Week 7 Architectural Entity - Scale/Program

Scale:

Physicality: Proportions within existing context, proportions considered for future. Consider the surrounding buildings. Sensitive infill project.....

Time: project life expectancy, re-use, and recycle considerations, evolution, adaptability, functional efficiency lifespan expectancy, and ability to expand. Material considerations - lifespan and re-usage.

Operation: Program scale, who does it engage with, external reach in program operations. 

Programs:

•  Residential Component for students, people at the bottom of economic spectrum and people migrating due to rural exodus experiencing hardship.
• Agriculture Component to support portion of users food, surplus redirected to market...restaurant located at lower levels of program, for broader community.
• Commercial component, restaurant, market, retail outlets.

Week 7 Architectural Entity - Building Typology

The architectural entity is aimed to be a tower typology. Having stated this careful consideration of the existing Historical building currently on site needs to be addressed.  So the proposal includes plans for a tower (initial idea is for approx. 15 stories) constructed over/connecting/linked to a separate two to three story revitalised building. The next step is to work the program scale and clarify what is required and establish whether it will remain a two building typology or incorporate the existing Adelaide Street facade into the front facade of the tower.  Either way the historical facade will remain.

The following are some conceptual drawings of the architectural entity:

Conceptual Sections and elevations, the middle two explore how the tower could site above the existing historical building.

Spatial arrangement on site taking into consideration of the existing structural grid of the old building.

Diagrammatic section exploring the division of residential and agriculture program side by side vertically.

Conceptual facade note the detail in the new facade, retention of historical.  Key for new facade to address the street and retain characteristics, detailing, and adopt/abstract proportions of existing.

Week 7 Architectural Entity - Site

Drawing of the site. Also identifies the open space surrounding the site.

Located at 43 Adelaide Street, the following is a brief historical background of the architecture located site and its uniqueness to the Brisbane CBD taken from the Brisbane City Council (BCC) web site;

• "It is important demonstrating the evolution or pattern of the City's and local area's history"
• "As a multi-storey retail building that led the way for spread of Brisbane's shopping precinct out from Queens street and into Adelaide Street at the beginning of the Twentieth century."
• "It demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of the city's local area's cultural heritage"
• "The only triple-gable, three-story, brick commercial building remaining in Brisbane." 
• "It is important because of its aesthetic significance."
• "Because of its architectural quality and harmonious proportions, its simple, elegant decorative details and its landmark presence within this section of Adelaide Street."

Image of the Adelaide Street Facade, original image Simon.H.

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Buildings scale in built environment, original image Simon.H.

In 2027 it is identified as a redevelopment site due to current state of decay and change of program desired on site.  With the implementation of pedestrian orientated, traffic free streets (Adelaide, Queen, Elizabeth and Burnett Lane) cross street connectivity is a possibility. Activation of Burnett Lane frontage and rethinking of connection to Adelaide Street needs to be addressed. 

Reference:

BCC, (2012), Heritage: Register, retrieved 15 September 2012 from: 

http://heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au/heritage_register/placeDetail.do?action=read&placeId=2016&fullDetail=true&navParam=startBasic

Week 7 Architectural Entity - Strategy/Task

Integrating systems to form a more sustainable urban model that responds to the envisaged future vision.

• The integration of small scale farming and residential into urban retail zone,
• Community focus for farming and residential components,
• Prototype creation of an architectural entity that will combined with others an ecologically, economically, socially and cultural sustainable system within the localised area of Brisbane’s CBD.
• The prototype architectural entity forms a piece of the overall urban system,
• Redevelop and Refurbish existing property within,
• How does the existing precedent facade of the built environment change when removal of the traffic thoroughfares removed. Boundaries still define perimeter/facade. How can operations extend on to street.....what is the quality of these spaces what operation exits within them.....how to they engage with broader community?

Week 7 Project Direction – Characters (society’s representatives)

The following focuses on the characters from Project 1, what has happened to them over the last 3 years to form the current context, where do they fit into the future?, how is the architectural entity born from their (societies) needs;

Paul Williams:

•           Remains involved in the corporate world however has moved on from foreign investment as government tightens the legislation on Australian land sales.
•           Lives in around Brisbane and works in the CBD.
•           He would interact with the entity as an broader community member engaging with commercial aspects.

Peter Daniels:

•           Has migrated to Brisbane city as a part of the State and City council population management system.
•           Has moved into the new architectural entity with him family and works overseeing the agricultural component.

Week 7 Project 2 Directions - Contextual Events

The setting for Project 2 is the year 2030, 3 years have passed since the events from project 1. The following gives an overview of what has happened during the 3 years and the resultant inception/realisation of Project 2’s architectural entity’s origins:

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•           The Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council have taken the form of “urban revivalist” (Barton, 2000) and begin implementing strategies to ensure urban form is a product of political, social, cultural, economic and environmental idealistic sustainable future visions. They propose a more centralized urban form, concentrating high-density neighbourhoods near transportation hubs that link to economic zones with revitalization to identified zones.
•           Adelaide, Queen and Elizabeth Streets have been minimally developed at this stage and the Government sees it as a possible area for sensitive infill/retrofitting opportunities.  
•           The projects are to consider the growing concerns over food securities and population increase with solutions to be integrated into existing economic zones around Adelaide, Queen and Elizabeth Streets which remain integral parts of Brisbane’s economic, cultural and social system.
•           Multi-functional proposals are favoured incorporating revitalisation of retail, residential possibilities and also consideration of small scale community orientated urbanised farming possibilities. 
•           Focus of retail spaces are now that they are places where users come to experience products as well as purchase, sees revitalization opportunities with this in mind.  What can be done with the excess space not required?
•           Any farming introductions need to consider solar access, power consumption, water availability, spatial and structural requirements, and suitability of location on site. Produce should achieve part needs for inhabitants and also consider surplus for broader community.
•           Residential solutions should consider sustainable living practices, sub-tropical climate response and community connectivity.

d References: 

    Barton, H. 200. Urban from and locality. In H.Baton, ed. Sustainable communities:the potential for econeighbourhoods.London:Earthscan,pp. 105-122

Week 7 Project 2 Background Clarifications – The Future Vision

Originally Project 1 followed a timeline beginning in 2012 highlighting key developments and catalyst events through to 2027.  It focused on 2 central characters with contrasting backgrounds and roles to play in establishing the vision of 2027. Paul Williams a business man with a portfolio in foreign investment and Peter Daniels a farmer where characters used to capture the events and develop the story that had taken place over the future timeline.  The characters stories intertwined indirectly until finally both are located in the Brisbane CBD.  The following summarises key contextual issues of 2027:

•         Continual Foreign Investment of the Australian mainland has seen large areas of rural land purchased and a percentage of the subsequent farming produce being sent overseas to support needs of other countries.  Australian food security is questionable and land owners are displaced.
•          Government driven planning and policies see the displaced relocated into City Locations. Migration patterns towards Australian owed land sees cities and surrounding areas populations grow.
•           Brisbane City sees overcrowding in transportation infrastructure and reviews the situation and realises that increased private vehicle traffic to be the issue.  The closing of Adelaide and Elizabeth Streets to vehicle traffic has been implemented try alleviate congestion and pollution from the CBD. 
•           Retail rapidly increases online sales leaving large operations over proportioned for their needs.  Shoppers now more focussed on the experience of the products and social and cultural context of going to Adelaide, Queen and Elizabeth Streets.

What else has been happened during this time to alter 2012 urban form to shape the future 2030 urban form? City scale: City pedestrian/circulation factors? Building Scale: Circulation?