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Impromptu: In Conversation with Mathias Klotz

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:30 GMT

Friday, 19 March 2010-6:30pm

Mathias Klotz Germain was born on April 1965 in Viña del Mar (Chile). In 1991 he graduated as an architect from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He has been awarded numerous awards and has major projects in Chile, Mexico, Italy, Lebanon, China, Uruguay, Argentina, Spain...

"I am interested in belonging to a place… That is what my work is about…
I have no idea if I have found a place, but I think there are some projects that do have one.
The Reutter House has one by climbing up the trees. The Las Niñas Winery has one by illuminating the industrial space with natural light. The Mulchnick House has one by constructing an inhabitable terrace. The Ponce House has one on the River Plate.(From Mathias Klotz website)"

This is an informal presentation/talk by Mathias Klotz. This is gonna be a chilled out, after work/study conversation about architecture and Mathias's work. A great way to welcome the weekend!

Venue: RMIT Building 50, Orr St, Carlton (the usual place we have Words series)

Time: 6:30 PM

Date: Friday, 19 March 2010

Snacks, drinks, and friendly atmosphere will be provided!

*image from dezeen.com

In Conversation with Mathias Klotz

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:49 GMT

On Friday, 19 March 2010, we'll be having an informal presentation/talk by Mathias Klotz. This is gonna be a chilled out, after work/study conversation about architecture and Mathias's work. A great way to welcome the weekend!

Venue: RMIT Building 50, Orr St, Carlton (the usual place we have Words series)

Time: 6:30 PM

Date: Friday, 19 March 2010

Snacks, drinks, and friendly atmosphere will be provided!

*image from dezeen.com

Notes on the Earthquake in Chile

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:50 GMT

(one week later...)

The earthquake in Chile and consecutive three tidal waves of between 10 to 20m height (accounts vary), affected an area approximately 1000 km long. In this long and narrow country defined by extreme climate and geographic conditions (desert on the north and glaziers on its south), the area affected by the earthquake was by far the most populated. The extension is somewhere similar to the linear distance between Paris and Rome, or locally, between Melbourne and Coffs Harbour. However, in the case of Chile we need to consider that apart form the capital Santiago (with an approx. population of 5M) and the regional capital of Concepción (approx. 300,000), this extension includes many important cities varying in population sizes from small rural and coastal tourist towns, to medium size cities. Cities, such as the Port of Valparaiso and Talcahuano have approximately one quarter of a million people. The extent of the earthquake and tsunami that followed has no precedent in the recorded history of Chile. So far the death toll is at 452 people, but President Michelle Bachelet warned that this may continue to rise.

Solidarity has been a major feature in this catastrophe. A “Telethon” started 6 days after the earthquake and managed to double the initial target, reaching AU$65 million in financial donations. Numerous accounts of solidarity are starting to be told. For example, victims, who after the earthquake found refuge from the 3 consecutive tidal waves on the mountains around Constitución (one of the cities worst hit by this catastrophe), were given cooked meals by people from neighbouring towns who were, under the circumstances, better off. Looting was unforgivable, but also exaggerated by the local media. 90% of twitter messages reporting looting or crime were shown to be false. Looting or violence has not been an issue for at least the last 2 days. Still, the country was shocked by the images of vandalism that according to some are evidence of something going wrong with ‘the pillars of society’.

All theatres have reopened and are offering their productions for free. The public is invited to attend theatres for a contribution, of any amount, to the reconstruction funds (large gatherings were forbidden for a few days after the earthquake because of aftershocks).

Secondary and tertiary students have enrolled as volunteers and are now assisting in the worst affected areas. In regards to our professions, the Chilean Ministry of Urbanism and Housing (MINVU), together with the Chilean Institute of Architects are also organising teams of professional volunteers. National and international architects are invited to register--although at this stage the focus is on national capacity.

Donations gathered from every city in Chile have arrived and continue to arrive to those in need—those in shelters (gymnasiums and schools) are receiving breakfast, lunch and dinner. “Plan Chile” (a program that offers recent graduates 1 year paid jobs in remotes areas of Chile), from now on is focusing on the areas worst affected. Doctors, psychologists, architects and many others are working non stop to support traumatised communities. Immense examples of effort, sacrifice and solidarity give everyone the strength to get the country back on its feet.

As always, the most affected are the poor.

Aftershocks are, by all measures, new earthquakes--these happen everyday some reaching 6.4 in the Richter scale.

Amidst a relative well organised emergency response, Santiago managed to be back on its feet in 48 hours, with electricity, communication and public transport (including the underground) restored. Although services in the country are 90-99% restored, unfortunately, some smaller towns and communities have experienced perceived or real abandonment. Yet, the coordination of efforts between the authorities, media, civil organisations and industry is nothing less than impressive.

Chilean president Michelle Bachelet decreed 3 days of national mourning. She also gave an estimated of the financial cost of this tragedy and confirmed that the reconstruction process will take 3 to 4 years.

Entire coastal towns have been erased. Added to the personal trauma, the collapse of sections of carefully preserved historic districts, that characterise most cities and towns in Chile, has robbed Chile of much of its cultural/architectural heritage. In Santiago, the popular and historical “Barrio Yungay” was one of the most affected. My friend from St Fernando (small city in a mainly agricultural province), lamented the damage of the city’s heritage, that she said included buildings that had undergone recent and costly restorations. Professor of architecture Sebastian Gray expressed:

Towns that had managed to dodge the forces of nature for hundreds of years were toppled or washed away.
Beautiful old buildings of adobe and simple masonry are now gone forever.
Saddened as I am by the loss of life and landmarks, I am scandalized by the few modern structures that crumbled, those spectacular exceptions you keep seeing on the TV news. The economic bonanza and development frenzy of the last decades have clearly allowed a degree of relaxation of the proud building standards of this country. (…)
For Chilean architects, this is the challenge of a lifetime: to restore beauty, to preserve history, to build sensibly.[1]

According to authorities, most high-rise buildings withstood the earthquake very well and this is due to strict seismic regulations. However, a few recently finished residential buildings were severely damaged. Among these, a 15 storey building (in Concepción) collapsed on its back. Expert rescue teams (recently returning from Haiti), worked for 7 days in an attempt to rescue people believed trapped inside this building.

