The Cabin

 Following the research of Rick Joy, and the analysis of his "Tubac House", the following cabin designed for the architect utilises these key concepts:

• Separation of Private and public spaces, through collection of public spaces and seclusion of private places.
• Enclosure from the surrounds whilst still maintaining connection to the outside
• Contrast of interior and exterior

Following the ideals of Rick Joy the cabin acts as a pure environmental filter, expelling noise, smells and climatic elements, meaning the house is mainly enclosed. The house is protected from the street by  2 metre concrete barrier which also acts as supports for the roof and creates a private courtyard near the bedroom. This wall also helps create security and privacy. The spaces within the house seem almost dislodged physically from the exterior world, but are reconnected through the use of windows along the northern face and the large eastern and western windows which stretch out into the exterior, bringing the outside world in whilst still maintaining privacy. Rustic blue steel cladding and concrete are the primary exterior materials of the house for the reasons of keeping with Rick Joy's ideal materials, but as well as blending in with the newer buildings of the area, while the weathered look adds age to the look of the building. A corrugated roof also relates to the older houses of the area. The interior spaces keep with the simplicity and clean lines of modern architecture, focusing on the functions and uses of the spaces. The full extent of the space has been taken advantage of, as to keep the cabin one storey, to keep with Rick Joy's theme and ideals.

Tubac House

Located on the outskirts of Tubac, Arizona, Tubac House (The Tyler Residence) displays how simplicity of design can create bold and ever-lasting architecture. The architect, Rick Joy, takes pride in the desert which Tubac House was built, admiring the fragile nature of the landscape. Tubac House consists of two single storey structures which pivot like a v from the entrance stairway. Housing two bedrooms, a study, kitchen, dining, living and main amenities, the houses design is based around the pure necessities of living whilst portraying them within the luxuries of space and texture.
“The desert, is a fantastic place in the most correct meaning of the word; it is at times a dreamlike fantasy of a landscape. . . . the desert’s beauty extends beyond objects and things to an atmosphere of place that is defined by quality of light and other sensory kinds of input.” Rick Joy




The House as an Environmental Filter
Simplicity, function and a respect for its surrounds is what defines Tubac House. The external rustic steel sheeting reflects the desert persona, appearing as though the house has aged and weathered and truly belongs within the harsh landscape which surrounds it. The angled nature of the building both helps it tuck tidily into the slope its built on and helps capture the views of the expansing desert around it. Carefully placed windows along the faces of the house frame the views of peaks in the distance, the very basis of the house being a specific favourite view of the owners, which in the end is captured perfectly, and appears almost like a painting. The central courtyard shelters the occupants from the extremes of the invading exterior desert, while selected glimpses through windows and reflections in the courtyard ponds never let the house lose sense of where it is. The clean crisp, modern interior spaces contrast greatly to the exterior of the building, making sure not to take away from the external visual experience which the house represents. This modern internal environment also creates  habitable spaces, cool, clean, again in contrast to the heat and deadly desert outside. The house too appears invisible from the street, just the taller angles of the roof, withered courtyard trees and the larger external windows which share glimpses of the internal spaces. The bedroom catches glimpses of the rising sun through its roof height window while the glass doors to the rear of the kitchen shimmer the rays of the setting sun into the living areas. The concrete walls which hug half the structure create a visual strength to the structure as well as acting as an insulator, maintaining the cool in summer and the heat in winter. 


The House as a Container of Human Activity
In this case, Tubac House truly acts as a container of human activity, sheltering the occupants from the rough exterior of the desert. It applies the principles of public and private spaces, providing a large combined common area containing the kitchen, dining and lounge room which opens up onto the courtyard and pool deck and captures the views of the mountains through its south-eastern facing framed glass-box windows. The main bedroom is secluded down a hall, which to the left also reveals a study, which share a hidden courtyard. An observation deck lies atop of the smaller section above the guest bedroom housing a telescope platform for the occupants astronomy hobby. The swimming pool acts as the guarding barrier between the house and the desert, boldly dividing the two from each other.


