Week 6 - Individual Statement

Due to Brisbane’s economic dependence on mining, the city will be left financially distraught when Australia’s resources boom inevitably ends. Facing a growing unemployment rate, higher living costs, and a crippling economic recession, Brisbane will have to go to extreme measures to save itself from mounting debt. Eventually, Brisbane will turn to the great financial powers of the world, asking for financial support. In return, Brisbane can offer these corporate giants hundreds of thousands of willing employees, commercial development opportunities, and the monopoly on entire markets. Five international companies answer the call, giving Brisbane economic and financial sustainability, whilst maintaining a healthy profit of their own.

Completed panels:

Panel 1
Future scenario, people and lifestyle explained. This section of the presentation breaks down the events that lead up to our scenario. Significant amounts of research was implemented into the feasibility of such occurrences. With the inclusion of our characters perspectives, various personalised accounts of Brisbane's history is implemented and considered. Each character is colour coded within the timeline, as well as having an individual 'profile' that depicts users situation and daily activities.

Panel 2
Sustainable Future explained. In this section, the bottom of the panel illustrates the economical, financial and government sustainability of Brisbane's future scenario. Essentially as shown in the diagram at the left, due to the financial power of the 'Big 5' corporations, their power will leak into the government structure and therefore providing a sustainable situation for these corporations. The map of Australia illustrates the various services the corporations will provide for Australia to make it economically sustainable.

Panel3
Architectural Outcome explained. The architectural outcomes shown in the render, illustrate the vision created by the "Big 5" Corporations and the impact their branding has on the image of Brisbane City. Somewhat to the style of London's Piccadilly circuit. The architectural outcomes respond to the needs of the individual characters and what they expect within the Queen street.

Panel 4 
Future Scenario explained. Several functionality and urban mappings are revealed in the last section. This illustrated the physical transform to the transport network, pedestrianised streets (connection between the "Big 5") bus routes, cyclist/pedestrian only zones, and new vacant space (including underground parking lots or parking buildings, and administration spaces of mining companies). This planning is done in a way to allow people to interact with the"Big 5" and buildings within the site - hence making the users more inclined to buy.

Week 5 - Charette - Architectural Possibilities

During the week we completed our character profiles. Essentially these characters respond to the new Brisbane differently, based on their ages, social standings, and country of origin. This information was the basis for how our architecture (project 2) essentially these characters have an influence on the functionality and needs of Queen Street. 

Character 1 - Parker James
 Savill (green)

Parker James Savill was promoted by P&G to act as International Liaison Officer between the company’s LA headquarters and their experimental Brisbane investments. Parker needs to be able to meet with other corporate executives from within the “Big 5”, as well as within his own company. Parker may also have to entertain big clients and pitch investment opportunities. Parker therefore needs a corporate headquarters; a professional and corporate environment that speaks of the promise and potential that is the new Brisbane.
 BUILDING: CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS

Character 2 - Carol Perkins (orange)


Carol Perkins works and lives in Brisbane. She has seen the changes the city has undergone and is still fond of the ‘old way of life’. Like many Brisbanites, Carol likes to shop, dine, rest and play. She therefore needs a multi-purpose building, one that allows her to experience all that Brisbane has to offer, an industry IKEA is looking to develop. 
BUILDING: MULTI-PURPOSE, INNER CITY ACCOM. 


Character 3 - Stephen Shaw
 (blue)

Steven Shaw is an online journalist, working from home to help bring the truth to the people. In all of his articles, Steven does extensive research and is fascinated by how the “Big 5” are transforming Brisbane to suit their own agenda. Steven therefore needs a media-hub and experience center where he can gain up to date information on technology, trends and new ‘innovations’ created within Brisbane.
 BUILDING: MEDIA HUB


Character 4 - Fraya
 (purple)

Fraya has just turned 18, and is about to start University next year. She has the whole world ahead of her and is excited about all the things she can now do. She is young and carefree, opening herself up to all the new opportunities Brisbane has to offer. Fraya therefore needs a night life that supports her dynamic lifestyle, where she can socialize and get involved in this new and vibrant Brisbane. BUILDING: NIGHT LIFE

ARCHITECTURAL POSSIBILITIES
From an architectural possibilities perspective, each investor (IKEA, p&g, GE, McDonalds, Google) will have a strong hold on the image of Brisbane city - whether that be through projected visual branding, or controlling movement and social interactions through architectural implementation. The possibilities are endless, and Queen street is the central hub for our branded city.

