FINAL

bim server- des.group33.jwon964jjun877ssha776

MODELS

city docking point

 dome stairs

 waiheke plantroom

 city plantroom

 waiheke docking point

 waiheke ferry terminal

 finals

THEORY

Our design of the two hotels lies very much on the foudation of our philosophy, "experience is pre-determined by your state of mind". This philosophy derives from the short story "Ultimate City". In context, Halloway the architect imagined a utopic vision for the run-down city, portraynig a sense of hope and a dream of developing it into the "ultimate city". In contrast, the people working for Halloway had a totally opposing mindset; no ideal vision, dystopic view as opposed to utopic, thus the absense of hope.
This introduced to us the idea of how one setting can be viewed upon many different perception, depending on the individual, their experience prior and their overall mindset.

From the story, we developed this idea that utopia and dystopia aren't set elements  but rather they depend on your perception, on your experiences. our utopia and dystopia would depend on the experiences you get out of architectural spaces and whether you associate these experiences with happiness, sadness, chaos, satisfaction etc.
With our hotels we wanted to establish this idea of exploring architecture through different spaces and contrasting the experiences in these spaces. It would be interesting to see how this would effect the viewer's overall perception of the hotels once they journey through it thoroughly.
We are very used to seeing viewing buildings from the exterior first then the interior, and in a way this pre-determines our perception of the interior. For our Waiheke hotel, we wanted to get away from this conventional idea and explore the architecture within first. The flying vehicle would come in through the tunnel which is also the docking point. The guests are then drawn towards the entrance of the plantroom. The entrance is a series of arches, with rigid, uneven bits extruding outwards. This encloses the spaces and perhaps even makes you feel uneasy and completely unaware of what is about to come next. Once you enter the plantroom the space opens up and you find yourself in a vast dome-like space. You are engulfed by fragmented triangles on the walls and ceiling. Even though the sight of it is quite hectic at first, it isn't an uncomfortable experience due to the open space.
From the plantroom you then go up a series of spiral stairs that bring you to the dome stairs. These stairs are made of a segments of circles but these segments get larger and larger, so they form a spiral like effect around the center. So essentially when you walk on the stairs your walking on the facade of the structure. The experience is not as much in climbing the stairs but rather in being immersed in you surrounding spaces. You feel as if the different segments are constantly revolving moving around you when really its you who is moving. Being partially underground and partially above, means that as you move towards the top you are exposed to more and more light, which enhances the effect of the "moving" interior.

The plantrooms for each hotels play an important role in allowing the philosophy to be articulated seeminglessly. The continuous contrast of experience, atmosphere and contact is largely achieved through the journey of the plantroom within the hotel design. Guests travel through the plantroom in order to reach the main body of the hotel. The change of quality of light, the texture and the volume of structures, space and the physical level each of the components in relation to the ground reiterates our idea of how there is no fixation of utopian and dystopian architecture.

The glass material of the lift creates no barrier interrupting the guests and the enviornment. Therefore, the flying virtual experience can be achieved. There is a sudden openness and revealisation to the elongated sloping site. The pure greenery where there is no architecture is the first opening or the introduction to the guests about the externality of the hotel. The lift continuously travels skywards through the tower which fuctions as the major structural element of the hotel which holds the main body of the hotel altogether. Its ribbon-like form naturally blends in the air and does not create a solidifying imagery that looks rather too heavy to be seen as 'floating'. This strong hint of light, in and out, builds up the excitement for the guests. When they reach the top of the tower, they are naturally leaded to the lobby space - the biggest interior space. The main body of the hotel is derived from a raindrop-like curve repeated and rotated from a point around the core. This action of embracing the air hugs the lightness of air and its free space. The glass material use allows the translucency to be evident which does not interrupt the free space heavyly; merging and weaving with the surrounding through material palette. The opaque interior wall seperates the lobby space from the actual hotel rooms and therefore, people would naturally expect a flowy, curvy and enhancing interior. Yet they are confronted with a rigid, angled and irregular internal spaces and panels which rather cuts through air rather than blending in. The same idea of surprise and unexpectation can be achieved externally as well. People can land via the flying balloon, allowing them to observe the external form of the hotel first and then enter the building.

