Think global, act local.
Introducing the
Place Responsive
Design Method
for urban resilience.
Nyasha
Harper-Michon
27-8-19
M4 thesis
project
#archtivism
Think global, Act local
Introducing the Place Responsive Design Method
to foster urban resilience.
Nyasha Harper-Michon
Mentor
Marta M Roy Torecilla
Graduation Committee Members
Chris Noteboom
Jo Barnett
External Committee Members
Bastiaan Jongerius
Jan van Grunsven
Academy of Architecture Amsterdam
Masters Thesis Project
contents
introduction
place responsive
design method
the brief
the place responsive brief
the case studies
PRDM data & triggers
comparative study
drawings & visuals
curating the work
acknowledgement
7
17
27
37
55
57
71
97
137
149
Introduction
Striving for a world where
the
building industry positively impacts
#archtivism:
what is it?
#archtivism is a
contemporary movement
that strives for a world
where the building industry
positively impacts our society,
#architivism aims to facilitate the
transition to global urban resilience
by offering tools, starting with the
Place Responsive Design Method,
to empower actors of the built
environment to become
Three effects of globalisation & capitalism
on architectural design & production:
- Global homogeneity and standardisation due to desire
to cut short-term costs and time - tendency to lead
to poor quality buildings and erosion of place identity
- Prevalent “ecstasy of newness”
1and iconism due
to individualism - tendency to lead to shallow ego-centric
designs that disregard for tradition and context
- Architectural production and a building industry that
pollutes and damages the environment.
#archtivism:
Tackling the challenges of the globalisation era
39%
36%
global final energy use
energy-related carbon dioxide emissions
source: United Nations - The Global Status Report 2017
As of now, the building industry is highly pollutive
and damaging to the environment.
Buildings and construction account
for 36% of global final energy use
and 39% of energy-related
carbon dioxide emissions
2#archtivism:
The Place Responsive Design Method
is a universal three step tool applicable
to any brief or site worldwide
that aims to tackle the challenges
of the globalisation era
and foster urban resilience.
There is no
There is no
place
responsive
design method
universal method, unique resilient designs
A tool for the greater architectural community
to foster resilient sustainable cities and sustain
place identity.
place responsive design method:
the three pillars of place
1
2
3
PLACE
PLACE
The three pillars are to be investigated when
starting a new project. Analysing these different elements will help to determine the building’s positioning, form, materiality, structure, relation to its surroundings etc. while anchoring it in its context.
Three pillars of Place
Three pillars of Place
& the Place Responsive Design Checklist
1
ENVIRONMENT
Site characteristics • Geographical location• Site boundaries and buildings with party walls • Neighbouring buildings: distances, heights, uses
Topography & Geology • Topography: contours
• Underlying geology and thicknesses • Soil types and depths
Water
• Existing water bodies: variation and purity • Drainage on site: natural and man-made • Water table
• Water supply
Climate • Regional Climate
• Solar exposition: sun angles, shading, cloudiness • Wind patterns: prevailing direction and strength, shelter and exposure, local breezes
• Precipitation: rainfall, snowfall • Air quality
• Natural disaster/issues: flooding, landslides, hurricanes etc.
Infrastructure
• Circulation Networks: roads, sidewalks, pathways, • Accessibility to site
• Infrastructural lines: electricity, drainage, telephone, sub-stations, sewage
Ecology
• Local flora and fauna - prevalence, relative stability and vulnerability
• Vegetation and Trees: positioning, species and quality and health
• Biodiversity goals in the region
• Local examples to foster biodiversity in the region
Sensory Properties and Qualities • Visual spaces and their quality
• Neighbours: openings and visibility onto site • Views, sight-lines and focal points • Quality of light, sound and smell: air and noise pollution issues
2
SOCIETY
Local user population• Statistics - Population, Composition, Pattern of change • Socio-economic structure
Behaviour, Habits & Uses • How locals use space in the area • How locals use similar program Past, Present & Future
• History development of site and neighbourhood • Historical typologies & architecture related to program • Present usage
• Future intentions for the site
Psychological relationship to the site • Local mental relationship with the site • Symbolic meanings attached to the site • Hopes, fears, wishes or preferences
Legal restrictions and constraints • Ownership and rights
• Building code Legal restrictions
3
ECONOMY
Materials & Construction practices • Prevalent construction practices • Local materials
• Local construction practices
Craftsmanship • Local craftsmanship
Two ways to acquire information: Through a site visit where you use your own observations and senses and a desktop study to gather complimentary and statistical data
place responsive design method:
work flow
A simple universal method empowering architects
to combine their unique artistic voice with that of the place or site,
leading to unique resilient designs.