Week 5 - Readings Reflection

In this weeks reading "Erasing architecture into the stystem" we are introduced to the ideologies of Cedric Price, he would propose schemes "to respectively create new conditions in the human living environment" while challenging and creating new "ideas that break clean away from existing notions" Cedric Price introduces  "non-acrhitectural ideas into architectural ideas into architecture today".

In my opinion, Price is somewhat of a theorist and ideologist, as opposed to implementing change in the real world application. One issue that can be seen from his ideas, is the notion that architects must "break away from existing notions" and create new human living environment" although this all appears exciting and delightful, there is however the issue of architecture becoming a "passing fad" (something learnt from week 1's reading). Architecture, can be groundbreaking in terms of its originality in design and technology, but it must also comply with the basic human need, and adapt with these needs - otherwise the user will outgrow the architecture. This is the general gist I have been receiving throughout this semester so far. The character/user is always put first, architecture responds to this character, architecture must also respond to the growth and change of the character. A tricky process to achieve in architecture.... 

Week 5 - Lecture Reflection

In this weeks lecture by Philip, we were introduced to the essential needs of: dwelling, moving, eating, making and breathing. Really, this brings us back to the fundamentals of life and living. The necessities to architectural function. Architecture should respond so simply to these needs, these functions of everyday life - architecture that moves in time to our needs. 

For some reason these thoughts always bring me back to the ideas of change, adaption, growth and movement in architectural design.

In addition I quite enjoyed the architectural possibilities demonstrated by the High Line Project, NY (as shown in the lecture) - An interesting breathing space to enhance individuals lifestyles.

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Week 4 - Charette - People and Lifestyle

In todays tutorial session, we were to think about the characters within our scenario. How they interact within the timeline of events, within different scenes, ect. We then stepped back to look out our timeline, thinking about how different types of people would respond to those events and how that could ultimately challenge the future architectural possibilities.

As a group we came up with a rough timeline of events that leads up to our scenario. When creating this timeline, we thought about the possibilities of such events occurring as well as the impacts each event could have on our characters experience of Brisbane.  This is definitely an interesting approach to thinking about architectural possibilities. It makes you realise how important social responses should have on design.


TIMELINE OF EVENTS

2012 ------------ rising unemployment rate. cost of living increases. outsourcing to China

2017 ------------Mining Bust - Economy crashes.

2018-------------Recession  announced. inc living and transport costs

2019 ------------Revenue Raised. Congestion charge + sell assets

2020 ------------Assets sold to big corporations: - Brisbane Airport, Port and transport.
-------------------Raise import fees to strong
-------------------arm and undercut competitors

2025 ------------Further deterioration of economy. Ask for corporate bail outs. 
-------------------Riots and Protests. - Public Negotiation and Propaganda

2030 ------------Bids Accepted and Legislation passed

2031 ------------CBD is pedestrianised. More Public transport introduced (controlled by organisations)

2034 ------------Commercial rent-prices skyrocket. Most small business are bought out by the "big 5"


2042------------- Most architectural possibilities have been achieved.


WHO ARE OUR SPONSORS

Once completing our timeline we needed to decided on our corporate sponsors. Essentially these sponsors will have a large impacts on the culture, architecture and social experiences within Brisbane. When choosing, we looked at current successful and influential businesses that could potentially and successfully provided for Brisbane. 

Multiple tender bids would be made on Brisbane, to sustainably cross-provide  for Brisbane. Essentially these sponsors will provide monetary and services to support Brisbane, and in return have a say in local planning actions. Although the Government system will still run the same, and will have run over the corporations, eventually the sponsors will have their say by placing democratically elected representatives within the upper and lower house influencing federal state and local legislation (illusion of government control).

The sponsors include:

1. McDonalds - providing Brisbane with food, health support (the Ronald McDonald House), childcare and recreational infrastructure
2. Samsung - providing the city with advancements in technology
3. IKEA - providing Brisbane with home/office wares, accomodation (with new investments in hotels) and construction innovations
4. P&G - providing Brisbane with drugs, health supplements, and cosmetics
5. GE - providing Brisbane with energy (we must convert to alternative sources due to the mining bust), and technological advancements

WeeK 4 - Lecture Reflection

In this weeks lecture, Yasu brought us into the mindset of 'People and Lifestyle' (the theme of this weeks charette). One quote in particular stood out to me during this lecture:

If you are to design a space for two or more people...you think about these people...are they friends, colleagues, strangers, family members...what do they want to do...what do they need and how can they be provided...do they need to eat, drink, work, enjoy, shop, rest, separated, covered, protected, survive...how... what do 1,000 people need, what about 10,000...what if you do not know exactly who they are and what they need...how do you deal with indeterminacy...

