Materials!

Could possibly take an aspect of these and develop it into a wall texture, material or facade.

Looking at material, texture, colour, logo. And the extreme coolness that is Chelsea and Lampard.

The panels could be used as a way for the building facade to fit together or maybe it could be the floor material.

The studs could be an interesting pattern for the ground, scaled up in size as the "obstacles" that people play around.

Beckham is cool. That is all.

Thinking about SPACE

Some different "spaces" and moods. Which aesthetic am I going for?

"Industrial, powerful". This was actually an ad- the players playing a game balanced on the thick steel beams.  The beams were part of the building structure.

Warmer kind of atmosphere. Played on concrete field. More casual.

Even less space than before in an alley. Interesting graffiti art in the background.

Banned Commercials - Nike - Soccer vs ninjas

Testing ball control, agility. This time they're playing in a very nice place- opposite architecturally to the first videos I posted.

Just because you can never have too much soccer, I'll add this too ;)

Airport football / Nike Brazil commercial

Again, playing around obstacles/people. Football isn't necessarily played on open fields- there's indoor soccer, street soccer, juggling...

Nike Secret Tournament-The Cage(full)

Playing in a cage- limited space. How could I use that to inform my interior space? Or the mood/colour/materials?

THIRD PROJECT: GATHERING

Objective: To create a five story building, each level specifically dedicated to one "interest"/client's start-up business.


Things to think about:
Type of Space
External/Internal
Level of building it should be on
Equipment needed to run the business/es
Facilities: changing rooms etc
How the building is in context to other buildings around it/access to other amenities like food, transport
Materials
Form and Function
Site

My Proposal:
Due to the lack of fields/space in the city, I aim to create a start-up business that allows people to play football and experience the feeling of freedom that comes with it (which will be especially hard because it will be in such a confined 64sqm area).  They may also be able to watch live games of football, so maybe a bar is also necessary.


Materials/Space:
A cantilevered space stretching from the building may be needed to extend the available space- maybe it could go around or be supported by the buildings that are in proximity. The ideal position would be the middle/top of the building in order to maximise the amount of fresh air that permeates the building by elevating the business higher over the other surrounding buildings.

Materials may include netting, fake grass/turf, or reflect the material of player jerseys or logos. The space could either be open like a playing field or more gritty/urban/industrial like street soccer (concrete, spray paint- good idea to bring the person doing spray paint into my building) and include interchangeable walls or obstacles.

Finished Detail

This is a cross-section of the part where the tunnel goes through a building at 1:1 scale. The detail is meant to be horizontal, as it shows the side of the tunnel. 

Overall Detail- 420Lx90W 
The concrete (at bottom of picture) is part of the building- as such it is reinforced with iron.
The metal plate "I" shape in the middle of the detail is the clamp that holds the tunnel in place and can be found on three sides (top, left, right) of the tunnel. It is bolted into the concrete.
The top section of the detail is the tunnel and includes the two concentric curved lengths of metal as well as the insulation between. 

Close-up look at the tunnel section
The concentric curved lengths were shaped by hand with a hammer, wood and the thick curved metal plate as a guide- held apart by the frame of the tunnel as the metal is plated to a criss-crossing structure. It is only a slight curve as the full structure is 4m in diameter.

The struts were electrically welded to the lengths in the workshop (note: thin metal is not good for welding. The two struts are connected to the length in the corners and metal has been melted away because it couldn't withstand the extreme heat). 

Concrete had to be re-cast as the first one cracked under the pressure of the hammer drill the day before crits (also the holes to be drilled lined up exactly where the reinforcing was). New mold made had two holes on either side of the length for doweling to pass through as placeholders for the bolts (M12x100mm) that would go through the concrete so that drilling would no longer be needed.

Lesson learnt: concrete has got to be mixed outside of the mold, best on the ground, then shoveled into the oiled frame, tapping all sides to get air out and concrete into the corners. Consistency- when fully in mold, some "liquefaction" occurs with water coating the surface while curing. 

Tunnel Wall
Made to detach from the concrete and metal clamp as a design solution to easily bringing the structure on site.  The tunnel had to be two walls thick; to prevent echo, control temperatures by installing insulation and for the purpose of wiring (electricity and internet).

