learning journal
DESCRIPTION
A portfolio of work from my second year at WSATRANSCRIPT
Learning JournalTom Woodward
1 Measure
2 Sustainable Housing
3 Urban Conditions
4 Figure Ground
5 Anticipatory Field
6 SAWSA
Contents
The following portfolio contains examples of my work from my second year of work at
the Welsh School of Architecture.
Measure
Measure was the first project of second year at the Welsh School of Architecture, conducted over
the Summer break. The brief was to measure a space both objectively, in terms of physical size
and environmental conditions, and subjectively, in terms of the feel of the space. The space I
chose to measure was the upstairs lounge of a converted barn, which was an interesting space
architecturally.
Subjective Measurements
I took ‘subjective’ measurements of the space in the form of photography. As the room has both east and west-facing aspects, the sunlight casts some
dramatic shadows in both the morning and evening of a sunny day. The intention of my photos was to
capture the atmosphere that this created whilst looking at very specific areas within the room, rather
than giving a more broad overview of the space.
“Deep shadows and darkness are essential, because they dim the sharpness of vision, make depth and distance ambiguous, and invite unconscious peripheral vision and tactile fantasy.” Juhani Pallasmaa
Objective Measurements
Along with measuring and drawing plans and sections, I took ‘objective’ measurements of the space related to Herman Hertzberger’s ‘Lesson’s for Students in Architecture’, and Pat Borer’s The Whole House Book’. In this respect I focused on how elements of the design affected its levels of privacy.
SuStainable HouSing
The sustainable housing project was an eight week project, four weeks of which was group work, and four weeks of which was individual
work. The brief was to design a scheme within a site in Cardiff that provided 12 - 15 housing units that were designed with sustainability in mind.
Learning Processes
The concept board on the page opposite expresses the sustainable and cyclical nature of my housing scheme. Through a process of layering, it highlights the diverse and engaging nature of the staircase, on which food is grown and a sustainable society is developed.The two page spreads on the following pages are early perspective drawings from the same housing scheme, which illustrate the varying levels of privacy within the scheme and highlight the stark juxtaposition of materials used in comparison to existing local materials.
pickingcooking
eatingcomposting
plantinggrowingpicking
cookingeating
compostingplantinggrowingpicking
cookingeating
compostingplantinggrowingpicking
cookingpicking
cookingeating
compostingplantinggrowingpicking
cookingeating
‘GreenhouseCirculation’
Housing Scheme Concept BoardAdobe Illustrator
Housing Scheme Perspective From SouthPhotoshop
Housing Scheme Perspective of PlatformPhotoshop
Concepts
These are the drawings I used to explain the fundamental ideas behind my sustainable housing scheme. The scheme is a series of mid-rise towers, connected by a mound of earth that continues the flow of the landscape from the river. Each floor contains one dwelling unit, with the number of bedrooms per unit decreasing, as the floor level increases. This creates generous balcony spaces for each flat as it has a smaller floor area than the flat below. Each tower consists of cantilevered concrete floor slabs that are supported by the two cores of the structure. One of these cores also serves as two of the walls for the circulation space. The other core carries the services for the building. This leaves complete freedom in the remaining design of the floors.
Sectional Layout
Structural Concept
Public/Private
4
3
2
1
Services
Circulation
Public
Semi - Public
Private
Site Perspective
Site Perspective
Continuation of the mound
Details
The building introduces subtle cantilevers that create a dynamic variation within the blocks that removes any element of monotony. Built into the mound is a cafe that caters to cyclists that commute to Cardiff on the Taff trail.
N
10m 1m
Plan, Sections
The plans and sections shown serve to explain the project on both a technical and a subjective level.
All three drawings are hand drawn, before being processed in photoshop. Whilst the plan’s primary function is to serve as a measurable and readable
drawing, the sections express the feel of the spaces, and give some indication of the intention for
inhabitation.
N
A
A
B
B
Section AA, 1:20
Section BB, 1:20
Illustrations
These drawings were principally for illustrating the inhabitation of my space in a three-dimensional
way. The axonometric illustrates how my dwelling unit lies in context to those above and below, and
speculates as to how the spaces would be occupied. It gives some indication on both the exterior and
interior finishes of the building, The interior perspective shows how the large areas
of glazing create seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces, and indicates the
quality of the open plan living space.
Models
Urban Conditions
My final project of the Autumn term was a research project on the town of Pontypridd. My
group’s specific area of research was the land development plan for the region, and therefore
the work aims to communicate the principals of the LDP in a clear and graphically-effective style.
Statistical Representation
Our aim in the project was to produce a series of graphics that communicated statistics and policies in a way that was immediately understandable to anyone, and maintain a sense of coherence through our entire presentation.To this end, we produced a series of keycards detailing the principal statistics of the region. We used simple graphics repeatedly to emphasise the subject on which the statistic was based.Following our statistical representation we produced a large poster indicating the council’s planned response to the statistics, in terms of the primary needs of the population that these statistics expressed.