The House as a Delightful Experience
The choices of materials throughout the house, both the contrasting interior and the rustic interior creating visually pleasing spaces. The brightness of the internal rooms are warmed and softened by the use of maple, while the steel sheeting of external faces helps the house appear as a rusted can in the desert. Spaces easily flow through the house with minimal use of doors, while still maintaing privacy where needed. Function is also taken care of with every human necessity taken care of in its most simple form.

Archipedia. “Tubac House.” Last modified, February 24 2006. Accessed March 10, 2011. http://www.archipedia.org/buildings/tubachouse

Architectural Record. “Tyler Residence”. Accessed March 12, 2011. http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/residential/archives/0104TylerHouse.asp

KMP. “Rick Joy Architect – Arizona Transplant”. Accessed March 12, 2011. http://www.kmpfurniture.com/designer-news/rick-joy-architect-arizona-transplant_157.html

Clifford A.Pearson. “Desert Nomad House- About architect Rick Joy”. Accessed March 12, 2011. http://www.desertnomadhouse.com/

Joy, Rick. 2002. Rick Joy Desert Works. Princeton Architectural Press.

UME 18. The International Architecure Magazine. Accessed March 12, 2011. http://www.umemagazine.com/

Section & Elevation

Floor Plan

Site Plan

Canoe Reach Residence

Retreating atop of a hill, Canoe Reach Residence is located along the Brisbane River and was designed by the local Brisbane firm Steendyk. The house lays across two floors, with interior spaces forming a U-shape around a central courtyard which puts major focus upon the river which it sits.

The House as an Environmental Filter

Canoe Reach Residence engages intimately with the Brisbane River within in most aspects of its design, creating bends of panoramas from most areas within and around the house.  The central courtyard acts as the heart of the structure, creating an exterior space within interior confinement. The public living spaces such as the library, living and kitchen areas feed off this internal hub, allowing for large quantities of natural light and fresh air to enter and circulate. The natural use of materials within the house help blend the house into its natural surrounds which line the river, as well the windows and wood openings extending the experience of the house past its structural bounds. Its location on top of the banks hill, also allows the house to flow down towards the river from the the houses upper entry. The house appearing as a "single-storey loggia" from the street (hidden by an earth embankment) but as you move through the house it seems to sprawl, explode even, into larger more open spaces. 

Natural Ventilation is an important feature of the house, through the use of single-depth rooms. The courtyard features a parasol roof which opens on three sides to allow hot air to exit the space during hotter months, as well as ventilation slots towards the exterior of the courtyard to vent the garage below. Glazed windows and retractable blinds also help insulate the house within is completely enclosed rooms.

The House as a Container of Human Activities

Public spaces within the house seamlessly meld together within the Canoe Reach Residence design. The central courtyard acts as a literal container of activity, creating an interaction between all of the public living spaces within the house. These rooms do enclose, creating seclusion when the room needs to be used for a specific use. The private areas of the house, including the bedrooms are cleverly organised above the public spaces below, maintaining the "hierarchy of privacy" from the courtyard and river below. The house also obtains privacy from its neighbours through the use of Bamboo screening at the properties side boundaries. A large water tank also collects water beneath the house servicing the water needs of the house's residents.Overall the open plan of the house is comforted by the warm use of natural materials, use of cross ventilation, manipulation of natural light all combine to enhance the enjoyment of the occupants of the house.

The House as a Delightful Experience

From appearance to functionality, Canoe Reach Residence provides positive solutions to every aspect of its design. It honours privacy and public places, embracing notions of indoor and outdoor areas for its family to play, live and work within. It respects the river, embracing as many views as possible which the spaces within the house can provide, as well as the house both  cantilevering out across the pool to accentuate these views and the grass garden cascading picturesquely down toward the river's edge. Masonry and timber trimmings also help to ground the house to the site, helping it appear as though it belongs. Providing efficient and natural means of temperature control, light use and environmentally respectful materials also helps provide an enjoyable habitat for people to live with in.

 

The Australian Institute of Architects. 2010. “Canoe Reach Residence, Yeronga” Accessed March 11, 2011. http://www.architecture.com.au/awards_search?option=showaward&entryno=2008041485

Beaver, Robyn. 2009. 100 Dream Houses from Down Under. The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd.

