Honeycomb Structure

Link: http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/2010/07/bee-hives-nature-architectural-wonder.php?page=8

'When a honeybee colony gets too big -- more than about 60,000 bees -- the group delegates a new queen and splits up. While scout bees find a new spot, the rest of the swarm huddles up to wait for a new home; here, they've attached themselves to a branch while the scouts scope out the area.' (http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/2010/07/bee-hives-nature-architectural-wonder.php?page=)

Reflection: There are many different ways to use the "hive mentality" to inspire ideas for structure, program and aesthetics.

Strategy Development

Key Themes Developed

• Concept: Anarchaic vs Hive mind
• Hive Mind: Distributed system with a centre controlling structure.
• Anarchaic: Distributed system with no centre and a self governing controlling structure.
• Infrastructure: Existing Railway network
• Expanding Infrastructure: look at population distribution map and investigate if there is a need to expand the railway network.
• Agents of Parliament: Governemnt Identified topics that are important for the 21st Century (http://www.iken.net.au);
• Corporate Management and Organisation Development
• Governance and Leadership
• Sustainability, Environment and Climage Change
• Rural-Remote and indigenous Local Government
• Workforce Development
• Regional Collaboration and Consolidation
• Gender Equity
• Infrastructure and Asset Management
• Community ENgagement and Social Media
• Agents of Parliament form the distributed nodes around Australia. 

 

Complex sets that will make up 21st Century Parliament

What we want to achieve:

• A place for sustainability & Resiliance
• Collaboration
• Information
• Resources
• Identity
• Nodes
• Layers of Activity

What the Government needs:

• Transparancy & Accountability

What services will the nodes provide?

• Resources
• Learning
• Innovation
• Collaboration
• Celebration

What could the palces be?

• Learning centres for sustainability
• Local resources centre etc.

Combining ideas about Strategies

IKEN http://www.iken.net.au/

IKEN is the 'Local Government Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Network', which is an 'interactive online space provides a range of tools, resources and support for information exchange, collaboration, mutual learning and shared insights'

It is interesting to note the topics that are identified as important issues for the 21st century. These topics could form an 'Agent' of Parliament?

Images  & Information Reference: IKEN: Innovation and knowledge Exchange Network. (2011). An Australian Government Initiative. Accessed 25 August, 2011, from http://www.iken.net.au/.

Infrastructure Investment

The Investment into National Broadband Network.

It is interesting to note where the government invests the money for infrastructure.  As it's the Broadband network, it definately suggests that Parliament and the people will be relying on the virtual world more in the future.  A Virtual element in distribution of Parliament would seem appropriate within a physical meeting place?

'The Australian Government announced on 7 April 2009 it would establish a new company to design, build and operate a new high-speed National Broadband Network (NBN). The NBN will become the single largest infrastructure investment made by an Australian Government, accompanied by historic reforms to Australia's telecommunications sector.'

Reference:

Australian Government: Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. (2011). Accessed August 25, 2011 from http://www.dbcde.gov.au/broadband/national_broadband_network.

The European Street

The streets of Eurpean cities have evidence of the layers of activity.

Barcelona

 Cafe/ pedestrian mall/ residential

The Church is squeezed into the streetscape.

Layers of retail and residential/ designed for the pedestrian

The European Square

The Square is full of life and activity.  Layers of different types of uses, by all types of people occur simultaneously.

Prague

Barcelona, Spain

Venice

City Planning

Reference: Reps, J. (1997). Canberra 1912: Plans and Planners of teh Australian Capital Competition. Victoria: Melbourne Univeristy Press.

Different types of city planning.

 

 

Paris Image Reference: http://www.idealcity.org.au/pic-1b-paris.html

The Winning Design for Canberra
Walter Burley Griffin, Chicago, USA

'Griffin's winning design combined several specialized centres arranged in circular, hexagonal, or octagonal street systems.  Radial thoroughfares link these centres located on both sides of a chain of lakes.  Topography largely determined the pattern of the central triangular composition.' (Reps, p 140)

'Griffin proposed to create there three bodies of water with shorelines defined by circualr or staight boundary drives or promenades.  Two irrigularly shaped lakes on either side of these 'triple internal architectural basins' completed what he calle dthe Water Axis of the city' (Reps, p 140)

Images from Google Earth.

