Gaudensia Olago
Form Follows Participation, and Vice-Versa
Research Focus:Form-Finding + Participation
Fields of Infl uence
Among my fi elds of infl uence are a number of personal ad researched projects whose focus can be categorised into:- formal/form-fi nding- social- process-based- environmental
socialsocial social
environmental environmental
formalformal
process-basedprocess-based
hanging vault modelhanging vault modelantoni gaudiantoni gaudi foafoa
iris dome and foldingiris dome and folding structuresstructureshoberman designhoberman design
mobile campus, n.ymobile campus, n.yftl happoldftl happold
139 shelter139 shelterfuture systemsfuture systems
shelter frame kitshelter frame kitworld sheltersworld sheltersgrip clipsgrip clipsrobert gillisrobert gillis
hexayurt, burning manhexayurt, burning man festfestvinay guptavinay gupta
low-tech balloonlow-tech balloon systemsystemtechnocrafttechnocraft
podville, burning manpodville, burning man festfesticosa village incicosa village inc
concrete canvasconcrtechnocrafttechn
huts and low ridersmad housers
an architecture of par-ticipationgiancarlo de carlo
slum clearanceinitiativesnairobi, kenya
various projectsmuf architects
dark days(documentary)marc singer
neighbourhood renewal projectdhs, victoria+ rmit architecture
housing design for australianindigenous peoplepaul memmott, paul pholerosetc
rural studiovariety of projects
parasitemichael rakowitz
global village sheltersglobal village sheltersferrara designferrara design
hanging chain modelhanging chain model,japanese pavilion at the expo 2000 in hanover, shigeru ban with frei otto frei otto
The premise for my research focus is the desire to fuse these two different schools of thought that run through my work:- formal/form-fi nding approach - social and participatory approach
The gap for me is the possibility of successfully fusing these two design methodologies, and allowing them to inform each other in a successful project.
social socialsocial
environmentalenvironmental environmental environmentalenvironmental
formal
process-based
hanging vault modelantoni gaudi foa
iris dome and foldingstructureshoberman design
mobile campus, n.yftl happold
139 shelterfuture systems
shelter frame kitworld sheltersgrip clipsrobert gillis
hexayurt, burning manfestvinay gupta
low-tech balloonsystemtechnocraft
podville, burning manfesticosa village inc
concrete canvasrete canvastechnocraftnocraft
huts and low ridershuts and low ridersmad housersmad housers
an architecture of par-an architecture of par-ticipationticipationgiancarlo de carlogiancarlo de carlo
slum clearanceslum clearanceinitiatives initiativesnairobi, kenyanairobi, kenya
various projectsvarious projectsmuf architectsmuf architects
dark days(documentary)dark days(documentary)marc singermarc singer
neighbourhood renewal projectneighbourhood renewal projectdhs, victoria+ rmit architecturedhs, victoria+ rmit architecture
housing design for australianhousing design for australian indigenous peopleindigenous peoplepaul memmott, paul pholerospaul memmott, paul pholeros etcetc
rural studiorural studiovariety of projectsvariety of projects
parasiteparasitemichael rakowitzmichael rakowitz
global village sheltersferrara design
hanging chain model
frei otto
environmentalenvironmental
Clusters of Informants
As an initial study, I examined two projects I had undertaken in which I used tehse two different methodologies, looking at the clusters of informants for each of them.