= 100 residential units
New Unit Distribution
RHONDDA CYNON TAFF: REGIONAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Principal Towns
Strategic Sites
Key Settlements
Pontypridd
Cardiff
Brecon Beacons
North
South
M4 Retail
Mwyndy
Pontypridd
CASE STUDY: MWYNDY/TALBOT GREEN
7 Mwyndy /Talbot Green AreaDwellings (500)Employment (32 hectares)Retail (23,200m2)Leisure (10,000m2)
Countryside Residential Employment
?
Pontypridd
Treforest
Church Village
Llantwit Fardre
Beddau
8 Mins Car
60 Mins Walk
10 Mins Car
70 Mins Walk
PONTYPRIDD PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL EXPANSION SITES
SmallerSettlements
Pontypridd
?
Rail Improvements
= Existing Stations= New Stations= Existing Rail= New rail
TRANSPORT PROPOSALS
C
P
p
c
= 100 residential units
New Unit Distribution
RHONDDA CYNON TAFF: REGIONAL URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Principal Towns
Strategic Sites
Key Settlements
Pontypridd
Cardiff
Brecon Beacons
North
South
M4 Retail
Mwyndy
Pontypridd
CASE STUDY: MWYNDY/TALBOT GREEN
7 Mwyndy /Talbot Green AreaDwellings (500)Employment (32 hectares)Retail (23,200m2)Leisure (10,000m2)
Countryside Residential Employment
?
Pontypridd
Treforest
Church Village
Llantwit Fardre
Beddau
8 Mins Car
60 Mins Walk
10 Mins Car
70 Mins Walk
PONTYPRIDD PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL EXPANSION SITES
SmallerSettlements
Pontypridd
?
Rail Improvements
= Existing Stations= New Stations= Existing Rail= New rail
TRANSPORT PROPOSALS
C
P
p
c
Figure ground
Figure Ground was a 14 week design project that linked in with the last project, Urban Conditions.
The brief was to design an arts centre with an integrated training kitchen in Pontypridd.
ManifestoFigure Ground
TOM WOODWARD
In figure ground I aim to relate to a number of things. First, to the hills. Pontypridd nestles in a fantastic rural setting, but glimpses of the hills are few and far between. I want to design an intervention that allows enjoyment of this surrounding landscape. The site also has a fantastic relationship to the river and Ysangharad Park, and I want my design to also enjoy these features.
I would like to create a building that acts as a catalyst for other building projects in the area. It should not turn its back on the river, but embrace both that side and the high street side of the site plot. It should aim to utilise the abandoned promenade along the back of the shops and encourage use of this promenade by others. The scheme should achieve a feeling of privacy and safety but at the same time be clearly legible and usable as a wholly public building.
The primary function of the building will be an arts centre. The centre should make many forms of art accessible to all, rather than purely those with a strong cultural education. It should provide a diverse range of forms of art, and there should be potential for the community to get involved in arts programs. The architecture should o�er views to relate to the exterior, but in a controlled way and only where appropriate.
The secondary function of the building will be a training kitchen. This should act as another device with which to get the community involved in the centre, and therefore it should be a relatively public space, that relates well to the ‘art’ function of the building. The kitchen should serve a cafe, which should be an inviting space to encourage people to experience the centre.
ManifestoFigure Ground
TOM WOODWARD
In figure ground I aim to relate to a number of things. First, to the hills. Pontypridd nestles in a fantastic rural setting, but glimpses of the hills are few and far between. I want to design an intervention that allows enjoyment of this surrounding landscape. The site also has a fantastic relationship to the river and Ysangharad Park, and I want my design to also enjoy these features.
I would like to create a building that acts as a catalyst for other building projects in the area. It should not turn its back on the river, but embrace both that side and the high street side of the site plot. It should aim to utilise the abandoned promenade along the back of the shops and encourage use of this promenade by others. The scheme should achieve a feeling of privacy and safety but at the same time be clearly legible and usable as a wholly public building.
The primary function of the building will be an arts centre. The centre should make many forms of art accessible to all, rather than purely those with a strong cultural education. It should provide a diverse range of forms of art, and there should be potential for the community to get involved in arts programs. The architecture should o�er views to relate to the exterior, but in a controlled way and only where appropriate.
The secondary function of the building will be a training kitchen. This should act as another device with which to get the community involved in the centre, and therefore it should be a relatively public space, that relates well to the ‘art’ function of the building. The kitchen should serve a cafe, which should be an inviting space to encourage people to experience the centre.
To the Hills
From the outset my scheme was focused on the concept of connecting to the surrounding landscape. Upon entering Pontypridd, the tall
buildings and sloping roads remove the magnificent sight of the surrounding landscape, and I felt this
was an important thing to bring back to Pontypridd, not least because, similar to the New Gallery
designed by SANAA in New York, the views could be used as a device to draw people through the
artwork on show. I set out a manifesto shown opposite which considered how these views should
be dealt with, along with how my scheme should relate to the river, park and high street, which were
all strong features of the site.