The wiring is shown with the pipe in the corner embedded in the insulation with a cross-section of the wiring. The versatile and flexible rubber skin (interior/exterior) prevents glare off the metal, prevents slipping of the tunnel against clamp, helps insulate the cold metal (colour black: collects heat, inside it's off-white/grey to disperse harsh glare and brighten interior) and also translates the "cable" type material/idea. 

The thick metal place bolted in place into the concrete- keeps the clamp steady. The  U-shaped metal was welded in the workshop onto the metal plate, then the two ends welded to the larger (machine bent) curved plate that conforms to the curve of the tunnel.

Tip: buy mild steel. Bowmac is coated in zinc (which doesn't melt under electric welding- becomes powder) and had to be sanded off the surface before starting any welding.

Bolt going through the concrete- the tension of both bolts at either end snapped the concrete partially through the middle but the metal place keeps both sides in place.

3D Concept

Made in 3ds max. Just simple pics of the realised concept in different views. It can be seen as a section of the whole pipeline or an independent "pod".

Angled View
The pipeline can be segments or a long length, so there is an added value in to individual "pods", as the short length allows less people inside walking through the tube-  therefore there is increased privacy and quiet for those who are on social networks like Facebook vs. people meeting others for a face-to-face conversation.

Sectional View
The concentric layers of sheet metal overlaying (top and bottom) the framework is visible, as well as the horizontal lengths of steel between the two layers that form part of the frame. The two circles on the left are pipes that hold important electrical wiring/ethernet cables that run through the tunnel system. 

Kind-of Elevation
This segment can be seen as part of the whole length of pipe or a standalone "pod". The openings allow easy access into the "pod" and the rectangular opening allows a window to be placed or can be open to allow airflow. It is placed low on the structure so that light won't be refracted off laptop screens and reduces glare vs. if it was placed directly behind the person/the seating. 

Working Out the Construction Details

I had the concept but have no idea how the structure could be constructed in real life. I researched underground tunnels and subway systems (a little different as there was a gap between the tunnel and my structure). 

Googling random words about "supporting pipes" finally got me to look at industrial pipes and then to "pipe saddles" used in water service and power stations that were also load bearing (made to stop unwanted movement, give insulation/dampening to prevent abrasive wear). Previously, I had deduced that a tunnel of that size wouldn't be able to carry it's own weight as well as the weight of people with just a clamp, so it needed some sort of base. "Pipe saddles" gave me a lot of ideas as to how my tunnel could be supported and even had dimensions for a tunnel that size/weight.

Just some pictures that started off my drawing process of working out details of construction:

I-clip used in-situ to support heavy pipe.

Pipe Saddle With Multiple Gussets.

Strong concrete base.

Possible way of securing the tunnel to wall.

The origin of my clamp idea. (I-clip on saddle)

Another way of holding pipe in place.

"Designed to provide support between the steel pipe and its supporting structure."
Used for electrical isolation and abrasion control of mains and by industry for load distribution, energy conservation, and electrical insulation protection.

 

 

 

Extended edges to prevent rolling.

New Project: SUSTENANCE

"Sustenance: A source of strength and nourishment" (Oxford Dictionary)

My interpretation of Sustenance: A network of relationships (friends and family) that one constantly relies on to gain their strength and nourishment.

After my "waking moment", the internet/phone is the first thing I access to re-connect to friends (through texting or checking for new messages). The internet/phone allows a user to connect to people tangibly through intangible/unseen pathways (wireless internet, signals, the ether) and sources its power from cables and electricity.

Using that concept, I've designed a meeting-place, where people can meet face-to-face or over distances through the internet/phone. It is a giant cable that winds through the city, through buildings and can also be found in segments sitting on sidewalks, on a building roof etc- it metaphorically translates the idea of relationship "networks" and encourages people to re-connect through the day. The long lengths of benches inside the tunnel draws on the idea that before social sites like Facebook, parks were (and still are) meeting places during breaks or used just generally as a social spot.

This idea is based on the importance of interpersonal relationships, whether through the older or newer ways of communication.

Finished Pavilion

Closer look at the mushrooms :)

Internal Space

Side View

Initial Structure

In the process of deciding where everything goes.

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