The example below is by no means the worst, but it offers one example of the loss of historic districts among many rural and traditional towns:

Provincial hospital of Chimbarongo, destroyed and now evacuated. (Photo: author, 2007)	A modest provincial church of San Jose de Chimbarongo, in the town of the same name, built in 1660. (Photo: author, 2007)
Church of San Jose de Chimbarongo now. (Photo: Marisol Acevedo, 2010).	Church of San Jose de Chimbarongo now. (Photo: Marisol Acevedo, 2010).

The Housing Minister, Patricia Poblete reminded those affected, that they are entitled to protection under the “Law of quality” (Ley de Calidad).[2] New buildings collapsing have by far been “spectacular exceptions”.[3] Yet, in a country fully aware of its seismic nature, these “exceptions” stand as evidence of a recent lax approach to societal priorities. Things may start to change, and three days after the earthquake, authorities were considering extending seismic regulations to include not only to the structural elements, but also finishes, lighting and non-structural walls.[4]

In some regions up to 50% of the schools suffered some degree of damage. A number of hospitals are damaged beyond repair.

Sadly, Chile was/is celebrating its bicentenary of independence this year.[5] An important aspect of this celebration were/are many large and ambitious infrastructural and architectural projects planned to be inaugurated on 18 Sept 2010.

Notes:
1. Sebastian Gray. “Santiago Stands Firm”. New York Times, 2 March 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/opinion/02sgray.html

2. “Ministra de Vivienda llama a propietarios a acogerse a Ley de Calidad por daños” (Minister call home owner to find protection for damages to their properties in the ‘Law of Quality’). El Mercurio, 3 March 2010. http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401423

3. Sebastian Gray. “Santiago Stands Firm”.

4. Lorena Guzmán H. “En Chile las terminaciones no están reguladas” (“In Chile finishes are not regulated”). El Mercurio, 3 March 2010. http://www.mercurio.cl/2010/03/03/ciencia_y_tecnologia/ciencia_y_tecnologia/noticias/DD167C8F-0AC4-4FD6-9716-ABB5E0124411.htm?id={DD167C8F-0AC4-4FD6-9716-ABB5E0124411}

5. See “Works, projects and national bicentenary programs”, http://www.chilebicentenario.cl/frmArticuloObras.aspx?iDseccion=27&&idArticulo=104

Santiago Stands Firm

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:14 GMT

By SEBASTIAN GRAY
Originally published in the NYT: March 1, 2010

Santiago, Chile

I was awoken from a heavy sleep by the characteristic sly shaking of a tremor. I leapt from my bed in the dark and ran to hold up the glass cabinet in the dining room, as I usually do during quakes.

Soon, though, the entire building was rocking widely with a deafening roar, the roar of a building in critical stress, and then I realized in absolute horror that this was the big one, at long last, the one you are taught from childhood to expect and fear, the one that changes history and geography, the one that can kill you. There’s no use running: that could be far worse. Stay where you are, and wait.

After a few minutes — as long as a lifetime — the shaking and the noise finally stopped. I cried out for my loved ones, and my cat; we were all so disoriented that it took us awhile to find each other and to comprehend that we were safe, unscathed. I ran back to my room and fumbled in the mess of my strewn belongings until I found a flashlight to survey the damage.

All the drawers in the house had sprung open; furniture had danced around; books and dishes and ornaments had flown onto the floor. Yet even though the earthquake was far more violent than the one in Haiti, not one serious crack had opened up in our sturdy four-story walk-up from the ’50s. Is this good luck or the height of civilization?

Indeed, of the thousands of contemporary mid- to high-rises in Santiago and Concepción, most were able to withstand the quake with only cosmetic damage, if any. Thank the stringent building codes and responsible building practices that have existed here since the devastating earthquakes of 1939 and 1960, which leveled many older structures.

I teach at the School of Architecture of the Universidad Católica, and faculty and students have begun to discuss how to help the reconstruction efforts in the southern regions of Maule and Bío-Bío. There, in the heartland of Chile, the postcard of our national identity, the earthquake unleashed its full force, made worse by an enormous tidal wave that swept the entire coastal area just a few minutes later, trapping many people, still shaken, inside their homes. Towns that had managed to dodge the forces of nature for hundreds of years were toppled or washed away. Beautiful old buildings of adobe and simple masonry are now gone forever.

Saddened as I am by the loss of life and landmarks, I am scandalized by the few modern structures that crumbled, those spectacular exceptions you keep seeing on the TV news. The economic bonanza and development frenzy of the last decades have clearly allowed a degree of relaxation of the proud building standards of this country. That’s likely why some new urban highway overpasses, built by private companies with government concessions, are now rubble. It’s a sobering lesson for the neoliberalism favored for the past 35 years, and a huge economic and cultural setback for the country.

For Chilean architects, this is the challenge of a lifetime: to restore beauty, to preserve history, to build sensibly.

Sebastian Gray is a professor of architecture at Universidad Católica de Chile.
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Note: This article was first published in The New York Times and it has been republished by Architects for Peace with the permission of its author Prof Sebastian Gray

Earthquake in Chile

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:09 GMT

In this critical time for Chile, Architects for Peace would like to extend its deepest sympathy for the lives lost. We also lament the loss and damage of a considerable number of Chilean’s architectural and historical urban heritage.