After seeing this comment, this brought me back to thinking about the individual. Depending on who or what you are designing for (the individual or a number of individuals), it is typical to fall into desiging for cultural/social archetypes. But why must this be the case? Architecture should respond differently to every community and every individual otherwise we risk creating segregation. We should look more clearly into understanding the individual needs of everyday life, how people interact, why people interact, how people move, and what do they want from a space. This is an interesting mindset for an architect, and a necessary one for the success of architectural functionality.

Week 4 - Readings Reflection

In this weeks reading "Politics and the situationist International" it questions how architecture addresses issues beyond just form and functionality of a building. Function was illustrated as this warm, sheltering, secure entity as well as spatial entity to accommodate designated activities. In saying this, a political and moral perspective is questioned in design. Architecture was described as being a visual art in which political and moral dimensionality are not something one can literally see. These dimensionalities, although hidden to the eye, play a large role in the functional aspects of a design, and the desired emotive response of the user... there is a certain sense of control that can be achieved in design..  an interesting thought heading into project 1 and 2.

Week 3 - Charette - Sustainable Future

Brisbane's future of sustainability

Looking into our future scenario, we question the financial situation of Brisbane on the basis of the fall of the mining industry. Essentially, the economy would collapse, where businesses would no longer be able to support themselves and Brisbane will no longer be considered economically sustainable. The question is, how will Brisbane be able to uphold its current lifestyle. The government would therefore have to help sustain our economy. However, with this lack of economic and financial support, Brisbane's culture, way of living would undoubtedly change. The individuals standard of living would now be downgraded in order to survive. Social sustainability would now be questioned. 

FUTURE SCENARIO

How do we bring back Brisbane to a economic and social sustainability? Through Brisbane's corporate sponsorship, and the providing of billions of dollars back into the Brisbane Government, the city will now bring itself out of debt with return of Tax payers money to improve resources (financial sustainability). 

Businesses would now have Brisbane to experiment with new and alternative business models in a low-risk environment. Therefore ensuring that economic sustainability for the corporate sponsors and what they invest in Brisbane, they essentially will get back in profits, experimental ventures and an improved image. And hence, Brisbane is provided with all the resources it requires. This sustainability both economically and financially, allows its residents to now maintain higher standard of living (with more jobs on availability) and therefore a more socially sustainable situation. 

Key lifestyle elements that the corporate sponsors will have to provide for the community - Work, Live, Play and Invest. Each business also brings its own resources to the wellbeing of Brisbane. 

Political control Corporate sponsors will have on future Brisbane (designated zoning - connecting to the inner CBD)

  Government structure 

 Analysing the master plan - the key players and how they respond to each other (a connected network in which, public transport system and pedestrian movement would respond to)

We looked into our character profiles. We wanted to represent different personalities in which will respond to the future events differently. Looking at age differences and well as social standing. 

Week 3 - Lecture Reflection

In this weeks lecture we focused on two words: the principle and the context. These are two core components to architectural entity. One is highly recognised, whilst the other is an influencing element. The principle, can essentially be a symbol for shelter, communication, a place of connection, to learn, and a place to seek comfort and security. On the other side there is context, the underlying drive for why the principle exists. 

Context can be considered as the setting, the economic condition, the climatic influence, and the cultural impacts that define a given site.  Essentially as designers, we must always remember that without one the other does not exist. If the context is gone, the principle will fail and vice versa. The marriage of these two elements is crucial to architectural success as well as the successful functionality of society. 

Week 3 - Reading Reflection

This weeks reading "Shearing Layers" delved into the several layers/services of a building, which can aid in making it functional and look better. These services however, need to be replaced every 15 years. Exterior services on the other hand, can be changed every twenty years or can change along with the advancements in technology and architectural fashion. 

This reading somewhat relates to the functionality of project 1 in terms of fictional notions. The interaction between interior and exterior marks a perfect example of how changeable our ideas can be. Again, this idea of adaption and change seem to play a role in architectural success. Additionally, the concept of 'set' and 'scene', terms used in film making, was an interesting metaphor for the experiences and vision architects must envisage when designing future in mind. 