a cluster of actions (compositional techniques,strategies, processes)
a cluster of actions (compositional techniques,strategies, processes)
a cluster of inhabitations (habitats to be trans-a cluster of inhabitations (habitats to be trans-formed: program, site, event)formed: program, site, event)
a cluster of inhabitations (habitats to be trans-a cluster of inhabitations (habitats to be trans-formed: program, site, event)formed: program, site, event)
a cluster of urges (desires and directionality:a cluster of urges (desires and directionality: aims, hopes, attractions)aims, hopes, attractions)
a cluster of urges (desires and directionality:a cluster of urges (desires and directionality: aims, hopes, attractions)aims, hopes, attractions)
a cluster of questions (wonderings, quandries,a cluster of questions (wonproblems, curiosities)problems, curiosities)
a cluster of questions (wonderings, quandries,a cluster of questions (wonproblems, curiosities)problems, curiosities)
a cluster of informants (material which informsand embodies aspects of the above; prec-edence, ideas, events, images, propositions,issues)
a cluster of informants (material which informsand embodies aspects of the above; prec-edence, ideas, events, images, propositions,issues)
a cluster of actions (compositional techniques,a cluster of actions (compositional techniques, strategies, processes)strategies, processes)
a cluster of actions (compositional techniques,a cluster of actions (compositional techniques, strategies, processes)strategies, processes)
a cluster of inhabitations (habitats to be trans-formed: program, site, event)
a cluster of inhabitations (habitats to be trans-formed: program, site, event)
a cluster of urges (desires and directionality:aims, hopes, attractions)
a cluster of urges (desires and directionality:aims, hopes, attractions)
a cluster of questions (wonderings, quandries,derings, quandries, problems, curiosities)
a cluster of questions (wonderings, quandries,derings, quandries, problems, curiosities)
a cluster of informants (material which informsa cluster of informants (material which informs and embodies aspects of the above; prec-and embodies aspects of the above; prec-edence, ideas, events, images, propositions,edence, ideas, events, images, propositions, issues)issues)
a cluster of informants (material which informsa cluster of informants (material which informs and embodies aspects of the above; prec-and embodies aspects of the above; prec-edence, ideas, events, images, propositions,edence, ideas, events, images, propositions, issues)issues)
Neighbourhood Renewal
The Neighbourhood Renewal Project in Hastings’ was a government-funded regeneration project to help improve the area as well as social conditions of West Park Estate. Considered a marginalised community, it had once been, but no longer was, a government housing estate.
The community was quite active in the project, with a committee of locals collaborating with us, and the RMIT team was led by Melanie Dodd, of Muf Architecture, a practice that has had extensive experience in collaborative projects, and especially in working with children to generate project ideas.
One of the fi rst things we did was a site visit that was led by children from the local West Park Primary School, and helping the children document these ‘adventures’ as digital stories.
The fi rst adventure I went on was through the backtracks, the neglected bush land behind the estate. The bush was a dumping ground for anything and everything, old and disused, from toys to car bodies, but for the children, it was their play area.
They proudly displayed their lizard-catching sites (Adult: “Hmm! Looks like a bunch of rocks to me…”), the broken cubby (Adult: “A broken computer, a mattress and some pieces of wood...”), Big Foot (Adult: “Seriously, that’s just a big puddle of water…”), and their cubbies (Adult: “That’s a big bush…”).
Participation:
6
6
1
2
3
4
5
MAP KEY
PATH FOR WEST PARK PRIMARY DIGITAL STORY PATH FOR CUBBY BUILD-ING PHOTO STORY IMPORTANT SITES FOR WEST PARK PRIMARY DIGITAL STORY; 1. ENTRANCE 2. BROKEN CUBBY 3. BROKEN HOLDEN 4. KING’S CREEK 5. BIKE JUMP 6. CUBBIES
7 8
3
11 12
4
1 2
9
10
13 14
5 6
Digital Story, Cubby Building
Eventually, my whole project came to be informed by a chance encounter that I had with a group of children off to build a cubby, while I was doing some site analysis. Taking a break from the serious stuff to play, I came along, enjoying and documenting the process, and in the end, I realised that anything I was going to propose for this site had to be small and real and enhance the experience of the site. The proposal was simple: a series of benches and dust bins, and a bird-watching hide. But it was the process that had meant the most.
The fi nal proposal was for a kit of parts that consisted of: benches, rubbish bins, and a bird-watching hide. The path is experiecned as a path, like one of the digital stories.
Final Design proposal
site 1:benches
site 2:bird-watchinghide
connecting path: benches+bins
Form-Finding:
Aboriginal Tent Embassy
The basis of the project was the redesign of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, that was established in 1972, and pres-ently exists outside Old parliament house in Canberra. The embassy is central to the fi ght for Australian Aboriginal land rights, but presently consists of a few containers an a few tents pitched on the grass.
