spatial-design-year-4

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 11

Trailer/preview video: Created for the show reel that will be presented at Exposure. The video attempts to showcase the basic program of my space.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 11

Presentation imagery in progress.

Imagery still to do:

- Perspective(s) - two of these, one being hero. Facing viewport on the upper level and bottom stairs looking upwards at design. - done tomorrow.

- Plan - done tomorrow.

- Front section

- Master plan

- Key moments: Viewport fracturing, time based material exhibition imagery (this could be an animation too), construction/destruction of the space. - start tomorrow.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 11

Isometric views: Vectorworks import + renders of right isometric and left isometric of the proposed installation.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 10

3d Modelling: Using SketchUp to model my proposal.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 10

Notebook Sketches: Investigating how my ideas could visually come together.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 10

Final Program (finally):

Trauma informed installation/performative exhibition that responds to the trauma present at Stellin Memorial and our navigation of traumatic spaces.

The intention of this project is to utilise James Stellin Memorial as a site example that also pays homage to sites within all of New Zealand that are affected by incidents of trauma, a major incident of concern within a post-colonial society. The design attempts to showcase current ways in which we inhabit spaces of distinct trauma to make us reconsider our engagement and treatment of these landscapes.

A series of three canvases (pieces of material that are stretched along the ground) are positioned across segments of the Stellin Memorial car park where the gang attack took place at the start of the year. Over time, the canvas’ hold onto the tire marks, footprints and such that showcase the fact that this trauma, like so many others that occur nationwide, is taken for granted and is left unrecognised, left in silence upon the landscape. The canvases will be made out of clear sheet plastic with an adhesive side placed towards the landscape to avoid getting unwanted marks onto the material from the ground.

These plastic sheets/canvases are then exhibited within an exhibition space made out of easily assembled scaffolding to be assembled at different sites. This adhesive on the underside of the plastic is removed for exhibition, purely showing the marks created by people. The design will not solely apply at James Stellin Memorial, it can be moved to various locations that have encountered trauma to inform and educate the public.

The exhibition also consists of two ‘viewport’ devices, a series of mirrors that warp and fracture a ‘normal’ and ‘everyday’ experience of site. These viewports are positioned on the upper levels of the scaffold and look down towards the ground, fracturing both the movement of people across the landscape as well as the site itself. A disconnect from a normal site experience, the relationship between people and place is distorted.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 10

Material Detailing: “Anticlimax: A Report on the Metabolist Dream” by Fala Atelier.

Although the program of this space is completely different to what I have in mind regarding my ideas, I was heavily interested in the way materiality was chosen within this installation in relation to its surrounding site.

Acting as a response to the ‘Nakagin Capsule Tower’ in Tokyo, the materiality choices of the installation reflect the history and condition that the site currently stands. The “Nakagin Capsule Tower”, constructed in 1972 by Kisho Kurokawa, was originally intended to become a revolutionary statement about urban renewal by implementing Metabolist design techniques that sought to create new lifestyles for the people of Japan through architecture. This new idea consisted of numerous individual units attached to a megastructure, where each unit was subject to more frequent replacement, could be added to and change in form that suited the requirements of the inhabitants. The design acted as a response to Western ideas of architectural preservation and the adaptive reuse of historical buildings.

40 years later, it is clear that something went wrong within Kurokawa’s theory and the site is significantly empty with many of the ‘revolutionary’ capsules left abandoned, rotting and leaking. Metabolism’s biggest icon is sick and stands today only as a remembrance of a future that never happened. The rusted, aged aluminium scaffolding that is used to make up the base structure of the installed exhibition is used as a reflection of the sites present condition and is able to tell the audience part of the story of Nakagin Capsule Tower through only a glance.