The constant change and contrast allowed our architecture to be more than a 'hotel' but a culture. There are no targets, no biased designs, specific desires which are only dedicated to a group of people. This kind of architecture respects the individuals' perceptions and gives them a choice, to resolve the idea of utopia and dystopia themselves.

Where as the Waiheke hotel is solely based upon the initial introduction to the interior as opposed to the exterior, for the City hotel, the pre-introduction to the environment that surrounds the hotel plays a large role in contrasting the first impression and the experiences that follow. The ideas of site and the aspects the site already creates prior the existence of the hotel were articulated within the composition of the to allow for this contrast of experience.
The ruinic environment that surrounds the hotel is the initial experience all guest are forced upon prior entering the hotel, thus justifying the design of the facade; a collage of left over material within the ruins forming the exterior shell. This first impression is directly opposed upon the entrance to the inner areas of the hotel which lies in between the two existing buildings. By borrowing the partitions the neighbouring buildings create, a space that acts as the communal area where the functional aspects such as the plantroom and docks are situated was able to be created.
Our design of the plantroom was not to create an enclosed space (room), but rather to create a walkway along the balcony of the hotel where the guests would be able to experience greenery within the ruinic outside world, a sense of refuge. Linear material such as string was used in creating not walls but rather partitions, allowing for multiple spaces which directed a walkway for the guests. The linear aspects of the string also acts to the advantage of the plants in not limiting the amount of light whilst still creating partitions.
The flying vehicle dock which is situated in between the two surrounding buildings embraces the environment in the same way the communal area is created, by utilizing the existing structures and the enclosure they create. Not only does this dock act as a transition point between hotels but also a direct transition point between the obvious contrasts of the ruins and the ideals allowing for a sudden change in environment for the guests. Further, the lantern dock again borrows the neigbouring site in the sense of its placement depicting the constant use of the site to the advantage of the hotel.
Follwing the lantern is the stairs. The design of the stairs directly oppose the experience created within the Waiheke dome stairs. Where as the dome stairs was designed in a way to take in and fully experience the interior spaces the stairs create within each spiral, the city stairs are solely based around the "challenge". Experiencing the challenge of the physical climbing of the stairs shades any awareness of the surrounding space and its contents which makes for a difference of experience from the stairs to the plantroom which in contrast allows the guests for the awareness of many spacial aspects.
The hotel fully uses the site and acknowledges the advantages of the environment and the existing buildings; using all of what is possible within a ruinic setting. Ironically, by embracing the environment, the hotel gets a chance to take refuge from it at the same time; using the spaces in between to create a getaway from the norm, the underlying idea of a hotel.

When we first started with the project, like most other groups we were set on designing our version of a utopian hotel and a dystopian hotel. However as we embarked on each workshop our philosophy and ideas began to develop to a more lucid form. We realised that for us, it wasn't really the buildings that you could distinguish as utopian and dystopian, but rather the site of the hotels. We felt that the Waiheke site was utopia for us as it was a get away from our everyday busy lives in the city. Therefore the city site can be seen  as dystopia. Within our hotels we have integrated spaces that can potentially be perceived as utopian or dystopian depending on the individual guests that journey through our hotels.

Peer Review 5

Peer Review-Simplicity Studios

For our last crit we reviewed group 21, the Simplicity Studios . In this rotation they were doing the weaving workshop in which they learnt how to use the program Rhinoceros 4.0, which allowed them to create weave like patterns on structures that could potentially be used for their hotels. They were to create two hotels on rhino and upload them in secondlife so that they could make a movie that captured their ideas for the hotel and showed the hotel in context with its environment.

For their utopian hotel, they had a weaved structure in the shape of a flattened dome that mostly stretched and stood in water, which means the different spaces and rooms were latched to the roof of the dome, almost like hammocks. They explained that with this particular hotel they were exploring the idea of seclusion, having an enclosed utopian environment in a dystopian surrounding. So essentially the hotel will be closed off from the rest of the world, a get away from the chaotic and disintegrating environment.