The project involved research into the land rights movement, Australian aboriginal history and ethno-architecture. This went hand-in-hand with a series of intensive form-fi nding exercises, that were aimed at producing ahighly adaptable tent-like structure.
model 1: basic valley and hill origami folds
model 2: basic valley and hill folds
model 3: basic valley and hill folds
form-fi nding exercises
model 4: paper space-frame system of valley and hill folds
model 7: plastic space-frame system with stocking skin
model 6: plastic space frame system
AN 1:200
FPFP
FP
FP
FP
FP
FPFP
FPFP
FPFP
FPFP
FPFP
A A
B
B
VERANDAH
VERANDAH
VERANDAH
WOMENS' TOILETS AND BATHROOMS
MENS' TOILETS AND BATHROOMS
OUTDOORCOOKING HEARTH
OUTDOORCOOKING COUNTERS
KITCHEN/ DINING AREA
SINGLE MENS' SLEEPING QUARTERS
MARRIED PEOPLE'SSLEEPING QUARTERS
SINGLE WOMENS'SLEEPING QUARTERS
FIRE OF JUSTICE SURROUNDED BY SEATING LOGS
ACCESS TO TENT EMBASSY
ACCESS TO TENT EMBASSY
EXISTING CONTAINER
MUSEUM/ EDUCATIONAL AREA
COMPUTER ROOM
ARTWORKS ON THE GROUND
EXISTING PATH
Final Design Proposal
Ampilawatja Health Centre
Ampilawatja is a small community about 300km from Alice Springs, and the community needed to upgrade the local health centre. They specifi ed that they wanted a ‘real proper clinic’ that would cater for the mens’ and womens’ special needs.
Initial site visits were made, and a few dyas of camping just outside te community provided an ooportunity to see and experience the town, landscape, as well as meet the local indgenous people and the doctors an nurses who work at the clinic.
The local women met with us, and discussed the art works made by them, which will be hung in the future clinic, and also showed us important sites in the surrounding locality. Likewise the local elders met with elders from our group to discuss their expectations for the future clinic.
the clinic
Research ProjectForm-Finding + Participation:
ampilawatja town plan
Participation was achieved through Initial site visits and client consultations.I also regarded the act of seeing the place and experiencing the indigenous way of life in the community as an act of participation.
Through the design process, the CEO of the clinic also kept in constant touch with us, reviewing the brief and giving updates on discussions he had with the clinicians and community, and expecting our feedback. he laso attended a reiew of the work, and gave helpful suggestions of what he thought would be the best way forward for the project.
The dominance of the lanscape struck me, and i decided to work with the landscape as a major defi ning factor of the design.
Participation:
According to Paul Memmott and Joseph Reser, an imporant thing to consider when designing architecture for Aborigines is direct experience and emotional response.
The experience of a building and its felt harmony with place and purpose.
This harmony can be enhanced by visual access to the external environment, maximum natural lighting and sunlight.
Form-Finding:
Play with models brought break thorugh and defi nition to the project after a while struggling to defi ne exactly what I wanted. By re-iterating my idea of ‘framing’ by model-making, I was able to clearly articulate what it was I wanted to achieve.
Models: Part 1The fi rst iteration of models
Models: Part 2The second iteration of models axplored the concept of framing on the level of individual rooms, and the applica-tion of these to different part sof the building.
Models: Part 3The third iteration of models explored a different way of framing, by treating programs/ activities as translucent boxes that were inserted into the main building. It was also a concept of framing light that enters a building.
planning diagrams
male/female areas
general male female
circulation and exit points
degree of internalisation
increasing degree of internalisation
The fi nal proposal took into account the form-fi nding processes, as well as the brief and practial aspects that had been established through consultation.
Due to avoindance relationships, it was necessary to func-tionally divide the building into distinct male and female areas,without cross-over.Staff and emergency areas were made accesible to both males and females.
From speaking to the staff, easy acces and exit points were also an important factor, and the building is designed with an easy thoroughfare N-S and E-W.
Another important factor was the importance of providing enough outdoor spaces. Form site visits, we observed people sitting outside the clinic talking, waiting for the doctor, and even having community meetings.Therefore, teh design provides suffi cient veranda space, and the corridors are easily openable to the outside, creating a semi-indoor/outdoor space.