I thought that this installation was a great example of how materiality can be used within design to reflect upon a sites identity. With my project being heavily based around James Stellin’s accreted identity, I thought that the use of construction materials such as scaffolding (requires further investigation) would be effective to communicate the sites identity shift and its current state of displacement within Northland.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 10

Precedent: “Periscope Tower” by OOPEAA

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 10

Precedent: “Myriad” by CORD

A portion of feedback that I attained from one on ones with supervisors was the fact that the models that I created could be more effective if they were to be inhabited as dwelling spaces rather than just “viewport devices”. Questions were raised regarding how my design will be inhabited and the overall experience of the project. At the moment my ideas are very linear. I ended up stumbling across this sculptural installation created by CORD located in Saxmundham, United Kingdom which utilises similar techniques that I am interested in for my installation.

The design almost acts as a sculptural playground, designed to “capture a wide and ever changing series of vistas from the spectacular surroundings, to create a dynamic multi-perspective collage that constantly shifts in relation to the visitors’ movement around and within the sculpture”.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 10

Abstract Statement: 70ish words

“It is in the essence of emotional trauma that shatters our absolutisms, a catastrophic loss of innocence that permanently alters one’s sense of being-in-the-world” - (Stolorow, 1999)

For many, emotional trauma is a state of being that presents a distinct struggle to comprehend the spaces that others unaffected inhabit everyday.

“Fractured Absolutisms” investigates how emotional trauma comes to condition the body’s relationship towards an understanding of environment and one's spatial cognition. The project acts as a response to James Stellin Memorial Park located in Northland and revisits a violent gang assault that accretes the surrounding area with violence. Through site specific intervention and visual manipulation, “Fractured Absolutisms” seeks to collectively reconsider the navigation of spaces with illicit identities.

“Fractured Absolutisms” investigates how emotional trauma comes to condition the body’s relationship with space and spatial cognition. This project is a response to James Stellin Memorial Park located in Northland and revisits a violent gang assault that accreted the surrounding area with violence and in this way fractured the community's identity with this site. Through site-specific intervention and visual manipulation, “Fractured Absolutisms” seeks to shift this fractured perspective to collectively reconsider the navigation of spaces that hold illicit identities. what is absolutism? here...? - edited version.... in progress.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 9

To do list:

Need to make two images, that being the new placement of my installation(s) as well as a perspective or sectional that shows the layout and interior of my projection spaces.

Design of the wall that the projections will be displayed upon and investigating the ways in which it decays over time.

Model up intended projection space in SketchUp - can use the James Stellin site terrain 3d model that I modelled earlier in the year to help with this as well.

Creating a refined masterplan of the site that highlights the pathway that I am working with within this project - Te Ahumairangi Hill lookout/Ridgeline track north entrance.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 9

Section Imagery: Communicating the intervention of my light scattering/fracturing devices.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 9

Elements that I want to include within the final design of my projection space: Notes

- Individual experience of the projection spaces - How is this achieved?

- Total of three individual projection spaces that project the imagery of the landscape as well as the movements of the public.

- Applying quotes of Robert D. Stolorow into the design - How is this done? Does my experience become somewhat of an exhibition?

- How is the violent event communicated through my design? Am I trying to tell the story of the event?

- Using a temporal material as a projection screen that deteriorates over time. I am initially thinking of using plaster and water. The idea behind this being that the camera is positioned overlooking the same place that the screen is facing, eventually revealing the true landscape of the site.

- Maybe instead, these optical devices are embedded within the walls of the site, rather than using projections. 

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 9

Refined Design Presentation Notes:

To still do tonight:

- Drawing that communicates how my viewports will be positioned around the site with the video cameras. This can be done in elevation.

- The design of my projection space. How does this tie in with the camera obscura idea? What does this say about identity?

- Section of projection space.

- Perspective of projection space.

- Plan of projection space.

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 8

Model 2: Video

[spatial-design-year-4]

WEEK 8

Model 1: Video

[spatial-design-year-4]

Model Making

WEEK 8

Modelling and Prototyping Part 2: Second physical model I created with a different mirror arrangement than the first. This design results in different fracture patterns yet still holds that same disorienting and disconnected effect. 

The idea for both of the models is based off of James Stellin Memorials identity shift as a result of the recent violent gang attack at the beginning of this year. The site is in.....