Steendyk. “Canoe Reach Residence”. Accessed March 13, 2011. http://www.steendyk.com/mainpage.htm

World Architecure News. “Canoe Reach Residence, Yeronga, Australia”. Last modified 21 November, 2008. Accessed March 13, 2011. http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=10702

Riparian House

Riparian House, constructed by Cox Rayner is located along the Brisbane River in the suburb of St Lucia. Against Brisbane City Council regulations, the house itself extends beyond the riparian setback line, cantilevering only a short 6 metres from the river bank, 10 metres closer than current laws allow. This encroachment to river was accepted due to the face that house was built around an existing structure which was located on the site before the current house was constructed.

The House as an Environmental Filter


Riparian House's close proximity to the Brisbane river enables the house to engage with the environment in ways that most normal suburban houses are unable too. The house's narrow site seemingly confines the structure to its residential boundaries, but through the use of an open plan and fluid design of interconnected orthogonal spaces, the house literally breathes in its surroundings and flows out onto the river. It is through these spaces, air and light filtrate almost seamlessly throughout the house, breaking the boundaries of exterior and interior spaces, especially through the openings between the entertainment spaces and the garden. The rear of the house features an exterior glass wall which can be raised and lowered to either confine the indoor living spaces or open them up into a verandah area. Fly screens and sunscreens protect the majority of the internal spaces from two of the main local environmental factors of the Brisbane region, being mosquitos/flies and unbearable sunny days. The close proximity of the house to the river (its locations within the riparian set back line) also poses the threat of flooding, which the house experienced during the 2011 floods.


The houses physical appearance too melds with its exterior surrounds, with its materials, consisting mostly of zinc, stained boarding, battens, dark insitu concrete and tinted glass help the building visual adapt to its location. For example the house appearing almost invisible from the street, with only its steel letterbox, garage and entry pavilion hinting at the existence of the house. 


The House as a Container of Human Activity


The use of interconnected spaces allows for the easy movement of people through the house, as well as creating fluid spaces, meaning the space's use can change depending on the time of day. The design of the house also creates as before mentioned privacy from the street while opening the house up on to the river, creating a more enjoyable atmosphere for people to live within. Spaces can also too be changed from public to private spaces for example through the use of the rear moveable glass wall. The use of natural materials within the house is also enhanced through recessed lighting and borrowed natural light and a use of submissive colours, which also enriches the interactions people have within the spaces.


The House as a Delightful Experience


The houses size ensures its maintainability and efficiency, providing spaces which aren't difficult to accommodate or take care of. The materials used reflect the natural surrounds of the river while complimenting the simplicity of contemporary architecture, and the uniform patterns and flow which can be created through the varying use of textures. The river is an important focus with most areas of the house, through the use of its interconnected spaces, providing views and glimpses of the river through openings of doors and manoeuvrable walls, as well as through reflections in the casts amount of glass within the house. The manipulation and vast quantities of light within the house also provide effective spaces for the user, as do the flexibility and mobility of spaces.

Dedece. 2007. “Riparian Residence.”  Accessed March 11, 2011. http://www.dedece.com.au/projects/Riparian-residence/115/

Cox Rayner.  “Riparian House.” Accessed March 12, 2011. http://www.coxarchitecture.com.au/#/project/11351

Burgin, Mark (Cox Rayner). 2005. Cox Rayner 1995-2005 Works Projects. Australia.

Above: Canoe Reach Residence, Steendyk (Brisbane, QLD)

Below Left: Riparian House, Cox Rayner (Brisbane, QLD)

Below Right: Tubac House, Rick Joy (Tubac, Arizona, USA)

The Australian Institute of Architects. 2010. “Canoe Reach Residence, Yeronga” Accessed March 11, 2011. http://www.architecture.com.au/awards_search?option=showaward&entryno=2008041485

Archipedia. “Tubac House.” Last modified, February 24 2006. Accessed March 10, 2011. http://www.archipedia.org/buildings/tubachouse

Dedece. 2007. “Riparian Residence.”  Accessed March 11, 2011. http://www.dedece.com.au/projects/Riparian-residence/115/

Archetype Research - Exemplar Choices

My 3 Chosen Exemplars:


Canoe Reach Residence - Steendyk (Australian)
Riparian Residence - Cox Rayner (Australian)
Tubac House - Rick Joy (International - USA) 

Key Notes

To understad the true complexities of architecture and create a comprehensive grasp of a design, it is important to to identify and evaluate the necessary components of design being; the house as an environmental filter, a container of human activity and a delightful experience.