Final Design proposal
Final Design Proposal
interior-womens’ waiting showing childrens’ play area
Wales Street primary School Bean Garden
The Wales Street Primary School Bean Garden was a supplementary project in investigating bridging the gap between form-fi nding and participation, because it was to be built in participation with and used by students from Wales Street Primary School.
Research Project 2Form-Finding + Participation:
Wales Street primary School Bean Garden
The design is what I would describe as a ‘fairy garden’. The design is made of plastic backing that is folded multiple times to give a ‘lacy’or fl owery feel. The spaces created act as the planting pods, and climbers made from cable ties are hung from the fence for the plants to grow up.
Because the form had been set, I supplemented these by doing some formal experiments on how we could provide a lattice for the bean plants to climb up. tensegrity systems were suggested, but a system of long fl exible plastic rods seemed suffi cient, and I did experiments on weaving them.
Form Finding:
During the building of the 1:1 project, we had the help of some of the children in testing how the confi gurations worked. For example, we used one of the children to test whether the space we had provided in between the pods was suffi cient for them to sit in. The cable tie tendrils proved aesier and more effi cient to make so the idea stuck.
Most of the pods were set up in time for the School Music and Arts Festival, with the aim that we could give parents and children a chance to participate in making the cable-tie tendrils. We set up a cable-tie tendril station and got a few helpers, and afterwards strung up the tendrils we had made.
I think the setting for the project was ideal, because it provided a creative yet simple solution, that gave the user the chance to interact in building it as well. Also the fl exibility of teh design allowed teh user the chance to alter it if he wished, even by chance. The cable ties could be tightened or even broken, and they could also be pushed and pulled, and this would alter the design.
Participation:
I believe that play could be seen as a way of bridging the gap between Participation and Form-fi nding. Play can loosen up and bring creativity both into the participation and design/form-fi nding processes, because it operates both on the level of teh designer and of the user.
Play and the User
Because of the nature of play, it requires an active participation of parties in one way or another. Play cannot be defi ned as play unless there is somebody engaging in it, playing. Therefore, it can be used as a means of eliciting participation in architecture, whether or not the party playing (be it the user or the designer) is aware of the fact that they are an active participant in a game.
Playing with the user can open them up and allow the designer to see things their way,and this works especially well when designing with and for children, as in the Neighbourhood Renewal project. By playing with the children, coming along on the cubby-building adventure, I listened and got to learn what they wanted from the design, and I was able to propose a project that might fulfi l their desires. Play can be a means of reading between the lines.
Play can also be a means of encouraging user participation with a project, even after it’s been constructed. By making a project less strictly de-fi ned, and more open-ended, room can be created for play. The essence of participation is the ability for the user to defi ne a project, and make it what he wants it to be,possibly allowing him to express his identity through it.
The Wales Street primary School Bean Garden and The Aboriginal Tent Embassy projects both give opportunity for this because of their form, which is designed to be fl exible and adpatable. The Embassy project also allows the user to defi ne the building by painting on the canvas surfaces, and writing slogans.
The Role of Play in Bridging The Gap Between Participation and Form-fi nding
Play and the Designer
Play is also a means for the designer to test ad develop forms. Model making is a good means of doing this, because it provides the chance to physically make and test different iterations, and decide which one works te best. Sometimes breakthrough comes to the designer when he gives himself the liberty to play, as in the Ampilawatja Health Centre project.
I see play as a key element that can runs through these two different schools of thought, the difference being that the subject differs.
References:-Giancarlo De Carlo, An Architecture of Participation-Peter Blundell Jones, Jeremy Till, An Architecture of Participation-Sanford Kwinter, PlayTime
Conclusion
I believe a successful project for me would be one that sets up ooprtunities for play in its different dimensions. That gives the designer leeway to explore form and function, and also gives the user the chance to defi ne what it is he needs and wants. Of all these I would say the Wales Street primary School Bean Garden had the best set-up and opportunities in terms of this, and I would hope in future for an opportunity to develop fully such a project.
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