DAB310 Project 01: The Architectural Apprenticeship

References;

Place makers: comtemporary Queensland architects. M. Wallace and S. Stuchbury. South Brisbane, QLD. Queensland Art Gallery.

Jackson, D. 2000. Australian Architecture Now. D. Jackson and C. Johnson, London: Thames & Hudson.

Lefaivre, L. 2003. Critical Regionalism: architecture and identity in a globalised world. Liane Lefaivre and Alexander Tzonis. New York: Prestel.

Walker, B.1998. Gabriel Poole: space in which the soul can play. Noosa Qld: Visionary Press.

Crosbie, M.J. Gold Coast Pavillion.

http://www.architectureweek.com/2003/0326/design_1-2.html (accessed March 12, 2010)

Project 01 Part C: Application of Analysis

The parti pears back that of the Lake Weyba house. Instead of the tent as parti, the cabin's function as a receptor for the senses becomes the focus.

Site Analysis Diagram below;

As an Environmental Filter;

the cabin is linked directly to its parti as a receptor of its surrounds. Despite the location being in the sub-tropics the cabin is situated on the flat plain facing the north at the top of a mountain and therefore presents a different set of challenges to respond to. The property also runs parallet to the Cantilever Cliffs but the view to it and the neighbours below and beyond is hidden behind a line of thick bush at the cliff face. As a climatic filter, in summer the predominant NNE breezes would flow through the proliferation of lounge and bedroom windows of the cabin while in winter to protect the inhabitants from the chilly south westerly mountain winds the cabin has a window less western wall. Ventilation is maintained and controlled via a number of small windows on the south wall. Air is released through any number of exits on the northern wall. The absence of windows on the western face guides the inhabitant's line of sight, somewhat in a dictatorial manner, to either the bush to the north or back south towards the fireplace which is a tool for communal relaxation.

As a container of human activity;

With the constraint of 75sq metres for the cabin size the design found it impractical to seperately house different human activities. Replacing Poole's plunge pool with the fireplace as a focal point provided the impetus to contain all functions in the one building. The communal function of the plunge pool was replaced by the fire place. It was imperative, in the cabin's design, to seperate the living and sleeping areas to provide some degree of privacy. This was achieved by placing the bathroom and kitchen between the two areas. Each of the functional areas of the cabin fell logically into place. Each space within the cabin is connected via a wide hallway. Storage space is in abundance. As you enter the cabin from the southern door you are confronted with wall of storage compartments. This was an attempt to deny and reward the visitor's circulation through the cabin. In reference to circulation, you then have the choice of turning to the communal living, kitchen and veranda areas with views (the reward) or turn to the private areas of the bed and bath.

As a delightful experience;

Flat galvanised iron sheets were used by Poole to clad a large part of the exterior walls in reference to rural life and its many rudimentary structures. In the choice of materials for the cabin's external wall corrugated iron was chosen, this being a more appropriate reference to such structures. The aim was not to make the reference more obvious but to further indulge in the familiarity, fondness and phenomenological associations derived from its aesthetic qualities already mentioned in the Lake Weyba House analysis.

Theangled skillion cabin roof pays respect to the exemplar. The additional and seperate veranda roof accentuates the feeling of moving from indoors to out. The outward tilting veranda railings adds to the sense of being a part of the surrounding bushland, as if you were falling into the bush. Indoors the lounge and kitchen views are unimpeded and flooded with light and the cool summer breezes due to the collection of triple sliding glass doors and windows. The view from the bathroom window is an indulgence for the bather.

In contrast to a plunge pool considered absolutely essential to the Lake Weyba house on the Sunshine Coast, I replace this with a fire place as the cabin is on top of a mountain not down on the coastal plains thus is considerably cooler in winter despite being in a sub-tropical climate.

Cabin Plan

Cabin West Elevation

Cabin East Elevation

Cabin Northern Elevation

Cabin Southern Elevation

Cabin Southern Section

Project 01 Part B: Analysis of Archetype (Lake Weyba House)

Original Plan

My version of the site plan

Original West Elevation


My version of the West Elevation
Original East Elevation


My version of the East Elevation

Original Northern Elevation

My version of the North Elevation

In the absense of any original section drawings this is my interpretation


No sketches were publicly available of Lake Weyba house so I used the below as the basis for a sketch


Photo which was sketched


My sketch attempting to incorporate the Poole's style of drawing vegetation.

The exemplar for further research was the Lake Webya house and was arrived at by a process of elimination. The compartmenalising of human activity was excessive with the Suitcase house and so eliminated. The Gold Coast house was eliminated as I couldn't find a personal connection with the concept of a house for a dancer.