Chile is a country well prepared for emergency situations, with many response teams having just returned from Haiti. Yet, the magnitude of the earthquake has been unprecedented. Architects for Peace will be ready to do its best to assist in the long road to recovery and reconstruction.

We wish all our Chilean members the best in these difficult times.

Abrazos y fuerza,

The Architects for Peace Team

Health Clinic for Haiti by Kristen Smith

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:58 GMT

HEALTH CLINIC IN USE

What are Haiti’s most pressing health challenges? Immediately following the quake, trauma injuries were the most urgent medical concern, but the focus now is on follow-up of patients who have had surgery as well as basic primary healthcare services, including services for maternal-child health and chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, HIV, and tuberculosis, among others.

(Pan-American Health Organization, 19 Feb 2010)

The intention of this project by architect Kristen Smith is to construct a series of permanent structures throughout the massively damaged areas near Port-au-Prince, so that all inhabitants are at a walkable distance away from a clinic site [1/3 mile].

The mobile health clinic is composed of three pods that contain the necessary medicines and supplies; these pods along with the medical staff travel between the clinic sites. When the mobile clinic is not at a site, then the local community can use the shaded space. This space along with the refrigerator can be used for outdoor markets, community gatherings, educational groups, women’s support groups, and movie screenings.

HEALTH CLINIC - ALTERNATIVE USE

It is designed to be lightweight and open. The program and structure are focused on a 4’ wide core, which minimizes self-built foundations. The permanent structure includes a large amorphous photovoltaic array supported by steel columns, a solar refrigerator, and a storage/mechanical room. This structure is built of materials from disassembled shipping containers.

The solar panels provide shading for the site, which is crucial in this hot climate. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant; a limited amount of beneficial sunlight enters the project through the 4” spacing between photovoltaic panels. The generated electricity powers the refrigerator, and excess electricity can be used by the local community.

HEALTH CLINIC DISTRIBUTION IN CITE SOLEIL; HAITI

Container / Shelter for Haiti by Kristen Smith

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:48 GMT

"The two biggest problems are shelter and sanitation. It’s urgent that we get people with reasonable waterproof shelter over their heads, " U.N. disaster chief John Holmes said.

The goal of this project by architect Kristen Smith is to design a disaster relief shelter that can be assembled within 48 hours. The shelter responds to the immediate needs of the people, and also be a core for permanent housing. The idea of the container/shelter is that a shipping container holding relief items is designed to become a home.

The 500 or so improvised tent camps that have sprung up across the city - some of them on precarious sites on the sides of ravines - may be here for years to come, turning into slums in a city that was already poor, run down and ringed with shantytowns. U.N. disaster chief John Holmes said.

"Please send us a tent" asked Senita Mazile, a 43-year-old living in the same camp as Vital with her three children. All her neighbours said the same.

The items needed for relief are being shipped in large shipping containers. The premise of this project is that a container will then itself become a shelter after the goods are unloaded.

"My husband and I had to sit through the rain on buckets with two children each on our laps." said Jeanne Vital, 30, camped out in the town square park in Petionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince.

The container/shelter employs the economical and readily available materials and technology used to make standard shipping containers. Inexpensive sheet metal composes the panels and the majority of the structure, and the connections are made with mass-produced hardware and standard bolts and screws. Low-tech building construction allows for a quick assembly.

What is the role of play in the architectural design process and how can it address issues of social sustainability?

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:47 GMT

ED: 2009. Essay: Play. George Stavrias & Justin Bolton
Tutor: Beatriz Maturana. 03:06:2009
Introduction - The concept of play

Historically, architecture has primarily served those with money and power. Today little has changed, and this is demonstrated by the small percentage of buildings in Australia that have been architecturally designed. There is a divide between the architectural profession and people of social, cultural and economic disadvantage. In this essay we argue that play in the design process can be a tool with which these hierarchies can be bridged, ultimately resulting in better design outcomes for disadvantaged clients.

Our concept of play is drawn from the writings of the psychiatrist Donald Winnicott and the sociologist Johan Huizinger. Winnicott, as a psychiatrist, highlights the personal aspects of play. Focusing on the relationship between the psychiatrist and the patient, specifically a child, Winnicott writes that play is essentially a means of communication, a common language through which people who otherwise couldn’t communicate now can.[1] Play builds relationships, and therefore trust, and through trust it increases communication.[2] It does so by creating a game, a world of creative freedom, both real and fantasy.[3] For the duration of the game play forms a less rational state of mind; instincts and the unconscious play a greater role in forming a person’s speech and actions.[4] In the human mind where truth and desire may be hidden under many layers, the psychiatrist uses play to dig below the surface to reach this truth. Play can therefore play an important role in helping uncover the clients’ desires in the design process. An examination of the advertising campaign of Caroline Springs, a suburban development on the suburban fringe of Melbourne, underscores the importance of uncovering this truth to design. The slogan reads, “For those who want more” and the images promise a life of happiness.[5] Is this image what people really want, or is it selling people an ideology? Play can help dig beyond the ideology we’re being sold as the truth to a deeper reality.