However for their dystopian hotel their ideas were quite different. They coincided words like fragmentation, distortion and turmoil with dystopia and so these were the stepping stones to their Hotel. Their dystopian Hotel was a reflection of the chaotic surrounding. They wanted it to resemble this sense of the world falling apart and collapsing in on itself and so they made their hotel in a series of fragmented pieces that reached into the sky. Even though it looked daunting and overwhelming from the exterior, the view from the interior looking up into the sky was rather comforting. Inside, you were surrounded by these constant fragmented patterns, engulfed by the ordered chaos, and as you looked up you could see a clear ring of the sky, which made the high rise walls within, worth taking in.

Their movie, incorporating both hotels with their applied media surfaces, was quite successful. They had captured the surrounding environment in relation to the hotels rather well. It clearly showed how the interior and exterior of the hotels differed, simply because of the environment you were viewing the exterior from. We also found the effect of the moving sky with the constantly morphing clouds very successful, and when asked how they had achieved it, they explained that it was simply a preset option on secondlife.

With both their hotels, their understanding and capable skills of using rhino were evident, however we felt that it would have been a more comprehensive project if they had showed us their weaving process on rhino, i.e what inspired them and what let them to their final designs.  It would have been helpful if they had showed us a systematic development of their ideas in the workshop, i.e. their progress from the first day of the workshop to the last, for their crit lacked an overall idea/philosophy that would tie both hotels.

Peer Review - des.

Team des. had continued to develop there design philosophy (mentioned in their earlier review) about how there is no set definition to just 'What is a Utopia? What is Dystopia? Their presented models and diagrams showed a continuity in their design process; a development from the previous workshops, but there intentions  and ideas were not conveyed thoroughly during the review process.

Their design concept was to create an environment to which a visitor or guest to their individual hotels, could experience something new, something different, something unique every time. des. stated that their is an incorporation of elements that create a juxtaposition between the thematic scheme and the physical form of the hotel designs: where the Utopian themed hotel would incorporate their dystopian-style plant room and vice-versa.

The group, in their final workshop, became faced with the concept of "realism"; to create a design that was both imaginative and practical. The team challenged this idea of "realism" by focusing mainly on the physical layout of their individual hotel elements; the stairs and the plant room. Their decision was to take the plant room design as the focal point for the city-based hotel, the main entrance, underground, into the hotel. By experiencing the atmosphere created by the plant room area initially, a guests interpretation of the interior design would greatly influence what message they take away from the exterior (facade). Their plant room models of MDF and Perspex with string intertwined and tangled string conveyed a more chaotic sensibility, to further this juxtaposition between elements. An additional model was created using Rhino. A 3D model detailing a plant room that was imagined to be made from a light-transmitting material. This acceptance of light plays a significant role in the design concept of this second plant room. The use of light, the emphasis on openness and the representation of  a physical form that closely resembles a type of tensile structure, are atmospheric qualities usually associated with the concept of a utopia; of a land indicative of freedom and light.

Team des.'s design concept has not changed much over the course of the final two workshops since their previous review. Instead there has been a greater focus on developing their design ideas further to better convey both spatial sensibilities; utopia and dystopia. Their design has been focused primarily around the concept of creating an overall juxtaposition, not only between the two hotels but between each of the hotels individual interiors and exteriors. Though Team des. was not able to complete their presentation due to some of their presentation elements being incomplete, they managed to provide a sufficient discussion of their design philosophy.

Transmaterial-12,13

CARD TWELVE

Plaster

-Plaster is mainly a building material used for coating walls and ceilings and is similar to cement as it starts off with dry powder. After mixing it with water, it hardens by liberating heat however not as hard as cement. It is reasonably soft which can be sand papered down to desired form.
-The ratio of water and the dry powder is important to achieve a desired thickness and texture of plaster.

CARD THIRTEEN
MDF
-Medium Density fibreboard
-Formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood.
-MDF is denser than plywood
-The most common material used to laser cut.
 