In contrast the Lake Weyba house simply embodied everything about my childhood memories. The use of iron sheeting & timber frames as predominant materials of the building's exterior wall and the open spacial arrangement was reminiscent of remote cattle shelters on large working properties in the Darling Downs of QLD. These shelters were simply a single roof of corrugated iron and 4 timber posts. Quite often it would be the only sign of human activity for hundreds of miles. I associated iron sheeting with, just to name a few, housing for the poor, rain water tanks, the distinct amplified sound it makes when hit or when struck by hail. All of these experienced as a child. And finally the way the building lightly rests above the flat plain enabling the site to be equally enjoyed for its view of vegetation as it is for the house.

The House

Lake Weyba house sits amongst coastal wallum at the western end of Lake Weyba, 10 minutes from Noosa Heads. The low lying area covered in soft grass that grows knee high is home to an abundance of sub-tropical vegetation and wildlife. The climate is predominantly hot and humid and is occasionally subdued by cool south easterly breezes from the coast.

As an environmental filter;

the house is raised above the ground to delicately rest above the low lying native grasses, its structure reminiscent of quant farmer's sheds or cattle shelters with galvanised iron and timber materials.

In response to climatic conditions Poole chose fly screen screen walls on the northern face of each pavillion for ventilation and to allow more light within the house and fuller views of the bushland. To control lighting and temperature levels a series of pulley and counerweights were used to operate vertically sliding windows between internal and external areas of the main pavilion (p249 Wallace & Stutchbury). External roller doors were included to cover the fly screens in case of inclement weather.

The 27 degree angled skillion roof enabled the preservation of unihibited views of the sky, amidst the impending encroachment of residential development. It also provided access to winter sunlight and deep shade when the summer sun was overhead (p249 Wallace & Stutchbury).

To provide cross ventilation and to control airflow direction pivoting vertical frames were installed in each room corner. And as protection from the prevailing south easterly winds the roof line was sloped downwards into the direction of the wind.

As a container of human activity;

the house compartmentalises human activity into 3 seperate buildings connected by covered walkways. The plunge pool serves as a primary function to cool one's self in hot summer days and, as it was communal, served as a focal point for entertainment. By seperating out the pool from the other spaces and housing it seperately it was logical to move other common functions to the same pavilion. These included the bathroom, shower and laundry. The commonality being water. In turn functions associated with the laundry being the ironing area, wardrobe and storage were also housed in the same middle pavilion.

It was decided to also seperate the bedroom form other activity for reasons of privacy. This left the office, kitchen and living space in the main 3rd pavilion.

As a delightful experience;

the house exudes phenomenological references to country born and raised people such as myself. The parti derived from the jackeroo or jillaroo tent brings (generally) fond memories to those who've lived out in the bush for months on end. Yet the more subtle reference to the "bush" through the use of materials particularly galvanised iron sheeting on the external walls is in fact a more powerful emotionally. Iron sheeting, or more specifically corrugated iron, as an exterior wall cladding was once considered the reserve of the poor in rural society. But here in Poole's design iron cladding sits prominently and confidently as a striking aesthetic feature. To a country person iron sheeting symbolises much needed rain for parched crops, and the smell of oncoming storms and so evokes a sense of relief and release of tension.

Delight is also derived from the angled skillion roofs which are like receptors for the sights, sounds, smells and even touch (cool breezes) from the surrounding coast wallum. The stimulation of the senses is virtually unimpeded by the northern flyscreen wall. And the use of the plunge pool on hot days is no doubt a delightful experience.

Project 01 Part A: Archetype Research

My choice of 3 exemplars was largely driven by time constraints, an initial aesthetic attraction and strategy (choose what other students didn't). On this basis the 3 exemplars chosen were;

1. Suitcase House by Edge Design; Shuiguan, Badaling China

2. Lake Weyba House by Grabriel & Elizabeth Poole Design Company; Sunshine Coast, QLD Aust.

3. Gold Coast House by Innovarchi; Gold Coast, QLD Aust.

Each exemplar had a common element of simplicity or singularity in its appearance. In doing so each building's features stood prominently, uncluttered and undistracted by excessive design bells and whistles.

As an environmental filter each house elegantly reflected their site context; the Suitcase house nestled at the trough of 2 mountains ran the line of the valley and sympathetically utilised the timber materials of the valley; the Lake Weyba House delicately rested its base just above the the low lying native grasses, its structure reminiscent of a quant farmer's shed; the Gold Coast house similary rested on the flat line of sight covered in low lying native grasses but its predominantly glass structure contrasted with the Lake Weyba House.

As a container of human activity; the Lake Weyba house compartmentalised activity into 3 seperate buildings connected by covered walkways; the Suitcase house's spacial arrangement was its main theme of design with almost endless combinations with the aid of sliding partitions; and the Gold Coast house provided the ballet/teacher/owner space for living and teaching with inspirational views while conducting classes.

As a delightful experience each house took full advantage of the beautiful surrounding views.