Week 6 -Individual Project One Statement

Below is the naritive for our concept. Our idea is essentially based around the idea that in the future work will become mobile and as a group we investigated the reprecussions which followed from this.

Back in 2012, Peter was a young and ambitious architect. Having recently started his own firm, he would commute from his residence in Brisbane’s northern suburbs to the CBD almost every working day. Peter’s journey used to consist of waiting in peak hour traffic morning and afternoon after his 9-5pm job hours. This journey took approximately 40minutes due to peak hour traffic congestion. His parking fees in the city were $20 a day, amounting to $110 spent per week on parking alone.

In 2014, the Brisbane City Tax was introduced making it too expensive to drive to work each morning. This resulted in a drastic strain being placed upon the public transportation sector, pressuring the government to amend the system that is currently in operation. Living in the CBD to avoid commuting expenses proved to be an unrealistic option for Peter. As renting prices were extremely high due to the convenience of its central location and resources. Job redundancies increased and businesses overheads remained constant, whilst income generation decreased.

But in 2015, with new technological advancements in interactive glass touch screens hitting the market. Peter’s architectural firm took the opportunity to become one of the first to invest in the technology. By introducing a digital communication strategy utilizing these new innovations, Peter’s firm became very successful. This technology enabled visual connections at any given time, promoting flexibility for all members of the firm to conduct work in any chosen environment. By 2030 this technology had become commonplace, significantly altering the traditional ‘nine to five’ working mindset.

Famous author and former web-designer Jason Fried conducted a study on work productivity, which determined office environments were relatively unproductive due to high levels of interruption.  With reference to the change of work attitudes, he concluded that people were more efficient and productive at a location of their choosing, where time could be used more efficiently. The use of new digital communication systems gave this time and freedom back to the people. Allowing them to work where they preferred, significantly benefiting the economy and increasing the quality of life for workers.

Following in the footsteps of Peter’s initiatives, digital communication installations within the CBD expanded prolifically in 2040. This resulted in a decentralization of business and many vacant levels within office buildings. They were no longer required. In-order to fill the void of floor space in the CBD, the nature and meaning of the city center had to adapt. Buildings had a larger functional emphasis on being mixed use, with the segregation of spaces being key to this. Typically split into three primary uses: work, living and entertainment.

Work

Developed by Peter’s fellow industry professionals, modular additions to cafes, public transportation and public spaces encompassed the latest technology, allowing work to be conducted productively within a hospitable environment.

The concept of Brisbane’s ‘Central Business District’ was replaced by one of, Brisbane’s ‘Central Lifestyle Hub”.

Living

These industry professionals also created modular apartment schemes, providing affordable accommodation in previously disused spaces. Realizing part of the Brisbane City Council’s 2020 vision, to generate a more mult­­­i-purpose and activated city center. ­Touch screen technology was integrated into the design of modular apartments, providing residents with even greater connectivity and freedom. Allowing them to live, work and play, where and when it suited them.

Entertainment

In 2030, Peter won a competition to retrofit the Myer Center, for which the parking spaces were vacant and unused since the introduction of the driving tax. This car park was an example of many spaces seen throughout central Brisbane. By 2040, many vacant car park zones and rooftops had been redeveloped into entertainment precincts, prompted by the success of Peter’s original car park transformation.

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On a larger scale, the decentralization of the CBD changed the cityscape of Brisbane. Surrounding the city, central nodes formed in the region of transportation hubs. Providing amenities for a working community that spent an ever-increasing amount of time at home.

Nowadays, Peter predominantly conducts business from his home in Brisbane’s northern suburbs. He likes to mix up his work environments; travelling to the city once a week for client meetings in Brisbane’s state of the art modular cafes. 

Week 5 -Reading reflections

Isozaki's article has great graphical sketches depicting, variuos wharehouse type designs. It also contains brilliant expanded diagrams and hand drawings, which are pleasing to the eye. The slightly cartoony style used, really expresses to me the concept and nature of the vision.The text has an engaging discourse of Cedric's story and some of his work. I didn't really take too much out of the reading, but great images none the less.

What a brilliant opening graphic for Kazi's page! That image of the building seemingly hovering above the stutting swiss scenery like a UFO, really sets the tone for the text to follow. It also explains alot what this firm's work is all about. Unconventional but thoroughly entriguing, the work of Diller Scofidio + Renfro is stunning, requiring a special breed of designers to collaborate and effectivly operate a multi-disiplanary firm of this nature. I love the attitude; forget what others are doing, you can call it what you want based on current trends but we make our own contexts. It's brilliant! What an inspiring mindset for creation. Too bad we are not allowed, or encouraged to operate in this frame of mind through the course of our studies. He concludes by quoating Scofido; "Obviously we are all interested in our next idea, but whether that can
be characterised as newness, who knows? It’s new for us". I disagree. Although it is open to different opinions depending on ones perspective; I still maintain that (within design) ultimately, everything is borrowed, everything is recycled, it is all very old.