Canberra seems to be planned with different zones, it would appear to be more of a 'tree' design (Christopher Alexander's concept ) rather than a 'semi-lattice' of overlapping uses.

Looking at the zoning of Canberra, it is clear that there really isn't much overlap. The general view on Canberra is that it is a boring place to visit.  How can tourism be increased to make it really stand for the national capital of Australia?  Is Canberra designed for a different types of people?  As far as I know most people work for the government, earn good money and stay because of family and friends. (I have family that live there), which suggests a type of homogeneous place. It's almost like they need a generation of artists and creative types to let loose and add some character.

Does Canberra capture the Australian lifestyle and values? Australians love the coast, which is reflected in the growing population on the south east coast...does the Australian Capital need to be on the coast to capture the spirit of Australia?  Canberra has the lake, which could have some potential... How is the lake used? (eg. watersports? fireworks display? recreational?) 

Zoning Diagram

 

 In diagramatic form: What we would be aiming for, the overlapping of the right activities to add life to the capital city.

Reflection on 'A city is not a tree' by Christopher Alexander

There is an identifiable difference between what Christopher Alexander describes as a "natural city (spontaneous)" and an "artificial city (planned)".  Canberra definately falls into the category of the "artificial city", lacking the charm of Melbourne and the elegance of Sydney.

Is it possible that planned city's are designed from a bird's eye perspective, in comparison to the spontaneous, natural cities that develop from a human scale perspective.  Perhaps the artificial city lacks the element of surprise, something that arrises from the forgotten spaces, for example, the laneways of Melbourne.  Although once run-down, now add character, and promote creativity.

Like moving into a brand new home in a housing estate, everything is complete and to a good standard, so much so that people are not offered the chance to use creativity, everything is stagnant; compared to moving into a run-down old Queenslander, where you feel 'free'  to make significant changes and experiment.

Similarily to the ideas from 'How a building Learns', Vernacular buildings offer the sense of freedom for the building to adapt and change over time, so there is a sense a fluidity in the development.

Through my travels, the most successful element in each city (Europe) is the square.  The scale, materials, history, water fountains, churches and significant buidings that surround it, markets, the activity...all contribute to the life and attraction to the space.   

Levittown, from what I know about it, was unsuccessful due to the homogeneity and the discrimination.  Designing for a variety of users adds to the success of a space or town.

Aim: search for 'the abstract ordering principle which the towns of the past happened to have, and which our modern conceptions of the city have not yet found' (p,3)

A tree structure: 'it means that within this structure no piece of any unit is ever connected to other units, except through the medium of that unit as a whole' (p, 9)

 Image: Alesander, C. A city is not a tree.

Semi-lattice: 'is the structure of a complex fabric; it is the structure of living things' (p,10)...'A living city is and needs to be a semi-lattice' (p, 10)

 Image: Alesander, C. A city is not a tree.

**'To have structure, you must have the right overlap' (p, 16)**

In reflection of the concepts of the 'tree' and the 'semi-lattice', the ideas make sense.  Overlapping adds a sense of life to a space, like the European Square, where it acts as a market, cafe, playground, shops, church, meeting place, celebrations space, protest space etc. 

In relation to Canberra, a city made up of segregated parts and Parliament, which basically only exists on Capital Hill; can the capital city and Parliament be distributed in a way that add layers of activity and involvement to existing places around Australia?

The two main elements of Parliament, transparency and accountability, are ideas that would benefit from a Parliament that is distributed throughout Australia.  It could be distributed by having each city govern itself or simply a virtual element that connects the people to the activites of Parliament in a way that is genuinely engaging and interactive. 

The High Line: New York as inspiration

Image reference:  http://www.thehighline.org/

If an element of the capital city/ parliament house is distributed throughout Australia the 'nodes' would need to be connected through effecient public transport.  In looking at the success of the High Line, could it be posssible to connect centres around Australia with a public transport system (underground/ railway) that has the above layer of parks and cycle/pedestrian paths to act as a get on/get off system where people could travel Australia by rail, however have the options to get off and cycle for a segment or walk/run.

The green link could have cafe's at nodes/ farms along the way and be covered in solar power panels to generate ideas for sustainable living.

I think this would be good for publicity/ international travellers as it would capture the adventurous spirit and provide safe long-distance cycle paths.

To cover such a long distance, an underground wouldn't really work, as it is too expensive and unnecessary, however, an overground fast railway network that has the bridge like structure that supports the parks and bikeways above it could work.  This above ground park could also provide a safe space during floods.

