Drawing

I've been drawing a section right along my site at Balmoral, showing what I can do with the space and incorporating the lessons I have learned from my research on the Chinese architectural traditions.

My drawing board, trying to keep a presence to all of the other drawings/content I've created including the drawing of the ancestral house, layered drawings and photo studies.

This section cuts through the ridge beam and also has prints of old drawings of the striking Capitol Cinema building worked in.

Vibrant

Tiffany Leong's thesis project worked with the Vancouver Chinatown.

Today I happened across (yet another) thesis project about the Chinatown. I've found each thesis I've seen has a different take on the subject and this one is no different. This time it was about Vancouver's Winnipeg Chinatown, one of the largest in North America.

Some things for #Vancouver to consider for our own #Chinatown, one of North America's largest. fb.me/TTOQCoNU
— AFH Vancouver (@AFHYVR) May 1, 2013

The project came from a 5th generation Chinese Canadian, honouring the memory of the iconic Shanghai Restaurant that her great-grandfather had championed. None of the younger generation wanted to take on the restaurant - there are many cases that I know of here in New Zealand.

Tiffany Leong creates a small scale intervention on the site to the former restaurant. It rises two stories, with a roof inspired by Chinese paper art. It is at the street level that this scheme shows the momentum of the Chinatown condition - a transparency and porosity with the help of pocket doors, louvres and folding partitions. What this does is create human-scale connections that blur the line between public and private. It also draws inspiration from the hidden passages and spaces typical of Chinatowns around the world.

It can be said that Chinatowns were created by the circumstances of the time of formation - Chinatowns are now used very differently from the past. They are less ethnic enclaves (a response to racial discrimination and abuse) and more 'vibrant' communities with a mix of interesting eateries. It can be argued that this typology is not relevant in today's day and age, too. Without a formal Chinatown, Auckland now has pockets of predominantly Chinese areas ('predominantly' because there are many other cultures alongside - Thai, Japanese, Indian, Middle Eastern) and any intervention would have to be inclusive. This may or may not have a role for Chinatown spatial typologies which is why I am not looking only at 'Chinatowns' and their countless examples, but further back drawing inspiration upon the roots of Chinese culture.

Layer

Experimenting with my transparent butter paper sketches and bringing them into the 3D. Good bases for modelling off. You can see the ancestral altar sitting on one of the top tier near the ridge beam condition - I've yet to determine the nature of this ridge beam and its raising.

I've drawn different conditions: screening, rising, semi-private, alcoves. I'll have to sort out a strategy for arranging these conditions and spaces. I have some ideas of an axis moving through in spreading out vertically into these different spaces.

Ridge

At the moment, I'm focusing on the ridge beam and its importance in the tradition Chinese house. The book Yin Yu Tang states that the beam is more symbolic than structural. How can this be so when it is the highest building member of the frame? There is a saying in Chinese - 上梁不正下梁歪, which, in true Asian style, summarises the following in 7 thoughtful characters: if the ridge beam is crooked, then the lower members will also be crooked. This describes the Chinese house as the family within it - the association is so powerful that it is almost metaphor, just as one family member is not only themselves (as is in the individualistic Western cultures) but their whole family collective.

A real flower ball complete with a tassel.

There is also a ceremony for raising this beam. In the traditional close-knit village, everyone would be invited around for a feast and a red 'flower ball' would be attached to the ridge beam, which would sometimes be painted red. They would also perform the ritual of paying respects to the ancestors with an altar, sticks of incense, and offerings of food. A similar ceremony takes place when the site is selected too, the purpose to have the ancestors overseeing the process and imbuing the communal happiness into the house even from the early stages.

Imposing this importance on the Balmoral site model, marking its being in the space. Also did studies of seeing it from the street above the silhouette of facades.

As I started drawing the ridge beam detail of my ancestral hall, I noticed most of it had corroded with age. Very little of the relief sculptures could be made out. So how would I find out what the symbolism was? To me, it isn't really all that important to know exactly what the symbolism is. The usual symbols can be expected of course: dragons (energy/power), phoenix (longevity, renewal), various fruits and flowers (fertility, to have sons). There's also plenty of symbolism underneath the roofline, protected by its shadow. In a way it gives me the space to create my own symbolism on this beam for my architecture - one that talks of Chinese here in Aotearoa as a shared land.

Dirt

Roland Reiner Tiangco's 'Dirt Poster' is only for those who get their hands dirty, a call to action as much as a clever way to communicate a message. 

Can't be more true, in my opinion.

Connection

With the gap between the Capitol Cinema and the buildings on the north side, there is an opportunity to connect the mainstreet (Dominion Road) with the back street (the service lane/multiuse space between Balmoral shops and behind the Warehouse). Furthermore, there is a potential connection from the backstreet across to the Warehouse carpark, perhaps activating that space.