Week 5 -Future visions and scenarios

My Brisbane CBD vision 2032

 My Brisbane CBD vision 2062

Week 5 -Architectural possibilities

The Shanghai tower is the building of the future happening today. With a concept of sustainable communities being literally staked upon one another to form the double skin tower.
http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/2012/05/shanghai-tower.asp








     Our architectural design possibilities

Week 4 -People and lifestyles

Week 4 -Sustainable Future

Week 4 -Reading Reflections

The topics investigated by Winters relating to architecture needing to aspire and be more than just form and function are very strong. I found the peice well written and easy to understand. But it is mearly stating the obviuos to an extent. After 3-4 years of studying architecture, my knowledge may not be vast, but I have come to grips with this concept of architecture needing to be more than just form and function. Most designers know the relavence and importance of anthropological studies and the impact they have on designing buildings. Architectural designs are more than just buildings that look good and satisfy the obvious needs of people. Every single one is a monument, a temple to anyone, no-one and everyone.

Manaugh discusses a topic that as a current design student, I can relate to very much. I agree that part of creating effective architects for the future is making them tough -architecturally tough and futureproof. I feel we currently have that freedom to experiment and try new things in our studuies. Our current assignment is a prime example of this, no doubting why this reading was posted by Yasu. Innovation within design starts in the classroom, not the office.

Week 3 -Building on a green agenda

I found this talk from Norman Foster very interesting, featuring a few of his iconic projects. Discussing the progression of technology influencing design, sustainability and designing for the future (in the past and present).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNgkEGs1l4A

Week 3 -Reading reflections

Brand's article was very enlightening, clearly explaining how buildings can reinvent and regenerate themselves. Breaking down the use of space within buildings on a physical and financial level, with good use of graphs and diagrams making it easier to understand. One thing I drew from this reading was that change can be subjective, it can happen within either because alterations have been made to the building or because the context/environment in which the building is located has changed. So even if the building is physically the same, one can still view it as changing because the environment has changed.

Zelfde talks about the virtual city within a real one via the use of mobile devices. One of the differences between these two, is this virtual city is so portable, it can even go to the countryside. But despite this, I feel the physical framework of the real city is required for the 'virtual' to have any meaning or relevance. The virtual city has huge potential, with improved powers of networking. The video below discusses the benefits of this networking and openness in a very inspiring way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfqwHT3u1-8

Week 2 -Reading reflections

Barton compares theories of rural dispersion and compaction within cities, weighing up the pro's and con's of the two. Personally I think that having denser and more compact cities in the future is a more sustainable way to accommodate for the growth of future populations. As explained by Alex Steffen in the video below, denser cities have many sustainable benefits for the future expansion of the human race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjDjbJJlqZ0

The second reading preaches the lessons that are there to be learnt in times of prolific innovation, where we have confidence in our technology. It pays to heed the advice left by our predecessors, no matter how important it might seem to not take heed -ignorance is bliss. Relates to last weeks reading by Koerth-Baker, that discusses how we progress and innovate by learning from our mistakes.


With Motovalli's article, I can easily understand why the term 'green' has been manipulated and taken advantage of and it isn't going to stop anytime soon. Frankly we should stop whinging about it and get on with coining new innovative terms for our sustainable innovations.

Week 2 -Rise of the 'Nanny State'

If the situation in Australia is anything to go by, then in other western 'developed nations' the nanny state is on the rise. As nations become more economically developed, there is an added premium on life; life becomes more precious. With increased standards of living and life expectancy, each and every child is more more precious and their future more invested in. But the legislation that governs our lives also follows this trend, telling us all the things we cant do anymore and the consequences that result from breaking these new rules. I'm not discussing the big crimes, rather the small ones wether it be riding a bicycle without a helmet or smoking a cigarette in the "non-smoking" section of an outdoor terrace in a bar/restaurant. I am not going to argue a case for these things, but I do think they will have an influence on design. Design in the future is going to be as safe as ever, Australian standards will change in accordance with what is culturally acceptable. No more sharp edges, ramps will only become flatter. Electronic safety will become an increased feature, more CCTV and sophisticated security systems. As good as all these things are, I have never been a fan of these trends, because these minor choices we make should be ours and these laws impinge on our freedom and ability to take a few risks. Risks make us feel excited and alive, lets hope it won't make architecture boring.