architect
place
Resilient
Design
Place responsive design method:
Work flow
DATA
DESIGN TRIGGERS
Interpret the information
and make pre-design
responses or ‘design
triggers’ for the (sub)
category of the PRDM to
determine implications for
design
Collect data and
information for place/
site/context conditions
and classify based on
(non exhaustive) PRDM
checklist
Designer’s interpretation -
using personal vocabulary and
PLACE DIAGRAM
Create a hierarchy of the design
triggers that are most important
for this proposal. Let your creative
juices flow to create a cohesive
design routed in its context.
for a healthy
society
economy
for a healthy
society
economy
the brief
kum
ba
live.
share.
connect.
three different sites in the world
Kumba is a global co-living chain for starters
fostering human interaction and connections
through the combination of private bedrooms
and unique communal amenities and experiences.
costs & time
efficiency/optimisation consistent
user & brand experience
Individual house meets collective housing for a healthy, social and urban place for starters, aged 25-35, to call home
bedroom with bathroom
private
lounge / working space restaurant kitchen living space public semi-private
the brief:
Kumba co-living, between private & public
25-30%
20-25%
8-10%
Bicycle/Car parking: Public
Gym, Games room & Event spaces:
Public Exterior Space (Garden/Roof Terrace):
Semi-public & Public
Lounge & Restaurant: Public
Laundrette: Semi-public Shared Kitchen & Living room: Semi-private Rooms (80-100):
Private
the brief:
Kumba going global
Different parts of the world - different
continents
Cities that have played an important
role in my life Sites undergoing urban renewal, gentrification and/ or subject to homogeneous
global architecture
A choice of three sites across the globe,
undergoing urban renewal and in cities
that have played an important role in my life.
kum
ba
Three new locations with Kumba’s
signature style with a local twist.
Paris
Port of Spain
Washington DC
Paris
Dense urban fabric within the Quartier de la Chapelle in the 18th district in Paris
In the Newtown neighbourhood on the edge of Port-of-Spain’s largest park: ‘Queen’s Park Savannah’
Grid urban fabric within the Logan/ Shaw neighbourhood of Washington DC
the brief:
the sites
1:2000 1:2000
•
581 m2 footprint•
Includes existing buildings•
Site within the dense urban fabric along narrow street•
556 m2 footprint•
Between city and parkethics
before
ethics
before
kum
ba
pod
the place
responsive
brief
Reinterpreting the brief through the place responsive lens -
coupling a standardised global design with localness in a
sustainable manner through digitalisation.
The case studies
Place responsive brief
45-50%
private
rooms remaining program
45-50% 25-30% 20-25% 8-10% 25-30% 20-25% 8-10%
+
+
Standardized same at each siteBrief
Unique according to place
Creating a business model that takes the benefits of the local
and the global for a smarter design.
private :
Technical and closed functions needed to live Space to live
(host space for pod) Separate the technical and closed
functions of the room from the space
needed to live
A concept that allows for a standardised global design
to be coupled with localness in a sustainable manner
through digitalisation.
A simple and functional concept that explores
minimising the footprint and maximising the quality of life
to address the increasingly limited space available for urban living as
urban populations worldwide are growing at lightning speeds.
