Year 2 / Any Place Portfolio / Dance Centre / University Of Edinburgh

READING SITE SURVEY DANCE CENTRE STUDIO

ANY PLACERoutes

Gabriela Mills0930282

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN YEAR 2

GABRIELA MILL ANY PLACE ROUTES 2


The Northern Parkour Group meets 3 times a week in Castlefield, Manchester. The new school for ballet sits atop the local red brick walls which define the crossing of the parkour routes on site, allowing movement to continue beneath the school and also through the the interior. Each of the entrances are similarly defined by these brick walls, but within the school the quality of the spaces experienced by the traceur, the employee, and the ballerina are all different, creating excitement in moments when their paths cross.



“On Weathering” discusses and describes the effect of the natural environment on architecture throughout time. Both negative and positive effects of weathering are examined in various case studies: the problems and difficulties of building maintenance, and the ways in which the reading of a building can be enhanced by the act of weathering. The discussion begins with a statement which the writers challenges: “Finishing ends construction. Weathering constructs finishes”. In response to this statement the writers present their own argument: that weather is incapable of being additive, therefore it cannot construct, it can only detract.

Initially the romanticised view of weathered buildings is mentioned, and the trend of rustification during the Renaissance is analysed through Bramante’s Palazzo Del Tribunale. In the Palazzo Del Tribunal, rougher, more unsightly stones were placed at the bottom, whilst the smoother surfaced stones were placed at the top. Some held the view that the rougher stones should revolt against the system and rise, whilst Leon Battista Alberti firmly believed that this action potentially could cause the collapse of the entire structure:“anyone who does not know his place is mad”.

The notion of building approaching its death in a “tragic” manner is explored using Le Corbusier‘s Villa Savoye as an example. The writers analyse Le Corbusier’s views of his white walls as a representation of honesty, and dependability, whilst commenting on how their immaculate appearance is soon tainted by staining from the environment: immediately crating an impression of decay. Le Corbusier positioned objects within his interiors with the intention of photographing the objects in their specific compositions, displaying a desire to capture a moment of perfection. The writers here refer to Le Corbusier’s use of white walls as being “siteless”, comparing his attitude against that of Adolf Loos, who preffered the use of white in architecture to be local to the culture and regional construction of the site.

The negative implications caused by the use of mass produced components within the Villa Savoye are also discussed. These components were often not easily replaceable. The increase of parts meant the increase of joints and connections, and therefore the building’s overall structural stability was weakened. A dicussion is then introduced surrounding the technical issues raised by such developments in architecture. The increased complexities in building construction lead to an increased reliance on the architect’s instructions. rather than on the builder’s instinct. The reduction of the builder’s role then results in more frequent material failure.

In the latter half of the text the writers observe the ways in which architects embrace the act of nature on the building. Carlo Scarpa’s Banca Popolare di Verone is discussed, in particular its window features, such as the vertical grooves which direct rainwater, inviting the staining to develop in a specific pattern across the facade. Scarpa’s Brion-Vega Cemetery is also mentioned, where its detailed interrupted parapet allows the rainwater to run down its inverted corner. Here it is also noted by the writers that elements designed to prevent weathering traditionally, such as sills, cornices, and copings, are increasingly absent in modern architecture, therefore ironically promoting staining.

The writers mention of Eero Saarinen’s John Deere & Co Headquarters and the use of corten steel can be seen to contrast with the aforementioned Villa Savoye’s pristine white walls. The intention of the architect is only achieved fully the instant after completion, whilst Saarinen’s steel develops its reddish skin over time. For Saarinen the moment of completion is indefinite, and therefore perhaps its perfected state is infinite. The writers’ argument then seems to be convincing through this comparison. Their criticism of architects being inconsiderate towards weathering appears valid: “how can modern architects have thought of inevitable stains on their buildings as anything other than defoulment?”. Through the examples used throughout the text, Mostafavi and Leatherbarrow convincingly argue that architecture can be enrichened when both the architect and nature work in harmony.

ON WEATHERING Mohsen Mostafavi, David Leatherbarrow



Existing railings and walls

SiteCastlefield, Deansgate, Manchester

DEANSGATE STATION

MANCHEST

ER CANAL

BRIDGEWATER CANAL


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Contact

Release

Hand contact

Foot contact

Choreographed traceur routine

Roll Vault Climb Tic-tac Swing Hop

Ramp planScale/ 1:100

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Maquette used in site model

Initial parti maquette

Parti

The parti explored how a school for a classical, structured dance such as ballet could co-exist and benifit from a relationship with the parkour practiced on the site.

