with a city.
By extracting architectural qualities, this will serve as a source of inspiration for a small design exercise of a TOPOGRAPHICAL HABITATION. It is a space that may be part of a topographical situation or pattern, where sharing and living together demands unusual spatial solutions.
To prepare the Unit work in Bergen, we will make a field trip BOOK. This will prepare us to gain access to information that a group of architects would require, prior to working in such uncommon conditions. It serves as a kind of contract of a group with a city.
Main Design Project - Bergen
The Unit will engage in Bergen as a city that is undergoing critical change. We will carefully explore diverse existing spatial practices, to develop responsive and imaginative proposals.
Bergen is located on the west coast of Norway, where archipelagos and Fjords form a unique landscape of islands and waterways. The inner part of Bergen is located on a peninsula that is almost entirely surrounded by water and rests against a mountain ridge to the east. Confined by these perimeters, old timber buildings, 19th and 20th century apartment blocks as well as large scale infrastructure form a dense urban fabric.
Along the water edge, harbour areas separate the inner city from the sea. As an ongoing process, many harbour facilities move to other locations, as their proximity to the inner city is not necessary anymore. Along the mountains, small scale housing units intensively occupy steeper slopes, leaving very little space that communities require in such conditions.
Overall, current urban limitations and topographical conditions confine communal life in Bergen, posing interesting social and spatial questions.
Bergen is located on the west coast of Norway, where archipelagos and Fjords form a unique landscape of islands and waterways. The inner part of Bergen is located on a peninsula that is almost entirely surrounded by water and rests against a mountain ridge to the east. Confined by these perimeters, old timber buildings, 19th and 20th century apartment blocks as well as large scale infrastructure form a dense urban fabric.
Along the water edge, harbour areas separate the inner city from the sea. As an ongoing process, many harbour facilities move to other locations, as their proximity to the inner city is not necessary anymore. Along the mountains, small scale housing units intensively occupy steeper slopes, leaving very little space that communities require in such conditions.
Overall, current urban limitations and topographical conditions confine communal life in Bergen, posing interesting social and spatial questions.
Ring of sites in Bergen and their immediate territories to one another
The field trip to Bergen will be in November - December 2010. During that time, we will engage in a series of intensive workshops and focus on a ring of sites on the crucial edge of the inner city. They capture a diversity of urban dynamics and topographical conditions, by opening new and invigorating opportunities for the inner city.
Each student will work on one of the sites, by addressing three important topographical scales. The unique setting of Bergen allows a particular understanding of the city, as a collective and formal entity. Furthermore, communities, neighbourhoods and streetscapes demand a careful exploration of their relationship to one another and to themselves. On the scale of immediate sites, the work will address both the way buildings meet the ground and the potential to form their own topography.
Back in London, the unit will engage in collaborative works, comprising a Unit Model and the collection of information gathered in Bergen, as well as individual proposals.
The sites and their contexts, as well as guiding research will set the tone for distinct strategic interventions in a range of scales, from urban through to building qualities and their immanent details. The unit will continue to develop student’s skills, intuition and judgement for a vigorous, yet crafted culture of space. Using urban and landscape design methodology, the individual projects will focus on sited buildings, by invigorating existing and imagining new, creating schemes that are both, sustainable and enjoyable.
Each student will work on one of the sites, by addressing three important topographical scales. The unique setting of Bergen allows a particular understanding of the city, as a collective and formal entity. Furthermore, communities, neighbourhoods and streetscapes demand a careful exploration of their relationship to one another and to themselves. On the scale of immediate sites, the work will address both the way buildings meet the ground and the potential to form their own topography.
Back in London, the unit will engage in collaborative works, comprising a Unit Model and the collection of information gathered in Bergen, as well as individual proposals.
The sites and their contexts, as well as guiding research will set the tone for distinct strategic interventions in a range of scales, from urban through to building qualities and their immanent details. The unit will continue to develop student’s skills, intuition and judgement for a vigorous, yet crafted culture of space. Using urban and landscape design methodology, the individual projects will focus on sited buildings, by invigorating existing and imagining new, creating schemes that are both, sustainable and enjoyable.