18mm
kum
ba
pod
open source digital design of the pod that features all
cutting files
sheet material for the pod depends on the location
and availability
files are sent to the CNC laser cutter to cut the
parts of the pod
all the parts are now ready to be dry assembled following the
assembly manual
dry assembly can be done on or off site depending
on feasibility
once dry assembled and installations integrated, the pod is ready for use
Process: from the digital design to physical Pod
•
Digital design eliminating freight transportation and related emissions•
Simple design enabling flexibility and future-proofing•
Dry assembly optimising time efficiency & allowing for cheaper unskilled labour•
Opportunity to use local materials supporting local economyThe benefits of such a building method
the case studies
kum
ba
pod
the case studies:
Place Responsive Kumba Pod
The Kumba pod answers the client’s
budgetary and scalability demands,
creating a strong customer
and brand experience
anywhere in the world
through a local sustainable
Acoustic insulation
Electrical cabling
Kumba Pod exploded axon
the case studies:
kum
ba
pod
Kumba pod Chair design by Leo Salom
for Monstrans
the case studies:
kum
ba
pod
Section
the case studies:
Plan Pod containing all services
min.
min.
Flexible space left over to live - to relax, work, loungethe case studies:
for a resilient
& Sustainable
built environment
for a resilient
& Sustainable
built environment
the case stud es
Demonstrating the Place Responsive Design Method’s ability
to empower architects to create sustainable and resilient designs.
Washington
d.c. USA
Port of Spain
t&t
Paris
Fr
the case stud es
prdm data & triggers
The following pages are a comparative study of the three case studies
to identify how the Place Responsive Design Method
helped to create unique sustainable and resilient designs.
Washington
d.c. USA
port of Spain
t&t
Paris
fr
the case studies
prdm study excerpt
The following pages feature excerpts from the book above
which compiles all the research/date from the Place Responsive
Design Method checklist as well as design triggers that instructed
the case studies
prdm study excerpt
the case studies
prdm study excerpt
the case studies
prdm study excerpt
the case studies
prdm data & design triggers - examples
In order to create shaded interiors and reduce the solar gain indoors, the floor plate to create large overhangs that can have planters to additionally decrease heat gain.
Great solar exposition for the incorporation of photovoltaic panels on the roof to enable the use of solar energy.
Solar Panels
Overhangs
& Terraces
port of Spain, trinidad & Tobago
Continue on to see how the idea of the planted overhang terraces
and green roof to reduce heat gain comes back in the final design.
the case studies
prdm data & design triggers - examples
The planted terraces create pleasant exterior spaces for residents to rest and offer a nice view from within the building. Green/blue roof can also be incorporated in the design to lower the temperature of the building and store rainwater.
Green/Blue roof
Planted terraces
Climate (Köppen) - Tropical Savannah (wet and dry) Dry Season (January to May) |
Rainy Season (June to December)
statistics: https://www.weather-atlas.com - Paris, Port-of-Spain, Washington DC icons: nounproject.com, by linseed studio
source: nounproject.com, icon created by adrien coquet
statistics: https://www.weather-atlas.com - Paris, Port-of-Spain, Washington DC
Average sunlight hours per day
Sun angle
Average High Temperatures
June Solstice March/September Equinox December Solstice 105° 80° 56°
Climate
1 3
2
Incorporate the existing community garden into the design
1. public - especially for the neighbours
2. semi-public - courtyard for residents/visitors 3. semi-private - garden for residents
Keeping and enhancing the existing community garden. Taking the fence away to open up the garden to the street and connect it to the building. Using the open spaces as a sequence of space from public to private within the housing complex.
Courtyard
and gardens
Routing through the courtyards
from public to private
the case studies
prdm data & design triggers - examples
Paris, France
Continue on to see how the idea of the collective garden extending
vertically connecting the building to its urban and social context
comes back in the final design.
Residents take ownership of the inner courtyards of their buildings by adding potted plants to add to the liveliness of the space. The space however serves more as a backdrop or decor to be seen from one’s window as opposed to a space to be used directly by the inhabitants.
Inner Courtyards
Greening the street
public progr am
Community garden run by an association of local residents where they come together weekly to plant vegetables and garden. The vegetable garden is greatly appreciated by neighbouring residents.
Community Garden
the case studies
prdm data & design triggers - examples
Behaviour, Habits & Uses
Bridges aligned with the street facade create exterior spaces for the residents and additional planting surfaces to optimise the capacity for growing produce. Connection between the
community garden and the public program as well as with the street and urban context.
