The Spatial Field

This major project explores an architecture established and evolved through a procedural based exploration that attempts to break with architectural ideologies embodied in spatial programs to encourage an outburst of events, social encounters and opportunities for action within a tower typology. Through embracing the richness of education in our city, we can now begin to speculate the future of an enhanced education system. The proposal is for a mixed-use precinct located in the heart of Melbourne, evolving around the idea of: ‘a school for all ages’, ranging from kindergarten to university. Additionally an arts sector with: theatre, galleries, outdoor performance spaces and a library are blended within this field of program to accommodate the crossover between schools. These become connected with bustling public and lifestyle amenities which aid in integrating its presents within a city environment as well as accommodating the social and public needs of the uses. Public landmarks throughout the building are integrated vertically where people can congregate and meet.

The idea of blending these programs intends to embrace the idea of ‘shared’ knowledge. It is about how the schools can learn from each other, whilst still operating as individual entities. Hence, how I can explore organisation and form that can differ from what we know as a typical education environment and how we can accommodate for the evolving student types of his or her needs.

Part of my interest was working in a process based manner, and trying work with multiple processes to achieve the formal and programmatic qualities that encouraged interweaving and social density between programs throughout the precinct vertically. The device chosen and used is the Glacier Formation process. Through extensive research and reading about their behaviour, a system of variable grids was created that I applied to the site, whilst also considering site relationships and connections.

A parallel interest was also working with geometry in search for a particular affect, which was trying to create spaces of awe through form making where the process and my own later critique of the outcome become imperative.