Discussing the sociological role of play in contemporary culture, Huizinga writes that play provides escape; it is a respite from the complexities and confusions of everyday life.[6] By playing, a person enters a new world, a world of the game, a world with defined rules unlike the morally ambiguous real-world. Play, with its rules, restricts in order to be free. These rules provide the encouragement for creativity. Play is a free activity consciously outside ordinary life, an agreed upon suspension of reality.[7] As a risk free simulation, play is ‘non-serious’ yet absorbs the player intensely and utterly. Due to the equality of players and the smaller and therefore more manageable world of play, as well as the greater trust and communication play engenders, play eliminates doubt and indecision, bringing confidence to the player.[8] Building on Huizinga’s analysis of play, sociologist Jeffrey Segrave writes that play “allows one to feel and see ‘through and behind’ the political, racial, ethnic, religious, and linguistic boundaries that separate us, not by eliminating them but by invoking a deeper sense of commonality, one that transcends the normative order.”[9]

i. Play and the design process

Adapting both the psychiatric and sociological discussions of play to address the design process, our definition of play in design can be summarised thus: Playing a game as part of the design process creates its own little world, where normative social orders are transcended, and everyone is treated equally according to the game’s rules. Therefore design play can address social and economic disadvantage by providing equal footing to all, and therefore has the ability to give a voice to those who may have previously been unheard. This play allows a deeper perception of Reality, and therefore games can be designed to let the players see environmental, social, climatic and economic realities and concerns. With play in general, there is no requirement for there to be an outcome. For design play, on the other hand, an outcome is desired, and can be built into the rules of the game. The outcome can be: simply to encourage greater understanding of the each stakeholder’s issues and build trust, or can be more detailed: facilitating the creation of a brief, or actual elements of the design. Therefore play in design should end in a mutually satisfying draw. The trust and communication built between the architects and the clients can then continue beyond the game, and enrich the ongoing process to create a better design outcome.

We have established a graphical representation of our model of play in the design process, presented below in diagram a.

diagram a: our model of play in the design process

We have chosen two examples of play taking a leading role in the design process, one small scale: an office refurbishment in the Netherlands – called DSM, and one large scale: the planning of the suburban development Roxburgh Park in Melbourne. We will briefly discuss each example to demonstrate the role and relevance of play in the design process to obtain a design outcome. In the example of the DSM office refurbishment, research was carried out by two academics who analysed the use of a board game between the architect and their client to establish a brief. The game was designed to promote communication, equality and interaction between otherwise isolated players. The board game is composed of workspaces depicted by coloured squares and the participants play the game by locating themselves within the squares and answering questions on cards.[10] The game allayed the participants' anxieties about the project, as well as providing deeper insights on the thoughts about the existing and future office.[11] The academics summarise the usefulness of play in design thus: “Game playing is seen as a potential bridge between people with different backgrounds by introducing in them an abstracted reality without the usual rules and hierarchies.”[12] This idea clearly demonstrates the potential of play in design to address issues of social sustainability in architecture.

Play has also been used successfully in the planning of a new suburban development. In 1989 the Urban Land Authority engaged planners Sarkissan Associates Planners for the planning for Roxburgh Park, a new suburban development in northern Melbourne. The planners undertook a teamwork and collaborative planning approach, to create “a community where everyone matters.”[13] Play was used to both foster teamwork among the consultants, as well as to improve the community consultation. The planners adopted various play design approaches such as a workshop weekend away for all the consultants, in which they played various teamwork focussed games, for example diving into groups and using food to model and communicate ideas for the development. In another workshop, the planners played a guided fantasy game in which design ideas were tabled from a child’s perspective.[14] These games encouraged “listening for understanding (not argument), encourage others to participate, [and] harmonise (without cutting short important differences of viewpoint).”[15] After the workshop process, the planners held an open forum for community consultation, which included playing games with various subgroups of the community, and included model construction, fantasy and role play, and painting with the children. This approach together with the games played at the weekend workshop were successful in that they built trust, and promoted open, honest communication. The inclusion of a referee facilitator at the weekend workshops encouraged critical self reflection which enabled participants to analyse their role, and to address and modify potential hierarchy issues. These two examples of play in design demonstrate that at a variety of scales, play in the design process can be relevant to addressing social complexities.

ii. Play and the Uluru Kata-Tjuta Cultural Centre

The case study which exemplifies the use of play in design to address issues of social sustainability is the Uluru Kata-Tjuta Cultural Centre in central Australia by Gregory Burgess Architects (see images 1 & 2). The Cultural Centre was conceived by the local Indigenous Anangu community to improve cultural understanding and interaction between their community and tourists visiting Uluru.[16] The Centre, owned managed and operated by the Anangu, was also intended to empower their community by materially addressing their social and economic disadvantage.

image 1: the Cultural Centre and Uluru, aerial view

Play was incorporated as a central element of the design process from the initial stage. It was conceived to bridge the cultural divide between the designers and the Anangu community, in order to create a truthful design relationship.[17] This design process was understood by both the designers and the Anangu to lead to a shared understanding of the Anangu community’s desires for the function and form of the centre, in order to result in a design outcome which best addressed their realities: a building to serve the Anangu community as “an in-between zone of meeting, a hybrid space”,[18] a space of interaction and play where the Anangu community could share their culture with the tourists, called Minga by the Anangu.[19]

image 2: the Cultural Centre roof form with Uluru in the background

Upon engagement Gregory Burgess established a drop in centre to create a community presence and to provide an all-inclusive communication pathway with the Anangu community. The design team then participated in cultural activities such as dancing, hunting and camping to build trust, improve communication and cultural understanding. Culturally appropriate communication methods were used such as sand drawings and dot paintings which empowered the participants to be confident and truthful, sharing their knowledge and desires for their Cultural Centre through the play of art (photos 3, 4 and 5).[20] Burgess writes that the process was “extremely helpful for us in coming closer to understanding the nature of the site and the intention of the Centre as seen through Anangu eyes.”[21] Burgess then took these ideas, created paper sketch models, which the elders then played with to refine the form (see image 6). This resulted in a design which connects the site to the larger landscape through their dreamtime creation story of a battle between two serpents, clearly represented in the building form (see images 1 & 2). The participatory design process between the designers and the Anangu community fits with our model of play in that its primary focus was on engagement with activities promoting trust, communication, truth, equality, freedom and confidence between the designers and the Anangu.
We have established a graphical representation of our the role of play in the design process for the Uluru Kata-Tjuta Cultural Centre, presented below in diagram b.