The public route into the ballet school follows the traceur route defined by local red brick walls. Where the traceur required extra height along their route, material from the ground of the first floor was removed, which leaves only the upper floor an unbroken box for concentration.

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Dinner is a living mall. Dinner is composed of two neigh-bouring buildings, one dating to 1200' and the other 1950'. The party wall then sections in between the historical and contemporary. It is an authentic palace and post-war facsimile, quãle of the border of bomb-ing. Dinner in


Parti PlanScale:/ 1:250

Conceptual sectionParkour route / Social ballet space / Ballet studio


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Initial development

Oppertunity for traceur to break through ballet studio -“new challenge”

Circulation diagrams

Traceur route Ballerina route Employee route Exploded axonomatric

Scale / 1:400

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Ground floor plan with traceur routeScale/1:250


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First floor planScale/1:250

1. Reception2. Cafe

3. Covered outdoor eating space4. W.C

5. Kitchen6. Storage

7. Delivery and kitchen entrance8. W.C

9. Employee entrance10. Office

11. Staff room

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Upper floor planScale/1:250

1. Primary studio2. Secondary studio

3. Male changing room4. Female changing room

5. Employee corridor6. Storage

7. Buffer zone

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Exploded AxonometricSeparated by route

Exploded AxonometricSeparated by structural system

Roof system

North/South facing and East/West facing deep timber battens diffuse direct sunlight and are supported in the primary studio by the concrete plinth which carries the traceur across the roof. Openings in the roof also allow light into changing rooms and the employee’s corridor.

Upper floor

Ballerinas are guided up the stairs by a parkour defined wall and enter an enlosed concentration space.

Employees accesss floor by lift and have now become enclosed by the ballerina’s rigid rectangular case, where they can now access storage space and both studios.

First Floor

Ballerinas enter via southern ramp, into a transparent social area, consisting of a repetitive steel and glass framework. The imposed 1 x 1 metre grid is broken by the traceur route inside toilet facilities and in staircase, and also by the walls defining the employees quarter. The ballerinas social space feeds from the the employees kitchen and office.

The employee route is aligned to offer relief from the stark enclosed space, openings in both directions allow views across the canal and towards where the brick and steel bridge meet.

Ground FloorThe traceur route defines all entrances to the dance centre along its brick walls. Openings in brick walls also allow for public shortcuts across the site.

The steel frameworrk and concrete walls support the upper floor.

Both employee and ballerina first floor space is cantilevered from the reinforced brick walls which provide the foundations of the building.


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GABRIELA MILL ANY PLACE ROUTES 13Perspective section A-ABallerina route


14GABRIELA MILL ANY PLACE ROUTES 14Section B-BEmployee route / Scale 1:200


15GABRIELA MILL ANY PLACE ROUTES 15External VisualisationCanal frontage of ballet school


16GABRIELA MILL ANY PLACE ROUTES 16Internal visualisationOffice entertainment provided by traceur




Revealing routes 1:100 model

Initial sectional studio model

Exploring breaking the ballet grid using light rather than weight, allowing the

traceur to influence the light entering the studio



Detail section of principal studioScale/ 1:25

The traceur route is lined in sheet metal, acting as a gutter and directing rainwater to the North end of dance centre. The East/West battens slope towards the centre of the upper floor, with the voids of the turned bricks allow water to flow through onto the sheet metal

The North/South and East/West battens intersect and are supported by the traceur route

Concrete plinth running across studio supports low brick walls and is clad on underside by brick slip. Cavity within concrete allows for electrical storage, eg. sound systems.



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Visualisation Traceur breaking the ballerina grid.

Exploded axonometric of primary studio1. Sheet metal lining / 2. Brick and concrete continuation of traceur route / 3. Glazing / 4. East/West timber battens sloping towards traceur route / 5. North / South timber battens6. Pre-cast concrete inner structure with outer render finish / 7. Mirrors and timber inner lining / 8. Timber floor covering / 9. Sprung floor / 10. Concrete slab floor .

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Interior Visualisation The tip of the traceur route breaks the rigid grid of the studio, acting as a centering mechanism for the ballerinas

Documents

Year 2 / Any Place Portfolio / Dance Centre / University Of Edinburgh