Experiment 2 - The Light Rail Station

Week One -  The Concepts 

The Background Information

The Light Rail is coming to UNSW. There will be two stops at the Kensington campus; the Lower Campus stop on Anzac Parade will be located adjacent to the main pedestrian entrance at ‘University Mall’. Choose an architectural concept that was created, developed or challenged by each of the two Architects chosen by your tutor. Use one of these concepts to create a light rail stop that addresses one of the following three themes 1) technology, 2) sustainability, 3) the multicultural students and staff who study or work at UNSW. Use the second concept to help situate the light rail stop within its urban context.

The Chosen Architects 

Le Corbusier - Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier was an architect, designer, painter, writer, and one of the pioneers of modern architecture. His career spanned five decades and he designed buildings in Europe, Japan, India, and North and South America. Dedicated to providing better living conditions for the residents of crowded cities, Le Corbusier was influential in urban planning, and was a founding member of the Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) ( referenced to a snapshot provided through wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Corbusier). 

Servo Stockholm - servo stockholm is a design collaborative invested in the development of architectural environments integrating synthetic ecologies with shifting material states and electronic information infrastructures. Servo seeks to explore the potential of networks as a way of organising the practice and as a site of architectural research ( referenced to a snapshot provided through company's website, http://www.servo-stockholm.com/index.php?/project/servo/)

The Concepts of the architects 

Le Corbusier

1. Modernism: Le Corbusiers architecture consists of geometric, simplistic structures which emphasise form over embellishment.
2. Horizon and Infinity: There is a strong relationship between outside and inside environments. Corbusier’s architecture emphasises the horizon
3. The Occupant: Le Corbusier’s Architecture consists of a series of folding views which encompass and celebrate the movements of the body. 
4. Structure: He raises buildings on “pilotis,” freeing the walls of their structural function. The structure features flat roofs with roof gardens, replacing the ground space that is occupied by the building.
5. Light: The horizontal ribbon window that wraps around his buildings lights rooms evenly and re-emphasises the horizon. 

Servo Stockholm

1. Technology: Integrating synthetic ecologies with shifting material states and electronic information infrastructures.
2. The Organic: Use of biomimicry; many of Servo's designs feature organic facades and structural elements. 
3. Form: The detailed technological elements are arranged harmoniously to construct indoor and outdoor environments. 
4. Relationships between the physical and technological: spatial interface between physical structures and global information flows.
5. Unconventional Combinations: Combining complex technologies with analogue materials and techniques of fabrication to create unique aesthetic and functional qualities. 

Experimenting with the artisan tool

The end result gave me a draft initial idea for the structure of the light rail roof. The roof could possibly be curved as if it were a dome, however due to this smooth tool the surface of the dome like structure would be much smoother and elegant. 

I decided to choose this axonometric as there was a spatial arrangement already formed, where the bottom level being sheltered by the second rectangle could be reflective of where the light rail could pass and make it's stop.This axonometric would definitely be a great starting point to the final design. 

The Axonometric's

Chosen Concepts

Le Corbusier -  The Occupant: Le Corbusier’s Architecture consists of a series of folding views which encompass and celebrate the movements of the body. 

Servo Stockholm -  Form: The detailed technological elements are arranged harmoniously to construct indoor and outdoor environments. 

Le Corbusier - these axonometrics consist of four intersections, reflective of Le Corbusier's concept of folding views. The four intersections are designed to overlay and provide different views of various points or single points. The rectangles intersect at 4 locations and overlap each other which creates a freedom of movement between different points and paths, rather than a single path. 

Servo Stockholm - these axonometrics focus on the concept of harmonious living and designing. Servo seeks to 'arrange geometry harmoniously to construct indoor and outdoor environments' and that is the concept of this axonometric. The rectangles are symmetrical and parallel which allows for even distribution of the indoor and outdoor, where the rectangles create natural sheltered areas and openings that could be used by the commuters and the train itself.  

Week Two  - Parallel projections 

The basis of the Light Rail design

The chosen axonometric projection is inspired by Le Corbusier's own work, The Villa Savoye. This project is structurally formed by a set of geometrical shapes and simple curves. A rectangular base with supporting columns is reflected through the axonometric; the bottom rectangles or lower ground supports the connecting higher rectangles and acts like the column for base support.

Week Three - 36 Textures
'From Light to Dark'                                                                  Inspiration

                                                    

Application of textures in model 

I chose to add the whole texture with a filtered element of saturation applied over the whole 12 boxes. This allows for the dark background to be applied to the overall illusionist and brach like textures creating an outline of white lining within the individual boxes whilst blending with the city surroundings and terrain. 

This texture was also applied as a whole, where the lines that seperate the boxes are deliberately in relation to the dome like structure of the light rail station. The darkest elements are on the far most corners and directly alternate to each other being split by the 'express light rail' down the middle. This is to create an element of symmetry, where the texture application relates to the design of the light rail; the 3 lane design being directly divided by the middle express lane.  


















Final Submission

Sketchup model isolated 

Breaking down the main structural and functional elements 

The stairs between the platform of the light rail station and the hallway between the entrance and exit is a simple design that is functional and structural. This staircase uses simple geometry, mainly rectangular, which is relevant and reflective of Le Corbusiers' concept of design in buildings. 

The glass rectangular tunnel acts as the connecting device between the entrance stairs from the university exit near the Tutorial Squarehouse and the platforms of the light rail station

Lumion Rendered Images 

Brief analytical summary of the Light Rail Station: 
- a simple, effective and practical design that allows for easy access to the university campus
- a sociable area as well, with the inclusion of a cafe area and open area just outside the uni side of the light rail station, allowing for a quick conversation between stops
-the inclusion of an express middle lane, allowing for a faster travel time between designated stops of the light rail and causing less passenger congestion