Australian Railway Network

Image: http://www.railpage.org.au/railmaps/

Week 4 Group Discussion

• Instead of focusing on Parliament, the focus could be on the distribution of the capital city (capturing a sense of Identity)
• Sustainability/ Permaculture/ embodied energy
• Sustainable through usefulness.
• What makes a city successful? The inbetween spaces: public spaces & Parks
• European cities are centred around the 'Square' as a gathering place and celebration place

Transprogramming: Overlapping uses

• activity on the edge
• maximising time the space is used (eg. Jane Jacobs)

Is the symbolism of a capital Building still relevant today?

• The parliament house serves a purpose, however, Canberra isn't exactly a successful city, as beyond the educational value, it doesn't really draw people to the place like Melbourne or Sydney.  Also, with modern day technology, people don't really have to gather physically in one place; they could be dispersed world-wide and still beable to achieve the same results.

Is the parliament connected to the people?

• There is a disconnection between parliament and the population of Australia.  You often hear people saying that they are not interested in Politics because they feel they really can't influence anything.  
• How can architecture re-connect politics and parliament to the people to make Parliament House relevant today?
• New technology could be the answer, where people are able to go to a 'local'  Branch of Parliament House and interact or partake in discussions with politicians.  Skype!
• Like Christopher Alexander talks about in 'A Pattern Language', there could be an optimum size (population) for a successful city or town.
• Canberra's population: about 350 000 people as per http://abs.gov.au
• Melbournes population: about 4 000 000 

Distribution Methods

• Population Density
• Topography
• Demographics
• Edge analysis
• Patterned
• Resources

Depending on what you were designing would impact the dispersion method.  For example if you were designing a centre for learning on sustainable practice, the dispersion method of resources would work well.  Population density is a good method to start with,  as it will benefit the most people, esspecially in developing areas such as southeast QLD.  Edge analysis is interesting, even on the small scale of the city, where the edge is the street, which can have layers of activity; making it an exciting place (when designed for the pedestrian). 

Reading: Cedric Price, The Square Book

Reference: Price, C. 2003. Cedric Price: The Square Book. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Academy.

• 'idea of a freedom to be useful' (p 11)
• 'insensitivity to individual difference and showed no awareness of the possibilities of individual human potential' (p 11)
• '...fun if the visitor could be stimulated or informed, could react or interact, but if none of these suited, had teh freedom to withdraw.' (p 11)
• 'architecture which supports and enables human activity' & technology (p 11)

Reading: Beyond Architecture

Reference: Sadler, S. 2005. Archigram: Architecture Without Architecture. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.Chapter 3: Beyond Architecture: Indeterminacy, Systems, and the Dissolution of Builidings. pp90-138.

 Quotes and ideas that stood out...

• Indeterminacy:  'Of varying evaluation.  Not one answer.  Open-endedness'
• The program: 'just another sort of idealism' (p 94)
• 'open ends': 'an architecture that expressed its inhabitants' supposed desire for continuous change.' (p 94)
• "buildings with no capacity to change can only become slums or ancient monuments" (p 94)
• 'Existentialism: life is not negotiated, not preprogrammed...demands for spaces that allowed for human encounter as well as segregation of function' (p95)
• 'Expendability: analogous to the healthy life-and-death cycle of the natural organism.' (p 95)
• "Kit-of-parts" (p 98)
• "Plug-In" city (p 99)
• The 'pod...the point was to design complete units capable of reorganization, carried by the whim of the owner-operator' (107)
• Survival (p 109)
• "The Nomad" (133)
• "when (a home) contains so many services that the hardware could stand up by itself without any assistance from the house, why have a house to hold it up?" (p 113)
•  'Pneumatic Structures' (p 113)
• 'Sensory devices' (p 120)
• "It is interaction, not place, that is the essence of city and city life." (p 128) 
• Reflection: I disagree with the idea that place doesn't contribute to city life, it is both place and interaction that make a place meaningful to people.
• 'Placeless indeterminacy initiated teh search for and cultivation of, ways of living that were ever more "authentic" and joyful' (p 129)
• Reflection: Just because the technology is there doesn't mean it will improve peoples lives.  Key elements that remain important to people is the connection to nature and interaction with people.  Places are important as we value history and memory.  
• Systems are something that can improve peoples lives, people are always complaining about a lack of time, if transport is faster or people can work from home, this could improve peoples lives.  People love to travel and experience new cultures, if this was more readily available to people, this could improve peoples lives.  Physical environements and a connection to place, I believe, will always remain significant.