Final plantroom

City plantroom

The final design of the plantroom was articulated in a way to create a walkway rather than a room along the balcony. The linear material such as string creates partitions rather than walls and due to the thin factors, it allows for maximum light to pass through without blockage. Such composition results in a simple yet smart facades ideal for plants and the function of a walkway.

Waiheke plantroom

For the final design of the Waiheke plantroom, we based our plantroom on our main philosophy of utopia and dystopia being deterred by our perception and our experiences. Therefore the plantroom is situated underground, so that it is the first main space that you enter in the hotel rather than a lobby as most conventional hotels. 

 

We wanted to get away from this idea of being introduced to the exterior of the building first, but rather create a design that allows the interior to be explored first. This way the exterior of the building does not pre-determine your perception of the interior and the experience awaiting you in that space will be unpredictable and completely different to what you might expect.

Entrance to the plantroom

The space within the plantroom opens up, once you go through the rigid arches. The space is vast and you are surrounded by fragmented shapes like triangles, embedded into the ground. This creates a very overwhelming and awe-inspiring atmosphere.

 

The view of the ceiling where the dome stairs will be accessed through.

   

Back wall

Matrix

Salva's Matrix

Final Plantroom

Jisoo Final matrix

Jiwon's Final matrix - dytopia

Utopia in Dystopia

Final plantroom placement. Place of utopia within dystopia

Within the final design of the hotel, the composition of the functional areas show a separation of utopia and dystopia. As highlighted in yellow, this area between the hotel and the surrounding buildings creates a sense of ideal space, contrasting to the imagined ruinic environment that lies outside. The way the communal areas such as balconies and plantrooms are concentrated within this space allows for a place of refuge for the guests from the outside world.
The flying vehicle dock which is situated in between the two surrounding buildings embraces the environment by utilising the existing structures. Not only does this dock act as a transition point between hotels but also a direct transition point between the obvious contrasts of the ruins and the ideals.

Dystopia in Utopia

Articulating our philosophy

The relationship between the exteior and the interior becomes extremely important in this design studio. Picking up our initial philosophy, we conveyed the idea of 'no fixation' by placing a 'utopic' plantroom in the city whereas a 'dystopic' plantroom in the waiheke hotel.This decision articulates our philosophy of how whether a hotel is dystopia or utopia depends on the persona's experience and feelings. We were also very aware of not standardizing our ideas or hotels, i.e moving away from conventional ideas, and letting our work speak for itself. One way we achieved this was through our hotel in Waiheke. Here, instead of experiencing the hotel from the exterior first, as is convention, we wanted our guests to explore the architecture within first, so that their view of the interior is not tainted by the exterior facade. One way to successfully do this is by having underground elements, which is where our flying vehicle docking point, plantroom and dome stairs come in.

Towards the Plantroom

We continued to extend the idea of our hotels: how a person's view of utopia and dystopia is dependent on their experiences. As abstract as these plans seem, they explore the experience that the plantroom is trying to portray rather than giving us a distinct, solid understanding of the plantroom's overall structure. In all these images there is a sense of space and materiality, but its placement differs due to the viewers perception. We wanted to start abstract, as you would be open to many ideas rather than finalizing your ideas at an early stage. The form and function will simply follow during the process of analyzing, subtracting and adding to the drawings.

Here is a more practical and realistic plan/section of the Waiheke plant room. Most of it is embedded into the ground and only sections where light is to enter, is exposed to the surface. This way only certain parts of the structure will receive light which will create an interesting interior atmosphere. This plan also follows the hotels overall idea where the architecture especially interior is revealed to you bit by bit as you move inwards.

 Develop in realistic scale

Abstract models

The relationship between the exteior and the interior becomes extremely important in this design studio. Picking up our initial philosophy, we conveyed the idea of 'no fixation' by placing a 'utopic' plantroom in the city whereas a 'dystopic' plantroom in the waiheke hotel.This decision articulates our philosophy of how whether a hotel is dystopia or utopia depends on the persona's experience and feelings.