Madrid field-trip guide

Madrid field trip guide |

Thu 29 Mar - Y3 Cross Crits

The cross-crits will be held as digital presentation of your complete work of the entire academic year. (sem1 and sem2).
Make sure your file order is in place and copy your pdf to the machine beforehand (test that it works. no psd or idd files) Consider to bring some print-outs of key drawings (e.g. plans and sections) to scale + large enough to see from 3 meters distance, as well as all relevant models and material studies.

As usual - prepare what you want to say - clarity and connection between everything is essential. Sleep the night before. Everybody to attend full day - Y2 also welcome.  Start 10.00,  finish around 16.30

Visiting critic: Jean Teak Park (unit E) + Nicola Richardson

Mon 26 Mar - Y2 Cross crits

The cross-crits will be held as digital presentation of your complete work of the entire academic year. (sem1 and sem2).
Make sure your file order is in place and copy your pdf to the machine beforehand (& test that it works. no psd or idd files) Consider to bring some print-outs of key drawings (e.g. plans and sections) to scale + large enough to see from 3 meters distance, as well as all relevant models and material studies.

As usual - prepare what you want to say - clarity and connection between everything is essential. Sleep the night before. Everybody to attend full day. Start 10.00,  finish around 15.00

Visiting critic: Melissa Kinnear (unit D) and Anna Mansfield (Publica) - your new Unit A tutor.

Thu 15 Mar - Y2 Tech Review

The Y2 Technology Review will be in form of a pin-up crit in the morning (NR+CJ). Plans and sections essential. Check for hand-book for requirements on structure, constrcution (assembly) and environmental strategy. Don't forget your syndicated material and sem1 + models.

Y3 Technology tutorials in afternoon via sign-up list.

Mon 12 Mar Tutorials

Further to yesterday's crit - it's time to strategise about the overall narrative of your portfolio, so that you can plan ahead what key drawings you need to produce to convey the full depth of your ideas across all scales. Can you 'story-board' this please for Monday? Reflect on the feed-back and be clear of the core objectives & also what you personally want to get out of your project.

Interim crit Thu 8 March

Panel of guest critics: 
Nick Simcik-Arese (anthropologist / architect / DPhil researcher Oxford University)
Mike Stephens (structural engineer, Atkins)
Kathleen O Donnell
Aylin Orbasli
Jane Anderson
Laurence Walter (Unit A Alumnus)
Ralph Saull (Unit A Alumnus)

drawing list for interim crit Thu 8 Mar

- site analysis / mapping: basics (e.g. user-groups / transport / orientation / density / land-use, etc.) and personal interest / individual observations. You may need to add / refine / edit your site analysis drawings to explain / back-up your brief.
- syndicated material: drawings should explain the basic principle you developed (based on above observations) + detail incl. materiality and all working models + process
- edited theoretic references (refer reading references) integrated in drawings.
- public platform: final drawings + performative principles + connection to social and cultural context

- personal brief
- functional programme
- massing studies (from sem1)
- urban strategy 1:1000 - response to context (social + cultural; what is your way of creating syndications?
- site plan 1:500 (locating your building on site)
- 1:500 long/cross section with context / surrounding buildings
- all working models of building to scale (presented with context if possible)
- spatial sequence studies (building) long contextual sections - inside outside relationships - pubic realm- control of public private domain. qualities of thresholds.
- light, materiality & atmosphere: through models / collages / sketches / drawings
- plans to scale printed large enough for wall presentation (depending on project minimum 1:200 or bigger)
- 1:100 section(s)
- process / development of plans - design evolution. show key moves. key decisions.
- key hybrid detail (e.g. area of a threshold) as evolution of your syndicated material 1:10
- environmental strategy (integrated in drawings)
- structural strategy (integrated in drawings)
- edited precedences integrated at key stages during your design process.
(integrated in drawings)

South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre

ANAGRAM Architects

This buffer bay also acts like a breathing thermal barrier along the sun facing side. By situating the staircase and toilet stack in this bay, the internal workspaces are protected. The porosity of the wall ensures that the buffer bay is well ventilated and yet shaded so as to reduce the amount of heat transmitted to the workspaces. A six brick module is laid in staggered courses that create twirling vertical stacks and an undulating surface. The construction of the screen wall was a result of a five-week process of learning and un-learning masonry techniques on site. From verification of plumbness to the structural bonding of the brick courses, methods of brick laying were devised through a deep on-site collaboration between the masons and the architects. This single repeating brick module creates a visually complex pattern in the manner of traditional South Asian brise soleils.

LINK

Mon 20 Feb - Y3 Special Structures Tutorial 10.00-13.00

All Y3s will have a special structures session with structural engineer Robert Harrold from Ramboll and Nicola to finalise the principle of your structure. Further to discussion with Nicola this week, please revise / make a scaled structural model of your building for that meeting. With this you should demonstrate what structural principle you employ and how vertical as well as horizontal loads are carried through into the foundations. (e.g. concrete skeleton/frame with core)

Please treat this not as tutorial, but as meeting with your structural consultant. This means, you need to bring along key information on your project you already hold (e.g. massmodel / plans / sections / building in siteplan / and key sem1 drawings of your performative / syndicated material) to communicate your design intentions. Remember that engineers can help you to deliver nearly whatever you wish - thing is - you need to be precise in briefing them on your intentions.

Fri 17 Feb Tutorials

Same to Y3s, can we also see your first ideas for the structure in form of a structural model, showing the basic principles? only model the load bearing elements, e.g. columns, cores, structural walls, slabs, cantilevers, etc. (all to scale as usual - probably 1:200?)

