Final result | Fall semester assignment | The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture year 4

During the last five months I've been working on a project (or should i say a process).
The work hasn't evolved linearly, not at all. It has taken a lot of turns during this period, which I think makes it even more interesting and challenging.
In the beginning I was aiming for the creation of a bridge, which after a couple of turns landed on creating a "lid" or a new layer, over the wast terrain of train tracks in front of the central station in Copenhagen. Parallel with this concept of site, I had a concept of structure and the creation of space. Especially the boundaries in between the two. Questions like:
-Where does the structure end and where does the room begin?
-What is inside and what is outside?
has been important for me.
I have created two types of structure that coexists in a symbiosis and play with these questions. The first system is a folded concrete slab, splitting the building in two, with an extention of the walkway in the middle, creating a framed public view. The concrete is wrapped in the second system: a louvre-system of steel beams. The steel structure acts as both roof, walls, floors and pillars. The pillars are raising the building from the tracks and letting it land subtly onto the platforms below, creating a nice Moiré effect when viewed from far.
I like the paradox of that the roof literary raises the floor!

In the process I've been jumping back and forth between drawing (by hand and in Adobe Illustrator) and making models, both physical and in 3D (Autodesk Maya and Rhino). I have learned the importance of combining these two techniques and I've also realized that the boundary between them is close to non-existing. Quoting Peter Cook, in his book Drawing The motive force of architecture: "This once again suggests that there is no real gap between drawing and modeling. Standing within the piece, there was no ambiguity to be felt, since wherever you stood and tuned, from every direction there was the experience of a 'drawing' - through the clarity and definition of the lines and then, on turning, another, related drawing" referring to Lebbeus Woods, System Wien installation view, MAK Gallery, Vienna 2005.
And no, I haven't got hybrid. I'm not comparing myself with this extremely talented experimentalist. I'm just trying to apply theories of people I admire to my own work, to be able to grow in my role as an architect.

Presented project | Plan

Presented project | Site plan

Presented project | Section

Presented project | Elevation

Studies of facade

This is the latest outtake of the facade. The fragmented ends will contain semi-outdoor spaces. The vertical louvres are made of 50x50mm steel-beams.

Section drawing

Ok, so I just finished the long-section, cut through the big exhibition hall (not very alive, it's a three hour sketch).

The main target with this drawing is to look at heights, both interior-heights and the height of the bodies in relation to each other, as well as the height underneath.

I'm also interested in investigating the second skin (here shown in orange) further.

Studies of fragmented facade | In model

I have a vision about wrapping the built bodies in a second skin, on certain areas. A double facade that let different quantities of light and sight in, on various places. Of course according to program. This skin will be dynamic in its expression, and it will continue where the buildings ends.

I'll be back with further details on this, in drawing.

Studying shape of structure | In model

In this model I'm letting the built bodies be in charge of the layout of the structure, instead of letting the path control the structure, according to its flow. This feels like a more relevant approach since the path itself is, in this situation irrelevant. I'm no longer bridging an obstacle to connect two sides. I'm adding a new layer of built environment to the city and the path is there to serve the buildings.

The shape is incomplete, but the model helps me to evolve further in my ideas about the project (for you who have not read the previous entries: it has been a quite ambivalent process).

Taking a step back... Unfortunately but necessary

I have had a week off from my project due to a parallell course in school. I have now been watching my drawings a bit during the weekend, and I can always find a better approach after a small break. Its like the relations between the drawings and one self get to mature when resting. And like any relation, all is super cool when it's fresh, but when the fascination of the new has past weaknesses and flaws appear. Errors that, if given time, one can easily fix and strengthen.

My time is unfortunately running out. Two weeks until final crit. But I'll manage.

Next step:

Build new model

Draw cross- and long-section

wish me luck!

New Model [edit]

I built this model from my plan drawing to examine, and get a feeling about, certain physical and mental aspects of the project. Contradictions like surface/room, open/closed, inside/outside and barrier/flow, are aspects that I will focus on, when analyzing this model further in drawings.

One thing I have realized the last few days is that, I must be able to defend my choices when questioned, which I'm pretty bad at right now. I've got to explain WHY. Why have I done this? Why here? Why this shape? etc.

Drawing further on the site, with my program in mind I hope that I can explain why...

The model is built in 1mm cardboard

approximate scale 1:400

Concretization

After the critique on the 20th December, I was told that I don't take my drawings seriously. Although my lacking knowledge in Danish, I understood that the critics were missing context and program in my project.

This is of course important parts of architecture (if not the most important) but during this year I've been trying to find out how to work in department 6's way. And I still haven't got a grip of it. A couple of weeks ago my teacher told me that it was to early to go into the questions mentioned above... hmmm.

Anyway.

With this in mind I have taken a much more concrete approach to the project, tying it down into context and forming my drawing according to program.

Below I show you the old plan put into context as well as a new plan, generated from the old and adapted to the context, along with a program. The gray scheme is showing degrees of private/public.

Section + Plan

Here we go!

I've finally produced two sections and one plan that are coherent. I feel that these together explain the concept that has grown forth quite well.

Lets see what the crit's say. I'm going to present these in about 6 hours, better get some sleep.

Getting into the section drawing

I've realized that I can't jerk around in plan view all my life. I got to get in to the building (or what ever I'm drawing) in section. I remember Professor Sir Peter Cook telling me: "If the plan and the section are your children, the section is the one you send to collage." Thats the one you should invest your time and effort in. And I can tell you that most architecture students (including myself) are almost afraid of going into section, it's really a lot harder than drawing in plan. And it's, strangely enough, a lot harder to get a section not to look "flat".

New book on the way

I bought a book on amazon the other day. It's a collection of some of CJ Lim's work. He is an extremely interesting and elaborate architect with a diploma from AA in London and he is now teaching a studio at the Bartlett.

I'm looking forward to read more about his work and strategies, as well as studying his form and spatial techniques.

ISBN-13: 978-1920744809

Evolvement of plan drawing

My plan drawing is starting to take shape.

The grey colored field represents the walkway and the yellow frames indicates room, which activity they hold is not yet specified. Whether this is important or not is not yet determined. I actually see this more as a project regarding opposites like; inside/outside, under/over, and how surface becomes room and the other way around.

Now lets get down with the sections and elevations, to make you (read, me) understand what I'm doing here.