The house as an Environmental Filter:


- Separates/connects internal and exterior spaces - Are spaces divided on purpose? Privacy? Do spaces flow and are they appropriately inter-connected? 
- Provides climatic responses where necessary (Solutions to temperature and weather conditions) 
- The interaction of the house with its surroundings, including its orientation, integration with natural topography and natural environment. Does the building respect its surroundings?
- Material selection - Does it correspond with surrounding structures and natural environment? How do the materials handle the local weather conditions and respond to temperature? Are they aesthetically pleasing and suit their positioning? Does the house contrast or blend into the surrounds?
- Noise/air filtering - Is sound effectively kept out, let into particular spaces? (Cars, animals, people etc.) Is the air quality kept at sufficient and healthy levels? (Pollution) 
- Light usage - Is natural light taken advantage of? (Positioning and movement of sun) Specific lighting atmospheres in certain rooms? (Dark rooms vs. bright rooms)
- Cultural and social awareness within design
- Location - Urban or natural environment? Context of site? Have views been taken into consideration? Have surrounding facilities and services are noted? Accessibility to site?
- Effectivity of technological installations - Are they sustainable? Do they suit the design? Does the technology provide services and is it efficient? (Heating/cooling, lighting and water control etc)
- Structural integrity and overall building performance




The House as a Container of Human Activity:


- Functionality (Facilitates necessary human functions) Are the spaces of adequate size size for given use? Appropriate adjacency? How do people move through these spaces?
- Materials - Are the materials suitable to the spaces use? (Which ares get wet? Tiles?) Do the materials identify spaces? Do the materials aesthetically suit the space? (Is the bedroom a comfortable place to sleep? No to busy in appearance?)
- Public and private spaces (Zoning) - Is there privacy? Are shared areas connected and individual spaces hidden/separated?
- Does natural light allocate when spaces are used? (Orientation of spaces) Are the spaces purely interior or exterior or in-between? 
- Human scale within the space.
- Relationship within the spaces - Does the space provide a service, or is it serviced by another? Is the space multi-purposed or does it provide an individual function? Are the spacial adjacencies effective?
- Flexibility - Are the spaces able to change over time, or with the change of occupancy? Are the spaces limited by time of day or availability of light? Do the spaces increase/reduce in size with the movement  of doors/wall/windows?
- Are spaces easily identified in relation to their function? (Does the kitchen look like a kitchen?) 
- Are spaces easily used? Are all facilities efficiently provided? Is technology integrated appropriately and to an extent which is appropriate?




The house as a Delightful Experience:


- Physical comfortability - Does the space please all five senses? (Clean air, noise barriers etc) Does the space provide protection from exterior elements? Is a suitable temperature contained within a space? Is it easy to move between spaces?
- Materials - Are the selected materials visually pleasing? Do they create pattern and order or contrast each other? What textures do these materials make? (Hard, soft etc) Is their co-ordination between colours and materials? 
- Aesthetics - Are spaces created by anything other than walls? (Windows, furniture, structural elements) Are their views? Do windows bring exterior aesthetics indoors and visa versa? 
- Which takes priority, structural components or visual aesthetics, or the latter?
- Emotional responses - What emotions do given spaces evoke, happiness, calmness (Colours/textures) Are the emotions created by the space or do these given emotions determine the use of the space?
- functionality - Do the spaces fulfil the needs of the user? Do they adequately provide enough room for the amount of people whom would use the space?

This blog was created with the intention of displaying the progressive work of Project 1 in DAB310, at QUT.