Atelier Bow-Wow lecture

Atelier Bow-Wow is a Tokyo based architectural practice founded in 1992 by Yoshiharu Tsukamoto and Momoyo Kajima. Their interests in ‘micro-architecture’ and daily life are embedded in their domestic buildings along with their urban research. Authors of publications such as ‘Behaviourology’, ‘Pet Architecture’ and ‘Made in Tokyo’, their interests lie in questioning the role of the body and individual in a social, cultural and habitual context.

Friday 10 February 2012, 5pm
Darwin Lecture Theatre, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London, WC1
Bartlett School of Architecture International Lecture Series
This is a free event. Tickets are not required and seats cannot be reserved.

LINK bow-wow
LINK bartlett

6 Feb Tutorial + 10.00 AM-session_09 - Hybrid

Monday tutorial's will evolve around your working models. Bring all your model work in to date: Mass model / site model / spatial sequence model / section model / etc. All models need to be to scale (meaning on of those 1:1000, 1:500, 1:200, 1:100) and presented on a thick / solid base.

more inspiration for models here
LINK

we need models asap

here are some links for some good tumblrs / collections of models to inspire.
one
two
three

and if you are in london - check out the interim show this weekend at the RCA... some cracking models in there!

Madrid Field Trip

As Unit A descended on Madrid for our field trip the fast paced world of architecture was quite literally translated to inform the determined stride we embarked upon. There was less of the drifting ‘dérive’ approach (despite perhaps the accidental trespassing incident) one might have expected, so whilst legs and feet may have not thanked us for it, it did mean we managed to see a lot in the brief time we had. Plus the walking was interspersed with chances for ‘rest’ as multiple opportunities for play revealed themselves throughout the city. 

Despite the playful approach it was definitely educational and by each being allocated a building beforehand it meant we were collectively prepared for what was in store. This meant we had an understanding of the concept and aims of the architecture and our preconceptions could be tested. We all had the opportunity to directly hear the design process of one of the projects we would be visiting as on the second day we were fortunate to be invited into the practice of Ecosistema Urbano. We were given a presentation of their recent projects and design philosophy. With a focus on urbanism and sustainability, they have an interest in public involvement in order to provide platforms for participation and creativity that are beneficial both socially and environmentally.

The following day we visited their project entitled ‘Eco Boulevard’. Situated within the ordered surroundings of recently master planned Pau de Vallecas, Eco Boulevard is an example where the architect’s control is passed over to the users allowing them to appropriate the space. As a platform for public expression and response it encourages active participation of local residents but also exists as a desirable location attracting interest from the wider context. The project arose out of necessity to ‘solve’ the existing which means its affects are limited because change possibly cannot be induced on the fixed housing, whereas conceptually as an initiator of growth in the area it provides a strong model of change and development in the city. Initially the Eco Boulevard was designed to be temporary, aiming to encourage urban growth until no longer required, however has since gained monument status. This rather detracts from the aim that the growth and change from the installation would expand and shift to the whole area in order for it to adapt and evolve of its own accord. However, the structures of the Eco Boulevard certainly allowed us to temporarily gain control of the space and produced a sense of freedom and interaction, similar only to that achieved by the play equipment in the Madrid Rio. 

Other highlights of the trip included the Na Sa de Guadalupe Church of which initial disappointment of its closure instantly vanished when access became available through the adjacent building. Descending allowed us to emerge directly inside the church where we were met by the stunning atmosphere created by the light through coloured stained glass on every wall. The UNED Escuelas Pías Biblioteca, a church converted into a library, was also a collective feature, the high level of detail and consideration allowed the new and existing to feel equal rather than disparate elements. The field trip allowed us a full on inspirational fix to start this term with and gratitude goes to Colin and Carsten for organising this fantastic experience and to Ibstock for subsidising the trip and Ken and Dale for accompanying and sharing with us our unit adventure.       

http://www.ecosistemaurbano.com/

Madrid field-trip January 2012

Madrid Barajas International Airport, Richard Rogers & Antonio Lamela
Caxia Forum, Herzog deMeuron
Warehouse 8b, Arturo Franco
Metadero Madrid - Contemporary Art Centre, ICA Arquitectura
Celosia Residence, MVRDV & Blanca lleo
Villaverde Social Housing, David Chipperfield
Temporary Market, Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos
San Blas Usera Health Center, Estudio Entresitio
Carabanchel Housing, Foreign Office Architects
Prado Public Realm, Alvaro Siza & Juan Miguel Hernandez de Leon
New Cultural Centre (NCC), Fündc
Usera Public Library, Abalos & Herreros
ABC Museum, Aranguren & Gallegos Arquitectos
Skatepark - Madrid Rio, (location: Paseo de Yeserías, next to Puente de Praga bridge)
Na Sa de Guadalupe Church, Felix Candela & Enrique de la Mora
Twin Bridges - Madrid Rio, Invernadero & Matadero
Instituto del Patrimonio Historico Espanol, Arquitecto Lopez Otero
UNED Escuelas Pías Biblioteca, Meson de Paredes / J.I. Linazasoro
Prado Museum, Juan de Villanueva
Eco Boulevard, ecosistema urbano Arquitectos
Arganzuela footbridge - Madrid Rio, Dominique Perrault
El Mirador de Sanchinarro Housing, MVRDV
Tempio de Debod, Adjialamani o Azakheramon
MediaLabMadrid
Antiguo Mercado Central de Frutas y Verduras, Francisco Ferrer Ferrero
Puente del Rey Esplanade - Madrid Rio
Plaza de la Luna, Brut Deluxe