A further cross connection such as this one increases flow through layers of Balmoral, instead of depending on vehicle trodden routes which move around blocks. Good examples of these small but effective connections are Fearon Hay's Imperial Lane and the path inside of RTA Studio's Ironbank Building on Karangahape Road.

Within Imperial Lane, a slight bend in the axis from Fort Lane (front) to Queen Street  (lighted path in the back right).  A slight slope up to the central area creates a sense of elevation and arrival as a threshold to Fort Lane. The entrance at Queen Street, on the other hand, is camouflaged among the other street frontages.

In Imperial Lane, the space between the historic Queen Street buildings are converted into a commercial/eatery/office spaces with contemporary materials working in the same language as the industrial past of the original shell. Connecting Queen Street (importantly the downtown area) and Imperial Lane which, before the streetscape renovation, was a dumpy back alley with unpleasant smells (still has some today I suppose), Imperial Lane's connection breaks up the large block into more pedestrian friendly paths to Fort Lane, Customs Street and Fort Street - a new network beneficial for the area that breaks away from the straight street edge typology typical of Queen Street and Balmoral Shops.

At the Ironbank, the path access from K Road to Cross Street bends around approviding approaches to the internal courtyard (activated by beanbags and the umbrellas) creating a multi-axial and inhabitable semi-public space.

The Iron Bank on the other hand does not bore through an existing fabric. Within the building complex itself, a pedestrian pathway was formed, connecting K Road with Cross Street around the back. Interestingly the path is not a straight one - this also decreases the likelihood of the lane becoming a wind tunnel (although first hand experience shows that there is a bit of a problem with this).

A common trait between these examples is that there is a bend in the connecting street and through route is activated with different uses - beanbags, tables and chairs, game machines. The space between Dominion Road and the Warehouse carpark has a bend also, which provides micro-climate protection (i.e. against wind tunnels) and possibilities for an interesting activated space.

I had a bit of a conversation on Twitter about these urban connections with @citysituated, an urban planner, just within the fleeting dialogue we had recalled a bunch of great examples where small scale connectivity in the city helps create vibrant pedestrian networks. Airbridges at PWC, Takutai Square, Cross Street, connecting arcades in Queens Arcade, Midcity... all to varying degrees of success.

@bobbshen how interesting! You could also look at aerial spaces such as sky walks between buildings eg. Downtown and PWC building
— Melanie Taylor (@citysituated) April 22, 2013

Campus

So a bit of exciting news came through yesterday that the community at the University of Auckland was keenly waiting upon (at least for those who are clued on about their university). The university confirmed that they will be acquiring the old Lions Breweries site, a nice chunk of land still central in the bustling Newmarket. It gives so much opportunity for a fresh campus with high quality 21st century design. It may also mix up the configuration of departments across the campuses.

The university has a mix of building types at the moment. Clocktower and the buildings around it are the oldest, then the monumental modernist buildings (such as the science building), merging with the New Brutalist style (architecture building) and then some contemporary (the new part of engineering, Owen Glenn Building). The newest building to date I believe is the medical building at Grafton Campus, a pretty fresh design by Jasmax

The new medical school building which won an NZIA Award.

There is also talk of the university consolidating its landholdings toward the central campuses rather than having ones as flung out and disconnected as Tamaki Campus. With more connection to central facilities, hopefully there is more of a student culture around the wider university precinct.

Model1

Site model of a part of Balmoral, focusing on the back area behind Capitol Cinema and Warehouse building. Warehouse and rear buildings not in yet. 1 : 200 scale. 

Even with this partially completed site model, the typology of buildings next to the intersection at Balmoral can be seen. The straight edge frontage on Dominion Road, the joined shops all stretching back to various degrees. The largest building at Balmoral shops is the Capitol Cinema, the large one in the centre. Off to the extreme left, the row of shops end to the landscaped corner of the large Balmoral-Dominion Road intersection opposite Potter's Park.

Around the back, the staggered formation of buildings and for some of them, their patched together nature, can be felt. Admittedly, there are yet more little shacks attached to the ends of some of the second storey levels and in real life, cars fill up most of the indented spaces.

To the right hand side of the Capitol Cinema, a tiny shop was plugged in between  the heritage cinema and the Ngaire Chambers (modeled with its facade siloheutte). To the left of the cinema, there is a space like an alleyway closed off from the street with a poster ridden gate. I've left it open, perhaps a way for me to establish a connection between these interesting back spaces and the mainstreet. It also has a vertical nature.

The Unitary Plan lists Balmoral as one of the 'historic character – business’ zones. In light of future intensification, the local centre zoning also allows for up to four storeys (currently most are two storey, Capitol may be considered three) with residential units allowed on the top stories (which is what Balmoral has already). Great opportunities with the air space around these buildings but need to keep thinking about the 'historic character' of the architecture that makes Balmoral so urban and distinctive.

