First Task

A: YOUR BEST PIECE OF CREATIVE WORK BEFORE COMING TO THIS COURSE

TASK: To redesign a terrace house for the client – Coordinator of the Royal Botanical Gardens Sydney. (Last semesters work in interior architecture at unsw)

The design idea was based on the spaces that were created in nature – the alternating open and closed spaces that are the wide open plains and the thick dense bushland. This is achieved through the repetitious use of horizontal and vertical lines and spaces that are either used to juxtapose the two directions therefore making a space seem smaller or singularly to enhance one aspect of the space. Also through the material and colour scheme selected, the design concept is further explored to highlight each space.

B: AN IMAGE OF A GREAT PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE

30 St Mary Axe also known as The Gherkin

180m tall, 47,950 square metres, 40 floors

London

One of the most interesting and important design element of the gherkin is its solution to energy efficiency allowing it to use only half the power a similar tower would typically consume. Gaps in each floor create six shafts that serve as a natural ventilation system for the entire building. This is achieved by a giant double glazing effect as the air is sandwiched between two layers of glazing therefore insulating the office space. The shafts pull warm air out of the building during the summer and warm the building in the winter using passive solar heating. The shafts also allow sunlight to pass through the building, making the work environment more pleasing, and keeping the lighting costs down.

C: AN ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

I took this photo when I was in Vietnam. It was the fence line of the place I was staying at and was really a candid shot. My most favourite aspect of this photograph is the colour and composition. The old and decaying wall is contrasted again the soft and smooth material binding all the different elements within the photograph together. The different tones of the two main colours also keeps the photo simple and highlights the detail within the image. I think this image captures not only the culture but also the history and struggle and true state of the country. It was one of the main photographs that captured my experiences and memories of the country.