diagram b: model of the Uluru Kata-Tjuta Cultural Centre design process

image 3: Anangu community elders drawings diagrams in the sand for the proposed centre

image 4: Barbara Tjikatu and Nipper Winmati painting of the two serpents, a dreamtime story associated with Uluru

image 5: Nellie Patterson painting of the community's vision of the Cultural Centre, represented as people gathered around an existing dead oak tree, which ended up becoming the location of the Cultural Centre

image 6: a model of the Cultural Centre being refined by play by both Burgess and the Anangu elders

Play was not limited to the design process; it continued into the design outcome, specifically in the Minga experience of the Cultural Centre. In the design process described above play bridged the cultural gap between the Anangu community and the design team, allowing for a truthful sharing by the Anangu of their knowledge and desires. Consequently the design embraces play as a communication method, continuing the sharing of knowledge, encouraging the Mingas to interact in a participatory experience of the building. As Burgess states, the experience is an educational process, which “aims to enthuse, intrigue, surprise, delight and perhaps shock”.[22] The winding, non-hierarchical, pathways approaching the building slow down the Minga, in preparation for entering the world of play and the Anangu culture within (see image 7). The shaded, cool, dimly lit curvilinear spaces, in contrast to the open desert outside, along with brightly decorated walls emphasise that the Minga has entered a world of different rules and knowledge (see images 8 & 9). The compressed desert earth floor, the mudbrick walls, and the structural tree trunks are an internal continuation of the desert landscape outside through the building material (see image 10). The world created by the building is similar, yet different, presenting the reality of the Anangu’s Uluru. From personal experience (both Justin and George have visited the Cultural Centre and Uluru), the winding path and discreet curvilinear dark entrance creates a sense of enticement, a curiosity which opens the visitor up to learning about the Anangu and their culture. Once inside, the interplay of spaces, with the inside and outside overlapping and the natural use of materials, grounds the learning experience directly into the landscape.

The Anangu believe that the Minga move about very quickly, and stay too short a time at Uluru to really see the place.[23] The interaction with the building succeeds in slowing them down, and by sharing the Anangu reality of their stories and their profound connection with the land, it allows a glimpse into experiencing Uluru the Anangu way. The Centre gives the Anangu agency to present themselves and their culture to the tourists in a 'solid' way.

We have established a graphical representation of our the role of play in the Minga's interaction with the Uluru Cultural Centre, presented below in diagram c.

diagram c: model of the interaction of the Minga with the Uluru Cultural Centre

image 7: the winding indirect path leading to the entrance of the Cultural Centre

image 8: the desert landscape around Uluru and the Cultural Centre

image 9: the cool, dimly lit, brightly painted entrance to the Cultural Centre

image 10: the mudbrick walls and structural tree trunks of the Cultural Centre

diagram d: the winding paths leading into and through the Cultural Centre

iii. The Relevance of Play to Sustainability in the Uluru Kata-Tjita Cultural Centre

The reality of Aboriginal Australians is one of social, political and economic disadvantage. The Uluru Kata-Tjita Cultural Centre, and the play inherent in its design and use, attempts to address each of these.

CULTURAL & POLITICAL

There is a cultural divide between white and Aboriginal Australia: on the level discussed in this essay, between the Anangu and the Minga, between the Anangu and the designers, but there is also the more general level, between the Anangu and the white bureaucracy and white Australia in general. The history is rife with misrepresentations, with romanticisation, as well as negative stereotypes. This is addressed in two ways: firstly, play in the design process was instrumental in bringing together the two cultures, the Anangu with the white designers, which resulted in a building that addressed the Anangu community’s cultural concerns, providing a place of which they feel ownership and a place which shares an honest representation of their culture.[24] Secondly the building

Architectural Aspirations of an Emerging Regional Metropolis, Doha-Qatar.

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:47 GMT

An emerging regional metropolis in the Gulf region is clearly on the rise. Doha, the capital of Qatar keeps positioning and re-positioning itself on the map of international architecture with different degrees of expressions of its unique qualities in terms of economy, environment, culture, and global outlook. I call these expressions “manifested architectural aspirations.” In this composition, I select some of these aspirations that can be seen as conscious endeavors of relating an exclusive local context to the global world.

The “World City Network” of Taylor ranks Doha as a Qatari city with the highest global connectivity (1). Doha’s man-made deepwater port serves as a regional container and transshipment point which handles cargo across the Gulf. Doha has an inner-city international airport with one runway which is currently running out of capacity given the recent rapid growth of the city. A new airport further outside the city with two runways (planned to be finalized by 2011) and a new international seaport (planned to be finalized by 2014) are currently under construction (2). While these developments represent important economic and infrastructure efforts, Doha’s aspirations in architecture should be underscored.

Historically, Doha was a fishing and pearl diving town. Today, the capital is home to more than 90% of the country’s one million people, the majority of whom are professionals from other countries. Up to the mid 1960s, the majority of the buildings were individual traditional houses that represent local responses to the surrounding physical and socio-cultural conditions. During the 1970s Doha was transformed into a modernized city. However, in the 1980s and early 1990s the development process was slow compared to the prior period due to either the overall political atmosphere or the heavy reliance of the country on the resources and economy of neighboring countries. Over the past decade or so, Qatar has become one of the major producers and exporters of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the world. The wealth produced by Qatar's oil and gas exports has generated a construction development boom in the capital, Doha, and the surrounding vicinity. This resulted in significant growth at all levels from urban development and infrastructure provision to cultural and educational facilities.