In terms of memory (one of the main themes of my thesis), a friend commented in studio that he knows that space between Capitol and Warehouse very well... apparently he goes there to get cardboard boxes! For others, this space is their home street, you can see by the amount of colourful laundry hanging on stair railings.

I'll be posting more about this model as it evolves - eventually I'll be adding some designed elements to it to explore what could happen in this space. I'm also looking forward to the Taniwha and Chinese Festival next Saturday (27th April) which will see a pōwhiri between Maori and Chinese. Thanks @NZBC88 for the heads up.

Balmoral

Balmoral, Auckland has some great hidden spaces around its heritage architecture.

Capitol Cinema

Although humble in scale and ornament, Balmoral contains a whole heap of heritage architecture that speaks of a semi-urban condition. Most of the buildings are 2 storey with residential uses often on top. In recent times there are some which have become commercial too, with doors leading up a long flight of stairs to some great eateries (eg Gogo Music Cafe, My Kitchen)

Ngaire Chambers

Balmoral maintains a strong flat frontage to Dominion Road. A part of its character, but it also leaves little room for variety or on street usage. The heritage front is accompanied by a rather messy feeling, haphazard back end - there are strong service lanes on both sides of Dominion Road with some very interesting spaces.

The buildings have changed from use to use over the years - the most valued heritage building, the Capitol Cinema, went from a theatre to what is now part theatre, part climbing wall and mah-jong hall, to name a few. The service lane doubles as a residential mini-street with laundry hanging, people meeting and talking. The Warehouse orientates itself to utilise the service lane too, making a more Asian street feeling, multipurpose space than the mainstreet. I've no doubt I'll be making use of these spaces in my project as much as the street front.

Behind the row of shops, a condition very different from the street front.

13

13 Rooms - the 27th Kaldor Public Art Project

13 Rooms is a collection of 'living sculpture', the 27th Kaldor Public Art Project. Is this performance art?  It has vibes of buskers on Queen St or Amanda Palmer's 8-foot bride but in the distilled gallery environment, these pieces confuse and confront. I love the ideas embedded in this variety of work.

Making a statement on the archetypal 'high art' plinth.

One of the curators, Klaus Biesenbach, talks about how you are compelled to think certain pieces are merely video installations, or a tricky projection, or perhaps a life-like model. Once you enter the room, you are faced with a live human. Art has too often taken the representation path. The realness of 13 Rooms is so much more engaging.

It is only on for 11 days so make sure you get in quick if you're in Sydney. It's free too! Probably only on for a week because of all the staffing - they really made the effort.

Concept

Milestone - Concept Crit

Yesterday was the first public showing of the theses, the concept crit. Chiefly to convey the main idea and the project within that idea, it was a brief encounter with critics that can give a real impression of what the thesis means to other people.

Drawing of my great-grandfather's house in section (cut in half)

Thankfully after my rather haphazard presentation (need more clarity in what my points are - hard because I'm still not entirely convinced as to what they are), one of the critics picked up on exactly what I had in mind. Taking the essence of Chinese culture into the existing streetscape at Balmoral, utilising the backstreets and making connections where they might not exist. Something about that communal street architecture is exciting and has relevance to the way Balmoral has developed traditionally.

Balmoral is a different playing field now. The project isn't about erasing the past (including the charming heritage feel of Balmoral), but working into the existing fabric of the street to enliven it - better moments throughout the space. If you look at it now, it's rather linear: strip median, road, kerb footpath, shopfronts for miles.

So let me know if you know of any interesting spaces in Balmoral, around, at the back of, within buildings!

Memory

Drawing from memory - my ancestral house.  Fine brick work and tiling, simple but considered spaces and thresholds.

Genesis

Thesis topic
Beckoning to the Homeland: Drawing upon Chinese Roots in the Auckland Context.

Critical question
What significance has architectural examples that 'beckon to the homeland' have to Chinese (particularly their ancestral roots - the commonality of all Chinese) in Auckland?

Where did this thesis topic come from? Initially it was my curiosity of my family's ancestral roots which drove me to think about these issues. Then I did a two design papers about culture in an architectural standpoint and realised that it is a rich thing to explore. The topic still needs more clarity and as I work more on it and critically think about what I want to focus on, I think it will become a lot more 'doable'.

Have you ever thought about your own roots? Which is the earliest ancestor you know of? Where did you ancestors come from? What rituals/traditions have been retained from their time up until today as you continue practicing them? This thesis raises these issues whilst working on it - the crux of it is, what is the role of this 'culture' here in Auckland, the multicultural mixing pot?

With increasing emphasis put on the multicultural (including within legislation), and various manifestations of different cultures around the city, there is still very little on why it happened and where it could develop as a public space - a communal space.