Mockup Model - 1:200

At the request of one of my friends, I have decided to post a quick description of the building. The brief asks for a series of rooms designed according to a narrative that we decide on ourselves.

My updated narrative: A tunnel carved into a cliff, poised to take advantage of views, for a philosophy student to contemplate the differences between eastern and western philosophy.

I separated the building into two wings, to explore the differences that I perceive between Eastern and Western philosophy. Western philosophy has an outward view, and looks to the world for answers and inspiration, so accordingly, I designed a wing perched out from the cliff, with a full glass window, giving views out onto the world. Eastern philosophy is more concerned with looking inside oneself for answers, and so I buried the Eastern wing further underground, where light comes from a shaft that emerges onto the surface. Here you cannot see out onto the world, but light is still allowed to penetrate the space.

Some Poche Inspirations

Burying the Form

Thanks to Anu for posting this image from Mulloway Studio. I saw the exhibition of Australia's entry at the Venice Biennale, and this was definitely one of the most impressive models. It got me thinking about my own design, and how I was planning to 'carve' my spaces out of a large stone block, and place this in the landscape. The image made me think of taking this idea further, and embedding the scheme within a cliff, carving the spaces out from the rock.

'An architecture born out of sightless light and sound' - Tadao Ando

I then remembered this unbuilt (unfortunately) scheme by Tadao Ando for a House in Malibu. He also carves out of the rock, using it to form spaces, vistas, windows, views. P.S Sorry about the poor quality images, they are scanned from my book, and I didn't want to damage the pages.

Watercolours

Precedent Study - Peter Zumthor Thermal Baths

Materiality

Peter Zumthor - Thermal Baths



Rafael Moneo - Murcia Town Hall


Jorn Utzon - Can Feliz

Updated Plans/Sections

Top: long section with west wing on left, east wing on right
Bottom: Plan of building


Top: short section through east wing contemplation space
Middle: short section through east wing 'feeling' space
Bottom: short section through east wing 'body' space


Top: Short Section through entrance with ramp
Middle Top: short section through western wing 'path'
Middle: Bottom: short section through western wing contemplation space
Bottom: short section through western wing courtyard

ATTENTION ANU: images relevant to my email

This is a quick and rough section I drew running lengthwise through the building. Western wing on the left, with courtyard to the far left. Entrance area in the middle. Eastern wing on the right. Note: the rooms are not exactly to scale.


These are two rough cross sections of the building. The top runs through the entrance room, showing a ramp leading in, and the dark atmosphere. The bottom section runs through the 'body stage' of the Eastern wing, where the corridor narrows.


Sorry Anu but these images kept appearing upside down when I post them. If you download it you can just flip it the right way up. Top is a section through Eastern wing 'feelings stage' showing the narrow corridor you have to crouch through. Bottom is a section through the final 'contemplation' area, showing return corridor off to the side.


Again, apologies but these images kept appearing upside down. Top is a cross section through the Western wing courtyard. Middle is a cross section through Western wing 'contemplation area' with large glass window. Bottom is a cross section through Western wing 'pathway'.


Finally, the plan of the building (sorry this image should be rotated to the left). Once it is rotated, you can see Western wing on the left, entrance area with ramp in the centre, and Eastern wing on the right.


These are some more sections, showing the way the windows allow different light patterns to fall in the building.


DIAGRAM ON LEFT: this is a section through the western wing of the building, showing the ramp up towards the large window, and how it dives underneath it. Also shows sight lines of person approaching ramp. (Sketch on the right isn't relevant)


This was an earlier sketch I did of both 'wings'. On the left you can see the idea I had for the ramp curving underneath the large glass window.


These are rough working images of what the building would look like.


Again, a rough sketch of the building exterior.

Massing Model

NOTE: this is just a trial model for me to experiment with copper as a material. The actual model shape of the model is much longer.