Doha has recently acquired a geo-strategic importance. Through the shift of global economic forces, it is being developed as a central hub (together with other major cities in the region) between old economies of Western Europe and the rising economies of Asia. In the context of international competition between cities new challenges are emerging. Cities need to find ways to sustain and extend their position in the context of a global knowledge economy. No doubt, architecture and the overall urban environment are tools that help cities survive in the global competition of geographic locations. Like its neighboring growing capitals, Doha has ambitions and aspirations and, in attempting to position itself on the map of world emerging economies, its architecture is continuously materializing its aspirations. These are not only statements of forms and architectural compositions made by name architects, but serious ventures that speak to the environment and culture with different degrees of success (3, 4).

Fig 1. Doha Skyline: Waterfront architectural aspirations (source; Ashraf Salama).

Aspirations from the Eighties: Qatar University and Q-Post
Notably, architectural aspirations in Doha are not new, early examples of which include Qatar University (QU) Campus and the Central Post Office. QU campus is one of the early attempts to establish a local architectural identity designed by the Paris based Late Egyptian architect-Ahmed El Kafrawi. The campus is located on an elevated site 7 km north of Doha in Al Markhiah District and 2 km from the Gulf shore. It accommodates a central library, an administration building and an information technology centre; five college building sections; student activities and sport and recreational facilities; educational technology building; and central services units. Based on an octagonal unit design idea wind-tower structures are designed to provide cool air and reduce humidity. Towers of light are also introduced and are intended to control the harsh sunlight, and abundant use of mashrabiyas (Traditional Screened Windows) and some stained glass also serve to mediate the environment. Open and partially covered courtyards, planted and often with fountains, are plentiful throughout the site. The architect placed strong emphasis on natural ventilation, one of the many links in which he relates to traditional architecture of the region. As specific models he used the few still existing wind-tower houses in Doha and modernized their basic principle.

Inaugurated in 1988, the main structure of the Q-Post (GPS-General Postal Corporation) is another aspiration from the eighties. It was designed to accommodate modern technological equipment in order to achieve an advanced and efficient postal service. The building was designed as a pigeon loft to symbolize pigeons which were used to send messages in ancient times worldwide. Reducing the amount of solar gain through deep openings while utilizing dramatic effects of day lighting are major design features.

Fig 2. Qatar University Campus (source: Ashraf Salama)

Fig 3. Q-Post (source: Aya Abu Saud)

Selected Statement Aspirations from the Education City
The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development was founded in 1995 by Emiri Decree. This was one of the early initiatives of H. H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, chaired by H. H. Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, a testimony of their commitment to education and research. From its inception, the mission of the Qatar Foundation has been to provide educational opportunities and to improve quality of life for the people of Qatar and the region. Truly, this was reflected in developing a higher education campus—an education city—adopting the branch campus concept - world-class universities bringing their best-regarded programs to Qatar as full-fledged partners with Qatar Foundation. This is unique in the history of education and believed to be the first precedent worldwide. In essence, the Education City is a university of universities, a higher education and research community of institutions that serve the whole person.

One statement of a manifested aspiration is that of Arata Isozaki who is well known for his deep interpretation of the contexts in which his designs are developed. He designed the Liberal Arts and Sciences building (LAS) which is a focal point for all students in the Education City. Occupying an area of approximately 22000 m2 the building is introduced to accommodate the Academic Bridge Program-ABP; a preparatory program for enhancing the academic background and experience of high school graduates from Qatar and other countries in the region. The ABP addresses the universal problem of student academic and cultural transition from high school to the university. As a visually striking and architecturally stunning intervention, the building is designed around a theme developed from traditional Arabic mosaics that are evocative of the crystalline structure of sand. This was based on intensive studies to abstract the essential characteristics of the context while introducing new interpretations of geometric patterns derived from widely applied traditional Islamic motives (5). Another manifested aspiration of Isozaki is witnessed in Weil Cornell Medical College, a striking functional composition of courtyards, bridges, and polyhedrons and ovoid lecture halls. Reflecting the locality, a combination of triangular and square shapes are used for openings, partitions, and other vertical surfaces. These were traditionally used in Arabic-Islamic decorative arts utilized in houses and public buildings.

Fig 4. General View of LAS-Liberal Arts and Science Building by Isozaki (Source: Ashraf Salama)

Fig 5. LAS-Liberal Arts and Science Building by Isozaki: An Aspiration Representing a Contemporary Image with Local Feel (Source: Abeer Hasanin)

Fig 6. Weil Cornell Medical College by Isozaki: A Striking Contemporary Composition with Traditional Motives (Source: Martin Marion)

A third selected statement of a manifested aspiration is that of the AIA Gold Medal award winning Ricardo Legorreta who continues in his design of the Engineering College of Texas A & M University to root his work in the application of regional Mexican architecture to a wider global context by amalgamating local traditions with contemporary needs. Legorreta uses elements of Mexican regional architecture in his work including bright colors, plays of light and shadow, central patios, courtyards and porticos as well as solid volumes. Over a construction period of 19 months and on an area of 53000 m2 the College was opened in 2007 with a total capacity of 600 users including students, faculty members, and administrative staff. The concept is based on introducing two independent but adjoining masses linked by a large atrium; these are named the Academic Quadrangle and the Research Building. The overall expression of the building demonstrates masterful integration of solid geometry and a skillful use of color and tone values. Accessibility is well articulated where five main entries that lead to the inside of the building are introduced; two are pedestrian entries, a car and vehicle entry, service entry and finally entry tower. The lower floor accommodates car parking, locker rooms and ancillary requirements (5).

