Studio AT Denver

Creating Architecture that has the DNA of the whole, in every part - a fractal.

As a seed contains all the information to become a tree, within itself, growing over time defined by external conditions, so can architecture.

Denver Desk-Top Study Reflection

The process of a desktop study of Denver, Johannesburg has been insightful and research intensive from a third person perspective. While the process has proven to be useful, from this distanced perspective, it has also proven to be difficult to focus attention towards the levels of the built environment and the methods of negotiation that happen, as I feel that this requires a personal hands-on experience with the site and its inhabitants.

The lower levels of the environment, where there is individual or group agency, will require on-site experience, mapping and data gathering - and as such will be done at a later stage and cannot be reflected on.

Some of the assumptions made in this portion of the process, tackle the notions of Permanent vs. Temporary and Higher Level vs. Lower Level. This has been done through our analysis which resulted in hypothetical decisions from a Higher Level - specifically looking at what could be permanent and integral infrastructure, and what would be more beneficial on a larger scale to be removed - which will be taken to site to compare with the forthcoming Lower Level analysis and resulting Lower Level decisions.

There appears to be an unplanned organic growth to the site. With infrastructure, such as the storm water channel, defining growth, while the growth defines other infrastructure, such as roads/footpaths. This engages with the Open Building ideas of Interconnected vs. Independent, Control vs. Chance, and Planned vs. Unplanned.

There also seems to be a mix of shared and individual land use, both separated and converged on various parts of the site. This idea should inform the Higher Level zoning decisions, with the Higher Level decisions being able to enhance this specific character of the site, while making it more efficient. Open Building principles like Entangled vs. Disentangled and Long Life vs. Short Life should also play an integral role in these Higher Level decisions, as users will change throughout the life of the buildings or spaces.

 

The Future of Open Building Conference

ETH Zurich

Open Building integrates both stability and change, as realities within the built environment. Buildings, and their contexts, are dynamic - and through times of varying change need to be modified to remain appropriate and useful.

Designing and constructing Open Buildings involves many people, most specifically the end-user and the architect. This relationship provides the opportunity for appropriate architecture to be produced. No one person decides everything, and we usually celebrate that fact while struggling to deal with the complexity it brings. Since no one party makes all decisions when a building is first constructed, nor over the course of time as the building adjusts to new needs and technical requirements, there is an incredibly high importance of organising decision making and construction in such a way as to reduce excessive dependencies or entanglements among the parties involved. This helps in the avoidance of conflict between people and the parts of the whole they each control, and improves the chances of balancing common interests and the more individual interests of those who inhabit space.

There are three ‘orders’ in which agents are organised within the built environment: Form (Physical), Place (Territorial) and Understanding (Cultural). The order of Form is observed how we operate on different ‘levels’ of the built environment. This hierarchy may differ somewhat from time to time or place to place, however it always has the same characteristics. In The Order of Place we look at control of space, it brings to light territorial hierarchies different from those found in physical form and the interface between technical systems which allow for the replacement of one system with another. The Order of Understanding, comes about because those who intervene always do so, inevitably, in a context of meaning and social understanding.

My current dissertation is critically analysing the relationship between the architect and end-user in architecture, which is an integral part of Open Building, in the contemporary Johannesburg context. The research and analysis required for this dissertation will equip me with valuable information to engage the conference with.

The conference is a focal point of influential people on Open Building, with large volumes of information and discussion. This will be an exceptional opportunity for Unit 2 to benefit as a class. Therefore, the representative that attends the conference should be able to engage, understand and remember as much from the conference as possible. I believe that I will be, an excellent candidate to attend the conference and bring the information back to Unit 2.

Concept

Infrastructure and Agency

Agency is the capacity of an agent - a person or entity - to act. This capacity does not imply a specific moral dimension to the ability to make the choice to act, therefore moral agency is a distinctly different concept. In sociology, an agent is an individual that engages with a social structure (Wilson and Sphall 2002).

Looking at agency in infrastructure, within a neighbourhood scale context in Johannesburg, one could see the prevalent Trolley Pullers as infrastructural agents. These agents are also transient as traverse the context of the neighbourhood collecting recyclable goods. If they were provided with the necessary tools and incentive to collect the fallen leaves as they walk their daily routes, one would be integrating a new infrastructure into an existing one - thus increasing efficiency.

Sustainability

Through designing an infrastructure system that operates in an infinite cycle, the infrastructure becomes highly sustainable. Connecting that system to existing infrastructure, and integrating it into the existing networks of the neighbourhood, makes the system more viable, and intelligent, in its initialisation and operation.

An exploration of Transient Infrastructure revealed the transience of seasons. Seasonal change brings with it the loss of leaves from deciduous vegetation. These leaves are then blown around by strong winds, and lay scattered around the city/neighbourhood. 

If these leaves were collected and processed, they could form biodegradable material with potential. If this biodegradable material was used to create art in public parks, it would create an interest and encourage engagement with parks. As time passes, the art would biodegrade into the park, providing nutrients back to the park.

The results reinforce the transience of the infrastructure, through engagement with transient people in the parks and the transient nature of the material.

Neighbourhood Immersion

What purpose does open, green, public space serve within the Jeppestown community?

Transient vs. Temporary

A walk-through of Jeppestown revealed the minimal amount of open, green, public space within the area - limited to one park. Furthermore, how the uses of this park were informal and community based. A deeper look into these uses, revealed two distinct yet similar user groups: ‘Transient’ and ‘Temporary’.



According to The Collins English Dictionary, ‘Temporary’ means not permanent; provisional; lasting only a short time; transitory. Which in the context of Jeppestown park, relates to the people who come to the park by choice. This is a conscious decision made for social, relaxation, eating or playing.

According to The Collins English Dictionary, ‘Transient’ means for a short time; transitory; change in the state of a system. Which in the context of Jeppestown park, relates to the people who use of the park to walk through as a path of convenience. Walking through the park is a sub-conscious route completed twice a day.




















In order to engage and challenge the sub-conscious nature of the transient users, I conducted a four stage experiment:
1. String across the arterial path, on the floor.
2. String across the arterial and secondary paths, on the floor.
3. String across the arterial path, at head height.
4. String across all paths, at head height.




As the experiment proceeded, everyone would sub-consciously walk around the ‘obstacle’. As options were eliminated, people would begin to make a decision on the best solution. By the end of the experiment, the sub-conscious transient pedestrians were actively changing their routes and engaging with the park in a slightly higher degree.