The pattern of urban redevelopment in Docklands has resulted in a series of massive, inwardly focused ‘blocks’ that do not interact with each other, each of which is focused on a single particular use. The result is a neighbourhood without human scale and without a cohesive identity. The ambition is to make a diverse, modular network of insertions that will begin to break down the boundaries of these areas, improving the overall identity and amenity of Docklands.

This project provides the “big question” of Docklands with a small answer. It is, in part, speculative urban design and in part an exploration of the current thinking about pre-fabricated architecture. The question that was asked was not “How can the insertion of a library improve some part of Docklands?”, but rather “How can the library act as a catalyst to solve the Docklands problem?”. This design creates a system that will take on a life of its own, expanding to cover Docklands, creating diverse, human scale spaces that maintain a cohesive identity.

Two rectilinear spirals lock together to create this Object. One is horizontal, planar and pale, locked together at its corners with even fingers. The other; vertical and deep red, creates an implied surface through three smaller spirals which mirror and contrast the former. These two spirals interlock at the centre of the composition, creating a labyrinthine knuckle. At one end, a series of tensioned strings tightly tie the two spirals together, giving the Object physical and aesthetic balance.

I designed and constructed this piece by hand over a semester during my studies at the University of Melbourne.

This project is an exploration of the principles of biomimetics to create positive development in architecture. In this process, the building becomes a natural artifice, a mediatory ecosystem between the man-made world and the natural world.

The biomimetic provides us not only with a way to live, build and learn sustainably, but allows us to plant the seed of sustainability in the mind of the public, so that it might grow into a better future.

The population of Melbourne is growing; Melbourne’s population is projected to grow from 4 to 5 million by 2030, putting pressure on an already strained housing market. With the cancellation of the expansion of the urban growth boundary, this growth will be contained within Melbourne’s existing city limits.

Climate change is an immediate global problem, and Melbourne’s growth makes this problem more pressing. For mitigation: as Melbourne’s energy comes primarily from burning brown coal – one of the highest emitters of green house gasses, Melbourne must decrease is energy use while substituting the brown coal with other, more distributed forms of energy production. A denser inner city can reduce energy demand for heating, as well as create conditions for co and tri generation shared across buildings. Designing greener buildings, which require less energy to heat and cool, further helps mitigation. For adaptation: Less reliance on fossil fuels means a lesser reliance on cars, and a greater reliance of walking, cycling, and public transport, and this means a closer proximity to home, work, shop and play.

This project is an example of the type of densification that would happen under this urban strategy. Three existing narrow shopfronts are retained while the new building fuses to them from behind.

Architecture is frozen music

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Architecture and Music are very similar as diciplines – to practice them requires a discipline, precision, and knowledge of a written code, a code that is used as the instructions to construct the peice of music or architecture.

Conceptually, this building takes inspiration from the Baroque compositional style of the Fugue. These pieces are usually written for piano or organ, with very strict compositional rules. A single musical phrase is introduced and then repeated and imitated in different voices throughout the piece, accompanied by several repeating counterpoint elements. This creates a multi-layered piece that gradually increases in complexity.