Modular Architecture - Initial Thoughts

Week 5 – tutorial experiences

My thoughts on Modular Architecture:

I believe that modular architecture is becoming more and more relevant in our society. As cities are become more dense, we turn to economic, cheap, and space saving ways of living. It has also become a quirky, alternative form of Architecture that is new and exciting.  I have designed a house which can be moved with my father, and I really enjoyed the challenges of space finding and sizing constraints. 

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The wrong built form for Howard Smith Wharves,

·         Another wharf

·         Another bridge

·         Something to disrupt the flow of traffic

·         A church

·         A car park

·         A silly monument (the big pineapple)

·         Factory

·         A shopping centre

Right built form for the site,

·         Bar

·         Learning centre

·         Gym

·         Cultural buildings

Draw backs of modular architecture,

·         Appropriate space allocation

·         Stigma surrounding this type of design

·         Temporary good/bad feel

·         What do you do with the waste?

·         Cool place “feel” not just a donga on the site

·         Hard to assemble and get to the site

·         Technology has not caught up with modular ideas + wants in design. Can ideas be fully realised.

Strengths of the modular approach,

·         Can accept to change in societies function, moving around + using space

·         Cost, size. Initial costs should be expensive but running costs should be low.

·         Can be recycled, ease of change of built form.

·         Catalogue ease

Values of My Folie (Peer Review)

·         The form should be explored in the next assignment to expand the qualities already portrayed.

·         Needs more function, what else can we use this building for?

·         Height is something that I could work with in my next assignment. Maybe move the building site to the cliffs for a base to climb.

·         Could change platforms into pods which could be inhabited.

Values of the Site (Peer Discussion)

·         Views

·         Public thoroughfare

·         Historic values

·         Open spaces

·         Rock climbing

·         Vessel for travel between pedestrians and cyclists

·         Could be changed to make a fantastic grassy area, opposite Kangaroo Point with connections to the Botanical Gardens and New Farm Park.

·         Place to Exercise and walk dogs

Need to revisit and expand upon contextual, geographical and social issues investigated in my Folie Project.

·         Site (what draws the users to perform the function/s)

·         Users (who, when)

·         Urban/ suburban & regional relationships (why do people want to go there, what relationships are evidence and relate to the site)

·         Multiple Uses (function, users doing what at and for what reason)

·         Modular Architecture (how it can relate to my function)

·         Elements

o   Height

o   Flood Height connection

o   Stability

o   Materials