Reading: The Making of Parliament

Reference: Beck, H. ed. 1988. The Architecture of Australia’s Parliament House. Sydney: Watermark Press. Essays. pp13-43.

• Australian materials were used
• Craftmanship revival
• Fast-tracking: 1) Structure 2) Cladding

The Idea of Australia

• The Flag: 'Emblem of nationhood'
• The Hill: 'Embodiment of place'
• Wall: 'mark of human inhabitation'

These three abstract concepts could be used to capture a sense of identity for the agents of Parliament, as there would be a variety of ways to interpret the concepts.

Image from: australiantraveller.com/images/galleries/2613/020052Parliament-House01.jpg


Building Axes

• Visitors enter from North
• Members of House of Representatives enter from East
• Ministers enter from South
• Senators enter from West
• Geographic: 'North/South & East/West'  
• Programatic: 'public/private & Member/ Senator'
• Symbolic: 'citizens/ elected leader & lower house/ upper house'

Entrances

• Portico- pubilc entrance
• Porte Cochere- less public & approached by car
• Front door- private entrance

When both Houses are sitting

• over 3500 people occupy 4000 rooms
• daily visitors 5000 people
• 1500 catered for state occasions
• Media have to be accommodated

 

Reading: How Buildings Learn

Reference: Brand, S. 1997. How buildings learn : what happens after they're built. London: Phoenix Illustrated.

• 'The longevity of buildings is often determined by how well they can absorb new services technology' (Brand, p19)
• Question: What technologies and services will buildings have to adaptto in the future?
• 'New scene, new set' (Brand, p 21)
• Nature: 'harmonious adaptation' (Brand, p21)
• Reflection: There is a pattern that could be mapped out from observing change of a building over time.
• 'Age plus adaptivity is what makes a building come to be loved.  The building learns from its occupants, and they learn from it' (Brand, p 23)
• 'The low road' = freedom (shabby, spacious & light) (Brand, p 24)
• 'Temporary is permanent, and permanent is temporary' (Brand, p 28)
• 'The high raod' = high intent, duration of purpose, duration of care, time, confident dictator.
• Vernacular Buildings evolve (Brand, p 132)

Federal Parliament Structure

Accountability & Transparency are two key elements to consider for any design relating to Parliament.

Existing Parliament House, Canberra (Interior Spaces)

Reference: The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia: Joint Standing Committe on The New Parliament House. (1986). Canberra, Commonwealth Government Printer.

Foyer

 

Reception Hall 

 

Main Committee Room

Senate Chamber

House of Representatives Chamber

Existing Parliament House, Canberra

Reference: Parliament House Construction Authority. (1990). Project Parliament: The Management Experience. Fyshwick: Pirie Printers Sales Pty Ltd.

Floor Plans

First Floor

Site Capital Hill 1990

Site: Completed July 1989

Program

Entrance sequence

What if internet and communications shut down?

Pheumatic tubes?

Architectural Fiction # 7: Modern day parliament- the virtual wall

This fiction was contributed to by 7 students

Climate refugees are fleeing to Australia at a rate of 20,000 people per week...

Parliament is in a crazed state, as polititions debate over the futue of these refugees.  The newly designed debate room is the central location for this debae and consists of...

A giant digital wall dividing the room into two halves.  The politicians are able to use the wall to control lighting, temperature etc in both halves of teh room, but only if they have a majority on their side...

This physical wall also displays a leaderbaord and scores, adding to teh excitement of modern parliament.  If a brawl begins, the wall acts as a dividing forcefield.  Bonus points are scored for referring to professionals in the field.  One party calls upon a student group (35 points) for a solution to this humanitarian disaster...

The wall then allows the student to be seen virtually as teh students are based around Australia and it is impractical for the sutdents to travel to the debate room...

However the student body feel this is an unfair way to be represented and threaten rioting if they aren't represented in a fairer way...

However, talks continue and a solution is reached that the flexibility of the display screen is the most appropriate solution to close teh distance and allow the important refugee talks to continue.  Through the cirtual system all parties involved in teh talks are able to view and share the same information.