Fig 7. Concept Site Model of Texas A&M Engineering Building by Legorreta (Source: Fatema Al Sulaiti-Courtesy of Qatar Foundation)

Fig 8. View of Texas A&M Engineering Building by Legorreta: An Aspiration of Applying Mexican Architecture to Wider Global Context (Source: Abeer Hasanin)

Souq Wqif: A Manifested Aspiration for Remanufacturing Urban Heritage
The remanufacturing or reconstruction of Souq Waqif represents another manifested aspiration of conserving the past of a nation. The literal translation of the area is “The Standing Market,” a Souq with an old history said to span across 200 years. It contained different types of sub-markets for whole sales and retail trades, with buildings characterized by high walls, small windows and wooden portals, and also open air stalls for local vendors. Bedouins used to hold their own markets on Thursdays selling timber and dairy products. Also, it was a gathering space for fishermen. Over a period of three decades from the sixties, the Souq was derelict and most of its unique buildings fell in despair (6). Recently, it has acquired a new image by returning it to its original condition. However, while it kept its function, new arts galleries, traditional cafes and restaurants, cultural events, and local concerts were introduced as new functions attracting most of the city residents and visitors.

Fig 9. Different Views of Souq Waqif-Urban Heritage Remanufactured (Source: Raghda Salama)

The Heart of Doha in the Making:
A Large Scale Aspiration of Urban Regeneration and a Unique Architectural Language.
Close to the deep roots and historic origins of the city, he Heart of Doha is an ambitious urban regeneration project by DOHALAND. It is being developed with the aim of transforming the urban center of the city into a contemporary way of living yet rooted in the culture of Qatar. The 35-hectare site, as stated by its CEO, is a shining example of Qatar’s determination to innovate not just for innovation’s sake, but with the end goal of improving the quality of life and ensuring that Qatar’s heritage and culture evolves as the country grows (7). The Heart of Doha is simply setting the stage for new standards for inner city development in the Gulf Region. While Doha is positioning itself distinctively in the world economy, the Heart of Doha fosters the creation of a dynamic and vibrant local economy with the ultimate goal of bridging the gap between the historic Doha of the past, and the emerging regional metropolis of the future. Quoting from the DOHALND’s website, H.H. Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned says, “A rising homeland that confidently embraces modernization and proudly observes tradition”. (7)

Fig 10. The Heart of Doha: An Spiration of Responsive Urban Regeneration and a Unique Architectural Language (Source: http://hod.dohaland.com/)

The Museum of Islamic Art, Another Striking Aspiration
Dedicated to reflecting the full vigor, complexity and multiplicity of the arts of the Islamic world, the Museum of Islamic Art collects, preserves, studies and exhibits masterpieces spanning three continents (Africa-Asia, Europe) from the 7th to the 19th century. The Museum is the result of a journey of discovery conducted by I.M. Pei—the designer of the famous glass pyramid of the Louvre in Paris, Pei’s quest to understand the diversity of Islamic architecture led him on a world tour. Influenced by the architecture of Ahmad Ibn Tulum Mosque in Cairo, the museum is composed of two cream-colored limestone buildings, a five-story main building and a two-story Education Wing, connected across a central courtyard. The main building’s angular volumes step back as they rise around a 5-story high domed atrium, concealed from outside view by the walls of a central tower. An oculus, at the top of the atrium, captures and reflects patterned light within the faceted dome (8). As a leading non-conservative modernist, also influenced by the views Walter Gropius brought to America, Pei succeeds in translating the cultural aspirations of a country into a true architectural manifestation that speaks to world architecture while addressing demands placed on the building by the context exemplified by local culture and environment.

Fig 11. The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, by I.M. PEI (Source: Ashraf Salama)

It seems that Doha’s aspirations are endless and this is evident in the current surge in the design and construction of new buildings. But, why have I called the preceding selected architectural endeavors “Manifested Architectural Aspirations.” Simply because they represent physical and intellectual statements made by enlightened clients and responsive name architects. They are not physical masks of power, but embody a considerable number of the forgotten enduring values of architecture. These can be exemplified by different factors. They respond to the contextual characteristics mandated by climatic and symbolic attributes. This is manifested in different treatments and articulations addressing sun movement and air flows around the buildings, the use of durable and reflective materials, the dramatic effects of natural light in the interior spaces, the orientation of openings or double walling and skylights, and the deep interpretation of traditional elements and their adaption in contemporary use. With different degrees of success they respond to the needs of users and local populations, to the city and also to the artistic and spiritual needs of the people. They emphasize the role that human values play in creating responsive environments by skillfully addressing the clear separation between gender related activities. They integrate building management systems into new interpretations of traditional forms. They adopt flexibility of use and as an important factor for expansion in the cases of educational buildings, they adopt the integration with distinction of activities providing clear spatial organizations. They emphasize the visual and physical dynamics of users' activities at the horizontal and vertical levels.

While these manifested aspirations represent cognizant actions of architects toward creating responsive educational, cultural and commercial environments that meet the aspirations of enlightened client organizations and their communities, it remains to be seen how new aspirations would fit in harmony—visually, spatially, and functionally—with these already discussed and with the overall city form; an issue that could generate another future discourse.

References:

1) Peter J. Taylor, (2003) World City Network: A Global Urban Analysis, London, UK: Routeledge

2) Alain Thierstein and Elisabeth Schein, (2008). "Emerging Cities on the Arabian Peninsula: Urban Space in the Knowledge Economy Context," in ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, Volume. 2, Issue 2, Archnet- MIT Design Media Lab, Cambridge, USA, PP. 178-195.

