KIDS IN THE CITY:
PREPARATORY SCHOOL
A preparatory school in Surfers Paradise between Norfolk Avenue and Palm Avenue that revolves around three themes;
Active thresholds: Transition spaces that enable the children to feel like they are moving from different environments, but within an overarching space. The areas of transition are also the main circulation areas, making them active at all times of the day.
Perpetual levels: Taking precedent from the change in height of the site which drops about 3.5metres, the proposal enhances this by introducing rooms and reading areas between levels.
Authentic lookouts: The above spaces then create lookouts. Some balustrades are recessed, creating alcoves. These are areas that have the potential to be used in any way the user (child) finds appropriate. Some rooms in the public building look directly towards the beach and have the potential of being libraries, lounges, reading rooms, group study areas, flexible learning areas or play rooms during winter.
Programs used: Rhino3D, Autodesk Revit, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
BROADBEACH:
AN OASIS OF LIGHT AND GREEN
Broadbeach QLD is a developed area on the Gold Coast. The skyscraper fills the expanse of the water’s edge, living little landscape to strop up into by those west of the site, or not fortunate enough to live on the 50th floor of these residential towers.
Since the dwellers are currently juxtaposed against scaleless uninviting monuments, perhaps a proposal for moving the hinterland into Broadbeach as the latest denizen is not so dissolute. The mountains, although similar in scale to the residential towers along Albert Avenue, at least offer a place for the human to engage, wonder and question.
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Engage. An inviting landscape with no barriers, or limited access through a security card. Well, perhaps you should buy some hiking gear and wellies before you start trekking, but safety is in your hands. Participate at your own risk!!
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Wonder. Would one be more curious about what unimaginable creature and plant life is harboured at the top of the mountain, or the occupant of the penthouse at level 54?
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Question. A wish for the residents of Broadbeach and the general Gold Coast public to query the inauthenticity of what is available to the public, especially in the areas along the water’s edge.
The natural landscape always has a way of making the human relevant, perhaps because of the various scales it accommodates, for instance, a 40-metre tree juxtaposed against a 10 centimetre anthurium (flamingo lily).
As one is subsumed in the unprocessed and engineered world, they discover, learn and pass on significant knowledge. That is the romantic way of looking at it.
A scheme that is reminiscent of streets in a city and inspired by bringing the hinterland into Broadbeach, a suburb that was once and oasis. City streets have various properties, with some being introverted and linear and others articulated and pedestrianized to become courtyards and spaces of celebration. The scheme has two streets/lane-ways that present similar qualities.
The three buildings are reflective of the city in that they are dissimilar in size but serving the same function and principals of education, creation and enjoyment. They are then connected through a series of circulation , much like cities are.
Drawing from Dan Barber’s philosophy, each building provides the potential to learn, through planting. These plants range from edible, purifying to inedible depending on the spaces in which they are situated. For example, the spa which is a place of cleansing has plants such as Garden Mum, Spider Plant, Dracaena, Ficus-Weeping Fig, Snake plant, Bamboo Palm and Aloe Vera.
Unlike many residential properties and hotel in Broadbeach, the Research Institute, only allows residents who are fully invested in the learning process. This is also reinforced by each room,suite having a plater garden that they have to take care of as a way of learning.
Programs used: Autodesk Revit, Rhino 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, FiftyThree Paper
WATER AND PLAY
The aim of the project is to encourage the appreciation of landscape and nature, and social interaction through air and water. This is done by analyzing the lessons from nature and incorporating them into two design proposals; a Hybrid Bridge and a Hybrid Playground by the water. The lessons learned include protection from harsh sunlight, enhanced sensory experiences, opportunities for social gatherings, water interaction and visual focal points.
The stage set/playground allows for preservation and enhancement of the peacock enclosure, a man-made habitat for the existing bird life on the site, while creating new opportunities for recreation/regeneration and general ecological and environmental education. Integrated in the bridge and stage set are areas for walking, seating, running, cycling, observation, resting, playing, cooling down, gathering and performing.
The proposals trigger minimal design moves that provide a greater improvement to the landscape. Through these works of architecture, the structure of the landscape emerges. This is because a comparison is created that enables the user to observe how beautiful the park is.
There is little interference with the existing landscape apart from re-landscaping in areas along the road to act as a buffer for noise and vantage points for the Indy 300. Areas around the peacock enclosure are also landscaped to allow for shade and cleaner man-made water bodies.
Materials: Concrete,Steel, Air and Water
While the site already offers water, light and air, the hybrid suggests through materiality and color the relevance of
Programs used: Rhino 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
INSIDE BYRON
My approach to this design was to have a central space that merged all the above activities, creating chance encounters and providing accommodation to business owners of the programs in the building itself.
There would be an opportunity for residents and the public to continually interact.
The activities in the building would include an arts/painting studio, film viewing area, yoga/ mediation and fitness, informal meeting spaces and cafeterias.
Programs used: Rhino 3D, Grasshopper, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
CHEVRON ISLAND
CULTURAL HUB
A cultural centre, film school and community hub on Chevron Island along Thomas Drive. The proposal suggests keeping part of the existing site to emphasize the importance of culture and the existing fabric.
The building has numerous intimate and honest spaces that house galleries, theatres, film making studios, cafe
an retail.
Programs used: Autodesk Revit, Rhino 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, FiftyThree Paper
THE SPIT:
FINE DINING RESTAURANT + COOKING SCHOOL
A fine dining restaurant and cooking school in a very natural and unscathed environment at the Spit, Gold
Coast.
Aiming to design a building that does not interfere with the Spit’s environment but rather preserves or enhances it, a building that blends in, the proposal sits at the edge of the site with a single level and a lot of landscape surrounding it to provide shade and enhance the Spit’s weather.
It also gives back to the community by providing shade with a colonnade, that also becomes a social area.
Programs used: Autodesk Revit, Rhino 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
SOUTHPORT STUDENT AND FAMILY HOUSING
A student and family housing project in Southport, Gold Coast.
The project caters for medium density low cost housing made for suburban living. The concept started with developing a comfortable apartment for a student with restricted dimensions, then taking it further and designing a family and student housing block with a pet bn’b and BBQ area.
Programs used: Autodesk Revit, Rhino 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