Week 2 - Charette - Future Visions and Scenarios

In todays tutorial, we were separated into groups of 4 to brainstorm future scenarios of a given context. The various themes are separated below.

suburban theme

One of the issues related to virtual shopping in the suburban theme - is the loss of physical social connection. How will public spaces such as shopping centres now function? Essentially they currently act as a meeting point a place for social activity. If we confine everything to small space, ie online shops, small virtual shops - experience is lost. We are making our world smaller in the physical and bigger in the virtual.

urban theme

One of our first questions was if the car tax was implemented on the city would it have a large effect on the demographic within the CBD. ie only the rich can afford to travel into the city more freely. In this case, it would be ideal that the CBD considered better public transportation to cover for this issue - and perhaps a newer method to make ease for travel (ie. underground metro or an above ground rail). What would the streets now become, pedestrian? bike and pedestrian? and which streets would still be open to buses and/or trucks for loading? Thinks to consider for the future city functionality.

One of the biggest questions however, is why do we introduce the car tax? Brisbane is such a small city, in comparison to large cities such as London (who would have had traffic issues, and now have already introduced the tax) - so why would Brisbane face this? This obviously links into the future scenario research.

virtual theme

In this theme of virtuality we talked on the disconnected qualities to virtual networking in relation to the physical. We questioned what the possibilities are in future scenario when society is so used to "quick information" on demand, how could this translated into architecture? We questioned if virtual can be brought into the phsyical. Architecture is just a framework but the virtual is continuously changing to meet our needs, how we want the architecture to look, function. We also looked at invasion of privacy, networks such as google who have power to see everything we do in the virtual world. More to look into...

video looks at the power online corporations can have (ie. GOOGLE)

regional theme

One of the key ideas from the regional themes charette was the idea to create a centre of services that accommodate for activities for relatively short peroids of time (ie conferences and workshops).

Week 2 - Lecture Reflection

In this weeks lecture, we were introduced to the 'what if" scenario. One of the key elements in todays lecture, was the idea of architecture acting in 'evolution, not revolution'.. Essentially, evolution can be seen as life adapting to the surrounding context and climate we are exposed to. Whereas revolution presents the architecture of the past, and provides the foundations for our future scenario. In a sense, both can be seen as positive elements to our future. Revolution attempts to take the past and current issues to provide a better future in a more aggressive manner, whereas evolution insures we adapt and evolve to the changing surroundings. In other words, architectural revolution is more abrupt in its manner, whilst evolution is more organic and adaptive in nature. Perhaps both should be considered in the development of architectural entity, it should be 'evolution and revolution', good design must consider the past in order to revolutionise architecture, but it also must adapt for a changing climate, and its future. 

Further, I enjoyed the fictional example displayed in the lecture, of Robots of Brixton by Kibwe Tavares --- a student project which won the Presidents Medal Student Award. This movie is a social comment on how technology may eventually destroy human beings. It is an interesting scenario to think how an architectural entity should respond to such issues, ie. architecture that disconnects the already disconnected? 

Week 2 - Reading Reflection

There were 4 main topics discussed in this weeks reading. 

• - dispersal vs. Concentration

Space is such a tricky issue, we all want more space, but at the same time, with space comes a heavy price or distance. It is virtually impossible to live in a city and have 100% of your needs met, without a strong financial backing. It was interesting to read that the concept of dispersion (in which most environmentalists prefer), was to help people be more vehicular dependant. Quite ironic really. There are various elements that impact why people prefer to live in a more concentrated cities as opposed to dispersed, including distance from house to work, the household's economy and public transportation etc. Another aspect related to a concentrate city is that the efficiency of facility increase as more activities and community interaction has more occurrence. This means a proper system of city planning is crucial in implementing concentration method which mainly relate with public transportation, energy, green area and community. 

• - High vs. Low Density

High density within the world has significantly increase through out the past 50 years, and it is without a question that society needs to develop a sustainable city approach along with this high density.

• - Segregated vs. Integrated Land use patterns 

Integrated "mixed used development" permits multi-purpose trips as people walk between work, shop and leisure activities. This strategy also has the benefit of providing a focus for the decentralizing forces of the market. 

• - Nucleated vs. Linear Form

Even where a compact city solution is appropriate it is yet important both to maintain/enhance green parkways and to maximize public transport accessibility. The advantage that linear form gives of good access to open space and countryside, together with the potential for local food production and recycling of organic wastes, is widely recognised.

 

Week 1 - Researching into Virtuality and Branding

Interesting movie/ scenario that looks at the future of branding - depicting the virtual and psychological power branding can have to control societies everyday wants and needs. After our first lecture (and curiously wondering about which theme to delve into for project 1) I was inspired by the concept in which technology (the unseen virtual world) can impact the needs and physicality of a given space. How do we interact with one another in the future? Who is interacting/controlling us, has the online world branded us? ... several things to think about in the coming weeks...