Vertical farming
& gardens
Connecting the
community garden
with greater social
& urban context
01
02 03
the case studies
prdm data & design triggers - examples
Washington d.c., United states
Breaking the S street facade into smaller sections to match residential and plot proportions will help the building to be well integrated into the neighbourhood.Matching residential proportions
Continue on to see how the idea of dividing the facade
into residential proportions and create a public front garden
comes back in the final design.
the case studies
prdm data & design triggers - examples
S street facade view from 14th street
view from S street
Making setbacks is a way to diminish the scale of the building and bring it down to the scale of the neighbourhood.
Just as the row houses have a front garden, incorporating a planted area in the front of the building, that in this case is accessible to the public, connects
Subtle divisions
Front garden
Continue on to see how the idea of dividing the facade
into residential proportions and create a public front garden
comes back in the final design.
kumba Washington d.c., USA
kumba port of Spain, t&t
Kumba Paris, fr
place diagram place diagram place diagram
the case studies:
typical floor typical floor
CONCEPT: COURTYARD LIVING
CONCEPT:
LIVING IN THE SAVANNAH
CONCEPT:
The following pages are a comparative study of the three case studies
to identify how the Place Responsive Design Method
helped to create unique sustainable and resilient designs.
The following themes that make up urban resilience will be used to
compare the projects:
local Economy & Materiality (economy)
Healthy Living (social)
1
2
the case stud es
comparative study
Washington
d.c. USA
port of Spain
t&t
Paris
fr
Kumba: Paris
Petrified wood chips used for the insulation between upper and lower pod parts. Scots Pine wood
(pin sylvestre) - Plywood Insulation
Kumba: Washington DC
Sawdust generated from CLT construction will be used for wood pellet production
Oriented strand board OSB
Coconut Fibre Board
from up-cycled coconut coir
As coconut coir is usually seen as waste, the processing
and use of such a product not only dramatically decreases
the carbon footprint but also enriches the lives
of local coconut producers.
The husks are separated from the coconut and refined into small particle and short fibres, easily done through dry hammer milling. The fibres are then hot pressed into boards without the need for additional binders.
Coconut Fibre Board
from up-cycled coconut coir
Coconut fibre provides excellent
thermal and acoustic insulation
and due to auto-adhesive
properties derived from its intrinsic
high lignin content, no additional
binders are needed
to make the boards.
local Economy & Materiality (economy)
Local materials and resources used for the structure
Load bearing calcium silicate or sand-lime blocks/bricks are used for the party walls
North view South view
Existing load bearing walls and new steel construction
S
W
N
E
Local materials and resources used for the structure
The concrete used in this project includes recycled concrete from demolished buildings in the city.
Trinidad is located above an active earthquake zone. It is not an extremely hot zone for
earthquakes of great magnitude but
earthquakes usually of low magnitudes do hit the island fairly regularly.
Constructions therefore need to be earthquake resistant. The local practice is to use reinforced structural concrete.
The lack of load bearing walls in
North view
Earthquake resistant structural concrete
Did you know?
50% of a tree’s mass is carbon
1.8mt CO2 stored in 1 metric ton of timber
South side
Wall between adjacent construction
Bracing
Using sustainably sourced timber for this CLT construction reduces the carbon footprint of the project and minimises waste as the parts are prefabricated and easy to assemble on site.
Low carbon Cross Laminated Timber structure
harvesting pre-fabrication delivery to site assembly
This Cross Laminated Timber structure
made from locally sourced softwood
is a low-carbon building material that
allows for quick construction.
Future-proofing the structure:
CLT walls that can be removed and replaced by column and beam system with bracing if the function of the building changes to allow for more flexibility
Structural concrete base to support
local Economy & Materiality (economy)
Local materials and resources used for the facade
Reference to the ornamental balcony railing as a historical typology in Hausmannian architecture investigated during the historical study.
Rammed earth used for the street side facade of the new constructions. Each year over 20 million tons of soil is excavated in
the Paris greater area to clear the way for the Paris metro network. We can see this not as demolition debris but as material to be in new construction.
