Modelling Test of Intervention

Extruded warehouses in model form without walls. Some of the buildings on site have missing walls, windows or are blocked off from the open land in front of them. The model tries to reconnect both.

Elevation in and around the walls was the first step in interconnecting land and building:

Adapting to what already exists on Site

How can the building be connected to the landscape without simply making it just for residential housing?

Using Materials such as old train railing for potential pathways through buildings?



Establishing some sort of pathway through building facades


Utilizing existing materials, rubbish/rubble on site to connect land to building

How can both be connected to the adjourning river?

First 'quick' Interventions on site

Site break-up



Elevated buildings proposed to become residential housing

My question after reading the Kensington Councils proposal for a better community as well as analyzing the structure of the site (especially with the abandoned warehouses) I intend to investigate how I can apply vernacular design ideals to propose a new residential area while keeping current traits of the site

Guides for Site

These are some elements included in the Moonee Valley Council document and its ideals for the future of Kensington in Melbourne.

The abandoned warehouses and abattoirs are planned to become residential areas with the following in mind:

Preserve Kensington’s historic character

Reduce heavy traffic & noise pollution

Reduce parking on streets- provide more parking in residential areas for residents

Reduce Speeding Rat Running

Encourage Local Shops to stay in the area

Set Aside legal graffiti areas

Add a music area

Improve bicycle networks

Improve access to Maribyrnong River

Encourage a diverse and Vibrant Community

Defining Composition

After site visit and establishing that my vernacular landscape must be constructed from a composition of different parts placed into a context, I had to define what the actual composition would be.

Since my site in South Kensington had all sorts of materials lying around 'loosely' I decided to take a pre-defined form of a model submarine and take apart the pieces just as they are in South Kensington and try to make different arrangements for them. The pieces were labeled W6 for instance therefore each W6 had to connect to each other. I tried to challenge this by rotating w6's at different angles in order to construct a different form that may have a different function.

With various re-iterations my form took on an abstract look however in making this model I found that the placement of my rotated pieces opened up more options in the model itself. For instance if one w6 was rotated then I could add another w6 piece into the model rather than connecting it all up as the instructions for the submarine stipulated.

With this construction method in mind I would like to take the parts from South Kensington and form different arrangements for site to show beneficial functions for different communities in the space currently and in the future.

Everyday Example

Herzog and de Meuron attempted a similar blending in their lower Manhattan condo building at 40 Bond Street, this time, street art (graffiti) into architecture

The model was constructed from what was found on site. In most common cases the vernacular is perceived as using what is already existing on site in order to construct some sort of design. This was the misconception in which this model was constructed in, however its overall construction fits in with what I learned from site analysis at South Kensington.

The last image was a random shape drawn into the ground. This was drawn into the ground according to the feelings I had of the site. This could potentially be a reflection on the graffiti found in the warehouses.

The second last image shows all of the parts which are found on site. This could potentially reflect all of the loose rubbish and abandoned building facades found on site. In the initial stage of the model the sticks were used to form a shelter-like structure. This was because of the vast open space exposed to sunlight. After close magnification of the model, immediately after a couple of minutes insects started to move on the structure. Their intention of moving onto my structure is unknown, however the form made from the sticks created an object that they felt comfortable in. In the warehouses the rubbish and abandoned building facades could form something that the user of that particular site needs? Did the insects feel safe on the stick structure? Do the users of the warehouses feel safe?

The final two show the form without a roof (grass) and with a grass roof. This shows that the model can continually be built upon and more layers can be added onto the structure. Another important factor of the vernacular is that the object(s) that are designed in the landscape must adapt in the land and adapt to its processes. With the collage I intended to show that graffiti can also be layered upon and that it is not the final product of a design. It can become something more...

