May 2011
3 posts
3 tags
6 tags
3 tags
December 2010
2 posts
Final - Written Speech
Obiviously the cues as to what I was pointing at and indicating is lost lost here, but this is roughly what I discussed, plus added detail when pointing out particular items.
Adaptive Production
40 years age there was a surge in utopian dreams spurred by space exploration, social, economic and resource crisis. In particular these dreams explored how we might live and eat in the future. Today we...
Final - Overview Text
Adaptive production. 40 years ago the media and architects alike turned their attentions to utopian agricultural visions in response to looming threats of environmental and economic collapse. Today, this focus has returned. Drawing on the utopias of 40 years ago, this project locates itself 40 years into the future, attempting to utilize utopian optimism to map a viable (non-utopian) evolution of...
October 2010
8 posts
Project Brief - Draft
Another look at the project brief, in brief!
40 years ago the media and architects alike, for a time, turned their attentions to utopian agricultural visions in response to the looming danger of environmental and economic collapse. Today there is again a focus on environmental and sustainability concerns, a climate ripe for agricultural speculation. Drawing away from past utopian visions we can...
wk 10 Feedback
The major criticism from the review was that the scheme seemed to be “just a roof”. You were advised to approach the ideology of the project with a grain of salt – and focus on what you are proposing as an architect. The continued presence of the sci-fi images was remarked upon and you were asked to address, and develop, the significance of these for your project. Like Jason:...
WatchThird video in the Phillips Food Probes series.
WatchSecond video in the Phillips Food Probes series.
WatchFirst video in the Phillips Food Probe series. Ideas of what kitchens/homes might incorporate in the future.
September 2010
23 posts
Project Concepts
Existing transport networks and infrastructure will undergo numerous upgrades, technology changes and maintenance over the next 100 years, so it is proposed the implementation and growth of a food system could be coupled with these developments and be funded within a greater infrastructural plan. The system grows over existing government controlled lands, capitalising on previously dead spaces and...
Re-Brief
Climate change and increased environmental conscience are beginning to change the way we think about land and how we use it. Agriculture is one of the largest uses for our land, and our quest for large expanses of cheap fertile lands has pushed food production further and further away from it’s largest consumers, cities. Our cities are still growing, so in turn, are their appetites,...
Some other interesting links... →
Archigram - Drive-in city
I generally just find the image compelling, but also find it interesting that a lot of our imagined ‘future’ transports still look to quite individual, personalised transport.
Crazy cities
Vertical algae farming
Future Technology - Transport →
Stalker - distopian airship
Elevated train network - I have a problem with these very individualistic transport futures, it doesn’t seem economic to provide such small capacities but on mass? The extra materials and power? Things to replace cars for sure, but I still think efficient mass transport will have a place. Some more elevated and ‘wind powered’ options. Skyways, similar...
WatchAugumented City, looking at social media and virtual interaction of the future!
WatchGreg Lynn on New City, a new virtual world
Lebbeus Woods - High Houses →
I just love the style of the imagery.
Project Research →
Some links to projects that I find architecturally interesting, either in form or ideas or both!
Sussex Dew Mine
Growing buildings… some ideas/concepts
Some Urban Agriculture-type student projects.
King’s Vineyard
Aquaculture
Farmacy
Gastronomic Garden
Technology!
Augumented City, Keiichi Matsuda
Cellular housing? Built into the structure?
Intersections, interesting...
Gardens by the Bay - Grant Associates →
An amazing video of a completion entry proposal in Singapore, on the whole too grand for the sort of thing I’m looking at but some of the ideas and imagery are interesting and related.
Greg Lynn →
I’m interested by some of his work, in terms of surfaces, and their biological/organic feel. Something I see as being part of my project.
Some particular projects include:
Reimagined Sears Towers
Wilshire Blvd Restuarant
New City - Development of a Virtual City
Speech
Giant Robot Architecture
Random thoughts and links →
Intersections with informality
Single Hauz
2030 Challenge
Architecture and Climate Change
Sci-fi and City
Hydro Manhattan
Self-consuming Castle
Carbon Capture
Pretty cool little mobile house concept!
Bufalino
Aquaculture
Hacking Agriculture
Instant House
Facing Up, rising sea levels
Building Futures - Cities
August 2010
21 posts
Climate Change - Climate Impact →
If you’re designing what the future might be, it might be a good idea to find out what the climate might be like in the future and what impact that might have. Hence some links and readings on Climate change and more specifically the impacts on Melbourne, Australia.
Climate Change in Australia
Future Scenerios
Heat Islands
Melbourne Water - Climate Change Study
Water Resources
The...
Climate Change - Carbon Trading Schemes →
Just a little log of some of the links I’ve been looking at to have some insight into different schemes, as I’m thinking a carbon trading scheme will be part of the time line for the food hubs. I’m starting to think about how these ideas would be incorporating into how the Food Hubs might work and how that will effect their interface, having open source data and increased...
Materials - Composites and insulation
Just some quick research about current Composite Sandwich panel technology and their insulation values so part of considering them as materials in the project. The products are becoming more and more environmentally friendly and recyclable whilst still maintaining good insulating properties and of course being very light-weight.
Insulation values
Also baring in mind that they are European...
New Concepts
Some general research of some projects and ideas I like and could be useful to incorporate in my project.
A small Greenhouse project, useful in terms of a few low-tech greenhouse ideas and materials.
Folding surface systems, designs by Daniel Schipper, really great stuff. Lightweight and adaptable.
Port-a-Bach, by Atelier Workshop, a portable container-house. More of a beach-house type concept...
Greenhouse Nightclub →
An example of what could be an auxiliary space? A nightclub attached to a food hub in the city? Either way, it is a pretty cool space. I imagine the skin of a green house could be manipulated in similar ways to make it an interesting space at night time.
Thinking Compact
If you’re planning on living in a container, compact is generally the keyword, especailly if you want to transport them around and maximise utility. So here are a collection of ideas and products about compact living.
Bathrooms:
- Flight Concept Bathroom (I do wonder about the need for a bathtub, without it the unit could be much smaller)
- Vertabrae (Pricey and a bit instiutional, but an...
New directions - Aquaponic Food Hubs
After talking and visiting Steve Mushin at CERES this week I’ve been inspired to return to the smaller scale of the module by experimenting with their Aquaponic Food Hubs project. It’s a fantastic project and aligns really well with a lot of the concepts I’m interested in, localised food production, organic food production, and accessibility in terms of ease of use, community...
Urban Agriculture - Urban Orchard 2 →
A local proposal for the Rooftop of Melbourne Central, a large retail and entertainment precinct/shopping centre in Melbourne CBD. It incorporates food production, market selling as well as social public spaces for events and hospitality. A write-up on the project is here. As well as the project on the Architect’s website (Andrew Maynard Architects) for clearer images.
3 tags
Crop yield research
In order to get a feel for how much food the main site could produce, I did some research and calculations based on the rooftop area of the site and average organic crop yields. I also calculated based on potentially optimising growing area using a sliding growing bed system I sketched earlier. Based on a ‘compactus‘-style system I calculated the growing area could increase by 1/3 or...