The earth excavated to make way for the underground works
for the metro network in the greater Paris area offers an opportunity
to make use of a sustainable material that is regarded as waste
and could not get more local than the earth under our feet.
Courtyard approach
• private spaces towards the street
• circulation on the ends of the courtyard
• shared spaces around the courtyard
N
S
W
E
Private rooms Shared spaces Public Circulation
Healthy Living (social)
Inner courtyards are very common in the Parisian urban fabric and are spaces shared by the residents of the building. This thus inspired the zoning of the Kumba building in Paris where the shared spaces are centred around the atrium courtyard that is the beating heart of the project.
existing buildings
Courtyard
2 buildings & edge approach
• entrance to the private quarters through the shared kitchen
• circulation outside between the two building
• separate building for the public and other shared spaces
N
S
W
E
Programming and Organisation
Prominent exterior circulation to incite
residents to be more active and choose the elevator as a second option
The planted terraces create nice spaces for residents to rest and offer a nice view from within the building.
Inspired by the edge of the Savannah, the place under the trees where people
Planted terraces
Edge
Inner Street Approach
• private rooms on the north side • circulation through the centre • shared spaces on the south side
S
W
A design that uses local street-life as
inspiration for the inner horizontal
circulation fostering interactions
between residents.
Scenes of street life in the 14th street area
The vibrant street-life in the 14th street area inspires the inner Kumba street with a shifting border between inside and outside where various activities
can take place
Vibrant Street-life
N
E
To battle obesity, an inviting and
prominent staircase with ample daylight placed in front of the elevator encourages residents to be more active and choose the healthier option.
Obesity between 10-25%
a selection of the local flora and fauna to be incorporated into the design
Conservation of environmental assets (ecology)
Supporting local ecosystem and biodiversity
The Queen’s Park
Savannah - Port of Spain’s largest park is considered the lungs of the city
Bridging the gap between city and park - incorporating nature into the built environment
The lungs of the city
Bronze Anole aloe vera hibiscus lemon-grass heliconia Great Kiskadee Copper rumped hummingbird Tufted Coquette Hummingbird White peacock
www.sustainabledc.org 107 URBAN HEAT ISLAND IN THE DISTRICT
Supporting local ecosystem and biodiversity
Many parts of DC are peppered with large tree. Many residents consider the city to be a green city. This is less the case in the built up area in which the site is located but by adding more plants to the buildings in this part of the city, we can go from concrete jungle to urban jungle.
Green and Urban heat
silver spotted skipper carolina chickadee swamp milkweed butterfly weed Early Goldenrod Witchhazel Highbush Blueberry Cerulean Warbler Scarlet Tanager
a selection of the local flora and fauna to be incorporated into the design
DC urban heat map
Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus)
Kumba: Washington DC
clematis blue tit common black bird pipistrelle bat chaffinch cercopis vulnerata honeysuckle meadow sage heart-of-the-earth a selection of the local flora and fauna to be incorporated into the design
The courtyard is a space shared by residents of different buildings. In existing courtyards in the area, residents have placed potted plants feeling the need to ‘beauty’ the communal areas. This project takes this idea further and creates a vertical garden shared both physically and visually with the neighbourhood.
Appropriating spaces & buffer zones
While empty, the plot was used as a community garden for the neighbourhood. This community garden is incorporated into the design in a vertical urban farm on the south side of the building.
Community Plot
Incorporating the existing green spaces and community spirit
by placing a vertical vegetable garden as a permeable green border
between the courtyards that encourages neighbourly relations
and adds to quality of life for all creatures.
Covering the courtyard reduces the exterior facade of the building making it more energy efficient. The stack effect is the ventilation model that is most appropriate for this building. During the spring and autumn months the air from the outside can be used to provide heating or cooling within the building. wind rose Covered courtyard Atrium
N
S
W
E
Kumba: Paris
As the dominant wind direction is from the south, it is important to orientate the building structure north-south to allow cross-ventilation.