Research - Madeira
The study trip to Madeira will be in Spring 2011. Students are invited to visit the natural and man-made landscape of this Portuguese island. The comparison of Madeira and Bergen will allow us to understand the uniqueness of each topographical condition, by studying similarities as well as differences.
As the mountainous landscape of Madeira offers very limited space for cultivated land, unique irrigation systems (levadas) and terraced fields (poios) were developed over the last centuries. They are examples of using architecture to maintain and share natural resources.
Another focus will be on the work of the local architect Paulo David. His work, like the Casas das Mudas and the Salinas, addresses topographical and social contexts through unique architectural qualities.
As the mountainous landscape of Madeira offers very limited space for cultivated land, unique irrigation systems (levadas) and terraced fields (poios) were developed over the last centuries. They are examples of using architecture to maintain and share natural resources.
Another focus will be on the work of the local architect Paulo David. His work, like the Casas das Mudas and the Salinas, addresses topographical and social contexts through unique architectural qualities.
Peter Dagger
The initial research in Bergen explores day and night time conditions. During the day, the city blends into it's natural surrounding and topography. At night, light marks human inhabitation and the city forms it's own topography.
The main project expands on a disused dock along the waterfront in Molenpris and follows two main strategies. The proposal responds to adjacent communities with new sports facilities and a public space network.
The main intervention is a sport, library and community building. It follows the dock and sits within and on top. The building expands on pre-existing irregular foundation rythms on either side of the dock. Angled beams span across both sides, giving the main building it's structural framework. Setbacks give the building legibility and allow light into the dock. Furthermore, internal spaces allow a variety of social places and spatial relationships.
The skin of the building makes use of a woven mesh as reinforcement and ball net.
The main intervention is a sport, library and community building. It follows the dock and sits within and on top. The building expands on pre-existing irregular foundation rythms on either side of the dock. Angled beams span across both sides, giving the main building it's structural framework. Setbacks give the building legibility and allow light into the dock. Furthermore, internal spaces allow a variety of social places and spatial relationships.
The skin of the building makes use of a woven mesh as reinforcement and ball net.
Stephanie Poynts
The initial research explored spatial sequences of the Tower House by Takamitsu Azuma in Tokyo. Build in 1966, the house makes inventive use of a very small corner plot. As such, each level has a different shape, volume and social function.
The main project is located along the waterfront of Molenpris. The mixed use development and public space interventions are rooted in local culture, community and construction techniques.
The build form has a large column grid on the ground floor to enable work and leisure facilities. A tree-like structure narrows down the column grid to enable a flexible housing grid on the upper floors. Each house is made of timber and is further extenable to allow different family patterns.
The public space connects a local park with the waterfront. It contains reed beds for grey water recycling and leisure spaces, blending into surrounding urban neighbourhoods.
The build form has a large column grid on the ground floor to enable work and leisure facilities. A tree-like structure narrows down the column grid to enable a flexible housing grid on the upper floors. Each house is made of timber and is further extenable to allow different family patterns.
The public space connects a local park with the waterfront. It contains reed beds for grey water recycling and leisure spaces, blending into surrounding urban neighbourhoods.
Sara Alidadi
Public Bath, Restaurant and Hotel
The project is located alongside one of the main sport fields of Bergen. Unusually, it is located up on a hillside to the east of the inner part of Bergen.
To enhance current site conditions, a series of buildings weave strategically around existing sport fields and connect to public roads on two different levels. A bath, restaurant and hotel connect to the upper level and have their main entrance here. This spatial configuration allows an integration of local community life. In addition, the bath also connects underground to the lower street level and opens up over Bergen.
The design unfolds along a series of spaces, light and flow of water, using earlier studies of form and texture. The main bath building resonates the rocks it stands on. It uses a local technique of drilling a series of holes and breaking of blocks of stone. Used within the bath, the created channels on the stone drain water in a distinct pattern.
The project is located alongside one of the main sport fields of Bergen. Unusually, it is located up on a hillside to the east of the inner part of Bergen.