Wider Context
Varying Scales
The scheme aimed to cater to a range of types and styles of art, and therefore spaces on a variety of scales were introduced into the scheme. These were all served by a central circulation space that exposed all the galleries visually to the public, without turning the galleries into a thoroughfare. The only exception to this was the Welsh Landscape Gallery, which the public had to walk through to get to the hill viewing gallery. The intention here was to further the public understanding of art; by showing paintings of the hills that the public were ascending the building to see, they would hopefully gain a greater understanding of why people would be driven to produce such pieces of work.The training kitchen is located on the high street, to highlight its presence, whilst the cafe flows from the high street facade through to the large exhibiting space to the rear of the building.
Elevation AA
Section BB
Section CC
Elevation DD
Arts Centre as seen from South West.
Hill Viewing Gallery
Modern Gallery
Welsh Landscape Gallery
Artist in Residence Studios
Administration
Training Kitchen
Cafe
Main Exhibition/Event Space
Mechanical/Plant
Artist in Residence Galleries
Lighting Analysis
Part of the project was to produce a 1:20 scale model of a key space in the arts centre, to study the lighting conditions within that space. I chose
to model the Welsh Landscape Gallery, which sat directly below the hill viewing gallery. In this respect
it was a challenging space to deal with in terms of light, as I had to minimise sunlight entering the
gallery, without impeding the views of the hills in the gallery above. I did this through the use of baffles,
as shown opposite.The model gave me an opportunity to develop one space architecturally in greater depth than
ever before, and through the use of 3D modelling I also had the opportunity to test this space at
night. Along with this the model was useful when combined with a light meter, which meant that I could establish which areas of my space were
receiving the most light, and also whether the light levels were appropriate for use in a gallery.
Lighting StudyFigure Ground
TOM WOODWARD
SEPTEMBER
0900 1000 1100 1200 1300
Original
Update 1
Update 2
DECEMBER
0900 1000 1100 1200 1300
Original
Update 1
Update 2
JUNE
Original
Update 1
Update 2
Update 3
0900 1000 1100 1200 1300
AnticipAtory Field
Anticipatory Field was the final project of second year, and was a ‘vertical studio’, in that second
years and first years worked collaboratively. The brief was to produce a film that investigated
the post-industrial site, and questioned the occupation and future use of these sites.
Film Making
Following a trip to mid-Wales, where we experienced the abandoned lead mines of Cymystwyth and the plateau in Ebbw Vale where the steelworks used to
stand, we produced a film that aimed to question cultural identity. The film questions, through the
eyes of a sheep, whether the nostalgia of the abandoned mines and buildings of Cymystwyth
make it a place worth keeping, and whether through the ‘wiping the slate clean’-approach
towards the redevelopment of Ebbw Vale the town is literally demolishing an important part of its
history.
‘Original piece’ collage
SawSa
Over the course of the year I also ran the architecture society, SAWSA, and as an
organisation we ran a lecture series, featuring a variety of professional speakers and practicioners,
along with running a design competition, life-drawing classes, organising an end of year ball, and representing the student body. The posters
featured in the following pages were made mostly by the committee members in charge of
propaganda.
Lecture Series
We had the pleasure of welcoming some fantastic speakers to the school, all of which were organised
by ourselves. We had a range of practicioners from both small and large practices, along with
academics.
Variety
During the lecture series we hosted a range of speakers. My personal favourite was Jeremy Till,
who gave a spoken version of his book, Architecture Depends. The lecture, like the book, was engaging
and provocative. Andrew Phillips of David Chipperfield gave a
fascinating talk that went into the design of the Neues Berlin Museum in depth; a building that took
14 years in total.James Mitchell, a fifth year at WSA, gave an
inspirational talk on how he and other students had set up a charity that designed and built buildings
to benefit orphans and children in developing countries.
The Research at the School event we held towards the end of the year was very interesting in terms of
learning more about the research of the staff, and entertaining to watch - each researcher had strictly
one minute to explain their research.
dome gazingNational Museum of Wales:
section in context
plan showing passage through structure
cut away perspective perspective in context
Arnold Dunbar Smith and Cecil Brewer’s dome in the entrance hall of the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff
student: 0803103
changing atmospheres clear your mind and then focus your gaze
mirrors
dark corridorraised platform
exterior: large, intimidating open space passage: enclosed, limited lightplatform: surrounded, visually open only upwards
Iterating
STUDENT: 09005731. Roof 2. Inhabiting 3. Access 4. Structural
Analysis5. Accoustic Baffling
Node
9mm plate
6mm plate
THECAVE
SectionStudies
1:40 1:20
45
30
onoiess
1 metre
70
70
70
RenderedSection
1:20
redeerednnn
Object
Siting
Competition
We also ran a design competition for our students, with the site being the entrance lobby of the
National Museum of Wales. Entrants had to design an architectural intervention that allowed for greater
enjoyment of the museum and its contents. The competition was judged by two professionals,
Andrew Phillips of David Chipperfield Architects and Adam Zombory-Moldovan Moore, of Zombory-
Moldovan Moore Architects, with the winning entrants awarded a placement at the firms in the
summer of 2011. The boards opposite are the winning entries of David Rossington and Jo Dand.
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
The society also collaborated with the South-Wales branch of RSAW, Design Circle, to host a ball that the society members and professionals from the region
attended in great numbers. Whilst other members of the committee organised and ran the ball, it was
a great achievement and point of success for the society.