The natural cross ventilation should be exploited especially during the spring and autumn time when bringing in air from outside that is either cooler or warmer than the indoor temperature can be a significant alternative to mechanical HVAC.
wind rose
south
Cross ventilation & natural HVAC
N
S
W
E
Kumba: Washington DC
Designing the plan based on the prevailing wind direction to allow for cross ventilation
Open and airy
circulation for a breezy and comfortable ‘indoor’ climate
Wind rose
33°C
N
S
W
E
CO
228°C
O
2Using the natural resources to reduce cooling needs,
save energy and provide a comfortable indoor environment.
the case stud es
drawings & visuals
Washington
d.c. USA
port of Spain
t&t
Paris
Fr
Explore the different atmospheres of the three Kumba buildings
through the drawings and visuals on the following pages.
PARIS, FR
Paris Kumba experience:
Inviting you to penetrate
into the courtyards of the urban
city blocks of Paris and discover
a vibrant inner world
between old and new that
embraces community spirit
and fosters connections.
Paris Kumba experience:
The charm of an existing
Parisian apartment
building with its exposed
brick walls, views of
Montmartre and its
plywood KumbaPods.
Facade & section fragment
Port of Spain
Kumba experience:
Bringing the Savannah, the
lungs of the city, as well as its
collective qualities on the site
for a green and community-rich
place to call home.
Port of Spain Kumba experience:
Blurring the lines between inside and
outside for a lush and breezy tropical
lifestyle featuring rooms with unique
coconut fibre board KumbaPods.
Facade & section fragment
DC Kumba experience:
Explore the city grid extended
vertically into the building
creating a vertical village with
a network of inner streets that
DC Kumba experience:
Enjoy our own light-
filled space, with its OSB
KumbaPods, that seems
to get even larger when
windows are opened
and the room extends
out towards the city.
Facade & section fragment
#archtivism
#archtivism
#archtivism
#archtivism
Curating
the work
I like to think that a presentation of a
given work is only complete when the
environment in which it is given is a
vehicle to convey the message.
Curation is therefore a critical part of all
the work that I do.
In the following pages, I invite you to
discover the first #archtivism exhibition
that took place on the 27th of August
2019 at the Academy of Architecture
Amsterdam.
acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to give a special thanks to my graduation committee: Marta M Roy Torecilla, Chris Noteboom and Jo Barnett. Thank you Marta, for indulging my weekly meetings to your office on Thursday evenings and for your unwavering belief in me and my ideas. You pushed me to go beyond my comfort zone and I am ever so grateful for your guidance and support from day one to the final stage of this process. Chris, thank you for our fruitful meetings at Circl and for sharing your knowledge of structural engineering with me, making the project all the more sound and grounded in reality. Jo, thank you for challenging me during the process and helping me to understand the direction in which I would like to go as a designer. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the following people for brainstorm sessions, insights, references, facts and figures, challenging conversations and support: Mark Raymond, Enny Breure, Ayana Harper, Andrew Manswell, Elise Laurent, Jakub Jekiel, Sean Leonard, Jan-Richard Kikkert, Jo-Ann Murell, Philomene van der Vliet, Vibeke Gieskes, Jan van Grunsven, Bastiaan Jongerius and Philippe Sarfati.
I want to acknowledge my colleagues at OIII Architecten. Thank you all for your encouragement and support. Thank you Maarten Sanders for your patience and understanding. I would also like to thank Kitty Luiken, as you played an important role in the development of my detailing and structural skills during the course of my academic career - thank you for taking the time to pass on your knowledge and for coming to the final presentation to support me.
In addition, I would like to acknowledge the Academy of Architecture Amsterdam and all my ‘invisible’ mentors, those that I did not meet with in person but through books, articles, blog posts and images who inspired this work and guided me through this challenging yet exciting year.
I would like to thank my family for always believing in me. I want to acknowledge my wife, Gwendoline, in particular, who is my biggest supporter. Your unfaltering encouragement and belief in me has played a vital role in this project and in all that I do. Thank you for the long hours, your openness, your dedication, your challenging questions and your patience.
Without all of you, #archtivism would not have been possible. I am extremely grateful and wholeheartedly thank you.