Reflection of Beach Follies After Site Analysis

Many cognitive scientists argue that the human capacity to form mental models is genetically programmed. Concepts have been developed in the mind using emotional connections of memory, particularly those that are simple and strong, have the potential to form the basis of an architectural or artistic expression. By establishing connections between ideas, emotions, forms and spaces, such 'generative' concepts (which are genetically produced and learned processes) give rise to particular architectural ideas that have the strength of archetypes and that may either be common to all mankind, or more specifically belong to one society. -Lindsay Asquith

What has occurred in the Kensington Warehouses is a contemporary(current) society within the structures themselves. The emotion that first strikes and outsider is the predominant feature of graffiti in the site. The question I posed here is whether the graffiti was the vernacular of the site?

The collage attempts to show how a current ritual can underpin a design strategy for a specific audience using the site.

Visual Analysis of Site Visit

Site Visit

Instructions for Myself

Parts- Materials, objects and form found on site

Composition- How these parts will be connected in order to be accepted by the group in the current built environment

New Layer- Placement of design, shape and form i.e what else is affected around site and how can the new design be accessed by the group of people inhabiting the site?

Context- What and Who else is the site affecting? What forces might drive the design?

More Imagery of Context

This is not an abandoned space as described by many. What life exists in these types of spaces and how can the vernacular contribute to this life?

Site Selection

'Vernacular comprises of structures for people. Related to their environment contexts and available resources, they are customarily owner or community built, utilizing traditional technologies. All forms of vernacular architecture are built to specific needs, according to values, economies and ways of living of the cultures that produce them'. (Oliver 1997b:xxiii).



Site: South Kensington Abandoned Warehouses

Applying this belief one must consider how the site is constructed in order to produce "the vernacular". It is not as easy as copying an idea from centuries ago and placing it on any given site. Specific vernacular's over history were constructed to specific needs and traditions this is why each vernacular must be different when considering the site and audience.

My intention on this site is embrace the context, settlement of people, include the wisdom of the society inhabiting this space and allowing my design to be accepted as being appropriate to its built environment.

Research Question- After Reflection From Final Year Camp

Research Question:

Can the application of Materiality affect people’s health and psychology in the urban context of Melbourne?

Wasteful Choice of Design Materials

A Consumer-driven society in Australia is affecting people financially, socially and environmentally, but habits are not changing. This is the case in Architectural projects where works that are constructed for the public do not seek resources of places, are lacking specific site characteristics and form a disconnection to the earth and its ecosystems.

In contrast to figures from 30 years ago, people are now enjoying more living space with the average number of people living in houses declining from 3.1 to 2.5 persons. While Australians satisfy their obsession for possessions in filling their lives with material objects, a significant impact on the environment is occurring.

Problems of E-waste, traveling long distances by cars and a lack of recycling have all become prevalent issues because of over-consumption. Design in itself promotes Over-Consumption where we as the designers construct projects from materials that are not locally sourced and are a means of greed coming from the client. There is no moral sense of judgment in most designs today.

Andrew McConnell’s photographs of the suburb of Agbogbloshie in Ghana’s capital, Accra. According to the photographer 20 to 50 million tons of electronics discarded each year 70 percent will end up in poor nations, and in the European union alone 6.6 million tons of e-waste are unaccounted for each year- “ a toxic perversion of the one laptop per child ideals”.

In the Australian context: Australians create about 28 million tonnes of garbage every year. Just over one third of this material is recovered for recycling.

With the notion of vernacular design, can this be a potential to address this issue?

Gilles Bruni and Marc Babarit a tunnel with nature provides a field of experimentation where objects found on site have been used to create a shelter/tunnel/walkway.

Many architectural projects around us demonstrate form. The form of the landscape is used for perception, and for guiding the design activity which is such a fundamental part of the discipline.

Materials accompanied with form are used to add character to site and they can determine specific operations on site.

Over centuries many places around the world have created vernacular landscapes this meaning that the landscape was constructed in response to actual needs and what was found on site. I.e. an area with lots of trees would develop a wooden vernacular.

What is the vernacular of the urban context within our cities? As designers we tend to create projects that contain imported or pre-fabricated materials. What is the vernacular of a city context and how can we offer the public an insight of why this technique of construction could be beneficial for the future?