To enhance current site conditions, a series of buildings weave strategically around existing sport fields and connect to public roads on two different levels. A bath, restaurant and hotel connect to the upper level and have their main entrance here. This spatial configuration allows an integration of local community life. In addition, the bath also connects underground to the lower street level and opens up over Bergen.
The design unfolds along a series of spaces, light and flow of water, using earlier studies of form and texture. The main bath building resonates the rocks it stands on. It uses a local technique of drilling a series of holes and breaking of blocks of stone. Used within the bath, the created channels on the stone drain water in a distinct pattern.
Matthew Collins
The initial research explores conditions of darkness and light in relation to architectural form. Both conditions allow navigation through complex spatial situations.
Main Design Project - Cafe and Fire Archive
The project is located on a hillside to the east of the city centre. It addresses disused space around an old fire-water basin.
The design expands on a number of functional issues around the site. As such, a series of buildings respond to the need of a new Fire Archive and a Cafe for mountain walkers and a local boy's drumming brigade. A garage to the north is being renovated and expanded with a viewing platform. A pathway system connects all project parts to each other and the sourrounding context.
All structures are made of timber, blending the scale and materiality of the project into the surrounding context.
The design uses earlier studies of light and darkness as a navigational tools. As such, external and internal spaces unforld along diverse light conditions.
The project is located on a hillside to the east of the city centre. It addresses disused space around an old fire-water basin.
The design expands on a number of functional issues around the site. As such, a series of buildings respond to the need of a new Fire Archive and a Cafe for mountain walkers and a local boy's drumming brigade. A garage to the north is being renovated and expanded with a viewing platform. A pathway system connects all project parts to each other and the sourrounding context.
All structures are made of timber, blending the scale and materiality of the project into the surrounding context.
The design uses earlier studies of light and darkness as a navigational tools. As such, external and internal spaces unforld along diverse light conditions.
Existing Fire-Water Basin, photo by Mathew Collins
James Barrett
The project is located between Sandviken and Skuteviken in the North of Bergen's city centre. In makes use of an undefined area between these two neighbourhoods.
The project combines public infrastructure, housing and communal facilities.
The main building is an inhabitable wall that stretches along an existing road and mountain path. Below the building is a community hall and bus shelter. It defines a new square and urban centre. A careful pathway system connects the project to its context and to itself. The main construction material is natural stone and concrete, resonating local building techniques in a subtle and inventive manner.
The project combines public infrastructure, housing and communal facilities.
The main building is an inhabitable wall that stretches along an existing road and mountain path. Below the building is a community hall and bus shelter. It defines a new square and urban centre. A careful pathway system connects the project to its context and to itself. The main construction material is natural stone and concrete, resonating local building techniques in a subtle and inventive manner.
Anna Demetriou
The initial research explores the UNESCO protected warehouse area of 'Bryggen' in Bergen. It was build between the 12th - 18th century. The project illustrates an inherent economy of means and speculates on potential use pattern and typological parameters.
The main project is a Market, Student Accommodation and Temporary Hotel.
The project is located on the waterfront of Sandviken in the north of the inner part of Bergen. The design expands formally and materially on pre-existing timber warehouse typologies. It connects the city with small alleyways towards the water. On the groundfloor is a market. It is separated into smaller units that offer a range of products. It is an interpretation of a co-operative supermarket.
On the upper floors are student residences. The small units interlock around an access corridor. All services like staircases, cupboards, kitchen and bathrooms are integral part, blurring the boundary between architecture and furniture. The units are rented out as hotel accommodation during the summer, subsidising the higher standard.
The main project is a Market, Student Accommodation and Temporary Hotel.
The project is located on the waterfront of Sandviken in the north of the inner part of Bergen. The design expands formally and materially on pre-existing timber warehouse typologies. It connects the city with small alleyways towards the water. On the groundfloor is a market. It is separated into smaller units that offer a range of products. It is an interpretation of a co-operative supermarket.
On the upper floors are student residences. The small units interlock around an access corridor. All services like staircases, cupboards, kitchen and bathrooms are integral part, blurring the boundary between architecture and furniture. The units are rented out as hotel accommodation during the summer, subsidising the higher standard.
Initial Research Bryggen
End of Year Exhibition
.