3) Ashraf M. Salama, (2008) Doha: Between Making an Instant City and Skirmishing Globalization. Special Edition of Viewpoints, Middle East Institute, American University, Washington, DC. United States, PP. 40-44.

4) Ashraf M. Salama, (2009). Design Intentions and Users Responses: Assessing Outdoor Spaces of Qatar University Campus. Open House International, Volume 34, Issue 1, Urban International Press, United Kingdom, PP. 82-93. ISSN # 0160-2601

5) Ashraf M. Salama, (2008). Innovation meeting Aspiration: Isozaki and Legoretta in the Midst of the Education City Campus, Q

Global PechaKucha for Haiti

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:51 GMT

On behalf of Architecture for Humanity, Urban Village Melbourne partnered with Architects for Peace, is pleased to present:

GLOBAL PECHAKUCHA DAY FOR HAITI - 20TH FEBRUARY
It only took seconds to destroy so many bright hopes and dreams in Haiti. The 280 city PechaKucha network is joining with Architecture for Humanity to help rebuild Haiti, 20 seconds at a time.

Join us around the the world on 20th February for Global PechaKucha Day for Haiti.
20 seconds, 20 images, 200 cities, 2000 presentations, 200,000 people - with the aim to raise $1,000,000 for rebuilding Haiti.

Download PDF flyer here

THE 20th FEBRUARY
On Saturday 20 February PechaKucha events will be held all around the world. All the PechaKucha Night cities will be connected by a 24-hour PechaKucha presentation WAVE that will gradually move westward city by city, circumnavigating the globe. The wave will be dropping in on each city for around 10 minutes for a video link up and a live presentation. This presentation wave will be streamed over the internet on a 24-hour WAVEcast, which we think will be a world first.

RAISE AWARENESS, RAISE MONEY, GENERATE CONTENT
As well as raising awareness about the situation in Haiti, Global PechaKucha Day aims to raise money for reconstruction in Haiti. How do we plan to do this? At most event locations there will be a suggested donation at the door, but this is completely discretionary. We estimate that PechaKucha for Haiti will generate more than 2000 presentations - either on the 20th or at PechaKucha events before or afterwards. All of these presentations will be recorded and uploaded to the PechaKucha Presentation Player where they can be viewed on line:
http://www.pecha-kucha.org/ presentations
kleindyth amarchitecture

MELBOURNE EVENT
Location to be confirmed. Date 20th February. For regular updates please visit:
http://www.pecha-kucha.org/night/melbourne/11 or
Facebook Fan Page: 'Pecha Kucha Melbourne'

BACKGROUND
PECHAKUCHA
http://pecha-kucha.org/
kleindythamarchitecture

PechaKucha Night was conceived in Tokyo in February 2003 by architects Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein as an event where young designers could meet, network and show their work in public. Over time, it has evolved into a massive celebration of creativity, with events regularly being held in over 280 cities. Last year, more than 8,000 presentations were given at 600+ PechaKucha events around the world.

Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase for the sound of conversation ("chit chat"), the PechaKucha format is simple - 20 images x 20 seconds – and designed to keep presentations concise and moving at a rapid pace.

PechaKucha is for content and not for profit.

ARCHITECTURE FOR HUMANITY
http://architectureforhumanity.org
kleindythamarchitecture
Architecture for Humanity is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Cameron Sinclair in 1999 to promote architectural and design solutions to global, social and humanitarian crises. Through design/build projects, competitions, workshops, educational forums, partnerships with aid organizations and other activities, Architecture for Humanity creates opportunities for architects and designers from around the world to help communities in need. We believe that where resources and expertise are scarce, innovative, sustainable and collaborative design can make a difference.

Thursday 4 March 2010, 7 PM:. Consult/Design/Build/ Public Talk by Dr David O'Brien

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:57 GMT

PUBLIC TALK by David O'Brien

At RMIT bldg 50, Orr St (off Victoria St), Carlton

Entry by gold coin donation

Refreshments provided

The federal government’s Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) and well-publicised ‘intervention’ program have brought indigenous housing to the attention of mainstream Australia. Whereas the agencies once responsible for indigenous housing in the Northern Territory were criticised for too little consultation, the media's claim today is that there is too much consultation – and vast seemingly sums allocated by the federal government – with too little housing being built. Paradoxically, there are reports from the communities themselves that the consultation process is inadequate.

How much consultation with indigenous communities is the ‘right’ amount? How should this consultation process be managed and with what outcomes in mind?

Groups of students from the Melbourne School of Design faced these questions when they began working with two indigenous communities in Darwin’s ‘town camps’. After consultation, the students were invited to recycle one of the derelict houses in the Gudorrka Community. With limited funding, the sixteen students and two staff members, helped by local men and children,‘blitzed’ the house over a ten day period and recycled it into a respectable home.

Dr David O'Brien practiced as an architect before joining Melbourne University’s Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning in 1996. He has since worked in community development projects in rural Thailand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia’s Northern Territory. He has advised in the construction and evaluation of prototype houses alongside builders, engineers, sociologists, government agencies and aid workers. David's primary research interest lies in the relationships between architectural technology and indigenous housing needs, with a focus on environmental and cultural sustainability.

Season greetings from architects for peace!

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:46 GMT

The year has come to an end, and what a great year it was! Here at Architects for Peace, we would like to thank each and every one of you who have helped us made 2009 a very productive and exciting year.

We have created 4 e-cards for you to send, with images from the winning entries from the Visual Essay competition recently held.

To close it, we would like to wish you a great holiday season and Happy New Year. 2010 is not very far, and we hope we will see you again!
Architects for Peace